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Andre…Louis looked at him。 〃I must yield； of course。 I can't help
myself。〃
M。 Binet released his arm at last； and slapped him heartily upon the
back。 〃Well declared； my lad。 You'll never regret it。 If I know
anything of the theatre； I know that you have made the great decision
of your life。 To…morrow night you'll thank me。〃
Andre…Louis shrugged； and stepped out ahead towards the inn。 But M。
Binet called him back。
〃M。 Parvissimus！〃
He turned。 There stood the man's great bulk； the moonlight beating
down upon that round fat face of his； and he was holding out his hand。
〃M。 Parvissimus； no rancour。 It is a thing I do not admit into my
life。 You will shake hands with me； and we will forget all this。〃
Andre…Louis considered him a moment with disgust。 He was growing
angry。 Then； realizing this； he conceived himself ridiculous； almost
as ridiculous as that sly； scoundrelly Pantaloon。 He laughed and
took the outstretched hand。 〃No rancour？〃 M。 Binet insisted。
〃Oh； no rancour；〃 said Andre…Louis。
CHAPTER V
ENTER SCARAMOUCHE
Dressed in the close…fitting suit of a bygone age； all black； from
flat velvet cap to rosetted shoes； his face whitened and a slight
up…curled moustache glued to his upper lip； a small…sword at his
side and a guitar slung behind him； Scaramouche surveyed himself
in a mirror； and was disposed to be sardonic … which was the proper
mood for the part。
He reflected that his life； which until lately had been of a
stagnant； contemplative quality； had suddenly become excessively
active。 In the course of one week he had been lawyer； mob…orator；
outlaw； property…man； and finally buffoon。 Last Wednesday he had
been engaged in moving an audience of Rennes to anger； on this
Wednesday he was to move an audience of Guichen to mirth。 Then he
had been concerned to draw tears； to…day it was his business to
provoke laughter。 There was a difference； and yet there was a
parallel。 Then as now he had been a comedian； and the part that he
had played then was； when you came to think of it； akin to the part
he was to play this evening。 For what had he been at Rennes but a
sort of Scaramouche … the little skirmisher； the astute intriguer；
spattering the seed of trouble with a sly hand？ The only difference
lay in the fact that to…day he went forth under the name that
properly described his type； whereas last week he had been disguised
as a respectable young provincial attorney。
He bowed to his reflection in the mirror。
〃Buffoon！〃 he apostrophized it。 〃At last you have found yourself。
At last you have come into your heritage。 You should be a great
success。
Hearing his new name called out by M。 Binet； he went below to find
the company assembled； and waiting in the entrance corridor of the
inn。
He was； of course； an object of great interest to all the company。
Most critically was he conned by M。 Binet and mademoiselle； by the
former with gravely searching eyes； by the latter with a curl of
scornful lip。
〃You'll do；〃 M。 Binet commended his make…up。 〃At least you look
the part。〃
〃Unfortunately men are not always what they look；〃 said Climene；
acidly。
〃That is a truth that does not at present apply to me；〃 said
Andre…Louis。 〃For it is the first time in my life that I look what
I am。〃
Mademoiselle curled her lip a little further； and turned her shoulder
to him。 But the others thought him very witty … probably because he
was obscure。 Columbine encouraged him with a friendly smile that
displayed her large white teeth； and M。 Binet swore yet once again
that he would be a great success； since he threw himself with such
spirit into the undertaking。 Then in a voice that for the moment
he appeared to have borrowed from the roaring captain； M。 Binet
marshalled them for the short parade across to the market…hall。
The new Scaramouche fell into place beside Rhodomont。 The old one；
hobbling on a crutch； had departed an hour ago to take the place of
doorkeeper； vacated of necessity by Andre…Louis。 So that the
exchange between those two was a complete one。
Headed by Polichinelle banging his great drum and Pierrot blowing
his trumpet； they set out； and were duly passed in review by the
ragamuffins drawn up in files to enjoy so much of the spectacle as
was to be obtained for nothing。
Ten minutes later the three knocks sounded； and the curtains were
drawn aside to reveal a battered set that was partly garden； partly
forest； in which Climene feverishly looked for the coming of Leandre。
In the wings stood the beautiful； melancholy lover； awaiting his cue；
