scaramouche-第7章
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be。 Consider how you and your kind live by abuses； and consider the
harvest that abuses must ultimately bring。〃
〃Revolutionist！〃 said M。 le Marquis； contemptuously。 〃You have the
effrontery to stand before my face and offer me this stinking cant
of your modern so…called intellectuals！〃
〃Is it cant； monsieur？ Do you think … do you believe in your soul
… that it is cant？ Is it cant that the feudal grip is on all
things that live； crushing them like grapes in the press； to its
own profit？ Does it not exercise its rights upon the waters of the
river； the fire that bakes the poor man's bread of grass and barley；
on the wind that turns the mill？ The peasant cannot take a step
upon the road； cross a crazy bridge over a river； buy an ell of
cloth in the village market； without meeting feudal rapacity；
without being taxed in feudal dues。 Is not that enough； M。 le
Marquis？ Must you also demand his wretched life in payment for the
least infringement of your sacred privileges； careless of what
widows or orphans you dedicate to woe？ Will naught content you but
that your shadow must lie like a curse upon the land？ And do you
think in your pride that France； this Job among the nations； will
suffer it forever？〃
He paused as if for a reply。 But none came。 The Marquis considered
him； strangely silent； a half smile of disdain at the corners of his
lips； an ominous hardness in his eyes。
Again Andre…Louis tugged at his friend's sleeve。
〃Philippe。〃
Philippe shook him off； and plunged on； fanatically。
〃Do you see nothing of the gathering clouds that herald the coming
of the storm？ You imagine； perhaps； that these States General
summoned by M。 Necker； and promised for next year； are to do nothing
but devise fresh means of extortion to liquidate the bankruptcy of
the State？ You delude yourselves； as you shall find。 The Third
Estate； which you despise； will prove itself the preponderating
force； and it will find a way to make an end of this canker of
privilege that is devouring the vitals of this unfortunate country。〃
M。 le Marquis shifted in his chair； and spoke at last。
〃You have； monsieur；〃 said he； 〃a very dangerous gift of eloquence。
And it is of yourself rather than of your subject。 For after all；
what do you offer me？ A rechauffe of the dishes served to
out…at…elbow enthusiasts in the provincial literary chambers；
compounded of the effusions of your Voltaires and Jean…Jacques and
such dirty…fingered scribblers。 You have not among all your
philosophers one with the wit to understand that we are an order
consecrated by antiquity； that for our rights and privileges we have
behind us the authority of centuries。〃
〃Humanity； monsieur；〃 Philippe replied； 〃is more ancient than
nobility。 Human rights are contemporary with man。〃
The Marquis laughed and shrugged。
〃That is the answer I might have expected。 It has the right note
of cant that distinguishes the philosophers。〃 And then M。 de
Chabrillane spoke。
〃You go a long way round；〃 he criticized his cousin； on a note of
impatience。
〃But I am getting there；〃 he was answered。 〃I desired to make quite
certain first。〃
〃Faith； you should have no doubt by now。〃
〃I have none。〃 The Marquis rose； and turned again to M。 de Vilmorin；
who had understood nothing of that brief exchange。 〃M。 l'abbe；〃
said he once more； 〃you have a very dangerous gift of eloquence。 I
can conceive of men being swayed by it。 Had you been born a
gentleman； you would not so easily have acquired these false views
that you express。〃
M。 de Vilmorin stared blankly； uncomprehending。
〃Had I been born a gentleman； do you say？〃 quoth he； in a slow；
bewildered voice。 〃But I was born a gentleman。 My race is as old；
my blood as good as yours； monsieur。〃
》From M。 le Marquis there was a slight play of eyebrows； a vague；
indulgent smile。 His dark； liquid eyes looked squarely into the
face of M。 de Vilmorin。
〃You have been deceived in that； I fear。〃
〃Deceived？〃
〃Your sentiments betray the indiscretion of which madame your mother
