Joseph Balsamo (77 page)
” Was it not lucky ? ” said he.
” But I hope no one recognized you ? “
” Who-the devil should recognize me in a street like that ? “
” And what have you engaged ? “
” A little apartment in an obscure out-of-the-way house.”
” Bat they must have asked for whom ? “
“Certainly they did.”
” And what did you say ? “
“That it was for a voung widow are you a widow, Oh on ? “
” Of course I am,” said Chon.
” Excellent ! ” said the countess. ” Then it is Chon who shall be installed in the apartment ; she will watch, she will spy but not a moment must be lost.”
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” Therefore I shall set off at once ‘ said Chon. ” The carriage ! the carriage ! “
“The carriage I” repeated Mrae. Dubarry, ringing loud enough to have awakened the whole household of the Sleeping Beauty in the wood.
Jean and the countess knew perfectly what they had to dread from Andre’s presence. She had, even on her first appearance, attracted the king’s attention, therefore she WHS dangerous.
” This girl,” said the countess, while the horses were being put to, ” is not a true provincial if she have not brought some rustic lover with her from her dovecot at Taverney ; let us but discover the swain, and patch up a marriage at once. Nothing would cool the king like a marriage between country lovers.”
” Oh, the devil ! I am not quite so sure of that,” said Jean ; ” I rather mistrust his most Christian majesty. But the carriage is ready.”
Chon sprang into it, after having embraced her sister and pressed Jean’s hand.
” But why not take Jean ? ” asked the countess.
” No, no ; I shall go my own way,” replied Jean. ” Wait for me in the Rue Plastriere : I shall be your first visitor in your new domicile.”
Chon drove off. Jean seated himself at his table again, and poured out a third cup of chocolate.
Chon called first at the family residence, and changed her dress, studying as much as possible to assume the costume and appearance of a tradesman’s wife. Then, when she was satisfied with her labors, she threw over her aristocratic shoulders a meager black silk mantle, ordered a sedan chair to the door, and, about half an hour afterward, she and Sylvie were mounting the steep, narrow staircase leading up to the fourth story of a house in the Rue Plastriere. For in the fourth story was situated that lodging so fortunately procured by the viscount.
When she reached the landing of the second story, Chon turned, for she heard some one following her. It was the old proprietress of the house, who lived on the first floor,
582 JOSEPH BALSAMO.
and who, hearing a noise, had come out to see what caused it, and was rather puzzled at beholding two women so young and pretty enter her abode. Eaising her snappish countenance to the landing above her, her gaze was met by two faces whose smiling expression formed a strong contrast to her own.
” Stop, ladies, stop ! ” cried she ; ” what do you want here?”
” The lodging which my brother was to engage for us, ma’am ‘ said Choii, assuming the serious air of a widow. ” Have you not seen him, or can we have made a mistake in the house ? “
” Oh, no,” replied the old proprietress, “you are quite right ; it is on the fourth story. Poor young creature ! A widow at your age ! “
” Alas ! alas ” sighed Choii, raising her eyes to heaven.
” But do not grieve” you will be very pleasantly situated in the Rue Plastriere. It is a charming street ; you will hear no noise, and your apartment looks into the gardens.
” That is just what ] wished, ma’am.”
“And besides, by means of the corridor, you can see into the street, when any procession is passing, or when the learned dogs are exhibited.
” Thank you ; that will be a great relief to me,” sighed Chon, and she continued to ascend.
The old proprietress followed her with her eyes until she reached the fourth story. Then Chon, after shutting the door, hurried to the window which looked on the garden.
Jean had committed no mistake ; almost immediately below the window of the apartment which he had engaged was the garden pavilion which the coachman had described to him.
Soon, however, all doubts were removed ; a young girl came forward to the window of the pavilion and seated herself before a little embroidery frame. It was Andre.
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CHAPTER LXII.
THE APARTMEXT Itf THE EUE PLASTRIERE.
had not scrutinized the young girl many seconds before Viscount Jean, ascending the stairs, four at a time, like a lawyer’s clerk, appeared on the threshold of the pretended widow’s apartment. ” Well ?” said he, inquiringly.
” Is it you, Jean ? In truth, you frightened me.”
” Well, what do you say to it ? “
” Why, that I shall be admirably situated here for seeing all that passes ; unluckily, I shall not be able to hear everything.”
