placed it on one of hers。 She noticed that it trembled。
〃Has he promised that？ Has he promised？〃
She looked at him with her head on one side； eyes sly and a queer
little smile on her perfect lips。
〃He did not refuse me when I asked it；〃 she answered； with
conviction that all was as she desired it。
〃Bah！〃 He withdrew his hand； and heaved himself up。 There was
disgust on his face。 〃He did not refuse！〃 he mocked her； and then
with passion： 〃Had you acted as I advised you； he would have
consented to anything that you asked； and what is more he would
have provided anything that you asked … anything that lay within
his means； and they are inexhaustible。 You have changed a
certainty into a possibility； and I hate possibilities … God of
God！ I have lived on possibilities； and infernally near starved
on them。〃
Had she known of the interview taking place at that moment at the
Chateau de Sautron she would have laughed less confidently at her
father's gloomy forebodings。 But she was destined never to know；
which indeed was the cruellest punishment of all。 She was to
attribute all the evil that of a sudden overwhelmed her； the
shattering of all the future hopes she had founded upon the Marquis
and the sudden disintegration of the Binet Troupe； to the wicked
interference of that villain Scaramouche。
She had this much justification that possibly； without the warning
from M。 de Sautron； the Marquis would have found in the events of
that evening at the Theatre Feydau a sufficient reason for ending
an entanglement that was fraught with too much unpleasant excitement；
whilst the breaking…up of the Binet Troupe was most certainly the
result of Andre…Louis' work。 But it was not a result that he
intended or even foresaw。
So much was this the case that in the interval after the second act；
he sought the dressing…room shared by Polichinelle and Rhodomont。
Polichinelle was in the act of changing。
〃I shouldn't trouble to change；〃 he said。 〃The piece isn't likely
to go beyond my opening scene of the next act with Leandre。〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃You'll see。〃 He put a paper on Polichinelle's table amid the
grease…paints。 〃Cast your eye over that。 It's a sort of last will
and testament in favour of the troupe。 I was a lawyer once； the
document is in order。 I relinquish to all of you the share produced
by my partnership in the company。〃
〃But you don't mean that you are leaving us？〃 cried Polichinelle in
alarm； whilst Rhodomont's sudden stare asked the same question。
Scaramouche's shrug was eloquent。 Polichinelle ran on gloomily：
〃Of course it was to have been foreseen。 But why should you be the
one to go？ It is you who have made us； and it is you who are the
real head and brains of the troupe； it is you who have raised it
into a real theatrical company。 If any one must go； let it be
Binet … Binet and his infernal daughter。 Or if you go； name of a
name！ we all go with you！〃
〃Aye；〃 added Rhodomont； 〃we've had enough of that fat scoundrel。〃
〃I had thought of it； of course；〃 said Andre…Louis。 〃It was not
vanity； for once； it was trust in your friendship。 After to…night
we may consider it again； if I survive。〃
〃If you survive？〃 both cried。
Polichinelle got up。 〃Now； what madness have you in mind？〃 he
asked。
〃For one thing I think I am indulging Leandre； for another I am
pursuing an old quarrel。〃
The three knocks sounded as he spoke。
〃There； I must go。 Keep that paper； Polichinelle。 After all； it
may not be necessary。
He was gone。 Rhodomont stared at Polichinelle。 Polichinelle
stared at Rhodomont。
〃What the devil is he thinking of？〃 quoth the latter。
〃That is most readily ascertained by going to see；〃 replied
Polichinelle。 He completed changing in haste； and despite what
Scaramouche had said； and then followed with Rhodomont。
As they approached the wings a roar of applause met them coming from
the audience。 It was applause and something else； applause on an
unusual note。 As it faded away they heard the voice of Scaramouche
ringing clear as a bell：
〃And so you see； my dear M。 Leandre； that when you speak of the
Third Estate； it is necessary to be more explicit。 What precisely
is the Third Estate？〃
〃Nothing；〃 said Leandre。
There was a gasp from the audience； audible in the wings； and then
swiftly followed Scaramouche's next question：
〃True。 Alas！ But what should it be？〃
〃Everything；〃 said Leandre。
The audience roared its acclamations； the more violent because of
the unexpectedness of that reply。
〃True again；〃 said Scaramouche。 〃And what is more； that is what it
will be； that is what it already is。 Do you doubt it？〃
〃I hope it；〃 said the schooled Leandre。
〃You may believe it；〃 said Scaramouche； and again the acclamations
rolled into thunder。
Polichinelle and Rhodomont exchanged glances： indeed； the former
winked； not without mirth。
〃Sacred name！〃 growled a voice behind them。 〃Is the scoundrel at
his political tricks again？〃
They turned to confront M。 Binet。 Moving with that noiseless tread
of his； he had come up unheard behind them； and there he stood now
