scaramouche-第39章

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he　had　guessed　to　be　the　young　man's　difficulties；　rewarded　his
zeal　by　increasing　his　wages　to　four　louis　a　month。

》From　the'　earnest　and　thoughtful　study　of　the　theories　of　others；
it　followed　now　…　as　not　uncommonly　happens　…　that　Andre…Louis　came
to　develop　theories　of　his　own。　　He　lay　one　June　morning　on　his
little　truckle　bed　in　the　alcove　behind　the　academy；　considering　a
passage　that　he　had　read　last　night　in　Danet　on　double　and　triple
feints。　　It　had　seemed　to　him　when　reading　it　that　Danet　had　stopped
short　on　the　threshold　of　a　great　discovery　in　the　art　of　fencing。
Essentially　a　theorist；　Andre…Louis　perceived　the　theory　suggested；
which　Danet　himself　in　suggesting　it　had　not　perceived。　　He　lay　now
on　his　back；　surveying　the　cracks　in　the　ceiling　and　considering
this　matter　further　with　the　lucidity　that　early　morning　often
brings　to　an　acute　intelligence。　　You　are　to　remember　that　for　close
upon　two　months　now　the　sword　had　been　Andre…Louis'　daily　exercise
and　almost　hourly　thought。　　Protracted　concentration　upon　the　subject
was　giving　him　an　extraordinary　penetration　of　vision。　　Swordsmanship
as　he　learnt　and　taught　and　saw　it　daily　practised　consisted　of　a
series　of　attacks　and　parries；　a　series　of　disengages　from　one　line
into　another。　　But　always　a　limited　series。　　A　half…dozen　disengages
on　either　side　was；　strictly　speaking；　usually　as　far　as　any
engagement　went。　　Then　one　recommenced。　　But　even　so；　these
disengages　were　fortuitous。　　What　if　from　first　to　last　they　should
be　calculated？

That　was　part　of　the　thought　…　one　of　the　two　legs　on　which　his
theory　was　to　stand；　the　other　was：　what　would　happen　if　one　so
elaborated　Danet's　ideas　on　the　triple　feint　as　to　merge　them　into
a　series　of　actual　calculated　disengages　to　culminate　at　the　fourth
or　fifth　or　even　sixth　disengage？　　That　is　to　say；　if　one　were　to
make　a　series　of　attacks　inviting　ripostes　again　to　be　countered；
each　of　which　was　not　intended　to　go　home；　but　simply　to　play　the
opponent's　blade　into　a　line　that　must　open　him　ultimately；　and　as
predetermined；　for　an　irresistible　lunge。　　Each　counter　of　the
opponent's　would　have　to　be　preconsidered　in　this　widening　of　his
guard；　a　widening　so　gradual　that　he　should　himself　be　unconscious
of　it；　and　throughout　intent　upon　getting　home　his　own　point　on
one　of　those　counters。

Andre…Louis　had　been　in　his　time　a　chess…player　of　some　force；　and
at　chess　he　had　excelled　by　virtue　of　his　capacity　for　thinking
ahead。　　That　virtue　applied　to　fencing　should　all　but　revolutionize
the　art。　　It　was　so　applied　already；　of　course；　but　only　in　an
elementary　and　very　limited　fashion；　in　mere　feints；　single；　double；
or　triple。　　But　even　the　triple　feint　should　be　a　clumsy　device
compared　with　this　method　upon　which　he　theorized。

He　considered　further；　and　the　conviction　grew　that　he　held　the　key
of　a　discovery。　　He　was　impatient　to　put　his　theory　to　the　test。

That　morning　he　was　given　a　pupil　of　some　force；　against　whom
usually　he　was　hard　put　to　it　to　defend　himself。　　Coming　on　guard；
he　made　up　his　mind　to　hit　him　on　the　fourth　disengage；
predetermining　the　four　passes　that　should　lead　up　to　it。　　They
engaged　in　tierce；　and　Andre…Louis　led　the　attack　by　a　beat　and　a
straightening　of　the　arm。　　Came　the　demi…contre　he　expected；　which
he　promptly　countered　by　a　thrust　in　quinte；　this　being　countered
again；　he　reentered　still　lower；　and　being　again　correctly　parried；
as　he　had　calculated；　he　lunged　swirling　his　point　into　carte；　and
got　home　full　upon　his　opponent's　breast。　　The　ease　of　it　surprised
him。

They　began　again。　　This　time　he　resolved　to　go　in　on　the　fifth
disengage；　and　in　on　that　he　went　with　the　same　ease。　　Then；
complicating　the　matter　further；　he　decided　to　try　the　sixth；　and
worked　out　in　his　mind　the　combination　of　the　five　preliminary
engages。　　Yet　again　he　succeeded　as　easily　as　before。

