scaramouche-第7部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


avail　him　here？　　Three　disengages　completed　the　exchanges；　and　then
without　any　haste　the　Marquis　slid　his　right　foot　along　the　moist
turf；　his　long；　graceful　body　extending　itself　in　a　lunge　that　went
under　M。　de　Vilmorin's　clumsy　guard；　and　with　the　utmost　deliberation
he　drove　his　blade　through　the　young　man's　vitals。

Andre…Louis　sprang　forward　just　in　time　to　catch　his　friend's　body
under　the　armpits　as　it　sank。　　Then；　his　own　legs　bending　beneath
the　weight　of　it；　he　went　down　with　his　burden　until　he　was　kneeling
on　the　damp　turf。　　Philippe's　limp　head　lay　against　Andre…Louis'
left　shoulder；　Philippe's　relaxed　arms　trailed　at　his　sides；　the
blood　welled　and　bubbled　from　the　ghastly　wound　to　saturate　the　poor
lad's　garments。

With　white　face　and　twitching　lips；　Andre…Louis　looked　up　at　M。　de
La　Tour　d'Azyr；　who　stood　surveying　his　work　with　a　countenance　of
grave　but　remorseless　interest。

〃You　have　killed　him！〃　cried　Andre…Louis。

〃Of　course。〃

The　Marquis　ran　a　lace　handkerchief　along　his　blade　to　wipe　it。　　As
he　let　the　dainty　fabric　fall；　he　explained　himself。　　〃He　had；　as
I　told　him；　a　too　dangerous　gift　of　eloquence。〃

And　he　turned　away；　leaving　completest　understanding　with
Andre…Louis。　　Still　supporting　the　limp；　draining　body；　the　young
man　called　to　him。

〃Come　back；　you　cowardly　murderer；　and　make　yourself　quite　safe　by
killing　me　too！〃

The　Marquis　half　turned；　his　face　dark　with　anger。　　Then　M。　de
Chabrillane　set　a　restraining　hand　upon　his　arm。　Although　a　party
throughout　to　the　deed；　the　Chevalier　was　a　little　appalled　now
that　it　was　done。　　He　had　not　the　high　stomach　of　M。　de　La　Tour
d'Azyr；　and　he　was　a　good　deal　younger。

〃Come　away；〃　he　said。　　〃The　lad　is　raving。　　They　were　friends。〃

〃You　heard　what　he　said？〃　quoth　the　Marquis。

〃Nor　can　he；　or　you；　or　any　man　deny　it；〃　flung　back　Andre…Louis。
〃Yourself；　monsieur；　you　made　confession　when　you　gave　me　now　the
reason　why　you　killed　him。　　You　did　it　because　you　feared　him。〃

〃If　that　were　true　…　what；　then？〃　asked　the　great　gentleman。

〃Do　you　ask？　　Do　you　understand　of　life　and　humanity　nothing　but
how　to　wear　a　coat　and　dress　your　hair　…　oh；　yes；　and　to　handle
weapons　against　boys　and　priests？　　Have　you　no　mind　to　think；　no
soul　into　which　you　can　turn　its　vision？　　Must　you　be　told　that　it
is　a　coward's　part　to　kill　the　thing　he　fears；　and　doubly　a　coward's
part　to　kill　in　this　way？　　Had　you　stabbed　him　in　the　back　with　a
knife；　you　would　have　shown　the　courage　of　your　vileness。　　It　would
have　been　a　vileness　undisguised。　　But　you　feared　the　consequences
of　that；　powerful　as　you　are；　and　so　you　shelter　your　cowardice
under　the　pretext　of　a　duel。〃

The　Marquis　shook　off　his　cousin's　hand；　and　took　a　step　forward；
holding　now　his　sword　like　a　whip。　　But　again　the　Chevalier　caught
and　held　him。

〃No；　no；　Gervais！　　Let　be；　in　God's　name！〃

〃Let　him　come；　monsieur；〃　raved　Andre…Louis；　his　voice　thick　and
concentrated。　　〃Let　him　complete　his　coward's　work　on　me；　and　thus
make　himself　safe　from　a　coward's　wages。〃

