scaramouche-第58章

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could　muster　before　the　fellow's　affronting　rudeness。

There　was　a　long　moment　of　silence；　during　which　he　studied　certain
pencilled　entries　against　the　name。　　The　sections　had　been　working
in　the　last　few　weeks　much　more　systematically　than　was　generally
suspected。

〃Your　husband　is　with　you；　madame？〃　he　asked　curtly；　his　eyes　still
conning　that　page。

〃M。　le　Comte　is　not　with　me；〃　she　answered；　stressing　the　title。

〃Not　with　you？〃　He　looked　up　suddenly；　and　directed　upon　her　a
glance　in　which　suspicion　seemed　to　blend　with　derision。　　〃Where
is　he？〃

〃He　is　not　in　Paris；　monsieur。

〃Ab！　　Is　he　at　Coblenz；　do　you　think？〃

Madame　felt　herself　turning　cold。　　There　was　something　ominous　in
all　this。　　To　what　end　had　the　sections　informed　themselves　so
thoroughly　of　the　comings　and　goings　of　their　inhabitants？　　What　was
preparing？　　She　had　a　sense　of　being　trapped；　of　being　taken　in　a
net　that　had　been　cast　unseen。

〃I　do　not　know；　monsieur；〃　she　said；　her　voice　unsteady。

〃Of　course　not。〃　He　seemed　to　sneer。　　〃No　matter。　　And　you　wish　to
leave　Paris　also？　　Where　do　you　desire　to　go？〃

〃To　Meudon。〃

〃Your　business　there？〃　

The　blood　leapt　to　her　face。　　His　insolence　was　unbearable　to　a
woman　who　in　all　her　life　had　never　known　anything　but　the　utmost
deference　from　inferiors　and　equals　alike。　　Nevertheless；　realizing
that　she　was　face　to　face　with　forces　entirely　new；　she　controlled
herself；　stifled　her　resentment；　and　answered　steadily。

〃I　wish　to　conduct　this　lady；　Mlle。　de　Kercadiou；　back　to　her　uncle
who　resides　there。〃

〃Is　that　all？　　Another　day　will　do　for　that；　madame。　　The　matter　is
not　pressing。〃

〃Pardon；　monsieur；　to　us　the　matter　is　very　pressing。〃

〃You　have　not　convinced　me　of　it；　and　the　barriers　are　closed　to　all
who　cannot　prove　the　most　urgent　and　satisfactory　reasons　for　wishing
to　pass。　　You　will　wait；　madame；　until　the　restriction　is　removed。
Good…evening。〃

〃But；　monsieur。。。　〃

〃Good…evening；　madame；〃　he　repeated　significantly；　a　dismissal　more
contemptuous　and　despotic　than　any　royal　〃You　have　leave　to　go。

Madame　went　out　with　Aline。　　Both　were　quivering　with　the　anger　that
prudence　had　urged　them　to　suppress。　　They　climbed　into　the　coach
again；　desiring　to　be　driven　home。

Rougane's　astonishment　turned　into　dismay　when　they　told　him　what
had　taken　place。　　〃Why　not　try　the　Hotel　de　Ville；　madame？〃　he
suggested。

〃After　that？　　It　would　be　useless。　　We　must　resign　ourselves　to
remaining　in　Paris　until　the　barriers　are　opened　again。〃

〃Perhaps　it　will　not　matter　to　us　either　way　by　then；　madame；〃　said
Aline。

〃Aline！〃　she　exclaimed　in　horror。

〃Mademoiselle！〃　cried　Rougane　on　the　same　note。　　And　then；　because
he　perceived　that　people　detained　in　this　fashion　must　be　in　some
danger　not　yet　discernible；　but　on　that　account　more　dreadful；　he
set　his　wits　to　work。　　As　they　were　approaching　the　Hotel　Plougastel
once　more；　he　announced　that　he　had　solved　the　problem。

〃A　passport　from　without　would　do　equally　well；〃　he　announced。
〃Listen；　now；　and　trust　to　me。　　I　will　go　back　to　Meudon　at　once。
My　father　shall　give　me　two　permits　…　one　for　myself　alone；　and
another　for　three　persons　…　from　Meudon　to　Paris　and　back　to　Meudon。
I　reenter　Paris　with　my　own　permit；　which　I　then　proceed　to　destroy；
and　we　leave　together；　we　three；　on　the　strength　of　the　other　one；
representing　ourselves　as　having　come　from　Meudon　in　the　course　of
the　day。　　It　is　quite　simple；　after　all。　　If　I　go　at　once；　I　shall
be　back　to…night。〃

