scaramouche- 第59部分

She　brushed　that　aside　almost　contemptuously；　conceiving　it　the
merest　quibble。

〃Some　men；　yes。　　But　not　you；　M。　le　Marquis。〃

Her　confidence　in　him　on　every　count　was　most　sweetly　flattering。
But　there　was　a　bitterness　behind　the　sweet。

〃Even　I；　mademoiselle；　let　me　assure　you。　　And　there　is　more　than
that。　　This　quarrel　which　M。　Moreau　has　forced　upon　me　is　no　new
thing。　　It　is　merely　the　culmination　of　a　long…drawn　persecution。

〃Which　you　invited；〃　she　cut　in。　　〃Be　just；　monsieur。〃

〃I　hope　that　it　is　not　in　my　nature　to　be　otherwise；　mademoiselle。〃

〃Consider；　then；　that　you　killed　his　friend。〃

〃I　find　in　that　nothing　with　which　to　reproach　myself。　　My
justification　lay　in　the　circumstances　…　the　subsequent　events　in
this　distracted　country　surely　confirm　it。〃

〃And。。。　〃　　She　faltered　a　little；　and　looked　away　from　him　for　the
first　time。　　〃And　that　you。。。　that　you。。。　And　what　of　Mademoiselle
Binet；　whom　he　was　to　have　married？〃

He　stared　at　her　for　a　moment　in　sheer　surprise。　　〃Was　to　have
married？〃　he　repeated　incredulously；　dismayed　almost。

〃You　did　not　know　that？〃

〃But　how　do　you？〃

〃Did　I　not　tell　you　that　we　are　as　brother　and　sister　almost？　　I
have　his　confidence。　　He　told　me；　before。。。　before　you　made　it
impossible。〃

He　looked　away；　chin　in　hand；　his　glance　thoughtful；　disturbed；
almost　wistful。

〃There　is；〃　he　said　slowly；　musingly。　　〃a　singular　fatality　at
work　between　that　man　and　me；　bringing　us　ever　each　by　turns
athwart　the　other's　path。。。　〃

He　sighed；　then　swung　to　face　her　again；　speaking　more　briskly：
〃Mademoiselle；　until　this　moment　I　had　no　knowledge　…　no　suspicion
of　this　thing。　　But。。。〃　　He　broke　off；　considered；　and　then
shrugged。　　〃If　I　wronged　him；　I　did　so　unconsciously。　　It　would　be
unjust　to　blame　me；　surely。　　In　all　our　actions　it　must　be　the
intention　alone　that　counts。〃

〃But　does　it　make　no　difference？〃

〃None　that　I　can　discern；　mademoiselle。　　It　gives　me　no
justification　to　withdraw　from　that　to　which　I　am　irrevocably
committed。　　No　justification；　indeed；　could　ever　be　greater　than
my　concern　for　the　pain　it　must　occasion　my　good　friend；　your
uncle；　and　perhaps　yourself；　mademoiselle。〃

She　rose　suddenly；　squarely　confronting　him；　desperate　now；
driven　to　play　the　only　card　upon　which　she　thought　she　might
count。

〃Monsieur；〃　she　said；　〃you　did　me　the　honour　to…day　to　speak　in
certain　terms；　to。。。　to　allude　to　certain　hopes　with　which　you
honour　me。〃

He　looked　at　her　almost　in　fear。　　In　silence；　not　daring　to　speak；
he　waited　for　her　to　continue。

〃I。。。　I。。。　Will　you　please　to　understand；　monsieur；　that　if　you
persist　in　this　matter；　if。。。　unless　you　can　break　this　engagement
of　yours　to…morrow　morning　in　the　Bois；　you　are　not　to　presume
to　mention　this　subject　to　me　again；　or；　indeed；　ever　again　to
approach　me。〃

To　put　the　matter　in　this　negative　way　was　as　far　as　she　could
possibly　go。　　It　was　for　him　to　make　the　positive　proposal　to
which　she　had　thus　thrown　wide　the　door。

