scaramouche-第79章

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for　another　was　presently　to　be　rewarded。　　Had　she　done　less　than
this；　she　would　have　known　…　if　nothing　worse　…　at　least　some　hours
of　anguish　even　greater　than　those　that　were　already　in　store　for　her。

It　wanted；　perhaps；　a　half…hour　to　sunset　when　they　set　out　in　her
carriage　with　intent　to　leave　Paris　by　the　Porte　Saint…Martin。　　They
travelled　with　a　single　footman　behind。　　Rougane　…　terrifying
condescension　…　was　given　a　seat　inside　the　carriage　with　the　ladies；
and　proceeded　to　fall　in　love　with　Mlle。　de　Kercadiou；　whom　he
accounted　the　most　beautiful　being　he　had　ever　seen；　yet　who　talked
to　him　simply　and　unaffectedly　as　with　an　equal。　　The　thing　went　to
his　head　a　little；　and　disturbed　certain　republican　notions　which
he　had　hitherto　conceived　himself　to　have　thoroughly　digested。

The　carriage　drew　up　at　the　barrier；　checked　there　by　a　picket　of
the　National　Guard　posted　before　the　iron　gates。

The　sergeant　in　command　strode　to　the　door　of　the　vehicle。　　The
Countess　put　her　head　from　the　window。

〃The　barrier　is　closed；　madame；〃　she　was　curtly　informed。

〃Closed！〃　she　echoed。　　The　thing　was　incredible。　　〃But。。。　but　do
you　mean　that　we　cannot　pass？〃

Not　unless　you　have　a　permit；　madame。〃　　The　sergeant　leaned
nonchalantly　on　his　pike。　　〃The　orders　are　that　no　one　is　to　leave
or　enter　without　proper　papers。〃

〃Whose　orders？〃

〃Orders　of　the　Commune　of　Paris。〃

〃But　I　must　go　into　the　country　this　evening。〃　　Madame's　voice　was
almost　petulant。　　〃I　am　expected。〃

〃In　that　case　let　madame　procure　a　permit。〃

〃Where　is　it　to　be　procured？〃

〃At　the　Hotel　de　Ville　or　at　the　headquarters　of　madame's　section。〃

She　considered　a　moment。　　〃To　the　section；　then。　　Be　so　good　as　to
tell　my　coachman　to　drive　to　the　Bondy　Section。〃

He　saluted　her　and　stepped　back。　　〃Section　Bondy；　Rue　des　Morts；〃
he　bade　the　driver。

Madame　sank　into　her　seat　again；　in　a　state　of　agitation　fully
shared　by　mademoiselle。　　Rougane　set　himself　to　pacify　and　reassure
them。　The　section　would　put　the　matter　in　order。　　They　would　most
certainly　be　accorded　a　permit。　　What　possible　reason　could　there
be　for　refusing　them？　　A　mere　formality；　after　all！

His　assurance　uplifted　them　merely　to　prepare　them　for　a　still　more
profound　dejection　when　presently　they　met　with　a　flat　refusal　from
the　president　of　the　section　who　received　the　Countess。

〃Your　name；　madame？〃　he　had　asked　brusquely。　　A　rude　fellow　of　the
most　advanced　republican　type；　he　had　not　even　risen　out　of
deference　to　the　ladies　when　they　entered。　　He　was　there；　he　would
have　told　you；　to　perform　the　duties　of　his　office；　not　to　give
dancing…lessons。

〃Plougastel；〃　he　repeated　after　her；　without　title；　as　if　it　had
been　the　name　of　a　butcher　or　baker。　　He　took　down　a　heavy　volume
from　a　shelf　on　his　right；　opened　it　and　turned　the　pages。　　It　was
a　sort　of　directory　of　his　section。　　Presently　he　found　what　he
sought。　　〃Comte　de　Plougastel；　Hotel　Plougastel；　Rue　du　Paradis。
Is　that　it？〃

〃That　is　correct；　monsieur；〃　she　answered；　with　what　civility　she
could　muster　before　the　fellow's　affronting　rudeness。

There　was　a　long　moment　of　silence；　during　which　he　studied　certain
pencilled　entries　against　the　name。　　The　sections　had　been　working
in　the　last　few　weeks　much　more　systematically　than　was　generally
suspected。

〃Your　husband　is　with　you；　madame？〃　he　asked　curtly；　his　eyes　still
conning　that　page。

〃M。　le　Comte　is　not　with　me；〃　she　answered；　stressing　the　title。

〃Not　with　you？〃　He　looked　up　suddenly；　and　directed　upon　her　a
glance　in　which　suspicion　seemed　to　blend　with　derision。　　〃Where
is　he？〃

〃He　is　not　in　Paris；　monsieur。

〃Ab！　　Is　he　at　Coblenz；　do　you　think？〃

Madame　felt　herself　turning　cold。　　There　was　something　ominous　in
all　this。　　To　what　end　had　the　sections　informed　themselves　so
thoroughly　of　the　comings　and　goings　of　their　inhabitants？　　What　was
preparing？　　She　had　a　sense　of　being　trapped；　of　being　taken　in　a
net　that　had　been　cast　unseen。

