scaramouche-第49章

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the　members。　　Realizing　it　at　last；　he　ceased；　whereupon　the　hum
of　conversation　became　general。　　And　then。　　it　fell　abruptly。
There　was　a　silence　of　expectancy；　and　a　turning　of　heads；　a
craning　of　necks。　　Even　the　group　of　secretaries　at　the　round　table
below　the　president's　dais　roused　themselves　from　their　usual
apathy　to　consider　this　young　man　who　was　mounting　the　tribune　of
the　Assembly　for　the　first　time。

〃M。　Andre…Louis　Moreau；　deputy　suppleant；　vice　Emmanuel　Lagron；
deceased；　for　Ancenis　in　the　Department　of　the　Loire。〃

M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr　shook　himself　out　of　the　gloomy　abstraction　in
which　he　had　sat。　　The　successor　of　the　deputy　he　had　slain　must；
in　any　event；　be　an　object　of　grim　interest　to　him。　You　conceive
how　that　interest　was　heightened　when　he　heard　him　named；　when；
looking　across；　he　recognized　indeed　in　this　Andre…Louis　Moreau
the　young　scoundrel　who　was　continually　crossing　his　path；
continually　exerting　against　him　a　deep…moving；　sinister　influence
to　make　him　regret　that　he　should　have　spared　his　life　that　day　at
Gavrillac　two　years　ago。　　That　he　should　thus　have　stepped　into
the　shoes　of　Lagron　seemed　to　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr　too　apt　for
mere　coincidence；　a　direct　challenge　in　itself。

He　looked　at　the　young　man　in　wonder　rather　than　in　anger；　and
looking　at　him　he　was　filled　by　a　vague；　almost　a　premonitory；
uneasiness。

At　the　very　outset；　the　presence　which　in　itself　he　conceived　to
be　a　challenge　was　to　demonstrate　itself　for　this　in　no　equivocal
terms。

〃I　come　before　you；〃　Andre…Louis　began；　〃as　a　deputy…suppleant
to　fill　the　place　of　one　who　was　murdered　some　three　weeks　ago。〃

It　was　a　challenging　opening　that　instantly　provoked　an　indignant
outcry　from　the　Blacks。　　Andre…Louis　paused；　and　looked　at　them；
smiling　a　little；　a　singularly　self…confident　young　man。

〃The　gentlemen　of　the　Right；　M。　le　President；　do　not　appear　to　like
my　words。　　But　that　is　not　surprising。　　The　gentlemen　of　the　Right
notoriously　do　not　like　the　truth。〃

This　time　there　was　uproar。　　The　members　of　the　Left　roared　with
laughter；　those　of　the　Right　thundered　menacingly。　　The　ushers
circulated　at　a　pace　beyond　their　usual；　agitated　themselves；
clapped　their　hands；　and　called　in　vain　for　silence。

The　President　rang　his　bell。

Above　the　general　din　came　the　voice　of　La　Tour　d'Azyr；　who　had
half…risen　from　his　seat：　〃Mountebank！　　This　is　not　the　theatre！〃

〃No；　monsieur；　it　is　becoming　a　hunting…ground　for　bully…swordsmen；〃
was　the　answer；　and　the　uproar　grew。

The　deputy…suppleant　looked　round　and　waited。　　Near　at　hand　he　met
the　encouraging　grin　of　Le　Chapelier；　and　the　quiet；　approving　smile
of　Kersain；　another　Breton　deputy　of　his　acquaintance。　　A　little
farther　off　he　saw　the　great　head　of　Mirabeau　thrown　back；　the　great
eyes　regarding　him　from　under　a　frown　in　a　sort　of　wonder；　and
yonder；　among　all　that　moving　sea　of　faces；　the　sallow　countenance
of　the　Arras'　lawyer　Robespierre　…　or　de　Robespierre；　as　the　little
snob　now　called　himself；　having　assumed　the　aristocratic　particle
as　the　prerogative　of　a　man　of　his　distinction　in　the　councils　of
his　country。　　With　his　tip…tilted　nose　in　the　air；　his　carefully
curled　head　on　one　side；　the　deputy　for　Arras　was　observing
Andre…Louis　attentively。　　The　horn…rimmed　spectacles　he　used　for
reading　were　thrust　up　on　to　his　pale　forehead；　and　it　was　through　a
levelled　spy…glass　that　he　considered　the　speaker；　his　thin…lipped
mouth　stretched　a　little　in　that　tiger…cat　smile　that　was　afterwards
to　become　so　famous　and　so　feared。

Gradually　the　uproar　wore　itself　out；　and　diminished　so　that　at　last
the　President　could　make　himself　heard。　　Leaning　forward；　he　gravely
addressed　the　young　man　in　the　tribune：

