scaramouche-第41节

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pursuing　this　affair　with　that　chit　of　a　Binet　girl。〃

〃How　do　you　know？〃　asked　La　Tour　d'Azyr。

〃She　has　confided　in　her　aunt。　　And　the　poor　child　seems　to　have
some　reason。　　She　says　she　will　not　tolerate　that　you　should　come
to　kiss　her　hand　with　lips　that　are　still　contaminated　from。。。　Oh；
you　understand。　　You　appreciate　the　impression　of　such　a　thing
upon　a　pure；　sensitive　girl　such　as　Aline。　　She　said　…　I　had　better
tell　you　…　that　the　next　time　you　kiss　her　hand；　she　will　call　for
water　and　wash　it　in　your　presence。〃

The　Marquis'　face　flamed　scarlet。　　He　rose。　　Knowing　his　violent；
intolerant　spirit；　M。　de　Sautron　was　prepared　for　an　outburst。　　But
no　outburst　came。　　The　Marquis　turned　away　from　him；　and　paced
slowly　to　the　window；　his　head　bowed；　his　hands　behind　his　back。
Halted　there　he　spoke；　without　turning；　his　voice　was　at　once
scornful　and　wistful。

〃You　are　right；　Charles；　I　am　a　fool　…　a　wicked　fool！　　I　have　just
enough　sense　left　to　perceive　it。　　It　is　the　way　I　have　lived；　I
suppose。　　I　have　never　known　the　need　to　deny　myself　anything　I
wanted。〃　　Then　suddenly　he　swung　round；　and　the　outburst　came。
〃But；　my　God；　I　want　Aline　as　I　have　never　wanted　anything　yet！　　I
think　I　should　kill　myself　in　rage　if　through　my　folly　I　should
have　lost　her。〃　　He　struck　his　brow　with　his　hand。　　〃I　am　a　beast！〃
he　said。　　〃I　should　have　known　that　if　that　sweet　saint　got　word　of
these　petty　devilries　of　mine　she　would　despise　me；　and　I　tell　you；
Charles；　I'd　go　through　fire　to　regain　her　respect。〃

〃I　hope　it　is　to　be　regained　on　easier　terms；〃　said　Charles；　and
then　to　ease　the　situation　which　began　to　irk　him　by　its　solemnity；
he　made　a　feeble　joke。　　〃It　is　merely　asked　of　you　that　you　refrain
from　going　through　certain　fires　that　are　not　accounted　by
mademoiselle　of　too　purifying　a　nature。〃

〃As　to　that　Binet　girl；　it　is　finished　…　finished；〃　said　the　Marquis。
　
〃I　congratulate　you。　　When　did　you　make　that　decision？〃
　
〃This　moment。　　I　would　to　God　I　had　made　it　twenty…four　hours　ago。
As　it　is…〃　he　shrugged　…　〃why；　twenty…four　hours　of　her　have　been
enough　for　me　as　they　would　have　been　for　any　man　…　a　mercenary；
self…seeking　little　baggage　with　the　soul　of　a　trull。　　Bah！〃　　He
shuddered　in　disgust　of　himself　and　her。
　
〃Ah！　　That　makes　it　easier　for　you；〃　said　M。　de　Sautron；　cynically。

Don't　say　it；　Charles。　　It　is　not　so。　　Had　you　been　less　of　a　fool；
you　would　have　warned　me　sooner。〃

〃I　may　prove　to　have　warned　you　soon　enough　if　you'll　profit　by
the　warning。〃

〃There　is　no　penance　I　will　not　do。　　I　will　prostrate　myself　at　her
feet。　　I　will　abase　myself　before　her。　　I　will　make　confession　in
the　proper　spirit　of　contrition；　and　Heaven　helping　me；　I'll　keep
to　my　purpose　of　amendment　for　her　sweet　sake。〃　　He　was　tragically
in　earnest。