in his scarlet suit of Pantaloon under a trailing bedgown； his little
eyes glaring from either side of his false nose。 But their attention
was held by the voice of Scaramouche。 He had stepped to the front
of the stage。
〃He doubts it；〃 he was felling the audience。 〃But then this M。
Leandre is himself akin to those who worship the worm…eaten idol of
Privilege； and so he is a little afraid to believe a truth that is
becoming apparent to all the world。 Shall I convince him？ Shall I
tell him how a company of noblemen backed by their servants under
arms … six hundred men in all … sought to dictate to the Third
Estate of Rennes a few short weeks ago？ Must I remind him of the
martial front shown on that occasion by the Third Estate； and how
they swept the streets clean of that rabble of nobles … cette
canaille noble。。。 〃
Applause interrupted him。 The phrase had struck home and caught。
Those who had writhed under that infamous designation from their
betters leapt at this turning of it against the nobles themselves。
〃But let me tell you of their leader … le pins noble de cette
canaille； on bien le plus canaille de ces nobles！ You know him
… that one。 He fears many things； but the voice of truth he fears
most。 With such as him the eloquent truth eloquently spoken is a
thing instantly to be silenced。 So he marshalled his peers and
their valetailles； and led them out to slaughter these miserable
bourgeois who dared to raise a voice。 But these same miserable
bourgeois did not choose to be slaughtered in the streets of Rennes。
It occurred to them that since the nobles decreed that blood should
flow； it might as well be the blood of the nobles。 They marshalled
themselves too … this noble rabble against the rabble of nobles …
and they marshalled themselves so well that they drove M。 de La
Tour d'Azyr and his warlike following from the field with broken
heads and shattered delusions。 They sought shelter at the hands
of the Cordeliers； and the shavelings gave them sanctuary in their
convent … those who survived； among whom was their proud leader；
M。 de La Tour d'Azyr。 You have heard of this valiant Marquis； this
great lord of life and death？〃
The pit was in an uproar a moment。 It quieted again as Scaramouche
continued：
〃Oh； it was a fine spectacle to see this mighty hunter scuttling to
cover like a hare； going to earth in the Cordelier Convent。 Rennes
has not seen him since。 Rennes would like to see him again。 But
if he is valorous； he is also discreet。 And where do you think he
has taken refuge； this great nobleman who wanted to see the streets
of Rennes washed in the blood of its citizens； this man who would
have butchered old and young of the contemptible canaille to silence
the voice of reason and of liberty that presumes to ring through
France to…day？ Where do you think he hides himself？ Why； here in
Nantes。〃
Again there was uproar。
〃What do you say？ Impossible？ Why； my friends； at this moment he
is here in this theatre … skulking up there in that box。 He is too
shy to show himself … oh； a very modest gentleman。 But there he is
behind the curtains。 Will you not show yourself to your friends；
M。 de La Tour d'Azyr； Monsieur le Marquis who considers eloquence
so very dangerous a gift？ See； they would like a word with you；
they do not believe me when I tell them that you are here。〃
Now； whatever he may have been； and whatever the views held on the
subject by Andre…Louis； M。 de La Tour d'Azyr was certainly not a
coward。 To say that he was hiding in Nantes was not true。 He came
and went there openly and unabashed。 It happened； however； that the
Nantais were ignorant until this moment of his presence among them。
But then he would have disdained to have informed them of it just as
he would have disdained to have concealed it from them。
Challenged thus； however； and despite the ominous manner in which
the bourgeois element in the audience had responded to Scaramouche's
appeal to its passions； despite the attempts made by Chabrillane to
restrain him； the Marquis swept aside the curtain at the side of the
box； and suddenly showed himself； pale but self…contained and
scornful as he surveyed first the daring Scaramouche and then those
others who at sight of him had given tongue to their hostility。
Hoots and yells assailed him； fists were shaken at him； canes were
brandished menacingly。
〃Assassin！ Scoundrel！ Coward！ Traitor！〃
But he braved the storm； smiling upon them his ineffable contempt。
He was waiting for the noise to cease； waiting to address them in
his turn。 But he waited in vain； as he very soon perceived。
The contempt he did not trouble to dissemble served but to goad
them on。
In the pit pandemonium was already raging。 Blows were being freely
exchanged； there were scuffling groups； and here and there swords
were being drawn； but fortunately the press was too dense to permit
of their being used effectively。 Those who had women with them and
the timid by nature were making haste to leave a house that looked