scaramouche-第78节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


was　a　man　of　my　own　class；　a　gentleman　of　pleasant　ways；　amiable；
estimable；　and　able。

〃You　conceive　me　slaying　him　for　the　very　lust　of　slaying；　like
some　beast　of　the　jungle　flinging　itself　upon　its　natural　prey。
That　has　been　your　error　from　the　first。　　I　did　what　I　did　with　the
very　heaviest　heart　…　oh；　spare　me　your　sneer！　　…　I　do　not　lie；　I
have　never　lied。　　And　I　swear　to　you　here　and　now；　by　my　every　hope
of　Heaven；　that　what　I　say　is　true。　　I　loathed　the　thing　I　did。
Yet　for　my　own　sake　and　the　sake　of　my　order　I　must　do　it。　　Ask
yourself　whether　M。　de　Vilmorin　would　have　hesitated　for　a　moment
if　by　procuring　my　death　he　could　have　brought　the　Utopia　of　his
dreams　a　moment　nearer　realization。

〃After　that。　　You　determined　that　the　sweetest　vengeance　would　be
to　frustrate　my　ends　by　reviving　in　yourself　the　voice　that　I　had
silenced；　by　yourself　carrying　forward　the　fantastic　apostleship
of　equality　that　was　M。　de　Vilmorin's。　　You　lacked　the　vision　that
would　have　shown　you　that　God　did　not　create　men　equals。　　Well；
you　are　in　case　to…night　to　judge　which　of　us　was　right；　which　
rong。　　You　see　what　is　happening　here　in　Paris。　　You　see　the　foul
spectre　of　Anarchy　stalking　through　a　land　fallen　into　confusion。
Probably　you　have　enough　imagination　to　conceive　something　of　what
must　follow。　　And　do　you　deceive　yourself　that　out　of　this　filth
and　ruin　there　will　rise　up　an　ideal　form　of　society？　　Don't　you
understand　that　society　must　re…order　itself　presently　out　of　all
this？

〃But　why　say　more？　　I　must　have　said　enough　to　make　you　understand
the　only　thing　that　really　matters　…　that　I　killed　M。　de　Vilmorin
as　a　matter　of　duty　to　my　order。　　And　the　truth　…　which　though　it
may　offend　you　should　also　convince　you　…　is　that　to…night　I　can　
ook　back　on　the　deed　with　equanimity；　without　a　single　regret；　apart
from　what　lies　between　you　and　me。

〃When；　kneeling　beside　the　body　of　your　friend　that　day　at
Gavrillac；　you　insulted　and　provoked　me；　had　I　been　the　tiger　you
conceived　me　I　must　have　killed　you　too。　　I　am；　as　you　may　know；　a
man　of　quick　passions。　　Yet　I　curbed　the　natural　anger　you　aroused
in　me；　because　I　could　forgive　an　affront　to　myself　where　I　could
not　overlook　a　calculated　attack　upon　my　order。〃

He　paused　a　moment。　　Andre…Louis　stood　rigid　listening　and　wondering。
So；　too；　the　others。　　Then　M。　le　Marquis　resumed；　on　a　note　of　less
assurance。　　〃In　the　matter　of　Mlle。　Binet　I　was　unfortunate。　　I
wronged　you　through　inadvertence。　　I　had　no　knowledge　of　the
relations　between　you。〃

Andre…Louis　interrupted　him　'sharply　at　last　with　a　question：　〃Would
it　have　made　a　difference　if　you　had？〃

〃No；〃　he　was　answered　frankly。　　〃I　have　the　faults　of　my　kind。　　I
cannot　pretend　that　any　such　scruple　as　you　suggest　would　have
weighed　with　me。　　But　can　you　…　if　you　are　capable　of　any　detached
judgment　…　blame　me　very　much　for　that？〃

〃All　things　considered；　monsieur；　I　am　rapidly　being　forced　to　the
conclusion　that　it　is　impossible　to　blame　any　man　for　anything　in
this　world；　that　we　are　all　of　us　the　sport　of　destiny。　　Consider；
monsieur；　this　gathering　…　this　family　gathering　…　here　to…night；
whilst　out　there。。。　0　my　God；　let　us　make　an　end！　　Let　us　go　our
ways　and　write　'finis'　to　this　horrible　chapter　of　our　lives。〃

