scaramouche-第53节

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the　part　of　Benoit；　who　had　been　almost　as　forlorn　as　himself　since
their　coming　to　Meudon。

〃What　is　it？　　Eh？〃　　His　pale；　short…sighted　eyes　peered　at　the
visitor。　　〃Andre！〃　said　he；　between　surprise　and　sternness；　and　the
colour　deepened　in　his　great　pink　face。

Benoit；　with　his　back　to　his　master；　deliberately　winked　and　grinned
at　Andre…Louis　to　encourage　him　not　to　be　put　off　by　any　apparent
hostility　on　the　part　of　his　godfather。　　That　done；　the　intelligent
old　fellow　discreetly　effaced　himself。

〃What　do　you　want　here？〃　growled　M。　de　Kercadiou。

〃No　more　than　to　kiss　your　hand；　as　Benoit　has　told　you；　monsieur　my
godfather；〃　said　Andre…Louis　submissively；　bowing　his　sleek　black　head。

〃You　have　contrived　without　kissing　it　for　two　years。〃

〃Do　not；　monsieur；　reproach　me　with　my　misfortune。〃

The　little　man　stood　very　stiffly　erect；　his　disproportionately　large
head　thrown　back；　his　pale　prominent　eyes　very　stern。

〃Did　you　think　to　make　your　outrageous　offence　any　better　by　vanishing
in　that　heartless　manner；　by　leaving　us　without　knowledge　of　whether
you　were　alive　or　dead？〃

〃At　first　it　was　dangerous　…　dangerous　to　my　life　…　to　disclose　my
whereabouts。　　Then　for　a　time　I　was　in　need；　almost　destitute；　and
my　pride　forbade　me；　after　what　I　had　done　and　the　view　you　must
take　of　it；　to　appeal　to　you　for　help。　　Later。。。　〃

〃Destitute？〃　The　Seigneur　interrupted。　　For　a　moment　his　lip
trembled。　　Then　he　steadied　himself；　and　the　frown　deepened　as　he
surveyed　this　very　changed　and　elegant　godson　of　his；　noted　the
quiet　richness　of　his　apparel；　the　paste　buckles　and　red　heels　to
his　shoes；　the　sword　hilted　in　mother…o'…pearl　and　silver；　and　the
carefully　dressed　hair　that　he　had　always　seen　hanging　in　wisps
about　his　face。　　〃At　least　you　do　not　look　destitute　now；〃　he
sneered。

〃I　am　not。　　I　have　prospered　since。　　In　that；　monsieur；　I　differ
from　the　ordinary　prodigal；　who　returns　only　when　he　needs
assistance。　　I　return　solely　because　I　love　you；　monsieur　…　to　tell
you　so。　　I　have　come　at　the　very　first　moment　after　hearing　of　your
presence　here。〃　　He　advanced。　　〃Monsieur　my　godfather！〃　he　said；
and　held　out　his　hand。

But　M。　de　Kercadiou　remained　unbending；　wrapped　in　his　cold　dignity
and　resentment。

〃Whatever　tribulations　you　may　have　suffered　or　consider　that　you
may　have　suffered；　they　are　far　less　than　your　disgraceful　conduct
deserved；　and　I　observe　that　they　have　nothing　abated　your　impudence。
You　think　that　you　have　but　to　come　here　and　say；　'Monsieur　my
godfather！'　and　everything　is　to　be　forgiven　and　forgotten。　　That
is　your　error。　　You　have　committed　too　great　a　wrong；　you　have
offended　against　everything　by　which　I　hold；　and　against　myself
personally；　by　your　betrayal　of　my　trust　in　you。　　You　are　one　of
those　unspeakable　scoundrels　who　are　responsible　for　this　revolution。〃

〃Alas；　monsieur；　I　see　that　you　share　the　common　delusion。　　These
unspeakable　scoundrels　but　demanded　a　constitution；　as　was　promised
them　from　the　throne。　　They　were　not　to　know　that　the　promise　was
insincere；　or　that　its　fulfilment　would　be　baulked　by　the　privileged
orders。　　The　men　who　have　precipitated　this　revolution；　monsieur；
are　the　nobles　and　the　prelates。〃

