scaramouche-第22节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃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
there　was　to　learn　of　this　strolling　band。　　They　were　on　their　way
to　Guichen；　where　they　hoped　to　prosper　at　the　fair　that　was　to　open
on　Monday　next。　　They　would　make　their　triumphal　entry　into　the　town
at　noon；　and　setting　up　their　stage　in　the　old　market；　they　would
give　their　first　performance　that　same　Saturday　night；　in　a　new
canevas　…　or　scenario　…　of　M。　Binet's　own；　which　should　set　the
rustics　gaping。　　And　then　M。　Binet　fetched　a　sigh；　and　addressed
himself　to　the　elderly；　swarthy；　beetle…browed　Polichinelle；　who　sat
on　his　left。

〃But　we　shall　miss　Felicien；〃　said　he。　　〃Indeed；　I　do　not　know　what
we　shall　do　without　him。〃

〃Oh；　we　shall　contrive；〃　said　Polichinelle；　with　his　mouth　full。

〃So　you　always　say；　whatever　happens；　knowing　that　in　any　case　the
contriving　will　not　fall　upon　yourself。〃

〃He　should　not　be　difficult　to　replace；〃　said　Harlequin。

〃True；　if　we　were　in　a　civilized　land。　　But　where　among　the　rustics
of　Brittany　are　we　to　find　a　fellow　of　even　his　poor　parts？〃　　M。
Binet　turned　to　Andre…Louis。　　〃He　was　our　property…man；　our　machinist；
our　stage…carpenter；　our　man　of　affairs；　and　occasionally　he　acted。〃

〃The　part　of　Figaro；　I　presume；〃　said　Andre…Louis；　which　elicited　a
laugh。

〃So　you　are　acquainted　with　Beaumarchais！〃　　Binet　eyed　the　young
man　with　fresh　interest。

〃He　is　tolerably　well　known；　I　think。〃

〃In　Paris；　to　be　sure。　　But　I　had　not　dreamt　his　fame　had　reached
the　wilds　of　Brittany。〃

〃But　then　I　was　some　years　in　Paris　…　at　the　Lycee　of　Louis　le
Grand。　　It　was　there　I　made　acquaintance　with　his　work。〃

〃A　dangerous　man；〃　said　Polichinelle；　sententiously。

〃Indeed；　and　you　are　right；〃　Pantaloon　agreed。　　〃Clever　…　I　do　not
deny　him　that；　although　myself　I　find　little　use　for　authors。　　But
of　a　sinister　cleverness　responsible　for　the　dissemination　of　many
of　these　subversive　new　ideas。　　I　think　such　writers　should　be
suppressed。〃

〃M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr　would　probably　agree　with　you　…　the　gentleman
who　by　the　simple　exertion　of　his　will　turns　this　communal　land　into
his　own　property。〃　　And　Andre…Louis　drained　his　cup；　which　had　been
filled　with　the　poor　vin　gris　that　was　the　players'　drink。

It　was　a　remark　that　might　have　precipitated　an　argument　had　it　not
also　reminded　M。　Binet　of　the　terms　on　which　they　were　encamped
there；　and　of　the　fact　that　the　half…hour　was　more　than　past。　　In　a
moment　he　was　on　his　feet；　leaping　up　with　an　agility　surprising　in
so　corpulent　a　man；　issuing　his　commands　like　a　marshal　on　a　field
of　battle。

〃Come；　come；　my　lads！　　Are　we　to　sit　guzzling　here　all　day？　　Time
flees；　and　there's　a　deal　to　be　done　if　we　are　to　make　our　entry
into　Guichen　at　noon。　　Go；　get　you　dressed。　　We　strike　camp　in　twenty
minutes。　　Bestir；　ladies！　　To　your　chaise；　and　see　that　you　contrive
to　look　your　best。　　Soon　the　eyes　of　Guichen　will　be　upon　you；　and
the　condition　of　your　interior　to…morrow　will　depend　upon　the
impression　made　by　your　exterior　to…day。　　Away！　　Away！〃

