scaramouche-第17章

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has　M。　Necker　been　called　to　the　ministry；　to　be　twice　dismissed
when　his　insistent　counsels　of　reform　threatened　the　privileges　of
clergy　and　nobility。　　For　the　third　time　now　has　he　been　called　to
office；　and　at　last　it　seems　we　are　to　have　States　General　in　spite
of　Privilege。　　But　what　the　privileged　orders　can　no　longer　prevent；
they　are　determined　to　stultify。　　Since　it　is　now　a　settled　thing
that　these　States　General　are　to　meet；　at　least　the　nobles　and　the
clergy　will　see　to　it　…　unless　we　take　measures　to　prevent　them　…　by
packing　the　Third　Estate　with　their　own　creatures；　and　denying　it
all　effective　representation；　that　they　convert。　　the　States　General
into　an　instrument　of　their　own　will　for　the　perpetuation　of　the
abuses　by　which　they　live。　　To　achieve　this　end　they　will　stop　at
nothing。　　They　have　flouted　the　authority　of　the　King；　and　they　are
silencing　by　assassination　those　who　raise　their　voices　to　condemn
them。　Yesterday　in　Rennes　two　young　men　who　addressed　the　people　as
I　am　addressing　you　were　done　to　death　in　the　streets　by　assassins
at　the　instigation　of　the　nobility。　　Their　blood　cries　out　for
vengeance。〃

Beginning　in　a　sullen　mutter；　the　indignation　that　moved　his　hearers
swelled　up　to　express　itself　in　a　roar　of　anger。

〃Citizens　of　Nantes；　the　motherland　is　in　peril。　　Let　us　march　to
her　defence。　　Let　us　proclaim　it　to　the　world　that　we　recognize
that　the　measures　to　liberate　the　Third　Estate　from　the　slavery　in
which　for　centuries　it　has　groaned　find　only　obstacles　in　those
orders　whose　phrenetic　egotism　sees　in　the　tears　and　suffering　of
the　unfortunate　an　odious　tribute　which　they　would　pass　on　to　their
generations　still　unborn。　　Realizing　from　the　barbarity　of　the　means
employed　by　our　enemies　to　perpetuate　our　oppression　that　we　have
everything　to　fear　from　the　aristocracy　they　would　set　up　as　a
constitutional　principle　for　the　governing　of　France；　let　us　declare
ourselves　at　once　enfranchised　from　it。

〃The　establishment　of　liberty　and　equality　should　be　the　aim　of
every　citizen　member　of　the　Third　Estate；　and　to　this　end　we　should
stand　indivisibly　united；　especially　the　young　and　vigorous；
especially　those　who　have　had　the　good　fortune　to　be　born　late　enough
to　be　able　to　gather　for　themselves　the　precious　fruits　of　the
philosophy　of　this　eighteenth　century。〃

Acclamations　broke　out　unstintedly　now。　　He　had　caught　them　in　the
snare　of　his　oratory。　　And　he　pressed　his　advantage　instantly。

〃Let　us　all　swear；〃　he　cried　in　a　great　voice；　〃to　raise　up　in　the
name　of　humanity　and　of　liberty　a　rampart　against　our　enemies；　to
oppose　to　their　bloodthirsty　covetousness　the　calm　perseverance　of
men　whose　cause　is　just。　　And　let　us　protest　here　and　in　advance
against　any　tyrannical　decrees　that　should　declare　us　seditious　when
we　have　none　but　pure　and　just　intentions。　　Let　us　make　oath　upon
the　honour　of　our　motherland　that　should　any　of　us　be　seized　by　an
unjust　tribunal；　intending　against　us　one　of　those　acts　termed　of
political　expediency　…　which　are；　in　effect；　but　acts　of　despotism　
…　let　us　swear；　I　say；　to　give　a　full　expression　to　the　strength
that　is　in　us　and　do　that　in　self…defence　which　nature；　courage；
and　despair　dictate　to　us。〃

Loud　and　long　rolled　the　applause　that　greeted　his　conclusion；　and
he　observed　with　satisfaction　and　even　some　inward　grim　amusement
that　the　wealthy　merchants　who　had　been　congregated　upon　the　steps；
and　who　now　came　crowding　about　him　to　shake　him　by　the　hand　and　to
acclaim　him；　were　not　merely　participants　in；　but　the　actual　leaders
of；　this　delirium　of　enthusiasm。

It　confirmed　him；　had　he　needed　confirmation；　in　his　conviction　that
just　as　the　philosophies　upon　which　this　new　movement　was　based　had
their　source　in　thinkers　extracted　from　the　bourgeoisie；　so　the　need
to　adopt　those　philosophies　to　the　practical　purposes　of　life　was
most　acutely　felt　at　present　by　those　bourgeois　who　found　themselves
debarred　by　Privilege　from　the　expansion　their　wealth　permitted　them。
If　it　might　be　said　of　Andre…Louis　that　he　had　that　day　lighted　the
torch　of　the　Revolution　in　Nantes；　it　might　with　even　greater　truth
be　said　that　the　torch　itself　was　supplied　by　the　opulent　bourgeoisie。

