the trampling of the lilies-第7部分

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The　stranger　plucked　at　his　sleeve　to　remind　him　of　the　presence
of　the　servants　from　the　Chateau。　　Duhamel　turned　to　them。

〃I　will　keep　him　concealed　here　until　he　is　able　to　get　about；〃
he　assured　them。　　〃Then　I　shall　find　him　the　means　to　leave　the
province。〃

But　Gilles　shook　his　head；　and　his　companion　grunted　an　echo　of
his　disapproval。

〃That　will　not　serve；　master；〃　he　answered　sullenly。　　〃What　if　the
Seigneur　should　have　word　of　his　presence　here？　　It　is　over…dangerous。
Someone　may　see　him。　　No；　no；　Either　he　leaves　Bellecour　this　very
night；　and　you　swear　that　he　shall；　or　else　we　carry　him　back　to　the
Chateau。〃

〃But　how　can　I　swear　this？〃　cried　Duhamel　impatiently。

〃Why；　easily　enough；〃　put　in　the　stranger。　　〃　Let　me　take　him　in　my
berline。　　I　can　leave　him　at　Amiens　or　at　Beauvais；　or　any　one　of
the　convenient　places　that　I　pass。　　Or　I　can　even　carry　him　on　to
Paris　with　me。〃

〃You　are　very　good；　Maximilien；〃　answered　the　old　man；　to　which　the
other　returned　a　gesture　of　deprecation。

In　this　fashion；　then；　was　the　matter　settled　to　the　satisfaction
of　the　Seigneur's　retainers；　and　upon　having　received　Duhamel's
solemn　promise　that　Caron　should　be　carried　out　of　Bellecour；　and；
for　that　matter；　out　of　Picardy；　before　the　night　was　spent；　they
withdrew。

Within　the　schoolmaster's　study　he　whom　Duhamel　called　Maximilien
strode　to　and　fro；　his　hands　clasped　behind　his　back；　his　head　bent；
his　chin　thrust　forward；　denouncing　the　seigneurial　system；　of　whose
atrocity　he　had　received　that　evening　instances　enough　…　for　he　had
heard　the　whole　story　of　La　Boulaye's　rebellion　against　the　power
of　Bellecour　and　the　causes　that　had　led　to　it。

〃We　will　mend　all　this；　I　promise　you；　Duhamel；〃　he　was　repeating。
〃But　not　until　we　have　united　to　shield　the　weak　from　oppression；
to　restrain　the　arrogant　and　to　secure　to　each　the　possession　of
what　belongs　to　him；　not　until　all　men　are　free　and　started　upon
equal　terms　in　the　race　of　life；　not　until　we　shall　have　set　up
rules　of　justice　and　of　peace；　to　which　all　…　rich　and　poor；　noble
and　simple　alike　…　shall　be　obliged　to　conform。　　Thus　only　can　we
repair　the　evil　done　by　the　caprice　of　fortune；　which　causes　the
one　to　be　born　into　silk　and　the　other　into　fustian。　　We　must
subject　the　weak　and　the　mighty　alike　to　mutual　duties；　collecting
our　forces　into　the　supreme　power　to　govern　us　all　impartially　by
the　same　laws；　to　protect　alike　all　members　of　the　community；　to
repel　our　common　foes　and　preserve　us　in　never…ending　concord。　　How
many　crimes；　murders；　wars；　miseries；　horrors　shall　thus　be　spared
us；　Duhamel？　　And　it　will　come；　it　will　come　soon；　never　fear。〃

Caron　stirred　on　the　couch　where　Duhamel　was　tending　him；　and　raised
his　head　to　glance　at　the　man　who　was　voicing　the　doctrines　that　for
years　had　dwelt　in　his　heart。

〃Dear　Jean　Jacques；〃　he　murmured。

The　stranger　turned　sharply　and　stepped　to　the　young　man's　side。

〃You　have　read　the　master？〃　he　inquired；　with　a　sudden；　new…born
interest　in　the　secretary。

〃Read　him？〃　cried　Carom　forgetting　for　the　moment　the　sore　condition
of　his　body　in　the　delight　of　discovering　one　who　was　bound　to　him
by　such　bonds　of　sympathy　as　old　Rousseau　established。

