scaramouche-第64节

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She　looked　at　him　with　a　curious；　gentle　wistfulness　on　her
lovely　face。

〃Monsieur；　it　is　not　you　whom　I　doubt。　　It　is　myself。〃

〃You　mean　your　feelings　towards　me？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃But　that　I　can　understand。　　After　what　has　happened。。。　〃

〃It　was　always　so；　monsieur；〃　she　interrupted　quietly。　　〃You
speak　of　me　as　if　lost　to　you　by　your　own　action。　　That　is　to　say
too　much。　　Let　me　be　frank　with　you。　　Monsieur；　I　was　never　yours
to　lose。　　I　am　conscious　of　the　honour　that　you　do　me。　　I　esteem
you　very　deeply。。。　〃

〃But；　then；〃　he　cried；　on　a　high　note　of　confidence；　〃from　such
a　beginning。。。　〃

〃Who　shall　assure　me　that　it　is　a　beginning？　　May　it　not　be　the
whole？　　Had　I　held　you　in　affection；　monsieur；　I　should　have　sent
for　you　after　the　affair　of　which　you　have　spoken。　　I　should　at
least　not　have　condemned　you　without　hearing　your　explanation。　　As
it　was。。。　〃　　She　shrugged；　smiling　gently；　sadly。　　〃You　see。。。　〃

But　his　optimism　far　from　being　crushed　was　stimulated。　　〃But　it
is　to　give　me　hope；　mademoiselle。　　If　already　I　possess　so　much；
I　may　look　with　confidence　to　win　more。　　I　shall　prove　myself
worthy。　　I　swear　to　do　that。　　Who　that　is　permitted　the　privilege
of　being　near　you　could　do　other　than　seek　to　render　himself
worthy？〃

And　then　before　she　could　add　a　word；　M。　de　Kercadiou　came
blustering　through　the　window；　his　spectacles　on　his　forehead；　his
face　inflamed；　waving　in　his　hand　〃The　Acts　of　the　Apostles；〃　and
apparently　reduced　to　speechlessness。

Had　the　Marquis　expressed　himself　aloud　he　would　have　been　profane。
As　it　was　he　bit　his　lip　in　vexation　at　this　most　inopportune
interruption。

Aline　sprang　up；　alarmed　by　her　uncle's　agitation。

〃What　has　happened？〃

〃Happened？〃　He　found　speech　at　last。　　〃The　scoundrel！　　The
faithless　dog！　　I　consented　to　overlook　the　past　on　the　clear
condition　that　he　should　avoid　revolutionary　politics　in　future。
That　condition　he　accepted；　and　now〃　…　he　smacked　the　news…sheet
furiously　…　〃he　has　played　me　false　again。　　Not　only　has　he　gone
into　politics；　once　more；　but　he　is　actually　a　member　of　the
Assembly；　and　what　is　worse　he　has　been　using　his　assassin's
skill　as　a　fencing…master；　turning　himself　into　a　bully…swordsman。
My　God　　Is　there　any　law　at　all　left　in　France？〃

One　doubt　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr　had　entertained；　though　only
faintly；　to　mar　the　perfect　serenity　of　his　growing　optimism。
That　doubt　concerned　this　man　Moreau　and　his　relations　with　M。
de　Kercadiou。　　He　knew　what　once　they　had　been；　and　how　changed
they　subsequently　were　by　the　ingratitude　of　Moreau's　own
behavior　in　turning　against　the　class　to　which　his　benefactor
belonged。　　What　he　did　not　know　was　that　a　reconciliation　had
been　effected。　　For　in　the　past　month　…　ever　since　circumstances
had　driven　Andre…Louis　to　depart　from　his　undertaking　to　steer
clear　of　politics　…　the　young　man　had　not　ventured　to　approach
Meudon；　and　as　it　happened　his　name　had　pot　been　mentioned　in　La
Tour　d'Azyr's　hearing　on　the　occasion　of　either　of　his　own　previous
visits。　　He　learnt　of　that　reconciliation　now；　but　he　learnt　at
the　same　time　that　the　breach　was　now　renewed；　and　rendered　wider
and　more　impassable　than　ever。　　Therefore　he　did　not　hesitate　to
avow　his　own　position。