〃Monsieur；　if　you　wish　to　be　heard；　let　me　beg　of　you　not　to　be
provocative　in　your　language。〃　　And　then　to　the　others：　〃Messieurs；
if　we　are　to　proceed；　I　beg　that　you　will　restrain　your　feelings
until　the　deputy…suppleant　has　concluded　his　discourse。〃

〃I　shall　endeavour　to　obey；　M。　le　President；　leaving　provocation　to
the　gentlemen　of　the　Right。　　If　the　few　words　I　have　used　so　far
have　been　provocative；　I　regret　it。　　But　it　was　necessary　that　I
should　refer　to　the　distinguished　deputy　whose　place　I　come　so
unworthily　to　fill；　and　it　was　unavoidable　that　I　should　refer　to
the　event　which　has　procured　us　this　sad　necessity。　　The　deputy
Lagron　was　a　man　of　singular　nobility　of　mind；　a　selfless；　dutiful；
zealous　man；　inflamed　by　the　high　purpose　of　doing　his　duty　by　his
electors　and　by　this　Assembly。　　He　possessed　what　his　opponents
would　call　a　dangerous　gift　of　eloquence。〃

La　Tour　d'Azyr　writhed　at　the　well…known　phrase　…　his　own　phrase
　…　the　phrase　that　he　had　used　to　explain　his　action　in　the　matter
of　Philippe　de　Vilmorin；　the　phrase　that　from　time　to　time　had　been
cast　in　his　teeth　with　such　vindictive　menace。

And　then　the　crisp　voice　of　the　witty　Canales；　that　very　rapier　of
the　Privileged　party；　cut　sharply　into　the　speaker's　momentary　pause。

〃M。　le　President；〃　he　asked　with　great　solemnity；　〃has　the
deputy…suppleant　mounted　the　tribune　for　the　purpose　of　taking　part
in　the　debate　on　the　constitution　of　the　legislative　assemblies；
or　for　the　purpose　of　pronouncing　a　funeral　oration　upon　the
departed　deputy　Lagron？〃

This　time　it　was　the　Blacks　who　gave　way　to　mirth；　until　checked
by　the　deputy…suppleant。

〃That　laughter　is　obscene！〃　　In　this　truly　Gallic　fashion　he　flung
his　glove　into　the　face　of　Privilege；　determined；　you　see；　upon　no
half　measures；　and　the　rippling　laughter　perished　on　the　instant
quenched　in　speechless　fury。

Solemnly　he　proceeded。

〃You　all　know　how　Lagron　died。　　To　refer　to　his　death　at　all
requires　courage；　to　laugh　in　referring　to　it　requires　something
that　I　will　not　attempt　to　qualify。　　If　I　have　alluded　to　his
decease；　it　is　because　my　own　appearance　among　you　seemed　to　render
some　such　allusion　necessary。　　It　is　mine　to　take　up　the　burden
which　he　set　down。　　I　do　not　pretend　that　I　have　the　strength；　the
courage；　or　the　wisdom　of　Lagron；　but　with　every　ounce　of　such
strength　and　courage　and　wisdom　as　I　possess　that　burden　will　I
bear。　　And　I　trust；　for　the　sake　of　those　who　might　attempt　it；
that　the　means　taken　to　impose　silence　upon　that　eloquent　voice
will　not　be　taken　to　impose　silence　upon　mine。

There　was　a　faint　murmur　of　applause　from　the　Left；　splutter　of
contemptuous　laughter　from　the　Right。

〃Rhodomont！〃　a　voice　called　to　him。

He　looked　in　the　direction　of　that　voice；　proceeding　from　the　group
of　spadassins　amid　the　Blacks　across　the　Piste；　and　he　smiled。
Inaudibly　his　lips　answered：

〃No；　my　friend　…　Scaramouche；　Scaramouche；　the　subtle；　dangerous
fellow　who　goes　tortuously　to　his　ends。〃　　Aloud；　he　resumed：　〃M。
le　President；　there　are　those　who　will　not　understand　that　the
purpose　for　which　we　are　assembled　here　is　the　making　of　laws　by
which　France　may　be　equitably　governed；　by　which　France　may　be
lifted　out　of　the　morass　of　bankruptcy　into　which　she　is　in　danger
of　sinking。　　For　there　are　some　who　want；　it　seems；　not　laws；　but
blood；　I　solemnly　warn　them　that　this　blood　will　end　by　choking
them；　if　they　do　not　learn　in　time　to　discard　force　and　allow　reason
to　prevail。〃

Again　in　that　phrase　there　was　something　that　stirred　a　memory　in
La　Tour　d'Azyr。　　He　turned　in　the　fresh　uproar　to　speak　to　his
cousin　Chabrillane　who　sat　beside　him。

