scaramouche-第32章
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discovered Cordemais' crutch standing discarded behind the door； M。
Binet became alarmed。 A dreadful suspicion entered his mind。 He
grew visibly pale under his paint。
〃But this evening he couldn't walk without the crutch！〃 he exclaimed。
〃How then does he come to leave it there and take himself off？〃
〃Perhaps he has gone on to the inn；〃 suggested some one。
〃But he could n't walk without his crutch；〃 M。 Binet insisted。
Nevertheless； since clearly he was not anywhere about the market…hall；
to the inn they all trooped； and deafened the landlady with their
inquiries。
〃Oh； yes； M。 Cordemais came in some time ago。〃
〃Where is he now？〃
〃He went away again at once。 He just came for his bag。〃
〃For his bag！〃 Binet was on the point of an apoplexy。 〃How long
ago was that？〃
She glanced at the timepiece on the overmantel。 〃It would be about
half an hour ago。 It was a few minutes before the Rennes diligence
passed through。〃
〃The Rennes diligence！〃 M。 Binet was almost inarticulate。 〃Could
he。。。 could he walk？〃 he asked； on a note of terrible anxiety。
〃Walk？ He ran like a hare when he left the inn。 I thought； myself；
that his agility was suspicious； seeing how lame he had been since
he fell downstairs yesterday。 Is anything wrong？〃
M。 Binet had collapsed into a chair。 He took his head in his hands；
and groaned。
〃The scoundrel was shamming all the time！〃 exclaimed Climene。 〃His
fall downstairs was a trick。 He was playing for this。 He has
swindled us。〃
〃Fifteen louis at least … perhaps sixteen！〃 said M。 Binet。 〃Oh； the
heartless blackguard！ To swindle me who have been as a father to
him … and to swindle me in such a moment。〃
》From the ranks of the silent； awe…stricken company； each member of
which was wondering by how much of the loss his own meagre pay would
be mulcted； there came a splutter of laughter。
M。 Binet glared with blood…injected eyes。
〃Who laughs？〃 he roared。 〃What heartless wretch has the audacity
to laugh at my misfortune？〃
Andre…Louis； still in the sable glories of Scaramouche； stood
forward。 He was laughing still。
〃It is you； is it？ You may laugh on another note； my friend； if I
choose a way to recoup myself that I know of。〃
〃Dullard！〃 Scaramouche scorned him。 〃Rabbit…brained elephant！ What
if Cordemais has gone with fifteen louis？ Hasn't he left you
something worth twenty times as much？〃
M。 Binet gaped uncomprehending。
〃You are between two wines； I think。 You've been drinking；〃 he
concluded。
〃So I have … at the fountain of Thalia。 Oh； don't you see？ Don't
you see the treasure that Cordemais has left behind him？〃
〃What has he left？〃
〃A unique idea for the groundwork of a scenario。 It unfolds itself
all before me。 I'll borrow part of the title from Moliere。 We'll
call it 'Les Fourberies de Scaramouche；' and if we don't leave the
audiences of Maure and Pipriac with sides aching from laughter I'll
play the dullard Pantaloon in future。〃
Polichinelle smacked fist into palm。 〃Superb！〃 he said； fiercely。
〃To cull fortune from misfortune； to turn loss into profit； that
is to have genius。
Scaramouche made a leg。 〃Polichinelle； you are a fellow after my
own heart。 I love a man who can discern my merit。 If Pantaloon had
half your wit； we should have Burgundy to…night in spite of the
flight of Cordemais。〃
〃Burgundy？〃 roared M。 Binet； and before he could get farther
Harlequin had clapped his hands together。
〃That is the spirit； M。 Binet。 You heard him； landlady。 He called
for Burgundy。〃
〃I called for nothing of the kind。〃
〃But you heard him； dear madame。 We all heard him。〃
The others made chorus； whilst Scaramouche smiled at him； and patted
his shoulder。
〃Up； man； a little courage。 Did you not say that fortune awaits us？
And have we not now the wherewithal to constrain fortune？ Burgundy；
then； to。。。 to toast 'Les Fourberies de Scaramouche。'〃
And M。 Binet； who was not blind to the force of the idea； yielded；
took courage； and got drunk with the rest。
CHAPTER VI
CLIMENE
