At one time early in the afternoon the roar of battle approached them, racing2 swiftly in their direction, swelling3 each moment in volume and in horror. It was the frenzied4 clamour of a multitude drunk with blood and bent5 on destruction. Near at hand that fierce wave of humanity checked in its turbulent progress. Followed blows of pikes upon a door and imperious calls to open, and thereafter came the rending6 of timbers, the shivering of glass, screams of terror blending with screams of rage, and, running through these shrill7 sounds, the deeper diapason of bestial8 laughter.
It was a hunt of two wretched Swiss guardsmen seeking blindly to escape. And they were run to earth in a house in the neighbourhood, and there cruelly done to death by that demoniac mob. The thing accomplished9, the hunters, male and female, forming into a battalion10, came swinging down the Rue du Paradis, chanting the song of Marseilles — a song new to Paris in those days:
Allons, enfants de la patrie!
Le jour de gloire est arrive
Contre nous de la tyrannie
L’etendard sanglant est leve.
Nearer it came, raucously11 bawled12 by some hundreds of voices, a dread13 sound that had come so suddenly to displace at least temporarily the merry, trivial air of the “Ca ira!” which hitherto had been the revolutionary carillon. Instinctively14 Mme. de Plougastel and Aline clung to each other. They had heard the sound of the ravishing of that other house in the neighbourhood, without knowledge of the reason. What if now it should be the turn of the Hotel Plougastel! There was no real cause to fear it, save that amid a turmoil15 imperfectly understood and therefore the more awe-inspiring, the worst must be feared always.
The dreadful song so dreadfully sung, and the thunder of heavily shod feet upon the roughly paved street, passed on and receded17. They breathed again, almost as if a miracle had saved them, to yield to fresh alarm an instant later, when madame’s young footman, Jacques, the most trusted of her servants, burst into their presence unceremoniously with a scared face, bringing the announcement that a man who had just climbed over the garden wall professed18 himself a friend of madame’s, and desired to be brought immediately to her presence.
“But he looks like a sansculotte, madame,” the staunch fellow warned her.
Her thoughts and hopes leapt at once to Rougane.
“Bring him in,” she commanded breathlessly.
Jacques went out, to return presently accompanied by a tall man in a long, shabby, and very ample overcoat and a wide-brimmed hat that was turned down all round, and adorned20 by an enormous tricolour cockade. This hat he removed as he entered.
Jacques, standing21 behind him, perceived that his hair, although now in some disorder22, bore signs of having been carefully dressed. It was clubbed, and it carried some lingering vestiges23 of powder. The young footman wondered what it was in the man’s face, which was turned from him, that should cause his mistress to out and recoil25. Then he found himself dismissed abruptly27 by a gesture.
The newcomer advanced to the middle of the salon28, moving like a man exhausted29 and breathing hard. There he leaned against a table, across which he confronted Mme. de Plougastel. And she stood regarding him, a strange horror in her eyes.
In the background, on a settle at the salon’s far end, sat Aline staring in bewilderment and some fear at a face which, if unrecognizable through the mask of blood and dust that smeared30 it, was yet familiar. And then the man spoke31, and instantly she knew the voice for that of the Marquis de La Tour d’Azyr.
“My dear friend,” he was saying, “forgive me if I startled you. Forgive me if I thrust myself in here without leave, at such a time, in such a manner. But . . . you see how it is with me. I am a fugitive32. In the course of my distracted flight, not knowing which way to turn for safety, I thought of you. I told myself that if I could but safely reach your house, I might find sanctuary33.”
“You are in danger?”
“In danger?” Almost he seemed silently to laugh at the unnecessary question. “If I were to show myself openly in the streets just now, I might with luck contrive34 to live for five minutes! My friend, it has been a massacre35. Some few of us escaped from the Tuileries at the end, to be hunted to death in the streets. I doubt if by this time a single Swiss survives. They had the worst of it, poor devils. And as for us — my God! They hate us more than they hate the Swiss. Hence this filthy36 disguise.”
He peeled off the shaggy greatcoat, and casting it from him stepped forth37 in the black satin that had been the general livery of the hundred knights38 of the dagger39 who had rallied in the Tuileries that morning to the defence of their king.
His coat was rent across the back, his neckcloth and the ruffles40 at his wrists were torn and bloodstained; with his smeared face and disordered headdress he was terrible to behold41. Yet he contrived42 to carry himself with his habitual43 easy assurance, remembered to kiss the trembling hand which Mme. de Plougastel extended to him in welcome.
“You did well to come to me, Gervais,” she said. “Yes, here is sanctuary for the present. You will be quite safe, at least for as long as we are safe. My servants are entirely44 trustworthy. Sit down and tell me all.”
