scaramouche-第11章

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peace　in　Rennes。　　Thus　shall　you　triumph。　　Thus　shall　the　outrages
that　are　being　perpetrated　under　your　eyes　be　fully　and　finally
avenged。〃

As　abruptly　as　he　had　leapt　upon　the　plinth　did　he　now　leap　down
from　it。　　He　had　finished。　　He　had　said　all　…　perhaps　more　than
all　…　that　could　have　been　said　by　the　dead　friend　with　whose　voice
he　spoke。　　But　it　was　not　their　will　that　he　should　thus　extinguish
himself。　　The　thunder　of　their　acclamations　rose　deafeningly　upon
the　air。　　He　had　played　upon　their　emotions　…　each　in　turn　…　as　a
skilful　harpist　plays　upon　the　strings　of　his　instrument。　　And　they
were　vibrant　with　the　passions　he　had　aroused；　and　the　high　note　of
hope　on　which　he　had　brought　his　symphony　to　a　close。

A　dozen　students　caught　him　as　he　leapt　down；　and　swung　him　to　their
shoulders；　where　again　he　came　within　view　of　all　the　acclaiming
crowd。

The　delicate　Le　Chapelier　pressed　alongside　of　him　with　flushed　face
and　shining　eyes。

〃My　lad；〃　he　said　to　him；　〃you　have　kindled　a　fire　to…day　that　will
sweep　the　face　of　France　in　a　blaze　of　liberty。〃　　And　then　to　the
students　he　issued　a　sharp　command。　　〃To　the　Literary　Chamber　…at
once。　　We　must　concert　measures　upon　the　instant；　a　delegate　must
be　dispatched　to　Nantes　forthwith；　to　convey　to　our　friends　there
the　message　of　the　people　of　Rennes。〃

The　crowd　fell　back；　opening　a　lane　through　which　the　students　bore
the　hero　of　the　hour。　　Waving　his　hands　to　them；　he　called　upon
them　to　disperse　to　their　homes；　and　await　there　in　patience　what
must　follow　very　soon。

〃You　have　endured　for　centuries　with　a　fortitude　that　is　a　pattern
to　the　world；〃　he　flattered　them。　　〃Endure　a　little　longer　yet。　　The
end；　my　friends；　is　well　in　sight　at　last。〃

They　carried　him　out　of　the　square　and　up　the　Rue　Royale　to　an　old
house；　one　of　the　few　old　houses　surviving　in　that　city　that　had
risen　from　its　ashes；　where　in　an　upper　chamber　lighted　by
diamond…shaped　panes　of　yellow　glass　the　Literary　Chamber　usually
held　its　meetings。　　Thither　in　his　wake　the　members　of　that　chamber
came　hurrying；　summoned　by　the　messages　that　Le　Chapelier　had　issued
during　their　progress。

Behind　closed　doors　a　flushed　and　excited　group　of　some　fifty　men；
the　majority　of　whom　were　young；　ardent；　and　afire　with　the　illusion
of　liberty；　hailed　Andre…Louis　as　the　strayed　sheep　who　had　returned
to　the　fold；　and　smothered　him　in　congratulations　and　thanks。

Then　they　settled　down　to　deliberate　upon　immediate　measures；　whilst
the　doors　below　were　kept　by　a　guard　of　honour　that　had　improvised
itself　from　the　masses。　　And　very　necessary　was　this。　　For　no　sooner
had　the　Chamber　assembled　than　the　house　was　assailed　by　the
gendarmerie　of　M。　de　Lesdiguieres；　dispatched　in　haste　to　arrest　the
firebrand　who　was　inciting　the　people　of　Rennes　to　sedition。　　The
force　consisted　of　fifty　men。　　Five　hundred　would　have　been　too　few。
The　mob　broke　their　carbines；　broke　some　of　their　heads；　and　would
indeed　have　torn　them　into　pieces　had　they　not　beaten　a　timely　and
well…advised　retreat　before　a　form　of　horseplay　to　which　they　were
not　at　all　accustomed。

And　whilst　that　was　taking　place　in　the　street　below；　in　the　room
abovestairs　the　eloquent　Le　Chapelier　was　addressing　his　colleagues
of　the　Literary　Chamber。　　Here；　with　no　bullets　to　fear；　and　no
one　to　report　his　words　to　the　authorities；　Le　Chapelier　could
permit　his　oratory　a　full；　unintimidated　flow。　　And　that　considerable
oratory　was　as　direct　and　brutal　as　the　man　himself　was　delicate　and
elegant。

