Memoirs of a Physician (26 page)
“The king!”
At this magic word
Mme.
de Noailles started bolt upright from her seat, as if moved by a spring; Richelieu rose more slowly, and with easy grace ; the dauphin hastily wiped his mouth with his napkin, and stood up before his seat, his face turned toward the door.
As for the dauphiness, she hastened toward the staircase to meet the king, and do the honors of her mansion to him.
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CHAPTEK XXV.
THE QUEEN’S HAIR.
THE king still held Mile, de Taverney by the hand when they reached the landing-place, and it was only on arriving there that he bowed to her, so courteously and so low, that Richelieu had time to see the bow, to admire its grace, and to ask himself to what lucky mortal it was addressed.
His ignorance did not last long. Louis XV. took the arm of the dauphiness, who had seen all that had passed, and had already recognized Andre.
” My daughter,” said he, ” I come without ceremony to ask you for my supper. I crossed the entire park in my way hither, and happening to meet Mademoiselle de Taverney, I requested her to accompany me.”
” Mademoiselle de Taverney ! ” murmured Richelieu, almost dizzy at this unexpected stroke. ” On my faith, I am almost too fortunate ! “
” I shall not only not be angry with mademoiselle, who is late,” replied the dauphiness, graciously, ” but I have to thank her for bringing your majesty to us.”
Andre, whose cheeks were dyed with as deep a red as the ripe and tempting cherries which graced the epergne in the center of the table, bowed without replying.
” Diable ! Diable ! she is indeed beautiful,” thought Richelieu ; ” and that old scoundrel Taverney said no more for her than she deserves.”
The king had already taken his seat at the table, after having saluted the dauphin. Gifted, like his grandfather, with an obliging appetite, the monarch did justice to the improvised supper which the maitre d’hotel placed before him as if by magic. But while eating, the king, whose back was turned toward the door, seemed to seek something, or rather some one.
In fact Mile, de Taverney, who enjoyed no privilege
9 DUJIAS VOL. VII.
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as her position in the dauphiness’s household was not yet fixed, had not entered the dining-room, and after her profound reverence in reply to the king’s salutation, had returned to the dauphiness’s apartment lest her services might be required, as they had been once or twice already, to read to her highness after she had returned to bed.
The dauphiness saw that the king was looking for the beautiful companion of his walk.
” Monsieur de Coigny,” said she to a young officer of the guards who was standing behind the king, ” pray request Mademoiselle de Taverney to come up; with Ma-dame de Noailles’ permission we will discard etiquette for this evening.”
M. de Coigny left the room, and almost immediately afterward returned, introducing Andre, who, totally at a loss to comprehend the reason for such a succession of unusual favors, entered trembling.
” Seat yourself there, mademoiselle,” said the dauphiness, ” beside Madame de Noailles.”
Andre mounted timidly on the raised seat; but she was so confused that she had the audacity to seat herself only about a foot distant from the lady of honor. She received in consequence such a terrific look that the poor child started back at least four feet, as if she had come in contact with a Ley den jar highly charged.
The king looked at her and smiled.
” Ah ! ga,” said the duke to himself, ” it is scarcely worth my while to meddle with the affair; everything is progressing of itself.”
The king turned and perceived the marshal, who was quite prepared to meet his look.
“Good day, duke,” said Louis; “do you agree well with the Duchess de Noailles?”
” Sire,” replied the marshal, ” the duchess always does me the honor to treat me as a madcap.”
“Oh! Were you also on the road to Chanteloup, duke?”
” I, sire ? Faith, no ; I am too grateful for the favors your majesty has showered on my family.”
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The king did not expect this blow; he was prepared to rally, but he found himself anticipated.
” What favors have I showed, duke ? “
” Sire, your majesty has given command of your light horse to the Duke d’Aiguillon.”
” Yes ; it is true, duke.”
” And that is a step which must have put all the energy, all the skill of your majesty to the task. It is almost a coup d’etat,”
The meal was now over; the king waited for a moment, and then rose from the table.