〃But　how　will　you　leave？〃　asked　Aline。

〃I？　　Pooh！　　As　to　that；　have　no　anxiety。　　My　father　is　Mayor　of
Meudon。　　There　are　plenty　who　know　him。　　I　will　go　to　the　Hotel　de
Ville；　and　tell　them　what　is；　after　all；　true　…　that　I　am　caught
in　Paris　by　the　closing　of　the　barriers；　and　that　my　father　is
expecting　me　home　this　evening。　　They　will　pass　me　through。　　It　is
quite　simple。〃

His　confidence　uplifted　them　again。　　The　thing　seemed　as　easy　as
he　represented　it。

〃Then　let　your　passport　be　for　four；　my　friend；〃　madame　begged　him。
〃There　is　Jacques；〃　she　explained；　indicating　the　footman　who　had
just　assisted　them　to　alight。

Rougane　departed　confident　of　soon　returning；　leaving　them　to　await
him　with　the　same　confidence。　　But　the　hours　succeeded　one　another；
the　night　closed　in；　bedtime　came；　and　still　there　was　no　sign　of
his　return。

They　waited　until　midnight；　each　pretending　for　the　other's　sake
to　a　confidence　fully　sustained；　each　invaded　by　vague　premonitions
of　evil；　yet　beguiling　the　time　by　playing　tric…trac　in　the　great
salon；　as　if　they　had　not　a　single　anxious　thought　between　them。

At　last　on　the　stroke　of　midnight；　madame　sighed　and　rose。

〃It　will　be　for　to…morrow　morning；〃　she　said；　not　believing　it。

〃Of　course；〃　Aline　agreed。　　〃It　would　really　have　been　impossible
for　him　to　have　returned　to…night。　　And　it　will　be　much　better　to
travel　to…morrow。　　The　journey　at　so　late　an　hour　would　tire　you
so　much；　dear　madame。〃

Thus　they　made　pretence。

Early　in　the　morning　they　were　awakened　by　a　din　of　bells　…　the
tocsins　of　the　sections　ringing　the　alarm。　To　their　startled　ears
came　later　the　rolling　of　drums；　and　at　one　time　they　heard　the
sounds　of　a　multitude　on　the　march。　　Paris　was　rising。　　Later　still
came　the　rattle　of　small…arms　in　the　distance　and　the　deeper　boom
of　cannon。　　Battle　was　joined　between　the　men　of　the　sections　and
the　men　of　the　Court。　　The　people　in　arms　had　attacked　the　Tuileries。
Wildest　rumours　flew　in　all　directions；　and　some　of　them　found　their
way　through　the　servants　to　the　Hotel　Plougastel；　of　that　terrible
fight　for　the　palace　which　was　to　end　in　the　purposeless　massacre
of　all　those　whom　the　invertebrate　monarch　abandoned　there；　whilst
placing　himself　and　his　family　under　the　protection　of　the　Assembly。
Purposeless　to　the　end；　ever　adopting　the　course　pointed　out　to　him
by　evil　counsellors；　he　prepared　for　resistance　only　until　the　need
for　resistance　really　arose；　whereupon　he　ordered　a　surrender　which
left　those　who　had　stood　by　him　to　the　last　at　the　mercy　of　a
frenzied　mob。

And　while　this　was　happening　in　the　Tuileries；　the　two　women　at　the
Hotel　Plougastel　still　waited　for　the　return　of　Rougane；　though　now
with　ever…lessening　hope。　　And　Rougane　did　not　return。　　The　affair
did　not　appear　so　simple　to　the　father　as　to　the　son。　　Rougane　the
elder　was　rightly　afraid　to　lend　himself　to　such　a　piece　of
deception。

He　went　with　his　son　to　inform　M。　de　Kercadiou　of　what　had　happened；
and　told　him　frankly　of　the　thing　his　son　suggested；　but　which　he
dared　not　do。

M。　de　Kercadiou　sought　to　move　him　by　intercessions　and　even　by　the
offer　of　bribes。　　But　Rougane　remained　firm。

〃Monsieur；〃　he　said；　〃if　it　were　discovered　against　me；　as　it
inevitably　would　be；　I　should；　hang　for　it。　　Apart　from　that；　and
in　spite　of　my　anxiety　to　do　all　in　my　power　to　serve　you；　it
would　be　a　breach　of　trust　such　as　I　could　not　contemplate。　　You
must　not　ask　me；　monsieur。〃

〃But　what　do　you　conceive　is　going　to　happen？〃　asked　the
half…demented　gentleman。

