scaramouche-第20章

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he　lapsed　into　silence　and　the　gloomy　business　of　mentally　casting
up　his　accounts。

But　at　table　over　supper　a　half…hour　later　he　revived　the　topic。

〃Our　latest　recruit；　this　excellent　M。　Parvissimus；〃　he　announced；
〃has　the　impudence　to　tell　me　that　possibly　our　comedy　could　have
been　worse；　but　that　probably　it　could　not。〃　　And　he　blew　out　his
great　round　cheeks　to　invite　a　laugh　at　the　expense　of　that　foolish
critic。

〃That's　bad；〃　said　the　swarthy　and　sardonic　Polichinelle。　　He　was
grave　as　Rhadamanthus　pronouncing　judgment。　　〃That's　bad。　　But　what
is　infinitely　worse　is　that　the　audience　had　the　impudence　to　be　of
the　same　mind。〃

〃An　ignorant　pack　of　clods；〃　sneered　Leandre；　with　a　toss　of　his
handsome　head。

〃You　are　wrong；〃　quoth　Harlequin。　　〃You　were　born　for　love；　my　dear；
not　criticism。〃

Leandre　…　a　dull　dog；　as　you　will　have　conceived　…　looked
contemptuously　down　upon　the　little　man。　　〃And　you；　what　were　you
born　for？〃　he　wondered。

〃Nobody　knows；〃　was　the　candid　admission。　　〃Nor　yet　why。　　It　is　the
case　of　many　of　us；　my　dear；　believe　me。〃

〃But　why〃　…　M。　Binet　took　him　up；　and　thus　spoilt　the　beginnings　of
a　very　pretty　quarrel　…　〃why　do　you　say　that　Leandre　is　wrong？〃

〃To　be　general；　because　he　is　always　wrong。　　To　be　particular；
because　I　judge　the　audience　of　Guichen　to　be　too　sophisticated
for　'The　Heartless　Father。'〃

〃You　would　put　it　more　happily；〃　interposed　Andre…Louis　…　who　was
the　cause　of　this　discussion　…　〃if　you　said　that　'The　Heartless
Father'　is　too　unsophisticated　for　the　audience　of　Guichen。〃

〃Why；　what's　the　difference？〃　asked　Leandre。

〃I　didn't　imply　a　difference。　　I　merely　suggested　that　it　is　a
happier　way　to　express　the　fact。〃

〃The　gentleman　is　being　subtle；〃　sneered　Binet。

〃Why　happier？〃　Harlequin　demanded。

〃Because　it　is　easier　to　bring　'The　Heartless　Father'　to　the
sophistication　of　the　Guichen　audience；　than　the　Guichen　audience
to　the　unsophistication　of　'The　Heartless　Father。'〃

〃Let　me　think　it　out；〃　groaned　Polichinelle；　and　he　took　his　head
in　his　hands。

But　from　the　tail　of　the　table　Andre…Louis　was　challenged　by　Climene
who　sat　there　between　Columbine　and　Madame。

〃You　would　alter　the　comedy；　would　you；　M。　Parvissimus？〃　she　cried。

He　turned　to　parry　her　malice。

〃I　would　suggest　that　it　be　altered；〃　he　corrected；　inclining　his
head。

〃And　how　would　you　alter　it；　monsieur？〃

〃I？　　Oh；　for　the　better。〃

〃But　of　course！〃　She　was　sleekest　sarcasm。　〃And　how　would　you　do　it？〃

〃Aye；　tell　us　that；〃　roared　M。　Binet；　and　added：　〃Silence；　I　pray
you；　gentlemen　and　ladies。　　Silence　for　M。　Parvissimus。〃

Andre…Louis　looked　from　father　to　daughter；　and　smiled。　　〃Pardi！〃
said　he。　　〃I　am　between　bludgeon　and　dagger。　　If　I　escape　with　my
life；　I　shall　be　fortunate。　　Why；　then；　since　you　pin　me　to　the　very
wall；　I'll　tell　you　what　I　should　do。　　I　should　go　back　to　the
original　and　help　myself　more　freely　from　it。〃

〃The　original？〃　questioned　M。　Binet　…　the　author。

〃It　is　called；　I　believe；　'Monsieur　de　Pourceaugnac；'　and　was　written
by　Moliere。〃

Somebody　tittered；　but　that　somebody　was　not　M。　Binet。　　He　had　been
touched　on　the　raw；　and　the　look　in　his　little　eyes　betrayed　the
fact　that　his　bonhomme　exterior　covered　anything　but　a　bonhomme。

〃You　charge　me　with　plagiarism；〃　he　said　at　last；　〃with　filching　the
ideas　of　Moliere。〃

〃There　is　always；　of　course；〃　said　Andre…Louis；　unruffled；　〃the
alternative　possibility　of　two　great　minds　working　upon　parallel
lines。〃

M。　Binet　studied　the　young　man　attentively　a　moment。　　He　found　him
bland　and　inscrutable；　and　decided　to　pin　him　down。

