scaramouche-第4章
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diamonds。 His powdered hair was tied behind in a broad ribbon of
watered silk； he carried a little three…cornered hat under his arm；
and a gold…hilted slender dress…sword hung at his side。
Considering him now in complete detachment； observing the
magnificence of him； the elegance of his movements； the great air；
blending in so extraordinary a manner disdain and graciousness；
Andre…Louis trembled for Aline。 Here was a practised； irresistible
wooer； whose bonnes fortunes were become a by…word； a man who had
hitherto been the despair of dowagers with marriageable daughters；
and the desolation of husbands with attractive wives。
He was immediately followed by M。 de Kercadiou； in completest
contrast。 On legs of the shortest； the Lord of Gavrillac carried
a body that at forty…five was beginning to incline to corpulence
and an enormous head containing an indifferent allotment of
intelligence。 His countenance was pink and blotchy； liberally
branded by the smallpox which had almost extinguished him in youth。
In dress he was careless to the point of untidiness； and to this
and to the fact that he had never married … disregarding the first
duty of a gentleman to provide himself with an heir … he owed the
character of misogynist attributed to him by the countryside。
After M。 de Kercadiou came M。 de Vilmorin； very pale and
self…contained； with tight lips and an overcast brow。
To meet them； there stepped from the carriage a very elegant young
gentleman； the Chevalier de Chabrillane； M。 de La Tour d'Azyr's
cousin； who whilst awaiting his return had watched with considerable
interest … his own presence unsuspected … the perambulations of
Andre…Louis and mademoiselle。
Perceiving Aline； M。 de La Tour d'Azyr detached himself from the
others； and lengthening his stride came straight across the terrace
to her。
To Andre…Louis the Marquis inclined his head with that mixture of
courtliness and condescension which he used。 Socially； the young
lawyer stood in a curious position。 By virtue of the theory of his
birth； he ranked neither as noble nor as simple； but stood somewhere
between the two classes； and whilst claimed by neither he was used
familiarly by both。 Coldly now he returned M。 de La Tour d'Azyr's
greeting； and discreetly removed himself to go and join his friend。
The Marquis took the hand that mademoiselle extended to him； and
bowing over it； bore it to his lips。
〃Mademoiselle；〃 he said； looking into the blue depths of her eyes；
that met his gaze smiling and untroubled； 〃monsieur your uncle does
me the honour to permit that I pay my homage to you。 Will you；
mademoiselle； do me the honour to receive me when I come to…morrow？
I shall have something of great importance for your ear。〃
〃Of importance； M。 le Marquis？ You almost frighten me。〃 But there
was no fear on the serene little face in its furred hood。 It was
not for nothing that she had graduated in the Versailles school of
artificialities。
〃That；〃 said he； 〃is very far from my design。〃
〃But of importance to yourself； monsieur； or to me？〃
〃To us both； I hope；〃 he answered her； a world of meaning in his
fine； ardent eyes。
〃You whet my curiosity； monsieur； and； of course； I am a dutiful
niece。 It follows that I shall be honoured to receive you。〃
〃Not honoured； mademoiselle； you will confer the honour。 To…morrow
at this hour； then； I shall have the felicity to wait upon you。〃
He bowed again； and again he bore her fingers to his lips； what time
she curtsied。 Thereupon； with no more than this formal breaking of
the ice； they parted。
She was a little breathless now； a little dazzled by the beauty of
the man； his princely air； and the confidence of power he seemed to
radiate。 Involuntarily almost； she contrasted him with his critic
… the lean and impudent Andre…Louis in his plain brown coat and
steel…buckled shoes … and she felt guilty of an unpardonable offence
in having permitted even one word of that presumptuous criticism。
To…morrow M。 le Marquis would come to offer her a great position； a
great rank。 And already she had derogated from the increase of
dignity accruing to her from his very intention to translate her to
so great an eminence。 Not again would she suffer it； not again
would she be so weak and childish as to permit Andre…Louis to utter
his ribald comments upon a man by comparison with whom he was no
better than a lackey。
Thus argued vanity and ambition with her better self and to her vast
annoyance her better self would not admit entire conviction。
Meanwhile； M。 de La Tour d'Azyr was climbing into his carriage。 He
had spoken a word of farewell to M。 de Kercadiou； and he had also
had a word for M。 de Vilmorin in reply to which M。 de Vilmorin had
bowed in assenting silence。 The carriage rolled away； the powdered
footman in blue…and…gold very stiff behind it； M。 de La Tour d'Azyr
bowing to mademoiselle； who waved to him in answer。
Then M。 de Vilmorin put his arm through that of Andre Louis； and said
to him； 〃Come； Andre。〃
〃But you'll stay to dine； both of you！〃 cried the hospitable Lord
of Gavrillac。 〃We'll drink a certain toast；〃 he added； winking an
eye that strayed towards mademoiselle； who was approaching。 He had
no subtleties； good soul that he was。
M。 de Vilmorin deplored an appointment that prevented him doing
himself the honour。 He was very stiff and formal。
〃And you； Andre？〃
〃I？ Oh； I share the appointment； godfather；〃 he lied； 〃and I have
a superstition against toasts。〃 He had no wish to remain。 He was
