scaramouche-第2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！


vile。　　I　am　speaking　of　Man　in　the　bulk。〃

〃Do　you　pretend　that　it　is　impossible　to　ameliorate　the　lot　of　the
people？〃　M。　de　Vilmorin　challenged　him。

〃When　you　say　the　people　you　mean；　of　course；　the　populace。　　Will
you　abolish　it？　　That　is　the　only　way　to　ameliorate　its　lot；　for　as
long　as　it　remains　populace　its　lot　will　be　damnation。〃

〃You　argue；　of　course；　for　the　side　that　employs　you。　　That　is
natural；　I　suppose。〃　　M。　de　Vilmorin　spoke　between　sorrow　and
indignation。

〃On　the　contrary；　I　seek　to　argue　with　absolute　detachment。　　Let　us
test　these　ideas　of　yours。　　To　what　form　of　government　do　you　aspire？
A　republic；　it　is　to　be　inferred　from　what　you　have　said。　　Well；　you
have　it　already。　　France　in　reality　is　a　republic　to…day。〃

Philippe　stared　at　him。　〃You　are　being　paradoxical；　I　think。　　What
of　the　King？〃

〃The　King？　　All　the　world　knows　there　has　been　no　king　in　France
since　Louis　XIV。　　There　is　an　obese　gentleman　at　Versailles　who
wears　the　crown；　but　the　very　news　you　bring　shows　for　how　little
he　really　counts。　　It　is　the　nobles　and　clergy　who　sit　in　the　high
places；　with　the　people　of　France　harnessed　under　their　feet；　who
are　the　real　rulers。　　That　is　why　I　say　that　France　is　a　republic；
she　is　a　republic　built　on　the　best　pattern　…　the　Roman　pattern。
Then；　as　now；　there　were　great　patrician　families　in　luxury；
preserving　for　themselves　power　and　wealth；　and　what　else　is
accounted　worth　possessing；　and　there　was　the　populace　crushed　and
groaning；　sweating；　bleeding；　starving；　and　perishing　in　the　Roman
kennels。　　That　was　a　republic；　the　mightiest　we　have　seen。〃

Philippe　strove　with　his　impatience。　　〃At　least　you　will　admit　…　you
have；　in　fact；　admitted　it　…　that　we　could　not　be　worse　governed
than　we　are？〃

〃That　is　not　the　point。　　The　point　is　should　we　be　better　governed
if　we　replaced　the　present　ruling　class　by　another？　　Without　some
guarantee　of　that　I　should　be　the　last　to　lift　a　finger　to　effect　a
change。　　And　what　guarantees　can　you　give？　　What　is　the　class　that
aims　at　government？　　I　will　tell　you。　　The　bourgeoisie。〃

〃What？〃

〃That　startles　you；　eh？　　Truth　is　so　often　disconcerting。　　You　hadn't
thought　of　it？　　Well；　think　of　it　now。　　Look　well　into　this　Nantes
manifesto。　　Who　are　the　authors　of　it？〃

〃I　can　tell　you　who　it　was　constrained　the　municipality　of　Nantes
to　send　it　to　the　King。　　Some　ten　thousand　workmen　…　shipwrights；
weavers；　labourers；　and　artisans　of　every　kind。〃

