scaramouche-第4节

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wasted　upon　me。　　That　I　should　permit　the　court…ship　of　me　to　be
conducted　like　that　of　any　village　wench。　　It　was　stupid　of　you。　　I
am　being　sought　in　proper　form；　at　my　uncle's　hands。〃

〃Is　his　consent；　then；　all　that　matters；　according　to　Versailles？〃

〃What　else？〃

〃There　is　your　own。〃

She　laughed。　　〃I　am　a　dutiful　niece。。。　when　it　suits　me。〃

〃And　will　it　suit　you　to　be　dutiful　if　your　uncle　accepts　this
monstrous　proposal？〃

〃Monstrous！〃　　She　bridled。　　〃And　why　monstrous；　if　you　please？〃

〃For　a　score　of　reasons；〃　he　answered　irritably。

〃Give　me　one；〃　she　challenged　him。

〃He　is　twice　your　age。〃

〃Hardly　so　much；〃　said　she。

〃He　is　forty…five；　at　least。〃

〃But　he　looks　no　more　than　thirty。　　He　is　very　handsome　…　so　much
you　will　admit；　nor　will　you　deny　that　he　is　very　wealthy　and　very
powerful；　the　greatest　nobleman　in　Brittany。　　He　will　make　me　a
great　lady。〃

〃God　made　you　that；　Aline。〃

〃Come；　that's　better。　　Sometimes　you　can　almost　be　polite。〃　And　she
moved　along　the　terrace；　Andre…Louis　pacing　beside　her。

〃I　can　be　more　than　that　to　show　reason　why　you　should　not　let　this
beast　befoul　the　beautiful　thing　that　God　has　made。〃

She　frowned；　and　her　lips　tightened。　　〃You　are　speaking　of　my　future
husband；〃　she　reproved　him。

His　lips　tightened　too；　his　pale　face　grew　paler。

〃And　is　it　so？　　It　is　settled；　then？　　Your　uncle　is　to　agree？　　You
are　to　be　sold　thus；　lovelessly；　into　bondage　to　a　man　you　do　not
know。　　I　had　dreamed　of　better　things　for　you；　Aline。〃

〃Better　than　to　be　Marquise　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr？〃

He　made　a　gesture　of　exasperation。　　〃Are　men　and　women　nothing　more
than　names？　　Do　the　souls　of　them　count　for　nothing？　　Is　there　no
joy　in　life；　no　happiness；　that　wealth　and　pleasure　and　empty；
high…sounding　titles　are　to　be　its　only　aims？　　I　had　set　you　high
　…　so　high；　Aline　…　a　thing　scarce　earthly。　　There　is　joy　in　your
heart；　intelligence　in　your　mind；　and；　as　I　thought；　the　vision　that
pierces　husks　and　shams　to　claim　the　core　of　reality　for　its　own。
Yet　you　will　surrender　all　for　a　parcel　of　make…believe。　　You　will
sell　your　soul　and　your　body　to　be　Marquise　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr。〃

〃You　are　indelicate；〃　said　she；　and　though　she　frowned　her　eyes
laughed。　　〃And　you　go　headlong　to　conclusions。　　My　uncle　will　not
consent　to　more　than　to　allow　my　consent　to　be　sought。　　We　understand
each　other；　my　uncle　and　I。　　I　am　not　to　be　bartered　like　a　turnip。〃

He　stood　still　to　face　her；　his　eyes　glowing；　a　flush　creeping　into
his　pale　cheeks。

〃You　have　been　torturing　me　to　amuse　yourself！〃　he　cried。　　〃Ah；
well；　I　forgive　you　out　of　my　relief。〃

〃Again　you　go　too　fast；　Cousin　Andre　I　have　permitted　my　uncle　to
consent　that　M。　le　Marquis　shall　make　his　court　to　me。　　I　like　the
look　of　the　gentleman。　　I　am　flattered　by　his　preference　when　I
consider　his　eminence。　　It　is　an　eminence　that　I　may　find　it
desirable　to　share。　　M。　le　Marquis　does　not　look　as　if　he　were　a
dullard。　　It　should　be　interesting　to　be　wooed　by　him。　It　may　be
more　interesting　still　to　marry　him；　and　I　think；　when　all　is
considered；　that　I　shall　probably　…　very　probably　…　decide　to　do　so。〃