To　M。　de　Sautron；　who　had　never　seen　him　other　than　self…contained；
supercilious；　and　mocking；　this　was　an　amazing　revelation。　　He
shrank　from　it　almost；　it　gave　him　the　feeling　of　prying；　of　peeping
through　a　keyhole。　　He　slapped　his　friend's　shoulder。

〃My　dear　Gervais；　here　is　a　magnificently　romantic　mood。　　Enough
said。　　Keep　to　it；　and　I　promise　you　that　all　will　presently　be　well。
I　will　be　your　ambassador；　and　you　shall　have　no　cause　to　complain。〃

〃But　may　I　not　go　to　her　myself？〃

〃If　you　are　wise　you　will　at　once　efface　yourself。　　Write　to　her　if
you　will　…　make　your　act　of　contrition　by　letter。　　I　will　explain
why　you　have　gone　without　seeing　her。　　I　will　tell　her　that　you　did
so　upon　my　advice；　and　I　will　do　it　tactfully。　　I　am　a　good　diplomat；
Gervais。　　Trust　me。〃

M。　le　Marquis　raised　his　head；　and　showed　a　face　that　pain　was
searing。　　He　held　out　his　hand。　　〃Very　well；　Charles。　　Serve　me　in
this；　and　count　me　your　friend　in　all　things。〃



CHAPTER　XI

THE　FRACAS　AT　THE　THEATRE　FEYDAU


Leaving　his　host　to　act　as　his　plenipotentiary　with　Mademoiselle　de
Kercadiou；　and　to　explain　to　her　that　it　was　his　profound　contrition
that　compelled　him　to　depart　without　taking　formal　leave　of　her；　the
Marquis　rolled　away　from　Sautron　in　a　cloud　of　gloom。　　Twenty…four
hours　with　La　Binet　had　been　more　than　enough　for　a　man　of　his
fastidious　and　discerning　taste。　　He　looked　back　upon　the　episode
with　nausea　…　the　inevitable　psychological　reaction　…　marvelling
at　himself　that　until　yesterday　he　should　have　found　her　so
desirable；　and　cursing　himself　that　for　the　sake　of　that　ephemeral
and　worthless　gratification　he　should　seriously　have　imperilled　his
chances　of　winning　Mademoiselle　de　Kercadiou　to　wife。　　There　is；
after　all；　nothing　very　extraordinary　in　his　frame　of　mind；　so　that
I　need　not　elaborate　it　further。　　It　resulted　from　the　conflict
between　the　beast　and　the　angel　that　go　to　make　up　the　composition
of　every　man。

The　Chevalier　de　Chabrillane　…　who　in　reality　occupied　towards　the
Marquis　a　position　akin　to　that　of　gentleman…in…waiting　…　sat
opposite　to　him　in　the　enormous　travelling　berline。　　A　small　folding
table　had　been　erected　between　them；　and　the　Chevalier　suggested
piquet。　　But　M。　le　Marquis　was　in　no　humour　for　cards。　　His　thoughts
absorbed　him。　As　they　were　rattling　over　the　cobbles　of　Nantes'
streets；　he　remembered　a　promise　to　La　Binet　to　witness　her
performance　that　night　in　〃The　Faithless　Lover。〃　　And　now　he　was
running　away　from　her。　　The　thought　was　repugnant　to　him　on　two
scores。　　He　was　breaking　his　pledged　word；　and　he　was　acting　like　a
coward。　　And　there　was　more　than　that。　　He　had　led　the　mercenary
little　strumpet　…　it　was　thus　he　thought　of　her　at　present；　and
with　some　justice　…　to　expect　favours　from　him　in　addition　to　the
lavish　awards　which　already　he　had　made　her。　　The　baggage　had　almost
sought　to　drive　a　bargain　with　him　as　to　her　future。　　He　was　to　take
her　to　Paris；　put　her　into　her　own　furniture　…　as　the　expression
ran；　and　still　runs　…　and　under　the　shadow　of　his　powerful
protection　see　that　the　doors　of　the　great　theatres　of　the　capital
should　be　opened　to　her　talents。　　He　had　not　…　he　was　thankful　to
reflect　…　exactly　committed　himself。　　But　neither　had　he　definitely
refused　her。　　It　became　necessary　now　to　come　to　an　understanding；
since　he　was　compelled　to　choose　between　his　trivial　passion　for
her　…　a　passion　quenched　already　…　and　his　deep；　almost　spiritual
devotion　to　Mademoiselle　de　Kercadiou。

