scaramouche-第51部分

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that　he　had　been　brought　here　for　some　purpose　deeper　than　that
which　had　been　avowed。

At　last；　as　if　the　thing　were　concerted　…　and　the　clumsy　Lord　of
Gavrillac　was　the　last　man　in　the　world　to　cover　his　tracks　…　his
godfather　rose　and；　upon　a　pretext　of　desiring　to　survey　the　garden；
sauntered　through　the　windows　on　to　the　terrace；　over　whose　white
stone　balustrade　the　geraniums　trailed　in　a　scarlet　riot。　　Thence
he　vanished　among　the　foliage　below。

〃Now　we　can　talk　more　intimately；〃　said　madame。　　〃Come　here；　and
sit　beside　me。〃　　She　indicated　the　empty　half　of　the　settee　she
occupied。

Andre…Louis　went　obediently；　but　a　little　uncomfortably。　　〃You
know；〃　she　said　gently；　placing　a　hand　upon　his　arm；　〃that　you　have
behaved　very　ill；　that　your　godfather's　resentment　is　very　justly
founded？〃

〃Madame；　if　I　knew　that；　I　should　be　the　most　unhappy；　the　most
despairing　of　men。〃。　　And　he　explained　himself；　as　he　had　explained
himself　on　Sunday　to　his　godfather。　　〃What　I　did；　I　did　because　it
was　the　only　means　to　my　hand　in　a　country　in　which　justice　was
paralyzed　by　Privilege　to　make　war　upon　an　infamous　scoundrel　who
had　killed　my　best　friend　…　a　wanton；　brutal　act　of　murder；　which
there　was　no　law　to　punish。　　And　as　if　that　were　not　enough　…
forgive　me　if　I　speak　with　the　utmost　frankness；　madame　…　he
afterwards　debauched　the　woman　I　was　to　have　married。〃

〃Ah；　mon　Dieu！〃　she　cried　out。

〃Forgive　me。　　I　know　that　it　is　horrible。　　You　perceive；　perhaps；
what　I　suffered；　how　I　came　to　be　driven。　　That　last　affair　of　which
I　am　guilty　…　the　riot　that　began　in　the　Feydau　Theatre　and
afterwards　enveloped　the　whole　city　of　Nantes　…　was　provoked　by
this。〃

〃Who　was　she；　this　girl？〃

It　was　like　a　woman；　he　thought；　to　fasten　upon　the　unessential。

〃Oh；　a　theatre　girl；　a　poor　fool　of　whom　I　have　no　regrets。　　La
Binet　was　her　name。　　I　was　a　player　at　the　time　in　her　father's
troupe。　　That　was　after　the　Rennes　business；　when　it　was　necessary
to　hide　from　such　justice　as　exists　in　France　…　the　gallows'
justice　for　unfortunates　who　are　not　'born。'　　This　added　wrong
led　me　to　provoke　a　riot　in　the　theatre。〃

〃Poor　boy；〃　she　said　tenderly。　　〃Only　a　woman's　heart　can　realize
what　you　must　have　suffered；　and　because　of　that　I　can　so　readily
forgive　you。　　But　now。。。　〃

〃Ah；　but　you　don't　understand；　madame。　　If　to…day　I　thought　that　I
had　none　but　personal　grounds　for　having　lent　a　hand　in　the　holy
work　of　abolishing　Privilege；　I　think　I　should　cut　my　throat。　　My
true　justification　lies　in　the　insincerity　of　those　who　intended
that　the　convocation　of　the　States　General　should　be　a　sham；　mere
dust　in　the　eyes　of　the　nation。〃

〃Was　it　not；　perhaps；　wise　to　have　been　insincere　in　such　a　matter？〃

He　looked　at　her　blankly。

〃Can　it　ever　be　wise；　madame；　to　be　insincere？〃

〃Oh；　indeed　it　can；　believe　me；　who　am　twice　your　age；　and　know　my
world。〃

〃I　should　say；　madame；　that　nothing　is　wise　that　complicates
existence；　and　I　know　of　nothing　that　so　complicates　it　as
insincerity。　　Consider　a　moment　the　complications　that　have　arisen
out　of　this。〃

〃But　surely；　Andre…Louis；　your　views　have　not　been　so　perverted
that　you　do　not　see　that　a　governing　class　is　a　necessity　in　any
country？〃