He　looked　at　her；　looked　at　the　sweet；　challenging　loveliness　of　that
childlike　face　so　tightly　framed　in　the　oval　of　white　fur；　and　all
the　life　seemed　to　go　out　of　his　own　countenance。

〃God　help　you；　Aline！〃　he　groaned。

She　stamped　her　foot。　　He　was　really　very　exasperating；　and
something　presumptuous　too；　she　thought。

〃You　are　insolent；　monsieur。〃

〃It　is　never　insolent　to　pray；　Aline。　　And　I　did　no　more　than　pray；
as　I　shall　continue　to　do。　　You'll　need　my　prayers；　I　think。〃

〃You　are　insufferable！〃　She　was　growing　angry；　as　he　saw　by　the
deepening　frown；　the　heightened　colour。

〃That　is　because　I　suffer。　　Oh；　Aline；　little　cousin；　think　well　of
what　you　do；　think　well　of　the　realities　you　will　be　bartering　for
these　shams　…　the　realities　that　you　will　never　know；　because　these
cursed　shams　will　block　your　way　to　them。　When　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr
comes　to　make　his　court；　study　him　well；　consult　your　fine　instincts；
leave　your　own　noble　nature　free　to　judge　this　animal　by　its
intuitions。　　Consider　that。。。　〃

〃I　consider；　monsieur；　that　you　presume　upon　the　kindness　I　have
always　shown　you。　　You　abuse　the　position　of　toleration　in　which
you　stand。　　Who　are　you？　　What　are　you；　that　you　should　have　the
insolence　to　take　this　tone　with　me？〃

He　bowed；　instantly　his　cold；　detached　self　again；　and　resumed　the
mockery　that　was　his　natural　habit。

〃My　congratulations；　mademoiselle；　upon　the　readiness　with　which　you
begin　to　adapt　yourself　to　the　great　role　you　are　to　play。〃

〃Do　you　adapt　yourself　also；　monsieur；〃　she　retorted　angrily；　and
turned　her　shoulder　to　him。

〃To　be　as　the　dust　beneath　the　haughty　feet　of　Madame　la　Marquise。
I　hope　I　shall　know　my　place　in　future。〃

The　phrase　arrested　her。　　She　turned　to　him　again；　and　he　perceived
that　her　eyes　were　shining　now　suspiciously。　　In　an　instant　the
mockery　in　him　was　quenched　in　contrition。

〃Lord；　what　a　beast　I　am；　Aline！〃　he　cried；　as　he　advanced。
〃Forgive　me　if　you　can。〃

Almost　had　she　turned　to　sue　forgiveness　from　him。　But　his　contrition
removed　the　need。

〃I'll　try；〃　said　she；　〃provided　that　you　undertake　not　to　offend
again。

〃But　I　shall；〃　said　he。　　〃I　am　like　that。　　I　will　fight　to　save　you；
from　yourself　if　need　be；　whether　you　forgive　me　or　not。〃

They　were　standing　so；　confronting　each　other　a　little　breathlessly；
a　little　defiantly；　when　the　others　issued　from　the　porch。

First　came　the　Marquis　of　La　Tour　d'Azyr；　Count　of　Solz；　Knight　of
the　Orders　of　the　Holy　Ghost　and　Saint　Louis；　and　Brigadier　in　the
armies　of　the　King。　　He　was　a　tall；　graceful　man；　upright　and
soldierly　of　carriage；　with　his　head　disdainfully　set　upon　his
shoulders。　　He　was　magnificently　dressed　in　a　full…skirted　coat　of
mulberry　velvet　that　was　laced　with　gold。　　His　waistcoat；　of　velvet
too；　was　of　a　golden　apricot　colour；　his　breeches　and　stockings　were
of　black　silk；　and　his　lacquered；　red…heeled　shoes　were　buckled　in
diamonds。　　His　powdered　hair　was　tied　behind　in　a　broad　ribbon　of
watered　silk；　he　carried　a　little　three…cornered　hat　under　his　arm；
and　a　gold…hilted　slender　dress…sword　hung　at　his　side。

