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in disguise was merely the outcast bastard of a country gentleman！
She would be the laughing…stock of every member of her father's
troupe； of all those who had so lately envied her this romantic good
fortune。
〃You should have told me this before；〃 she said； in a dull voice
that she strove to render steady。
〃Perhaps I should。 But does it really matter？〃
〃Matter？〃 She suppressed her fury to ask another question。 〃You
say that this M。 de Kercadiou is popularly believed to be your
father。 What precisely do you mean？〃
〃Just that。 It is a belief that I do not share。 It is a matter of
instinct； perhaps； with me。 Moreover； once I asked M。 de Kercadiou
point…blank； and I received from him a denial。 It is not； perhaps；
a denial to which one would attach too much importance in all the
circumstances。 Yet I have never known M de Kercadiou for other than
a man of strictest honour； and I should hesitate to disbelieve him
… particularly when his statement leaps with my own instincts。 He
assured me that he did not know who my father was。〃
〃And your mother； was he equally ignorant？〃 She was sneering； but
he did not remark it。 Her back was to the light。
〃He would not disclose her name to me。 He confessed her to be a
dear friend of his。〃
She startled him by laughing； and her laugh was not pleasant。
〃A very dear friend； you may be sure； you simpleton。 What name do
you bear？〃
He restrained his own rising indignation to answer her question
calmly： 〃Moreau。 It was given me； so I am told； from the Brittany
village in which I was born。 But I have no claim to it。 In fact
I have no name； unless it be Scaramouche； to which I have earned a
title。 So that you see； my dear；〃 he ended with a smile； 〃I have
practised no deception whatever。〃
〃No； no。 I see that now。〃 She laughed without mirth； then drew a
deep breath and rose。 〃I am very tired；〃 she said。
He was on his feet in an instant； all solicitude。 But she waved
him wearily back。
〃I think I will rest until it is time to go to the theatre。〃 She
moved towards the door； dragging her feet a little。 He sprang to
open it； and she passed out without looking at him。
Her so brief romantic dream was ended。 The glorious world of fancy
which in the last hour she had built with such elaborate detail；
over which it should be her exalted destiny to rule； lay shattered
about her feet； its debris so many stumbling…blocks that prevented
her from winning back to her erstwhile content in Scaramouche as he
really was。
Andre…Louis sat in the window embrasure； smoking and looking idly
out across the river。 He was intrigued and meditative。 He had
shocked her。 The fact was clear； not so the reason。 That he should
confess himself nameless should not particularly injure him in the
eyes of a girl reared amid the surroundings that had been Climene's。
And yet that his confession had so injured him was fully apparent。
There； still at his brooding； the returning Columbine discovered
him a half…hour later。
〃All alone； my prince！〃 was her laughing greeting； which suddenly
threw light upon his mental darkness。 Climene had been disappointed
of hopes that the wild imagination of these players had suddenly
erected upon the incident of his meeting with Aline。 Poor child！
He smiled whimsically at Columbine。
〃I am likely to be so for some little time；〃 said he； 〃until it
becomes a commonplace that I am not； after all； a prince。
〃Not a prince？ Oh； but a duke； then … at least a marquis。〃
〃Not even a chevalier； unless it be of the order of fortune。 I
am just Scaramouche。 My castles are all in Spain。〃
Disappointment clouded the lively； good…natured face。
〃And I had imagined you。。。 〃
〃I know；〃 he interrupted。 〃That is the mischief。〃 He might have
gauged the extent of that mischief by Climene's conduct that evening
towards the gentlemen of fashion who clustered now in the green…room
between the acts to pay their homage to the incomparable amoureuse。
Hitherto she had received them with a circumspection compelling
respect。 To…night she was recklessly gay； impudent； almost wanton。
He spoke of it gently to her as they walked home together；
counselling more prudence in the future。
〃We are not married yet；〃 she told him； tartly。 〃Wait until then
before you criticize my conduct。〃
〃I trust that there will be no occasion then；〃 said he。
〃You trust？ Ah； yes。 You are very trusting。〃
〃Climene； I have offended you。 I am sorry。〃
〃It is nothing；〃 said she。 〃You are what you are。 Still was he not
concerned。 He perceived the source of her ill…humour； understood；
