CHAPTER XII.
DIAMOND CUT DIAMOND.
With a turn of the kaleidoscope is another pattern formed. Lying inthe great state bed with its ponderous carven canopy and heavycurtains of deep blue velvet fringed with gold, Gabrielle wonderedwhether she had awakened in a kinder world or whether she was dreamingin the old rugose one. No. It was the same gorgeously gloomy chamberin which she had so often wept, with its dim ancestors frowning fromthe background of mouldering arras.
Yonder, by the tall emblazoned mantel, was the familiar ebony cabinetin which a long bygone De Breze, who was an alchemist, had been wontto lock his phials. To the left, was the mullioned window, with widesill, looking out upon the paved courtyard. On the sill was a row ofponderous bronze pots of the Renaissance period, filled with gayplants to hide out the blank wall opposite. Both Madame de Vaux andAngelique had always shuddered when they crossed the threshold of thisroom, vowing that the big bed, like a funereal catafalque, was a fitresting-place for spectres, not for human beauty. When counselled tomove elsewhere, or do up the apartment in more cheerful fashion, thechatelaine had smilingly shaken her head. The ladies of the castle hadalways occupied this room, and she would follow their precedent, notbeing afraid of ghosts.
"The precedents of Lorge were pretty ones to follow," retorted herneighbour. "Many of the chatelaines were murdered, poor things! andthe rest so wretched that murder, however atrocious, would have beenhailed as a release."
Alas! The destiny of the present one was no brighter than that of theothers. She had been miserable enough in this tranquil chamber, andhad ofttimes prayed for death. But now, somehow, Fortune seemed to beweary of persecution. Was it possible that out of the sinister tanglecontent might yet be unwound?
There were voices whispering in the antechamber which Gabriellerecognized as those of Jean and Toinon, watchers. Now and again,Toinon would gently open the door and reconnoitre, and seeing theinvalid apparently asleep would quietly close it again, but not beforethe sick lady had caught a glimpse of the chevalier behind, stillwearing an expression of dismay.
Wonder of wonders! Sometimes when she woke from fitful dozing, shewould see the figure of the marquis standing at the bed-foot anxiouslypeering down at her. He looked haggard and careworn. Could it be onher account? Hidden away somewhere in a remote recess could there be aflame of affectionate esteem for her still flickering?
Simulating slumber, she would scan him narrowly. He was evidentlyunhappy, had something on his mind, was unpleasantly preoccupied. Herheart leapt with the thought that it was on her account, perhaps, thathe was troubled. He certainly was thinking a good deal about her, forthough he did not stop long he often visited the chamber. Althoughwell-nigh beyond belief, Gabrielle could hardly doubt that he wasunhappy for her sake. His eyes had been opened! It had come home tohim how cruel his neglect had been, and he was sorry. It needed but akind word of encouragement from her to bring about a tardyreconciliation.
Choosing an opportunity, she gently put forth her hand and claspedthat of Clovis with a tender pressure, murmuring the while, "Husband!I was driven to do that wicked thing by a mistake. God will forgive.Can you, too, pardon?"
At sound of her feeble voice, the marquis started guiltily and hunghis head; and as he remained silent, his hand inert in hers, sheproceeded slowly--
"It is not you who are to blame, dear. Occupied as your mind is, youare unable to conceive what to a loving woman are isolation andindifference. I teased and annoyed you with my jealousy; but then, asa girl, I was so pampered--steeped to the lips in love! Give meconfidence and perfect trust and you shall be vexed no more. Obedientin all things, assuming no right to counsel or rebuke, I will be yourfaithful life-companion, the half of your very self!"
Much more did she say in the same strain, without reproach, pleadingfor a modest place within his heart.
