scaramouche-第43章

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〃How　the　devil　should　I　know？　　Go　and　find　out。〃

He　was　gone；　and　Andre…Louis　stood　there　a　moment　deep　in　thought。
Then　he　turned　and　went　back　to　resume　with　his　pupil；　the　Vicomte
de　Villeniort；　the　interrupted　exposition　of　the　demi…contre　of
Danet；　illustrating　with　a　small…sword　the　advantages　to　be　derived
from　its　adoption。

Thereafter　he　fenced　with　the　Vicomte；　who　was　perhaps　the　ablest
of　his　pupils　at　the　time；　and　all　the　while　his　thoughts　were　on
the　heights　of　Meudon；　his　mind　casting　up　the　lessons　he　had　to
give　that　afternoon　and　on　the　morrow；　and　wondering　which　of　these
he　might　postpone　without　deranging　the　academy。　　When　having　touched
the　Vicomte　three　times　in　succession；　he　paused　and　wrenched　himself
back　to　the　present；　it　was　to　marvel　at　the　precision　to　be　gained
by　purely　mechanical　action。　　Without　bestowing　a　thought　upon　what
he　was　doing；　his　wrist　and　arm　and　knees　had　automatically　performed
their　work；　like　the　accurate　fighting　engine　into　which　constant
practice　for　a　year　and　more　had　combined　them。

Not　until　Sunday　was　Andre…Louis　able　to　satisfy　a　wish　which　the
impatience　of　the　intervening　days　had　converted　into　a　yearning。
Dressed　with　more　than　ordinary　care；　his　head　elegantly　coiffed
　…　by　one　of　those　hairdressers　to　the　nobility　of　whom　so　many
were　being　thrown　out　of　employment　by　the　stream　of　emigration
which　was　now　flowing　freely　…　Andre…Louis　mounted　his　hired
carriage；　and　drove　out　to　Meudon。

The　house　of　the　younger　Kercadiou　no　more　resembled　that　of　the
head　of　the　family　than　did　his　person。　　A　man　of　the　Court；　where
his　brother　was　essentially　a　man　of　the　soil；　an　officer　of　the
household　of　M。　le　Comte　d'Artois；　he　had　built　for　himself　and　his
family　an　imposing　villa　on　the　heights　of　Meudon　in　a　miniature
park；　conveniently　situated　for　him　midway　between　Versailles　and
Paris；　and　easily　accessible　from　either。　　M。　d'Artois　…　the　royal
tennis…player　…　had　been　amongst　the　very　first　to　emigrate。
Together　with　the　Condes；　the　Contis；　the　Polignacs；　and　others　of
the　Queen's　intimate　council；　old　Marshal　de　Broglie　and　the　Prince
de　Lambesc；　who　realized　that　their　very　names　had　become　odious　to
the　people；　he　had　quitted　France　immediately　after　the　fall　of　the
Bastille。　　He　had　gone　to　play　tennis　beyond　the　frontier　…　and
there　consummate　the　work　of　ruining　the　French　monarchy　upon　which
he　and　those　others　had　been　engaged　in　France。　　With　him；　amongst
several　members　of　his　household　went　Etienne　de　Kercadiou；　and　with
Etienne　de　Kercadiou　went　his　family；　a　wife　and　four　children。
Thus　it　was　that　the　Seigneur　de　Gavrillac；　glad　to　escape　from　a
province　so　peculiarly　disturbed　as　that　of　Brittany　…　where　the
nobles　had　shown　themselves　the　most　intransigent　of　all　France
…　had　come　to　occupy　in　his　brother's　absence　the　courtier's
handsome　villa　at　Meudon。

That　he　was　quite　happy　there　is　not　to　be　supposed。　　A　man　of　his
almost　Spartan　habits；　accustomed　to　plain　fare　and　self…help；　was
a　little　uneasy　in　this　sybaritic　abode；　with　its　soft　carpets；
profusion　of　gilding；　and　battalion　of　sleek；　silent…footed　servants
　…　for　Kercadiou　the　younger　had　left　his　entire　household　behind。
Time；　which　at　Gavrillac　he　had　kept　so　fully　employed　in　agrarian
concerns；　here　hung　heavily　upon　his　hands。　　In　self…defence　he
slept　a　great　deal；　and　but　for　Aline；　who　made　no　attempt　to
conceal　her　delight　at　this　proximity　to　Paris　and　the　heart　of
things；　it　is　possible　that　he　would　have　beat　a　retreat　almost　at
once　from　surroundings　that　sorted　so　ill　with　his　habits。　　Later
on；　perhaps；　he　would　accustom　himself　and　grow　resigned　to　this
luxurious　inactivity。　　In　the　meantime　the　novelty　of　it　fretted
him；　and　it　was　into　the　presence　of　a　peevish　and　rather　somnolent
M。　de　Kercadiou　that　Andre…Louis　was　ushered　in　the　early　hours　of
the　afternoon　of　that　Sunday　in　June。　　He　was　unannounced；　as　had
ever　been　the　custom　at　Gavrillac。　　This　because　Benoit；　M。　de
Kercadiou's　old　seneschal；　had　accompanied　his　seigneur　upon　this
soft　adventure；　and　was　installed　…　to　the　ceaseless　and　but
half…concealed　hilarity　of　the　impertinent　valetaille　that　M。
Etienne　had　left　…　as　his　maitre　d'hotel　here　at　Meudon。

