scaramouche-第56节

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himself　and　his　godfather　the　bond　of　protected　and　protector；　with
all　the　mutual　claims　and　duties　that　it　carries。　　No　mere　words
could　more　completely　have　made　his　peace　with　this　man　who　loved
him。

M。　de　Kercadiou's　face　flushed　a　deeper　pink；　his　lip　trembled；　and
there　was　a　huskiness　in　the　voice　that　murmured　〃My　dear　boy！〃
Then　he　recollected　himself；　threw　back　his　great　head　and　frowned。
His　voice　resumed　its　habitual　shrillness。　　〃You　realize；　I　hope；
that　you　have　behaved　damnably。。。　damnably；　and　with　the　utmost
ingratitude？〃

〃Does　not　that　depend　upon　the　point　of　view？〃　quoth　Andre…Louis；
but　his　tone　was　studiously　conciliatory。

〃It　depends　upon　a　fact；　and　not　upon　any　point　of　view。　　Since　I
have　been　persuaded　to　overlook　it；　I　trust　that　at　least　you　have
some　intention　of　reforming。〃

〃I。。。　I　will　abstain　from　politics；〃　said　Andre…Louis；　that　being
the　utmost　he　could　say　with　truth。

〃That　is　something；　at　least。〃　　His　godfather　permitted　himself　to
be　mollified；　now　that　a　concession　…　or　a　seeming　concession　…　had
been　made　to　his　just　resentment。

〃A　chair；　monsieur。〃

〃No；　no。　　I　have　come　to　carry　you　off　to　pay　a　visit　with　me。　　You
owe　it　entirely　to　Mme。　de　Plougastel　that　I　consent　to　receive　you
again。　　I　desire　that　you　come　with　me　to　thank　her。〃

〃I　have　my　engagements　here。。。　〃　began　Andre…Louis；　and　then　broke
off。　　〃No　matter！　　I　will　arrange　it。　　A　moment。〃　　And　he　was
turning　away　to　reenter　the　academy。

〃What　are　your　engagements？　　You　are　not　by　chance　a
fencing…instructor？〃　　M。　de　Kercadiou　had　observed　the　leather
waistcoat　and　the　foil　tucked　under　Andre…Louis'　arm。

〃I　am　the　master　of　this　academy　…　the　academy　of　the　late　Bertrand
des　Amis；　the　most　flourishing　school　of　arms　in　Paris　to…day。〃

M。　de　Kercadiou's　brows　went　up。

〃And　you　are　master　of　it？〃

〃Maitre　en　fait　d'Armes。　　I　succeeded　to　the　academy　upon　the　death
of　des　Amis。〃

He　left　M。　Kercadiou　to　think　it　over；　and　went　to　make　his
arrangements　and　effect　the　necessary　changes　in　his　toilet。

〃So　that　is　why　you　have　taken　to　wearing　a　sword；〃　said　M。　de
Kercadiou；　as　they　climbed　into　his　waiting　carriage。

〃That　and　the　need　to　guard　one's　self　in　these　times。〃

〃And　do　you　mean　to　tell　me　that　a　man　who　lives　by　what　is　after
all　an　honourable　profession；　a　profession　mainly　supported　by　the
nobility；　can　at　the　same　time　associate　himself　with　these
peddling　attorneys　and　low　pamphleteers　who　are　spreading　dissension
and　insubordination？〃

〃You　forget　that　I　am　a　peddling　attorney　myself；　made　so　by　your
own　wishes；　monsieur。〃

M。　de　Kercadiou　grunted；　and　took　snuff。　　〃You　say　the　academy
flourishes？〃　he　asked　presently。

〃It　does。　　I　have　two　assistant　instructors。　　I　could　employ　a　third。
It　is　hard　work。〃

〃That　should　mean　that　your　circumstances　are　affluent。〃

〃I　have　reason　to　be　satisfied。　　I　have　far　more　than　I　need。〃

〃Then　you'll　be　able　to　do　your　share　in　paying　off　this　national
debt；〃　growled　the　nobleman；　well　content　that　as　he　conceived　it
　…　some　of　the　evil　Andre…Louis　had　helped　to　sow　should　recoil
upon　him。