” Ah ! faith you want too much. By the by, I have another piece of news for you.”
“What is it ?”
“Wonderful!”
” Pooh ! “
” Incomparable ! “
” What a bore the man is with his exclamations ! “
“The philosopher - “
” Well, what of the philosopher ?”
” It is commonly said, ‘ The wise man is for all events prepared.’ Now I am a wise man, but I was not prepared for this.”
” I should like to know when you will finish. Perhaps this girl is in the way. In that case, Mademoiselle Sylvie, step into the next room.”
” Oh, there is no occasion whatever. That charming girl is not in the way ; quite the contrary. Remain, Sylvie, remain.” And the viscount chucked the handsome waiting-maid’s chin, whose brow began already to darken at the idea that something was about to be said which she was not to hear.
584 JOSEPH BALSAMO.
” Let her stay, then ; but speak.”
” Why, I have done nothing else since I have been here.”
” And said nothing. So hold your tongue and let me watch ; that will be more to the purpose.”
” Don’t be out of temper ! As I was saying, then, I was passing the fountain “
” Positively you never said a word about it.”
” Why, there you interrupt me again.”
“No.”
“I was passing the fountain, then, and bargaining for some old furniture for this frightful lodging, when all at once I felt a stream of water splashing my stockings. “
” How very interesting all this is ! “
“Only wait; you are in too great a hurry, my dear. Well, I looked and I saw guess what I will give you a hundred guesses “
“Do go on.”
” I saw a young gentleman obstructing the jet of the fountain with a piece of bread, and by means of this obstacle causing the water to diverge and to spurt upon me.”
” I can’t tell you how much your story interests me,” said Chon, shrugging her shoulders.
” Only wait. I swore lustily on feeling myself splashed ; the bread-soaker turned round, and I saw “
“Whom?”
“Who? Gilbert.”
“Himself bareheaded, his waistcoat open, stockings dangling about his heels, shoes unbuckled in complete undress, in short.”
” Gilbert ! And what did he say ? “
” I recognized him at once, and he recognized me. I advanced, he retreated. I stretched out my arm ; he stretched his legs ; and off he scampered like a greyhound, among the carriages and the water-porters. “
” You lost sight of him, then ? “
” Pardieu, I believe so. You surely do not suppose that I would start off and run, too ? “
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‘ ‘ True ; it was impossible, I admit. And so we have lost him.”
” Ah, what a pity ! ” ejaculated Mile. Sylvie.
” Oh ! most certainly,” said Jean, ” I owe him a sound thrashing ; and if I had once laid hands upon him, he should have lost nothing for waiting, I promise you ; but he guessed my kind intentions toward him, and made good use of his legs.”
” No matter here he is in Paris, that is the essential point ; and, in Paris, if you are not on very bad terms with the lieutenant of polioe, you may find whatever you seek.”
” Ve must find him.”
” And when we have got him we must keep him, too.”
” He must be shut up,” said Mile. Sylvie ; ” only, this time, a safer place must be chosen for the purpose.”
“And Sylvie will carry his bread and water to that safe place will you not, Sylvie ? ” said the viscount.
“It is no subject for jesting, brother,” said Chon ; ” that lad saw the affair of the post-horses, and if he had motives for bearing us a grudge, we might have reason to fear him.”
“And therefore,” replied Jean, “I made up my mind, while ascending your stairs, to call on Monsieur de Sartiues and inform him of my discovery. Monsieur de Sartines will reply, that a man, bareheaded, his stockings about his heels, his shoes unbuckled, soaking his bread at a fountain, must live near the spot where he has been seen in such a plight, and he will then engage to find him for us.”
” What can he do here without money ?”
” Go errands.”
“He ! A philosopher of that wild breed ! I am surprised at you.”
” He has perhaps found out a relation * said Sylvie, some old devotee, who gives him the crusts that are too stale for her lap-dog.”
“Enough, enough, Sylvie! Put the house-linen into that old chest ; and come you, brother, to our observa-tory.”
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Accordingly, the pair approached the window with the greatest caution. Andre had quitted her embroidery, and extended her limbs carelessly upon an armchair ; then stretched out her hand to a book lying on another chair within her reach, opened it, and was soon absorbed in what the spectators supposed must be a most interesting subject, for the young girl remained motionless from the moment that she commenced to read.
