scaramouche-第70部分

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escape　as　best　you　can。　　In　return　I　will　beg　of　you　the　favour
never　to　allow　me　to　see　you　or　hear　of　you　again。〃

〃Andre！〃　　His　mother　swung　upon　him　with　that　cry。　　And　yet　again
that　question。　　〃Have　you　no　heart？　　What　has　he　ever　done　to　you
that　you　should　nurse　so　bitter　a　hatred　of　him？〃

〃You　shall　hear；　madame。　　Once；　two　years　ago　in　this　very　room　I
told　you　of　a　man　who　had　brutally　killed　my　dearest　friend　and
debauched　the　girl　I　was　to　have　married。　　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr　is
that　man。〃

A　moan　was　her　only　answer。　　She　covered　her　face　with　her　hands。

The　Marquis　rose　slowly　to　his　feet　again。　　He　came　slowly　forward；
his　smouldering　eyes　scanning　his　son's　face。

〃You　are　hard；〃　he　said　grimly。　　〃But　I　recognize　the　hardness。
It　derives　from　the　blood　you　bear。〃

〃Spare　me　that；〃　said　Andre…Louis。

The　Marquis　inclined　his　head。　　〃I　will　not　mention　it　again。　　But
I　desire　that　you　should　at　least　understand　me；　and　you　too；　Therese。
You　accuse　me；　sir；　of　murdering　your　dearest　friend。　　I　will　admit
that　the　means　employed　were　perhaps　unworthy。　　But　what　other　means
were　at　my　command　to　meet　an　urgency　that　every　day　since　then
proves　to　have　existed？　　M。　de　Vilmorin　was　a　revolutionary；　a　man
of　new　ideas　that　should　overthrow　society　and　rebuild　it　more　akin
to　the　desires　of　such　as　himself。　　I　belonged　to　the　order　that
quite　as　justifiably　desired　society　to　remain　as　it　was。　　Not　only
was　it　better　so　for　me　and　mine；　but　I　also　contend；　and　you　have
yet　to　prove　me　wrong；　that　it　is　better　so　for　all　the　world；　that；
indeed；　no　other　conceivable　society　is　possible。　　Every　human
society　must　of　necessity　be　composed　of　several　strata。　　You　may
disturb　it　temporarily　into　an　amorphous　whole　by　a　revolution　such
as　this；　but　only　temporarily。　　Soon　out　of　the　chaos　which　is　all
that　you　and　your　kind　can　ever　produce；　order　must　be　restored　or
life　will　perish；　and　with　the　restoration　of　order　comes　the
restoration　of　the　various　strata　necessary　to　organized　society。
Those　that　were　yesterday　at　the　top　may　in　the　new　order　of　things
find　themselves　dispossessed　without　any　benefit　to　the　whole。　　That
change　I　resisted。　　The　spirit　of　it　I　fought　with　whatever　weapons
were　available；　whenever　and　wherever　I　encountered　it。　　M。　de
Vilmorin　was　an　incendiary　of　the　worst　type；　a　man　of　eloquence
full　of　false　ideals　that　misled　poor　ignorant　men　into　believing
that　the　change　proposed　could　make　the　world　a　better　place　for
them。　You　are　an　intelligent　man；　and　I　defy　you　to　answer　me　from
your　heart　and　conscience　that　such　a　thing　was　true　or　possible。
You　know　that　it　is　untrue；　you　know　that　it　is　a　pernicious
doctrine；　and　what　made　it　worse　on　the　lips　of　M。　de　Vilmorin　was
that　he　was　sincere　and　eloquent。　　His　voice　was　a　danger　that　must
be　removed　…　silenced。　　So　much　was　necessary　in　self…defence。　　In
self…defence　I　did　it。　　I　had　no　grudge　against　M。　de　Vilmorin。　　He
was　a　man　of　my　own　class；　a　gentleman　of　pleasant　ways；　amiable；
estimable；　and　able。

〃You　conceive　me　slaying　him　for　the　very　lust　of　slaying；　like
some　beast　of　the　jungle　flinging　itself　upon　its　natural　prey。
That　has　been　your　error　from　the　first。　　I　did　what　I　did　with　the
very　heaviest　heart　…　oh；　spare　me　your　sneer！　　…　I　do　not　lie；　I
have　never　lied。　　And　I　swear　to　you　here　and　now；　by　my　every　hope
of　Heaven；　that　what　I　say　is　true。　　I　loathed　the　thing　I　did。
Yet　for　my　own　sake　and　the　sake　of　my　order　I　must　do　it。　　Ask
yourself　whether　M。　de　Vilmorin　would　have　hesitated　for　a　moment
if　by　procuring　my　death　he　could　have　brought　the　Utopia　of　his
dreams　a　moment　nearer　realization。

