English
WewillleaveVillefortontheroadtoParis,travelling—thankstotrebledfees—withallspeed,andpassingthroughtwoorthreeapartments,enterattheTuileriesthelittleroomwiththearchedwindow,sowellknownashavingbeenthefavoriteclosetofNapoleonandLouisXVIII.,andnowofLouisPhilippe.
There,seatedbeforeawalnuttablehehadbroughtwithhimfromHartwell,andtowhich,fromoneofthosefanciesnotuncommontogreatpeople,hewasparticularlyattached,theking,LouisXVIII.,wascarelesslylisteningtoamanoffiftyorfifty–twoyearsofage,withgrayhair,aristocraticbearing,andexceedinglygentlemanlyattire,andmeanwhilemakingamarginalnoteinavolumeofGryphius’sratherinaccurate,butmuchsought–after,editionofHorace—aworkwhichwasmuchindebtedtothesagaciousobservationsofthephilosophicalmonarch.
“Yousay,sir”—saidtheking.
“ThatIamexceedinglydisquieted,sire.”
“Really,haveyouhadavisionofthesevenfatkineandthesevenleankine?”
“No,sire,forthatwouldonlybetokenforussevenyearsofplentyandsevenyearsofscarcity;andwithakingasfullofforesightasyourmajesty,scarcityisnotathingtobefeared.”
“Thenofwhatotherscourgeareyouafraid,mydearBlacas?”
“Sire,Ihaveeveryreasontobelievethatastormisbrewinginthesouth.”
“Well,mydearduke,”repliedLouisXVIII.,“Ithinkyouarewronglyinformed,andknowpositivelythat,onthecontrary,itisveryfineweatherinthatdirection.”Manofabilityashewas,LouisXVIII.likedapleasantjest.
“Sire,”continuedM.deBlacas,“ifitonlybetoreassureafaithfulservant,willyourmajestysendintoLanguedoc,Provence,andDauphine,trustymen,whowillbringyoubackafaithfulreportastothefeelinginthesethreeprovinces?”
“Caninussurdis,”repliedtheking,continuingtheannotationsinhisHorace.
“Sire,”repliedthecourtier,laughing,inorderthathemightseemtocomprehendthequotation,“yourmajestymaybeperfectlyrightinrelyingonthegoodfeelingofFrance,butIfearIamnotaltogetherwrongindreadingsomedesperateattempt.”
“Bywhom?”
“ByBonaparte,or,atleast,byhisadherents.”
“MydearBlacas,”saidtheking,“youwithyouralarmspreventmefromworking.”
“Andyou,sire,preventmefromsleepingwithyoursecurity.”
“Wait,mydearsir,waitamoment;forIhavesuchadelightfulnoteonthePastorquumtraheret—wait,andIwilllistentoyouafterwards.”
Therewasabriefpause,duringwhichLouisXVIII.
wrote,inahandassmallaspossible,anothernoteonthemarginofhisHorace,andthenlookingatthedukewiththeairofamanwhothinkshehasanideaofhisown,whileheisonlycommentingupontheideaofanother,said,—
“Goon,mydearduke,goon—Ilisten.”
“Sire,”saidBlacas,whohadforamomentthehopeofsacrificingVilleforttohisownprofit,“Iamcompelledtotellyouthatthesearenotmererumorsdestituteoffoundationwhichthusdisquietme;butaserious–mindedman,deservingallmyconfidence,andchargedbymetowatchoverthesouth”(thedukehesitatedashepronouncedthesewords),“hasarrivedbyposttotellmethatagreatperilthreatenstheking,andsoIhastenedtoyou,sire.”
“Maladucisavidomum,”continuedLouisXVIII.,stillannotating.
“Doesyourmajestywishmetodropthesubject?”
“Bynomeans,mydearduke;butjuststretchoutyourhand.”
“Which?”
“Whicheveryouplease—theretotheleft.”
“Here,sire?”
“Itellyoutotheleft,andyouarelookingtotheright;Imeanonmyleft—yes,there.
Youwillfindyesterday’sreportoftheministerofpolice.
ButhereisM.Dandrehimself;”andM.Dandre,announcedbythechamberlain–in–waiting,entered.
“Comein,”saidLouisXVIII.,withrepressedsmile,“comein,Baron,andtellthedukeallyouknow—thelatestnewsofM.deBonaparte;donotconcealanything,howeverserious,—letussee,theIslandofElbaisavolcano,andwemayexpecttohaveissuingthenceflamingandbristlingwar—bella,horridabella.”
