登陆注册
5440900000009

第9章 CHAPTER III(1)

THE WORD OF BELLECOUR

When La Boulaye recovered consciousness he was lying on his back in the middle of the courtyard of the Chateau de Bellecour. From a great stone balcony above, a little group, of which Mademoiselle de Bellecour was the centre, observed the scene about the captive, who was being resuscitated that he might fittingly experience the Seigneur's vengeance.

She had returned from the morning's affair in the park with a conscience not altogether easy. To have stood by whilst her father had struck Caron, and moreover, to have done so without any sense of horror, or even of regret, was a matter in which she asked herself whether she had done well. Certainly La Boulaye had presumed unpardonably in speaking to her as he had spoken, and for his presumption it was fitting that he should be punished. Had she interfered she must have seemed to sympathise, and thus the lesson might have suffered in salutariness. And yet Caron La Boulaye was a man of most excellent exterior, and, when passion had roused him out of his restraint and awkwardness, of most ardent and eloquent address. The very sombreness that - be it from his mournful garments or from a mind of thoughtful habit - seemed to envelop him was but an additional note of poetry in a personality which struck her now as eminently poetical. In the seclusion of her own chamber, as she recalled the burning words and the fall of her father's whip upon the young man's pale face, she even permitted herself to sigh. Had he but been of her own station, he had been such a man as she would have taken pride in being wooed by. As it was - she halted there and laughed disdainfully, yet with never so faint a note of regret.

It was absurd! She was Mademoiselle de Bellecour, and he her father's secretary; educated, if you will - aye, and beyond his station - but a vassal withal, and very humbly born. Yes, it was absurd, she told herself again: the eagle may not mate with the sparrow.

And when presently she had come from her chamber, she had been greeted with the story of a rebellion in the village, and an attempted assassination of her father. The ringleader, she was told, had been brought to the Chateau, and he was even then in the courtyard and about to be hanged by the Marquis. Curious to behold this unfortunate, she had stepped out on to the balcony where already an idle group had formed. Inexpressible had been her shock upon seeing him that lay below, his white face upturned to the heavens, his eyes closed.

"Is he dead?" she asked, when presently she had overcome her feelings.

"Not yet Mademoiselle," answered the graceful Chevalier de Jacquelin, toying with his solitaire. "Your father is bringing him to life that he may send him back to death."

And then she heard her father's voice behind her. The Marquis had stepped out on to the balcony to ascertain whether La Boulaye had yet regained consciousness.

"He seems to be even now recovering," said someone.

"Ah, you are there, Suzanne," cried Bellecour. "You see your friend the secretary there. He has chosen to present himself in a new role to-day. From being my servant, it seems that he would constitute himself my murderer."

However unfilial it might be, she could not stifle a certain sympathy for this young man. She imagined that his rebellion, whatever shape it had assumed, had been provoked by that weal upon his face; and it seemed to her then that he had been less than a man had he not attempted to exact some reparation for the hurt the whip had inflicted at once upon his body and his soul.

"But what is it that he has done, Monsieur?" she asked, seeking more than the scant information which so far she had received.

"Enough, at least, to justify my hanging him," answered Bellecour grimly. "He sought to withstand my authority; he incited the peasants of Bellecour to withstand it; he has killed Blaise, and he would have killed me but that I preferred to let him kill my horse."

"In what way did he seek to withstand your authority!" she persisted.

He stared at her, half surprised, half angry.

"What doers the manner of it signify?" he asked impatiently. "Is not the fact enough? Is it not enough that Blaise is dead, and that I have had a narrow escape, at his hands?"

"Insolent hound that he is!" put in Madame la Marquise - a fleshly lady monstrously coiffed. "If we allow such men as thus to live in France our days are numbered."

"They say that you are going to hang him," said Suzanne, heedless of her mother's words, and there was the faintest note of horror in her voice.

"They are mistaken. I am not."

"You are mot?" cried the Marquise. "But what, then, do you intend to do?"

"To keep my word, madame," he answered her. "I promised that canaille that if he ever came within the grounds of Bellecour I would have him flogged to death. That is what I propose."

"Father," gasped Suzanne, in horror, a horror that was echoed by the other three or four ladies present. But the Marquise only laughed.