The　implicit　obedience　this　autocrat　commanded　set　them　in　a　whirl。
Baskets　and　boxes　were　dragged　forth　to　receive　the　platters　and
remains　of　their　meagre　feast。　　In　an　instant　the　ground　was
cleared；　and　the　three　ladies　had　taken　their　departure　to　the
chaise；　which　was　set　apart　for　their　use。　　The　men　were　already
climbing　into　the　house　on　wheels；　when　Binet　turned　to　Andre…Louis。

〃We　part　here；　sir；〃　said　he；　dramatically；　〃the　richer　by　your
acquaintance；　your　debtors　and　your　friends。〃　　He　put　forth　his
podgy　hand。

Slowly　Andre…Louis　took　it　in　his　own。　　He　had　been　thinking　swiftly
in　the　last　few　moments。　　And　remembering　the　safety　he　had　found
from　his　pursuers　in　the　bosom　of　this　company；　it　occurred　to　him　
hat　nowhere　could　he　be　better　hidden　for　the　present；　until　the
quest　for　him　should　have　died　down。

〃Sir；〃　he　said；　〃the　indebtedness　is　on　my　side。　　It　is　not　every
day　one　has　the　felicity　to　sit　down　with　so　illustrious　and
engaging　a　company。〃

Binet's　little　eyes　peered　suspiciously　at　the　young　man；　in　quest
of　irony。　　He　found　nothing　but　candour　and　simple　good　faith。

〃I　part　from　you　reluctantly；〃　Andre…Louis　continued。　　〃The　more
reluctantly　since　I　do　not　perceive　the　absolute　necessity　for
parting。〃

〃How？〃　quoth　Binet；　frowning；　and　slowly　withdrawing　the　hand　which
the　other　had　already　retained　rather　longer　than　was　necessary。

〃Thus；〃　Andre…Louis　explained　himself。　　〃You　may　set　me　down　as　a
sort　of　knight　of　rueful　countenance　in　quest　of　adventure；　with　no
fixed　purpose　in　life　at　present。　　You　will　not　marvel　that　what　I
have　seen　of　yourself　and　your　distinguished　troupe　should　inspire
me　to　desire　your　better　acquaintance。　　On　your　side　you　tell　me
that　you　are　in　need　of　some　one　to　replace　your　Figaro　…　your
Felicien；　I　think　you　called　him。　Whilst　it　may　be　presumptuous　of
me　to　hope　that　I　could　discharge　an　office　so　varied　and　so
onerous。。。　〃

〃You　are　indulging　that　acrid　humour　of　yours　again；　my　friend；〃
Binet　interrupted　him。　〃Excepting　for　that；〃　he　added；　slowly；
meditatively；　his　little　eyes　screwed　up；　〃we　might　discuss　this
proposal　that　you　seem　to　be　making。〃

〃Alas！　　we　can　except　nothing。　　If　you　take　me；　you　take　me　as　I　am。
What　else　is　possible？　　As　for　this　humour　…　such　as　it　is　…　which
you　decry；　you　might　turn　it　to　profitable　account。〃

〃How　so？〃

〃In　several　ways。　　I　might；　for　instance；　teach　Leandre　to　make
love。〃

Pantaloon　burst　into　laughter。　　〃You　do　not　lack　confidence　in　your
powers。　　Modesty　does　not　afflict　you。〃

〃Therefore　I　evince　the　first　quality　necessary　in　an　actor。〃　

〃Can　you　act？〃

〃Upon　occasion；　I　think；〃　said　Andre…Louis；　his　thoughts　upon　his
performance　at　Rennes　and　Nantes；　and　wondering　when　in　all　his
histrionic　career　Pantaloon's　improvisations　had　so　rent　the　heart
of　mobs。

