notoriously do not like the truth。〃
This time there was uproar。 The members of the Left roared with
laughter； those of the Right thundered menacingly。 The ushers
circulated at a pace beyond their usual； agitated themselves；
clapped their hands； and called in vain for silence。
The President rang his bell。
Above the general din came the voice of La Tour d'Azyr； who had
half…risen from his seat： 〃Mountebank！ This is not the theatre！〃
〃No； monsieur； it is becoming a hunting…ground for bully…swordsmen；〃
was the answer； and the uproar grew。
The deputy…suppleant looked round and waited。 Near at hand he met
the encouraging grin of Le Chapelier； and the quiet； approving smile
of Kersain； another Breton deputy of his acquaintance。 A little
farther off he saw the great head of Mirabeau thrown back； the great
eyes regarding him from under a frown in a sort of wonder； and
yonder； among all that moving sea of faces； the sallow countenance
of the Arras' lawyer Robespierre … or de Robespierre； as the little
snob now called himself； having assumed the aristocratic particle
as the prerogative of a man of his distinction in the councils of
his country。 With his tip…tilted nose in the air； his carefully
curled head on one side； the deputy for Arras was observing
Andre…Louis attentively。 The horn…rimmed spectacles he used for
reading were thrust up on to his pale forehead； and it was through a
levelled spy…glass that he considered the speaker； his thin…lipped
mouth stretched a little in that tiger…cat smile that was afterwards
to become so famous and so feared。
Gradually the uproar wore itself out； and diminished so that at last
the President could make himself heard。 Leaning forward； he gravely
addressed the young man in the tribune：
〃Monsieur； if you wish to be heard； let me beg of you not to be
provocative in your language。〃 And then to the others： 〃Messieurs；
if we are to proceed； I beg that you will restrain your feelings
until the deputy…suppleant has concluded his discourse。〃
〃I shall endeavour to obey； M。 le President； leaving provocation to
the gentlemen of the Right。 If the few words I have used so far
have been provocative； I regret it。 But it was necessary that I
should refer to the distinguished deputy whose place I come so
unworthily to fill； and it was unavoidable that I should refer to
the event which has procured us this sad necessity。 The deputy
Lagron was a man of singular nobility of mind； a selfless； dutiful；
zealous man； inflamed by the high purpose of doing his duty by his
electors and by this Assembly。 He possessed what his opponents
would call a dangerous gift of eloquence。〃
La Tour d'Azyr writhed at the well…known phrase … his own phrase
… the phrase that he had used to explain his action in the matter
of Philippe de Vilmorin； the phrase that from time to time had been
cast in his teeth with such vindictive menace。
And then the crisp voice of the witty Canales； that very rapier of
the Privileged party； cut sharply into the speaker's momentary pause。
〃M。 le President；〃 he asked with great solemnity； 〃has the
deputy…suppleant mounted the tribune for the purpose of taking part
in the debate on the constitution of the legislative assemblies；
or for the purpose of pronouncing a funeral oration upon the
departed deputy Lagron？〃
This time it was the Blacks who gave way to mirth； until checked
by the deputy…suppleant。
〃That laughter is obscene！〃 In this truly Gallic fashion he flung
his glove into the face of Privilege； determined； you see； upon no
half measures； and the rippling laughter perished on the instant
quenched in speechless fury。
Solemnly he proceeded。
〃You all know how Lagron died。 To refer to his death at all
requires courage； to laugh in referring to it requires something
that I will not attempt to qualify。 If I have alluded to his
decease； it is because my own appearance among you seemed to render
some such allusion necessary。 It is mine to take up the burden
which he set down。 I do not pretend that I have the strength； the
courage； or the wisdom of Lagron； but with every ounce of such
strength and courage and wisdom as I possess that burden will I
bear。 And I trust； for the sake of those who might attempt it；
that the means taken to impose silence upon that eloquent voice
will not be taken to impose silence upon mine。
There was a faint murmur of applause from the Left； splutter of
contemptuous laughter from the Right。
〃Rhodomont！〃 a voice called to him。
He looked in the direction of that voice； proceeding from the group
of spadassins amid the Blacks across the Piste； and he smiled。
Inaudibly his lips answered：
〃No； my friend … Scaramouche； Scaramouche； the subtle； dangerous
fellow who goes tortuously to his ends。〃 Aloud； he resumed： 〃M。
le President； there are those who will not understand that the
purpose for which we are assembled here is the making of laws by
which France may be equitably governed； by which France may be
lifted out of the morass of bankruptcy into which she is in danger
