scaramouche-第10节

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〃You　are　His　Majesty's　Lieutenant　here　in　Brittany；〃　he　said　…　and
it　almost　seemed　to　the　August　lord　of　life　and　death　that　this
fellow　had　the　incredible　effrontery　to　address　him　as　one　man
speaking　to　another。　　〃You　are　the　dispenser　of　the　King's　high
justice　in　this　province。〃

Surprise　spread　on　that　handsome；　sallow　face　under　the　heavily
powdered　wig。

〃Is　your　business　concerned　with　this　infernal　insubordination　of
the　canaille？〃　he　asked。

〃It　is　not；　monsieur。〃

The　black　eyebrows　rose。　　〃Then　what　the　devil　do　you　mean　by
intruding　upon　me　at　a　time　when　all　my　attention　is　being　claimed
by　the　obvious　urgency　of　this　disgraceful　affair？〃

〃The　affair　that　brings　me　is　no　less　disgraceful　and　no　less　urgent。〃

〃It　will　have　to　wait！〃　thundered　the　great　man　in　a　passion；　and
tossing　back　a　cloud　of　lace　from　his　hand；　he　reached　for　the
little　silver　bell　upon　his　table。

〃A　moment；　monsieur！〃　Andre…Louis'　tone　was　peremptory。　　M。　de
Lesdiguieres　checked　in　sheer　amazement　at　its　impudence。　　〃I　can　
state　it　very　briefly。。。　〃

〃Haven't　I　said　already。。。　〃

〃And　when　you　have　heard　it；〃　Andre…Louis　went　on；　relentlessly；
interrupting　the　interruption；　〃you　will　agree　with　me　as　to　its
character。〃

M。　de　Lesdiguieres　considered　him　very　sternly。

〃What　is　your　name？〃　he　asked。

〃Andre…Louis　Moreau。〃

〃Well；　Andre…Louis　Moreau；　if　you　can　state　your　plea　briefly；　I
will　hear　you。　　But　I　warn　you　that　I　shall　be　very　angry　if　you
fail　to　justify　the　impertinence　of　this　insistence　at　so
inopportune　a　moment。〃

〃You　shall　be　the　judge　of　that；　monsieur；〃　said　Andre…Louis；　and
he　proceeded　at　once　to　state　his　case；　beginning　with　the　shooting
of　Mabey；　and　passing　thence　to　the　killing　of　M。　de　Vilmorin。　　But
he　withheld　until　the　end　the　name　of　the　great　gentleman　against
whom　he　demanded　justice；　persuaded　that　did　he　introduce　it　earlier
he　would　not　be　allowed　to　proceed。

He　had　a　gift　of　oratory　of　whose　full　powers　he　was　himself　hardly
conscious　yet；　though　destined　very　soon　to　become　so。。　　He　told
his　story　well；　without　exaggeration；　yet　with　a　force　of　simple
appeal　that　was　irresistible。　　Gradually　the　great　man's　face　relaxed
from　its　forbidding　severity。　　Interest；　warming　almost　to　sympathy；
came　to　be　reflected　on　it。

〃And　who；　sir；　is　the　man　you　charge　with　this？〃

〃The　Marquis　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr。〃

The　effect　of　that　formidable　name　was　immediate。　　Dismayed　anger；
and　an　arrogance　more　utter　than　before；　took　the　place　of　the
sympathy　he　had　been　betrayed　into　displaying。

〃Who？〃　he　shouted；　and　without　waiting　for　an　answer；　〃Why；　here's
impudence；〃　he　stormed　on；　〃to　come　before　me　with　such　a　charge
against　a　gentleman　of　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr's　eminence！　　How　dare
you　speak　of　him　as　a　coward。〃

〃I　speak　of　him　as　a　murderer；〃　the　young　man　corrected。　　〃And　I
demand　justice　against　him。〃

〃You　demand　it；　do　you？　　My　God；　what　next？〃

〃That　is　for　you　to　say；　monsieur。〃

It　surprised　the　great　gentleman　into　a　more　or　less　successful
effort　of　self…control。

