It had just come to him with a dismaying force that in the haste of his escape from Paris with the Vicomte he had forgotten to return to his lodging for a passport that he was fortunately possessed of.
It was a laissez-passer, signed and left in blank, with which he had been equipped - against the possibility of the need for it arising - when he had started upon the Convention's errand to the Army of Dumouriez. Whilst on his way to Robespierre's house to secure the order of release, he had bethought him of filling in that passport for three persons, and thus, since to remain must entail his ruin and destruction, make his escape from France with Mademoiselle and the Vicomte. It was his only chance. Then in the hurry of the succeeding incidents, the excitement that had attended them, and the imperative need for haste in getting the Vicomte to Choisy, he had put the intended return to his lodging from his mind - overlooking until now the fact that not only must he go back for the valise which he had bidden Brutus pack, but also for that far more precious passport.
It now became necessary to explain the circumstances to his companions, and in explaining them the whole affair, from Robespierre's refusal to grant him the life of the Vicomte down to the means to which he had had recourse, could not be kept from transpiring. As she listened, Suzanne's expression changed into one of ineffable wonder.
"And you have done this for me?" she cried, when at last he paused., "you have ruined your career and endangered your life?"
La Boulaye shrugged his shoulders.
"I spoke over-confidently when I said that I could obtain you the Vicomte's pardon. There proved to be a factor on which I had not counted. Nevertheless, what I had promised I must fulfil. I was by honour bound to leave nothing undone that might result in the Vicomte's enlargement."
Ornbreval laughed softly, but with consummate amusement.
"A sans-culotte with a sense of honour is such an anomaly - " he began, when Mademoiselle interposed, a note of anger sounding in her voice.
"M. d'Ombreval means to pay you a compliment," she informed La Boulaye, "but he has such an odd way of choosing his expressions that I feared you might misunderstand him."
La Boulaye signified his indifference by a smile.
"I am afraid the ci-devant Vicomte has not yet learnt his lesson," said he;" or else he is like the sinner who upon recovering health forgot the penitence that had come to him in the days of sickness.
But we have other matters to deal with, Citoyenne, and, in particular, the matter of the passport. Fool that I am!" he cried bitterly.
"I must return to Paris at once," he announced briskly. "There is no help for it. We will hope that as yet the way is open to me, and that I shall be permitted to go and to return unmolested. In such a case the rest is easy - except that you will have to suffer my company as far as the frontier."
It was Mademoiselle who accompanied him to the door.
"Monsieur," she said, in a voice that shook with the sincere intensity of her feelings, "think me not ungrateful that I have said so little. But your act has overwhelmed me. It is so truly noble, that to offer you thanks that are but words, seems tome little short of a banality."
"Tut!" he laughed. "I have not yet done half. It will be time to thank me when we are out of France."
"And you speak so lightly of leaving France?" she cried. "But what is to become of you? What of your career?"