scaramouche-第3节

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〃Of　course　you　do；　and　I　love　you　for　it。　　It　is　right　that　you
should。　　You　are　to　be　a　priest；　and　everybody's　business　is　a
priest's　business。　　Whereas　I　am　a　lawyer　…　the　fiscal　intendant
of　a　nobleman；　as　you　say　…　and　a　lawyer's　business　is　the　business
of　his　client。　　That　is　the　difference　between　us。　　Nevertheless；
you　are　not　going　to　shake　me　off。〃

〃But　I　tell　you　frankly；　now　that　I　come　to　think　of　it；　that　I
should　prefer　you　did　not　see　M。　de　Kercadiou　with　me。　　Your　duty
to　your　client　cannot　be　a　help　to　me。〃

His　wrath　had　passed；　but　his　determination　remained　firm；　based
upon　the　reason　he　gave。

〃Very　well；〃　said　Andre…Louis。　　〃It　shall　be　as　you　please。　　But
nothing　shall　prevent　me　at　least　from　walking　with　you　as　far　as
the　chateau；　and　waiting　for　you　while　you　make　your　appeal　to　M。
de　Kercadiou。〃

And　so　they　left　the　house　good　friends；　for　the　sweetness　of　M。
de　Vilmorin's　nature　did　not　admit　of　rancour；　and　together　they
took　their　way　up　the　steep　main　street　of　Gavrillac。



CHAPTER　II

THE　ARISTOCRAT


The　sleepy　village　of　Gavrillac；　a　half…league　removed　from　the　main
road　to　Rennes；　and　therefore　undisturbed　by　the　world's　traffic；
lay　in　a　curve　of　the　River　Meu；　at　the　foot；　and　straggling　halfway
up　the　slope；　of　the　shallow　hill　that　was　crowned　by　the　squat　manor。
By　the　time　Gavrillac　had　paid　tribute　to　its　seigneur　…　partly　in
money　and　partly　in　service　…　tithes　to　the　Church；　and　imposts　to
the　King；　it　was　hard　put　to　it　to　keep　body　and　soul　together　with
what　remained。　　Yet；　hard　as　conditions　were　in　Gavrillac；　they　were
not　so　hard　as　in　many　other　parts　of　France；　not　half　so　hard；　for
instance；　as　with　the　wretched　feudatories　of　the　great　Lord　of　La
Tour　d'Azyr；　whose　vast　possessions　were　at　one　point　separated　from
this　little　village　by　the　waters　of　the　Meu。

The　Chateau　de　Gavrillac　owed　such　seigneurial　airs　as　might　be
claimed　for　it　to　its　dominant　position　above　the　village　rather
than　to　any　feature　of　its　own。　　Built　of　granite；　like　all　the　rest
of　Gavrillac；　though　mellowed　by　some　three　centuries　of　existence；
it　was　a　squat；　flat…fronted　edifice　of　two　stories；　each　lighted　by
four　windows　with　external　wooden　shutters；　and　flanked　at　either　end
by　two　square　towers　or　pavilions　under　extinguisher　roofs。　　Standing
well　back　in　a　garden；　denuded　now；　but　very　pleasant　in　summer；　and
immediately　fronted　by　a　fine　sweep　of　balustraded　terrace；　it　looked；
what　indeed　it　was；　and　always　had　been；　the　residence　of
unpretentious　folk　who　found　more　interest　in　husbandry　than　in
adventure。