Considering　him　now　in　complete　detachment；　observing　the
magnificence　of　him；　the　elegance　of　his　movements；　the　great　air；
blending　in　so　extraordinary　a　manner　disdain　and　graciousness；
Andre…Louis　trembled　for　Aline。　　Here　was　a　practised；　irresistible
wooer；　whose　bonnes　fortunes　were　become　a　by…word；　a　man　who　had
hitherto　been　the　despair　of　dowagers　with　marriageable　daughters；
and　the　desolation　of　husbands　with　attractive　wives。

He　was　immediately　followed　by　M。　de　Kercadiou；　in　completest
contrast。　　On　legs　of　the　shortest；　the　Lord　of　Gavrillac　carried
a　body　that　at　forty…five　was　beginning　to　incline　to　corpulence
and　an　enormous　head　containing　an　indifferent　allotment　of
intelligence。　　His　countenance　was　pink　and　blotchy；　liberally
branded　by　the　smallpox　which　had　almost　extinguished　him　in　youth。
In　dress　he　was　careless　to　the　point　of　untidiness；　and　to　this
and　to　the　fact　that　he　had　never　married　…　disregarding　the　first
duty　of　a　gentleman　to　provide　himself　with　an　heir　…　he　owed　the
character　of　misogynist　attributed　to　him　by　the　countryside。

After　M。　de　Kercadiou　came　M。　de　Vilmorin；　very　pale　and
self…contained；　with　tight　lips　and　an　overcast　brow。

To　meet　them；　there　stepped　from　the　carriage　a　very　elegant　young
gentleman；　the　Chevalier　de　Chabrillane；　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr's
cousin；　who　whilst　awaiting　his　return　had　watched　with　considerable
interest　…　his　own　presence　unsuspected　…　the　perambulations　of
Andre…Louis　and　mademoiselle。

Perceiving　Aline；　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr　detached　himself　from　the
others；　and　lengthening　his　stride　came　straight　across　the　terrace
to　her。

To　Andre…Louis　the　Marquis　inclined　his　head　with　that　mixture　of
courtliness　and　condescension　which　he　used。　　Socially；　the　young
lawyer　stood　in　a　curious　position。　　By　virtue　of　the　theory　of　his
birth；　he　ranked　neither　as　noble　nor　as　simple；　but　stood　somewhere
between　the　two　classes；　and　whilst　claimed　by　neither　he　was　used
familiarly　by　both。　　Coldly　now　he　returned　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr's
greeting；　and　discreetly　removed　himself　to　go　and　join　his　friend。

The　Marquis　took　the　hand　that　mademoiselle　extended　to　him；　and
bowing　over　it；　bore　it　to　his　lips。

〃Mademoiselle；〃　he　said；　looking　into　the　blue　depths　of　her　eyes；
that　met　his　gaze　smiling　and　untroubled；　〃monsieur　your　uncle　does
me　the　honour　to　permit　that　I　pay　my　homage　to　you。　　Will　you；
mademoiselle；　do　me　the　honour　to　receive　me　when　I　come　to…morrow？
I　shall　have　something　of　great　importance　for　your　ear。〃

〃Of　importance；　M。　le　Marquis？　　You　almost　frighten　me。〃　　But　there
was　no　fear　on　the　serene　little　face　in　its　furred　hood。　　It　was
not　for　nothing　that　she　had　graduated　in　the　Versailles　school　of
artificialities。

〃That；〃　said　he；　〃is　very　far　from　my　design。〃

〃But　of　importance　to　yourself；　monsieur；　or　to　me？〃

〃To　us　both；　I　hop