scaramouche-第6部分

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privilege　that　is　devouring　the　vitals　of　this　unfortunate　country。〃

M。　le　Marquis　shifted　in　his　chair；　and　spoke　at　last。

〃You　have；　monsieur；〃　said　he；　〃a　very　dangerous　gift　of　eloquence。
And　it　is　of　yourself　rather　than　of　your　subject。　　For　after　all；
what　do　you　offer　me？　　A　rechauffe　of　the　dishes　served　to
out…at…elbow　enthusiasts　in　the　provincial　literary　chambers；
compounded　of　the　effusions　of　your　Voltaires　and　Jean…Jacques　and
such　dirty…fingered　scribblers。　　You　have　not　among　all　your
philosophers　one　with　the　wit　to　understand　that　we　are　an　order
consecrated　by　antiquity；　that　for　our　rights　and　privileges　we　have
behind　us　the　authority　of　centuries。〃

〃Humanity；　monsieur；〃　Philippe　replied；　〃is　more　ancient　than
nobility。　　Human　rights　are　contemporary　with　man。〃

The　Marquis　laughed　and　shrugged。

〃That　is　the　answer　I　might　have　expected。　　It　has　the　right　note
of　cant　that　distinguishes　the　philosophers。〃　　And　then　M。　de
Chabrillane　spoke。

〃You　go　a　long　way　round；〃　he　criticized　his　cousin；　on　a　note　of
impatience。

〃But　I　am　getting　there；〃　he　was　answered。　　〃I　desired　to　make　quite
certain　first。〃

〃Faith；　you　should　have　no　doubt　by　now。〃

〃I　have　none。〃　　The　Marquis　rose；　and　turned　again　to　M。　de　Vilmorin；
who　had　understood　nothing　of　that　brief　exchange。　　〃M。　l'abbe；〃
said　he　once　more；　〃you　have　a　very　dangerous　gift　of　eloquence。　　I
can　conceive　of　men　being　swayed　by　it。　　Had　you　been　born　a
gentleman；　you　would　not　so　easily　have　acquired　these　false　views
that　you　express。〃

M。　de　Vilmorin　stared　blankly；　uncomprehending。

〃Had　I　been　born　a　gentleman；　do　you　say？〃　quoth　he；　in　a　slow；
bewildered　voice。　　〃But　I　was　born　a　gentleman。　　My　race　is　as　old；
my　blood　as　good　as　yours；　monsieur。〃

》From　M。　le　Marquis　there　was　a　slight　play　of　eyebrows；　a　vague；
indulgent　smile。　　His　dark；　liquid　eyes　looked　squarely　into　the
face　of　M。　de　Vilmorin。

〃You　have　been　deceived　in　that；　I　fear。〃

〃Deceived？〃

〃Your　sentiments　betray　the　indiscretion　of　which　madame　your　mother
must　have　been　guilty。〃

The　brutally　affronting　words　were　sped　beyond　recall；　and　the　lips
that　had　uttered　them；　coldly；　as　if　they　had　been　the　merest
commonplace；　remained　calm　and　faintly　sneering。

A　dead　silence　followed。　　Andre…Louis'　wits　were　numbed。　　He　stood
aghast；　all　thought　suspended　in　him；　what　time　M。　de　Vilmorin's
eyes　continued　fixed　upon　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr's；　as　if　searching
there　for　a　meaning　that　eluded　him。　　Quite　suddenly　he　understood
the　vile　affront。　　The　blood　leapt　to　his　face；　fire　blazed　in　his
gentle　eyes。　　A　convulsive　quiver　shook　him。　Then；　with　an
inarticulate　cry；　he　leaned　forward；　and　with　his　open　hand　struck
M。　le　Marquis　full　and　hard　upon　his　sneering　face。

In　a　flash　M。　de　Chabrillane　was　on　his　feet；　between　the　two　men。

Too　late　Andre…Louis　had　seen　the　trap。　　La　Tour　d'Azyr's　words
were　but　as　a　move　in　a　game　of　chess；　calculated　to　exasperate　his
opponent　into　some　such　counter…move　as　this　…　a　counter…move　that
left　him　entirely　at　the　other's　mercy。

M。　le　Marquis　looked　on；　very　white　save　where　M。　de　Vilmorin's
finger…prints　began　slowly　to　colour　his　face；　but　he　said　nothing
more。　　Instead；　it　was　M。　de　Chabrillane　who　now　did　the　talking；
taking　up　his　preconcerted　part　in　this　vile　game。