Quintin　de　Kercadiou；　Lord　of　Gavrillac　…　Seigneur　de　Gavrillac　was
all　the　vague　title　that　he　bore；　as　his　forefathers　had　borne　before
him；　derived　no　man　knew　whence　or　how　…　confirmed　the　impression
that　his　house　conveyed。　　Rude　as　the　granite　itself；　he　had　never
sought　the　experience　of　courts；　had　not　even　taken　service　in　the
armies　of　his　King。　　He　left　it　to　his　younger　brother；　Etienne；　to
represent　the　family　in　those　exalted　spheres。　　His　own　interests
from　earliest　years　had　been　centred　in　his　woods　and　pastures。　　He
hunted；　and　he　cultivated　his　acres；　and　superficially　he　appeared
to　be　little　better　than　any　of　his　rustic　metayers。　　He　kept　no
state；　or　at　least　no　state　commensurate　with　his　position　or　with
the　tastes　of　his　niece　Aline　de　Kercadiou。　　Aline；　having　spent
some　two　years　in　the　court　atmosphere　of　Versailles　under　the　aegis
of　her　uncle　Etienne；　had　ideas　very　different　from　those　of　her
uncle　Quintin　of　what　was　befitting　seigneurial　dignity。　　But　though
this　only　child　of　a　third　Kercadiou　had　exercised；　ever　since　she
was　left　an　orphan　at　the　early　age　of　four；　a　tyrannical　rule　over
the　Lord　of　Gavrillac；　who　had　been　father　and　mother　to　her；　she
had　never　yet　succeeded　in　beating　down　his　stubbornness　on　that
score。　　She　did　not　yet　despair　…　persistence　being　a　dominant　note
in　her　character　…　although　she　had　been　assiduously　and　fruitlessly
at　work　since　her　return　from　the　great　world　of　Versailles　some
three　months　ago。

She　was　walking　on　the　terrace　when　Andre…Louis　and　M。　de　Vilmorin
arrived。　　Her　slight　body　was　wrapped　against　the　chill　air　in　a
white　pelisse；　her　head　was　encased　in　a　close…fitting　bonnet；　edged
with　white　fur。　　It　was　caught　tight　in　a　knot　of　pale…blue　ribbon
on　the　right　of　her　chin；　on　the　left　a　long　ringlet　of　corn…coloured
hair　had　been　permitted　to　escape。　　The　keen　air　had　whipped　so　much
of　her　cheeks　as　was　presented　to　it；　and　seemed　to　have　added
sparkle　to　eyes　that　were　of　darkest　blue。

Andre…Louis　and　M。　de　Vilmorin　had　been　known　to　her　from　childhood。
The　three　had　been　playmates　once；　and　Andre…Louis　…　in　view　of　his
spiritual　relationship　with　her　uncle　…　she　called　her　cousin。　　The
cousinly　relations　had　persisted　between　these　two　long　after
Philippe　de　Vilmorin　had　outgrown　the　earlier　intimacy；　and　had
become　to　her　Monsieur　de　Vilmorin。

She　waved　her　hand　to　them　in　greeting　as　they　advanced；　and　stood
　…　an　entrancing　picture；　and　fully　conscious　of　it　…　to　await　them
at　the　end　of　the　terrace　nearest　the　short　avenue　by　which　they
approached。

〃If　you　come　to　see　monsieur　my　uncle；　you　come　inopportunely；
messieurs；〃　she　told　them；　a　certain　feverishness　in　her　air。　　〃He
is　closely　…　oh；　so　very　closely　…　engaged。〃

〃We　will　wait；　mademoiselle；〃　said　M。　de　Vilmorin；　bowing　gallantly
over　the　hand　she　extended　to　him。　〃Indeed；　who　would　haste　to　the
uncle　that　may　tarry　a　moment　with　the　niece？〃

〃M。　l'abbe；〃　she　teased　him；　〃when　you　are　in　orders　I　shall　take
you　for　my　confessor。　　You　have　so　ready　and　sympathetic　an
understanding。〃

〃But　no　curiosity；〃　said　Andre…Louis。　　〃You　haven't　thought　of　that。〃

〃I　wonder　what　you　mean；　Cousin　Andre。〃

〃Well　you　may；〃　laughed　Philippe。　　〃For　no　one　ever　knows。〃　　And
then；　his　glance　straying　across　the　terrace　settled　upon　a　carriage
that　was　drawn　up　before　the　door　of　the　chateau。　　It　was　a　vehicle
such　as　was　often　to　be　seen　in　the　streets　of　a　great　city；　but
rarely　in　the　country。　　It　was　a　beautifully　sprung　two…horse
cabriolet　of　walnut；　with　a　varnish　upon　it　like　a　sheet　of　glass
and　little　pastoral　scenes　exquisitely　painted　on　the　panels　of　the
door。　　It　was　built　to　carry　two　persons；　with　a　box　in　front　for
the　coachman；　and　a　stand　behind　for　the　footman。　　This　stand　was
empty；　but　the　footman　paced　before　the　door；　and　as　he　emerged　now
from　behind　the　vehicle　into　the　range　of　M。　de　Vilmorin's　vision；
he　displayed　the　resplendent　blue…and…gold　livery　of　the　Marquis　de
La　Tour　d'Azyr。