He obeyed her, collapsing45 almost into the armchair which she thrust forward, a man exhausted, whether by physical exertion46 or by nerve-strain, or both. He drew a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped some of the blood and dirt from his face.
“It is soon told.” His tone was bitter with the bitterness of despair. “This, my dear, is the end of us. Plougastel is lucky in being across the frontier at such a time. Had I not been fool enough to trust those who to-day have proved themselves utterly47 unworthy of trust, that is where I should be myself. My remaining in Paris is the crowning folly48 of a life full of follies49 and mistakes. That I should come to you in my hour of most urgent need adds point to it.” He laughed in his bitterness.
Madame moistened her dry lips. “And . . . and now?” she asked him.
“It only remains50 to get away as soon as may be, if it is still possible. Here in France there is no longer any room for us — at least, not above ground. To-day has proved it.” And then he looked up at her, standing there beside him so pale and timid, and he smiled. He patted the fine hand that rested upon the arm of his chair. “My dear Therese, unless you carry charitableness to the length of giving me to drink, you will see me perish of thirst under your eyes before ever the canaille has a chance to finish me.”
She started. “I should have thought of it!” she cried in self-reproach, and she turned quickly. “Aline,” she begged, “tell Jacques to bring . . . ”
“Aline!” he echoed, interrupting, and swinging round in his turn. Then, as Aline rose into view, detaching from her background, and he at last perceived her, he heaved himself abruptly to his weary legs again, and stood there stiffly bowing to her across the space of gleaming floor. “Mademoiselle, I had not suspected your presence,” he said, and he seemed extraordinarily51 ill-at-ease, a man startled, as if caught in an illicit52 act.
“I perceived it, monsieur,” she answered, as she advanced to do madame’s commission. She paused before him. “From my heart, monsieur, I grieve that we should meet again in circumstances so very painful.”
Not since the day of his duel53 with Andre–Louis — the day which had seen the death and burial of his last hope of winning her — had they stood face to face.
He checked as if on the point of answering her. His glance strayed to Mme. de Plougastel, and, oddly reticent54 for one who could be very glib55, he bowed in silence.
“But sit, monsieur, I beg. You are fatigued56.”
“You are gracious to observe it. With your permission, then.” And he resumed his seat. She continued on her way to the door and passed out upon her errand.
When presently she returned they had almost unaccountably changed places. It was Mme. de Plougastel who was seated in that armchair of brocade and gilt57, and M. de La Tour d’Azyr who, despite his lassitude, was leaning over the back of it talking earnestly, seeming by his attitude to plead with her. On Aline’s entrance he broke off instantly and moved away, so that she was left with a sense of having intruded58. Further she observed that the Countess was in tears.
Following her came presently the diligent59 Jacques, bearing a tray laden60 with food and wine. Madame poured for her guest, and he drank a long draught61 of the Burgundy, then begged, holding forth his grimy hands, that he might mend his appearance before sitting down to eat.
He was led away and valeted by Jacques, and when he returned he had removed from his person the last vestige24 of the rough handling he had received. He looked almost his normal self, the disorder in his attire62 repaired, calm and dignified63 and courtly in his bearing, but very pale and haggard of face, seeming suddenly to have increased in years, to have reached in appearance the age that was in fact his own.
As he ate and drank — and this with appetite, for as he told them he had not tasted food since early morning — he entered into the details of the dreadful events of the day, and gave them the particulars of his own escape from the Tuileries when all was seen to be lost and when the Swiss, having burnt their last cartridge64, were submitting to wholesale65 massacre at the hands of the indescribably furious mob.
“Oh, it was all most ill done,” he ended critically. “We were timid when we should have been resolute66, and resolute at last when it was too late. That is the history of our side from the beginning of this accursed struggle. We have lacked proper leadership throughout, and now — as I have said already — there is an end to us. It but remains to escape, as soon as we can discover how the thing is to be accomplished.”
Madame told him of the hopes that she had centred upon Rougane.
It lifted him out of his gloom. He was disposed to be optimistic.
“You are wrong to have abandoned that hope,” he assured her. “If this mayor is so well disposed, he certainly can do as his son promised. But last night it would have been too late for him to have reached you, and to-day, assuming that he had come to Paris, almost impossible for him to win across the streets from the other side. It is most likely that he will yet come. I pray that he may; for the knowledge that you and Mlle. de Kercadiou are out of this would comfort me above all.”
“We should take you with us,” said madame.
“Ah! But how?”
“Young Rougane was to bring me permits for three persons — Aline, myself, and my footman, Jacques. You would take the place of Jacques.”
“Faith, to get out of Paris, madame, there is no man whose place I would not take.” And he laughed.