〃Read　him；　Monsieur？　　There　is　scarce　a　line　in　all　his　'Discourses'
that　I　do　not　know　by　heart；　and　that　I　do　not　treasure；　vaguely
hoping　and　praying　that　some　day　such　a　state　as　he　dreamt　of　may
find　itself　established；　and　may　sweep　aside　these　corrupt；
tyrannical　conditions。〃

Maximilien's　eyes　kindled。

〃Boy；〃　he　answered　impressively；　〃Your　hopes　are　on　the　eve　of
fruition；　your　prayers　are　about　to　be　heard。　　Yes　…　even　though　it
should　entail　trampling　the　Lilies　of　France　into　the　very　dust。

〃Who　are　you；　Monsieur？〃　asked　La　Boulaye；　eyeing　this　prophet　with
growing　interest。

〃Robespierre　is　my　name；〃　was　the　answer；　and　to　La　Boulaye　it
conveyed　no　enlightenment；　for　the　name　of　Maximilien　Marie　Isidore
de　Robespierre；　which　within　so　very　short　a　time　was　to　mean　so
much　in　France；　as　yet　meant　nothing。

La　Boulaye　inclined　his　head　as　if　acknowledging　an　introduction；
then　turned　his　attention　to　Duhamel　who　was　offering　him　a　cup　of
wine。　　He　drank　gratefully；　and　the　invigorating　effects　were　almost
instantaneous。

〃Now　let　us　see　to　your　hurts；〃　said　the　schoolmaster；　who　had　taken
some　linen　and　a　pot　of　unguents　from　a　cupboard。　　La　Boulaye　sat
up；　and　what　time　Duhamel　was　busy　dressing　his　lacerated　back；　the
young　man　talked　with　Robespierre。

〃You　are　going　to　Paris；　you　say；　Monsieur？〃

〃Yes；　to　the　States…General；〃　answered　Maximilien。

〃As　a　deputy？〃　inquired　Caron；　with　ever…heightening　interest。

〃As　a　deputy；　Monsieur。　　My　friends　of　Arras　have　elected　me　to　the
Third　Estate　of　Artois。〃

〃Dieu！　How　I　envy　you！〃　exclaimed　La　Boulaye；　to　cry　out　a　moment
later　in　the　pain　to　which　Duhamel's　well…intentioned　operations
were　subjecting　him。　　〃I　would　it　might　be　mine；〃　he　added　presently；
〃to　take　a　hand　in　legislation；　and　the　mending　of　it；　for　as　it
stands　at　present　it　is　inferior　far　to　the　lawless　anarchy　of　the
aborigines。　　Among　them；　at　least；　the　conditions　are　more　normal；
they　offer　better　balance　between　faculty　and　execution；　they　are
by　far　more　propitious　to　happiness　and　order　than　is　this　broken
wreck　of　civilisation　that　we　call　France。　　It　is　to　equality　alone；〃
he　continued；　warming　to　his　subject；　〃that　Nature　has　attached　the
preservation　of　our　social　faculties；　and　all　legislation　that　aims
at　being　efficient　should　be　directed　to　the　establishment　of
equality。　　As　it　is；　the　rich　will　always　prefer　their　own　fortune
to　that　of　the　State；　whilst　the　poor　will　never　love　…　nor　can
love　…　a　condition　of　laws　that　leaves　them　in　misery。〃

Robespierre　eyed　the　young　man　in　some　surprise。　　His　delivery　was
impassioned；　and　although　in　what　he　said　there　was　perhaps　nothing
that　was　fresh　to　the　lawyer　of　Arras；　yet　the　manner　in　which　he
said　it　was　impressive　to　a　degree。

〃But　Duhamel；〃　he　cried　to　the　schoolmaster；　〃you　did　not　tell　me
this　young　patriot　was　an　orator。〃

〃Nor　am　I；　Monsieur；〃　smiled　La　Boulaye。　　〃I　am　but　the　mouthpiece
of　the　great　Rousseau。　　I　have　so　assimilated　his　thoughts　that　they
come　from　me　as　spontaneously　as　if　they　were　my　own；　and　often　I　go
so　far　as　to　delude　myself　into　believing　that　they　are。〃

No　better　recommendation　than　this　could　he　have　had　to　the　attention
of　Robespierre；　who　was　himself　much　in　the　same　case；　imbued　with
and　inspired　by　those　doctrines；　so　ideal　in　theory；　but；　alas！　so
difficult；　so　impossible　in　practice。　　For　fully　an　hour　they　sat
and　talked；　and　each　improved　in　his　liking　of　the　other；　until　at
last；　bethinking　him　of　the　flight　of　time；　Robespierre　announced
that　he　must　start。

