scaramouche-第14节

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Brittany；　now　at　their　dreariest　in　their　winter　garb；　he　had　ample
leisure　in　which　to　review　his　actions　and　his　position。　　From　one
who　had　taken　hitherto　a　purely　academic　and　by　no　means　friendly
interest　in　the　new　philosophies　of　social　life；　exercising　his　wits
upon　these　new　ideas　merely　as　a　fencer　exercises　his　eye　and　wrist
with　the　foils；　without　ever　suffering　himself　to　be　deluded　into
supposing　the　issue　a　real　one；　he　found　himself　suddenly　converted
into　a　revolutionary　firebrand；　committed　to　revolutionary　action
of　the　most　desperate　kind。　　The　representative　and　delegate　of　a
nobleman　in　the　States　of　Brittany；　he　found　himself　simultaneously
and　incongruously　the　representative　and　delegate　of　the　whole　Third
Estate　of　Rennes。

It　is　difficult　to　determine　to　what　extent；　in　the　heat　of　passion
and　swept　along　by　the　torrent　of　his　own　oratory；　he　might
yesterday　have　succeeded　in　deceiving　himself。　　But　it　is　at　least
certain　that；　looking　back　in　cold　blood　now　he　had　no　single
delusion　on　the　score　of　what　he　had　done。　　Cynically　he　had
presented　to　his　audience　one　side　only　of　the　great　question　that
he　propounded。

But　since　the　established　order　of　things　in　France　was　such　as　to
make　a　rampart　for　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr；　affording　him　complete
immunity　for　this　and　any　other　crimes　that　it　pleased　him　to　commit；
why；　then　the　established　order　must　take　the　consequences　of　its
wrong…doing。　　Therein　he　perceived　his　clear　justification。

And　so　it　was　without　misgivings　that　he　came　on　his　errand　of
sedition　into　that　beautiful　city　of　Nantes；　rendered　its　spacious
streets　and　splendid　port　the　rival　in　prosperity　of　Bordeaux　and
Marseilles。

He　found　an　inn　on　the　Quai　La　Fosse；　where　he　put　up　his　horse；
and　where　he　dined　in　the　embrasure　of　a　window　that　looked　out
over　the　tree…bordered　quay　and　the　broad　bosom　of　the　Loire；　on
which　argosies　of　all　nations　rode　at　anchor。　　The　sun　had　again
broken　through　the　clouds；　and　shed　its　pale　wintry　light　over　the
yellow　waters　and　the　tall…masted　shipping。

Along　the　quays　there　was　a　stir　of　life　as　great　as　that　to　be　seen
on　the　quays　of　Paris。　　Foreign　sailors　in　outlandish　garments　and
of　harsh…sounding；　outlandish　speech；　stalwart　fishwives　with　baskets
of　herrings　on　their　heads；　voluminous　of　petticoat　above　bare　legs
and　bare　feet；　calling　their　wares　shrilly　and　almost　inarticulately；
watermen　in　woollen　caps　and　loose　trousers　rolled　to　the　knees；
peasants　in　goatskin　coats；　their　wooden　shoes　clattering　on　the
round　kidney…stones；　shipwrights　and　labourers　from　the　dockyards；
bellows…menders；　rat…catchers；　water…carriers；　ink…sellers；　and　other
itinerant　pedlars。　　And；　sprinkled　through　this　proletariat　mass　that
came　and　went　in　constant　movement；　Andre…Louis　beheld　tradesmen　in
sober　garments；　merchants　in　long；　fur…lined　coats；　occasionally　a
merchant…prince　rolling　along　in　his　two…horse　cabriolet　to　the
whip…crackings　and　shouts　of　〃Gare！〃　from　his　coachman；　occasionally
a　dainty　lady　carried　past　in　her　sedan…chair；　with　perhaps　a　mincing
abbe　from　the　episcopal　court　tripping　along　in　attendance；
occasionally　an　officer　in　scarlet　riding　disdainfully；　and　once　the
great　carriage　of　a　nobleman；　with　escutcheoned　panels　and　a　pair
of　white…stockinged；　powdered　footmen　in　gorgeous　liveries　hanging
on　behind。　　And　there　were　Capuchins　in　brown　and　Benedictines　in
black；　and　secular　priests　in　plenty　…　for　God　was　well　served　in
the　sixteen　parishes　of　Nantes　…　and　by　way　of　contrast　there　were
lean…jawed；　out…at…elbow　adventurers；　and　gendarmes　in　blue　coats
and　gaitered　legs；　sauntering　guardians　of　the　peace。

Representatives　of　every　class　that　went　to　make　up　the　seventy
thousand　inhabitants　of　that　wealthy；　industrious　city　were　to　be
seen　in　the　human　stream　that　ebbed　and　flowed　beneath　the　window
from　which　Andre…Louis　observed　it。

Of　the　waiter　who　ministered　to　his　humble　wants　with　soup　and
bouilli；　and　a　measure　of　vin　gris；　Andre…Louis　enquired　into　the
state　of　public　feeling　in　the　city。　　The　waiter；　a　staunch
supporter　of　the　privileged　orders；　admitted　regretfully　that　an
uneasiness　prevailed。　　Much　would　depend　upon　what　happened　at
Rennes。　　If　it　was　true　that　the　King　had　dissolved　the　States　of
Brittany；　then　all　should　be　well；　and　the　malcontents　would　have
no　pretext　for　further　disturbances。　　There　had　been　trouble　and
to　spare　in　Nantes　already。　　They　wanted　no　repetition　of　it。　　All
manner　of　rumours　were　abroad；　and　since　early　morning　there　had
been　crowds　besieging　the　portals　of　the　Chamber　of　Commerce　for
definite　news。　　But　definite　news　was　yet　to　come。　　It　was　not　even
known　for　a　fact　that　His　Majesty　actually　had　dissolved　the　States。

