scaramouche-第22章
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was disconcerting。
〃Whose land is this？〃 he asked； with diminishing assurance。
Andre…Louis answered； whilst drawing on his stockings。 〃I believe
it to be the property of the Marquis de La Tour d'Azyr。〃
〃That's a high…sounding name。 Is the gentleman severe？〃
〃The gentleman；〃 said Andre…Louis； 〃is the devil； or rather； I
should prefer to say upon reflection； that the devil is a gentleman
by comparison。
〃And yet；〃 interposed the villainous…looking fellow who played
Scaramouche； 〃by your own confessing you don't hesitate； yourself；
to trespass upon his property。〃
〃Ah； but then； you see； I am a lawyer。 And lawyers are notoriously
unable to observe the law； just as actors are notoriously unable to
act。 Moreover； sir； Nature imposes her limits upon us； and Nature
conquers respect for law as she conquers all else。 Nature conquered
me last night when I had got as far as this。 And so I slept here
without regard for the very high and puissant Marquis de La Tour
d'Azyr。 At the same time； M。 Scaramouche； you'll observe that I
did not flaunt my trespass quite as openly as you and your companions。
Having donned his boots； Andre…Louis came nimbly to the ground in
his shirt…sleeves； his riding…coat over his arm。 As he stood there
to don it； the little cunning eyes of the heavy father conned him in
detail。 Observing that his clothes； if plain； were of a good fashion；
that his shirt was of fine cambric； and that he expressed himself
like a man of culture； such as he claimed to be； M。 Pantaloon was
disposed to be civil。
〃I am very grateful to you for the warning； sir。。。 〃 he was beginning。
〃Act upon it； my friend。 The gardes…champetres of M。 d'Azyr have
orders to fire on trespassers。 Imitate me； and decamp。〃
They followed him upon the instant through that gap in the hedge to
the encampment on the common。 There Andre…Louis took his leave of
them。 But as he was turning away he perceived a young man of the
company performing his morning toilet at a bucket placed upon one
of the wooden steps at the tail of the house on wheels。 A moment
he hesitated； then he turned frankly to M。 Pantaloon； who was still
at his elbow。
〃If it were not unconscionable to encroach so far upon your
hospitality； monsieur；〃 said he； 〃I would beg leave to imitate that
very excellent young gentleman before I leave you。〃
〃But； my dear sir！〃 Good…nature oozed out of every pore of the fat
body of the master player。 〃It is nothing at all。 But； by all
means。 Rhodomont will provide what you require。 He is the dandy
of the company in real life； though a fire…eater on the stage。 Hi；
Rhodomont！〃
The young ablutionist straightened his long body from the right
angle in which it had been bent over the bucket； and looked out
through a foam of soapsuds。 Pantaloon issued an order； and
Rhodomont； who was indeed as gentle and amiable off the stage as he
was formidable and terrible upon it； made the stranger free of the
bucket in the friendliest manner。
So Andre…Louis once more removed his neckcloth and his coat； and
rolled up the sleeves of his fine shirt； whilst Rhodomont procured
him soap； a towel； and presently a broken comb； and even a greasy
hair…ribbon； in case the gentleman should have lost his own。 This
last Andre…Louis declined； but the comb he gratefully accepted； and
having presently washed himself clean； stood； with the towel flung
over his left shoulder； restoring order to his dishevelled locks
before a broken piece of mirror affixed to the door of the
travelling house。
He was standing thus； what time the gentle Rhodomont babbled
aimlessly at his side when his ears caught the sound of hooves。
He looked over his shoulder carelessly； and then stood frozen； with
uplifted comb and loosened mouth。 Away across the common； on the
road that bordered it； he beheld a party of seven horsemen in the
blue coats with red facings of the marechaussee。
Not for a moment did he doubt what was the quarry of this prowling
gendarmerie。 It was as if the chill shadow of the gallows had
fallen suddenly upon him。
And then the troop halted； abreast with them； and the sergeant
leading it sent his bawling voice across the common。
〃Hi； there！ Hi！〃 His tone rang with menace。
Every member of the company … and there were some twelve in all
… stood at gaze。 Pantaloon advanced a step or two； stalking； his
head thrown back； his manner that of a King's Lieutenant。
〃Now； what the devil's this？〃 quoth he； but whether of Fate or
Heaven or the sergeant； was not clear。
There was a brief colloquy among the horsemen； then they came
trotting across the common straight towards the players' encampment。
Andre…Louis had remained standing at the tail of the travelling
house。 He was still passing the comb through his straggling hair；
but mechanically and unconsciously。 His mind was all intent upon
the advancing troop； his wits alert and gathered together for a leap
in whatever direction should be indicated。
Still in the distance； but evidently impatient； the sergeant bawled
a question。
〃Who gave you leave to encamp here？〃
It was a question that reassured Andre…Louis not at all。 He was
not deceived by it into supposing or even hoping that the business
of these men was merely to round up vagrants and trespassers。 That
was no part of their real duty； it was something done in passing
… done； perhaps； in the hope of levying a tax of their own。 It
was very long odds that they were from Rennes； and that their real
business was the hunting down of a young lawyer charged with
sedition。 Meanwhile Pantaloon was shouting back。
〃Who gave us leave； do you say？ What leave？ This is communal land；
free to all。〃
The sergeant laughed unpleasantly； and came on； his troop following。
〃There is；〃 said a voice at Pantaloon's elbow； 〃no such thing as
communal land in the proper sense in all M。 de La Tour d'Azyr's vast
domain。 This is a terre censive； and his bailiffs collect his dues
from all who send their beasts to graze here。〃
Pantaloon turned to behold at his side Andre…Louis in his
shirt…sleeves； and without a neckcloth； the towel still trailing
over his left shoulder； a comb in his hand； his hair half dressed。
〃God of God！〃 swore Pantaloon。 〃But it is an ogre； this Marquis
de La Tour d'Azyr！〃
〃I have told you already what I think of him；〃 said Andre…Louis。
〃As for these fellows you had better let me deal with them。 I have
experience of their kind。〃 And without waiting for Pantaloon's
consent； Andre…Louis stepped forward to meet the advancing men of
the marechaussee。 He had realized that here boldness alone could
save him。
When a moment later the sergeant pulled up his horse alongside of
this half…dressed young man； Andre…Louis combed his hair what time
he looked up with a half smile； intended to be friendly； ingenuous；
and disarming。
In spite of it the sergeant hailed him gruffly： 〃Are you the leader
of this troop of vagabonds？〃
〃Yes。。。 that is to say； my father； there； is really the leader。〃
And he jerked a thumb in the direction of M。 Pantaloon； who stood
at gaze out of earshot in the background。 〃What is your pleasure；
captain？〃
〃My pleasure is to tell you that you are very likely to be gaoled
for this； all the pack of you。〃 His voice was loud and bullying。
It carried across the common to the ears of every member of the
company； and brought them all to stricken attention where they stood。
The lot of strolling players was hard enough without the addition
of gaolings。
〃But how so； my captain？ This is communal land free to all。〃
〃It is nothing of the kind。〃
〃Where are the fences？〃 quoth Andre…Louis； waving the hand that
held the comb； as if to indicate the openness of the place。
〃Fences！〃 snorted the sergeant。 〃What have fences to do with the
matter？ This is terre censive。 There is no grazing here save by
payment of dues to the Marquis de La Tour d'Azyr。〃
〃But we are not grazing；〃 quoth the innocent Andre…Louis。
〃To the devil with you； zany！ You are not grazing！ But your beasts
are grazing！〃
〃They eat so little；〃 Andre…Louis apologized； and again essayed his
ingratiating smile。
The serge