〃A　daring　rogue；　this　bastard　of　Gavrillac's；〃　said　he。

Chabrillane　looked　at　him　with　gleaming　eyes；　his　face　white　with
anger。

〃Let　him　talk　himself　out。　　I　don't　think　he　will　be　heard　again
after　to…day。　　Leave　this　to　me。〃

Hardly　could　La　Tour　have　told　you　why；　but　he　sank　back　in　his　seat
with　a　sense　of　relief。　　He　had　been　telling　himself　that　here　was
matter　demanding　action；　a　challenge　that　he　must　take　up。　　But
despite　his　rage　he　felt　a　singular　unwillingness。　　This　fellow　had
a　trick　of　reminding　him；　he　supposed；　too　unpleasantly　of　that
young　abbe　done　to　death　in　the　garden　behind　the〃　Breton　arme〃　at
Gavrillac。　　Not　that　the　death　of　Philippe　de　Vilmorin　lay　heavily
upon　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr's　conscience。　　He　had　accounted　himself
fully　justified　of　his　action。　　It　was　that　the　whole　thing　as　his
memory　revived　it　for　him　made　an　unpleasant　picture：　that
distraught　boy　kneeling　over　the　bleeding　body　of　the　friend　he
had　loved；　and　almost　begging　to　be　slain　with　him；　dubbing　the
Marquis　murderer　and　coward　to　incite　him。

Meanwhile；　leaving　now　the　subject　of　the　death　of　Lagron；　the
deputy…suppleant　had　at　last　brought　himself　into　order；　and　was
speaking　upon　the　question　under　debate。　　He　contributed　nothing
of　value　to　it；　he　urged　nothing　definite。　　His　speech　on　the
subject　was　very　brief　…　that　being　the　pretext　and　not　the　purpose
for　which　he　had　ascended　the　tribune。

When　later　he　was　leaving　the　hall　at　the　end　of　the　sitting；　with
Le　Chapelier　at　his　side；　he　found　himself　densely　surrounded　by
deputies　as　by　a　body…guard。　　Most　of　them　were　Bretons；　who　aimed
at　screening　him　from　the　provocations　which　his　own　provocative
words　in　the　Assembly　could　not　fail　to　bring　down　upon　his　head。
For　a　moment　the　massive　form　of　Mirabeau　brought　up　alongside　of
him。

〃Felicitations；　M。　Moreau；〃　said　the　great　man。　　〃You　acquitted
yourself　very　well。　　They　will　want　your　blood；　no　doubt。　　But　be
discreet；　monsieur；　if　I　may　presume　to　advise　you；　and　do　not
allow　yourself　to　be　misled　by　any　false　sense　of　quixotry。
Ignore　their　challenges。　　I　do　so　myself。　　I　place　each　challenger
upon　my　list。　　There　are　some　fifty　there　already；　and　there　they
will　remain。　　Refuse　them　what　they　are　pleased　to　call　satisfaction；
and　all　will　be　well。〃　　Andre…Louis　smiled　and　sighed。　　〃It　requires
courage；〃　said　the　hypocrite。

〃Of　course　it　does。　　But　you　would　appear　to　have　plenty。〃

〃Hardly　enough；　perhaps。　　But　I　shall　do　my　best。〃

They　had　come　through　the　vestibule；　and　although　this　was　lined
with　eager　Blacks　waiting　for　the　young　man　who　had　insulted　them
so　flagrantly　from　the　rostrum；　Andre…Louis'　body…guard　had
prevented　any　of　them　from　reaching　him。

Emerging　now　into　the　open；　under　the　great　awning　at　the　head　of
the　Carriere；　erected　to　enable　carriages　to　reach　the　door　under
cover；　those　in　front　of　him　dispersed　a　little；　and　there　was　a
moment　as　he　reached　the　limit　of　the　awning　when　his　front　was
entirely　uncovered。　　Outside　the　rain　was　falling　heavily；　churning
the　ground　into　thick　mud；　and　for　a　moment　Andre…Louis；　with　Le
Chapelier　ever　at　his　side；　stood　hesitating　to　step　out　into　the
deluge。

The　watchful　Chabrillane　had　seen　his　chance；　and　by　a　detour　that
took　him　momentarily　out　into　the　rain；　he　came　face　to　face　with
the　too…daring　young　Breton。　　Rudely；　violently；　he　thrust
Andre…Louis　back；　as　if　to　make　room　for　himself　under　the　shelter。

Not　for　a　second　was　Andre…Louis　under　any　delusion　as　to　the　man's
deliberate　purpose；　nor　were　those　who　stood　near　him；　who　made　a
belated　and　ineffectual　attempt　to　close　about　him。　He　was　grievously
disappointed。　　It　was　not　Chabrillane　he　had　been　expecting。　　His
disappointment　was　reflected