scaramouche-第68章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Gavrillac。 Not that the death of Philippe de Vilmorin lay heavily
upon M。 de La Tour d'Azyr's conscience。 He had accounted himself
fully justified of his action。 It was that the whole thing as his
memory revived it for him made an unpleasant picture： that
distraught boy kneeling over the bleeding body of the friend he
had loved； and almost begging to be slain with him； dubbing the
Marquis murderer and coward to incite him。
Meanwhile； leaving now the subject of the death of Lagron； the
deputy…suppleant had at last brought himself into order； and was
speaking upon the question under debate。 He contributed nothing
of value to it； he urged nothing definite。 His speech on the
subject was very brief … that being the pretext and not the purpose
for which he had ascended the tribune。
When later he was leaving the hall at the end of the sitting； with
Le Chapelier at his side； he found himself densely surrounded by
deputies as by a body…guard。 Most of them were Bretons； who aimed
at screening him from the provocations which his own provocative
words in the Assembly could not fail to bring down upon his head。
For a moment the massive form of Mirabeau brought up alongside of
him。
〃Felicitations； M。 Moreau；〃 said the great man。 〃You acquitted
yourself very well。 They will want your blood； no doubt。 But be
discreet； monsieur； if I may presume to advise you； and do not
allow yourself to be misled by any false sense of quixotry。
Ignore their challenges。 I do so myself。 I place each challenger
upon my list。 There are some fifty there already； and there they
will remain。 Refuse them what they are pleased to call satisfaction；
and all will be well。〃 Andre…Louis smiled and sighed。 〃It requires
courage；〃 said the hypocrite。
〃Of course it does。 But you would appear to have plenty。〃
〃Hardly enough； perhaps。 But I shall do my best。〃
They had come through the vestibule； and although this was lined
with eager Blacks waiting for the young man who had insulted them
so flagrantly from the rostrum； Andre…Louis' body…guard had
prevented any of them from reaching him。
Emerging now into the open； under the great awning at the head of
the Carriere； erected to enable carriages to reach the door under
cover； those in front of him dispersed a little； and there was a
moment as he reached the limit of the awning when his front was
entirely uncovered。 Outside the rain was falling heavily； churning
the ground into thick mud； and for a moment Andre…Louis； with Le
Chapelier ever at his side； stood hesitating to step out into the
deluge。
The watchful Chabrillane had seen his chance； and by a detour that
took him momentarily out into the rain； he came face to face with
the too…daring young Breton。 Rudely； violently； he thrust
Andre…Louis back； as if to make room for himself under the shelter。
Not for a second was Andre…Louis under any delusion as to the man's
deliberate purpose； nor were those who stood near him； who made a
belated and ineffectual attempt to close about him。 He was grievously
disappointed。 It was not Chabrillane he had been expecting。 His
disappointment was reflected on his countenance； to be mistaken for
something very different by the arrogant Chevalier。
But if Chabrillane was the man appointed to deal with him； he would
make the best of it。
〃I think you are pushing against me； monsieur；〃 he said； very
civilly； and with elbow and shoulder he thrust M。 de Chabrillane
back into the rain。
〃I desire to take shelter； monsieur；〃 the Chevalier hectored。
〃You may do so without standing on my feet。 I have a prejudice
against any one standing on my feet。 My feet are very tender。
Perhaps you did not know it； monsieur。 Please say no more。
〃Why； I wasn't speaking； you lout！〃 exclaimed the Chevalier；
slightly discomposed。
〃Were you not？ I thought perhaps you were about to apologize。〃
〃Apologize？〃 Chabrillane laughed。 〃To you！ Do you know that you
are amusing？〃 He stepped under the awning for the second time；
and again in view of all thrust Andre…Louis rudely back。
〃Ahi！〃 cried Andre…Louis； with a grimace。 〃You hurt me； monsieur。
I have told you not to push against me。〃 He raised his voice that
all might hear him； and once more impelled M。 de Chabrillane back
into the rain。
Now； for all his slenderness； his assiduous daily sword…practice
had given Andre…Louis an arm of iron。 Also he threw his weight
into the thrust。 His assailant reeled backwards a few steps； and
then his heel struck a baulk of timber left on the ground by some
workmen that morning； and he sat down suddenly in the mud。
A roar of laughter rose from all who witnessed the fine gentleman's
downfall。 He rose； mud…bespattered； in a fury； and in that fury
sprang at Andre…Louis。
Andre…Louis had made him ridiculous； which was altogether
unforgivable。
〃You shall meet me for this！〃 he spluttered。 〃I shall kill you
for it。〃
His inflamed face was within a foot of Andre…Louis'。 Andre…Louis
laughed。 In the silence everybody heard the laugh and the words
that followed。
〃Oh； is that what you wanted？ But why didn't you say so before？
You would have spared me the trouble of knocking you down。 I
thought gentlemen of your profession invariably conducted these
affairs with decency； decorum； and a certain grace。 Had you done
so； you might have saved your breeches。〃
〃How soon shall we settle this？〃 snapped Chabrillane； livid with
very real fury。
〃Whenever you please； monsieur。 It is for you to say when it will
suit your convenience to kill me。 I think that was the intention
you announced； was it not？〃 Andre…Louis was suavity itself。
〃To…morrow morning； in the Bois。 Perhaps you will bring a friend。〃
〃Certainly； monsieur。 To…morrow morning； then。 I hope we shall
have fine weather。 I detest the rain。〃
Chabrillane looked at him almost with amazement Andre…Louis smiled
pleasantly。
〃Don't let me detain you now； monsieur。 We quite understand each
other。 I shall be in the Bois at nine o'clock to…morrow morning。〃
〃That is too late for me； monsieur。〃
〃Any other hour would be too early for me。 I do not like to have
my habits disturbed。 Nine o'clock or not at all； as you please。〃
〃But I must be at the Assembly at nine； for the morning session。〃
〃I am afraid； monsieur； you will have to kill me first； and I
have a prejudice against being killed before nine o'clock。〃
Now this was too complete a subversion of the usual procedure for
M。 de Chabrillane's stomach。 Here was a rustic deputy assuming
with him precisely the tone of sinister mockery which his class
usually dealt out to their victims of the Third Estate。 And to
heighten the irritation； Andre…Louis … the actor； Scaramouche
always … produced his snuffbox； and proffered it with a steady
hand to Le Chapelier before helping himself。
Chabrillane； it seemed； after all that he had suffered； was not
even to be allowed to make a good exit。
〃Very well； monsieur；〃 he said。 〃Nine o'clock； then； and we'll see
if you'll talk as pertly afterwards。〃
On that he flung away； before the jeers of the provincial deputies。
Nor did it soothe his rage to be laughed at by urchins all the way
down the Rue Dauphine because of the mud and filth that dripped
from his satin breeches and the tails of his elegant； striped coat。
But though the members of the Third had jeered on the surface； they
trembled underneath with fear and indignation。 It was too much。
Lagron killed by one of these bullies； and now his successor
challenged； and about to be killed by another of them on the very
first day of his appearance to take the dead man's place。 Several
came now to implore Andre…Louis not to go to the Bois； to ignore
the challenge and the whole affair； which was but a deliberate
attempt to put him out of the way。 He listened seriously； shook
his head gloomily； and promised at last to think it over。
He was in his seat again for the afternoon session as if nothing
disturbed him。
But in the morning； when the Assembly met； his place was vacant；
and so was M。 de Chabrillane's。 Gloom and resentment sat upon the
members of the Third； and brought a more than usually a
