Joseph Balsamo (60 page)

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The father turned, ” And a handsome lad, too,” said he.

The daughter blushed still more deeply than before.

” He looks tired,” said the servant maid, ” and yet he has not been carrying anything.”

” Rather say lazy,” said the aunt.

” Sir,” said the mother, addressing Gilbert, with that familiarity which is found nowhere but among the Parisians, ” are the carriages still far off ? “

Gilbert turned, and seeing that these words were addressed to him, rose and bowed.

” A most polite young man,” said the mother.

This remark added a still deeper dye to the daughter’s cheeks.

” I do not know, madame,” answered Gilbert ; ” I only heard that a cloud of dust Avas seen about a quarter of a league off.”

” Draw nearer, sir,” said the honest tradesman, ” and if you have not breakfasted ” and he pointed to the excellent repast which was spread on the grass.

Gilbert approached the group. He had not breakfasted, and the seducing odor of the viands tempted him strongly ; but he jingled his twenty-five sous in his pocket, and reflecting that for the third of this sum he could purchase a breakfast almost as good as that which was offered to him, he would not accept any favor from people whom he saw for the first time.

” Thank you, sir,” said he, ” a thousand thanks, but I have already breakfasted.”

“Ah!” said the good woman, ” I see that you are a prudent young man. But from where you are seated you will see nothing.”

“Why,” replied Gilbert, smiling, “in that case you will not see anything yourselves, as you are in the same position as myself.”

” Oh, it is a very different matter with us. We have a nephew, a sergeant, in the French guards.”

The young girl looked like a peony.

” His post this morning will be before La Paon Bleu.”

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” If I am not taking too great a liberty ‘ said Gilbert, ” may I ask where Le Paon Bleu is ? “

“Just opposite the Carmelite Convent,” replied the mother. ” He has promised to keep places for us behind his detachment. He will then give us his bench, and we shall see at our ease all the company get out of their carriages.”

It was now Gilbert’s turn to redden ; he had refused to eat with the good people, but he longed to be of their party.

Nevertheless, his philosophy, or, rather, his pride whispered : ” It is very well for Avomen to require some one to assist them, but I, a man, have arms and shoulders of my own.”

” All those who do not get placed like us,” continued the mother, as if guessing his thought, ” will only see empty carriages no great sight, in truth, for empty carriages can be seen everywhere, and certainly are not worth the trouble of coming as far as St. Denis.”

“But, madame,” said Gilbert, ” it seems to me that many besides yourself will endeavor to secure the place you speak of.”

” Yes, but every one has not a nephew in the guards to assist them.”

” Ah ! true ! ” murmured Gilbert.

As he said this, his face wore an expression of disappointment which did not escape Parisian penetration.

” But,” said the husband, well skilled in divining the wishes of his wife, ” this gentleman can accompany us if he pleases.”

“Oh, sir, I fear I should be troublesome,” replied Gilbert.

“Bah! not at all,” said the good woman; “on the contrary, you will assist us in reaching our places. “We have only one man now to depend on, and then we should have two.”

No other argument could have had so much weight in determining Gilbert. The idea that he could be useful, and by so doing pay for the favor which was offered him, put him quite at his ease and relieved every scruple.

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He accepted the offer.

” We shall see to whom he will offer his arm,” said the aunt.

This assistance was indeed a real God-send to Gilbert. How, without it, could he have passed through a barrier of thirty thousand persons, each more favored than himself by rank, wealth, or strength, and, above all, by the practise they had acquired in obtaining places at fetes, where every one seizes the best he can procure ?

Had our philosopher been less of a theoretical and more of a practical man, the present occasion would have furnished him with an admirable opportunity for studying the dynamics of society.

The carriage with four horses, burst like a cannon-ball through the mass ; all fell back on each side before its running footman, with his plumed hat, his gaily striped jacket, and his thick stick, who rushed on in advance, frequently preceded by two formidable coach-dogs.

The carriage with two horses advanced more slowly, and whispered a sort of password in the ear of a guardsman, after which it proceeded to take its place in the cortege before the convent.

