the trampling of the lilies-第22节

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cowards　of　you？　　　Outside；　you　old　wives；　at　once！　　I'll　see　you　at
your　post　before　I　go　to　bed。〃

And　with　that　he　set　himself　to　drive　them　out；　and　they　went；　until
none　but　his　own　half…dozen　remained。　　These　he　bade　dispose
themselves　about　the　hearth；　in　which　they　very　readily　obeyed　him。

On　a　side…table　stood　a　huge　steaming　can　which　had　attracted　La
Boulaye's　attention　from　the　moment　that　he　had　entered　the　room。
He　went　to　peer　into　this；　and　found　it　full　almost　to　the　brim　of
mulled　red　wine。

With　his　back　to　those　in　the　room；　so　as　to　screen　his　actions；　he
had　uncorked　the　phial　as　he　was　approaching　the　can。　　Now；　as　he
made　pretence　first　to　peer　into　it　and　then　to　smell　its　contents；
he　surreptitiously　emptied　the　potion　into　it；　wondering　vaguely　to
himself　whether　the　men　would　ever　wake　again　if　they　had　drunk　it。
Slipping　the　phial　into　his　sash　he　turned　to　Mother　Capoulade；　who
had　descended　from　the　table　and　stood　looking　very　foolish。

〃What　is　this？〃　he　demanded　angrily。

〃It　was　a　last　cup　of　wine　for　the　men；〃　she　faltered。　　〃The　night
is　bitterly　cold；　Citizen；〃　she　added；　by　way　of　excusing　herself。

〃Bah！〃　snarled　Caron；　and　for　a　moment　he　stood　there　as　if
deliberating。　　〃I　am　minded　to　empty　it　into　the　kennel；〃　he
announced。

〃Citizen！〃　cried　the　woman；　in　alarm。　　〃It　is　good　wine；　and　I　have
spiced　it。〃

〃Well；〃　he　relented；　〃they　may　have　it。　　But　see　that　it　is　the　last
to…night。〃

And　with　that　he　strode　across　the　room；　and　with　a　surly　〃Good…night〃
to　his　men；　he　mounted　the　stairs　once　more。

He　waited　perhaps　ten　minutes　in　the　chamber　above；　then　he　went　to
the　casement；　and　softly　opened　the　window。　　It　was　as　he　expected。
With　the　exception　of　the　coach　standing　in　the　middle　of　the　yard；
and　just　discernible　by　the　glow　of　the　smouldering　fire　they　had
built　there　but　allowed　to　burn　low；　the　place　was　untenanted。
Believing　him　to　have　retired　for　the　night；　the　men　were　back　again
in　the　more　congenial　atmosphere　of　the　hostelry；　drinking　themselves
no　doubt　into　a　stupor　with　that　last　can　of　drugged　wine。　　He　sat
down　to　quietly　mature　his　plans；　and　to　think　out　every　detail　of
what　he　was　about　to　do。　　At　the　end　of　a　half…hour；　silence　reigning
throughout　the　house；　he　rose。　　He　crept　softly　into　Charlot's
chamber　and　possessed　himself　of　the　Captain's　outer　garments。　　These
he　carried　back　to　the　sitting…room；　and　extracted　from　the　coat
pocket　two　huge　keys　tied　together　with　a　piece　of　string。　　He　never
doubted　that　they　were　the　keys　he　sought；　one　opening　the　stable
door　and　the　other　the　gates　of　the　porte…cochere。

He　replaced　the　garments；　and　then　to　make　doubly　sure；　he　waited
yet　…　in　a　fever　of　impatience　…　another　half…hour　by　his　watch。