and immediately behind him the unfledged Scaramouche； who was anon
to follow him。
Andre…Louis was assailed with nausea in that dread moment。 He
attempted to take a lightning mental review of the first act of this
scenario of which he was himself the author…in…chief； but found his
mind a complete blank。 With the perspiration starting from his skin；
he stepped back to the wall； where above a dim lantern was pasted a
sheet bearing the brief outline of the piece。 He was still studying
it； when his arm was clutched； and he was pulled violently towards
the wings。 He had a glimpse of Pantaloon's grotesque face； its eyes
blazing； and he caught a raucous growl：
〃Climene has spoken your cue three times already。〃
Before he realized it； he had been bundled on to the stage； and
stood there foolishly； blinking in the glare of the footlights； with
their tin reflectors。 So utterly foolish and bewildered did he look
that volley upon volley of laughter welcomed him from the audience；
which this evening packed the hall from end to end。 Trembling a
little； his bewilderment at first increasing； he stood there to
receive that rolling tribute to his absurdity。 Climene was eyeing
him with expectant mockery； savouring in advance his humiliation；
Leandre regarded him in consternation； whilst behind the scenes； M。
Binet was dancing in fury。
〃Name of a name；〃 he… groaned to the rather scared members of the
company assembled there； 〃what will happen when they discover that
he isn't acting？〃
But they never did discover it。 Scaramouche's bewildered paralysis
lasted but a few seconds。 He realized that he was being laughed at；
and remembered that his Scaramouche was a creature to be laughed
with； and not at。 He must save the situation； twist it to his own
advantage as best he could。 And now his real bewilderment and terror
was succeeded by acted bewilderment and terror far more marked； but
not quite so funny。 He contrived to make it clearly appear that his
terror was of some one off the stage。 He took cover behind a painted
shrub； and thence； the laughter at last beginning to subside； he
addressed himself to Climene and Leandre。
〃Forgive me； beautiful lady； if the abrupt manner of my entrance
startled you。 The truth is that I have never been the same since
that last affair of mine with Almaviva。 My heart is not what it
used to be。 Down there at the end of the lane I came face to face
with an elderly gentleman carrying a heavy cudgel； and the horrible
thought entered my mind that it might be your father； and that our
little stratagem to get you safely married might already have been
betrayed to him。 I think it was the cudgel put such notion in my
head。 Not that I am afraid。 I am not really afraid of anything。
But I could not help reflecting that； if it should really have been
your father； and he had broken my head with his cudgel； your hopes
would have perished with me。 For without me； what should you have
done； my poor children？〃
A ripple of laughter from the audience had been steadily enheartening
him； and helping him to recover his natural impudence。 It was clear
they found him comical。 They were to find him far more comical than
ever he had intended； and this was largely due to a fortuitous
circumstance upon which he had insufficiently reckoned。 The fear of
recognition by some one from Gavrillac or Rennes had been strong
upon him。 His face was sufficiently made up to baffle recognition；
but there remained his voice。 To dissemble this he had availed
himself of the fact that Figaro was a Spaniard。 He had known a
Spaniard at Louis le Grand who spoke a fluent but most extraordinary
French； with a grotesque excess of sibilant sounds。 It was an accent
that he had often imitated； as youths will imitate characteristics
that excite their mirth。 Opportunely he had bethought him of that
Spanish student； and it was upon his speech that to…night he modelled
his own。 The audience of Guichen found it as laughable on his lips
as he and his fellows had found it formerly on the lips of that
derided Spaniard。
Meanwhile； behind the scenes； Binet … listening to that glib
impromptu of which the scenario gave no indication … had recovered
from his fears。
〃Dieu de Dieu！〃 he whispered； grinning。 〃Did he do it； then； on
purpose？〃
It seemed to him impossible that a man who had been so
terror…stricken as he had fancied Andre…Louis； could have recovered
his wits so quickly and completely。 Yet the doubt remained。
To resolve it after the curtain had fallen upon a first act that
had gone with a verve unrivalled