M。　de　Chabrillane　let　his　cousin　go。　　He　came　white　to　the　lips；
his　eyes　glaring　at　the　lad　who　so　recklessly　insulted　him。　　And
then　he　checked。　　It　may　be　that　he　remembered　suddenly　the
relationship　in　which　this　young　man　was　popularly　believed　to
stand　to　the　Seigneur　de　Gavrillac；　and　the　well…known　affection
in　which　the　Seigneur　held　him。　　And　so　he　may　have　realized　that
if　he　pushed　this　matter　further；　he　might　find　himself　upon　the
horns　of　a　dilemma。　　He　would　be　confronted　with　the　alternatives
of　shedding　more　blood；　and　so　embroiling　himself　with　the　Lord　of
Gavrillac　at　a　time　when　that　gentleman's　friendship　was　of　the
first　importance　to　him；　or　else　of　withdrawing　with　such　hurt　to
his　dignity　as　must　impair　his　authority　in　the　countryside
hereafter。

Be　it　so　or　otherwise；　the　fact　remains　that　he　stopped　short；
then；　with　an　incoherent　ejaculation；　between　anger　and　contempt；
he　tossed　his　arms；　turned　on　his　heel　and　strode　off　quickly　with
his　cousin。

When　the　landlord　and　his　people　came；　they　found　Andre…Louis；　his
arms　about　the　body　of　his　dead　friend；　murmuring　passionately　into
the　deaf　ear　that　rested　almost　against　his　lips：

〃Philippe！　　Speak　to　me；　Philippe！　　Philippe。。。　Don't　you　hear　me？
0　God　of　Heaven！　　Philippe！〃

At　a　glance　they　saw　that　here　neither　priest　nor　doctor　could　avail。
The　cheek　that　lay　against　Andre…Louis's　was　leaden…hued；　the
half…open　eyes　were　glazed；　and　there　was　a　little　froth　of　blood
upon　the　vacuously　parted　lips。

Half　blinded　by　tears　Andre…Louis　stumbled　after　them　when　they　bore
the　body　into　the　inn。　　Upstairs　in　the　little　room　to　which　they
conveyed　it；　he　knelt　by　the　bed；　and　holding　the　dead　man's　hand
in　both　his　own；　he　swore　to　him　out　of　his　impotent　rage　that　M。　de
La　Tour　d'Azyr　should　pay　a　bitter　price　for　this。

〃It　was　your　eloquence　he　feared；　Philippe；〃　he　said。　　Then　if　I　can
get　no　justice　for　this　deed；　at　least　it　shall　be　fruitless　to　him。
The　thing　he　feared　in　you；　he　shall　fear　in　me。　　He　feared　that　men
might　be　swayed　by　your　eloquence　to　the　undoing　of　such　things　as
himself。　　Men　shall　be　swayed　by　it　still。　　For　your　eloquence　and
your　arguments　shall　be　my　heritage　from　you。　　I　will　make　them　my
own。　　It　matters　nothing　that　I　do　not　believe　in　your　gospel　of
freedom。　　I　know　it　…　every　word　of　it；　that　is　all　that　matters　to
our　purpose；　yours　and　mine。　　If　all　else　fails；　your　thoughts　shall
find　expression　in　my　living　tongue。　　Thus　at　least　we　shall　have
frustrated　his　vile　aim　to　still　the　voice　he　feared。　　It　shall
profit　him　nothing　to　have　your　blood　upon　his　soul。　　That　voice　in
you　would　never　half　so　relentlessly　have　hounded　him　and　his　as　it
shall　in　me　…　if　all　else　fails。〃

It　was　an　exulting　thought。　　It　calmed　him；　it　soothed　his　grief；
and　he　began　very　softly　to　pray。　　And　then　his　heart　trembled　as
he　considered　that　Philippe；　a　man　of　peace；　almost　a　priest；　an
apostle　of　Christianity；　had　gone　to　his　Maker　with　the　sin　of　anger
on　his　soul。　　It　was　horrible。　　Yet　God　would　see　the　righteousness
of　that　anger。　　And　in　no　case　…　be　man's　interpretation　of　Divinity
what　it　might　…　could　that　one　sin　outweigh　the　loving　good　that
Philippe　had　ever　practised；　the　noble　purity　of　his　great　heart。
God　after　all；　reflected　Andre…Louis；　was　not　a　grand…seigneur。
　
M。　de　Kercadiou　stared　at　him　blankly　out　of　his　pale



CHAPTER　V

THE　LORD　OF　GAVRILLAC


For　the　second　time　that　day　Andre…Louis　set　out　for　the　chateau；
walking　briskly；　and　heeding　not　at　all　the　curious　eyes　that
followed　him　through　the　village；　and　the　whisperings　that　marked
his　passage　through　the　people；　all　agog　by　now　with　that　day's
event　in　which　he　had　been　an　actor。