Ah me! What a mockery are these earthly unions for better or worsetill death do us part! The best are doomed to fling away their wealthof tenderness upon recipients who do not crave for it. Is it apunishment meted in subtle irony for the transgressions of a previouslife? For half a lifetime we persist in lavishing our love upon aphantom, and, discovering by chance how evil is the wraith, lie downdespairing. A fool's paradise would be a charming residence, were wenot pretty certain, sooner or later, to be expelled from it withviolence. On this tiny dust grain of the universe--let us hope it isnot so in the more important worlds, wherein we hope to sojournlater--we batter our pates at a tender age against the stone wall ofdisillusion, become early familiar with broken promises. Fortunately,the sustaining angel Hope has more lives than a cat. Pummelled,stoned, and mangled beyond recognition, behold she sits up and rubsherself, charming well again.
What the hapless Gabrielle took for the stir of dormant affection wasno more than an ignoble mixture of shame, remorse, and anxiety. Theconscience of Clovis had dinned into him long since that he wasbehaving very ill; that he had espoused a beautiful woman with a freshand ardent temperament and a well-lined purse; that, thanks to thelast, he lived in gilded ease, and gave to its owner in exchangenothing for which she yearned. People are vastly provoking, whoclamorously demand that we have not to bestow. How wearisome are thosewho go on repeating, "I want your love and nothing else," when theyought to know that we have no love to give. Then is sure to follow thephase of reproaches and tears which is more tiresome still. Clovis,when conscience pricked, was very sorry for his helpmeet; and sorryfor himself, too, that she should be so worrying. From his point ofview, he was justified in withdrawing from the dining-hall the lightof his comely countenance. How can a man have any appetite with sorueful a visage opposite? Talk of skeletons at feasts! Here was one atevery meal, because speechless no less eloquent. That which isunpleasant and can't be helped, it behoves us in self-defence to putaway and forget as quickly as possible. Clovis had (metaphorically)plunged into the magic tub with Aglae in order to forget his skeleton.He knew he was doing wrong, but was equally aware that it was not inhim to do right. Why could not Gabrielle be sensible? If people wouldonly cultivate that humble virtue common sense, how much more smoothlylife's wheels would run. Why could not she, realizing--perhaps withpain--that Luna is not in the market as a purchaseable article, sitquietly down with philosophy, and give up crying for the moon?
When the poor lady was impelled to shuffle off her coil, thecompleteness of the desolation revealed due to her husband's fault,came home to him with a mighty twinge; and he felt angry with her inthat she should be capable of inflicting so severe a nip. Theestrangement was not his fault, he argued with conscience. It was hismisfortune and hers, which it was in the province of neither toremedy. Of course, it was all a pity; but are there not numberlessthings in this life that are "a pity," but which we are powerless toalter? The brief period of _tete-a-tete_ when they first came to liveat Lorge had been ghastly dull, and he, like a sensible man, hadsought refuge from it in his books. Then merciful Providence had senta set of people to make his situation more bearable--his and hersalso. Why could she not let herself drift in calm content, as he haddone? It always came back to that, and every time he was the moreconvinced of it. His wife was an unreasonable creature, who persistedin pining for what she could not get instead of making the best ofwhat she had. Perhaps he had not behaved quite nicely in the matter ofthe prodigies. Yet after all, was it not essential that they shouldreceive trained instruction, and had they not of their own accordturned from their mother to the governess? He had never said, "Mydears, you must care no longer for mamma, and adore your governess."Was it not evident that mamma wearied them as much as she did him,while their instructress was the most delightful comrade that everbreathed, as well as abnormally clever?
With this course of argument conscience was convinced, or pretended tobe, and curled itself up and slept, and would have continued thus incharmed repose, but for this new disturbance. There can be no denyingthat there must be something radically wrong, when a woman who used tob
e serene leaps with felonious intent out of a wherry. Though everyonewas told that the affair was an accident, nobody believed it. Themarquis was ashamed and dreaded a scandal.