〃It　is　war；〃　said　Rougane；　who　was　well　informed；　as　we　have　seen。
〃War　between　the　people　and　the　Court。　　I　am　desolated　that　my
warning　should　have　come　too　late。　　But；　when　all　is　said；　I　do　not
think　that　you　need　really　alarm　yourself。　　War　will　not　be　made
on　women。　　M。　de　Kercadiou　clung　for　comfort　to　that　assurance　after
the　mayor　and　his　son　had　departed。　　But　at　the　back　of　his　mind
there　remained　the　knowledge　of　the　traffic　in　which　M。　de　Plougastel
was　engaged。　　What　if　the　revolutionaries　were　equally　well　informed？
And　most　probably　they　were。　　The　women…folk　political　offenders　had
been　known　aforetime　to　suffer　for　the　sins　of　their　men。　　Anything
was　possible　in　a　popular　upheaval；　and　Aline　would　be　exposed
jointly　with　Mme。　de　Plougastel。

Late　that　night；　as　he　sat　gloomily　in　his　brother's　library；　the
pipe　in　which　he　had　sought　solace　extinguished　between　his　fingers；
there　came　a　sharp　knocking　at　the　door。

To　the　old　seneschal　of　Gavrillac　who　went　to　open　there　stood
revealed　upon　the　threshold　a　slim　young　man　in　a　dark　olive
surcoat；　the　skirts　of　which　reached　down　to　his　calves。　　He　wore
boots；　buckskins；　and　a　small…sword；　and　round　his　waist　there　was
a　tricolour　sash；　in　his　hat　a　tricolour　cockade；　which　gave　him　an
official　look　extremely　sinister　to　the　eyes　of　that　old　retainer
of　feudalism；　who　shared　to　the　full　his　master's　present　fears。

〃Monsieur　desires？〃　he　asked；　between　respect　and　mistrust。

And　then　a　crisp　voice　startled　him。

〃Why；　Benoit！　　Name　of　a　name！　　Have　you　completely　forgotten　me？〃

With　a　shaking　hand　the　old　man　raised　the　lantern　he　carried　so
as　to　throw　its　light　more　fully　upon　that　lean；　wide…mouthed
countenance。

〃M。　Andre！〃　he　cried。　　〃M。Andre！〃　And　then　he　looked　at　the　sash
and　the　cockade；　and　hesitated；　apparently　at　a　loss。

But　Andre…Louis　stepped　past　him　into　the　wide　vestibule；　with　its
tessellated　floor　of　black…and…white　marble。

〃If　my　godfather　has　not　yet　retired；　take　me　to　him。　If　he　has
retired；　take　me　to　him　all　the　same。〃

〃Oh；　but　certainly；　M。　Andre　…　and　I　am　sure　he　will　be　ravished　to
see　you。　　No；　he　has　not　yet　retired。　　This　way；　M。　Andre；　this　way；
if　you　please。〃

The　returning　Andre…Louis；　reaching　Meudon　a　half…hour　ago；　had
gone　straight　to　the　mayor　for　some　definite　news　of　what　might　be
happening　in　Paris　that　should　either　confirm　or　dispel　the　ominous
rumours　that　he　had　met　in　ever…increasing　volume　as　he　approached
the　capital。　　Rougane　informed　him　that　insurrection　was　imminent；
that　already　the　sections　had　possessed　themselves　of　the　barriers；
and　that　it　was　impossible　for　any　person　not　fully　accredited　to
enter　or　leave　the　city。

Andre…Louis　bowed　his　head；　his　thoughts　of　the　gravest。　　He　had
for　some　time　perceived　the　danger　of　this　second　revolution　from
within　the　first；　which　might　destroy　everything　that　had　been　done；
and　give　the　reins　of　power　to　a　villainous　faction　that　would
plunge　the　country　into　anarchy。　　The　thing　he　had　feared　was　more
than　ever　on　the　point　of　taking　place。　　He　would　go　on　at　once；
that　very　night；　and　see　for　himself　what　was　happening。

And　then；　as　he　was　leaving；　he　turned　again　to　Rougane　to　ask　if
M。　de　Kercadiou　was　still　at　Meudon。

〃You　know　him；　monsieur？〃

〃He　is　my　godfather。〃

〃Your　godfather！　　And　you　a　representative！　　Why；　then；　you　may　be
the　very　man　he　needs。〃　　And　Rougane　told　him　of　his　son's　errand
into　Paris　that　afternoon　and　its　result。

No　more　was　required。　　That　two　years　ago　his　godfather　should　upon
certain　terms　have　refused　him　his　house　weighed　for　nothing　at　the
moment。　　He　left　his　travelling　carriage　at　the　little　inn　and　went
straight　to　M。　de　Kercadiou。

And　M。　de　Kercadiou；　startled　in　such　an　hour　by　this　sudden
apparition；　of　one　against　whom　he　nursed　a　bitter　grievance；
greeted　him　in　terms　almost　identical　with　those　in　which　in　that
same　room　he　had　greeted　him　on　a　similar　occasion　once　before。

〃What　do　you　want　here；　sir？〃

〃To　serve　you　if　possible；　my　godfather；〃　was　the　disarming　answer。

But　it　di