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but that Binet supported him。 He filled the place with his plaint；
whilst Binet swore amazingly and variedly。
〃Must you bellow like a calf； you fool？ Be quiet。 A chair here；
some one。〃
A chair was thrust forward。 He crushed Scaramouche down into it。
〃Let us look at this foot of yours。〃
Heedless of Scaramouche's howls of pain； he swept away shoe and
stocking。
〃What ails it？〃 he asked； staring。 〃Nothing that I can see。〃 He
seized it； heel in one hand； instep in the other； and gyrated it。
Scaramouche screamed in agony； until Climene caught Binet's arm and
made him stop。
〃My God； have you no feelings？〃 she reproved her father。 〃The lad
has hurt his foot。 Must you torture him？ Will that cure it？〃
〃Hurt his foot！〃 said Binet。 〃I can see nothing the matter with his
foot … nothing to justify all this uproar。 He has bruised it；
maybe。。。 〃
〃A man with a bruised foot doesn't scream like that；〃 said Madame
over Climene's shoulder。 〃Perhaps he has dislocated it。〃
〃That is what I fear；〃 whimpered Scaramouche。
Binet heaved himself up in disgust。
〃Take him to bed；〃 he bade them； 〃and fetch a doctor to see him。〃
It was done； and the doctor came。 Having seen the patient； he
reported that nothing very serious had happened； but that in falling
he had evidently sprained his foot a little。 A few days' rest and
all would be well。
〃A few days！〃 cried Binet。 〃God of God！ Do you mean that he can't
walk？〃
〃It would be unwise； indeed impossible for more than a few steps。〃
M。 Binet paid the doctor's fee； and sat down to think。 He filled
himself a glass of Burgundy； tossed it off without a word； and sat
thereafter staring into the empty glass。
〃It is of course the sort of thing that must always be happening to
me；〃 he grumbled to no one in particular。 The members of the company
were all standing in silence before him； sharing his dismay。 〃I
might have known that this … or something like it … would occur to
spoil the first vein of luck that I have found in years。 Ah； well；
it is finished。 To…morrow we pack and depart。 The best day of the
fair； on the crest of the wave of our success … a good fifteen louis
to be taken； and this happens！ God of God！〃
〃Do you mean to abandon to…morrow's performance？〃
All turned to stare with Binet at Andre…Louis。
〃Are we to play 'Figaro…Scaramouche' without Scaramouche？〃 asked
Binet； sneering。
〃Of course not。〃 Andre…Louis came forward。 〃But surely some
rearrangement of the parts is possible。 For instance； there is a
fine actor in Polichinelle。〃
Polichinelle swept him a bow。 〃Overwhelmed；〃 said he； ever sardonic。
〃But he has a part of his own；〃 objected Binet。
〃A small part； which Pasquariel could play。〃
〃And who will play Pasquariel？〃
〃Nobody。 We delete it。 The play need not suffer。〃
〃He thinks of everything；〃 sneered Polichinelle。 〃What a man！〃
But Binet was far from agreement。 〃Are you suggesting that
Polichinelle should play Scaramouche？〃 he asked； incredulously。
〃Why not？ He is able enough！〃
〃Overwhelmed again；〃 interjected Polichinelle。
〃Play Scaramouche with that figure？〃 Binet heaved himself up to
point a denunciatory finger at Polichinelle's sturdy； thick…set
shortness。
〃For lack of a better；〃 said Andre…Louis。
〃Overwhelmed more than ever。〃 Polichinelle's bow was superb this
time。 〃Faith； I think I'll take the air to cool me after so much
blushing。〃
〃Go to the devil；〃 Binet flung at him。
〃Better and better。〃 Polichinelle made for the door。 On the
threshold he halted and struck an attitude。 〃Understand me； Binet。
I do not now play Scaramouche in any circumstances whatever。〃 And
he went out。 On the whole； it was a very dignified exit。
Andre…Louis shrugged； threw out his arms； and let them fall to his
sides again。 〃You have ruined everything；〃 he told M。 Binet。 〃The
matter could easily have been arranged。 Well； well； it is you are
master here； and since you want us to pack and be off； that is what
we will do； I suppose。〃
He went out； too。 M。 Binet stood in thought a moment； then followed
him； his little eyes very cunning。 He caught him up in the doorway。
〃Let us take a walk together； M。 Parvissimus；〃 said he； very affably。
He thrust his arm through Andre…Louis'； and led him out into the
street； where there was still considerable movement。 Past the booths
that ranged about the market they went； and down the hill towards the
bridge。 〃I don't think we shall pack to…morrow；〃 said M。 Binet；
presently。 〃In fact； we shall play to…morrow night。〃
〃Not if I know Polichinelle。 You have。。。 〃
〃I am not thinking of Polichinelle。〃
〃Of whom； then？〃
〃Of yourself。〃
〃I am flattered； sir。 And in what capacity are you thinking of me？〃
There was something too sleek and oily in Binet's voice for
Andre…Louis' taste。
〃I am thinking of you in the part of Scaramouche。〃
〃Day…dreams；〃 said Andre…Louis。 〃You are amusing yourself； of
course。〃
〃Not in the least。 I am quite serious。〃
〃But I am not an actor。〃
〃You told me that you could be。〃
〃Oh； upon occasion。。。 a small part； perhaps。。。 〃
〃Well； here is a big part … the chance to arrive at a single stride。
How many men have had such a chance？〃
〃It is a chance I do not covet； M。 Binet。 Shall we change the
subject？〃 He was very frosty； as much perhaps because he scented
in M。 Binet's manner something that was vaguely menacing as for any
other reason。
〃We'll change the subject when I please；〃 said M。 Binet； allowing a
glimpse of steel to glimmer through the silk of him。 〃To…morrow
night you play Scaramouche。 You are ready enough in your wits； your
figure is ideal； and you have just the kind of mordant humour for
the part。 You should be a great success。〃
〃It is much more likely that I should be an egregious failure。〃
〃That won't matter；〃 said Binet； cynically； and explained himself。
〃The failure will be personal to yourself。 The receipts will be
safe by then。〃
〃Much obliged；〃 said Andre…Louis。
〃We should take fifteen louis to…morrow night。〃
〃It is unfortunate that you are without a Scaramouche；〃 said
Andre…Louis。
〃It is fortunate that I have one； M。 Parvissimus。〃 Andre…Louis
disengaged his arm。 〃I begin to find you tiresome；〃 said he。 〃I
think I will return。〃
〃A moment； M。 Parvissimus。 If I am to lose that fifteen louis。。。
you'll not take it amiss that I compensate myself in other ways？〃
〃That is your own concern； M。 Binet。〃
〃Pardon； M。 Parvissimus。 It may possibly be also yours。〃 Binet
took his arm again。 〃Do me the kindness to step across the street
with me。 Just as far as the post…office there。 I have something
to show you。〃
Andre…Louis went。 Before they reached that sheet of paper nailed
upon the door； he knew exactly what it would say。 And in effect it
was； as he had supposed； that twenty louis would be paid for
information leading to the apprehension of one Andre…Louis Moreau；
lawyer of Gavrillac； who was wanted by the King's Lieutenant in
Rennes upon a charge of sedition。
M。 Binet watched him whilst he read。 Their arms were linked； and
Binet's grip was firm and powerful。
〃Now； my fr