must have been guilty。〃
The brutally affronting words were sped beyond recall； and the lips
that had uttered them； coldly； as if they had been the merest
commonplace； remained calm and faintly sneering。
A dead silence followed。 Andre…Louis' wits were numbed。 He stood
aghast； all thought suspended in him； what time M。 de Vilmorin's
eyes continued fixed upon M。 de La Tour d'Azyr's； as if searching
there for a meaning that eluded him。 Quite suddenly he understood
the vile affront。 The blood leapt to his face； fire blazed in his
gentle eyes。 A convulsive quiver shook him。 Then； with an
inarticulate cry； he leaned forward； and with his open hand struck
M。 le Marquis full and hard upon his sneering face。
In a flash M。 de Chabrillane was on his feet； between the two men。
Too late Andre…Louis had seen the trap。 La Tour d'Azyr's words
were but as a move in a game of chess； calculated to exasperate his
opponent into some such counter…move as this … a counter…move that
left him entirely at the other's mercy。
M。 le Marquis looked on； very white save where M。 de Vilmorin's
finger…prints began slowly to colour his face； but he said nothing
more。 Instead； it was M。 de Chabrillane who now did the talking；
taking up his preconcerted part in this vile game。
〃You realize； monsieur； what you have done；〃 said he； coldly； to
Philippe。 〃And you realize； of course； what must inevitably follow。〃
M。 de Vilmorin had realized nothing。 The poor young man had acted
upon impulse； upon the instinct of decency and honour； never
counting the consequences。 But he realized them now at the sinister
invitation of M。 de Chabrillane； and if he desired to avoid these
consequences； it was out of respect for his priestly vocation； which
strictly forbade such adjustments of disputes as M。 de Chabrillane
was clearly thrusting upon him。
He drew back。 〃Let one affront wipe out the other；〃 said he； in a
dull voice。 〃The balance is still in M。 le Marquis's favour。 Let
that content him。〃
〃Impossible。〃 The Chevalier's lips came together tightly。
Thereafter he was suavity itself； but very firm。 〃A blow has been
struck； monsieur。 I think I am correct in saying that such a thing
has never happened before to M。 le Marquis in all his life。 If you
felt yourself affronted； you had but to ask the satisfaction due
from one gentleman to another。 Your action would seem to confirm
the assumption that you found so offensive。 But it does not on that
account render you immune from the consequences。〃
It was； you see； M。 de Chabrillane's part to heap coals upon this
fire； to make quite sure that their victim should not escape them。
〃I desire no immunity；〃 flashed back the young seminarist； stung by
this fresh goad。 After all； he was nobly born； and the traditions
of his class were strong upon him … stronger far than the seminarist
schooling in humility。 He owed it to himself； to his honour； to be
killed rather than avoid the consequences of the thing he had done。
〃But he does not wear a sword； messieurs！〃 cried Andre Louis； aghast。
〃That is easily amended。 He may have the loan of mine。〃
〃I mean； messieurs；〃 Andre…Louis insisted； between fear for his
friend and indignation； 〃that it is not his habit to wear a sword；
that he has never worn one； that he is untutored in its uses。 He
is a seminarist … a postulant for holy orders； already half a priest；
and so forbidden from such an engagement as you propose。〃
〃All that he should have remembered before he struck a blow；〃 said
M。 de Chabrillane； politely。
〃The blow was deliberately provoked；〃 raged Andre…Louis。 Then he
recovered himself； though the other's haughty stare had no part in
that recovery。 〃0 my God； I talk in vain！ How is one to argue
against a purpose formed！ Come away； Philippe。 Don't you see the
trap。。。 〃
M。 de Vilmorin cut him short； and flung him off。 〃Be quiet； Andre。
M。 le Marquis is entirely in the right。〃
〃M。 le Marquis is in the right？〃 Andre…Louis let his arms fall
helplessly。 This man he loved above all other living men was caught
in the snare of the world's insanity。
