diff options
| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-14 20:07:21 -0700 |
|---|---|---|
| committer | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-14 20:07:21 -0700 |
| commit | cfd750260759191a03630255018dea4958ad6eea (patch) | |
| tree | c95b5fe8b518ce892996940cf88a268049b1dbd5 /37173-h | |
Diffstat (limited to '37173-h')
| -rw-r--r-- | 37173-h/37173-h.htm | 6754 |
1 files changed, 6754 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/37173-h/37173-h.htm b/37173-h/37173-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..20185e9 --- /dev/null +++ b/37173-h/37173-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,6754 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<!-- $Id: header.txt 236 2009-12-07 18:57:00Z vlsimpson $ --> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=UTF-8" /> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of In A Glass Darkly, vol. II by J. Sheridan Le Fanu. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; +} + +p { + margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; +} + +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; +} + + +.blockquot { + margin-left: 5%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + + +.bb {border-bottom: solid 2px;} + +.bl {border-left: solid 2px;} + +.bt {border-top: solid 2px;} + +.br {border-right: solid 2px;} + +.bbox {border: solid 2px;} + +.center {text-align: center;} + +.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + +.u {text-decoration: underline;} + +.caption {font-weight: bold;} + + +/* Footnotes */ +.footnotes {border: dashed 1px;} + +.footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + +.footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 84%; text-align: right;} + +.fnanchor { + vertical-align: super; + font-size: .8em; + text-decoration: + none; +} + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 37173 ***</div> + + + + +<h1>IN A GLASS DARKLY.</h1> + +<h3>BY</h3> + +<h2>J. SHERIDAN LE FANU,</h2> + +<h4>AUTHOR OF "UNCLE SILAS", &C.</h4> + +<h4>IN THREE VOLUMES.</h4> + +<h4>VOL. II.</h4> + + +<h5>LONDON:</h5> + +<h5>R. BENTLEY & SON, NEW BURLINGTON STREET.</h5> + +<h5>1872.</h5> + + +<p><a href="#CONTENTS">Contents</a></p> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>In a Glass Darkly.</h2> + + +<h3>THE ROOM IN THE DRAGON VOLANT.</h3> + + +<h3>VOL. II.</h3> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="PROLOGUE" id="PROLOGUE"></a>PROLOGUE.</h3> + + +<p>The curious case which I am about to +place before you, is referred to, very +pointedly, and more than once, in the extraordinary +Essay upon the drugs of the +Dark and the Middle Ages, from the pen +of Doctor Hesselius.</p> + +<p>This Essay he entitles "Mortis Imago," +and he, therein, discusses the <i>Vinum letiferum</i>, +the <i>Beatifica</i>, the <i>Somnus Angelorum</i>, the +<i>Hypnus Sagarum</i>, the <i>Aqua Thessalliæ</i>, and +about twenty other infusions and distillations, +well known to the sages of eight +hundred years ago, and two of which are +still, he alleges, known to the fraternity of +thieves, and, among them, as police-office +inquiries sometimes disclose to this day, in +practical use.</p> + +<p>The Essay, <i>Mortis Imago</i>, will occupy as +nearly as I can, at present, calculate, two +volumes, the ninth and tenth, of the collected +papers of Doctor Martin Hesselius.</p> + +<p>This Essay, I may remark, in conclusion, +is very curiously enriched by citations, in +great abundance, from mediæval verse and +prose romance, some of the most valuable +of which, strange to say, are Egyptian.</p> + +<p>I have selected this particular statement +from among many cases equally striking, +but hardly, I think, so effective as mere +narratives, in this irregular form of publication, +it is simply as a story that I present +it.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I"></a>CHAPTER I.</h3> + +<h3>ON THE ROAD.</h3> + + +<p>In the eventful year, 1815, I was exactly +three-and-twenty, and had just succeeded +to a very large sum in consols, and +other securities. The first fall of Napoleon +had thrown the continent open to English +excursionists, anxious, let us suppose, to +improve their minds by foreign travel; and +I—the slight check of the 'hundred days' +removed, by the genius of Wellington, on +the field of Waterloo—was now added to the +philosophic throng.</p> + +<p>I was posting up to Paris from Bruxelles, +following, I presume, the route that the allied +army had pursued but a few weeks before—more +carriages than you could believe were +pursuing the same line. You could not look +back or forward, without seeing into far perspective +the clouds of dust which marked the +line of the long series of vehicles. We were, +perpetually, passing relays of return-horses, +on their way, jaded and dusty, to the inns +from which they had been taken. They were +arduous times for those patient public servants. +The whole world seemed posting up +to Paris.</p> + +<p>I ought to have noted it more particularly, +but my head was so full of Paris and the future, +that I passed the intervening scenery with little +patience and less attention; I think, however, +that it was about four miles to the frontier +side of a rather picturesque little town, the +name of which, as of many more important +places through which I posted in my hurried +journey, I forget, and about two hours before +sunset, that we came up with a carriage in +distress.</p> + +<p>It was not quite an upset. But the two +leaders were lying flat. The booted postillions +had got down, and two servants who +seemed very much at sea in such matters, +were by way of assisting them. A pretty +little bonnet and head were popped out of +the window of the carriage in distress. Its +<i>tournure</i>, and that of the shoulders that also +appeared for a moment, was captivating: I +resolved to play the part of a good Samaritan; +stopped my chaise, jumped out, and with +my servant lent a very willing hand in the +emergency. Alas! the lady with the pretty +bonnet, wore a very thick, black veil. I +could see nothing but the pattern of the +Bruxelles lace, as she drew back.</p> + +<p>A lean old gentleman, almost at the same +time, stuck his head out of the window. An +invalid he seemed, for although the day was +hot, he wore a black muffler which came up +to his ears and nose, quite covering the lower +part of his face, an arrangement which he +disturbed by pulling it down for a moment, +and poured forth a torrent of French thanks, +as he uncovered his black wig, and gesticulated +with grateful animation.</p> + +<p>One of my very few accomplishments +besides boxing, which was cultivated by all +Englishmen at that time, was French; and +I replied, I hope and believe, grammatically. +Many bows being exchanged, the old +gentleman's head went in again, and the +demure, pretty little bonnet once more appeared.</p> + +<p>The lady must have heard me speak to +my servant, for she framed her little speech +in such pretty, broken English, and in a +voice so sweet, that I more than ever cursed +the black veil that baulked my romantic +curiosity.</p> + +<p>The arms that were emblazoned on the +panel were peculiar; I remember especially, +one device, it was the figure of a stork, +painted in carmine, upon what the heralds +call a 'field or.' The bird was standing upon +one leg, and in the other claw held a stone. +This is, I believe, the emblem of vigilance. +Its oddity struck me, and remained impressed +upon my memory. There were supporters +besides, but I forget what they were.</p> + +<p>The courtly manners of these people, the +style of their servants, the elegance of their +travelling carriage, and the supporters to +their arms, satisfied me that they were +noble.</p> + +<p>The lady, you may be sure, was not the +less interesting on that account. What a +fascination a title exercises upon the imagination! +I do not mean on that of snobs or +moral flunkies. Superiority of rank is a +powerful and genuine influence in love. The +idea of superior refinement is associated with +it. The careless notice of the squire tells +more upon the heart of the pretty milkmaid, +than years of honest Dobbin's manly devotion, +and so on and up. It is an unjust +world!</p> + +<p>But in this case there was something more. +I was conscious of being good-looking. I +really believe I was; and there could be no +mistake about my being nearly six feet high. +Why need this lady have thanked me? Had +not her husband, for such I assumed him +to be, thanked me quite enough, and for +both? I was instinctively aware that the +lady was looking on me with no unwilling +eyes; and, through her veil, I felt the power +of her gaze.</p> + +<p>She was now rolling away, with a train of +dust behind her wheels, in the golden sunlight, +and a wise young gentleman followed +her with ardent eyes, and sighed profoundly +as the distance increased.</p> + +<p>I told the postillions on no account to pass +the carriage, but to keep it steadily in view, +and to pull up at whatever posting-house it +should stop at. We were soon in the little +town, and the carriage we followed drew up +at the Belle Etoile, a comfortable old inn. +They got out of the carriage and entered the +house.</p> + +<p>At a leisurely pace we followed. I got +down, and mounted the steps listlessly, like +a man quite apathetic and careless.</p> + +<p>Audacious as I was, I did not care to +inquire in what room I should find them. +I peeped into the apartment to my right, and +then into that on my left. <i>My</i> people were +not there.</p> + +<p>I ascended the stairs. A drawing-room +door stood open. I entered with the most +innocent air in the world. It was a spacious +room, and, beside myself, contained but one +living figure—a very pretty and lady-like +one. There was the very bonnet with which +I had fallen in love. The lady stood with +her back toward me. I could not tell whether +the envious veil was raised; she was reading +a letter.</p> + +<p>I stood for a minute in fixed attention, +gazing upon her, in the vague hope that she +might turn about, and give me an opportunity +of seeing her features. She did not; +but with a step or two she placed herself +before a little cabriole-table, which stood +against the wall, from which rose a tall +mirror, in a tarnished frame.</p> + +<p>I might, indeed, have mistaken it for +a picture; for it now reflected a half-length +portrait of a singularly beautiful +woman.</p> + +<p>She was looking down upon a letter which +she held in her slender fingers, and in which +she seemed absorbed.</p> + +<p>The face was oval, melancholy, sweet. It +had in it, nevertheless, a faint and undefinably +sensual quality also. Nothing could exceed +the delicacy of its features, or the brilliancy +of its tints. The eyes, indeed, were lowered, +so that I could not see their colour; nothing +but their long lashes, and delicate eyebrows. +She continued reading. She must have been +deeply interested; I never saw a living form +so motionless—I gazed on a tinted statue.</p> + +<p>Being at that time blessed with long and +keen vision, I saw this beautiful face with +perfect distinctness. I saw even the blue +veins that traced their wanderings on the +whiteness of her full throat.</p> + +<p>I ought to have retreated as noiselessly as +I came in, before my presence was detected. +But I was too much interested to move from +the spot, for a few moments longer; and +while they were passing, she raised her eyes. +Those eyes were large, and of that hue which +modern poets term "violet."</p> + +<p>These splendid melancholy eyes were +turned upon me from the glass, with a +haughty stare, and hastily the lady lowered +her black veil, and turned about.</p> + +<p>I fancied that she hoped I had not seen +her. I was watching every look and movement, +the minutest, with an attention as +intense as if an ordeal involving my life +depended on them.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II"></a>CHAPTER II.</h3> + +<h3>THE INN-YARD OF THE BELLE ETOILE.</h3> + + +<p>The face was, indeed, one to fall in love +with at first sight. Those sentiments +that take such sudden possession of young +men were now dominating my curiosity. +My audacity faltered before her; and I felt +that my presence in this room was probably +an impertinence. This point she quickly +settled, for the same very sweet voice I had +heard before, now said coldly, and this time +in French, "Monsieur cannot be aware that +this apartment is not public."</p> + +<p>I bowed very low, faltered some apologies, +and backed to the door.</p> + +<p>I suppose I looked penitent and embarrassed. +I certainly felt so; for the lady +said, by way it seemed of softening matters, +"I am happy, however, to have an opportunity +of again thanking Monsieur for the +assistance, so prompt and effectual, which he +had the goodness to render us to-day."</p> + +<p>It was more the altered tone in which it +was spoken, than the speech itself that encouraged +me. It was also true that she need +not have recognized me; and even if she +had, she certainly was not obliged to thank +me over again.</p> + +<p>All this was indescribably flattering, and +all the more so that it followed so quickly on +her slight reproof.</p> + +<p>The tone in which she spoke had become +low and timid, and I observed that she +turned her head quickly towards a second +door of the room, I fancied that the gentleman +in the black wig, a jealous husband, +perhaps, might reappear through it. Almost +at the same moment, a voice at once reedy +and nasal, was heard snarling some directions +to a servant, and evidently approaching. It +was the voice that had thanked me so profusely, +from the carriage windows, about an +hour before.</p> + +<p>"Monsieur will have the goodness to retire," +said the lady, in a tone that resembled +entreaty, at the same time gently waving her +hand toward the door through which I had +entered. Bowing again very low, I stepped +back, and closed the door.</p> + +<p>I ran down the stairs, very much elated. I +saw the host of the Belle Etoile which, as I +said, was the sign and designation of my inn.</p> + +<p>I described the apartment I had just +quitted, said I liked it, and asked whether I +could have it.</p> + +<p>He was extremely troubled, but that apartment +and two adjoining rooms were engaged—</p> + +<p>"By whom?"</p> + +<p>"People of distinction."</p> + +<p>"But who are they? They must have +names, or titles."</p> + +<p>"Undoubtedly, Monsieur, but such a +stream is rolling into Paris, that we have +ceased to inquire the names or titles of our +guests—we designate them simply by the +rooms they occupy."</p> + +<p>"What stay do they make?"</p> + +<p>"Even that, Monsieur, I cannot answer. +It does not interest us. Our rooms, while +this continues, can never be, for a moment, +disengaged."</p> + +<p>"I should have liked those rooms so much! +Is one of them a sleeping apartment?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir, and Monsieur will observe that +people do not usually engage bed-rooms, +unless they mean to stay the night."</p> + +<p>"Well, I can, I suppose, have some rooms, +any, I don't care in what part of the house?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly, Monsieur can have two apartments. +They are the last at present disengaged."</p> + +<p>I took them instantly.</p> + +<p>It was plain these people meant to make a +stay here; at least they would not go till +morning. I began to feel that I was all but +engaged in an adventure.</p> + +<p>I took possession of my rooms, and looked +out of the window, which I found commanded +the inn-yard. Many horses were +being liberated from the traces, hot and +weary, and others fresh from the stables, +being put to. A great many vehicles—some +private carriages, others, like mine, of that +public class, which is equivalent to our old +English post-chaise, were standing on the +pavement, waiting their turn for relays. +Fussy servants were to-ing and fro-ing, and +idle ones lounging or laughing, and the scene, +on the whole, was animated and amusing.</p> + +<p>Among these objects, I thought I recognized +the travelling carriage, and one of the +servants of the "persons of distinction" about +whom I was, just then, so profoundly interested.</p> + +<p>I therefore ran down the stairs, made my +way to the back door; and so, behold me, +in a moment, upon the uneven pavement, +among all these sights and sounds which in +such a place attend upon a period of extraordinary +crush and traffic.</p> + +<p>By this time the sun was near its setting, +and threw its golden beams on the red brick +chimneys of the offices, and made the two +barrels, that figured as pigeon-houses, on the +tops of poles, look as if they were on fire. +Everything in this light becomes picturesque; +and things interest us which, in the sober +grey of morning, are dull enough.</p> + +<p>After a little search, I lighted upon the +very carriage, of which I was in quest. A +servant was locking one of the doors, for it +was made with the security of lock and key. +I paused near, looking at the panel of the +door.</p> + +<p>"A very pretty device that red stork!" I +observed, pointing to the shield on the door, +"and no doubt indicates a distinguished +family?"</p> + +<p>The servant looked at me, for a moment, +as he placed the little key in his pocket, and +said with a slightly sarcastic bow and smile, +"Monsieur is at liberty to conjecture."</p> + +<p>Nothing daunted, I forthwith administered +that laxative which, on occasion, acts so +happily upon the tongue—I mean a "tip."</p> + +<p>The servant looked at the Napoleon in his +hand, and then, in my face, with a sincere +expression of surprise.</p> + +<p>"Monsieur is very generous!"</p> + +<p>"Not worth mentioning—who are the +lady and gentleman who came here, in this +carriage, and whom, you may remember, I +and my servant assisted to-day in an emergency, +when their horses had come to the +ground?"</p> + +<p>"They are the Count, and the young lady +we call the Countess—but I know not, she +may be his daughter."</p> + +<p>"Can you tell me where they live?"</p> + +<p>"Upon my honour, Monsieur, I am unable—I +know not."</p> + +<p>"Not know where your master lives! +Surely you know something more about him +than his name?"</p> + +<p>"Nothing worth relating, Monsieur; in +fact, I was hired in Bruxelles, on the very +day they started. Monsieur Picard, my +fellow-servant, Monsieur the Comte's gentleman, +he has been years in his service and +knows everything; but he never speaks +except to communicate an order. From him +I have learned nothing. We are going to +Paris, however, and there I shall speedily +pick up all about them. At present I am +as ignorant of all that as Monsieur himself."</p> + +<p>"And where is Monsieur Picard?"</p> + +<p>"He has gone to the cutler's to get his +razors set. But I do not think he will tell +anything."</p> + +<p>This was a poor harvest for my golden +sowing. The man, I think, spoke truth, +and would honestly have betrayed the secrets +of the family, if he had possessed any. I +took my leave politely; and mounting the +stairs, again I found myself once more in my +room.</p> + +<p>Forthwith I summoned my servant. +Though I had brought him with me from +England, he was a native of France—a useful +fellow, sharp, bustling, and, of course, quite +familiar with the ways and tricks of his +countrymen.</p> + +<p>"St. Clair, shut the door; come here. I +can't rest till I have made out something +about those people of rank who have got the +apartments under mine. Here are fifteen +francs; make out the servants we assisted to-day; +have them to a <i>petit souper</i>, and come +back and tell me their entire history. I have, +this moment, seen one of them who knows +nothing, and has communicated it. The +other, whose name I forget, is the unknown +nobleman's valet, and knows everything. +Him you must pump. It is, of course, the +venerable peer, and not the young lady who +accompanies him, that interests me—you +understand? Begone! fly! and return with +all the details I sigh for, and every circumstance +that can possibly interest me."</p> + +<p>It was a commission which admirably +suited the tastes and spirits of my worthy +St. Clair, to whom, you will have observed, +I had accustomed myself to talk with the +peculiar familiarity which the old French +comedy establishes between master and valet.</p> + +<p>I am sure he laughed at me in secret; but +nothing could be more, polite and deferential.</p> + +<p>With several wise looks, nods and shrugs, +he withdrew; and looking down from my +window, I saw him, with incredible quickness, +enter the yard, where I soon lost sight of +him among the carriages.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III"></a>CHAPTER III.</h3> + +<h3>DEATH AND LOVE TOGETHER MATED.</h3> + + +<p>When the day drags, when a man +is solitary, and in a fever of impatience +and suspense; when the minute-hand +of his watch travels as slowly as the hour-hand +used to do, and the hour-hand has lost all +appreciable motion; when he yawns, and +beats the devil's tatto, and flattens his handsome +nose against the window, and whistles +tunes he hates, and, in short, does not know +what to do with himself, it is deeply to be +regretted that he cannot make a solemn +dinner of three courses more than once in a +day. The laws of matter, to which we are +slaves, deny us that resource.