Their spirits rose with his and their flagging hopes revived. But as dusk descended67 again upon the city, without any sign of the deliverer they awaited, those hopes began to ebb68 once more.
M. de La Tour d’Azyr at last pleaded weariness, and begged to be permitted to withdraw that he might endeavour to take some rest against whatever might have to be faced in the immediate19 future. When he had gone, madame persuaded Aline to go and lie down.
“I will call you, my dear, the moment he arrives,” she said, bravely maintaining that pretence69 of a confidence that had by now entirely evaporated.
Aline kissed her affectionately, and departed, outwardly so calm and unperturbed as to leave the Countess wondering whether she realized the peril70 by which they were surrounded, a peril infinitely71 increased by the presence in that house of a man so widely known and detested72 as M. de La Tour d’Azyr, a man who was probably being sought for by his enemies at this moment.
Left alone, madame lay down on a couch in the salon itself, to be ready for any emergency. It was a hot summer night, and the glass doors opening upon the luxuriant garden stood wide to admit the air. On that air came intermittently73 from the distance sounds of the continuing horrible activities of the populace, the aftermath of that bloody74 day.
Mme. de Plougastel lay there, listening to those sounds for upwards75 of an hour, thanking Heaven that for the present at least the disturbances76 were distant, dreading77 lest at any moment they should occur nearer at hand, lest this Bondy section in which her hotel was situated78 should become the scene of horrors similar to those whose echoes reached her ears from other sections away to the south and west.
The couch occupied by the Countess lay in shadow; for all the lights in that long salon had been extinguished with the exception of a cluster of candles in a massive silver candle branch placed on a round marquetry table in the middle of the room — an island of light in the surrounding gloom.
The timepiece on the overmantel chimed melodiously79 the hour of ten, and then, startling in the suddenness with which it broke the immediate silence, another sound vibrated through the house, and brought madame to her feet, in a breathless mingling80 of hope and dread. Some one was knocking sharply on the door below. Followed moments of agonized81 suspense82, culminating in the abrupt26 invasion of the room by the footman Jacques. He looked round, not seeing his mistress at first.
“Madame! Madame!” he panted, out of breath.
“What is it, Jacques!” Her voice was steady now that the need for self-control seemed thrust upon her. She advanced from the shadows into that island of light about the table. “There is a man below. He is asking . . . he is demanding to see you at once.”
“A man?” she questioned.
“He . . . he seems to be an official; at least he wears the sash of office. And he refuses to give any name; he says that his name would convey nothing to you. He insists that he must see you in person and at once.”
“An official?” said madame.
“An official,” Jacques repeated. “I would not have admitted him, but that he demanded it in the name of the Nation. Madame, it is for you to say what shall be done. Robert is with me. If you wish it . . . whatever it may be . . . ”
“My good Jacques, no, no.” She was perfectly16 composed. “If this man intended evil, surely he would not come alone. Conduct him to me, and then beg Mlle. de Kercadiou to join me if she is awake.”
Jacques departed, himself partly reassured83. Madame seated herself in the armchair by the table well within the light. She smoothed her dress with a mechanical hand. If, as it would seem, her hopes had been futile84, so had her momentary85 fears. A man on any but an errand of peace would have brought some following with him, as she had said.
The door opened again, and Jacques reappeared; after him, stepping briskly past him, came a slight man in a wide-brimmed hat, adorned by a tricolour cockade. About the waist of an olive-green riding-coat he wore a broad tricolour sash; a sword hung at his side.
He swept off his hat, and the candlelight glinted on the steel buckle86 in front of it. Madame found herself silently regarded by a pair of large, dark eyes set in a lean, brown face, eyes that were most singularly intent and searching.
She leaned forward, incredulity swept across her countenance87. Then her eyes kindled88, and the colour came creeping back into her pale cheeks. She rose suddenly. She was trembling.
“Andre–Louis!” she exclaimed.