〃Let　me　warn　you；〃　said　he；　acidly；　〃that　it　is　not　wise　to　make
wild　accusations　against　a　nobleman。　　That；　in　itself；　is　a
punishable　offence；　as　you　may　learn。　　Now　listen　to　me。　　In　this
matter　of　Mabey　…　assuming　your　statement　of　it　to　be　exact　…　the
gamekeeper　may　have　exceeded　his　duty；　but　by　so　little　that　it　is
hardly　worth　comment。　　Consider；　however；　that　in　any　case　it　is
not　a　matter　for　the　King's　Lieutenant；　or　for　any　court　but　the
seigneurial　court　of　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr　himself。　　It　is　before
the　magistrates　of　his　own　appointing　that　such　a　matter　must　be
laid；　since　it　is　matter　strictly　concerning　his　own　seigneurial
jurisdiction。　　As　a　lawyer　you　should　not　need　to　be　told　so　much。〃

〃As　a　lawyer；　I　am　prepared　to　argue　the　point。　　But；　as　a　lawyer
I　also　realize　that　if　that　case　were　prosecuted；　it　could　only　end
in　the　unjust　punishment　of　a　wretched　gamekeeper；　who　did　no　more
than　carry　out　his　orders；　but　who　none　the　less　would　now　be　made
a　scapegoat；　if　scapegoat　were　necessary。　　I　am　not　concerned　to
hang　Benet　on　the　gallows　earned　by　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr。〃

M。　de　Lesdiguieres　smote　the　table　violently。　　〃My　God！〃　he　cried
out；　to　add　more　quietly；　on　a　note　of　menace；　〃You　are　singularly
insolent；　my　man。〃

〃That　is　not　my　intention；　sir；　I　assure　you。　　I　am　a　lawyer；
pleading　a　case　…　the　case　of　M。　de　Vilmorin。　　It　is　for　his
assassination　that　I　have　come　to　beg　the　King's　justice。〃

〃But　you　yourself　have　said　that　it　was　a　duel！〃　cried　the
Lieutenant；　between　anger　and　bewilderment。

〃I　have　said　that　it　was　made　to　appear　a　duel。　　There　is　a
distinction；　as　I　shall　show；　if　you　will　condescend　to　hear　me　out。〃

〃Take　your　own　time；　sir！〃　said　the　ironical　M。　de　Lesdiguieres；
whose　tenure　of　office　had　never　yet　held　anything　that　remotely
resembled　this　experience。

Andre…Louis　took　him　literally。　　〃I　thank　you；　sir；〃　he　answered；
solemnly；　and　submitted　his　argument。　　〃It　can　be　shown　that　M。　de
Vilmorin　never　practised　fencing　in　all　his　life；　and　it　is　notorious
that　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr　is　an　exceptional　swordsman。　　Is　it　a　duel；
monsieur；　where　one　of　the　combatants　alone　is　armed？　　For　it　amounts
to　that　on　a　comparison　of　their　measures　of　respective　skill。〃

〃There　has　scarcely　been　a　duel　fought　on　which　the　same　trumpery
argument　might　not　be　advanced。〃

〃But　not　always　with　equal　justice。　　And　in　one　case；　at　least；　it
was　advanced　successfully。〃

〃Successfully？　　When　was　that？〃

〃Ten　years　ago；　in　Dauphiny。　　I　refer　to　the　case　of　M。　de　Gesvres；
a　gentleman　of　that　province；　who　forced　a　duel　upon　M。　de　la　Roche
Jeannine；　and　killed　him。　M。　de　Jeannine　was　a　member　of　a　powerful
family；　which　exerted　itself　to　obtain　justice。　　It　put　forward　just
such　arguments　as　now　obtain　against　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr。　　As　you
will　remember；　the　judges　held　that　the　provocation　had　proceeded
of　intent　from　M。　de　Gesvres；　they　found　him　guilty　of　premeditated
murder；　and　he　was　hanged。〃