The　young　gentleman　opposed　to　him　laughed　with　just　a　tinge　of
mortification　in　his　voice。

〃I　am　all　to　pieces　this　morning；〃　he　said。

〃You　are　not　of　your　usual　force；〃　Andre…Louis　politely　agreed。
And　then　greatly　daring；　always　to　test　that　theory　of　his　to　the
uttermost：　〃So　much　so；〃　he　added；　〃that　I　could　almost　be　sure
of　hitting　you　as　and　when　I　declare。〃

The　capable　pupil　looked　at　him　with　a　half…sneer。　　〃Ah；　that；　no；〃
said　he。

〃Let　us　try。　　On　the　fourth　disengage　I　shall　touch　you。　　Allons！
En　garde！〃

And　as　he　promised；　so　it　happened。

The　young　gentleman　who；　hitherto；　had　held　no　great　opinion　of
Andre…Louis'　swordsmanship；　accounting　him　well　enough　for　purposes
of　practice　when　the　master　was　otherwise　engaged；　opened　wide　his
eyes。　　In　a　burst　of　mingled　generosity　and　intoxication；　Andre…Louis
was　almost　for　disclosing　his　method　…　a　method　which　a　little　later
was　to　become　a　commonplace　of　the　fencing…rooms。　　Betimes　he　checked
himself。　　To　reveal　his　secret　would　be　to　destroy　the　prestige　that
must　accrue　to　him　from　exercising　it。

At　noon；　the　academy　being　empty；　M。　des　Amis　called　Andre…Louis　to
one　of　the　occasional　lessons　which　he　still　received。　　And　for　the
first　time　in　all　his　experience　with　Andre…Louis；　M。　des　Amis
received　from　him　a　full　hit　in　the　course　of　the　first　bout。　　He
laughed；　well　pleased；　like　the　generous　fellow　he　was。

〃Aha！　　You　are　improving　very　fast；　my　friend。〃　　He　still　laughed；
though　not　so　well　pleased；　when　he　was　hit　in　the　second　bout。
After　that　he　settled　down　to　fight　in　earnest　with　the　result　that
Andre…Louis　was　hit　three　times　in　succession。　　The　speed　and
accuracy　of　the　fencing…master　when　fully　exerting　himself
disconcerted　Andre…Louis'　theory；　which　for　want　of　being　exercised
in　practice　still　demanded　too　much　consideration。

But　that　his　theory　was　sound　he　accounted　fully　established；　and
with　that；　for　the　moment；　he　was　content。　　It　remained　only　to
perfect　by　practice　the　application　of　it。　　To　this　he　now　devoted
himself　with　the　passionate　enthusiasm　of　the　discoverer。　　He
confined　himself　to　a　half…dozen　combinations；　which　he　practised
assiduously　until　each　had　become　almost　automatic。　　And　he　proved
their　infallibility　upon　the　best　among　M。　des　Amis'　pupils。

Finally；　a　week　or　so　after　that　last　bout　of　his　with　des　Amis；
the　master　called　him　once　more　to　practice。

Hit　again　in　the　first　bout；　the　master　set　himself　to　exert　all
his　skill　against　his　assistant。　　But　to…day　it　availed　him　nothing
before　Andre…Louis'　impetuous　attacks。

After　the　third　hit；　M。　des　Amis　stepped　back　and　pulled　off　his
mask。

〃What's　this？〃　he　asked。　　He　was　pale；　and　his　dark　brows　were
contracted　in　a　frown。　　Not　in　years　had　he　been　so　wounded　in　his
self…love。　　〃Have　you　been　taught　a　secret　botte？〃

He　had　always　boasted　that　he　knew　too　much　about　the　sword　to
believe　any　nonsense　about　secret　bottes；　but　this　performance　of
Andre…Louis'　had　shaken　his　convictions　on　that　score。

〃No；〃　said　Andre…Louis。　　〃I　have　been　working　hard；　and　it　happens
that　I　fence　with　my　brains。〃

〃So　I　perceive。　　Well；　well；　I　think　I　have　taught　you　enough；　my
friend。　　I　have　no　intention　of　having　an　assistant　who　is　superior
to　myself。〃

〃Little　danger　of　that；〃　said　Andre…Louis；　smiling　pleasantly。
〃You　have　been　fencing　hard　all　morning；　and　you　are　tired；　whilst
I；　having　done　little；　am　entirely　fresh。　　That　is　the　only　secret
of　my　momentary　success。

