scaramouche-第37节

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above；　the　stage。　　There　were　others　with　them　…　notably　a　thin；
elderly；　resplendent　lady　whom　Andre…Louis　supposed　to　be　Madame
la　Comtesse　de　Sautron。　　But　at　the　time　he　had　no　eyes　for　any　but
those　two；　who　of　late　had　so　haunted　his　thoughts。　　The　sight　of
either　of　them　would　have　been　sufficiently　disconcerting。　　The
sight　of　both　together　very　nearly　made　him　forget　the　purpose　for
which　he　had　come　upon　the　stage。　　Then　he　pulled　himself　together；
and　played。　　He　played；　he　says；　with　an　unusual　nerve；　and　never
in　all　that　brief　but　eventful　career　of　his　was　he　more　applauded。

That　was　the　evening's　first　shock。　　The　next　came　after　the　second
act。　　Entering　the　green…room　he　found　it　more　thronged　than　usual；
and　at　the　far　end　with　Climene；　over　whom　he　was　bending　from　his
fine　height；　his　eyes　intent　upon　her　face；　what　time　his　smiling
lips　moved　in　talk；　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr。　　He　had　her　entirely　to
himself；　a　privilege　none　of　the　men　of　fashion　who　were　in　the
habit　of　visiting　the　coulisse　had　yet　enjoyed。　　Those　lesser
gentlemen　had　all　withdrawn　before　the　Marquis；　as　jackals　withdraw
before　the　lion。

Andre…Louis　stared　a　moment；　stricken。　　Then　recovering　from　his
surprise　he　became　critical　in　his　study　of　the　Marquis。　　He
considered　the　beauty　and　grace　and　splendour　of　him；　his　courtly
air；　his　complete　and　unshakable　self…possession。　　But　more　than
all　he　considered　the　expression　of　the　dark　eyes　that　were　devouring
Climene's　lovely　face；　and　his　own　lips　tightened。

M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr　never　heeded　him　or　his　stare；　nor；　had　he　done
so；　would　he　have　known　who　it　was　that　looked　at　him　from　behind
the　make…up　of　Scaramouche；　nor；　again；　had　he　known；　would　he　have
been　in　the　least　troubled　or　concerned。

Andre…Louis　sat　down　apart；　his　mind　in　turmoil。　　Presently　he　found
a　mincing　young　gentleman　addressing　him；　and　made　shift　to　answer
as　was　expected。　　Climene　having　been　thus　sequestered；　and　Columbine
being　already　thickly　besieged　by　gallants；　the　lesser　visitors　had
to　content　themselves　with　Madame　and　the　male　members　of　the　troupe。
M。　Binet；　indeed；　was　the　centre　of　a　gay　cluster　that　shook　with
laughter　at　his　sallies。　　He　seemed　of　a　sudden　to　have　emerged　from
the　gloom　of　the　last　two　days　into　high　good…humour；　and　Scaramouche
observed　how　persistently　his　eyes　kept　flickering　upon　his　daughter
and　her　splendid　courtier。

That　night　there；　were　high　words　between　Andre…Louis　and　Climene；
the　high　words　proceeding　from　Climene。　　When　Andre…Louis　again；
and　more　insistently；　enjoined　prudence　upon　his　betrothed；　and
begged　her　to　beware　how　far　she　encouraged　the　advances　of　such
a　man　as　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr；　she　became　roundly　abusive。　　She
shocked　and　stunned　him　by　her　virulently　shrewish　tone；　and　her
still　more　unexpected　force　of　invective。

He　sought　to　reason　with　her；　and　finally　she　came　to　certain
terms　with　him。

〃If　you　have　become　betrothed　to　me　simply　to　stand　as　an　obstacle
in　my　path；　the　sooner　we　make　an　end　the　better。〃

〃You　do　not　love　me　then；　Climene？〃

〃Love　has　nothing　to　do　with　it。　　I'll　not　tolerate　your　insensate
jealousy。　　A　girl　in　the　theatre　must　make　it　her　business　to　accept
homage　from　all。〃

〃Agreed；　and　there　is　no　harm；　provided　she　gives　nothing　in
exchange。〃

White…faced；　with　flaming　eyes　she　turned　on　him　at　that。

〃Now；　what　exactly　do　you　mean？〃

〃My　meaning　is　clear。　　A　girl　in　your　position　may　receive　all　the
homage　that　is　offered；　provided　she　receives　it　with　a　dignified
aloofness　implying　clearly　that　she　has　no　favours　to　bestow　in
return　beyond　the　favour　of　her　smile。　　If　she　is　wise　she　will
see　to　it　that　the　homage　is　always　offered　collectively　by　her
admirers；　and　that　no　single　one　amongst　them　shall　ever　have　the
privilege　of　approaching　her　alone。　　If　she　is　wise　she　will　give
no　encouragement；　nourish　no　hopes　that　it　may　afterwards　be　beyond
her　power　to　deny　realization。〃

〃How？　　You　dare？〃

〃I　know　my　world。　　And　I　know　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr；〃　he　answered　her。
〃He　is　a　man　without　charity；　without　humanity　almost；　a　man　who
takes　what　he　wants　wherever　he　finds　it　and　whether　it　is　given
willingly　or　not；　a　man　who　reckons　nothing　of　the　misery　he
scatters　on　his　self…indulgent　way；　a　man　whose　only　law　is　force。
Ponder　it；　Climene；　and　ask　yourself　if　I　do　you　less　than　honour　in
warning　you。〃