His　honour；　he　considered；　demanded　of　him　that　he　should　at　once
deliver　himself　from　a　false　position。　　La　Binet　would　make　a　scene；
of　course；　but　he　knew　the　proper　specific　to　apply　to　hysteria　of
that　nature。　　Money；　after　all；　has　its　uses。

He　pulled　the　cord。　　The　carriage　rolled　to　a　standstill；　a　footman
appeared　at　the　door。

〃To　the　Theatre　Feydau；〃　said　he。

The　footman　vanished　and　the　berline　rolled　on。　　M。　de　Chabrillane
laughed　cynically。

〃I'll　trouble　you　not　to　be　amused；〃　snapped　the　Marquis。　　〃You
don't　understand。〃　　Thereafter　he　explained　himself。　　It　was　a　rare
condescension　in　him。　　But；　then；　he　could　not　bear　to　be
misunderstood　in　such　a　matter。　　Chabrillane　grew　serious　in
reflection　of　the　Marquis'　extreme　seriousness。

〃Why　not　write？〃　he　suggested。　　〃Myself；　I　confess　that　I　should
find　it　easier。

Nothing　could　better　have　revealed　M。　le　Marquis'　state　of　mind
than　his　answer。

〃Letters　are　liable　both　to　miscarriage　and　to　misconstruction。
Two　risks　I　will　not　run。　　If　she　did　not　answer；　I　should　never
know　which　had　been　incurred。　　And　I　shall　have　no　peace　of　mind
until　I　know　that　I　have　set　a　term　to　this　affair。　　The　berline
can　wait　while　we　are　at　the　theatre。　　We　will　go　on　afterwards。
We　will　travel　all　night　if　necessary。〃

〃Peste！〃　said　M。　de　Chabrillane　with　a　grimace。　　But　that　was　all。

The　great　travelling　carriage　drew　up　at　the　lighted　portals　of　the
Feydau；　and　M。　le　Marquis　stepped　out。　　He　entered　the　theatre　with
Chabrillane；　all　unconsciously　to　deliver　himself　into　the　hands　of
Andre…Louis。

Andre…Louis　was　in　a　state　of　exasperation　produced　by　Climene's
long　absence　from　Nantes　in　the　company　of　M。　le　Marquis；　and　fed
by　the　unspeakable　complacency　with　which　M。　Binet　regarded　that
event　of　quite　unmistakable　import。

However　much　he　might　affect　the　frame　of　mind　of　the　stoics；　and
seek　to　judge　with　a　complete　detachment；　in　the　heart　and　soul　of
him　Andre…Louis　was　tormented　and　revolted。　　It　was　not　Climene　he
blamed。　　He　had　been　mistaken　in　her。　　She　was　just　a　poor　weak
vessel　driven　helplessly　by　the　first　breath；　however　foul；　that
promised　her　advancement。　　She　suffered　from　the　plague　of　greed；
and　he　congratulated　himself　upon　having　discovered　it　before
making　her　his　wife。　　He　felt　for　her　now　nothing　but　a　deal　of
pity　and　some　contempt。　　The　pity　was　begotten　of　the　love　she　had
lately　inspired　in　him。　　It　might　be　likened　to　the　dregs　of　love；
all　that　remained　after　the　potent　wine　of　it　had　been　drained　off。
His　anger　he　reserved　for　her　father　and　her　seducer。

The　thoughts　that　were　stirring　in　him　on　that　Monday　morning；　when
it　was　discovered　that　Climene　had　not　yet　returned　from　her
excursion　of　the　previous　day　in　the　coach　of　M。　le　Marquis；　were
already　wicked　enough　without　the　spurring