scaramouche-第17节

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plunge　further　into　danger。　　He　would　strike　south　again。　　At　the
foot　of　some　meadows　on　this　side　of　the　village　there　was　a　ferry
that　would　put　him　across　the　river。　　Thus　he　would　avoid　the
village；　and　by　placing　the　river　between　himself　and　the　immediate
danger；　he　would　obtain　an　added　sense　of　security。

A　lane；　turning　out　of　the　highroad；　a　quarter　of　a　mile　this　side
of　Gavrillac；　led　down　to　that　ferry。　　By　this　lane　some　twenty
minutes　later　came　Andre…Louis　with　dragging　feet。　　He　avoided　the
little　cottage　of　the　ferryman；　whose　window　was　alight；　and　in　the
dark　crept　down　to　the　boat；　intending　if　possible　to　put　himself
across。　　He　felt　for　the　chain　by　which　the　boat　was　moored；　and
ran　his　fingers　along　this　to　the　point　where　it　was　fastened。
Here　to　his　dismay　he　found　a　padlock。

He　stood　up　in　the　gloom　and　laughed　silently。　　Of　course　he　might
have　known　it。　　The　ferry　was　the　property　of　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr；
and　not　likely　to　be　left　unfastened　so　that　poor　devils　might　cheat
him　of　seigneurial　dues。

There　being　no　possible　alternative；　he　walked　back　to　the　cottage；
and　rapped　on　the　door。　　When　it　opened；　he　stood　well　back；　and
aside；　out　of　the　shaft　of　light　that　issued　thence。

〃Ferry！〃　he　rapped　out；　laconically。

The　ferryman；　a　burly　scoundrel　well　known　to　him；　turned　aside　to
pick　up　a　lantern；　and　came　forth　as　he　was　bidden。　　As　he　stepped
from　the　little　porch；　he　levelled　the　lantern　so　that　its　light
fell　on　the　face　of　this　traveller。

〃My　God！〃　he　ejaculated。

〃You　realize；　I　see；　that　I　am　pressed；〃　said　Andre…Louis；　his　eyes
on　the　fellow's　startled　countenance。

〃And　well　you　may　be　with　the　gallows　waiting　for　you　at　Rennes；〃
growled　the　ferryman。　　〃Since　you've　been　so　foolish　as　to　come
back　to　Gavrillac；　you　had　better　go　again　as　quickly　as　you　can。
I　will　say　nothing　of　having　seen　you。〃

〃I　thank　you；　Fresnel。　　Your　advice　accords　with　my　intention。　　That
is　why　I　need　the　boat。〃

〃Ah；　that；　no；〃　said　Fresnel；　with　determination。　　〃I'll　hold　my
peace；　but　it's　as　much　as　my　skin　is　worth　to　help　you。

〃You　need　not　have　seen　my　face。　　Forget　that　you　have　seen　it。〃

〃I'll　do　that；　monsieur。　　But　that　is　all　I　will　do。　　I　cannot　put
you　across　the　river。〃

〃Then　give　me　the　key　of　the　boat；　and　I　will　put　myself　across。〃

〃That　is　the　same　thing。　　I　cannot。　　I'll　hold　my　tongue；　but　I
will　not　…　I　dare　not　…　help　you。〃

Andre…Louis　looked　a　moment　into　that　sullen；　resolute　face；　and
understood。　　This　man；　living　under　the　shadow　of　La　Tour　d'Azyr；
dared　exercise　no　will　that　might　he　in　conflict　with　the　will　of
his　dread　lord。

〃Fresnel；〃　he　said；　quietly；　〃if；　as　you　say；　the　gallows　claim　me；
the　thing　that　has　brought　me　to　this　extremity　arises　out　of　the
shooting　of　Mabey。　　Had　not　Mabey　been　murdered　there　would　have
been　no　need　for　me　to　have　raised　my　voice　as　I　have　done。　　Mabey
was　your　friend；　I　think。　　Will　you　for　his　sake　lend　me　the　little
help　I　need　to　save　my　neck？〃

