you so。 I have come at the very first moment after hearing of your
presence here。〃 He advanced。 〃Monsieur my godfather！〃 he said；
and held out his hand。
But M。 de Kercadiou remained unbending； wrapped in his cold dignity
and resentment。
〃Whatever tribulations you may have suffered or consider that you
may have suffered； they are far less than your disgraceful conduct
deserved； and I observe that they have nothing abated your impudence。
You think that you have but to come here and say； 'Monsieur my
godfather！' and everything is to be forgiven and forgotten。 That
is your error。 You have committed too great a wrong； you have
offended against everything by which I hold； and against myself
personally； by your betrayal of my trust in you。 You are one of
those unspeakable scoundrels who are responsible for this revolution。〃
〃Alas； monsieur； I see that you share the common delusion。 These
unspeakable scoundrels but demanded a constitution； as was promised
them from the throne。 They were not to know that the promise was
insincere； or that its fulfilment would be baulked by the privileged
orders。 The men who have precipitated this revolution； monsieur；
are the nobles and the prelates。〃
〃You dare … and at such a time as this … stand there and tell me
such abominable lies！ You dare to say that the nobles have made
the revolution； when scores of them； following the example of M。 le
Duc d'Aiguillon； have flung their privileges； even their title…deeds；
into the lap of the people！ Or perhaps you deny it？〃
〃Oh； no。 Having wantonly set fire to their house； they now try to
put it out by throwing water on it； and where they fail they put the
entire blame on the flames。〃
〃I see that you have come here to talk politics。〃
〃Far from it。 I have come； if possible； to explain myself。 To
understand is always to forgive。 That is a great saying of
Montaigne's。 If I could make you understand。。。 〃
〃You can't。 You'll never make me understand how you came to render
yourself so odiously notorious in Brittany。〃
〃Ah； not odiously； monsieur！〃
〃Certainly； odiously … among those that matter。 It is said even
that you were Omnes Omnibus； though that I cannot； will not believe。〃
〃Yet it is true。〃
M。 de Kercadiou choked。 〃And you confess it？ You dare to confess
it？〃
〃What a man dares to do； he should dare to confess … unless he is
a coward。〃
〃Oh； and to be sure you were very brave； running away each time
after you had done the mischief； turning comedian to hide yourself；
doing more mischief as a comedian； provoking a riot in Nantes； and
then running away again； to become God knows what … something
dishonest by the affluent look of you。 My God； man； I tell you that
in these past two years I have hoped that you were dead； and you
profoundly disappoint me that you are not！〃 He beat his hands
together； and raised his shrill voice to call … 〃Benoit！〃 He strode
away towards the fireplace； scarlet in the face； shaking with the
passion into which he had worked himself。 〃Dead； I might have
forgiven you； as one who had paid for his evil； and his folly。
Living； I never can forgive you。 You have gone too far。 God alone
knows where it will end。
〃Benoit； the door。 M。 Andre…Louis Moreau to the door！〃 The tone
argued an irrevocable determination。 Pale and self…contained； but
with a queer pain at his heart； Andre…Louis heard that dismissal；
saw Benoit's white； scared face and shaking hands half…raised as
if he were about to expostulate with his master。 And then another
voice； a crisp； boyish voice； cut in。
〃Uncle！〃 it cried； a world of indignation and surprise in its pitch；
and then： 〃Andre！〃 And this time a note almost of gladness；
certainly of welcome； was blended with the surprise that still
remained。
Both turned； half the room between them at the moment； and beheld
Aline in one of the long； open windows； arrested there in the act
of entering from the garden； Aline in a milk…maid bonnet of the
latest mode； though without any of the tricolour embellishments
that were so commonly to be seen upon them。
The thin lips of Andre's long mouth twisted into a queer smile。
Into his mind had flashed the memory of their last parting。 He
saw himself again； standing burning with indignation upon the
pavement of Nantes； looking after her carriage as it receded down
the Avenue de Gigan。
She was coming towards him now with outstretched hands； a heightened
colour in her cheeks； a smile of welcome on her lips。 He bowed low
and kissed her hand in silence。
Then with a glance and a gesture she dismissed Benoit； and in her
imperious fashion constituted herself Andre's advocate against that
harsh dismissal which she had overheard。
〃Uncle；〃 she said； leaving Andre and crossing to M。 de Kercadiou；
〃you make me ashamed of you！ To allow a feeling of peevishness to
overwhelm all your affection for Andre！〃
〃I have no affection for him。 I had once。 He chose to extinguish
it。 He can go to the devil； and please observe that I don't permit
you to interfere。〃
〃But if he confesses that he has done wrong。。。 〃
