scaramouche-第34章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


The　better　we　pay　them　in　reason；　the　more　they　will　earn　for　us。〃

Thus　was　conquered　the　company's　resentment　of　this　too　swift
promotion　of　its　latest　recruit。　　Cheerfully　now　…　with　one
exception　…　they　accepted　the　dominance　of　Scaramouche；　a　dominance
soon　to　be　so　firmly　established　that　M。　Binet　himself　came　under　it。

The　one　exception　was　Climene。　　Her　failure　to　bring　to　heel　this
interesting　young　stranger；　who　had　almost　literally　dropped　into
their　midst　that　morning　outside　Guichen；　had　begotten　in　her　a
malice　which　his　persistent　ignoring　of　her　had　been　steadily
inflaming。　　She　had　remonstrated　with　her　father　when　the　new
partnership　was　first　formed。　　She　had　lost　her　temper　with　him；
and　called　him　a　fool；　whereupon　M。　Binet　…　in　Pantaloon's　best
manner　…　had　lost　his　temper　in　his　turn　and　boxed　her　ears。　　She
piled　it　up　to　the　account　of　Scaramouche；　and　spied　her　opportunity
to　pay　off　some　of　that　ever…increasing　score。　　But　opportunities
were　few。　　Scaramouche　was　too　occupied　just　then。　　During　the　week
of　preparation　at　Fougeray；　he　was　hardly　seen　save　at　the
performances；　whilst　when　once　they　were　at　Redon；　he　came　and　went
like　the　wind　between　the　theatre　and　the　inn。

The　Redon　experiment　had　justified　itself　from　the　first。　　Stimulated
and　encouraged　by　this；　Andre…Louis　worked　day　and　night　during　the
month　that　they　spent　in　that　busy　little　town。　　The　moment　had　been
well　chosen；　for　the　trade　in　chestnuts　of　which　Redon　is　the　centre
was　just　then　at　its　height。　　And　every　afternoon　the　little　theatre
was　packed　with　spectators。　　The　fame　of　the　troupe　had　gone　forth；
borne　by　the　chestnut…growers　of　the　district；　who　were　bringing
their　wares　to　Redon　market；　and　the　audiences　were　made　up　of　people
from　the　surrounding　country；　and　from　neighbouring　villages　as　far
out　as　Allaire；　Saint…Perrieux　and　Saint…Nicholas。　　To　keep　the
business　from　slackening；　Andre…Louis　prepared　a　new　scenario　every
week。　　He　wrote　three　in　addition　to　those　two　with　which　he　had
already　supplied　the　company；　these　were　〃The　Marriage　of　Pantaloon；〃
〃The　Shy　Lover；〃　and　〃The　Terrible　Captain。〃　　Of　these　the　last　was
the　greatest　success。　　It　was　based　upon　the　〃Miles　Gloriosus〃　of
Plautus；　with　great　opportunities　for　Rhodomont；　and　a　good　part
for　Scaramouche　as　the　roaring　captain's　sly　lieutenant。　　Its
success　was　largely　due　to　the　fact　that　Andre…Louis　amplified　the
scenario　to　the　extent　of　indicating　very　fully　in　　places　the
lines　which　the　dialogue　should　follow；　whilst　here　and　there　he
had　gone　so　far　as　to　supply　some　of　the　actual　dialogue　to　be
spoken；　without；　however；　making　it　obligatory　upon　the　actors
to　keep　to　the　letter　of　it。

And　meanwhile　as　the　business　prospered；　he　became　busy　with
tailors；　improving　the　wardrobe　of　the　company；　which　was　sorely
in　need　of　improvement。　　He　ran　to　earth　a　couple　of　needy　artists；
lured　them　into　the　company　to　play　small　parts　…　apothecaries　and
notaries　…　and　set　them　to　beguile　their　leisure　in　painting　new
scenery；　so　as　to　be　ready　for　what　he　called　the　conquest　of　Nantes；
which　was　to　come　in　the　new　year。　　Never　in　his　life　had　he　worked
so　hard；　never　in　his　life　had　he　worked　at　all　by　comparison　with
his　activities　now。　　His　fund　of　energy　and　enthusiasm　was
inexhaustible；　like　that　of　his　good　humour。　　He　came　and　went；
acted；　wrote；　conceived；　directed；　planned；　and　executed；　what　time
M。　Binet　took　his　ease　at　last　in　comparative　affluence；　drank
Burgundy　every　night；　ate　white　bread　and　other　delicacies；　and
began　to　congratulate　himself　upon　his　astuteness　in　having　made
this　industrious；　tireless　fellow　his　partner。　　Having　discovered
how　idle　had　been　his　fears　of　performing　at　Redon；　he　now　began　to
dismiss　the　terrors　with　which　the　notion　of　Nantes　had　haunted　him。

And　his　happiness　was　reflected　throughout　the　ranks　of　his　company；
with　the　single　exception　always　of　Climene。　　She　had　ceased　to
sneer　at　Scaramouche；　haying　realized　at　last　that　her　sneers　left
him　untouched　and　recoiled　upon　herself。　　Thus　her　almost　indefinable
resentment　of　him　was　increased　by　being　stifled；　until；　at　all　costs；
an　outlet　for　it　must　be　found。