The conversation was taking an embarrassing turn, but Kichelieu was determined not to let go his prey. Therefore, when the king began to chat with
Mme.
de Noailles, the dauphiness, and Mile, de Taverney, Kichelieu maneuvered so skilfully that he soon found himself in the full fire of a conversation, which he directed according to his pleasure.
” Sire,” said he, ” your majesty knows that success em-boldens.”
” Do you say so for the purpose of informing us that you are bold, duke ? “
” Sire, it is for the purpose of requesting a new favor from your majesty, after the one the king has already deigned to grant. One of my best friends, an old servant of your majesty, has a son in the gendarmes; the young man is highly deserving, but poor. He has received from an august princess the brevet title of captain, but he has not yet got a company.”
” The princess ! my daughter ? ” asked the king, turning toward the dauphiness.
” Yes, sire,” said Richelieu, ” and the father of this young man is called the Baron de Taverney.”
” My father ! ” involuntarily exclaimed Andre, ” Philip ! Is it for Philip, my lord duke, that you are asking for a company ? “
Then ashamed of this breach of etiquette, Andre made a step backward, blushing and clasping her hands with emotion.
The king turned to admire the blush which mantled
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on the cheek of the lovely girl, and then glanced at Richelieu with a pleased look, which informed the courtier how agreeable his request had been.
” In truth ‘ said the dauphiness, ” he is a charming young man, and I had promised to make his fortune. How unfortunate princes are ! When God gives them the best intentions, He deprives them of the memory and reasoning powers necessary to carry their intentions into effect. Ought I not to have known that this young man was poor, and that it was not sufficient to give him the epaulet without at the same time giving him the company ? “
” Oh ! madame ! how could your royal highness have known that ? “
” Oh, I knew it ! ” replied the dauphiness, quickly, with a gesture which recalled to Andre’s memory the modest but yet happy home of her childhood ; ” yes, I knew it, but I thought I had done everything necessary in giv-ing a step to Monsieur Philip de Taverney. He is called Philip, is he not, mademoiselle ? “
” Yes, madame.”
The king looked round on these noble and ingenuous faces, and then rested his gaze on Richelieu, whose face was also brightened by a ray of generosity, borrowed, doubtless, from his august neighbor.
” Duke,” said he, in a low voice, ” I shall embroil my-self with Luciennes.”
Then, addressing Andre, he added, quickly:
” Say that it will give you pleasure, mademoiselle.”
” Ah, sire ! ” siid Andre, clasping her hands, ” I request it as a boon from your majesty.”
” In that case, it is granted,” said Louis. ” You will choose a good company for this young man, duke. I will furnish the necessary funds, if the charges are not already paid and the post vacant.”
This good action gladdened all who were present. It procured the king a heavenly smile from Andre, and Richelieu a warm expression of thanks from those beautiful lips, from which, in his youth, he would have asked for even more.
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Several visitors arrived in succession, amon^ whom was the Cardinal de Rohan, who, since the installation of the dauphiness at Trianon, had paid his court assiduously to her.
But during the whole evening the king had kind looks and pleasant words only for Richelieu. He even commanded the marshal’s attendance when, after bidding farewell to the dauphiness, he set out to return to his own Trianon. The old marshal followed the king with a heart bounding with joy.
While the king, accompanied by the duke and his two officers, gained the dark alleys which led from the palace, the dauphiness had dismissed Andre.
” You will be anxious to write this good news to Paris, mademoiselle ‘ said the princess. “You *iay retire.”
And, preceded by a footman carrying a lantern, the young girl traversed the walk, of about a hundred paces in length, which separates Trianon from the offices.
Also in advance of her, concealed by the thick foliage of the shrubbery, bounded a shadowy figure which followed all her movements with sparkling eyes. It was Gilbert.
When Andre had arrived at the entrance, and begun to ascend the stone staircase, the valet left her and returned to the antechambers of Trianon.
Then Gilbert, gliding into the vestibule, reached the courtyard, and climbed by a small staircase, as steep as a ladder, into his attic, which was opposite Andre’s windows, and was situated in a corner of the building.
