the trampling of the lilies-第41章
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who answered his peremptory knock。
〃He has been gone this hour； Citizen La Boulaye；〃 she answered。
〃He started almost immediately after you left him。〃
〃Diable！〃 grumbled Caron； with well…feigned annoyance。 〃Quel
contretemps！ I have left a most important document in his room；
and； of course； it will be locked。〃
〃But the Citoyenne Cecile has the key；〃 answered the woman； eager
to oblige him。
〃Why； yes … naturally！ Now that is fortunate。 Will you do me the
favour to procure the key from he Citoyenne for a few moments；
telling her； of course； that it is I who need it？〃
〃But certainly； Montez； Citoyen。〃 And with a wave of the hand
towards the stairs she went before him。
He followed leisurely； and by the time he had reached Robespierre's
door her voice floated down to him from above； calling the
Incorruptible's niece。 Next he heard Cecile's voice replying； and
then a whispered conference on the landing overhead； to the
accompaniment of the occasional tinkle of a bunch of keys。
Presently the domestic returned； and unlocking the door； she held it
open for La Boulaye to pass。 From her attitude it seemed to Caron
as if she were intentioned … probably she had been instructed … to
remain there while he obtained what he sought。 Now he had no mind
that she should see him making his quest among the wasted papers on
the floor； and so：
〃I shall not be more than a few minutes；〃 he announced quietly。 〃I
will call you when I am ready to depart。〃
Thus uncompromisingly dismissed； she did not venture to remain； and；
passing in； La Boulaye closed the door。 As great as had been his
deliberation hitherto was now the feverish haste with which he
crossed to the spot where he had seen the document flung。 He caught
up a crumpled sheet and opened it out It was not the thing he sought。
He cast it aside and took up another with no better luck。 To crumple
discarded papers seemed the habit of the Incorruptible； for there was
a very litter of them on the ground。 One after another did Caron
investigate without success。 He was on his knees now； and his
exploration had carried him as far as the table； another moment and
he was grovelling under it； still at his search； which with each
fresh disappointment grow more feverish。
Yonder … by the leg of the Incorruptible's chair … he espied the ball
of paper； and to reach it he stretched to his full length； lying
prone beneath a table in an attitude scarce becoming a Deputy of the
French Republic。 But it was worth the effort and the disregard of
dignity； for when presently on his knees he smoothed out that
document； he discovered it to be the one he sought the order upon the
gaolers of the Luxembourg to set at liberty a person or persons whose
names were to be filled in； signed by Maximilien Robespierre。
He rose； absorbed in his successful find； and he pursued upon the
table the process of smoothing the creases as much as possible from
that priceless document。 That done he took up a pen and attached
his own signature alongside of Robespierre's； then into the blank
space above he filled the name of Anatole d'Ombreval ci…devant
Vicomte d'Ombreval。 He dropped the pen and took up the sand…box。
He sprinkled the writing； creased the paper； and dusted the sand
back into the receptacle。 And then of a sudden his blood seemed to
freeze； and beads of cold sweat stood out upon his brow。 There
had been the very slightest stir behind him； and with it had come a
warm breath upon his bowed neck。 Someone was looking over his
shoulder。 An instant he remained in that bowed attitude with head
half…raised。 Then suddenly straightening himself he swung round and
came face to face with Cecile Deshaix。
Confronting each other and very close they now stood and each was
breathing with more than normal quickness。 Her cheeks were white；
her nostrils dilated and quivering； her blue eyes baleful and cruel；
whilst her lips wore never so faint a smile。 For a second La Boulaye
looked the very picture of foolishness and alarm。 Then it seemed
as if he drew a curtain； and his face assumed the expressionless
mask that was habitual to it in moments of great tension。
Instinctively he put behind him his hands which held the paper。
Cecile's lips took on an added curl of scorn as she observed the act。
〃You thief！〃 she said； very low； but very fiercely。 〃That was the
paper that you left behind you； was it？〃
〃The paper that I have is certainly the paper that I left behind；〃
he answered serenely； for he had himself well in hand by now。 〃And
as for dubbing me a thief so readily〃 … he paused； and shrugged his
shoulders … 〃you are a woman；〃 he concluded； with an air suggesting
that that fact was a conclusion to all things。
〃Fool！〃 she blazed。 〃Do you think to overcome me by quibbles？ Do
you think to dupe me with words and shrugs？〃
〃My dear Cecile he begged half…whimsically； 〃may I implore you to
use some restraint？ Inured as I am to the unbounded licence of your
tongue and to the abandon that seems so inherent in you； let me
assure you that … 〃
〃Ah！ You can say Cecile now？〃 she cried； leaving the remainder of
his speech unheeded。 〃Now that you need me； now that you want me
to be a party to your treacherous designs against my uncle。 Oh； you
can say 'Cecile' and 'dear Cecile' instead of your everlasting
'Citoyenne'。
〃It seems I am doomed to be always misunderstood by you；〃 he laughed；
and at the sound she started as if he had struck her。
Had she but looked in his eyes she had seen no laughter there； she
might have realised that murder rather than mirth was in his soul …
for； at all costs； he was determined to hold the paper he had been
at such pains to get。
〃I understand you well enough；〃 she cried hotly； her cheeks flaming
red of a sudden。 〃I understand you； you thief； you trickster。 Do
you think that I heard nothing of what passed this morning between
my uncle and you？ Do you think I do not know whose name you have
written on that paper？ Answer me；〃 she commanded him。
〃Since you know so much； what need for any questions？〃 quoth he
coolly； transferring the coveted paper to his pocket as he spoke。
〃And since we are so far agreed that I am not contradicting anything
you say … nor； indeed； intend to … perhaps you will see the
convenience of ending an interview that promises to be fruitless。
My dear Cecile； I am very grateful to you for the key of this room。
I beg that you will make my compliments to the Citizen your uncle
upon his return； and inform him of how thoroughly you ministered to
my wants。〃
With that and a superb air of insouciance； he made shift to go。 But
fronting him she barred his way。
〃Give me that paper； sclerat；〃 she demanded imperiously。 〃You shall
not go until you surrender it。 Give it to me or I will call Duplay。〃
〃You may call the devil for aught I care； you little fool；〃 he
answered her； very pleasantly。 〃Do you think Duplay will be mad
enough to lay hands upon a Deputy of the Convention in the discharge
of the affairs of the Nation？〃
〃It is a lie！〃
〃Why； of course it is；〃 he admitted sweetly。 〃But Duplay will not be
aware of that。〃
〃I shall tell him。〃
〃Tut！ He won't believe you。 I'll threaten him with the guillotine
if he does。 And I should think that Duplay has sufficient dread of
the national barber not to risk having his toilet performed by him。
Now； be reasonable； and let me pass。〃
Enraged beyond measure by his persiflage and very manifest contempt
of her； she sprang suddenly upon him； and caught at the lapels of
his redingote。
〃Give me that paper！〃 she screamed； exerting her entire strength in
a vain effort to boldly shake him。
Coldly he eyed this golden…haired virago now； and looked in vain
for some trace of her wonted beauty in the stormy distortion of her
face。
〃You grow tiresome with your repetitions；〃 he answered her
impatiently； as； snatching at her wrists； he made her release her
hold。 〃Let me go。〃 And with that he flung her roughly from him。
A second she staggered； then； recovering her balance and without an
instant's hesitation； she sped to the door。 Imagining her intent to
be to lock him in La Boulaye
