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and again in view of all thrust Andre…Louis rudely back。
〃Ahi！〃 cried Andre…Louis； with a grimace。 〃You hurt me； monsieur。
I have told you not to push against me。〃 He raised his voice that
all might hear him； and once more impelled M。 de Chabrillane back
into the rain。
Now； for all his slenderness； his assiduous daily sword…practice
had given Andre…Louis an arm of iron。 Also he threw his weight
into the thrust。 His assailant reeled backwards a few steps； and
then his heel struck a baulk of timber left on the ground by some
workmen that morning； and he sat down suddenly in the mud。
A roar of laughter rose from all who witnessed the fine gentleman's
downfall。 He rose； mud…bespattered； in a fury； and in that fury
sprang at Andre…Louis。
Andre…Louis had made him ridiculous； which was altogether
unforgivable。
〃You shall meet me for this！〃 he spluttered。 〃I shall kill you
for it。〃
His inflamed face was within a foot of Andre…Louis'。 Andre…Louis
laughed。 In the silence everybody heard the laugh and the words
that followed。
〃Oh； is that what you wanted？ But why didn't you say so before？
You would have spared me the trouble of knocking you down。 I
thought gentlemen of your profession invariably conducted these
affairs with decency； decorum； and a certain grace。 Had you done
so； you might have saved your breeches。〃
〃How soon shall we settle this？〃 snapped Chabrillane； livid with
very real fury。
〃Whenever you please； monsieur。 It is for you to say when it will
suit your convenience to kill me。 I think that was the intention
you announced； was it not？〃 Andre…Louis was suavity itself。
〃To…morrow morning； in the Bois。 Perhaps you will bring a friend。〃
〃Certainly； monsieur。 To…morrow morning； then。 I hope we shall
have fine weather。 I detest the rain。〃
Chabrillane looked at him almost with amazement Andre…Louis smiled
pleasantly。
〃Don't let me detain you now； monsieur。 We quite understand each
other。 I shall be in the Bois at nine o'clock to…morrow morning。〃
〃That is too late for me； monsieur。〃
〃Any other hour would be too early for me。 I do not like to have
my habits disturbed。 Nine o'clock or not at all； as you please。〃
〃But I must be at the Assembly at nine； for the morning session。〃
〃I am afraid； monsieur； you will have to kill me first； and I
have a prejudice against being killed before nine o'clock。〃
Now this was too complete a subversion of the usual procedure for
M。 de Chabrillane's stomach。 Here was a rustic deputy assuming
with him precisely the tone of sinister mockery which his class
usually dealt out to their victims of the Third Estate。 And to
heighten the irritation； Andre…Louis … the actor； Scaramouche
always … produced his snuffbox； and proffered it with a steady
hand to Le Chapelier before helping himself。
Chabrillane； it seemed； after all that he had suffered； was not
even to be allowed to make a good exit。
〃Very well； monsieur；〃 he said。 〃Nine o'clock； then； and we'll see
if you'll talk as pertly afterwards。〃
On that he flung away； before the jeers of the provincial deputies。
Nor did it soothe his rage to be laughed at by urchins all the way
down the Rue Dauphine because of the mud and filth that dripped
from his satin breeches and the tails of his elegant； striped coat。
But though the members of the Third had jeered on the surface； they
trembled underneath with fear and indignation。 It was too much。
Lagron killed by one of these bullies； and now his successor
challenged； and about to be killed by another of them on the very
first day of his appearance to take the dead man's place。 Several
came now to implore Andre…Louis not to go to the Bois； to ignore
the challenge and the whole affair； which was but a deliberate
attempt to put him out of the way。 He listened seriously； shook
his head gloomily； and promised at last to think it over。
He was in his seat again for the afternoon session as if nothing
disturbed him。
But in the morning； when the Assembly met； his place was vacant；
and so was M。 de Chabrillane's。 Gloom and resentment sat upon the
members of the Third； and brought a more than usually acrid note
into their debates。 They disapproved of the rashness of the new
recruit to their body。 Some openly condemned his lack of
circumspection。 Very few … and those only the little group in Le
Chapelier's confidence … ever expected to see him again。
It was； therefore； as much in amazement as in relief that at a few
minutes after ten they saw him enter； calm； composed； and bland；
and thread his way to his seat。 The speaker occupying the rostrum
at that moment … a member of the Privileged … stopped short to stare
in incredulous dismay。 Here was something that he could not
understand at all。 Then from somewhere； to satisfy the amazement
on both sides of the assembly； a voice explained the phenomenon
contemptuously。
〃They haven't met。 He has shirked it at the last moment。〃
It must be so； thought all； the mystification ceased； and men were
settling back into their seats。 But now； having reached his place；
having heard the voice that explained the matter to the universal
satisfaction； Andre…Louis paused before taking his seat。 He felt
it incumbent upon him to reveal the true fact。
〃M。 le President； my excuses for my late arrival。〃 There was no
necessity for this。 It was a mere piece of theatricality； such as
it was not in Scaramouche's nature to forgo。 〃I have been detained
by an engagement of a pressing nature。 I bring you also the excuses
of M。 de Chabrillane。 He； unfortunately； will be permanently absent
from this Assembly in future。〃
The silence was complete。 Andre…Louis sat down。
CHAPTER VIII
THE PALADIN OF THE THIRD
M。 Le Chevalier de Chabrillane had been closely connected； you will
remember； with the iniquitous affair in which Philippe de Vilmorin
had lost his life。 We know enough to justify a surmise that he had
not merely been La Tour d'Azyr's second in the encounter； but
actually an instigator of the business。 Andre…Louis may therefore
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 difficul