Then　the　talk　veered　to　Mme。　de　Plougastel。　　M。　de　Kercadiou；
Andre…Louis　gathered；　but　not　the　reason　for　it；　disapproved　most
strongly　of　this　visit。　　But　then　Madame　la　Comtesse　was　a　headstrong
woman　whom　there　was　no　denying；　whom　all　the　world　obeyed。　　M。　de
Plougastel　was　at　present　absent　in　Germany；　but　would　shortly　be
returning。　　It　was　an　indiscreet　admission　from　which　it　was　easy
to　infer　that　M。　de　Plougastel　was　one　of　those　intriguing　emissaries
who　came　and　went　between　the　Queen　of　France　and　her　brother；　the
Emperor　of　Austria。

The　carriage　drew　up　before　a　handsome　hotel　in　the　Faubourg
Saint…Denis；　at　the　corner　of　the　Rue　Paradis；　and　they　were　ushered
by　a　sleek　servant　into　a　little　boudoir；　all　gilt　and　brocade；　that
opened　upon　a　terrace　above　a　garden　that　was　a　park　in　miniature。
Here　madame　awaited　them。　　She　rose；　dismissing　the　young　person　who
had　been　reading　to　her；　and　came　forward　with　both　hands　outheld　to
greet　her　cousin　Kercadiou。

〃I　almost　feared　you　would　not　keep　your　word；〃　she　said。　　〃It　was
unjust。　　But　then　I　hardly　hoped　that　you　would　succeed　in　bringing
him。〃　　And　her　glance；　gentle；　and　smiling　welcome　upon　him；
indicated　Andre…Louis。

The　young　man　made　answer　with　formal　gallantry。

〃The　memory　of　you；　madame；　is　too　deeply　imprinted　on　my　heart　for
any　persuasions　to　have　been　necessary。〃

〃Ah；　the　courtier！〃　said　madame；　and　abandoned　him　her　hand。　　〃We
are　to　have　a　little　talk；　Andre…Louis；〃　she　informed　him；　with　a
gravity　that　left　him　vaguely　ill　at　ease。

They　sat　down；　and　for　a　while　the　conversation　was　of　general
matters；　chiefly　concerned；　however；　with　Andre…Louis；　his
occupations　and　his　views。　　And　all　the　while　madame　was　studying
him　attentively　with　those　gentle；　wistful　eyes；　until　again　that
sense　of　uneasiness　began　to　pervade　him。　　He　realized　instinctively
that　he　had　been　brought　here　for　some　purpose　deeper　than　that
which　had　been　avowed。

At　last；　as　if　the　thing　were　concerted　…　and　the　clumsy　Lord　of
Gavrillac　was　the　last　man　in　the　world　to　cover　his　tracks　…　his
godfather　rose　and；　upon　a　pretext　of　desiring　to　survey　the　garden；
sauntered　through　the　windows　on　to　the　terrace；　over　whose　white
stone　balustrade　the　geraniums　trailed　in　a　scarlet　riot。　　Thence
he　vanished　among　the　foliage　below。

〃Now　we　can　talk　more　intimately；〃　said　madame。　　〃Come　here；　and
sit　beside　me。〃　　She　indicated　the　empty　half　of　the　settee　she
occupied。

Andre…Louis　went　obediently；　but　a　little　uncomfortably。　　〃You
know；〃　she　said　gently；　placing　a　hand　upon　his　arm；　〃that　you　have
behaved　very　ill；　that　your　godfather's　resentment　is　very　justly
founded？〃

〃Madame；　if　I　knew　that；　I　should　be　the　most　unhappy；　the　most
despairing　of　men。〃。　　And　he　explained　himself；　as　he　had　explained
himself　on　Sunday　to　his　godfather。　　〃What　I　did；　I　did　because　it
was　the　only　means　to　my　hand　in　a　country　in　which　justice　was
paralyzed　by　Privilege　to　make　war　upon　an　infamous　scoundrel　who
had　killed　my　best　friend　…　a　wanton；　brutal　act　of　murder；　which
there　was　no　law　to　punish。　　And　as　if　that　were　not　enough　…
forgive　me　if　I　speak　with　the　utmost　frankness；　madame　…　he
afterwards　debauched　the　woman　I　was　to　have　married。〃