〃You　realize；　monsieur；　what　you　have　done；〃　said　he；　coldly；　to
Philippe。　　〃And　you　realize；　of　course；　what　must　inevitably　follow。〃

M。　de　Vilmorin　had　realized　nothing。　　The　poor　young　man　had　acted
upon　impulse；　upon　the　instinct　of　decency　and　honour；　never
counting　the　consequences。　　But　he　realized　them　now　at　the　sinister
invitation　of　M。　de　Chabrillane；　and　if　he　desired　to　avoid　these
consequences；　it　was　out　of　respect　for　his　priestly　vocation；　which
strictly　forbade　such　adjustments　of　disputes　as　M。　de　Chabrillane
was　clearly　thrusting　upon　him。

He　drew　back。　　〃Let　one　affront　wipe　out　the　other；〃　said　he；　in　a
dull　voice。　　〃The　balance　is　still　in　M。　le　Marquis's　favour。　　Let
that　content　him。〃

〃Impossible。〃　　The　Chevalier's　lips　came　together　tightly。
Thereafter　he　was　suavity　itself；　but　very　firm。　　〃A　blow　has　been
struck；　monsieur。　　I　think　I　am　correct　in　saying　that　such　a　thing
has　never　happened　before　to　M。　le　Marquis　in　all　his　life。　　If　you
felt　yourself　affronted；　you　had　but　to　ask　the　satisfaction　due
from　one　gentleman　to　another。　　Your　action　would　seem　to　confirm
the　assumption　that　you　found　so　offensive。　　But　it　does　not　on　that
account　render　you　immune　from　the　consequences。〃

It　was；　you　see；　M。　de　Chabrillane's　part　to　heap　coals　upon　this
fire；　to　make　quite　sure　that　their　victim　should　not　escape　them。

〃I　desire　no　immunity；〃　flashed　back　the　young　seminarist；　stung　by
this　fresh　goad。　　After　all；　he　was　nobly　born；　and　the　traditions
of　his　class　were　strong　upon　him　…　stronger　far　than　the　seminarist
schooling　in　humility。　　He　owed　it　to　himself；　to　his　honour；　to　be
killed　rather　than　avoid　the　consequences　of　the　thing　he　had　done。

〃But　he　does　not　wear　a　sword；　messieurs！〃　cried　Andre　Louis；　aghast。

〃That　is　easily　amended。　　He　may　have　the　loan　of　mine。〃

〃I　mean；　messieurs；〃　Andre…Louis　insisted；　between　fear　for　his
friend　and　indignation；　〃that　it　is　not　his　habit　to　wear　a　sword；
that　he　has　never　worn　one；　that　he　is　untutored　in　its　uses。　　He
is　a　seminarist　…　a　postulant　for　holy　orders；　already　half　a　priest；
and　so　forbidden　from　such　an　engagement　as　you　propose。〃

〃All　that　he　should　have　remembered　before　he　struck　a　blow；〃　said
M。　de　Chabrillane；　politely。

〃The　blow　was　deliberately　provoked；〃　raged　Andre…Louis。　　Then　he
recovered　himself；　though　the　other's　haughty　stare　had　no　part　in
that　recovery。　　〃0　my　God；　I　talk　in　vain！　　How　is　one　to　argue
against　a　purpose　formed！　　Come　away；　Philippe。　　Don't　you　see　the
trap。。。　〃

M。　de　Vilmorin　cut　him　short；　and　flung　him　off。　　〃Be　quiet；　Andre。
M。　le　Marquis　is　entirely　in　the　right。〃

〃M。　le　Marquis　is　in　the　right？〃　　Andre…Louis　let　his　arms　fall
helplessly。　　This　man　he　loved　above　all　other　living　men　was　caught
in　the　snare　of　the　world's　insanity。　　He　was　baring　his　breast　to
the　knife　for　the　sake　of　a　vague；　distorted　sense　of　the　honour　due
to　himself。　　It　was　not　that　he　did　not　see　the　trap。　　It　was　that
his　honour　compelled　him　to　disdain　consideration　of　it。　　To
Andre…Louis　in　that　moment　he　seemed　a　singularly　tragic　figure。
Noble；　perhaps；　but　very　pitiful。



