scaramouche-第51章
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in the Cordelier Convent？ And that night when from the stage of
the Feydau you were denounced to the people； did you not hear yet
again； in the voice of Scaramouche； the voice of Philippe de
Vilmorin； using that dangerous gift of eloquence which you so
foolishly imagined you could silence with a sword…thrust？ It is
becoming a persecution … is it not？ … this voice from the grave
that insists upon making itself heard； that will not rest until
you have been cast into the pit。 You will be regretting by now
that you did not kill me too； as I invited you on that occasion。
I can picture to myself the bitterness of this regret； and I
contemplate it with satisfaction。 Regret of neglected opportunity
is the worst hell that a living soul can inhabit； particularly
such a soul as yours。 It is because of this that I am glad to
know that you survived the riot at the Feydau； although at the time
it was no part of my intention that you should。 Because of this I
am content that you should live to enrage and suffer in the shadow
of your evil deed； knowing at last … since you had not hitherto the
wit to discern it for yourself … that the voice of Philippe de
Vilmorin will follow you to denounce you ever more loudly； ever more
insistently； until having lived in dread you shall go down in blood
under the just rage which your victim's dangerous gift of eloquence
is kindling against you。〃
I find it odd that he should have omitted from this letter all
mention of Mlle。 Binet； and I am disposed to account it at least a
partial insincerity that he should have assigned entirely to his
self…imposed mission； and not at all to his lacerated feelings in
the matter of Climene； the action which he had taken at the Feydau。
Those two letters； both written in April of that year 1789； had for
only immediate effect to increase the activity with which Andre…Louis
Moreau was being sought。
Le Chapelier would have found him so as to lend him assistance； to
urge upon him once again that he should take up a political career。
The electors of Nantes would have found him … at least； they would
have found Omnes Omnibus； of whose identity with himself they were
still in ignorance … on each of the several occasions when a vacancy
occurred in their body。 And the Marquis de La Tour d'Azyr and M。
de Lesdiguieres would have found him that they might send him to
the gallows。
With a purpose no less vindictive was he being sought by M。 Binet；
now unhappily recovered from his wound to face completest ruin。 His
troupe had deserted him during his illness； and reconstituted under
the direction of Polichinelle it was now striving with tolerable
success to continue upon the lines which Andre…Louis had laid down。
M。 le Marquis； prevented by the riot from expressing in person to
Mlle。 Binet his purpose of making an end of their relations； had
been constrained to write to her to that effect from Azyr a few days
later。 He tempered the blow by enclosing in discharge of all
liabilities a bill on the Caisse d'Escompte for a hundred louis。
Nevertheless it almost crushed the unfortunate and it enabled her
father when he recovered to enrage her by pointing out that she owed
this turn of events to the premature surrender she had made in
defiance of his sound worldly advice。 Father and daughter alike
were left to assign the Marquis' desertion； naturally enough； to
the riot at the Feydau。 They laid that with the rest to the account
of Scaramouche； and were forced in bitterness to admit that the
scoundrel had taken a superlative revenge。 C1imene may even have
come to consider that it would have paid her better to have run a
straight course with Scaramouche and by marrying him to have trusted
to his undoubted talents to place her on the summit to which her
ambition urged her； and to which it was now futile for her to aspire。
If so； that reflection must have been her sufficient punishment。
For； as Andre…Louis so truly says； there is no worse hell than that
provided by the regrets for wasted opportunities。
Meanwhile the fiercely sought Andre…Louis Moreau had gone to earth
completely for the present。 And the brisk police of Paris； urged
on by the King's Lieutenant from Rennes； hunted for him in vain。
Yet he might have been found in a house in the Rue du Hasard within
a stone's throw of the Palais Royal； whither purest chance had
conducted him。
That which in his letter to Le Chapelier he represents as a
contingency of the near future was； in fact； the case in which
already he found himself。 He was destitute。 His money was
exhausted； including that procured by the sale of such articles of
adornment as were not of absolute necessity。
So desperate was his case that strolling one gusty April morning
down the Rue du Hasard with his nose in the wind looking for what
might be picked up； he stopped to read a notice outside the door
of a house on the left side of the street as you approach the Rue
de Richelieu。 There was no reason why he should have gone down
the Rue du Hasard。 Perhaps its name attracted him； as appropriate
to his case。
The notice written in a big round hand announced that a young man
of good address with some knowledge of swordsmanship was required
by M。 Bertrand des Amis on the second floor。 Above this notice
was a black oblong board； and on this a shield； which in vulgar
terms may be described as red charged with two swords crossed and
four fleurs de lys； one in each angle of the saltire。 Under the
shield； in letters of gold； ran the legend：
BERTRAND DES AMIS
Maitre en fait d'Armes des Academies du Roi
Andre…Louis stood considering。 He could claim； he thought； to
possess the qualifications demanded。 He was certainly young and
he believed of tolerable address； whilst the fencing…lessons he had
received in Nantes had given him at least an elementary knowledge
of swordsmanship。 The notice looked as if it had been pinned there
some days ago； suggesting that applicants for the post were not very
numerous。 In that case perhaps M。 Bertrand des Amis would not be too
exigent。 And anyway； Andre…Louis had not eaten for four…and…twenty
hours； and whilst the employment here offered … the precise nature
of which he was yet to ascertain … did not appear to be such as
Andre…Louis would deliberately have chosen； he was in no case now to
be fastidious。
Then； too； he liked the name of Bertrand des Amis。 It felicitously
combined suggestions of chivalry and friendliness。 Also the man's
profession being of a kind that is flavoured with romance it was
possible that M。 Bertrand des Amis would not ask too many questions。
In the end he climbed to the second floor。 On the landing he paused
outside a door； on which was written 〃Academy of M。 Bertrand des
Amis。〃 He pushed this open； and found himself in a sparsely
furnished； untenanted antechamber。 From a room beyond； the door of
which was closed； came the stamping of feet； the click and slither
of steel upon steel； and dominating these sounds a vibrant sonorous
voice speaking a language that was certainly French； but such
French as is never heard outside a fencing…school。
〃Coulez！ Mais； coulez donc！。。。。So！ Now the flanconnade … en
carte。。。。And here is the riposte。。。。Let us begin again。 Come！ The
ward of fierce。。。。Make the coupe； and then the quinte par dessus
les armes。。。。0； mais allongez！ Allongez！ Allez au fond！〃 the voice
cried in expostulation。 〃Come； that was better。〃 The blades ceased。
〃Remember： the hand in pronation； the elbow not too far out。 That
will do for to…day。 On Wednesday we shall see you tirer au mur。
It is more deliberate。 Speed will follow when the mechanism of the
movements is more assured。〃
Another voice murmured in answer。 The steps moved aside。 The
lesson was at an end。 Andre…Louis tapped on the door。
It was opened by a tall； slender； gracefully proportioned man of
perhaps forty。 Black silk breeches and stockings ending in light
shoes clothed him from the waist down。 Above he was encased to the
chin in a closely fitting plastron of leather； His face was aquiline
and swarthy； his eyes full and dark； his mouth firm and his club
