Joseph Balsamo (48 page)
Every eye was fixed upon the pair who represented such a strange contrast. The old lady, her neck uncovered, as in the time of her youth, her head-dress standing up a foot above her head, and her large eyes glittering in their deep sockets like those of an osprey, seemed, in her splendid dress, with her skeleton appearance, the type of the past leading forward the present.
So striking was the contrast that it seemed to the king as if his favorite had never looked so beautiful as now, when receiving her from the hand of the old Countess de Beam.
Just as the countess, according to the etiquette, sunk on her knees to kiss the king’s hand, Louis seized her arm, raised her up, and in a few words rewarded her for all she had suffered during the last fortnight.
” You, at my feet, countess ! ” said he. ” It is I who should be, and who always wish to be, at yours.”
Then he extended his arms to her, following the usual ceremonial, but on this occasion the embrace was not a pretended, but a real, one.
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362 JOSEPH BALSAMO.
“You have a lovely goddaughter, madame,” said the king to the Countess de Beam ; ” but she has as noble a chaperon, and one whom I rejoice to see again in my court.”
The old lady bowed.
” Go and pay your respects to my daughters,” whispered the king to
Mme.
Dubarry, ” and show them that you know how to make a courtesy. I hope you will have cause to be satisfied with their reception of you.”
The two ladies advanced in the space which was formed around them, while the eager looks of all followed every movement which they made.
The king’s three daughters, seeing them approach, rose as if moved by springs, and remained standing. Their father fixed a look on them which commanded them to be polite.
The princesses, a little agitated, returned
Mme.
Dubarry’s courtesy, which she made much lower than etiquette demanded, and this they thought such good taste that they embraced her as the king had done, and delighted him by their cordiality.
From that moment the countess’s success became a triumph, and the slower and less adroit courtiers had to wait an hour before they could get their bow made to the queen of the night.
She, free from coldness or any feelings of recrimination, received all advances favorably, and seemed to forget all the treachery used against her. Nor was this mere pre-tense ; for her heart was too full of joy to be anything but magnanimous, or to have room for a single unamiable feeling.
Marshal Richelieu showed a knowledge of tactics worthy of the victor of Mahon. While vulgar courtiers waited in their places, the result of the presentation, in order to de-cide whether they should offer incense to the idol or turn their backs on her, he took up a position behind the countess’s chair, like a fugelmau who serves as a guide by which to deploy a troop of cavalry on a given point. The result was that at last he found himself close to
Mme.
Du-JOSEPH BALSAMO. 363
barry, without being troubled by the crowd. The Marchioness de Mirepoix knew that her old friend had been successful in war ; she therefore imitated his tactics, and gradually drew her seat near that of the favorite.
Conversation now commenced among the different groups. The countess was criticized from head to foot. She, supported by the love of the king, by the gracious reception of the princesses, and by the high rank of the lady who had presented her, looked round less timidly on the men,” and sought out he” enemies among the women.
An opaque body obscured her view.
“Ah ! Marshal Richelieu,” said she, “I was obliged to come here in order to meet you.”
” How so, madame ?”
” Is it not eight days since I have seen you, either at Versailles, or in Paris, or at Luciennes ? “
“I wished to render the pleasure greater of seeing you here this evening,” replied the old courtier.
” You guessed that I should be here ? “
“I was certain of it.”
” Oh, marshal, you knew it, and you did not tell your poor friend who knew nothing about it.”
” What ! madame, you did not know that you were to be here?”
” No ; I was like Msop when a magistrate arrested him in the street ‘ Where are you going ? ‘ said he. ‘ I don’t knoAV replied the fabulist. * Then you shall go to prison the other replied. ‘You see plainly,’ said Esop, ‘that I did not know where I was going.’ In like manner, duke, I had some idea that I should go to Versailles, but I was not sure. That is why you would have done me a great service had you come and told me that I should be here. But you will come to see me now will you not ? “
” Madame,” replied Richelieu, without being moved by her raillery, ” I really do not understand how it was that you were not sure of being here.”
