scaramouche-第12章

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state　of　public　feeling　in　the　city。　　The　waiter；　a　staunch
supporter　of　the　privileged　orders；　admitted　regretfully　that　an
uneasiness　prevailed。　　Much　would　depend　upon　what　happened　at
Rennes。　　If　it　was　true　that　the　King　had　dissolved　the　States　of
Brittany；　then　all　should　be　well；　and　the　malcontents　would　have
no　pretext　for　further　disturbances。　　There　had　been　trouble　and
to　spare　in　Nantes　already。　　They　wanted　no　repetition　of　it。　　All
manner　of　rumours　were　abroad；　and　since　early　morning　there　had
been　crowds　besieging　the　portals　of　the　Chamber　of　Commerce　for
definite　news。　　But　definite　news　was　yet　to　come。　　It　was　not　even
known　for　a　fact　that　His　Majesty　actually　had　dissolved　the　States。

It　was　striking　two；　the　busiest　hour　of　the　day　upon　the　Bourse；
when　Andre…Louis　reached　the　Place　du　Commerce。　　The　square；
dominated　by　the　imposing　classical　building　of　the　Exchange；　was
so　crowded　that　he　was　compelled　almost　to　fight　his　way　through　to
the　steps　of　the　magnificent　Ionic　porch。　　A　word　would　have
sufficed　to　have　opened　a　way　for　him　at　once。　　But　guile　moved　him
to　keep　silent。　　He　would　come　upon　that　waiting　multitude　as　a
thunderclap；　precisely　as　yesterday　he　had　come　upon　the　mob　at
Rennes。　　He　would　lose　nothing　of　the　surprise　effect　of　his
entrance。

The　precincts　of　that　house　of　commerce　were　jealously　kept　by　a
line　of　ushers　armed　with　staves；　a　guard　as　hurriedly　assembled　by
the　merchants　as　it　was　evidently　necessary。　　One　of　these　now
effectively　barred　the　young　lawyer's　passage　as　he　attempted　to
mount　the　steps。

Andre…Louis　announced　himself　in　a　whisper。

The　stave　was　instantly　raised　from　the　horizontal；　and　he　passed
and　went　up　the　steps　in　the　wake　of　the　usher。　　At　the　top；　on　the
threshold　of　the　chamber；　he　paused；　and　stayed　his　guide。

〃I　will　wait　here；〃　he　announced。　　〃Bring　the　president　to　me。〃

〃Your　name；　monsieur？〃

Almost　had　Andre…Louis　answered　him　when　he　remembered　Le　Chapelier's
warning　of　the　danger　with　which　his　mission　was　fraught；　and　Le
Chapelier's　parting　admonition　to　conceal　his　identity。

〃My　name　is　unknown　to　him；　it　matters　nothing；　I　am　the　mouthpiece
of　a　people；　no　more。　　Go。〃

The　usher　went；　and　in　the　shadow　of　that　lofty；　pillared　portico
Andre…Louis　waited；　his　eyes　straying　out　ever　and　anon　to　survey
that　spread　of　upturned　faces　immediately　below　him。

Soon　the　president　came；　others　following；　crowding　out　into　the
portico；　jostling　one　another　in　their　eagerness　to　hear　the　news。

〃You　are　a　messenger　from　Rennes？〃

〃I　am　the　delegate　sent　by　the　Literary　Chamber　of　that　city　to
inform　you　here　in　Nantes　of　what　is　taking　place。〃

〃Your　name？〃

Andre…Louis　paused。　　〃The　less　we　mention　names　perhaps　the　better。〃

The　president's　eyes　grew　big　with　gravity。　　He　was　a　corpulent；
florid　man；　purse…proud；　and　self…sufficient。

He　hesitated　a　moment。　　Then　…　〃Come　into　the　Chamber；〃　said　he。

〃By　your　leave；　monsieur；　I　will　deliver　my　message　from　here　…　from
these　steps。〃

〃From　here？〃　The　great　merchant　frowned。

〃My　message　is　for　the　people　of　Nantes；　and　from　here　I　can　speak
at　once　to　the　greatest　number　of　Nantais　of　all　ranks；　and　it　is
my　desire　…　and　the　desire　of　those　whom　I　represent　…　that　as　great
a　number　as　possible　should　hear　my　message　at　first　hand。〃

〃Tell　me；　sir；　is　it　true　that　the　King　has　dissolved　the　States？〃

Andre…Louis　looked　at　him。　　He　smiled　apologetically；　and　waved　a
hand　towards　the　crowd；　which　by　now　was　straining　for　a　glimpse　of
this　slim　young　man　who　had　brought　forth　the　president　and　more
than　half　the　numbers　of　the　Chamber；　guessing　already；　with　that
curious　instinct　of　crowds；　that　he　was　the　awaited　bearer　of
tidings。

