scaramouche-第38节

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work　of　saving　France？〃

But　Andre…Louis；　we　know；　was　not　concerned　to　save　France。　　At　the
moment　he　was　concerned　to　save　two　women；　both　of　whom　he　loved；
though　in　vastly　different　ways；　from　a　man　he　had　vowed　to　ruin。
He　stood　firm　in　his　refusal　until　Le　Chapelier　dejectedly　abandoned
the　attempt　to　persuade　him。

〃It　is　odd；〃　said　Andre…Louis；　〃that　I　should　have　been　so　deeply
immersed　in　trifles　as　never　to　have　perceived　that　Nantes　is　being
politically　active。〃

〃Active！　　My　friend；　it　is　a　seething　cauldron　of　political　emotions。
It　is　kept　quiet　on　the　surface　only　by　the　persuasion　that　all　goes
well。　　At　a　hint　to　the　contrary　it　would　boil　over。〃

〃Would　it　so？〃　said　Scaramouche；　thoughtfully。　　〃The　knowledge　may
be　useful。〃　　And　then　he　changed　the　subject。　　〃You　know　that　La
Tour　d'Azyr　is　here？〃

〃In　Nantes？　　He　has　courage　if　he　shows　himself。　　They　are　not　a
docile　people；　these　Nantais；　and　they　know　his　record　and　the　part
he　played　in　the　rising　at　Rennes。　　I　marvel　they　haven't　stoned
him。　　But　they　will；　sooner　or　later。　　It　only　needs　that　some　one
should　suggest　it。〃

〃That　is　very　likely；〃　said　Andre…Louis；　and　smiled。　　〃He　doesn't
show　himself　much；　not　in　the　streets；　at　least。　　So　that　he　has
not　the　courage　you　suppose；　nor　any　kind　of　courage；　as　I　told
him　once。　　He　has　only　insolence。〃

At　parting　Le　Chapelier　again　exhorted　him　to　give　thought　to　what
he　proposed。　　〃Send　me　word　if　you　change　your　mind。　　I　am　lodged
at　the　Cerf；　and　I　shall　be　here　until　the　day　after　to…morrow。　　If
you　have　ambition；　this　is　your　moment。〃

〃I　have　no　ambition；　I　suppose；〃　said　Andre…Louis；　and　went　his　way。

That　night　at　the　theatre　he　had　a　mischievous　impulse　to　test　what
Le　Chapelier　had　told　him　of　the　state　of　public　feeling　in　the
city。　　They　were　playing　〃The　Terrible　Captain；〃　in　the　last　act　of
which　the　empty　cowardice　of　the　bullying　braggart　Rhodomont　is
revealed　by　Scaramouche。

After　the　laughter　which　the　exposure　of　the　roaring　captain
invariably　produced；　it　remained　for　Scaramouche　contemptuously　to
dismiss　him　in　a　phrase　that　varied　nightly；　according　to　the
inspiration　of　the　moment。　　This　time　he　chose　to　give　his　phrase
a　political　complexion：

〃Thus；　0　thrasonical　coward；　is　your　emptiness　exposed。　　Because
of　your　long　length　and　the　great　sword　you　carry　and　the　angle　at
which　you　cock　your　hat；　people　have　gone　in　fear　of　you；；　have
believed　in　you；　have　imagined　you　to　be　as　terrible　and　as　formidable
as　you　insolently　make　yourself　appear。　　But　at　the　first　touch　of
true　spirit　you　crumple　up；　you　tremble；　you　whine　pitifully；　and
the　great　sword　remains　in　your　scabbard。　　You　remind　me　of　the
Privileged　Orders　when　confronted　by　the　Third　Estate。〃

