scaramouche-第36章

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！


of　his；　he　had　come　up　unheard　behind　them；　and　there　he　stood　now
in　his　scarlet　suit　of　Pantaloon　under　a　trailing　bedgown；　his　little
eyes　glaring　from　either　side　of　his　false　nose。　　But　their　attention
was　held　by　the　voice　of　Scaramouche。　　He　had　stepped　to　the　front
of　the　stage。

〃He　doubts　it；〃　he　was　felling　the　audience。　　〃But　then　this　M。
Leandre　is　himself　akin　to　those　who　worship　the　worm…eaten　idol　of
Privilege；　and　so　he　is　a　little　afraid　to　believe　a　truth　that　is
becoming　apparent　to　all　the　world。　　Shall　I　convince　him？　　Shall　I
tell　him　how　a　company　of　noblemen　backed　by　their　servants　under
arms　…　six　hundred　men　in　all　…　sought　to　dictate　to　the　Third
Estate　of　Rennes　a　few　short　weeks　ago？　　Must　I　remind　him　of　the
martial　front　shown　on　that　occasion　by　the　Third　Estate；　and　how
they　swept　the　streets　clean　of　that　rabble　of　nobles　…　cette
canaille　noble。。。　〃

Applause　interrupted　him。　The　phrase　had　struck　home　and　caught。
Those　who　had　writhed　under　that　infamous　designation　from　their
betters　leapt　at　this　turning　of　it　against　the　nobles　themselves。

〃But　let　me　tell　you　of　their　leader　…　le　pins　noble　de　cette
canaille；　on　bien　le　plus　canaille　de　ces　nobles！　　You　know　him
　…　that　one。　　He　fears　many　things；　but　the　voice　of　truth　he　fears
most。　　With　such　as　him　the　eloquent　truth　eloquently　spoken　is　a
thing　instantly　to　be　silenced。　　So　he　marshalled　his　peers　and
their　valetailles；　and　led　them　out　to　slaughter　these　miserable
bourgeois　who　dared　to　raise　a　voice。　　But　these　same　miserable
bourgeois　did　not　choose　to　be　slaughtered　in　the　streets　of　Rennes。
It　occurred　to　them　that　since　the　nobles　decreed　that　blood　should
flow；　it　might　as　well　be　the　blood　of　the　nobles。　　They　marshalled
themselves　too　…　this　noble　rabble　against　the　rabble　of　nobles　…　
and　they　marshalled　themselves　so　well　that　they　drove　M。　de　La
Tour　d'Azyr　and　his　warlike　following　from　the　field　with　broken
heads　and　shattered　delusions。　　They　sought　shelter　at　the　hands
of　the　Cordeliers；　and　the　shavelings　gave　them　sanctuary　in　their
convent　…　those　who　survived；　among　whom　was　their　proud　leader；
M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr。　　You　have　heard　of　this　valiant　Marquis；　this
great　lord　of　life　and　death？〃

The　pit　was　in　an　uproar　a　moment。　　It　quieted　again　as　Scaramouche
continued：

〃Oh；　it　was　a　fine　spectacle　to　see　this　mighty　hunter　scuttling　to
cover　like　a　hare；　going　to　earth　in　the　Cordelier　Convent。　　Rennes
has　not　seen　him　since。　　Rennes　would　like　to　see　him　again。　　But
if　he　is　valorous；　he　is　also　discreet。　　And　where　do　you　think　he
has　taken　refuge；　this　great　nobleman　who　wanted　to　see　the　streets
of　Rennes　washed　in　the　blood　of　its　citizens；　this　man　who　would
have　butchered　old　and　young　of　the　contemptible　canaille　to　silence
the　voice　of　reason　and　of　liberty　that　presumes　to　ring　through
France　to…day？　　Where　do　you　think　he　hides　himself？　　Why；　here　in
Nantes。〃

Again　there　was　uproar。

〃What　do　you　say？　　Impossible？　　Why；　my　friends；　at　this　moment　he
is　here　in　this　theatre　…　skulking　up　there　in　that　box。　　He　is　too
shy　to　show　himself　…　oh；　a　very　modest　gentleman。　　But　there　he　is
behind　the　curtains。　　Will　you　not　show　yourself　to　your　friends；
M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr；　Monsieur　le　Marquis　who　considers　eloquence
so　very　dangerous　a　gift？　　See；　they　would　like　a　word　with　you；
they　do　not　believe　me　when　I　tell　them　that　you　are　here。〃

