scaramouche-第25章
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the condition of your interior to…morrow will depend upon the
impression made by your exterior to…day。 Away！ Away！〃
The implicit obedience this autocrat commanded set them in a whirl。
Baskets and boxes were dragged forth to receive the platters and
remains of their meagre feast。 In an instant the ground was
cleared； and the three ladies had taken their departure to the
chaise； which was set apart for their use。 The men were already
climbing into the house on wheels； when Binet turned to Andre…Louis。
〃We part here； sir；〃 said he； dramatically； 〃the richer by your
acquaintance； your debtors and your friends。〃 He put forth his
podgy hand。
Slowly Andre…Louis took it in his own。 He had been thinking swiftly
in the last few moments。 And remembering the safety he had found
from his pursuers in the bosom of this company； it occurred to him
hat nowhere could he be better hidden for the present； until the
quest for him should have died down。
〃Sir；〃 he said； 〃the indebtedness is on my side。 It is not every
day one has the felicity to sit down with so illustrious and
engaging a company。〃
Binet's little eyes peered suspiciously at the young man； in quest
of irony。 He found nothing but candour and simple good faith。
〃I part from you reluctantly；〃 Andre…Louis continued。 〃The more
reluctantly since I do not perceive the absolute necessity for
parting。〃
〃How？〃 quoth Binet； frowning； and slowly withdrawing the hand which
the other had already retained rather longer than was necessary。
〃Thus；〃 Andre…Louis explained himself。 〃You may set me down as a
sort of knight of rueful countenance in quest of adventure； with no
fixed purpose in life at present。 You will not marvel that what I
have seen of yourself and your distinguished troupe should inspire
me to desire your better acquaintance。 On your side you tell me
that you are in need of some one to replace your Figaro … your
Felicien； I think you called him。 Whilst it may be presumptuous of
me to hope that I could discharge an office so varied and so
onerous。。。 〃
〃You are indulging that acrid humour of yours again； my friend；〃
Binet interrupted him。 〃Excepting for that；〃 he added； slowly；
meditatively； his little eyes screwed up； 〃we might discuss this
proposal that you seem to be making。〃
〃Alas！ we can except nothing。 If you take me； you take me as I am。
What else is possible？ As for this humour … such as it is … which
you decry； you might turn it to profitable account。〃
〃How so？〃
〃In several ways。 I might； for instance； teach Leandre to make
love。〃
Pantaloon burst into laughter。 〃You do not lack confidence in your
powers。 Modesty does not afflict you。〃
〃Therefore I evince the first quality necessary in an actor。〃
〃Can you act？〃
〃Upon occasion； I think；〃 said Andre…Louis； his thoughts upon his
performance at Rennes and Nantes； and wondering when in all his
histrionic career Pantaloon's improvisations had so rent the heart
of mobs。
M。 Binet was musing。 〃Do you know much of the theatre？〃 quoth he。
〃Everything；〃 said Andre…Louis。
〃I said that modesty will prove no obstacle in your career。〃
〃But consider。 I know the work of Beaumarchais； Eglantine； Mercier；
Chenier； and many others of our contemporaries。 Then I have read； of
course； Moliere； Racine； Corneille； besides many other lesser French
writers。 Of foreign authors； I am intimate with the works of Gozzi；
Goldoni； Guarini； Bibbiena； Machiavelli； Secchi； Tasso； Ariosto； and
Fedini。 Whilst of those of antiquity I know most of the work of
Euripides； Aristophanes； Terence； Plautus。。。 〃
〃Enough！〃 roared Pantaloon。
〃I am not nearly through with my list；〃 said Andre…Louis。
〃You may keep the rest for another day。 In Heaven's name； what can
have induced you to read so many dramatic authors？〃
〃In my humble way I am a student of man； and some years ago I made
the discovery that he is most intimately to be studied in the
reflections of him provided for the theatre。〃
〃That is a very original and profound discovery；〃 said Pantaloon；