His　tact　and　the　fundamental　good…nature　of　M。　des　Amis　prevented
the　matter　from　going　farther　along　the　road　it　was　almost
threatening　to　take。　　And　thereafter；　when　they　fenced　together；
Andre…Louis；　who　continued　daily　to　perfect　his　theory　into　an
almost　infallible　system；　saw　to　it　that　M。　des　Amis　always　scored
against　him　at　least　two　hits　for　every　one　of　his　own。　　So　much
he　would　grant　to　discretion；　but　no　more。　　He　desired　that　M。　des
Amis　should　be　conscious　of　his　strength；　without；　however；
discovering　so　much　of　its　real　extent　as　would　have　excited　in
him　an　unnecessary　degree　of　jealousy。

And　so　well　did　he　contrive　that　whilst　he　became　ever　of　greater
assistance　to　the　master　…　for　his　style　and　general　fencing；　too；
had　materially　improved　…　he　was　also　a　source　of　pride　to　him　as
the　most　brilliant　of　all　the　pupils　that　had　ever　passed　through
his　academy。　　Never　did　Andre…Louis　disillusion　him　by　revealing
the　fact　that　his　skill　was　due　far　more　to　M。　des　Amis'　library
and　his　own　mother　wit　than　to　any　lessons　received。



CHAPTER　II

QUOS　DEUS　VULT　PERDERE


Once　again；　precisely　as　he　had　done　when　he　joined　the　Binet　troupe；
did　Andre…Louis　now　settle　down　whole…heartedly　to　the　new　profession
into　which　necessity　had　driven　him；　and　in　which　he　found　effective
concealment　from　those　who　might　seek　him　to　his　hurt。　　This
profession　might　…　although　in　fact　it　did　not　…　have　brought　him
to　consider　himself　at　last　as　a　man　of　action。　　He　had　not；　however；
on　that　account　ceased　to　be　a　man　of　thought；　and　the　events　of　the
spring　and　summer　months　of　that　year　1789　in　Paris　provided　him
with　abundant　matter　for　reflection。　　He　read　there　in　the　raw　what
is　perhaps　the　most　amazing　page　in　the　history　of　human　development；
and　in　the　end　he　was　forced　to　the　conclusion　that　all　his　early
preconceptions　had　been　at　fault；　and　that　it　was　such　exalted；
passionate　enthusiasts　as　Vilmorin　who　had　been　right。

I　suspect　him　of　actually　taking　pride　in　the　fact　that　he　had　been
mistaken；　complacently　attributing　his　error　to　the　circumstance
that　he　had　been；　himself；　of　too　sane　and　logical　a　mind　to　gauge
the　depths　of　human　insanity　now　revealed。

He　watched　the　growth　of　hunger；　the　increasing　poverty　and　distress
of　Paris　during　that　spring；　and　assigned　it　to　its　proper　cause；
together　with　the　patience　with　which　the　people　bore　it。　　The　world
of　France　was　in　a　state　of　hushed；　of　paralyzed　expectancy；　waiting
for　the　States　General　to　assemble　and　for　centuries　of　tyranny　to
end。　　And　because　of　this　expectancy；　industry　had　come　to　a
standstill；　the　stream　of　trade　had　dwindled　to　a　trickle。　　Men　would
not　buy　or　sell　until　they　clearly　saw　the　means　by　which　the　genius
of　the　Swiss　banker；　M。　Necker；　was　to　deliver　them　from　this　morass。
And　because　of　this　paralysis　of　affairs　the　men　of　the　people　were
thrown　out　of　work　and　left　to　starve　with　their　wives　and　children。

Looking　on；　Andre…Louis　smiled　grimly。　　So　far　he　was　right。　　The
sufferers　were　ever　the　proletariat。　　The　men　who　sought　to　make
this　revolution；　the　electors　…　here　in　Paris　as　elsewhere　…　were
men　of　substance；　notable　bourgeois；　wealthy　traders。　　And　whilst
these；　despising　the　canaille；　and　envying　the　privileged；　talked
largely　of　equality　…　by　which　they　meant　an　ascending　equality
that　should　confuse　themselves　with　the　gentry　…　the　proletariat
perished　of　want　in　its　kennels。

At　last　with　the　month　of　May　the　deputies　arrived；　Andre…Louis'
friend　Le　Chapelier　prominent　amongst　them；　and　the　States　General
were　inaugurated　at　Versailles。　　It　was　then　that　affairs　began　to
become　interesting；　then　that　Andre…Louis　began　seriously　to　doubt
the　soundness　of　the　views　he　had　held　hitherto。