scaramouche-第42章
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〃He is a man without charity； without humanity almost； a man who
takes what he wants wherever he finds it and whether it is given
willingly or not； a man who reckons nothing of the misery he
scatters on his self…indulgent way； a man whose only law is force。
Ponder it； Climene； and ask yourself if I do you less than honour in
warning you。〃
He went out on that； feeling a degradation in continuing the subject。
The days that followed were unhappy days for him； and for at least
one other。 That other was Leandre； who was cast into the profoundest
dejection by M。 de La Tour d'Azyr's assiduous attendance upon Climene。
The Marquis was to be seen at every performance； a box was perpetually
reserved for him； and invariably he came either alone or else with his
cousin M。 de Chabrillane。
On Tuesday of the following week； Andre…Louis went out alone early
in the morning。 He was out of temper； fretted by an overwhelming
sense of humiliation； and he hoped to clear his mind by walking。
In turning the corner of the Place du Bouffay he ran into a slightly
built； sallow…complexioned gentleman very neatly dressed in black；
wearing a tie…wig under a round hat。 The man fell back at sight of
him； levelling a spy…glass； then hailed him in a voice that rang
with amazement。
〃Moreau！ Where the devil have you been hiding your…self these months？〃
It was Le Chapelier； the lawyer； the leader of the Literary Chamber
of Rennes。
〃Behind the skirts of Thespis；〃 said Scaramouche。
〃I don't understand。〃
〃I didn't intend that you should。 What of yourself； Isaac？ And
what of the world which seems to have been standing still of late？〃
〃Standing still！〃 Le Chapelier laughed。 〃But where have you been；
then？ Standing still！〃 He pointed across the square to a caf？
under the shadow of the gloomy prison。 〃Let us go and drink a
bavaroise。 You are of all men the man we want； the man we have
been seeking everywhere； and … behold！ … you drop from the skies
into my path。〃
They crossed the square and entered the caf？
〃So you think the world has been standing still！ Dieu de Dieu！ I
suppose you haven't heard of the royal order for the convocation of
the States General； or the terms of them … that we are to have what
we demanded； what you demanded for us here in Nantes！ You haven't
heard that the order has gone forth for the primary elections … the
elections of the electors。 You haven't heard of the fresh uproar
in Rennes； last month。 The order was that the three estates should
sit together at the States General of the bailliages； but in the
bailliage of Rennes the nobles must ever be recalcitrant。 They took
up arms actually … six hundred of them with their valetaille； headed
by your old friend M。 de La Tour d'Azyr； and they were for slashing
us … the members of the Third Estate … into ribbons so as to put an
end to our insolence。〃 He laughed delicately。 〃But； by God； we
showed them that we； too； could take up arms。 It was what you
yourself advocated here in Nantes； last November。 We fought them
a pitched battle in the streets； under the leadership of your
namesake Moreau； the provost； and we so peppered them that they were
glad to take shelter in the Cordelier Convent。 That is the end of
their resistance to the royal authority and the people's will。〃
He ran on at great speed detailing the events that had taken place；
and finally came to the matter which had； he announced； been causing
him to hunt for Andre…Louis until he had all but despaired of
finding him。
Nantes was sending fifty delegates to the assembly of Rennes which
was to select the deputies to the Third Estate and edit their cahier
of grievances。 Rennes itself was being as fully represented； whilst
such villages as Gavrillac were sending two delegates for every two
hundred hearths or less。 Each of these three had clamoured that
Andre…Louis Moreau should be one of its delegates。 Gavrillac wanted
him because he belonged to the village； and it was known there what
sacrifices he had made in the popular cause； Rennes wanted him
because it had heard his spirited address on the day of the shooting
of the students； and Nantes … to whom his identity was unknown …
asked for him as the speaker who had addressed them under the name
of Omnes Omnibus and who had framed for them the memorial that was
believed so largely to have influenced M。 Necker in formulating the
terms of the convocation。
Since he could not be found； the delegations had been made up
without him。 But now it happened that one or two vacancies had
occurred in the Nantes representation； and it was the business of
filling these vacancies that had brought Le Chapelier to Nantes。
Andre…Louis firmly shook his head in answer to Le Chapelier's
proposal。
〃You refuse？〃 the other cried。 〃Are you mad？ Refuse； when you are
demanded from so many sides？ Do you realize that it is more than
probable you will be elected one of the deputies； that you will be
sent to the States General at Versailles to represent us in this
work of saving France？〃
But Andre…Louis； we know； was not concerned to save France。 At the
moment he was concerned to save two women； both of whom he loved；
though in vastly different ways； from a man he had vowed to ruin。
He stood firm in his refusal until Le Chapelier dejectedly abandoned
the attempt to persuade him。
〃It is odd；〃 said Andre…Louis； 〃that I should have been so deeply
immersed in trifles as never to have perceived that Nantes is being
politically active。〃
〃Active！ My friend； it is a seething cauldron of political emotions。
It is kept quiet on the surface only by the persuasion that all goes
well。 At a hint to the contrary it would boil over。〃
〃Would it so？〃 said Scaramouche； thoughtfully。 〃The knowledge may
be useful。〃 And then he changed the subject。 〃You know that La
Tour d'Azyr is here？〃
〃In Nantes？ He has courage if he shows himself。 They are not a
docile people； these Nantais； and they know his record and the part
he played in the rising at Rennes。 I marvel they haven't stoned
him。 But they will； sooner or later。 It only needs that some one
should suggest it。〃
〃That is very likely；〃 said Andre…Louis； and smiled。 〃He doesn't
show himself much； not in the streets； at least。 So that he has
not the courage you suppose； nor any kind of courage； as I told
him once。 He has only insolence。〃
At parting Le Chapelier again exhorted him to give thought to what
he proposed。 〃Send me word if you change your mind。 I am lodged
at the Cerf； and I shall be here until the day after to…morrow。 If
you have ambition； this is your moment。〃
〃I have no ambition； I suppose；〃 said Andre…Louis； and went his way。
That night at the theatre he had a mischievous impulse to test what
Le Chapelier had told him of the state of public feeling in the
city。 They were playing 〃The Terrible Captain；〃 in the last act of
which the empty cowardice of the bullying braggart Rhodomont is
revealed by Scaramouche。
After the laughter which the exposure of the roaring captain
invariably produced； it remained for Scaramouche contemptuously to
dismiss him in a phrase that varied nightly； according to the
inspiration of the moment。 This time he chose to give his phrase
a political complexion：
〃Thus； 0 thrasonical coward； is your emptiness exposed。 Because
of your long length and the great sword you carry and the angle at
which you cock your hat； people have gone in fear of you；； have
believed in you； have imagined you to be as terrible and as formidable
as you insolently make yourself appear。 But at the first touch of
true spirit you crumple up； you tremble； you whine pitifully； and
the great sword remains in your scabbard。 You remind me of the
Privileged Orders when confronted by the Third Estate。〃
It was audacious of him； and he was prepared for anything … a laugh；
applause； indignation； or all together。 But he was not prepared for
what came。 And it came so suddenly and spontaneously from the
groundlings and the body of those in the amphitheatre that he was
almost scared by it … as a boy may be scared who has held a match
to a sun…scorched hayrick。 It was a hurrican