Of course, when the story reached them, the Montbazon party cametrundling over in the shanderydan, with goggling eyes and ears acock,to inquire into the extraordinary tale. Clovis received them withscant courtesy, but the old baroness was not to be put off with a coldshoulder, and Angelique took little trouble to cloak her suspicions.What could madame have been doing--navigating the Loire in themiddle of the night, and tumbling overboard? Why choose so strange anhour for a solitary excursion, and why fall out of so clumsy andbroad-beamed a craft? Could the dear marquis explain? The dear marquisbecame testy, and, shrugging his shoulders, advised the ladies tovisit madame who was in bed, but well enough to tell them all aboutit. The ladies sat on either side of the great catafalque, undershadow of the blue velvet curtains, and sniffed at one another withmeaning across the counterpane. Cross-questioned by the baron as theydrove home, the baroness pursed her lips in ominous silence, whileAngelique remarked, "If with those sad eyes welling with tears, shepersists that she is happy, and vows that on that night her footslipped, in courtesy we must pretend to believe her." To which thebaron pertinently replied, "Foot slipped, indeed! and in the middle ofthe river, too. What was it doing on the gunwale?"
Clovis knew that the de Vaux family would spread damaging reports, buthe had yet another cause for anxiety. A certain remark had beendropped by Mademoiselle Brunelle as the two were carrying theirburthen to the salon, which was like a douche of icy water. "If he hadlet her drown, you would be free!" What an atrociously cold-bloodedsentiment from the lips of the good-natured Aglae! As to this themarquis's conscience had no suggestion to make, for it had neverentered his head to desire his wife's demise.
It is another unpleasing fact with regard to our little earth, thatnothing can remain stationary. We must always be on the move--backwardif not forward. Clovis, pleased with the situation as it had chosen todevelop itself, wished for naught but the continuance of the _statusquo_; and now it came rudely home to him that mademoiselle, instead ofbeing satisfied, as he was, had been raising shadowy edifices incloudland. The glance which accompanied her regretful words had beenfull of significance. She could look so far forward as to welcome thedeparture of Gabrielle in order that she might occupy her place. And agoverness too--without a shred of a pedigree--who had never heard thename of her grandfather! That a person of low birth, howeveradmirable, should presume to aspire to the coronet of a Marquise deGange took the breath away! The idea was as wildly fantastic as it wasrevolting. And yet she had so wormed herself into his life that heknew he could not tear her thence without an awful struggle. If thatpoor thing had died, could he in course of time have been persuaded totake the governess? Who might prophesy? Most fortunately there was noquestion of such a possibility, as the lady had been saved and wasrecovering. Mademoiselle must be his affinity--nor hope for anythingmore lofty. And yet the more he thought of it, all the more shockeddid Clovis feel at the absurdity of such aspirations in one so lowly,and the cold-bloodedness of that remark.
For her part the unlucky speech had been wrung from Aglae by genuinesurprise, for the boating catastrophe had opened to her mind's eye adazzling vista of actual possibilities as new as they wereastonishing. It had certainly occurred to her before that it would benice some day to be Marquise de Gange, but it had not struck her thatthe present marquise could be induced to open the door herself to hersuccessor. It was merely in a spirit of casual spite that Aglae hadinsolently invited Gabrielle, during their last interview, to retireout of the world.
How surprising are the vagaries of the human animal! No one would haveguessed that a quiet reserved woman, who was so feeble as to supposeshe could buy the enemy with a bracelet, could be driven to take herlife! The discovery suggested for the future a new series of tactics.Owing to vexatious interference the tragedy had miscarried this time,but surely with deft management a similar condition of mind to thatwhich had led up to it could be brought about again? And the secondtime precautions might be taken to ensure a different termination.There was no hurry about it. When matters of serious import are underconsideration it is a woeful thing to hurry. The mawkish creature wasin bed, being fondled and caressed. By and by when she grew better, aprogressive series of cunningly-masked attacks would have to beorganized which should finally and completely rout the insignificantfoe and leave her prone upon the field.
Meanwhile there was something new that rather puzzled the governess.Clovis was so thin-skinned that it was only by surpassing skill thathe could be managed. He was so beset with crotchets which requiredcoaxing. There was some bee worrying in his bonnet now, for instead offrisking about the feet of his affinity, according to habit, he slunkaway from her approach with uneasy bashfulness, and bestowed hisattentions on the invalid.
