scaramouche-第62部分

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the　extent　and　the　bitternest　of　the　failure。

M。　d'Ormesson　had　sprung　to　the　side　of　his　principal。

〃You　are　hurt！〃　he　had　cried　stupidly。

〃It　is　nothing；〃　said　La　Tour　d'Azyr。　　〃A　scratch。〃　　But　his　lip
writhed；　and　the　torn　sleeve　of　his　fine　cambric　shirt　was　full　of
blood。

D'Ormesson；　a　practical　man　in　such　matters；　produced　a　linen
kerchief；　which　he　tore　quickly　into　strips　to　improvise　a　bandage。

Still　Andre…Louis　continued　to　stand　there；　looking　on　as　if　bemused。
He　continued　so　until　Le　Chapelier　touched　him　on　the　arm。　　Then　at
last　he　roused　himself；　sighed；　and　turned　away　to　resume　his
garments；　nor　did　he　address　or　look　again　at　his　late　opponent；　but
left　the　ground　at　once。

As；　with　Le　Chapelier；　he　was　walking　slowly　and　in　silent　dejection
towards　the　entrance　of　the　Bois；　where　they　had　left　their　carriage；
they　were　passed　by　the　caleche　conveying　La　Tour　d'Azyr　and　his
second　…　which　had　originally　driven　almost　right　up　to　the　spot　of
the　encounter。　　The　Marquis'　wounded　arm　was　carried　in　a　sling
improvised　from　his　companion's　sword…belt。　　His　sky…blue　coat　with
three　collars　had　been　buttoned　over　this；　so　that　the　right　sleeve
hung　empty。　　Otherwise；　saving　a　certain　pallor；　he　looked　much　his
usual　self。

And　now　you　understand　how　it　was　that　he　was　the　first　to　return；
and　that　seeing　him　thus　returning；　apparently　safe　and　sound；　the
two　ladies；　intent　upon　preventing　the　encounter；　should　have
assumed　that　their　worst　fears　were　realized。

Mme。　de　Plougastel　attempted　to　call　out；　but　her　voice　refused　its
office。　　She　attempted　to　throw　open　the　door　of　her　own　carriage；
but　her　fingers　fumbled　clumsily　and　ineffectively　with　the　handle。
And　meanwhile　the　caleche　was　slowly　passing；　La　Tour　d'Azyr's　fine
eyes　sombrely　yet　intently　meeting　her　own　anguished　gaze。　　And　then
she　saw　something　else。　　M。　d'Ormesson；　leaning　back　again　from　the
forward　inclination　of　his　body　to　join　his　own　to　his　companion's
salutation　of　the　Countess；　disclosed　the　empty　right　sleeve　of　M。
de　La　Tour　d'Azyr's　blue　coat。　　More；　the　near　side　of　the　coat
itself　turned　back　from　the　point　near　the　throat　where　it　was
caught　together　by　single　button；　revealed　the　slung　arm　beneath
in　its　blood。　sodden　cambric　sleeve。

Even　now　she　feared　to　jump　to　the　obvious　conclusion　feared　lest
perhaps　the　Marquis；　though　himself　wounded；　might　have　dealt　his
adversary　a　deadlier　wound。

She　found　her　voice　at　last；　and　at　the　same　moment　signalled　to
the　driver　of　the　caleche　to　stop。

As　it　was　Pulled　to　a　standstill；　M。　d'Ormesson　alighted；　and　so
met　madame　in　the　little　space　between　the　two　carriages。

〃Where　is　M。　Moreau？〃　was　the　question　with　which　she　surprised　him。

〃Following　at　his　leisure；　no　doubt；　madame；〃　he　answered；
recovering。

〃He　is　not　hurt？〃

〃Unfortunately　it　is　we　who。。。　〃　　M。　d'Ormesson　was　beginning；　when
from　behind　him　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr's　voice　cut　in　crisply：

〃This　interest　on　your　part　in　M。　Moreau；　dear　Countess。。。　〃

He　broke　off；　observing　a　vague　challenge　in　the　air　with　which
she　confronted　him。　　But　indeed　his　sentence　did　not　need　completing。

There　was　a　vaguely　awkward　pause。　　And　then　she　looked　at　M。
d'Ormesson。　　Her　manner　changed。　　She　offered　what　appeared　to　be
an　explanation　of　her　concern　for　M。　Moreau。