M。　le　La　Tour　considered　him　gravely；　sadly；　in　silence　for　a　moment。

〃Perhaps　it　is　best；〃　he　said；　at　length；　in　a　small　voice。　　He
turned　to　Mme。　de　Plougastel。　　〃If　a　wrong　I　have　to　admit　in　my
life；　a　wrong　that　I　must　bitterly　regret；　it　is　the　wrong　that　I
have　done　to　you；　my　dear。。。　〃

〃Not　now；　Gervais！　　Not　now！〃　she　faltered；　interrupting　him。

〃Now　…　for　the　first　and　the　last　time。　　I　am　going。　　It　is　not
likely　that　we　shall　ever　meet　again　…　that　I　shall　ever　see　any
of　you　again　…　you　who　should　have　been　the　nearest　and　dearest　to
me。　　We　are　all；　he　says；　the　sport　of　destiny。　　Ah；　but　not　quite。
Destiny　is　an　intelligent　force；　moving　with　purpose。　　In　life　we
pay　for　the　evil　that　in　life　we　do。　　That　is　the　lesson　that　I
have　learnt　to…night。　　By　an　act　of　betrayal　I　begot　unknown　to　me
a　son　who；　whilst　as　ignorant　as　myself　of　our　relationship；　has
come　to　be　the　evil　genius　of　my　life；　to　cross　and　thwart　me；　and
finally　to　help　to　pull　me　down　in　ruin。　　It　is　just　…　poetically
just。　　My　full　and　resigned　acceptance　of　that　fact　is　the　only
atonement　I　can　offer　you。〃

He　stooped　and　took　one　of　madame's　hands　that　lay　limply　in　her　lap。

〃Good…bye；　Therese！〃　　His　voice　broke。　　He　had　reached　the　end　of
his　iron　self…control。

She　rose　and　clung　to　him　a　moment；　unashamed　before　them。　　The
ashes　of　that　dead　romance　had　been　deeply　stirred　this　night；　and
deep　down　some　lingering　embers　had　been　found　that　glowed　brightly
now　before　their　final　extinction。　　Yet　she　made　no　attempt　to
detain　him。　　She　understood　that　their　son　had　pointed　out　the　only
wise；　the　only　possible　course；　and　was　thankful　that　M。　de　La　Tour
d'Azyr　accepted　it。

〃God　keep　you；　Gervais；〃　she　murmured。　　〃You　will　take　the
safe…conduct；　and。。。　and　you　will　let　me　know　when　you　are　safe？〃

He　held　her　face　between　his　hands　an　instant；　then　very　gently
kissed　her　and　put　her　from　him。　　Standing　erect；　and　outwardly　calm
again；　he　looked　across　at　Andre…Louis　who　was　proffering　him　a
sheet　of　paper。

〃It　is　the　safe…conduct。　　Take　it；　monsieur。　　It　is　my　first　and
last　gift　to　you；　and　certainly　the　last　gift　I　should　ever　have
thought　of　making　you　…　the　gift　of　life。　　In　a　sense　it　makes　us
quits。　　The　irony；　sir；　is　not　mine；　but　Fate's。　　Take　it；　monsieur；
and　go　in　peace。〃

M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr　took　it。　　His　eyes　looked　hungrily　into　the
lean　face　confronting　him；　so　sternly　set。　　He　thrust　the　paper
into　his　bosom；　and　then　abruptly；　convulsively；　held　out　his　hand。
His　son's　eyes　asked　a　question。

〃Let　there　be　peace　between　us；　in　God's　name；〃　said　the　Marquis
thickly。

Pity　stirred　at　last　in　Andre…Louis。　　Some　of　the　sternness　left
his　face。　　He　sighed。　　〃Good…bye；　monsieur；〃　he　said。

