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proposing to do for you； I should also play Scaramouche and write
your scenarios without any reward outside of the half…profit which
would come to me as a partner。 Thus before the profits come to be
divided； there is a salary to be paid me as actor； and a small sum
for each scenario with which I provide the company； that is a matter
for mutual agreement。 Similarly； you shall be paid a salary as
Pantaloon。 After those expenses are cleared up； as well as all the
other salaries and disbursements； the residue is the profit to be
divided equally between us。〃
It was not； as you can imagine； a proposal that M。 Binet would
swallow at a draught。 He began with a point…blank refusal to
consider it。
〃In that case； my friend；〃 said Scaramouche； 〃we part company at
once。 To…morrow I shall bid you a reluctant farewell。〃
Binet fell to raging。 He spoke of ingratitude in feeling terms； he
even permitted himself another sly allusion to that little jest of
his concerning the police； which he had promised never again to
mention。
〃As to that； you may do as you please。 Play the informer； by all
means。 But consider that you will just as definitely be deprived
of my services； and that without me you are nothing … as you were
before I joined your company。〃
M。 Binet did not care what the consequences might be。 A fig for
the consequences！ He would teach this impudent young country
attorney that M。 Binet was not the man to be imposed upon。
Scaramouche rose。 〃Very well；〃 said he； between indifference and
resignation。 〃As you wish。 But before you act； sleep on the matter。
In the cold light of morning you may see our two proposals in their
proper proportions。 Mine spells fortune for both of us。 Yours
spells ruin for both of us。 Good…night； M。 Binet。 Heaven help you
to a wise decision。
The decision to which M。 Binet finally came was； naturally； the only
one possible in the face of so firm a resolve as that of Andre…Louis；
who held the trumps。 Of course there were further discussions；
before all was settled； and M。 Binet was brought to an agreement
only after an infinity of haggling surprising in one who was an
artist and not a man of business。 One or two concessions were made
by Andre…Louis； he consented； for instance； to waive his claim to
be paid for scenarios； and he also consented that M。 Binet should
appoint himself a salary that was out of all proportion to his
deserts。
Thus in the end the matter was settled； and the announcement duly
made to the assembled company。 There were； of course； jealousies
and resentments。 But these were not deep…seated； and they were
readily swallowed when it was discovered that under the new
arrangement the lot of the entire company was to be materially
improved from the point of view of salaries。 This was a matter
that had met with considerable opposition from M。 Binet。 But the
irresistible Scaramouche swept away all objections。
〃If we are to play at the Feydau； you want a company of
self…respecting comedians； and not a pack of cringing starvelings。
The better we pay them in reason； the more they will earn for us。〃
Thus was conquered the company's resentment of this too swift
promotion of its latest recruit。 Cheerfully now … with one
exception … they accepted the dominance of Scaramouche； a dominance
soon to be so firmly established that M。 Binet himself came under it。
The one exception was Climene。 Her failure to bring to heel this
interesting young stranger； who had almost literally dropped into
their midst that morning outside Guichen； had begotten in her a
malice which his persistent ignoring of her had been steadily
inflaming。 She had remonstrated with her father when the new
partnership was first formed。 She had lost her temper with him；
and called him a fool； whereupon M。 Binet … in Pantaloon's best
manner … had lost his temper in his turn and boxed her ears。 She
piled it up to the account of Scaramouche； and spied her opportunity
to pay off some of that ever…increasing score。 But opportunities
were few。 Scaramouche was too occupied just then。 During the week
of preparation at Fougeray； he was hardly seen save at the
performances； whilst when once they were at Redon； he came and went
like the wind between the theatre and the inn。
The Redon experiment had justified itself from the first。 Stimulated
and encouraged by this； Andre…Louis worked day and night during the
month that they spent in that busy little town。 The moment had been
well chosen； for the trade in chestnuts of which Redon is the centre
