the trampling of the lilies-第7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！
pumpkin…like head…dress … 〃most richly served。〃
A great pity arose now in the heart of Mademoiselle； as her father
went below that he might carry out his barbarous design。 She was
deaf to the dainty trifles which the most elegant Chevalier de
Jacquelin was murmuring into heir ear。 She stood； a tall； queenly
figure； at the balcony's parapet and watched the preparations that
were being made。
She heard her father's harshly…voiced commands。 She saw them
literally tear the clothes from the unfortunate secretary's back；
and lash him … naked to the waist … to the pump that stood by the
horse…trough at the far end of the yard。 His body was now hidden
from her sight； but his head appeared surmounting the pillar of the
pump； his chin seeming to rest upon its summit； and his face was
towards her。 At his side stood a powerful knave armed with a
stout； leather…thonged whip。
〃How many strokes； Monseigneur？〃 she heard the man inquire。
〃How many？〃 echoed the Marquise。 〃Do I know how many it will take
to make an end of him？ Beat him to death； man。 Allons！
Set about it。〃
She saw the man uncoil his lash and step forward。 In that instant
Caron's eyes were raised； and they met hers across the intervening
space。 He smiled a valedictory smile that seemed to make her heart
stand still。 She and her mother were now the only women on the
balcony。 The others had made haste to withdraw as soon as La
Boulaye had been pilloried。 The Marquise remained because she
seemed to find entertainment in the spectacle。 Suzanne remained
because horror rooted her to the spot … horror and a great pity for
this unfortunate who had looked so strong and brave that morning；
when he had had the audacity to tell her that he loved her。
The lash sang through the air； quivered； hummed； and cut with a
sickening crackle into the young man's flesh。
The hideous sound roused her She shuddered from head to foot； and
turning she put her hands to her face and rushed within； followed
by the Marquise's derisive laughter。
〃Mon Dieu！ It is horrible！ Horrible！〃 she cried as she sank into
the nearest chair； and clapped her hands to her ears。 But she
could not shut it out。 Still she heard the humming of the whip and
the cruel sound of the falling blows。 Mechanically she counted
them； unconsciously almost； and at twenty she heard them cease。
Was it over？ Was he dead； this poor unfortunate？ Moved by a
curiosity that was greater than her loathing； she rose and went
to the threshold of the balcony。
〃Is it ended？〃 she asked。
〃Ended？〃 echoed Monsieur de Jacquelin； with a shrug。 〃It is scarce
begun； it seems。 The executioner is pausing for breath； that is
all。 The fellow has not uttered a sound。 He is as obstinate as
a mule。〃
〃As enduring as a Spartan；〃 more generously put in the Vicomte； her
brother。 〃Look at him； Suzanne。〃
Almost involuntarily she obeyed； and moved forward a step that she
might behold him。 A face； deathly pale； she saw； which in the
sunshine glistened with the sweat of agony that bedewed it； but the
lips were tightly closed and the countenance grimly expressionless。
Even as she looked she heard her father command the man to lay on
anew。 Then； as before； his eyes met hers； but this time no smile
did she see investing them。
Again the whip cracked and fell。 She drew back； but his glance
seemed to haunt her even when she no longer saw his face。 A sudden
resolution moved her； and in a frenzy of anger and compassion she
flung out of the room。 A moment later she burst like a beautiful
virago into the courtyard。
〃Stop！〃 she commanded shrilly； causing both her father and the
executioner to turn； and the latter pausing in his hideous work。
But a glance from the Marquis bade him resume； and resume he did；
as though there had been no interruption。
〃What is this？〃 demanded Bellecour； half amused； half vexed； whilst
a sudden new light leapt to the eyes of La Boulaye； which but a
moment back had been so full of agony。
But Mademoiselle never paused to answer her father。 Seeing the
executioner proceeding； despite her call to cease； she sprang upon
him； caught him by the arms and wrested the whip from hands that
dared not resist her。
〃Did I not bid you stop？〃 she blazed； her face white； her eyes on
fire； and raising the whip she brought it down upon his head and
shoulders； not once but half…a…dozen times in quick succession；
until he fled； howling； to the other side of the horse trough for
shelter。 〃It stings you； does it〃 she cried； whilst the Marquis；
from angered that at first he had been； now burst into a laugh at
her fury and at this turning of tables upon the executioner。 She
made shift to pursue the fellow to his place of refuge； but
coming of a sudden upon the ghastly sight presented by La Boulaye's
lacerated back； she drew back in horror。 Then； mastering herself
… for girl though she was； her courage was of a high order … she
turned to her father。
〃Give this man to me； Monsieur；〃 she begged。
〃To you！〃 he exclaimed。 〃What will you do with him？〃
〃I will see that you are rid of him；〃 she promised。 〃What more can
you desire？ You have tortured him enough。〃
〃Maybe。 But am I to blame that he dies so hard？〃
She answered him with renewed insistence； and unexpectedly she
received an ally in M。 des Cadoux … an elderly gentleman who had
been observing the flogging with disapproval； and who had followed
her into the courtyard。
〃He is too brave a man to die like this； Bellecour；〃 put in the
newcomer。 〃I doubt if he can survive the punishment he has already
received。 Yet I would ask you； in the name of courage； to give him
the slender chance he may have。〃
〃I promised him he should be flogged to death … 〃 began the Marquis；
when Des Cadoux and Mademoiselle jointly interrupted him to renew
their intercessions。
〃But； sangdieu；〃 the Marquis protested 〃you seem to forget that he
has killed one of my servants。〃
〃Why； then； you should have hanged him out of hand； not tortured
him thus；〃 answered Des Cadoux shortly。
For a moment it almost seemed as if the pair of them would have
fallen a…quarrelling。 Their words grew more heated； and then；
while they were still wrangling； the executioner came forward to
solve matters with the news that the secretary had expired。 To
Bellecour this proved a very welcome conclusion。
〃Most opportunely！〃 he laughed 〃Had the rascal lived another minute
I think we had quarrelled； Cadoux。〃 He turned to the servant； 〃You
are certain that it is so？〃 he asked。
〃Look； Monsieur；〃 said the fellow； as he pointed with his whip to
the pilloried figure of La Boulaye。 The Marquis looked； and saw
that the secretary had collapsed； and hung limp in his bonds； his
head fallen back upon his shoulders and his eyes closed。
With a shrug and a short laugh Bellecour turned to his daughter。
〃You may take the carrion； if you want to。 But I think you can do
no more than order it to be flung into a ditch and buried there。〃
But she had no mind to be advised by him。 She had the young man's
body cut down from the pump； and she bade a couple of servants
convey it to the house of Master Duhamel； she for remembered that
La Boulaye and the old pedagogue were friends。
〃An odd thing is a woman's heart；〃 grumbled the Marquis； who
begrudged La Boulaye even his last act of mercy。 〃She may care
never a fig for a man； and yet； if he has but told her that he
loves her； be he never so mean and she never so exalted； he seems
thereby to establish some measure of claim to her。〃
CHAPTER IV
THE DISCIPLES OF ROUSSEAU
The Marquis of Bellecour would； perhaps have philosophised less
complacently had he known that the secretary was far from dead；
and that what the executioner had； genuinely enough； mistaken for
death was no more than a passing swoon。 Under ordinary
circumstances he might not have been satisfied to have taken the
fellow's word； he would himself have ascertained the truth of the
statement by a close inspection of the victim。 But； as we have
seen； the news came as so desirable a solution to the altercation
that was waxing 'twixt himself and Des Cadoux that he was more
