Polichinelle
stared at Rhodomont.
"What the devil is he thinking of?" quoth the latter.
"That is most readily ascertained by going to see," replied
Polichinelle. He completed changing in haste, and despite what
Scaramouche had said; and then followed with Rhodomont.
As they approached the wings a roar of applause met them coming from
the audience. It was applause and something else; applause on an
unusual note. As it faded away they heard the voice of Scaramouche
ringing clear as a bell:
"And so you see, my dear M. Leandre, that when you speak of the
Third Estate, it is necessary to be more explicit. What precisely
is the Third Estate?"
"Nothing," said Leandre.
There was a gasp from the audience, audible in the wings, and then
swiftly followed Scaramouche's next question:
"True. Alas! But what should it be?"
"Everything," said Leandre.
The audience roared its acclamations, the more violent because of
the unexpectedness of that reply.
"True again," said Scaramouche. "And what is more, that is what it
will be; that is what it already is.
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