He　went　out　on　that；　feeling　a　degradation　in　continuing　the　subject。

The　days　that　followed　were　unhappy　days　for　him；　and　for　at　least
one　other。　　That　other　was　Leandre；　who　was　cast　into　the　profoundest
dejection　by　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr's　assiduous　attendance　upon　Climene。
The　Marquis　was　to　be　seen　at　every　performance；　a　box　was　perpetually
reserved　for　him；　and　invariably　he　came　either　alone　or　else　with　his
cousin　M。　de　Chabrillane。

On　Tuesday　of　the　following　week；　Andre…Louis　went　out　alone　early
in　the　morning。　　He　was　out　of　temper；　fretted　by　an　overwhelming
sense　of　humiliation；　and　he　hoped　to　clear　his　mind　by　walking。
In　turning　the　corner　of　the　Place　du　Bouffay　he　ran　into　a　slightly
built；　sallow…complexioned　gentleman　very　neatly　dressed　in　black；
wearing　a　tie…wig　under　a　round　hat。　　The　man　fell　back　at　sight　of
him；　levelling　a　spy…glass；　then　hailed　him　in　a　voice　that　rang
with　amazement。

〃Moreau！　　Where　the　devil　have　you　been　hiding　your…self　these　months？〃

It　was　Le　Chapelier；　the　lawyer；　the　leader　of　the　Literary　Chamber
of　Rennes。

〃Behind　the　skirts　of　Thespis；〃　said　Scaramouche。

〃I　don't　understand。〃

〃I　didn't　intend　that　you　should。　　What　of　yourself；　Isaac？　　And
what　of　the　world　which　seems　to　have　been　standing　still　of　late？〃

〃Standing　still！〃　Le　Chapelier　laughed。　　〃But　where　have　you　been；
then？　　Standing　still！〃　　He　pointed　across　the　square　to　a　caf？
under　the　shadow　of　the　gloomy　prison。　　〃Let　us　go　and　drink　a
bavaroise。　　You　are　of　all　men　the　man　we　want；　the　man　we　have
been　seeking　everywhere；　and　…　behold！　　…　you　drop　from　the　skies
into　my　path。〃

They　crossed　the　square　and　entered　the　caf？

〃So　you　think　the　world　has　been　standing　still！　　Dieu　de　Dieu！　　I
suppose　you　haven't　heard　of　the　royal　order　for　the　convocation　of
the　States　General；　or　the　terms　of　them　…　that　we　are　to　have　what
we　demanded；　what　you　demanded　for　us　here　in　Nantes！　　You　haven't
heard　that　the　order　has　gone　forth　for　the　primary　elections　…　the
elections　of　the　electors。　　You　haven't　heard　of　the　fresh　uproar
in　Rennes；　last　month。　　The　order　was　that　the　three　estates　should
sit　together　at　the　States　General　of　the　bailliages；　but　in　the
bailliage　of　Rennes　the　nobles　must　ever　be　recalcitrant。　　They　took
up　arms　actually　…　six　hundred　of　them　with　their　valetaille；　headed
by　your　old　friend　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr；　and　they　were　for　slashing
us　…　the　members　of　the　Third　Estate　…　into　ribbons　so　as　to　put　an
end　to　our　insolence。〃　　He　laughed　delicately。　　〃But；　by　God；　we
showed　them　that　we；　too；　could　take　up　arms。　　It　was　what　you
yourself　advocated　here　in　Nantes；　last　November。　　We　fought　them
a　pitched　battle　in　the　streets；　under　the　leadership　of　your
namesake　Moreau；　the　provost；　and　we　so　peppered　them　that　they　were
glad　to　take　shelter　in　the　Cordelier　Convent。　　That　is　the　end　of
their　resistance　to　the　royal　authority　and　the　people's　will。〃

He　ran　on　at　great　speed　detailing　the　events　that　had　taken　place；
and　finally　came　to　the　matter　which　had；　he　announced；　been　causing
him　to　hunt　for　Andre…Louis　until　he　had　all　but　despaired　of
finding　him。

Nantes　was　sending　fifty　delegates　to　the　assembly　of　Rennes　which
was　to　select　the　deputies　to　the　Third　Estate　and　edit　their　cahier
of　grievances。　　Rennes　itself　was　being　as　fully　represented；　whilst
such　villages　as　Gavrillac　were　sending　two　delegates　for　every　two
hundred　hearths　or　less。　　Each　of　these　three　had　clamoured　that
Andre…Louis　Moreau　should　be　one　of　its　delegates。　　Gavrillac　wanted
him　because　he　belonged　to　the　village；　and　it　was　known　there　what
sacrifices　he　had　made　in　the　popular　cause；　Rennes　wanted　him
because　it　had　heard　his　spirited　address　on　the　day　of　the　shooting
of　the　students；　and　Nantes　…　to　whom　his　identity　was　unknown　…　
asked　for　him　as　the　speaker　who　had　addressed　them　under　the　name
of　Omnes　Omnibus　and　who　had　framed　for　them　the　memorial　that　was
believed　so　largely　to　have　influenced　M。　Necker　in　formulating　the
terms　of　the　convocation。

Since　he　could　not　be　found；　the　delegations　had　been　made　up
without　him。　　But　now　it　happened　that　one　or　two　vacancies　had
occurred　in　the　Nantes　representation；　and　it　was　the　business　of
filling　these　vacancies　that　had　brought　Le　Chapelier　to　Nantes。

Andre…Louis　firmly　shook　his　head　in　answer　to　Le　Chapelier's
proposal。

〃You　refuse？〃　the　other　cried。　　〃Are　you　mad？　　Refuse；　when　you　are
demanded　from　so　many　sides？　　Do　you　realize　that　it　is　more　than
probable　you　will　be　elected　one　of　the　deputies；　that　you　will　be
sent　to　the　States　General　at　Versailles　to　represent　us　in　this
work　of　saving　France？〃

But　Andre…Louis；　we　know；　was　not　concerned　to　save　Fran