scaramouche-第4章

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such　as　was　often　to　be　seen　in　the　streets　of　a　great　city；　but
rarely　in　the　country。　　It　was　a　beautifully　sprung　two…horse
cabriolet　of　walnut；　with　a　varnish　upon　it　like　a　sheet　of　glass
and　little　pastoral　scenes　exquisitely　painted　on　the　panels　of　the
door。　　It　was　built　to　carry　two　persons；　with　a　box　in　front　for
the　coachman；　and　a　stand　behind　for　the　footman。　　This　stand　was
empty；　but　the　footman　paced　before　the　door；　and　as　he　emerged　now
from　behind　the　vehicle　into　the　range　of　M。　de　Vilmorin's　vision；
he　displayed　the　resplendent　blue…and…gold　livery　of　the　Marquis　de
La　Tour　d'Azyr。

〃Why！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃Is　it　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr　who　is　with　your
uncle？〃

〃It　is；　monsieur；〃　said　she；　a　world　of　mystery　in　voice　and　eyes；
of　which　M。　de　Vilmorin　observed　nothing。

〃Ah；　pardon！〃　he　bowed　low；　hat　in　hand。　　〃Serviteur；　mademoiselle；〃
and　he　turned　to　depart　towards　the　house。

〃Shall　I　come　with　you；　Philippe？〃　Andre…Louis　called　after　him。

〃It　would　be　ungallant　to　assume　that　you　would　prefer　it；〃　said　M。
de　Vilmorin；　with　a　glance　at　mademoiselle。　　〃Nor　do　I　think　it
would　serve。　　If　you　will　wait。。。　〃

M。　de　Vilmorin　strode　off。　　Mademoiselle；　after　a　moment's　blank
pause；　laughed　ripplingly。　　〃Now　where　is　he　going　in　such　a　hurry？〃

〃To　see　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr　as　well　as　your　uncle；　I　should　say。〃

〃But　he　cannot。　　They　cannot　see　him。　Did　I　not　say　that　they　are
very　closely　engaged？　　You　don't　ask　me　why；　Andre〃　　There　was　an
arch　mysteriousness　about　her；　a　latent　something　that　may　have
been　elation　or　amusement；　or　perhaps　both。　　Andre…Louis　could　not
determine　it。

〃Since　obviously　you　are　all　eagerness　to　tell；　why　should　I　ask？〃
quoth　he。

〃If　you　are　caustic　I　shall　not　tell　you　even　if　you　ask。　　Oh；　yes；
I　will。　　It　will　teach　you　to　treat　me　with　the　respect　that　is　my
due。〃

〃I　hope　I　shall　never　fail　in　that。〃

〃Less　than　ever　when　you　learn　that　I　am　very　closely　concerned　in
the　visit　of　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr。　　I　am　the　object　of　this　visit。〃
And　she　looked　at　him　with　sparkling　eyes　and　lips　parted　in
laughter。

〃The　rest；　you　would　seem　to　imply；　is　obvious。　　But　I　am　a　dolt；
if　you　please；　for　it　is　not　obvious　to　me。〃

〃Why；　stupid；　he　comes　to　ask　my　hand　in　marriage。〃

〃Good　God！〃　said　Andre…Louis；　and　stared　at　her；　chapfallen。

She　drew　back　from　him　a　little　with　a　frown　and　an　upward　tilt　of
her　chin。　　〃It　surprises　you？〃

〃It　disgusts　me；〃　said　he；　bluntly。　　〃In　fact；　I　don't　believe　it。
You　are　amusing　yourself　with　me。〃

For　a　moment　she　put　aside　her　visible　annoyance　to　remove　his
doubts。　　〃I　am　quite　serious；　monsieur。　　There　came　a　formal　letter
to　my　uncle　this　morning　from　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr；　announcing　the
visit　and　its　object。　　I　will　not　say　that　it　did　not　surprise　us
a　little。。

〃Oh；　I　see；〃　cried　Andre…Louis；　in　relief。　　〃I　understand。　　For　a
moment　I　had　almost　feared。。。　〃　　He　broke　off；　looked　at　her；　and
shrugged。

〃Why　do　you　stop？　　You　had　almost　feared　that　Versailles　had　been
wasted　upon　me。　　That　I　should　permit　the　court…ship　of　me　to　be
conducted　like　that　of　any　village　wench。　　It　was　stupid　of　you。　　I
am　being　sought　in　proper　form；　at　my　uncle's　hands。〃

〃Is　his　consent；　then；　all　that　matters；　according　to　Versailles？〃

〃What　else？〃

〃There　is　your　own。〃

She　laughed。　　〃I　am　a　dutiful　niece。。。　when　it　suits　me。〃

〃And　will　it　suit　you　to　be　dutiful　if　your　uncle　accepts　this
monstrous　proposal？〃

〃Monstrous！〃　　She　bridled。　　〃And　why　monstrous；　if　you　please？〃

〃For　a　score　of　reasons；〃　he　answered　irritably。

〃Give　me　one；〃　she　challenged　him。

〃He　is　twice　your　age。〃

〃Hardly　so　much；〃　said　she。

〃He　is　forty…five；　at　least。〃

〃But　he　looks　no　more　than　thirty。　　He　is　very　handsome　…　so　much
you　will　admit；　nor　will　you　deny　that　he　is　very　wealthy　and　very
powerful；　the　greatest　nobleman　in　Brittany。　　He　will　make　me　a
great　lady。〃

