scaramouche-第39部分

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placed　it　on　one　of　hers。　　She　noticed　that　it　trembled。

〃Has　he　promised　that？　　Has　he　promised？〃

She　looked　at　him　with　her　head　on　one　side；　eyes　sly　and　a　queer
little　smile　on　her　perfect　lips。

〃He　did　not　refuse　me　when　I　asked　it；〃　she　answered；　with
conviction　that　all　was　as　she　desired　it。

〃Bah！〃　　He　withdrew　his　hand；　and　heaved　himself　up。　　There　was
disgust　on　his　face。　　〃He　did　not　refuse！〃　he　mocked　her；　and　then
with　passion：　〃Had　you　acted　as　I　advised　you；　he　would　have
consented　to　anything　that　you　asked；　and　what　is　more　he　would
have　provided　anything　that　you　asked　…　anything　that　lay　within
his　means；　and　they　are　inexhaustible。　　You　have　changed　a
certainty　into　a　possibility；　and　I　hate　possibilities　…　God　of
God！　　I　have　lived　on　possibilities；　and　infernally　near　starved
on　them。〃

Had　she　known　of　the　interview　taking　place　at　that　moment　at　the
Chateau　de　Sautron　she　would　have　laughed　less　confidently　at　her
father's　gloomy　forebodings。　　But　she　was　destined　never　to　know；
which　indeed　was　the　cruellest　punishment　of　all。　　She　was　to
attribute　all　the　evil　that　of　a　sudden　overwhelmed　her；　the
shattering　of　all　the　future　hopes　she　had　founded　upon　the　Marquis
and　the　sudden　disintegration　of　the　Binet　Troupe；　to　the　wicked
interference　of　that　villain　Scaramouche。

She　had　this　much　justification　that　possibly；　without　the　warning
from　M。　de　Sautron；　the　Marquis　would　have　found　in　the　events　of
that　evening　at　the　Theatre　Feydau　a　sufficient　reason　for　ending
an　entanglement　that　was　fraught　with　too　much　unpleasant　excitement；
whilst　the　breaking…up　of　the　Binet　Troupe　was　most　certainly　the
result　of　Andre…Louis'　work。　　But　it　was　not　a　result　that　he
intended　or　even　foresaw。

So　much　was　this　the　case　that　in　the　interval　after　the　second　act；
he　sought　the　dressing…room　shared　by　Polichinelle　and　Rhodomont。
Polichinelle　was　in　the　act　of　changing。

〃I　shouldn't　trouble　to　change；〃　he　said。　　〃The　piece　isn't　likely
to　go　beyond　my　opening　scene　of　the　next　act　with　Leandre。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃

〃You'll　see。〃　　He　put　a　paper　on　Polichinelle's　table　amid　the
grease…paints。　　〃Cast　your　eye　over　that。　　It's　a　sort　of　last　will
and　testament　in　favour　of　the　troupe。　　I　was　a　lawyer　once；　the
document　is　in　order。　　I　relinquish　to　all　of　you　the　share　produced
by　my　partnership　in　the　company。〃

〃But　you　don't　mean　that　you　are　leaving　us？〃　cried　Polichinelle　in
alarm；　whilst　Rhodomont's　sudden　stare　asked　the　same　question。

Scaramouche's　shrug　was　eloquent。　　Polichinelle　ran　on　gloomily：
〃Of　course　it　was　to　have　been　foreseen。　　But　why　should　you　be　the
one　to　go？　　It　is　you　who　have　made　us；　and　it　is　you　who　are　the
real　head　and　brains　of　the　troupe；　it　is　you　who　have　raised　it
into　a　real　theatrical　company。　　If　any　one　must　go；　let　it　be
Binet　…　Binet　and　his　infernal　daughter。　　Or　if　you　go；　name　of　a
name！　　we　all　go　with　you！〃

〃Aye；〃　added　Rhodomont；　〃we've　had　enough　of　that　fat　scoundrel。〃

〃I　had　thought　of　it；　of　course；〃　said　Andre…Louis。　　〃It　was　not
vanity；　for　once；　it　was　trust　in　your　friendship。　　After　to…night
we　may　consider　it　again；　if　I　survive。〃

〃If　you　survive？〃　both　cried。

Polichinelle　got　up。　　〃Now；　what　madness　have　you　in　mind？〃　he
asked。

〃For　one　thing　I　think　I　am　indulging　Leandre；　for　another　I　am
pursuing　an　old　quarrel。〃