〃Stimulated　to　it；　driven　to　it；　by　their　employers；　the　wealthy
traders　and　shipowners　of　that　city；〃　Andre…Louis　replied。　　〃I　have
a　habit　of　observing　things　at　close　quarters；　which　is　why　our
colleagues　of　the　Literary　Chamber　dislike　me　so　cordially　in　debate。
Where　I　delve　they　but　skim。　Behind　those　labourers　and　artisans　of
Nantes；　counselling　them；　urging　on　these　poor；　stupid；　ignorant
toilers　to　shed　their　blood　in　pursuit　of　the　will　o'　the　wisp　of
freedom；　are　the　sail…makers；　the　spinners；　the　ship…owners　and　the
slave…traders。　　The　slave…traders！　　The　men　who　live　and　grow　rich
by　a　traffic　in　human　flesh　and　blood　in　the　colonies；　are　conducting
at　home　a　campaign　in　the　sacred　name　of　liberty！　　Don't　you　see　that
the　whole　movement　is　a　movement　of　hucksters　and　traders　and
peddling　vassals　swollen　by　wealth　into　envy　of　the　power　that　lies
in　birth　alone？　　The　money…changers　in　Paris　who　hold　the　bonds　in
the　national　debt；　seeing　the　parlous　financial　condition　of　the
State；　tremble　at　the　thought　that　it　may　lie　in　the　power　of　a
single　man　to　cancel　the　debt　by　bankruptcy。　　To　secure　themselves
they　are　burrowing　underground　to　overthrow　a　state　and　build　upon
its　ruins　a　new　one　in　which　they　shall　be　the　masters。　　And　to
accomplish　this　they　inflame　the　people。　　Already　in　Dauphiny　we
have　seen　blood　run　like　water　…　the　blood　of　the　populace；　always
the　blood　of　the　populace。　　Now　in　Brittany　we　may　see　the　like。
And　if　in　the　end　the　new　ideas　prevail？　　if　the　seigneurial　rule
is　overthrown；　what　then？　　You　will　have　exchanged　an　aristocracy
for　a　plutocracy。　　Is　that　worth　while？　　Do　you　'think　that　under
money…changers　and　slave…traders　and　men　who　have　waxed　rich　in
other　ways　by　the　ignoble　arts　of　buying　and　selling；　the　lot　of
the　people　will　be　any　better　than　under　their　priests　and　nobles？
Has　it　ever　occurred　to　you；　Philippe；　what　it　is　that　makes　the
rule　of　the　nobles　so　intolerable？　　Acquisitiveness。　　Acquisitiveness
is　the　curse　of　mankind。　　And　shall　you　expect　less　acquisitiveness
in　men　who　have　built　themselves　up　by　acquisitiveness？　　Oh；　I　am
ready　to　admit　that　the　present　government　is　execrable；　unjust；
tyrannical　…　what　you　will；　but　I　beg　you　to　look　ahead；　and　to　see
that　the　government　for　which　it　is　aimed　at　exchanging　it　may　be
infinitely　worse。〃

Philippe　sat　thoughtful　a　moment。　　Then　he　returned　to　the　attack。

〃You　do　not　speak　of　the　abuses；　the　horrible；　intolerable　abuses
of　power　under　which　we　labour　at　present。〃

〃Where　there　is　power　there　will　always　be　the　abuse　of　it。〃

〃Not　if　the　tenure　of　power　is　dependent　upon　its　equitable
administration。〃

〃The　tenure　of　power　is　power。　　We　cannot　dictate　to　those　who　hold
it。〃

〃The　people　can　…　the　people　in　its　might。〃

〃Again　I　ask　you；　when　you　say　the　people　do　you　mean　the　populace？
You　do。　　What　power　can　the　populace　wield？　　It　can　run　wild。　　It
can　burn　and　slay　for　a　time。　　But　enduring　power　it　cannot　wield；
because　power　demands　qualities　which　the　populace　does　not　possess；
or　it　would　not　be　populace。　　The　inevitable；　tragic　corollary　of
civilization　is　populace。　　For　the　rest；　abuses　can　be　corrected　by
equity；　and　equity；　if　it　is　not　found　in　the　enlightened；　is　not
to　be　found　at　all。　　M。　Necker　is　to　set　about　correcting　abuses；
and　limiting　privileges。　　That　is　decided。　　To　that　end　the　States
General　are　to　assemble。〃

〃And　a　promising　beginning　we　have　made　in　Brittany；　as　Heaven　hears
me！〃　cried　Philippe。

〃Pooh！　　That　is　nothing。　　Naturally　the　nobles　will　not　yield　without
a　struggle。　　It　is　a　futile　and　ridiculous　struggle　…　but　then。。。　it
is　human　nature；　I　suppose；　to　be　futile　and　ridiculous。〃

M。　de　Vilmorin　became　witheringly　sarcastic。　　〃Probably　you　will
also　qualify　the　shooting　of　Mabey　as　futile　and　ridiculous。　　I
should　even　be　prepared　to　hear　you　argue　in　defence　of　the　Marquis
de　La　Tour　d'　Azyr　that　his　gamekeeper　was　merciful　in　shooting
Mabey；　since　the　alternative　would　have　been　a　life…sentence　to
the　galleys。〃

Andre…Louis　drank　the　remainder　of　his　chocolate；　set　down　his　cup；
and　pushed　back　his　chair；　his　breakfast　done。

〃I　confess　that　I　have　not　your　big　charity；　my　dear　Philippe。　　I
am　touched　by　Mabey's　fate。　　But；　having　conquered　the　shock　of
this　news　to　my　emotions；　I　do　not　forget　that；　after　all；　Mabey
was　thieving　when　he　met　his　death。〃

