scaramouche-第33节

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it　did　not　come。　　And　then　he　became　conscious　of　something
alarmingly　unusual　in　Scaramouche's　manner。　　The　sibilant　foreign
accent　was　there；　but　none　of　the　broad　boisterousness　their
audiences　had　loved。

He　wrung　his　hands　in　despair。　　〃It　is　all　over！〃　he　said。　　〃The
fellow　has　ruined　us！　　It　serves　me　right　for　being　a　fool；　and
allowing　him　to　take　control　of　everything！〃

But　he　was　profoundly　mistaken。　　He　began　to　have　an　inkling　of　this
when　presently　himself　he　took　the　stage；　and　found　the　public
attentive；　remarked　a　grin　of　quiet　appreciation　on　every　upturned
face。　　It　was　not；　however；　until　the　thunders　of　applause　greeted
the　fall　of　the　curtain　on　the　first　act　that　he　felt　quite　sure
they　would　be　allowed　to　escape　with　their　lives。

Had　the　part　of　Pantaloon　in　〃Les　Fourberies〃　been　other　than　that
of　a　blundering；　timid　old　idiot；　Binet　would　have　ruined　it　by　his
apprehensions。　　As　it　was；　those　very　apprehensions；　magnifying　as
they　did　the　hesitancy　and　bewilderment　that　were　the　essence　of
his　part；　contributed　to　the　success。　　And　a　success　it　proved　that
more　than　justified　all　the　heralding　of　which　Scaramouche　had　been
guilty。

For　Scaramouche　himself　this　success　was　not　confined　to　the　public。
At　the　end　of　the　play　a　great　reception　awaited　him　from　his
companions　assembled　in　the　green…room　of　the　theatre。　　His　talent；
resource；　and　energy　had　raised　them　in　a　few　weeks　from　a　pack　of
vagrant　mountebanks　to　a　self…respecting　company　of　first…rate
players。　　They　acknowledged　it　generously　in　a　speech　entrusted　to
Polichinelle；　adding　the　tribute　to　his　genius　that；　as　they　had
conquered　Nantes；　so　would　they　conquer　the　world　under　his　guidance。

In　their　enthusiasm　they　were　a　little　neglectful　of　the　feelings
of　M。　Binet。　　Irritated　enough　had　he　been　already　by　the　overriding
of　his　every　wish；　by　the　consciousness　of　his　weakness　when　opposed
to　Scaramouche。　　And；　although　he　had　suffered　the　gradual　process
of　usurpation　of　authority　because　its　every　step　had　been　attended
by　his　own　greater　profit；　deep　down　in　him　the　resentment　abode　to
stifle　every　spark　of　that　gratitude　due　from　him　to　his　partner。
To…night　his　nerves　had　been　on　the　rack；　and　he　had　suffered　agonies
of　apprehension；　for　all　of　which　he　blamed　Scaramouche　so　bitterly
that　not　even　the　ultimate　success　…　almost　miraculous　when　all　the
elements　are　considered　…　could　justify　his　partner　in　his　eyes。

And　now；　to　find　himself；　in　addition；　ignored　by　this　company　…　his
own　company；　which　he　had　so　laboriously　and　slowly　assembled　and
selected　among　the　men　of　ability　whom　he　had　found　here　and　there
in　the　dregs　of　cities　was　something　that　stirred　his　bile；　and
aroused　the　malevolence　that　never　did　more　than　slumber　in　him。　But
deeply　though　his　rage　was　moved；　it　did　not　blind　him　to　the　folly
of　betraying　it。　　Yet　that　he　should　assert　himself　in　this　hour　was
imperative　unless　he　were　for　ever　to　become　a　thing　of　no　account
in　this　troupe　over　which　he　had　lorded　it　for　long　months　before
this　interloper　came　amongst　them　to　fill　his　purse　and　destroy　his
authority。