One　day　she　threw　herself　in　his　way　as　he　was　leaving　the　theatre
after　the　performance。　　The　others　had　already　gone；　and　she　had
returned　upon　pretence　of　having　forgotten　something。

〃Will　you　tell　me　what　I　have　done　to　you？〃　she　asked　him；
point…blank。

〃Done　to　me；　mademoiselle？〃　　He　did　not　understand。　　She　made　a
gesture　of　impatience。　　〃Why　do　you　hate　me？〃

〃Hate　you；　mademoiselle？　　I　do　not　hate　anybody。　　It　is　the　most
stupid　of　all　the　emotions。　　I　have　never　hated　…　not　even　my
enemies。〃

〃What　Christian　resignation！〃

〃As　for　hating　you；　of　all　people！　　Why。。。　I　consider　you　adorable。
I　envy　Leandre　every　day　of　my　life。　　I　have　seriously　thought　of
setting　him　to　play　Scaramouche；　and　playing　lovers　myself。〃

〃I　don't　think　you　would　be　a　success；〃　said　she。

〃That　is　the　only　consideration　that　restrains　me。　　And　yet；　given
the　inspiration　that　is　given　Leandre；　it　is　possible　that　I　might
be　convincing。〃

〃Why；　what　inspiration　do　you　mean？〃

〃The　inspiration　of　playing　to　so　adorable　a　Climene。〃

Her　lazy　eyes　were　now　alert　to　search　that　lean　face　of　his。

〃You　are　laughing　at　me；〃　said　she；　and　swept　past　him　into　the
theatre　on　her　pretended　quest。　　There　was　nothing　to　be　done　with
such　a　fellow。　　He　was　utterly　without　feeling。　　He　was　not　a　man
at　all。

Yet　when　she　came　forth　again　at　the　end　of　some　five　minutes；　she
found　him　still　lingering　at　the　door。

〃Not　gone　yet？〃　she　asked　him；　superciliously。

〃I　was　waiting　for　you；　mademoiselle。　　You　will　be　walking　to　the
inn。　　If　I　might　escort　you。。。　〃

〃But　what　gallantry！　　What　condescension！〃

〃Perhaps　you　would　prefer　that　I　did　not？〃

〃How　could　I　prefer　that；　M。　Scaramouche？　　Besides；　we　are　both
going　the　same　way；　and　the　streets　are　common　to　all。　　It　is　that
I　am　overwhelmed　by　the　unusual　honour。〃

He　looked　into　her　piquant　little　face；　and　noted　how　obscured　it
was　by　its　cloud　of　dignity。　　He　laughed。

〃Perhaps　I　feared　that　the　honour　was　not　sought。〃

〃Ah；　now　I　understand；〃　she　cried。　　〃It　is　for　me　to　seek　these
honours。　　I　am　to　woo　a　man　before　he　will　pay　me　the　homage　of
civility。　　It　must　be　so；　since　you；　who　clearly　know　everything；
have　said　so。　　It　remains　for　me　to　beg　your　pardon　for　my　ignorance。〃

〃It　amuses　you　to　be　cruel；〃　said　Scaramouche。　　〃No　matter。　　Shall
we　walk？〃

They　set　out　together；　stepping　briskly　to　warm　their　blood　against
the　wintry　evening　air。　　Awhile　they　went　in　silence；　yet　each
furtively　observing　the　other。

〃And　so；　you　find　me　cruel？〃　she　challenged　him　at　length；　thereby
betraying　the　fact　that　the　accusation　had　struck　home。

He　looked　at　her　with　a　half　smile。　　〃Will　you　deny　it？〃

〃You　are　the　first　man　that　ever　accused　me　of　that。〃

〃I　dare　not　suppose　myself　the　first　man　to　whom　you　have　been　cruel。
That　were　an　assumption　too　flattering　to　myself。　　I　must　prefer　to
think　that　the　others　suffered　in　silence。〃

〃Mon　Dieu！　　Have　you　suffered？〃　She　was　between　seriousness　and
raillery。

〃I　place　the　confession　as　an　offering　on　the　altar　of　your　vanity。〃

〃I　should　never　have　suspected　it。〃

〃How　could　you？　　Am　I　not　what　your　father　calls　a　natural　actor？
I　was　an　actor　long　before　I　became　Scaramouche。　　Therefore　I　have
laughed。　　I　often　do　when　I　am　hurt。　　When　you　were　pleased　to　be
disdainful；　I　acted　disdain　in　my　turn。〃

〃You　acted　very　well；〃　said　she；　without　reflecting。

〃Of　course。　　I　am　an　excellent　actor。〃

〃And　why　this　sudden　change？〃

〃In　response　to　the　change　in　you。　　You　have　grown　weary　of　your
part　of　cruel　madam　…　a　dull　part；　believe　me；　and　unworthy　of　your
talents。；　Were　I　a　woman　and　had　I　your　loveliness　and　your　grace；
Climene；　I　should　disdain　to　use　them　as　weapons　of　offence。〃

〃Loveliness　and　grace！〃　she　echoed；　feigning　amused　surprise。　　But
the　vain　baggage　was　mollified。　　〃When　was　it　that　you　discovered
this　beauty　and　this　grace；　M。　Scaramouche？〃

He　looked