scaramouche-第14部分

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！



〃The　establishment　of　liberty　and　equality　should　be　the　aim　of
every　citizen　member　of　the　Third　Estate；　and　to　this　end　we　should
stand　indivisibly　united；　especially　the　young　and　vigorous；
especially　those　who　have　had　the　good　fortune　to　be　born　late　enough
to　be　able　to　gather　for　themselves　the　precious　fruits　of　the
philosophy　of　this　eighteenth　century。〃

Acclamations　broke　out　unstintedly　now。　　He　had　caught　them　in　the
snare　of　his　oratory。　　And　he　pressed　his　advantage　instantly。

〃Let　us　all　swear；〃　he　cried　in　a　great　voice；　〃to　raise　up　in　the
name　of　humanity　and　of　liberty　a　rampart　against　our　enemies；　to
oppose　to　their　bloodthirsty　covetousness　the　calm　perseverance　of
men　whose　cause　is　just。　　And　let　us　protest　here　and　in　advance
against　any　tyrannical　decrees　that　should　declare　us　seditious　when
we　have　none　but　pure　and　just　intentions。　　Let　us　make　oath　upon
the　honour　of　our　motherland　that　should　any　of　us　be　seized　by　an
unjust　tribunal；　intending　against　us　one　of　those　acts　termed　of
political　expediency　…　which　are；　in　effect；　but　acts　of　despotism　
…　let　us　swear；　I　say；　to　give　a　full　expression　to　the　strength
that　is　in　us　and　do　that　in　self…defence　which　nature；　courage；
and　despair　dictate　to　us。〃

Loud　and　long　rolled　the　applause　that　greeted　his　conclusion；　and
he　observed　with　satisfaction　and　even　some　inward　grim　amusement
that　the　wealthy　merchants　who　had　been　congregated　upon　the　steps；
and　who　now　came　crowding　about　him　to　shake　him　by　the　hand　and　to
acclaim　him；　were　not　merely　participants　in；　but　the　actual　leaders
of；　this　delirium　of　enthusiasm。

It　confirmed　him；　had　he　needed　confirmation；　in　his　conviction　that
just　as　the　philosophies　upon　which　this　new　movement　was　based　had
their　source　in　thinkers　extracted　from　the　bourgeoisie；　so　the　need
to　adopt　those　philosophies　to　the　practical　purposes　of　life　was
most　acutely　felt　at　present　by　those　bourgeois　who　found　themselves
debarred　by　Privilege　from　the　expansion　their　wealth　permitted　them。
If　it　might　be　said　of　Andre…Louis　that　he　had　that　day　lighted　the
torch　of　the　Revolution　in　Nantes；　it　might　with　even　greater　truth
be　said　that　the　torch　itself　was　supplied　by　the　opulent　bourgeoisie。

I　need　not　dwell　at　any　length　upon　the　sequel。　　It　is　a　matter　of
history　how　that　oath　which　Omnes　Omnibus　administered　to　the
citizens　of　Nantes　formed　the　backbone　of　the　formal　protest　which
they　drew　up　and　signed　in　their　thousands。　　Nor　were　the　results　of
that　powerful　protest　…　which；　after　all；　might　already　be　said　to
harmonize　with　the　expressed　will　of　the　sovereign　himself　…　long
delayed。　　Who　shall　say　how　far　it　may　have　strengthened　the　hand　of
Necker；　when　on　the　27th　of　that　same　month　of　November　he　compelled
the　Council　to　adopt　the　most　significant　and　comprehensive　of　all
those　measures　to　which　clergy　and　nobility　had　refused　their　consent？
On　that　date　was　published　the　royal　decree　ordaining　that　the
deputies　to　be　elected　to　the　States　General　should　number　at　least
one　thousand；　and　that　the　deputies　of　the　Third　Estate　should　be
fully　representative　by　numbering　as　many　as　the　deputies　of　clergy
and　nobility　together。



CHAPTER　IX

THE　AFTERMATH


Dusk　of　the　following　day　was　falling　when　the　homing　Andre…Louis
approached　Gavrillac。　　Realizing　fully　what　a　hue　and　cry　there
would　presently　be　for　the　apostle　of　revolution　who　had　summoned
the　people　of　Nantes　to　arms；　he　desired　as　far　as　possible　to
conceal　the　fact　that　he　had　been　in　that　maritime　city。　　Therefore
he　made　a　wide　detour；　crossing　the　river　at　Bruz；　and　recrossing
it　a　little　above　Chavagne；　so　as　to　approach　Gavrillac　from　the
north；　and　create　the　impression　that　he　was　returning　from　Rennes；
whither　he　was　known　to　have　gone　two　days　ago。

