scaramouche-第44章
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advice from you； monsieur。〃
〃And now you've got your answer；〃 chuckled Binet。 〃I hope you
like it。〃
Andre…Louis had paled a little； there was incredulity in his great
sombre eyes as they continued steadily to regard her。 Of M。 Binet
he took no notice。
〃Surely； mademoiselle； you cannot mean that willingly； with open
eyes and a full understanding of what you do； you would exchange
an honourable wifehood for。。。 for the thing that such men as M。 de
La Tour d'Azyr may have in store for you？〃
M。 Binet made a wide gesture； and swung to his daughter。 〃You hear
him； the mealy…mouthed prude！ Perhaps you'll believe at last that
marriage with him would be the ruin of you。 He would always be
there the inconvenient husband … to mar your every chance； my girl。〃
She tossed her lovely head in agreement with her father 〃I begin to
find him tiresome with his silly jealousies；〃 she confessed。 〃As a
husband I am afraid he would be impossible。〃
Andre…Louis felt a constriction of the heart。 But … always the
actor … he showed nothing of it。 He laughed a little； not very
pleasantly； and rose。
〃I bow to your choice； mademoiselle。 I pray that you may not
regret it〃
〃Regret it？〃 cried M。 Binet。 He was laughing； relieved to see his
daughter at last rid of this suitor of whom he had never approved；
if we except those few hours when he really believed him to be an
eccentric of distinction。 〃And what shall she regret？ That she
accepted the protection of a nobleman so powerful and wealthy that
as a mere trinket he gives her a jewel worth as much as an actress
earns in a year at the Comedie Francaise？〃 He got up； and advanced
towards Andre…Louis。 His mood became conciliatory。 〃Come； come；
my friend； no rancour now。 What the devil！ You wouldn't stand in
the girl's way？ You can't really blame her for making this choice？
Have you thought what it means to her？ Have you thought that under
the protection of such a gentleman there are no heights which she
may not reach？ Don't you see the wonderful luck of it？ Surely； if
you're fond of her； particularly being of a jealous temperament；
you wouldn't wish it otherwise？〃
Andre…Louis looked at him in silence for a long moment。 Then he
laughed again。 〃Oh； you are fantastic；〃 he said。 〃You are not real。〃
He turned on his heel and strode to the door。
The action； and more the contempt of his look； laugh； and words stung
M。 Binet to passion； drove out the conciliatoriness of his mood。
〃Fantastic； are we？〃 he cried； turning to follow the departing
Scaramouche with his little eyes that now were inexpressibly evil。
〃Fantastic that we should prefer the powerful protection of this
great nobleman to marriage with beggarly； nameless bastard。 Oh； we
are fantastic！〃
Andre…Louis turned； his hand upon the door…handle。 No；〃 he said；
〃I was mistaken。 You are not fantastic。 You are just vile … both
of you。〃 And he went out。
CHAPTER X
CONTRITION
Mlle。 de Kercadiou walked with her aunt in the bright morning
sunshine of a Sunday in March on the broad terrace of the Chateau
de Sautron。
For one of her natural sweetness of disposition she had been oddly
irritable of late； manifesting signs of a cynical worldliness； which
convinced Mme。 de Sautron more than ever that her brother Quintin
had scandalously conducted the child's education。 She appeared to
be instructed in all the things of which a girl is better ignorant；
and ignorant of all the things that a girl should know。 That at
least was the point of view of Mme。 de Sautron。
〃Tell me； madame；〃 quoth Aline； 〃are all men beasts？〃 Unlike her
brother； Madame la Comtesse was tall and majestically built。 In
the days before her marriage with M。 de Sautron； ill…natured folk
described her as the only man in the family。 She looked down now
from her noble height upon her little niece with startled eyes。
〃Really； Aline； you have a trick of asking the most disconcerting
and improper questions。〃
〃Perhaps it is because I find life disconcerting and improper。
