Joseph Balsamo (16 page)
“An excellent specific ‘ said Balsamo; “water is highest among the elements, for the Holy Spirit was borne on it before the creation of the world. Nothing can resist its action ; it penetrates stone, and we may yet discover that the diamond can be dissolved by it.”
c I shall be dissolved by it, I fear,” replied the baron. ” Will you pledge me ? The water has some advantages over my wine it is in capital order, and it is not yet exhausted. It is not like my Maraschino.”
” If yon had ordered a glass for me as well as for yourself, I might have been able to use it for your advantage.”
” Good ! explain that for me. Is it not still time ? “
” Then tell your servant to bring me a glass of very pure water.”
” La Brie, do yon hear, you old rascal ?”
La Brie hastened to obey.
” How ! ” said the baron, turning to his guest, ” does the glass of water which I drink every morning contain any properties, any secrets which are unknown to me ? Have I for ten years been making chemical experiments as Monsieur Jourdain made prose, without being aware of it ?
” I do not know what you have been doing, but you shall see what I can do. Thank you, my good fellow,” said Balsamo, taking the glass from La Brie, who had brought it with marvelous rapidity.
He held the glass on a level with his eves, and seemed
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to interrogate the water which it contained ; in the sunshine the little beads on its surface were bright as diamonds, and streaked with violet color.
“Oh, the deuce!” cried the baron, laughing. “Can anything beautiful be seen in a glass of water ? “
” Yes, baron ; to-day, at least, something very beautiful.”
And Balsamo appeared doubly attentive in his occupation, the baron, in spite of himself, looking a little serious, and La Brie gazing with open mouth at what was going on.
“What do you see, pray? I am bursting with impatience to know. A good estate for me ! A new Maison Kouge to set me on foot again ? “
” I see something which induces me to beg you to be on the alert.”
” Aye ! Am I going to be attacked ? “
“No ; but this morning you will receive a visit.”
” Then, you have yourself ordered some one to meet you here. That was wrong, sir, very wrong. There may be no partridges this morning remember that.”
” I speak seriously, my dear baron, and what I say is most important some one is at this moment on the way to Taverney.”
” Some one ? What sort of a visitor, tell me, pray ? for I must confess you must have perceived it from the rather sour reception I gave you that every one an-noys me who comes here. So, what sort of visitor ? Be precise, my dear sorcerer ; if possible, be precise in your description.”
“I can very easily tell all you wish;” and Balsamo again raised the glass to his searching eye.
” Well, do you see anything ?”
“I see everything distinctly.”
“Speak, oh, speak, sister Anne.”
” I see a lady of great consequence coming.”
” Bah ! indeed coming without being invited ?”
” She has invited herself ; your son brings her.”
” Philip brings her ? “
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” Yes, himself.”
The baron laughed heartily.
” She is brought by my son ? The great lady brought by my son ? “
” Yes, baron.”
” You know my sou, then ? “
” I never saw him in my life.”
” And my son at this moment is “
” Is about a mile oft.”
” My dear sir, he is in garrison at Strasbourg, and un-less he has deserted, which he has not, I can swear, he is bringing nobody hither.”
” He is bringing a great lady hither a very exalted personage. Ah, hold ! there is one thing I ought to tell you you had better keep out of sight that little rogue with the horn at her finger-ends.”
” Nicole Legay ? Why, pray ? “
” Because her features resemble those of the lady who is coming.”
” A great lady resemble Nicole ? That is absurd !”
” Why so ? I bought a slave once, who resembled Cleopatra so much that there was some idea of sending her to Rome to pass for that queen in Octavius’s triumph.”
” Ah ! another attack of your malady ! “
“Yon must surely see, my dear baron, that this matter cannot concern me ; I only speak for your own good.”
” But why should Nicole’s resemblance to the great lady offend her?”
” Suppose you were the King of France, which I am far from wishing, or the dauphin, which I wish still less, should you be flattered, on entering a house, to find among the servants one whose face was a counterpart of your august visage ? “
” Oh, the devil ! that would be a sad dilemma. So, then, you think “
” I think that the most high and mighty lady who is coming would not be pleased to see her living image in a short-petticoat and cotton handkerchief.”
