scaramouche-第27节

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Andre…Louis　looked　at　him。　〃I　must　yield；　of　course。　　I　can't　help
myself。〃

M。　Binet　released　his　arm　at　last；　and　slapped　him　heartily　upon　the
back。　　〃Well　declared；　my　lad。　　You'll　never　regret　it。　　If　I　know
anything　of　the　theatre；　I　know　that　you　have　made　the　great　decision
of　your　life。　　To…morrow　night　you'll　thank　me。〃

Andre…Louis　shrugged；　and　stepped　out　ahead　towards　the　inn。　　But　M。
Binet　called　him　back。

〃M。　Parvissimus！〃

He　turned。　　There　stood　the　man's　great　bulk；　the　moonlight　beating
down　upon　that　round　fat　face　of　his；　and　he　was　holding　out　his　hand。

〃M。　Parvissimus；　no　rancour。　　It　is　a　thing　I　do　not　admit　into　my
life。　　You　will　shake　hands　with　me；　and　we　will　forget　all　this。〃

Andre…Louis　considered　him　a　moment　with　disgust。　　He　was　growing
angry。　　Then；　realizing　this；　he　conceived　himself　ridiculous；　almost
as　ridiculous　as　that　sly；　scoundrelly　Pantaloon。　　He　laughed　and
took　the　outstretched　hand。　　〃No　rancour？〃　M。　Binet　insisted。

〃Oh；　no　rancour；〃　said　Andre…Louis。



CHAPTER　V

ENTER　SCARAMOUCHE


Dressed　in　the　close…fitting　suit　of　a　bygone　age；　all　black；　from
flat　velvet　cap　to　rosetted　shoes；　his　face　whitened　and　a　slight
up…curled　moustache　glued　to　his　upper　lip；　a　small…sword　at　his
side　and　a　guitar　slung　behind　him；　Scaramouche　surveyed　himself
in　a　mirror；　and　was　disposed　to　be　sardonic　…　which　was　the　proper
mood　for　the　part。

He　reflected　that　his　life；　which　until　lately　had　been　of　a
stagnant；　contemplative　quality；　had　suddenly　become　excessively
active。　　In　the　course　of　one　week　he　had　been　lawyer；　mob…orator；
outlaw；　property…man；　and　finally　buffoon。　　Last　Wednesday　he　had
been　engaged　in　moving　an　audience　of　Rennes　to　anger；　on　this
Wednesday　he　was　to　move　an　audience　of　Guichen　to　mirth。　　Then　he
had　been　concerned　to　draw　tears；　to…day　it　was　his　business　to
provoke　laughter。　　There　was　a　difference；　and　yet　there　was　a
parallel。　　Then　as　now　he　had　been　a　comedian；　and　the　part　that　he
had　played　then　was；　when　you　came　to　think　of　it；　akin　to　the　part
he　was　to　play　this　evening。　　For　what　had　he　been　at　Rennes　but　a
sort　of　Scaramouche　…　the　little　skirmisher；　the　astute　intriguer；
spattering　the　seed　of　trouble　with　a　sly　hand？　　The　only　difference
lay　in　the　fact　that　to…day　he　went　forth　under　the　name　that
properly　described　his　type；　whereas　last　week　he　had　been　disguised
as　a　respectable　young　provincial　attorney。

He　bowed　to　his　reflection　in　the　mirror。

〃Buffoon！〃　he　apostrophized　it。　　〃At　last　you　have　found　yourself。
At　last　you　have　come　into　your　heritage。　　You　should　be　a　great
success。

Hearing　his　new　name　called　out　by　M。　Binet；　he　went　below　to　find
the　company　assembled；　and　waiting　in　the　entrance　corridor　of　the
inn。

He　was；　of　course；　an　object　of　great　interest　to　all　the　company。
Most　critically　was　he　conned　by　M。　Binet　and　mademoiselle；　by　the
former　with　gravely　searching　eyes；　by　the　latter　with　a　curl　of
scornful　lip。

