I am overwhelmed by the unusual honour。〃
He looked into her piquant little face； and noted how obscured it
was by its cloud of dignity。 He laughed。
〃Perhaps I feared that the honour was not sought。〃
〃Ah； now I understand；〃 she cried。 〃It is for me to seek these
honours。 I am to woo a man before he will pay me the homage of
civility。 It must be so； since you； who clearly know everything；
have said so。 It remains for me to beg your pardon for my ignorance。〃
〃It amuses you to be cruel；〃 said Scaramouche。 〃No matter。 Shall
we walk？〃
They set out together； stepping briskly to warm their blood against
the wintry evening air。 Awhile they went in silence； yet each
furtively observing the other。
〃And so； you find me cruel？〃 she challenged him at length； thereby
betraying the fact that the accusation had struck home。
He looked at her with a half smile。 〃Will you deny it？〃
〃You are the first man that ever accused me of that。〃
〃I dare not suppose myself the first man to whom you have been cruel。
That were an assumption too flattering to myself。 I must prefer to
think that the others suffered in silence。〃
〃Mon Dieu！ Have you suffered？〃 She was between seriousness and
raillery。
〃I place the confession as an offering on the altar of your vanity。〃
〃I should never have suspected it。〃
〃How could you？ Am I not what your father calls a natural actor？
I was an actor long before I became Scaramouche。 Therefore I have
laughed。 I often do when I am hurt。 When you were pleased to be
disdainful； I acted disdain in my turn。〃
〃You acted very well；〃 said she； without reflecting。
〃Of course。 I am an excellent actor。〃
〃And why this sudden change？〃
〃In response to the change in you。 You have grown weary of your
part of cruel madam … a dull part； believe me； and unworthy of your
talents。； Were I a woman and had I your loveliness and your grace；
Climene； I should disdain to use them as weapons of offence。〃
〃Loveliness and grace！〃 she echoed； feigning amused surprise。 But
the vain baggage was mollified。 〃When was it that you discovered
this beauty and this grace； M。 Scaramouche？〃
He looked at her a moment； considering the sprightly beauty of her；
the adorable femininity that from the first had so irresistibly
attracted him。
〃One morning when I beheld you rehearsing a love…scene with Leandre。〃
He caught the surprise that leapt to her eyes； before she veiled
them under drooping lids from his too questing gaze。
〃Why； that was the first time you saw me。〃
〃I had no earlier occasion to remark your charms。〃
〃You ask me to believe too much；〃 said she； but her tone was softer
than he had ever known it yet。
〃Then you'll refuse to believe me if I confess that it was this
grace and beauty that determined my destiny that day by urging me
to join your father's troupe。〃
At that she became a little out of breath。 There was no longer any
question of finding an outlet for resentment。 Resentment was all
forgotten。
〃But why？ With what object？〃
〃With the object of asking you one day to be my wife。〃
She halted under the shock of that； and swung round to face him。
Her glance met his own without； shyness now； there was a hardening
glitter in her eyes； a faint stir of colour in her cheeks。 She
suspected him of an unpardonable mockery。
〃You go very fast； don't you？〃 she asked him； with heat。
〃I do。 haven't you observed it？ I am a man of sudden impulses。
See what I have made of the Binet troupe in less than a couple of
months。 Another might have laboured for a year and not achieved
the half of it。 Shall I be slower in love than in work？ Would it
be reasonable to expect it？ I have curbed and repressed myself not
to scare you by precipitancy。 In that I have done violence to my
feelings； and more than all in using the same cold aloofness with
which you chose to treat me。 I have waited … oh！ so patiently …
until you should tire of that mood of cruelty。〃
〃You are an amazing man；〃 said she； quite colourlessly。
〃I am；〃 he agreed with her。 〃It is only the conviction that I am
not commonplace that has permitted me to hope as I have hoped。〃
Mechanically； and as if by tacit consent； they resumed their walk。
〃And I ask you to observe；〃 he said； 〃when you complain that I go
very fast； that； after all； I have so far asked you for nothing。〃
〃How？〃 quoth she； frowning。
〃I have merely told you of my hopes。 I am not so rash as to ask at
once whether I may realize them。〃
〃My faith； but that is prudent；〃 said she； tartly。
〃Of course。〃
It was his self…possession that exasperated her； for after that she
walked the short remainder of the way in silence； and so； for the
moment； the matter was left just there。
But that night； after they had supped； it chanced that when Climene
was about to retire； he and she were alone together in the room
abovestairs that her father kept exclusively for his company。 The
Binet Troupe； you see； was rising in the world。
As Climene now rose to withdraw for the night； Scaramouche rose
with her to light her candle。 Holding it in her left hand； she