</p> + +<p>But in the times I speak of, supper was +still a substantial meal, and its hour was +approaching. This was consolatory. Three-quarters +of an hour, however, still interposed. +How was I to dispose of that +interval?</p> + +<p>I had two or three idle books, it is true, +as travelling-companions; but there are many +moods in which one cannot read. My novel +lay with my rug and walking-stick on the +sofa, and I did not care if the heroine and +the hero were both drowned together in the +water-barrel that I saw in the inn-yard under +my window.</p> + +<p>I took a turn or two up and down my +room, and sighed, looking at myself in the +glass, adjusted my great white "choker," +folded and tied after Brummel, the immortal +"Beau," put on a buff waistcoat and my blue +swallow-tailed coat with gilt buttons; I +deluged my pocket handkerchief with Eau-de-Cologne +(we had not then the variety of +bouquets with which the genius of perfumery +has since blessed us); I arranged my hair, on +which I piqued myself, and which I loved to +groom in those days. That dark-brown +<i>chevelure</i>, with a natural curl, is now represented +by a few dozen perfectly white hairs, +and its place—a smooth, bald, pink head—knows +it no more. But let us forget these +mortifications. It was then rich, thick, and +dark-brown. I was making a very careful +toilet. I took my unexceptionable hat from +its case, and placed it lightly on my wise +head, as nearly as memory and practice +enabled me to do so, at that very slight +inclination which the immortal person I have +mentioned was wont to give to his. A pair +of light French gloves and a rather club-like +knotted walking-stick, such as just then came +into vogue, for a year or two again in England, +in the phraseology of Sir Walter Scott's +romances, "completed my equipment."</p> + +<p>All this attention to effect, preparatory to +a mere lounge in the yard, or on the steps +of the Belle Etoile, was a simple act of +devotion to the wonderful eyes which I had +that evening beheld for the first time, and +never, never could forget! In plain terms, +it was all done in the vague, very vague +hope that those eyes might behold the unexceptionable +get-up of a melancholy slave, +and retain the image, not altogether without +secret approbation.</p> + +<p>As I completed my preparations the light +failed me; the last level streak of sunlight +disappeared, and a fading twilight only +remained. I sighed in unison with the +pensive hour, and threw open the window, +intending to look out for a moment before +going downstairs. I perceived instantly that +the window underneath mine was also open, +for I heard two voices in conversation, +although I could not distinguish what they +were saying.</p> + +<p>The male voice was peculiar; it was, as +I told you, reedy and nasal. I knew it, of +course, instantly. The answering voice +spoke in those sweet tones which I recognised +only too easily. The dialogue was only for +a minute; the repulsive male voice laughed, +I fancied, with a kind of devilish satire, and +retired from the window, so that I almost +ceased to hear it.</p> + +<p>The other voice remained nearer the +window, but not so near as at first.</p> + +<p>It was not an altercation; there was evidently +nothing the least exciting in the +colloquy. What would I not have given that +it had been a quarrel—a violent one—and +I the redresser of wrongs, and the defender +of insulted beauty! Alas! so far as I could +pronounce upon the character of the tones +I heard, they might be as tranquil a pair as +any in existence. In a moment more the +lady began to sing an odd little <i>chanson</i>. I +need not remind you how much farther +the voice is heard <i>singing</i> than speaking. I +could distinguish the words. The voice was +of that exquisitely sweet kind which is called, +I believe, a semi-contralto; it had something +pathetic, and something, I fancied, a little +mocking in its tones. I venture a clumsy, +but adequate translation of the words:—</p> + +<p> +<span style="margin-left: 2.5em;">"Death and Love, together mated,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 4em;">Watch and wait in ambuscade;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">At early morn, or else belated.</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 4em;">They meet and mark the man or maid.</span><br /> +<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2.5em;">"Burning sigh, or breath that freezes,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 4em;">Numbs or maddens man or maid;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">Death or Love the victim seizes,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 4em;">Breathing from their ambuscade."</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 4em;">Breathing from their ambuscade."</span><br /> +</p> + +<p>"Enough, Madame!" said the old voice, +with sudden severity. "We do not desire, I +believe, to amuse the grooms and hostlers in +the yard with our music."</p> + +<p>The lady's voice laughed gaily.</p> + +<p>"You desire to quarrel, Madame!" And +the old man, I presume, shut down the +window. Down it went, at all events, with +a rattle that might easily have broken the +glass.</p> + +<p>Of all thin partitions, glass is the most +effectual excluder of sound. I heard no +more, not even the subdued hum of the +colloquy.</p> + +<p>What a charming voice this Countess had! +How it melted, swelled, and trembled! How +it moved, and even agitated me! What a +pity that a hoarse old jackdaw should have +power to crow down such a Philomel! +"Alas! what a life it is!" I moralized, +wisely. "That beautiful Countess, with the +patience of an angel and the beauty of a +Venus and the accomplishments of all the +Muses, a slave! She knows perfectly who +occupies the apartments over hers; she +heard me raise my window. One may conjecture +pretty well for whom that music was +intended—ay, old gentleman, and for whom +you suspected it to be intended."</p> + +<p>In a very agreeable flutter I left my room, +and descending the stairs, passed the Count's +door very much at my leisure. There was +just a chance that the beautiful songstress +might emerge. I dropped my stick on the +lobby, near their door, and you may be +sure it took me some little time to pick it +up! Fortune, nevertheless, did not favour me. +I could not stay on the lobby all night picking +up my stick, so I went down to the hall.</p> + +<p>I consulted the clock, and found that there +remained but a quarter of an hour to the +moment of supper.</p> + +<p>Every one was roughing it now, every inn +in confusion; people might do at such a juncture +what they never did before. Was it just +possible that, for once, the Count and +Countess would take their chairs at the table-d'hôte?</p> + + + + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV"></a>CHAPTER IV.</h3> + +<h3>MONSIEUR DROQVILLE.</h3> + + +<p>Full of this exciting hope, I sauntered +out, upon the steps of the Belle +Etoile. It was now night, and a pleasant +moonlight over everything. I had entered +more into my romance since my arrival, and +this poetic light heightened the sentiment. +What a drama, if she turned out to be the +Count's daughter, and in love with me! +What a delightful—<i>tragedy</i>, if she turned out +to be the Count's wife!</p> + +<p>In this luxurious mood, I was accosted by +a tall and very elegantly-made gentleman, who +appeared to be about fifty. His air was +courtly and graceful, and there was in his +whole manner and appearance something so +distinguished, that it was impossible not +to suspect him of being a person of +rank.</p> + +<p>He had been standing upon the steps, +looking out, like me, upon the moonlight +effects that transformed, as it were, the objects +and buildings in the little street. He accosted +me, I say, with the politeness, at once easy +and lofty, of a French nobleman of the old +school. He asked me if I were not Mr. +Beckett? I assented; and he immediately +introduced himself as the Marquis d'Harmonville +(this information he gave me in a +low tone), and asked leave to present me with +a letter from Lord R——, who knew my +father slightly, and had once done me, also, +a trifling kindness.</p> + +<p>This English peer, I may mention, stood +very high in the political world, and was +named as the most probable successor to the +distinguished post of English Minister at +Paris.</p> + +<p>I received it with a low bow, and read:</p> + + +<p>"MY DEAR BECKETT,</p> + +<p>"I beg to introduce my very dear friend, +the Marquis d'Harmonville, who will explain +to you the nature of the services it may be +in your power to render him and us."</p> + +<p>He went on to speak of the Marquis as a +man whose great wealth, whose intimate +relations with the old families, and whose +legitimate influence with the court rendered +him the fittest possible person for those +friendly offices which, at the desire of +his own sovereign, and of our government, +he has so obligingly undertaken.</p> + +<p>It added a great deal to my perplexity, +when I read, further—</p> + +<p>"By-the-bye, Walton was here yesterday, +and told me that your seat was likely to be +attacked; something, he says, is unquestionably +going on at Domwell. You know there +is an awkwardness in my meddling ever so +cautiously. But I advise, if it is not very +officious, your making Haxton look after it, +and report immediately. I fear it is serious. +I ought to have mentioned that, for reasons +that you will see, when you have talked with +him for five minutes, the Marquis—with the +concurrence of all our friends—drops his title, +for a few weeks, and is at present plain +Monsieur Droqville.</p> + +<p>"I am this moment going to town, and +can say no more.</p> + +<p> +<span style="margin-left: 5em;">"Yours faithfully,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 6em;">"R——."</span><br /> +</p> + +<p>I was utterly puzzled. I could scarcely +boast of Lord ——'s acquaintance. I knew +no one named Haxton, and, except my hatter, +no one called Walton; and this peer wrote +as if we were intimate friends! I looked +at the back of the letter, and the mystery +was solved. And now, to my consternation—for +I was plain Richard Beckett—I read—</p> + +<p> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"<i>To George Stanhope Beckett, Esq., M.P.</i>"</span><br /> +</p> + +<p>I looked with consternation in the face of +the Marquis.</p> + +<p>"What apology can I offer to Monsieur +the Mar—to Monsieur Droqville? It is +true my name is Beckett—it is true I am +known, though very slightly to Lord R——; +but the letter was not intended for me. My +name is Richard Beckett—this is to Mr. +Stanhope Beckett, the member for Shillingsworth. +What can I say, or do, in this +unfortunate situation? I can only give you +my honour as a gentleman, that, for me, +the letter, which I now return, shall remain +as unviolated a secret as before I opened it. +I am so shocked and grieved that such a +mistake should have occurred!"</p> + +<p>I dare say my honest vexation and good +faith were pretty legibly written in my countenance; +for the look of gloomy embarrassment +which had for a moment settled on the +face of the Marquis, brightened; he smiled, +kindly, and extended his hand.</p> + +<p>"I have not the least doubt that Monsieur +Beckett will respect my little secret. As a +mistake was destined to occur, I have reason +to thank my good stars that it should have +been with a gentleman of honour. Monsieur +Beckett will permit me, I hope, to place his +name among those of my friends?"</p> + +<p>I thanked the Marquis very much for his +kind expressions. He went on to say—</p> + +<p>"If, Monsieur, I can persuade you to +visit me at Claironville, in Normandy, where +I hope to see, on the 15th of August, a +great many friends, whose acquaintance it +might interest you to make, I shall be too +happy."</p> + +<p>I thanked him, of course, very gratefully +for his hospitality. He continued:</p> + +<p>"I cannot, for the present, see my friends, +for reasons which you may surmise, at my +house in Paris. But Monsieur will be so +good as to let me know the hotel he means +to stay at in Paris; and he will find that +although the Marquis d'Harmonville is not +in town, that Monsieur Droqville will not +lose sight of him."</p> + +<p>With many acknowledgments I gave him +the information he desired.</p> + +<p>"And in the meantime," he continued, +"if you think of any way in which Monsieur +Droqville can be of use to you, our +communication shall not be interrupted, and +I shall so manage matters that you can easily +let me know."</p> + +<p>I was very much flattered. The Marquis +had, as we say, taken a fancy to me. Such +likings at first sight often ripen into lasting +friendships. To be sure it was just possible +that the Marquis might think it prudent to +keep the involuntary depository of a political +secret, even so vague a one, in good +humour.</p> + +<p>Very graciously the Marquis took his +leave, going up the stairs of the Belle +Etoile.</p> + +<p>I remained upon the steps, for a minute +lost in speculation upon this new theme of +interest. But the wonderful eyes, the thrilling +voice, the exquisite figure of the beautiful +lady who had taken possession of my +imagination, quickly reasserted their influence. +I was again gazing at the sympathetic moon, +and descending the steps, I loitered along the +pavements among strange objects, and houses +that were antique and picturesque, in a dreamy +state, thinking.</p> + +<p>In a little while, I turned into the inn-yard +again. There had come a lull. Instead +of the noisy place it was, an hour or two +before, the yard was perfectly still and +empty, except for the carriages that stood +here and there. Perhaps there was a servants' +table-d'hôte just then. I was rather +pleased to find solitude; and undisturbed I +found out my lady-love's carriage, in the +moonlight. I mused, I walked round it; +I was as utterly foolish and maudlin as very +young men, in my situation, usually are. +The blinds were down, the doors, I suppose, +locked. The brilliant moonlight revealed +everything, and cast sharp, black shadows of +wheel, and bar, and spring, on the pavement. +I stood before the escutcheon painted on the +door, which I had examined in the daylight. +I wondered how often her eyes had rested +on the same object. I pondered in a charming +dream. A harsh, loud voice, over my +shoulder, said suddenly,</p> + +<p>"A red stork—good! The stork is a bird +of prey; it is vigilant, greedy, and catches +gudgeons. Red, too!—blood red! Ha! +ha! the symbol is appropriate."</p> + +<p>I had turned about, and beheld the palest +face I ever saw. It was broad, ugly, and +malignant. The figure was that of a French +officer, in undress, and was six feet high. +Across the nose and eyebrow there was a +deep scar, which made the repulsive face +grimmer.</p> + +<p>The officer elevated his chin and his eyebrows, +with a scoffing chuckle, and said,—"I +have shot a stork, with a rifle bullet, +when he thought himself safe in the clouds, +for mere sport!" (He shrugged, and laughed +malignantly). "See, Monsieur; when a man +like me—a man of energy, you understand, +a man with all his wits about him, a man +who has made the tour of Europe under +canvas, and, <i>parbleu!</i> often without it—resolves +to discover a secret, expose a crime, +catch a thief, spit a robber on the point of +his sword, it is odd if he does not succeed. +Ha! ha! ha! Adieu, Monsieur!"</p> + +<p>He turned with an angry whisk on his +heel, and swaggered with long strides out of +the gate.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V"></a>CHAPTER V.</h3> + +<h3>SUPPER AT THE BELLE ETOILE.</h3> + + +<p>The French army were in a rather savage +temper, just then. The English, +especially, had but scant courtesy to expect +at their hands. It was plain, however, that +the cadaverous gentleman who had just apostrophized +the heraldry of the Count's carriage, +with such mysterious acrimony, had +not intended any of his malevolence for me. +He was stung by some old recollection, and +had marched off, seething with fury.</p> + +<p>I had received one of those unacknowledged +shocks which startle us, when fancying +ourselves perfectly alone, we discover on +a sudden, that our antics have been watched +by a spectator, almost at our elbow. In +this case, the effect was enhanced by the +extreme repulsiveness of the face, and, I may +add, its proximity, for, as I think, it almost +touched mine. The enigmatical harangue +of this person, so full of hatred and implied +denunciation, was still in my ears. Here +at all events was new matter for the industrious +fancy of a lover to work upon.</p> + +<p>It was time now to go to the table-d'hôte. +Who could tell what lights the gossip of the +supper-table might throw upon the subject +that interested me so powerfully!</p> + +<p>I stepped into the room, my eyes searching +the little assembly, about thirty people, for +the persons who specially interested me.</p> + +<p>It was not easy to induce people, so hurried +and overworked as those of the Belle Etoile +just now, to send meals up to one's private +apartments, in the midst of this unparalleled +confusion; and, therefore, many people who +did not like it, might find themselves reduced +to the alternative of supping at the table-d'hôte, +or starving.</p> + +<p>The Count was not there, nor his beautiful +companion; but the Marquis d'Harmonville, +whom I hardly expected to see in so public a +place, signed, with a significant smile, to a +vacant chair beside himself. I secured it, +and he seemed pleased, and almost immediately +entered into conversation with me.</p> + +<p>"This is, probably, your first visit to +France?" he said.</p> + +<p>I told him it was, and he said:</p> + +<p>"You must not think me very curious and +impertinent; but Paris is about the most +dangerous capital a high-spirited and generous +young gentleman could visit without a +Mentor. If you have not an experienced +friend as a companion during your visit—" +He paused.</p> + +<p>I told him I was not so provided, but that +I had my wits about me; that I had seen a +good deal of life in England, and that, I +fancied, human nature was pretty much the +same in all parts of the world. The Marquis +shook his head, smiling.</p> + +<p>"You will find very marked differences, +notwithstanding," he said. "Peculiarities of +intellect and peculiarities of character, undoubtedly, +do pervade different nations; and +this results, among the criminal classes, in a +style of villainy no less peculiar. In Paris, +the class who live by their wits, is three or +four times as great as in London; and they +live much better; some of them even splendidly. +They are more ingenious than the +London rogues; they have more animation, +and invention, and the dramatic faculty, in +which your countrymen are deficient, is +everywhere. These invaluable attributes place +them upon a totally different level. They +can affect the manners and enjoy the luxuries +of people of distinction. They live, many +of them, by play."</p> + +<p>"So do many of our London rogues."</p> + +<p>"Yes, but in a totally different way. They +are the <i>habitués</i> of certain gaming-tables, +billiard-rooms, and other places, including +your races, where high play goes on; and by +superior knowledge of chances, by masking +their play, by means of confederates, by +means of bribery, and other artifices, varying +with the subject of their imposture, they rob +the unwary. But here it is more elaborately +done, and with a really exquisite <i>finesse</i>. +There are people whose manners, style, +conversation, are unexceptionable, living in +handsome houses in the best situations, with +everything about them in the most refined +taste, and exquisitely luxurious, who impose +even upon the Parisian bourgeois, who believe +them to be, in good faith, people of +rank and fashion, because their habits are +expensive and refined, and their houses are +frequented by foreigners of distinction, and, +to a degree, by foolish young Frenchmen of +rank. At all these houses play goes on. +The ostensible host and hostess seldom join +in it; they provide it simply to plunder their +guests, by means of their accomplices, and +thus wealthy strangers are inveigled and +robbed."</p> + +<p>"But I have heard of a young Englishman, +a son of Lord Rooksbury, who broke +two Parisian gaming-tables only last year."</p> + +<p>"I see," he said, laughing, "you are come +here to do likewise. I, myself, at about your +age, undertook the same spirited enterprise. +I raised no less a sum than five hundred +thousand francs to begin with; I expected to +carry all before me by the simple expedient +of going on doubling my stakes. I had +heard of it, and I fancied that the sharpers, +who kept the table, knew nothing of the +matter. I found, however, that they not +only knew all about it, but had provided +against the possibility of any such experiments; +and I was pulled up before I had +well begun, by a rule which forbids the +doubling of an original stake more than four +times, consecutively."