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have felt a justifiable satisfaction in offering up the Chevalier's
life to the Manes of his murdered friend。 He may have viewed it as
an act of common justice not to be procured by any other means。
Also it is to be remembered that Chabrillane had gone confidently
to the meeting； conceiving that he； a practised ferailleur； had to
deal with a bourgeois utterly unskilled in swordsmanship。 Morally；
then； he was little better than a murderer； and that he should have
tumbled into the pit he conceived that he dug for Andre…Louis was
a poetic retribution。 Yet； notwithstanding all this； I should find
the cynical note on which Andre…Louis announced the issue to the
Assembly utterly detestable did I believe it sincere。 It would
justify Aline of the expressed opinion； which she held in common
with so many others who had come into close contact with him； that
Andre…Louis was quite heartless。
You have seen something of the same heartlessness in his conduct
when he discovered the faithlessness of La Binet although that is
belied by the measures he took to avenge himself。 His subsequent
contempt of the woman I account to be born of the affection in which
for a time he held her。 That this affection was as deep as he first
imagined； I do not believe； but that it was as shallow as he would
almost be at pains to make it appear by the completeness with which
he affects to have put her from his mind when he discovered her
worthlessness； I do not believe； nor； as I have said； do his actions
encourage that belief。 Then； again； his callous cynicism in hoping
that he had killed Binet is also an affectation。 Knowing that such
things as Binet are better out of the world； he can have suffered
no compunction； he had； you must remember； that rarely level vision
which sees things in their just proportions； and never either
magnifies or reduces them by sentimental considerations。 At the
same time； that he should contemplate the taking of life with such
complete and cynical equanimity； whatever the justification； is
quite incredible。
Similarly now； it is not to be believed that in coming straight
from the Bois de Boulogne； straight from the killing of a man； he
should be sincerely expressing his nature in alluding to the fact
in terms of such outrageous flippancy。 Not quite to such an extent
was he the incarnation of Scaramouche。 But sufficiently was he so
ever to mask his true feelings by an arresting gesture； his true
thoughts by an effective phrase。 He was the actor always； a man
ever calculating the effect he would produce； ever avoiding
self…revelation； ever concerned to overlay his real character by
an assumed and quite fictitious one。 There was in this something
of impishness； and something of other things。
Nobody laughed now at his flippancy。 He did not intend that
anybody should。 He intended to be terrible； and he knew that the
more flippant and casual his tone； the more terrible would be its
effect。 He produced exactly the effect he desired。
What followed in a place where feelings and practices had become
what they had become is not difficult to surmise。 When the session
rose； there were a dozen spadassins awaiting him in the vestibule；
and this time the men of his own party were less concerned to guard
him。 He seemed so entirely capable of guarding himself； he appeared；
for all his circumspection； to have so completely carried the war
into the enemy's camp； so completely to have adopted their own
methods； that his fellows scarcely felt the need to protect him
as yesterday。
As he emerged； he scanned that hostile file； whose air and garments
marked them so clearly for what they were。 He paused； seeking the
man he expected； the man he was most anxious to oblige。 But M。 de
La Tour d'Azyr was absent from those eager ranks。 This seemed to
him odd。 La Tour d'Azyr was Chabrillane's cousin and closest friend。
Surely he should have been among the first to…day。 The fact was
that La Tour d'Azyr was too deeply overcome by amazement and grief
at the utterly unexpected event。 Also his vindictiveness was held
curiously in leash。 Perhaps he； too； remembered the part played by
Chabrillane in the affair at Gavrillac； and saw in this obscure
Andre…Louis Moreau； who had so persistently persecuted him ever
since； an ordained avenger。 The repugnance he felt to come to the
point； with him； particularly after this culminating provocation；
was puzzling even to himself。 But it existed； and it curbed him now。
To Andre…Louis； since La Tour was not one of that waiting pack； it
mattered little on that Tuesday morning who should be the next。 The
next； as it happened； was the young Vicomte de La Motte…Royau； one
of the deadliest blades in the group。
On the Wednesday morning； coming again an hour or so late to the
Assembly； Andre…Louis announced … in much the same terms as he had
announced the death of Chabrillane … that M。 de La Motte…Royau
would probably not disturb the harmony of the Assembly for some
weeks to come； assuming that he were so fortunate as to recover
ultimately from the effects of an unpleasant accident with which he
had quite unexpectedly had the misfortune to meet that morning。
On Thursday he made an identical announcement with regard to the
Vidame de Blavon。 On Friday he told them that he had been delayed
by M。 de Troiscantins； and then turning to the members of the Cote
Droit； and lengthening his face to a sympathetic gravity：
〃I am glad to inform you； messieurs； that M。 des Troiscantins is
in the hands of a very competent surgeon who hopes with care to
restore him to your councils in a few weeks' time。〃
It was paralyzing； fantastic； unreal； and friend and foe in that
assembly sat alike stupefied under those bland daily announcements。
Four of the most redoubtable spadassinicides put away for a time；
one of them dead … and all this performed with such an air of
indifference and announced in such casual terms by a wretched little
provincial lawyer！
He began to assume in their eyes a romantic aspect。 Even that group
of philosophers of the Cote Gauche； who refused to worship any force
but the force of reason； began to look upon him with a respect and
consideration which no oratorical triumphs could ever have procured
him。
And from the Assembly the fame of him oozed out gradually over Paris。
Desmoulins wrote a panegyric upon him in his paper 〃Les Revolutions；〃
wherein he dubbed him the 〃Paladin of the Third Estate；〃 a name that
caught the fancy of the people； and clung to him for some time。
Disdainfully was he mentioned in the 〃Actes des Apotres；〃 the mocking
organ of the Privileged party； so light…heartedly and provocatively
edited by a group of gentlemen afflicted by a singular mental myopy。
The Friday of that very busy week in the life of this young man who
even thereafter is to persist in reminding us that he is not in any
sense a man of action； found the vestibule of the Manege empty of
swordsmen when he made his leisurely and expectant egress between
Le Chapelier and Kersain。
So surprised was he that he checked in his stride。
〃Have they had enough？〃 he wondered； addressing the question to Le
Cha