scaramouche-第57章
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years yet； with a patience and fortitude in the face of ceaseless
provocation to which insufficient justice has been done。
As the King was leaving the Assembly； a woman； embracing his knees；
gave tongue to what might well be the question of all France：
〃Ah； sire； are you really sincere？ Are you sure they will not
make you change your mind？〃
Yet no such question was asked when a couple of days later the King；
alone and unguarded save by the representatives of the Nation； came
to Paris to complete the peacemaking； the surrender of Privilege。
The Court was filled with terror by the adventure。 Were they not
the 〃enemy；〃 these mutinous Parisians？ And should a King go thus
among his enemies？ If he shared some of that fear； as the gloom of
him might lead us to suppose； he must have found it idle。 What if
two hundred thousand men under arms … men without uniforms and with
the most extraordinary motley of weapons ever seen … awaited him？
They awaited him as a guard of honour。
Mayor Bailly at the barrier presented him with the keys of the city。
〃These are the same keys that were presented to Henri IV。 He had
reconquered his people。 Now the people have reconquered their King。〃
At the Hotel de Ville Mayor Bailly offered him the new cockade； the
tricoloured symbol of constitutional France； and when he had given
his royal confirmation to the formation of the Garde Bourgeoise and
to the appointments of Bailly and Lafayette； he departed again for
Versailles amid the shouts of 〃Vive le Roi！〃 from his loyal people。
And now you see Privilege … before the cannon's mouth； as it were
… submitting at last； where had they submitted sooner they might
have saved oceans of blood … chiefly their own。 They come； nobles
and clergy； to join the National Assembly； to labour with it upon
this constitution that is to regenerate France。 But the reunion
is a mockery … as much a mockery as that of the Archbishop of Paris
singing the Te Deum for the fall of the Bastille … most grotesque
and incredible of all these grotesque and incredible events。 All
that has happened to the National Assembly is that it has introduced
five or six hundred enemies to hamper and hinder its deliberations。
But all this is an oft…told tale； to be read in detail elsewhere。
I give you here just so much of it as I have found in Andre…Louis'
own writings； almost in his own words； reflecting the changes that
were operated in his mind。 Silent now； he came fully to believe
in those things in which he had not believed when earlier he had
preached them。
Meanwhile together with the change in his fortune had come a change
in his position towards the law； a change brought about by the
other changes wrought around him。 No longer need he hide himself。
Who in these days would prefer against him the grotesque charge of
sedition for what he had done in Brittany？ What court would dare
to send him to the gallows for having said in advance what all
France was saying now？ As for that other possible charge of murder；
who should concern himself with the death of the miserable Binet
killed by him … if； indeed； he had killed him； as he hoped … in
self…defence。
And so one fine day in early August； Andre…Louis gave himself a
holiday from the academy； which was now working smoothly under his
assistants； hired a chaise and drove out to Versailles to the Caf？
d'Amaury； which he knew for the meeting…place of the Club Breton；
the seed from which was to spring that Society of the Friends of
the Constitution better known as the Jacobins。 He went to seek
Le Chapelier； who had been one of the founders of the club； a man
of great prominence now； president of the Assembly in this important
season when it was deliberating upon the Declaration of the Rights
of Man。
Le Chapelier's importance was reflected in the sudden servility of
the shirt…sleeved； white…aproned waiter of whom Andre…Louis inquired
for the representative。
M。 Le Chapelier was above…stairs with friends。 The waiter desired
to serve the gentleman； but hesitated to break in upon the assembly
in which M。 le Depute found himself。
Andre…Louis gave him a piece of silver to encourage him to make the
attempt。 Then he sat down at a marble…topped table by the window
looking out over the wide tree…encircled square。 There； in that
common…room of the caf？ deserted at this hour of mid…afternoon； the
great man came to him。 Less than a year ago he had yielded precedence
to Andre…Louis in a matter of delicate leadership； to…day he stood
on the heights； one of the great leaders of the Nation in travail；
and Andre…Louis was deep down in the shadows of the general mass。
The thought was in the minds of both as they scanned each other；
each noting in the other the marked change that a few months had
wrought。 In Le Chapelier； Andre…Louis observed certain heightened
refinements of dress that went with certain subtler refinements of
countenance。 He was thinner than of old； his face was pale and
there was a weariness in the eyes that considered his visitor
through a gold…rimmed spy…glass。 In Andre…Louis those jaded but
quick…moving eyes of the Breton deputy noted changes even more
marked。 The almost constant swordmanship of these last months had
given Andre…Louis a grace of movement； a poise； and a curious；
indefinable air of dignity； of command。 He seemed taller by virtue
of this； and he was dressed with an elegance which if quiet was
none the less rich。 He wore a small silver…hilted sword； and wore
it as if used to it； and his black hair that Le Chapelier had never
seen other than fluttering lank about his bony cheeks was glossy
now and gathered into a club。 Almost he had the air of a
petit…maitre。
In both； however； the changes were purely superficial； as each was
soon to reveal to the other。 Le Chapelier was ever the same direct
and downright Breton； abrupt of manner and of speech。 He stood
smiling a moment in mingled surprise and pleasure； then opened wide
his arms。 They embraced under the awe…stricken gaze of the waiter；
who at once effaced himself。
〃Andre…Louis； my friend！ Whence do you drop？〃
〃We drop from above。 I come from below to survey at close quarters
one who is on the heights。〃
〃On the heights！ But that you willed it so； it is yourself might
now be standing in my place。〃
〃I have a poor head for heights； and I find the atmosphere too
rarefied。 Indeed； you look none too well on it yourself； Isaac。
You are pale。〃
〃The Assembly was in session all last night。 That is all。 These
damned Privileged multiply our difficulties。 They will do so until
we decree their abolition。〃
They sat down。 〃Abolition！ You contemplate so much？ Not that you
surprise me。 You have always been an extremist。〃
〃I contemplate it that I may save them。 I seek to abolish them
officially； so as to save them from abolition of another kind at
the hands of a people they exasperate。〃
〃I see。 And the King？〃
〃The King is the incarnation of the Nation。 We shall deliver him
together with the Nation from the bondage of Privilege。 Our
constitution will accomplish it。 You agree？〃
Andre…Louis shrugged。 〃Does it matter？ I am a dreamer in politics；
not a man of action。 Until lately I have been very moderate； more
moderate than you think。 But now almost I am a republican。 I have
been watching； and I have perceived that this King is … just nothing；
a puppet who dances according to the hand that pulls the string。〃
〃This King； you say？ What other king is possible？ You are surely
not of those who weave dreams about Orleans？ He has a sort of
party； a following largely recruited by the popular hatred of the
Queen and the known fact that she hates him。 There are some who
have thought of making him regent； some even more； Robespierre is
of the number。〃
〃Who？〃 asked Andre…Louis； to whom the name was unknown。
〃Robespierre … a preposterous little lawyer who represents Arras；
a shabby； clumsy； timid dullard； who will make speeches through
his nose to which nobody listens … an ultra…royalist whom the
royalists and the Orleanists are using for their own ends。 He
has pertinacity； and he insists upon being heard