M。　Binet　was　musing。　　〃Do　you　know　much　of　the　theatre？〃　quoth　he。

〃Everything；〃　said　Andre…Louis。

〃I　said　that　modesty　will　prove　no　obstacle　in　your　career。〃

〃But　consider。　　I　know　the　work　of　Beaumarchais；　Eglantine；　Mercier；
Chenier；　and　many　others　of　our　contemporaries。　　Then　I　have　read；　of
course；　Moliere；　Racine；　Corneille；　besides　many　other　lesser　French
writers。　　Of　foreign　authors；　I　am　intimate　with　the　works　of　Gozzi；
Goldoni；　Guarini；　Bibbiena；　Machiavelli；　Secchi；　Tasso；　Ariosto；　and
Fedini。　　Whilst　of　those　of　antiquity　I　know　most　of　the　work　of
Euripides；　Aristophanes；　Terence；　Plautus。。。　〃

〃Enough！〃　roared　Pantaloon。

〃I　am　not　nearly　through　with　my　list；〃　said　Andre…Louis。

〃You　may　keep　the　rest　for　another　day。　　In　Heaven's　name；　what　can
have　induced　you　to　read　so　many　dramatic　authors？〃

〃In　my　humble　way　I　am　a　student　of　man；　and　some　years　ago　I　made
the　discovery　that　he　is　most　intimately　to　be　studied　in　the
reflections　of　him　provided　for　the　theatre。〃

〃That　is　a　very　original　and　profound　discovery；〃　said　Pantaloon；
quite　seriously。　　〃It　had　never　occurred　to　me。　　Yet　is　it　true。
Sir；　it　is　a　truth　that　dignifies　our　art。　　You　are　a　man　of　parts；
that　is　clear　to　me。　　It　has　been　clear　since　first　I　met　you。　　I
can　read　a　man。　　I　knew　you　from　the　moment　that　you　said
'good…morning。'　　Tell　me；　now：　Do　you　think　you　could　assist　me
upon　occasion　in　the　preparation　of　a　scenario？　　My　mind；　fully
engaged　as　it　is　with　a　thousand　details　of　organization；　is　not
always　as　clear　as　I　would　have　it　for　such　work。　　Could　you　assist
me　there；　do　you　think？〃

〃I　am　quite　sure　I　could。〃

〃Hum；　yes。　　I　was　sure　you　would　be。　　The　other　duties　that　were
Felicien's　you　would　soon　learn。　　Well；　well；　if　you　are　willing；
you　may　come　along　with　us。　　You'd　want　some　salary；　I　suppose？〃

〃If　it　is　usual；〃　said　Andre…Louis。

〃What　should　you　say　to　ten　livres　a　month？〃

〃I　should　say　that　it　isn't　exactly　the　riches　of　Peru。〃

〃I　might　go　as　far　as　fifteen；〃　said　Binet；　reluctantly。　　〃But　times
are　bad。〃

〃I'll　make　them　better　for　you。〃

〃I've　no　doubt　you　believe　it。　　Then　we　understand　each　other？〃

〃Perfectly；〃　said　Andre…Louis；　dryly；　and　was　thus　committed　to　the
service　of　Thespis。



CHAPTER　II

THE　COMIC　MUSE


The　company's　entrance　into　the　township　of　Guichen；　if　not　exactly
triumphal；　as　Binet　had　expressed　the　desire　that　it　should　be；　was
at　least　sufficiently　startling　and　cacophonous　to　set　the　rustics
gaping。　　To　them　these　fantastic　creatures　appeared　…　as　indeed　they
were　…　beings　from　another　world。

First　went　the　great　travelling　chaise；　creaking　and　groaning　on　its
way；　drawn　by　two　of　the　Flemish　horses。　　It　was　Pantaloon　who　drove
it；　an　obese　and　massive　Pantaloon　in　a　tight…fitting　suit　of　scarlet
under　a　long　brown　bed…gown；　his　countenance　adorned　by　a　colossal
cardboard　nose。　　Beside　him　on　the　box　sat　Pierrot　in　a　white　smock；
with　sleeves　that　completely　covered　his　hands；　loose　white　trousers；
and　a　black　skull…cap。　　He　had　whitened　his　face　with　flour；　and　he
made　hideous　noises　with　a　trumpet。

On　the　roof　of　the　coach　were　ass