scaramouche-第10章
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desired satisfaction。〃
〃I see；〃 said Andre…Louis； on a note of hopelessness。
〃You see？ What the devil do you see？〃
〃That I shall have to depend upon myself alone。〃
〃And what the devil do you propose to do； if you please？〃
〃I shall go to Rennes； and lay the facts before the King's
Lieutenant。〃
〃He'll be too busy to see you。〃 And M。 de Kercadiou's mind swung
a trifle inconsequently； as weak minds will。 〃There is trouble
enough in Rennes already on the score of these crazy States General；
with which the wonderful M。 Necker is to repair the finances of the
kingdom。 As if a peddling Swiss bank…clerk； who is also a damned
Protestant； could succeed where such men as Calonne and Brienne have
failed。〃
〃Good…afternoon； monsieur my godfather；〃 said Andre…Louis。
〃Where are you going？〃 was the querulous demand。
〃Home at present。 To Rennes in the morning。〃
〃Wait； boy； wait！〃 The squat little man rolled forward； affectionate
concern on his great ugly face； and he set one of his podgy hands on
his godson's shoulder。 〃Now listen to me； Andre；〃 he reasoned。 〃This
is sheer knight…errantry … moonshine； lunacy。 You'11 come to no good
by it if you persist。 You've read 'Don Quixote；' and what happened
to him when he went tilting against windmills。 It's what will happen
to you； neither more nor less。 Leave things as they are； my boy。 I
wouldn't have a mischief happen to you。〃
Andre…Louis looked at him； smiling wanly。
〃I swore an oath to…day which it would damn my soul to break。〃
〃You mean that you'll go in spite of anything that I may say？〃
Impetuous as he was inconsequent； M。 de Kercadiou was bristling
again。 〃Very well； then； go。。。 Go to the devil！〃
〃I will begin with the King's Lieutenant。〃
〃And if you get into the trouble you are seeking； don't come
whimpering to me for assistance；〃 the seigneur stormed。 He was very
angry now。 〃Since you choose to disobey me； you can break your
empty head against the windmill； and be damned to you。〃
Andre…Louis bowed with a touch of irony； and reached the door。
〃If the windmill should prove too formidable；〃 said he； from the
threshold； 〃I may see what can be done with the wind。 Good…bye；
monsieur my godfather。〃
He was gone； and M。 de Kercadiou was alone； purple in the face；
puzzling out that last cryptic utterance； and not at all happy in
his mind； either on the score of his godson or of M。 de La Tour
d'Azyr。 He was disposed to be angry with them both。 He found
these headstrong； wilful men who relentlessly followed their own
impulses very disturbing and irritating。 Himself he loved his ease；
and to be at peace with his neighbours； and that seemed to him so
obviously the supreme good of life that he was disposed to brand
them as fools who troubled to seek other things。
CHAPTER VI
THE WINDMILL
There was between Nantes and Rennes an established service of three
stage…coaches weekly in each direction； which for a sum of
twenty…four livres … roughly； the equivalent of an English guinea
… would carry you the seventy and odd miles of the journey in some
fourteen hours。 Once a week one of the diligences going in each
direction would swerve aside from the highroad to call at Gavrillac；
to bring and take letters； newspapers； and sometimes passengers。 It
was usually by this coach that Andre…Louis came and went when the
occasion offered。 At present； however； he was too much in haste to
lose a day awaiting the passing of that diligence。 So it was on a
horse hired from the Breton arme that he set out next morning； and
an hour's brisk ride under a grey wintry sky； by a half…ruined road
through ten miles of flat； uninteresting country； brought him to the
city of Rennes。
He rode across the main bridge over the Vilaine； and so into the
upper and principal part of that important city of some thirty
thousand souls； most of whom； he opined from the seething； clamant
crowds that everywhere blocked his way； must on this day have taken
to the streets。 Clearly Philippe had not overstated the excitement
prevailing there。
He pushed on as best he could； and so came at last to the Place
Royale； where he found the crowd to be most dense。 From the plinth
of the equestrian statue of Louis XV； a white…faced young man was
excitedly addressing the multitude。 His youth and dress proclaimed
the student； and a group of his fellows； acting as a guard of honour
to him； kept the immediate precincts of the statue。
Over the heads of the crowd Andre…Louis caught a few of the phrases
flung forth by that eager voice。
〃It was the promise of the King。。。 It is the King's authority they
flout。。。 They arrogate to themselves the whole sovereignty in
Brittany。 The King has dissolved them。。。 These insolent nobles
defying their sovereign and the people。。。 〃
Had he not known already； from what Philippe had told him； of the
events which had brought the Third Estate to the point of active
revolt； those few phrases would fully have informed him。 This popular
display of temper was most opportune to his need； he thought。 And in
the hope that it might serve his turn by disposing to reasonableness
the mind of the King's Lieutenant； he pushed on up the wide and
well…paved Rue Royale； where the concourse of people began to diminish。
He put up his hired horse at the Come de Cerf； and set out again； on
foot； to the Palais de Justice。
There was a brawling mob by the framework of poles and scaffoldings
about the building cathedral； upon which work had been commenced
a year ago。 But he did not pause to ascertain the particular cause
of that gathering。 He strode on； and thus came presently to the
handsome Italianate palace that was one of the few public edifices
hat had survived the devastating fire of sixty years ago。
He won through with difficulty to the great hall； known as the Salle
des Pas Perdus； where he was left to cool his heels for a full
half…hour after he had found an usher so condescending as to inform
the god who presided over that shrine of Justice that a lawyer from
Gavrillac humbly begged an audience on an affair of gravity。
That the god condescended to see him at all was probably due to the
grave complexion of the hour。 At long length he was escorted up
the broad stone staircase； and ushered into a spacious； meagrely
furnished anteroom； to make one of a waiting crowd of clients；
mostly men。
There he spent another half…hour； and employed the time in
considering exactly what he should say。 This consideration made
him realize the weakness of the case he proposed to set before a
man whose views of law and morality were coloured by his social
rank。
At last he was ushered through a narrow but very massive and richly
decorated door into a fine； well…lighted room furnished with enough
gilt and satin to have supplied the boudoir of a lady of fashion。
It was a trivial setting for a King's Lieutenant； but about the
King's Lieutenant there was … at least to ordinary eyes … nothing
trivial。 At the far end of the chamber； to the right of one of the
tall windows that looked out over the inner court； before a
goat…legged writing…table with Watteau panels； heavily encrusted
with ormolu； sat that exalted being。 Above a scarlet coat with an
order flaming on its breast； and a billow of lace in which diamonds
sparkled like drops of water； sprouted the massive powdered head
of M。 de Lesdiguieres。 It was thrown back to scowl upon this
visitor with an expectant arrogance that made Andre…Louis wonder
almost was a genuflexion awaited from him。
Perceiving a lean； lantern…jawed young man； with straight； lank
black hair； in a caped riding…coat of brown cloth； and yellow
buckskin breeches； his knee…boots splashed with mud； the scowl upon
that August visage deepened until it brought together the thick
black eyebrows above the great hooked nose。
〃You announce yourself as a lawyer of Gavrillac with an important
communication；〃 he growled。 It was a peremptory command to make
this communication without wasting the valuable time of a King's
Lieutenant； of whose immense importance it conveyed something more
than a hint。 M。 de Lesdiguieres accounted himself an imp
