scaramouche-第38章

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him　that　I　intend　to　marry　you。〃

〃He　was　right。　　You　are　a　bold　robber；　Scaramouche。〃

〃It　is　in　the　character；〃　said　he。　　〃Your　father　believes　in　having
his　mimes　play　upon　the　stage　the　parts　that　suit　their　natural
temperaments。〃

〃Yes；　you　take　everything　you　want；　don't　you？〃　　She　looked　up　at
him；　half　adoringly；　half　shyly。

〃If　it　is　possible；〃　said　he。　　〃I　took　his　consent　to　our　marriage
by　main　force　from　him。　I　never　waited　for　him　to　give　it。　　When；　in
fact；　he　refused　it；　I　just　snatched　it　from　him；　and　I'll　defy　him
now　to　win　it　back　from　me。　　I　think　that　is　what　he　most　resents。〃

She　laughed；　and　launched　upon　an　animated　answer。　　But　he　did　not
hear　a　word　of　it。　　Through　the　bustle　of　traffic　on　the　quay　a
cabriolet；　the　upper　half　of　which　was　almost　entirely　made　of　glass；
had　approached　them。　　It　was　drawn　by　two　magnificent　bay　horses　and
driven　by　a　superbly　livened　coachman。

In　the　cabriolet　alone　sat　a　slight　young　girl　wrapped　in　a　lynx…fur
pelisse；　her　face　of　a　delicate　loveliness。　　She　was　leaning　forward；
her　lips　parted；　her　eyes　devouring　Scaramouche　until　they　drew　his
gaze。　　When　that　happened；　the　shock　of　it　brought　him　abruptly　to　a
dumfounded　halt。

Climene；　checking　in　the　middle　of　a　sentence；　arrested　by　his　own
sudden　stopping；　plucked　at　his　sleeve。

〃What　is　it；　Scaramouche？〃

But　he　made　no　attempt　to　answer　her；　and　at　that　moment　the
coachman；　to　whom　the　little　lady　had　already　signalled；　brought
the　carriage　to　a　standstill　beside　them。　　Seen　in　the　gorgeous
setting　of　that　coach　with　its　escutcheoned　panels；　its　portly
coachman　and　its　white…stockinged　footman　…　who　swung　instantly
to　earth　as　the　vehicle　stopped　…　its　dainty　occupant　seemed　to
Climene　a　princess　out　of　a　fairy…tale。　　And　this　princess　leaned
forward；　with　eyes　aglow　and　cheeks　aflush；　stretching　out　a
choicely　gloved　hand　to　Scaramouche。

〃Andre…Louis！〃　she　called　him。

And　Scaramouche　took　the　hand　of　that　exalted　being；　just　as　he
might　have　taken　the　hand　of　Climene　herself；　and　with　eyes　that
reflected　the　gladness　of　her　own；　in　a　voice　that　echoed　the　joyous
surprise　of　hers；　he　addressed　her　familiarly　by　name；　just　as　she
had　addressed　him。

〃Aline！〃



CHAPTER　VIII

THE　DREAM


〃The　door；〃　Aline　commanded　her　footman；　and　〃Mount　here　beside　me；〃
she　commanded　Andre…Louis；　in　the　same　breath。

〃A　moment；　Aline。〃

He　turned　to　his　companion；　who　was　all　amazement；　and　to　Harlequin
and　Columbine；　who　had　that　moment　come　up　to　share　it。　　〃You　permit
me；　Climene？〃　said　he；　breathlessly。　　But　it　was　more　a　statement
than　a　question。　　〃Fortunately　you　are　not　alone。　　Harlequin　will
take　care　of　you。　　Au　revoir；　at　dinner。〃

With　that　he　sprang　into　the　cabriolet　without　waiting　for　a　reply。
The　footman　dosed　the　door；　the　coachman　cracked　his　whip；　and　the
regal　equipage　rolled　away　along　the　quay；　leaving　the　three
comedians　staring　after　it；　open…mouthed。。。　Then　Harlequin　laughed。

〃A　prince　in　disguise；　our　Scaramouche！〃　said　he。

Columbine　clapped　her　hands　and　flashed　her　strong　teeth。　　〃But　what
a　romance　for　you；　Climene！　　How　wonderful！〃

The　frown　melted　from　Climene's　brow。　　Resentment　changed　to
bewilderment。

〃But　who　is　she？〃

〃His　sister；　of　course；〃　said　Harlequin；　quite　definitely。

〃His　sister？　　How　do　you　know？〃

〃I　know　what　he　will　tell　you　on　his　return。〃

〃But　why？〃

〃Because　you　wouldn't　　believe　him　if　he　said　she　was　his　mother。〃

Following　the　carriage　with　their　glance；　they　wandered　on　in　the
direction　it　had　taken。　　And　in　the　carriage　Aline　was　considering
Andre…Louis　with　grave　eyes；　lips　slightly　compressed；　and　a　tiny
frown　between　her　finely　drawn　eyebrows。

〃You　have　taken　to　queer　company；　Andre；〃　was　the　first　thing　she
said　to　him。　〃Or　else　I　am　mistaken　in　thinking　that　your　companion
was　Mlle。　Binet　of　the　Theatre　Feydau。〃

〃You　are　not　mistaken。　　But　I　had　not　imagined　Mlle。　Binet　so　famous
already。〃

〃Oh；　as　to　that。。。　〃　mademoiselle　shrugged；　her　tone　quietly
scornful。　　And　she　explained。　　〃It　is　simply　that　I　was　at　the　play
last　night。　　I　thought　I　recognized　her。〃