〃After　that。　　You　determined　that　the　sweetest　vengeance　would　be
to　frustrate　my　ends　by　reviving　in　yourself　the　voice　that　I　had
silenced；　by　yourself　carrying　forward　the　fantastic　apostleship
of　equality　that　was　M。　de　Vilmorin's。　　You　lacked　the　vision　that
would　have　shown　you　that　God　did　not　create　men　equals。　　Well；
you　are　in　case　to…night　to　judge　which　of　us　was　right；　which　
rong。　　You　see　what　is　happening　here　in　Paris。　　You　see　the　foul
spectre　of　Anarchy　stalking　through　a　land　fallen　into　confusion。
Probably　you　have　enough　imagination　to　conceive　something　of　what
must　follow。　　And　do　you　deceive　yourself　that　out　of　this　filth
and　ruin　there　will　rise　up　an　ideal　form　of　society？　　Don't　you
understand　that　society　must　re…order　itself　presently　out　of　all
this？

〃But　why　say　more？　　I　must　have　said　enough　to　make　you　understand
the　only　thing　that　really　matters　…　that　I　killed　M。　de　Vilmorin
as　a　matter　of　duty　to　my　order。　　And　the　truth　…　which　though　it
may　offend　you　should　also　convince　you　…　is　that　to…night　I　can　
ook　back　on　the　deed　with　equanimity；　without　a　single　regret；　apart
from　what　lies　between　you　and　me。

〃When；　kneeling　beside　the　body　of　your　friend　that　day　at
Gavrillac；　you　insulted　and　provoked　me；　had　I　been　the　tiger　you
conceived　me　I　must　have　killed　you　too。　　I　am；　as　you　may　know；　a
man　of　quick　passions。　　Yet　I　curbed　the　natural　anger　you　aroused
in　me；　because　I　could　forgive　an　affront　to　myself　where　I　could
not　overlook　a　calculated　attack　upon　my　order。〃

He　paused　a　moment。　　Andre…Louis　stood　rigid　listening　and　wondering。
So；　too；　the　others。　　Then　M。　le　Marquis　resumed；　on　a　note　of　less
assurance。　　〃In　the　matter　of　Mlle。　Binet　I　was　unfortunate。　　I
wronged　you　through　inadvertence。　　I　had　no　knowledge　of　the
relations　between　you。〃

Andre…Louis　interrupted　him　'sharply　at　last　with　a　question：　〃Would
it　have　made　a　difference　if　you　had？〃

〃No；〃　he　was　answered　frankly。　　〃I　have　the　faults　of　my　kind。　　I
cannot　pretend　that　any　such　scruple　as　you　suggest　would　have
weighed　with　me。　　But　can　you　…　if　you　are　capable　of　any　detached
judgment　…　blame　me　very　much　for　that？〃

〃All　things　considered；　monsieur；　I　am　rapidly　being　forced　to　the
conclusion　that　it　is　impossible　to　blame　any　man　for　anything　in
this　world；　that　we　are　all　of　us　the　sport　of　destiny。　　Consider；
monsieur；　this　gathering　…　this　family　gathering　…　here　to…night；
whilst　out　there。。。　0　my　God；　let　us　make　an　end！　　Let　us　go　our
ways　and　write　'finis'　to　this　horrible　chapter　of　our　lives。〃

M。　le　La　Tour　considered　him　gravely；　sadly；　in　silence　for　a　moment。

〃Perhaps　it　is　best；〃　he　said；　at　length；　in　a　small　voice。　　He
turned　to　Mme。　de　Plougastel。　　〃If　a　wrong　I　have　to　admit　in　my
life；　a　wrong　that　I　must　bitterly　regret；　it　is　the　wrong　that　I
have　done　to　you；　my　dear。。。　〃

