Joseph Balsamo (49 page)

The dauphin had arrived incognito with his two brothers, about eleven o’clock the night before.’ Very early in the morning he mounted his horse, as if he had been a private gentleman, and followed by his brothers, the Count de Provei e and the Count d’Artois, the one fifteen and the other thirteen years of age, he galloped off in the direction of Ribecourt, the road by which the princess was to approach. It was not to the young prince, we must confess, that this gallant idea had first occurred ; it was suggested by his tutor, M. de Lavanguyon, who had been desired by the king to instruct his august pupil in all the duties which the next twenty-four hours would impose on him. The tutor, therefore, had thought right, in order to maintain the honor of the monarchy, to cause him to follow the traditional example of the kings of his race Henry IV., Louis XIII. , Louis XIV., and Louis XV. who desired to see their future wives without any of the illusions of dress and ornament, and therefore met them when not expected on the road.

Mounted on swift horses, the three brothers accomplished three or four leagues in half an hour ; the eldest had set out serious, the two others laughing. At half-past eight they returned ; the dauphin still serious, the Count de Prove e almost ill-tempered, the Count d’Artois more gay than be-fore. The dauphin was uneasy, the Count de Prove e envious, and the Count d’Artois enchanted about one and the same thing the beauty of the dauphiness. The grave, jealous, and careless character of each prince respectively was written on his face.

At ten o’clock the lookout employed to watch for the expected train announced that a white flag was displayed on the steeple of the church of Glaives, which was to be the signal that the dauphiuess was approaching. The bells of the church commenced to ring, and were answered by the firing of cannon.

At that instant, as if he had only waited for this signal, the king entered Compiegue in a carriage drawn by eight

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horses, between a double file of his body-guards, and followed by the immense train of the carriages of the court. The guards and dragoons at a gallop opened a passage through the crowd, which was divided between two feelings desire to see the king and curiosity with regard to the dauphiness. One hundred carriages, drawn by four horses, extending nearly a league in length, contained four hundred ladies, and as many lords of the noblest families in France. These hundred carriages were escorted by out-riders, heiducs, footmen, and pages. The gentlemen of the king’s household were on horseback, and formed a brilliant army, glittering like a sea of velvet and gold, waving plumes, and silk, in the midst of the dust raised by the horses’ feet.

They halted an instant at Compiegne, then slowly proceeded to the spot agreed upon for the meeting, and marked by a cross, near the village of Magny. All the young nobility thronged around the dauphin, and all the old around the king.

On the other side the dauphiness was also slowly approaching the appointed place.

At length the two parties met. On both sides the courtiers left their carriages : two only remained occupied that of the king and that of the dauphiness. The door of the dauphiness’s carriage was open, and the young archduchess sprung lightly to the ground, and advanced to the royal carriage. The king, on perceiving his daughter-in-law, ordered the door to be opened, and hurriedly got out.

The dauphiness had calculated her time so well that just as the king put his foot to the ground she was close to him, and she sunk on her knee. He raised the young princess and embraced her tenderly, yet casting a look upon her which made her blush.

” His royal highness the dauphin,” said the king, introducing his grandson, who had kept behind the dauphiness without being seen by her, at least ostensibly.

The dauphiness made.him a graceful courtesy ; he bowed, blushing in his turn.

Then, after the dauphin came his two brothers, then

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the three princesses ; the dauphiness had something gnv-cious to say to each.

While these introductions were going on,
Mme.
Dubarry stood anxiously behind the princesses. Would she be thought of ? Would she be forgotten ?

After the introduction of the Princess Sophie, the last of the king’s daughters, there was a pause ; every breath was suspended. The king seemed to hesitate ; the dauphiness seemed to expect some incident concerning which she had been previously informed.

The king looked round, and seeing the countess within reach, took her hand ; all near him stepped back, and he found himself in the midst of a circle with the dauphiness.