Single horsemen, although overlooking the crowd from their elevated position, were forced to advance at a foot-pace, and only gained a good position after a thousand jostlings, interruptions, and oaths.

Lastly, the poor pedestrian, trodden, trampled on, and tossed about, was driven forward like the foam of the wave by a thousand waves rolling on behind. Sometimes raising himself on tiptoe to see over the heads of his neighbors ; sometimes wrestling like Antaeus, to fall like him to his mother earth ; seeking his way through the multitude, and when he had found it, dragging after him his family almost always a troop of women whom the Parisian alone ventures to attempt conducting through such scenes.

Lowest of all, or rather superior to all, in such circumstances, was the man of the very dregs of the people. With unshaven beard and ragged cap, his arms naked to

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the elbow, and his garments held together by some fragment of a cord, indefatigably working with elbows, with shoulders, and with feet, and ever and anon uttering a savage and sardonic laugh, he made his way among the crowds as easily as Gulliver amid the Lilliputians.

Gilbert, who was neither a great lord with a carriage and four, nor a member of Parliament with two, nor a soldier on horseback, nor a Parisian, nor a man of the people, must have infallibly been trampled under foot by the throng, had he not been under the protection of the tradesman. Backed by him, he felt powerful, and boldly offered his arm to the mother of the family.

“Impertinent fellow !” said the aunt.

They set out ; the father gave his sister and his daughter each an arm, and the maid-servant followed behind with the huge basket.

” Gentlemen, may I trouble you ? ” said the good woman, with her ready laugh. ” Gentlemen, if you please, a little room gentlemen, be good enough “

And every one fell back and yielded a passage to her and Gilbert, while in their wake glided the rest of the party.

Foot by foot, step by step, they managed to advance five hundred paces, and then found themselves close to that formidable line of French guards on which the tradesman and his family rested all their hopes. The daughter had by this time regained her natural color. Once there, the citizen mounted on Gilbert’s shoulders to look over the soldiers’ heads, and perceived at twenty yards’ distance from him his wife’s nephew twisting his mustache. The good man made such outrageous gestures with his hat, that at last his nephew’s attention was attracted to him ; he came forward, asked his comrades to make way a little, and obtained a slight opening in the ranks.

Through this chink slipped Gilbert and the good woman, then the citizen himself, the sister and daughter, and after them the stout lass with the basket. Their troublesome journey was over, and mutual thanks were exchanged between Gilbert and the head of the family. The mother

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endeavored to detaiii him by their side, the aunt said he had better go, and they separated, not to meet again.

In the open space in which Gilbert now found himself, none but privileged persons were admitted, and he therefore easily reached the trunk of a large linden-tree, mounted upon a stone near it, and supporting himself by a low branch, waited patiently.

About half an hour after he had thus installed himself, the cannon roared, the rattling of the drums was heard, and the great bell of the cathedral sent forth its first majestic peal.

CHAPTER XLIX.

THE KIXG’S CARRIAGES.

A DULL heavy sound was heard in the distance which became stronger and deeper as it advanced. As Gilbert listened, he felt every nerve in his body vibrate painfully.

The people were shouting ” God save the king ! ” It was the fashion then.

Onward came a cloud of prancing horses covered with housings of gold and purple ; these were the musketeers, the gendarmes, and Swiss horse-guards. Then followed a massive carriage magnificently decorated.

Gilbert perceived in it a blue ribbon and a majestic head not uncovered ; he saw the cold, penetrating light of the royal look,before which every form bent and every head was uncovered. Fascinated motionless, breathless, he forgot to take off his hat.

A violent blow roused him from his trance ; his hat rolled on the ground.

He sprung forward, lifted it up, and looking round, saw the tradesman’s nephew looking at him with that truculent smile which is peculiar to the soldier.

” Well,” said he, ” so you don’t take off your hat to the king ? “

Gilbert turned pale and looked at his hat covered with dust.

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” It is the first time I ever saw the king,” said he, ” and I forgot to salute him, it is true. But I did not know “

‘ ‘ You did not know ? ” said the soldier, frowning.

