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to sign the contract … to make me the Marchioness of Sbrufadelli。
Oh！〃 It was a cry of pain from that tender young heart。 〃The very
name burns my lips。 If it were mine I could never utter it … never！
The man is so detestable。 Save me； Leandre。 Save me！ You are my
only hope。〃
Andre…Louis was conscious of a pang of disappointment。 She failed
to soar to the heights he had expected of her。 She was evidently
infected by the stilted manner of her ridiculous lover。 There was
an atrocious lack of sincerity about her words。 They touched his
mind； but left his heart unmoved。 Perhaps this was because of his
antipathy to M。 Leandre and to the issue involved。
So her father was marrying her to a marquis！ That implied birth on
her side。 And yet she was content to pair off with this dull young
adventurer in the tarnished lace！ It was； he supposed； the sort of
thing to be expected of a sex that all philosophy had taught him to
regard as the maddest part of a mad species。
〃It shall never be！〃 M。 Leandre was storming passionately。 〃Never！
I swear it！〃 And he shook his puny fist at the blue vault of heaven
… Ajax defying Jupiter。 〃Ah； but here comes our subtle friend。。。 〃
（Andre…Louis did not catch the name； M。 Leandre having at that moment
turned to face the gap in the hedge。） 〃He will bring us news； I know。〃
Andre…Louis looked also in the direction of the gap。 Through it
emerged a lean； slight man in a rusty cloak and a three…cornered hat
worn well down over his nose so as to shade his face。 And when
presently he doffed this hat and made a sweeping bow to the young
lovers； Andre…Louis confessed to himself that had he been cursed
with such a hangdog countenance he would have worn his hat in
precisely such a manner； so as to conceal as much of it as possible。
If M。 Leandre appeared to be wearing； in part at least； the cast…offs
of nobleman； the newcomer appeared to be wearing the cast…offs of M。
Leandre。 Yet despite his vile clothes and viler face； with its three
days' growth of beard； the fellow carried himself with a certain air；
he positively strutted as he advanced； and he made a leg in a manner
that was courtly and practised。
〃Monsieur；〃 said he； with the air of a conspirator； 〃the time for
action has arrived； and so has the Marquis。。。 That is why。〃
The young lovers sprang apart in consternation； Climene with clasped
hands； parted lips； and a bosom that raced distractingly under its
white fichu…menteur； M。 Leandre agape； the very picture of foolishness
and dismay。
Meanwhile the newcomer rattled on。 〃I was at the inn an hour ago
when he descended there； and I studied him attentively whilst he was
at breakfast。 Having done so； not a single doubt remains me of our
success。 As for what he looks like； I could entertain you at length
upon the fashion in which nature has designed his gross fatuity。
But that is no matter。 We are concerned with what he is； with the
wit of him。 And I tell you confidently that I find him so dull and
stupid that you may be confident he will tumble headlong into each
and all of the traps I have so cunningly prepared for him。〃
〃Tell me； tell me！ Speak！〃 Climene implored him； holding out her
hands in a supplication no man of sensibility could have resisted。
And then on the instant she caught her breath on a faint scream。
〃My father！〃 she exclaimed； turning distractedly from one to the
other of those two。 〃He is coming！ We are lost！〃
〃You must fly； Climene！〃 said M。 Leandre。
〃Too late！〃 she sobbed。 〃Too late！ He is here。〃
〃Calm； mademoiselle； calm！〃 the subtle friend was urging her。 〃Keep
calm and trust to me。 I promise you that all shall be well。〃
〃Oh！〃 cried M。 Leandre； limply。 〃Say what you will； my friend； this
is ruin … the end of all our hopes。 Your wits will never extricate
us from this。 Never！〃
Through the gap strode now an enormous man with an inflamed moon
face and a great nose； decently dressed after the fashion of a solid
bourgeois。 There was no mistaking his anger； but the expression
that it found was an amazement to Andre…Louis。
〃Leandre； you're an imbecile！ Too much phlegm； too much phlegm！
Your words wouldn't convince a ploughboy！ Have you considered what
they mean at all？ Thus；〃 he cried； and casting his round hat from
him in a broad gesture； he took his stand at M。 Leandre's side； and
repeated the very words that Leandre had lately uttered； what time
the three observed him coolly and attentively。
〃Oh； say what you will； my friend； this is ruin … the end of all
our hopes。 Your wits will never extricate us from this。 Never！〃
A frenzy of despair vibrated in his accents。 He swung again to face
M。 Leandre。 〃Thus；〃 he bade him contemptuously。 〃Let the passion
of your hopelessness express itself in your voice。 Consider that you
are not asking Scaramouche here whether he has put a patch in your
breeches。 You are a despairing lover expressing。。。 〃
He checked abruptly； startled。 Andre…Louis； suddenly realizing what
was afoot； and how duped he had been； had loosed his laughter。 The
sound of it pealing and booming uncannily under the great roof that
so immediately confined him was startling to those below。
The fat man was the first to recover； and he announced it after his
own fashion in one of the ready sarcasms in which he habitually dealt。
〃Hark！〃 he cried； 〃the very gods laugh at you； Leandre。〃 Then he
addressed the roof of the barn and its invisible tenant。 〃Hi！ You
there！〃
Andre…Louis revealed himself by a further protrusion of his tousled
head。
〃Good…morning；〃 said he； pleasantly。 Rising now on his knees； his
horizon was suddenly extended to include the broad common beyond
the hedge。 He beheld there an enormous and very battered travelling
chaise； a cart piled up with timbers partly visible under the sheet
of oiled canvas that covered them； and a sort of house on wheels
equipped with a tin chimney； from which the smoke was slowly curling。
Three heavy Flemish horses and a couple of donkeys … all of them
hobbled … were contentedly cropping the grass in the neighbourhood
of these vehicles。 These； had he perceived them sooner； must have
given him the clue to the queer scene that had been played under
his eyes。 Beyond the hedge other figures were moving。 Three at
that moment came crowding into the gap … a saucy…faced girl with a
tip…tilted nose； whom he supposed to be Columbine； the soubrette；
a lean； active youngster； who must be the lackey Harlequin；； and
another rather loutish youth who might be a zany or an apothecary。
All this he took in at a comprehensive glance that consumed no more
time than it had taken him to say good…morning。 To that
good…morning Pantaloon replied in a bellow：
〃What the devil are you doing up there？〃
〃Precisely the same thing that you are doing down there；〃 was the
answer。 〃I am trespassing。〃
〃Eh？〃 said Pantaloon； and looked at his companions； some of the
assurance beaten out of his big red face。 Although the thing was
one that they did habitually； to hear it called by its proper name
was disconcerting。
〃Whose land is this？〃 he asked； with diminishing assurance。
Andr