〃You'll　do；〃　M。　Binet　commended　his　make…up。　　〃At　least　you　look
the　part。〃

〃Unfortunately　men　are　not　always　what　they　look；〃　said　Climene；
acidly。

〃That　is　a　truth　that　does　not　at　present　apply　to　me；〃　said
Andre…Louis。　　〃For　it　is　the　first　time　in　my　life　that　I　look　what
I　am。〃

Mademoiselle　curled　her　lip　a　little　further；　and　turned　her　shoulder
to　him。　　But　the　others　thought　him　very　witty　…　probably　because　he
was　obscure。　　Columbine　encouraged　him　with　a　friendly　smile　that
displayed　her　large　white　teeth；　and　M。　Binet　swore　yet　once　again
that　he　would　be　a　great　success；　since　he　threw　himself　with　such
spirit　into　the　undertaking。　　Then　in　a　voice　that　for　the　moment
he　appeared　to　have　borrowed　from　the　roaring　captain；　M。　Binet
marshalled　them　for　the　short　parade　across　to　the　market…hall。

The　new　Scaramouche　fell　into　place　beside　Rhodomont。　　The　old　one；
hobbling　on　a　crutch；　had　departed　an　hour　ago　to　take　the　place　of
doorkeeper；　vacated　of　necessity　by　Andre…Louis。　　So　that　the
exchange　between　those　two　was　a　complete　one。

Headed　by　Polichinelle　banging　his　great　drum　and　Pierrot　blowing
his　trumpet；　they　set　out；　and　were　duly　passed　in　review　by　the
ragamuffins　drawn　up　in　files　to　enjoy　so　much　of　the　spectacle　as
was　to　be　obtained　for　nothing。

Ten　minutes　later　the　three　knocks　sounded；　and　the　curtains　were
drawn　aside　to　reveal　a　battered　set　that　was　partly　garden；　partly
forest；　in　which　Climene　feverishly　looked　for　the　coming　of　Leandre。
In　the　wings　stood　the　beautiful；　melancholy　lover；　awaiting　his　cue；
and　immediately　behind　him　the　unfledged　Scaramouche；　who　was　anon
to　follow　him。

Andre…Louis　was　assailed　with　nausea　in　that　dread　moment。　　He
attempted　to　take　a　lightning　mental　review　of　the　first　act　of　this
scenario　of　which　he　was　himself　the　author…in…chief；　but　found　his
mind　a　complete　blank。　　With　the　perspiration　starting　from　his　skin；
he　stepped　back　to　the　wall；　where　above　a　dim　lantern　was　pasted　a
sheet　bearing　the　brief　outline　of　the　piece。　　He　was　still　studying
it；　when　his　arm　was　clutched；　and　he　was　pulled　violently　towards
the　wings。　　He　had　a　glimpse　of　Pantaloon's　grotesque　face；　its　eyes
blazing；　and　he　caught　a　raucous　growl：

〃Climene　has　spoken　your　cue　three　times　already。〃

Before　he　realized　it；　he　had　been　bundled　on　to　the　stage；　and
stood　there　foolishly；　blinking　in　the　glare　of　the　footlights；　with
their　tin　reflectors。　　So　utterly　foolish　and　bewildered　did　he　look
that　volley　upon　volley　of　laughter　welcomed　him　from　the　audience；
which　this　evening　packed　the　hall　from　end　to　end。　　Trembling　a
little；　his　bewilderment　at　first　increasing；　he　stood　there　to
receive　that　rolling　tribute　to　his　absurdity。　　Climene　was　eyeing
him　with　expectant　mockery；　savouring　in　advance　his　humiliation；
Leandre　regarded　him　in　consternation；　whilst　behind　the　scenes；　M。
Binet　was　dancing　in　fury。

〃Name　of　a　name；〃　he…　groaned　to　the　rather　scared　members　of　the
company　assembled　there；　〃what　will　happen　when　they　discover　that
he　isn't　acting？〃