The　man　kept　his　glance　averted；　and　the　cloud　of　sullenness
deepened　on　his　face。

〃I　would　if　I　dared；　but　I　dare　not。〃　　Then；　quite　suddenly　he　became
angry。　　It　was　as　if　in　anger　he　sought　support。　　〃Don't　you
understand　that　I　dare　not？　　Would　you　have　a　poor　man　risk　his　life
for　you？　　What　have　you　or　yours　ever　done　for　me　that　you　should　ask
that？　　You　do　not　cross　to…night　in　my　ferry。　　Understand　that；
monsieur；　and　go　at　once　…　go　before　I　remember　that　it　may　be
dangerous　even　to　have　talked　to　you　and　not　give　information。　　Go！〃

He　turned　on　his　heel　to　reenter　his　cottage；　and　a　wave　of
hopelessness　swept　over　Andre…Louis。

But　in　a　second　it　was　gone。　　The　man　must　be　compelled；　and　he　had
the　means。　　He　bethought　him　of　a　pistol　pressed　upon　him　by　Le
Chapelier　at　the　moment　of　his　leaving　Rennes；　a　gift　which　at　the
time　he　had　almost　disdained。　　True；　it　was　not　loaded；　and　he　had
no　ammunition。　　But　how　was　Fresnel　to　know　that？

He　acted　quickly。　　As　with　his　right　hand　he　pulled　it　from　his
pocket；　with　his　left　he　caught　the　ferryman　by　the　shoulder；　and
swung　him　round。

〃What　do　you　want　now？〃　Fresnel　demanded　angrily。　　〃Haven't　I　told
you　that　I。。。　〃

He　broke　off　short。　　The　muzzle　of　the　pistol　was　within　a　foot　of
his　eyes。

〃I　want　the　key　of　the　boat。　　That　is　all；　Fresnel。　　And　you　can
either　give　it　me　at　once；　or　I'll　take　it　after　I　have　burnt　your
brains。　　I　should　regret　to　kill　you；　but　I　shall　not　hesitate。　　It
is　your　life　against　mine；　Fresnel；　and　you'll　not　find　it　strange
that　if　one　of　us　must　die　I　prefer　that　it　shall　be　you。〃

Fresnel　dipped　a　hand　into　his　pocket；　and　fetched　thence　a　key。
He　held　it　out　to　Andre…Louis　in　fingers　that　shook　…　more　in　anger
than　in　fear。

〃I　yield　to　violence；〃　he　said；　showing　his　teeth　like　a　snarling
dog。　　〃But　don't　imagine　that　it　will　greatly　profit　you。〃

Andre…Louis　took　the　key。　　His　pistol　remained　levelled。

〃You　threaten　me；　I　think；〃　he　said。　　〃It　is　not　difficult　to　read
your　threat。　　The　moment　I　am　gone；　you　will　run　to　inform　against
me。　　You　will　set　the　marechaussee　on　my　heels　to　overtake　me。〃

〃No；　no！〃　cried　the　other。　　He　perceived　his　peril。　　He　read　his
doom　in　the　cold；　sinister　note　on　which　Andre…Louis　addressed　him；
and　grew　afraid。　　〃I　swear　to　you；　monsieur；　that　I　have　no　such
intention。〃

〃I　think　I　had　better　make　quite　sure　of　you。〃

〃0　my　God！　　Have　mercy；　monsieur！〃　　The　knave　was　in　a　palsy　of
terror。　　〃I　mean　you　no　harm　…　I　swear　to　Heaven　I　mean　you　no　harm。
I　will　not　say　a　word。　　I　will　not。。。　〃

〃I　would　rather　depend　upon　your　silence　than　your　assurances。
Still；　you　shall　have　your　chance。　　I　am　a　fool；　perhaps；　but　I　have
a　reluctance　to　shed　blood。　　Go　into　the　house；　Fresnel。　　Go；　man。
I　follow　you。〃

In　the　shabby　main　room　of　that　dwelling；　Andre…Louis　halted　him
again。　　〃Get　me　a　length　of　rope；〃　he　commanded；　and　was　readily
obeyed。