It　was　audacious　of　him；　and　he　was　prepared　for　anything　…　a　laugh；
applause；　indignation；　or　all　together。　　But　he　was　not　prepared　for
what　came。　　And　it　came　so　suddenly　and　spontaneously　from　the
groundlings　and　the　body　of　those　in　the　amphitheatre　that　he　was
almost　scared　by　it　…　as　a　boy　may　be　scared　who　has　held　a　match
to　a　sun…scorched　hayrick。　　It　was　a　hurricane　of　furious　applause。
Men　leapt　to　their　feet；　sprang　up　on　to　the　benches；　waving　their
hats　in　the　air；　deafening　him　with　the　terrific　uproar　of　their
acclamations。　　And　it　rolled　on　and　on；　nor　ceased　until　the　curtain
fell。

Scaramouche　stood　meditatively　smiling　with　tight　lips。　　At　the
last　moment　he　had　caught　a　glimpse　of　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr's　face
thrust　farther　forward　than　usual　from　the　shadows　of　his　box；　and
it　was　a　face　set　in　anger；　with　eyes　on　fire。

〃Mon　Dieu！〃　laughed　Rhodomont；　recovering　from　the　real　scare　that
had　succeeded　his　histrionic　terror；　〃but　you　have　a　great　trick
of　tickling　them　in　the　right　place；　Scaramouche。〃

Scaramouche　looked　up　at　him　and　smiled。　　〃It　can　be　useful　upon
occasion；〃　said　he；　and　went　off　to　his　dressing…room　to　change。
　
But　a　reprimand　awaited　him。　　He　was　delayed　at　the　theatre　by
matters　concerned　with　the　scenery　of　the　new　piece　they　were　to
mount　upon　the　morrow。　　By　the　time　he　was　rid　of　the　business　the
rest　of　the　company　had　long　since　left。　　He　called　a　chair　and
had　himself　carried　back　to　the　inn　in　solitary　state。　　It　was　one
of　many　minor　luxuries　his　comparatively　affluent　present
circumstances　permitted。

Coming　into　that　upstairs　room　that　was　common　to　all　the　troupe；
he　found　M。　Binet　talking　loudly　and　vehemently。　　He　had　caught
sounds　of　his　voice　whilst　yet　upon　the　stairs。　　As　he　entered　Binet
broke　off　short；　and　wheeled　to　face　him。

〃You　are　here　at　last！〃　　It　was　so　odd　a　greeting　that　Andre…Louis
did　no　more　than　look　his　mild　surprise。　　〃I　await　your　explanations
of　the　disgraceful　scene　you　provoked　to…night。〃

〃Disgraceful？　　Is　it　disgraceful　that　the　public　should　applaud　me？〃

〃The　public？　　The　rabble；　you　mean。　　Do　you　want　to　deprive　us　of
the　patronage　of　all　gentlefolk　by　vulgar　appeals　to　the　low　passions
of　the　mob。？〃

Andre…Louis　stepped　past　M。　Binet　and　forward　to　the　table。　　He
shrugged　contemptuously。　　The　man　offended　him；　after　all。

〃You　exaggerate　grossly　…　as　usual。〃

〃I　do　not　exaggerate。　　And　I　am　the　master　in　my　own　theatre。　　This
is　the　Binet　Troupe；　and　it　shall　be　conducted　in　the　Binet　way。〃

〃Who　are　the　gentlefolk　the　loss　of　whose　patronage　to　the　Feydau
will　be　so　poignantly　felt？〃　asked　Andre…Louis。

〃You　imply　that　there　are　none？　　See　how　wrong　you　are。　　After　the
play　to…night　M。　le　Marquis　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr　came　to　me；　and　spoke
to　me　in　the　severest　terms　about　your　scandalous　outburst。　　I　was
forced　to　apologize；　and。。。　〃

〃The　more　fool　you；〃　said　Andre…Louis。　　〃A　man　who　respected　himself
would　have　shown　that　gentleman　the　door。〃　　M。　Binet's　face　began
to　empurple。　　〃You　call　yourself　the　head　of　the　Binet　Troupe；　you
boast　that　you　will　be　master　in　your　own　theatre；　and　you　stand
like　a　lackey　to　take　the　orders　of　the　first　insolent　fellow　who
comes　to　your　green…room　to　tell　you　that　he　does　not　like　a　line
spoken　by　one　of　your　company！　　I　say　again　that　had　you　really
respected　yourself　you　would　have　turned　him　out。〃