It　wanted　a　few　minutes　to　midnight　when；　taking　up　his　cloak　and
a　lantern　he　had　lighted；　he　went　below　once　more。　　In　the
common…room　he　found　precisely　the　scene　he　had　expected。　　Both
Charlot's　men　and　his　own　followers　lay　about　the　floor　in　all
conceivable　manner　of　attitudes；　their　senses　locked　deep　in　the
drunken　stupor　that　possessed　them。　　Two　or　three　had　remained
seated；　and　had　fallen　across　the　table；　when　overcome。　　Of　these
was　Mother　Capoulade；　whose　head　lay　sideways　on　her　curled　arms；
and　from　whose　throat　there　issued　a　resonant　and　melodious　snore。
Most　of　the　faces　that　La　Boulaye　could　see　were　horribly　livid
and　bedewed　with　sweat；　and　again　it　came　into　his　mind　to　wonder
whether　he　had　overdone　things；　and　they　would　wake　no　more。　　On
the　other　hand；　an　even　greater　fear　beset　him；　that　the　drug　might
have　been　insufficient。　　By　way　of　testing　it；　he　caught　one　fellow
who　lay　across　his　path　a　violent　kick　in　the　side。　　The　man　grunted
in　his　sleep；　and　stirred　slightly；　to　relapse　almost　at　once　into
his　helpless　attitude；　and　to　resume　his　regular　breathing；　which
the　blow　had　interrupted。

La　Boulaye　smiled　his　satisfaction；　and　without　further　hesitancy
passed　out　into　the　yard。　　He　had　yet　a　good　deal　to　say　to
Mademoiselle；　but　he　could　not　bring　himself　to　speak　to　her　before
her　mother；　particularly　as　he　realised　how　much　the　Marquise　might
be　opposed　to　him。　　He　opened　the　carriage　door。

〃Mademoiselle；〃　he　called　softly；　〃will　you　do　me　the　favour　to
alight　for　an　instant？　　　I　must　speak　to　you。〃

〃Can　you　not　say　what　you　have　to　say　where　you　are？〃　came　the
Marquise's　voice。

〃No；　Madame；〃　answered　La　Boulaye　coldly；　〃I　cannot。〃

〃Oh；　it　is　'Madame'　and　'Mademoiselle'　now；　eh？　　　What　have　you　done
to　the　man；　child；　to　have　earned　us　so　much　deference。〃

〃May　I　remind　Mademoiselle；〃　put　in　La　Boulaye　firmly；　〃that　time
presses；　and　that　there　is　much　to　be　done？〃

〃I　am　here；　Monsieur〃　she　answered；　as　without　more　ado；　and　heedless
of　her　mother's　fresh　remarks；　she　stepped　from　the　carriage。

La　Boulaye　proffered　his　wrist　to　assist　her　to　alight；　then　reclosed
the　door；　and　led　her　slowly　towards　the　stable。

〃Where　are　the　soldiers？〃　she　whispered。

〃Every　soul　in　the　inn　is　asleep；〃　he　answered。　　〃I　have　drugged
them　all；　from　the　Captain　down　to　the　hostess。　　The　only　one　left
is　the　ostler；　who　is　sleeping　in　one　of　the　outhouses　here。　　Him
you　must　take　with　you；　not　only　because　it　is　not　possible　to　drug
him　as　well；　but　also　because　the　blame　of　your　escape　must　rest　on
someone；　and　it　may　as　well　rest　on　him　as　another。〃

〃But　why　not　on　you？〃she　asked。

〃Because　I　must　remain。〃

〃Ah！〃　　It　was　no　more　than　a　breath　of　interrogation；　and　her　face
was　turned　towards　him　as　she　awaited　an　explanation。

〃I　have　given　it　much　thought；　Suzanne；　and　unless　someone　remains
to　cover；　as　it　were；　your　retreat；　I　am　afraid　that　your　flight
might　be　vain；　and　that　you　would　run　an　overwhelming　risk　of
recapture。　　You　must　remember　the　resourcefulness　of　this　fellow；
Tardivet；　and　his　power　in　the　country　here。　　If　he　were　to　awake
to　the　discovery　that　I　had　duped　him；　he　would　be　up　and　after　us；
and　I　make　little　doubt　that　it　would　not　be　long　ere　he　found　the
scent　and　ran　us　to　earth。　　Tomorrow　I　shall　discover　your　flight
and　the　villainy　of　the　ostler；　and　I　shall　so　organise　the　pursuit
that　you　shall　not　be　overtaken。〃

