considerable attention。 He had entrusted the matter to one of the
company's latest recruits； an intelligent young man named Basque；
sending him on ahead of the company for the purpose。
You may see for yourself one of these playbills in the Carnavalet
Museum。 It details the players by their stage names only； with the
exception of M。 Binet and his daughter； and leaving out of account
that he who plays Trivelin in one piece appears as Tabarin in
another； it makes the company appear to be at least half as numerous
again as it really was。 It announces that they will open with 〃Les
Fourberies de Scaramouche；〃 to be followed by five other plays of
which it gives the titles； and by others not named； which shall also
be added should the patronage to be received in the distinguished
and enlightened city of Nantes encourage the Binet Troupe to prolong
its sojourn at the Theatre Feydau。 It lays great stress upon the
fact that this is a company of improvisers in the old Italian manner；
the like of which has not been seen in France for half a century；
and it exhorts the public of Nantes not to miss this opportunity of
witnessing these distinguished mimes who are reviving for them the
glories of the Comedie de l'Art。 Their visit to Nantes … the
announcement proceeds … is preliminary to their visit to Paris；
where they intend to throw down the glove to the actors of the
Comedie Francaise； and to show the world how superior is the art of
the improviser to that of the actor who depends upon an author for
what he shall say； and who consequently says always the same thing
every time that he plays in the same piece。
It is an audacious bill； and its audacity had scared M。 Binet out
of the little sense left him by the Burgundy which in these days he
could afford to abuse。 He had offered the most vehement opposition。
Part of this Andre…Louis had swept aside； part he had disregarded。
〃I admit that it is audacious；〃 said Scaramouche。 〃But at your time
of life you should have learnt that in this world nothing succeeds
like audacity。〃
〃I forbid it； I absolutely forbid it；〃 M。 Binet insisted。
〃I knew you would。 Just as I know that you'll be very grateful to
me presently for not obeying you。
〃You are inviting a catastrophe。〃
〃I am inviting fortune。 The worst catastrophe that can overtake
you is to be back in the market…halls of the country villages from
which I rescued you。 I'll have you in Paris yet in spite of
yourself。 Leave this to me。〃
And he went out to attend to the printing。 Nor did his preparations
end there。 He wrote a piquant article on the glories of the Comedie
de l'Art； and its resurrection by the improvising troupe of the
great mime Florimond Binet。 Binet's name was not Florimond； it was
just Pierre。 But Andre…Louis had a great sense of the theatre。 That
article was an amplification of the stimulating matter contained in
the playbills； and he persuaded Basque； who had relations in Nantes；
to use all the influence he could command； and all the bribery they
could afford； to get that article printed in the 〃Courrier Nantais〃
a couple of days before the arrival of the Binet Troupe。
Basque had succeeded； and； considering the undoubted literary merits
and intrinsic interest of the article； this is not at all surprising。
And so it was upon an already expectant city that Binet and his
company descended in that first week of February。 M。 Binet would
have made his entrance in the usual manner … a full…dress parade with
banging drums and crashing cymbals。 But to this Andre…Louis offered
the most relentless opposition。
〃We should but discover our poverty；〃 said he。 〃Instead； we will
creep into the city unobserved； and leave ourselves to the imagination
of the public。〃
He had his way； of course。 M。 Binet； worn already with battling
against the strong waters of this young man's will； was altogether
unequal to the contest now that he found CLIMENE in alliance with
Scaramouche； adding her insistence to his； and joining with him
in reprobation of her father's sluggish and reactionary wits。
Metaphorically； M。 Binet threw up his arms； and cursing the day on
which he had taken this young man into his troupe； he allowed the
current to carry him whither it would。 He was persuaded that he
would be drowned in the end。 Meanwhile he would drown his vexation
in Burgundy。 At least there was abundance of Burgundy。 Never in
his life had he found Burgundy so plentiful。 Perhaps things were
not as bad as he imagined； after all。 He reflected that； when all
was said； he had to thank Scaramouche for the Burgundy。 Whilst
fearing the worst； he would hope for the best。
And it was very much the worst that he feared as he waited in the
wings when the curtain rose on that first performance of theirs at
the Theatre Feydau to a house that was tolerably filled by a public
whose curiosity the preliminary announcements had thoroughly
stimulated。
Although the scenario of 〃Lee Fourberies de Scaramouche〃 has not
apparently survived； yet we know from Andre…Louis' 〃Confessions〃
that it is opened by Polichinelle in the character of an arrogant