” Oh, well,” said the baron, still laughing, ” we must
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see abont it ; but, after all, my dear baron, what delights me most in this affair is, that my son is coming that dear Philip ! without giving us a note of warning ; ” and he laughed louder than before.
” So you are pleased with my prediction ? ” said Balsamo, gravely. ” I am glad of it ; but, in your place, I should set about giving some orders.” ‘Keally ?” : Yes.”
: I shall think of it, my dear guest I shall think of it ‘ You have very little time.” ‘ And you are serious, then ? ” ‘ No one could be more serious ; if you wish to receive the great personage, who does you the honor of visiting you, properly, you have not a. minute to lose.”
The baron shook his head.
” You still doubt ? ” asked Balsamo.
” I warn you, you have to do with a most confirmed skeptic.”
And just then he turned to call his daughter, in order to communicate his guest’s prediction to her, as we have before related. “VVe have seen how the young girl replied to her father’s invitation, and how Balsamo’s gaze had drawn her, as if by fascination, to the window.
Nicole stood looking with amazement at La Brie, who was making signs to her, and trying to understand what had been said.
” I am dreadfully hard of belief,” repeated the baron, “and unless I saw “
” Then, since you must see, look there,” said Balsamo, pointing to the avenue, where a horseman appeared galloping toward them.
” Ha !” cried the baron, “there indeed is “
” Monsieur Philip,” said Nicole standing on tiptoe.
” My young master ! ” exclaimed La Brie, joyfully.
” My brother, my brother !” cried Andre, stretching out her arms at the window.
” Is it your son, my dear baron ?” asked Balsamo, in a careless tone.
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“Yes, pardien, it is!” exclaimed he, stupefied with astonishment.
‘ This is bat the beginning,” said Balsamo.
” You are positively a sorcerer, then,” said the baron, more submissively than before.
A triumphant smile hovered on the stranger’s lips.
The horse came on at full speed, reeking with moisture passed the last rows of trees, and, while still in motion, the rider leaped to the ground, and hastened to embrace his father, who only muttered: “What the devil! what the devil ! “
“‘It is really I,” said Philip, who saw his father’s per-plexity ; ” it is indeed.”
” Doubtless ; I see that plainly enough ; but what brought you hither at this time ? “
” Father, a great honor awaits our house.”
The old man looked up inquiringly. Philip went on : ” In an hour Marie Antoinette Josephe, Archduchess of Austria and Dauphiness of France, will be here.”
The baron looked as deeply humbled as he had before looked sarcastic, and turning to Balsamo, said only, ” Pardon me ! “
” Sir,” returned Balsamo, ” I leave you with your son ; it is long since yon have met, and you must have much to say to each other.”
Bowing to Andre, who, full of joy at the arrival of her brother, had hastened down to meet him, he retired, mak-ing a sign to Nicole and La Brie, which they doubtless understood, for they disappeared with him among the trees of the avenue.
CHAPTER XIII.
PHILIP DE TAVERXEY.
PHILIP DE TAVERNEY, Chevalier de Maison Rouge, did not in the least resemble his sister, yet was as fine a specimen of manly beauty as she was of feminine loveliness. His features were noble and regular, his figure and carriage
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graceful in the extreme, and the expression of his eyes was at the same time mild and haughty.
Like all distinguished minds, wearied by the narrow and chilling forms of life, he was disposed to melancholy, without being sad. To this, perhaps, he owed his mildness of temper, for he was naturally proud, imperious, and reserved. The necessity of associating with the poor, his real equals, as with the rich, his equals in rank, had softened a character inclined to be overbearing and scornful.
Philip had scarcely embraced his father, when Andre, roused from her magnetic torpor by his arrival, hastened down to throw herself on his bosom. The sobs which accompanied this action showed how dear he was to the heart of the tender girl.
Philip took her hand and his father’s, and drew them in-to the saloon, where being now alone, he sat down between them.
” Yon are incredulous, my dear father you are surprised, my dear sister,” said he, ” yet nothing is more true than that in a few minutes the dauphiness will be in our poor abode.”
