the trampling of the lilies-第42章

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instant's　hesitation；　she　sped　to　the　door。　　Imagining　her　intent　to
be　to　lock　him　in　La　Boulaye　sprang　after　her。　　But　it　seemed　that
his　mind　had　been　more　swift　to　fasten　upon　the　wiser　course　than
had　hers。　　Instead；　she　snatched　the　key　and　closed　the　door　on　the
inside。　　She　wasted　a　moment　fumbling　at　the　lock；　and　even　as　he
caught　her　by　the　waist　the　key　slipped　in；　and　before　he　dragged
her　back　she　had　contrived　to　turn　it；　and　now　held　it　in　her　hand。
He　laughed　a　trifle　angrily　as　she　twisted　out　of　his　grasp；　and
stood　panting　before　him。

〃You　shall　not　leave　this　room　with　that　paper；〃　she　gasped；　her
anger　ever　swelling；　and　now　rendering　her　speech　almost　incoherent。

He　set　his　arms　akimbo；　and　surveyed　her　whimsically。

〃My　dear　Cecile；〃　quoth　he；　〃if　you　will　take　no　thought　for　my
convenience；　I　beg　that；　at　least；　you　will　take　some　for　your　good
name。　　Thousand　devils　woman！　　Will　you　have　it　said　in　Paris　that
you　were　found　locked　in　a　room　with　me？　　What　will　your　uncle　…
your　virtuous；　prudish；　incorruptible　uncle　…　say　when　he　learns　of
it？　　If　he　does　not　demand　a　heavy　price　from　you　for　so　dishonouring
him；　he　is　not　the　man　I　deem　him。　　Now　be　sensible；　child；　and　open
that　door　while　there　is　yet　time；　and　before　anybody　discovers　us
in　this　most　compromising　situation。〃

He　struck　the　tone　most　likely　to　win　him　obedience；　and　that　he
had　judged　astutely　her　face　showed　him。　　In　the　place　of　the　anger
that　had　distorted　it　there　came　now　into　that　countenance　a　look
of　surprise　and　fear。　　She　saw　herself　baffled　at　every　point。　　She
had　threatened　him　with　Duplay　…　the　only　man　available　…　and　he　had
shown　her　how　futile　it　must　prove　to　summon　him。　　And　now　she　had
locked　herself　in　with　him；　thinking　to　sit　there　until　he　should　do
her　will；　and　he　showed　her　the　danger　to　herself　therein；　which　had
escaped　her　notice。

There　was　a　settle　close　behind　her；　and　on　to　this　she　sank；　and
bending　her　head　she　opened　the　floodgates　of　her　passionate　little
soul；　and　let　the　rage　that　had　so　long　possessed　her　dissolve　in
tears。　　At　sight　of　that　sudden　change　of　front　La　Boulaye　stamped
his　foot。　　He　appreciated　the　fact　that　she　was　about　to　fight　him
with　weapons　that　on　a　previous　occasion　…　when；　however；　it　is
true；　they　were　wielded　by　another　…　had　accomplished　his　undoing。

And　for　all　that　he　steeled　his　heart；　and　evoked　the　memory　of
Suzanne　to　strengthen　him　in　his　purpose：　he　approached　her　with　a
kindly　exterior。　　He　sat　him　down　beside　her；　he　encompassed　her
waist　with　his　arm；　and　drawing　her　to　him　he　set　himself　to　soothe
her　as　one　soothes　a　wilful　child。　　Had　he　then　recalled　what　her
attitude　had　been　towards　him　in　the　past　he　had　thought　twice
before　adopting　such　a　course。　　But　in　his　mind　there　was　no
sentiment　that　was　not　brotherly；　and　far　from　his　wishes　was　it
to　invest　his　action　with　any　other　than　a　fraternal　kindness。

But　she；　feeling　that　caressing　arm　about　her；　and　fired　by　it　in
her　hapless　passion　for　this　man；　was　quick　to　misinterpret　him；
and　to　translate　his　attitude　into　one　of　a　kindness　far　beyond　his
dreams。　　She　nestled　closer　to　him；　at　his　bidding　her　weeping　died
down　and　ceased。

〃There；　Cecile；　you　will　give　me　the　key　now？〃　he　begged。

She　glanced　up　at　him　shyly　through　wet　lashes　…　as　peeps　the　sun
through　April　clouds。

〃There　is　nothing　I　will　not　do　for　you；　Caron；〃　she　murmured。　　〃See；
I　will　even　help　you　to　play　the　traitor　on　my　uncle。　　For　you　love
me　a　little；　cher　Caron；　is　it　not　so？〃

He　felt　himself　grow　cold　from　head　to　foot；　and　he　grew　sick　at
the　thought　that　by　the　indiscretion　of　his　clumsy　sympathy　he　had
brought　this　down　upon　his　luckless　head。　　Mechanically　his　arm
relaxed　the　hold　of　her　waist　and　fell　away。　　Instinctively　she
apprehended　that　all　was　not　as　she　had　thought。　　She　turned　on　the
seat　to　face　him　squarely；　and　caught　something　of　the　dismay　in
his　glance　of　the　loathing　almost　（for　what　is　more　loathsome　to　a
man　than　to　be　wooed　by　a　woman　he　desires　not？）　　Gradually；　inch
by　inch；　she　drew　away　from　him；　ever　facing　him；　and　her　eyes　ever
on　his；　as　if　fascinated　by　the　horror　of　what　she　saw。　　Thus　until
the　extremity　of　the　settle　permitted　her　to　go　no　farther。　　She
started；　then　her　glance　flickered　down；　and　she　gave　a　sudden　gasp
of　passion。　　Simultaneously　the　key　rang　on　the　boards　at　Caron's
feet　angrily　flung　there　by　Cecile。