M。　de　Lesdiguieres　exploded　yet　again。　　〃Death　of　my　life！〃　he　cried。
〃Have　you　the　effrontery　to　suggest　that　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr　should
be　hanged？　　Have　you？〃

〃But　why　not；　monsieur；　if　it　is　the　law；　and　there　is　precedent
for　it；　as　I　have　shown　you；　and　if　it　can　be　established　that　what
I　state　is　the　truth　…　as　established　it　can　be　without　difficulty？〃

〃Do　you　ask　me；　why　not？　　Have　you　temerity　to　ask　me　that？〃

〃I　have；　monsieur。　　Can　you　answer　me？　　If　you　cannot；　monsieur；　I
shall　understand　that　whilst　it　is　possible　for　a　powerful　family
like　that　of　La　Roche　Jeannine　to　set　the　law　in　motion；　the　law
must　remain　inert　for　the　obscure　and　uninfluential；　however
brutally　wronged　by　a　great　nobleman。〃

M。　de　Lesdiguieres　perceived　that　in　argument　he　would　accomplish
nothing　against　this　impassive；　resolute　young　man。　　The　menace　of
him　grew　more　fierce。

〃I　should　advise　you　to　take　yourself　off　at　once；　and　to　be
thankful　for　the　opportunity　to　depart　unscathed。〃

〃I　am；　then；　to　understand；　monsieur；　that　there　will　be　no　inquiry
into　this　case？　　That　nothing　that　I　can　say　will　move　you？〃

〃You　are　to　understand　that　if　you　are　still　there　in　two　minutes
it　will　be　very　much　the　worse　for　you。〃　　And　M。　de　Lesdiguieres
tinkled　the　silver　hand…bell　upon　his　table。

〃I　have　informed　you；　monsieur；　that　a　duel　…　so…called　…　has　been
fought；　and　a　man　killed。　　It　seems　that　I　must　remind　you；　the
administrator　of　the　King's　justice；　that　duels　are　against　the　law；
and　that　it　is　your　duty　to　hold　an　inquiry。　　I　come　as　the　legal
representative　of　the　bereaved　mother　of　M。　de　Vilmorin　to　demand
of　you　the　inquiry　that　is　due。〃

The　door　behind　Andre…Louis　opened　softly。　　M。　de　Lesdiguieres；
pale　with　anger；　contained　himself　with　difficulty。

〃You　seek　to　compel　us；　do　you；　you　impudent　rascal？〃　he　growled。
〃You　think　the　King's　justice　is　to　be　driven　headlong　by　the　voice
of　any　impudent　roturier？　　I　marvel　at　my　own　patience　with　you。
But　I　give　you　a　last　warning；　master　lawyer；　keep　a　closer　guard
over　that　insolent　tongue　of　yours；　or　you　will　have　cause　very
bitterly　to　regret　its　glibness。〃　　He　waved　a　jewelled；　contemptuous
hand；　and　spoke　to　the　usher　standing　behind　Andre。　　〃To　the　door！〃
he　said；　shortly。

Andre…Louis　hesitated　a　second。　　Then　with　a　shrug　he　turned。　　This
was　the　windmill；　indeed；　and　he　a　poor　knight　of　rueful　countenance。
To　attack　it　at　closer　quarters　would　mean　being　dashed　to　pieces。
Yet　on　the　threshold　he　turned　again。

〃M。　de　Lesdiguieres；〃　said　he；　〃may　I　recite　to　you　an　interesting
fact　in　natural　history？　　The　tiger　is　a　great　lord　in　the　jungle；
and　was　for　centuries　the　terror　of　lesser　beasts；　including　the
wolf。　　The　wolf；　himself　a　hunter；　wearied　of　being　hunted。　　He
took　to　associating　with　other　wolves；　and　then　the　wolves；　driven
to　form　packs　for　self…protection；　discovered　the　power　of　the　pack；
and　took　to　hunting　the　tiger；　with　disastrous　results　to　him。　You
should　study　Buffon；　M。　de　Lesdiguieres。〃

〃I　have　studied　a　buffoon　this　morning；　I　think；〃　was　the