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Scaramouche
A Romance of the French Revolution
by Rafael Sabatini
CONTENTS
BOOK I
THE ROBE
I。 THE REPUBLICAN
II。 THE ARISTOCRAT
III。 THE ELOQUENCE OF M。 DE VILMORIN
IV。 THE HERITAGE
V。 THE LORD OF GAVRILLAC
VI。 THE WINDMILL
VII。 THE WIND
VIII。 OMNES OMNIBUS
IX。 THE AFTERMATH
BOOK II
THE BUSKIN
I。 THE TRESPASSERS
II。 THE SERVICE OF THESPIS
III。 THE COMIC MUSE
IV。 EXIT MONSIEUR PARVISSIMUS
V。 ENTER SCARAMOUCHE
VI。 CLIMENE
VII。 THE CONQUEST OF NANTES
VIII。 THE DREAM
IX。 THE AWAKENING
X。 CONTRITION
XI。 THE FRACAS AT THE THEATRE FEYDAU
BOOK III
THE SWORD
I。 TRANSITION
II。 QUOS DEUS VULT PERDERE
III。 PRESIDENT LE CHAPELIER
IV。 AT MEUDON
V。 MADAME DE PLOUGASTEL
VI。 POLITICIANS
VII。 THE SPADASSINICIDES
VIII。 THE PALADIN OF THE THIRD
IX。 TORN PRIDE
X。 THE RETURNING CARRIAGE
XI。 INFERENCES
XII。 THE OVERWHELMING REASON
XIII。 SANCTUARY
XIV。 THE BARRIER
XV。 SAFE…CONDUCT
XVI。 SUNRISE
SCARAMOUCHE
BOOK I： THE ROBE
CHAPTER I
THE REPUBLICAN
He was born with a gift of laughter and a sense that the world was
mad。 And that was all his patrimony。 His very paternity was
obscure； although the village of Gavrillac had long since dispelled
the cloud of mystery that hung about it。 Those simple Brittany folk
were not so simple as to be deceived by a pretended relationship
which did not even possess the virtue of originality。 When a
nobleman； for no apparent reason； announces himself the godfather of
an infant fetched no man knew whence； and thereafter cares for the
lad's rearing and education； the most unsophisticated of country
folk perfectly understand the situation。 And so the good people of
Gavrillac permitted themselves no illusions on the score of the real
relationship between Andre…Louis Moreau … as the lad had been named
… and Quintin de Kercadiou； Lord of Gavrillac； who dwelt in the
big grey house that dominated from its eminence the village
clustering below。
Andre…Louis had learnt his letters at the village school； lodged
the while with old Rabouillet； the attorney； who in the capacity of
fiscal intendant； looked after the affairs of M。 de Kercadiou。
Thereafter； at the age of fifteen； he had been packed off to Paris；
to the Lycee of Louis Le Grand； to study the law which he was now
returned to practise in conjunction with Rabouillet。 All this at
the charges of his godfather； M。 de Kercadiou； who by placing him
once more under the tutelage of Rabouillet would seem thereby quite
clearly to be making provision for his future。
Andre…Louis； on his side； had made the most of his opportunities。
You behold him at the age of four…and…twenty stuffed with learning
enough to produce an intellectual indigestion in an ordinary mind。
Out of his zestful study of Man； from Thucydides to the
Encyclopaedists； from Seneca to Rousseau； he had confirmed into an
unassailable conviction his earliest conscious impressions of the
general insanity of his own species。 Nor can I discover that
anything in his eventful life ever afterwards caused him to waver
in that opinion。
In body he was a slight wisp of a fellow； scarcely above middle
height； with a lean； astute countenance； prominent of nose and
cheek…bones； and with lank； black hair that reached almost to his
shoulders。 His mouth was long； thin…lipped； and humorous。 He was
only just redeemed from ugliness by the splendour of a pair of
ever…questing； luminous eyes； so dark as to be almost black。 Of
the whimsical quality of his mind and his rare gift of graceful
expression； his writings … unfortunately but too scanty … and
particularly his Confessions； afford us very ample evidence。 Of
his gift of oratory he was hardly conscious yet； although he had
already achieved a certain fame for it in the Literary Chamber of
Rennes … one of those clubs by now ubiquitous in the land； in
which the intellectual youth of France foregathered to study and
discuss the new philosophies that were permeating social life。
But the fame he had acquired there was hardly enviable。 He was
too impish； too caustic； too much disposed … so thought his
colleagues … to ridicule their sublime theories for the regeneration
of mankind。 himself he protested that he merely held them up to the
mirror of truth； and that it was not his fault if when reflected
there they looked ridiculous。
All that he achieved by this was to exasperate； and his expulsion
from a society grown mistrustful of him must already have followed
but for his friend； Philippe de Vilmorin； a divinity student of
Rennes； who； himself； was one of the most popular members of the
Literary Chamber。
Coming to Gavrillac on a November morning； laden with news of the
political storms which were then gathering over France； Philippe
found in that sleepy Breton village matter to quicken his already
lively indignation。 A peasant of Gavrillac； named Mabey； had been
shot dead that morning in the woods of Meupont； across the river；
by a gamekeeper of the Marquis de La Tour d'Azyr。 The unfortunate
fellow had been caught in the act of taking a pheasant from a snare；
and the gamekeeper had acted under explicit orders from his master。
Infuriated by an act of tyranny so absolute and merciless； M。 de
Vilmorin proposed to lay the matter before M。 de Kercadiou。 Mabey
was a vassal of Gavrillac； and Vilmorin hoped to move the Lord of
Gavrillac to demand at least some measure of reparation for the
widow and the three orphans which that brutal deed had made。
But because Andre…Louis was Philippe's dearest friend … indeed； his
almost brother … the young seminarist sought him out in the first
instance。 He found him at breakfast alone in the long； low…ceilinged；
white…panelled dining…room at Rabouillet's … the only home that
Andre…Louis had ever known … and after embracing him； deafened him
with his denunciation of M。 de La Tour d'Azyr。
〃I have heard of it already；〃 said Andre…Louis。
〃You speak as if the thing had not surprised you；〃 his friend
reproached him。
〃Nothing beastly can surprise me when done by a beast。 And La Tour
d'Azyr is a beast； as all the world knows。 The more fool Mabey for
stealing his pheasants。 He should have stolen somebody else's。〃
〃Is that all you have to say about it？〃
〃What more is there to say？ I've a practical mind； I hope。〃
〃What more there is to say I propose to say to your godfather； M。
de Kercadiou。 I shall appeal to him for justice。〃
〃Against M。 de La Tour d'azyr？〃 Andre…Louis raised his eyebrows。
〃Why not？〃
〃My dear ingenuous Philippe； dog doesn't eat dog。〃
〃You are unjust to your godfather。 He is a humane man。〃
〃Oh； as humane as you please。 But this isn't a question
of humanity。 It's a question of game…laws。〃
M。 de Vilmorin tossed his long arms to Heaven in disgust。 He was
a tall； slender young gentleman； a year or two younger than
Andre…Louis。 He was very soberly dressed in black； as became a
seminarist； with white bands at wrists an