〃God　made　you　that；　Aline。〃

〃Come；　that's　better。　　Sometimes　you　can　almost　be　polite。〃　And　she
moved　along　the　terrace；　Andre…Louis　pacing　beside　her。

〃I　can　be　more　than　that　to　show　reason　why　you　should　not　let　this
beast　befoul　the　beautiful　thing　that　God　has　made。〃

She　frowned；　and　her　lips　tightened。　　〃You　are　speaking　of　my　future
husband；〃　she　reproved　him。

His　lips　tightened　too；　his　pale　face　grew　paler。

〃And　is　it　so？　　It　is　settled；　then？　　Your　uncle　is　to　agree？　　You
are　to　be　sold　thus；　lovelessly；　into　bondage　to　a　man　you　do　not
know。　　I　had　dreamed　of　better　things　for　you；　Aline。〃

〃Better　than　to　be　Marquise　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr？〃

He　made　a　gesture　of　exasperation。　　〃Are　men　and　women　nothing　more
than　names？　　Do　the　souls　of　them　count　for　nothing？　　Is　there　no
joy　in　life；　no　happiness；　that　wealth　and　pleasure　and　empty；
high…sounding　titles　are　to　be　its　only　aims？　　I　had　set　you　high
　…　so　high；　Aline　…　a　thing　scarce　earthly。　　There　is　joy　in　your
heart；　intelligence　in　your　mind；　and；　as　I　thought；　the　vision　that
pierces　husks　and　shams　to　claim　the　core　of　reality　for　its　own。
Yet　you　will　surrender　all　for　a　parcel　of　make…believe。　　You　will
sell　your　soul　and　your　body　to　be　Marquise　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr。〃

〃You　are　indelicate；〃　said　she；　and　though　she　frowned　her　eyes
laughed。　　〃And　you　go　headlong　to　conclusions。　　My　uncle　will　not
consent　to　more　than　to　allow　my　consent　to　be　sought。　　We　understand
each　other；　my　uncle　and　I。　　I　am　not　to　be　bartered　like　a　turnip。〃

He　stood　still　to　face　her；　his　eyes　glowing；　a　flush　creeping　into
his　pale　cheeks。

〃You　have　been　torturing　me　to　amuse　yourself！〃　he　cried。　　〃Ah；
well；　I　forgive　you　out　of　my　relief。〃

〃Again　you　go　too　fast；　Cousin　Andre　I　have　permitted　my　uncle　to
consent　that　M。　le　Marquis　shall　make　his　court　to　me。　　I　like　the
look　of　the　gentleman。　　I　am　flattered　by　his　preference　when　I
consider　his　eminence。　　It　is　an　eminence　that　I　may　find　it
desirable　to　share。　　M。　le　Marquis　does　not　look　as　if　he　were　a
dullard。　　It　should　be　interesting　to　be　wooed　by　him。　It　may　be
more　interesting　still　to　marry　him；　and　I　think；　when　all　is
considered；　that　I　shall　probably　…　very　probably　…　decide　to　do　so。〃

He　looked　at　her；　looked　at　the　sweet；　challenging　loveliness　of　that
childlike　face　so　tightly　framed　in　the　oval　of　white　fur；　and　all
the　life　seemed　to　go　out　of　his　own　countenance。

〃God　help　you；　Aline！〃　he　groaned。

She　stamped　her　foot。　　He　was　really　very　exasperating；　and
something　presumptuous　too；　she　thought。

〃You　are　insolent；　monsieur。〃

〃It　is　never　insolent　to　pray；　Aline。　　And　I　did　no　more　than　pray；
as　I　shall　continue　to　do。　　You'll　need　my　prayers；　I　think。〃

〃You　are　insufferable！〃　She　was　growing　angry；　as　he　saw　by　the
deepening　frown；　the　heightened　colour。

〃That　is　because　I　suffer。　　Oh；　Aline；　little　cousin；　think　well　of
what　you　do；　think　well　of　the　realities　you　will　be　bartering　for
these　shams　…　the　realities　that　you　will　never　know；　because　these
cursed　shams　will　block　your　way　to　them。　When　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr
comes　to　make　his　court；　study　him　well；　consult　your　fine　instincts；
leave　your　own　noble　nature　free　to　judge　this　animal　by　its
intuitions。　　Consider　that。。。　〃

〃I　consider；　monsieur；　that　you　presume　upon　the　kindness　I　have
always　shown　you。　　You　abuse　the　position　of　toleration　in　which
you　stand。　　Who　are　you？　　What　are　you；　that　you　should　have　the
insolence　to　take　this　tone　with　me？〃

He　bowed；　instantly　his　cold；　detached　self　again；　and　resumed　the
mockery　that　was　his　natural　habit。

〃My　congratulations；　mademoiselle；　upon　the　readiness　with　which　you
begin　to　adapt　yourself　to　the　great　role　you　are　to　play。〃

〃Do　you　adapt　yourself　also；　monsieur；〃　she　retorted　angrily；　and
turned　her　shoulder　to　him。

〃To　be　as　the　dust　beneath　the　haughty　feet　of　Madame　la　Marquise。
I　hope　I　shall　know　my　place　in　future。〃

The　phrase　arrested　her。　　She　turned　to　him　again；　and　he　perceived
that　her　eyes　were　shining　now　suspiciously。　　In　an　instant　the
mockery　in　him　was　quenched　in　contrition。

〃Lord；　what　a　beast　I　am；　Aline！〃　he　cried；　as　he　advanced。
〃Forgive　me　if　you　can。