” I shall tell you : it was because snares were laid on all sides for me ;” and she looked steadily at him; but he bore her look without wincing.
364 JOSEPH BALSAMO.
” Snares ! Good heavens ! How could that be ? “
” First, they stole my hair-dresser.”
” Stole your hair-dresser ? “
” Yes.”
” But why did you not inform me ? I could have sent you but let us speak low I could have sent you a treasure ; my daughter, Madame d’Egmont, found him out. He is quite a superior artist to all others, even the royal hair-dressers my little Leonard.”
” Leonard ? ” cried
Mme.
Dubarry.
” Yes, a young man whom she hides from every one. Bat you have no reason to complain, countess ; your hair is charmingly dressed ; and, singular enough, the design is exactly like the sketch which the Countess d’Egmont ordered from Boucher for her own head-dress, and which she intended to have used this evening had she not been ill. Poor Septimanie ! “
The countess started, and again fixed a searching look upon the marshal ; but he continued smiling and impenetrable.
” But pardon me, countess, for interrupting you,” said he ; ” you were speaking of snares.”
” Yes, after having carried off my hair-dresser, they stole my dress a most beautiful dress.”
” How shocking ! However, it was not of much consequence, as you had another dress so wonderfully beautiful as that you wear. It is Chinese silk, with flowers embroidered on it. Well, if you had applied to me in your trouble, as you must always do for the future, I could have sent you a dress which my daughter had ordered so like that, that I could swear it was the same.”
Mme.
Dubarry seized both the duke’s hands, for she now began to suspect who was the enchanter who had befriended her in her difficulties.
” Do you know in whose carriage I came, marshal ? ” said she.
” In your own no doubt.”
” No they stole my carriage as well as my hair-dresser. Why, it was a regular ambuscade 1 “
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” In whose carriage, then, did you come ? “
” Will yon tell me first what the Countess d’Egmont’s carriage is like ? “
” I think that for this evening she had ordered one lined with white satin ; but there was not time to paint the coat of arms.”
” Yes,” exclaimed the countess, ”and they substituted a rose instead ! Marshal, marshal, you are an adorable man ! ” and she held out to him both her hands, which he covered with kisses. All at once he felt her start.
” What is the matter, countess ?” inquired he, looking round.
” Marshal,” said the countess, with an alarmed air, ” who is that man near the Prince de Guemenee ? “
” In a Prussian uniform ? “
” Yes the dark man with black eyes, and such an expressive countenance.”
” He is some officer of rank, countess, whom his Prussian majesty has sent, no doubt, to do honor to your presentation.”
” Do not jest, marshal. I know that man. He was in France three or four years ago ; I have sought him everywhere, but could never discover him.”
” I think you must be mistaken, countess. He is the Count de Fenix, a foreigner, and only arrived in France yesterday or the day before.”
” Observe how he looks at me.”
” Every one looks at you, you are so beautiful.”
” He bows to me he bows to me do you see him?”
” Every one bows to you, at least all who have not already done so.”
But the countess, who seemed greatly agitated, paid no attention to the duke’s gallant speeches, but kept her eyes riveted on the stranger who had attracted her attention. Then rising, as if involuntarily, she advanced a few steps toward the unknown.
The king, who kept his eye fixed on her, observed this movement, and thought that she desired to be near him
366 JOSEPH BALSAMO.
and as etiquette had been sufficiently attended to in keeping so long from her side, he approached to congratulate her on her success. Her thoughts were, however, too much engaged to be turned from their object.
” Sire ‘ said she, ” who is that Prussian officer with his back to the Prince de Guemenee ? “
‘ ‘ And who is looking at us this moment ? ” asked the king.
” Yes.”
” That strongly marked face, that square head, framed, as it were, in the gold collar ? “
” Yes yes the same.”
” He is an accredited agent of my cousin of Prussia some philosopher like himself, I think. I desired him to be here this evening, as I wished Prussian philosophy to enhance, by its embassador, the triumph of Cotillon III.”
” But what is his name, sire ?”