M.Dandreleanedveryrespectfullyonthebackofachairwithhistwohands,andsaid,—
“Hasyourmajestyperusedyesterday’sreport?”
“Yes,yes;buttellthedukehimself,whocannotfindanything,whatthereportcontains—givehimtheparticularsofwhattheusurperisdoinginhisislet.”
“Monsieur,”saidthebarontotheduke,“alltheservantsofhismajestymustapproveofthelatestintelligencewhichwehavefromtheIslandofElba.
Bonaparte”—M.DandrelookedatLouisXVIII.,who,employedinwritinganote,didnotevenraisehishead.
“Bonaparte,”continuedthebaron,“ismortallywearied,andpasseswholedaysinwatchinghisminersatworkatPorto–Longone.”
“Andscratcheshimselfforamusement,”addedtheking.
“Scratcheshimself?”inquiredtheduke,“whatdoesyourmajestymean?”
“Yes,indeed,mydearduke.Didyouforgetthatthisgreatman,thishero,thisdemigod,isattackedwithamaladyoftheskinwhichworrieshimtodeath,prurigo?”
“And,moreover,mydearduke,”continuedtheministerofpolice,“wearealmostassuredthat,inaveryshorttime,theusurperwillbeinsane.”
“Insane?”
“Ravingmad;hisheadbecomesweaker.Sometimesheweepsbitterly,sometimeslaughsboisterously,atothertimehepasseshoursontheseashore,flingingstonesinthewaterandwhentheflintmakes‘duck–and–drake’fiveorsixtimes,heappearsasdelightedasifhehadgainedanotherMarengoorAusterlitz.
Now,youmustagreethattheseareindubitablesymptomsofinsanity.”
“Orofwisdom,mydearbaron—orofwisdom,”saidLouisXVIII.,laughing;“thegreatestcaptainsofantiquityamusedthemselvesbycastingpebblesintotheocean—seePlutarch’slifeofScipioAfricanus.”
M.deBlacaspondereddeeplybetweentheconfidentmonarchandthetruthfulminister.
Villefort,whodidnotchoosetorevealthewholesecret,lestanothershouldreapallthebenefitofthedisclosure,hadyetcommunicatedenoughtocausehimthegreatestuneasiness.
“Well,well,Dandre,”saidLouisXVIII.,“Blacasisnotyetconvinced;letusproceed,therefore,totheusurper’sconversion.”Theministerofpolicebowed.
“Theusurper’sconversion!”murmuredtheduke,lookingatthekingandDandre,whospokealternately,likeVirgil’sshepherds.“Theusurperconverted!”
“Decidedly,mydearduke.”
“Inwhatwayconverted?”
“Togoodprinciples.Tellhimallaboutit,baron.”
“Why,thisisthewayofit,”saidtheminister,withthegravestairintheworld:“Napoleonlatelyhadareview,andastwoorthreeofhisoldveteransexpressedadesiretoreturntoFrance,hegavethemtheirdismissal,andexhortedthemto‘servethegoodking.’
Thesewerehisownwords,ofthatIamcertain.”
“Well,Blacas,whatthinkyouofthis?”inquiredthekingtriumphantly,andpausingforamomentfromthevoluminousscholiastbeforehim.
“Isay,sire,thattheministerofpoliceisgreatlydeceivedorIam;andasitisimpossibleitcanbetheministerofpoliceashehastheguardianshipofthesafetyandhonorofyourmajesty,itisprobablethatIaminerror.
However,sire,ifImightadvise,yourmajestywillinterrogatethepersonofwhomIspoketoyou,andIwillurgeyourmajestytodohimthishonor.”
“Mostwillingly,duke;underyourauspicesIwillreceiveanypersonyouplease,butyoumustnotexpectmetobetooconfiding.
Baron,haveyouanyreportmorerecentthanthisdatedthe20thFebruary.—thisisthe4thofMarch?”
“No,sire,butIamhourlyexpectingone;itmayhavearrivedsinceIleftmyoffice.”
“Gothither,andiftherebenone—well,well,”continuedLouisXVIII.,“makeone;thatistheusualway,isitnot?”andthekinglaughedfacetiously.
“Oh,sire,”repliedtheminister,“wehavenooccasiontoinventany;everydayourdesksareloadedwithmostcircumstantialdenunciations,comingfromhostsofpeoplewhohopeforsomereturnforserviceswhichtheyseektorender,butcannot;theytrusttofortune,andrelyuponsomeunexpectedeventinsomewaytojustifytheirpredictions.”
