the trampling of the lilies-第15部分

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called　me　a　brigand。　　But　you　might　say　the　same　of　General
Dumouriez　himself。　　How　many　cities　has　he　not　sacked？〃

〃That　is　the　way　of　war。〃

〃And　so　is　this。　　He　makes　war　upon　the　enemies　of　France　that　dwell
in　cities；　whilst　I；　in　a　smaller　way；　make　war　upon　those　that
travel　in　coaches。　　I　confine　myself　to　emigres　…　these　damned
aristocrats　whom　it　is　every　good　Frenchman's　duty　to　aid　in　stamping
out。　　Over　the　frontiers　they　come　with　their　jewels；　their　plate；
and　their　money…chests。　　To　whom　belongs　this　wealth？　　　To　France。
Too　long　already　have　they　withheld　from　the　sons　of　the　soil　that
which　belongs　equally　to　them；　and　now　they　have　the　effrontery　to
attempt　to　carry　these　riches　out　of　the　country。　　Would　any　true
Republican　dare　to　reproach　me　for　what　I　do？　　　I　am　but　seizing
that　which　belongs　to　France；　and　here　dividing　it　among　the　good
patriots　that　are　with　me；　the　soldiers　that　have　bled　for　France。〃

〃A　specious　argument；〃sneered　La　Boulaye。

〃Specious　enough　to　satisfy　the　Convention　itself　if　ever　I　should
be　called　to　task；〃　answered　Charlot；　with　heat。　　〃Do　you　propose
to　draw　the　attention　of　the　Executive　to　my　doings？〃

La　Boulaye's　grey　eyes　regarded　him　steadily　for　a　moment。

〃Know　you　of　any　reason　why　I　should　not？〃　he　asked。

〃Yes；　Caron；　I　do；〃　was　the　ready　answer。　　〃I　am　well　aware　of　the
extent　of　your　power　with　the　Mountain。　　In　Paris　I　can　see　that
it　might　go　hard　with　me　if　you　were　minded　that　it　should；　and　you
were　able　to　seize　me。　　On　the　other　hand；　that　such　arguments　that
I　have　advanced　to　you　would　be　acceptable　to　the　Government　I　do
not　doubt。　　But　whilst　they　would　approve　of　this　that　you　call
brigandage；　I　also　do　not　doubt　that　they　would　claim　that　the
prizes　I　have　seized　are　by　right　the　property　of　the　Convention；
and　they　might　compel　me　to　surrender　them。　　Thus　they　would　pass
from　my　hands　into　those　of　some　statesman…brigand；　who；　under　the
plea　of　seizing　these　treasures　for　the　coffers　of　the　nation；
would　transfer　them　to　his　own。　　Would　you　rather　help　such　an　one
to　profit　than　me；　Caron？　　　Have　you　so　far　forgotten　how　we
suffered　together　…　almost　in　the　self…same　cause　…　at　Bellecour；
in　the　old　days？　　　Have　you　forgotten　the　friendship　that　linked
us　later；　in　Paris；　when　the　Revolution　was　in　its　dawn？　　　Have
you　forgotten　what　I　have　endured　at　the　hands　of　this　infernal
class　that　you　can　feel　no　sympathy　for　me？　　　Caron；　it　is　a
measure　of　revenge；　and　as　there　is　a　Heaven；　a　very　mild　one。
Me　they　robbed　of　more　than　life；　them　I　deprive　but　of　their
jewels　and　their　plate；　turning　them　destitute　upon　the　world。
Bethink　you　of　my　girl…wife；　Caron；〃　he　added；　furiously；　〃and　of
how　she　died　of　grief　and　shame　a　short　three　months　after　our
hideous　nuptials。　　God　in　Heaven！　　When　the　memory　of　it　returns
to　me　I　marvel　at　my　own　forbearance。　　I　marvel　that　I　do　not　take
every　man　and　woman　of　them　that　fall　into　my　hands　and　flog　them
to　death　as　they　would　have　flogged　you　when　you　sought　…　alas　to
so　little　purpose　…　to　intervene　on　my　behalf。〃

He　grew　silent　and　thoughtful；　and　the　expression　of　his　face　was
not　nice。　　At　last：　〃Have　I　given　you　reason　enough；〃　he　asked；
〃why　you　should　not　seek　to　thwart　me？〃

〃Why；　yes；〃　answered　La　Boulaye；　〃more　than　was　necessary。　　I　am
desolated　that　I　should　have　brought　you　to　re…open　a　sorrow　that
I　thought　was　healed。〃