He　praised　the　vigour　and　the　greatness　of　the　speech　they　had　heard
from　their　colleague　Moreau。　　Above　all　he　praised　its　wisdom。
Moreau's　words　had　come　as　a　surprise　to　them。　　Hitherto　they　had
never　known　him　as　other　than　a　bitter　critic　of　their　projects　of
reform　and　regeneration；　and　quite　lately　they　had　heard；　not　without
misgivings；　of　his　appointment　as　delegate　for　a　nobleman　in　the
States　of　Brittany。　　But　they　held　the　explanation　of　his　conversion。
The　murder　of　their　dear　colleague　Vilmorin　had　produced　this　change。
In　that　brutal　deed　Moreau　had　beheld　at　last　in　true　proportions
the　workings　of　that　evil　spirit　which　they　were　vowed　to　exorcise
from　France。　　And　to…day　he　had　proven　himself　the　stoutest　apostle
among　them　of　the　new　faith。　　He　had　pointed　out　to　them　the　only
sane　and　useful　course。　　The　illustration　he　had　borrowed　from
natural　history　was　most　apt。　　Above　all；　let　them　pack　like　the
wolves；　and　to　ensure　this　uniformity　of　action　in　the　people　of
all　Brittany；　let　a　delegate　at　once　be　sent　to　Nantes；　which　had
already　proved　itself　the　real　seat　of　Brittany's　power。　　It　but
remained　to　appoint　that　delegate；　and　Le　Chapelier　invited　them
to　elect　him。

Andre…Louis；　on　a　bench　near　the　window；　a　prey　now　to　some　measure
of　reaction；　listened　in　bewilderment　to　that　flood　of　eloquence。

As　the　applause　died　down；　he　heard　a　voice　exclaiming：

〃I　propose　to　you　that　we　appoint　our　leader　here；　Le　Chapelier；　to
be　that　delegate。〃

Le　Chapelier　reared　his　elegantly　dressed　head；　which　had　been　bowed
in　thought；　and　it　was　seen　that　his　countenance　was　pale。　　Nervously
he　fingered　a　gold　spy…glass。

〃My　friends；〃　he　said；　slowly；　〃I　am　deeply　sensible　of　the　honour
that　you　do　me。　　But　in　accepting　it　I　should　be　usurping　an　honour
that　rightly　belongs　elsewhere。　　Who　could　represent　us　better；　who
more　deserving　to　be　our　representative；　to　speak　to　our　friends　of
Nantes　with　the　voice　of　Rennes；　than　the　champion　who　once　already
to…day　has　so　incomparably　given　utterance　to　the　voice　of　this
great　city？　　Confer　this　honour　of　being　your　spokesman　where　it
belongs　…　upon　Andre…Louis　Moreau。〃

Rising　in　response　to　the　storm　of　applause　that　greeted　the
proposal；　Andre…Louis　bowed　and　forthwith　yielded。　　〃Be　it　so；〃　he
said；　simply。　　〃It　is　perhaps　fitting　that　I　should　carry　out　what
I　have　begun；　though　I　too　am　of　the　opinion　that　Le　Chapelier　would
have　been　a　worthier　representative。　　I　will　set　out　to…night。〃

〃You　will　set　out　at　once；　my　lad；〃　Le　Chapelier　informed　him；　and
now　revealed　what　an　uncharitable　mind　might　account　the　true　source
of　his　generosity。　　〃It　is　not　safe　after　what　has　happened　for　you
to　linger　an　hour　in　Rennes。　　And　you　must　go　secretly。　　Let　none
of　you　allow　it　to　be　known　that　he　has　gone。　　I　would　not　have　you
come　to　harm　over　this；　Andre…Louis。　　But　you　must　see　the　risks
you　run；　and　if　you　are　to　be　spared　to　help　in　this　work　of
salvation　of　our　afflicted　motherland；　you　must　use　caution；　move
secretly；　veil　your　identity　even。　　Or　else　M。　de　Lesdiguieres　will
have　you　laid　by　the　heels；　and　it　will　be　good…night　for　you。〃



CHAPTER　VIII

OMNES　OMNIBUS


Andre…Louis　rode　forth　from　Rennes　committed　to　a　deeper　adventure
than　he　had　dreamed　of　when　he　left　the　sleepy　village　of　Gavrillac。
Lying　the　night　at　a　roadside　inn；　and　setting　out　again　early　in
the　morning；　he　reached　Nantes　soon　after　noon　of　the　following　day。