〃You　dare　…　and　at　such　a　time　as　this　…　stand　there　and　tell　me
such　abominable　lies！　　You　dare　to　say　that　the　nobles　have　made
the　revolution；　when　scores　of　them；　following　the　example　of　M。　le
Duc　d'Aiguillon；　have　flung　their　privileges；　even　their　title…deeds；
into　the　lap　of　the　people！　　Or　perhaps　you　deny　it？〃

〃Oh；　no。　　Having　wantonly　set　fire　to　their　house；　they　now　try　to
put　it　out　by　throwing　water　on　it；　and　where　they　fail　they　put　the
entire　blame　on　the　flames。〃

〃I　see　that　you　have　come　here　to　talk　politics。〃

〃Far　from　it。　　I　have　come；　if　possible；　to　explain　myself。　　To
understand　is　always　to　forgive。　　That　is　a　great　saying　of
Montaigne's。　　If　I　could　make　you　understand。。。　〃

〃You　can't。　　You'll　never　make　me　understand　how　you　came　to　render
yourself　so　odiously　notorious　in　Brittany。〃

〃Ah；　not　odiously；　monsieur！〃

〃Certainly；　odiously　…　among　those　that　matter。　　It　is　said　even
that　you　were　Omnes　Omnibus；　though　that　I　cannot；　will　not　believe。〃

〃Yet　it　is　true。〃

M。　de　Kercadiou　choked。　　〃And　you　confess　it？　　You　dare　to　confess
it？〃

〃What　a　man　dares　to　do；　he　should　dare　to　confess　…　unless　he　is
a　coward。〃

〃Oh；　and　to　be　sure　you　were　very　brave；　running　away　each　time
after　you　had　done　the　mischief；　turning　comedian　to　hide　yourself；
doing　more　mischief　as　a　comedian；　provoking　a　riot　in　Nantes；　and
then　running　away　again；　to　become　God　knows　what　…　something
dishonest　by　the　affluent　look　of　you。　　My　God；　man；　I　tell　you　that
in　these　past　two　years　I　have　hoped　that　you　were　dead；　and　you
profoundly　disappoint　me　that　you　are　not！〃　　He　beat　his　hands
together；　and　raised　his　shrill　voice　to　call　…　〃Benoit！〃　　He　strode
away　towards　the　fireplace；　scarlet　in　the　face；　shaking　with　the
passion　into　which　he　had　worked　himself。　　〃Dead；　I　might　have
forgiven　you；　as　one　who　had　paid　for　his　evil；　and　his　folly。
Living；　I　never　can　forgive　you。　　You　have　gone　too　far。　　God　alone
knows　where　it　will　end。

〃Benoit；　the　door。　　M。　Andre…Louis　Moreau　to　the　door！〃　　The　tone
argued　an　irrevocable　determination。　　Pale　and　self…contained；　but
with　a　queer　pain　at　his　heart；　Andre…Louis　heard　that　dismissal；
saw　Benoit's　white；　scared　face　and　shaking　hands　half…raised　as
if　he　were　about　to　expostulate　with　his　master。　　And　then　another
voice；　a　crisp；　boyish　voice；　cut　in。

〃Uncle！〃　it　cried；　a　world　of　indignation　and　surprise　in　its　pitch；
and　then：　　〃Andre！〃　　And　this　time　a　note　almost　of　gladness；
certainly　of　welcome；　was　blended　with　the　surprise　that　still
remained。

Both　turned；　half　the　room　between　them　at　the　moment；　and　beheld
Aline　in　one　of　the　long；　open　windows；　arrested　there　in　the　act
of　entering　from　the　garden；　Aline　in　a　milk…maid　bonnet　of　the
latest　mode；　though　without　any　of　the　tricolour　embellishments
that　were　so　commonly　to　be　seen　upon　them。