〃Why；　of　course。　　But　not　necessarily　a　hereditary　one。〃

〃What　else？〃

He　answered　her　with　an　epigram。　　〃Man；　madame；　is　the　child　of　his
own　work。　　Let　there　be　no　inheriting　of　rights　but　from　such　a
parent。　　Thus　a　nation's　best　will　always　predominate；　and　such　a
nation　will　achieve　greatly。〃

〃But　do　you　account　birth　of　no　importance？〃

〃Of　none；　madame　…　or　else　my　own　might　trouble　me。〃　　From　the　deep
flush　that　stained　her　face；　he　feared　that　he　had　offended　by　what
was　almost　an　indelicacy。　　But　the　reproof　that　he　was　expecting
did　not　come。　　Instead　…　

〃And　does　it　not？〃　she　asked。　　〃Never；　Andre？〃

〃Never；　madame。　　I　am　content。〃

〃You　have　never。。；　never　regretted　your　lack　of　parents'　care？〃

He　laughed；　sweeping　aside　her　sweet　charitable　concern　that　was　so
superfluous。　　〃On　the　contrary；　madame；　I　tremble　to　think　what
they　might　have　made　of　me；　and　I　am　grateful　to　have　had　the
fashioning　of　myself。〃

She　looked　at　him　for　a　moment　very　sadly；　and　then；　smiling；　gently
shook　her　head。

〃You　do　not　want　self…satisfaction。。。　　Yet　I　could　wish　that　you
saw　things　differently；　Andre。　　It　is　a　moment　of　great
opportunities　for　a　young　man　of　talent　and　spirit。　　I　could　help
you；　I　could　help　you；　perhaps；　to　go　very　far　if　you　would　permit
yourself　to　be　helped　after　my　fashion。〃

〃Yes；〃　he　thought；　〃help　me　to　a　halter　by　sending　me　on　treasonable
missions　to　Austria　on　the　Queen's　behalf；　like　M。　de　Plougastel。
That　would　certainly　end　in　a　high　position　for　me。〃

Aloud　he　answered　more　as　politeness　prompted。　　〃I　am　grateful；
madame。　　But　you　will　see　that；　holding　the　ideals　I　have　expressed；
I　could　not　serve　any　cause　that　is　opposed　to　their　realization。〃

〃You　are　misled　by　prejudice；　Andre…Louis；　by　personal　grievances。
Will　you　allow　them　to　stand　in　the　way　of　your　advancement？〃

〃If　what　I　call　ideals　were　really　prejudices；　would　it　be　honest
of　me　to　run　counter　to　them　whilst　holding　them？〃

〃If　I　could　convince　you　that　you　are　mistaken！　　I　could　help　you
so　much　to　find　a　worthy　employment　for　the　talents　you　possess。
In　the　service　of　the　King　you　would　prosper　quickly。　　Will　you
think　of　it；　Andre…Louis；　and　let　us　talk　of　this　again？〃

He　answered　her　with　formal；　chill　politeness。

〃I　fear　that　it　would　be　idle；　madame。　　Yet　your　interest　in　me　is
very　flattering；　and　I　thank　you。　　It　is　unfortunate　for　me　that　I
am　so　headstrong。〃

〃And　now　who　deals　in　insincerity？〃　she　asked　him。

〃Ah；　but　you　see；　madame；　it　is　an　insincerity　that　does　not
mislead。〃

And　then　M。　de　Kercadiou　came　in　through　the　window　again；　and
announced　fussily　that　he　must　be　getting　back　to　Meudon；　and　that
he　would　take　his　godson　with　him　and　set　him　down　at　the　Rue　du
Hasard。

〃You　must　bring　him　again；　Quintin；〃　the　Countess　said；　as　they
took　their　leave　of　her。

〃Some　day；　perhaps；〃said　M。　de　Kercadiou　vaguely；　and　swept　his
godson　out。

In　the　carriage　he　asked　him　bluntly　of　what　madame　had　talked。

〃She　was　very　kind　…　a　sweet　woman；〃　said　Andre…Louis　pensively。

〃Devil　take　you；　I　didn't　ask　you　the　opinion　that　you　presume
to　have　formed　of　her。　　I　asked　you　what　she　said　to　you。

〃She　strove　to　point　out　to　me　the　error　of　my　ways。　　She　spoke　of
great　things　that　I　might　do　…　to　which　she　would　very　kindly　help
me　…　if　I　were　to　come　to　my　senses。　　But　as　miracles　do　not　happen；
I　gave　her　little　encouragement　to　hope。〃