” Oh I the studious creature ! ” said Mile. Chon ; ” what can she be reading there ? “
” First indispensable article of furniture,” replied the viscount, taking from his pocket an opera-glass which he drew out and pointed at Andre, resting it upon the angle of the window for the purpose of steadying it. Chon watched his movements with impatience.
” Well, let us see; is the creature really handsome ?” asked she.
” Admirable ! She is an exquisite girl ! What arms ! what hands ! what eyes lips too tempting for St. Anthony feet, oh ! divine feet ! and the ankle what an ankle under that silk stocking ! “
” Oh ! I should advise you to fall in love with her ; that would complete the affair ‘ said Chon, peevishly.
” “Well, after all, that would be no bad idea either, especially if she should grant me a little love in return ; that would somewhat cheer our poor countess.”
” Come, hand me that glass, and a truce to your gabble, if that is possible. Yes, in truth, the girl is handsome, and it is impossible that she should not have a lover. She is not reading look, the book is slipping out of her hand. There, it drops stay I told you, Jean, she was not reading she is lost in thought.”
“Or asleep.’*
” With her eyes open ! Lovely eyes, upon my word.”
” At any rate,” said Jean, ” if she has a lover, we shall have a good view of him here.”
” Yes, if he comes in the daytime ; but if he should come at night ?”
“The deuce! I did not think of that ; and yet it is
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the first thing that I onght to have thought of ; that proves how very simple I am.”
” Yes ; simple as a lawyer.”
” However, now that I am forewarned, I shall devise something.”
” What an excellent glass this is ! ” said Chon. ” I can almost read the characters in the book.”
Chon had leaned forward out of the window, attracted by her curiosity ; but she pulled back,her head faster than she had advanced it.
“Well, what is the matter ? ” asked the viscount. . Chon grasped his arm. ” Look cautiously, brother,” said she ; “look, who is that person who is leaning out of yonder garret window on the left ? Take care not to be
” Oh, oh ! ” cried Dubarry, in a low tone ; ” it is my crust-soaker, God forgive me ! “
” He is going to throw himself out ! “
” No ; he has fast hold of the parapet.”
” But what is he looking at with those piercing eyes, with that wild eagerness ? “
” He is watching somebody.” The viscount struck his forehead.
” I have it ! ” he exclaimed.
” What ? “
” By heavens, he is watching the girl ! “
” Mademoiselle de Taverney ? “
“Yes, yes; that’s the inamorato of the dovecot. She comes to Paris he hastens hither, too ; she takes lodgings in the Rue Coq Heron he sneaks away from us to go and live in the Rue Plastriere. He is looking at her, and she is musing. “
” Upon my word, it is true,” said Chon. ” Observe that look, how intently fixed, that lurid fire of his eyes. He is distractedly in love.”
“Sister,” said Jean, “let us not give ourselves any further trouble to watch the lady ; he will do our business.”
” Yes ; for his own interest.”
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” No ; for ours. Now let me go and see that dear Sartines. Pardieu ! we have a chance. But take care, Chon, not to let the philosopher see yon ; you know how quickly he decamps.”
CHAPTER LXIII.
PLAX OF CAMPAIGN.
M. DE SARTINES had returned home at three in the morning, extremely fatigued, but at the same time highly pleased with the entertainment which he had got up on the spur of the moment for the king and
Mme.
Dubarry. Rekindled by the arrival of the dauphiness, the popular enthusiasm had greeted his majesty with sundry shouts of “Vive le Roi ! ” greatly diminished in volume since that famous illness at Metz, during which all France had been seen in the churches or on pilgrimage, to obtain the restoration to health of the young Louis XV., called at that time the well-beloved. On the other hand,
Mme.
Dubarry, who scarcely ever failed to be insulted in public by certain exclamations of a particular kind, had, contrary to her expectation, been graciously received by several rows of spectators judiciously placed in front ; so that the pleased monarch had smiled graciously on M. de Sartines, and the lieutenant of police reckoned upon a handsome acknowledgment. In consequence, he thought that he might lie till noon, which he had not done for a very long time ; and, on rising, he had taken advantage of this kind of holiday which he gave himself, to try on some dozen or two of new wigs, while listening to the reports of the night. At the sixth wig, and when about a third through the reports, the Viscount Jean Dubarry was announced.