Within　a　mile　or　so　of　the　village　he　caught　in　the　fading　light
his　first　glimpse　of　a　figure　on　horseback　pacing　slowly　towards
him。　But　it　was　not　until　they　had　come　within　a　few　yards　of　each
other；　and　he　observed　that　this　cloaked　figure　was　leaning　forward
to　peer　at　him；　that　he　took　much　notice　of　it。　　And　then　he　found
himself　challenged　almost　at　once　by　a　woman's　voice。

〃It　is　you；　Andre　…　at　last！〃

He　drew　rein；　mildly　surprised；　to　be　assailed　by　another　question；
impatiently；　anxiously　asked。

〃Where　have　you　been？〃

〃Where　have　I　been；　Cousin　Aline？　　Oh。。。　seeing　the　world。〃

〃I　have　been　patrolling　this　road　since　noon　to…day　waiting　for　you。〃
She　spoke　breathlessly；　in　haste　to　explain。　　〃A　troop　of　the
marechaussee　from　Rennes　descended　upon　Gavrillac　this　morning　in
quest　of　you。　　They　turned　the　chateau　and　the　village　inside　out；
and　at　last　discovered　that　you　were　due　to　return　with　a　horse
hired　from　the　Breton　arme。　　So　they　have　taken　up　their　quarters
at　the　inn　to　wait　for　you。　　I　have　been　here　all　the　afternoon　on
the　lookout　to　warn　you　against　walking　into　that　trap。〃

〃My　dear　Aline！　　That　I　should　have　been　the　cause　of　so　much
concern　and　trouble！〃

〃Never　mind　that。　　It　is　not　important。〃

〃On　the　contrary；　it　is　the　most　important　part　of　what　you　tell　me。
It　is　the　rest　that　is　unimportant。〃

〃Do　you　realize　that　they　have　come　to　arrest　you？〃　she　asked　him；
with　increasing　impatience。　　〃You　are　wanted　for　sedition；　and　upon
a　warrant　from　M。　de　Lesdiguieres。〃

〃Sedition？〃　quoth　he；　and　his　thoughts　flew　to　that　business　at
Nantes。　　It　was　impossible　they　could　have　had　news　of　it　in　Rennes
and　acted　upon　it　in　so　short　a　time。

〃Yes；　sedition。　　The　sedition　of　that　wicked　speech　of　yours　at
Rennes　on　Wednesday。〃

〃Oh；　that！〃　said　he。　　〃Pooh！〃　　His　note　of　relief　might　have　told
her；　had　she　been　more　attentive；　that　he　had　to　fear　the　consequences
of　a　greater　wickedness　committed　since。　　〃Why；　that　was　nothing。〃

〃Nothing？〃

〃I　almost　suspect　that　the　real　intentions　of　these　gentlemen　of
the　marechaussee　have　been　misunderstood。　　Most　probably　they　have
come　to　thank　me　on　M。　de　Lesdiguieres'　behalf。　　I　restrained　the
people　when　they　would　have　burnt　the　Palais　and　himself　inside　it。〃

〃After　you　had　first　incited　them　to　do　it。　　I　suppose　you　were
afraid　of　your　work。　　You　drew　back　at　the　last　moment。　　But　you
said　things　of　M。　de　Lesdiguieres；　if　you　are　correctly　reported；
which　he　will　never　forgive。〃

〃I　see；〃　said　Andre…Louis；　and　he　fell　into　thought。

But　Mlle。　de　Kercadiou　had　already　done　what　thinking　was　necessary；
and　her　alert　young　mind　had　settled　all　that　was　to　be　done。

〃You　must　not　go　into　Gavrillac；〃　she　told　him；　〃and　you　must　get
down　from　your　horse；　and　let　me　take　it。　　I　will　stable　it　at　the
chateau　to…night。　　And　sometime　to　morrow　afternoon；　by　when　you
should　be　well　away；　I　will　return　it　to　the　Breton　arme。〃

〃Oh；　but　that　is　impossible。〃

〃Impossible？　　Why？〃

〃For　several　reasons。　　One　of　them　is　that　you　haven't　considered
what　will　happen　to　you　if　you　do　such　a　thing。〃