Gilbert feared that he should be driven from the spot where he was so well placed for seeing Andre, and love conquered pride.

” Pardon me ‘ said he, ” I am from the country.”

” And you have come to Paris to be educated, my little man ? “

” Yes, sir,” replied Gilbert, swallowing his rage.

” Well, since you are seeking instruction,” said the sergeant, arresting Gilbert’s hand as he was just going to put his hat on his head, ” learn this : you must take off your hat to the dauphiness as well as to the king, and to their royal highnesses the princes as well as to the dauphiness ; in short, you must take it off to all the carriages on which you see the fleur-de-lis. Do you know the fleur-de-lis, my little fellow, or must I show you what it is ? “

” Quite unnecessary, sir ; I know it.”

“It is well you know even that much,” grumbled the sergeant.

The royal carriages continued to file past. As each reached the door of the convent, it stopped to permit its occupants to alight. This operation caused, every five minutes, a general halt along the whole line.

At one of these halts, Gilbert felt as if a fiery sword had pierced his heart. He became giddy ; everything swam before his eyes, and he trembled so violently that he was forced to grasp his branch more firmly to prevent himself from falling.

About ten paces from him, in one of the carriages with the fleur-de-lis, to which the sergeant had desired him to take off his hat, he had just perceived Andre. Dressed in white, and dazzling with beauty, she seemed to his excited eyes some angelic being from a higher sphere.

He uttered a stifled cry ; but immediately afterward, conquering his agitation, he commanded his heart to be etill and his gaze steady ; and so great was his self-control that he succeeded.

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Andre, on her side, wishing to know why the procession had stopped, leaned forward out of the carriage, and directing her clear and limpid gaze around, she perceived Gilbert, and at once recognized him. Gilbert feared that on seeing him she would be surprised, and would point him out to her father.

He was not mistaken. With an air of astonishment, she turned toward the Baron de Taverney, who, decorated with his red ribbon, sat with great dignity beside her, and directed his attention to Gilbert.

” Gilbert ? ” cried the baron, starting ; tl Gilbert here ? And who, pray, will take care of Mahon at Taverney ? “

The young man heard these words distinctly, and with the most studied respect he bowed to Andre and the baron. It required all his strength to accomplish this feat.

” It is really he ! ” continued the baron, on perceiving our philosopher. ” It is the little rascal himself ! “

The idea of Gilbert being in Paris was one so far removed from his thoughts, that at first he would not believe his daughter’s assertions, and could hardly credit even his own eyes. As for Andre, whom Gilbert examined closely, after the first slight shade of surprise had passed away, her countenance resumed an expression of most perfect calm.

The baron leaned out of the carriage window and signed to Gilbert to approach ; but as he attempted to obey the sergeant stopped him.

” You see that I am called,” said he.

“By whom ?” demanded the sergeant.

” The gentleman in that carriage.”

The sergeant’s eyes followed the direction of Gilbert’s finger, and rested on the Baron de Taverney ‘s carriage.”

” Pray allow him to come this way, sergeant,” said the baron. ” I wish to speak to the lad two words only.”

” Four, sir, four, if you like,” replied the soldier. ” You have plenty of time : they are now reading an address at the gate, and I dare say it will occupy half an hour. Pass through, young man.”

DUMAS VOL. VI. T

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” Come hither, you rascal ! ” said the baron to Gilbert, who affected to walk at his usual pace, “and tell me by what accident it happens you are here when you ought to be at Taverney.”

Gilbert saluted Andre and the baron a second time and replied :

“It was no accident which brought me to Paris, sir, I came hither of my own free will.”

” Your free will, you scoundrel ? Do you talk of your will to me ? “

” Why not ? Every free man has the right to possess it,”

” Oh, ho ! Free man ? You imagine yourself free, do you, you little wretch ? “

” Certainly I am ; I have never sold my freedom to any one ‘

” Upon my word, this is an amusing sort of a scoundrel ! ” exclaimed the baron, confounded at the cool ness with which Gilbert spoke. ” Your free will led you to Paris ! And how did you travel, pray ? What assistance had you, may I ask ? “