〃Why！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃Is　it　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr　who　is　with　your
uncle？〃

〃It　is；　monsieur；〃　said　she；　a　world　of　mystery　in　voice　and　eyes；
of　which　M。　de　Vilmorin　observed　nothing。

〃Ah；　pardon！〃　he　bowed　low；　hat　in　hand。　　〃Serviteur；　mademoiselle；〃
and　he　turned　to　depart　towards　the　house。

〃Shall　I　come　with　you；　Philippe？〃　Andre…Louis　called　after　him。

〃It　would　be　ungallant　to　assume　that　you　would　prefer　it；〃　said　M。
de　Vilmorin；　with　a　glance　at　mademoiselle。　　〃Nor　do　I　think　it
would　serve。　　If　you　will　wait。。。　〃

M。　de　Vilmorin　strode　off。　　Mademoiselle；　after　a　moment's　blank
pause；　laughed　ripplingly。　　〃Now　where　is　he　going　in　such　a　hurry？〃

〃To　see　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr　as　well　as　your　uncle；　I　should　say。〃

〃But　he　cannot。　　They　cannot　see　him。　Did　I　not　say　that　they　are
very　closely　engaged？　　You　don't　ask　me　why；　Andre〃　　There　was　an
arch　mysteriousness　about　her；　a　latent　something　that　may　have
been　elation　or　amusement；　or　perhaps　both。　　Andre…Louis　could　not
determine　it。

〃Since　obviously　you　are　all　eagerness　to　tell；　why　should　I　ask？〃
quoth　he。

〃If　you　are　caustic　I　shall　not　tell　you　even　if　you　ask。　　Oh；　yes；
I　will。　　It　will　teach　you　to　treat　me　with　the　respect　that　is　my
due。〃

〃I　hope　I　shall　never　fail　in　that。〃

〃Less　than　ever　when　you　learn　that　I　am　very　closely　concerned　in
the　visit　of　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr。　　I　am　the　object　of　this　visit。〃
And　she　looked　at　him　with　sparkling　eyes　and　lips　parted　in
laughter。

〃The　rest；　you　would　seem　to　imply；　is　obvious。　　But　I　am　a　dolt；
if　you　please；　for　it　is　not　obvious　to　me。〃

〃Why；　stupid；　he　comes　to　ask　my　hand　in　marriage。〃

〃Good　God！〃　said　Andre…Louis；　and　stared　at　her；　chapfallen。

She　drew　back　from　him　a　little　with　a　frown　and　an　upward　tilt　of
her　chin。　　〃It　surprises　you？〃

〃It　disgusts　me；〃　said　he；　bluntly。　　〃In　fact；　I　don't　believe　it。
You　are　amusing　yourself　with　me。〃

For　a　moment　she　put　aside　her　visible　annoyance　to　remove　his
doubts。　　〃I　am　quite　serious；　monsieur。　　There　came　a　formal　letter
to　my　uncle　this　morning　from　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr；　announcing　the
visit　and　its　object。　　I　will　not　say　that　it　did　not　surprise　us
a　little。。

〃Oh；　I　see；〃　cried　Andre…Louis；　in　relief。　　〃I　understand。　　For　a
moment　I　had　almost　feared。。。　〃　　He　broke　off；　looked　at　her；　and
shrugged。

〃Why　do　you　stop？　　You　had　almost　feared　that　Versailles　had　been
wasted　upon　me。　　That　I　should　permit　the　court…ship　of　me　to　be
conducted　like　that　of　any　village　wench。