</p> + +<p>"And is that rule in force still?" I inquired, +chap-fallen.</p> + +<p>He laughed and shrugged, "Of course it +is, my young friend. People who live by an +art, always understand it better than an amateur. +I see you had formed the same plan, +and no doubt came provided."</p> + +<p>I confessed I had prepared for conquest +upon a still grander scale. I had arrived +with a purse of thirty thousand pounds sterling.</p> + +<p>"Any acquaintance of my very dear +friend, Lord R——, interests me; and, besides +my regard for him, I am charmed with +you; so you will pardon all my, perhaps, +too officious questions and advice."</p> + +<p>I thanked him most earnestly for his +valuable counsel, and begged that he would +have the goodness to give me all the advice +in his power.</p> + +<p>"Then if you take my advice," said he, +"you will leave your money in the bank +where it lies. Never risk a Napoleon in a +gaming-house. The night I went to break +the bank, I lost between seven and eight +thousand pounds sterling of your English +money; and my next adventure, I had obtained +an introduction to one of those elegant +gaming-houses which affect to be the private +mansions of persons of distinction, and was +saved from ruin by a gentleman, whom, ever +since, I have regarded with increasing respect +and friendship. It oddly happens he is in +this house at this moment. I recognized his +servant, and made him a visit in his apartments +here, and found him the same brave, +kind, honourable man I always knew him. +But that he is living so entirely out of the +world, now, I should have made a point of +introducing you. Fifteen years ago he would +have been the man of all others to consult. +The gentleman I speak of is the Comte de +St. Alyre. He represents a very old family. +He is the very soul of honour, and the most +sensible man in the world, except in one particular."</p> + +<p>"And that particular?" I hesitated. I +was now deeply interested.</p> + +<p>"Is that he has married a charming creature, +at least five-and-forty years younger +than himself, and is, of course, although I +believe absolutely without cause, horribly +jealous."</p> + +<p>"And the lady?"</p> + +<p>"The Countess is, I believe, in every way +worthy of so good a man," he answered, a +little drily.</p> + +<p>"I think I heard her sing this evening."</p> + +<p>"Yes, I daresay; she is very accomplished." +After a few moments' silence he continued.</p> + +<p>"I must not lose sight of you, for I should +be sorry, when next you meet my friend +Lord R——, that you had to tell him you +had been pigeoned in Paris. A rich Englishman +as you are, with so large a sum at his +Paris bankers, young, gay, generous, a thousand +ghouls and harpies will be contending +who shall be first to seize and devour +you."</p> + +<p>At this moment I received something like +a jerk from the elbow of the gentleman at +my right. It was an accidental jog, as he +turned in his seat.</p> + +<p>"On the honour of a soldier, there is no +man's flesh in this company heals so fast as +mine."</p> + +<p>The tone in which this was spoken was +harsh and stentorian, and almost made me +bounce. I looked round and recognised the +officer, whose large white face had half scared +me in the inn-yard, wiping his mouth +furiously, and then with a gulp of Maçon, +he went on—</p> + +<p>"<i>No</i> one! It's not blood; it is ichor! +it's miracle! Set aside stature, thew, bone, +and muscle—set aside courage, and by all +the angels of death, I'd fight a lion naked +and dash his teeth down his jaws with my +fist, and flog him to death with his own tail! +Set aside, I say, all those attributes, which I +am allowed to possess, and I am worth six +men in any campaign; for that one quality +of healing as I do—rip me up; punch me +through, tear me to tatters with bomb-shells, +and nature has me whole again, while your +tailor would fine-draw an old-coat. <i>Parbleu!</i> +gentlemen, if you saw me naked, you would +laugh? Look at my hand, a sabre-cut across +the palm, to the bone, to save my head, +taken up with three stitches, and five days +afterwards I was playing ball with an English +general, a prisoner in Madrid, against the +wall of the convent of the Santa Maria de la +Castita! At Arcola, by the great devil himself! +that was an action. Every man there, +gentlemen, swallowed as much smoke in five +minutes as would smother you all, in this +room! I received, at the same moment, two +musket balls in the thighs, a grape shot +through the calf of my leg, a lance through +my left shoulder, a piece of a shrapnel in +the left deltoid, a bayonet through the +cartilage of my right ribs, a sabre-cut that +carried away a pound of flesh from my +chest, and the better part of a congreve +rocket on my forehead. Pretty well, ha, +ha! and all while you'd say <i>bah!</i> and in eight +days and a half I was making a forced +march, without shoes, and only one gaiter, +the life and soul of my company, and as +sound as a roach!"</p> + +<p>"Bravo! Bravissimo! Per Bacco! un gallant +uomo!" exclaimed, in a martial ecstacy, +a fat little Italian, who manufactured tooth-picks +and wicker cradles on the island of +Notre Dame; "your exploits shall resound +through Europe! and the history of +those wars should be written in your +blood!"</p> + +<p>"Never mind! a trifle!" exclaimed the +soldier. "At Ligny, the other day, where +we smashed the Prussians into ten hundred +thousand milliards of atoms, a bit of a shell +cut me across the leg and opened an artery. +It was spouting as high as the chimney, and +in half a minute I had lost enough to fill a +pitcher. I must have expired in another +minute, if I had not whipped off my sash +like a flash of lightning, tied it round my +leg above the wound, whipt a bayonet out of +the back of a dead Prussian, and passing it +under, made a tournequet of it with a couple +of twists, and so stayed the hemorrhage, and +saved my life. But, <i>sacré bleu!</i> gentlemen, +I lost so much blood, I have been as pale as +the bottom of a plate ever since. No matter. +A trifle. Blood well spent, gentlemen." +He applied himself now to his bottle of <i>vin +ordinaire</i>.</p> + +<p>The Marquis had closed his eyes, and +looked resigned and disgusted, while all this +was going on.</p> + +<p>"<i>Garçon</i>" said the officer, for the first +time, speaking in a low tone over the back +of his chair to the waiter; "who came in +that travelling carriage, dark yellow and +black, that stands in the middle of the yard, +with arms and supporters emblazoned on +the door, and a red stork, as red as my +facings?"</p> + +<p>The waiter could not say.</p> + +<p>The eye of the eccentric officer, who had +suddenly grown grim and serious, and +seemed to have abandoned the general conversation +to other people, lighted, as it were, +accidentally, on me.</p> + +<p>"Pardon me, Monsieur," he said. "Did +I not see you examining the panel of that +carriage at the same time that I did so, this +evening? Can you tell me who arrived in +it?"</p> + +<p>"I rather think the Count and Countess +de St. Alyre."</p> + +<p>"And are they here, in the Belle Etoile?" +he asked.</p> + +<p>"They have got apartments upstairs," I +answered.</p> + +<p>He started up, and half pushed his chair +from the table. He quickly sat down again, +and I could hear him <i>sacré</i>-ing and muttering +to himself, and grinning and scowling. I +could not tell whether he was alarmed or +furious.</p> + +<p>I turned to say a word or two to the +Marquis, but he was gone. Several other +people had dropped out also, and the supper +party soon broke up.</p> + +<p>Two or three substantial pieces of wood +smouldered on the hearth, for the night had +turned out chilly. I sat down by the fire in +a great arm-chair, of carved oak, with a +marvellously high back, that looked as old as +the days of Henry IV.</p> + +<p>"<i>Garçon</i>," said I, "do you happen to +know who that officer is?"</p> + +<p>"That is Colonel Gaillarde, Monsieur."</p> + +<p>"Has he been often here?"</p> + +<p>"Once before, Monsieur, for a week; it +is a year since."</p> + +<p>"He is the palest man I ever saw."</p> + +<p>"That is true, Monsieur; he has been +often taken for a <i>revenant</i>."</p> + +<p>"Can you give me a bottle of really good +Burgundy?"</p> + +<p>"The best in France, Monsieur."</p> + +<p>"Place it, and a glass by my side, on this +table, if you please. I may sit here for half +an hour?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly, Monsieur."</p> + +<p>I was very comfortable, the wine excellent, +and my thoughts glowing and serene. "Beautiful +Countess! Beautiful Countess! shall we +ever be better acquainted."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI"></a>CHAPTER VI.</h3> + +<h3>THE NAKED SWORD.</h3> + + +<p>A man who has been posting all day +long, and changing the air he +breathes every half hour, who is well pleased +with himself, and has nothing on earth to +trouble him, and who sits alone by a fire in +a comfortable chair after having eaten a +hearty supper, may be pardoned if he takes +an accidental nap.</p> + +<p>I had filled my fourth glass when I fell +asleep. My head, I daresay, hung uncomfortably; +and it is admitted, that a variety +of French dishes is not the most favourable +precursor to pleasant dreams.</p> + +<p>I had a dream as I took mine ease in mine +inn on this occasion. I fancied myself in a +huge cathedral, without light, except from +four tapers that stood at the corners of a +raised platform hung with black, on which +lay, draped also in black, what seemed to +me the dead body of the Countess de St. +Alyre. The place seemed empty, it was +cold, and I could see only (in the halo of the +candles) a little way round.</p> + +<p>The little I saw bore the character of +Gothic gloom, and helped my fancy to shape +and furnish the black void that yawned all +round me. I heard a sound like the slow +tread of two persons walking up the flagged +aisle. A faint echo told of the vastness of +the place. An awful sense of expectation +was upon me, and I was horribly frightened +when the body that lay on the catafalque +said (without stirring), in a whisper that froze +me, "They come to place me in the grave +alive; save me."</p> + +<p>I found that I could neither speak nor +move. I was horribly frightened.</p> + +<p>The two people who approached now +emerged from the darkness. One, the Count +de St. Alyre glided to the head of the figure +and placed his long thin hands under it. +The white-faced Colonel, with the scar across +his face, and a look of infernal triumph, +placed his hands under her feet, and they +began to raise her.</p> + +<p>With an indescribable effort I broke the +spell that bound me, and started to my feet +with a gasp.</p> + +<p>I was wide awake, but the broad, wicked +face of Colonel Gaillarde was staring, white +as death, at me, from the other side of the +hearth. "Where is she?" I shuddered.</p> + +<p>"That depends on who she is, Monsieur," +replied the Colonel, curtly.</p> + +<p>"Good heavens!" I gasped, looking +about me.</p> + +<p>The Colonel, who was eyeing me sarcastically, +had had his <i>demi-tasse</i> of <i>café noir</i>, and +now drank his <i>tasse</i>, diffusing a pleasant +perfume of brandy.</p> + +<p>"I fell asleep and was dreaming," I said, +least any strong language, founded on the +<i>rôle</i> he played in my dream, should have +escaped me. "I did not know for some +moments where I was."</p> + +<p>"You are the young gentleman who has +the apartments over the Count and Countess +de St. Alyre?" he said, winking one eye, +close in meditation, and glaring at me with +the other.</p> + +<p>"I believe so—yes," I answered.</p> + +<p>"Well, younker, take care you have not +worse dreams than that some night," he said, +enigmatically, and wagged his head with a +chuckle. "Worse dreams," he repeated.</p> + +<p>"What does Monsieur the Colonel mean?" +I inquired.</p> + +<p>"I am trying to find that out myself," +said the Colonel; "and I think I shall. +When <i>I</i> get the first inch of the thread fast +between my finger and thumb, it goes hard +but I follow it up, bit by bit, little by little, +tracing it this way and that, and up and +down, and round about, until the whole +clue is wound up on my thumb, and the +end, and its secret, fast in my fingers. Ingenious! +Crafty as five foxes! wide awake +as a weazel! <i>Parbleu!</i> if I had descended to +that occupation I should have made my +fortune as a spy. Good wine here?" he +glanced interrogatively at my bottle.</p> + +<p>"Very good," said I, "Will Monsieur +the Colonel try a glass?"</p> + +<p>He took the largest he could find, and +filled it, raised it with a bow, and drank it +slowly. "Ah! ah! Bah! That is not it," +he exclaimed, with some disgust, filling it +again. "You ought to have told <i>me</i> to +order your Burgundy, and they would not +have brought you that stuff."</p> + +<p>I got away from this man as soon as I +civilly could, and, putting on my hat, I +walked out with no other company than my +sturdy walking stick. I visited the inn-yard, +and looked up to the windows of the +Countess's apartments. They were closed, +however, and I had not even the unsubstantial +consolation of contemplating the light +in which that beautiful lady was at that +moment writing, or reading, or sitting and +thinking of—any one you please.</p> + +<p>I bore this serious privation as well as I +could, and took a little saunter through the +town. I shan't bore you with moonlight +effects, nor with the maunderings of a man +who has fallen in love at first sight with +a beautiful face. My ramble, it is enough +to say, occupied about half-an-hour, and, returning +by a slight <i>détour</i>, I found myself in +a little square, with about two high gabled +houses on each side, and a rude stone statue, +worn by centuries of rain, on a pedestal in +the centre of the pavement. Looking at this +statue was a slight and rather tall man, whom +I instantly recognized as the Marquis d'Harmonville: +he knew me almost as quickly. +He walked a step towards me, shrugged and +laughed:</p> + +<p>"You are surprised to find Monsieur +Droqville staring at that old stone figure by +moonlight. Anything to pass the time. You, +I see, suffer from <i>ennui</i>, as I do. These little +provincial towns! Heavens! what an effort +it is to live in them! If I could regret having +formed in early life a friendship that does +me honour, I think its condemning me to a +sojourn in such a place would make me do +so. You go on towards Paris, I suppose, in +the morning?"</p> + +<p>"I have ordered horses."</p> + +<p>"As for me I await a letter, or an arrival, +either would emancipate me; but I can't say how +soon either event will happen."</p> + +<p>"Can I be of any use in this matter?" I +began.</p> + +<p>"None, Monsieur, I thank you a thousand +times. No, this is a piece in which every +<i>rôle</i> is already cast. I am but an amateur, +and induced, solely by friendship, to take a +part."</p> + +<p>So he talked on, for a time, as we walked +slowly toward the Belle Etoile, and then came +a silence, which I broke by asking him if he +knew anything of Colonel Gaillarde.</p> + +<p>"Oh! yes, to be sure. He is a little mad; +he has had some bad injuries of the head. +He used to plague the people in the War +Office to death. He has always some delusion. +They contrived some employment for +him—not regimental, of course—but in this +campaign Napoleon, who could spare nobody, +placed him in command of a regiment. He +was always a desperate fighter, and such men +were more than ever needed."</p> + +<p>There is, or was, a second inn, in this +town, called l'Ecu de France. At its door +the Marquis stopped, bade me a mysterious +good-night, and disappeared.</p> + +<p>As I walked slowly toward my inn, I met, +in the shadow of a row of poplars, the <i>garçon</i> +who had brought me my Burgundy a little +time ago. I was thinking of Colonel Gaillarde, +and I stopped the little waiter as he +passed me.</p> + +<p>"You said, I think, that Colonel Gaillarde +was at the Belle Etoile for a week at one +time."</p> + +<p>"Yes, Monsieur."</p> + +<p>"Is he perfectly in his right mind?"</p> + +<p>The waiter stared. "Perfectly, Monsieur."</p> + +<p>"Has he been suspected at any time of +being out of his mind?"</p> + +<p>"Never, Monsieur; he is a little noisy, +but a very shrewd man."</p> + +<p>"What is a fellow to think?" I muttered, +as I walked on.</p> + +<p>I was soon within sight of the lights of the +Belle Etoile. A carriage, with four horses, +stood in the moonlight at the door, and a +furious altercation was going on in the hall, +in which the yell of Colonel Gaillarde out-topped +all other sounds.</p> + +<p>Most young men like, at least, to witness +a row. But, intuitively, I felt that this +would interest me in a very special manner. +I had only fifty yards to run, when I found +myself in the hall of the old inn. The +principal actor in this strange drama was, +indeed, the Colonel, who stood facing the old +Count de St. Alyre, who, in his travelling +costume, with his black silk scarf covering the +lower part of his face, confronted him; he +had evidently been intercepted in an endeavour +to reach his carriage. A little in the +rear of the Count stood the Countess, also in +travelling costume, with her thick black veil +down, and holding in her delicate fingers a +white rose. You can't conceive a more diabolical +effigy of hate and fury than the +Colonel; the knotted veins stood out on his +forehead, his eyes were leaping from their +sockets, he was grinding his teeth, and froth +was on his lips. His sword was drawn, in +his hand, and he accompanied his yelling denunciations +with stamps upon the floor and +flourishes of his weapon in the air.</p> + +<p>The host of the Belle Etoile was talking to +the Colonel in soothing terms utterly thrown +away. Two waiters, pale with fear, stared +uselessly from behind. The Colonel screamed, +and thundered, and whirled his sword. "I +was not sure of your red birds of prey; I +could not believe you would have the audacity +to travel on high roads, and to stop at honest +inns, and lie under the same roof with honest +men. You! <i>you! both</i>—vampires, wolves, +ghouls. Summon the <i>gendarmes</i>, I say. +By St. Peter and all the devils, if either of +you try to get out of that door I'll take your +heads off."</p> + +<p>For a moment I had stood aghast. Here +was a situation! I walked up to the lady; +she laid her hand wildly upon my arm. +"Oh! Monsieur," she whispered, in great +agitation, "that dreadful madman! What +are we to do? He won't let us pass; he will +kill my husband."</p> + +<p>"Fear nothing, Madame," I answered, +with romantic devotion, and stepping between +the Count and Gaillarde, as he shrieked +his invective, "Hold your tongue, and clear +the way, you ruffian, you bully, you coward!" +I roared.</p> + +<p>A faint cry escaped the lady, which more +than repaid the risk I ran, as the sword +of the frantic soldier, after a moment's +astonished pause, flashed in the air to cut me +down.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII"></a>CHAPTER VII.</h3> + +<h3>THE WHITE ROSE.</h3> + + +<p>I was too quick for Colonel Gaillarde. +As he raised his sword, reckless of all +consequences but my condign punishment, +and quite resolved to cleave me to the teeth, +I struck him across the side of his head, with +my heavy stick; and while he staggered +back, I struck him another blow, nearly in +the same place, that felled him to the floor, +where he lay as if dead.</p> + +<p>I did not care one of his own regimental +buttons, whether he was dead or not; I was, +at that moment, carried away by such a tumult +of delightful and diabolical emotions!</p> + +<p>I broke his sword under my foot, and +flung the pieces across the street. The old +Count de St. Alyre skipped nimbly without +looking to the right or left, or thanking +anybody, over the floor, out of the door, +down the steps, and into his carriage. Instantly +I was at the side of the beautiful +Countess, thus left to shift for herself; I +offered her my arm, which she took, and I +led her to her carriage. She entered, and I +shut the door. All this without a word.</p> + +<p>I was about to ask if there were any commands +with which she would honour me—my +hand was laid upon the lower edge of +the window, which was open.</p> + +<p>The lady's hand was laid upon mine +timidly and excitedly. Her lips almost +touched my cheek as she whispered hurriedly.</p> + +<p>"I may never see you more, and, oh! +that I could forget you. Go—farewell—for +God's sake, go!"</p> + +<p>I pressed her hand for a moment. She +withdrew it, but tremblingly pressed into +mine the rose which she had held in her +fingers during the agitating scene she had +just passed through.