〃Summon　the　gentlemen　of　your　Chamber；　monsieur；〃　said　he；　〃and　you
shall　hear　all。〃

〃So　be　it。〃

A　word；　and　forth　they　came　to　crowd　upon　the　steps；　but　leaving
clear　the　topmost　step　and　a　half…moon　space　in　the　middle。

To　the　spot　so　indicated；　Andre…Louis　now　advanced　very　deliberately。
He　took　his　stand　there；　dominating　the　entire　assembly。　　He　removed
his　hat；　and　launched　the　opening　bombshell　of　that　address　which
is　historic；　marking　as　it　does　one　of　the　great　stages　of　France's
progress　towards　revolution。

〃People　of　this　great　city　of　Nantes；　I　have　come　to　summon　you　to
arms！〃

In　the　amazed　and　rather　scared　silence　that　followed　he　surveyed
them　for　a　moment　before　resuming。

〃I　am　a　delegate　of　the　people　of　Rennes；　charged　to　announce　to
you　what　is　taking　place；　and　to　invite　you　in　this　dreadful　hour
of　our　country's　peril　to　rise　and　march　to　her　defence。〃

〃Name！　　Your　name！〃　a　voice　shouted；　and　instantly　the　cry　was　taken
up　by　others；　until　the　multitude　rang　with　the　question。

He　could　not　answer　that　excited　mob　as　he　had　answered　the
president。　　It　was　necessary　to　compromise；　and　he　did　so；　happily。
〃My　name；〃　said　he；　〃is　Omnes　Omnibus　…　all　for　all。　　Let　that
suffice　you　now。　　I　am　a　herald；　a　mouthpiece；　a　voice；　no　more。　　I
come　to　announce　to　you　that　since　the　privileged　orders；　assembled
for　the　States　of　Brittany　in　Rennes；　resisted　your　will　…　our　will
　…　despite　the　King's　plain　hint　to　them；　His　Majesty　has　dissolved
the　States。〃

There　was　a　burst　of　delirious　applause。　　Men　laughed　and　shouted；
and　cries　of　〃Vive　le　Roi！〃　　rolled　forth　like　thunder。　　Andre…Louis
waited；　and　gradually　the　preternatural　gravity　of　his　countenance
came　to　be　observed；　and　to　beget　the　suspicion　that　there　might　be
more　to　follow。　　Gradually　silence　was　restored；　and　at　last　Andre
Louis　was　able　to　proceed。

〃You　rejoice　too　soon。　　Unfortunately；　the　nobles；　in　their　insolent
arrogance；　have　elected　to　ignore　the　royal　dissolution；　and　in
despite　of　it　persist　in　sitting　and　in　conducting　matters　as　seems
good　to　them。〃

A　silence　of　utter　dismay　greeted　that　disconcerting　epilogue　to　the
announcement　that　had　been　so　rapturously　received。　　Andre…Louis
continued　after　a　moment's　pause：

〃So　that　these　men　who　were　already　rebels　against　the　people；
rebels；　against　justice　and　equity；　rebels　against　humanity　itself；
are　now　also　rebels　against　their　King。　　Sooner　than　yield　an　inch
of　the　unconscionable　privileges　by　which　too　long　already　they　have
flourished；　to　the　misery　of　a　whole　nation；　they　will　make　a　mock
of　royal　authority；　hold　up　the　King　himself　to　contempt。　　They　are
determined　to　prove　that　there　is　no　real　sovereignty　in　France　but
the　sovereignty　of　their　own　parasitic　faineantise。〃

There　was　a　faint　splutter　of　applause；　but　the　majority　of　the
audience　remained　silent；　waiting。

