scaramouche-第16章
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a dainty lady carried past in her sedan…chair； with perhaps a mincing
abbe from the episcopal court tripping along in attendance；
occasionally an officer in scarlet riding disdainfully； and once the
great carriage of a nobleman； with escutcheoned panels and a pair
of white…stockinged； powdered footmen in gorgeous liveries hanging
on behind。 And there were Capuchins in brown and Benedictines in
black； and secular priests in plenty … for God was well served in
the sixteen parishes of Nantes … and by way of contrast there were
lean…jawed； out…at…elbow adventurers； and gendarmes in blue coats
and gaitered legs； sauntering guardians of the peace。
Representatives of every class that went to make up the seventy
thousand inhabitants of that wealthy； industrious city were to be
seen in the human stream that ebbed and flowed beneath the window
from which Andre…Louis observed it。
Of the waiter who ministered to his humble wants with soup and
bouilli； and a measure of vin gris； Andre…Louis enquired into the
state of public feeling in the city。 The waiter； a staunch
supporter of the privileged orders； admitted regretfully that an
uneasiness prevailed。 Much would depend upon what happened at
Rennes。 If it was true that the King had dissolved the States of
Brittany； then all should be well； and the malcontents would have
no pretext for further disturbances。 There had been trouble and
to spare in Nantes already。 They wanted no repetition of it。 All
manner of rumours were abroad； and since early morning there had
been crowds besieging the portals of the Chamber of Commerce for
definite news。 But definite news was yet to come。 It was not even
known for a fact that His Majesty actually had dissolved the States。
It was striking two； the busiest hour of the day upon the Bourse；
when Andre…Louis reached the Place du Commerce。 The square；
dominated by the imposing classical building of the Exchange； was
so crowded that he was compelled almost to fight his way through to
the steps of the magnificent Ionic porch。 A word would have
sufficed to have opened a way for him at once。 But guile moved him
to keep silent。 He would come upon that waiting multitude as a
thunderclap； precisely as yesterday he had come upon the mob at
Rennes。 He would lose nothing of the surprise effect of his
entrance。
The precincts of that house of commerce were jealously kept by a
line of ushers armed with staves； a guard as hurriedly assembled by
the merchants as it was evidently necessary。 One of these now
effectively barred the young lawyer's passage as he attempted to
mount the steps。
Andre…Louis announced himself in a whisper。
The stave was instantly raised from the horizontal； and he passed
and went up the steps in the wake of the usher。 At the top； on the
threshold of the chamber； he paused； and stayed his guide。
〃I will wait here；〃 he announced。 〃Bring the president to me。〃
〃Your name； monsieur？〃
Almost had Andre…Louis answered him when he remembered Le Chapelier's
warning of the danger with which his mission was fraught； and Le
Chapelier's parting admonition to conceal his identity。
〃My name is unknown to him； it matters nothing； I am the mouthpiece
of a people； no more。 Go。〃
The usher went； and in the shadow of that lofty； pillared portico
Andre…Louis waited； his eyes straying out ever and anon to survey
that spread of upturned faces immediately below him。
Soon the president came； others following； crowding out into the
portico； jostling one another in their eagerness to hear the news。
〃You are a messenger from Rennes？〃
〃I am the delegate sent by the Literary Chamber of that city to
inform you here in Nantes of what is taking place。〃
〃Your name？〃
Andre…Louis paused。 〃The less we mention names perhaps the better。〃
The president's eyes grew big with gravity。 He was a corpulent；
florid man； purse…proud； and self…sufficient。
He hesitated a moment。 Then … 〃Come into the Chamber；〃 said he。
〃By your leave； monsieur； I will deliver my message from here … from
these steps。〃
〃From here？〃 The great merchant frowned。
〃My message is for the people of Nantes； and from here I can speak
at once to the greatest number of Nantais of all ranks； and it is
my desire … and the desire of those whom I represent … that as great
a number as possible should hear my message at first hand。〃
〃Tell me； sir； is it true that the King has dissolved the States？〃
Andre…Louis looked at him。 He smiled apologetically； and waved a
hand towards the crowd； which by now was straining for a glimpse of
this slim young man who had brought forth the president and more
than half the numbers of the Chamber； guessing already； with that
curious instinct of crowds； that he was the awaited bearer of
tidings。
〃Summon the gentlemen of your Chamber； monsieur；〃 said he； 〃and you
shall hear all。〃
〃So be it。〃
A word； and forth they came to crowd upon the steps； but leaving
clear the topmost step and a half…moon space in the middle。
To the spot so indicated； Andre…Louis now advanced very deliberately。
He took his stand there； dominating the entire assembly。 He removed
his hat； and launched the opening bombshell of that address which
is historic； marking as it does one of the great stages of France's
progress towards revolution。
〃People of this great city of Nantes； I have come to summon you to
arms！〃
In the amazed and rather scared silence that followed he surveyed
them for a moment before resuming。
〃I am a delegate of the people of Rennes； charged to announce to
you what is taking place； and to invite you in this dreadful hour
of our country's peril to rise and march to her defence。〃
〃Name！ Your name！〃 a voice shouted； and instantly the cry was taken
up by others； until the multitude rang with the question。
He could not answer that excited mob as he had answered the
president。 It was necessary to compromise； and he did so； happily。
〃My name；〃 said he； 〃is Omnes Omnibus … all for all。 Let that
suffice you now。 I am a herald； a mouthpiece； a voice； no more。 I
come to announce to you that since the privileged orders； assembled
for the States of Brittany in Rennes； resisted your will … our will
… despite the King's plain hint to them； His Majesty has dissolved
the States。〃
There was a burst of delirious applause。 Men laughed and shouted；
and cries of 〃Vive le Roi！〃 rolled forth like thunder。 Andre…Louis
waited； and gradually the preternatural gravity of his countenance
came to be observed； and to beget the suspicion that there might be
more to follow。 Gradually silence was restored； and at last Andre
Louis was able to proceed。
〃You rejoice too soon。 Unfortunately； the nobles； in their insolent
arrogance； have elected to ignore the royal dissolution； and in
despite of it persist in sitting and in conducting matters as seems
good to them。〃
A silence of utter dismay greeted that disconcerting epilogue to the
announcement that had been so rapturously received。 Andre…Louis
continued after a moment's pause：
〃So that these men who were already rebels against the people；
rebels； against justice and equity； rebels against humanity itself；
are now also rebels against their King。 Sooner than yield an inch
of the unconscionable privileges by which too long already they have
flourished； to the misery of a whole nation； they will make a mock
of royal authority； hold up the King himself to contempt。 They are
determined to prove that there is no real sovereignty in France but
the sovereignty of their own parasitic faineantise。〃
There was a faint splutter of applause； but the majority of the
audience remained silent； waiting。
〃This is no new thing。 Always has it been the same。 No minister
in the last ten years； who； seeing the needs and perils of the State；
counselled the measures that we now demand as the only means of
arresting our motherland in its ever…quickening progress to the
abyss； but found himself as a consequence cast out of office by the
influence which Privilege brought to bear against him。 Twice already
has M。 Necker been called to the ministry； to be twice dismissed
when his insistent counsels