〃So　it　is；　Caron。　　How　it　is　I　do　not　know。　　Perhaps　it　is　my
nature；　perhaps　it　is　that　in　youth　sorrow　is　seldom　long…enduring；
perhaps　it　is　the　strenuous　life　I　have　lived　and　the　changes　that
have　been　wrought　in　me　…　for；　after　all；　there　is　a　little　in　this
Captain　Tardivet　that　is　like　the　peasant　poor　Marie　took　to
husband；　four　years　ago。　　I　am　no　longer　the　same　man；　and　among
the　other　things　that　I　have　put　from　me　are　the　sorrows　that　were
of　the　old　Charlot。　　But　some　memories　cannot　altogether　die；　and
if　to…day　I　no　longer　mourn　that　poor　child；　yet　the　knowledge　of
the　debt　that　lies　'twixt　the　noblesse　of　France　and　me　is　ever
present；　and　I　neglect　no　opportunity　of　discharging　a　part　of　it。
But　enough　of　that；　Caron。　　Tell　me　of　yourself。　　It　is　a　full
twelvemonth　since　last　we　met；　and　in　that　time；　from　what　I　have
heard；　you　have　done　much　and　gone　far。　　Tell　me　of　it；　Caron。〃

They　drew　their　chairs　to　the　hearth；　and　they　sat　talking　so　long
that　the　early　February　twilight　came　down　upon　them　while　they
were　still　at　their　reminiscences。　　La　Boulaye　had　intended　reaching
Valenciennes　that　night；　but　rather　than　journey　forward　in　the
dark　he　now　proposed　to　lie　at　Boisvert；　a　resolution　in　which　he
did　not　lack　for　encouragement　from　Charlot。




CHAPTER　IX

THE　CAPTIVES


Amid　the　sordid　surroundings　of　Charlot's　private　quarters　the
Captain　and　the　Deputy　supped　that　evening。　　The　supper　sorted　well
with　the　house　…　a　greasy；　ill…cooked　meal　that　proved　little
inviting　to　the　somewhat　fastidious　La　Boulaye。　　But　the　wine；
plundered；　no　doubt；　in　common　with　the　goblets　out　of　which　they
drank　it　…　was　more　than　good；　and　whilst　La　Boulaye　showed　his
appreciation　of　it；　Charlot　abused　it　like　a　soldier。　　They　sat
facing　each　other　across　the　little　deal　table；　whose　stains　were
now　hidden　by　a　cloth；　and　to　light　them　they　had　four　tapers　set
in　silver　candlesticks　of　magnificent　workmanship；　and　most
wondrous　weight；　which　Tardivet　informed　his　guest　had　been　the
property　of　a　ci…devant　prince　of　the　blood。

As　the　night　wore　on　Captain　Charlot　grew　boisterous　and　more
confidential。　　He　came　at　length　to　speak　of　the　last　capture　they
had　made。

〃I　have　taken　prizes；　Caron；〃said　he；　〃which　a　king　might　not
despise。　　But　to…day　…　〃　　He　raised　his　eyes　to　the　ceiling　and
wagged　his　head。

〃Well？〃　quoth　La　Boulaye。　　〃What　about　to…day？〃

〃I　have　made　a　capture　worth　more　than　all　the　others　put　together。
It　was　an　indifferent…looking　berline；　and　my　men　were　within　an
ace　of　allowing　it　to　pass。　　But　I　have　a　nose；　mon　cher〃　…　and　he
tapped　the　organ　with　ludicrous　significance　…　〃and；　bon　Dieu；　what
affair！　　I　can　smell　an　aristocrat　a　league　off。　　Down　upon　that
coach　I　swooped　like　a　hawk　upon　a　sparrow。　　Within　it　sat　two　women；
thickly　veiled；　and　I　give　you　my　word　that　in　a　sense　I　pitied　them；
for　not　a　doubt　of　it；　but　they　were　in　the　act　of　congratulating
themselves　upon　their　escape　from　France。　　But　sentiment　may　become
fatal　if　permitted　to　interfere　with　enterprise。　　Stifling　my　regrets
I　desired　them　to　alight；　and　they　being　wise　obeyed　me　without　demur。
I　allowed　them　to　retain　their　veils。　　I　sought　the　sight　of　things
other　than　women's　faces；　and　a　brief　survey　of　the　coach　showed　me
where　to　bestow　my　attention。　　I　lifted　the　back　seat。　　It　came　up
like　the　lid　of　the　chest　it　was；　and　beneath　it　I　discovered　enough
gold　and　silver　plate　to　outweigh　in　value　almost　everything　that　I
had　ever　taken。　　But　that　was　by　no　means　all。　　Under　the　front　seat
there　was　a　chest　of　gold　…　louis　d'ors　they　were；　some　two　or　three
thousand　at　least　…　and；　besides　that；　a　little　iron…bound　box　of
gems　which　in　itself　was　worth　more　than　all　the　rest　of　the　contents
of　that　treasure…casket　of　a　coach。　　I　tell　you；　Caron；　I　dropped
the　lid　of　that　seat　in　some　haste；　for　I　was　not　minded　that　my　men
should　become　as　wise　as　I。　　I　stepped　down　and　bade；　the　women
re…enter；　and　hither　under　strong　escort　I　have　brought　them。〃

