按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
arrangements and effect the necessary changes in his toilet。
〃So that is why you have taken to wearing a sword；〃 said M。 de
Kercadiou； as they climbed into his waiting carriage。
〃That and the need to guard one's self in these times。〃
〃And do you mean to tell me that a man who lives by what is after
all an honourable profession； a profession mainly supported by the
nobility； can at the same time associate himself with these
peddling attorneys and low pamphleteers who are spreading dissension
and insubordination？〃
〃You forget that I am a peddling attorney myself； made so by your
own wishes； monsieur。〃
M。 de Kercadiou grunted； and took snuff。 〃You say the academy
flourishes？〃 he asked presently。
〃It does。 I have two assistant instructors。 I could employ a third。
It is hard work。〃
〃That should mean that your circumstances are affluent。〃
〃I have reason to be satisfied。 I have far more than I need。〃
〃Then you'll be able to do your share in paying off this national
debt；〃 growled the nobleman； well content that as he conceived it
… some of the evil Andre…Louis had helped to sow should recoil
upon him。
Then the talk veered to Mme。 de Plougastel。 M。 de Kercadiou；
Andre…Louis gathered； but not the reason for it； disapproved most
strongly of this visit。 But then Madame la Comtesse was a headstrong
woman whom there was no denying； whom all the world obeyed。 M。 de
Plougastel was at present absent in Germany； but would shortly be
returning。 It was an indiscreet admission from which it was easy
to infer that M。 de Plougastel was one of those intriguing emissaries
who came and went between the Queen of France and her brother； the
Emperor of Austria。
The carriage drew up before a handsome hotel in the Faubourg
Saint…Denis； at the corner of the Rue Paradis； and they were ushered
by a sleek servant into a little boudoir； all gilt and brocade； that
opened upon a terrace above a garden that was a park in miniature。
Here madame awaited them。 She rose； dismissing the young person who
had been reading to her； and came forward with both hands outheld to
greet her cousin Kercadiou。
〃I almost feared you would not keep your word；〃 she said。 〃It was
unjust。 But then I hardly hoped that you would succeed in bringing
him。〃 And her glance； gentle； and smiling welcome upon him；
indicated Andre…Louis。
The young man made answer with formal gallantry。
〃The memory of you； madame； is too deeply imprinted on my heart for
any persuasions to have been necessary。〃
〃Ah； the courtier！〃 said madame； and abandoned him her hand。 〃We
are to have a little talk； Andre…Louis；〃 she informed him； with a
gravity that left him vaguely ill at ease。
They sat down； and for a while the conversation was of general
matters； chiefly concerned； however； with Andre…Louis； his
occupations and his views。 And all the while madame was studying
him attentively with those gentle； wistful eyes； until again that
sense of uneasiness began to pervade him。 He realized instinctively
that he had been brought here for some purpose deeper than that
which had been avowed。
At last； as if the thing were concerted … and the clumsy Lord of
Gavrillac was the last man in the world to cover his tracks … his
godfather rose and； upon a pretext of desiring to survey the garden；
sauntered through the windows on to the terrace； over whose white
stone balustrade the geraniums trailed in a scarlet riot。 Thence
he vanished among the foliage below。
〃Now we can talk more intimately；〃 said madame。 〃Come here； and
sit beside me。〃 She indicated the empty half of the settee she
occupied。
Andre…Louis went obediently； but a little uncomfortably。 〃You
know；〃 she said gently； placing a hand upon his arm； 〃that you have
behaved very ill； that your godfather's resentment is very justly
founded？〃
〃Madame； if I knew that； I should be the most unhappy； the most
despairing of men。〃。 And he explained himself； as he had explained
himself on Sunday to his godfather。 〃What I did； I did because it
was the only means to my hand in a country in which justice was
paralyzed by Privilege to make war upon an infamous scoundrel who
had killed my best friend … a wanton； brutal act of murder； which
there was no law to punish。 And as if that were not enough …
forgive me if I speak with the utmost frankness； madame … he
afterwards debauched the woman I was to have married。〃
〃Ah； mon Dieu！〃 she cried out。
〃Forgive me。 I know that it is horrible。 You perceive； perhaps；
what I suffered； how I came to be driven。 That last affair of which
I am guilty … the riot that began in the Feydau Theatre and
afterwards enveloped the whole city of Nantes … was provoked by
this。〃
〃Who was she； this girl？〃
It was like a woman； he thought； to fasten upon the unessential。
〃Oh； a theatre girl； a poor fool of whom I have no regrets。 La
Binet was her name。 I was a player at the time in her father's
troupe。 That was after the Rennes business； when it was necessary
to hide from such justice as exists in France … the gallows'
justice for unfortunates who are not 'born。' This added wrong
led me to provoke a riot in the theatre。〃
〃Poor boy；〃 she said tenderly。 〃Only a woman's heart can realize
what you must have suffered； and because of that I can so readily
forgive you。 But now。。。 〃
〃Ah； but you don't understand； madame。 If to…day I thought that I
had none but personal grounds for having lent a hand in the holy
work of abolishing Privilege； I think I should cut my throat。 My
true justification lies in the insincerity of those who intended
that the convocation of the States General should be a sham； mere
dust in the eyes of the nation。〃
〃Was it not； perhaps； wise to have been insincere in such a matter？〃
He looked at her blankly。
〃Can it ever be wise； madame； to be insincere？〃
〃Oh； indeed it can； believe me； who am twice your age； and know my
world。〃
〃I should say； madame； that nothing is wise that complicates
existence； and I know of nothing that so complicates it as
insincerity。 Consider a moment the complications that have arisen
out of this。〃
〃But surely； Andre…Louis； your views have not been so perverted
that you do not see that a governing class is a necessity in any
country？〃
〃Why； of course。 But not necessarily a hereditary one。〃
〃What else？〃
He answered her with an epigram。 〃Man； madame； is the child of his
own work。 Let there be no inheriting of rights but from such a
parent。 Thus a nation's best will always predominate； and such a
nation will achieve greatly。〃
〃But do you account birth of no importance？〃
〃Of none； madame … or else my own might trouble me。〃 From the deep
flush that stained her face； he feared that he had offended by what
was almost an indelicacy。 But the reproof that he was expecting
did not come。 Instead …
〃And does it not？〃 she asked。 〃Never； Andre？〃
〃Never； madame。 I am content。〃
〃You have never。。； never regretted your lack of parents' care？〃
He laughed； sweeping aside her sweet charitable concern that was so
superfluous。 〃On the contrary； madame； I tremble to think what
they might have made of me； and