Joseph Balsamo (38 page)
JOSEPH BALSAMO. 285
” Alas, no ! ” exclaimed the old lady, quite overcome by this unforeseen blow.
The fact is, that any one in the position of the old liti-gant would have felt inclined to echo her exclamation, and like her would have sunk back overhelmed in her easy-chair.
“Now, brother,” said the countess, in a tone of great compassion, ” you see you are giving pain to Madame de Beam ; was it not enough that I was forced to tell her I could do nothing for her with the king before my presentation ? Oh, If I could delay my suit ! ” sighed the countess.
” For only eight days ‘ said Dubarry.
” Yes, in eight days,” resumed
Mme.
de Beam ” in eight days madame will be presented.”
” Yes ; but the king will be at Compiegne in eight days he will be in the midst of festivities the dauphiuess will have arrived.”
“Stop! I have another idea. No yes no yes, yes I have hit it ! “
“What is it, sir ?” said
Mme.
de Beam, whose whole eoul seemed to hang upon the viscount’s lips, and who repeated mechanically the monosyllables he uttered.
” Your presentation is still a secret ; no one knows that you have got a lady to present you.”
” No ; for the king wishes it to fall like a thunderbolt on the court.”
” “Well, the Countess de Beam will demand an audience, as she is not supposed to know any more about your presentation than others, for the purpose of offering to present you. The king, at such an offer from a lady of her rank, will be delighted ; he will receive her, thank her, will ask her what he can do for her. She will introduce the subject of her lawsuit, and explain her views respecting it his majesty will give them a favorable consideration, and the suit which she thought lost is gained.”
The favorite fixed her eager gaze on the old lady, who probably began to suspect that there was some snare laid for her.
286 JOSEPH BALSAMO.
” I’m a poor unknown creature,” said she ; ” his majesty would not, perhaps “
” Enough. I merely wished to give you a friendly advice on the matter,” said Jean.
” Oh, sir, I am only too sensible “said the countess,
hesitating.
” It is not a bad idea,” replied
Mme.
Dubarry, smiling ; ” but perhaps madame would not like to descend to anything like a trick, even to gain her lawsuit.”
” Quite true, madame,” said the old lady, hoping to get off by this means ; ” I had much rather do you some real service to obtain your friendship.”
“Indeed, nothing could be more condescending,” said the favorite, with a slight shade of irony which did not escape the penetration of
Mme.
de Beam.
” Well, I have still another means,” said Jean.
The old lady listened anxiously.
” Really, brother, your imagination is as fertile in resources as that of Monsieur de Beaumarchais. Let us hear this last idea.”
” It is that the Countess de Beam shall render you the real service which she wishes to do. Can you not persuade the Baroness d’Alogny to yield her rights to the countess ? You need not tell her plumply the king’s observation, but you could with your tact make her understand that he preferred the countess’s ancient name.”
This time the attack was direct ; he thought there could be no evasive answer, but the countess found one.
” I should not like to interfere with that lady’s arrangements,” said she “among persons of quality a certain attention to these engagements must be observed.”
Mme.
Dnbarry made a gesture of anger and disappointment, but the viscount, by a look, restrained her.
” Observe, madame,” said he, ” I insist on nothing. Like many in the world, yon have a lawsuit, which very naturally you wish to gain. It appears, however, that on the contrary you are likely to lose it ; you are in despair ; just at that moment I arrive ; I feel for you ; I take an interest in the affair which does not in the remotest degree concern me ;
JOSEPH BALSAMO. 287”
I endeavor to make it turn out favorably for yon. I am wrong let us say no more about it ! ” and Jean rose from his seat.
” Oh, sir ‘ exclaimed the old lady in despair, for she now saw that the Dubarrys, who had been till then indifferent, were going to use their influence against her ” oh, sir, believe me, I am truly grateful to you ! I feel how benevolent have been your intentions.”
” As for myself,” replied Jean, playing to the life the part of a person perfectly unconcerned, ” it matters not whether my sister be presented by the Baroness d’Alogny, the Countess de Polastron, or the Countess de Beam.”
” Oh, certainly, sir.”
