the trampling of the lilies-第43章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
received him very coldly； and hurried him out of the prison with
scant ceremony。
The officer attended the Deputy to the door of his cabriolet； and
in his hearing Caron bade the coachman drive to the Porte St。 Martin。
This； however； was no more than a subterfuge to which he was
resorting with a view to baffling the later possibility of their
being traced。 Ombreval naturally enough plied him with questions
as they went； to which La Boulaye returned such curt answers that
in the end； discouraged and offended； the nobleman became silent。
Arrived at the Porte St。 Martin they alighted； and La Boulaye
dismissed the carriage。 On foot he now led his companion as far as
the church of St。 Nicholas des Champs； where he hired a second
cabriolet； bidding the man drive him to the Quai de la Greve。
Having reached the riverside they once more took a short walk；
crossing by the Pont au Change； and thence making their way towards
Notre Dame； in the neighbourhood of which La Boulaye ushered the
Vicomte into a third carriage； and thinking that by now they had
done all that was needed to efface their tracks； he ordered the man
to proceed as quickly as possible to Choisy。
They arrived at that little village on the Seine an hour or so later；
and having rid themselves of their conveyance； Caron inquired and
discovered the way to the house of Citoyenne Godelliere。
Mademoiselle was within； and at sound of Caron's voice questioning
the erstwhile servant who had befriended her； she made haste to
show herself。 And at a word from her； Henriette admitted the two
men and ushered them into a modest parlour； where she left them
with Mademoiselle。
La Boulaye was the first to speak。
〃I trust that I have not kept you waiting overlong； Citoyenne；〃 he
said； by way of saying something。
〃Monsieur；〃 she answered him； with a look that was full of gratitude
and kindliness〃 you have behaved nobly； and to my dying day I shall
remember it。〃
This La Boulaye deprecated by a gesture； but uttered no word as the
Vicomte now stepped forward and bore Suzanne's hand to his lips。
〃Mademoiselle；〃 said he； 〃Monsieur La Boulaye here was very reticent
touching the manner in which my release has been gained。 But I never
doubted that I owed it to your good efforts； and that you had adopted
the course suggested to you by my letter； and bought me from the
Republic。〃
La Boulaye flushed slightly as much at the contemptuous tone as at
the words in which Ombreval referred to the Republic。
〃It is not to me but to our good friend； M。 La Boulaye； that you
should address your thanks； Monsieur。〃
〃Ah？ Vraiment？〃 exclaimed the Vicomte； turning a supercilious eye
upon the Deputy； for with his freedom he seemed to have recovered
his old habits。
〃I have not sold you to the Citoyenne；〃 said La Boulaye； the words
being drawn from him by the other's manner。 〃I am making her a
present of you … a sort of wedding gift。〃 And his lips smiled； for
all that his eyes remained hard。
Ombreval made him no answer； but stood looking from the Deputy to
Suzanne in some hesitation。 The expressions which his very lofty
dignity prompted； his sense of fitness … feeble though it was …
forbade him。 And so there followed a pause； which； however； was but
brief； for La Boulaye had yet something to say。
It had just come to him with a dismaying force that in the haste of
his escape from Paris with the Vicomte he had forgotten to return
to his lodging for a passport that he was fortunately possessed of。
It was a laissez…passer； signed and left in blank； with which he
had been equipped … against the possibility of the need for it
arising … when he had started upon the Convention's errand to the
Army of Dumouriez。 Whilst on his way to Robespierre's house to
secure the order of release； he had bethought him of filling in
that passport for three persons； and thus； since to remain must
entail his ruin and destruction； make his escape from France with
Mademoiselle and the Vicomte。 It was his only chance。 Then in
the hurry of the succeeding incidents； the excitement that had
attended them； and the imperative need for haste in getting the
Vicomte to Choisy； he had put the intended return to his lodging
from his mind … overlooking until now the fact that not only must
he go back for the valise which he had bidden Brutus pack； but
also for that far more precious passport。
It now became necessary to explain the circumstances to his
companions； and in explaining them the whole affair； from
Robespierre's refusal to grant him the life of the Vicomte down
to the means to which he had had recourse； could not be kept from
transpiring。 As she listened； Suzanne's expression changed into
one of ineffable wonder。
〃And you have done this for me？〃 she cried； when at last he paused。；
〃you have ruined your career and endangered your life？〃
La Boulaye shrugged his shoulders。
〃I spoke over…confidently when I said that I could obtain you the
Vicomte's pardon。 There proved to be a factor on which I had not
counted。 Nevertheless； what I had promised I must fulfil。 I was
by honour bound to leave nothing undone that might result in the
Vicomte's enlargement。〃
Ornbreval laughed softly； but with consummate amusement。
〃A sans…culotte with a sense of honour is such an anomaly … 〃 he
began； when Mademoiselle interposed； a note of anger sounding in
her voice。
〃M。 d'Ombreval means to pay you a compliment；〃 she informed La
Boulaye； 〃but he has such an odd way of choosing his expressions
that I feared you might misunderstand him。〃
La Boulaye signified his indifference by a smile。
〃I am afraid the ci…devant Vicomte has not yet learnt his lesson；〃
said he；〃 or else he is like the sinner who upon recovering health
forgot the penitence that had come to him in the days of sickness。
But we have other matters to deal with； Citoyenne； and； in
particular； the matter of the passport。 Fool that I am！〃 he cried
bitterly。
〃I must return to Paris at once；〃 he announced briskly。 〃There is
no help for it。 We will hope that as yet the way is open to me； and
that I shall be permitted to go and to return unmolested。 In such a
case the rest is easy … except that you will have to suffer my
company as far as the frontier。〃
It was Mademoiselle who accompanied him to the door。
〃Monsieur；〃 she said； in a voice that shook with the sincere
intensity of her feelings； 〃think me not ungrateful that I have said
so little。 But your act has overwhelmed me。 It is so truly noble；
that to offer you thanks that are but words； seems tome little short
of a banality。〃
〃Tut！〃 he laughed。 〃I have not yet done half。 It will be time to
thank me when we are out of France。〃
〃And you speak so lightly of leaving France？〃 she cried。 〃But what
is to become of you？ What of your career？〃
〃Other careers are possible in other countries；〃 he answered； with
a lightness he did not feel。 〃Who knows perhaps the English or the
Prussians might be amenable to a change of government。 I shall seek
to induce one or the other of them to became a republic； and then I
shall become once more a legislator。〃
With that； and vowing that every moment he remained their chances
of leaving France grew more slender； he took his leave of her；
expressing the hope that he might be back within a couple of hours。
Mademoiselle watched him to the garden gate； then closing the door
she returned within。
She discovered her betrothed … he whom La Boulaye had called her
lover … standing with his back to the fire； his hands clasped behind
him； the very picture of surliness。 He made none of the advances
that one might look for in a man placed as he was at that moment。
He greeted her； instead； with a complaint。
〃Will you permit me； Mademoiselle； to say that in this matter you
have hardly chosen the wiser course？〃
〃In what matter？〃 quoth she； at a loss to understand him。
〃In the matter of my release。 I advised you in my letter to
purchase my freedom。 Had you done so； we should now be in a
position to start for the frontier … for you would have made a
passport a part of your bargain。 Instead of this； not only are
we obliged to run the risk
