scaramouche-第21节

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one　of　us　would　survive　it。　　But　for　you；　my　friend；　it　might　have
happened。　　What　magic　did　you　work？〃

〃The　magic　that　is　to　be　worked　in　France　with　a　King's　portrait。
The　French　are　a　very　loyal　nation；　as　you　will　have　observed。　　They
love　their　King　…　and　his　portrait　even　better　than　himself；
especially　when　it　is　wrought　in　gold。　　But　even　in　silver　it　is
respected。　　The　sergeant　was　so　overcome　by　the　sight　of　that　noble
visage　…　on　a　three…livre　piece　…　that　his　anger　vanished；　and　he
has　gone　his　ways　leaving　us　to　depart　in　peace。〃

〃Ah；　true！　　He　said　we　must　decamp。　　About　it；　my　lads！　　Come；
come。。。　〃

〃But　not　until　after　breakfast；〃　said　Andre…Louis。　　〃A　half…hour
for　breakfast　was　conceded　us　by　that　loyal　fellow；　so　deeply　was
he　touched。　　True；　he　spoke　of　possible　gardes…champetres。　　But　he
knows　as　well　as　I　do　that　they　are　not　seriously　to　be　feared；　and
that　if　they　came；　again　the　King's　portrait　…　wrought　in　copper
this　time　…　would　produce　the　same　melting　effect　upon　them。　So；　my
dear　M。　Pantaloon；　break　your　fast　at　your　ease。　　I　can　smell　your
cooking　from　here；　and　from　the　smell　I　argue　that　there　is　no　need
to　wish　you　a　good　appetite。〃

〃My　friend；　my　saviour！〃　Pantaloon　flung　a　great　arm　about　the　young
man's　　shoulders。　　〃You　shall　stay　to　breakfast　with　us。〃

〃I　confess　to　a　hope　that　you　would　ask　me；〃　said　Andre…Louis。



CHAPTER　II

THE　SERVICE　OF　THESPIS


They　were；　thought　Andre…Louis；　as　he　sat　down　to　breakfast　with
them　behind　the　itinerant　house；　in　the　bright　sunshine　that
tempered　the　cold　breath　of　that　November　morning；　an　odd　and　yet
an　attractive　crew。　　An　air　of　gaiety　pervaded　them。　They　affected
to　have　no　cares；　and　made　merry　over　the　trials　and　tribulations
of　their　nomadic　life。　　They　were　curiously；　yet　amiably；　artificial；
histrionic　in　their　manner　of　discharging　the　most　commonplace　of
functions；　exaggerated　in　their　gestures；　stilted　and　affected　in
their　speech。　　They　seemed；　indeed；　to　belong　to　a　world　apart；　a
world　of　unreality　which　became　real　only　on　the　planks　of　their
stage；　in　the　glare　of　their　footlights。　　Good…fellowship　bound　them
one　to　another；　and　Andre…Louis　reflected　cynically　that　this
harmony　amongst　them　might　be　the　cause　of　their　apparent　unreality。
In　the　real　world；　greedy　striving　and　the　emulation　of
acquisitiveness　preclude　such　amity　as　was　present　here。

They　numbered　exactly　eleven；　three　women　and　eight　men；　and　they
addressed　each　other　by　their　stage　names：　names　which　denoted　their
several　types；　and　never　…　or　only　very　slightly　…　varied；　no　matter
what　might　be　the　play　that　they　performed。

〃We　are；〃　Pantaloon　informed　him；　〃one　of　those　few　remaining
staunch　bands　of　real　players；　who　uphold　the　traditions　of　the　old
Italian　Commedia　dell'　Arte。　　Not　for　us　to　vex　our　memories　and
stultify　our　wit　with　the　stilted　phrases　that　are　the　fruit　of　a
wretched　author's　lucubrations。　　Each　of　us　is　in　detail　his　own
author　in　a　measure　as　he　develops　the　part　assigned　to　him。　We　are
improvisers　…　improvisers　of　the　old　and　noble　Italian　school。〃