angry with Aline for her smiling reception of M。 de La Tour d'Azyr
and the sordid bargain he saw her set on making。 He was suffering
from the loss of an illusion。
CHAPTER III
THE ELOQUENCE OF M。 DE VILMORIN
As they walked down the hill together； it was now M。 de Vilmorin
who was silent and preoccupied； Andre…Louis who was talkative。 He
had chosen Woman as a subject for his present discourse。 He claimed
… quite unjustifiably … to have discovered Woman that morning； and
the things he had to say of the sex were unflattering； and
occasionally almost gross。 M。 de Vilmorin； having ascertained the
subject； did not listen。 Singular though it may seem in a young
French abbe of his day； M。 de Vilmorin was not interested in Woman。
Poor Philippe was in several ways exceptional。 Opposite the Breton
arme … the inn and posting…house at the entrance of the village of
Gavrillac … M。 de Vilmorin interrupted his companion just as he was
soaring to the dizziest heights of caustic invective； and
Andre…Louis； restored thereby to actualities； observed the carriage
of M。 de La Tour d'Azyr standing before the door of the hostelry。
〃I don't believe you've been listening to me；〃 said he。
〃Had you been less interested in what you were saying； you might
have observed it sooner and spared your breath。 The fact is； you
disappoint me； Andre。 You seem to have forgotten what we went for。
I have an appointment here with M。 le Marquis。 He desires to hear
me further in the matter。 Up there at Gavrillac I could accomplish
nothing。 The time was ill…chosen as it happened。 But I have hopes
of M。 le Marquis。〃
〃Hopes of what？〃
〃That he will make what reparation lies in his power。 Provide for
the widow and the orphans。 Why else should he desire to hear me
further？〃
〃Unusual condescension；〃 said Andre…Louis； and quoted 〃Timeo Danaos
et dona ferentes。〃
〃Why？〃 asked Philippe。
〃Let us go and discover … unless you consider that I shall be in
the way。〃
Into a room on the right； rendered private to M。 le Marquis for so
long as he should elect to honour it； the young men were ushered by
the host。 A fire of logs was burning brightly at the room's far
end； and by this sat now M。 de La Tour d'Azyr and his cousin； the
Chevalier de Chabrillane。 Both rose as M。 de Vilmorin came in。
Andre…Louis following； paused to close the door。
〃You oblige me by your prompt courtesy； M。 de Vilmorin；〃 said the
Marquis； but in a tone so cold as to belie the politeness of his
words。 〃A chair； I beg。 Ah； Moreau？〃 The note was frigidly
interrogative。 〃He accompanies you； monsieur？〃 he asked。
〃If you please； M。 le Marquis。〃
〃Why not？ Find yourself a seat； Moreau。〃 He spoke over his shoulder
as to a lackey。
〃It is good of you； monsieur；〃 said Philippe； 〃to have offered me
this opportunity of continuing the subject that took me so
fruitlessly； as it happens； to Gavrillac。〃
The Marquis crossed his legs； and held one of his fine hands to the
blaze。 He replied； without troubling to turn to the young man； who
was slightly behind him。
〃The goodness of my request we will leave out of question for the
moment；〃 said he； darkly； and M。 de Chabrillane laughed。 Andre…Louis
thought him easily moved to mirth； and almost envied him the faculty。
〃But I am grateful；〃 Philippe insisted； 〃that you should condescend
to hear me plead their cause。
The Marquis stared at him over his shoulder。 〃Whose cause？〃 quoth he。
〃Why； the cause of the widow and orphans of this unfortunate Mabey。〃
The Marquis looked from Vilmorin to the Chevalier； and again the
Chevalier laughed； slapping his leg this time。
〃I think；〃 said M。 de La Tour d'Azyr； slowly； 〃that we are at
cross…purposes。 I asked you to come here because the Chateau de
Gavrillac was hardly a suitable place in which to carry our
discussion further； and because I hesitated to incommode you by
suggesting that you should come all the way to Azyr。 But my object
is connected with certain expressions that you let fall up there。
It is on the subject of those expressions； monsieur； that I would
hear you further … if you will honour me。〃
Andre…Louis began to apprehend that there was something sinister in
the air。 He was a man of quick intuitions； quicker far than those
of M。 de Vilmorin； who evinced no more than a mild surprise。
〃I am at a loss； monsieur；〃 said he。 〃To what expressions does
monsieur allude？〃
〃It seems； monsieur； that I must refresh your memory。〃 The Marquis
crossed his legs； and swung sideways on his chair； so that at last
he directly faced M。 de Vilmorin。 〃You spoke； monsieur … and however
mistaken you may have been； you spoke very eloquently； too eloquently
almost； it seemed to me … of the infamy of such a deed as the act of
summary justice upon this thieving fellow Mabey； or whatever his name
may be。 Infamy was the precise word you used。 You did not retract
that word when I had the honour to inform you that it was by my orders
that my gamekeeper Benet proceeded as he did。〃
〃If；〃 said M。 de Vilmorin； 〃the deed was infamous； its infamy is not
modified by the rank； however exalted； of the person responsible。
Rather is it aggravated。〃
〃Ah！〃 said M。 le Marquis； and drew a gold snuffbox from his pocket。
〃You say； 'if the deed was infamous；' monsieur。 Am I to understand
that you are no longer as convinced as you appeared to be of its
infamy？〃
M。 de Vilmorin's fine face wore a look of perplexity。 He did not
understand the drift of this。
〃It occurs to me； M。 le Marquis； in view of your readiness to assume
responsibility； that you must believe justification for the deed
which is not apparent to my
