the trampling of the lilies-第48章

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though　her　shuddering　was　the　result　of　cold。

〃It　is　yet　possible　that　he　may　not　die；〃　she　said　almost　as　if
speaking　to　herself。　　〃They　have　offered　him　his　liberty；　and　his
reinstatement　even　…　upon　conditions。〃

〃How　interesting！〃　he　murmured　nonchalantly。　　〃They　have　an　odd　way
of　dispensing　justice。〃

〃The　conditions　imposed　are　that　he　shall　amend　the　wrong　he　has
done；　and　deliver　up　to　the　Convention　the　person　of　one　ci…devant
Vicomte　d'Ombreval。〃

〃My　God！〃

It　was　a　gasp　of　sudden　dismay　that　broke　from　the　young　nobleman。
The　colour　swept　out　of　his　face；　and　his　eyes　dilated　with　horror。
Watching　him　Suzanne　observed　the　sudden　change；　and　took　a　fierce
joy　in　having　produced　it。

〃It　interests　you　more　closely　now；　Monsieur？〃　she　asked。

〃Suzanne；〃　he　cried；　coming　a　step　nearer；　and　speaking　eagerly；
〃he　knows　my　whereabouts。　　He　brought　me　here　himself。　　Are　you　mad；
girl；　that　you　can　sit　there　so　composedly　and　tell　me　this？〃

〃What　else　would　you　have　me　do？〃　she　inquired。

〃Do？　　Why；　leave　Choisy　at　once。　　Come；　be　stirring。　　In　God's　name；
girl；　bethink　you　that　we　have　not　a　moment　to　lose。　　I　know　these
Republicans；　and　how　far　they　are　to　be　trusted。　　This　fellow　would
betray　me　to　save　his　skin　with　as　little　compunction　as　…　〃

〃You　fool！〃　she　broke　in；　an　undercurrent　of　fierce　indignation
vibrating　through　her　scorn。　　〃What　are　you　saying？　　He　would　betray
you？　　He？〃　　She　tossed　her　arms　to　Heaven；　and　burst　into　a　laugh
of　infinite　derision。　　〃Have　no　fear　of　that；　M。　le　Vicomte；　for　you
are　dealing　with　a　nature　of　a　nobility　that　you　cannot　so　much　as
surmise。　　If　he　were　minded　to　betray　you；　why　did　he　not　do　so
to…day；　when　they　offered　him　his　liberty　in　exchange　for　information
that　would　lead　to　your　recapture？〃

〃But　although　he　may　have　refused　to…day；〃　returned　the　Vicomte
frenziedly；　〃he　may　think　better　of　it　to…morrow…perhaps　even　tonight。
Ciel！　　Think　of　the　risk　we　run；　already　it　may　be　too　late。　　Oh；
why；〃　he　demanded　reproachfully；　〃why　didn't　you　listen　to　me　when；
days　ago；　I　counselled　flight？〃

〃Because　it　neither　was；　nor　is；　my　intention　to　fly。〃

〃　What？〃　he　cried；　and；　his　jaw　fallen　and　his　eyes　wide；　he　regarded
her。　　Then　suddenly　he　caught　her　by　the　arm　and　shook　her　roughly。
〃Are　you　mad？〃　he　cried；　in　a　frenzy　of　anger　and　fear。　　〃Am　I　to
die　like　a　dog　that　a　scum　of　a　Republican　may　save　his　miserable
neck？　　Is　this　canaille　of　a　revolutionist　to　betray　me　to　his　rabble
Tribunal？〃

〃Already　have　I　told　you　that　you　need　fear　no　betrayal。〃

〃Need　I　not？〃　he　sneered。　　〃Ma　foi！　but　I　know　these　ruffians。　　There
is　not　an　ounce　of　honour　in　the　whole　National　Convention。〃

〃Fool！〃　she　blazed；　rising　and　confronting　him　with　an　anger　before
which　he　recoiled；　appalled。　　〃Do　you　dare　to　stand　there　and　prate
of　honour　…　you？　　Do　you　forget　why　he　stood　his　trial？　　Do　you
forget　why　he　is　dying；　and　can　you　not　see　the　vile　thing　that　you
are　doing　in　arguing　flight；　that　you　talk　of　honour　thus；　and　deny
his　claim　to　it？　　Mon　Dieu！　　Your　effrontery　stifles　me！　　La　Boulaye
was　right　when　he　said　that　with　us　honour　is　but　a　word　…　just　so
much　wind；　and　nothing　more。〃

He　stared　at　her　in　uncomprehending　wonder。　　He　drew　away　another
step。　　He　accounted　her　mad；　and；　that　he　might　humour　her；　he　put
by　his　own　fears　for　the　moment　…　a　wonderful　unselfishness　this　in
the　most　nobly…born　Vicomte　d'Ombreval。

〃My　poor　Suzanne；〃　he　murmured。　　〃Our　trouble　has　demoralised　your
understanding。　　You　take　a　false　view　of　things。　　You　do　not
apprehend　the　situation。〃

〃In　God's　name；　be　silent！〃　she　gasped。

〃But　the　time　is　not　one　for　silence；〃　he　returned。

〃So　I　had　thought；〃　quoth　she。　　〃Yet　since　you　can　be　silent　and
furtive　in　other　matters；　I　beg　that　you　will　be　silent　in　this
also。　　You　talk　in　vain；　Monsieur；　in　any　case。　　For　I　am　not　minded
to　leave　Choisy。　　If　you　urge　me　further　I　shall　burn　our　passport。〃