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1
rue
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| n.懊悔，芸香，后悔；v.后悔，悲伤，懊悔 | |
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racing
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| n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的 | |
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3
swelling
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| n.肿胀 | |
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frenzied
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| a.激怒的；疯狂的 | |
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5
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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6
rending
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| v.撕碎( rend的现在分词 )；分裂；（因愤怒、痛苦等而）揪扯（衣服或头发等）；（声音等）刺破 | |
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7
shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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8
bestial
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| adj.残忍的；野蛮的 | |
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9
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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10
battalion
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| n.营；部队；大队(的人) | |
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11
raucously
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| adv.粗声地；沙哑地 | |
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12
bawled
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| v.大叫，大喊( bawl的过去式和过去分词 )；放声大哭；大声叫出；叫卖（货物） | |
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13
dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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14
instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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15
turmoil
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| n.骚乱，混乱，动乱 | |
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16
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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17
receded
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| v.逐渐远离( recede的过去式和过去分词 )；向后倾斜；自原处后退或避开别人的注视；尤指问题 | |
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18
professed
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| 公开声称的，伪称的，已立誓信教的 | |
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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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20
adorned
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| [计]被修饰的 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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disorder
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| n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调 | |
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23
vestiges
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| 残余部分( vestige的名词复数 )； 遗迹； 痕迹； 毫不 | |
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vestige
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| n.痕迹，遗迹，残余 | |
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25
recoil
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| vi.退却，退缩，畏缩 | |
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abrupt
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| adj.突然的，意外的；唐突的，鲁莽的 | |
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abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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28
salon
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| n.[法]沙龙；客厅；营业性的高级服务室 | |
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exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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smeared
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| 弄脏； 玷污； 涂抹； 擦上 | |
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31
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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32
fugitive
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| adj.逃亡的，易逝的；n.逃犯，逃亡者 | |
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33
sanctuary
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| n.圣所，圣堂，寺庙；禁猎区，保护区 | |
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contrive
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| vt.谋划，策划；设法做到；设计，想出 | |
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massacre
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| n.残杀，大屠杀；v.残杀，集体屠杀 | |
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filthy
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| adj.卑劣的；恶劣的，肮脏的 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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knights
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| 骑士； （中古时代的）武士( knight的名词复数 )； 骑士； 爵士； （国际象棋中）马 | |
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39
dagger
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| n.匕首，短剑，剑号 | |
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40
ruffles
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| 褶裥花边( ruffle的名词复数 ) | |
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41
behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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42
contrived
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| adj.不自然的，做作的；虚构的 | |
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43
habitual
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| adj.习惯性的；通常的，惯常的 | |
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44
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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45
collapsing
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| 压扁[平]，毁坏，断裂 | |
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46
exertion
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| n.尽力，努力 | |
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47
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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48
folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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49
follies
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| 罪恶，时事讽刺剧； 愚蠢，蠢笨，愚蠢的行为、思想或做法( folly的名词复数 ) | |
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50
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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51
extraordinarily
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| adv.格外地；极端地 | |
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52
illicit
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| adj.非法的，禁止的，不正当的 | |
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53
duel
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| n./v.决斗；(双方的)斗争 | |
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54
reticent
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| adj.沉默寡言的；言不如意的 | |
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55
glib
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| adj.圆滑的，油嘴滑舌的 | |
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56
fatigued
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| adj. 疲乏的 | |
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57
gilt
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| adj.镀金的；n.金边证券 | |
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58
intruded
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| n.侵入的，推进的v.侵入，侵扰，打扰( intrude的过去式和过去分词 )；把…强加于 | |
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59
diligent
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| adj.勤勉的，勤奋的 | |
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60
laden
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| adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的 | |
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61
draught
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| n.拉，牵引，拖；一网（饮，吸，阵)；顿服药量，通风；v.起草，设计 | |
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62
attire
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| v.穿衣，装扮[同]array；n.衣着；盛装 | |
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dignified
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| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
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64
cartridge
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| n.弹壳，弹药筒；(装磁带等的)盒子 | |
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65
wholesale
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| n.批发；adv.以批发方式；vt.批发，成批出售 | |
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66
resolute
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| adj.坚决的，果敢的 | |
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67
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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68
ebb
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| vi.衰退，减退；n.处于低潮，处于衰退状态 | |
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pretence
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| n.假装，作假；借口，口实；虚伪；虚饰 | |
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70
peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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71
infinitely
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| adv.无限地，无穷地 | |
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72
detested
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| v.憎恶，嫌恶，痛恨( detest的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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73
intermittently
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| adv.间歇地；断断续续 | |
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74
bloody
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| adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染 | |
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75
upwards
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| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
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76
disturbances
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| n.骚乱( disturbance的名词复数 )；打扰；困扰；障碍 | |
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77
dreading
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| v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的现在分词 ) | |
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78
situated
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| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
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79
melodiously
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80
mingling
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| adj.混合的 | |
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81
agonized
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| v.使（极度）痛苦，折磨( agonize的过去式和过去分词 )；苦斗；苦苦思索；感到极度痛苦 | |
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82
suspense
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| n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑 | |
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83
reassured
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| adj.使消除疑虑的；使放心的v.再保证，恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词) | |
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84
futile
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| adj.无效的，无用的，无希望的 | |
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85
momentary
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| adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的 | |
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86
buckle
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| n.扣子，带扣；v.把...扣住，由于压力而弯曲 | |
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87
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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88
kindled
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| （使某物）燃烧，着火( kindle的过去式和过去分词 )； 激起（感情等）； 发亮，放光 | |
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