〃There　is　a　law；〃　he　answered。　　〃The　law　that　this　rash　young　man
himself　evokes。　　The　law　of　the　sword。〃　　He　spoke　very　gravely；
almost　sadly。　　For　he　realized　that　after　all　the　ground　was　tender。
〃You　are　not　to　suppose　that　he　is　to　continue　indefinitely　his
career　of　evil　and　of　murder。　　Sooner　or　later　he　will　meet　a
sword　that　will　avenge　the　others。　　You　have　observed　that　my
cousin　Chabrillane　is　among　the　number　of　this　assassin's　victims；
that　he　was　killed　on　Tuesday　last。〃

〃If　I　have　not　expressed　my　condolence；　Azyr；　it　is　because　my
indignation　stifles　at　the　moment　every　other　feeling。　　The
scoundrel！　　You　say　that　sooner　or　later　he　will　meet　a　sword　that
will　avenge　the　others。　　I　pray　that　it　may　be　soon。〃

The　Marquis　answered　him　quietly；　without　anything　but　sorrow　in
his　voice。　　〃I　think　your　prayer　is　likely　to　be　heard。　　This
wretched　young　man　has　an　engagement　for　to…morrow；　when　his
account　may　be　definitely　settled。〃

He　spoke　with　such　calm　conviction　that　his　words　had　all　the　sound
of　a　sentence　of　death。　　They　suddenly　stemmed　the　flow　of　M。　de
Kercadiou's　anger。　　The　colour　receded　from　his　inflamed　face；
dread　looked　out　of　his　pale　eyes；　to　inform　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr；
more　clearly　than　any　words；　that　M。　de　Kercadiou's　hot　speech　had
been　the　expression　of　unreflecting　anger；　that　his　prayer　that
retribution　might　soon　overtake　his　godson　had　been　unconsciously
insincere。　　Confronted　now　by　the　fact　that　this　retribution　was
about　to　be　visited　upon　that　scoundrel；　the　fundamental　gentleness
and　kindliness　of　his　nature　asserted　itself；　his　anger　was　suddenly
whelmed　in　apprehension；　his　affection　for　the　lad　beat　up　to　the
surface；　making　Andre…Louis'　sin；　however　hideous；　a　thing　of　no
account　by　comparison　with　the　threatened　punishment。

M。　de　Kercadiou　moistened　his　lips。

〃With　whom　is　this　engagement？〃　he　asked　in　a　voice　that　by　an
effort　he　contrived　to　render　steady。

M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr　bowed　his　handsome　head；　his　eyes　upon　the
gleaming　parquetry　of　the　floor。　　〃With　myself；〃　he　answered　quietly；
conscious　already　with　a　tightening　of　the　heart　that　his　answer
must　sow　dismay。　　He　caught　the　sound　of　a　faint　outcry　from　Aline；
he　saw　the　sudden　recoil　of　M。　de　Kercadiou。　　And　then　he　plunged
headlong　into　the　explanation　that　he　deemed　necessary。

〃In　view　of　his　relations　with　you；　M。　de　Kercadiou；　and　because
of　my　deep　regard　for　you；　I　did　my　best　to　avoid　this；　even　though
as　you　will　understand　the　death　of　my　dear　friend　and　cousin
Chabrillane　seemed　to　summon　me　to　action；　even　though　I　knew　that
my　circumspection　was　becoming　matter　for　criticism　among　my　friends。
But　yesterday　this　unbridled　young　man　made　further　restraint
impossible　to　me。　　He　provoked　me　deliberately　and　publicly。　　He
put　upon　me　the　very　grossest　affront；　and。。。　to…morrow　morning　in
the　Bois。。。　we　meet。〃