” Let me think ah ! yes the Count de Fenix.”
” It is the same,” murmured she to herself ; ” yes, I am sure it is he.”
The king waited a few minutes, in order to give
Mme.
Dubarry time to ask further questions if she wished to do so ; but finding that she did not speak, he said, in a loud voice, ” Ladies, her royal highness, the dauphiness, will arrive to-morrow at Compiegne ; we shall meet her precisely at noon. All the ladies who have been presented will go, except, however, those who are ill, for the journey might be fatiguing, and her royal highness would be sorry to aggravate their indisposition.”
As the king pronounced these words, he looked sternly at the Duke de Choisenl, the Prince de Guemenee, and the Marshal de Eichelien.
There was a profound silence ; every one understood the meaning of the royal words they carried disgrace in their front.
“Sire,” said
Mme.
Dnbarry, who had remained near the king, ” may I request your gracious pardon for the Countess d’Egmont ? “
” Why so, may I aski
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” Because she is the daughter of Marshal Richelieu, who is my most faithful friend.”
“Richelieu ?”
” I am certain he is, sire ‘
“I shall do what you wish, countess,” said the king.
The king then approached the marshal, who had watched every movement of the countess’s lips, and if he had not heard her words, had at least guessed their meaning.
“I hope, my dear marshal,” said he, ” that the Countess d’Egmont will be better to-morrow.”
” Certainly, sire ; if your majesty desire it, she will even come out this evening.”
And Richelieu made a bow which expressed at once respect and gratitude.
The king then whispered a word in the countess’s ear.
” Sire,” replied she, with a courtesy accompanied by a charming smile, ” I am your majesty’s obedient servant.
The king, by a wave of his hand, saluted all the assembly and retired.
Scarcely had he crossed the threshold when the countess’s eyes turned again on the singular man who had before attracted her so strongly.
This man bowed like the rest as the king passed along, but even as he bowed there was something haughty, almost threatening, in the expression of his countenance. When Louis XV. had disappeared, he made way for himself through the different groups, and stopped within two paces of
Mme.
Dnbarry. The countess, attracted by an inexpressible curiosity, made one step forward, so that, as the unknown bowed to her, he could say in a low voice, so as not to be overheard, “Do you know me again, madame ? “
” Yes, sir ; you are the prophet whom I met in the Place Louis XV.”
The stranger fixed his clear, penetrating glance on her.
” Well, did I speak falsely, madame, when I predicted you should be Queen of France ? “
” No, sir ; your prediction is accomplished, or at least
368 JOSEPH BALSAMO.
nearly so, and I am ready to fulfil my part of the engagement. Speak, sir, what do you desire ? “
” This place is ill-chosen for such a purpose : besides, the moment for me to make my request is not yet come.”
” Whenever it does come, you will find me ready to grant it.”
” May I, at any time, in any place, at any hour, have liberty to be admitted to your presence ? “
” I promise it.”
” Thanks.”
” But under what name shall I expect you ? Under that of the Count de Fenix ? “
” No ; under that of Joseph Balsamo.”
“Joseph Balsamo,” repeated the countess to herself, while the mysterious stranger disappeared among the groups of courtiers ” Joseph Balsamo I shall not forget it.”
CHAPTER XXXIX.
COMP1EGNE.
THE following morning Compiegne awoke, transported, intoxicated with joy ; or, rather, to be more exact, Compiegne never went to rest.
The evening before the first detachment of the king’s guards had entered the town, and while the officers took np their position, the magistrates, assisted by the lord high steward and other functionaries, prepared the town for the distinguished honor which was to be conferred on it. Triumphal arches, composed of evergreens, roses, and lilacs ; inscriptions in Latin, French, and German ; composition in verse and prose, occupied the sub-magis- tracy of Picardy from night till morn.
Young girls, dressed in white, according to immemorial usage ; municipal officers clad in black ; monks attired in gray ; the clergy in their richest vesture ; officers and soldiers in their new uniforms all were at their posts ready
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to advance at the first signal of the arrival of the dauphiness.