the trampling of the lilies-第34部分

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soul；　and　let　the　rage　that　had　so　long　possessed　her　dissolve　in
tears。　　At　sight　of　that　sudden　change　of　front　La　Boulaye　stamped
his　foot。　　He　appreciated　the　fact　that　she　was　about　to　fight　him
with　weapons　that　on　a　previous　occasion　…　when；　however；　it　is
true；　they　were　wielded　by　another　…　had　accomplished　his　undoing。

And　for　all　that　he　steeled　his　heart；　and　evoked　the　memory　of
Suzanne　to　strengthen　him　in　his　purpose：　he　approached　her　with　a
kindly　exterior。　　He　sat　him　down　beside　her；　he　encompassed　her
waist　with　his　arm；　and　drawing　her　to　him　he　set　himself　to　soothe
her　as　one　soothes　a　wilful　child。　　Had　he　then　recalled　what　her
attitude　had　been　towards　him　in　the　past　he　had　thought　twice
before　adopting　such　a　course。　　But　in　his　mind　there　was　no
sentiment　that　was　not　brotherly；　and　far　from　his　wishes　was　it
to　invest　his　action　with　any　other　than　a　fraternal　kindness。

But　she；　feeling　that　caressing　arm　about　her；　and　fired　by　it　in
her　hapless　passion　for　this　man；　was　quick　to　misinterpret　him；
and　to　translate　his　attitude　into　one　of　a　kindness　far　beyond　his
dreams。　　She　nestled　closer　to　him；　at　his　bidding　her　weeping　died
down　and　ceased。

〃There；　Cecile；　you　will　give　me　the　key　now？〃　he　begged。

She　glanced　up　at　him　shyly　through　wet　lashes　…　as　peeps　the　sun
through　April　clouds。

〃There　is　nothing　I　will　not　do　for　you；　Caron；〃　she　murmured。　　〃See；
I　will　even　help　you　to　play　the　traitor　on　my　uncle。　　For　you　love
me　a　little；　cher　Caron；　is　it　not　so？〃

He　felt　himself　grow　cold　from　head　to　foot；　and　he　grew　sick　at
the　thought　that　by　the　indiscretion　of　his　clumsy　sympathy　he　had
brought　this　down　upon　his　luckless　head。　　Mechanically　his　arm
relaxed　the　hold　of　her　waist　and　fell　away。　　Instinctively　she
apprehended　that　all　was　not　as　she　had　thought。　　She　turned　on　the
seat　to　face　him　squarely；　and　caught　something　of　the　dismay　in
his　glance　of　the　loathing　almost　（for　what　is　more　loathsome　to　a
man　than　to　be　wooed　by　a　woman　he　desires　not？）　　Gradually；　inch
by　inch；　she　drew　away　from　him；　ever　facing　him；　and　her　eyes　ever
on　his；　as　if　fascinated　by　the　horror　of　what　she　saw。　　Thus　until
the　extremity　of　the　settle　permitted　her　to　go　no　farther。　　She
started；　then　her　glance　flickered　down；　and　she　gave　a　sudden　gasp
of　passion。　　Simultaneously　the　key　rang　on　the　boards　at　Caron's
feet　angrily　flung　there　by　Cecile。

〃Go！〃　she　exclaimed；　in　a　suffocating　voice；　〃and　never　let　me　see
your　face　again。〃

For　a　second　or　two　he　sat　quite　still；　his　eyes　observing　her　with
a　look　of　ineffable　pity；　which　might　have　increased　her　disorder
had　she　perceived　it。　　Then　slowly　he　stooped；　and　took　up　the　key。

He　rose　from　the　settle；　and　without　a　word　…　for　words　he　realised；
could　do　no　more　than　heighten　the　tragic　banality　of　the　situation
　…　he　went　to　the　door；　unlocked　it；　and　passed　out。