” The Countess Dubarry,” said he, ” my very dear friend ‘

The dauphiness turned pale, yet a gracious smile appeared on her white lips. ” Your majesty is happy,” said she, ” in possessing so charming a friend ; and I am not surprised at the attachment which she inspires ‘

Every one heard these words with astonishment amounting to stupefaction. It was evident that the dauphiness followed the instructions of the court of Austria ; perhaps the very words she repeated were dictated by Maria Theresa.

The Duke de Choiseul then thought his presence was necessary. He advanced to be presented in his turn ; but the king made a sign with his head, the trumpets sounded, the drums beat, the cannon was fired. His majesty took the young princess’s hand, to conduct her to her carriage. She passed close to the Duke de Choiseul. Did she see him or did she not ? It was impossible to say ; but it is certain that she made no sign of recognition. At the moment when she entered her carriage, the bells of the town pealed out, and their clear tones were heard above all the other festive sounds.

The countess returned to her carriage, all radiant with delight and pride.

There was a halt for about ten minutes, while the king was reeuteriiig his carriage and giving his orders to return

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to Compie’gne. During this time, conversation, which had been suspended from respect or by the interest of the scene, again became general. Dnbarry drew near his sister’s carriage she received him with smiles, expecting his congratulations.

” Jeanne,” said he, pointing to a gentleman on horseback, who was talking at the door of a carriage in the train of the dauphiness, ” do you know that young man ?”

“No,” replied the countess : ‘< but do you know what the dauphiness said when the king presented me to her ? “

” I am not thinking of that. That young man is the Chevalier Philip de Taverney.”

” He who wounded you ? “

” Yes ; and do you know who that beautiful creature is with whom he is talking ? “

” The young girl so pale and so majestic ?”

” Yes, she whom the king is looking at this moment I think he is asking the dauphiness her name.”

” Well, what then ? “

” That young girl is Taverney’s sister.”

” Ah ! ” exclaimed the countess.

“Jeanne, I don’t know why, but I think you have as much reason to fear the sister as I the brother.”

” You are a fool ! “

” No, I am tolerably wise ; and I shall, at all events, look after the youth.”

” Well, then, I shall keep an eye on the girl.”

” Hush, here is our friend, Marshal Eichelieu ! “

The marshal drew near, shaking his head.

” What is the matter, my dear marshal ? ” inquired the countess, with her most fascinating smile ; you seem dissatisfied with something.”

“Don’t you think, countess,” said the duke, ” that we all seem very grave, not to say sorrowful, for such a joyous occasion ? Formerly I know, we were much more gay when we went to meet a princess as amiable and as beautiful as this, the mother of his royal highness, the dauphin. Was it because we were younger then ? “

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” No,” answered a voice behind the marshal ; ” no, my dear marshal, but because the monarchy was not so old.”

” Heaven and earth ! ” exclaimed the marshal, ” it is the Baron de Taverney ! Countess, one of my oldest friends, for whom I solicit your kindness the Baron de Taverney Maison Rouge.”

“The father,” whispered Jean and the countess to each other as they stooped to salute the baron.

” To your carriages, gentlemen to your carriages ! ” cried the major of the guards commanding the escort.

The two old gentlemen bowed to the countess and to the viscount, and both entered the same carriage, delighted to meet once more after so long a separation.

” And now,” said the viscount, ” shall I tell you another thing, my dear ? I have as little love for the father as the children.”

” What a pity ! ” replied the countess, ” that that little wretch, Gilbert, ran away. He was brought up in their house, and could have told us so much about them.”

” Pshaw ! I shall find him again, now that I have nothing else to think about.”

The conversation was interrupted by the carriages being again put in motion.

After having passed the night in Compiegne, the two courts the one the sunset, the other the dawn of an age set out on the following day for Paris that yawning gulf which was to entomb them both.

CHAPTEE Xk.

THE PATRONESS AXD THE PATRONIZED.

IT is now time that we should return to Gilbert, of whose flight the reader has been made aware by an imprudent exclamation of his protectress, Mile. Chon, but of whom we have since heard nothing.