〃He confesses nothing of the kind。 He comes here to argue with me
about these infernal Rights of Man。 He proclaims himself
unrepentant。 He announces himself with pride to have been； as all
Brittany says； the scoundrel who hid himself under the sobriquet
of Omnes Omnibus。 Is that to be condoned？〃
She turned to look at Andre across the wide space that now separated
them。
〃But is this really so？ Don't you repent； Andre … now that you see
all the harm that has come？〃
It was a clear invitation to him； a pleading to him to say that he
repented； to make his peace with his godfather。 For a moment it
almost moved him。 Then； considering the subterfuge unworthy； he
answered truthfully； though the pain he was suffering rang in his
voice。
〃To confess repentance；〃 he said slowly； 〃would be to confess to a
monstrous crime。 Don't you see that？ Oh； monsieur； have patience
with me； let me explain myself a little。 You say that I am in part
responsible for something of all this that has happened。 My
exhortations of the people at Rennes and twice afterwards at Nantes
are said to have had their share in what followed there。 It may be
so。 It would be beyond my power positively to deny it。 Revolution
followed and bloodshed。 More may yet come。 To repent implies a
recognition that I have done wrong。 How shall I say that I have
done wrong； and thus take a share of the responsibility for all
that blood upon my soul？ I will be quite frank with you to show
you how far； indeed； I am from repentance。 What I did； I actually
did against all my convictions at the time。 Because there was no
justice in France to move against the murderer of Philippe de
Vilmorin； I moved in the only way that I imagined could make the
evil done recoil upon the hand that did it； and those other hands
that had the power but not the spirit to punish。 Since then I
have come to see that I was wrong； and that Philippe de Vilmorin
and those who thought with him were in the right。
〃You must realize； monsieur； that it is with sincerest thankfulness
that I find I have done nothing calling for repentance； that； on
the contrary； when France is given the inestimable boon of a
constitution； as will shortly happen； I may take pride in having
played my part in bringing about the conditions that have made this
possible。〃
There was a pause。 M。 de Kercadiou's face turned from pink to
purple。
〃You have quite finished？〃 he said harshly。
〃If you have understood me； monsieur。〃
〃Oh； I have understood you； and。。。 and I beg that you will go。〃
Andre…Louis shrugged his shoulders and hung his head。 He had come
there so joyously； in such yearning； merely to receive a final
dismissal。 He looked at Aline。 Her face was pale and troubled；
but her wit failed to show her how she could come to his assistance。
His excessive honesty had burnt all his boats。
〃Very well； monsieur。 Yet this I would ask you to remember after I
am gone。 I have not come to you as one seeking assistance； as one
driven to you by need。 I am no returning prodigal； as I have said。
I am one who； needing nothing； asking nothing； master of his own
destinies； has come to you driven by affection only； urged by the
love and gratitude he bears you and will continue to bear you。〃
〃Ah； yes！〃 cried Aline； turning now to her uncle。 Here at least
was an argument in Andre's favour； thought she。 〃That is true。
Surely that。。。〃
Inarticulately he hissed her into silence； exasperated。
〃Hereafter perhaps that will help you to think of me more kindly；
monsieur。
〃I see no occasion； sir； to think of you at all。 Again； I beg
that you will go。〃
Andre…Louis looked at Aline an instant； as if still hesitating。
She answered him by a glance at her furious uncle； a faint shrug；
and a lift of the eyebrows； dejection the while in her countenance。
It was as if she said： 〃You see his mood。 There is nothing to be
done。〃
He bowed with that singular grace the fencing…room had given him
and went out by the door。
〃Oh； it is cruel！〃 cried Aline； in a stifled voice； her hands
clenched； and she sprang to the window。
〃Aline！〃 her uncle's voice arrested her。 〃Where are you going？〃
〃But we do not know where he is to be found。〃
〃Who wants to find the scoundrel？〃
〃We may never see him again。〃
〃That is most fervently to be desired。〃
Aline said 〃Ouf！〃 and went out by the window。
He called after her； imperiously commanding her return。 But Aline
… dutiful child … closed her ears lest she must disobey him； and
sped light…footed across the lawn to the avenue there to intercept
the departing Andre…Louis。
As he came forth wrapped in gloom； she stepped from the bordering
trees into his path。
〃Aline！〃 he cried； joyously almost。
〃I did not want you to go like this。 I couldn't let you； she
explained herself。 〃I know him better than you do； and I know that
his great soft heart will presently melt。 He will be filled with
regret。 He will want to send for you； and he will not know where
to send。〃
〃You think that？〃
〃Oh； I know it！ You arrive in a bad mom