scaramouche-第31节

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I　am　overwhelmed　by　the　unusual　honour。〃

He　looked　into　her　piquant　little　face；　and　noted　how　obscured　it
was　by　its　cloud　of　dignity。　　He　laughed。

〃Perhaps　I　feared　that　the　honour　was　not　sought。〃

〃Ah；　now　I　understand；〃　she　cried。　　〃It　is　for　me　to　seek　these
honours。　　I　am　to　woo　a　man　before　he　will　pay　me　the　homage　of
civility。　　It　must　be　so；　since　you；　who　clearly　know　everything；
have　said　so。　　It　remains　for　me　to　beg　your　pardon　for　my　ignorance。〃

〃It　amuses　you　to　be　cruel；〃　said　Scaramouche。　　〃No　matter。　　Shall
we　walk？〃

They　set　out　together；　stepping　briskly　to　warm　their　blood　against
the　wintry　evening　air。　　Awhile　they　went　in　silence；　yet　each
furtively　observing　the　other。

〃And　so；　you　find　me　cruel？〃　she　challenged　him　at　length；　thereby
betraying　the　fact　that　the　accusation　had　struck　home。

He　looked　at　her　with　a　half　smile。　　〃Will　you　deny　it？〃

〃You　are　the　first　man　that　ever　accused　me　of　that。〃

〃I　dare　not　suppose　myself　the　first　man　to　whom　you　have　been　cruel。
That　were　an　assumption　too　flattering　to　myself。　　I　must　prefer　to
think　that　the　others　suffered　in　silence。〃

〃Mon　Dieu！　　Have　you　suffered？〃　She　was　between　seriousness　and
raillery。

〃I　place　the　confession　as　an　offering　on　the　altar　of　your　vanity。〃

〃I　should　never　have　suspected　it。〃

〃How　could　you？　　Am　I　not　what　your　father　calls　a　natural　actor？
I　was　an　actor　long　before　I　became　Scaramouche。　　Therefore　I　have
laughed。　　I　often　do　when　I　am　hurt。　　When　you　were　pleased　to　be
disdainful；　I　acted　disdain　in　my　turn。〃

〃You　acted　very　well；〃　said　she；　without　reflecting。

〃Of　course。　　I　am　an　excellent　actor。〃

〃And　why　this　sudden　change？〃

〃In　response　to　the　change　in　you。　　You　have　grown　weary　of　your
part　of　cruel　madam　…　a　dull　part；　believe　me；　and　unworthy　of　your
talents。；　Were　I　a　woman　and　had　I　your　loveliness　and　your　grace；
Climene；　I　should　disdain　to　use　them　as　weapons　of　offence。〃

〃Loveliness　and　grace！〃　she　echoed；　feigning　amused　surprise。　　But
the　vain　baggage　was　mollified。　　〃When　was　it　that　you　discovered
this　beauty　and　this　grace；　M。　Scaramouche？〃

He　looked　at　her　a　moment；　considering　the　sprightly　beauty　of　her；
the　adorable　femininity　that　from　the　first　had　so　irresistibly
attracted　him。

〃One　morning　when　I　beheld　you　rehearsing　a　love…scene　with　Leandre。〃

He　caught　the　surprise　that　leapt　to　her　eyes；　before　she　veiled
them　under　drooping　lids　from　his　too　questing　gaze。

〃Why；　that　was　the　first　time　you　saw　me。〃

〃I　had　no　earlier　occasion　to　remark　your　charms。〃

〃You　ask　me　to　believe　too　much；〃　said　she；　but　her　tone　was　softer
than　he　had　ever　known　it　yet。

〃Then　you'll　refuse　to　believe　me　if　I　confess　that　it　was　this
grace　and　beauty　that　determined　my　destiny　that　day　by　urging　me
to　join　your　father's　troupe。〃

At　that　she　became　a　little　out　of　breath。　　There　was　no　longer　any
question　of　finding　an　outlet　for　resentment。　　Resentment　was　all
forgotten。