It　was　striking　two；　the　busiest　hour　of　the　day　upon　the　Bourse；
when　Andre…Louis　reached　the　Place　du　Commerce。　　The　square；
dominated　by　the　imposing　classical　building　of　the　Exchange；　was
so　crowded　that　he　was　compelled　almost　to　fight　his　way　through　to
the　steps　of　the　magnificent　Ionic　porch。　　A　word　would　have
sufficed　to　have　opened　a　way　for　him　at　once。　　But　guile　moved　him
to　keep　silent。　　He　would　come　upon　that　waiting　multitude　as　a
thunderclap；　precisely　as　yesterday　he　had　come　upon　the　mob　at
Rennes。　　He　would　lose　nothing　of　the　surprise　effect　of　his
entrance。

The　precincts　of　that　house　of　commerce　were　jealously　kept　by　a
line　of　ushers　armed　with　staves；　a　guard　as　hurriedly　assembled　by
the　merchants　as　it　was　evidently　necessary。　　One　of　these　now
effectively　barred　the　young　lawyer's　passage　as　he　attempted　to
mount　the　steps。

Andre…Louis　announced　himself　in　a　whisper。

The　stave　was　instantly　raised　from　the　horizontal；　and　he　passed
and　went　up　the　steps　in　the　wake　of　the　usher。　　At　the　top；　on　the
threshold　of　the　chamber；　he　paused；　and　stayed　his　guide。

〃I　will　wait　here；〃　he　announced。　　〃Bring　the　president　to　me。〃

〃Your　name；　monsieur？〃

Almost　had　Andre…Louis　answered　him　when　he　remembered　Le　Chapelier's
warning　of　the　danger　with　which　his　mission　was　fraught；　and　Le
Chapelier's　parting　admonition　to　conceal　his　identity。

〃My　name　is　unknown　to　him；　it　matters　nothing；　I　am　the　mouthpiece
of　a　people；　no　more。　　Go。〃

The　usher　went；　and　in　the　shadow　of　that　lofty；　pillared　portico
Andre…Louis　waited；　his　eyes　straying　out　ever　and　anon　to　survey
that　spread　of　upturned　faces　immediately　below　him。

Soon　the　president　came；　others　following；　crowding　out　into　the
portico；　jostling　one　another　in　their　eagerness　to　hear　the　news。

〃You　are　a　messenger　from　Rennes？〃

〃I　am　the　delegate　sent　by　the　Literary　Chamber　of　that　city　to
inform　you　here　in　Nantes　of　what　is　taking　place。〃

〃Your　name？〃

Andre…Louis　paused。　　〃The　less　we　mention　names　perhaps　the　better。〃

The　president's　eyes　grew　big　with　gravity。　　He　was　a　corpulent；
florid　man；　purse…proud；　and　self…sufficient。

He　hesitated　a　moment。　　Then　…　〃Come　into　the　Chamber；〃　said　he。

〃By　your　leave；　monsieur；　I　will　deliver　my　message　from　here　…　from
these　steps。〃

〃From　here？〃　The　great　merchant　frowned。

〃My　message　is　for　the　people　of　Nantes；　and　from　here　I　can　speak
at　once　to　the　greatest　number　of　Nantais　of　all　ranks；　and　it　is
my　desire　…　and　the　desire　of　those　whom　I　represent　…　that　as　great
a　number　as　possible　should　hear　my　message　at　first　hand。〃

〃Tell　me；　sir；　is　it　true　that　the　King　has　dissolved　the　States？〃

Andre…Louis　looked　at　him。　　He　smiled　apologetically；　and　waved　a
hand　towards　the　crowd；　which　by　now　was　straining　for　a　glimpse　of
this　slim　young　man　who　had　brought　forth　the　president　and　more
than　half　the　numbers　of　the　Chamber；　guessing　already；　with　that
curious　instinct　of　crowds；　that　he　was　the　awaited　bearer　of
tidings。

〃Summon　the　gentlemen　of　your　Chamber；　monsieur；〃　said　he；　〃and　you
shall　hear　all。〃

〃So　be　it。〃

A　word；　and　forth　they　came　to　crowd　upon　the　steps；　but　leaving
clear　the　topmost　step　and　a　half…moon　space　in　the　middle。

To　the　spot　so　indicated；　Andre…Louis　now　advanced　very　deliberately。
He　took　his　stand　there；　dominating　the　entire　assembly。　　He　removed
his　hat；　and　launched　the　opening　bombshell　of　that　address　which
is　historic；　marking　as　it　does　one　of　the　great　stages　of　France's
progress　towards　revolution。

〃People　of　this　great　city　of　Nantes；　I　have　come　to　summon　you　to
arms！〃

In　the　amazed　and　rather　scared　silence　that　followed　he　surveyed
them　for　a　moment　before　resuming。

〃I　am　a　delegate　of　the　people　of　Rennes；　charged　to　announce　to
you　what　is　taking　place；　and　to　invite　you　in　this　dreadful　hour
of　our　country's　peril　to　rise　and　march　to　her　defence。〃

〃Name！　　Your　name！〃　a　voice　shouted；　and　instantly　the　cry　was　taken
up　by　others；　until　the　multitude　rang　with　the　question。

He　could　not　answer　that　excited　mob　as　he　had　answered　the
president。　　It　was　necessary　to　compromise；　and　he　did　so；　happily。
〃My　name；〃　said　he；　〃is　Omnes　Omnibus　…　all　for　all。　　Let　that
suffice　you　now。　　I　am　a　herald；　a　mouthpiece；　a　voice；　no　more。　　I
come　to　announce　to　you　that　since　the　privileged　orders；　assembled
for　the　Sta