“Well,sir,go”;saidLouisXVIII.,“andrememberthatIamwaitingforyou.”
“Iwillbutgoandreturn,sire;Ishallbebackintenminutes.”
“AndI,sire,”saidM.deBlacas,“willgoandfindmymessenger.”
“Wait,sir,wait,”saidLouisXVIII.“Really,M.deBlacas,Imustchangeyourarmorialbearings;Iwillgiveyouaneaglewithoutstretchedwings,holdinginitsclawsapreywhichtriesinvaintoescape,andbearingthisdevice—Tenax.”
“Sire,Ilisten,”saidDeBlacas,bitinghisnailswithimpatience.
“Iwishtoconsultyouonthispassage,‘Mollifugiensanhelitu,’youknowitreferstoastagflyingfromawolf.
Areyounotasportsmanandagreatwolf–hunter?
Well,then,whatdoyouthinkofthemollianhelitu?”
“Admirable,sire;butmymessengerislikethestagyoureferto,forhehaspostedtwohundredandtwentyleaguesinscarcelythreedays.”
“Whichisundergoinggreatfatigueandanxiety,mydearduke,whenwehaveatelegraphwhichtransmitsmessagesinthreeorfourhours,andthatwithoutgettingintheleastoutofbreath.”
“Ah,sire,yourecompensebutbadlythispooryoungman,whohascomesofar,andwithsomuchardor,togiveyourmajestyusefulinformation.
IfonlyforthesakeofM.deSalvieux,whorecommendshimtome,Ientreatyourmajestytoreceivehimgraciously.”
“M.deSalvieux,mybrother’schamberlain?”
“Yes,sire.”
“HeisatMarseilles.”
“Andwritesmethence.”
“Doeshespeaktoyouofthisconspiracy?”
“No;butstronglyrecommendsM.deVillefort,andbegsmetopresenthimtoyourmajesty.”
“M.deVillefort!”criedtheking,“isthemessenger’snameM.deVillefort?”
“Yes,sire.”
“AndhecomesfromMarseilles?”
“Inperson.”
“Whydidyounotmentionhisnameatonce?”repliedtheking,betrayingsomeuneasiness.
“Sire,Ithoughthisnamewasunknowntoyourmajesty.”
“No,no,Blacas;heisamanofstrongandelevatedunderstanding,ambitious,too,and,pardieu,youknowhisfather’sname!”
“Hisfather?”
“Yes,Noirtier.”
“NoirtiertheGirondin?—Noirtierthesenator?”
“Hehimself.”
“Andyourmajestyhasemployedthesonofsuchaman?”
“Blacas,myfriend,youhavebutlimitedcomprehension.ItoldyouVillefortwasambitious,andtoattainthisambitionVillefortwouldsacrificeeverything,evenhisfather.”
“Then,sire,mayIpresenthim?”
“Thisinstant,duke!Whereishe?”
“Waitingbelow,inmycarriage.”
“Seekhimatonce.”
“Ihastentodoso.”Thedukelefttheroyalpresencewiththespeedofayoungman;hisreallysincereroyalismmadehimyouthfulagain.LouisXVIII.
remainedalone,andturninghiseyesonhishalf–openedHorace,muttered,—
“Justumettenacempropositivirum.”
M.deBlacasreturnedasspeedilyashehaddeparted,butintheante–chamberhewasforcedtoappealtotheking’sauthority.
Villefort’sdustygarb,hiscostume,whichwasnotofcourtlycut,excitedthesusceptibilityofM.deBreze,whowasallastonishmentatfindingthatthisyoungmanhadtheaudacitytoenterbeforethekinginsuchattire.
Theduke,however,overcamealldifficultieswithaword—hismajesty’sorder;and,inspiteoftheprotestationswhichthemasterofceremoniesmadeforthehonorofhisofficeandprinciples,Villefortwasintroduced.
Thekingwasseatedinthesameplacewherethedukehadlefthim.Onopeningthedoor,Villefortfoundhimselffacinghim,andtheyoungmagistrate’sfirstimpulsewastopause.
“Comein,M.deVillefort,”saidtheking,“comein.”Villefortbowed,andadvancingafewsteps,waiteduntilthekingshouldinterrogatehim.
“M.deVillefort,”saidLouisXVIII.,“theDucdeBlacasassuresmeyouhavesomeinterestinginformationtocommunicate.”