Diligent search among the many scenarios of the improvisers which
have survived their day； has failed to bring to light the scenario
of 〃Les Fourberies de Scaramouche；〃 upon which we are told the
fortunes of the Binet troupe came to be soundly established。 They
played it for the first time at Maure in the following week； with
Andre…Louis … who was known by now as Scaramouche to all the
company； and to the public alike … in the title…role。 If he had
acquitted himself well as Figaro…Scaramouche； he excelled himself
in the new piece； the scenario of which would appear to be very
much the better of the two。
After Maure came Pipriac； where four performances were given； two
of each of the scenarios that now formed the backbone of the Binet
repertoire。 In both Scaramouche； who was beginning to find himself；
materially improved his performances。 So smoothly now did the two
pieces run that Scaramouche actually suggested to Binet that after
Fougeray； which they were to visit in the following week； they
should tempt fortune in a real theatre in the important town of
Redon。 The notion terrified Binet at first； but coming to think
of it； and his ambition being fanned by Andre…Louis； he ended by
allowing himself to succumb to the temptation。
It seemed to Andre…Louis in those days that he had found his real
metier； and not only was he beginning to like it； but actually to
look forward to a career as actor…author that might indeed lead
him in the end to that Mecca of all comedians； the Comedie
Francaise。 And there were other possibilities。 From the writing
of skeleton scenarios for improvisers； he might presently pass to
writing plays of dialogue； plays in the proper sense of the word；
after the manner of Chenier； Eglantine； and Beaumarchais。
The fact that he dreamed such dreams shows us how very kindly he
had taken to the profession into which Chance and M。 Binet between
them had conspired to thrust him。 That he had real talent both
as author and as actor I do not doubt； and I am persuaded that had
things fallen out differently he would have won for himself a
lasting place among French dramatists； and thus fully have realized
that dream of his。
Now； dream though it was； he did not neglect the practical side
of it。
〃You realize；〃 he told M。 Binet； 〃that I have it in my power to
make your fortune for you。
He and Binet were sitting alone together in the parlour of the inn
at Pipriac； drinking a very excellent bottle of Volnay。 It was on
the night after the fourth and last performance there of 〃Les
Feurberies。〃 The business in Pipriac had been as excellent as in
Maure and Guichen。 You will have gathered this from the fact that
they drank Volnay。
〃I will concede it； my dear Scaramouche； so that I may hear the
sequel。〃
〃I am disposed to exercise this power if the inducement is
sufficient。 You will realize that for fifteen livres a month a
man does not sell such exceptional gifts as mine。
〃There is an alternative；〃 said M。 Binet； darkly。
〃There is no alternative。 Don't be a fool； Binet。〃
Binet sat up as if he had been prodded。 Members of his company
did not take this tone of direct rebuke with him。
〃Anyway； I make you a present of it；〃 Scaramouche pursued； airily。
〃Exercise it if you please。 Step outside and inform the police that
they can lay hands upon one Andre…Louis Moreau。 But that will be
the end of your fine dreams of going to Redon； and for the first
time in your life playing in a real theatre。 Without me； you can't
do it； and you know it； and I am not going to Redon or anywhere
else； in fact I am not even going to Fougeray； until we have an
equitable arrangement。〃
〃But what heat！〃 complained Binet； 〃and all for what？ Why must you
assume that I have the soul of a usurer？ When our little arrangement
was made； I had no idea how could I？ … that you would prove as
valuable to me as you are？ You had but to remind me； my dear
Scaramouche。 I am a just man。 As from to…day you shall have thirty
livres a month。 See； I double it at once。 I am a generous man。〃
〃But you are not ambitious。 Now listen to me；