Now；　whatever　he　may　have　been；　and　whatever　the　views　held　on　the
subject　by　Andre…Louis；　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr　was　certainly　not　a
coward。　　To　say　that　he　was　hiding　in　Nantes　was　not　true。　　He　came
and　went　there　openly　and　unabashed。　　It　happened；　however；　that　the
Nantais　were　ignorant　until　this　moment　of　his　presence　among　them。
But　then　he　would　have　disdained　to　have　informed　them　of　it　just　as
he　would　have　disdained　to　have　concealed　it　from　them。

Challenged　thus；　however；　and　despite　the　ominous　manner　in　which
the　bourgeois　element　in　the　audience　had　responded　to　Scaramouche's
appeal　to　its　passions；　despite　the　attempts　made　by　Chabrillane　to
restrain　him；　the　Marquis　swept　aside　the　curtain　at　the　side　of　the
box；　and　suddenly　showed　himself；　pale　but　self…contained　and
scornful　as　he　surveyed　first　the　daring　Scaramouche　and　then　those
others　who　at　sight　of　him　had　given　tongue　to　their　hostility。

Hoots　and　yells　assailed　him；　fists　were　shaken　at　him；　canes　were
brandished　menacingly。

〃Assassin！　　Scoundrel！　　Coward！　　Traitor！〃

But　he　braved　the　storm；　smiling　upon　them　his　ineffable　contempt。
He　was　waiting　for　the　noise　to　cease；　waiting　to　address　them　in
his　turn。　　But　he　waited　in　vain；　as　he　very　soon　perceived。

The　contempt　he　did　not　trouble　to　dissemble　served　but　to　goad
them　on。

In　the　pit　pandemonium　was　already　raging。　　Blows　were　being　freely
exchanged；　there　were　scuffling　groups；　and　here　and　there　swords
were　being　drawn；　but　fortunately　the　press　was　too　dense　to　permit
of　their　being　used　effectively。　　Those　who　had　women　with　them　and
the　timid　by　nature　were　making　haste　to　leave　a　house　that　looked
like　becoming　a　cockpit；　where　chairs　were　being　smashed　to　provide
weapons；　and　parts　of　chandeliers　were　already　being　used　as　missiles。

One　of　these　hurled　by　the　hand　of　a　gentleman　in　one　of　the　boxes
narrowly　missed　Scaramouche　where　he　stood；　looking　down　in　a　sort
of　grim　triumph　upon　the　havoc　which　his　words　had　wrought。　　Knowing
of　what　inflammable　material　the　audience　was　composed；　he　had
deliberately　flung　down　amongst　them　the　lighted　torch　of　discord；
to　produce　this　conflagration。

He　saw　men　falling　quickly　into　groups　representative　of　one　side
or　the　other　of　this　great　quarrel　that　already　was　beginning　to
agitate　the　whole　of　France。　　Their　rallying　cries　were　ringing
through　the　theatre。

〃Down　with　the　canaille！〃　from　some。

〃Down　with　the　privileged！〃　from　others。

And　then　above　the　general　din　one　cry　rang　out　sharply　and
insistently：

〃To　the　box！　　Death　to　the　butcher　of　Rennes！　　Death　to　La　Tour
d'Azyr　who　makes　war　upon　the　people！〃

There　was　a　rush　for　one　of　the　doors　of　the　pit　that　opened　upon
the　staircase　leading　to　the　boxes。

And　now；　whilst　battle　and　confusion　spread　with　the　speed　of　fire；
overflowing　from　the　theatre　into　the　street　itself；　La　Tour
d'Azyr's　box；　which　had　become　the　main　object　of　the　attack　of　the
bourgeoisie；　had　also　become　the　rallying　ground　for　such　gentlemen
as　were　present　in　the　theatre　and　for　those　who；　without　being　men
of　birth　themselves；　were　nevertheless　attached　to　the　party　of　the
nobles。

La　Tour　d'Azyr　had　quitted　the　front　of　the　box　to　meet　those　who
came　to　join　him。　　And　now　in　the　pit　one　group　of　infuriated
gentlemen；　in　attempting　to　reach　the　stage　across　the　empty
orchestra；　so　that　they　might　deal　with　the　audacious　comedian　who
was　responsible　for　this　explosion；　found　themselves　opposed　and
held　back　by　another　group　composed　of　men　to　whose　feelings
Andre…Louis　had　given　expression。

Perceiving　this；　and　remembering　the　chandelier；　he　turned　to
Leandre；　who　had　remained　beside　him。

〃I　think　it　is　time　to　be　going；〃　said　he。

Leandre；　looking　ghastly　under　his　paint；　appalled　by　the　storm
which　exceeded　by　far　anything　that　his　unimaginative　brain　could
have　conjectured；　gurgled　an　inarticulate　agreement。　　But　it　looked
as　if　already　they　were　too　late；　for　in　that　moment　they　were
assailed　from　behind。