of sinking。 For there are some who want； it seems； not laws； but
blood； I solemnly warn them that this blood will end by choking
them； if they do not learn in time to discard force and allow reason
to prevail。〃
Again in that phrase there was something that stirred a memory in
La Tour d'Azyr。 He turned in the fresh uproar to speak to his
cousin Chabrillane who sat beside him。
〃A daring rogue； this bastard of Gavrillac's；〃 said he。
Chabrillane looked at him with gleaming eyes； his face white with
anger。
〃Let him talk himself out。 I don't think he will be heard again
after to…day。 Leave this to me。〃
Hardly could La Tour have told you why； but he sank back in his seat
with a sense of relief。 He had been telling himself that here was
matter demanding action； a challenge that he must take up。 But
despite his rage he felt a singular unwillingness。 This fellow had
a trick of reminding him； he supposed； too unpleasantly of that
young abbe done to death in the garden behind the〃 Breton arme〃 at
Gavrillac。 Not that the death of Philippe de Vilmorin lay heavily
upon M。 de La Tour d'Azyr's conscience。 He had accounted himself
fully justified of his action。 It was that the whole thing as his
memory revived it for him made an unpleasant picture： that
distraught boy kneeling over the bleeding body of the friend he
had loved； and almost begging to be slain with him； dubbing the
Marquis murderer and coward to incite him。
Meanwhile； leaving now the subject of the death of Lagron； the
deputy…suppleant had at last brought himself into order； and was
speaking upon the question under debate。 He contributed nothing
of value to it； he urged nothing definite。 His speech on the
subject was very brief … that being the pretext and not the purpose
for which he had ascended the tribune。
When later he was leaving the hall at the end of the sitting； with
Le Chapelier at his side； he found himself densely surrounded by
deputies as by a body…guard。 Most of them were Bretons； who aimed
at screening him from the provocations which his own provocative
words in the Assembly could not fail to bring down upon his head。
For a moment the massive form of Mirabeau brought up alongside of
him。
〃Felicitations； M。 Moreau；〃 said the great man。 〃You acquitted
yourself very well。 They will want your blood； no doubt。 But be
discreet； monsieur； if I may presume to advise you； and do not
allow yourself to be misled by any false sense of quixotry。
Ignore their challenges。 I do so myself。 I place each challenger
upon my list。 There are some fifty there already； and there they
will remain。 Refuse them what they are pleased to call satisfaction；
and all will be well。〃 Andre…Louis smiled and sighed。 〃It requires
courage；〃 said the hypocrite。
〃Of course it does。 But you would appear to have plenty。〃
〃Hardly enough； perhaps。 But I shall do my best。〃
They had come through the vestibule； and although this was lined
with eager Blacks waiting for the young man who had insulted them
so flagrantly from the rostrum； Andre…Louis' body…guard had
prevented any of them from reaching him。
Emerging now into the open； under the great awning at the head of
the Carriere； erected to enable carriages to reach the door under
cover； those in front of him dispersed a little； and there was a
moment as he reached the limit of the awning when his front was
entirely uncovered。 Outside the rain was falling heavily； churning
the ground into thick mud； and for a moment Andre…Louis； with Le
Chapelier ever at his side； stood hesitating to step out into the
deluge。
The watchful Chabrillane had seen his chance； and by a detour that
took him momentarily out into the rain； he came face to face with
the too…daring young Breton。 Rudely； violently； he thrust
Andre…Louis back； as if to make room for himself under the shelter。
Not for a second was Andre…Louis under any delusion as to the man's
deliberate purpose； nor were those who stood near him； who made a
belated and ineffectual attempt to close about him。 He was grievously
disappointed。 It was not Chabrillane he had been expecting。 His
disappointment was reflected on his countenance； to be mistaken for
something very different by the arrogant Chevalier。
But if Chabrillane was the man appointed to deal with him； he would
make the best of it。
〃I think you are pushing against me； monsieur；〃 he said； very
civilly； and with elbow and shoulder he thrust M。 de Chabrillane
back into the rain。
〃I desire to take shelter； monsieur；〃 the Chevalier hectored。
〃You may do so without standing on my feet。 I have a prejudice
against any one standing on my feet。 My feet are very tender。
Perhaps you did not know it； monsieur。 Please say no more。
〃Why； I wasn't speaking； you lout！〃 exclaimed the Chevalier；
slightly discomposed。
〃Were you not？ I thought perhaps you were about to apologize。〃
〃Apologize？〃 Chabrillane laughed。 〃To you！ Do you know that you
are amusing？〃 He stepped under the awning for the second time；
and again in view of all thrust Andre…Louis rudely back。
〃Ahi！〃 cried Andre…Louis； with a grim