Actually, the protaganist is the illegitimate son of two aristocrats and raised by the mother’s friend. After joining a roaming acting troop, which uses the charactors of traditional comic plays such as Pantaloon, Rhodomont (the likely source of rhodomontade) Polichinelle, etc. All very stereotypical. Scaramouche was the trickster. He later works for a fencing master and becomes expert and still later ends up joining the National Assembly during the early days of the French Revolution, in part to keep aristocrats from killing their opponents in duels. It’s a great book (by Rafael Sabatini).
But, you’r probably right about Kerry’s admiration for the French and for The Quiet American. Remember a few years ago that Michael Caine was miffed because he didn’t win best actor for the movie.
He's the type of guy who, years ago, might have claimed he was the lost Dauphin, lol.