</p> + +<p>All this took place while the Count was +commanding, entreating, cursing his servants, +tipsy, and out of the way during the crisis, +my conscience afterwards insinuated, by my +clever contrivance. They now mounted to +their places with the agility of alarm. The +postillions' whips cracked, the horses scrambled +into a trot, and away rolled the carriage, +with its precious freightage, along the quaint +main street, in the moonlight, toward Paris.</p> + +<p>I stood on the pavement, till it was quite +lost to eye and ear in the distance.</p> + +<p>With a deep sigh, I then turned, my white +rose folded in my handkerchief—the little +parting <i>gage</i>—the</p> + +<p> +<span style="margin-left: 2.5em;">"Favour secret, sweet, and precious;"</span><br /> +</p> + +<p>which no mortal eye but hers and mine had +seen conveyed to me.</p> + +<p>The care of the host of the Belle Etoile, +and his assistants, had raised the wounded +hero of a hundred fights partly against the +wall, and propped him at each side with +portmanteaus and pillows, and poured a +glass of brandy, which was duly placed to +his account, into his big mouth, where, for +the first time, such a Godsend remained unswallowed.</p> + +<p>A bald-headed little military surgeon of +sixty, with spectacles, who had cut off eighty-seven +legs and arms to his own share, after +the battle of Eylau, having retired with his +sword and his saw, his laurels and his sticking-plaster +to this, his native town, was +called in, and rather thought the gallant +Colonel's skull was fractured, at all events +there was concussion of the seat of thought, +and quite enough work for his remarkable +self-healing powers, to occupy him for a +fortnight.</p> + +<p>I began to grow a little uneasy. A disagreeable +surprise, if my excursion, in which +I was to break banks and hearts, and, as +you see, heads, should end upon the gallows +or the guillotine. I was not clear, in those +times of political oscillation, which was the +established apparatus.</p> + +<p>The Colonel was conveyed, snorting apoplectically +to his room.</p> + +<p>I saw my host in the apartment in which +we had supped. Wherever you employ a +force of any sort, to carry a point of real +importance, reject all nice calculations of +economy. Better to be a thousand per cent, +over the mark, than the smallest fraction of +a unit under it. I instinctively felt this.</p> + +<p>I ordered a bottle of my landlord's very +best wine; made him partake with me, in +the proportion of two glasses to one; and +then told him that he must not decline a +trifling <i>souvenir</i> from a guest who had been +so charmed with all he had seen of the renowned +Belle Etoile. Thus saying, I placed +five-and-thirty Napoleons in his hand. At +touch of which his countenance, by no means +encouraging before, grew sunny, his manners +thawed, and it was plain, as he dropped the +coins hastily into his pocket, that benevolent +relations had been established between us.</p> + +<p>I immediately placed the Colonel's broken +head upon the <i>tapis</i>. We both agreed that +if I had not given him that rather smart tap +of my walking-cane, he would have beheaded +half the inmates of the Belle Etoile. There +was not a waiter in the house who would not +verify that statement on oath.</p> + +<p>The reader may suppose that I had other +motives, beside the desire to escape the +tedious inquisition of the law, for desiring +to recommence my journey to Paris with the +least possible delay. Judge what was my +horror then to learn, that for love or money, +horses were nowhere to be had that night. +The last pair in the town had been obtained +from the Ecu de France, by a gentleman +who dined and supped at the Belle Etoile, +and was obliged to proceed to Paris that +night.</p> + +<p>Who was the gentleman? Had he actually +gone? Could he possibly be induced to wait +till morning?</p> + +<p>The gentleman was now upstairs getting +his things together, and his name was +Monsieur Droqville.</p> + +<p>I ran upstairs. I found my servant St. +Clair in my room. At sight of him, for a +moment, my thoughts were turned into a +different channel.</p> + +<p>"Well, St. Clair, tell me this moment who +the lady is?" I demanded.</p> + +<p>"The lady is the daughter or wife, it +matters not which, of the Count de St. +Alyre;—the old gentleman who was so near +being sliced like a cucumber to-night, I am +informed, by the sword of the general whom +Monsieur, by a turn of fortune, has put to +bed of an apoplexy."</p> + +<p>"Hold your tongue, fool! The man's +beastly drunk—he's sulking—he could talk +if he liked—who cares? Pack up my +things. Which are Monsieur Droqville's +apartments?"</p> + +<p>He knew, of course; he always knew +everything.</p> + +<p>Half an hour later Monsieur Droqville +and I were travelling towards Paris, in my +carriage, and with his horses. I ventured to +ask the Marquis d'Harmonville, in a little +while, whether the lady, who accompanied +the Count, was certainly the Countess. "Has +he not a daughter?"</p> + +<p>"Yes;—I believe a very beautiful and +charming young lady—I cannot say—it may +have been she, his daughter by an earlier +marriage. I saw only the Count himself to-day."</p> + +<p>The Marquis was growing a little sleepy +and, in a little while, he actually fell asleep +in his corner. I dozed and nodded; but the +Marquis slept like a top. He awoke only +for a minute or two at the next posting-house, +where he had fortunately secured +horses by sending on his man, he told me.</p> + +<p>"You will excuse my being so dull a +companion," he said, "but till to-night I +have had but two hours' sleep, for more +than sixty hours. I shall have a cup of +coffee here; I have had my nap. Permit +me to recommend you to do likewise. Their +coffee is really excellent." He ordered two +cups of <i>café noir</i>, and waited, with his head +from the window. "We will keep the +cups," he said, as he received them from the +waiter, "and the tray. Thank you."</p> + +<p>There was a little delay as he paid for +these things; and then he took in the little +tray, and handed me a cup of coffee.</p> + +<p>I declined the tray; so he placed it on his +own knees, to act as a miniature table.</p> + +<p>"I can't endure being waited for and +hurried," he said, "I like to sip my coffee +at leisure."</p> + +<p>I agreed. It really <i>was</i> the very perfection +of coffee.</p> + +<p>"I, like Monsieur le Marquis, have slept +very little for the last two or three nights; +and find it difficult to keep awake. This +coffee will do wonders for me; it refreshes +one so."</p> + +<p>Before we had half done, the carriage +was again in motion.</p> + +<p>For a time our coffee made us chatty, and +our conversation was animated.</p> + +<p>The Marquis was extremely good-natured, +as well as clever, and gave me a brilliant and +amusing account of Parisian life, schemes, +and dangers, all put so as to furnish me +with practical warnings of the most valuable +kind.</p> + +<p>In spite of the amusing and curious stories +which the Marquis related, with so much +point and colour, I felt myself again becoming +gradually drowsy and dreamy.</p> + +<p>Perceiving this, no doubt, the Marquis +good-naturedly suffered our conversation to +subside into silence. The window next him +was open. He threw his cup out of it; and +did the same kind office for mine, and finally +the little tray flew after, and I heard it clank +on the road; a valuable waif, no doubt, for +some early wayfarer in wooden shoes.</p> + +<p>I leaned back in my corner; I had my +beloved <i>souvenir</i>—my white rose—close to +my heart, folded, now, in white paper. It +inspired all manner of romantic dreams. I +began to grow more and more sleepy. But +actual slumber did not come. I was still +viewing, with my half-closed eyes, from my +corner, diagonally, the interior of the carriage.</p> + +<p>I wished for sleep; but the barrier between +waking and sleeping seemed absolutely insurmountable; +and instead, I entered into a +state of novel and indescribable indolence.</p> + +<p>The Marquis lifted his despatch-box from +the floor, placed it on his knees, unlocked it, +and took out what proved to be a lamp, +which he hung with two hooks, attached to +it, to the window opposite to him. He +lighted it with a match, put on his spectacles, +and taking out a bundle of letters, began to +read them carefully.</p> + +<p>We were making way very slowly. My +impatience had hitherto employed four horses +from stage to stage. We were in this emergency, +only too happy to have secured two. +But the difference in pace was depressing.</p> + +<p>I grew tired of the monotony of seeing +the spectacled Marquis reading, folding, and +docketing, letter after letter. I wished to +shut out the image which wearied me, but +something prevented my being able to shut +my eyes. I tried again and again; but, +positively, I had lost the power of closing +them.</p> + +<p>I would have rubbed my eyes, but I could +not stir my hand, my will no longer acted +on my body—I found that I could not move +one joint, or muscle, no more than I could, +by an effort of my will, have turned the +carriage about.</p> + +<p>Up to this I had experienced no sense of +horror. Whatever it was, simple nightmare +was not the cause. I was awfully frightened! +Was I in a fit?</p> + +<p>It was horrible to see my good-natured +companion pursue his occupation so serenely, +when he might have dissipated my horrors +by a single shake.</p> + +<p>I made a stupendous exertion to call out +but in vain; I repeated the effort again and +again, with no result.</p> + +<p>My companion now tied up his letters, +and looked out of the window, humming an +air from an opera. He drew back his head, +and said, turning to me—</p> + +<p>"Yes, I see the lights; we shall be there +in two or three minutes."</p> + +<p>He looked more closely at me, and with +a kind smile, and a little shrug, he said, +"Poor child! how fatigued he must have +been—how profoundly he sleeps! when the +carriage stops he will waken."</p> + +<p>He then replaced his letters in the despatch-box, +locked it, put his spectacles in his +pocket, and again looked out of the window.</p> + +<p>We had entered a little town. I suppose +it was past two o'clock by this time. The +carriage drew up, I saw an inn-door open, +and a light issuing from it.</p> + +<p>"Here we are!" said my companion, turning +gaily to me. But I did not awake.</p> + +<p>"Yes, how tired he must have been!" +he exclaimed, after he had waited for an +answer.</p> + +<p>My servant was at the carriage door, and +opened it.</p> + +<p>"Your master sleeps soundly, he is so +fatigued! It would be cruel to disturb him. +You and I will go in, while they change the +horses, and take some refreshment, and +choose something that Monsieur Beckett will +like to take in the carriage, for when he +awakes by-and-by, he will, I am sure, be +hungry."</p> + +<p>He trimmed his lamp, poured in some +oil; and taking care not to disturb me, with +another kind smile, and another word or +caution to my servant, he got out, and I +heard him talking to St. Clair, as they +entered the inn-door, and I was left in my +corner, in the carriage, in the same state.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_VIII" id="CHAPTER_VIII"></a>CHAPTER VIII.</h3> + +<h3>A THREE MINUTES' VISIT.</h3> + + +<p>I have suffered extreme and protracted +bodily pain, at different periods of my +life, but anything like that misery, thank +God, I never endured before or since. I +earnestly hope it may not resemble any type +of death, to which we are liable. I was, +indeed, a spirit in prison; and unspeakable +was my dumb and unmoving agony.</p> + +<p>The power of thought remained clear and +active. Dull terror filled my mind. How +would this end? Was it actual death?</p> + +<p>You will understand that my faculty of +observing was unimpaired. I could hear and +see anything as distinctly as ever I did in my +life. It was simply that my will had, as it +were, lost its hold of my body.</p> + +<p>I told you that the Marquis d'Harmonville +had not extinguished his carriage lamp +on going into this village inn. I was listening +intently, longing for his return, which +might result, by some lucky accident, in +awaking me from my catalepsy.</p> + +<p>Without any sound of steps approaching, +to announce an arrival, the carriage-door +suddenly opened, and a total stranger got in +silently, and shut the door.</p> + +<p>The lamp gave about as strong a light as +a wax-candle, so I could see the intruder +perfectly. He was a young man, with a +dark grey, loose surtout, made with a sort +of hood, which was pulled over his head. +I thought, as he moved, that I saw the gold +band of a military undress cap under it; and +I certainly saw the lace and buttons of a +uniform, on the cuffs of the coat that were +visible under the wide sleeves of his outside +wrapper.</p> + +<p>This young man had thick moustaches, +and an imperial, and I observed that he had +a red scar running upward from his lip across +his cheek.</p> + +<p>He entered, shut the door softly, and sat +down beside me. It was all done in a +moment; leaning toward me, and shading +his eyes with his gloved hand, he examined +my face closely, for a few seconds.</p> + +<p>This man had come as noiselessly as a +ghost; and everything he did was accomplished +with the rapidity and decision, that +indicated a well defined and prearranged +plan. His designs were evidently sinister. +I thought he was going to rob, and, perhaps, +murder me. I lay, nevertheless, like a corpse +under his hands. He inserted his hand in +my breast pocket, from which he took my +precious white rose and all the letters it contained, +among which was a paper of some +consequence to me.</p> + +<p>My letters he glanced at. They were +plainly not what he wanted. My precious +rose, too, he laid aside with them. It was +evidently about the paper I have mentioned, +that he was concerned; for the moment he +opened it, he began with a pencil, in a small +pocket-book, to make rapid notes of its +contents.</p> + +<p>This man seemed to glide through his +work with a noiseless and cool celerity which +argued, I thought, the training of the police-department.</p> + +<p>He re-arranged the papers, possibly in +the very order in which he had found them, +replaced them in my breast-pocket, and was +gone.</p> + +<p>His visit, I think, did not quite last three +minutes. Very soon after his disappearance, +I heard the voice of the Marquis once more. +He got in, and I saw him look at me, and +smile, half envying me, I fancied, my sound +repose. If he had but known all!</p> + +<p>He resumed his reading and docketing, +by the light of the little lamp which had +just subserved the purposes of a spy.</p> + +<p>We were now out of the town, pursuing +our journey at the same moderate pace. We +had left the scene of my police visit, as I +should have termed it, now two leagues +behind us, when I suddenly felt a strange +throbbing in one ear, and a sensation as if +air passed through it into my throat. It +seemed as if a bubble of air, formed deep +in my ear, swelled, and burst there. The +indescribable tension of my brain seemed +all at once to give way; there was an odd +humming in my head, and a sort of vibration +through every nerve of my body, such +as I have experienced in a limb that has +been, in popular phraseology, asleep. I +uttered a cry and half rose from my seat, +and then fell back trembling, and with a +sense of mortal faintness.</p> + +<p>The Marquis stared at me, took my hand, +and earnestly asked if I was ill. I could +answer only with a deep groan.</p> + +<p>Gradually the process of restoration was +completed; and I was able, though very +faintly, to tell him how very ill I had been; +and then to describe the violation of my +letters, during the time of his absence from +the carriage.</p> + +<p>"Good heaven!" he exclaimed, "the +miscreant did not get at my dispatch-box?"</p> + +<p>I satisfied him, so far as I had observed, +on that point. He placed the box on the +seat beside him, and opened and examined +its contents very minutely.</p> + +<p>"Yes, undisturbed; all safe, thank heaven!" +he murmured. "There are half-a-dozen +letters here, that I would not have +some people read, for a great deal."</p> + +<p>He now asked with a very kind anxiety +all about the illness I complained of. When +he had heard me, he said—</p> + +<p>"A friend of mine once had an attack as +like yours as possible. It was on board-ship, +and followed a state of high excitement. He +was a brave man like you; and was called +on to exert both his strength and his courage +suddenly. An hour or two after, fatigue +overpowered him, and he appeared to fall +into a sound sleep. He really sank into a +state which he afterwards described so, that +I think it must have been precisely the same +affection as yours."</p> + +<p>"I am happy to think that my attack was +not unique. Did he ever experience a return +of it."</p> + +<p>"I knew him for years after, and never +heard of any such thing. What strikes me +is a parallel in the predisposing causes of +each attack. Your unexpected, and gallant +hand-to-hand encounter, at such desperate +odds, with an experienced swordsman, like +that insane colonel of dragoons, your fatigue, +and, finally, your composing yourself, as +my other friend did, to sleep."</p> + +<p>"I wish," he resumed, "one could make +out who that <i>coquin</i> was, who examined your +letters. It is not worth turning back, +however, because we should learn nothing. +Those people always manage so adroitly. I +am satisfied, however, that he must have +been an agent of the police. A rogue of +any other kind would have robbed you."</p> + +<p>I talked very little, being ill and exhausted, +but the Marquis talked on agreeably.</p> + +<p>"We grow so intimate," said he, at last, +"that I must remind you that I am not, for +the present, the Marquis d'Harmonville, but +only Monsieur Droqville; nevertheless, when +we get to Paris, although I cannot see you +often, I may be of use. I shall ask you to +name to me the hotel at which you mean +to put up; because the Marquis being, as +you are aware, on his travels, the Hotel +d'Harmonville is, for the present, tenanted +only by two or three old servants, who must +not even see Monsieur Droqville. That +gentleman will, nevertheless, contrive to get +you access to the box of Monsieur le +Marquis, at the Opera; as well, possibly, as +to other places more difficult; and so soon +as the diplomatic office of the Marquis +d'Harmonville is ended, and he at liberty to +declare himself, he will not excuse his friend, +Monsieur Beckett, from fulfilling his promise +to visit him this autumn at the Château +d'Harmonville."</p> + +<p>You may be sure I thanked the Marquis.</p> + +<p>The nearer we got to Paris, the more I +valued his protection. The countenance of +a great man on the spot, just then, taking so +kind an interest in the stranger whom he +had, as it were, blundered upon, might make +my visit ever so many degrees more delightful +than I had anticipated.</p> + +<p>Nothing could be more gracious than the +manner and looks of the Marquis; and, as +I still thanked him, the carriage suddenly +stopped in front of the place where a relay +of horses awaited us, and where, as it turned +out, we were to part.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_IX" id="CHAPTER_IX"></a>CHAPTER IX.</h3> + +<h3>GOSSIP AND COUNSEL.</h3> + + +<p>My eventful journey was over, at last. +I sat in my hotel window looking +out upon brilliant Paris, which had, in a +moment, recovered all its gaiety, and more +than its accustomed bustle. Every one has +read of the kind of excitement that followed +the catastrophe of Napoleon, and the second +restoration of the Bourbons. I need not, +therefore, even if, at this distance, I could, +recall and describe my experiences and impressions +of the peculiar aspect of Paris, in +those strange times. It was, to be sure, my +first visit. But, often as I have seen it +since, I don't think I ever saw that delightful +capital in a state, pleasurably, so excited +and exciting.</p> + +<p>I had been two days in Paris, and had +seen all sorts of sights, and experienced none +of that rudeness and insolence of which +others complained, from the exasperated +officers of the defeated French army.</p> + +<p>I must say this, also. My romance had +taken complete possession of me; and the +chance of seeing the object of my dream, +gave a secret and delightful interest to my +rambles and drives in the streets and environs, +and my visits to the galleries and +other sights of the metropolis.</p> + +<p>I had neither seen nor heard of Count or +Countess, nor had the Marquis d'Harmonville +made any sign. I had quite recovered +the strange indisposition under which I had +suffered during my night journey.</p> + +<p>It was now evening, and I was beginning +to fear that my patrician acquaintance had +quite forgotten me, when the waiter presented +me the card of 'Monsieur Droqville;' +and, with no small elation and hurry, I +desired him to show the gentleman up.</p> + +<p>In came the Marquis d'Harmonville, kind +and gracious as ever.