〃You　will　take　him　to　Paris　with　you；　Maximilien？〃　quoth　the　old
pedagogue。

〃Ma　foi；　yes；　and　if　with　such　gifts　as　Nature　appears　to　have　given
him；　and　such　cultivation　of　them　as；　through　the　teachings　of
Rousseau；　he　has　effected；　I　do　not　make　something　of　him；　why；
then；　I　am　unworthy　of　the　confidence　my　good　friends　of　Arras
repose　in　me。〃

They　made　their　adieux；　and　the　schoolmaster；　opening　his　door；
peered　out。　　The　street　was　deserted　save　forte　Robespierre's
berline　and　his　impatient　postillion。　　Between　them　Duhamel　and
Maximilien　assisted　Caron　to　the　door　of　the　carriage。　　The　moving
subjected　him　to　an　excruciating　agony；　but　he　caught　his　nether
lip　in　his　teeth；　and　never　allowed　them　to　suspect　it。　　As　they
raised　him　into　the　berline；　however；　he　toppled　forward；　fainting。
Duhamel　hastened　indoors　for　a　cordial；　and　brought　also　some
pillows　with　which　to　promote　the　young　man's　comfort　on　the
journey　that　was　before　him　…　or；　rather；　to　lessen　the　discomfort
which　the　jolting　was　likely　to　occasion　him。

Caron　recovered　before　they　started；　and　with　tears　in　his　eyes
he　thanked　old　Duhamel　and　voiced　a　hope　that　they　might　meet　again
ere　long。

Then　Robespierre　jumped　nimbly　into　the　berline。　　The　door　closed；
the　postillion's　whip　cracked　briskly；　and　they　set　out　upon　a
journey　which　to　La　Boulaye　was　to　be　as　the　passing　from　one
life　to　another。




PART　II

THE　NEW　RULE

Allons！　　Marchons！
Qu'un　sang　impur
Abreuve　nos　sillons！
　　　La　Marseillaise。




CHAPTER　V

THE　SHEEP　TURNED　WOLVES


There　were　roars　of　anger　and　screams　of　terror　in　the　night；　and
above　the　Chateau　de　Bellecour　the　inky　blackness　of　the　heavens
was　broken　by　a　dull　red　glow；　which　the　distant　wayfarer　might
have　mistaken　for　the　roseate　tint　of　dawn；　were　it　possible　for
the　dawn　to　restrict　itself　to　so　narrow　an　area。

Ever　and　anon　a　tongue　of　flame　would　lick　up　into　the　night　towards
that　russet　patch　of　sky；　betraying　the　cause　of　it　and　proclaiming
that　incendiaries　were　at　work。　　Above　the　ominous　din　that　told　of
the　business　afoot　there　came　now　and　again　the　crack　of　a　musket；
and　dominating　all　other　sounds　was　the　sullen　roar　of　the　revolted
peasants；　the　risen　serfs；　the　rebellious　vassals　of　the　Siegneur　de
Bellecour。

For　time　has　sped　and　has　much　altered　in　the　speeding。　　Four　years
have　gone　by　since　the　night　on　which　the　lacerated　Caron　la　Boulaye
was　smuggled　out　of　Bellecour　in　Robespierre's　berline　and　in　that
four　years　much　of　the　things　that　were　prophesied　have　come　to　pass
　…　aye；　and　much　more　besides　that　was　undreamt　of　at　the　outset　by
the　revolutionaries。　　A　gruesome　engine　that　they　facetiously　called
the　National　Razor　…　invented　and　designed　some　years　ago　by　one　Dr。
Guillotin　…　is　but　an　item　in　the　changes　that　have　been；　yet　an　item
that　in　its　way　has　become　a　very　factor。　　It　stands　not　over…high；
yet　the　shadow　of　it　has　fallen　athwart　the　whole　length　and　breadth
of　France；　and　in　that　shadow　the　tyrants　have　trembled；　shaken　to
the　very　souls　of　them　by　the　rude　hand　of　fear；　in　that　shadow　the
spurned　and　downtrodden　children　of　the　soil　have　taken　heart　of
grace。　　The　bonds　of　servile　cowardice　that　for　centuries　had
trammelled　them　have　been　shaken　off　like　cobwebs；　and　they　that
were　as　sheep　are　now　become　the　wolves　that　prey