M。　de　Vilmorin　heaved　himself　up　in　his　indignation。

〃That　is　the　point　of　view　to　be　expected　in　one　who　is　the　assistant
fiscal　intendant　of　a　nobleman；　and　the　delegate　of　a　nobleman　to
the　States　of　Brittany。〃

〃Philippe；　is　that　just？　　You　are　angry　with　me！〃　he　cried；　in　real
solicitude。

〃I　am　hurt；〃　Vilmorin　admitted。　　〃I　am　deeply　hurt　by　your　attitude。
And　I　am　not　alone　in　resenting　your　reactionary　tendencies。　　Do
you　know　that　the　Literary　Chamber　is　seriously　considering　your
expulsion？〃

Andre…Louis　shrugged。　　〃That　neither　surprises　nor　troubles　me。〃

M。　de　Vilmorin　swept　on；　passionately：　〃Sometimes　I　think　that　you
have　no　heart。　　With　you　it　is　always　the　law；　never　equity。　　It
occurs　to　me；　Andre；　that　I　was　mistaken　in　coming　to　you。　　You　are
not　likely　to　be　of　assistance　to　me　in　my　interview　with　M。　de
Kercadiou。〃　　He　took　up　his　hat；　clearly　with　the　intention　of
departing。

Andre…Louis　sprang　up　and　caught　him　by　the　arm。

〃I　vow；〃　said　he；　〃that　this　is　the　last　time　ever　I　shall　consent
to　talk　law　or　politics　with　you；　Philippe。　　I　love　you　too　well
to　quarrel　with　you　over　other　men's　affairs。〃

〃But　I　make　them　my　own；〃　Philippe　insisted　vehemently。

〃Of　course　you　do；　and　I　love　you　for　it。　　It　is　right　that　you
should。　　You　are　to　be　a　priest；　and　everybody's　business　is　a
priest's　business。　　Whereas　I　am　a　lawyer　…　the　fiscal　intendant
of　a　nobleman；　as　you　say　…　and　a　lawyer's　business　is　the　business
of　his　client。　　That　is　the　difference　between　us。　　Nevertheless；
you　are　not　going　to　shake　me　off。〃

〃But　I　tell　you　frankly；　now　that　I　come　to　think　of　it；　that　I
should　prefer　you　did　not　see　M。　de　Kercadiou　with　me。　　Your　duty
to　your　client　cannot　be　a　help　to　me。〃

His　wrath　had　passed；　but　his　determination　remained　firm；　based
upon　the　reason　he　gave。

〃Very　well；〃　said　Andre…Louis。　　〃It　shall　be　as　you　please。　　But
nothing　shall　prevent　me　at　least　from　walking　with　you　as　far　as
the　chateau；　and　waiting　for　you　while　you　make　your　appeal　to　M。
de　Kercadiou。〃

And　so　they　left　the　house　good　friends；　for　the　sweetness　of　M。
de　Vilmorin's　nature　did　not　admit　of　rancour；　and　together　they
took　their　way　up　the　steep　main　street　of　Gavrillac。



CHAPTER　II

THE　ARISTOCRAT


The　sleepy　village　of　Gavrillac；　a　half…league　removed　from　the　main
road　to　Rennes；　and　therefore　undisturbed　by　the　world's　traffic；
lay　in　a　curve　of　the　River　Meu；　at　the　foot；　and　straggling　halfway
up　the　slope；　of　the　shallow　hill　that　was　crowned　by　the　squat　manor。
By　the　time　Gavrillac　had　paid　tribute　to　its　seigneur　…　partly　in
money　and　partly　in　service　…　tithes　to　the　Church；　and　imposts　to
the　King；　it　was　hard　put　to　it　to　keep　body　and　soul　together　with
what　remained。　　Yet；　hard　as　conditions　were　in　Gavrillac；　they　were
not　so　hard　as　in　many　other　parts　of　France；　not　half　so　hard；　for
instance；　as　with　the　wretched　feudatories　of　the　great　Lord　of　La
Tour　d'Azyr；　whose　vast　possessions　were　at　one　point　separated　from
this　little　village　by　the　waters　of　the　Meu。

The　Chateau　de　Gavrillac　owed　such　seigneurial　airs　as　might　be
claimed　for　it　to　its　dominant　position　above　the　village　rather
than　to　any　feature　of　its　own。　　Built　of　granite；　like　all　the　rest
of　Gavrillac；　though　mellowed　by