” Only I confess I felt annoyed that the royal favor should be bestowed on some mean spirit actuated by sordid interest a spirit yielding to our power, because it is impossible to undermine it.”
” Oh, that is what will most probably happen,” said the favorite.
” While,” continued Jean, ” the Countess de Beam, almost an entire stranger to us, and coming forward without any solicitation on our part, and prompted solely by her kindness and good nature to offer her services, appears to me worthy of all the advantages which thereby accrue to her.”
The old lady was probably about to disclaim that good-will which the viscount did her the honor to attribute to her, but
Mme.
Dubarry did not give her time.
“The fact is,” said she, “the king would not refuse anything to a lady who would act as you describe.”
“What ! the king would not refuse anything, do you say?”
” Even more he would say with his own lips to the vice-chancellor, ‘ Monsieur de Maupeou, I wish that everything should be settled about the lawsuit as the Countess de Beam wishes but it seems, however, as if you saw some difficulty in the matter. Very good. But you will at least do me the justice, I hope, to believe that I was actuated by a sincere wish to serve you, madame ;” and the viscount bowed.
288 JOSEPH BALSA MO.
” Indeed, sir, my heart is filled with gratitude to yon I”
” Pray do not speak of it,” said the gallant viscount.
*’ But the Baroness d’Alogny would not yield up her right,” resumed the old lady, after a short pause.
” Still, her majesty would not be the less grateful to ; you for your offer.”
” But supposing,” persisted the old lady, who was determined to view the matter in the worst light, in order to see to the bottom of the affair ” supposing the baroness would yield her privilege to me, she would not so readily give up the accompanying advantages.”
” The king’s kindness is inexhaustible, madame,” said the favorite.
” If I offered my services, madame,” replied the old lady, drawn on more and more both by her interest and by the clever manner in which they played their parts, ” I should leave out of view the gaining of my cause for, to say the truth, a suit which every one thinks lost to-day will not be easily gained to morrow.”
” Oh but if the king were favorable ?” exclaimed Jean, eager to combat her new doubts.
” Well,” said the favorite, ” I confess I am of the countess’s opinion, viscount.”
” You are ?” said he, staring at her with open eyes.
” Yes I think it would be more honorable for a lady of her ancient name to allow her suit to go as it may. Then there would be nothing binding on the king nothing to impede his munificence to her ; and if he did not wish, in the present state of the parliament, to interfere with the course of justice, he might offer her compensation for the loss of the suit.”
“Ah, “sighed the old lady, “how could he offer anything to compensate for the loss of two hundred thousand francs ? “
” Why, in the first place,” replied
Mme.
Dubarry, ” there might, for instance, be a royal gift of one hundred thousand francs.”
The partners in this scheme looked at their victim with eager eyes.
JOSEPH BALSAMO. 289
” I have a son ” said she.
” So much the better ! One more loyal servant of the state. “
” But do yon think, madame, there would be anything done for my son ? “
” 1 can answer for it,” said Jean, ” that the least he might expect would be a lieutenancy in the guards.”
” Have you any other relations ? ” inquired the Countess Dubarry.
”I have a nephew.”
” Well, we should find out something for your nephew,” said the viscount.
” I think we may leave that in your hands, viscount ‘ said the favorite, laughing, “as you have just given us proofs of so brilliant an imagination.”
” Well,” continued the viscount, apparently determined to bring matters to an issue, ” if his majesty did all these things for you, would you think it tolerably well ? “
” 1 should think him extremely generous, and should offer you, madame, all my thanks, convinced that it is to you alone I should be indebted for his generosity.”
” Then,” asked the favorite, ” you really take our proposal seriously into consideration ? “
” Yes, madame, most seriously,” replied the old lady, turning pale at the very thought of the obligation to which she pledged herself.
” And you permit me to mention you to his majesty ? “
” Pray do me that honor,” replied she, with a deep sigh.
” Madame, I shall do so with the least possible delay indeed, this every evening,” said the favorite, rising to terminate the interview. “And in the meantime, I trust that I have secured your friendship.”
