scaramouche-第61章

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very　glib；　he　bowed　in　silence。

〃But　sit；　monsieur；　I　beg。　　You　are　fatigued。〃

〃You　are　gracious　to　observe　it。　　With　your　permission；　then。〃　　And
he　resumed　his　seat。　　She　continued　on　her　way　to　the　door　and
passed　out　upon　her　errand。

When　presently　she　returned　they　had　almost　unaccountably　changed
places。　　It　was　Mme。　de　Plougastel　who　was　seated　in　that　armchair
of　brocade　and　gilt；　and　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr　who；　despite　his
lassitude；　was　leaning　over　the　back　of　it　talking　earnestly；
seeming　by　his　attitude　to　plead　with　her。　　On　Aline's　entrance　he
broke　off　instantly　and　moved　away；　so　that　she　was　left　with　a
sense　of　having　intruded。　　Further　she　observed　that　the　Countess
was　in　tears。

Following　her　came　presently　the　diligent　Jacques；　bearing　a　tray
laden　with　food　and　wine。　　Madame　poured　for　her　guest；　and　he
drank　a　long　draught　of　the　Burgundy；　then　begged；　holding　forth
his　grimy　hands；　that　he　might　mend　his　appearance　before　sitting
down　to　eat。

He　was　led　away　and　valeted　by　Jacques；　and　when　he　returned　he　had
removed　from　his　person　the　last　vestige　of　the　rough　handling　he
had　received。　　He　looked　almost　his　normal　self；　the　disorder　in
his　attire　repaired；　calm　and　dignified　and　courtly　in　his　bearing；
but　very　pale　and　haggard　of　face；　seeming　suddenly　to　have
increased　in　years；　to　have　reached　in　appearance　the　age　that　was
in　fact　his　own。

As　he　ate　and　drank　…　and　this　with　appetite；　for　as　he　told　them
he　had　not　tasted　food　since　early　morning　…　he　entered　into　the
details　of　the　dreadful　events　of　the　day；　and　gave　them　the
particulars　of　his　own　escape　from　the　Tuileries　when　all　was　seen
to　be　lost　and　when　the　Swiss；　having　burnt　their　last　cartridge；
were　submitting　to　wholesale　massacre　at　the　hands　of　the
indescribably　furious　mob。

〃Oh；　it　was　all　most　ill　done；〃　he　ended　critically。　　〃We　were　timid
when　we　should　have　been　resolute；　and　resolute　at　last　when　it　was
too　late。　　That　is　the　history　of　our　side　from　the　beginning　of
this　accursed　struggle。　　We　have　lacked　proper　leadership　throughout；
and　now　…　as　I　have　said　already　…　there　is　an　end　to　us。　　It　but
remains　to　escape；　as　soon　as　we　can　discover　how　the　thing　is　to
be　accomplished。〃

Madame　told　him　of　the　hopes　that　she　had　centred　upon　Rougane。

It　lifted　him　out　of　his　gloom。　He　was　disposed　to　be　optimistic。

〃You　are　wrong　to　have　abandoned　that　hope；〃　he　assured　her。　　〃If
this　mayor　is　so　well　disposed；　he　certainly　can　do　as　his　son
promised。　　But　last　night　it　would　have　been　too　late　for　him　to
have　reached　you；　and　to…day；　assuming　that　he　had　come　to　Paris；
almost　impossible　for　him　to　win　across　the　streets　from　the　other
side。　　It　is　most　likely　that　he　will　yet　come。　　I　pray　that　he　may；
for　the　knowledge　that　you　and　Mlle。　de　Kercadiou　are　out　of　this
would　comfort　me　above　all。〃

〃We　should　take　you　with　us；〃　said　madame。

〃Ah！　　But　how？〃

〃Young　Rougane　was　to　bring　me　permits　for　three　persons　…　Aline；
myself；　and　my　footman；　Jacques。　　You　would　take　the　place　of　Jacques。〃

〃Faith；　to　get　out　of　Paris；　madame；　there　is　no　man　whose　place　I
would　not　take。〃　　And　he　laughed。

Their　spirits　rose　with　his　and　their　flagging　hopes　revived。　　But
as　dusk　descended　again　upon　the　city；　without　any　sign　of　the
deliverer　they　awaited；　those　hopes　began　to　ebb　once　more。

M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr　at　last　pleaded　weariness；　and　begged　to　be
permitted　to　withdraw　that　he　might　endeavour　to　take　some　rest
against　whatever　might　have　to　be　faced　in　the　immediate　future。
When　he　had　gone；　madame　persuaded　Aline　to　go　and　lie　down。

〃I　will　call　you；　my　dear；　the　moment　he　arrives；〃　she　said；
bravely　maintaining　that　pretence　of　a　confidence　that　had　by　now
entirely　evaporated。