From this position he could see Andre call a femme de chambre of
Mme.
de Xoailles to assist her, as that lady had her apartments in the same corridor. But when the girl had entered the room, the window-curtains fell like an impenetrable veil between the ardent eyes of the young man and the object of his wishes.
At the palace there now only remained M. de Rohan, redoubling his gallant attentions to the dauphiness, who received them but coldly.
The prelate, fearing at last to be indiscreet, inasmuch as the dauphin had already retired, took leave of her
198 MEMOIRS OF A PHYSICIAN.
royal highness with an expression of the deepest and most tender respect. As he was entering his carriage, a -waiting-woman of the dauphiness approached and almost leaned inside the door.
“Here,” said she.
And she put into his hand a small paper parcel, carefully folded, the touch of which made the cardinal start.
” Here ‘ he replied, hastily thrusting into the girFs hand, a heavy purse, the contents of which would have been a handsome salary. Then, without losing time, the cardinal ordered the coachman to drive to Paris and to ask for fresh orders at the barriere. During the whole way, in the darkness of the carriage, he felt the paper, and kissed the contents like some intoxicated lover. At the barriere he cried : ” Hue St. Claude.” A short time afterward he crossed the mysterious courtyard, and once more found himself in the little saloon occupied by Fritz, the silent usher.
Balsamo kept him waiting about a quarter of an hour. At last he appeared, and gave as a reason for his delay the lateness of the hour which had prevented him from expecting the arrival of visitors.
In fact it was now nearly eleven o’clock at night.
” That is true, baron,” said the cardinal ; ” and I must request you to excuse my unseasonable visit. But you may remember you told me one da”y, that to be assured of certain secrets -“
” I must have a portion of the person’s hair of whom we were speaking on that day,” interrupted Balsamo, who had already spied the little paper which the unsuspecting prelate held carelessly in his hand.
” Precisely, baron.”
“And you have brought me this hair, sir; very well.”
” Here it is. Do you think it would be possible to return it to me again after the trial?”
” Unless fire should be necessary ; in which case “
” Of course, of course,” said the cardinal. ” However, I can procure some more. Can I have a reply ? “
“To-day?”
“You know I am impatient.”
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te I must first ascertain, my lord.”
And Balsamo took the packet of hair and hastily mounted-to Lorenza’s apartment.
” I shall now know,” said he, on the way, ” the secret of this monarchy the mysterious fate which destiny has in store for it ! “
And from the other side of the wall, even before opening the secret door, he plunged Lorenza into the magnetic sleep. The young girl received him, therefore, with an affectionate embrace. Balsamo could scarcely extricate himself from her arms. It would be difficult to say which was the most grievous for the poor baron, the reproaches of the beautiful Italian when she was awake, or her caresses when she slept. When he had succeeded in loosening the chain which her snowy arms formed around his neck:
” My beloved Lorenza,” said he, putting the paper in her hand, ” can you tell me to whom this hair belongs ? “
Lorenza took it and pressed it against her breast, and then to her forehead. Though her eyes were open, it was only by means of her head and breast that she could see in her sleep.
” Oh ! ” said she, ” it is an illustrious head from which this hair has been taken.”
“Is it not? and a happy head, too? Speak.”
” She may be happy.”
” Look well, Lorenza.”
” Yes, she may be happy ; there is no shadow as yet upon her life.”
“Yet she is married?”
” Oh ! ” said Lorenza, with a sigh. ” Strange,” said she, ” strange indeed ! She is married like myself, pure and spotless as I am; but, unlike me, dear Balsamo, she does not love her husband.”
“Oh, fate!” said Balsamo. “Thanks, Lorenza. I know all I wished to know.”
He embraced her, put the hair carefully into his pocket, and then cutting off a lock of the Italian’s black tresses, he burned it at the wax-light and inclosed the ashes in
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the paper which had been wrapped round the hair of the dauphiness.
Then he left the room, and while descending the stairs, he awoke the young woman.
The prelate, agitated and impatient, was waiting and doubting.
” Well, count ? ” said he.
” Well, my lord, the oracle has said you may hope ‘
