scaramouche-第6节

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observed；　an　evil　spirit　of　insubordination　in　the　air；　and　there
is　one　only　way　in　which　to　meet　it。　　To　tolerate　it；　in　however
slight　a　degree；　to　show　leniency；　however　leniently　disposed；　would
entail　having　recourse　to　still　harsher　measures　to…morrow。　　You
understand　me；　I　am　sure；　and　you　will　also；　I　am　sure；　appreciate
the　condescension　of　what　amounts　to　an　explanation　from　me　where　I
cannot　admit　that　any　explanations　were　due。　　If　anything　in　what　I
have　said　is　still　obscure　to　you；　I　refer　you　to　the　game　laws；　which
your　lawyer　friend　there　will　expound　for　you　at　need。〃

With　that　the　gentleman　swung　round　again　to　face　the　fire。　　It
appeared　to　convey　the　intimation　that　the　interview　was　at　an　end。
And　yet　this　was　not　by　any　means　the　intimation　that　it　conveyed
to　the　watchful；　puzzled；　vaguely　uneasy　Andre…Louis。　　It　was；
thought　he；　a　very　curious；　a　very　suspicious　oration。　　It　affected
to　explain；　with　a　politeness　of　terms　and　a　calculated　insolence
of　tone；　whilst　in　fact　it　could　only　serve　to　stimulate　and　goad
a　man　of　M。　de　Vilmorin's　opinions。　　And　that　is　precisely　what　it
did。　　He　rose。

〃Are　there　in　the　world　no　laws　but　game　laws？〃　he　demanded；　angrily。
〃Have　you　never　by　any　chance　heard　of　the　laws　of　humanity？〃

The　Marquis　sighed　wearily。　　〃What　have　I　to　do　with　the　laws　of
humanity？〃　he　wondered。

M。　de　Vilmorin　looked　at　him　a　moment　in　speechless　amazement。

〃Nothing；　M。　le　Marquis。　　That　is　…　alas！　　…　too　obvious。　　I　hope
you　will　remember　it　in　the　hour　when　you　may　wish　to　appeal　to
those　laws　which　you　now　deride。〃

M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr　threw　back　his　head　sharply；　his　high…bred　face
imperious。

〃Now　what　precisely　shall　that　mean？　　It　is　not　the　first　time
to…day　that　you　have　made　use　of　dark　sayings　that　I　could　almost
believe　to　veil　the　presumption　of　a　threat。〃

〃Not　a　threat；　M。　le　Marquis　…　a　warning。　　A　warning　that　such　deeds
as　these　against　God's　creatures。。。　Oh；　you　may　sneer；　monsieur；
but　they　are　God's　creatures；　even　as　you　or　I　…　neither　more　nor
less；　deeply　though　the　reflection　may　wound　your　pride；　In　His
eyes。。。　〃

〃Of　your　charity；　spare　me　a　sermon；　M。　l'abbe！〃

〃You　mock；　monsieur。　　You　laugh。　　Will　you　laugh；　I　wonder；　when　God
presents　His　reckoning　to　you　for　the　blood　and　plunder　with　which
your　hands　are　full？〃

〃Monsieur！〃　　The　word；　sharp　as　the　crack　of　a　whip；　was　from　M。　de
Chabrillane；　who　bounded　to　his　feet。　　But　instantly　the　Marquis
repressed　him。

〃Sit　down；　Chevalier。　　You　are　interrupting　M。　l'abbe；　and　I　should
like　to　hear　him　further。　　He　interests　me　profoundly。〃

In　the　background　Andre…Louis；　too；　had　risen；　brought　to　his　feet　by
alarm；　by　the　evil　that　he　saw　written　on　the　handsome　face　of　M。　de
La　Tour　d'Azyr。　　He　approached；　and　touched　his　friend　upon　the　arm。

〃Better　be　going；　Philippe；〃　said　he。

But　M。　de　Vilmorin；　caught　in　the　relentless　grip　of　passions　long
repressed；　was　being　hurried　by　them　recklessly　along。

