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case of many of us； my dear； believe me。〃
〃But why〃 … M。 Binet took him up； and thus spoilt the beginnings of
a very pretty quarrel … 〃why do you say that Leandre is wrong？〃
〃To be general； because he is always wrong。 To be particular；
because I judge the audience of Guichen to be too sophisticated
for 'The Heartless Father。'〃
〃You would put it more happily；〃 interposed Andre…Louis … who was
the cause of this discussion … 〃if you said that 'The Heartless
Father' is too unsophisticated for the audience of Guichen。〃
〃Why； what's the difference？〃 asked Leandre。
〃I didn't imply a difference。 I merely suggested that it is a
happier way to express the fact。〃
〃The gentleman is being subtle；〃 sneered Binet。
〃Why happier？〃 Harlequin demanded。
〃Because it is easier to bring 'The Heartless Father' to the
sophistication of the Guichen audience； than the Guichen audience
to the unsophistication of 'The Heartless Father。'〃
〃Let me think it out；〃 groaned Polichinelle； and he took his head
in his hands。
But from the tail of the table Andre…Louis was challenged by Climene
who sat there between Columbine and Madame。
〃You would alter the comedy； would you； M。 Parvissimus？〃 she cried。
He turned to parry her malice。
〃I would suggest that it be altered；〃 he corrected； inclining his
head。
〃And how would you alter it； monsieur？〃
〃I？ Oh； for the better。〃
〃But of course！〃 She was sleekest sarcasm。 〃And how would you do it？〃
〃Aye； tell us that；〃 roared M。 Binet； and added： 〃Silence； I pray
you； gentlemen and ladies。 Silence for M。 Parvissimus。〃
Andre…Louis looked from father to daughter； and smiled。 〃Pardi！〃
said he。 〃I am between bludgeon and dagger。 If I escape with my
life； I shall be fortunate。 Why； then； since you pin me to the very
wall； I'll tell you what I should do。 I should go back to the
original and help myself more freely from it。〃
〃The original？〃 questioned M。 Binet … the author。
〃It is called； I believe； 'Monsieur de Pourceaugnac；' and was written
by Moliere。〃
Somebody tittered； but that somebody was not M。 Binet。 He had been
touched on the raw； and the look in his little eyes betrayed the
fact that his bonhomme exterior covered anything but a bonhomme。
〃You charge me with plagiarism；〃 he said at last； 〃with filching the
ideas of Moliere。〃
〃There is always； of course；〃 said Andre…Louis； unruffled； 〃the
alternative possibility of two great minds working upon parallel
lines。〃
M。 Binet studied the young man attentively a moment。 He found him
bland and inscrutable； and decided to pin him down。
〃Then you do not imply that I have been stealing from Moliere？〃
〃I advise you to do so； monsieur；〃 was the disconcerting reply。
M。 Binet was shocked。
〃You advise me to do so！ You advise me； me； Antoine Binet； to turn
thief at my age！〃
〃He is outrageous；〃 said mademoiselle； indignantly。
〃Outrageous is the word。 I thank you for it； my dear。 I take you
on trust； sir。 You sit at my table； you have the honour to be
included in my company； and to my face you have the audacity to
advise me to become a thief … the worst kind of thief that is
conceivable； a thief of spiritual things； a thief of ideas！ It is
insufferable； intolerable！ I have been； I fear； deeply mistaken
in you； monsieur； just as you appear to have been mistaken in me。
I am not the scoundrel you suppose me； sir； and I will not number
in my company a man who dares to suggest that I should become one。
Outrageous！〃
He was very angry。 His voice boomed through the little room； and
the company sat hushed and something scared； their eyes upon
Andre…Louis； who was the only one entirely unmoved by this outburst
of virtuous indignation。
〃You realize； monsieur；〃 he said； very quietly； 〃that you are
insulting the memory of the illustrious dead？〃
〃Eh？〃 said Binet。
Andre…Louis developed his sophistries。
〃You insult the memory of Moliere； the greatest ornament of our
stage； one of the greatest ornaments of our nation； when you suggest
that there is vileness in doing that which he never hesitated to do；
which no great author yet has hesitated to do。 You cannot suppose
that Moliere ever troubled himself to be original in the matter of
ideas。 You cannot suppose that the stories he tells in his plays
have never been told before。 They were culled； as you very well
know … though you seem momentarily to have forgotten it； and it is
therefore necessary that I should remind you … they were culled；
many of them； from the Italian authors； who themselves had culled
them Heaven alone knows where。 Moliere took those old stories and
retold them in his own language。 That is precisely what I am
suggesting that you should do。 Your company is a company of
improvisers。 You supply the dialogue as you proceed； which is
rather more than Moliere ever attempted。 You may； if you prefer it
… though it would seem to me to be yielding to an excess of scruple
… go straight to Boccaccio or Sacchetti。 But even then you cannot
be sure that you have reached the sources。〃
Andre…Louis came off with flying colours after that。 You see what
a debater was lost in him； how nimble he was in the art of making
white look black。 The company was impressed； and no one more that
M。 Binet； who found himself supplied with a crushing argument
against those who in future might tax him with the impudent
plagiarisms which he undoubtedly perpetrated。 He retired in the
best order he could from the position he had taken up at the outset。
〃So that you think；〃 he said； at the end of a long outburst of
agreement； 〃you think that our story of 'The Heartless Father'
could be enriched by dipping into 'Monsieur de Pourceaugnac；' to
which I confess upon reflection that it may present certain
superficial resemblances？〃
〃I do； most certainly I do … always provided that you do so
judiciously。 Times have changed since Moliere。〃 It was as a
consequence of this that Binet retired soon after； taking
Andre…Louis with him。 The pair sat together late that night； and
were again in close communion throughout the whole of Sunday morning。
After dinner M。 Binet read to the assembled company the amended and
amplified canevas of 〃The Heartless Father；〃 which； acting upon the
advice of M。 Parvissimus； he had been at great pains to prepare。
The company had few doubts as to the real authorship before he began
to read； none at all when he had read。 There was a verve； a grip
about this story； and； what was more； those of them who knew their
Moliere realized that far from approaching the original more closely；
this canevas had drawn farther away from it。 Moliere's original
part … the title role … had dwindled into insignificance； to the
great disgust of Polichinelle； to whom it fell。 But the other parts
had all been built up into importance； with the exception of Leandre；
who remained as before。 The two great roles were now Scaramouche；
in the character of the intriguing Sbrigandini； and Pantaloon the
father。 There was； too； a comical part for Rhodomont； as the
roaring bully hired by Polichinelle to cut Leandre into ribbons。
And in view of the importance now of Scara