Huddled　in　her　corner　sat　Cecile；　listening　until　his　steps　had　died
away　on　the　stairs。　　Then　she　cast　herself　prone　upon　the　settle；
and　in　a　frenzy　of　sobs　and　tears　she　vented　some　of　the　rage　and
shame　that　were　distracting　her。




CHAPTER　XX

THE　GRATITUDE　OF　OMBREVAL


What　La　Boulaye　may　have　lacked　in　knowledge　of　woman's　ways　he　made
up　for　by　his　knowledge　of　Cecile；　and　from　this　he　apprehended　that
there　was　no　time　to　be　lost　if　he　would　carry　out　his　purpose。
Touching　her　dismissal　of　him；　he　permitted　himself　no　illusions。
He　rated　it　at　its　true　value。　　He　saw　in　it　no　sign　of　relenting
of　generosity；　but　only　a　desire　to　put　an　end　to　the　shame　which
his　presence　was　occasioning　her。

He　could　imagine　the　lengths　to　which　the　thirst　of　vengeance　would
urge　a　scorned　woman；　and　of　all　women　he　felt　that　Cecile　scorned
was　the　most　to　be　feared。　　She　would　not　sit　with　folded　hands。
Once　she　overcame　the　first　tempestuous　outburst　of　her　passion　she
would　be　up　and　doing；　straining　every　sense　to　outwit　and　thwart
him　in　his　project；　whose　scope　she　must　have　more　than　guessed。

Reasoning　thus；　he　clearly　saw　not　only　that　every　moment　was　of
value；　but　that　flight　was　the　only　thing　remaining　him　if　he　would
save　himself　as　well　as　Ombreval。　　And　so　he　hired　him　a　cabriolet；
and　drove　in　all　haste　to　the　house　of　Billaud　Varennes；　the　Deputy；
from　whom　he　sought　to　obtain　one　of　the　two　signatures　still
needed　by　his　order　of　release。　　He　was　disappointed　at　learning
that　Varennes　was　not　at　home　…　though；　had　he　been　able　to　peep　an
hour　or　so　into　the　future；　he　would　have　offered　up　thanks　to
Heaven　for　that　same　Deputy's　absence。　　His　insistent　and　impatient
questions　elicited　the　information　that　probably　Verennes　would　be
found　at　Fevrier's。　　And　so　to　Fevrier's　famous　restaurant　in　the
old　Palais　Royal　went　La　Boulaye；　and　there　he　had　the　good　fortune
to　find　not　only　Billaud　Varennes；　but　also　the　Deputy　Carnot。　　Nor
did　fortune　end　her　favours　there。　　She　was　smiling　now　upon　Caron；
as　was　proved　by　the　fact　that　neither　to　Varennes　nor　Carnot　did
the　name　of　Ombreval　mean　anything。　　Robespierre's　subscription　of
the　document　was　accepted　by　each　as　affording　him　a　sufficient
warrant　to　append　his　own　signature；　and　although　Carnot　asked　a
question　or　two；　it　was　done　in　an　idle　humour；　and　he　paid　little
attention　to　such　replies　as　Caron　made　him。

Within　five　minutes　of　entering　the　restaurant；　La　Boulaye　was　in
the　street　again；　driving；　by　way　of　the　Pont　Neuf；　to　the　Luxembourg。

At　the　prison　he　encountered　not　the　slightest　difficulty。　　He　was
known　personally　to　the　officer；　of　whom　he　demanded　the　person　of
the　ci…devant　Vicomte；　and　his　order　of　release　was　too　correct　to
give　rise　to　any　hesitation　on　the　part　of　the　man　to　whom　it　was
submitted。　　He　was　left　waiting　a　few　moments　in　a　chamber　that　did
duty　as　a　guard…room；　and　presently　the　Vicomte；　looking　pale；　and
trembling　with　excitement　at　his　sudden　release；　stood　before　him。

〃You？〃　he　muttered；　upon　beholding　La　Boulaye。　　But　the　Republican
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