〃Oh；　monsieur；〃　said　he；　〃consider　what　you　are　and　what　you　will
be。　　Consider　how　you　and　your　kind　live　by　abuses；　and　consider　the
harvest　that　abuses　must　ultimately　bring。〃

〃Revolutionist！〃　said　M。　le　Marquis；　contemptuously。　　〃You　have　the
effrontery　to　stand　before　my　face　and　offer　me　this　stinking　cant
of　your　modern　so…called　intellectuals！〃

〃Is　it　cant；　monsieur？　　Do　you　think　…　do　you　believe　in　your　soul
　…　that　it　is　cant？　　Is　it　cant　that　the　feudal　grip　is　on　all
things　that　live；　crushing　them　like　grapes　in　the　press；　to　its
own　profit？　　Does　it　not　exercise　its　rights　upon　the　waters　of　the
river；　the　fire　that　bakes　the　poor　man's　bread　of　grass　and　barley；
on　the　wind　that　turns　the　mill？　　The　peasant　cannot　take　a　step
upon　the　road；　cross　a　crazy　bridge　over　a　river；　buy　an　ell　of
cloth　in　the　village　market；　without　meeting　feudal　rapacity；
without　being　taxed　in　feudal　dues。　　Is　not　that　enough；　M。　le
Marquis？　　Must　you　also　demand　his　wretched　life　in　payment　for　the
least　infringement　of　your　sacred　privileges；　careless　of　what
widows　or　orphans　you　dedicate　to　woe？　　Will　naught　content　you　but
that　your　shadow　must　lie　like　a　curse　upon　the　land？　　And　do　you
think　in　your　pride　that　France；　this　Job　among　the　nations；　will
suffer　it　forever？〃

He　paused　as　if　for　a　reply。　　But　none　came。　　The　Marquis　considered
him；　strangely　silent；　a　half　smile　of　disdain　at　the　corners　of　his
lips；　an　ominous　hardness　in　his　eyes。

Again　Andre…Louis　tugged　at　his　friend's　sleeve。

〃Philippe。〃

Philippe　shook　him　off；　and　plunged　on；　fanatically。

〃Do　you　see　nothing　of　the　gathering　clouds　that　herald　the　coming
of　the　storm？　　You　imagine；　perhaps；　that　these　States　General
summoned　by　M。　Necker；　and　promised　for　next　year；　are　to　do　nothing
but　devise　fresh　means　of　extortion　to　liquidate　the　bankruptcy　of
the　State？　　You　delude　yourselves；　as　you　shall　find。　　The　Third
Estate；　which　you　despise；　will　prove　itself　the　preponderating
force；　and　it　will　find　a　way　to　make　an　end　of　this　canker　of
privilege　that　is　devouring　the　vitals　of　this　unfortunate　country。〃

M。　le　Marquis　shifted　in　his　chair；　and　spoke　at　last。

〃You　have；　monsieur；〃　said　he；　〃a　very　dangerous　gift　of　eloquence。
And　it　is　of　yourself　rather　than　of　your　subject。　　For　after　all；
what　do　you　offer　me？　　A　rechauffe　of　the　dishes　served　to
out…at…elbow　enthusiasts　in　the　provincial　literary　chambers；
compounded　of　the　effusions　of　your　Voltaires　and　Jean…Jacques　and
such　dirty…fingered　scribblers。　　You　have　not　among　all　your
philosophers　one　with　the　wit　to　understand　that　we　are　an　order
consecrated　by　antiquity；　that　for　our　rights　and　privileges　we　have
behind　us　the　authority　of　centuries。〃

〃Humanity；　monsieur；〃　Philippe　replied；　〃is　more　ancient　than
nobility。　　Human　rights　are　contemporary　with　man。〃

The　Marquis　laughed　and　shrugged。

〃That　is　the　answer　I　might　have　expected。　　It　has　the　right　note
of　cant　that　distinguishes　the　philosophers。〃　　And　then　M。　de
Chabrillane　spoke。

〃You　go　a　long　way　round；〃　he　criticized　his　cousin；　on　a　note　of
impatience。

〃But　I　am　getting　there；〃　he　was　answered。　　〃I　desired　to　make　quite
certain　first。〃