〃You　were　at　the　Feydau　last　night？　　And　I　never　saw　you！〃

〃Were　you　there；　too？〃

〃Was　I　there！〃　he　cried。　　Then　he　checked；　and　abruptly　changed　his
tone。　　〃Oh；　yes；　I　was　there；〃　he　said；　as　commonplace　as　he　could；
beset　by　a　sudden　reluctance　to　avow　that　he　had　so　willingly
descended　to　depths　that　she　must　account　unworthy；　and　grateful
that　his　disguise　of　face　and　voice　should　have　proved　impenetrable
even　to　one　who　knew　him　so　very　well。

〃I　understand；〃　said　she；　and　compressed　her　lips　a　little　more
tightly。

〃But　what　do　you　understand？〃

〃The　rare　attractions　of　Mlle。　Binet。　　Naturally　you　would　be　at
the　theatre。　　Your　tone　conveyed　it　very　clearly。　　Do　you　know　that
you　disappoint　me；　Andre？　　It　is　stupid　of　me；　perhaps；　it　betrays；
I　suppose；　my　imperfect　knowledge　of　your　sex。　　I　am　aware　that
most　young　men　of　fashion　find　an　irresistible　attraction　for
creatures　who　parade　themselves　upon　the　stage。　　But　I　did　not
expect　you　to　ape　the　ways　of　a　man　of　fashion。　　I　was　foolish
enough　to　imagine　you　to　be　different；　rather　above　such　trivial
pursuits。　　I　conceived　you　something　of　an　idealist。〃

〃Sheer　flattery。〃

〃So　I　perceive。　　But　you　misled　me。　　You　talked　so　much　morality　of
a　kind；　you　made　philosophy　so　readily；　that　I　came　to　be　deceived。
In　fact；　your　hypocrisy　was　so　consummate　that　I　never　suspected　it。
With　your　gift　of　acting　I　wonder　that　you　haven't　joined　Mlle。
Binet's　troupe。〃

〃I　have；〃　said　he。

It　had　really　become　necessary　to　tell　her；　making　choice　of　the
lesser　of　the　two　evils　with　which　she　confronted　him。

He　saw　first　incredulity；　then　consternation；　and　lastly　disgust
overspread　her　face。

〃Of　course；〃　said　she；　after　a　long　pause；　〃that　would　have　the
advantage　of　bringing　you　closer　to　your　charmer。〃

〃That　was　only　one　of　the　inducements。　　There　was　another。　　Finding
myself　forced　to　choose　between　the　stage　and　the　gallows；　I　had　the
incredible　weakness　to　prefer　the　former。　　It　was　utterly　unworthy
of　a　man　of　my　lofty　ideals；　but　…　what　would　you？　　Like　other
ideologists；　I　find　it　easier　to　preach　than　to　practise。　　Shall　I
stop　the　carriage　and　remove　the　contamination　of　my　disgusting
person？　　Or　shall　I　tell　you　how　it　happened？〃

〃Tell　me　how　it　happened　first。　　Then　we　will　decide。〃

He　told　her　how　he　met　the　Binet　Troupe；　and　how　the　men　of　the
marechaussee　forced　upon　him　the　discovery　that　in　its　bosom　he　could
lie　safely　lost　until　the　hue　and　cry　had　died　down。　　The　explanation
dissolved　her　iciness。

〃My　poor　Andre；　why　didn't　you　tell　me　this　at　first？〃

〃For　one　thing；　you　didn't　give　me　time；　for　another；　I　feared　to
shock　you　with　the　spectacle　of　my　degradation。〃

She　took　him　seriously。　　〃But　where　was　the　need　of　it？　　And　why　did
you　not　send　us　word　as　I　required　you　of　your　whereabouts？〃

〃I　was　thinking　of　it　only　yesterday。　　I　have　hesitated　for　several
reasons。〃

〃You　thought　it　would　offend　us　to　know　what　you　were　doing？〃

〃I　think　that　I　preferred　to　surprise　you　by　the　magnitude　of　my
ultimate　achievements。〃

〃Oh；　you　are　to　become　a　great　actor？〃　　She　was　frankly　scornful。

〃That　is　not　impossible。　　But　I　am　more　concerned　to　become　a　great
author。　　There　is　no　reason　why　you　should　sniff。　　The　calling　is　an
honourable　one。　　All　the　world　is　proud　to　know　such　men　as
Beaumarchais　and　Chenier。〃

〃And　you　hope　to　equal　them？〃

〃I　hope　to　surpass　them；　whilst　acknowledging　that　it　was　they　who
taught　me　how　to　walk。　　What　did　you　think　of　the　play　last　night？〃

〃It　was　amusing　and　well　conceived。〃

〃Let　me　present　you　to　the　author。〃

〃You？　　But　the　company　is　one　of　the　improvisers。〃

〃Even　improvisers　require　an　author　to　write　their　scenarios。　　That
is　all　I　write　at　present。　　Soon　I　shall　be　writing　plays　in　the
modern　manner。〃

〃You　deceive　yourself；　my　poor　Andre。　　The　piece　last　night　would
have　been　nothing　without　the　players。　　You　are　fortunate　in　your
Scaramouche。〃

〃In　confidence　…　I　present　you　to