He　faltered　a　little　at　the　end；　fully　conscious　of　the　hostile
atmosphere　in　which　he　suddenly　found　himself。　　Hostility　from　M。
de　Kercadiou；　the　latter's　earlier　change　of　manner　had　already
led　him　to　expect；　the　hostility　of　mademoiselle　came　more　in　the
nature　of　a　surprise。

He　began　to　understand　what　difficulties　the　course　to　which　he
was　committed　must　raise　up　for　him。　　A　fresh　obstacle　was　to　be
flung　across　the　path　which　he　had　just　cleared；　as　he　imagined。
Yet　his　pride　and　his　sense　of　the　justice　due　to　be　done　admitted
of　no　weakening。

In　bitterness　he　realized　now；　as　he　looked　from　uncle　to　niece
　…　his　glance；　usually　so　direct　and　bold；　now　oddly　furtive　…　that
though　to…morrow　he　might　kill　Andre…Louis；　yet　even　by　his　death
Andre…Louis　would　take　vengeance　upon　him。　　He　had　exaggerated
nothing　in　reaching　the　conclusion　that　this　Andre…Louis　Moreau
was　the　evil　genius　of　his　life。　　He　saw　now　that　do　what　he　would；
kill　him　even　though　he　might；　he　could　never　conquer　him。　The　last
word　would　always　be　with　Andre…Louis　Moreau。　　In　bitterness；　in
rage；　and　in　humiliation　…　a　thing　almost　unknown　to　him　…　did　he
realize　it；　and　the　realization　steeled　his　purpose　for　all　that
he　perceived　its　futility。

Outwardly　he　showed　himself　calm　and　self…contained；　properly
suggesting　a　man　regretfully　accepting　the　inevitable。　　It　would
have　been　as　impossible　to　find　fault　with　his　bearing　as　to
attempt　to　turn　him　from　the　matter　to　which　he　was　committed。
And　so　M。　de　Kercadiou　perceived。

〃My　God！〃　was　all　that　he　said；　scarcely　above　his　breath；　yet
almost　in　a　groan。

M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr　did；　as　always；　the　thing　that　sensibility
demanded　of　him。　　He　took　his　leave。　　He　understood　that　to　linger
where　his　news　had　produced　such　an　effect　would　be　impossible；
indecent。　　So　he　departed；　in　a　bitterness　comparable　only　with
his　erstwhile　optimism；　the　sweet　fruit　of　hope　turned　to　a　thing
of　gall　even　as　it　touched　his　lips。　　Oh；　yes；　the　last　word；
indeed；　was　with　Andre…Louis　Moreau　…　always！

Uncle　and　niece　looked　at　each　other　as　he　passed　out；　and　there
was　horror　in　the　eyes　of　both。　　Aline's　pallor　was　deathly　almost；
and　standing　there　now　she　wrung　her　hands　as　if　in　pain。

〃Why　did　you　not　ask　him　…　beg　him。。。　〃　She　broke　off。

〃To　what　end？　　He　was　in　the　right；　and。。。　and　there　are　things
one　cannot　ask；　things　it　would　be　a　useless　humiliation　to　ask。〃
He　sat　down；　groaning。　　〃Oh；　the　poor　boy　…　the　poor；　misguided　boy。〃

In　the　mind　of　neither；　you　see；　was　there　any　doubt　of　what　must
be　the　issue。　　The　calm　confidence　in　which　La　Tour　d'Azyr　had
spoken　compelled　itself　to　be　shared。　　He　was　no　vainglorious
boaster；　and　they　knew　of　what　a　force　as　a　swordsman　he　was
generally　accounted。

〃What　does　humiliation　matter？　　A　life　is　at　issue　…　Andre's　life。〃

〃I　know。　　My　God；　don't　I　know？　　And　I　would　humiliate　myself　if
by　humiliating　myself　I　could　hope　to　prevail。　　But　Azyr　is　a　hard；
relentless　man；　and。。。　〃

Ab