Benoit　had　welcomed　M。　Andre　with　incoherencies　of　delight；　almost
had　he　gambolled　about　him　like　some　faithful　dog；　whilst　conducting
him　to　the　salon　and　the　presence　of　the　Lord　of　Gavrillac；　who
would　…　in　the　words　of　Benoit　…　be　ravished　to　see　M。　Andre　again。

〃Monseigneur！　　Monseigneur！〃　he　cried　in　a　quavering　voice；　entering
a　pace　or　two　in　advance　of　the　visitor。　　〃It　is　M。　Andre。。。　　M。
Andre；　your　godson；　who　comes　to　kiss　your　hand。　　He　is　here。。。　and
so　fine　that　you　would　hardly　know　him。　Here　he　is；　monseigneur！　　Is
he　not　beautiful？〃

And　the　old　servant　rubbed　his　hands　in　conviction　of　the　delight
that　he　believed　he　was　conveying　to　his　master。

Andre…Louis　crossed　the　threshold　of　that　great　room；　soft…carpeted
to　the　foot；　dazzling　to　the　eye。　　It　was　immensely　lofty；　and　its
festooned　ceiling　was　carried　on　fluted　pillars　with　gilded　capitals。
The　door　by　which　he　entered；　and　the　windows　that　opened　upon　the
garden；　were　of　an　enormous　height　…　almost；　indeed；　the　full　height
of　the　room　itself。　　It　was　a　room　overwhelmingly　gilded；　with　an
abundance　of　ormolu　encrustations　on　the　furniture；　in　which　it
nowise　differed　from　what　was　customary　in　the　dwellings　of　people
of　birth　and　wealth。　　Never；　indeed；　was　there　a　time　in　which　so
much　gold　was　employed　decoratively　as　in　this　age　when　coined　gold
was　almost　unprocurable；　and　paper　money　had　been　put　into
circulation　to　supply　the　lack。　　It　was　a　saying　of　Andre…Louis'
that　if　these　people　could　only　have　been　induced　to　put　the　paper
on　their　walls　and　the　gold　into　their　pockets；　the　finances　of　the
kingdom　might　soon　have　been　in　better　case。

The　Seigneur　…　furbished　and　beruffled　to　harmonize　with　his
surroundings　…　had　risen；　startled　by　this　exuberant　invasion　on
the　part　of　Benoit；　who　had　been　almost　as　forlorn　as　himself　since
their　coming　to　Meudon。

〃What　is　it？　　Eh？〃　　His　pale；　short…sighted　eyes　peered　at　the
visitor。　　〃Andre！〃　said　he；　between　surprise　and　sternness；　and　the
colour　deepened　in　his　great　pink　face。

Benoit；　with　his　back　to　his　master；　deliberately　winked　and　grinned
at　Andre…Louis　to　encourage　him　not　to　be　put　off　by　any　apparent
hostility　on　the　part　of　his　godfather。　　That　done；　the　intelligent
old　fellow　discreetly　effaced　himself。

〃What　do　you　want　here？〃　growled　M。　de　Kercadiou。

〃No　more　than　to　kiss　your　hand；　as　Benoit　has　told　you；　monsieur　my
godfather；〃　said　Andre…Louis　submissively；　bowing　his　sleek　black　head。

〃You　have　contrived　without　kissing　it　for　two　years。〃

〃Do　not；　monsieur；　reproach　me　with　my　misfortune。〃

The　little　man　stood　very　stiffly　erect；　his　disproportionately　large
head　thrown　back；　his　pale　prominent　eyes　very　stern。

〃Did　you　think　to　make　your　outrageous　offence　any　better　by　vanishing
in　that　heartless　manner；　by　leaving　us　without　knowledge　of　whether
you　were　alive　or　dead？〃

〃At　first　it　was　dangerous　…　dangerous　to　my　life　…　to　disclose　my
whereabouts。　　Then　for　a　time　I　was　in　need；　almost　destitute；　and
my　pride　forbade　me；　after　what　I　had　done　and　the　view　you　must
take　of　it；　to　appeal　to　you　for　help。　　Later。。。　〃