offered him her right； a long； tapering； white hand at the end of
a softly rounded arm that was bare to the elbow。
〃Good…night； Scaramouche；〃 she said； but so softly； so tenderly；
that he caught his breath； and stood conning her； his dark eyes
aglow。
Thus a moment； then he took the tips of her fingers in his grasp；
and bowing over the hand； pressed his lips upon it。 Then he looked
at her again。 The intense femininity of her lured him on； invited
him； surrendered to him。 Her face was pale； there was a glitter in
her eyes； a curious smile upon her parted lips； and under its
fichu…menteur her bosom rose and fell to complete the betrayal of her。
By the hand he continued to hold； he drew her towards him。 She came
unresisting。 He took the candle from her； and set it down on the
sideboard by which she stood。 The next moment her slight； lithe
body was in his arms； and he was kissing her； murmuring her name as
if it were a prayer。
〃Am I cruel now？〃 she asked him； panting。 He kissed her again for
only answer。 〃You made me cruel because you would not see；〃 she
told him next in a whisper。
And then the door opened； and M。 Binet came in to have his paternal
eyes regaled by this highly indecorous behaviour of his daughter。
He stood at gaze； whilst they quite leisurely； and in a
self…possession too complete to be natural； detached each from
the other。
〃And what may be the meaning of this？〃 demanded M。 Binet； bewildered
and profoundly shocked。
〃Does it require explaining？〃 asked Scaramouche。 〃Doesn't it speak
for itself … eloquently？ It means that Climene and I have taken it
into our heads to be married。〃
〃And doesn't it matter what I may take into my head？〃
〃Of course。 But you could have neither the bad taste nor the bad
heart to offer any obstacle。〃
〃You take that for granted？ Aye； that is your way； to be sure … to
take things for granted。 But my daughter is not to be taken for
granted。 I have very definite views for my daughter。 You have done
an unworthy thing； Scaramouche。 You have betrayed my trust in you。
I am very angry with you。〃
He rolled forward with his ponderous yet curiously noiseless gait。
Scaramouche turned to her； smiling； and handed her the candle。
〃If you will leave us； Climene； I will ask your hand of your father
in proper form。〃
She vanished； a little fluttered； lovelier than ever in her mixture
of confusion and timidity。 Scaramouche closed the door and faced the
enraged M。 Binet； who had flung himself into an armchair at the head
of the short table； faced him with the avowed purpose of asking for
Climene's hand in proper form。 And this was how he did it：
〃Father…in…law；〃 said he； 〃I congratulate you。 This will certainly
mean the Comedie Francaise for Climene； and that before long； and
you shall shine in the glory she will reflect。 As the father of
Madame Scaramouche you may yet be famous。〃
Binet； his face slowly empurpling； glared at him in speechless
stupefaction。 His rage was the more utter from his humiliating
conviction that whatever he might say or do； this irresistible
fellow would bend him to his will。 At last speech came to him。
〃You're a damned corsair；〃 he cried； thickly； banging his ham…like
fist upon the table。 〃A corsair！ First you sail in and plunder me
of half my legitimate gains； and now you want to carry off my
daughter。 But I'll be damned if I'll give her to a graceless；
nameless scoundrel like you； for whom the gallows are waiting
already。〃
Scaramouche pulled the bell…rope； not at all discomposed。 He smiled。
There was a flush on his cheeks and a gleam in his eyes。 He was
very pleased with the world that night。 He really owed a great debt
to M。 de Lesdiguieres。
〃Binet；〃 said he； 〃forget for once that you are Pantaloon； and behave
as a nice； amiable father…in…law should behave when he has secured a
son…in…law of exceptionable merits。 We are going to have a bottle of
Burgundy at my expense； and it shall be the best bottle of Burgundy
to be found in Redon。 Compose yourself to do fitting honour to it。
Excitations of the bile invariably impair the fine sensitiveness of
the palate。〃
CHAPTER VII
THE CONQUEST OF NANTES
The Binet Troupe opened in Nantes … as you may discover in surviving
copies of the 〃Courrier Nantais〃 … on the Feast of the Purification
with 〃Les Fourberies de Scaramouche。〃 But they did not come to
Nantes as hitherto they had gone to little country villages and
townships； unheralded and depending entirely upon the parade of
their entrance to attract attention to themselves。 Andre…Louis
had borrowed from the business methods of the Comedie Francaise。
Carrying matters with a high hand entirely in his own fashion； he
had ordered at Redon the printing of playbills； and four days before
the company's descent upon Nantes； these bills were pasted outside
the Theatre Feydau and elsewhere about the town； and had attracted
… being still sufficiently unusual announcements at the time …
considerable attention。 He had entrusted the matter to one of the
company's la