And　with　that　she　left　him；　to　seek　the　solitude　of　her　own　room。
In　a　passion　of　tears　she　flung　herself　upon　the　little　bed；　and
there　she　lay；　a　prey　to　such　an　anguish　as　had　never　touched　her
life　before。

And　now；　in　that　hour　of　her　grief；　it　came　to　her　…　as　the　sun
pierces　the　mist　…　that　she　loved　La　Boulaye；　that　she　had　loved
him；　indeed；　since　that　night　at　Boisvert；　although　she　had　stifled
the　very　thought；　and　hidden　it　even　from　herself；　as　being　unworthy
in　one　of　her　station　to　love　a　man　so　lowly…born　as　Caron。　　But
now；　on　the　eve　of　his　death；　the　truth　would　no　longer　be　denied。
It　cried；　perchance；　the　louder　by　virtue　of　the　pusillanimity　of
the　craven　below　stairs　in　whose　place　Caron　was　to　die；　but　anyhow；
it　cried　so　loudly　that　it　overbore　the　stern　voice　of　the　blood
that　had　hitherto　urged　her　to　exclude　the　sentiment　from　her　heart。
No　account　now　did　she　take　of　any　difference　in　station。　　Be　she
nobler　a　thousand　times；　be　he　simpler　a　thousand　times；　the　fact
remained　that　she　was　a　woman；　he　a　man；　and　beyond　that　she　did
not　seek　to　go。

Low　indeed　were　the　Lilies　of　France　when　a　daughter　of　the　race　of
their　upholders　heeded　them　so　little　and　the　caste　they　symbolised。

Henriette　came　to　her　that　afternoon；　and；　all　ignorant　of　the
sources　of　her　grief；　she　essayed　to　soothe　and　comfort　her；　in
which；　at　last；　she　succeeded。

In　the　evening　Ombreval　sent　word　that　he　wished　to　speak　to　her　…
and　that　his　need　was　urgent。　　But　she　returned　him　the　answer　that
she　would　see　him　in　the　morning。　　She　was　indisposed　that　evening；
she　added；　in　apology。

And　in　the　morning　they　met；　as　she　had　promised　him。　　Both　pale；
although　from　different　causes；　and　both　showing　signs　of　having
slept　but　little。　　They　broke　their　fast　together　and　in　silence；
which　at　last　he　ended　by　asking　her　whether　the　night　had　brought
her　reflection；　and　whether　such　reflection　had　made　her　appreciate
their　position　and　the　need　to　set　out　at　once。

〃It　needed　no　reflection　to　make　me　realise　our　position　better
than　I　did　yesterday；〃　she　answered。　　〃I　had　hoped　that　it　would
have　brought　you　to　a　different　frame　of　mind。　　But　I　am　afraid　that
it　has　not　done　so。〃

〃I　fail　to　see　what　change　my　frame　of　mind　admits　of；〃　he　answered
testily。

〃Have　you　thought；〃　she　asked　at　last；　and　her　voice　was　cold　and
concentrated；　〃that　this　man　is　giving　his　life　for　you？〃

〃I　have　feared；〃　he　answered；　with　incredible　callousness；　〃that　to
save　his　craven　skin　he　might　elect　to　do　differently　at　the　last
moment。〃

She　looked　at　him　in　a　mighty　wonder；　her　dark　eyes　open　to　their
widest；　and　looking　black　by　the　extreme　dilation　of　the　pupils。
So　vast　was　her　amazement　at　this　unbounded　egotism　that　it　almost
overruled　her　disgust。

〃You　cast　epithets　about　you　and　bestow　titles　with　a　magnificent
unconsciousness　of　how　well　they　might　fit　you。〃

〃Ah？　　For　example？〃

〃In　calling　this　man　a　craven；　you　take　no　thought　for　the　cowardice
that　actuates　you　into　hiding　while　he　dies　for　you？〃

〃Cowardice？〃　he　ejaculated。　　Then　a　flush　spread　on　his　face。　　〃Ma
foi；　Mademoiselle；〃　said　he；　in　a　quivering　voice；　〃your　words　betray
thoughts　that　would　be　scarcely　becoming　in　the　Vicomtesse　d'Ombreval。〃

〃That；　Monsieur；　is　a　point　that　need　give　you　little　thought。　　I　am
not　likely　to　become　the　Vicomtesse。〃

He　bestowed　her　a　look　of　mingling　wonder　and　anger。　　Had　he；　indeed；
heard　her　aright？　　Did　her　words　imply　that　she　disdained　the　honour？

〃Surely；〃　he　gasped；　voicing　those　doubts　of　his；　〃you　do　not　mean
that　you　would　violate　your　betrothal　contract？　　You　do　not　…　〃

〃I　mean；　Monsieur；〃　she　cut　in；　〃that　I　will　give　myself　to　no　man
I　do　not　love。〃

〃Your　immodesty；〃　said　he；　〃falls　in　nothing　short　of　the
extraordinary　frame　of　mind　that　you　appear　to　be　developing　in
connection　with　other　matters。　　We　shall　have　you　beating　a　drum
and　screeching　the　Ca　ira　in　the　streets　of　Paris　presently；　like
Mademoiselle　de　Mericourt。〃

She　rose　from　the　table；　her　face　very　white；　her　hand　pressing　upon
her　corsage。　　A　moment　she　looked　at　him。　　Then：

〃Do　not　let　us　talk　of　ourselves；〃　she　excl