So　he　stepped　forward　now　when　Polichinelle　had　done。　　His　make…up
assisting　him　to　mask　his　bitter　feelings；　he　professed　to　add　his
own　to　Polichinelle's　acclamations　of　his　dear　partner。　　But　he　did
it　in　such　a　manner　as　to　make　it　clear　that　what　Scaramouche　had
done；　he　had　done　by　M。　Binet's　favour；　and　that　in　all　M。　Binet's
had　been　the　guiding　hand。　　In　associating　himself　with　Polichinelle；
he　desired　to　thank　Scaramouche；　much　in　the　manner　of　a　lord
rendering　thanks　to　his　steward　for　services　diligently　rendered　and
orders　scrupulously　carried　out。

It　neither　deceived　the　troupe　nor　mollified　himself。　　Indeed；　his
consciousness　of　the　mockery　of　it　but　increased　his　bitterness。
But　at　least　it　saved　his　face　and　rescued　him　from　nullity　…　he　who
was　their　chief。

To　say；　as　I　have　said；　that　it　did　not　deceive　them；　is　perhaps　to
say　too　much；　for　it　deceived　them　at　least　on　the　score　of　his
feelings。　　They　believed；　after　discounting　the　insinuations　in
which　he　took　all　credit　to　himself；　that　at　heart　he　was　filled
with　gratitude；　as　they　were。　　That　belief　was　shared　by　Andre…Louis
himself；　who　in　his　brief；　grateful　answer　was　very　generous　to　M。
Binet；　more　than　endorsing　the　claims　that　M。　Binet　had　made。

And　then　followed　from　him　the　announcement　that　their　success　in
Nantes　was　the　sweeter　to　him　because　it　rendered　almost　immediately
attainable　the　dearest　wish　of　his　heart；　which　was　to　make　Climene
his　wife。　　It　was　a　felicity　of　which　he　was　the　first　to　acknowledge
his　utter　unworthiness。　　It　was　to　bring　him　into　still　closer
relations　with　his　good　friend　M。　Binet；　to　whom　he　owed　all　that　he
had　achieved　for　himself　and　for　them。　The　announcement　was　joyously
received；　for　the　world　of　the　theatre　loves　a　lover　as　dearly　as
does　the　greater　world。　　So　they　acclaimed　the　happy　pair；　with　the
exception　of　poor　Leandre；　whose　eyes　were　more　melancholy　than　ever。

They　were　a　happy　family　that　night　in　the　upstairs　room　of　their
inn　on　the　Quai　La　Fosse　…　the　same　inn　from　which　Andre…Louis　had
set　out　some　weeks　ago　to　play　a　vastly　different　role　before　an
audience　of　Nantes。　　Yet　was　it　so　different；　he　wondered？　　Had　he
not　then　been　a　sort　of　Scaramouche　…　an　intriguer；　glib　and
specious；　deceiving　folk；　cynically　misleading　them　with　opinions
that　were　not　really　his　own？　　Was　it　at　all　surprising　that　he
should　have　made　so　rapid　and　signal　a　success　as　a　mime？　　Was　not
this　really　all　that　he　had　ever　been；　the　thing　for　which　Nature
had　designed　him？

On　the　following　night　they　played　〃The　Shy　Lover〃　to　a　full　house；
the　fame　of　their　debut　having　gone　abroad；　and　the　success　of
Monday　was　confirmed。　　On　Wednesday　they　gave　〃Figaro…Scaramouche；〃
and　on　Thursday　morning　the　〃Courrier　Nantais〃　came　out　with　an
article　of　more　than　a　column　of　praise　of　these　brilliant
improvisers；　for　whom　it　claimed　that　they　utterly　put　to　shame　the
mere　reciters　of　memorized　parts。