</p> + +<p>"I am a night-bird at present," said he, +so soon as we had exchanged the little +speeches which are usual. "I keep in the +shade, during the daytime, and even now I +hardly ventured to come in a close carriage. +The friends for whom I have undertaken a +rather critical service, have so ordained it. +They think all is lost, if I am known to be +in Paris. First let me present you with +these orders for my box. I am so vexed +that I cannot command it oftener during the +next fortnight; during my absence, I had +directed my secretary to give it for any night +to the first of my friends who might apply, +and the result is, that I find next to nothing +left at my disposal."</p> + +<p>I thanked him very much.</p> + +<p>"And now, a word, in my office of Mentor. +You have not come here, of course, +without introductions?"</p> + +<p>I produced half-a-dozen letters, the addresses +of which he looked at.</p> + +<p>"Don't mind these letters," he said. "I +will introduce you. I will take you myself +from house to house. One friend at your +side is worth many letters. Make no intimacies, +no acquaintances, until then. You +young men like best to exhaust the public +amusements of a great city, before embarrassing +yourself with the engagements of +society. Go to all these. It will occupy +you, day and night, for at least three weeks. +When this is over, I shall be at liberty, and +will myself introduce you to the brilliant but +comparatively quiet routine of society. Place +yourself in my hands; and in Paris remember, +when once in society, you are always +there."</p> + +<p>I thanked him very much, and promised to +follow his counsels implicitly.</p> + +<p>He seemed pleased, and said—</p> + +<p>"I shall now tell you some of the places +you ought to go to. Take your map, and +write letters or numbers upon the points I +will indicate, and we will make out a little +list. All the places that I shall mention to +you are worth seeing."</p> + +<p>In this methodical way, and with a great +deal of amusing and scandalous anecdote, he +furnished me with a catalogue and a guide, +which, to a seeker of novelty and pleasure, +was invaluable.</p> + +<p>"In a fortnight, perhaps in a week," he +said, "I shall be at leisure to be of real use +to you. In the meantime, be on your guard. +You must not play; you will be robbed if +you do. Remember, you are surrounded, +here, by plausible swindlers and villains of +all kinds, who subsist by devouring strangers. +Trust no one but those you know."</p> + +<p>I thanked him again, and promised to +profit by his advice. But my heart was too +full of the beautiful lady of the Belle Etoile, +to allow our interview to close without an +effort to learn something about her. I therefore +asked for the Count and Countess de +St. Alyre, whom I had had the good fortune +to extricate from an extremely unpleasant row +in the hall of the inn.</p> + +<p>Alas! he had not seen them since. He +did not know where they were staying. +They had a fine old house only a few leagues +from Paris; but he thought it probable that +they would remain, for a few days at least, +in the city, as preparations would, no doubt, +be necessary, after so long an absence, for +their reception at home.</p> + +<p>"How long have they been away?"</p> + +<p>"About eight months, I think."</p> + +<p>"They are poor, I think you said?"</p> + +<p>"What <i>you</i> would consider poor. But, +Monsieur, the Count has an income which +affords them the comforts, and even the elegancies +of life, living as they do, in a very +quiet and retired way, in this cheap country."</p> + +<p>"Then they are very happy?"</p> + +<p>"One would say they <i>ought</i> to be happy."</p> + +<p>"And what prevents?"</p> + +<p>"He is jealous."</p> + +<p>"But his wife—she gives him no cause?"</p> + +<p>"I am afraid she does."</p> + +<p>"How, Monsieur?"</p> + +<p>"I always thought she was a little too—a +<i>great deal</i> too—"</p> + +<p>"Too <i>what</i>, Monsieur?"</p> + +<p>"Too handsome. But although she has +remarkably fine eyes, exquisite features, and +the most delicate complexion in the world, I +believe that she is a woman of probity. You +have never seen her?"</p> + +<p>"There was a lady, muffled up in a cloak, +with a very thick veil on, the other night, in +the hall of the Belle Etoile, when I broke +that fellow's head who was bullying the old +Count. But her veil was so thick I could +not see a feature through it." My answer +was diplomatic, you observe. "She may +have been the Count's daughter. Do they +quarrel?"</p> + +<p>"Who, he and his wife?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"A little."</p> + +<p>"Oh! and what do they quarrel about?" +"It is a long story; about the lady's +diamonds. They are valuable—they are +worth, La Perelleuse says, about a million of +francs. The Count wishes them sold and +turned into revenue, which he offers to settle +as she pleases. The Countess, whose they +are, resists, and for a reason which, I rather +think, she can't disclose to him."</p> + +<p>"And pray what is that?" I asked, my +curiosity a good deal piqued.</p> + +<p>"She is thinking, I conjecture, how well +she will look in them when she marries her +second husband."</p> + +<p>"Oh?—yes, to be sure. But the Count +de St. Alyre is a good man?"</p> + +<p>"Admirable, and extremely intelligent."</p> + +<p>"I should wish so much to be presented +to the Count: you tell me he's so—"</p> + +<p>"So agreeably married. But they are +living quite out of the world. He takes her +now and then to the Opera, or to a public +entertainment; but that is all."</p> + +<p>"And he must remember so much of the +old <i>régime</i>, and so many of the scenes of the +revolution!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, the very man for a philosopher, +like you! And he falls asleep after dinner; +and his wife don't. But, seriously, he has +retired from the gay and the great world, and +has grown apathetic; and so has his wife; +and nothing seems to interest her now, not +even—her husband!"</p> + +<p>The Marquis stood up to take his leave.</p> + +<p>"Don't risk your money," said he. "You +will soon have an opportunity of laying out +some of it to great advantage. Several collections +of really good pictures, belonging +to persons who have mixed themselves up in +this Bonapartist restoration, must come +within a few weeks to the hammer. You +can do wonders when these sales commence. +There will be startling bargains! Reserve +yourself for them. I shall let you know all +about it. By-the-by," he said, stopping short +as he approached the door, "I was so near +forgetting. There is to be, next week, the +very thing you would enjoy so much, because +you see so little of it in England—I +mean a <i>bal masqué</i>, conducted, it is said, +with more than usual splendour. It takes +place at Versailles—all the world will be +there; there is such a rush for cards! But I +think I may promise you one. Good-night! +Adieu!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_X" id="CHAPTER_X"></a>CHAPTER X.</h3> + +<h3>THE BLACK VEIL.</h3> + + +<p>Speaking the language fluently and +with unlimited money, there was nothing +to prevent my enjoying all that was +enjoyable in the French capital. You may +easily suppose how two days were passed. +At the end of that time, and at about the +same hour, Monsieur Droqville called again.</p> + +<p>Courtly, good-natured, gay, as usual, he +told me that the masquerade ball was fixed +for the next Wednesday, and that he had applied +for a card for me.</p> + +<p>How awfully unlucky. I was so afraid I +should not be able to go.</p> + +<p>He stared at me for a moment with a suspicious +and menacing look which I did not +understand, in silence, and then inquired, +rather sharply.</p> + +<p>"And will Monsieur Beckett be good +enough to say, why not?"</p> + +<p>I was a little surprised, but answered the +simple truth: I had made an engagement +for that evening with two or three English +friends, and did not see how I +could.</p> + +<p>"Just so! You English, wherever you +are, always look out for your English boors, +your beer and '<i>bifstek</i>'; and when you come +here, instead of trying to learn something of +the people you visit, and pretend to study, +you are guzzling, and swearing, and smoking +with one another, and no wiser or more +polished at the end of your travels than if +you had been all the time carousing in a +booth at Greenwich."</p> + +<p>He laughed sarcastically, and looked as if +he could have poisoned me.</p> + +<p>"There it is," said he, throwing the card +on the table. "Take it or leave it, just as +you please. I suppose I shall have my +trouble for my pains; but it is not usual +when a man, such as I, takes trouble, asks a +favour, and secures a privilege for an acquaintance, +to treat him so."</p> + +<p>This was astonishingly impertinent!</p> + +<p>I was shocked, offended, penitent. I had +possibly committed unwittingly a breach of +good-breeding, according to French ideas, +which almost justified the brusque severity of +the Marquis's undignified rebuke.</p> + +<p>In a confusion, therefore, of many feelings, +I hastened to make my apologies, and to propitiate +the chance friend who had showed me +so much disinterested kindness.</p> + +<p>I told him that I would, at any cost, break +through the engagement in which I had unluckily +entangled myself; that I had spoken +with too little reflection, and that I certainly +had not thanked him at all in proportion to +his kindness and to my real estimate of it.</p> + +<p>"Pray say not a word more; my vexation +was entirely on your account; and I expressed +it, I am only too conscious, in terms +a great deal too strong, which, I am sure, +your goodnature will pardon. Those who +know me a little better are aware that I +sometimes say a good deal more than I +intend; and am always sorry when I do. +Monsieur Beckett will forget that his old +friend, Monsieur Droqville, has lost his +temper in his cause, for a moment, and—we +are as good friends as before."</p> + +<p>He smiled like the Monsieur Droqville +of the Belle Etoile, and extended his hand, +which I took very respectfully and cordially.</p> + +<p>Our momentary quarrel had left us only +better friends.</p> + +<p>The Marquis then told me I had better +secure a bed in some hotel at Versailles, as +a rush would be made to take them; and +advised my going down next morning for +the purpose.</p> + +<p>I ordered horses accordingly for eleven +o'clock; and, after a little more conversation, +the Marquis d'Harmonville bid me +good-night, and ran down the stairs with his +handkerchief to his mouth and nose, and, +as I saw from my window, jumped into his +close carriage again and drove away.</p> + +<p>Next day I was at Versailles. As I approached +the door of the Hotel de France, it +was plain that I was not a moment too soon, +if, indeed, I were not already too late.</p> + +<p>A crowd of carriages were drawn up about +the entrance, so that I had no chance of approaching +except by dismounting and pushing +my way among the horses. The hall +was full of servants and gentlemen screaming +to the proprietor, who, in a state of polite +distraction, was assuring them, one and all, +that there was not a room or a closet disengaged +in his entire house.</p> + +<p>I slipped out again, leaving the hall to +those who were shouting, expostulating, +wheedling, in the delusion that the host +might, if he pleased, manage something for +them. I jumped into my carriage and drove, +at my horses' best pace, to the Hotel du +Reservoir. The blockade about this door +was as complete as the other. The result +was the same. It was very provoking, but +what was to be done? My postillion had, +a little officiously, while I was in the hall +talking with the hotel authorities, got his +horses, bit by bit, as other carriages moved +away, to the very steps of the inn door.</p> + +<p>This arrangement was very convenient so +far as getting in again was concerned. But, +this accomplished, how were we to get on? +There were carriages in front, and carriages +behind, and no less than four rows of carriages, +of all sorts, outside.</p> + +<p>I had at this time remarkably long and +clear sight, and if I had been impatient +before, guess what my feelings were when I +saw an open carriage pass along the narrow +strip of roadway left open at the other side, +a barouche in which I was certain I recognized +the veiled Countess and her husband. +This carriage had been brought to a walk by +a cart which occupied the whole breadth of +the narrow way, and was moving with the +customary tardiness of such vehicles.</p> + +<p>I should have done more wisely if I had +jumped down on the <i>trottoir</i>, and run round +the block of carriages in front of the barouche. +But, unfortunately, I was more of +a Murat than a Moltke, and preferred a +direct charge upon my object to relying on +<i>tactique</i>. I dashed across the back seat of a +carriage which was next mine, I don't know +how; tumbled through a sort of gig, in +which an old gentleman and a dog were +dozing; stepped with an incoherent apology +over the side of an open carriage, in which +were four gentlemen engaged in a hot dispute; +tripped at the far side in getting out, +and fell flat across the backs of a pair of +horses, who instantly began plunging and +threw me head foremost in the dust.</p> + +<p>To those who observed my reckless charge +without being in the secret of my object I +must have appeared demented. Fortunately, +the interesting barouche had passed before +the catastrophe, and covered as I was with +dust, and my hat blocked, you may be sure +I did not care to present myself before the +object of my Quixotic devotion.</p> + +<p>I stood for a while amid a storm of <i>sacré</i>-ing, +tempered disagreeably with laughter; +and in the midst of these, while endeavouring +to beat the dust from my clothes with my +handkerchief, I heard a voice with which I +was acquainted call, "Monsieur Beckett."</p> + +<p>I looked and saw the Marquis peeping +from a carriage-window. It was a welcome +sight. In a moment I was at his carriage +side.</p> + +<p>"You may as well leave Versailles," he +said; "you have learned, no doubt, that +there is not a bed to hire in either of the +hotels; and I can add that there is not a +room to let in the whole town. But I have +managed something for you that will answer +just as well. Tell your servant to follow us, +and get in here and sit beside me."</p> + +<p>Fortunately an opening in the closely-packed +carriages had just occurred, and mine +was approaching.</p> + +<p>I directed the servant to follow us; and +the Marquis having said a word to his driver, +we were immediately in motion.</p> + +<p>"I will bring you to a comfortable place, +the very existence of which is known to but +few Parisians, where, knowing how things +were here, I secured a room for you. It is +only a mile away, and an old comfortable +inn, called Le Dragon Volant. It was fortunate +for you that my tiresome business called +me to this place so early."</p> + +<p>I think we had driven about a mile-and-a-half +to the further side of the palace when we +found ourselves upon a narrow old road, +with the woods of Versailles on one side, +and much older trees, of a size seldom seen +in France, on the other.</p> + +<p>We pulled up before an antique and solid +inn, built of Caen stone, in a fashion richer +and more florid than was ever usual in such +houses, and which indicated that it was +originally designed for the private mansion +of some person of wealth, and probably, as +the wall bore many carved shields and supporters, +of distinction also. A kind of porch, +less ancient than the rest, projected hospitably +with a wide and florid arch, over which, cut +in high relief in stone, and painted and +gilded, was the sign of the inn. This was +the Flying Dragon, with wings of brilliant +red and gold, expanded, and its tail, pale +green and gold, twisted and knotted into +ever so many rings, and ending in a burnished +point barbed like the dart of death.</p> + +<p>"I shan't go in—but you will find it a +comfortable place; at all events better than +nothing. I would go in with you, but my +incognito forbids. You will, I daresay, be +all the better pleased to learn that the inn is +haunted—I should have been, in my young +days, I know. But don't allude to that +awful fact in hearing of your host, for I +believe it is a sore subject. Adieu. If you +want to enjoy yourself at the ball take my +advice, and go in a domino. I think I shall +look in; and certainly, if I do, in the same +costume. How shall we recognize one +another? Let me see, something held in the +fingers—a flower won't do, so many people +will have flowers. Suppose you get a red +cross a couple of inches long—you're an +Englishman—stitched or pinned on the breast +of your domino, and I a white one? Yes, +that will do very well; and whatever room +you go into keep near the door till we meet. +I shall look for you at all the doors I pass; +and you, in the same way, for me; and we +<i>must</i> find each other soon. So that is understood. +I can't enjoy a thing of that kind +with any but a young person; a man of my +age requires the contagion of young spirits +and the companionship of some one who +enjoys everything spontaneously. Farewell; +we meet to-night."</p> + +<p>By this time I was standing <i>on</i> the road; I +shut the carriage-door; bid him good-bye; +and away he drove.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XI" id="CHAPTER_XI"></a>CHAPTER XI.</h3> + +<h3>THE DRAGON VOLANT.</h3> + + +<p>I took one look about me.</p> + +<p>The building was picturesque; the +trees made it more so. The antique and +sequestered character of the scene, contrasted +strangely with the glare and bustle of the +Parisian life, to which my eye and ear had +become accustomed.</p> + +<p>Then I examined the gorgeous old sign for +a minute or two. Next I surveyed the +exterior of the house more carefully. It was +large and solid, and squared more with my +ideas of an ancient English hostelrie, such as +the Canterbury pilgrims might have put up +at, than a French house of entertainment. +Except, indeed, for a round turret, that rose +at the left flank of the house, and terminated +in the extinguisher-shaped roof that suggests +a French château.</p> + +<p>I entered and announced myself as Monsieur +Beckett, for whom a room had been +taken. I was received with all the consideration +due to an English milord, with, of +course, an unfathomable purse.</p> + +<p>My host conducted me to my apartment. +It was a large room, a little sombre, panelled +with dark wainscoting, and furnished in a +stately and sombre style, long out of date. +There was a wide hearth, and a heavy +mantelpiece, carved with shields, in which I +might, had I been curious enough, have discovered +a correspondence with the heraldry +on the outer walls. There was something +interesting, melancholy, and even depressing +in all this. I went to the stone-shafted +window, and looked out upon a small park, +with a thick wood, forming the background +of a château, which presented a cluster of +such conical-topped turrets as I have just +now mentioned.</p> + +<p>The wood and château were melancholy +objects. They showed signs of neglect, and +almost of decay; and the gloom of fallen +grandeur, and a certain air of desertion hung +oppressively over the scene.</p> + +<p>I asked my host the name of the château.</p> + +<p>"That, Monsieur, is the Château de la +Carque," he answered.</p> + +<p>"It is a pity it is so neglected," I observed. +"I should say, perhaps, a pity that its proprietor +is not more wealthy?"</p> + +<p>"Perhaps so, Monsieur."</p> + +<p>"<i>Perhaps</i>?"—I repeated, and looked at him. +"Then I suppose he is not very popular."</p> + +<p>"Neither one thing nor the other, Monsieur," +he answered; "I meant only that we +could not tell what use he might make of +riches."</p> + +<p>"And who is he?" I inquired.</p> + +<p>"The Count de St. Alyre."</p> + +<p>"Oh! The Count! You are quite sure?" +I asked, very eagerly.</p> + +<p>It was now the innkeeper's turn to look at +me.</p> + +<p>"<i>Quite</i> sure, Monsieur, the Count de St. +Alyre."</p> + +<p>"Do you see much of him in this part of +the world?"</p> + +<p>"Not a great deal, Monsieur; he is often +absent for a considerable time."</p> + +<p>"And is he poor?" I inquired.</p> + +<p>"I pay rent to him for this house. It is +not much; but I find he cannot wait long +for it," he replied, smiling satirically.</p> + +<p>"From what I have heard, however, I +should think he cannot be very poor?" I +continued.</p> + +<p>"They say, Monsieur, he plays. I know +not. He certainly is not rich. About seven +months ago, a relation of his died in a distant +place. His body was sent to the Count's +house here, and by him buried in Père la +Chaise, as the poor gentleman had desired. +The Count was in profound affliction; +although he got a handsome legacy, they +say, by that death. But money never +seems to do him good for any +time."</p> + +<p>"He is old, I believe?"</p> + +<p>"Old? we call him the 'Wandering Jew,' +except, indeed, that he has not always the +five <i>sous</i> in his pocket. Yet, Monsieur, his +courage does not fail him. He has taken a +young and handsome wife."</p> + +<p>"And, she?" I urged—</p> + +<p>"Is the Countess de St. Alyre."