With regard to the latter there was nothing to dread for theblandishments of the wife invariably had the effect in the long run ofalienating the husband. On this score the mind of the schemer waseasy. But what if she were indeed to die in a not too distant future?Clovis had shudderingly declared on the fateful night that had shebeen drowned he would have considered himself a murderer. What astupid old adage it is which says the dead do not return! How many,when they have passed from sight, are more formidable than when alive!Would it be so with Gabrielle? Is not remorse a more formidablebarrier than the imperial wall of China? As it was, mademoiselle couldnot deny that the marquis had taken to avoiding her, that in his eyesthere was a sinister expression, in which fear and distrust wereblended. He must have caught a glimpse under her ample skirt of acloven hoof instead of a substantial foot, and have been alarmed bythe spectacle. This alarm must be lulled to rest, or the influence ofthe affinity might stand in actual peril. It would be odd if in theend he crawled out of her clutches--very odd.
Pooh! She was strong, and he was weak. Had she not proved already thatshe could bend him like a willow wand? And yet--in front there lay amist which even sharp-sighted Aglae was unable to penetrate. Shelaughed with quiet cynicism when she considered what Clovis's feelingswould be if he could read the dark thoughts of his affinity. He hadread too much already, and the effect had not been good. Now that sheknew what she wanted, it behoved her to consider the attitude whichthe marquis must be made to assume, for his conduct, whatever it mightbe, would, of course, be influenced by another will than his own.
Gabrielle was to depart.
That much was settled in the mind of the governess. With regard to thehusband, two courses were open. Was he to be lulled into forgettingthe untoward remark which had so shocked him, or was he to growaccustomed by degrees to its implied suggestion, and be inducedtacitly to approve by skilful wheedling? Her bringing-up had led thegoverness to hold a low opinion of human nature. No one ever lived,she fully believed, so devoid of the leaven of wickedness as to beproof against temptation to crime. It was merely a matter ofsurroundings and the amount of temptation employed. But then in thecase of Clovis, the inertness and hesitancy of his character calledfor consideration. Moreover, his recent behaviour had shown that hedid not care as yet sufficiently warmly for his Aglae to go alllengths with her. Alarmed for his own safety, he would shrink and runoff howling. It is wiser in dealing with some people to do a thingwithout consulting them, and obtain consent to the act when it isdone--irrevocably and irremediably. Clearly, the first course wasthe most judicious. Clovis must be amused and petted till thetemporary access of inconvenient remorse was past, the little speechforgotten--and wake up some fine day in the not too far distant futureto find himself bereaved and a widower.
All this was mighty well in theory, but what of the plaguey abbe? Hewould hear of the water episode and be seriously annoyed. Thegoverness was angered to think of the length of time which must elapseere her scheme could be brought to a head--and all through the idioticpassion of Pharamond for the marquise! It would be dangerous to makean open enemy of Pharamond, for were he
so minded, he could place manyspokes in her wheel; all the more easily at this precise juncture whenClovis was so shocked. As a matter of policy, whereby she mightherself benefit, she was quite ready to push Gabrielle into his arms,as quickly as possible, for she reckoned that he was a fickle man,who would soon tire of a toy attained, and so soon as he had done withit, would not care how soon it was broken. But then she was notwithout grave doubts of his ever succeeding in his suit. Mawkish,milk-and-water women, such as this pale-faced creature, have nopassions worthy of the name, but exhale themselves in sighs andprayer.