” I feel so highly honored by yours, madame,” said the old lady, beginning her courtesies again, ” that I almost feel as if all this were a dream.”
” Let us see, once more,” said Jean, wishing to fix the matter so firmly in the old countess’s mind, that it might be secure from all change. ” One hundred thousand
DCMAS YOL. vi. M
290 JOSEPH BALSAMO.
francs first, to make np for the loss of the suit, a lieutenancy for the young count, and something for a nephew.*’
“Something ?”
” I shall find out something good that is my affair.”
” And when shall I have the honor of seeing you again, madame ? ” asked the old lady.
” To-morrow morning my carriage shall be at your door to take you to Luciennes the king will be there. To-morrow, at ten o’clock, I shall have fulfilled my promise his majesty will be informed, and will expect you.”
“Allow me to accompany you, madame,” said Jean, offering his arm.
” By no means, sir.”
” Well, then, to the top of the stairs ?”
” Since you insist on it ; ” and she took the viscount’s arm.
“Zamore ! ” cried the countess.
Zamore appeared.
” Light this lady down-stairs, and order my brother’s carriage forward to the door.”
The two ladies exchanged a last courtesy. At the top of the staircase Jean bid the old countess adieu, and returned to his sister, while
Mme.
de Beam majestically descended the grand staircase. Zamore marched first then came two footmen with lights, and then the old lady, her train rather a short one borne by a third footman.
The brother and sister watched at the window, following with their eyes to the very carriage the precious chaperon sought with so much care and found with so much difficulty. Just as she reached the door a chaise entered the courtyard, and a young lady sprang out.
” Ah, Mistress Chon ! ” cried Zamore, opening his enormous mouth to its widest extent with delight. ” How do you do this evening, Mistress Chon ? “
The Countess de Beam stood petrified ! In the new arrival she recognized her visitor the false daughter of Master Flageot. Dnbarry hurriedly opened a window, and made frantic sisrns to his sister, but she did not see them.
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“Has that little fool, Gilbert, been here?” inquired Chou of a lackey, without perceiving the countess.
“No, rnadame,” replied one of the footmen; ” we have not seen him.”
It was just then that, looking up, she saw her brother, and following the direction of his hand, discovered
Mme.
de Beam. Chon recognized her, hastily pulled down her hood, and rushed into the vestibule.
The old lady, without appearing to have remarked anythin g, got into the carriage, and gave her address to the coachman.
CHAPTER XXXII.
THE KIXG GETS TIRED.
THE king, who had gone to Marly, as he had said he would, ordered his carriage at three o’clock in the afternoon, and drove from that to Luciennes. He supposed that
Mme.
Dubarry, on receiving his note, would immediately leave Versailles, and hastened there to wait for him.
He was rather surprised, therefore, on entering the chateau, to find Zamore looking very little like a governor occupied in plucking out the feathers of a parrot, which, in return, was endeavoring to bite him.
The two favorites were rivals, like the Duke de Choiseul and the Countess Dubarry.
The king installed himself in the small saloon, and dismissed his attendants. Although the most inquisitive gentleman in his kingdom, he was not in the habit of questioning servants or lackeys ; but Zamore was neither a servant nor lackey ; he occupied a middle place between the monkey and the parrot. The king therefore questioned Zamore.
” Is the countess in the garden ? “
“No, master.” This word the favorite, in one of her whims, had ordered to take the place of majesty at Luciennes.
292 JOSEPH BALSAMO.
” Is she at the lake, feeding the carp ? “
This lake had been dug at a vast expense out of the side of the hill. It was fed with water from the aqueduct, and filled with great numbers of the finest carp, brought from Versailles.
” No, master,” again answered Zamore.
“Where is she, then?”
” In Paris, master.”
” What ! Did the countess not come to Luciennes ? “
” No, master ; but she sent Zamore.”
“What to do ?”
” To wait for the king.”
” Ah, ha ! so you are delegated to receive me ? Very agreeable indeed ! Thank you, countess ! Thank you ! I am to have the society of Zamore ! ” And he rose from his chair rather piqued.
“Oh, no, the king is not to have the society of Zamore,” said the negro.