quite seriously。 〃It had never occurred to me。 Yet is it true。
Sir； it is a truth that dignifies our art。 You are a man of parts；
that is clear to me。 It has been clear since first I met you。 I
can read a man。 I knew you from the moment that you said
'good…morning。' Tell me； now： Do you think you could assist me
upon occasion in the preparation of a scenario？ My mind； fully
engaged as it is with a thousand details of organization； is not
always as clear as I would have it for such work。 Could you assist
me there； do you think？〃
〃I am quite sure I could。〃
〃Hum； yes。 I was sure you would be。 The other duties that were
Felicien's you would soon learn。 Well； well； if you are willing；
you may come along with us。 You'd want some salary； I suppose？〃
〃If it is usual；〃 said Andre…Louis。
〃What should you say to ten livres a month？〃
〃I should say that it isn't exactly the riches of Peru。〃
〃I might go as far as fifteen；〃 said Binet； reluctantly。 〃But times
are bad。〃
〃I'll make them better for you。〃
〃I've no doubt you believe it。 Then we understand each other？〃
〃Perfectly；〃 said Andre…Louis； dryly； and was thus committed to the
service of Thespis。
CHAPTER II
THE COMIC MUSE
The company's entrance into the township of Guichen； if not exactly
triumphal； as Binet had expressed the desire that it should be； was
at least sufficiently startling and cacophonous to set the rustics
gaping。 To them these fantastic creatures appeared … as indeed they
were … beings from another world。
First went the great travelling chaise； creaking and groaning on its
way； drawn by two of the Flemish horses。 It was Pantaloon who drove
it； an obese and massive Pantaloon in a tight…fitting suit of scarlet
under a long brown bed…gown； his countenance adorned by a colossal
cardboard nose。 Beside him on the box sat Pierrot in a white smock；
with sleeves that completely covered his hands； loose white trousers；
and a black skull…cap。 He had whitened his face with flour； and he
made hideous noises with a trumpet。
On the roof of the coach were assembled Polichinelle； Scaramouche；
Harlequin； and Pasquariel。 Polichinelle in black and white； his
doublet cut in the fashion of a century ago； with humps before and
behind； a white frill round his neck and a black mask upon the upper
half of his face； stood in the middle； his feet planted wide to
steady him； solemnly and viciously banging a big drum。 The other
three were seated each at one of the corners of the roof； their legs
dangling over。 Scaramouche； all in black in the Spanish fashion of
the seventeenth century； his face adorned with a pair of mostachios；
jangled a guitar discordantly。 Harlequin； ragged and patched in
every colour of the rainbow； with his leather girdle and sword of
lath； the upper half of his face smeared in soot； clashed a pair of
cymbals intermittently。 Pasquariel； as an apothecary in skull…cap
and white apron； excited the hilarity of the onlookers by his
enormous tin clyster； which emitted when pumped a dolorous squeak。
Within the chaise itself； but showing themselves freely at the
windows； and exchanging quips with the townsfolk； sat the three
ladies of the company。 Climene； the amoureuse； beautifully gowned
in flowered satin； her own clustering ringlets concealed under a
pumpkin…shaped wig； looked so much the lady of fashion that you
might have wondered what she was dong in that fantastic rabble。
Madame； as the mother； was also dressed with splendour； but
exaggerated to achieve the ridiculous。 Her headdress was a
monstrous structure adorned with flowers； and superimposed by little
ostrich plumes。 Columbine sat facing them； her back to the horses；
falsely demure； in milkmaid bonnet of white muslin； and a striped
gown of green and blue。
The marvel was that the old chaise； which in its halcyon days may
have served to carry some dignitary of the Church； did not founder
instead of merely groaning under that excessive and ribald load。
Next came the house on wheels； led by the long； lean Rhodomont； who
had daubed his face red； and increased the terro
