scaramouche-第1章

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Scaramouche
A　Romance　of　the　French　Revolution

by　Rafael　Sabatini






CONTENTS

　　　　　　　　　BOOK　I

　　　　　　　　　THE　ROBE


I。　　　　THE　REPUBLICAN

II。　　　THE　ARISTOCRAT

III。　　THE　ELOQUENCE　OF　M。　DE　VILMORIN

IV。　　　THE　HERITAGE

V。　　　　THE　LORD　OF　GAVRILLAC

VI。　　　THE　WINDMILL

VII。　　THE　WIND

VIII。　OMNES　OMNIBUS

IX。　　　THE　AFTERMATH


　　　　　　　　　BOOK　II

　　　　　　　　　THE　BUSKIN


I。　　　　THE　TRESPASSERS

II。　　　THE　SERVICE　OF　THESPIS

III。　　THE　COMIC　MUSE

IV。　　　EXIT　MONSIEUR　PARVISSIMUS

V。　　　　ENTER　SCARAMOUCHE

VI。　　　CLIMENE

VII。　　THE　CONQUEST　OF　NANTES

VIII。　THE　DREAM

IX。　　　THE　AWAKENING

X。　　　　CONTRITION

XI。　　　THE　FRACAS　AT　THE　THEATRE　FEYDAU



　　　　　　　　　BOOK　III

　　　　　　　　　THE　SWORD


I。　　　　TRANSITION

II。　　　QUOS　DEUS　VULT　PERDERE

III。　　PRESIDENT　LE　CHAPELIER

IV。　　　AT　MEUDON

V。　　　　MADAME　DE　PLOUGASTEL

VI。　　　POLITICIANS

VII。　　THE　SPADASSINICIDES

VIII。　THE　PALADIN　OF　THE　THIRD

IX。　　　TORN　PRIDE

X。　　　　THE　RETURNING　CARRIAGE

XI。　　　INFERENCES

XII。　　THE　OVERWHELMING　REASON

XIII。　SANCTUARY

XIV。　　THE　BARRIER

XV。　　　SAFE…CONDUCT

XVI。　　SUNRISE



SCARAMOUCHE



BOOK　I：　THE　ROBE


CHAPTER　I

THE　REPUBLICAN


He　was　born　with　a　gift　of　laughter　and　a　sense　that　the　world　was
mad。　　And　that　was　all　his　patrimony。　　His　very　paternity　was
obscure；　although　the　village　of　Gavrillac　had　long　since　dispelled
the　cloud　of　mystery　that　hung　about　it。　　Those　simple　Brittany　folk
were　not　so　simple　as　to　be　deceived　by　a　pretended　relationship
which　did　not　even　possess　the　virtue　of　originality。　　When　a
nobleman；　for　no　apparent　reason；　announces　himself　the　godfather　of
an　infant　fetched　no　man　knew　whence；　and　thereafter　cares　for　the
lad's　rearing　and　education；　the　most　unsophisticated　of　country
folk　perfectly　understand　the　situation。　　And　so　the　good　people　of
Gavrillac　permitted　themselves　no　illusions　on　the　score　of　the　real
relationship　between　Andre…Louis　Moreau　…　as　the　lad　had　been　named
　…　and　Quintin　de　Kercadiou；　Lord　of　Gavrillac；　who　dwelt　in　the
big　grey　house　that　dominated　from　its　eminence　the　village
clustering　below。

Andre…Louis　had　learnt　his　letters　at　the　village　school；　lodged
the　while　with　old　Rabouillet；　the　attorney；　who　in　the　capacity　of
fiscal　intendant；　looked　after　the　affairs　of　M。　de　Kercadiou。
Thereafter；　at　the　age　of　fifteen；　he　had　been　packed　off　to　Paris；
to　the　Lycee　of　Louis　Le　Grand；　to　study　the　law　which　he　was　now
returned　to　practise　in　conjunction　with　Rabouillet。　　All　this　at
the　charges　of　his　godfather；　M。　de　Kercadiou；　who　by　placing　him
once　more　under　the　tutelage　of　Rabouillet　would　seem　thereby　quite
clearly　to　be　making　provision　for　his　future。

Andre…Louis；　on　his　side；　had　made　the　most　of　his　opportunities。
You　behold　him　at　the　age　of　four…and…twenty　stuffed　with　learning
enough　to　produce　an　intellectual　indigestion　in　an　ordinary　mind。
Out　of　his　zestful　study　of　Man；　from　Thucydides　to　the
Encyclopaedists；　from　Seneca　to　Rousseau；　he　had　confirmed　into　an
unassailable　conviction　his　earliest　conscious　impressions　of　the
general　insanity　of　his　own　species。　　Nor　can　I　discover　that
anything　in　his　eventful　life　ever　afterwards　caused　him　to　waver
in　that　opinion。

In　body　he　was　a　slight　wisp　of　a　fellow；　scarcely　above　middle
height；　with　a　lean；　astute　countenance；　prominent　of　nose　and
cheek…bones；　and　with　lank；　black　hair　that　reached　almost　to　his
shoulders。　　His　mouth　was　long；　thin…lipped；　and　humorous。　　He　was
only　just　redeemed　from　ugliness　by　the　splendour　of　a　pair　of
ever…questing；　luminous　eyes；　so　dark　as　to　be　almost　black。　　Of
the　whimsical　quality　of　his　mind　and　his　rare　gift　of　graceful
expression；　his　writings　…　unfortunately　but　too　scanty　…　and
particularly　his　Confessions；　afford　us　very　ample　evidence。　　Of
his　gift　of　oratory　he　was　hardly　conscious　yet；　although　he　had
already　achieved　a　certain　fame　for　it　in　the　Literary　Chamber　of
Rennes　…　one　of　those　clubs　by　now　ubiquitous　in　the　land；　in
which　the　intellectual　youth　of　France　foregathered　to　study　and
discuss　the　new　philosophies　that　were　permeating　social　life。
But　the　fame　he　had　acquired　there　was　hardly　enviable。　　He　was
too　impish；　too　caustic；　too　much　disposed　…　so　thought　his
colleagues　…　to　ridicule　their　sublime　theories　for　the　regeneration
of　mankind。　　himself　he　protested　that　he　merely　held　them　up　to　the
mirror　of　truth；　and　that　it　was　not　his　fault　if　when　reflected
there　they　looked　ridiculous。