〃To　me？　　Do　you　suppose　I　am　afraid　of　that　pack　of　oafs　sent　by　M。
Lesdiguieres？　　I　have　committed　no　sedition。〃

〃But　it　is　almost　as　bad　to　give　aid　to　one　who　is　wanted　for　the
crime。　　That　is　the　law。〃

〃What　do　I　care　for　the　law？　　Do　you　imagine　that　the　law　will
presume　to　touch　me？〃

〃Of　course　there　is　that。　　You　are　sheltered　by　one　of　the　abuses　I
complained　of　at　Rennes。　　I　was　forgetting。〃

〃Complain　of　it　as　much　as　you　please；　but　meanwhile　profit　by　it。
Come；　Andre；　do　as　I　tell　you。　　Get　down　from　your　horse。〃　　And　then；
as　he　still　hesitated；　she　stretched　out　and　caught　him　by　the　arm。
Her　voice　was　vibrant　with　earnestness。　　〃Andre；　you　don't　realize
how　serious　is　your　position。　　If　these　people　take　you；　it　is　almost
certain　that　you　will　be　hanged。　　Don't　you　realize　it？　　You　must
not　go　to　Gavrillac。　　You　must　go　away　at　once；　and　lie　completely
lost　for　a　time　until　this　blows　over。　　Indeed；　until　my　uncle　can
bring　influence　to　bear　to　obtain　your　pardon；　you　must　keep　in　hiding。〃

〃That　will　be　a　long　time；　then；〃　said　Andre…Louis。　　M。　de　Kercadiou
has　never　cultivated　friends　at　court。〃

〃There　is　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr；〃　she　reminded　him；　to　his
astonishment。

〃That　man！〃　he　cried；　and　then　he　laughed。　　〃But　it　was　chiefly
against　him　that　I　aroused　the　resentment　of　the　people　of　Rennes。
I　should　have　known　that　all　my　speech　was　not　reported　to　you。

〃It　was；　and　that　part　of　it　among　the　rest。〃

〃Ah！　　And　yet　you　are　concerned　to　save　me；　the　man　who　seeks　the
life　of　your　future　husband　at　the　hands　either　of　the　law　or　of　the
people？　　Or　is　it；　perhaps；　that　since　you　have　seen　his　true　nature
revealed　in　the　murder　of　poor　Philippe；　you　have　changed　your　views
on　the　subject　of　becoming　Marquise　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr？〃

〃You　often　show　yourself　without　any　faculty　of　deductive　reasoning。〃

〃Perhaps。　　But　hardly　to　the　extent　of　imagining　that　M。　de　La　Tour
d'Azyr　will　ever　lift　a　finger　to　do　as　you　suggest。〃

〃In　which；　as　usual；　you　are　wrong。　　He　will　certainly　do　so　if　I
ask　him。〃

〃If　you　ask　him？〃　　Sheer　horror　rang　in　his　voice。

〃Why；　yes。　　You　see；　I　have　not　yet　said　that　I　will　be　Marquise　de
La　Tour　d'Azyr。　　I　am　still　considering。　　It　is　a　position　that　has
its　advantages。　　One　of　them　is　that　it　ensures　a　suitor's　complete
obedience。〃

〃So；　so。　　I　see　the　crooked　logic　of　your　mind。　　You　might　go　so　far
as　to　say　to　him：　'Refuse　me　this；　and　I　shall　refuse　to　be　your
marquise。'　You　would　go　so　far　as　that？〃

〃At　need；　I　might。〃

〃And　do　you　not　see　the　converse　implication？　　Do　you　not　see　that
your　hands　would　then　be　tied；　that　you　would　be　wanting　in　honour
if　afterwards　you　refused　him？　　And　do　you　think　that　I　would
consent　to　anything　that　could　so　tie　your　hands？　　Do　you　think　I
want　to　see　you　damned；　Aline？〃

Her　hand　fell　away　from　his　arm。

〃Oh；　you　are　mad！〃　she　exclaimed；　quite　out　of　patience。

〃Possibly。　　But　I　like　my　madness。　　There　is　a　thrill　in　it　unknown
to　such　sanity　as　yours。　　By　your　leave；　Aline；　I　think　I　will　ride
on　to　Gavrillac。〃

〃Andre；　you　must　not！　　It　is　death　to　you！〃　　In　her　alarm　she　backed
her　horse；　and　pulled　it　across　the　road　to　bar　his　way。