〃This　is　no　new　thing。　　Always　has　it　been　the　same。　　No　minister
in　the　last　ten　years；　who；　seeing　the　needs　and　perils　of　the　State；
counselled　the　measures　that　we　now　demand　as　the　only　means　of
arresting　our　motherland　in　its　ever…quickening　progress　to　the
abyss；　but　found　himself　as　a　consequence　cast　out　of　office　by　the
influence　which　Privilege　brought　to　bear　against　him。　Twice　already
has　M。　Necker　been　called　to　the　ministry；　to　be　twice　dismissed
when　his　insistent　counsels　of　reform　threatened　the　privileges　of
clergy　and　nobility。　　For　the　third　time　now　has　he　been　called　to
office；　and　at　last　it　seems　we　are　to　have　States　General　in　spite
of　Privilege。　　But　what　the　privileged　orders　can　no　longer　prevent；
they　are　determined　to　stultify。　　Since　it　is　now　a　settled　thing
that　these　States　General　are　to　meet；　at　least　the　nobles　and　the
clergy　will　see　to　it　…　unless　we　take　measures　to　prevent　them　…　by
packing　the　Third　Estate　with　their　own　creatures；　and　denying　it
all　effective　representation；　that　they　convert。　　the　States　General
into　an　instrument　of　their　own　will　for　the　perpetuation　of　the
abuses　by　which　they　live。　　To　achieve　this　end　they　will　stop　at
nothing。　　They　have　flouted　the　authority　of　the　King；　and　they　are
silencing　by　assassination　those　who　raise　their　voices　to　condemn
them。　Yesterday　in　Rennes　two　young　men　who　addressed　the　people　as
I　am　addressing　you　were　done　to　death　in　the　streets　by　assassins
at　the　instigation　of　the　nobility。　　Their　blood　cries　out　for
vengeance。〃

Beginning　in　a　sullen　mutter；　the　indignation　that　moved　his　hearers
swelled　up　to　express　itself　in　a　roar　of　anger。

〃Citizens　of　Nantes；　the　motherland　is　in　peril。　　Let　us　march　to
her　defence。　　Let　us　proclaim　it　to　the　world　that　we　recognize
that　the　measures　to　liberate　the　Third　Estate　from　the　slavery　in
which　for　centuries　it　has　groaned　find　only　obstacles　in　those
orders　whose　phrenetic　egotism　sees　in　the　tears　and　suffering　of
the　unfortunate　an　odious　tribute　which　they　would　pass　on　to　their
generations　still　unborn。　　Realizing　from　the　barbarity　of　the　means
employed　by　our　enemies　to　perpetuate　our　oppression　that　we　have
everything　to　fear　from　the　aristocracy　they　would　set　up　as　a
constitutional　principle　for　the　governing　of　France；　let　us　declare
ourselves　at　once　enfranchised　from　it。

〃The　establishment　of　liberty　and　equality　should　be　the　aim　of
every　citizen　member　of　the　Third　Estate；　and　to　this　end　we　should
stand　indivisibly　united；　especially　the　young　and　vigorous；
especially　those　who　have　had　the　good　fortune　to　be　born　late　enough
to　be　able　to　gather　for　themselves　the　precious　fruits　of　the
philosophy　of　this　eighteenth　century。〃

Acclamations　broke　out　unstintedly　now。　　He　had　caught　them　in　the
snare　of　his　oratory。　　And　he　pressed　his　advantage　instantly。

〃Let　us　all　swear；〃　he　cried　in　a　great　voice；　〃to　raise　up　in　the
name　of　humanity　and　of　liberty　a　rampart　against　our　enemies；　to
oppose　to　their　bloodthirsty　covetousness　the　calm　perseverance　of
men　whose　cause　is　just。　　And　let　us　protest　here　and　in　advance
against　any　tyrannical　decrees　that　should　declare　us　seditious　when
we　have　none　but　pure　and　just　intentions。　　Let　us　make　oath　upon
the　honour　of　our　motherland　that　should　any　of　us　be　seized　by　an
unjust　tribunal；　intending　against　us　one　of　those　acts　termed　of
political　expediency　…　which　are；　in　effect；　but　acts　of　despotism　
…　let　us　swear；　I　say；　to　give　a　full　expression　to　the　strength
that　is　in　us　and　do　that　in　self…defence　which　nature；　courage；
and　despair　dictate　to　us。〃

Loud　and　long　rolled　the　applause　that　greeted　his　conclusion；　and
he　observed　with　satisfaction　and　even　some　inward　grim　amusement
that　the　wealthy　merchants　who　had　been　congregated　upon　the　steps；
and　who　now　came　crowding　about　him　to　shake　him　by　the　hand　and　to
acclaim　him；　were　not　merely　participants　in；　but　the　actual　leaders
of；　this　delirium　of　enthusiasm。

It　confirmed　him；　had　he　needed　confirmation；　in　his　conviction　that
just　as　the　philosophies　upon　which　this　new　movement　was　based　had
their　source　in　thinkers　extracted　from　the　bourgeoisie；　so　the　need
to　adopt　those　philosophies　to　the　practical　purposes　of　life　was
most　acutely　felt　at　present　by　those　bourgeois　who　found　themselves
debarred　by　Privilege　from　the　expansion　their　wealth　permitted　them。
If　it　might　be　said　of　Andre…Louis　that　he　had　that　day　lighted　the
torch　of　the　Revolution　in　Nantes；　it　might　w