</p> + +<p>"Yes; but I fancy we may say something +more? She has attributes?"</p> + +<p>"Three, Monsieur, three, at least most +amiable."</p> + +<p>"Ah! And what are they?"</p> + +<p>"Youth, beauty, and—diamonds."</p> + +<p>I laughed. The sly old gentleman was +foiling my curiosity.</p> + +<p>"I see, my friend," said I, "you are reluctant—"</p> + +<p>"To quarrel with the Count," he concluded. +"True. You see, Monsieur, he +could vex me in two or three ways; +so could I him. But, on the whole, it +is better each to mind his business, and +to maintain peaceful relations; you understand."</p> + +<p>It was, therefore, no use trying, at least +for the present. Perhaps he had nothing to +relate. Should I think differently, by-and-by, +I could try the effect of a few Napoleons. +Possibly he meant to extract them.</p> + +<p>The host of the Dragon Volant was an +elderly man, thin, bronzed, intelligent, and +with an air of decision, perfectly military. I +learned afterwards that he had served under +Napoleon in his early Italian campaigns.</p> + +<p>"One question, I think you may answer," +I said, "without risking a quarrel. Is the +Count at home?"</p> + +<p>"He has many homes, I conjecture," said +the host evasively. "But—but I think I +may say, Monsieur, that he is, I believe, +at present staying at the Château de la Carque."</p> + +<p>I looked out of the window, more interested +than ever, across the undulating +grounds to the château, with its gloomy +background of foliage.</p> + +<p>"I saw him to-day, in his carriage at Versailles," +I said.</p> + +<p>"Very natural."</p> + +<p>"Then his carriage and horses and servants +are at the château?"</p> + +<p>"The carriage he puts up here, Monsieur, +and the servants are hired for the +occasion. There is but one who sleeps at the +château. Such a life must be terrifying for +Madame the Countess," he replied.</p> + +<p>"The old screw!" I thought. "By this +torture, he hopes to extract her diamonds. +What a life! What fiends to contend with—jealousy +and extortion!"</p> + +<p>The knight having made this speech to +himself, cast his eyes once more upon the +enchanter's castle, and heaved a gentle sigh—a +sigh of longing, of resolution, and of love.</p> + +<p>What a fool I was! and yet, in the sight +of angels, are we any wiser as we grow older? +It seems to me, only, that our illusions change +as we go on; but, still, we are madmen all +the same.</p> + +<p>"Well, St. Clair," said I, as my servant +entered, and began to arrange my things. +"You have got a bed?"</p> + +<p>"In the cock-loft, Monsieur, among the +spiders, and, <i>par ma foi</i>! the cats and the +owls. But we agree very well. <i>Vive la +bagatelle</i>!"</p> + +<p>"I had no idea it was so full."</p> + +<p>"Chiefly the servants, Monsieur, of those +persons who were fortunate enough to get +apartments at Versailles."</p> + +<p>"And what do you think of the Dragon +Volant?"</p> + +<p>"The Dragon Volant! Monsieur; the old +fiery dragon! The devil himself, if all is +true! On the faith of a Christian, Monsieur, +they say that diabolical miracles have taken +place in this house."</p> + +<p>"What do you mean? <i>Revenants</i>?"</p> + +<p>"Not at all, sir; I wish it was no worse. +<i>Revenants</i>? No! People who have <i>never</i> +returned—who vanished, before the eyes of +half-a-dozen men, all looking at them."</p> + +<p>"What do you mean, St. Clair? Let us +hear the story, or miracle, or whatever it is."</p> + +<p>"It is only this, Monsieur, that an ex-master-of-the-horse +of the late king, who lost +his head—Monsieur will have the goodness +to recollect, in the revolution—being permitted +by the Emperor to return to France, +lived here in this hotel, for a month, and at +the end of that time vanished, visibly, as I +told you, before the faces of half-a-dozen +credible witnesses! The other was a Russian +nobleman, six feet high and upwards, who, +standing in the centre of the room, downstairs, +describing to seven gentlemen of unquestionable +veracity, the last moments of +Peter the Great, and having a glass of <i>eau de +vie</i> in his left hand, and his <i>tasse de café</i>, +nearly finished, in his right, in like manner +vanished. His boots were found on the floor +where he had been standing; and the gentleman +at his right, found, to his astonishment, +his cup of coffee in his fingers, and the gentleman +at his left, his glass of <i>eau de vie</i>—"</p> + +<p>"Which he swallowed in his confusion," I +suggested.</p> + +<p>"Which was preserved for three years +among the curious articles of this house, and +was broken by the <i>curé</i> while conversing with +Mademoiselle Fidone in the housekeeper's +room; but of the Russian nobleman himself, +nothing more was ever seen or heard! +<i>Parbleu!</i> when <i>we</i> go out of the Dragon +Volant, I hope it may be by the door. I +heard all this, Monsieur, from the postillion +who drove us."</p> + +<p>"Then it <i>must</i> be true!" said I, jocularly: +but I was beginning to feel the gloom of the +view, and of the chamber in which I stood; +there had stolen over me, I know not how, a +presentiment of evil; and my joke was with +an effort, and my spirit flagged.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XII" id="CHAPTER_XII"></a>CHAPTER XII.</h3> + +<h3>THE MAGICIAN.</h3> + + +<p>No more brilliant spectacle than this +masked ball could be imagined. +Among other <i>salons</i> and galleries, thrown +open, was the enormous perspective of the +"Grande Galerie des Glaces," lighted up on +that occasion with no less than four thousand +wax candles, reflected and repeated by all +the mirrors, so that the effect was almost +dazzling. The grand suite of <i>salons</i> was +thronged with masques, in every conceivable +costume. There was not a single room deserted. +Every place was animated with +music, voices, brilliant colours, flashing jewels, +the hilarity of extemporized comedy, and all +the spirited incidents of a cleverly sustained +masquerade. I had never seen before anything, +in the least, comparable to this magnificent +<i>fête</i>. I moved along, indolently, in my +domino and mask, loitering, now and then, +to enjoy a clever dialogue, a farcical song, or +an amusing monologue, but, at the same +time, keeping my eyes about me, lest my +friend in the black domino, with the little +white cross on his breast, should pass me by.</p> + +<p>I had delayed and looked about me, specially, +at every door I passed, as the Marquis +and I had agreed; but he had not yet appeared.</p> + +<p>While I was thus employed, in the very +luxury of lazy amusement, I saw a gilded +sedan chair, or, rather, a Chinese palanquin, +exhibiting the fantastic exuberance of "Celestial" +decoration, borne forward on gilded +poles by four richly-dressed Chinese; one +with a wand in his hand marched in front, +and another behind; and a slight and solemn +man, with a long black beard, a tall fez, such +as a dervish is represented as wearing, walked +close to its side. A strangely-embroidered +robe fell over his shoulders, covered with +hieroglyphic symbols; the embroidery was in +black and gold, upon a variegated ground of +brilliant colours. The robe was bound about +his waist with a broad belt of gold, with +cabalistic devices traced on it, in dark red +and black; red stockings, and shoes embroidered +with gold, and pointed and curved +upward at the toes, in Oriental fashion, appeared +below the skirt of the robe. The +man's face was dark, fixed, and solemn, and +his eyebrows black, and enormously heavy—he +carried a singular-looking book under his +arm, a wand of polished black wood in his +other hand, and walked with his chin sunk +on his breast, and his eyes fixed upon the +floor. The man in front waved his wand +right and left to clear the way for the advancing +palanquin, the curtains of which were +closed; and there was something so singular, +strange, and solemn about the whole thing, +that I felt at once interested.</p> + +<p>I was very well pleased when I saw the +bearers set down their burthen within a few +yards of the spot on which I stood.</p> + +<p>The bearers and the men with the gilded +wands forthwith clapped their hands, and in +silence danced round the palanquin a curious +and half frantic dance, which was yet, as to +figures and postures, perfectly methodical. +This was soon accompanied by a clapping of +hands and a ha-ha-ing, rhythmically delivered.</p> + +<p>While the dance was going on a hand was +lightly laid on my arm, and, looking round, +a black domino with a white cross stood +beside me.</p> + +<p>"I am so glad I have found you," said the +Marquis; "and at this moment. This is +the best group in the rooms. <i>You</i> must +speak to the wizard. About an hour ago +I lighted upon them, in another <i>salon</i>, and +consulted the oracle, by putting questions. +I never was more amazed. Although his +answers were a little disguised it was soon +perfectly plain that he knew every detail +about the business, which no one on earth +had heard of but myself, and two or three +other men, about the most cautious persons +in France. I shall never forget that shock. +I saw other people who consulted him, +evidently as much surprised, and more +frightened than I. I came with the Count +St. Alyre and the Countess."</p> + +<p>He nodded toward a thin figure, also in a +domino. It was the Count.</p> + +<p>"Come," he said to me, "I'll introduce +you."</p> + +<p>I followed, you may suppose, readily +enough.</p> + +<p>The Marquis presented me, with a very +prettily-turned allusion to my fortunate intervention +in his favour at the Belle Etoile; +and the Count overwhelmed me with polite +speeches, and ended by saying, what pleased +me better still:</p> + +<p>"The Countess is near us, in the next +<i>salon</i> but one, chatting with her old friend +the Duchesse d'Argensaque; I shall go for +her in a few minutes; and when I bring her +here, she shall make your acquaintance; and +thank you, also, for your assistance, rendered +with so much courage when we were +so very disagreeably interrupted."</p> + +<p>"You must, positively, speak with the +magician," said the Marquis to the Count de +St. Alyre, "you will be so much amused. <i>I</i> +did so; and, I assure you, I could not have +anticipated such answers! I don't know what +to believe."</p> + +<p>"Really! Then, by all means, let us try," +he replied.</p> + +<p>We three approached, together, the side of +the palanquin, at which the black-bearded +magician stood.</p> + +<p>A young man, in a Spanish dress, who, +with a friend at his side, had just conferred +with the conjuror, was saying, as he passed +us by:</p> + +<p>"Ingenious mystification! Who is that in +the palanquin. He seems to know everybody."</p> + +<p>The Count, in his mask and domino, +moved along, stiffly, with us, toward the +palanquin. A clear circle was maintained by +the Chinese attendants, and the spectators +crowded round in a ring.</p> + +<p>One of these men—he who with a gilded +wand had preceded the procession—advanced, +extending his empty hand, palm upward.</p> + +<p>"Money?" inquired the Count.</p> + +<p>"Gold," replied the usher.</p> + +<p>The Count placed a piece of money in +his hand; and I and the Marquis were each +called on in turn to do likewise as we entered +the circle. We paid accordingly.</p> + +<p>The conjuror stood beside the palanquin, +its silk curtain in his hand; his chin sunk, +with its long, jet-black beard, on his chest; +the outer hand grasping the black wand, on +which he leaned; his eyes were lowered, as +before, to the ground; his face looked absolutely +lifeless. Indeed, I never saw face or +figure so moveless, except in death.</p> + +<p>The first question the Count put, was—</p> + +<p>"Am I married, or unmarried?"</p> + +<p>The conjuror drew back the curtain +quickly, and placed his ear toward a richly-dressed +Chinese, who sat in the litter; withdrew +his head, and closed the curtain again; +and then answered—</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>The same preliminary was observed each +time, so that the man with the black wand +presented himself, not as a prophet, but as a +medium; and answered, as it seemed, in the +words of a greater than himself.</p> + +<p>Two or three questions followed, the +answers to which seemed to amuse the +Marquis very much; but the point of which +I could not see, for I knew next to nothing +of the Count's peculiarities and adventures.</p> + +<p>"Does my wife love me?" asked he, playfully.</p> + +<p>"As well as you deserve."</p> + +<p>"Whom do I love best in the world?"</p> + +<p>"Self."</p> + +<p>"Oh! That I fancy is pretty much the +case with every one. But, putting myself +out of the question, do I love anything on +earth better than my wife?"</p> + +<p>"Her diamonds."</p> + +<p>"Oh!" said the Count.</p> + +<p>The Marquis, I could see, laughed.</p> + +<p>"Is it true," said the Count, changing the +conversation peremptorily, "that there has +been a battle in Naples?"</p> + +<p>"No; in France."</p> + +<p>"Indeed," said the Count, satirically, with +a glance round. "And may I inquire between +what powers, and on what particular +quarrel?"</p> + +<p>"Between the Count and Countess de St. +Alyre, and about a document they subscribed +on the 25th July, 1811."</p> + +<p>The Marquis afterwards told me that this +was the date of their marriage settlement.</p> + +<p>The Count stood stock-still for a minute +or so; and one could fancy that they saw his +face flushing through his mask.</p> + +<p>Nobody, but we two, knew that the inquirer +was the Count de St. Alyre.</p> + +<p>I thought he was puzzled to find a subject +for his next question; and, perhaps, repented +having entangled himself in such a colloquy. +If so, he was relieved; for the Marquis, +touching his arm, whispered—</p> + +<p>"Look to your right, and see who is +coming."</p> + +<p>I looked in the direction indicated by the +Marquis, and I saw a gaunt figure stalking +toward us. It was not a masque. The face +was broad, scarred, and white. In a word, +it was the ugly face of Colonel Gaillarde, +who, in the costume of a corporal of the +Imperial Guard, with his left arm so adjusted +as to look like a stump, leaving the lower +part of the coat-sleeve empty, and pinned up +to the breast. There were strips of very +real sticking-plaster across his eyebrow and +temple, where my stick had left its mark, to +score, hereafter, among the more honourable +scars of war.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XIII" id="CHAPTER_XIII"></a>CHAPTER XIII.</h3> + +<h3>THE ORACLE TELLS ME WONDERS.</h3> + + +<p>I forgot for a moment how impervious +my mask and domino were to the hard +stare of the old campaigner, and was preparing +for an animated scuffle. It was only for +a moment, of course; but the Count cautiously +drew a little back as the gasconading +corporal, in blue uniform, white vest, and +white gaiters—for my friend Gaillarde +was as loud and swaggering in his assumed +character as in his real one of a +colonel of dragoons—drew near. He had +already twice all but got himself turned out of +doors for vaunting the exploits of Napoleon +le Grand, in terrific mock-heroics, and had +very nearly come to hand-grips with a Prussian +hussar. In fact, he would have been involved +in several sanguinary rows already, +had not his discretion reminded him that the +object of his coming there at all, namely, to +arrange a meeting with an affluent widow, +on whom he believed he had made a tender +impression, would not have been promoted +by his premature removal from the festive +scene, of which he was an ornament, in charge +of a couple of gendarmes.</p> + +<p>"Money! Gold! Bah! What money can +a wounded soldier like your humble servant +have amassed, with but his sword-hand +left, which, being necessarily occupied, places +not a finger at his command with which to +scrape together the spoils of a routed enemy?"</p> + +<p>"No gold from him," said the magician. +"His scars frank him."</p> + +<p>"Bravo, Monsieur le prophète! Bravissimo! +Here I am. Shall I begin, mon <i>sorcier</i>, +without further loss of time, to question +your—"</p> + +<p>Without waiting for an answer, he commenced, +in Stentorian tones.</p> + +<p>After half-a-dozen questions and answers, +he asked—</p> + +<p>"Whom do I pursue at present?"</p> + +<p>"Two persons."</p> + +<p>"Ha! Two? Well, who are they?"</p> + +<p>"An Englishman, whom, if you catch, he +will kill you; and a French widow, whom if +you find, she will spit in your face."</p> + +<p>"Monsieur le magicien calls a spade a spade, +and knows that his cloth protects him. No +matter! Why do I pursue them?"</p> + +<p>"The widow has inflicted a wound on your +heart, and the Englishman a wound on your +head. They are each separately too strong for +you; take care your pursuit does not unite +them."</p> + +<p>"Bah! How could that be?"</p> + +<p>"The Englishman protects ladies. He has +got that fact into your head. The widow, if +she sees, will marry him. It takes some time, +she will reflect, to become a colonel, and the +Englishman is unquestionably young."</p> + +<p>"I will cut his cock's-comb for him," he +ejaculated with an oath and a grin; and in a +softer tone he asked, "Where is she?"</p> + +<p>"Near enough to be offended if you fail."</p> + +<p>"So she ought, by my faith. You are +right, Monsieur le prophète! A hundred +thousand thanks! Farewell!" And staring +about him, and stretching his lank neck as +high as he could, he strode away with his +scars, and white waistcoat and gaiters, and his +bearskin shako.</p> + +<p>I had been trying to see the person who +sat in the palanquin. I had only once an +opportunity of a tolerably steady peep. +What I saw was singular. The oracle was +dressed, as I have said, very richly, in the +Chinese fashion. He was a figure altogether +on a larger scale than the interpreter, +who stood outside. The features seemed to +me large and heavy, and the head was carried +with a downward inclination! the eyes were +closed, and the chin rested on the breast of +his embroidered pelisse. The face seemed +fixed, and the very image of apathy. Its +character and <i>pose</i> seemed an exaggerated +repetition of the immobility of the figure +who communicated with the noisy outer +world. This face looked blood-red; but +that was caused, I concluded, by the light +entering through the red silk curtains. All +this struck me almost at a glance; I had not +many seconds in which to make my observation. +The ground was now clear, and the +Marquis said, "Go forward, my friend."</p> + +<p>I did so. When I reached the magician, +as we called the man with the black wand, I +glanced over my shoulder to see whether the +Count was near.</p> + +<p>No, he was some yards behind; and he +and the Marquis, whose curiosity seemed to +be, by this time, satisfied, were now conversing +generally upon some subject of course +quite different.</p> + +<p>I was relieved, for the sage seemed to +blurt out secrets in an unexpected way; and +some of mine might not have amused the +Count.</p> + +<p>I thought for a moment. I wished to test +the prophet. A Church-of-England man +was a <i>rara avis</i> in Paris.</p> + +<p>"What is my religion?" I asked.</p> + +<p>"A beautiful heresy," answered the oracle +instantly.</p> + +<p>"A heresy?—and pray how is it named?"</p> + +<p>"Love."</p> + +<p>"Oh! Then I suppose I am a polytheist, +and love a great many?"</p> + +<p>"One."</p> + +<p>"But, seriously," I asked, intending to +turn the course of our colloquy a little out of +an embarrassing channel, "have I ever learned +any words of devotion by heart?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"Can you repeat them?"</p> + +<p>"Approach."</p> + +<p>I did, and lowered my ear.</p> + +<p>The man with the black wand closed the +curtains, and whispered, slowly and distinctly, +these words, which, I need scarcely +tell you, I instantly recognized:</p> + + +<p><i>I may never see you more; and, oh! that I +could forget you! go—farewell—for God's sake, +go!</i></p> + + +<p>I started as I heard them. They were, +you know, the last words whispered to me +by the Countess.</p> + +<p>Good Heaven! How miraculous! Words +heard, most assuredly, by no ear on earth +but my own and the lady's who uttered them, +till now!</p> + +<p>I looked at the impassive face of the +spokesman with the wand. There was no +trace of meaning, or even of a consciousness +that the words he had uttered could possibly +interest me.</p> + +<p>"What do I most long for?" I asked, +scarcely knowing what I said.</p> + +<p>"Paradise."</p> + +<p>"And what prevents my reaching it?"</p> + +<p>"A black veil."</p> + +<p>Stronger and stronger! The answers +seemed to me to indicate the minutest acquaintance +with every detail of my little +romance, of which not even the Marquis +knew anything! And I, the questioner, +masked and robed so that my own brother +could not have known me!</p> + +<p>"You said I loved some one. Am I +loved in return?" I asked.</p> + +<p>"Try."</p> + +<p>I was speaking lower than before, and +stood near the dark man with the beard, to +prevent the necessity of his speaking in a +loud key.</p> + +<p>"Does any one love me?" I repeated.