〃Ah；　mon　Dieu！〃　she　cried　out。

〃Forgive　me。　　I　know　that　it　is　horrible。　　You　perceive；　perhaps；
what　I　suffered；　how　I　came　to　be　driven。　　That　last　affair　of　which
I　am　guilty　…　the　riot　that　began　in　the　Feydau　Theatre　and
afterwards　enveloped　the　whole　city　of　Nantes　…　was　provoked　by
this。〃

〃Who　was　she；　this　girl？〃

It　was　like　a　woman；　he　thought；　to　fasten　upon　the　unessential。

〃Oh；　a　theatre　girl；　a　poor　fool　of　whom　I　have　no　regrets。　　La
Binet　was　her　name。　　I　was　a　player　at　the　time　in　her　father's
troupe。　　That　was　after　the　Rennes　business；　when　it　was　necessary
to　hide　from　such　justice　as　exists　in　France　…　the　gallows'
justice　for　unfortunates　who　are　not　'born。'　　This　added　wrong
led　me　to　provoke　a　riot　in　the　theatre。〃

〃Poor　boy；〃　she　said　tenderly。　　〃Only　a　woman's　heart　can　realize
what　you　must　have　suffered；　and　because　of　that　I　can　so　readily
forgive　you。　　But　now。。。　〃

〃Ah；　but　you　don't　understand；　madame。　　If　to…day　I　thought　that　I
had　none　but　personal　grounds　for　having　lent　a　hand　in　the　holy
work　of　abolishing　Privilege；　I　think　I　should　cut　my　throat。　　My
true　justification　lies　in　the　insincerity　of　those　who　intended
that　the　convocation　of　the　States　General　should　be　a　sham；　mere
dust　in　the　eyes　of　the　nation。〃

〃Was　it　not；　perhaps；　wise　to　have　been　insincere　in　such　a　matter？〃

He　looked　at　her　blankly。

〃Can　it　ever　be　wise；　madame；　to　be　insincere？〃

〃Oh；　indeed　it　can；　believe　me；　who　am　twice　your　age；　and　know　my
world。〃

〃I　should　say；　madame；　that　nothing　is　wise　that　complicates
existence；　and　I　know　of　nothing　that　so　complicates　it　as
insincerity。　　Consider　a　moment　the　complications　that　have　arisen
out　of　this。〃

〃But　surely；　Andre…Louis；　your　views　have　not　been　so　perverted
that　you　do　not　see　that　a　governing　class　is　a　necessity　in　any
country？〃

〃Why；　of　course。　　But　not　necessarily　a　hereditary　one。〃

〃What　else？〃

He　answered　her　with　an　epigram。　　〃Man；　madame；　is　the　child　of　his
own　work。　　Let　there　be　no　inheriting　of　rights　but　from　such　a
parent。　　Thus　a　nation's　best　will　always　predominate；　and　such　a
nation　will　achieve　greatly。〃

〃But　do　you　account　birth　of　no　importance？〃

〃Of　none；　madame　…　or　else　my　own　might　trouble　me。〃　　From　the　deep
flush　that　stained　her　face；　he　feared　that　he　had　offended　by　what
was　almost　an　indelicacy。　　But　the　reproof　that　he　was　expecting
did　not　come。　　Instead　…　

〃And　does　it　not？〃　she　asked。　　〃Never；　Andre？〃

〃Never；　madame。　　I　am　content。〃

〃You　have　never。。；　never　regretted　your　lack　of　parents'　care？〃

He　laughed；　sweeping　aside　her　sweet　charitable　concern　that　was　so
superfluous。　　〃On　the　contrary；　madame；　I　tremble　to　think　what
they　might　have　made　of　me；　and　I　am　grate