scaramouche-第66章
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pondering the subject。
〃That's it；〃 said Danton。 〃And not a job for a prentice hand； I
can assure you。
〃Ah； but this alters things；〃 said Andre…Louis； thinking aloud。
〃It offers a great temptation。〃
〃Why； then。。。 ？〃 The Colossus took a step towards him again。
〃Wait！〃 He put up his hand。 Then with chin sunk on his breast；
he paced away to the window； musing。
Le Chapelier and Danton exchanged glances； then watched him；
waiting； what time he considered。
At first he almost wondered why he should not of his own accord
have decided upon some such course as this to settle that
long…standing account of M。 de La Tour d'Azyr。 What was the use
of this great skill in fence that he had come to acquire； unless
he could turn it to account to avenge Vilmorin； and to make Aline
safe from the lure of her own ambition？ It would be an easy thing
to seek out La Tour d'Azyr； put a mortal affront upon him； and
thus bring him to the point。 To…day this would be murder； murder
as treacherous as that which La Tour d'Azyr had done upon Philippe
de Vilmorin； for to…day the old positions were reversed； and it
was Andre…Louis who might go to such an assignation without a doubt
of the issue。 It was a moral obstacle of which he made short work。
But there remained the legal obstacle he had expounded to Danton。
There was still a law in France； the same law which he had found it
impossible to move against La Tour d'Azyr； but which would move
briskly enough against himself in like case。 And then； suddenly；
as if by inspiration； he saw the way … a way which if adopted would
probably bring La Tour d'Azyr to a poetic justice； bring him；
insolent； confident； to thrust himself upon Andre…Louis' sword；
with all the odium of provocation on his own side。
He turned to them again； and they saw that he was very pale； that
his great dark eyes glowed oddly。
〃There will probably be some difficulty in finding a suppleant for
this poor Lagron；〃 he said。 〃Our fellow…countrymen will be none so
eager to offer themselves to the swords of Privilege。
〃True enough；〃 said Le Chapelier gloomily； and then； as if suddenly
leaping to the thing in Andre…Louis' mind： 〃Andre！〃 he cried。
〃Would you。。。 〃
〃It is what I was considering。 It would give me a legitimate place
in the Assembly。 If your Tour d'Azyrs choose to seek me out then；
why； their blood be upon their own heads。 I shall certainly do
nothing to discourage them。〃 He smiled curiously。 〃I am just a
rascal who tries to be honest … Scaramouche always； in fact； a
creature of sophistries。 Do you think that Ancenis would have me
for its representative？〃
〃Will it have Omnes Omnibus for its representative？〃 Le Chapelier
was laughing； his countenance eager。 〃Ancenis will be convulsed
with pride。 It is not Rennes or Nantes； as it might have been had
you wished it。 But it gives you a voice for Brittany。〃
〃I should have to go to Ancenis。。。 〃
〃No need at all。 A letter from me to the Municipality； and the
Municipality will confirm you at once。 No need to move from here。
In a fortnight at most the thing can be accomplished。 It is
settled； then？〃
Andre…Louis considered yet a moment。 There was his academy。 But
he could make arrangements with Le Duc and Galoche to carry it on
for him whilst himself directing and advising。 Le Duc； after all；
was become a thoroughly efficient master； and he was a trustworthy
fellow。 At need a third assistant could be engaged。
〃Be it so；〃 he said at last。
Le Chapelier clasped hands with him and became congratulatorily
voluble； until interrupted by the red…coated giant at the door。
〃What exactly does it mean to our business； anyway？〃 he asked。
〃Does it mean that when you are a representative you will not
scruple to skewer M。 le Marquis？〃
〃If M。 le Marquis should offer himself to be skewered； as he no
doubt will。〃
〃I perceive the distinction；〃 said M。 Danton； and sneered。 〃You've
an ingenious mind。〃 He turned to Le Chapelier。 〃What did you say
he was to begin with … a lawyer； wasn't it？〃
〃Yes； I was a lawyer； and afterwards a mountebank。〃
〃And this is the result！〃
〃As you say。 And do you know that we are after all not so
dissimilar； you and I？〃
〃What？〃
〃Once like you I went about inciting other people to go and kill
the man I wanted dead。 You'll say I was a coward； of course。〃
Le Chapelier prepared to slip between them as the clouds gathered
on the giant's brow。 Then these were dispelled again； and the
great laugh vibrated through the long room。
〃You've touched me for the second time； and in the same place。 Oh；
you can fence； my lad。 We should be friends。 Rue des Cordeliers
is my address。 Any … scoundrel will tell you where Danton lodges。
Desmoulins lives underneath。 Come and visit us one evening。 There's
always a bottle for a friend。〃
CHAPTER VII
THE SPADASSINICIDES
After an absence of rather more than a week； M。 le Marquis de La
Tour d'Azyr was back in his place on the Cote Droit of the National
Assembly。 Properly speaking； we should already at this date allude
to him as the ci…devant Marquis de La Tour d'Azyr； for the time was
September of 1790； two months after the passing … on the motion of
that downright Breton leveller； Le Chapelier … of the decree that
nobility should no more be hereditary than infamy； that just as
the brand of the gallows must not defile the possibly worthy
descendants of one who had been convicted of evil； neither should
the blazon advertising achievement glorify the possibly unworthy
descendants of one who had proved himself good。 And so the decree
had been passed abolishing hereditary nobility and consigning
family escutcheons to the rubbish…heap of things no longer to be
tolerated by an enlightened generation of philosophers。 M。 le
Comte de Lafayette； who had supported the motion； left the Assembly
as plain M。 Motier； the great tribune Count Mirabeau became plain
M。 Riquetti； and M。 le Marquis de La Tour d'Azyr just simple M。
Lesarques。 The thing was done in one of those exaltations produced
by the approach of the great National Festival of the Champ de
Mars； and no doubt it was thoroughly repented on the morrow by
those who had lent themselves to it。 Thus； although law by now；
it was a law that no one troubled just yet to enforce。
That； however； is by the way。 The time； as I have said； was
September； the day dull and showery； and some of the damp and gloom
of it seemed to have penetrated the long Hall of the Manege； where
on their eight rows of green benches elliptically arranged in
ascending tiers about the space known as La Piste； sat some eight
or nine hundred of the representatives of the three orders that
composed the nation。
The matter under debate by。 the constitution…builders was whether
the deliberating body to succeed the Constituent Assembly should
work in conjunction with the King； whether it should be periodic
or permanent； whether it should govern by two chambers or by one。
The Abbe Maury； son of a cobbler； and therefore in these days of
antitheses orator…in…chief of the party of the Right … the Blacks；
as those who fought Privilege's losing battles were known … was in
the tribune。 He appeared to be urging the adoption of a
two…chambers system framed on the English model。 He was； if
anything； more long…winded and prosy even than his habit； his
arguments assumed more and more the form of a sermon； the tribune
of the National Assembly became more and more like a pulpit； but
the members； conversely； less and less like a congregation。 They
grew restive under that steady flow of pompous verbiage； and it
was in vain that the four ushers in black satin breeches and
carefully powdered heads； chain of office on their breasts； gilded
sword at their sides； circulated in the Piste； clapping their
hands； and hissing
〃Silence！ En place！〃
Equally vain was the intermittent ringing of the bell by the
president at his green…covered table facing the tribune。 The Abbe
Maury had talked too long； and for some time had failed to interest
the members。 Realizing it at last； he ceased； whereupon the hum
of conversation became general。 And then。 it fel