M。　Binet　had　succeeded　at　last　in　breaking　past　Polichinelle　and
Rhodomont；　who　in　view　of　his　murderous　rage　had　been　endeavouring
to　restrain　him。　　Half　a　dozen　gentlemen；　habitues　of　the　green…room；
had　come　round　to　the　stage　to　disembowel　the　knave　who　had　created
this　riot；　and　it　was　they　who　had　flung　aside　those　two　comedians
who　hung　upon　Binet。　　After　him　they　came　now；　their　swords　out；　but
after　them　again　came　Polichinelle；　Rhodomont；　Harlequin；　Pierrot；
Pasquariel；　and　Basque　the　artist；　armed　with　such　implements　as
they　could　hastily　snatch　up；　and　intent　upon　saving　the　man　with
whom　they　sympathized　in　spite　of　all；　and　in　whom　now　all　their
hopes　were　centred。

Well　ahead　rolled　Binet；　moving　faster　than　any　had　ever　seen　him
move；　and　swinging　the　long　cane　from　which　Pantaloon　is　inseparable。

〃Infamous　scoundrel！〃　he　roared。　　〃You　have　ruined　me！　　But；　name
of　a　name；　you　shall　pay！〃

Andre…Louis　turned　to　face　him。　〃You　confuse　cause　with　effect；〃
said　he。　　But　he　got　no　farther。。。　　Binet's　cane；　viciously　driven；
descended　and　broke　upon　his　shoulder。　　Had　he　not　moved　swiftly
aside　as　the　blow　fell　it　must　have　taken　him　across　the　head；　and
possibly　stunned　him。　　As　he　moved；　he　dropped　his　hand　to　his
pocket；　and　swift　upon　the　cracking　of　Binet's　breaking　cane　came
the　crack　of　the　pistol　with　which　Andre…Louis　replied。

〃You　had　your　warning；　you　filthy　pander！〃　he　cried。　　And　on　the
word　he　shot　him　through　the　body。

Binet　went　down　screaming；　whilst　the　fierce　Polichinelle；　fiercer
than　ever　in　that　moment　of　fierce　reality；　spoke　quickly　into
Andre…Louis'　ear：

〃Fool！　　So　much　was　not　necessary！　　Away　with　you　now；　or　you'll
leave　your　skin　here！　　Away　with　you！〃

Andre…Louis　thought　it　good　advice；　and　took　it。　　The　gentlemen　who
had　followed　Binet　in　that　punitive　rush　upon　the　stage；　partly
held　in　check　by　the　improvised　weapons　of　the　players；　partly
intimidated　by　the　second　pistol　that　Scaramouche　presented；　let
him　go。　　He　gained　the　wings；　and　here　found　himself　faced　by　a
couple　of　sergeants　of　the　watch；　part　of　the　police　that　was
already　invading　the　theatre　with　a　view　to　restoring　order。　　The
sight　of　them　reminded　him　unpleasantly　of　how　he　must　stand
towards　the　law　for　this　night's　work；　and　more　particularly　for
that　bullet　lodged　somewhere　in　Binet's　obese　body。　　He　flourished
his　pistol。

〃Make　way；　or　I'll　burn　your　brains！〃　he　threatened　them；　and
intimidated；　themselves　without　firearms；　they　fell　back　and　let
him　pass。　　He　slipped　by　the　door　of　the　green…room；　where　the
ladies　of　the　company　had　shut　themselves　in　until　the　storm　should
be　over；　and　so　gained　the　street　behind　the　theatre。　　It　was
deserted。　　Down　this　he　went　at　a　run；　intent　on　reaching　the　inn
for　clothes　and　money；　since　it　was　impossible　that　he　should　take
the　road　in　the　garb　of　Scaramouche。



BOOK　III：　THE　SWORD


CHAPTER　I

TRANSITION


〃You　may　agree；〃　wrote　Andre…Louis　from　Paris　to　Le　Chapelier；　in
a　letter　which　survives；　〃that　it　is　to　be　regretted　I　should
definitely　have　discarded　the　livery　of　Scaramouche；　since　clearly
there　could　be　no　livery　fitter　for　my　wear。　　It　seems　to　be　my
part　always　to　stir　up　strife　and　then　to　slip　away　before　I　am
caught　in　the　crash　of　the　warring　elements　I　have　aroused。　　It　is
a　humiliating　reflection。　　I　seek　consolation　in　the　reminder　of
Epictetus　（do　you　ever　read　Epictetus？）　that　we　are　but　actors　in
a　play　of　such　a　part　as　it　may　please　the　Director　to　assign　us。
It　does　not；　however；　console　me　to　have　been　cast　for　a　part　so
contemptible；　to　find　myself　excelling　ever　in　the　art　of　running
away。　　But　if　I　am　not　brave；　at　least　I　am　prudent；