Scaramouche · Chapter
Sunrise explained
André-Louis and Aline share a dawn conversation at Meudon, revealing his disillusionment with the Revolution, his decision to emigrate, and the long-misunderstood truth of Aline's love for him.
What happens
André-Louis and Aline share a dawn conversation at Meudon, revealing his disillusionment with the Revolution, his decision to emigrate, and the long-misunderstood truth of Aline's love for him. Their mutual confession is interrupted by M. de Kercadiou.
Themes in this chapter
Love and Manipulation
André-Louis reveals his manipulation of events was driven by love for Aline, not just revenge, and Aline confesses her love was always for him.
Social Class and Revolution
André-Louis critiques the Revolution's descent into mob rule and class-based government, justifying his decision to emigrate.
Identity and Disguise
André-Louis reflects on his roles as lawyer, politician, swordsman, and buffoon, and his self-identification as Scaramouche.
Characters to notice
- André-Louis Moreau
Reveals his sleepless night, his decision to emigrate, and his true motive for opposing La Tour d'Azyr: to save Aline from a loveless marriage.
- Aline de Kercadiou
Confronts André-Louis about his misunderstanding of her feelings, confessing that her love was always for him, not the Marquis.
- M. de Kercadiou
Emerges from the library to find André-Louis and Aline holding hands, witnessing their reconciliation.
- Marquis de La Tour d'Azyr
Referenced as the object of André-Louis's persecution, now understood as driven by love for Aline rather than revenge for Philippe.
- Philippe de Vilmorin
Mentioned as the original catalyst for André-Louis's enmity toward La Tour d'Azyr, though André-Louis now admits his deeper motive.
- Mme. la Comtesse de Plougastel
Mentioned as part of the party preparing to depart for Koblenz.
Key passages
“I am very poor—for I know nothing, understand nothing. It is not a calamitous condition until it is realized.”
André-Louis says he feels impoverished by his lack of understanding, which only becomes a problem when he becomes aware of it.
Reflects his existential crisis and self-doubt after the night's revelations.
“It is the day of the Dantons, and the Marats, the day of the rabble. The reins of government will be tossed to the populace, or else the populace, drunk with the conceit with which the Dantons and the Marats have filled it, will seize the reins by force.”
André-Louis predicts that the Revolution will lead to mob rule, either by design or by force, under leaders like Danton and Marat.
Expresses his disillusionment with the revolutionary direction and his republican ideals.
“I had enthroned you so high, Aline, so high, and yet no higher than your place. Could I, then, suffer that you should be dragged down by ambition, could I suffer the evil I detested to mate with the good I loved?”
André-Louis explains that he saw Aline as pure and La Tour d'Azyr as evil, and could not bear for her ambition to unite them.
Reveals the true motive behind his persecution of the Marquis.
“O blind André, it was always you—always! Never, never did I think of him, not even for loveless marriage, save once for a little while, when … when that theatre girl came into your life.”
Aline confesses that she always loved André-Louis, and only considered marrying the Marquis briefly when she thought he loved Climène.
Climaxes the romantic misunderstanding that has driven the plot.