〃Not　now；　Gervais！　　Not　now！〃　she　faltered；　interrupting　him。

〃Now　…　for　the　first　and　the　last　time。　　I　am　going。　　It　is　not
likely　that　we　shall　ever　meet　again　…　that　I　shall　ever　see　any
of　you　again　…　you　who　should　have　been　the　nearest　and　dearest　to
me。　　We　are　all；　he　says；　the　sport　of　destiny。　　Ah；　but　not　quite。
Destiny　is　an　intelligent　force；　moving　with　purpose。　　In　life　we
pay　for　the　evil　that　in　life　we　do。　　That　is　the　lesson　that　I
have　learnt　to…night。　　By　an　act　of　betrayal　I　begot　unknown　to　me
a　son　who；　whilst　as　ignorant　as　myself　of　our　relationship；　has
come　to　be　the　evil　genius　of　my　life；　to　cross　and　thwart　me；　and
finally　to　help　to　pull　me　down　in　ruin。　　It　is　just　…　poetically
just。　　My　full　and　resigned　acceptance　of　that　fact　is　the　only
atonement　I　can　offer　you。〃

He　stooped　and　took　one　of　madame's　hands　that　lay　limply　in　her　lap。

〃Good…bye；　Therese！〃　　His　voice　broke。　　He　had　reached　the　end　of
his　iron　self…control。

She　rose　and　clung　to　him　a　moment；　unashamed　before　them。　　The
ashes　of　that　dead　romance　had　been　deeply　stirred　this　night；　and
deep　down　some　lingering　embers　had　been　found　that　glowed　brightly
now　before　their　final　extinction。　　Yet　she　made　no　attempt　to
detain　him。　　She　understood　that　their　son　had　pointed　out　the　only
wise；　the　only　possible　course；　and　was　thankful　that　M。　de　La　Tour
d'Azyr　accepted　it。

〃God　keep　you；　Gervais；〃　she　murmured。　　〃You　will　take　the
safe…conduct；　and。。。　and　you　will　let　me　know　when　you　are　safe？〃

He　held　her　face　between　his　hands　an　instant；　then　very　gently
kissed　her　and　put　her　from　him。　　Standing　erect；　and　outwardly　calm
again；　he　looked　across　at　Andre…Louis　who　was　proffering　him　a
sheet　of　paper。

〃It　is　the　safe…conduct。　　Take　it；　monsieur。　　It　is　my　first　and
last　gift　to　you；　and　certainly　the　last　gift　I　should　ever　have
thought　of　making　you　…　the　gift　of　life。　　In　a　sense　it　makes　us
quits。　　The　irony；　sir；　is　not　mine；　but　Fate's。　　Take　it；　monsieur；
and　go　in　peace。〃

M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr　took　it。　　His　eyes　looked　hungrily　into　the
lean　face　confronting　him；　so　sternly　set。　　He　thrust　the　paper
into　his　bosom；　and　then　abruptly；　convulsively；　held　out　his　hand。
His　son's　eyes　asked　a　question。

〃Let　there　be　peace　between　us；　in　God's　name；〃　said　the　Marquis
thickly。

Pity　stirred　at　last　in　Andre…Louis。　　Some　of　the　sternness　left
his　face。　　He　sighed。　　〃Good…bye；　monsieur；〃　he　said。

〃You　are　hard；〃　his　father　told　him；　speaking　wistfully。　　〃But
perhaps　you　are　in　the　right　so　to　be。　　In　other　circumstances　I
should　have　been　proud　to　have　owned　you　as　my　son。　　As　it　is。。。　〃
He　broke　off　abruptly；　and　as　abruptly　added；　〃Good…bye。〃

He　loosed　his　son's　hand　and　stepped　back。　　They　bowed　formally　to
each　other。　　And　then　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr　bowed　to　Mlle。　de
Kercadiou　in　utter　silence；　a　bow　that　contained　something　of
utter　renunciation；　of　finality。

That　done　he　turned　and　walked　stiffly　out　of　the　room；　and　so
out　of　all　their　lives。　　Months　later　they　were　to　hear　if　him
in　the　service　of　the　Emperor　of　Austria。



CHAPTER　XVI

SUNRISE


Andre…Louis　took　the　air　next　morning　on　the　terrace　at　Meudon。　　The
hour　was　very　early；　and　the　newly　risen　sun　was　transmuting　into
diamonds　the　dewdrops　that　still　lingered　on　the　lawn。　　Down　in　the
valley；　five　miles　away；　the　morning　mists　were　rising　over　Paris。
Yet　early　as　it　was　that　house　on　the　hill　was　astir　already；　in　a
bustle　of　preparation　for　the　departure　that　was　imminent。

Andre…Louis　had　won　safely　out　of　Paris　last　night　with　his　mother
and　Aline；　an