the trampling of the lilies-第38部分

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course。　　To　delay　would　be　but　to　waste　your　time　the　Nation's　time。〃

〃But　this　is　rank　defiance；〃　roared　Tinvillle；　roused　at　last　into
some　semblance　of　his　habitual　bloodthirstiness。　　〃He　whose　heart
can　be　so　insensible　to　our　affections　merits　no　clemency　at　this
bar。〃

And　so　the　President　turned　with　a　shrug　to　his　colleagues；　and
the　verdict　was　taken。　　The　finding　was　〃Guilty；〃　and　the　President
was　on　the　point　of　passing　sentence；　when　again　Robespierre　sprang
to　his　feet。　　The　Incorruptible's　complexion　looked　sicklier　than
its　wont；　for　mortification　had　turned　him　green　outright。　　A　gust
of　passion　swept　through　his　soul；　such　as　would　have　made　another
man　call　for　the　death　of　this　defiant　youth　who　had　withstood　his
entreaties。　　But　such　was　Robespierre's　wonderful　command　of　self；
such　was　his　power　of　making　his　inclinations　subservient　to　the
ends　he　had　in　view　that　he　had　but　risen　to　voice　a　fresh　appeal。

He　demanded　that　the　sentence　should　be　passed　with　the　reservation
that　the　accused　should　have　twenty…four　hours　for　reflection。
Should　he　at　the　end　of　that　time　be　disposed　to　tell　them　where
the　ci…devant　Vicomte　d'Ombreval　was　to　be　found；　let　them　reconsider
his　case。　　On　the　other　hand；　should　he　still　continue　obdurate　by
the　noon　of　to…morrow；　then　let　the　sentence　be　consummated。

There　was　some　demur；　but　Robespierre　swept　it　fiercely　aside　with
patriotic　arguments。　　La　Boulaye　was　a　stout　servant　of　the　Nation；
whom　it　must　profit　France　to　let　live　that　he　might　serve　her；
Ombreval　was　a　base　aristocrat；　whose　death　all　true　Republicans
should　aim　at　encompassing。　　And　so　he　won　the　day　in　the　end；　and
when　the　sentence　of　death　was　passed；　it　was　passed　with　the
reservation　that　should　the　prisoner；　upon　reflection；　be　inclined
to　show　himself　more　loyal　to　France　and　the　interests　of　the
Republic　by　telling　them　how　Ornbreval　might　be　recaptured；　he
would　find　them　still　inclined　to　mercy　and　forgiveness。　　Allowing
his　eyes　to　stray　round　the　Court　at　that　moment；　La　Boulaye　started
at　sight　of　an　unexpected　face。　　It　was　Mademoiselle　de　Bellecour；
deathly　pale　and　with　the　strained；　piteous　look　that　haunts　the
eyes　of　the　mad。　　He　shivered　at　the　thought　of　the　peril　to　herself
in　coming　into　that　assembly；　then；　recovering　himself；　he　turned
to　his　judges。

〃Citizen…President；　Citizens　all；　I　thank　you；　but　I　should　be
unappreciative　of　your　kindness　did　I　permit　you　to　entertain　false
hopes。　　My　purpose　is　unalterable。〃

〃Take　him　away；〃　the　President　commanded　impatiently；　and　as　they
removed　him　Mademoiselle　crept　from　the　Court；　weeping　softly　in
her　poignant　grief；　and　realising　that　not　so　much　for　the
President's　ear　as　for　her　own　had　La　Boulaye　uttered　those　words。
They　were　meant　to　fortify　her　and　to　give　her　courage　with　the
assurance　that　Ombreval　would　not　be　betrayed。　　To　give　her　courage！
Her　lip　was　twisted　into　an　oddly　bitter　smile　at　the　reflection；
as　she　stepped　into　her　cabriolet；　and　bade　the　driver　return　to
Choisy。　　Caron　was　doing　this　for　her。　　He　was　casting　away　his
young；　vigorous　life；　with　all　its　wealth　of　promise；　to　the　end
that　her　betrothed　…　the　man　whom　he　believed　she　loved　…　might　be
spared。　　The　greatness；　the　nobility　of　the　sacrifice　overwhelmed
her。　　She　remembered　the　thoughts　that　in　the　past　she　had
entertained　concerning　this　young　revolutionist。　　Never　yet　had
she　been　able　to　regard　him　as　belonging　to　the　same　order　of
beings　as　herself…not　even　when　she　had　kissed　his　unconscious
lips　that　evening　on　the　Ridge　road。　　An　immeasurable　gulf　had
seemed　to　yawn　between　them　…　the　gulf　between　her　nobility　and
his　base　origin。　　And　now；　as　her　carriage　trundled　out　of　Paris
and　took　the　dusty　high　road；　she　shuddered；　and　her　cheeks　burned
with　shame　at　the　memory　of　the　wrong　that　by　such　thoughts　she
had　done　him。　　Was　she；　indeed；　the　nobler？　　By　accident　of　birth；
perhaps；　but　by　nature　proper　he　was　assuredly　the　noblest　man　that
ever　woman　bore。

In　the　Place　de　la　Revolution　a　gruesome　engine　they　called　the
guillotine　was　levelling　all　things；　and　fast　establishing　the
reign　of　absolute　equality。　　But　with　all　the　swift　mowing　of　its
bloody　scythe；　not　half　so　fast　did　it　level　men　as　Mademoiselle
de　Bellecour's　thoughts　were　doing　that　afternoon。

So　marked　was　the　disorder　in　her　countenance　when　she　reached
Choisy　that　even　unobservant　Ombreval　whom　continuous　years　of
self…complacency　had　rendered　singularly　obtuse　…　could　not　help
but　notice　it；　and　…　fearing；　no　doubt；　that　this　agitation　might
in　some　way　concern　himself　…　he　even　went　the　length　of　questioning
her；　his　voice　sounding　the　note　of　his　alarm。

〃It　is　nothing；〃　she　answered；　in　a　dejected　voice。　　〃At　least；
nothing　that　need　cause　you　uneasiness。　　They　have　sentenced　La
Boulaye　to　death；〃　she　announced；　a　spasm　crossing　her　averted　face。

He　took　a　deep　breath　of　relief。

〃God　knows　they've　sentenced　innocent　men　enough。　　It　is　high　time
they　began　upon　one　another。　　It　augurs　well…extremely　well。〃

They　were　alone　in　Henriette's　kitchen；　the　faithful　woman　was　at
market。　　Mademoiselle　was　warming　herself　before　the　fire。　　Ombreval
stood　by　the　window。　　He　had　spent　the　time　of　her　absence　in　the
care　of　his　clothes；　and　he　had　contrived　to　dress　himself　with　some
semblance　of　his　old…time　elegance　which　enhanced　his　good　looks
and　high…born　air。

〃You　seem　to　utterly　forget；　Monsieur；　the　nature　of　the　charge　upon
which　he　has　been　arraigned；〃　she　said；　in　a　tired　voice。

〃Why；　no；〃　he　answered；　and　he　smiled　airily；　〃he　was　sufficiently
a　fool　to　be　lured　by　the　brightest　eyes　in　France　into　a　service
for　their　mistress。　　My　faith！　　He's　not　the　first　by　many　a　thousand
whom　a　woman's　soft　glances　have　undone　…　〃

〃The　degree　in　which　you　profit　by　the　service　he　is　doing　those
bright　eyes；　appears　singularly　beneath　the　dignity　of　your　notice。〃

〃What　a　jester　you　are　becoming；　ma　mie；〃　he　laughed　and　at　the　sound
she　shuddered　again　and　drew　mechanically　nearer　to　the　fire　as
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；　a