The　three　knocks　sounded　as　he　spoke。

〃There；　I　must　go。　　Keep　that　paper；　Polichinelle。　　After　all；　it
may　not　be　necessary。

He　was　gone。　　Rhodomont　stared　at　Polichinelle。　　Polichinelle
stared　at　Rhodomont。


〃What　the　devil　is　he　thinking　of？〃　quoth　the　latter。

〃That　is　most　readily　ascertained　by　going　to　see；〃　replied
Polichinelle。　　He　completed　changing　in　haste；　and　despite　what
Scaramouche　had　said；　and　then　followed　with　Rhodomont。

As　they　approached　the　wings　a　roar　of　applause　met　them　coming　from
the　audience。　　It　was　applause　and　something　else；　applause　on　an
unusual　note。　　As　it　faded　away　they　heard　the　voice　of　Scaramouche
ringing　clear　as　a　bell：

〃And　so　you　see；　my　dear　M。　Leandre；　that　when　you　speak　of　the
Third　Estate；　it　is　necessary　to　be　more　explicit。　　What　precisely
is　the　Third　Estate？〃

〃Nothing；〃　said　Leandre。

There　was　a　gasp　from　the　audience；　audible　in　the　wings；　and　then
swiftly　followed　Scaramouche's　next　question：

〃True。　　Alas！　　But　what　should　it　be？〃

〃Everything；〃　said　Leandre。

The　audience　roared　its　acclamations；　the　more　violent　because　of
the　unexpectedness　of　that　reply。

〃True　again；〃　said　Scaramouche。　　〃And　what　is　more；　that　is　what　it
will　be；　that　is　what　it　already　is。　　Do　you　doubt　it？〃

〃I　hope　it；〃　said　the　schooled　Leandre。

〃You　may　believe　it；〃　said　Scaramouche；　and　again　the　acclamations
rolled　into　thunder。

Polichinelle　and　Rhodomont　exchanged　glances：　indeed；　the　former
winked；　not　without　mirth。

〃Sacred　name！〃　growled　a　voice　behind　them。　〃Is　the　scoundrel　at
his　political　tricks　again？〃

They　turned　to　confront　M。　Binet。　　Moving　with　that　noiseless　tread
of　his；　he　had　come　up　unheard　behind　them；　and　there　he　stood　now
in　his　scarlet　suit　of　Pantaloon　under　a　trailing　bedgown；　his　little
eyes　glaring　from　either　side　of　his　false　nose。　　But　their　attention
was　held　by　the　voice　of　Scaramouche。　　He　had　stepped　to　the　front
of　the　stage。

〃He　doubts　it；〃　he　was　felling　the　audience。　　〃But　then　this　M。
Leandre　is　himself　akin　to　those　who　worship　the　worm…eaten　idol　of
Privilege；　and　so　he　is　a　little　afraid　to　believe　a　truth　that　is
becoming　apparent　to　all　the　world。　　Shall　I　convince　him？　　Shall　I
tell　him　how　a　company　of　noblemen　backed　by　their　servants　under
arms　…　six　hundred　men　in　all　…　sought　to　dictate　to　the　Third
Estate　of　Rennes　a　few　short　weeks　ago？　　Must　I　remind　him　of　the
martial　front　shown　on　that　occasion　by　the　Third　Estate；　and　how
they　swept　the　streets　clean　of　that　rabble　of　nobles　…　cette
canaille　noble。。。　〃

Applause　interrupted　him。　The　phrase　had　struck　home　and　caught。
Those　who　had　writhed　under　that　infamous　designation　from　their
betters　leapt　at　this　turning　of　it　against　the　nobles　themselves。