whilst deploring it； and； because he understood； forgave。 He
perceived also that her ill…humour was shared by her father； and by
this he was frankly amused。 Towards M。 Binet a tolerant contempt
was the only feeling that complete acquaintance could beget。 As for
the rest of the company； they were disposed to be very kindly towards
Scaramouche。 It was almost as if in reality he had fallen from the
high estate to which their own imaginations had raised him； or
possibly it was because they saw the effect which that fall from his
temporary and fictitious elevation had produced upon Climene。
Leandre alone made himself an exception。 His habitual melancholy
seemed to be dispelled at last； and his eyes gleamed now with
malicious satisfaction when they rested upon Scaramouche； whom
occasionally he continued to address with sly mockery as 〃mon
prince。〃
On the morrow Andre…Louis saw but little of Climene。 This was not
in itself extraordinary； for he was very hard at work again； with
preparations now for 〃Figaro…Scaramouche〃 which was to be played
on Saturday。 Also； in addition to his manifold theatrical
occupations； he now devoted an hour every morning to the study of
fencing in an academy of arms。 This was done not only to repair
an omission in his education； but also； and chiefly； to give him
added grace and poise upon the stage。 He found his mind that
morning distracted by thoughts of both Climene and Aline。 And
oddly enough it was Aline who provided the deeper perturbation。
Climene's attitude he regarded as a passing phase which need not
seriously engage him。 But the thought of Aline's conduct towards
him kept rankling； and still more deeply rankled the thought of
her possible betrothal to M。 de La Tour d'Azyr。
This it was that brought forcibly to his mind the self…imposed but
by now half…forgotten mission that he had made his own。 He had
boasted that he would make the voice which M。 de La Tour d'Azyr had
sought to silence ring through the length and breadth of the land。
And what had he done of all this that he had boasted？ He had
incited the mob of Rennes and the mob of Nantes in such terms as
poor Philippe might have employed； and then because of a hue and
cry he had fled like a cur and taken shelter in the first kennel
that offered； there to lie quiet and devote himself to other
things … self…seeking things。 What a fine contrast between the
promise and the fulfilment！
Thus Andre…Louis to himself in his self…contempt。 And whilst he
trifled away his time and played Scaramouche； and centred all his
hopes in presently becoming the rival of such men as Chenier and
Mercier； M。 de La Tour d'Azyr went his proud ways unchallenged
and wrought his will。 It was idle to tell himself that the seed
he had sown was bearing fruit。 That the demands he had voiced in
Nantes for the Third Estate had been granted by M。 Necker； thanks
largely to the commotion which his anonymous speech had made。 That
was not his concern or his mission。 It was no part of his concern
to set about the regeneration of mankind； or even the regeneration
of the social structure of France。 His concern was to see that M。
de La Tour d'Azyr paid to the uttermost liard for the brutal wrong
he had done Philippe de Vilmorin。 And it did not increase his
self…respect to find that the danger in which Aline stood of being
married to the Marquis was the real spur to his rancour and to
remembrance of his vow。 He was … too unjustly； perhaps … disposed
to dismiss as mere sophistries his own arguments that there was
nothing he could do； that； in fact； he had but to show his head to
find himself going to Rennes under arrest and making his final exit
from the world's stage by way of the gallows。
It is impossible to read that part of his 〃Confessions〃 without
feeling a certain pity for him。 You realize what must have been
his state of mind。 You realize what a prey he was to emotions so
conflicting； and if you have the imagination that will enable you
to put yourself in his place； you will also realize how impossible
was any decision save the one to which he says he came； that he
would move； at the first moment that he perceived in what direction
it would serve his real aims to move。
It happened that the first person he saw when he took the stage on
that Thursday evening was Aline； the second was the Marquis de La
Tour d'Azyr。 They occupied a box on the right of； and immediately
above； the stage。 There were others with them … notably a thin；
elderly； resplendent lady whom Andre…Louis supposed to be Madame
la