“Sire,thedukeisright,andIbelieveyourmajestywillthinkitequallyimportant.”
“Inthefirstplace,andbeforeeverythingelse,sir,isthenewsasbadinyouropinionasIamaskedtobelieve?”
“Sire,Ibelieveittobemosturgent,butIhope,bythespeedIhaveused,thatitisnotirreparable.”
“Speakasfullyasyouplease,sir,”saidtheking,whobegantogivewaytotheemotionwhichhadshoweditselfinBlacas’sfaceandaffectedVillefort’svoice.
“Speak,sir,andpraybeginatthebeginning;Ilikeorderineverything.”
“Sire,”saidVillefort,“Iwillrenderafaithfulreporttoyourmajesty,butImustentreatyourforgivenessifmyanxietyleadstosomeobscurityinmylanguage.”
Aglanceatthekingafterthisdiscreetandsubtleexordium,assuredVillefortofthebenignityofhisaugustauditor,andhewenton:—
“Sire,IhavecomeasrapidlytoParisaspossible,toinformyourmajestythatIhavediscovered,intheexerciseofmyduties,notacommonplaceandinsignificantplot,suchasiseverydaygotupinthelowerranksofthepeopleandinthearmy,butanactualconspiracy—astormwhichmenacesnolessthanyourmajesty’sthrone.
Sire,theusurperisarmingthreeships,hemeditatessomeproject,which,howevermad,isyet,perhaps,terrible.
AtthismomenthewillhaveleftElba,togowhitherIknownot,butassuredlytoattemptalandingeitheratNaples,oronthecoastofTuscany,orperhapsontheshoresofFrance.
YourmajestyiswellawarethatthesovereignoftheIslandofElbahasmaintainedhisrelationswithItalyandFrance?”
“Iam,sir,”saidtheking,muchagitated;“andrecentlywehavehadinformationthattheBonapartistclubshavehadmeetingsintheRueSaint–Jacques.Butproceed,Ibegofyou.Howdidyouobtainthesedetails?”
“Sire,theyaretheresultsofanexaminationwhichIhavemadeofamanofMarseilles,whomIhavewatchedforsometime,andarrestedonthedayofmydeparture.
Thisperson,asailor,ofturbulentcharacter,andwhomIsuspectedofBonapartism,hasbeensecretlytotheIslandofElba.
Therehesawthegrand–marshal,whochargedhimwithanoralmessagetoaBonapartistinParis,whosenameIcouldnotextractfromhim;butthismissionwastopreparemen’smindsforareturn(itisthemanwhosaysthis,sire)—areturnwhichwillsoonoccur.”
“Andwhereisthisman?”
“Inprison,sire.”
“Andthematterseemsserioustoyou?”
“Soserious,sire,thatwhenthecircumstancesurprisedmeinthemidstofafamilyfestival,ontheverydayofmybetrothal,Ileftmybrideandfriends,postponingeverything,thatImighthastentolayatyourmajesty’sfeetthefearswhichimpressedme,andtheassuranceofmydevotion.”
“True,”saidLouisXVIII.,“wastherenotamarriageengagementbetweenyouandMademoiselledeSaint–Meran?”
“Daughterofoneofyourmajesty’smostfaithfulservants.”
“Yes,yes;butletustalkofthisplot,M.deVillefort.”
“Sire,Ifearitismorethanaplot;Ifearitisaconspiracy.”
“Aconspiracyinthesetimes,”saidLouisXVIII.,smiling,“isathingveryeasytomeditate,butmoredifficulttoconducttoanend,inasmuchas,re–establishedsorecentlyonthethroneofourancestors,wehaveoureyesopenatonceuponthepast,thepresent,andthefuture.
Forthelasttenmonthsmyministershaveredoubledtheirvigilance,inordertowatchtheshoreoftheMediterranean.
IfBonapartelandedatNaples,thewholecoalitionwouldbeonfootbeforehecouldevenreachPiomoino;ifhelandinTuscany,hewillbeinanunfriendlyterritory;ifhelandinFrance,itmustbewithahandfulofmen,andtheresultofthatiseasilyforetold,execratedasheisbythepopulation.
Takecourage,sir;butatthesametimerelyonourroyalgratitude.”
“Ah,hereisM.Dandre!”crieddeBlacas.
Atthisinstanttheministerofpoliceappearedatthedoor,pale,trembling,andasifreadytofaint.
Villefortwasabouttoretire,butM.deBlacas,takinghishand,restrainedhim.
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