〃Life？ A young girl should not discuss life。〃
〃Why not； since I am alive？ You do not suggest that it is an
impropriety to be alive？〃
〃It is an impropriety for a young unmarried girl to seek to know
too much about life。 As for your absurd question about men； when
I remind you that man is the noblest work of God； perhaps you will
consider yourself answered。〃
Mme。 de Sautron did not invite a pursuance of the subject。 But Mlle。
de Kercadiou's outrageous rearing had made her headstrong。
〃That being so；〃 said she； will you tell me why they find such an
overwhelming attraction in the immodest of our sex？〃
Madame stood still and raised shocked hands。 Then she looked down
her handsome； high…bridged nose。
〃Sometimes … often； in fact； my dear Aline … you pass all
understanding。 I shall write to Quintin that the sooner you are
married the better it will be for all。〃
〃Uncle Quintin has left that matter to my own deciding；〃 Aline
reminded her。
〃That；〃 said madame with complete conviction； 〃is the last and most
outrageous of his errors。 Who ever heard of a girl being left to
decide the matter of her own marriage？ It is。。。 indelicate almost
to expose her to thoughts of such things。〃 Mme。 de Sautron
shuddered。 〃Quintin is a boor。 His conduct is unheard of。 That
M。 de La Tour d'Azyr should parade himself before you so that you
may make up your mind whether he is the proper man for you！〃 Again
she shuddered。 〃It is of a grossness； of。。。 of a prurience almost。。。
Mon Dieu！ When I married your uncle； all this was arranged between
our parents。 I first saw him when he came to sign the contract。
I should have died of shame had it been otherwise。 And that is how
these affairs should be conducted。〃
〃You are no doubt right； madame。 But since that is not how my own
case is being conducted； you will forgive me if I deal with it apart
from others。 M。 de La Tour d'Azyr desires to marry me。 He has been
permitted to pay his court。 I should be glad to have him informed
that he may cease to do so。〃
Mme。 de Sautron stood still； petrified by amazement。 Her long face
turned white； she seemed to breathe with difficulty。
〃But。。； but。。 what are you saying？〃 she gasped。
Quietly Aline repeated her statement。
〃But this is outrageous！ You cannot be permitted to play
fast…and…loose with a gentleman of M。 le Marquis' quality！ Why； it
is little more than a week since you permitted him to be informed
that you would become his wife！〃
〃I did so in a moment of。。。 rashness。 Since then M。 le Marquis'
own conduct has convinced me of my error。〃
〃But … mon Dieu！〃 cried the Countess。 〃Are you blind to the great
honour that is being paid you？ M。 le Marquis will make you the
first lady in Brittany。 Yet； little fool that you are； and greater
fool that Quintin is； you trifle with this extraordinary good
fortune！ Let me warn you。〃 She raised an admonitory forefinger。
〃If you continue in this stupid humour M。 de La Tour d'Azyr may
definitely withdraw his offer and depart in justified mortification。〃
〃That； madame； as I am endeavouring to convey to you； is what I
most desire。〃
〃Oh； you are mad。〃
〃It may be； madame； that I am sane in preferring to be guided by my
instincts。 It may be even that I am justified in resenting that
the man who aspires to become my husband should at the same time
be paying such assiduous homage to a wretched theatre girl at the
Feydau。〃
〃Aline！〃
〃Is it not true？ Or perhaps you do not find it strange that M。 de
La Tour d'Azyr should so conduct himself at such a time？〃
〃Aline； you are so extraordinary a mixture。 At moments you shock
me by the indecency of your expressions； at others you amaze me by
the excess of your prudery。 You have been brought up like a little
bourgeoise； I think。 Yes； that is it … a little bourgeoise。
Quintin was always something of a shopkeeper at heart。〃
〃I was asking your opinion on the conduct of M。 de La Tour d'Azyr；
madame。 Not on my own。〃
〃But it is an indelicacy in you to observe such things。 You should
be ignorant of them； and I can't think who is so。。。 so unfeeling as
to i