〃Faith；　you　should　have　no　doubt　by　now。〃

〃I　have　none。〃　　The　Marquis　rose；　and　turned　again　to　M。　de　Vilmorin；
who　had　understood　nothing　of　that　brief　exchange。　　〃M。　l'abbe；〃
said　he　once　more；　〃you　have　a　very　dangerous　gift　of　eloquence。　　I
can　conceive　of　men　being　swayed　by　it。　　Had　you　been　born　a
gentleman；　you　would　not　so　easily　have　acquired　these　false　views
that　you　express。〃

M。　de　Vilmorin　stared　blankly；　uncomprehending。

〃Had　I　been　born　a　gentleman；　do　you　say？〃　quoth　he；　in　a　slow；
bewildered　voice。　　〃But　I　was　born　a　gentleman。　　My　race　is　as　old；
my　blood　as　good　as　yours；　monsieur。〃

》From　M。　le　Marquis　there　was　a　slight　play　of　eyebrows；　a　vague；
indulgent　smile。　　His　dark；　liquid　eyes　looked　squarely　into　the
face　of　M。　de　Vilmorin。

〃You　have　been　deceived　in　that；　I　fear。〃

〃Deceived？〃

〃Your　sentiments　betray　the　indiscretion　of　which　madame　your　mother
must　have　been　guilty。〃

The　brutally　affronting　words　were　sped　beyond　recall；　and　the　lips
that　had　uttered　them；　coldly；　as　if　they　had　been　the　merest
commonplace；　remained　calm　and　faintly　sneering。

A　dead　silence　followed。　　Andre…Louis'　wits　were　numbed。　　He　stood
aghast；　all　thought　suspended　in　him；　what　time　M。　de　Vilmorin's
eyes　continued　fixed　upon　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr's；　as　if　searching
there　for　a　meaning　that　eluded　him。　　Quite　suddenly　he　understood
the　vile　affront。　　The　blood　leapt　to　his　face；　fire　blazed　in　his
gentle　eyes。　　A　convulsive　quiver　shook　him。　Then；　with　an
inarticulate　cry；　he　leaned　forward；　and　with　his　open　hand　struck
M。　le　Marquis　full　and　hard　upon　his　sneering　face。

In　a　flash　M。　de　Chabrillane　was　on　his　feet；　between　the　two　men。

Too　late　Andre…Louis　had　seen　the　trap。　　La　Tour　d'Azyr's　words
were　but　as　a　move　in　a　game　of　chess；　calculated　to　exasperate　his
opponent　into　some　such　counter…move　as　this　…　a　counter…move　that
left　him　entirely　at　the　other's　mercy。

M。　le　Marquis　looked　on；　very　white　save　where　M。　de　Vilmorin's
finger…prints　began　slowly　to　colour　his　face；　but　he　said　nothing
more。　　Instead；　it　was　M。　de　Chabrillane　who　now　did　the　talking；
taking　up　his　preconcerted　part　in　this　vile　game。

〃You　realize；　monsieur；　what　you　have　done；〃　said　he；　coldly；　to
Philippe。　　〃And　you　realize；　of　course；　what　must　inevitably　follow。〃

M。　de　Vilmorin　had　realized　nothing。　　The　poor　young　man　had　acted
upon　impulse；　upon　the　instinct　of　decency　and　honour；　never
counting　the　consequences。　　But　he　realized　them　now　at　the　sinister
invitation　of　M。　de　Chabrillane；　and　if　he　desired　to　avoid　these
consequences；　it　was　out　of　respect　for　his　priestly　vocation；　which
strictly　forbade　such　adjustments　of　disputes　as　M。　de　Chabrillane
was　clearly　thrusting　upon　him。

He　drew　back。　　〃Let　one　affront　wipe　out　the　other；〃　said　he；　in　a
dull　voice。　　〃The　balance　is　still　in　M。　le　Marquis's　favour。　　Let
that　content　him。〃

〃Impossible。〃　　The　Chevalier's　lips　came　together