But　they　never　did　discover　it。　　Scaramouche's　bewildered　paralysis
lasted　but　a　few　seconds。　　He　realized　that　he　was　being　laughed　at；
and　remembered　that　his　Scaramouche　was　a　creature　to　be　laughed
with；　and　not　at。　　He　must　save　the　situation；　twist　it　to　his　own
advantage　as　best　he　could。　　And　now　his　real　bewilderment　and　terror
was　succeeded　by　acted　bewilderment　and　terror　far　more　marked；　but
not　quite　so　funny。　　He　contrived　to　make　it　clearly　appear　that　his
terror　was　of　some　one　off　the　stage。　　He　took　cover　behind　a　painted
shrub；　and　thence；　the　laughter　at　last　beginning　to　subside；　he
addressed　himself　to　Climene　and　Leandre。

〃Forgive　me；　beautiful　lady；　if　the　abrupt　manner　of　my　entrance
startled　you。　　The　truth　is　that　I　have　never　been　the　same　since
that　last　affair　of　mine　with　Almaviva。　　My　heart　is　not　what　it
used　to　be。　　Down　there　at　the　end　of　the　lane　I　came　face　to　face
with　an　elderly　gentleman　carrying　a　heavy　cudgel；　and　the　horrible
thought　entered　my　mind　that　it　might　be　your　father；　and　that　our
little　stratagem　to　get　you　safely　married　might　already　have　been
betrayed　to　him。　I　think　it　was　the　cudgel　put　such　notion　in　my
head。　　Not　that　I　am　afraid。　　I　am　not　really　afraid　of　anything。
But　I　could　not　help　reflecting　that；　if　it　should　really　have　been
your　father；　and　he　had　broken　my　head　with　his　cudgel；　your　hopes
would　have　perished　with　me。　　For　without　me；　what　should　you　have
done；　my　poor　children？〃

A　ripple　of　laughter　from　the　audience　had　been　steadily　enheartening
him；　and　helping　him　to　recover　his　natural　impudence。　　It　was　clear
they　found　him　comical。　　They　were　to　find　him　far　more　comical　than
ever　he　had　intended；　and　this　was　largely　due　to　a　fortuitous
circumstance　upon　which　he　had　insufficiently　reckoned。　　The　fear　of
recognition　by　some　one　from　Gavrillac　or　Rennes　had　been　strong
upon　him。　　His　face　was　sufficiently　made　up　to　baffle　recognition；
but　there　remained　his　voice。　　To　dissemble　this　he　had　availed
himself　of　the　fact　that　Figaro　was　a　Spaniard。　　He　had　known　a
Spaniard　at　Louis　le　Grand　who　spoke　a　fluent　but　most　extraordinary
French；　with　a　grotesque　excess　of　sibilant　sounds。　　It　was　an　accent
that　he　had　often　imitated；　as　youths　will　imitate　characteristics
that　excite　their　mirth。　　Opportunely　he　had　bethought　him　of　that
Spanish　student；　and　it　was　upon　his　speech　that　to…night　he　modelled
his　own。　　The　audience　of　Guichen　found　it　as　laughable　on　his　lips
as　he　and　his　fellows　had　found　it　formerly　on　the　lips　of　that
derided　Spaniard。

Meanwhile；　behind　the　scenes；　Binet　…　listening　to　that　glib
impromptu　of　which　the　scenario　gave　no　indication　…　had　recovered
from　his　fears。

〃Dieu　de　Dieu！〃　he　whispered；　grinning。　　〃Did　he　do　it；　then；　on
purpose？〃

It　seemed　to　him　impossible　that　a　man　who　had　been　so
terror…stricken　as　he　had　fancied　Andre…Louis；　could　have　recovered
his　wits　so　quickly　and　completely。　　Yet　the　doubt　remained。

To　resolve　it　after　the　curtain　had　fallen　upon　a　first　act　that
had　gone　with　a　verve　unrivalled