” Ventreblen ! ” cried the baron. ” She must be prevented, whatever it cost. The dauphiness here ! We should be dishonored forever. This would be a specimen of the nobility of France to present her ! Xo, no, it must not be. But tell me, what the deuce put my house in her head ?”
” Oh, it is a complete romance.”
” A romance ?” said Andre. ” Relate it, brother my dear, good brother ! “
” My dear, good brother ! ” repeated the baron. ” She seems quite pleased.”
” Yes ; for is not Philip pleased, my dear father ?”
” Because Master Philip is an enthusiast ; but for me, who look at things in a more serious manner, I see nothing very agreeable in it.”
” You will be of a different opinion when I relate what has occurred.”
” Well, relate it quickly,” grumbled the old man.
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“Yes, yes, relate it !” exclaimed Andre, impatiently.
““Well, I was in garrison at Strasbourg, as you know. Now, you are aware that it was by Strasbourg that the dauphiness was to enter France.”
” Know it how should we know anything in this den ? ” asked the baron.
” Well, at Strasbourg, brother ” said Andre.
” Well, we were waiting on the glacis from six in the morning, for we did not know positively at what hour Madame la Dauphine would arrive. It rained in torrents, and our clothes were dripping. The major sent me forward to endeavor to discover the cortege. I had galloped about a league, when all at once,. at a turn in the road, I found myself close to the advance guard of the escort. I spoke a few words to them, and just then her royal highness put her head out of the carriage window, and asked who I was. It seems I had been called to to stop, but I had already set off at a full gallop all my fatigue was forgotten in au instant.”
“And the dauphiness ?” asked Andre.
” She is not older than you, and beautiful as an
” But, Philip ‘ said the baron, rather hesitatingly.
” Well, father ?”
” Does she not resemble some one you have seen ? “
” Some one that I have seen ? “
” Yes ; endeavor to recollect.”
” No ; I know no one like Madame la Dauphine ! ” he exclaimed enthusiastically.
” What ! not Nicole, for instance ?”
” Ha ! that is most strange. Now you say so, I do think she is like her ; but oh, so much inferior in beauty and grace ! But how could you know that she was like her ? “
” Faith ! a sorcerer told me.”
” A sorcerer ? “
” Yes ; and he predicted her coming and yours, this morning.”
” The stranger ? ” asked Andre, timidly.
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” Is it he who was beside you, sir, when I arrived, and who retired so discreetly ? “
” Yes, the same ; but go on, Philip, go on.”
” Perhaps it would be better to make some preparations ‘ said Andre.
” No ; the more you prepare, the more ridiculous we shall appear. Go on, Philip, I tell you.”
” I returned to Strasbourg, and told the governor, the Count de Stainville ; we set out immediately to meet her royal highness, and we were at the Kchl gate when the procession came in sight. I was close to the governor.”
” Stay !” said the baron; “I once knew a Count de Stainville.”
” Brother-in-law to the prime minister, the Duke de Choiseul.”
” It is the same. Go on, then go on.”
” The dauphiness, who is young, perhaps likes young faces, for she listened very inattentively to the governor, and all the time fixed her eyes on me, although I kept respectfully in the background. Then, pointing to me, she said, ‘ Is not that the gentleman who was the first to meet me ?’ ‘ Yes, madame replied the governor. ‘ Approach, sir ! ‘ said she. I approached her. ‘ “What is your name ? ‘ asked the dauphiness, in the sweetest voice I ever heard.
The Chevalier de Taverney Maison Rouge I replied, stammering. ‘ Pray take a note of that name on your tablets, my dear friend said the dauphiness, turning to an old lady, who I have since learned is the Countess de Langershansen, her governess. My name was written. Then, turning again to me, she said,
Ah, sir, you have suffered very much from your exposure to this frightful weather ; I am extremely sorry for having been the cause of it “
” Oh, how good the dauphiness must be ! what kindness and consideration ! ” said Andre, with delight.
” Very well very well, indeed ! ” muttered the baron, with a smile indicative of a father’s partiality, and at the same time of his bad opinion of women and even of queens. But go on, Philip.”
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