"He will be; richly served," she approved, with a sage nod of her pumpkin-like head-dress - "most richly served."

A great pity arose now in the heart of Mademoiselle, as her father went below that he might carry out his barbarous design. She was deaf to the dainty trifles which the most elegant Chevalier de Jacquelin was murmuring into heir ear. She stood, a tall, queenly figure, at the balcony's parapet and watched the preparations that were being made.

She heard her father's harshly-voiced commands. She saw them literally tear the clothes from the unfortunate secretary's back, and lash him - naked to the waist - to the pump that stood by the horse-trough at the far end of the yard. His body was now hidden from her sight, but his head appeared surmounting the pillar of the pump, his chin seeming to rest upon its summit, and his face was towards her. At his side stood a powerful knave armed with a stout, leather-thonged whip.

"How many strokes, Monseigneur?" she heard the man inquire.

"How many?" echoed the Marquise. "Do I know how many it will take to make an end of him? Beat him to death, man. Allons!

同类推荐
  • 观自在菩萨如意心陀罗尼咒经

    观自在菩萨如意心陀罗尼咒经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 势胜学

    势胜学

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Rowdy of the Cross L

    Rowdy of the Cross L

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 罗织经

    罗织经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 上清金母求仙上法

    上清金母求仙上法

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 余生与你别来无恙

    余生与你别来无恙

    他”本是全星系中最强王者——统治之神,掌握着这全子母系最强力量,可当少帝来到考古时代,成为一个嚣张跋扈的废物少爷。少帝表示:“那完全不是事!”于是……在各大领域里都能看到她的身影。学校里——“学神,求分享你是如何高考满分进入帝都学府的!”迷妹们眨着星星眼问道。金融圈里——“大佬,求告知你是如何在学生时代就创造了你的金融时代。”一群商业大佬低下高贵的头颅不耻下问道。政途上——各国所有大佬全部要抢人,求“他”来到自己国家。……可当“他”变成了她,所有人都不敢相信原来简家小少爷居然是个女生!当有人想要去简家求娶这个传奇般的女子,可她的身旁早有了可以永远陪她的男人。众男性摩肩接踵,准备看看这个男人是谁!可谁知一看吓一跳,这个妖孽般的男人不是御家大少吗!大佬惹不起!惹不起!
  • 奇怪的女病人

    奇怪的女病人

    女病人约我包厢见面,假装酒醉,事后却发现这位女病人有些不同寻常,一系列诡异之事接踵而至。
  • 兽王贤妻

    兽王贤妻

    PS:女人是用来作恶的,男人是用来凌虐的。没有强悍,只有更强悍!没有嚣张,只有更嚣张!!没有变态,只有更变态!!!就算你是再凶猛的野兽,落我手里,我也让你变成柔驯的小猫咪!白妩——她是淮安王府郡主,整个大晋最有才的才女,九岁誉满整个晋华大陆,天下人皆知妩月郡主一个柔弱如水的病弱郡主。她是朝廷最头痛的南北绿林十八路三十二舵七十六堂的大当家。天下人皆知的素衣翩翩,风华绝代黑道头子“白弦月”。父王说:你是郡主。皇上已经下旨将你赐婚给得胜回朝的贤王齐风,以后你就是贤王妃了,虽然你外公是土匪,你舅舅是江洋大盗,你娘是罗刹女。可是你作为郡主,就不能丢了我淮安王的脸,以后要当个贤妻。白妩很好,虽然有够懒,有够狂,有够狠,有够邪恶。在贤王府里一直很低调,也没做过什么太牛XX的事儿。除了…带姨娘小妾们造造反,拉个帮,结个派,绑个票,恐个吓。带领手下的三十二舵七十六堂的众兄弟跟江湖最大的门派无双宫打个群架而已…*新婚之夜:眼前是娇弱如水的新婚妻子,齐风慢慢地挑开新娘头上的红绡,如狼般的眸子猛然一收缩。有谁知道大晋第一才女,居然是个丑八怪?她右脸上的那块黑斑,从眼睛开始一直到下腭!“夫君…臣妾…”新娘娇柔地唤道,“咳…咳…”话未说完,一口血直喷在他大红的喜服之上。天啊!不仅是个丑女,还是个病秧子。齐风大呼上当!果然舆论不可全信!**齐风——你休想跑!我早就将你栓住了。除了我,谁也不能拥有你,今生今世,那条牵着你的线,永远只掌握在我的手里!白雪月——下辈子,我再也不要当你的哥哥了。我要做一个宠你爱你一辈子的人。下辈子,我发誓,我再也不会这么短命。再也不会让你来照顾,换我来好好照顾你。乔无双——女人,就得有个女人的样子!你看你,生得又懒,又凶,又满口粗言。不仅劫了我老婆,还欠了我这么多的钱?你打算怎么还?*推荐:艾白菜:玲珑天心:爱妻别来无恙夜初:丑妃无敌轩辕翔:二嫁豪门长媳独孤卫:原配(王子迎娶的,不一定是公主:也可能是,公主的…恶毒继妹!)甜味白开水:傻妾张小鹿:女强至尊弃妃苏蜜:《陛下的圈宠》凌风追月《风起苍穹》粉强大的男作者写的玄幻言情文。
  • 纳兰容若词传