There　was　a　moment's　pause；　during　which　La　Boulaye　seemed　to　expect
some　question。　　But　none　came；　so　he　proceeded：

〃Your　original　intention　was　to　make　for　Prussia；　where　you　say　that
your　father　and　your　brother　are　awaiting　you。〃

〃Yes；　Monsieur。　　Beyond　the　Moselle　…　at　Treves。〃

〃You　must　alter　your　plans；〃　said　he　shortly。　　〃Your　mother；　no
doubt；　will　insist　upon　repairing　thither；　and　I　will　see　that　the
road　is　left　open　for　her　escape。　　At　Soignies　you；　Suzanne；　can
hire　yourself　a　berline；　that　will　take　you　back　to　France。〃

〃Back　to　France？〃　she　echoed。

〃Yes；　back　to　France。　　That　is　the　unlikeliest　road　on　which　to
think　of　pursuing　you；　and　thus　you　will　baffle　Charlot。　　Let　your
mother　proceed　on　her　journey　to　Prussia；　but　tell　her　to　avoid
Charleroi；　and　to　go　round　by　Liege。　　Thus　only　can　she　hope　to
escape　Tardivet's　men　that　are　patrolling　the　road　from　France。
As　for　you；　Suzanne；　you　had　best　go　North　as　far　as　Oudenarde；　so
as　to　circumvent　the　Captain's　brigands　on　that　side。　　Then　make
straight　for　Roubaix；　and　await　me　at　the　'Hotel　des　Cloches。'　〃

〃But；　Monsieur；　I　shudder　at　the　very　thought　of　re…entering　France。〃

〃As　Mademoiselle　de　Bellecour；　a　proscribed　aristocrat；　that　is
every　reason　for　your　fears。　　But　I　have　given。　　the　matter　thought
and　I　can　promise　you　that　as　the　Citoyenne　La　Boulaye；　wife　of　the
Citizen…deputy　Caron　La　Boulaye；　you　will　be　as　safe　as　I　should　be
myself；　if　you　are　questioned；　and；　in　response；　you　will　find
nothing　but　eagerness　to　serve　you　on　every　hand。〃

She　spoke　now　of　the　difficulties　her　mother　would　make；　but　he
dismissed　the　matter　by　reminding　her　that　her　mother　could　not
detain　her　by　force。　　Again　she　alluded　to　her　dowry；　but　that　also
he　dismissed；　bidding　her　leave　it　behind。　　Her　family　would　need
the　money；　to　be　realised　by　the　jewels。　　As　for　herself；　he　assured
her　that　as　his　wife　she　would　not　want；　and　showed　her　how　idle
was　her　dread　of　living　in　France。

〃And　now；　Mademoiselle；〃　he　said；　more　briskly；　〃let　us　see　to　this
ostler。〃

He　opened　the　door　of　the　outhouse；　and　uncovering　his　lantern　he
raised　it　above　his　head。　　Its　yellow　light　revealed　to　them　a
sleeper　on　the　straw　in　a　corner。　　La　Boulaye　entered　and　stirred
the　man　with　his　foot。

The　fellow　sat　up　blinking　stupidly　and　dragging　odd　wisps　of　straw
from　his　grey　hair。

〃What's　amiss？〃he　grunted。

As　briefly　as　might　be　La　Boulaye　informed　him　that　he　was　to　receive
a　matter　of　five　hundred　francs　if　he　would　journey　into　Prussia　with
the　ci…devant　Marquise　de　Bellecour。

Five　hundred　francs？　　It　was　a　vast　sum；　the　tenth　of　which　had　never
been　his　at　any　one　time　of　his　wretched　life。　　For　five　hundred
francs　he　would　have　journeyed　into　Hades；　and　La　Boulaye　found　him
willing　enough　to　go　to　Prussia；　and　had　no　need　to　resort　to　the
more　forcible　measures　he　had　come　prepared　to　employ。

Accompanied　by　the　ostler；　t