〃And　these　treasures？〃　asked　La　Boulaye。

〃They　are　still　in　the　coach　below；　with　the　women。　　I　have　told
these　that　they　shall　spend　the　night　there。　　To…morrow　I　shall　see
to　them　and　give　them　their　liberty　…　which　is　a　more　generous
proceeding　than　might　befall　them　at　the　hands　of　another。　　When
they　are　gone　comes　the　division　of　the　spoil。〃　　He　closed　one　eye
slowly；　in　a　very　ponderous　wink。　　〃To　my　men　I　shall　relegate　the
gold　and　silver　plate　as　well　as　the　money。　　For　myself　I　shall
only　retain　the　little　iron…bound　box。　　My　followers　will　account
me　more　than　generous　and　themselves　more　than　satisfied。　　As　for
me；　La　Boulaye　…　by　St。　Guillotine；　I　am　tempted　to　emigrate　also　and
set　up　as　an　aristocrat　myself　in　Prussia　or　England；　for　in　that
little　box　there　is　something　more　than　a　fortune。　　I　asked　you
to…day　whether　you　were　minded　to　lay　information　against　me　in
Paris。　　My　faith；　I　am　little　concerned　whether　you　do　or　not；　for
I　think　that　before　you　can　reach　Paris；　Captain　Charlot　Tardivet
will　be　no　more　than　a　name　in　the　Republican　army。　　Abroad　I
shall　call　myself　Charlot　du　Tardivet；　and　I　shall　sleep　in　fine
linen　and　live　on　truffles　and　champagne。　　Caron；　your　health！〃

He　drained　his　glass；　and　laughed　softly　to　himself　as　he　set　it
down。

〃Do　you　trust　your　men？〃　asked　La　Boulaye。

〃Eh？　　Trust　them？　　Name　of　a　name！　They　know　me。　　I　have　placed　the
ten　most　faithful　ones　on　guard。　　They　answer　to　the　rest　of　us
with　their　necks　for　the　safety　of　their　charge。　　Come　hither；
Caron。〃

He　rose　somewhat　unsteadily；　and　lurched　across　to　the　window。　　La
Boulaye　followed　him；　and　gazing　out　under　his　indication；　he
beheld　the　coach　by　the　blaze　of　a　fire　which　the　men　had　lighted
to　keep　them　from　freezing　at　their　post。

〃Does　that　look　secure？〃

〃Why；　yes　…　secure　enough。　　But　if　those　fellows　were　to　take　it
into　their　heads　that　it　would　be　more　profitable　to　share　the　prize
among　ten　than　among　sixty？〃

〃Secreanom！！〃　swore　Charlot　impatiently。　　〃You　do　my　wits　poor
credit。　　For　what　do　you　take　me？　　Have　I　gone　through　so　much；　think
you；　without　learning　how　little　men　are　to　be　trusted？　　　Faugh！
Look　at　the　porte…cochere。　　The　gates　are　closed　…　aye；　and　locked；
mon　cher；　and　the　keys　are　here；　in　my　pocket。　　Do　you　imagine　they
are　to　be　broken　through　without　arousing　anyone？　　　And　then；　the
horses。　　They　are　in　the　stables　over　there；　and　again；　the　keys　are
in　my　pocket。　　So　that；　you　see；　I　do　not　leave　everything　to　the
honesty　of　my　ten　most　faithful　ones。〃

〃You　have　learned　wisdom；　not　a　doubt　of　it；〃　laughed　the　Deputy。

〃In　a　hard　school；　Caron；〃answered　the　Captain　soberly。　　〃Aye；　name
of　a　name；　in　a