〃You　are　hard；〃　his　father　told　him；　speaking　wistfully。　　〃But
perhaps　you　are　in　the　right　so　to　be。　　In　other　circumstances　I
should　have　been　proud　to　have　owned　you　as　my　son。　　As　it　is。。。　〃
He　broke　off　abruptly；　and　as　abruptly　added；　〃Good…bye。〃

He　loosed　his　son's　hand　and　stepped　back。　　They　bowed　formally　to
each　other。　　And　then　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr　bowed　to　Mlle。　de
Kercadiou　in　utter　silence；　a　bow　that　contained　something　of
utter　renunciation；　of　finality。

That　done　he　turned　and　walked　stiffly　out　of　the　room；　and　so
out　of　all　their　lives。　　Months　later　they　were　to　hear　if　him
in　the　service　of　the　Emperor　of　Austria。



CHAPTER　XVI

SUNRISE


Andre…Louis　took　the　air　next　morning　on　the　terrace　at　Meudon。　　The
hour　was　very　early；　and　the　newly　risen　sun　was　transmuting　into
diamonds　the　dewdrops　that　still　lingered　on　the　lawn。　　Down　in　the
valley；　five　miles　away；　the　morning　mists　were　rising　over　Paris。
Yet　early　as　it　was　that　house　on　the　hill　was　astir　already；　in　a
bustle　of　preparation　for　the　departure　that　was　imminent。

Andre…Louis　had　won　safely　out　of　Paris　last　night　with　his　mother
and　Aline；　and　to…day　they　were　to　set　out　all　of　them　for　Coblenz。

To　Andre…Louis；　sauntering　there　with　hands　clasped　behind　him　and
head　hunched　between　his　shoulders　…　for　life　had　never　been　richer
in　material　for　reflection　…　came　presently　Aline　through　one　of
the　glass　doors　from　the　library。

〃You're　early　astir；〃　she　greeted　him。

〃Faith；　yes。　　I　haven't　been　to　bed。　　No；〃　he　assured　her；　in　answer
to　her　exclamation。　　〃I　spent　the　night　or　what　was　left　of　it
sitting　at　the　window　thinking。〃

〃My　poor　Andre！〃

〃You　describe　me　perfectly。　　I　am　very　poor　…　for　I　know　nothing；
understand　nothing。　　It　is　not　a　calamitous　condition　until　it　is
realized。　　Then。。。　〃　　He　threw　out　his　arms；　and　let　them　fall　again。
His　face　she　observed　was　very　drawn　and　haggard。

She　paced　with　him　along　the　old　granite　balustrade　over　which　the
geraniums　flung　their　mantle　of　green　and　scarlet。

〃Have　you　decided　what　you　are　going　to　do？〃　she　asked　him。

〃I　have　decided　that　I　have　no　choice。　　I；　too；　must　emigrate。　　I
am　lucky　to　be　able　to　do　so；　lucky　to　have　found　no　one　amid
yesterday's　chaos　in　Paris　to　whom　I　could　report　myself　as　I
foolishly　desired；　else　I　might　no　longer　be　armed　with　these。〃
He　drew　from　his　pocket　the　powerful　passport　of　the　Commission　of
Twelve；　enjoining　upon　all　Frenchmen　to　lend　him　such　assistance　as
he　might　require；　and　warning　those　who　might　think　of　hindering
him　that　they　did　so　at　their　own　peril。　　He　spread　it　before　her。
〃With　this　I　conduct　you　all　safely　to　the　frontier。　　Over　the
frontier　M。　de　Kercadiou　and　Mme。　de　Plougastel　will　have　to　conduct
me；　and　then　we　shall　be　quits。〃

〃Quits？〃　quoth　she。　　〃But　you　will　be　unable　to　return！〃

〃You　conceive；　of　course；　my　eagerness　to　do　so。　　My　child；　in　a
day　or　two　there　will　be　enquiries。　　It　will　be　asked　what　has
become　of　me。　　Things　will　transpire。　　Then　the　hunt　will　start。
But　by　then　we　shall　be　well　upon　our　way；　well　ahead　of　any