    纳兰容若词传

    本书分为“纳兰容若传记”和“纳兰容若词作赏析”两部分,分别讲述了纳兰容若的生平和传世之作,并以诗词中最动人的语句,揭示了他的凄美悲情的内心世界。书中收录的诗词均是对纳兰情感的真实写照,并附有注释、赏析等栏目,从多角度将作品的主题思想、创作背景以及所蕴含的意境、情感全面地展示出来。每一句都动人心魄,每一首都感人肺腑,浸染华贵的悲哀,抒写优美的感伤。一尺华丽,三寸忧伤,拈一朵情花,呷一口墨香,在最美的诗词里邂逅纳兰容若。
  • 途次大梁雪中奉天平

    途次大梁雪中奉天平

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 超神女剑神

    超神女剑神

    我,卓云岚,一代剑神卓不凡的女儿。没错,就是那个在天龙八部中,被虚竹教做人的卓不凡。天空一声巨响,我带着老爹捡到的青莲剑经,闪亮登场。超神宇宙,科技为尊,我的小伙伴们都有外挂,什么银河之力、诺星战神、太阳之光,一个比一个牛逼。而我,以武入道,剑术封神。剑出天下惊,一顾倾人城。我真的没有开挂!书友讨论群【533079784】
  • 亚洛特人

    亚洛特人

    无氧环境中生存着的特殊部落---亚洛特人,他们永生,强悍,掌握着宇宙中最前端的科技。
  • 追妻无门:女boss不好惹

    追妻无门:女boss不好惹

    青涩蜕变,如今她是能独当一面的女boss,爱了冷泽聿七年,也同样花了七年时间去忘记他。以为是陌路,他突然向他表白,扬言要娶她,她只当他是脑子抽风,他的殷勤她也全都无视。他帮她查她父母的死因,赶走身边情敌,解释当初拒绝她的告别,和故意对她冷漠都是无奈之举。突然爆出她父母的死居然和冷家有丝毫联系,还莫名跳出个公爵未婚夫,扬言要与她履行婚约。峰回路转,破镜还能重圆吗? PS:我又开新文了,每逢假期必书荒,新文《有你的世界遇到爱》,喜欢我的文的朋友可以来看看,这是重生类现言,对这个题材感兴趣的一定要收藏起来。
  • 无敌天子

    无敌天子

    PS:自推新书《我不想当妖皇的日子》请领取您的内力兑换天赋。一切属于您的东西,都可兑换为真气。您身中奇毒,获得四十年功力。您沐浴在辐射里,感受着锕钍钚镅锔铀的温暖,功力飘红:+3年,+3年,+3年...您吞噬了龙气,请停止继续吞噬,否则人类气运即将消亡。夏极认为,这世上没什么东西是一刀解决不掉的,如果有,那就两刀,更凶、更快、更强的刀!PS:支持正版书友群:715538233
  • 造梦宇宙

    造梦宇宙

    杜鹃莫疑春风吹,常恨佳人误。去了还来,多情声色,有情山水,笑我归无处。