〃Go！〃　she　exclaimed；　in　a　suffocating　voice；　〃and　never　let　me　see
your　face　again。〃

For　a　second　or　two　he　sat　quite　still；　his　eyes　observing　her　with
a　look　of　ineffable　pity；　which　might　have　increased　her　disorder
had　she　perceived　it。　　Then　slowly　he　stooped；　and　took　up　the　key。

He　rose　from　the　settle；　and　without　a　word　…　for　words　he　realised；
could　do　no　more　than　heighten　the　tragic　banality　of　the　situation
　…　he　went　to　the　door；　unlocked　it；　and　passed　out。

Huddled　in　her　corner　sat　Cecile；　listening　until　his　steps　had　died
away　on　the　stairs。　　Then　she　cast　herself　prone　upon　the　settle；
and　in　a　frenzy　of　sobs　and　tears　she　vented　some　of　the　rage　and
shame　that　were　distracting　her。




CHAPTER　XX

THE　GRATITUDE　OF　OMBREVAL


What　La　Boulaye　may　have　lacked　in　knowledge　of　woman's　ways　he　made
up　for　by　his　knowledge　of　Cecile；　and　from　this　he　apprehended　that
there　was　no　time　to　be　lost　if　he　would　carry　out　his　purpose。
Touching　her　dismissal　of　him；　he　permitted　himself　no　illusions。
He　rated　it　at　its　true　value。　　He　saw　in　it　no　sign　of　relenting
of　generosity；　but　only　a　desire　to　put　an　end　to　the　shame　which
his　presence　was　occasioning　her。

He　could　imagine　the　lengths　to　which　the　thirst　of　vengeance　would
urge　a　scorned　woman；　and　of　all　women　he　felt　that　Cecile　scorned
was　the　most　to　be　feared。　　She　would　not　sit　with　folded　hands。
Once　she　overcame　the　first　tempestuous　outburst　of　her　passion　she
would　be　up　and　doing；　straining　every　sense　to　outwit　and　thwart
him　in　his　project；　whose　scope　she　must　have　more　than　guessed。

Reasoning　thus；　he　clearly　saw　not　only　that　every　moment　was　of
value；　but　that　flight　was　the　only　thing　remaining　him　if　he　would
save　himself　as　well　as　Ombreval。　　And　so　he　hired　him　a　cabriolet；
and　drove　in　all　haste　to　the　house　of　Billaud　Varennes；　the　Deputy；
from　whom　he　sought　to　obtain　one　of　the　two　signatures　still
needed　by　his　order　of　release。　　He　was　disappointed　at　learning
that　Varennes　was　not　at　home　…　though；　had　he　been　able　to　peep　an
hour　or　so　into　the　future；　he　would　have　offered　up　thanks　to
Heaven　for　that　same　Deputy's　absence。　　His　insistent　and　impatient
questions　elicited　the　information　that　probably　Verennes　would　be
found　at　Fevrier's。　　And　so　to　Fevrier's　famous　restaurant　in　the
old　Palais　Royal　went　La　Boulaye；　and　there　he　had　the　good　fortune
to　find　not　only　Billaud　Varennes；　but　also　the　Deputy　Carnot。　　Nor
did　fortune　end　her　favours　there。　　She　was　smiling　now　upon　Caron；
as　was　proved　by　the　fact　that　neither　to　Varennes　nor　Carnot　did
the　name　of　Ombreval　mean　anything。　　Robespierre's　subscription　of
the　document　was　accepted　by　each　as　affording　him　a　sufficient
warrant　to　append　his　own　signature；　and　although　Carnot　asked　a
question　or　two；　it　was　done　in　an　idle　humour；　and　he　paid　little
attention　to　such　replies　as　Caron　made　him。

Within　five　minutes　of　entering　the　restaurant；　La　Boulaye　was　in
the　street　again；　driving；　by　way　of　the　Pont　Neuf；　to　the　Luxembourg。

At　the　prison　he　encountered　not　the　slightest　difficulty。　　He　was
known　personally　to　the　officer；　of　whom　he　demanded　the　person　of
the　ci…devant　Vicomte；　and　his　order　of　release　was　too　correct　to
give　rise　to　any　hesitation　on　the　part　of　the　man　to　whom　it　was
submitted。　　He　was　left　waiting　a　few　moments　in　a　chamber　that　did
duty　as　a　guard…room；　and　presently　the　Vicomte；　looking　pale；　and
trembling　with　excitement　at　his　sudden　release；　stood　before　him。

〃You？〃　he　muttered；　upon　beholding　La　Boulaye。　　But　the　Republican
received　him　very　coldly；　and　hurried　him　out　of　the　prison　with
scant　ceremony。

The　officer　attended　the　D