Our philosopher had cooled very much in his admiration of his patroness from the very moment that he had, during

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the preliminaries of the duel between Philip de Taverney and Viscount Jean, become aware that her name was Dubarry.

Often at Taverney, when hidden by some hedge, he had followed Andre and her father in their walks, he had heard the baron explain, at great length, all about the Dubarry family. The hatred of the old baron to
Mme.
Dubarry a feeling which in him, however, sprung from no dislike to what was in itself vicious found a ready echo in Gilbert’s heart, arising principally from her conduct being regarded by Andre with contempt and reprobation, sentiments which may be taken as expressing the general opinion of the nation toward her whole family.

During the journey Chori was too much occupied with matters of a more serious import to pay attention to the change of feeling which the knowledge of who were his traveling companions had produced in Gilbert. She reached Versailles, therefore, only thinking of how the viscount’s wound, since it would not redound to his honor, might be turned to his greatest profit.

As to Gilbert, scarcely had he entered the capital if not of France, at least of the French monarchy than he forgot every unpleasant thought, and gave free scope to his undisguised admiration. Versailles, so majestic and stately, with its lofty trees already beginning to show symptoms of decay, touched his heart with that religious sadness which poetic minds always experience in contemplating the mighty works of nature, or those erected by the perseverance of man.

From this impression a very novel one to Gilbert, and one against which his innate pride struggled in vain he became silent and submissive, overcome by wonder and admiration.

The feeling of his inferiority crushed him to the earth. When the great lords, in their stars and ribbons, passed by him, how deeply did he feel the wretchedness of his attire ! How inferior did he feel, even to the porters and footmen ! How did he tremble when, in his hob-nailed shoes, he had to walk over the shining marble or polished inlaid floors !

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At such times he felt that the protection of his patroness was indispensable to him, unless he wished to sink into absolute nothingness. He drew near her, that it might be seen he belonged to her ; yet it was for this very reason that he needed her, that he disliked her.

We are already aware that
Mme.
Dubarry occupied at Versailles the magnificent suite of rooms formerly inhabited by the Princess Adelaide. The gold, the marble, the perfumes, the carpets, the hangings, at first intoxicated Gilbert ; and it was only after these had become somewhat familiar to him, that his understanding dazzled by the reflected light which so many marvels cast on it roused itself in the end to a clear perception of surrounding objects, and he found that he was in a little attic room, hung with serge that there had been placed before him a basin of soup, some cold mutton, and a custard. The servant who had brought these eatables had said, with the tone of a master, ” Remain here ! ” and then left him.

But Gilbert soon found that the picture had its sunny side. From the window of his garret he could see the park of Versailles, studded with marble statues, and ornamented with fountains. Beyond, were the dense and lofty summits of the trees, rolling like a sea of verdure ; and, further still, the checkered plains and the blue horizon of the neighboring mountains. The only subject which occupied Gilbert’s mind while eating his dinner was that, like the greatest lords of France, without being either a courtier or a lackey, without having been introduced there either by birth or baseness, he was living in Versailles, in the palace of the king.

His dinner, too, was an excellent one, when compared with those to which he had been accustomed. When it was over, he returned to his contemplation at the window. Meantime, Chon had, as the reader may remember, joined her sister, had whispered that her business with
Mme.
de Beam was happily executed, and then related aloud the accident which their brother met with at Lachaussee. This accident, although it made a great noise at first, was

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lost, as the reader has seen, in that great gulf which swallowed up so many things much more important the king’s indifference.

Gilbert had fallen into one of those reveries to which he often gave way, while meditating on what was beyond his comprehension, or on what was impracticable for him to accomplish, when he was told that his patroness requested his presence. He took his hat, brushed it, compared by a glance his old worn coat with the new one of the footman, and saying to himself that that of the latter was a livery coat, he followed him. Yet, notwithstanding this philosophic reflection, he could not help blushing with shame to observe how little he resembled the men who elbowed him, and how much out of keeping he was with everything around him.