Andre…Louis；　reading　the　sheet　at　breakfast；　and　having　no　delusions
on　the　score　of　the　falseness　of　that　statement；　laughed　inwardly。
The　novelty　of　the　thing；　and　the　pretentiousness　in　which　he　had
swaddled　it；　had　deceived　them　finely。　　He　turned　to　greet　Binet　and
Climene；　who　entered　at　that　moment。　　He　waved　the　sheet　above　his
head。

〃It　is　settled；〃　he　announced；　〃we　stay　in　Nantes　until　Easter。〃

〃Do　we？〃　said　Binet；　sourly。　　〃You　settle　everything；　my　friend。〃

〃Read　for　yourself。〃　And　he　handed　him　the　paper。

Moodily　M。　Binet　read。　　He　set　the　sheet　down　in　silence；　and　turned
his　attention　to　his　breakfast。

〃Was　I　justified　or　not？〃　quoth　Andre…Louis；　who　found　M。　Binet's
behaviour　a　thought　intriguing。

〃In　what？〃

〃In　coming　to　Nantes？〃

〃If　I　had　not　thought　so；　we　should　not　have　come；〃　said　Binet；　and
he　began　to　eat。

Andre…Louis　dropped　the　subject；　wondering。

After　breakfast　he　and　Climene　sallied　forth　to　take　the　air　upon
the　quays。　　It　was　a　day　of　brilliant　sunshine　and　less　cold　than
it　had　lately　been。　　Columbine　tactlessly　joined　them　as　they　were
setting　out；　though　in　this　respect　matters　were　improved　a　little
when　Harlequin　came　running　after　them；　and　attached　himself　to
Columbine。

Andre…Louis；　stepping　out　ahead　with　Climene；　spoke　of　the　thing
that　was　uppermost　in　his　mind　at　the　moment。

〃Your　father　is　behaving　very　oddly　towards　me；〃　said　he。　　〃It　is
almost　as　if　he　had　suddenly　become　hostile。〃

〃You　imagine　it；〃　said　she。　　〃My　father　is　very　grateful　to　you；
as　we　all　are。〃

〃He　is　anything　but　grateful。　　He　is　infuriated　against　me；　and　I
think　I　know　the　reason。　　Don't　you？　　Can't　you　guess？〃

〃I　can't；　indeed。〃

〃If　you　were　my　daughter；　Climene；　which　God　be　thanked　you　are
not；　I　should　feel　aggrieved　against　the　man　who　carried　you　away
from　me。　　Poor　old　Pantaloon！　　He　called　me　a　corsair　when　I　told
him　that　I　intend　to　marry　you。〃

〃He　was　right。　　You　are　a　bold　robber；　Scaramouche。〃

〃It　is　in　the　character；〃　said　he。　　〃Your　father　believes　in　having
his　mimes　play　upon　the　stage　the　parts　that　suit　their　natural
temperaments。〃

〃Yes；　you　take　everything　you　want；　don't　you？〃　　She　looked　up　at
him；　half　adoringly；　half　shyly。

〃If　it　is　possible；〃　said　he。　　〃I　took　his　consent　to　our　marriage
by　main　force　from　him。　I　never　waited　for　him　to　give　it。　　When；　in
fact；　he　refused　it；　I　just　snatched　it　from　him；　and　I'll　defy　him
now　to　win　it　back　from　me。　　I　think　that　is　what　he　most　resents。〃

She　laughed；　and　launched　upon　an　animated　answer。　　But　he　did　not
hear　a　word　of　it。　　Through　the　bustle　of　traffic　on　the　quay　a
cabriolet；　the　upper　half　of　which　was　almost　entirely　made　of　glass；
had　approached　them。　　It　was　drawn　by　two　magnificent　bay　horses　and
driven　by　a　superbly　livened　coachman。

In　the　cabriolet　alone　sat　a　slight　young　girl　wrapped　in　a　lynx…fur
pelisse；　her　face　of　a　delicate　loveliness。　　She　was　leaning　forward；
her　lips　parted；　her　eyes　devouring　Scaramouche　until　they　drew　his
gaze。　　When　that