〃But　why？　　With　what　object？〃

〃With　the　object　of　asking　you　one　day　to　be　my　wife。〃

She　halted　under　the　shock　of　that；　and　swung　round　to　face　him。
Her　glance　met　his　own　without；　shyness　now；　there　was　a　hardening
glitter　in　her　eyes；　a　faint　stir　of　colour　in　her　cheeks。　　She
suspected　him　of　an　unpardonable　mockery。

〃You　go　very　fast；　don't　you？〃　she　asked　him；　with　heat。

〃I　do。　　haven't　you　observed　it？　　I　am　a　man　of　sudden　impulses。
See　what　I　have　made　of　the　Binet　troupe　in　less　than　a　couple　of
months。　　Another　might　have　laboured　for　a　year　and　not　achieved
the　half　of　it。　　Shall　I　be　slower　in　love　than　in　work？　　Would　it
be　reasonable　to　expect　it？　　I　have　curbed　and　repressed　myself　not
to　scare　you　by　precipitancy。　　In　that　I　have　done　violence　to　my
feelings；　and　more　than　all　in　using　the　same　cold　aloofness　with
which　you　chose　to　treat　me。　　I　have　waited　…　oh！　　so　patiently　…
until　you　should　tire　of　that　mood　of　cruelty。〃

〃You　are　an　amazing　man；〃　said　she；　quite　colourlessly。

〃I　am；〃　he　agreed　with　her。　　〃It　is　only　the　conviction　that　I　am
not　commonplace　that　has　permitted　me　to　hope　as　I　have　hoped。〃

Mechanically；　and　as　if　by　tacit　consent；　they　resumed　their　walk。

〃And　I　ask　you　to　observe；〃　he　said；　〃when　you　complain　that　I　go
very　fast；　that；　after　all；　I　have　so　far　asked　you　for　nothing。〃

〃How？〃　quoth　she；　frowning。

〃I　have　merely　told　you　of　my　hopes。　　I　am　not　so　rash　as　to　ask　at
once　whether　I　may　realize　them。〃

〃My　faith；　but　that　is　prudent；〃　said　she；　tartly。

〃Of　course。〃

It　was　his　self…possession　that　exasperated　her；　for　after　that　she
walked　the　short　remainder　of　the　way　in　silence；　and　so；　for　the
moment；　the　matter　was　left　just　there。

But　that　night；　after　they　had　supped；　it　chanced　that　when　Climene
was　about　to　retire；　he　and　she　were　alone　together　in　the　room
abovestairs　that　her　father　kept　exclusively　for　his　company。　　The
Binet　Troupe；　you　see；　was　rising　in　the　world。

As　Climene　now　rose　to　withdraw　for　the　night；　Scaramouche　rose
with　her　to　light　her　candle。　　Holding　it　in　her　left　hand；　she
offered　him　her　right；　a　long；　tapering；　white　hand　at　the　end　of
a　softly　rounded　arm　that　was　bare　to　the　elbow。

〃Good…night；　Scaramouche；〃　she　said；　but　so　softly；　so　tenderly；
that　he　caught　his　breath；　and　stood　conning　her；　his　dark　eyes
aglow。

Thus　a　moment；　then　he　took　the　tips　of　her　fingers　in　his　grasp；
and　bowing　over　the　hand；　pressed　his　lips　upon　it。　　Then　he　looked
at　her　again。　　The　intense　femininity　of　her　lured　him　on；　invited
him；　surrendered　to　him。　　Her　face　was　pale；　there　was　a　glitter　in
her　eyes；　a　curious　smile　upon　her　parted　lips；　and　under　its
fichu…menteur　her　bosom　rose　and　fell　to　complete　the　betrayal　of　her。

By　the　hand　he　continued　to　hold；　he　drew　her　towards　him。　　She　came
unresisting。　　He　took　the　candle　from　her；　and　set　it　down　on　the
sideboard　by　which　she　stood。　　The　next　moment　her　slight；　lithe
body　was　in　his　arms；　and　he　was　kissing　her；　murmuring　her　name　as
if　it　were　a　prayer。