〃Mademoiselle；　you　cannot　mean。。。　〃

〃I　do；　monsieur。。。　irrevocably；　please　to　understand。〃　　He　looked
at　her　with　eyes　of　misery；　his　handsome；　manly　face　as　pale　as
she　had　ever　seen　it。　　The　hand　he　had　been　holding　out　in　protest
began　to　shake。　　He　lowered　it　to　his　side　again；　lest　she　should
perceive　its　tremor。　　Thus　a　brief　second；　while　the　battle　was
fought　within　him；　the　bitter　engagement　between　his　desires　and
what　he　conceived　to　be　the　demands　of　his　honour；　never　perceiving
how　far　his　honour　was　buttressed　by　implacable　vindictiveness。
Retreat；　he　conceived；　was　impossible　without　shame；　and　shame　was
to　him　an　agony　unthinkable。　　She　asked　too　much。　　She　could　not
understand　what　she　was　asking；　else　she　would　never　be　so
unreasonable；　so　unjust。　　But　also　he　saw　that　it　would　be　futile
to　attempt　to　make　her　understand。

It　was　the　end。　　Though　he　kill　Andre…Louis　Moreau　in　the　morning
as　he　fiercely　hoped　he　would；　yet　the　victory　even　in　death　must
lie　with　Andre…Louis　Moreau。

He　bowed　profoundly；　grave　and　sorrowful　of　face　as　he　was　grave
and　sorrowful　of　heart。

〃Mademoiselle；　my　homage；〃　he　murmured；　and　turned　to　go。

〃But　you　have　not　answered　me！〃　she　called　after　him　in　terror。

He　checked　on　the　threshold；　and　turned；　and　there　from　the　cool
gloom　of　the　hall　she　saw　him　a　black；　graceful　silhouette　against
the　brilliant　sunshine　beyond　…　a　memory　of　him　that　was　to　cling
as　something　sinister　and　menacing　in　the　dread　hours　that　were
to　follow。

〃What　would　you；　mademoiselle？　　I　but　spared　myself　and　you　the
pain　of　a　refusal。〃

He　was　gone　leaving　her　crushed　and　raging。　　She　sank　down　again
into　the　great　red　chair；　and　sat　there　crumpled；　her　elbows　on
the　table；　her　face　in　her　hands　…　a　face　that　was　on　fire　with
shame　and　passion。　　She　had　offered　herself；　and　she　had　been
refused！　　The　inconceivable　had　befallen　her。　　The　humiliation　of
it　seemed　to　her　something　that　could　never　be　effaced。

Startled；　appalled；　she　stepped　back；　her　hand　pressed　to　her
tortured　breast。



CHAPTER　X

THE　RETURNING　CARRIAGE


M。　de　Kercadiou　wrote　a　letter。

〃Godson；〃　he　began；　without　any　softening　adjective；　〃I　have　learnt
with　pain　and　indignation　that　you　have　dishonoured　yourself　again
by　breaking　the　pledge　you　gave　me　to　abstain　from　politics。　　With
still　greater　pain　and　indignation　do　I　learn　that　your　name　has
become　in　a　few　short　days　a　byword；　that　you　have　discarded　the
weapon　of　false；　insidious　arguments　against　my　class　…　the　class
to　which　you　owe　everything　…　for　the　sword　of　the　assassin。　　It
has　come　to　my　knowledge　that　you　have　an　assignation　to…morrow
with　my　good　friend　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr。　　A　gentleman　of　his
station　is　under　certain　obligations　imposed　upon　him　by　his　birth；
which　do　not　permit　him　to　draw　back　from　an　engagement。　　But　you
labour　under　no　such　disadvantages。　　For　a　man　of　your　class　to
refuse　an　engagement　of　honour；　or　to　neglect　it　when　made；　entails
no　sacrifice。　　Your　peers　will　probably　be　of　the　opinion　that　you
display　a　commendable　prudence。　　Therefore　I　beg　you；　indeed；　did
I　think　that　I　still　exercise　over　you　any　such　authority　as　the
favours　you　have　received　from　me　should　entitle　me　to　exercise；　I
would　command　you；　to　allow　this　matter　to　go　no　farther；　and　to
refrain　from　rendering　yourself　to　your　assignation　to…morrow
morning。　　Having　no　such　authority；　as　your　past　conduct　now　makes
clear；　having　no　reason　to　hope　that　a　proper　sentiment　of　gratitude
to　me　will　induce　to　give　heed　to　this　my　most　earnest　request；　I
am　compelled　to　add　that　should　you　survive　to…morrow's　encounter；
I　can　in　no　circumstances　ever　again　permit　myself　to　be　conscious
of　your　existence。　　If　any　spark　survives　of　the　affection　that　once
you　expressed　for　me；　or　if　you　set　any　value　upon　the　affection；
which；　in　spite　of　all　that　you　have　done　to　forfeit　it；　is　the
chief　prompter　of　this　letter；　you　will　not　refuse　to　do　as　I　am
asking。〃