There　was　a　murmur　of　approval　from　several　members　of　the　company；
who；　having　heard　the　arrogant　tone　assumed　by　the　Marquis；　were
filled　with　resentment　against　the　slur　cast　upon　them　all。

〃And　I　say　further；〃　Andre…Louis　went　on；　〃that　a　man　who　respects
himself；　on　quite　other　grounds；　would　have　been　only　too　glad　to
have　seized　this　pretext　to　show　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr　the　door。〃

〃What　do　you　mean　by　that？〃　　There　was　a　rumble　of　thunder　in　the
question。

Andre…Louis'　eyes　swept　round　the　company　assembled　at　the
supper…table。　　〃Where　is　Climene？〃　he　asked；　sharply。

Leandre　leapt　up　to　answer　him；　white　in　the　face；　tense　and
quivering　with　excitement。

〃She　left　the　theatre　in　the　Marquis　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr's　carriage
immediately　after　the　performance。　　We　heard　him　offer　to　drive
her　to　this　inn。〃

Andre…Louis　glanced　at　the　timepiece　on　the　overmantel。　　He　seemed
unnaturally　calm。

〃That　would　be　an　hour　ago　…　rather　more。　　And　she　has　not　yet
arrived？〃

His　eyes　sought　M。　Binet's。　　M。　Binet's　eyes　eluded　his　glance。
Again　it　was　Leandre　who　answered　him。

〃Not　yet。〃

〃Ah！〃　　Andre…Louis　sat　down；　and　poured　himself　wine。　　There　was
an　oppressive　silence　in　the　room。　　Leandre　watched　him　expectantly；
Columbine　commiseratingly。　　Even　M。　Binet　appeared　to　be　waiting
for　a　cue　from　Scaramouche。　　But　Scaramouche　disappointed　him。
〃Have　you　left　me　anything　to　eat？〃　he　asked。

Platters　were　pushed　towards　him。　　He　helped　himself　calmly　to　food；
and　ate　in　silence；　apparently　with　a　good　appetite。　　M。　Binet　sat
down；　poured　himself　wine；　and　drank。　　Presently　he　attempted　to
make　conversation　with　one　and　another。　　He　was　answered　curtly；　in
monosyllables。　　M。　Binet　did　not　appear　to　be　in　favour　with　his
troupe　that　night。

At　long　length　came　a　rumble　of　wheels　below　and　a　rattle　of　halting
hooves。　　Then　voices；　the　high；　trilling　laugh　of　Climene　floating
upwards。　　Andre…Louis　went　on　eating　unconcernedly。

〃What　an　actor！〃　said　Harlequin　under　his　breath　to　Polichinelle；
and　Polichinelle　nodded　gloomily。

She　came　in；　a　leading　lady　taking　the　stage；　head　high；　chin　thrust
forward；　eyes　dancing　with　laughter；　she　expressed　triumph　and
arrogance。　　Her　cheeks　were　flushed；　and　there　was　some　disorder　in
the　mass　of　nut…brown　hair　that　crowned　her　head。　　In　her　left　hand
she　carried　an　enormous　bouquet　of　white　camellias。　　On　its　middle
finger　a　diamond　of　great　price　drew　almost　at　once　by　its　effulgence
the　eyes　of　all。

Her　father　sprang　to　meet　her　with　an　unusual　display　of　paternal
tenderness。　　〃At　last；　my　child！〃

He　conducted　her　to　the　table。　　She　sank　into　a　chair；　a　little
wearily；　a　little　nervelessly；　but　the　smile　did　not　leave　her　face；
not　even　when　she　glanced　across　at　Scaramouche。　　It　was　only
Leandre；　observing　her　closely；　with　hungry；　scowling　stare；　who
detected　something　as　of　fear　in　the　hazel　eyes　momentarily　seen
between　the　fluttering　of　her　lids。

Andre…Louis；　however；　still　went　on　ea