</p> + +<p>"Secretly," was the answer.</p> + +<p>"Much or little?" I inquired.</p> + +<p>"Too well."</p> + +<p>"How long will that love last?"</p> + +<p>"Till the rose casts its leaves."</p> + +<p>"The rose—another allusion!"</p> + +<p>"Then—darkness!" I sighed. "But till +then I live in light."</p> + +<p>"The light of violet eyes."</p> + +<p>Love, if not a religion, as the oracle had +just pronounced it, is, at least, a superstition. +How it exalts the imagination! How +it enervates the reason! How credulous it +makes us!</p> + +<p>All this which, in the case of another, I +should have laughed at, most powerfully +affected me in my own. It inflamed my +ardour, and half crazed my brain, and even +influenced my conduct.</p> + +<p>The spokesman of this wonderful trick—if +trick it were—now waved me backward +with his wand, and as I withdrew, my eyes +still fixed upon the group, by this time encircled +with an aura of mystery in my fancy; +backing toward the ring of spectators, I saw +him raise his hand suddenly, with a gesture +of command, as a signal to the usher who +carried the golden wand in front.</p> + +<p>The usher struck his wand on the ground, +and, in a shrill voice, proclaimed; "The +great Confu is silent for an hour."</p> + +<p>Instantly the bearers pulled down a sort +of blind of bamboo, which descended with a +sharp clatter, and secured it at the bottom; +and then the man in the tall fez, with the +black beard and wand, began a sort of dervish +dance. In this the men with the gold +wands joined, and finally, in an outer ring, +the bearers, the palanquin being the centre +of the circles described by these solemn dancers, +whose pace, little by little, quickened, +whose gestures grew sudden, strange, frantic, +as the motion became swifter and swifter, +until at length the whirl became so rapid +that the dancers seemed to fly by with the +speed of a mill-wheel, and amid a general +clapping of hands, and universal wonder, +these strange performers mingled with the +crowd, and the exhibition, for the time at +least, ended.</p> + +<p>The Marquis d'Harmonville was standing +not far away, looking on the ground, as one +could judge by his attitude and musing. I +approached, and he said:</p> + +<p>"The Count has just gone away to look +for his wife. It is a pity she was not here +to consult the prophet; it would have been +amusing, I daresay, to see how the Count +bore it. Suppose we follow him. I have +asked him to introduce you."</p> + +<p>With a beating heart, I accompanied the +Marquis d'Harmonville.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XIV" id="CHAPTER_XIV"></a>CHAPTER XIV.</h3> + +<h3>MADEMOISELLE DE LA VALLIÈRE.</h3> + + +<p>We wandered through the salons, the +Marquis and I. It was no easy +matter to find a friend in rooms so crowded.</p> + +<p>"Stay here," said the Marquis, "I have +thought of a way of finding him. Besides, +his jealousy may have warned him that there +is no particular advantage to be gained by +presenting you to his wife, I had better go +and reason with him; as you seem to wish +an introduction so very much."</p> + +<p>This occurred in the room that is now +called the "Salon d'Apollon." The paintings +remained in my memory, and my adventure +of that evening was destined to occur +there.</p> + +<p>I sat down upon a sofa; and looked about +me. Three or four persons beside myself +were seated on this roomy piece of gilded +furniture. They were chatting all very +gaily; all—except the person who sat next +me, and she was a lady. Hardly two feet +interposed between us. The lady sat apparently +in a reverie. Nothing could be more +graceful. She wore the costume perpetuated +in Collignan's full-length portrait of Mademoiselle +de la Vallière. It is, as you know, +not only rich, but elegant. Her hair was +powdered, but one could perceive that it +was naturally a dark brown. One pretty +little foot appeared, and could anything be +more exquisite than her hand?</p> + +<p>It was extremely provoking that this lady +wore her mask, and did not, as many did, +hold it for a time in her hand.</p> + +<p>I was convinced that she was pretty. +Availing myself of the privilege of a masquerade, +a microcosm in which it is impossible, +except by voice and allusion, to distinguish +friend from foe, I spoke—</p> + +<p>"It is not easy, Mademoiselle, to deceive +me," I began.</p> + +<p>"So much the better for Monsieur," answered +the mask, quietly.</p> + +<p>"I mean," I said, determined to tell my +fib, "that beauty is a gift more difficult to +conceal than Mademoiselle supposes."</p> + +<p>"Yet Monsieur has succeeded very well," +she said in the same sweet and careless +tones.</p> + +<p>"I see the costume of this, the beautiful +Mademoiselle de la Vallière, upon a form +that surpasses her own; I raise my eyes, and +I behold a mask, and yet I recognise the +lady; beauty is like that precious stone in +the 'Arabian Nights,' which emits, no +matter how concealed, a light that betrays it."</p> + +<p>"I know the story," said the young lady. +"The light betrayed it, not in the sun, but +in darkness. Is there so little light in these +rooms, Monsieur, that a poor glowworm can +show so brightly. I thought we were in a +luminous atmosphere, wherever a certain +countess moved?"</p> + +<p>Here was an awkward speech! How was +I to answer? This lady might be, as they +say some ladies are, a lover of mischief, or +an intimate of the Countess de St. Alyre. +Cautiously, therefore, I inquired,</p> + +<p>"What countess?"</p> + +<p>"If you know me, you must know that +she is my dearest friend. Is she not beautiful?"</p> + +<p>"How can I answer, there are so many +countesses."</p> + +<p>"Every one who knows me, knows who +my best beloved friend is. You don't know +me?"</p> + +<p>"That is cruel. I can scarcely believe I +am mistaken."</p> + +<p>"With whom were you walking, just +now?" she asked.</p> + +<p>"A gentleman, a friend," I answered.</p> + +<p>"I saw him, of course, a friend; but I +think I know him, and should like to be +certain. Is he not a certain marquis?"</p> + +<p>Here was another question that was extremely +awkward.</p> + +<p>"There are so many people here, and one +may walk, at one time, with one, and at +another with a different one, that—"</p> + +<p>"That an unscrupulous person has no +difficulty in evading a simple question like +mine. Know then, once for all, that nothing +disgusts a person of spirit so much as suspicion. +You, Monsieur, are a gentleman of +discretion. I shall respect you accordingly."</p> + +<p>"Mademoiselle would despise me, were I +to violate a confidence."</p> + +<p>"But you don't deceive me. You imitate +your friend's diplomacy. I hate diplomacy. +It means fraud and cowardice. Don't you +think I know him. The gentleman with the +cross of white ribbon on his breast. I know +the Marquis d'Harmonville perfectly. You +see to what good purpose your ingenuity has +been expended."</p> + +<p>"To that conjecture I can answer neither +yes nor no."</p> + +<p>"You need not. But what was your motive +in mortifying a lady?"</p> + +<p>"It is the last thing on earth I should +do."</p> + +<p>"You affected to know me, and you don't; +through caprice or listlessness or curiosity +you wished to converse, not with a lady, but +with a costume. You admired, and you +pretend to mistake me for another. But who +is quite perfect? Is truth any longer to be +found on earth?"</p> + +<p>"Mademoiselle has formed a mistaken +opinion of me."</p> + +<p>"And you also of me; you find me less +foolish than you supposed. I know perfectly +whom you intend amusing with compliments +and melancholy declamation, and +whom, with that amiable purpose, you have +been seeking."</p> + +<p>"Tell me whom you mean," I entreated.</p> + +<p>"Upon one condition."</p> + +<p>"What is that?"</p> + +<p>"That you will confess if I name the +lady."</p> + +<p>"You describe my object unfairly." I +objected. "I can't admit that I proposed +speaking to any lady in the tone you describe."</p> + +<p>"Well, I shan't insist on that; only if I +name the lady, you will promise to admit +that I am right."</p> + +<p>"<i>Must</i> I promise?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly not, there is no compulsion; +but your promise is the only condition on +which I will speak to you again."</p> + +<p>I hesitated for a moment; but how could +she possibly tell? The Countess would +scarcely have admitted this little romance to +any one; and the mask in the La Vallière +costume could not possibly know who the +masked domino beside her was.</p> + +<p>"I consent," I said, "I promise."</p> + +<p>"You must promise on the honour of a +gentleman."</p> + +<p>"Well, I do; on the honour of a gentleman."</p> + +<p>"Then this lady is the Countess de St. +Alyre." I was unspeakably surprised; I was +disconcerted; but I remembered my promise, +and said—</p> + +<p>"The Countess de St. Alyre <i>is</i>, unquestionably, +the lady to whom I hoped for an +introduction to-night; but I beg to assure +you also on the honour of a gentleman, that +she has not the faintest imaginable suspicion +that I was seeking such an honour, nor, in +all probability, does she remember that such +a person as I exists. I had the honour to +render her and the Count a trifling service, too +trifling, I fear, to have earned more than an +hour's recollection."</p> + +<p>"The world is not so ungrateful as you +suppose; or if it be, there are, nevertheless, +a few hearts that redeem it. I can answer for +the Countess de St. Alyre, she never forgets +a kindness. She does not show all she feels; +for she is unhappy, and cannot."</p> + +<p>"Unhappy! I feared, indeed, that might +be. But for all the rest that you are good +enough to suppose, it is but a flattering +dream."</p> + +<p>"I told you that I am the Countess's +friend, and being so I must know something +of her character; also, there are confidences +between us, and I may know more than you +think, of those trifling services of which +you suppose the recollection is so transitory."</p> + +<p>I was becoming more and more interested. +I was as wicked as other young men, and +the heinousness of such a pursuit was as +nothing, now that self-love and all the passions +that mingle in such a romance, were +roused. The image of the beautiful Countess +had now again quite superseded the pretty +counterpart of La Vallière, who was before +me. I would have given a great deal to +hear, in solemn earnest, that she did remember +the champion who, for her sake, had +thrown himself before the sabre of an enraged +dragoon, with only a cudgel in his +hand, and conquered.</p> + +<p>"You say the Countess is unhappy," said +I. "What causes her unhappiness?"</p> + +<p>"Many things. Her husband is old, +jealous, and tyrannical. Is not that enough? +Even when relieved from his society, she is +lonely."</p> + +<p>"But you are her friend?" I suggested.</p> + +<p>"And you think one friend enough?" she +answered; "she has one alone, to whom she +can open her heart."</p> + +<p>"Is there room for another friend?"</p> + +<p>"Try."</p> + +<p>"How can I find a way?"</p> + +<p>"She will aid you."</p> + +<p>"How?"</p> + +<p>She answered by a question. "Have you +secured rooms in either of the hotels of +Versailles?"</p> + +<p>"No, I could not. I am lodged in the +Dragon Volant, which stands at the verge of +the grounds of the Château de la Carque."</p> + +<p>"That is better still. I need not ask if +you have courage for an adventure. I need +not ask if you are a man of honour. A lady +may trust herself to you, and fear nothing. +There are few men to whom the interview, +such as I shall arrange, could be granted +with safety. You shall meet her at two +o'clock this morning in the Park of the +Château de la Carque. What room do you +occupy in the Dragon Volant?"</p> + +<p>I was amazed at the audacity and decision +of this girl. Was she, as we say in England, +hoaxing me?</p> + +<p>"I can describe that accurately," said I. +"As I look from the rear of the house, in +which my apartment is, I am at the extreme +right, next the angle; and one pair of stairs +up, from the hall."</p> + +<p>"Very well; you must have observed, if +you looked into the park, two or three clumps +of chestnut and lime-trees, growing so close +together as to form a small grove. You +must return to your hotel, change your dress, +and, preserving a scrupulous secrecy, as to +why or where you go, leave the Dragon +Volant, and climb the park-wall, unseen; +you will easily recognize the grove I have +mentioned; there you will meet the Countess, +who will grant you an audience of a few +minutes, who will expect the most scrupulous +reserve on your part, and who will explain to +you, in a few words, a great deal which <i>I</i> +could not so well tell you here."</p> + +<p>I cannot describe the feeling with which +I heard these words. I was astounded. Doubt +succeeded. I could not believe these agitating +words.</p> + +<p>"Mademoiselle will believe that if I only +dared assure myself that so great a happiness +and honour were really intended for me, my +gratitude would be as lasting as my life. +But how dare I believe that Mademoiselle +does not speak, rather from her own sympathy +or goodness, than from a certainty +that the Countess de St. Alyre would concede +so great an honour?"</p> + +<p>"Monsieur believes either that I am not, +as I pretend to be, in the secret which he +hitherto supposed to be shared by no one but +the Countess and himself, or else that I am +cruelly mystifying him. That I am in her +confidence, I swear by all that is dear in a +whispered farewell. By the last companion +of this flower!" and she took for a moment +in her fingers the nodding head of a white +rosebud that was nestled in her bouquet. "By +my own good star, and hers—or shall I call +it our '<i>belle</i> étoile?' Have I said enough?"</p> + +<p>"Enough?" I repeated, "more than enough—a +thousand thanks."</p> + +<p>"And being thus in her confidence, I am +clearly her friend; and being a friend would +it be friendly to use her dear name so; and +all for sake of practising a vulgar trick upon +you—a stranger?"</p> + +<p>"Mademoiselle will forgive me. Remember +how very precious is the hope of seeing, +and speaking to the Countess. Is it wonderful, +then, that I should falter in my belief? +You have convinced me, however, and will +forgive my hesitation."</p> + +<p>"You will be at the place I have described, +then, at two o'clock?"</p> + +<p>"Assuredly," I answered.</p> + +<p>"And Monsieur, I know, will not fail, +through fear. No, he need not assure me; +his courage is already proved."</p> + +<p>"No danger, in such a case, will be unwelcome +to me."</p> + +<p>"Had you not better go now, Monsieur, +and rejoin your friend?"</p> + +<p>"I promised to wait here for my friend's +return. The Count de St. Alyre said that +he intended to introduce me to the Countess."</p> + +<p>"And Monsieur is so simple as to believe +him?"</p> + +<p>"Why should I not?"</p> + +<p>"Because he is jealous and cunning. You +will see. He will never introduce you to his +wife. He will come here and say he cannot +find her, and promise another time."</p> + +<p>"I think I see him approaching, with my +friend. No—there is no lady with him."</p> + +<p>"I told you so. You will wait a long +time for that happiness, if it is never to +reach you except through his hands. In the +meantime, you had better not let him see +you so near me. He will suspect that we +have been talking of his wife; and that will +whet his jealousy and his vigilance."</p> + +<p>I thanked my unknown friend in the +mask, and withdrawing a few steps, came, by +a little "circumbendibus," upon the flank of +the Count.</p> + +<p>I smiled under my mask, as he assured +me that the Duchesse de la Roqueme had +changed her place, and taken the Countess +with her; but he hoped, at some very early +time, to have an opportunity of enabling her +to make my acquaintance.</p> + +<p>I avoided the Marquis d'Harmonville, who +was following the Count. I was afraid he +might propose accompanying me home, and +had no wish to be forced to make an explanation.</p> + +<p>I lost myself quickly, therefore, in the +crowd, and moved, as rapidly as it would +allow me, toward the Galerie des Glaces, +which lay in the direction opposite to that in +which I saw the Count and my friend the +Marquis moving.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XV" id="CHAPTER_XV"></a>CHAPTER XV.</h3> + +<h3>STRANGE STORY OF THE DRAGON VOLANT.</h3> + + +<p>These <i>fêtes</i> were earlier in those days, +and in France, than our modern balls +are in London. I consulted my watch. It +was a little past twelve.</p> + +<p>It was a still and sultry night; the magnificent +suite of rooms, vast as some of them +were, could not be kept at a temperature less +than oppressive, especially to people with +masks on. In some places the crowd was +inconvenient, and the profusion of lights +added to the heat. I removed my mask, +therefore, as I saw some other people do, +who were as careless of mystery as I. I had +hardly done so, and began to breathe more +comfortably, when I heard a friendly English +voice call me by my name. It was Tom +Whistlewick, of the —th Dragoons. He had +unmasked, with a very flushed face, as I did. +He was one of those Waterloo heroes, new +from the mint of glory, whom, as a body, +all the world, except France, revered; and +the only thing I knew against him, was a +habit of allaying his thirst, which was excessive, +at balls, <i>fêtes</i>, musical parties, and all +gatherings, where it was to be had, with +champagne; and, as he introduced me to his +friend, Monsieur Carmaignac, I observed that +he spoke a little thick. Monsieur Carmaignac +was little, lean, and as straight as a ramrod. +He was bald, took snuff, and wore spectacles; +and, as I soon learned, held an official +position.</p> + +<p>Tom was facetious, sly, and rather difficult +to understand, in his present pleasant mood. +He was elevating his eyebrows and screwing +his lips oddly, and fanning himself vaguely +with his mask.</p> + +<p>After some agreeable conversation, I was +glad to observe that he preferred silence, and +was satisfied with the <i>rôle</i> of listener, as I +and Monsieur Carmaignac chatted; and he +seated himself, with extraordinary caution +and indecision, upon a bench, beside us, and +seemed very soon to find a difficulty in keeping +his eyes open.</p> + +<p>"I heard you mention," said the French +gentleman, "that you had engaged an apartment +in the Dragon Volant, about half a +league from this. When I was in a different +police department, about four years ago, two +very strange cases were connected with that +house. One was of a wealthy <i>émigré</i>, permitted +to return to France, by the Em—by +Napoleon. He vanished. The other—equally +strange—was the case of a Russian +of rank and wealth. He disappeared just as +mysteriously."</p> + +<p>"My servant," I said, "gave me a confused +account of some occurrences, and, as +well as I recollect he described the same +persons—I mean a returned French nobleman, +and a Russian gentleman. But he +made the whole story so marvellous—I +mean in the supernatural sense—that, I confess, +I did not believe a word of it."</p> + +<p>"No, there was nothing supernatural; but +a great deal inexplicable," said the French +gentleman. "Of course there may be +theories; but the thing was never explained, +nor, so far as I know, was a ray of light +ever thrown upon it."</p> + +<p>"Pray let me hear the story," I said. "I +think I have a claim, as it affects my quarters. +You don't suspect the people of the house?"</p> + +<p>"Oh! it has changed hands since then. +But there seemed to be a fatality about a +particular room."</p> + +<p>"Could you describe that room?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly. It is a spacious, panelled +bed-room, up one pair of stairs, in the back +of the house, and at the extreme right, as +you look from its windows."</p> + +<p>"Ho! Really? Why, then, I have got +the very room!" I said, beginning to be +more interested—perhaps the least bit in the +world, disagreeably. "Did the people die, +or were they actually spirited away?"</p> + +<p>"No, they did not die—they disappeared +very oddly. I'll tell you the particulars—I +happen to know them exactly, because I +made an official visit, on the first occasion, +to the house, to collect evidence; and although +I did not go down there, upon the +second, the papers came before me, and I +dictated the official letter despatched to the +relations of the people who had disappeared; +they had applied to the government to investigate, +the affair. We had letters from +the same relations more than two years later, +from which we learned that the missing men +had never turned up."</p> + +<p>He took a pinch of snuff, and looked +steadily at me.</p> + +<p>"Never! I shall relate all that happened, +so far as we could discover. The French +noble, who was the Chevalier Chateau Blassemare, +unlike most <i>émigrés</i>, had taken the +matter in time, sold a large portion of his +property before the revolution had proceeded +so far as to render that next to impossible, +and retired with a large sum. He brought +with him about half a million of francs, the +greater part of which he invested in the +French funds; a much larger sum remained +in Austrian land and securities. You will +observe then that this gentleman was +rich, and there was no allegation of his +having lost money, or being, in any way, +embarrassed. You see?"