the trampling of the lilies-第37部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

as　if　he　drew　a　curtain；　and　his　face　assumed　the　expressionless
mask　that　was　habitual　to　it　in　moments　of　great　tension。
Instinctively　he　put　behind　him　his　hands　which　held　the　paper。
Cecile's　lips　took　on　an　added　curl　of　scorn　as　she　observed　the　act。

〃You　thief！〃　she　said；　very　low；　but　very　fiercely。　　〃That　was　the
paper　that　you　left　behind　you；　was　it？〃

〃The　paper　that　I　have　is　certainly　the　paper　that　I　left　behind；〃
he　answered　serenely；　for　he　had　himself　well　in　hand　by　now。　　〃And
as　for　dubbing　me　a　thief　so　readily〃　…　he　paused；　and　shrugged　his
shoulders　…　〃you　are　a　woman；〃　he　concluded；　with　an　air　suggesting
that　that　fact　was　a　conclusion　to　all　things。

〃Fool！〃　she　blazed。　　〃Do　you　think　to　overcome　me　by　quibbles？　　Do
you　think　to　dupe　me　with　words　and　shrugs？〃

〃My　dear　Cecile　he　begged　half…whimsically；　〃may　I　implore　you　to
use　some　restraint？　　Inured　as　I　am　to　the　unbounded　licence　of　your
tongue　and　to　the　abandon　that　seems　so　inherent　in　you；　let　me
assure　you　that　…　〃

〃Ah！　　You　can　say　Cecile　now？〃　she　cried；　leaving　the　remainder　of
his　speech　unheeded。　　〃Now　that　you　need　me；　now　that　you　want　me
to　be　a　party　to　your　treacherous　designs　against　my　uncle。　　Oh；　you
can　say　'Cecile'　and　'dear　Cecile'　instead　of　your　everlasting
'Citoyenne'。

〃It　seems　I　am　doomed　to　be　always　misunderstood　by　you；〃　he　laughed；
and　at　the　sound　she　started　as　if　he　had　struck　her。

Had　she　but　looked　in　his　eyes　she　had　seen　no　laughter　there；　she
might　have　realised　that　murder　rather　than　mirth　was　in　his　soul　…
for；　at　all　costs；　he　was　determined　to　hold　the　paper　he　had　been
at　such　pains　to　get。

〃I　understand　you　well　enough；〃　she　cried　hotly；　her　cheeks　flaming
red　of　a　sudden。　　〃I　understand　you；　you　thief；　you　trickster。　　Do
you　think　that　I　heard　nothing　of　what　passed　this　morning　between
my　uncle　and　you？　　Do　you　think　I　do　not　know　whose　name　you　have
written　on　that　paper？　　Answer　me；〃　she　commanded　him。

〃Since　you　know　so　much；　what　need　for　any　questions？〃　quoth　he
coolly；　transferring　the　coveted　paper　to　his　pocket　as　he　spoke。
〃And　since　we　are　so　far　agreed　that　I　am　not　contradicting　anything
you　say　…　nor；　indeed；　intend　to　…　perhaps　you　will　see　the
convenience　of　ending　an　interview　that　promises　to　be　fruitless。
My　dear　Cecile；　I　am　very　grateful　to　you　for　the　key　of　this　room。
I　beg　that　you　will　make　my　compliments　to　the　Citizen　your　uncle
upon　his　return；　and　inform　him　of　how　thoroughly　you　ministered　to
my　wants。〃

With　that　and　a　superb　air　of　insouciance；　he　made　shift　to　go。　　But
fronting　him　she　barred　his　way。

〃Give　me　that　paper；　sclerat；〃　she　demanded　imperiously。　　〃You　shall
not　go　until　you　surrender　it。　　Give　it　to　me　or　I　will　call　Duplay。〃

〃You　may　call　the　devil　for　aught　I　care；　you　little　fool；〃　he
answered　her；　very　pleasantly。　　〃Do　you　think　Duplay　will　be　mad
enough　to　lay　hands　upon　a　Deputy　of　the　Convention　in　the　discharge
of　the　affairs　of　the　Nation？〃