〃Am　I　cruel　now？〃　she　asked　him；　panting。　　He　kissed　her　again　for
only　answer。　　〃You　made　me　cruel　because　you　would　not　see；〃　she
told　him　next　in　a　whisper。

And　then　the　door　opened；　and　M。　Binet　came　in　to　have　his　paternal
eyes　regaled　by　this　highly　indecorous　behaviour　of　his　daughter。

He　stood　at　gaze；　whilst　they　quite　leisurely；　and　in　a
self…possession　too　complete　to　be　natural；　detached　each　from
the　other。

〃And　what　may　be　the　meaning　of　this？〃　demanded　M。　Binet；　bewildered
and　profoundly　shocked。

〃Does　it　require　explaining？〃　asked　Scaramouche。　　〃Doesn't　it　speak
for　itself　…　eloquently？　　It　means　that　Climene　and　I　have　taken　it
into　our　heads　to　be　married。〃

〃And　doesn't　it　matter　what　I　may　take　into　my　head？〃

〃Of　course。　　But　you　could　have　neither　the　bad　taste　nor　the　bad
heart　to　offer　any　obstacle。〃

〃You　take　that　for　granted？　　Aye；　that　is　your　way；　to　be　sure　…　to
take　things　for　granted。　　But　my　daughter　is　not　to　be　taken　for
granted。　　I　have　very　definite　views　for　my　daughter。　　You　have　done
an　unworthy　thing；　Scaramouche。　　You　have　betrayed　my　trust　in　you。
I　am　very　angry　with　you。〃

He　rolled　forward　with　his　ponderous　yet　curiously　noiseless　gait。
Scaramouche　turned　to　her；　smiling；　and　handed　her　the　candle。

〃If　you　will　leave　us；　Climene；　I　will　ask　your　hand　of　your　father
in　proper　form。〃

She　vanished；　a　little　fluttered；　lovelier　than　ever　in　her　mixture
of　confusion　and　timidity。　　Scaramouche　closed　the　door　and　faced　the
enraged　M。　Binet；　who　had　flung　himself　into　an　armchair　at　the　head
of　the　short　table；　faced　him　with　the　avowed　purpose　of　asking　for
Climene's　hand　in　proper　form。　　And　this　was　how　he　did　it：

〃Father…in…law；〃　said　he；　〃I　congratulate　you。　　This　will　certainly
mean　the　Comedie　Francaise　for　Climene；　and　that　before　long；　and
you　shall　shine　in　the　glory　she　will　reflect。　　As　the　father　of
Madame　Scaramouche　you　may　yet　be　famous。〃

Binet；　his　face　slowly　empurpling；　glared　at　him　in　speechless
stupefaction。　　His　rage　was　the　more　utter　from　his　humiliating
conviction　that　whatever　he　might　say　or　do；　this　irresistible
fellow　would　bend　him　to　his　will。　　At　last　speech　came　to　him。

〃You're　a　damned　corsair；〃　he　cried；　thickly；　banging　his　ham…like
fist　upon　the　table。　　〃A　corsair！　　First　you　sail　in　and　plunder　me
of　half　my　legitimate　gains；　and　now　you　want　to　carry　off　my
daughter。　　But　I'll　be　damned　if　I'll　give　her　to　a　graceless；
nameless　scoundrel　like　you；　for　whom　the　gallows　are　waiting
already。〃

Scaramouche　pulled　the　bell…rope；　not　at　all　discomposed。　　He　smiled。
There　was　a　flush　on　his　cheeks　and　a　gleam　in　his　eyes。　　He　was
very　pleased　with　the　world　that　night。　　He　really　owed　a　great　debt
to　M。　de　Lesdiguieres。

〃Binet；〃　said　he；　〃forget　for　once　that　you　are　Pantaloon；　and　behave
as　a　nice；　amiable　father…in…law　should　behave　when　he　has　secured　a
son…in…law　of　exceptionable　merits。　　We　are　going　to　have　a　bottle　of
Burgundy　at　my　expense；　and　it　shall　be　the　best　bottle　of　Burgundy
to　be　found　in　Redon。　　Compose　yourself　to　do　fitting　honour