scaramouche-第67章
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the members。 Realizing it at last； he ceased； whereupon the hum
of conversation became general。 And then。 it fell abruptly。
There was a silence of expectancy； and a turning of heads； a
craning of necks。 Even the group of secretaries at the round table
below the president's dais roused themselves from their usual
apathy to consider this young man who was mounting the tribune of
the Assembly for the first time。
〃M。 Andre…Louis Moreau； deputy suppleant； vice Emmanuel Lagron；
deceased； for Ancenis in the Department of the Loire。〃
M。 de La Tour d'Azyr shook himself out of the gloomy abstraction in
which he had sat。 The successor of the deputy he had slain must；
in any event； be an object of grim interest to him。 You conceive
how that interest was heightened when he heard him named； when；
looking across； he recognized indeed in this Andre…Louis Moreau
the young scoundrel who was continually crossing his path；
continually exerting against him a deep…moving； sinister influence
to make him regret that he should have spared his life that day at
Gavrillac two years ago。 That he should thus have stepped into
the shoes of Lagron seemed to M。 de La Tour d'Azyr too apt for
mere coincidence； a direct challenge in itself。
He looked at the young man in wonder rather than in anger； and
looking at him he was filled by a vague； almost a premonitory；
uneasiness。
At the very outset； the presence which in itself he conceived to
be a challenge was to demonstrate itself for this in no equivocal
terms。
〃I come before you；〃 Andre…Louis began； 〃as a deputy…suppleant
to fill the place of one who was murdered some three weeks ago。〃
It was a challenging opening that instantly provoked an indignant
outcry from the Blacks。 Andre…Louis paused； and looked at them；
smiling a little； a singularly self…confident young man。
〃The gentlemen of the Right； M。 le President； do not appear to like
my words。 But that is not surprising。 The gentlemen of the Right
notoriously do not like the truth。〃
This time there was uproar。 The members of the Left roared with
laughter； those of the Right thundered menacingly。 The ushers
circulated at a pace beyond their usual； agitated themselves；
clapped their hands； and called in vain for silence。
The President rang his bell。
Above the general din came the voice of La Tour d'Azyr； who had
half…risen from his seat： 〃Mountebank！ This is not the theatre！〃
〃No； monsieur； it is becoming a hunting…ground for bully…swordsmen；〃
was the answer； and the uproar grew。
The deputy…suppleant looked round and waited。 Near at hand he met
the encouraging grin of Le Chapelier； and the quiet； approving smile
of Kersain； another Breton deputy of his acquaintance。 A little
farther off he saw the great head of Mirabeau thrown back； the great
eyes regarding him from under a frown in a sort of wonder； and
yonder； among all that moving sea of faces； the sallow countenance
of the Arras' lawyer Robespierre … or de Robespierre； as the little
snob now called himself； having assumed the aristocratic particle
as the prerogative of a man of his distinction in the councils of
his country。 With his tip…tilted nose in the air； his carefully
curled head on one side； the deputy for Arras was observing
Andre…Louis attentively。 The horn…rimmed spectacles he used for
reading were thrust up on to his pale forehead； and it was through a
levelled spy…glass that he considered the speaker； his thin…lipped
mouth stretched a little in that tiger…cat smile that was afterwards
to become so famous and so feared。
Gradually the uproar wore itself out； and diminished so that at last
the President could make himself heard。 Leaning forward； he gravely
addressed the young man in the tribune：
〃Monsieur； if you wish to be heard； let me beg of you not to be
provocative in your language。〃 And then to the others： 〃Messieurs；
if we are to proceed； I beg that you will restrain your feelings
until the deputy…suppleant has concluded his discourse。〃
〃I shall endeavour to obey； M。 le President； leaving provocation to
the gentlemen of the Right。 If the few words I have used so far
have been provocative； I regret it。 But it was necessary that I
should refer to the distinguished deputy whose place I come so
unworthily to fill； and it was unavoidable that I should refer to
the event which has procured us this sad necessity。 The deputy
Lagron was a man of singular nobility of mind； a selfless； dutiful；
zealous man； inflamed by the high purpose of doing his duty by his
electors and by this Assembly。 He possessed what his opponents
would call a dangerous gift of eloquence。〃
La Tour d'Azyr writhed at the well…known phrase … his own phrase
… the phrase that he had used to explain his action in the matter
of Philippe de Vilmorin； the phrase that from time to time had been
cast in his teeth with such vindictive menace。
And then the crisp voice of the witty Canales； that very rapier of
the Privileged party； cut sharply into the speaker's momentary pause。
〃M。 le President；〃 he asked with great solemnity； 〃has the
deputy…suppleant mounted the tribune for the purpose of taking part
in the debate on the constitution of the legislative assemblies；
or for the purpose of pronouncing a funeral oration upon the
departed deputy Lagron？〃
This time it was the Blacks who gave way to mirth； until checked
by the deputy…suppleant。
〃That laughter is obscene！〃 In this truly Gallic fashion he flung
his glove into the face of Privilege； determined； you see； upon no
half measures； and the rippling laughter perished on the instant
quenched in speechless fury。
Solemnly he proceeded。
〃You all know how Lagron died。 To refer to his death at all
requires courage； to laugh in referring to it requires something
that I will not attempt to qualify。 If I have alluded to his
decease； it is because my own appearance among you seemed to render
some such allusion necessary。 It is mine to take up the burden
which he set down。 I do not pretend that I have the strength； the
courage； or the wisdom of Lagron； but with every ounce of such
strength and courage and wisdom as I possess that burden will I
bear。 And I trust； for the sake of those who might attempt it；
that the means taken to impose silence upon that eloquent voice
will not be taken to impose silence upon mine。
There was a faint murmur of applause from the Left； splutter of
contemptuous laughter from the Right。
〃Rhodomont！〃 a voice called to him。
He looked in the direction of that voice； proceeding from the group
of spadassins amid the Blacks across the Piste； and he smiled。
Inaudibly his lips answered：
〃No； my friend … Scaramouche； Scaramouche； the subtle； dangerous
fellow who goes tortuously to his ends。〃 Aloud； he resumed： 〃M。
le President； there are those who will not understand that the
purpose for which we are assembled here is the making of laws by
which France may be equitably governed； by which France may be
lifted out of the morass of bankruptcy into which she is in danger
of sinking。 For there are some who want； it seems； not laws； but
blood； I solemnly warn them that this blood will end by choking
them； if they do not learn in time to discard force and allow reason
to prevail。〃
Again in that phrase there was something that stirred a memory in
La Tour d'Azyr。 He turned in the fresh uproar to speak to his
cousin Chabrillane who sat beside him。
〃A daring rogue； this bastard of Gavrillac's；〃 said he。
Chabrillane looked at him with gleaming eyes； his face white with
anger。
〃Let him talk himself out。 I don't think he will be heard again
after to…day。 Leave this to me。〃
Hardly could La Tour have told you why； but he sank back in his seat
with a sense of relief。 He had been telling himself that here was
matter demanding action； a challenge that he must take up。 But
despite his rage he felt a singular unwillingness。 This fellow had
a trick of reminding him； he supposed； too unpleasantly of that
young abbe done to death in the garden behind the〃 Breton arme〃 at
Gavrillac。 Not that the death of Philippe de Vilmorin lay heavily
upon M。 de La Tour d'Azyr's conscience。 He h