〃It　is　a　lie！〃

〃Why；　of　course　it　is；〃　he　admitted　sweetly。　　〃But　Duplay　will　not　be
aware　of　that。〃

〃I　shall　tell　him。〃

〃Tut！　　He　won't　believe　you。　　I'll　threaten　him　with　the　guillotine
if　he　does。　　And　I　should　think　that　Duplay　has　sufficient　dread　of
the　national　barber　not　to　risk　having　his　toilet　performed　by　him。
Now；　be　reasonable；　and　let　me　pass。〃

Enraged　beyond　measure　by　his　persiflage　and　very　manifest　contempt
of　her；　she　sprang　suddenly　upon　him；　and　caught　at　the　lapels　of
his　redingote。

〃Give　me　that　paper！〃　she　screamed；　exerting　her　entire　strength　in
a　vain　effort　to　boldly　shake　him。

Coldly　he　eyed　this　golden…haired　virago　now；　and　looked　in　vain
for　some　trace　of　her　wonted　beauty　in　the　stormy　distortion　of　her
face。

〃You　grow　tiresome　with　your　repetitions；〃　he　answered　her
impatiently；　as；　snatching　at　her　wrists；　he　made　her　release　her
hold。　　〃Let　me　go。〃　　And　with　that　he　flung　her　roughly　from　him。

A　second　she　staggered；　then；　recovering　her　balance　and　without　an
instant's　hesitation；　she　sped　to　the　door。　　Imagining　her　intent　to
be　to　lock　him　in　La　Boulaye　sprang　after　her。　　But　it　seemed　that
his　mind　had　been　more　swift　to　fasten　upon　the　wiser　course　than
had　hers。　　Instead；　she　snatched　the　key　and　closed　the　door　on　the
inside。　　She　wasted　a　moment　fumbling　at　the　lock；　and　even　as　he
caught　her　by　the　waist　the　key　slipped　in；　and　before　he　dragged
her　back　she　had　contrived　to　turn　it；　and　now　held　it　in　her　hand。
He　laughed　a　trifle　angrily　as　she　twisted　out　of　his　grasp；　and
stood　panting　before　him。

〃You　shall　not　leave　this　room　with　that　paper；〃　she　gasped；　her
anger　ever　swelling；　and　now　rendering　her　speech　almost　incoherent。

He　set　his　arms　akimbo；　and　surveyed　her　whimsically。

〃My　dear　Cecile；〃　quoth　he；　〃if　you　will　take　no　thought　for　my
convenience；　I　beg　that；　at　least；　you　will　take　some　for　your　good
name。　　Thousand　devils　woman！　　Will　you　have　it　said　in　Paris　that
you　were　found　locked　in　a　room　with　me？　　What　will　your　uncle　…
your　virtuous；　prudish；　incorruptible　uncle　…　say　when　he　learns　of
it？　　If　he　does　not　demand　a　heavy　price　from　you　for　so　dishonouring
him；　he　is　not　the　man　I　deem　him。　　Now　be　sensible；　child；　and　open
that　door　while　there　is　yet　time；　and　before　anybody　discovers　us
in　this　most　compromising　situation。〃

He　struck　the　tone　most　likely　to　win　him　obedience；　and　that　he
had　judged　astutely　her　face　showed　him。　　In　the　place　of　the　anger
that　had　distorted　it　there　came　now　into　that　countenance　a　look
of　surprise　and　fear。　　She　saw　herself　baffled　at　every　point。　　She
had　threatened　him　with　Duplay　…　the　only　man　available　…　and　he　had
shown　her　how　futile　it　must　prove　to　summon　him。　　And　now　she　had
locked　herself　in　with　him；　thinking　to　sit　there　until　he　should　do
her　will；　and　he　showed　her　the　danger　to　herself　therein；　which　had
escaped　her　notice。

There　was　a　settle　close　behind　her；　and　on　to　this　she　sank；　and
bending　her　head　she　opened　the　floodgates　of　her　passionate　little
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　rag