scaramouche-第41部分

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in　the　Cordelier　Convent？　　And　that　night　when　from　the　stage　of
the　Feydau　you　were　denounced　to　the　people；　did　you　not　hear　yet
again；　in　the　voice　of　Scaramouche；　the　voice　of　Philippe　de
Vilmorin；　using　that　dangerous　gift　of　eloquence　which　you　so
foolishly　imagined　you　could　silence　with　a　sword…thrust？　　It　is
becoming　a　persecution　…　is　it　not？　…　this　voice　from　the　grave
that　insists　upon　making　itself　heard；　that　will　not　rest　until
you　have　been　cast　into　the　pit。　　You　will　be　regretting　by　now
that　you　did　not　kill　me　too；　as　I　invited　you　on　that　occasion。
I　can　picture　to　myself　the　bitterness　of　this　regret；　and　I
contemplate　it　with　satisfaction。　　Regret　of　neglected　opportunity
is　the　worst　hell　that　a　living　soul　can　inhabit；　particularly
such　a　soul　as　yours。　　It　is　because　of　this　that　I　am　glad　to
know　that　you　survived　the　riot　at　the　Feydau；　although　at　the　time
it　was　no　part　of　my　intention　that　you　should。　　Because　of　this　I
am　content　that　you　should　live　to　enrage　and　suffer　in　the　shadow
of　your　evil　deed；　knowing　at　last　…　since　you　had　not　hitherto　the
wit　to　discern　it　for　yourself　…　that　the　voice　of　Philippe　de
Vilmorin　will　follow　you　to　denounce　you　ever　more　loudly；　ever　more
insistently；　until　having　lived　in　dread　you　shall　go　down　in　blood
under　the　just　rage　which　your　victim's　dangerous　gift　of　eloquence
is　kindling　against　you。〃
　　
I　find　it　odd　that　he　should　have　omitted　from　this　letter　all
mention　of　Mlle。　Binet；　and　I　am　disposed　to　account　it　at　least　a
partial　insincerity　that　he　should　have　assigned　entirely　to　his
self…imposed　mission；　and　not　at　all　to　his　lacerated　feelings　in
the　matter　of　Climene；　the　action　which　he　had　taken　at　the　Feydau。

Those　two　letters；　both　written　in　April　of　that　year　1789；　had　for
only　immediate　effect　to　increase　the　activity　with　which　Andre…Louis
Moreau　was　being　sought。

Le　Chapelier　would　have　found　him　so　as　to　lend　him　assistance；　to
urge　upon　him　once　again　that　he　should　take　up　a　political　career。
The　electors　of　Nantes　would　have　found　him　…　at　least；　they　would
have　found　Omnes　Omnibus；　of　whose　identity　with　himself　they　were
still　in　ignorance　…　on　each　of　the　several　occasions　when　a　vacancy
occurred　in　their　body。　　And　the　Marquis　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr　and　M。
de　Lesdiguieres　would　have　found　him　that　they　might　send　him　to
the　gallows。

With　a　purpose　no　less　vindictive　was　he　being　sought　by　M。　Binet；
now　unhappily　recovered　from　his　wound　to　face　completest　ruin。　　His
troupe　had　deserted　him　during　his　illness；　and　reconstituted　under
the　direction　of　Polichinelle　it　was　now　striving　with　tolerable
success　to　continue　upon　the　lines　which　Andre…Louis　had　laid　down。
M。　le　Marquis；　prevented　by　the　riot　from　expressing　in　person　to
Mlle。　Binet　his　purpose　of　making　an　end　of　their　relations；　had
been　constrained　to　write　to　her　to　that　effect　from　Azyr　a　few　days
later。　　He　tempered　the　blow　by　enclosing　in　discharge　of　all
liabilities　a　bill　on　the　Caisse　d'Escompte　for　a　hundred　louis。
Nevertheless　it　almost　crushed　the　unfortunate　and　it　enabled　her
father　when　he　recovered　to　enrage　her　by　pointing　out　that　she　owed
this　turn　of　events　to　the　premature　surrender　she　had　made　in
defiance　of　his　sound　worldly　advice。　　Father　and　daughter　alike
were　left　to　assign　the　Marquis'　desertion；　naturally　enough；　to
the　riot　at　the　Feydau。　　They　laid　that　with　the　rest　to　the　account
of　Scaramouche；　and　were　forced　in　bitterness　to　admit　that　the
scoundrel　had　taken　a　superlative　revenge。　　C1imene　may　even　have
come　to　consider　that　it　would　have　paid　her　better　to　have　run　a
straight　course　with　Scaramouche　and　by　marrying　him　to　have　trusted
to　his　undoubted　talents　to　place　her　on　the　summit　to　which　her
ambition　urged　her；　and　to　which　it　was　now　futile　for　her　to　aspire。
If　so；　that　reflection　must　have　been　her　sufficient　punishment。
For；　as　Andre…Louis　so　truly　says；　there　is　no　worse　hell　than　that
provided　by　the　regrets　for　wasted　opportunities。