The　thin　lips　of　Andre's　long　mouth　twisted　into　a　queer　smile。
Into　his　mind　had　flashed　the　memory　of　their　last　parting。　　He
saw　himself　again；　standing　burning　with　indignation　upon　the
pavement　of　Nantes；　looking　after　her　carriage　as　it　receded　down
the　Avenue　de　Gigan。

She　was　coming　towards　him　now　with　outstretched　hands；　a　heightened
colour　in　her　cheeks；　a　smile　of　welcome　on　her　lips。　　He　bowed　low
and　kissed　her　hand　in　silence。

Then　with　a　glance　and　a　gesture　she　dismissed　Benoit；　and　in　her
imperious　fashion　constituted　herself　Andre's　advocate　against　that
harsh　dismissal　which　she　had　overheard。

〃Uncle；〃　she　said；　leaving　Andre　and　crossing　to　M。　de　Kercadiou；
〃you　make　me　ashamed　of　you！　　　To　allow　a　feeling　of　peevishness　to
overwhelm　all　your　affection　for　Andre！〃

〃I　have　no　affection　for　him。　I　had　once。　　He　chose　to　extinguish
it。　　He　can　go　to　the　devil；　and　please　observe　that　I　don't　permit
you　to　interfere。〃

〃But　if　he　confesses　that　he　has　done　wrong。。。　〃

〃He　confesses　nothing　of　the　kind。　　He　comes　here　to　argue　with　me
about　these　infernal　Rights　of　Man。　　He　proclaims　himself
unrepentant。　　He　announces　himself　with　pride　to　have　been；　as　all
Brittany　says；　the　scoundrel　who　hid　himself　under　the　sobriquet
of　Omnes　Omnibus。　　Is　that　to　be　condoned？〃

She　turned　to　look　at　Andre　across　the　wide　space　that　now　separated
them。

〃But　is　this　really　so？　　Don't　you　repent；　Andre　…　now　that　you　see
all　the　harm　that　has　come？〃

It　was　a　clear　invitation　to　him；　a　pleading　to　him　to　say　that　he
repented；　to　make　his　peace　with　his　godfather。　　For　a　moment　it
almost　moved　him。　Then；　considering　the　subterfuge　unworthy；　he
answered　truthfully；　though　the　pain　he　was　suffering　rang　in　his
voice。

〃To　confess　repentance；〃　he　said　slowly；　〃would　be　to　confess　to　a
monstrous　crime。　　Don't　you　see　that？　　Oh；　monsieur；　have　patience
with　me；　let　me　explain　myself　a　little。　　You　say　that　I　am　in　part
responsible　for　something　of　all　this　that　has　happened。　　My
exhortations　of　the　people　at　Rennes　and　twice　afterwards　at　Nantes
are　said　to　have　had　their　share　in　what　followed　there。　　It　may　be
so。　　It　would　be　beyond　my　power　positively　to　deny　it。　　Revolution
followed　and　bloodshed。　　More　may　yet　come。　　To　repent　implies　a
recognition　that　I　have　done　wrong。　　How　shall　I　say　that　I　have
done　wrong；　and　thus　take　a　share　of　the　responsibility　for　all
that　blood　upon　my　soul？　　I　will　be　quite　frank　with　you　to　show
you　how　far；　indeed；　I　am　from　repentance。　　What　I　did；　I　actually
did　against　all　my　convictions　at　the　time。　　Because　there　was　no
justice　in　France　to　move　against　the　murderer　of　Philippe　de
Vilmorin；　I　moved　in　the　only　way　that　I　imagined　could　make　the
evil　done　recoil　upon　the　hand　that　did　it；　and　those　other　hands
that　had　the　power　but　not　the　spirit　to　punish。　　Since　then　I
have　come　to　see　that　I　was　wrong；　and　that　Philippe　de　Vilmorin
and　those　who　thought　with　him　were　in　the　right。

〃You　must　realize；　monsieur；　that　it　is　with　sincerest　thankfulness