〃I　had　guessed　as　much；〃　said　Andre…Louis；　〃when　I　discovered　you
rehearsing　your　improvisations。〃

Pantaloon　frowned。

〃I　have　observed；　young　sir；　that　your　humour　inclines　to　the
pungent；　not　to　say　the　acrid。　　It　is　very　well。　　It　is　I　suppose；
the　humour　that　should　go　with　such　a　countenance。　　But　it　may　lead
you　astray；　as　in　this　instance。　　That　rehearsal　…　a　most　unusual
thing　with　us　…　was　necessitated　by　the　histrionic　rawness　of　our
Leandre。　　We　are　seeking　to　inculcate　into　him　by　training　an　art
with　which　Nature　neglected　to　endow　him　against　his　present　needs。
Should　he　continue　to　fail　in　doing　justice　to　our　schooling。。。　But
we　will　not　disturb　our　present　harmony　with　the　unpleasant
anticipation　of　misfortunes　which　we　still　hope　to　avert。　　We　love
our　Leandre；　for　all　his　faults。　　Let　me　make　you　acquainted　with　our
company。

And　he　proceeded　to　introduction　in　detail。　　He　pointed　out　the
long　and　amiable　Rhodomont；　whom　Andre…Louis　already　knew。

〃His　length　of　limb　and　hooked　nose　were　his　superficial
qualifications　to　play　roaring　captains；〃　Pantaloon　explained。
〃His　lungs　have　justified　our　choice。　　You　should　hear　him　roar。
At　first　we　called　him　Spavento　or　Epouvapte。　　But　that　was　unworthy
of　so　great　an　artist。　　Not　since　the　superb　Mondor　amazed　the　world
has　so　thrasonical　a　bully　been　seen　upon　the　stage。　　So　we
conferred　upon　him　the　name　of　Rhodomont　that　Mondor　made　famous；
and　I　give　you　my　word；　as　an　actor　and　a　gentleman　…　for　I　am　a
gentleman；　monsieur；　or　was　…　that　he　has　justified　us。〃

His　little　eyes　beamed　in　his　great　swollen　face　as　he　turned　their
gaze　upon　the　object　of　his　encomium。　　The　terrible　Rhodomont；
confused　by　so　much　praise；　blushed　like　a　schoolgirl　as　he　met　the
solemn　scrutiny　of　Andre…Louis。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

〃Then　here　we　have　Scaramouche；　whom　also　you　already　know。
Sometimes　he　is　Scapin　and　sometimes　Coviello；　but　in　the　main
Scaramouche；　to　which　let　me　tell　you　he　is　best　suited　…　sometimes
too　well　suited；　I　think。　　For　he　is　Scaramouche　not　only　on　the
stage；　but　also　in　the　world。　　He　has　a　gift　of　sly　intrigue；　an
art　of　setting　folk　by　the　ears；　combined　with　an　impudent
aggressiveness　upon　occasion　when　he　considers　himself　safe　from
reprisals。　　He　is　Scaramouche；　the　little　skirmisher；　to　the　very
life。　　I　could　say　more。　　But　I　am　by　disposition　charitable　and
loving　to　all　mankind。〃

〃As　the　priest　said　when　he　kissed　the　serving…wench；〃　snarled
Scaramouche；　and　went　on　eating。

〃His　humour；　like　your　own；　you　will　observe；　is　acrid；〃　said
Pantaloon。　　He　passed　on。　　〃Then　that　rascal　with　the　lumpy　nose
and　the　grinning　bucolic　countenance　is；　of　course；　Pierrot。　　Could
he　be　aught　else？〃

〃I　could　play　lovers　a　deal　better；〃　said　the　rustic　cherub。

〃That　is　the　delusion　proper　to　Pierrot；〃　said　Pantaloon；
contemptuously。　　〃This　heavy；　beetle…browed　ruffian；　who　has　grown
old　in　sin；　and　whose　appetite　increases　with　his　years；　is
Polichinelle。　　Each　one；　as　you　perceive；　is　designed　by　Nature
for　the　part　he　plays。　　This　nimble；　freckled　jackanapes　is
Harlequin；　not　your　spangled　Harlequin　into　which　modern　degeneracy
has　debased　that　first…born　of　Momus；　but　the　genuine　original　zany
of　the　Commedia；　ragged　and　patched；　an　impudent；　cowardly；
blackguardly　clown。〃