was just then at its height。 And every afternoon the little theatre
was packed with spectators。 The fame of the troupe had gone forth；
borne by the chestnut…growers of the district； who were bringing
their wares to Redon market； and the audiences were made up of people
from the surrounding country； and from neighbouring villages as far
out as Allaire； Saint…Perrieux and Saint…Nicholas。 To keep the
business from slackening； Andre…Louis prepared a new scenario every
week。 He wrote three in addition to those two with which he had
already supplied the company； these were 〃The Marriage of Pantaloon；〃
〃The Shy Lover；〃 and 〃The Terrible Captain。〃 Of these the last was
the greatest success。 It was based upon the 〃Miles Gloriosus〃 of
Plautus； with great opportunities for Rhodomont； and a good part
for Scaramouche as the roaring captain's sly lieutenant。 Its
success was largely due to the fact that Andre…Louis amplified the
scenario to the extent of indicating very fully in places the
lines which the dialogue should follow； whilst here and there he
had gone so far as to supply some of the actual dialogue to be
spoken； without； however； making it obligatory upon the actors
to keep to the letter of it。
And meanwhile as the business prospered； he became busy with
tailors； improving the wardrobe of the company； which was sorely
in need of improvement。 He ran to earth a couple of needy artists；
lured them into the company to play small parts … apothecaries and
notaries … and set them to beguile their leisure in painting new
scenery； so as to be ready for what he called the conquest of Nantes；
which was to come in the new year。 Never in his life had he worked
so hard； never in his life had he worked at all by comparison with
his activities now。 His fund of energy and enthusiasm was
inexhaustible； like that of his good humour。 He came and went；
acted； wrote； conceived； directed； planned； and executed； what time
M。 Binet took his ease at last in comparative affluence； drank
Burgundy every night； ate white bread and other delicacies； and
began to congratulate himself upon his astuteness in having made
this industrious； tireless fellow his partner。 Having discovered
how idle had been his fears of performing at Redon； he now began to
dismiss the terrors with which the notion of Nantes had haunted him。
And his happiness was reflected throughout the ranks of his company；
with the single exception always of Climene。 She had ceased to
sneer at Scaramouche； haying realized at last that her sneers left
him untouched and recoiled upon herself。 Thus her almost indefinable
resentment of him was increased by being stifled； until； at all costs；
an outlet for it must be found。
One day she threw herself in his way as he was leaving the theatre
after the performance。 The others had already gone； and she had
returned upon pretence of having forgotten something。
〃Will you tell me what I have done to you？〃 she asked him；
point…blank。
〃Done to me； mademoiselle？〃 He did not understand。 She made a
gesture of impatience。 〃Why do you hate me？〃
〃Hate you； mademoiselle？ I do not hate anybody。 It is the most
stupid of all the emotions。 I have never hated … not even my
enemies。〃
〃What Christian resignation！〃
〃As for hating you； of all people！ Why。。。 I consider you adorable。
I envy Leandre every day of my life。 I have seriously thought of
setting him to play Scaramouche； and playing lovers myself。〃
〃I don't think you would be a success；〃 said she。
〃That is the only consideration that restrains me。 And yet； given
the inspiration that is given Leandre； it is possible that I might
be convincing。〃
〃Why； what inspiration do you mean？〃
〃The inspiration of playing to so adorable a Climene。〃
Her lazy eyes were now alert to search that lean face of his。
〃You are laughing at me；〃 said she； and swept past him into the
theatre on her pretended quest。 There was nothing to be done with
such a fellow。 He was utterly without feeling。 He was not a man
at all。
Yet when she came forth again at the end of some five minutes； she
found him still lingering at the door。
〃Not gone yet？〃 she asked him； superciliously。
〃I was waiting for you； mademoiselle。 You will be walking to the
inn。 If I might escort you。。。 〃
〃But what gallantry！ What condescension！〃
〃Perhaps you would prefer that I did not？〃
〃How could I prefer that； M。 Scaramouche？ Besides； we are both
going the same way； and the streets are common to all。 It is that
I am overwhelmed by the unusual honour。〃
He looked into her piquant little face； and noted how obscured it
w