Five　minutes　later　Fresnel　was　securely　bound　to　a　chair；　and
effectively　silenced　by　a　very　uncomfortable　gag　improvised　out　of
a　block　of　wood　and　a　muffler。

On　the　threshold　the　departing　Andre…Louis　turned。

〃Good…night；　Fresnel；〃　he　said。　　Fierce　eyes　glared　mute　hatred　at
him。　　〃It　is　unlikely　that　your　ferry　will　be　required　again　to…night。
But　some　one　is　sure　to　come　to　your　relief　quite　early　in　the
morning。　　Until　then　bear　your　discomfort　with　what　fortitude　you
can；　remembering　that　you　have　brought　it　entirely　upon　yourself　by
your　uncharitableness。　　If　you　spend　the　night　considering　that；　the
lesson　should　not　be　lost　upon　you。　　By　morning　you　may　even　have
grown　so　charitable　as　not　to　know　who　it　was　that　tied　you　up。
Good…night。〃

He　stepped　out　and　closed　the　door。

To　unlock　the　ferry；　and　pull　himself　across　the　swift…running
waters；　on　which　the　faint　moonlight　was　making　a　silver　ripple；
were　matters　that　engaged　not　more　than　six　or　seven　minutes。　　He
drove　the　nose　of　the　boat　through　the　decaying　sedges　that　fringed
the　southern　bank　of　the　stream；　sprang　ashore；　and　made　the　little
craft　secure。　　Then；　missing　the　footpath　in　the　dark；　he　struck
out　across　a　sodden　meadow　in　quest　of　the　road。



BOOK　II：


CHAPTER　I

HE　TRESPASSERS


Coming　presently　upon　the　Redon　road；　Andre…Louis；　obeying　instinct
rather　than　reason；　turned　his　face　to　the　south；　and　plodded
wearily　and　mechanically　forward。　　He　had　no　clear　idea　of　whither
he　was　going；　or　of　whither　he　should　go。　　All　that　imported　at　the
moment　was　to　put　as　great　a　distance　as　possible　between　Gavrillac
and　himself。

He　had　a　vague；　half…formed　notion　of　returning　to　Nantes；　and
there；　by　employing　the　newly　found　weapon　of　his　oratory；　excite
the　people　into　sheltering　him　as　the　first　victim　of　the
persecution　he　had　foreseen；　and　against　which　he　had　sworn　them　to
take　up　arms。　　But　the　idea　was　one　which　he　entertained　merely　as
an　indefinite　possibility　upon　which　he　felt　no　real　impulse　to　act。

Meanwhile　he　chuckled　at　the　thought　of　Fresnel　as　he　had　last　seen
him；　with　his　muffled　face　and　glaring　eyeballs。　　〃For　one　who　was
anything　but　a　man　of　action；〃　he　writes；　〃I　felt　that　I　had
acquitted　myself　none　so　badly。〃　　It　is　a　phrase　that　recurs　at
intervals　in　his　sketchy　〃Confessions。〃　　Constantly　is　he　reminding
you　that　he　is　a　man　of　mental　and　not　physical　activities；　and
apologizing　when　dire　　neccessity　drives　him　into　acts　of　violence。
I　suspect　this　insistence　upon　his　philosophic　detachment　…　for
which　I　confess　he　had　justification　enough　…　to　betray　his
besetting　vanity。

With　increasing　fatigue　came　depression　and　self…criticism。　　He
had　stupidly　overshot　his　mark　in　insultingly　denouncing　M。　de
Lesdiguieres。　　〃It　is　much　better；〃　he　says　somewhere；　〃to　be
wicked　than　to　be　stupid。　　Most　of　this　world's　misery　is　the　fruit
not　as　priests　tell　us　of　wickedness；　but　of　stupidity。〃　　And　we
know　that　of　all　stupidities　he　considered　anger　the　most　deplorable。
Yet　he　had　permitted　himself　to　be　angry　with　a　creature　like　M。　de
Lesdiguieres　…　a　lackey；　a　fribble；　a　nothing；　despite　his
potentialities　for　evil。　　He　could　perfectly