〃I　do　not　know；　monsieur；〃　she　said；　her　voice　unsteady。

〃Of　course　not。〃　He　seemed　to　sneer。　　〃No　matter。　　And　you　wish　to
leave　Paris　also？　　Where　do　you　desire　to　go？〃

〃To　Meudon。〃

〃Your　business　there？〃　

The　blood　leapt　to　her　face。　　His　insolence　was　unbearable　to　a
woman　who　in　all　her　life　had　never　known　anything　but　the　utmost
deference　from　inferiors　and　equals　alike。　　Nevertheless；　realizing
that　she　was　face　to　face　with　forces　entirely　new；　she　controlled
herself；　stifled　her　resentment；　and　answered　steadily。

〃I　wish　to　conduct　this　lady；　Mlle。　de　Kercadiou；　back　to　her　uncle
who　resides　there。〃

〃Is　that　all？　　Another　day　will　do　for　that；　madame。　　The　matter　is
not　pressing。〃

〃Pardon；　monsieur；　to　us　the　matter　is　very　pressing。〃

〃You　have　not　convinced　me　of　it；　and　the　barriers　are　closed　to　all
who　cannot　prove　the　most　urgent　and　satisfactory　reasons　for　wishing
to　pass。　　You　will　wait；　madame；　until　the　restriction　is　removed。
Good…evening。〃

〃But；　monsieur。。。　〃

〃Good…evening；　madame；〃　he　repeated　significantly；　a　dismissal　more
contemptuous　and　despotic　than　any　royal　〃You　have　leave　to　go。

Madame　went　out　with　Aline。　　Both　were　quivering　with　the　anger　that
prudence　had　urged　them　to　suppress。　　They　climbed　into　the　coach
again；　desiring　to　be　driven　home。

Rougane's　astonishment　turned　into　dismay　when　they　told　him　what
had　taken　place。　　〃Why　not　try　the　Hotel　de　Ville；　madame？〃　he
suggested。

〃After　that？　　It　would　be　useless。　　We　must　resign　ourselves　to
remaining　in　Paris　until　the　barriers　are　opened　again。〃

〃Perhaps　it　will　not　matter　to　us　either　way　by　then；　madame；〃　said
Aline。

〃Aline！〃　she　exclaimed　in　horror。

〃Mademoiselle！〃　cried　Rougane　on　the　same　note。　　And　then；　because
he　perceived　that　people　detained　in　this　fashion　must　be　in　some
danger　not　yet　discernible；　but　on　that　account　more　dreadful；　he
set　his　wits　to　work。　　As　they　were　approaching　the　Hotel　Plougastel
once　more；　he　announced　that　he　had　solved　the　problem。

〃A　passport　from　without　would　do　equally　well；〃　he　announced。
〃Listen；　now；　and　trust　to　me。　　I　will　go　back　to　Meudon　at　once。
My　father　shall　give　me　two　permits　…　one　for　myself　alone；　and
another　for　three　persons　…　from　Meudon　to　Paris　and　back　to　Meudon。
I　reenter　Paris　with　my　own　permit；　which　I　then　proceed　to　destroy；
and　we　leave　together；　we　three；　on　the　strength　of　the　other　one；
representing　ourselves　as　having　come　from　Meudon　in　the　course　of
the　day。　　It　is　quite　simple；　after　all。　　If　I　go　at　once；　I　shall
be　back　to…night。〃

〃But　how　will　you　leave？〃　asked　Aline。

〃I？　　Pooh！　　As　to　that；　have　no　anxiety。　　My　father　is　Mayor　of
Meudon。　　There　are　plenty　who　know　him。　　I　will　go　to　the　Hotel　de
Ville；　and　tell　them　what　is；　after　all；　true　…　that　I　am　caught
in　Paris　by　the　closing　of　the　barriers；　and　that　my　father　is
expecting　me　home　this　evening。　　They　will　pass　me　through。　　It　is
quite　simple。〃

His　confidence　uplifted　them　again。　　The　thing　seemed　as　easy　as
he　represented　it。

〃Then　let　your　passport　be　for　four；　my　friend；〃　madame　begged　him。
〃There　is　Jacques；〃　she　explained；　indicating　the　footman　who　had
just　assisted　them　to　alight。

Rougane　departed　confident　of　soon　returning；　leaving　them　to　await
him　with　the　same　confidence。　　But　the　hours　succeeded　one　another；
the　night　closed　in；　bedtime　came；　and　still　there　was　no　sign　of
his　return。

They　waited　until　midnight；　each　pretending　for　the　other's　sake
to　a　confidence　fully　sustained；　each　invaded　by　vague　premonitions
of　evil；　yet　beguiling　the　time　by　playing　tric…trac　in　the　great
salon；　as　if　they　had　not　a　single　anxious　thought　between　them。

At　last　on　the　stroke　of　midnight；　madame　sighed　and　rose。

〃It　will　be　for　to…morrow　morning；〃　she　said；　not　believing　it。

〃Of　course；〃　Aline　agreed。　　〃It　would　really　have　been　impossible
for　him　to　have　returned　to…night。　　And　it　will　be　much　better　to
travel　to…morrow。　　The　journey　at　so　late　an　hour　would　tire　you
so　much；　dear　madame。〃

Thus　they　made　pretence。

Early　in　the　morning　they　were　awakened　by　a　din　of　bells　…　the
tocsins　of　the　sect