and fiercely jealous lover shown in the act of beguiling the
waiting…maid； Columbine； to play the spy upon her mistress； Climene。
Beginning with cajolery； but failing in this with the saucy
Columbine； who likes cajolers to be at least attractive and to pay
a due deference to her own very piquant charms； the fierce humpbacked
scoundrel passes on to threats of the terrible vengeance he will
wreak upon her if she betrays him or neglects to obey him implicitly；
failing here； likewise； he finally has recourse to bribery； and
after he has bled himself freely to the very expectant Columbine； he
succeeds by these means in obtaining her consent to spy upon Climene；
and to report to him upon her lady's conduct。
The pair played the scene well together； stimulated； perhaps； by
their very nervousness at finding themselves before so imposing an
audience。 Polichinelle was everything that is fierce； contemptuous；
and insistent。 Columbine was the essence of pert indifference
under his cajolery； saucily mocking under his threats； and finely
sly in extorting the very maximum when it came to accepting a bribe。
Laughter rippled through the audience and promised well。 But M。
Binet； standing trembling in the wings； missed the great guffaws of
the rustic spectators to whom they had played hitherto； and his
fears steadily mounted。
Then； scarcely has Polichinelle departed by the door than Scaramouche
bounds in through the window。 It was an effective entrance； usually
performed with a broad comic effect that set the people in a roar。
Not so on this occasion。 Meditating in bed that morning； Scaramouche
had decided to present himself in a totally different aspect。 He
would cut out all the broad play； all the usual clowning which had
delighted their past rude audiences； and he would obtain his effects
by subtlety instead。 He would present a slyly humorous rogue；
restrained； and of a certain dignity； wearing a countenance of
complete solemnity； speaking his lines drily； as if unconscious of
the humour with which he intended to invest them。 Thus； though it
might take the audience longer to understand and discover him； they
would like him all the better in the end。
True to that resolve； he now played his part as the friend and hired
ally of the lovesick Leandre； on whose behalf he came for news of
Climene； seizing the opportunity to further his own amour with
Columbine and his designs upon the money…bags of Pantaloon。 Also he
had taken certain liberties with the traditional costume of
Scaramouche； he had caused the black doublet and breeches to be
slashed with red； and the doublet to be cut more to a peak； a la
Henri III。 The conventional black velvet cap he had replaced by a
conical hat with a turned…up brim； and a tuft of feathers on the
left； and he had discarded the guitar。
M。 Binet listened desperately for the roar of laughter that usually
greeted the entrance of Scaramouche； and his dismay increased when
it did not come。 And then he became conscious of something
alarmingly unusual in Scaramouche's manner。 The sibilant foreign
accent was there； but none of the broad boisterousness their
audiences had loved。
He wrung his hands in despair。 〃It is all over！〃 he said。 〃The
fellow has ruined us！ It serves me right for being a fool； and
allowing him to take control of everything！〃
But he was profoundly mistaken。 He began to have an inkling of this
when presently himself he took the stage； and found the public
attentive； remarked a grin of quiet appreciation on every upturned
face。 It was not； however； until the thunders of applause greeted
the fall of the curtain on the first act that he felt quite sure
they would be allowed to escape with their lives。
Had the part of Pantaloon in 〃Les Fourberies〃 been other than that
of a blundering； timid old idiot； Binet would have ruined it by his
apprehensions。 As it was； those very apprehensions； magnifying as
they did the hesitancy and bewilderment that were the essence of
his part； contributed to the success。 And a success it proved that
more than justified all the heralding of which Scaramouche had been
guilty。
For Scaramouche himself this success was not confined to the public。
At the end of the play a great reception awaited him from his
companions assembled in the green…room of the theatre。 His talent；
resource； and energy had raised them in a few weeks from a pack of
vagrant mountebanks to a self…respecting company of first…rate
players。 They acknowledged it generously in a speech entrusted to
Polichinelle； adding the tribute to his genius that； as they had
conquered Nantes； so would they conquer the world under his guidance。
In their enthusiasm they were a little neglectful of the feelings
of M。 Binet。 Irritated enough had he been already by the overriding
of his every wish； by the consciousness of his weakness when opposed
to Scaramouche。 And； although he had suffered the gradual process
of usurpation of authority because its every step had been attended
by his own greater profit； deep down in him the r