Aline　kissed　her　affectionately；　and　departed；　outwardly　so　calm
and　unperturbed　as　to　leave　the　Countess　wondering　whether　she
realized　the　peril　by　which　they　were　surrounded；　a　peril
infinitely　increased　by　the　presence　in　that　house　of　a　man　so
widely　known　and　detested　as　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr；　a　man　who　was
probably　being　sought　for　by　his　enemies　at　this　moment。

Left　alone；　madame　lay　down　on　a　couch　in　the　salon　itself；　to　be
ready　for　any　emergency。　　It　was　a　hot　summer　night；　and　the　glass
doors　opening　upon　the　luxuriant　garden　stood　wide　to　admit　the
air。　　On　that　air　came　intermittently　from　the　distance　sounds　of
the　continuing　horrible　activities　of　the　populace；　the　aftermath
of　that　bloody　day。

Mme。　de　Plougastel　lay　there；　listening　to　those　sounds　for　upwards
of　an　hour；　thanking　Heaven　that　for　the　present　at　least　the
disturbances　were　distant；　dreading　lest　at　any　moment　they　should
occur　nearer　at　hand；　lest　this　Bondy　section　in　which　her　hotel
was　situated　should　become　the　scene　of　horrors　similar　to　those
whose　echoes　reached　her　ears　from　other　sections　away　to　the　south
and　west。

The　couch　occupied　by　the　Countess　lay　in　shadow；　for　all　the　lights
in　that　long　salon　had　been　extinguished　with　the　exception　of　a
cluster　of　candles　in　a　massive　silver　candle　branch　placed　on　a
round　marquetry　table　in　the　middle　of　the　room　…　an　island　of　light
in　the　surrounding　gloom。

The　timepiece　on　the　overmantel　chimed　melodiously　the　hour　of　ten；
and　then；　startling　in　the　suddenness　with　which　it　broke　the
immediate　silence；　another　sound　vibrated　through　the　house；　and
brought　madame　to　her　feet；　in　a　breathless　mingling　of　hope　and
dread。　　Some　one　was　knocking　sharply　on　the　door　below。　　Followed
moments　of　agonized　suspense；　culminating　in　the　abrupt　invasion　of
the　room　by　the　footman　Jacques。　　He　looked　round；　not　seeing　his
mistress　at　first。

〃Madame！　　　Madame！〃　he　panted；　out　of　breath。

〃What　is　it；　Jacques！〃　　Her　voice　was　steady　now　that　the　need　for
self…control　seemed　thrust　upon　her。　　She　advanced　from　the　shadows
into　that　island　of　light　about　the　table。　　〃There　is　a　man　below。
He　is　asking。。。　he　is　demanding　to　see　you　at　once。〃

〃A　man？〃　she　questioned。

〃He。。。　he　seems　to　be　an　official；　at　least　he　wears　the　sash　of
office。　　And　he　refuses　to　give　any　name；　he　says　that　his　name
would　convey　nothing　to　you。　　He　insists　that　he　must　see　you　in
person　and　at　once。〃

〃An　official？〃　said　madame。

〃An　official；〃　Jacques　repeated。　　〃I　would　not　have　admitted　him；
but　that　he　demanded　it　in　the　name　of　the　Nation。　　Madame；　it　is
for　you　to　say　what　shall　be　done。　　Robert　is　with　me。　　If　you
wish　it。。。　whatever　it　may　be。。。　〃

〃My　good　Jacques；　no；　no。〃　　She　was　perfectly　composed。　　If　this
man　intended　evil；　surely　he　would　not　come　alone。　　Conduct　him　to
me；　and　then　beg　Mlle。　de　Kercadiou　to　join　me　if　she　is　awake。〃

Jacques　departed；　himself　partly　reassured。　　Madame　seated　herself
in　the　armchair　by　the　table　well　within　the　light。　　She　smoothed
her　dress　with　a　mechanical　hand。　　If；　as　it　would　seem；　her　hopes
had　been　futile；　so　had　her　momentary　fears。　　A　man　on　any　but　an
errand　of　peace　would　have　brought　some　following　with　him；　as　she
had　said。

The　door　opened　again；　and　Jacques　reappeared；　after　him；　stepping
briskly　past　him；　came　a　slight　man　in　a　wide…brimmed　hat；　adorned
by　a　tricolour　cockade。　　About　the　waist　of　an　olive…green
riding…coat　he　wore　a　broad　tricolour　sash；　a　sword　hung　at　his　side。