〃Destitute？〃　The　Seigneur　interrupted。　　For　a　moment　his　lip
trembled。　　Then　he　steadied　himself；　and　the　frown　deepened　as　he
surveyed　this　very　changed　and　elegant　godson　of　his；　noted　the
quiet　richness　of　his　apparel；　the　paste　buckles　and　red　heels　to
his　shoes；　the　sword　hilted　in　mother…o'…pearl　and　silver；　and　the
carefully　dressed　hair　that　he　had　always　seen　hanging　in　wisps
about　his　face。　　〃At　least　you　do　not　look　destitute　now；〃　he
sneered。

〃I　am　not。　　I　have　prospered　since。　　In　that；　monsieur；　I　differ
from　the　ordinary　prodigal；　who　returns　only　when　he　needs
assistance。　　I　return　solely　because　I　love　you；　monsieur　…　to　tell
you　so。　　I　have　come　at　the　very　first　moment　after　hearing　of　your
presence　here。〃　　He　advanced。　　〃Monsieur　my　godfather！〃　he　said；
and　held　out　his　hand。

But　M。　de　Kercadiou　remained　unbending；　wrapped　in　his　cold　dignity
and　resentment。

〃Whatever　tribulations　you　may　have　suffered　or　consider　that　you
may　have　suffered；　they　are　far　less　than　your　disgraceful　conduct
deserved；　and　I　observe　that　they　have　nothing　abated　your　impudence。
You　think　that　you　have　but　to　come　here　and　say；　'Monsieur　my
godfather！'　and　everything　is　to　be　forgiven　and　forgotten。　　That
is　your　error。　　You　have　committed　too　great　a　wrong；　you　have
offended　against　everything　by　which　I　hold；　and　against　myself
personally；　by　your　betrayal　of　my　trust　in　you。　　You　are　one　of
those　unspeakable　scoundrels　who　are　responsible　for　this　revolution。〃

〃Alas；　monsieur；　I　see　that　you　share　the　common　delusion。　　These
unspeakable　scoundrels　but　demanded　a　constitution；　as　was　promised
them　from　the　throne。　　They　were　not　to　know　that　the　promise　was
insincere；　or　that　its　fulfilment　would　be　baulked　by　the　privileged
orders。　　The　men　who　have　precipitated　this　revolution；　monsieur；
are　the　nobles　and　the　prelates。〃

〃You　dare　…　and　at　such　a　time　as　this　…　stand　there　and　tell　me
such　abominable　lies！　　You　dare　to　say　that　the　nobles　have　made
the　revolution；　when　scores　of　them；　following　the　example　of　M。　le
Duc　d'Aiguillon；　have　flung　their　privileges；　even　their　title…deeds；
into　the　lap　of　the　people！　　Or　perhaps　you　deny　it？〃

〃Oh；　no。　　Having　wantonly　set　fire　to　their　house；　they　now　try　to
put　it　out　by　throwing　water　on　it；　and　where　they　fail　they　put　the
entire　blame　on　the　flames。〃

〃I　see　that　you　have　come　here　to　talk　politics。〃

〃Far　from　it。　　I　have　come；　if　possible；　to　explain　myself。　　To
understand　is　always　to　forgive。　　That　is　a　great　saying　of
Montaigne's。　　If　I　could　make　you　understand。。。　〃

〃You　can't。　　You'll　never　make　me　understand　how　you　came　to　render
yourself　so　odiously　notorious　in　Brittany。〃

〃Ah；　not　odiously；　monsieur！〃

〃Certainly；　odiously　…　among　those　that　matter。　　It　is　said　even
that　you　were　Omnes　Omnibus；　though　that　I　cannot；　will　not　believe。〃

〃Yet　it　is　true。〃

M。　de　Kercadiou　choked。　　〃And　you　confess　it？　　You　dare　to　confess
it？〃

〃What　a　man　dares　to　do；　he　should　dare　to　confess　…　unless　he　is
a　coward。〃

〃Oh；　and　to　be　sure　you　were　very　brave；　running　away　each　time
after　you　had　done　the　mischief；　turning　comedian　to　hide　yourself；
doing　more　mischief　as　a　comedian；　provoking　a　riot　in　Nantes；　and
then　running　away　again；　to　become　God　knows　what　…　something
dishonest　by　the　affluent　look　of　you。　　My　God；　man；　I　tell　you　that
in　these　past　two　years　I　have　hoped　that　you　were　dead；　and　you
profoundly　disappoint　me　that　you　are　not！〃　　He　beat　his　hands
together；　and　raised　his　shrill　voice　to　call　…　〃Benoit！〃　　He　strode
away　towards　the　fireplace；　scarlet　in　the　face；　shaking　with　the
passion　into　which　he　had　worked　himself。　　〃Dead；　I　might　have
forgiven　you；　as　one　who　had　paid　for　his　evil；　and　his　folly。
Living；　I