I　need　not　dwell　at　any　length　upon　the　sequel。　　It　is　a　matter　of
history　how　that　oath　which　Omnes　Omnibus　administered　to　the
citizens　of　Nantes　formed　the　backbone　of　the　formal　protest　which
they　drew　up　and　signed　in　their　thousands。　　Nor　were　the　results　of
that　powerful　protest　…　which；　after　all；　might　already　be　said　to
harmonize　with　the　expressed　will　of　the　sovereign　himself　…　long
delayed。　　Who　shall　say　how　far　it　may　have　strengthened　the　hand　of
Necker；　when　on　the　27th　of　that　same　month　of　November　he　compelled
the　Council　to　adopt　the　most　significant　and　comprehensive　of　all
those　measures　to　which　clergy　and　nobility　had　refused　their　consent？
On　that　date　was　published　the　royal　decree　ordaining　that　the
deputies　to　be　elected　to　the　States　General　should　number　at　least
one　thousand；　and　that　the　deputies　of　the　Third　Estate　should　be
fully　representative　by　numbering　as　many　as　the　deputies　of　clergy
and　nobility　together。



CHAPTER　IX

THE　AFTERMATH


Dusk　of　the　following　day　was　falling　when　the　homing　Andre…Louis
approached　Gavrillac。　　Realizing　fully　what　a　hue　and　cry　there
would　presently　be　for　the　apostle　of　revolution　who　had　summoned
the　people　of　Nantes　to　arms；　he　desired　as　far　as　possible　to
conceal　the　fact　that　he　had　been　in　that　maritime　city。　　Therefore
he　made　a　wide　detour；　crossing　the　river　at　Bruz；　and　recrossing
it　a　little　above　Chavagne；　so　as　to　approach　Gavrillac　from　the
north；　and　create　the　impression　that　he　was　returning　from　Rennes；
whither　he　was　known　to　have　gone　two　days　ago。

Within　a　mile　or　so　of　the　village　he　caught　in　the　fading　light
his　first　glimpse　of　a　figure　on　horseback　pacing　slowly　towards
him。　But　it　was　not　until　they　had　come　within　a　few　yards　of　each
other；　and　he　observed　that　this　cloaked　figure　was　leaning　forward
to　peer　at　him；　that　he　took　much　notice　of　it。　　And　then　he　found
himself　challenged　almost　at　once　by　a　woman's　voice。

〃It　is　you；　Andre　…　at　last！〃

He　drew　rein；　mildly　surprised；　to　be　assailed　by　another　question；
impatiently；　anxiously　asked。

〃Where　have　you　been？〃

〃Where　have　I　been；　Cousin　Aline？　　Oh。。。　seeing　the　world。〃

〃I　have　been　patrolling　this　road　since　noon　to…day　waiting　for　you。〃
She　spoke　breathlessly；　in　haste　to　explain。　　〃A　troop　of　the
marechaussee　from　Rennes　descended　upon　Gavrillac　this　morning　in
quest　of　you。　　They　turned　the　chateau　and　the　village　inside　out；
and　at　last　discovered　that　you　were　due　to　return　with　a　horse
hired　from　the　Breton　arme。　　So　they　have　taken　up　their　quarters
at　the　inn　to　wait　for　you。　　I　have　been　here　all　the　afternoon　on
the　lookout　to　warn　you　against　walking　into　that　trap。〃

〃My　dear　Aline！　　That　I　should　have　been　the　cause　of　so　much
concern　and　trouble！〃

〃Never　mind　that。　　It　is　not　important。〃

〃On　the　contrary；　it　is　the　most　important　part　of　what　you　tell　me。
It　is　the　rest　that　is　unimportant。〃

〃Do　you　realize　that　they　have　come　to　arrest　you？〃　she　asked　him；
with　increasing　impatience。　　〃You　are　wanted　for　sedition；　and　upon
a　warrant　from　M。　de　Lesdiguieres。〃

〃Sedition？〃　quoth　he；　and　his　thoughts　flew　to　that　business　at
Nantes。　　It　was　impossible　they　could　have　had　news　of　it　in　Rennes
and　acted　upon　it　in　so　short　a　time。

〃Yes；　sedition。　　The　sedition　of　that　wicked　speech　of　yours　at
Rennes　on　Wednesday。〃

〃Oh；　that！〃　said　he。　　〃Pooh！〃　　His　note　of　relief　might　have　told
her；　had　she　been　more　attentive；　that　he　had　to　fear　the　consequences
of　a　greater　wickedness　committed　since。　　〃Why；　that　was　nothing。〃

〃Nothing？〃

〃I　almost　suspect　that　the　real　intentions　of　these　gentlemen　of
the　marechaussee　have　been　misunderstood。　　Most　probably　they　have
come　to　thank　me　on　M。　de　Lesdiguieres'　behalf。　　I　restrained　the
people　when　they　would　have　burnt　the　Palais　and　himself　inside　it。〃

〃After　you　had　first　incited　them　to　do　it。　　I　suppose　you　were
afrai