scaramouche-第88章
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this world； that we are all of us the sport of destiny。 Consider；
monsieur； this gathering … this family gathering … here to…night；
whilst out there。。。 0 my God； let us make an end！ Let us go our
ways and write 'finis' to this horrible chapter of our lives。〃
M。 le La Tour considered him gravely； sadly； in silence for a moment。
〃Perhaps it is best；〃 he said； at length； in a small voice。 He
turned to Mme。 de Plougastel。 〃If a wrong I have to admit in my
life； a wrong that I must bitterly regret； it is the wrong that I
have done to you； my dear。。。 〃
〃Not now； Gervais！ Not now！〃 she faltered； interrupting him。
〃Now … for the first and the last time。 I am going。 It is not
likely that we shall ever meet again … that I shall ever see any
of you again … you who should have been the nearest and dearest to
me。 We are all； he says； the sport of destiny。 Ah； but not quite。
Destiny is an intelligent force； moving with purpose。 In life we
pay for the evil that in life we do。 That is the lesson that I
have learnt to…night。 By an act of betrayal I begot unknown to me
a son who； whilst as ignorant as myself of our relationship； has
come to be the evil genius of my life； to cross and thwart me； and
finally to help to pull me down in ruin。 It is just … poetically
just。 My full and resigned acceptance of that fact is the only
atonement I can offer you。〃
He stooped and took one of madame's hands that lay limply in her lap。
〃Good…bye； Therese！〃 His voice broke。 He had reached the end of
his iron self…control。
She rose and clung to him a moment； unashamed before them。 The
ashes of that dead romance had been deeply stirred this night； and
deep down some lingering embers had been found that glowed brightly
now before their final extinction。 Yet she made no attempt to
detain him。 She understood that their son had pointed out the only
wise； the only possible course； and was thankful that M。 de La Tour
d'Azyr accepted it。
〃God keep you； Gervais；〃 she murmured。 〃You will take the
safe…conduct； and。。。 and you will let me know when you are safe？〃
He held her face between his hands an instant； then very gently
kissed her and put her from him。 Standing erect； and outwardly calm
again； he looked across at Andre…Louis who was proffering him a
sheet of paper。
〃It is the safe…conduct。 Take it； monsieur。 It is my first and
last gift to you； and certainly the last gift I should ever have
thought of making you … the gift of life。 In a sense it makes us
quits。 The irony； sir； is not mine； but Fate's。 Take it； monsieur；
and go in peace。〃
M。 de La Tour d'Azyr took it。 His eyes looked hungrily into the
lean face confronting him； so sternly set。 He thrust the paper
into his bosom； and then abruptly； convulsively； held out his hand。
His son's eyes asked a question。
〃Let there be peace between us； in God's name；〃 said the Marquis
thickly。
Pity stirred at last in Andre…Louis。 Some of the sternness left
his face。 He sighed。 〃Good…bye； monsieur；〃 he said。
〃You are hard；〃 his father told him； speaking wistfully。 〃But
perhaps you are in the right so to be。 In other circumstances I
should have been proud to have owned you as my son。 As it is。。。 〃
He broke off abruptly； and as abruptly added； 〃Good…bye。〃
He loosed his son's hand and stepped back。 They bowed formally to
each other。 And then M。 de La Tour d'Azyr bowed to Mlle。 de
Kercadiou in utter silence； a bow that contained something of
utter renunciation； of finality。
That done he turned and walked stiffly out of the room； and so
out of all their lives。 Months later they were to hear if him
in the service of the Emperor of Austria。
CHAPTER XVI
SUNRISE
Andre…Louis took the air next morning on the terrace at Meudon。 The
hour was very early； and the newly risen sun was transmuting into
diamonds the dewdrops that still lingered on the lawn。 Down in the
valley； five miles away； the morning mists were rising over Paris。
Yet early as it was that house on the hill was astir already； in a
bustle of preparation for the departure that was imminent。
Andre…Louis had won safely out of Paris last night with his mother
and Aline； and to…day they were to set out all of them for Coblenz。
To Andre…Louis； sauntering there with hands clasped behind him and
head hunched between his shoulders … for life had never been richer
in material for reflection … came presently Aline through one of
the glass doors from the library。
〃You're early astir；〃 she greeted him。
〃Faith； yes。 I haven't been to bed。 No；〃 he assured her； in answer
to her exclamation。 〃I spent the night or what was left of it
sitting at the window thinking。〃
〃My poor Andre！〃
〃You describe me perfectly。 I am very poor … for I know nothing；
understand nothing。 It is not a calamitous condition until it is
realized。 Then。。。 〃 He threw out his arms； and let them fall again。
His face she observed was very drawn and haggard。
She paced with him along the old granite balustrade over which the
geraniums flung their mantle of green and scarlet。
〃Have you decided what you are going to do？〃 she asked him。
〃I have decided that I have no choice。 I； too； must emigrate。 I
am lucky to be able to do so； lucky to have found no one amid
yesterday's chaos in Paris to whom I could report myself as I
foolishly desired； else I might no longer be armed with these。〃
He drew from his pocket the powerful passport of the Commission of
Twelve； enjoining upon all Frenchmen to lend him such assistance as
he might require； and warning those who might think of hindering
him that they did so at their own peril。 He spread it before her。
〃With this I conduct you all safely to the frontier。 Over the
frontier M。 de Kercadiou and Mme。 de Plougastel will have to conduct
me； and then we shall be quits。〃
〃Quits？〃 quoth she。 〃But you will be unable to return！〃
〃You conceive； of course； my eagerness to do so。 My child； in a
day or two there will be enquiries。 It will be asked what has
become of me。 Things will transpire。 Then the hunt will start。
But by then we shall be well upon our way； well ahead of any
possible pursuit。 You don't imagine that I could ever give the
government any satisfactory explanation of my absence … assuming
that any government remains to which to explain it？〃
〃You mean。。。 that you will sacrifice your future； this career upon
which you have embarked？〃 It took her breath away。
〃In the pass to which things have come there is no career for me
down there … at least no honest one。 And I hope you do not think
that I could be dishonest。 It is the day of the Dantons； and the
Marats； the day of the rabble。 The reins of government will be
tossed to the populace； or else the populace； drunk with the conceit
with which the Dantons and the Marats have filled it； will seize
the reins by force。 Chaos must follow； and a despotism of brutes
and apes； a government of the whole by its lowest parts。 It cannot
endure； because unless a nation is ruled by its best elements it
must wither and decay。〃
〃I thought you were a republican；〃 said she。
〃Why； so I am。 I am talking like one。 I desire a society which
selects its rulers； from the best elements of every class and denies
the right of any class or corporation to usurp the government to
itself … whether it be the nobles； the clergy； the bourgeoisie； or
the proletariat。 For government by any one class is fatal to the
welfare of the whole。 Two years ago our ideal seemed to have been
realized。 The monopoly of power had been taken from the class that
had held it too long and too unjustly by the hollow right of
heredity。 It had been distributed as evenly as might be throughout
the State； and if men had only paused there； all would have been
well。 But our impetus carried us too far； the privileged orders
goaded us on by their very opposition； and the result is the horror
of which yesterday you saw no more than the beginnings。 No； no；〃
he ended。 〃Careers there may be for venal place…seekers； for
opportunists； but none for a man who desires to respect himself。
It is time to go。 I make no sacrifice in going。〃
〃But where
