scaramouche-第85章
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she opened her arms。 Sobs suffocated her voice。
〃Won't you come to me； Andre…Louis？〃
A moment yet he stood hesitating； startled by that appeal； angered
almost by his heart's response to it； reason and sentiment at grips
in his soul。 This was not real； his reason postulated； this
poignant emotion that she displayed and that he experienced was
fantastic。 Yet he went。 Her arms enfolded him； her wet cheek was
pressed hard against his own； her frame； which the years had not
yet succeeded in robbing of its grace； was shaken by the passionate
storm within her。
〃Oh； Andre…Louis； my child； if you knew how I have hungered to hold
you so！ If you knew how in denying myself this I have atoned and
suffered！ Kercadiou should not have told you … not even now。 It
was wrong … most wrong； perhaps； to you。 It would have been better
that he should have left me here to my fate； whatever that may be。
And yet … come what may of this … to be able to hold you so； to be
able to acknowledge you； to hear you call me mother … oh！
Andre…Louis； I cannot now regret it。 I cannot。。。 I cannot wish it
otherwise。〃
〃Is there any need； madame？〃 he asked her； his stoicism deeply
shaken。 〃There is no occasion to take others into our confidence。
This is for to…night alone。 To…night we are mother and son。
To…morrow we resume our former places； and； outwardly at least；
forget。〃
〃Forget？ Have you no heart； Andre…Louis？〃
The question recalled him curiously to his attitude towards life
… that histrionic attitude of his that he accounted true philosophy。
Also he remembered what lay before them； and he realized that he
must master not only himself but her； that to yield too far to
sentiment at such a time might be the ruin of them all。
〃It is a question propounded to me so often that it must contain
the truth；〃 said he。 〃My rearing is to blame for that。〃
She tightened her clutch about his neck even as he would have
attempted to disengage himself from her embrace。
〃You do not blame me for your rearing？ Knowing all； as you do；
Andre…Louis； you cannot altogether blame。 You must be merciful to
me。 You must forgive me。 You must！ I had no choice。〃
〃When we know all of whatever it may be； we can never do anything
but forgive； madame。 That is the profoundest religious truth that
was ever written。 It contains； in fact； a whole religion … the
noblest religion any man could have to guide him。 I say this for
your comfort； madame my mother。〃
She sprang away from him with a startled cry。 Beyond him in the
shadows by the door a pale figure shimmered ghostly。 It advanced
into the light； and resolved itself into Aline。 She had come in
answer to that forgotten summons madame had sent her by Jacques。
Entering unperceived she had seen Andre…Louis in the embrace of
the woman whom he addressed as 〃mother。〃 She had recognized him
instantly by his voice； and she could not have said what bewildered
her more： his presence there or the thing she overheard。
〃You heard； Aline？〃 madame exclaimed。
〃I could not help it； madame。 You sent for me。 I am sorry if。。。 〃
She broke off； and looked at Andre…Louis long and curiously。 She
was pale； but quite composed。 She held out her hand to him。 〃And
so you have come at last； Andre；〃 said she。 〃You might have come
before。〃
〃I come when I am wanted；〃 was his answer。 〃Which is the only time
in which one can be sure of being received。〃 He said it without
bitterness； and having said it stooped to kiss her hand。
〃You can forgive me what is past； I hope； since I failed of my
purpose；〃 he said gently； half…pleading。 〃I could not have come to
you pretending that the failure was intentional … a compromise
between the necessities of the case and your own wishes。 For it
was not that。 And yet； you do not seem to have profited by my
failure。 You are still a maid。〃
She turned her shoulder to him。
〃There are things；〃 she said； 〃that you will never understand。〃
〃Life； for one；〃 he acknowledged。 〃I confess that I am finding it
bewildering。 The very explanations calculated to simplify it seem
but to complicate it further。〃 And he looked at Mme。 de Plougastel。
〃You mean something； I suppose；〃 said mademoiselle。
〃Aline！〃 It was the Countess who spoke。 She knew the danger of
half…discoveries。 〃I can trust you； child； I know； and Andre…Louis；
I am sure； will offer no objection。〃 She had taken up the letter
to show it to Aline。 Yet first her eyes questioned him。
〃Oh； none； madame；〃 he assured her。 〃It is entirely a matter for
yourself。〃
Aline looked from one to the other with troubled eyes； hesitating
to take the letter that was now proffered。 When she had read it
through； she very thoughtfully replaced it on the table。 A moment
she stood there with bowed head； the other two watching her。 Then
impulsively she ran to madame and put her arms about her。
〃Aline！〃 It was a cry of wonder； almost of joy。 〃You do not
utterly abhor me！〃
〃My dear；〃 said Aline； and kissed the tear…stained face that seemed
to have grown years older in these last few hours。
In the background Andre…Louis； steeling himself against emotionalism；
spoke with the voice of Scaramouche。
〃It would be well； mesdames； to postpone all transports until they
can be indulged at greater leisure and in more security。 It is
growing late。 If we are to get out of this shambles we should be
wise to take the road without more delay。〃
It was a tonic as effective as it was necessary。 It startled them
into remembrance of their circumstances； and under the spur of it
they went at once to make their preparations。
They left him for perhaps a quarter of an hour； to pace that long
room alone； saved only from impatience by the turmoil of his mind。
When at length they returned； they were accompanied by a tall man
in a full…skirted shaggy greatcoat and a broad hat the brim of
which was turned down all around。 He remained respectfully by the
door in the shadows。
Between them the two women had concerted it thus； or rather the
Countess had so concerted it when Aline had warned her that
Andre…Louis' bitter hostility towards the Marquis made it
unthinkable that he should move a finger consciously to save him。
Now despite the close friendship uniting M。 de Kercadiou and his
niece with Mme。 de Plougastel； there were several matters concerning
them of which the Countess was in ignorance。 One of these was the
project at one time existing of a marriage between Aline and M。 de
La Tour d'Azyr。 It was a matter that Aline … naturally enough in
the state of her feelings … had never mentioned； nor had M。 de
Kercadiou ever alluded to it since his coming to Meudon； by when he
had perceived how unlikely it was ever to be realized。
M。 de La Tour d'Azyr's concern for Aline on that morning of the
duel when he had found her baif…swooning in Mme。 de Plougastel's
carriage had been of a circumspection that betrayed nothing of his
real interest in her； and therefore had appeared no more than
natural in one who must account himself the cause of her distress。
Similarly Mme。 de Plougastel had never realized nor did she realize
now … for Aline did not trouble fully to enlighten her … that the
hostility between the two men was other than political； the quarrel
other than that which already had taken Andre…Louis to the Bois on
every day of the preceding week。 But； at least； she realized that
even if Andre…Louis' rancour should have no other source； yet that
inconclusive duel was cause enough for Aline's fears。
And so she had proposed this obvious deception； and Aline had
consented to be a passive party to it。 They had made the mistake
of not fully forewarning and persuading M。 de La Tour d'Azyr。 They
had trusted entirely to his anxiety to escape from Paris to keep
him rigidly within the part imposed upon him。 They had reckoned
without the queer sense of honour that moved such men as M。 le
Marquis； nurtured upon a code of shams。
Andre…Louis； turning to scan that muffled figure； advanced from
the dark depths of the salon。 As the light beat on his white；
lean face the pseudo…footman started。 The next moment he too
stepped forward into the