Meanwhile　the　fiercely　sought　Andre…Louis　Moreau　had　gone　to　earth
completely　for　the　present。　　And　the　brisk　police　of　Paris；　urged
on　by　the　King's　Lieutenant　from　Rennes；　hunted　for　him　in　vain。
Yet　he　might　have　been　found　in　a　house　in　the　Rue　du　Hasard　within
a　stone's　throw　of　the　Palais　Royal；　whither　purest　chance　had
conducted　him。

That　which　in　his　letter　to　Le　Chapelier　he　represents　as　a
contingency　of　the　near　future　was；　in　fact；　the　case　in　which
already　he　found　himself。　　He　was　destitute。　　His　money　was
exhausted；　including　that　procured　by　the　sale　of　such　articles　of
adornment　as　were　not　of　absolute　necessity。

So　desperate　was　his　case　that　strolling　one　gusty　April　morning
down　the　Rue　du　Hasard　with　his　nose　in　the　wind　looking　for　what
might　be　picked　up；　he　stopped　to　read　a　notice　outside　the　door
of　a　house　on　the　left　side　of　the　street　as　you　approach　the　Rue
de　Richelieu。　　There　was　no　reason　why　he　should　have　gone　down
the　Rue　du　Hasard。　　Perhaps　its　name　attracted　him；　as　appropriate
to　his　case。

The　notice　written　in　a　big　round　hand　announced　that　a　young　man
of　good　address　with　some　knowledge　of　swordsmanship　was　required
by　M。　Bertrand　des　Amis　on　the　second　floor。　　Above　this　notice
was　a　black　oblong　board；　and　on　this　a　shield；　which　in　vulgar
terms　may　be　described　as　red　charged　with　two　swords　crossed　and
four　fleurs　de　lys；　one　in　each　angle　of　the　saltire。　　Under　the
shield；　in　letters　of　gold；　ran　the　legend：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　BERTRAND　DES　AMIS

　　　　　　　　Maitre　en　fait　d'Armes　des　Academies　du　Roi

Andre…Louis　stood　considering。　　He　could　claim；　he　thought；　to
possess　the　qualifications　demanded。　　He　was　certainly　young　and
he　believed　of　tolerable　address；　whilst　the　fencing…lessons　he　had
received　in　Nantes　had　given　him　at　least　an　elementary　knowledge
of　swordsmanship。　　The　notice　looked　as　if　it　had　been　pinned　there
some　days　ago；　suggesting　that　applicants　for　the　post　were　not　very
numerous。　　In　that　case　perhaps　M。　Bertrand　des　Amis　would　not　be　too
exigent。　　And　anyway；　Andre…Louis　had　not　eaten　for　four…and…twenty
hours；　and　whilst　the　employment　here　offered　…　the　precise　nature
of　which　he　was　yet　to　ascertain　…　did　not　appear　to　be　such　as
Andre…Louis　would　deliberately　have　chosen；　he　was　in　no　case　now　to
be　fastidious。

Then；　too；　he　liked　the　name　of　Bertrand　des　Amis。　　It　felicitously
combined　suggestions　of　chivalry　and　friendliness。　　Also　the　man's
profession　being　of　a　kind　that　is　flavoured　with　romance　it　was
possible　that　M。　Bertrand　des　Amis　would　not　ask　too　many　questions。

In　the　end　he　climbed　to　the　second　floor。　　On　the　landing　he　paused
outside　a　door；　on　which　was　written　〃Academy　of　M。　Bertrand　des
Amis。〃　　He　pushed　this　open；　and　found　himself　in　a　sparsely
furnished；　untenanted　antechamber。　　From　a　room　beyond；　the　door　of
which　was　closed；　came　the　stamping　of　feet；　the　click　and　slither
of　steel　upon　steel；　and　dominating　these　sounds　a　vibrant　sonorous
voice　speaking　a　language　that　was　certainly　French；　but　such
French　as　is　never　heard　outside　a　fencing…school。