〃I　see。　　I　see。　　Did　she　say　anything　else？〃

He　was　so　peremptory　that　Andre…Louis　turned　to　look　at　him。

〃What　else　did　you　expect　her　to　say；　monsieur　my　godfather？〃

〃Oh；　nothing。〃

〃Then　she　fulfilled　your　expectations。〃

〃Eh？　　Oh；　a　thousand　devils；　why　can't　you　express　yourself　in　a
sensible　manner　that　a　plain　man　can　understand　without　having　to
think　about　it？〃

He　sulked　after　that　most　of　the　way　to　the　Rue　du　Hasard；　or　so
it　seemed　to　Andre…Louis。　　At　least　he　sat　silent；　gloomily
thoughtful　to　judge　by　his　expression。

〃You　may　come　and　see　us　soon　again　at　Meudon；〃　he　told
Andre…Louis　at　parting。　　〃But　please　remember　…　no　revolutionary
politics　in　future；　if　we　are　to　remain　friends。〃



CHAPTER　VI

POLITICIANS


One　morning　in　August　the　academy　in　the　Rue　du　Hasard　was　invaded
by　Le　Chapelier　accompanied　by　a　man　of　remarkable　appearance；　whose
herculean　stature　and　disfigured　countenance　seemed　vaguely　familiar
to　Andre…Louis。　　He　was　a　man　of　little；　if　anything；　over　thirty；
with　small　bright　eyes　buried　in　an　enormous　face。　　His　cheek…bones
were　prominent；　his　nose　awry；　as　if　it　had　been　broken　by　a　blow；
and　his　mouth　was　rendered　almost　shapeless　by　the　scars　of　another
injury。　　（A　bull　had　horned　him　in　the　face　when　he　was　but　a　lad。）
As　if　that　were　not　enough　to　render　his　appearance　terrible；　his
cheeks　were　deeply　pock…marked。　　He　was　dressed　untidily　in　a　long
scarlet　coat　that　descended　almost　to　his　ankles；　soiled　buckskin
breeches　and　boots　with　reversed　tops。　　His　shirt；　none　too　clean；
was　open　at　the　throat；　the　collar　hanging　limply　over　an　unknotted
cravat；　displaying　fully　the　muscular　neck　that　rose　like　a　pillar
from　his　massive　shoulders。　　He　swung　a　cane　that　was　almost　a　club
in　his　left　hand；　and　there　was　a　cockade　in　his　biscuit…coloured；
conical　hat。　　He　carried　himself　with　an　aggressive；　masterful　air；
that　great　head　of　his　thrown　back　as　if　he　were　eternally　at
defiance。

Le　Chapelier；　whose　manner　was　very　grave；　named　him　to　Andre…Louis。

〃This　is　M。　Danton；　a　brother…lawyer；　President　of　the　Cordeliers；
of　whom　you　will　have　heard。〃

Of　course　Andre…Louis　had　heard　of　him。　　Who　had　not；　by　then？

Looking　at　him　now　with　interest；　Andre…Louis　wondered　how　it　came
that　all；　or　nearly　all　the　leading　innovators；　were　pock…marked。
Mirabeau；　the　journalist　Desmoulins；　the　philanthropist　Marat；
Robespierre　the　little　lawyer　from　Arras；　this　formidable　fellow
Danton；　and　several　others　he　could　call　to　mind　all　bore　upon
them　the　scars　of　smallpox。　　Almost　he　began　to　wonder　was　there
any　connection　between　the　two。　　Did　an　attack　of　smallpox　produce
certain　moral　results　which　found　expression　in　this　way？

He　dismissed　the　idle　speculation；　or　rather　it　was　shattered　by
the　startling　thunder　of　Danton's　voice。

〃This　　Chapelier　has　told　me　of　you。　　He　says　that　you　are　a
patriotic　　。〃

More　than　by　the　tone　was　Andre…Louis　startled　by　the　obscenities
with　which　the　Colossus　did　not　hesitate　to　interlard　his　first
speech　to　a　total　stranger。　　He　laughed　outright。　　There　was　nothing
else　to　do。

〃If　he　has　told　you　that；　he　has　told　you　more　than　the　truth！　　I
am　a　patriot。　　The　rest　my　modesty　compels　me　to　disavow。〃

〃You're　a　joker　too；　it　seems；〃　roared　the　other；　but　he　laughed
nevertheless；　and　the　volume　of　it　shook　the　windows。　　〃There's　no
offence　in　me。　　I　am　like　that。〃

〃What　a　pity；〃　said　Andre…Louis。

It　disconcerted　the　king　of　t