And here was another awkward point. Given that the abbe was rebuffed,compelled to abandon the siege of the marquise, would he not lose allmotive for further assisting the governess? and that before she wasprepared to do without him? Of course, he would then cease to sing herpraises in the ears of Clovis; would even perhaps, to suit his owninterests, endeavour to divide those whom he had assisted in uniting?If the abbe could only be got rid of! But there seemed, peer out intothe horizon as she would, no chance of getting rid of him. No. He mustbe humoured--hoodwinked, if possible. The abbe for the present must beendured, treated as a trusty ally, since it would not do to attack himas an enemy. Mademoiselle guessed that the chevalier would report allthat had happened, so concealment was out of the question. When hereceived tidings of the episode he would, of course, come home, and inan evil mood. With a peevish sigh, she wrote an effusive letter toPharamond, begging him to return to Lorge, wishing the while that hewould break his neck upon the journey. In the letter she artfullystated that she had been guilty of a little error. When you wish toavert a scolding, it is well to be candid and confess; and rather makethe most of the peccadillo.
Thus she came vaguely to the conclusion that the alliance must standgood for the present, that she and the abbe must maintain theirfriendship, outwardly at least, and that, with regard to the fate ofGabrielle, she must wait and watch events. Perhaps destiny in agenerous mood would point out some means of clearing the thorn-strewnpath by sweeping away the abbe. If he were got rid of, the course ofAglae would be quite plain; the shrift of the marquise would be ashort one.
Pharamond received two letters by the same courier, and boiledwith displeasure at the contents of both. With what a culpablestupidity had all of them been behaving in his absence! That thechevalier--useless lump of carrion--should proclaim himself a fool wasonly to be expected. It had been the height of folly to trust to thediscretion of a zany. By his own showing, Phebus had failed to watchproperly over the marquise, and the malignant Aglae had wreaked onher, with impunity, the full venom of her spite. For that when thechance arrived she should be punished, for he had plainly given hisinstructions before he started, to the effect that the marquise mustbe made to feel her lonely position so acutely, that she would beinclined to look kindly on a lover. It was not at all a portion of hisprogramme that she should be hunted into a grave. Moreover, was shenot the golden goose that fed them? The regrettable catastrophe wasdue to the governess's disobedience and malignity. Feminine spite isunreasoning, as all the world knows.
"Not guessing that she was so sensitive, I went too far and am deeplydistressed," Aglae mendaciously wrote; "not but what the story youwill probably hear is much exaggerated. You have impressed on me morethan once that you are my friend. By an artful imposture of shamsuicide, the marquise has succeeded in frightening her husband back toher side again. They bill and coo all day, which will not please youany more that it does me. For your own sake, as well as mine, provethat you are my friend, and come."
Yes. Both letters assured him that his presence at Lorge was urgentlyneeded to give form again to chaos; and Pharamond saw that he mustleave the capital, although occurrences in Paris were of dailyincreasing interest. It was dawning on himself and others at last thatthey stood on the threshold of an entirely new epoch, which was toshatter and blot out the old; that what they had chosen tocontemptuously take for harmless effervescence was the commencement ofconvulsion, from which a newly-cast society would spring. The daringof the lower lieges grew as fast as did the fabled bean-stalk. A timidcontingent of the assailed upper class had already abandoned France,dreading they knew not what, and the remainder were like sheep withouta shepherd. What if, though really the notion was too preposterous,the bubbling scum should actually suffocate the elect in its foul andfetid waters? In the world's story there have been many cataclysms.Though the peasants of Touraine had done little damage as yet, theywould surely hear of the excesses of the south, and would probably beurged to emulation.
Lorge was a strong place, but precautionary measures of defence mustbe taken in view of prospective difficulties. For many reasons, then,the return of the abbe to the country might no longer be delayed. Itwould be a wise measure to summon a meeting of the rural seigneurie,and form a league for mutual protection.
"Her friend!" the abbe laughed with a malevolent twitch of his thinlips as he folded and pocketed his letters. "So long as she is useful,yes--a dear trusty loyal friend--but not an instant longer! If shecannot behave with decency and common prudence, we must unite andsweep her into space."
Everyone was glad to see Pharamond home again, or affected to be so.He assumed the highest spirits, although his news was littlereassuring, and he was privately much vexed at the changed positionsof his puppets.