〃But　let　me　tell　you　of　their　leader　…　le　pins　noble　de　cette
canaille；　on　bien　le　plus　canaille　de　ces　nobles！　　You　know　him
　…　that　one。　　He　fears　many　things；　but　the　voice　of　truth　he　fears
most。　　With　such　as　him　the　eloquent　truth　eloquently　spoken　is　a
thing　instantly　to　be　silenced。　　So　he　marshalled　his　peers　and
their　valetailles；　and　led　them　out　to　slaughter　these　miserable
bourgeois　who　dared　to　raise　a　voice。　　But　these　same　miserable
bourgeois　did　not　choose　to　be　slaughtered　in　the　streets　of　Rennes。
It　occurred　to　them　that　since　the　nobles　decreed　that　blood　should
flow；　it　might　as　well　be　the　blood　of　the　nobles。　　They　marshalled
themselves　too　…　this　noble　rabble　against　the　rabble　of　nobles　…　
and　they　marshalled　themselves　so　well　that　they　drove　M。　de　La
Tour　d'Azyr　and　his　warlike　following　from　the　field　with　broken
heads　and　shattered　delusions。　　They　sought　shelter　at　the　hands
of　the　Cordeliers；　and　the　shavelings　gave　them　sanctuary　in　their
convent　…　those　who　survived；　among　whom　was　their　proud　leader；
M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr。　　You　have　heard　of　this　valiant　Marquis；　this
great　lord　of　life　and　death？〃

The　pit　was　in　an　uproar　a　moment。　　It　quieted　again　as　Scaramouche
continued：

〃Oh；　it　was　a　fine　spectacle　to　see　this　mighty　hunter　scuttling　to
cover　like　a　hare；　going　to　earth　in　the　Cordelier　Convent。　　Rennes
has　not　seen　him　since。　　Rennes　would　like　to　see　him　again。　　But
if　he　is　valorous；　he　is　also　discreet。　　And　where　do　you　think　he
has　taken　refuge；　this　great　nobleman　who　wanted　to　see　the　streets
of　Rennes　washed　in　the　blood　of　its　citizens；　this　man　who　would
have　butchered　old　and　young　of　the　contemptible　canaille　to　silence
the　voice　of　reason　and　of　liberty　that　presumes　to　ring　through
France　to…day？　　Where　do　you　think　he　hides　himself？　　Why；　here　in
Nantes。〃

Again　there　was　uproar。

〃What　do　you　say？　　Impossible？　　Why；　my　friends；　at　this　moment　he
is　here　in　this　theatre　…　skulking　up　there　in　that　box。　　He　is　too
shy　to　show　himself　…　oh；　a　very　modest　gentleman。　　But　there　he　is
behind　the　curtains。　　Will　you　not　show　yourself　to　your　friends；
M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr；　Monsieur　le　Marquis　who　considers　eloquence
so　very　dangerous　a　gift？　　See；　they　would　like　a　word　with　you；
they　do　not　believe　me　when　I　tell　them　that　you　are　here。〃

Now；　whatever　he　may　have　been；　and　whatever　the　views　held　on　the
subject　by　Andre…Louis；　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr　was　certainly　not　a
coward。　　To　say　that　he　was　hiding　in　Nantes　was　not　true。　　He　came
and　went　there　openly　and　unabashed。　　It　happened；　however；　that　the
Nantais　were　ignorant　until　this　moment　of　his　presence　among　them。
But　then　he　would　have　disdained　to　have　informed　them　of　it　just　as
he　would　have　disdained　to　have　concealed　it　from　them。

Challenged　thus；　however；　and　despite　the　ominous　manner　in　which
the　bourgeois　element　in　the　audience　had　responded　to　Scaramouche's
appeal　to　its　passions；　despite　the　attempts　made　by　Chabrillane　to
restrain　him；　the　Marquis　swept　aside　the　curtain　at　the　side　of　the
box；　and　suddenly　showed　himself；　pale　but　self…contained　and
scornful　as　he　surveyed　first　the　daring　Scaramouche　and　then　those
others　who　at　sight　of　him　had　given　tongue　to　their　hostility。

Hoots　and　yells　assailed　him；　fists　were　shaken　at　him；　canes　were
brandished　menacingly。

〃Assassin！　　Scoundrel！　　Coward！　　Traitor！〃

But　he　braved　the　storm；　smiling　upon　them　his　ineffable　contempt。
He　was　waiting　for　the　noise　to　cease；　waiting　to　address　them　in
his　turn。　　But　he　waited　in　vain；　as　he　very　soon　perceived。

The　contempt　he　did　not　trouble　to　dissemble　served　but　to　goad
them　on。

In　the　pit　pandemonium　was　already　raging。　　Blows　were　being　freely
exchanged；　there　were　scuffling　groups；　and　here　and　there　swords
were　being　drawn；　but　fortunately　the　press　was　too　dense　to　permit
of　their　being　used　effectively。　　Those　who　had　women　with　them　and
the　timid　by　nature　were　making　haste　to　leave　a　house　that　looked