〃Each　one　of　us；　as　you　perceive；〃　said　Harlequin；　mimicking　the
leader　of　the　troupe；　〃is　designed　by　Nature　for　the　part　he　plays。〃

〃Physically；　my　friend；　physically　only；　else　we　should　not　have　so
much　trouble　in　teaching　this　beautiful　Leandre　to　become　a　lover。
Then　we　have　Pasquariel　here；　who　is　sometimes　an　apothecary；
sometimes　a　notary；　sometimes　a　lackey　…　an　amiable；　accommodating
fellow。　　He　is　also　an　excellent　cook；　being　a　child　of　Italy；　that
land　of　gluttons。　　And　finally；　you　have　myself；　who　as　the　father
of　the　company　very　properly　play　as　Pantaloon　the　roles　of　father。
Sometimes；　it　is　true；　I　am　a　deluded　husband；　and　sometimes　an
ignorant；　self…sufficient　doctor。　　But　it　is　rarely　that　I　find　it
necessary　to　call　myself　other　than　Pantaloon。　　For　the　rest；　I　am
the　only　one　who　has　a　name　…　a　real　name。　　It　is　Binet；　monsieur。

〃And　now　for　the　ladies。。。　　First　in　order　of　seniority　we　have
Madame　there。〃　　He　waved　one　of　his　great　hands　towards　a　buxom；
smiling　blonde　of　five…and…forty；　who　was　seated　on　the　lowest　of
the　steps　of　the　travelling　house。　　〃She　is　our　Duegne；　or　Mother；
or　Nurse；　as　the　case　requires。　　She　is　known　quite　simply　and
royally　as　Madame。　　If　she　ever　had　a　name　in　the　world；　she　has
long　since　forgotten　it；　which　is　perhaps　as　well。　　Then　we　have
this　pert　jade　with　the　tip…tilted　nose　and　the　wide　mouth；　who
is　of　course　our　soubrette　Columbine；　and　lastly；　my　daughter
Climene；　an　amoureuse　of　talents　not　to　be　matched　outside　the
Comedie　Francaise；　of　which　she　has　the　bad　taste　to　aspire　to
become　a　member。〃

The　lovely　Climene　…　and　lovely　indeed　she　was　…　tossed　her
nut…brown　curls　and　laughed　as　she　looked　across　at　Andre…Louis。
Her　eyes；　he　had　perceived　by　now；　were　not　blue；　but　hazel。

〃Do　not　believe　him；　monsieur。　　Here　I　am　queen；　and　I　prefer　to
be　queen　here　rather　than　a　slave　in　Paris。〃

〃Mademoiselle；〃　said　Andre…Louis；　quite　solemnly；　〃will　be　queen
wherever　she　condescends　to　reign。〃

Her　only　answer　was　a　timid　…　timid　and　yet　alluring　…　glance　from
under　fluttering　lids。　　Meanwhile　her　father　was　bawling　at　the
comely　young　man　who　played　lovers　…　〃You　hear；　Leandre！　　That　is
the　sort　of　speech　you　should　practise。〃

Leandre　raised　languid　eyebrows。　　〃That？〃　quoth　he；　and　shrugged。
〃The　merest　commonplace。〃

Andre…Louis　laughed　approval。　　〃M。　Leandre　is　of　a　readier　wit　than
you　concede。　　There　is　subtlety　in　pronouncing　it　a　commonplace　to
call　Mlle。　Climene　a　queen。

Some　laughed；　M。　Binet　amongst　them；　with　good…humoured　mockery。

〃You　think　he　has　the　wit　to　mean　it　thus？　　Bah！　　His　subtleties　are
all　unconscious。〃

The　conversation　becoming　general；　Andre…Louis　soon　learnt　what　yet
the