〃Then　you　do　not　imply　that　I　have　been　stealing　from　Moliere？〃

〃I　advise　you　to　do　so；　monsieur；〃　was　the　disconcerting　reply。

M。　Binet　was　shocked。

〃You　advise　me　to　do　so！　　You　advise　me；　me；　Antoine　Binet；　to　turn
thief　at　my　age！〃

〃He　is　outrageous；〃　said　mademoiselle；　indignantly。

〃Outrageous　is　the　word。　　I　thank　you　for　it；　my　dear。　　I　take　you
on　trust；　sir。　　You　sit　at　my　table；　you　have　the　honour　to　be
included　in　my　company；　and　to　my　face　you　have　the　audacity　to
advise　me　to　become　a　thief　…　the　worst　kind　of　thief　that　is
conceivable；　a　thief　of　spiritual　things；　a　thief　of　ideas！　　It　is
insufferable；　intolerable！　　I　have　been；　I　fear；　deeply　mistaken
in　you；　monsieur；　just　as　you　appear　to　have　been　mistaken　in　me。
I　am　not　the　scoundrel　you　suppose　me；　sir；　and　I　will　not　number
in　my　company　a　man　who　dares　to　suggest　that　I　should　become　one。
Outrageous！〃

He　was　very　angry。　　His　voice　boomed　through　the　little　room；　and
the　company　sat　hushed　and　something　scared；　their　eyes　upon
Andre…Louis；　who　was　the　only　one　entirely　unmoved　by　this　outburst
of　virtuous　indignation。

〃You　realize；　monsieur；〃　he　said；　very　quietly；　〃that　you　are
insulting　the　memory　of　the　illustrious　dead？〃

〃Eh？〃　said　Binet。

Andre…Louis　developed　his　sophistries。

〃You　insult　the　memory　of　Moliere；　the　greatest　ornament　of　our
stage；　one　of　the　greatest　ornaments　of　our　nation；　when　you　suggest
that　there　is　vileness　in　doing　that　which　he　never　hesitated　to　do；
which　no　great　author　yet　has　hesitated　to　do。　　You　cannot　suppose
that　Moliere　ever　troubled　himself　to　be　original　in　the　matter　of
ideas。　　You　cannot　suppose　that　the　stories　he　tells　in　his　plays
have　never　been　told　before。　　They　were　culled；　as　you　very　well
know　…　though　you　seem　momentarily　to　have　forgotten　it；　and　it　is
therefore　necessary　that　I　should　remind　you　…　they　were　culled；
many　of　them；　from　the　Italian　authors；　who　themselves　had　culled
them　Heaven　alone　knows　where。　　Moliere　took　those　old　stories　and
retold　them　in　his　own　language。　　That　is　precisely　what　I　am
suggesting　that　you　should　do。　　Your　company　is　a　company　of
improvisers。　　You　supply　the　dialogue　as　you　proceed；　which　is
rather　more　than　Moliere　ever　attempted。　　You　may；　if　you　prefer　it
　…　though　it　would　seem　to　me　to　be　yielding　to　an　excess　of　scruple
　…　go　straight　to　Boccaccio　or　Sacchetti。　　But　even　then　you　cannot
be　sure　that　you　have　reached　the　sources。〃

Andre…Louis　came　off　with　flying　colours　after　that。　　You　see　what
a　debater　was　lost　in　him；　how　nimble　he　was　in　the　art　of　making
white　look　black。　　The　company　was　impressed；　and　no　one　more　that
M。　Binet；　who　found　himself　supplied　with　a　crushing　argument
against　those　who　in　future　might　tax　him　with　the　impudent
plagiarisms　which　he　undoubtedly　perpetrated。　　He　retired　in　the
best　order　he　could　from　the　position　he　had　taken　up　at　the　outset。

〃So　that　you　think；〃　he　said；　at　the　end　of　a　long　outburst　of
agreement；　〃you　think　that　our　story　of　'The　Heartless　Father'
could　be　enriched　by　dipping　into　'Monsieur　de　Pourceaugnac；'　to
which　I　confess　upon　reflection　that　it　may　present　certain
superficial　resemblances？〃

〃I　do；　most　certainly　I　do　…　always　provided　that　you　do　so
judiciously。　　Times　have　changed　since　Moliere。〃　　It　was　as　a
consequence　of　this　that　Binet　retired　soon　after；　taking
Andre…Louis　with　him。　The　pair　sat　together　late　that　night；　and
were　again　in　close　communion　throughout　the　whole　of　Sunday　morning。