It　was　not　a　tactful　letter。　　M。　de　Kercadiou　was　not　a　tactful　man。
Read　it　as　he　would；　Andre…Louis　…　when　it　was　delivered　to　him　on
that　Sunday　afternoon　by　the　groom　dispatched　with　it　into　Paris
　…　could　read　into　it　only　concern　for　M。　La　Tour　d'Azyr；　M。　de
Kercadiou's　good　friend；　as　he　called　him；　and　prospective
nephew…in…law。

He　kept　the　groom　waiting　a　full　hour　while　composing　his　answer。
Brief　though　it　was；　it　cost　him　very　considerable　effort　and
several　unsuccessful　attempts。　　In　the　end　this　is　what　he　wrote：

Monsieur　my　godfather　…　You　make　refusal　singularly　hard　for　me　when
you　appeal　to　me　upon　the　ground　of　affection。　　It　is　a　thing　of
which　all　my　life　I　shall　hail　the　opportunity　to　give　you　proofs；
and　I　am　therefore　desolated　beyond　anything　I　could　hope　to　express
that　I　cannot　give　you　the　proof　you　ask　to…day。　　There　is　too　much
between　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr　and　me。　　Also　you　do　me　and　my　class
…　whatever　it　may　be　…　less　than　justice　when　you　say　that
obligations　of　honour　are　not　binding　upon　us。　　So　binding　do　I
count　them；　that；　if　I　would；　I　could　not　now　draw　back。

If　hereafter　you　should　persist　in　the　harsh　intention　you　express；
I　must　suffer　it。　　That　I　shall　suffer　be　assured。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　Your　affectionate　and　grateful　godson
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Andre…Louis

He　dispatched　that　letter　by　M。　de　Kercadiou's　groom；　and　conceived
this　to　be　the　end　of　the　matter。　　It　cut　him　keenly；　but　he　bore
the　wound　with　that　outward　stoicism　he　affected。

Next　morning；　at　a　quarter　past　eight；　as　with　Le　Chapelier　…　who
had　come　to　break　his　fast　with　him　…　he　was　rising　from　table　to
set　out　for　the　Bois；　his　housekeeper　startled　him　by　announcing
Mademoiselle　de　Kercadiou。

He　looked　at　his　watch。　　Although　his　cabriolet　was　already　at　the
door；　he　had　a　few　minutes　to　spare。　　He　excused　himself　from　Le
Chapelier；　and　went　briskly　out　to　the　anteroom。

She　advanced　to　meet　him；　her　manner　eager；　almost　feverish。

〃I　will　not　affect　ignorance　of　why　you　have　come；〃　he　said　quickly；
to　make　short　work。　　〃But　time　presses；　and　I　warn　you　that　only
the　most　solid　of　reasons　can　be　worth　stating。〃

It　surprised　her。　　It　amounted　to　a　rebuff　at　the　very　outset；
before　she　had　uttered　a　word；　and　that　was　the　last　thing　she　had
expected　from　Andre…Louis。　　Moreover；　there　was　about　him　an　air
of　aloofness　that　was　unusual　where　she　was　concerned；　and　his
voice　had　been　singularly　cold　and　formal。

It　wounded　her。　　She　was　not　to　guess　the　conclusion　to　which　he
had　leapt。　　He　made　with　regard　to　her　…　as　was　but　natural；　after
all　…　the　same　mistake　that　he　had　made　with　regard　to　yesterday's
letter　from　his　godfather。　　He　conceived　that　the　mainspring　of
action　here　was　solely　concern　for　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr。　　That　it
might　be　concern　for　himself　never　entered　his　mind。　　So　absolute
was　his　own　conviction　of　what　must　be　the　inevitable　issue　of　that
meeting　that　he　could　not　conceive　of　any　one　entertaining　a　fear
on　his　behalf。

What　he　assumed　to　be　anxiety　on　the　score　of　the　predestined　victim
had　irritated　him　in　M。　de　Kercadiou；　in　Aline　it　filled　him　with　a
col