The chevalier, when rated for his drunken incapacity, excused himselfby swearing that but for his timely outcry, Gabrielle would haveperished. He wept alcoholic tears and babbled incoherent nonsense, inwhich he deplored his numerous transgressions. "If only she could haveloved me," he whimpered with clasped hands more aspen than of yore,"she would have been made so happy, and now she is plunged in misery,and I can do nothing to prevent it. Console her, brother, since youare the favoured one; make her smile again and I will be your slavefor life!" and so on, with trickling jeremiads and idle expressions ofpenitence.
As for mademoiselle, she expressed herself so full of contrition, andso anxious to promote the abbe's suit, and altogether made herself soagreeable, that he pretended loftily to pardon her, registering aprivate vow that she must be ousted at the earliest moment. A womanwho could act so foolishly as to frighten the admirer she intended tocajole, was but a contemptible enemy to battle with in a game ofdiamond cut diamond. For the achievement of his own plans he must putup with her just now, and make good the incipient breach. Aglae mustbe washed clean in the eyes of the remorseful marquis of having causedhis wife's rash act. Whatever might happen by-and-by, the neophyte andhis affinity must be brought close together again for a while, and tothat end Pharamond loyally exerted all his influence. He fairlylaughed his brother into the belief that he was a deluded simpleton;that the suicide was a stage device got up by Phebus and the victim."What a ninny to be taken in!" He said, "A bit of jealous temper,nothing more, for which she is sorry now, for she has gained naught bythe dramatic ducking except an attack of illness."
Aglae was gushing in her gratitude, which served only to increase thecontempt of Pharamond, who, like her, heartily despised the virtues.She was a tool to be used and blunted, then carelessly thrown away.Meanwhile, she was laughing in her sleeve in that he should so easilybe hoodwinked by her comedy. He never guessed what a new andportentous idea was surging in her brain, and she was careful to dropno hint of it.
We will not endeavour to excuse the error in judgment of soaccomplished a manipulator of marionnettes as the Abbe Pharamond, inthat he should have esteemed so lightly the talents of MademoiselleBrunelle. Perhaps he was led astray by the crafty display ofhelplessness shown in her last epistle. You are not inclined tosuspect, when a lady candidly confesses weakness and craves help, thatshe has a private set of schemes in the background, of which she tellsyou nothing. As Aglae was prepared (since she could not help it) toput up with Pharamond for a period, so was the abbe prepared to endureAglae until he had quite done with her, feeling less and less doubtthat when she was no longer useful he could administer the final push.
Thus schemed the schemers,
labouring each for self, masking theirbatteries one from the other till the propitious moment should comefor rupture. If the muse of history had not intervened as Marplot atthis moment, there is no telling which way the scale would haveturned, for it was nicely balanced. If Pharamond was being deceived,so was Aglae, for she failed to gauge the extent of the shock she hadinflicted on the marquis. He was too timid to express his feelingsopenly, to confess that he had become genuinely afraid of hisaffinity, perceiving that on occasion she could be more unscrupulousthan his feeble soul was prepared to contemplate. Even strong-mindedmen do not care to have a Lady Macbeth in the _menage_ who "lays thedaggers ready." He clung to Aglae because he could not do without her;but at the same time he leaned heavily on Pharamond. But for that museof history this tale might have had a different ending. The schemes ofboth conspirators required time. As it was, something happened whichawoke them with a start, and entirely changed the face of affairs, forthey became aware that what they intended to do must be done quicklyor be left undone. The shuttle of the muse flew apace across the loom.An event occurred which came upon the country like a thunder-clap,spreading terror and dismay in one camp, causing the wildestexultation in the other. Rumour brought the news that their majestieshad fled from France.