After　dinner　M。　Binet　read　to　the　assembled　company　the　amended　and
amplified　canevas　of　〃The　Heartless　Father；〃　which；　acting　upon　the
advice　of　M。　Parvissimus；　he　had　been　at　great　pains　to　prepare。
The　company　had　few　doubts　as　to　the　real　authorship　before　he　began
to　read；　none　at　all　when　he　had　read。　　There　was　a　verve；　a　grip
about　this　story；　and；　what　was　more；　those　of　them　who　knew　their
Moliere　realized　that　far　from　approaching　the　original　more　closely；
this　canevas　had　drawn　farther　away　from　it。　　Moliere's　original
part　…　the　title　role　…　had　dwindled　into　insignificance；　to　the
great　disgust　of　Polichinelle；　to　whom　it　fell。　　But　the　other　parts
had　all　been　built　up　into　importance；　with　the　exception　of　Leandre；
who　remained　as　before。　　The　two　great　roles　were　now　Scaramouche；
in　the　character　of　the　intriguing　Sbrigandini；　and　Pantaloon　the
father。　　There　was；　too；　a　comical　part　for　Rhodomont；　as　the
roaring　bully　hired　by　Polichinelle　to　cut　Leandre　into　ribbons。
And　in　view　of　the　importance　now　of　Scaramouche；　the　play　had　been
rechristened　〃Figaro…Scaramouche。〃

This　last　had　not　been　without　a　deal　of　opposition　from　M。　Binet。
But　his　relentless　collaborator；　who　was　in　reality　the　real　author
　…　drawing　shamelessly；　but　practically　at　last　upon　his　great　store
of　reading　…　had　overborne　him。

〃You　must　move　with　the　times；　monsieur。　　In　Paris　Beaumarchais　is
the　rage。　　'Figaro'　is　known　to…day　throughout　the　world。　　Let　us
borrow　a　little　of　his　glory。　　It　will　draw　the　people　in。　　They
will　come　to　see　half　a　'Figaro'　when　they　will　not　come　to　see　a
dozen　'Heartless　Fathers。'　　Therefore　let　us　cast　the　mantle　of
Figaro　upon　some　one；　and　proclaim　it　in　our　title。〃

〃But　as　I　am　the　head　of　the　company。。。　〃　began　M。　Binet；　weakly。

〃If　you　will　be　blind　to　your　interests；　you　will　presently　be　a
head　without　a　body。　　And　what　use　is　that？　　Can　the　shoulders　of
Pantaloon　carry　the　mantle　of　Figaro？　　You　laugh。　　Of　course　you
laugh。　　The　notion　is　absurd。　　The　proper　person　for　the　mantle　of
Figaro　is　Scaramouche；　who　is　naturally　Figaro's　twin…brother。〃

Thus　tyrannized；　the　tyrant　Binet　gave　way；　comforted　by　the
reflection　that　if　he　understood　anything　at　all　about　the　theatre；
he　had　for　fifteen　livres　a　month　acquired　something　that　would
presently　be　earning　him　as　many　louis。

The　company's　reception　of　the　canevas　now　confirmed　him；　if　we
except　Polichinelle；　who；　annoyed　at　having　lost　half　his　part　in
the　alterations；　declared　the　new　scenario　fatuous。

〃Ah！　　You　call　my　work　fatuous；　do　you？〃　M。　Binet　hectored　him。

〃Your　work？〃　said　Polichinelle；　to　add　with　his　tongue　in　his　cheek：
〃Ah；　pardon。　　I　had　not　realized　that　you　were　the　author。〃

〃Then　realize　it　now。〃

〃You　were　very　close　with　M。　Parvissimus　over　this　authorship；〃　said
Polichinelle；　with　impudent　suggestiveness。

〃And　what　if　I　was？　　What　do　you　imply？〃

〃That　you　took　him　to　cut　quills　for　you；　of　course。〃

〃I'll　cut　your　ears　for　you　if　you're　not　civil；〃　stormed　the
infuriated　Binet。

Polichinelle　got　up　slowly；　and　stretched　himself。

〃Dieu　de　Dieu！〃　　said　he。　　〃If　Pantaloon　is　to　play　Rhodomont；　I
think　I'll　leave　you。　　He　is　not　amusing　in　the　part。〃　　And　he
swaggered　out　before　M。　Binet　had　recovered　from　his　speechlessness。



CHAPTER　IV

EXIT　MONSIEUR　PARVISSIMUS

Ar　four　o'clock　on　Monday　afternoon　the　curtain　rose　on
〃Figaro…Scaramouche〃　to　an　audience　that　filled　three　quarters　of
the　market…hall。　　M。　Binet　attributed　this　good　attendance　to　the
influx　of　people　to　Guichen　for　the　fair；　and　to　the　magnificent
parade　of　his　company　through　the　streets　of　the　township　at　the
busiest　time　of　the　day。　　Andre…Louis　attributed　it　entirely　to
the　title。　　It　was　the　〃Figaro〃　touch　that　had　fetched　in　the
better…class　bourgeoisie；　which　filled　more　than　half　of　the
twenty…sous　places　and　three　quarters　of　the　twelve…sous　seats。
The　lure　had　drawn　them。　Whether　it　was　to　continue　to　do　so　would
depend　upon　the　manner　in　which　the　c