scaramouche-第74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！
He bowed profoundly； grave and sorrowful of face as he was grave
and sorrowful of heart。
〃Mademoiselle； my homage；〃 he murmured； and turned to go。
〃But you have not answered me！〃 she called after him in terror。
He checked on the threshold； and turned； and there from the cool
gloom of the hall she saw him a black； graceful silhouette against
the brilliant sunshine beyond … a memory of him that was to cling
as something sinister and menacing in the dread hours that were
to follow。
〃What would you； mademoiselle？ I but spared myself and you the
pain of a refusal。〃
He was gone leaving her crushed and raging。 She sank down again
into the great red chair； and sat there crumpled； her elbows on
the table； her face in her hands … a face that was on fire with
shame and passion。 She had offered herself； and she had been
refused！ The inconceivable had befallen her。 The humiliation of
it seemed to her something that could never be effaced。
Startled； appalled； she stepped back； her hand pressed to her
tortured breast。
CHAPTER X
THE RETURNING CARRIAGE
M。 de Kercadiou wrote a letter。
〃Godson；〃 he began； without any softening adjective； 〃I have learnt
with pain and indignation that you have dishonoured yourself again
by breaking the pledge you gave me to abstain from politics。 With
still greater pain and indignation do I learn that your name has
become in a few short days a byword； that you have discarded the
weapon of false； insidious arguments against my class … the class
to which you owe everything … for the sword of the assassin。 It
has come to my knowledge that you have an assignation to…morrow
with my good friend M。 de La Tour d'Azyr。 A gentleman of his
station is under certain obligations imposed upon him by his birth；
which do not permit him to draw back from an engagement。 But you
labour under no such disadvantages。 For a man of your class to
refuse an engagement of honour； or to neglect it when made； entails
no sacrifice。 Your peers will probably be of the opinion that you
display a commendable prudence。 Therefore I beg you； indeed； did
I think that I still exercise over you any such authority as the
favours you have received from me should entitle me to exercise； I
would command you； to allow this matter to go no farther； and to
refrain from rendering yourself to your assignation to…morrow
morning。 Having no such authority； as your past conduct now makes
clear； having no reason to hope that a proper sentiment of gratitude
to me will induce to give heed to this my most earnest request； I
am compelled to add that should you survive to…morrow's encounter；
I can in no circumstances ever again permit myself to be conscious
of your existence。 If any spark survives of the affection that once
you expressed for me； or if you set any value upon the affection；
which； in spite of all that you have done to forfeit it； is the
chief prompter of this letter； you will not refuse to do as I am
asking。〃
It was not a tactful letter。 M。 de Kercadiou was not a tactful man。
Read it as he would； Andre…Louis … when it was delivered to him on
that Sunday afternoon by the groom dispatched with it into Paris
… could read into it only concern for M。 La Tour d'Azyr； M。 de
Kercadiou's good friend； as he called him； and prospective
nephew…in…law。
He kept the groom waiting a full hour while composing his answer。
Brief though it was； it cost him very considerable effort and
several unsuccessful attempts。 In the end this is what he wrote：
Monsieur my godfather … You make refusal singularly hard for me when
you appeal to me upon the ground of affection。 It is a thing of
which all my life I shall hail the opportunity to give you proofs；
and I am therefore desolated beyond anything I could hope to express
that I cannot give you the proof you ask to…day。 There is too much
between M。 de La Tour d'Azyr and me。 Also you do me and my class
… whatever it may be … less than justice when you say that
obligations of honour are not binding upon us。 So binding do I
count them； that； if I would； I could not now draw back。
If hereafter you should persist in the harsh intention you express；
I must suffer it。 That I shall suffer be assured。
Your affectionate and grateful godson
Andre…Louis
He dispatched that letter by M。 de Kercadiou's groom； and conceived
this to be the end of the matter。 It cut him keenly； but he bore
the wound with that outward stoicism he affected。
Next morning； at a quarter past eight； as with Le Chapelier … who
had come to break his fast with him … he was rising from table to
set out for the Bois； his housekeeper startled him by announcing
Mademoiselle de Kercadiou。
He looked at his watch。 Although his cabriolet was already at the
door； he had a few minutes to spare。 He excused himself from Le
Chapelier； and went briskly out to the anteroom。
She advanced to meet him； her manner eager； almost feverish。
〃I will not affect ignorance of why you have come；〃 he said quickly；
to make short work。 〃But time presses； and I warn you that only
the most solid of reasons can be worth stating。〃
It surprised her。 It amounted to a rebuff at the very outset；
before she had uttered a word； and that was the last thing she had
expected from Andre…Louis。 Moreover； there was about him an air
of aloofness that was unusual where she was concerned； and his
voice had been singularly cold and formal。
It wounded her。 She was not to guess the conclusion to which he
had leapt。 He made with regard to her … as was but natural； after
all … the same mistake that he had made with regard to yesterday's
letter from his godfather。 He conceived that the mainspring of
action here was solely concern for M。 de La Tour d'Azyr。 That it
might be concern for himself never entered his mind。 So absolute
was his own conviction of what must be the inevitable issue of that
meeting that he could not conceive of any one entertaining a fear
on his behalf。
What he assumed to be anxiety on the score of the predestined victim
had irritated him in M。 de Kercadiou； in Aline it filled him with a
cold anger； he argued from it that she had hardly been frank with
him； that ambition was urging her to consider with favour the suit
of M。 de La Tour d'Azyr。 And than this there was no spur that could
have driven more relentlessly in his purpose； since to save her
was in his eyes almost as momentous as to avenge the past。
She conned him searchingly； and the complete calm of him at such a
time amazed her。 She could not repress the mention of it。
〃How calm you are； Andre！〃
〃I am not easily disturbed。 It is a vanity of mine。〃
〃But。。。 Oh； Andre； this meeting must not take place！〃 She came
close up to him； to set her hands upon his shoulders； and stood so；
her face within a foot of his own。
〃You know； of course； of some good reason why it should not？〃
said he。
〃You may be killed；〃 she answered him； and her eyes dilated as
she spoke。
It was so far from anything that he had expected that for a moment
he could only stare at her。 Then he thought he had understood。 He
laughed as he removed her hands from his shoulders； and stepped
back。 This was a shallow device； childish and unworthy in her。
〃Can you really think to prevail by attempting to frighten me？〃 he
asked； and almost sneered。
〃Oh； you are surely mad！ M。 de La Tour d'Azyr is reputed the most
dangerous sword in France。〃
〃Have you never noticed that most reputations are undeserved？
Chabrillane was a dangerous swordsman； and Chabrillane is
underground。 La Motte…Royau was an even more dangerous swordsman；
and he is in a surgeon's hands。 So are the other spadassinicides
who dreamt of skewering a poor sheep of a provincial lawyer。 And
here to…day comes the chief； the fine flower of these
bully…swordsmen。 He comes； for wages long overdue。 Be sure of
that。 So if you have no other reason to urge。
It was the sarcasm of him that mystified her。 Could he possibly
be sincere in his assurance that he must prevail against M。 de La
Tour d'Azyr？ To her in her limited knowledge； her mind filled
with her uncle's con