The situation was so grave that it behoved the country seigneurie tolook to themselves in earnest and at once. Perforce dismissing for themoment arrangements of a private nature, Pharamond galloped hither andthither, vastly busy, suggesting, advising, arranging. The Marquis deGange, much as he disliked politics, was compelled to rouse himselffrom his ease and his remorse. He became quite energetic; ceased toworry about his wife, and even forgot the tub. Old de Vaux camecantering over on his pony, followed by a multitude of booby squires,who, grouped in solemn conclave in the banquet-hall of Lorge, sat dumbbefore the wisdom of the governess. In important deliberations sagecounsellors of either sex are to be courted, and Aglae in allemergencies shone forth with special brilliancy. Her mind worked sonimbly and practically, that the eyes of the enraptured gentry wereround with awe. They vowed in chorus that the marquis was a lucky manto have captured this pearl of price. All were agreed, and impressedthe fact on him. As there was no dissentient voice, his uneasy terrorswaned; suspicion gave place to a renewal of admiration, in which fearwas tempered with respect.
It never occurred to anyone to consult Gabrielle, and she had nodesire to be consulted. The white chatelaine knew too well that as aleader she was a failure. It was enough to feel quite assured at lastwith numbing, wearing pain, that Clovis cared no jot for her.
That illusion had been put to flight for ever, for she had perceivedthat his courtesy was awkward and unreal, a mask assumed by sluggishduty to conceal ennui. Well, however evil the fate which should pursueher in the future, she deserved it all, and would accept it meekly asa penance. It was wicked to have made a deliberate attempt upon thelife which was not her own to destroy. Each night and morning shefervently prayed for pardon, vowing that she would try to endure allhenceforth by aid of such support as was vouchsafed.
Of a sudden there came a second thunder-clap, and the booby squiresshut themselves up, each in his own domain, unable to comprehend itsmeaning.
Rumour had brought a second budget more disquieting in effect than thefirst. Their majesties had not succeeded in escaping. They had beencaught at Varennes, to be conducted back to Paris by Barnave andPetion, deputies. The King and Queen of France were prisoners!Actually they were in custody of King Mob--a more powerful potentatethan they--who had locked them up in a gilded jail, yclept the Palaceof the Tuileries. For a moment all sections of society paused and heldtheir breath.
If Louis and Marie Antoinette had crossed the frontier it would havebeen to return at the head of an avenging army, which would by forcehave replaced their diadems. But prisoners!--for though not dubbed soopenly as yet, their power of free action had departed. The innocentking, the unfortunate queen, the saintly Madame Elizabeth, had beendrawn through the streets of the capital, a helpless raree-show, forthe delectation of the populace, like the Parisian "B[oe]uf Gras" orthe London Guido Fawkes! The scum themselves were so taken aback bythe prodigious spectacle that many burst into tears, while othersstood dumbfoundered. Then, the shock of surprise over, there followedinevitably excess, the boisterous stretching of untried limbs, for thefirst time free. In some parts of the country this took the form of ameaningless upheaval, just to test the new-found liberty. Chateaux ofunpopular proprietors were sacked and burnt. The dwelling of the deVaux family was somewhat injured, and its inmates alarmed for theirproperty; but, at a critical moment, Jean Boulot appeared upon thescene and scornfully rated the rioters for their cowardice. "Shame!"he cried, "ye are indeed worthy of liberty if your first use of it isto slay or insult old men and women! Next, I suppose, you will pay usa visit, and repay with brand and pitchfork the debt you all owe tothe marquise?" The crowd desisted from the work of destruction andshamefacedly dispersed. No, no--they grumbled. Jean Boulot was a finefellow, to whose harangues they all liked to listen, but his tonguesometimes was sharp, his sayings bitter. Attack Lorge? Never. What!the home of the white chatelaine, whose hands were ever stretchedforth to do good, at sight of whose beautiful sad face everyone sighedwith pity?
People are naturally so perverse that they are ever apt to plumethemselves upon results that are due to others. The abbe andMademoiselle Brunelle, and with them the Marquis de Gange, were quiteassured that the impunity from attack enjoyed by Lorge was due to thestrength of its walls and the ingenuity of their tactics. Jean'sspeech at Montbazon was not reported to them--he was not one to boastof his own deeds, and they were too infatuated to realize that thepale, weak, fragile woman, whose reserve and resignation dailyexasperated Aglae, was the real author of their safety.
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