All　that　he　achieved　by　this　was　to　exasperate；　and　his　expulsion
from　a　society　grown　mistrustful　of　him　must　already　have　followed
but　for　his　friend；　Philippe　de　Vilmorin；　a　divinity　student　of
Rennes；　who；　himself；　was　one　of　the　most　popular　members　of　the
Literary　Chamber。

Coming　to　Gavrillac　on　a　November　morning；　laden　with　news　of　the
political　storms　which　were　then　gathering　over　France；　Philippe
found　in　that　sleepy　Breton　village　matter　to　quicken　his　already
lively　indignation。　　A　peasant　of　Gavrillac；　named　Mabey；　had　been
shot　dead　that　morning　in　the　woods　of　Meupont；　across　the　river；
by　a　gamekeeper　of　the　Marquis　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr。　　The　unfortunate
fellow　had　been　caught　in　the　act　of　taking　a　pheasant　from　a　snare；
and　the　gamekeeper　had　acted　under　explicit　orders　from　his　master。

Infuriated　by　an　act　of　tyranny　so　absolute　and　merciless；　M。　de
Vilmorin　proposed　to　lay　the　matter　before　M。　de　Kercadiou。　　Mabey
was　a　vassal　of　Gavrillac；　and　Vilmorin　hoped　to　move　the　Lord　of
Gavrillac　to　demand　at　least　some　measure　of　reparation　for　the
widow　and　the　three　orphans　which　that　brutal　deed　had　made。

But　because　Andre…Louis　was　Philippe's　dearest　friend　…　indeed；　his
almost　brother　…　the　young　seminarist　sought　him　out　in　the　first
instance。　　He　found　him　at　breakfast　alone　in　the　long；　low…ceilinged；
white…panelled　dining…room　at　Rabouillet's　…　the　only　home　that
Andre…Louis　had　ever　known　…　and　after　embracing　him；　deafened　him
with　his　denunciation　of　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr。

〃I　have　heard　of　it　already；〃　said　Andre…Louis。

〃You　speak　as　if　the　thing　had　not　surprised　you；〃　his　friend
reproached　him。

〃Nothing　beastly　can　surprise　me　when　done　by　a　beast。　　And　La　Tour
d'Azyr　is　a　beast；　as　all　the　world　knows。　　The　more　fool　Mabey　for
stealing　his　pheasants。　　He　should　have　stolen　somebody　else's。〃

〃Is　that　all　you　have　to　say　about　it？〃

〃What　more　is　there　to　say？　　I've　a　practical　mind；　I　hope。〃

〃What　more　there　is　to　say　I　propose　to　say　to　your　godfather；　M。
de　Kercadiou。　　I　shall　appeal　to　him　for　justice。〃

〃Against　M。　de　La　Tour　d'azyr？〃　Andre…Louis　raised　his　eyebrows。

〃Why　not？〃

〃My　dear　ingenuous　Philippe；　dog　doesn't　eat　dog。〃

〃You　are　unjust　to　your　godfather。　　He　is　a　humane　man。〃

〃Oh；　as　humane　as　you　please。　　But　this　isn't　a　question
of　humanity。　　It's　a　question　of　game…laws。〃

M。　de　Vilmorin　tossed　his　long　arms　to　Heaven　in　disgust。　　He　was
a　tall；　slender　young　gentleman；　a　year　or　two　younger　than
Andre…Louis。　　He　was　very　soberly　dressed　in　black；　as　became　a
seminarist；　with　white　bands　at　wrists　and　throat　and　silver
buckles　to　his　shoes。　　His　neatly　clubbed　brown　hair　was　innocent
of　powder。

〃You　talk　like　a　lawyer；〃　he　exploded。

〃Naturally。　　But　don't　waste　anger　on　me　on　that　account。　　Tell　me
what　you　want　me　to　do。〃

〃I　want　you　to　come　to　M。　de　Kercadiou　with　me；　and　to　use　your
influence　to　obtain　justice。　　I　suppose　I　am　asking　too　much。〃

〃My　dear　Philippe；　I　exist　to　serve　you。　　I　warn　you　that　it　is　a
futile　quest；　but　give　me　leave　to　finish　my　breakfast；　and　I　am
at　your　orders。〃

M。　de　Vilmorin　dropped　into　a　winged　armchair　by　the　well…swept
hearth；　on　which　a　piled…up　fire　of　pine　logs　was　burning　cheerily。
And　whilst　he　waited　now　he　gave　his　friend　the　latest　news　of　the
events　in　Rennes。　　Young；　ardent；　enthusiastic；　and　inspired　by
Utopian　ideals；　he　passionately　denounced　the　rebellious　attitude
of　the　privileged。

Andre…Louis；　already　fully　aware　of　the　trend　of　feeling　in　the
ranks　of　an　order　in　whose　deliberations　he　took　part　as　the
representative　of