〃Mademoiselle　de　Kercadiou　is　with　me。　　The　poor　child　has　fainted。〃

There　was　more；　a　deal　more；　she　would　have　said　just　then；　but　for
M。　d'Ormesson's　presence。

Moved　by　a　deep　solicitude　for　Mademoiselle　de　Kertadiou；　de　La　Tour
d'Azyr　sprang　up　despite　his　wound。

〃I　am　in　poor　case　to　render　assistance；　madame；〃　he　said；　an
apologetic　smile　on　his　pale　face。　　〃But。。。　〃

With　the　aid　of　d'Ormesson；　and　in　spite　of　the　latter's
protestations；　he　got　down　from　the　caleche；　which　then　moved　on　a
little　way；　so　as　to　leave　the　road　clear　…　for　another　carriage
that　was　approaching　from　the　direction　of　the　Bois。

And　thus　it　happened　that　when　a　few　moments　later　that　approaching
cabriolet　overtook　and　passed　the　halted　vehicles；　Andre…Louis
beheld　a　very　touching　scene。　　Standing　up　to　obtain　a　better　view；
he　saw　Aline　in　a　half…swooning　condition　…　she　was　beginning　to
revive　by　now　…　seated　in　the　doorway　of　the　carriage；　supported　by
Mme。　de　Plougastel。　　In　an　attitude　of　deepest　concern；　M。　de　La
Tour　d'Azyr；　his　wound　notwithstanding；　was　bending　over　the　girl；
whilst　behind　him　stood　M。　d'Ormesson　and　madame's　footman。

The　Countess　looked　up　and　saw　him　as　he　was　driven　past。　　Her　face
lighted；　almost　it　seemed　to　him　she　was　about　to　greet　him　or　to
call　him；　wherefore；　to　avoid　a　difficulty；　arising　out　of　the
presence　there　of　his　late　antagonist；　he　anticipated　her　by　bowing
frigidly　…　for　his　mood　was　frigid；　the　more　frigid　by　virtue　of
what　he　saw　…　and　then　resumed　his　seat　with　eyes　that　looked
deliberately　ahead。

Could　anything　more　completely　have　confirmed　him　in　his　conviction
that　it　was　on　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr's　account　that　Aline　had　come
to　plead　with　him　that　morning？　　For　what　his　eyes　had　seen；　of
course；　was　a　lady　overcome　with　emotion　at　the　sight　of　blood　of
her　dear　friend；　and　that　same　dear　friend　restoring　her　with
assurances　that　his　hurt　was　very　far　from　mortal。　　Later；　much
later；　he　was　to　blame　his　own　perverse　stupidity。　　Almost　is　he
too　severe　in　his　self…condemnation。　　For　how　else　could　he　have
interpreted　the　scene　he　beheld；　his　preconceptions　being　what
they　were？

That　which　he　had　already　been　suspecting；　he　now　accounted　proven
to　him。　Aline　had　been　wanting　in　candour　on　the　subject　of　her
feelings　towards　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr。　　It　was；　he　supposed；　a
woman's　way　to　be　secretive　in　such　matters；　and　he　must　not　blame
her。　　Nor　could　he　blame　her　in　his　heart　for　having　succumbed　to
the　singular　charm　of　such　a　man　as　the　Marquis　…　for　not　even　his
hostility　could　blind　him　to　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr's　attractions。
That　she　had　succumbed　was　betrayed；　he　thought；　by　the　weakness
that　had　overtaken　her　upon　seeing　him　wounded。
　
〃My　God！〃　he　cried　aloud。　　〃What　must　she　have　suffered；　then；　if
I　had　killed　him　as　I　intended！〃

If　only　she　had　used　candour　with　him；　she　could　so　easily　have　won
his　consent　to　the　thing　she　asked。　　　If　only　she　had　told　him　what
now　he　saw；　that　she　loved　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr；　instead　of　leaving
him　to　assume　her　only　regard　for　the　Marquis　to　be　based　on
unworthy　worldly　ambition；　he　would　at　once　have　yielded。

He　fetched　a　sigh；　and　breathed　a　prayer　for　forgiveness　to　the
shade　of　Vilmorin。