He　swept　off　his　hat；　and　the　candlelight　glinted　on　the　steel
buckle　in　front　of　it。　　Madame　found　herself　silently　regarded　by
a　pair　of　large；　dark　eyes　set　in　a　lean；　brown　face；　eyes　that
were　most　singularly　intent　and　searching。

She　leaned　forward；　incredulity　swept　across　her　countenance。　　Then
her　eyes　kindled；　and　the　colour　came　creeping　back　into　her　pale
cheeks。　　She　rose　suddenly。　　She　was　trembling。

〃Andre…Louis！〃　she　exclaimed。



CHAPTER　XIV

THE　BARRIER


That　gift　of　laughter　of　his　seemed　utterly　extinguished。　　For　once
there　was　no　gleam　of　humour　in　those　dark　eyes；　as　they　continued
to　consider　her　with　that　queer　stare　of　scrutiny。　　And　yet；　though
his　gaze　was　sombre；　his　thoughts　were　not。　　With　his　cruelly　true
mental　vision　which　pierced　through　shams；　and　his　capacity　for
detached　observation　…　which　properly　applied　might　have　carried　him
very　far；　indeed　…　he　perceived　the　grotesqueness；　the　artificiality
of　the　emotion　which　in　that　moment　he　experienced；　but　by　which　he
refused　to　be　possessed。　　It　sprang　entirely　from　the　consciousness
that　she　was　his　mother；　as　if；　all　things　considered；　the　more　or
less　accidental　fact　that　she　had　brought　him　into　the　world　could
establish　between　them　any　real　bond　at　this　time　of　day！　　The
motherhood　that　bears　and　forsakes　is　less　than　animal。　　He　had
considered　this；　he　had　been　given　ample　leisure　in　which　to　consider
it　during　those　long；　turbulent　hours　in　which　he　had　been　forced　to
wait；　because　it　would　have　been　almost　impossible　to　have　won　across
that　seething　city；　and　certainly　unwise　to　have　attempted　so　to　do。

He　had　reached　the　conclusion　that　by　consenting　to　go　to　her　rescue
at　such　a　time　he　stood　committed　to　a　piece　of　purely　sentimental
quixotry。　　The　quittances　which　the　Mayor　of　Meudon　had　exacted　from
him　before　he　would　issue　the　necessary　safe…conducts　placed　the
whole　of　his　future；　perhaps　his　very　life；　in　jeopardy。　　And　he
had　consented　to　do　this　not　for　the　sake　of　a　reality；　but　out　of
regard　for　an　idea　…　he　who　all　his　life　had　avoided　the　false　lure
of　worthless　and　hollow　sentimentality。

Thus　thought　Andre…Louis　as　he　considered　her　now　so　searchingly；
finding　it；　naturally　enough；　a　matter　of　extraordinary　interest　to
look　consciously　upon　his　mother　for　the　first　time　at　the　age　of
eight…and…twenty。

》From　her　he　looked　at　last　at　Jacques；　who　remained　at　attention；
waiting　by　the　open　door。

〃Could　we　be　alone；　madame？〃　he　asked　her。

She　waved　the　footman　away；　and　the　door　closed。　　In　agitated
silence；　unquestioning；　she　waited　for　him　to　account　for　his
presence　there　at　so　extraordinary　a　time。

〃Rougane　could　not　return；〃　he　informed　her　shortly。　　At　M。　de
Kercadiou's　request；　I　come　instead。〃

〃You！　　You　are　sent　to　rescue　us！〃　The　note　of　amazement　in　her
voice　was　stronger　than　that　of　het　relief。

〃That；　and　to　make　your　acquaintance；　madame。〃

〃To　make　my　acquaintance？　　But　what　do　you　mean；　Andre…Louis？〃

〃This　letter　from　M。　de　Kercadiou　will　tell　you。〃　　Intrigued　by　his
odd　words　and　odder　manner；　she　took　the　folded　sheet。　　She　broke
the　seal　with　shaking　hands；　and　with　shaking　hands　approached　the
written　page　to　the　light。　　Her　eyes　grew　troubled　as　she　read；　the
shaking　of　her　hands　increased；　and　midway　through　that　reading　a
moan　escaped　her。　　One　glance　that　was　almost　terror　she　darted　at
the　slim；　straight　man　standing　so　incredibly　impassive　upon　the
edge　of　the　light；　and　then　she　endeavoured　to　read　on。　　But　the
crabbed　characters　of　M。　de　Kercadiou　swam　distortedly　under　her
eyes。　　She　could　not　read。　　Besides；　what　could　it　matter　what　else
he　said。　　She　had　read　enough。　　The　sheet　fluttered　from　her　hands
to　the　table；　and　out　of　a　face　that　was　like　a　face　of　wax；　she
looked　now　with　a　wistfulness；　a　sadness　indescribable；　at
Andre…Louis。