〃Coulez！　　Mais；　coulez　donc！。。。。So！　　Now　the　flanconnade　…　en
carte。。。。And　here　is　the　riposte。。。。Let　us　begin　again。　　Come！　　The
ward　of　fierce。。。。Make　the　coupe；　and　then　the　quinte　par　dessus
les　armes。。。。0；　mais　allongez！　　Allongez！　　Allez　au　fond！〃　the　voice
cried　in　expostulation。　　〃Come；　that　was　better。〃　　The　blades　ceased。

〃Remember：　the　hand　in　pronation；　the　elbow　not　too　far　out。　　That
will　do　for　to…day。　　On　Wednesday　we　shall　see　you　tirer　au　mur。
It　is　more　deliberate。　　Speed　will　follow　when　the　mechanism　of　the
movements　is　more　assured。〃

Another　voice　murmured　in　answer。　　The　steps　moved　aside。　　The
lesson　was　at　an　end。　　Andre…Louis　tapped　on　the　door。

It　was　opened　by　a　tall；　slender；　gracefully　proportioned　man　of
perhaps　forty。　　Black　silk　breeches　and　stockings　ending　in　light
shoes　clothed　him　from　the　waist　down。　　Above　he　was　encased　to　the
chin　in　a　closely　fitting　plastron　of　leather；　His　face　was　aquiline
and　swarthy；　his　eyes　full　and　dark；　his　mouth　firm　and　his　clubbed
hair　was　of　a　lustrous　black　with　here　and　there　a　thread　of　silver
showing。

in　the　crook　of　his　left　arm　he　carried　a　fencing…mask；　a　thing　of
leather　with　a　wire　grating　to　protect　the　eyes。　　His　keen　glance
played　over　Andre…Louis　from　head　to　foot。

〃Monsieur？〃　he　inquired；　politely。

It　was　clear　that　he　mistook　Andre…Louis'　quality；　which　is　not
surprising；　for　despite　his　sadly　reduced　fortunes；　his　exterior　was
irreproachable；　and　M。　des　Amis　was　not　to　guess　that　he　carried
upon　his　back　the　whole　of　his　possessions。

〃You　have　a　notice　below；　monsieur；〃　he　said；　and　from　the　swift
lighting　of　the　fencing…master's　eyes　he　saw　that　he　had　been
correct　in　his　assumption　that　applicants　for　the　position　had　not
been　jostling　one　another　on　his　threshold。　　And　then　that　flash　of
satisfaction　was　followed　by　a　look　of　surprise。

〃You　are　come　in　regard　to　that？〃

Andre…Louis　shrugged　and　half　smiled。　　〃One　must　live；〃　said　he。

〃But　come　in。　　Sit　down　there。　　I　shall　be　at　your。。。。I　shall　be
free　to　attend　to　you　in　a　moment。〃

Andre…Louis　took　a　seat　on　the　bench　ranged　against　one　of　the
whitewashed　walls。　　The　room　was　long　and　low；　its　floor　entirely
bare。　　Plain　wooden　forms　such　as　that　which　he　occupied　were　placed
here　and　there　against　the　wall。　　These　last　were　plastered　with
fencing　trophies；　masks；　crossed　foils；　stuffed　plastrons；　and　a
variety　of　swords；　daggers；　and　targets；　belonging　to　a　variety　of
ages　and　countries。　　There　was　also　a　portrait　of　an　obese；　big…nosed
gentleman　in　an　elaborately　curled　wig；　wearing　the　blue　ribbon　of
the　Saint　Esprit；　in　whom　Andre…Louis　recognized　the　King。　　And　there
was　a　framed　parchment　…　M。　des　Amis'　certificate　from　the　King's
Academy。　　A　bookcase　occupied　one　corner；　and　near　this；　facing　the
last　of　the　four　windows　that　abundantly　lighted　the　long　room；　there
was　a　small　writing…table　and　an　armchair。　　A　plump　and　beautifully
dressed　young　gentleman　stood　by　this　table　in　the　act　of　resuming
coat　and　wig