He　was　ushered　by　Benoit；　the　elderly　body…servant；　rather
grandiloquently　called　the　seneschal；　into　the　ground…floor　room
known　traditionally　as　the　library。　　It　still　contained　several
shelves　of　neglected　volumes；　from　which　it　derived　its　title；　but
implements　of　the　chase　…　fowling…pieces；　powder…horns；　hunting…bags；
sheath…knives　…　obtruded　far　more　prominently　than　those　of　study。
The　furniture　was　massive；　of　oak　richly　carved；　and　belonging　to
another　age。　　Great　massive　oak　beams　crossed　the　rather　lofty
whitewashed　ceiling。
　　
Here　the　squat　Seigneur　de　Gavrillac　was　restlessly　pacing　when
Andre…Louis　was　introduced。　　He　was　already　informed；　as　he
announced　at　once；　of　what　had　taken　place　at　the　Breton　arme。　　M。
de　Chabrillane　had　just　left　him；　and　he　confessed　himself　deeply
grieved　and　deeply　perplexed。

〃The　pity　of　it！〃　he　said。　　〃The　pity　of　it！〃　　He　bowed　his　enormous
head。　　〃So　estimable　a　young　man；　and　so　full　of　promise。　　Ah；　this
La　Tour　d'Azyr　is　a　hard　man；　and　he　feels　very　strongly　in　these
matters。　　He　may　be　right。　　I　don't　know。　　I　have　never　killed　a　man
for　holding　different　views　from　mine。　　In　fact；　I　have　never　killed
a　man　at　all。　　It　isn't　in　my　nature。　　I　shouldn't　sleep　of　nights　if
I　did。　　But　men　are　differently　made。〃

〃The　question；　monsieur　my　godfather；〃　said　Andre…Louis；　〃is　what　is
to　be　done。〃　　He　was　quite　calm　and　self…possessed；　but　very　white。

M。　de　Kercadiou　stared　at　him　blankly　out　of　his　pale　eyes。

〃Why；　what　the　devil　is　there　to　do？　　From　what　I　am　told；　Vilmorin
went　so　far　as　to　strike　M。　le　Marquis。〃

〃Under　the　very　grossest　provocation。〃

〃Which　he　himself　provoked　by　his　revolutionary　language。　　The　poor
lad's　head　was　full　of　this　encyclopaedist　trash。　　It　comes　of　too
much　reading。　　I　have　never　set　much　store　by　books；　Andre；　and　I
have　never　known　anything　but　trouble　to　come　out　of　learning。　　It
unsettles　a　man。　　It　complicates　his　views　of　life；　destroys　the
simplicity　which　makes　for　peace　of　mind　and　happiness。　　Let　this
miserable　affair　be　a　warning　to　you；　Andre。　　You　are；　yourself；
too　prone　to　these　new…fashioned　speculations　upon　a　different
constitution　of　the　social　order。　　You　see　what　comes　of　it。　　A
fine；　estimable　young　man；　the　only　prop　of　his　widowed　mother　too；
forgets　himself；　his　position；　his　duty　to　that　mother　…　everything；
and　goes　and　gets　himself　killed　like　this。　　It　is　infernally　sad。
On　my　soul　it　is　sad。〃　　He　produced　a　handkerchief；　and　blew　his
nose　with　vehemence。

Andre…Louis　felt　a　tightening　of　his　heart；　a　lessening　of　the
hopes；　never　too　sanguine；　which　he　had　founded　upon　his　godfather。

〃Your　criticisms；〃　he　said；　〃are　all　for　the　conduct　of　the　dead；
and　none　for　that　of　the　murderer。　　It　does　not　seem　possible　that
you　should　be　in　sympathy　with　such　a　crime。

〃Crime？〃　shrilled　M。　de　Kercadiou。　　〃My　God；　boy；　you　are　speaking
of　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr。〃

〃I　am；　and　of　the　abominable　murder　he　has　committed。。。　〃

〃Stop！〃　　M。　de　Kercadiou　was　very　emphatic。　　〃I　cannot　permit　that
you　apply　such　terms　to　him。　I　cannot　permit　it。　　M。　le　Marquis　is
my　friend；　and　is　likely　very　soon　to　stand　in　a　still　closer
relationship。〃

〃Notwithstanding　this？〃　asked　Andre…Louis。

M。　de　Kercadiou　was　frankly　impatient。

〃Why；　what　has　this　to　do　with　it？　　I　may　deplore　it。　　But　I　have
no　right　to　co