　〃It　is　perhaps　as　well　that　my　lunge　went　wide；〃　he　said。
　
〃What　do　you　mean？〃　wondered　Le　Chapelier。

〃That　in　this　business　I　must　relinquish　all　hope　of　recommencing。〃



CHAPTER　XII

THE　OVERWHELMING　REASON


M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr　was　seen　no　more　in　the　Manege　…　or　indeed　in
Paris　at　all　…　throughout　all　the　months　that　the　National　Assembly
remained　in　session　to　complete　its　work　of　providing　France　with
a　constitution。　　After　all；　though　the　wound　to　his　body　had　been
comparatively　slight；　the　wound　to　such　a　pride　as　his　had　been
all　but　mortal。

The　rumour　ran　that　he　had　emigrated。　　But　that　was　only　half　the
truth。　　The　whole　of　it　was　that　he　had　joined　that　group　of　noble
travellers　who　came　and　went　between　the　Tuileries　and　the
headquarters　of　the　emigres　at　Coblenz。　　He　became；　in　short；　a
member　of　the　royalist　secret　service　that　in　the　end　was　to　bring
down　the　monarchy　in　ruins。

As　for　Andre…Louis；　his　godfather's　house　saw　him　no　more；　as　a
result　of　his　conviction　that　M。　de　Kercadiou　would　not　relent　from
his　written　resolve　never　to　receive　him　again　if　the　duel　were
fought。

He　threw　himself　into　his　duties　at　the　Assembly　with　such　zeal　and
effect　that　when　…　its　purpose　accomplished　…　the　Constituent　was
dissolved　in　September　of　the　following　year；　membership　of　the
Legislative；　whose　election　followed　immediately；　was　thrust　upon
him。

He　considered　then；　like　many　others；　that　the　Revolution　was　a
thing　accomplished；　that　France　had　only　to　govern　herself　by　the
Constitution　which　had　been　given　her；　and　that　all　would　now　be
well。　　And　so　it　might　have　been　but　that　the　Court　could　not　bring
itself　to　accept　the　altered　state　of　things。　　As　a　result　of　its
intrigues　half　Europe　was　arming　to　hurl　herself　upon　France；　and
her　quarrel　was　the　quarrel　of　the　French　King　with　his　people。
That　was　the　horror　at　the　root　of　all　the　horrors　that　were　to　come。

Of　the　counter…revolutionary　troubles　that　were　everywhere　being
stirred　up　by　the　clergy；　none　were　more　acute　than　those　of　Brittany；
and；　in　view　of　the　influence　it　was　hoped　he　would　wield　in　his
native　province；　it　was　proposed　to　Andre…Louis　by　the　Commission　of
Twelve；　in　the　early　days　of　the　Girondin　ministry；　that　he　should
go　thither　to　combat　the　unrest。　　He　was　desired　to　proceed
peacefully；　but　his　powers　were　almost　absolute；　as　is　shown　by　the
orders　he　carried　…　orders　enjoining　all　to　render　him　assistance
and　warning　those　who　might　hinder　him　that　they　would　do　so　at
their　peril。

He　accepted　the　task；　and　he　was　one　of　the　five　plenipotentiaries
despatched　on　the　same　errand　in　that　spring　of　1792。　　It　kept　him
absent　from　Paris　for　four　months　and　might　have　kept　him　longer
but　that　at　the　beginning　of　August　he　was　recalled。　　More　imminent
than　any　trouble　in　Brittany　was　the　trouble　brewing　in　Paris　itself；
when　the　political　sky　was　blacker　than　it　had　been　since　'89。
Paris　realized　that　the　hour　was　rapidly　approaching　which　would
see　the　climax　of　the　long　struggle　between　Equality　and　Privilege。
And　it　was　towards　a　city　so　disposed　that　Andre…Louis　came　speeding
from　the　West；　to　find　there　also　the　climax　of　his　own　disturbed
career。

Mlle。　de　Kercadiou；　too；　was　in　Paris　in　those　days　of　early　August；
on　a　visit　to　her　uncle's　cousin　and　dearest　friend；　Mme。　de
Plougastel。　　And　although　nothing　could　now　be　plainer　than　the
seething　unrest　that　heralded　the　explosion　to　come；　yet　the　air　of
gaiety；　indeed　of　jocularity；　prevailing　at　Court　…　whither　madame
and　mademoiselle　went　alm