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Thus he was determined to take no risks, and leave her no loophole of escape. Tardivet would have set himself at the head of the six horsemen of this expedition, but that La Boulaye interfered, and this time to some purpose. He assured the Captain that he was still far from recovered, and that to spend a day in the saddle might have the gravest of consequences for him.
"Sacred name of a name!" growled Charlot, and, turning suddenly from the men to whom he had been issuing directions, he sprang up the steps and entered the inn. As he crossed the threshold of the common room he was confronted by the tall figure of La Boulaye. "I make you my compliments, Charlot," was Caron's greeting, "upon the vigorous health that appears to prevail in your hospital."
He was so passionless, so master of himself, and he addressed her in a tone which, whilst it suggested that he accounted himself most fully her equal, made her feel that he was really her better by much. If one of these two was an aristocrat, surely that one was the Citizen-deputy La Boulaye. "If you had but the will you would do it, Monsieur," she answered him.
Outside the wind was wailing like the damned, and the rain which had recommenced with new vigour, rattled noisily upon the panes. Suddenly above the din of the elements a shout sounded in the night. The Deputy raised his head, and glanced towards the woman. A moment later they heard the gate creak, and steps upon the path that led to the cottage door. "Your husband?" inquired La Boulaye.
La Boulaye took a step in Suzanne's direction. "You have done this?" he cried, in a quivering voice. "You have betrayed the man to whom you were betrothed?" "Do not use that word, Monsieur," she cried, with a shudder. "My action cannot be ranked among betrayals. He would have let you go to the guillotine in his stead.
They pressed Robespierre to name the act of atonement by which he proposed La Boulaye should recover his prestige, and Robespierre in answer cried: "Let him repair the evil he has done. Let him neutralise the treachery into which a moment of human weakness betrayed him.
And at the sight of his pitiable condition the anger fell away from La Boulaye, and he smiled scornfully. "My faith," he sneered. "You are hot one moment and cold the next. Citizen, I am afraid that you are no better than a vulgar coward.
Now Guyot knew of the high position which Caron occupied in the Convention, and he had seen the intimate relations in which he stood to Tardivet, so that unhesitatingly he now obeyed him. La Boulaye closed the window, and crossed slowly to the fire. He stirred the burning logs with his boot, then stood there waiting.
Simultaneously La Boulaye caught his breath, and took a step forward. Then he drew back again until his shoulders touched the overmantel and there he remained, staring at the newcomers, who as yet, did not appear to have observed him.
And what time the meal proceeded Ombreval with two soldiers standing behind his chair-penned his letter to Mademoiselle de Bellecour. Had La Boulaye inspired by the desire to avenge himself for the treachery of which he had been the victim dictated that epistle, t could not have been indicted in a manner better suited to his ends.
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