Through　that　long　and　lonely　ride　through　the　dull　plains　of
Brittany；　now　at　their　dreariest　in　their　winter　garb；　he　had　ample
leisure　in　which　to　review　his　actions　and　his　position。　　From　one
who　had　taken　hitherto　a　purely　academic　and　by　no　means　friendly
interest　in　the　new　philosophies　of　social　life；　exercising　his　wits
upon　these　new　ideas　merely　as　a　fencer　exercises　his　eye　and　wrist
with　the　foils；　without　ever　suffering　himself　to　be　deluded　into
supposing　the　issue　a　real　one；　he　found　himself　suddenly　converted
into　a　revolutionary　firebrand；　committed　to　revolutionary　action
of　the　most　desperate　kind。　　The　representative　and　delegate　of　a
nobleman　in　the　States　of　Brittany；　he　found　himself　simultaneously
and　incongruously　the　representative　and　delegate　of　the　whole　Third
Estate　of　Rennes。

It　is　difficult　to　determine　to　what　extent；　in　the　heat　of　passion
and　swept　along　by　the　torrent　of　his　own　oratory；　he　might
yesterday　have　succeeded　in　deceiving　himself。　　But　it　is　at　least
certain　that；　looking　back　in　cold　blood　now　he　had　no　single
delusion　on　the　score　of　what　he　had　done。　　Cynically　he　had
presented　to　his　audience　one　side　only　of　the　great　question　that
he　propounded。

But　since　the　established　order　of　things　in　France　was　such　as　to
make　a　rampart　for　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr；　affording　him　complete
immunity　for　this　and　any　other　crimes　that　it　pleased　him　to　commit；
why；　then　the　established　order　must　take　the　consequences　of　its
wrong…doing。　　Therein　he　perceived　his　clear　justification。

And　so　it　was　without　misgivings　that　he　came　on　his　errand　of
sedition　into　that　beautiful　city　of　Nantes；　rendered　its　spacious
streets　and　splendid　port　the　rival　in　prosperity　of　Bordeaux　and
Marseilles。

He　found　an　inn　on　the　Quai　La　Fosse；　where　he　put　up　his　horse；
and　where　he　dined　in　the　embrasure　of　a　window　that　looked　out
over　the　tree…bordered　quay　and　the　broad　bosom　of　the　Loire；　on
which　argosies　of　all　nations　rode　at　anchor。　　The　sun　had　again
broken　through　the　clouds；　and　shed　its　pale　wintry　light　over　the
yellow　waters　and　the　tall…masted　shipping。

Along　the　quays　there　was　a　stir　of　life　as　great　as　that　to　be　seen
on　the　quays　of　Paris。　　Foreign　sailors　in　outlandish　garments　and
of　harsh…sounding；　outlandish　speech；　stalwart　fishwives　with　baskets
of　herrings　on　their　heads；　voluminous　of　petticoat　above　bare　legs
and　bare　feet；　calling　their　wares　shrilly　and　almost　inarticulately；
watermen　in　woollen　caps　and　loose　trousers　rolled　to　the　knees；
peasants　in　goatskin　coats；　their　wooden　shoes　clattering　on　the
round　kidney…stones；　shipwrights　and　labourers　from　the　dockyards；
bellows…menders；　rat…catchers；　water…carriers；　ink…sellers；　and　other
itinerant　pedlars。　　And；　sprinkled　through　this　proletariat　mass　that
came　and　went　in　constant　movement；　Andre…Louis　beheld　tradesmen　in
sober　garments；　merchants　in　long；　fur…lined　coats；　occasionally　a
merchant…prince　rolling　along　in　his　two…horse　cabriolet　to　the
whip…crackings　and　shouts　of　〃Gare！〃　from　his　coachman；　occasionally
a　dainty　lady　carried　past　in　her　sedan…chair；　with　perhaps　a　mincing
abbe　from　the　episcopal　court　tripping　along　in　attendance；
occasionally　an　officer　in　scarlet　riding　disdainfully；　and　once　the
great　carriage　of　a　nobleman；　with　escutcheoned　panels　and　a　pair
of　white…stockinged；　powdered　footmen　in　gorgeous　liveries　hanging
on　behind。　　And　there　were　Capuchins　in　brown　and　Benedictines　in
black；　and　secular　priests　in　plenty　…　for　God　was　well　served　in
the　sixteen　parishes　of　Nantes　…　and　by　way　of　contrast　there　were
lean…jawed；　out…at…elbow　adventurers；　and　gendarmes　in　blue　coats
and　gaitered　legs；　sauntering　guardians　of　the　peace。

Representatives　of　every　class　that　went　to　make　up　the　seventy
thousand　inhabitants　of　that　wealthy；　industrious　city　were　to　be
seen　in　the　human　stream　that　ebbed　and　flowed　beneath　the　window
from　which　Andre…Louis　observed　it。

Of　the　waiter　who　ministered　to　his　humble　wants　with　soup　and
bouilli；　and　a　measure　of　vin　gris；　Andre…Louis　enquired　into　the
state　of　public　feeling　in　the　city。　　The　waiter；　a　staunch
supporter　o