CHAPTER　IV

THE　HERITAGE


It　was　M。　de　Vilmorin's　desire　that　the　matter　should　be　settled
out　of　hand。　　In　this　he　was　at　once　objective　and　subjective。　　A
prey　to　emotions　sadly　at　conflict　with　his　priestly　vocation；　he
was　above　all　in　haste　to　have　done；　so　that　he　might　resume　a　frame
of　mind　more　proper　to　it。　　Also　he　feared　himself　a　little；　by
which　I　mean　that　his　honour　feared　his　nature。　　The　circumstances
of　his　education；　and　the　goal　that　for　some　years　now　he　had　kept
in　view；　had　robbed　him　of　much　of　that　spirited　brutality　that　is
the　birthright　of　the　male。　　He　had　grown　timid　and　gentle　as　a
woman。　　Aware　of　it；　he　feared　that　once　the　heat　of　his　passion
was　spent　he　might　betray　a　dishonouring　weakness；　in　the　ordeal。

M。　le　Marquis；　on　his　side；　was　no　less　eager　for　an　immediate
settlement；　and　since　they　had　M。　de　Chabrillane　to　act　for　his
cousin；　and　Andre…Louis　to　serve　as　witness　for　M。　de　Vilmorin；
there　was　nothing　to　delay　them。

And　so；　within　a　few　minutes；　all　arrangements　were　concluded；　and
you　behold　that　sinisterly　intentioned　little　group　of　four
assembled　in　the　afternoon　sunshine　on　the　bowling…green　behind　the
inn。　　They　were　entirely　private；　screened　more　or　less　from　the
windows　of　the　house　by　a　ramage　of　trees；　which；　if　leafless　now；
was　at　least　dense　enough　to　provide　an　effective　lattice。

There　were　no　formalities　over　measurements　of　blades　or　selection
of　ground。　　M。　le　Marquis　removed　his　sword…belt　and　scabbard；　but
declined　not　considering　it　worth　while　for　the　sake　of　so　negligible
an　opponent　…　to　divest　himself　either　of　his　shoes　or　his　coat。
Tall；　lithe；　and　athletic；　he　stood　to　face　the　no　less　tall；　but
very　delicate　and　frail；　M。　de　Vilmorin。　　The　latter　also　disdained
to　make　any　of　the　usual　preparations。　　Since　he　recognized　that　it
could　avail　him　nothing　to　strip；　he　came　on　guard　fully　dressed；
two　hectic　spots　above　the　cheek…bones　burning　on　his　otherwise　grey
face。

M。　de　Chabrillane；　leaning　upon　a　cane　…　for　he　had　relinquished
his　sword　to　M。　de　Vilmorin　…　looked　on　with　quiet　interest。　　Facing
him　on　the　other　side　of　the　combatants　stood　Andre…Louis；　the　palest
of　the　four；　staring　from　fevered　eyes；　twisting　and　untwisting
clammy　hands。

His　every　instinct　was　to　fling　himself　between　the　antagonists；　to
protest　against　and　frustrate　this　meeting。　　That　sane　impulse　was
curbed；　however；　by　the　consciousness　of　its　futility。　　To　calm　him；
he　clung　to　the　conviction　that　the　issue　could　not　really　be　very
serious。　　If　the　obligations　of　Philippe's　honour　compelled　him　to
cross　swords　with　the　man　he　had　struck；　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr's
birth　compelled　him　no　less　to　do　no　serious　hurt　to　the　unfledged
lad　he　had　so　grievously　provoked。　　M。　le　Marquis；　after　all；　was
a　man　of　honour。　　He　could　intend　no　more　than　to　administer　a
lesson；　sharp；　perhaps；　but　one　by　which　his　opponent　must　live　to
profit。　　Andre…Louis　clung　obstinately　to　that　for　comfort。

Steel　beat　on　steel；　and　the　men　engaged。　　The　Marquis　presented　to
his　opponent　the　narrow　edge　of　his　upright　body；　his　knees
slightly　flexed　and　converted　into　living　springs；　whilst　M。　de
Vilmorin　stood　squarely；　a　full　target；　his　knees　wooden。　　Honour
and　the　spirit　of　fair　play　alike　cried　out　against　such　a　match。

The　encounter　was　very　short；　of　course。　　In　youth；　Philippe　had
received　the　tutoring　in　sword…play　that　was　given　to　every　boy
born　into　his　station　of　life。　　And　so　he　knew　at　least　the
rudiments　of　what　was　now　expected　of　him。　　But　what　could　rudiments
avail　him　here？　　Three　disengages　completed　the　exchanges；　and　then
without　any　haste　the　Mar