"Rafael Sabatini. Scaramouche" - читать интересную книгу автора

"I'll try," said she, "provided that you undertake not to offend again.
"But I shall," said he. "I am like that. I will fight to save you, from
yourself if need be, whether you forgive me or not."
They were standing so, confronting each other a little breathlessly, a
little defiantly, when the others issued from the porch.
First came the Marquis of La Tour d'Azyr, Count of Solz, Knight of the
Orders of the Holy Ghost and Saint Louis, and Brigadier in the armies of the
King. He was a tall, graceful man, upright and soldierly of carriage, with
his head disdainfully set upon his shoulders. He was magnificently dressed
in a full-skirted coat of mulberry velvet that was laced with gold. His
waistcoat, of velvet too, was of a golden apricot colour; his breeches and
stockings were of black silk, and his lacquered, red-heeled shoes were
buckled in diamonds. His powdered hair was tied behind in a broad ribbon of
watered silk; he carried a little three-cornered hat under his arm, and a
gold-hilted slender dress-sword hung at his side.
Considering him now in complete detachment, observing the magnificence
of him, the elegance of his movements, the great air, blending in so
extraordinary a manner disdain and graciousness, Andre-Louis trembled for
Aline. Here was a practised, irresistible wooer, whose bonnes fortunes were
become a by-word, a man who had hitherto been the despair of dowagers with
marriageable daughters, and the desolation of husbands with attractive
wives.
He was immediately followed by M. de Kercadiou, in completest contrast.
On legs of the shortest, the Lord of Gavrillac carried a body that at
forty-five was beginning to incline to corpulence and an enormous head
containing an indifferent allotment of intelligence. His countenance was
pink and blotchy, liberally branded by the smallpox which had almost
extinguished him in youth. In dress he was careless to the point of
untidiness, and to this and to the fact that he had never married -
disregarding the first duty of a gentleman to provide himself with an heir -
he owed the character of misogynist attributed to him by the countryside.
After M. de Kercadiou came M. de Vilmorin, very pale and
self-contained, with tight lips and an overcast brow.
To meet them, there stepped from the carriage a very elegant young
gentleman, the Chevalier de Chabrillane, M. de La Tour d'Azyr's cousin, who
whilst awaiting his return had watched with considerable interest - his own
presence unsuspected - the perambulations of Andre-Louis and mademoiselle.
Perceiving Aline, M. de La Tour d'Azyr detached himself from the
others, and lengthening his stride came straight across the terrace to her.
To Andre-Louis the Marquis inclined his head with that mixture of
courtliness and condescension which he used. Socially, the young lawyer
stood in a curious position. By virtue of the theory of his birth, he ranked
neither as noble nor as simple, but stood somewhere between the two classes,
and whilst claimed by neither he was used familiarly by both. Coldly now he
returned M. de La Tour d'Azyr's greeting, and discreetly removed himself to
go and join his friend.
The Marquis took the hand that mademoiselle extended to him, and bowing
over it, bore it to his lips.
"Mademoiselle," he said, looking into the blue depths of her eyes, that
met his gaze smiling and untroubled, "monsieur your uncle does me the honour