the trampling of the lilies-第6部分

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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
than　glad　to　avail　himself　of　it。

The　discovery　that　Caron　lived　was　made　while　they　were　cutting　him
down　from　his　pillory；　and　just　as　the　Marquis　was　turning　to　go
within。　　A　flutter　of　the　eyelids　and　a　gasp　for　breath　announced
the　fact；　and　the　executioner　was　on　the　point　of　crying　out　his
discovery　when　Mademoiselle's　eyes　flashed　him　a　glance　of　warning；
and　her　voice　whispered　feverishly：

〃Hush！　　There　are　ten　louis　for　each　of　you　if　you　but　keep　silent
and　carry　him　to　Master　Duhamel　as　I　told　you。〃

The　secretary　opened　his　eyes　but　saw　nothing；　and　a　low　moan
escaped　him。　　She　shot　a　fearful　glance　at　the　retreating　figure　of
her　father；　whilst　Gilles　…　the　executioner　…　hissed　sharply　into
his　ear：

〃Mille　diables！　be　still；　man。　　You　are　dead。〃

Thus　did　he　escape；　and　thus　was　he　borne　…　a　limp；　agonised；　and
bleeding　mass；　to　the　house　of　Duhamel。　　The　old　schoolmaster
received　them　with　tears　in　his　eyes　…　nor　were　they　altogether　tears
of　sorrow；　for　all　that　poor　Caron's　mangled　condition　grieved　him
sorely；　they　were　in　a　measure　tears　of　thankfulness；　for　Duhamel　had
not　dared　hope　to　see　the　young　man　alive　again。

At　the　pedagogue's　door　stood　a　berline；　and　within　his　house　there
was　a　visitor。　　This　was　a　slight　young　man　of　medium　stature；　who
had　not　the　appearance　of　more　than　twenty…five　years　of　age；　for
all　that；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　he　was　just　over　thirty。　　He　was
dressed　with　so　scrupulous　a　neatness　as　to　convey；　in　spite　of　the
dark　colour　of　his　garments；　an　impression　almost　of　foppishness。
There　was　an　amplitude　about　his　cravat；　an　air　of　extreme　care
about　the　dressing　of　his　wig　and　the　powdering　of　it；　and　a　shining
brightness　about　his　buttons　and　the　buckles　of　his　shoes　which
seemed　to　proclaim　the　dandy；　just　as　the　sombreness　of　the　colour
chosen　seemed　to　deny　it。　　In　his　singularly　pale　countenance　a
similar　contradiction　was　observable。　　The　weak；　kindly　eyes　almost
appeared　to　give　the　lie　to　the　astute　prominence　of　his　cheekbones；
the　sensitiveness　of　the　mouth　seemed　neutralised　by　the　thinness
of　the　lips；　whilst　the　oddly　tip…tilted　nose　made　a　mock　of　the
austerity　of　the　brow。

He　was　perfectly　at　ease　in　his　surroundings；　and　as　La　Boulaye　was
carried　into　the　schoolmaster's　study　and　laid　on　a　couch；　he　came
forward　and　peered　curiously　at　the　secretary's　figure；　voicing　an
inquiry　concerning　him。

〃It　is　the　young　man　of　whom　I　was　telling　you；　Maximilien；〃　answered
Duhamel。　　〃I　give　thanks　to　God　that　they　have　not　killed　him
outright。　　It　is　a　mercy　I　had　not　expected　from　those　wolves；　and
one　which；　on　my　soul；　I　cannot　understand。〃

〃Monsieur；〃　said　Gilles；　〃will　understand　it　better　perhaps　if　I
tell　you　that　the　Marquis　believes　him　to　be　dead。　　He　was　cut　down
for　dead；　and　when　we　discovered　that　he　still　lived　it　was
Mademoiselle　who　prevailed　upon　us　to　save　him。　　She　is　paying　us
to　keep　the　secret；　but　not　a　fortune　would　tempt　me　if　I　thought
the　Seigneur　were　ever　likely　to　hear　of　it。　　He　must　be　got　away
from　Bellecour；　indeed；　he　must　be　got　out　of　Picardy　at　once；
Monsieur。　　And　you　must　promise　me　that　this　shall　be　done　or　we
will　carry　him　back　to　the　Chateau　and　tell　the　Marquis　that　he
has　suddenly　revived。　　I　must　insist；　Monsieur；　for　if　ever　it
should　transpire　that　he　was　not　dead　the　Seigneur　would　hang　us。〃

The　stranger's　weak　eyes　seemed　to　kindle　in　anger；　and　his　lips
curled　until　they　exaggerated　the　already　preposterous　tilt　of　his
nose。

〃He　would　hang　you；　eh？〃　said　he。　　〃Ma　foi；　Duhamel；　we　shall　change
all　this　very　soon；　I　promise　you。〃

〃God　knows　it　needs　changing；〃　growled　Duhamel。　　〃It　seems　that　it
was　only　in　the　Old　Testament　that　Heaven　interfered　with　human
iniquity。　　Why　it　does　not　rain　fire　and　brimstone　on　the　Chateau
de　Bellecour　passes　the　understanding　of　a　good　Christian。　　I'll
swear　that　in　neither　Sodom　nor　Gomorrah　was　villainy　more　rampant。

The　stranger　plucked　at　his　sleeve　to　remind　h