</p> + +<p>I assented.</p> + +<p>"This gentleman's habits were not expensive +in proportion to his means. He had +suitable lodgings in Paris; and for a time, +society, the theatres, and other reasonable +amusements, engrossed him. He did not +play. He was a middle-aged man, affecting +youth, with the vanities which are usual in +such persons; but, for the rest, he was a +gentle and polite person, who disturbed +nobody—a person, you see, not likely to +provoke an enmity."</p> + +<p>"Certainly not," I agreed.</p> + +<p>"Early in the summer of 1811, he got an +order permitting him to copy a picture in +one of these <i>salons</i>, and came down here, to +Versailles, for the purpose. His work was +getting on slowly. After a time he left his +hotel, here, and went, by way of change, to +the Dragon Volant: there he took, by special +choice, the bed-room which has fallen to you +by chance. From this time, it appeared, he +painted little; and seldom visited his apartments +in Paris. One night he saw the host +of the Dragon Volant, and told him that he +was going into Paris, to remain for a day or +two, on very particular business; that his +servant would accompany him, but that he +would retain his apartments at the Dragon +Volant, and return in a few days. He left +some clothes there, but packed a portmanteau, +took his dressing-case, and the rest, and, with +his servant behind his carriage, drove into +Paris. You observe all this, Monsieur?"</p> + +<p>"Most attentively," I answered.</p> + +<p>"Well, Monsieur, as soon as they were +approaching his lodgings, he stopped the +carriage on a sudden, told his servant that he +had changed his mind; that he would sleep +elsewhere that night, that he had very particular +business in the north of France, not +far from Rouen, that he would set out before +daylight on his journey, and return in a fortnight. +He called a <i>fiacre</i>, took in his hand a +leather bag which, the servant said, was just +large enough to hold a few shirts and a coat, +but that it was enormously heavy, as he +could testify, for he held it in his hand, while +his master took out his purse to count thirty-six +Napoleons, for which the servant was to +account when he should return. He then +sent him on, in the carriage; and he, with the +bag I have mentioned, got into the <i>fiacre</i>. +Up to that, you see, the narrative is quite +clear."</p> + +<p>"Perfectly," I agreed.</p> + +<p>"Now comes the mystery," said Monsieur +Carmaignac. "After that, the Count Chateau +Blassemare was never more seen, so far +as we can make out, by acquaintance or +friend. We learned that the day before the +Count's stockbroker had, by his direction, +sold all his stock in the French funds, and +handed him the cash it realized. The reason +he gave him for this measure tallied with +what he said to his servant. He told him +that he was going to the north of France to +settle some claims, and did not know exactly +how much might be required. The bag, +which had puzzled the servant by its weight, +contained, no doubt, a large sum in gold. +Will Monsieur try my snuff?"</p> + +<p>He politely tendered his open snuff-box, +of which I partook, experimentally.</p> + +<p>"A reward was offered," he continued, +"when the inquiry was instituted, for any +information tending to throw a light upon +the mystery, which might be afforded by +the driver of the <i>fiacre</i> 'employed on the +night of' (so-and-so), 'at about the hour +of half-past ten, by a gentleman, with a +black-leather travelling-bag in his hand, who +descended from a private carriage, and gave +his servant some money, which he counted +twice over.' About a hundred-and-fifty +drivers applied, but not one of them was +the right man. We did, however, elicit a +curious and unexpected piece of evidence in +quite another quarter. What a racket that +plaguey harlequin makes with his sword!"</p> + +<p>"Intolerable!" I chimed in.</p> + +<p>The harlequin was soon gone, and he +resumed.</p> + +<p>"The evidence I speak of, came from a +boy, about twelve years old, who knew the +appearance of the Count perfectly, having +been often employed by him as a messenger. +He stated that about half-past twelve +o'clock, on the same night—upon which +you are to observe, there was a brilliant +moon—he was sent, his mother having been +suddenly taken ill, for the <i>sage femme</i> who +lived within a stone's throw of the Dragon +Volant. His father's house, from which +he started, was a mile away, or more, from +that inn, in order to reach which he had to +pass round the park of the Château de la +Carque, at the site most remote from the +point to which he was going. It passes the +old churchyard of St. Aubin, which is separated +from the road only by a very low +fence, and two or three enormous old trees. +The boy was a little nervous as he approached +this ancient cemetery; and, under the +bright moonlight, he saw a man whom he +distinctly recognised as the Count, whom +they designated by a soubriquet which means +'the man of smiles.' He was looking rueful +enough now, and was seated on the side of +a tombstone, on which he had laid a pistol, +while he was ramming home the charge of +another.</p> + +<p>"The boy got cautiously by, on tip-toe, +with his eyes all the time on the Count Chateau +Blassemare, or the man he mistook for +him; his dress was not what he usually wore, +but the witness swore that he could not be +mistaken as to his identity. He said his +face looked grave and stern; but though he +did not smile, it was the same face he knew +so well. Nothing would make him swerve +from that. If that were he, it was the last +time he was seen. He has never been heard +of since. Nothing could be heard of him in +the neighbourhood of Rouen. There has +been no evidence of his death; and there is +no sign that he is living."</p> + +<p>"That certainly is a most singular case," +I replied; and was about to ask a question +or two, when Tom Whistlewick who, without +my observing it, had been taking a ramble, +returned, a great deal more awake, and a +great deal less tipsy.</p> + +<p>"I say, Carmaignac, it is getting late, and +I must go; I really must, for the reason I +told you—and, Beckett, we must soon meet +again."</p> + +<p>"I regret very much, Monsieur, my not +being able at present to relate to you the +other case, that of another tenant of the very +same room—a case more mysterious and +sinister than the last—and which occurred +in the autumn of the same year."</p> + +<p>"Will you both do a very good-natured +thing, and come and dine with me at the +Dragon Volant to-morrow?"</p> + +<p>So, as we pursued our way along the +Galerie des Glaces, I extracted their promise.</p> + +<p>"By Jove!" said Whistlewick, when this +was done; "look at that pagoda, or sedan +chair, or whatever it is, just where those +fellows set it down, and not one of them +near it! I can't imagine how they tell fortunes +so devilish well. Jack Nuffles—I met +him here to-night—says they are gipsies—where +are they, I wonder? I'll go over and +have a peep at the prophet."</p> + +<p>I saw him plucking at the blinds, which +were constructed something on the principle +of Venetian blinds; the red curtains were +inside; but they did not yield, and he could +only peep under one that did not come quite +down.</p> + +<p>When he rejoined us, he related: "I could +scarcely see the old fellow, it's so dark. He +is covered with gold and red, and has an embroidered +hat on like a mandarin's; he's fast +asleep; and, by Jove, he smells like a pole-cat! +It's worth going over only to have it +to say. Fiew! pooh! oh! It <i>is</i> a perfume. +Faugh!"</p> + +<p>Not caring to accept this tempting invitation, +we got along slowly toward the door. +I bid them good-night, reminding them of +their promise. And so found my way at last +to my carriage; and was soon rolling slowly +toward the Dragon Volant, on the loneliest +of roads, under old trees, and the soft moonlight.</p> + +<p>What a number of things had happened +within the last two hours! what a variety of +strange and vivid pictures were crowded together +in that brief space! What an adventure +was before me!</p> + +<p>The silent, moonlighted, solitary road, how +it contrasted with the many-eddied whirl of +pleasure from whose roar and music, lights, +diamonds and colours, I had just extricated +myself.</p> + +<p>The sight of lonely Nature at such an hour, +acts like a sudden sedative. The madness and +guilt of my pursuit struck me with a momentary +compunction and horror. I wished I +had never entered the labyrinth which was +leading me, I knew not whither. It was too +late to think of that now; but the bitter +was already stealing into my cup; and vague +anticipations lay, for a few minutes, heavy +on my heart. It would not have taken much +to make me disclose my unmanly state of +mind to my lively friend, Alfred Ogle, nor +even to the milder ridicule of the agreeable +Tom Whistlewick.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XVI" id="CHAPTER_XVI"></a>CHAPTER XVI.</h3> + +<h3>THE PARC OF THE CHATEAU DE LA CARQUE.</h3> + + +<p>There was no danger of the Dragon +Volant's closing its doors on that +occasion till three or four in the morning. +There were quartered there many servants of +great people, whose masters would not leave +the ball till the last moment, and who could +not return to their corners in the Dragon +Volant, till their last services had been +rendered.</p> + +<p>I knew, therefore, I should have ample +time for my mysterious excursion without exciting +curiosity by being shut out.</p> + +<p>And now we pulled up under the canopy +of boughs, before the sign of the Dragon +Volant, and the light that shone from its hall-door.</p> + +<p>I dismissed my carriage, ran up the broad +staircase, mask in hand, with my domino +fluttering about me, and entered the large +bed-room. The black wainscoting and stately +furniture, with the dark curtains of the very +tall bed, made the night there more sombre.</p> + +<p>An oblique patch of moonlight was thrown +upon the floor from the window to which I +hastened. I looked out upon the landscape +slumbering in those silvery beams. There +stood the outline of the Château de la Carque, +its chimneys, and many turrets with their extinguisher-shaped +roofs black against the soft +grey sky. There, also, more in the foreground, +about midway between the window +where I stood, and the château, but a little to +the left, I traced the tufted masses of the +grove which the lady in the mask had appointed +as the trysting-place, where I and +the beautiful Countess were to meet that +night.</p> + +<p>I took "the bearings" of this gloomy bit +of wood, whose foliage glimmered softly at +top in the light of the moon.</p> + +<p>You may guess with what a strange interest +and swelling of the heart I gazed on the unknown +scene of my coming adventure.</p> + +<p>But time was flying, and the hour already +near. I threw my robe upon a sofa; I groped +out a pair of boots, which I substituted for +those thin heelless shoes, in those days called +"pumps," without which a gentleman could +not attend an evening party. I put on my +hat, and lastly, I took a pair of loaded pistols +which I had been advised were satisfactory companions +in the then unsettled state of French +society: swarms of disbanded soldiers, some +of them alleged to be desperate characters, +being everywhere to be met with. These preparations +made, I confess I took a looking-glass +to the window to see how I looked in +the moonlight; and being satisfied, I replaced +it, and ran downstairs.</p> + +<p>In the hall I called for my servant.</p> + +<p>"St. Clair," said I; "I mean to take a little +moonlight ramble, only ten minutes or so. +You must not go to bed until I return. If +the night is very beautiful, I may possibly +extend my ramble a little."</p> + +<p>So down the steps I lounged, looking first +over my right, and then over my left +shoulder, like a man uncertain which direction +to take, and I sauntered up the road, gazing +now at the moon, and now at the thin white +clouds in the opposite direction, whistling, all +the time, an air which I had picked up at +one of the theatres.</p> + +<p>When I had got a couple of hundred yards +away from the Dragon Volant, my minstrelsy +totally ceased; and I turned about, and +glanced sharply down the road that looked as +white as hoar-frost under the moon, and saw +the gable of the old inn, and a window, +partly concealed by the foliage, with a dusky +light shining from it.</p> + +<p>No sound of footstep was stirring; no sign +of human figure in sight. I consulted my +watch, which the light was sufficiently strong +to enable me to do. It now wanted but eight +minutes of the appointed hour. A thick +mantle of ivy at this point covered the wall +and rose in a clustering head at top.</p> + +<p>It afforded me facilities for scaling the +wall, and a partial screen for my operations, +if any eye should chance to be looking that +way. And now it was done. I was in the +park of the Château de la Carque, as nefarious +a poacher as ever trespassed on the grounds +of unsuspicious lord!</p> + +<p>Before me rose the appointed grove, which +looked as black as a clump of gigantic hearse-plumes. +It seemed to tower higher and +higher at every step; and cast a broader and +blacker shadow toward my feet. On I +marched, and was glad when I plunged into +the shadow which concealed me. Now I was +among the grand old lime and chestnut trees—my +heart beat fast with expectation.</p> + +<p>This grove opened, a little, near the +middle; and in the space thus cleared, there +stood with a surrounding flight of steps, a +small Greek temple or shrine, with a statue +in the centre. It was built of white marble +with fluted Corinthian columns, and the +crevices were tufted with grass; moss had +shown itself on pedestal and cornice, and +signs of long neglect and decay were apparent +in its discoloured and weather-worn marble. +A few feet in front of the steps a fountain, +fed from the great ponds at the other side of +the château, was making a constant tinkle +and plashing in a wide marble basin, and the +jet of water glimmered like a shower of +diamonds in the broken moonlight. The +very neglect and half-ruinous state of all this +made it only the prettier, as well as sadder. I +was too intently watching for the arrival of +the lady, in the direction of the château, to +study these things; but the half-noted effect +of them was romantic, and suggested somehow +the grotto and the fountain, and the +apparition of Egeria.</p> + +<p>As I watched a voice spoke to me, a little +behind my left shoulder. I turned, almost +with a start, and the masque, in the costume +of Mademoiselle de la Vallière stood +there.</p> + +<p>"The Countess will be here presently," +she said. The lady stood upon the open +space, and the moonlight fell unbroken upon +her. Nothing could be more becoming; her +figure looked more graceful and elegant than +ever. "In the meantime I shall tell you +some peculiarities of her situation. She is +unhappy; miserable in an ill-assorted marriage, +with a jealous tyrant who now would +constrain her to sell her diamonds, which +are—"</p> + +<p>"Worth thirty thousand pounds sterling. +I heard all that from a friend. Can I aid the +Countess in her unequal struggle? Say but +how, and the greater the danger or the sacrifice, +the happier will it make me. <i>Can</i> I aid +her?"</p> + +<p>"If you despise a danger—which, yet, is +not a danger; if you despise, as she does, the +tyrannical canons of the world; and, if you +are chivalrous enough to devote yourself to a +lady's cause, with no reward but her poor +gratitude; if you can do these things you can +aid her, and earn a foremost place, not in her +gratitude only, but in her friendship."</p> + +<p>At those words the lady in the mask +turned away, and seemed to weep.</p> + +<p>I vowed myself the willing slave of the +Countess. "But," I added, "you told me +she would soon be here."</p> + +<p>"That is, if nothing unforeseen should +happen; but with the eye of the Count de +St. Alyre in the house, and open, it is +seldom safe to stir."</p> + +<p>"Does she wish to see me?" I asked, with +a tender hesitation.</p> + +<p>"First, say have you really thought of +<i>her</i>, more than once, since the adventure of +the Belle Etoile."</p> + +<p>"She never leaves my thoughts; day and +night her beautiful eyes haunt me; her sweet +voice is always in my ear."</p> + +<p>"Mine is said to resemble hers," said the +mask.</p> + +<p>"So it does," I answered. "But it is only +a resemblance."</p> + +<p>"Oh! then mine is better?"</p> + +<p>"Pardon me, Mademoiselle, I did not say +<i>that</i>. Yours is a sweet voice, but I fancy a +little higher."</p> + +<p>"A little shriller, you would say," answered +the De la Vallière, I fancied a good +deal vexed.</p> + +<p>"No, not shriller: your voice is not shrill, +it is beautifully sweet; but not so pathetically +sweet as her."</p> + +<p>"That is prejudice, Monsieur; it is not +true."</p> + +<p>I bowed; I could not contradict a +lady.</p> + +<p>"I see, Monsieur, you laugh at me; you +think me vain, because I claim in some +points to be equal to the Countess de St. +Alyre. I challenge you to say, my hand, at +least, is less beautiful than hers." As she +thus spoke, she drew her glove off, and extended +her hand, back upward, in the moonlight.</p> + +<p>The lady seemed really nettled. It was +undignified and irritating; for in this uninteresting +competition the precious moments +were flying, and my interview leading apparently +to nothing.</p> + +<p>"You will admit, then, that my hand is as +beautiful as hers?"</p> + +<p>"I cannot admit it, Mademoiselle," said +I, with the honesty of irritation. "I will +not enter into comparisons, but the Countess +de St. Alyre is, in all respects, the most +beautiful lady I ever beheld."</p> + +<p>The masque laughed coldly, and then, +more and more softly, said, with a sigh, "I +will prove all I say." And as she spoke she +removed the mask: and the Countess de St. +Alyre, smiling, confused, bashful, more +beautiful than ever, stood before me!</p> + +<p>"Good Heavens!" I exclaimed. "How +monstrously stupid I have been. And it was +to Madame la Comtesse that I spoke for so +long in the <i>salon</i>!" I gazed on her in silence. +And with a low sweet laugh of goodnature +she extended her hand. I took it, and carried +it to my lips.</p> + +<p>"No, you must not do that," she said, +quietly, "we are not old enough friends yet. +I find, although you were mistaken, that you +do remember the Countess of the Belle +Etoile, and that you are a champion true and +fearless. Had you yielded to the claims just +now pressed upon you by the rivalry of +Mademoiselle de la Vallière, in her mask, +the Countess de St. Alyre should never have +trusted or seen you more. I now am sure +that you are true, as well as brave. You +now know that I have not forgotten you; +and, also, that if you would risk your life +for me, I, too, would brave some danger, +rather than lose my friend for ever. I have +but a few moments more. Will you come +here again to-morrow night, at a quarter +past eleven? I will be here at that moment; +you must exercise the most scrupulous care to +prevent suspicion that you have come here, +Monsieur. <i>You owe that to me.</i>"</p> + +<p>She spoke these last words with the most +solemn entreaty.</p> + +<p>I vowed again and again, that I would die +rather than permit the least rashness to +endanger the secret which made all the interest +and value of my life.</p> + +<p>She was looking, I thought, more and +more beautiful every moment. My enthusiasm +expanded in proportion.</p> + +<p>"You must come to-morrow night by a +different route," she said; "and if you come +again, we can change it once more. At the +other side of the château there is a little +churchyard, with a ruined chapel. The +neighbours are afraid to pass it by night. +The road is deserted there, and a stile opens +a way into these grounds. Cross it and you +can find a covert of thickets, to within fifty +steps of this spot."</p> + +<p>I promised, of course, to observe her +instructions implicitly.</p> + +<p>"I have lived for more than a year in an +agony of irresolution. I have decided at +last. I have lived a melancholy life; a +lonelier life than is passed in the cloister. I +have had no one to confide in; no one to +advise me; no one to save me from the +horrors of my existence. I have found a +brave and prompt friend at last. Shall I ever +forget the heroic tableau of the hall of the +Belle Etoile? Have you—have you really +kept the rose I gave you, as we parted? +Yes—you swear it. You need not; I trust +you. Richard, how often have I in solitude +repeated your name, learned from my servant. +Richard, my hero! Oh! Richard! Oh, my +king! I love you."</p> + +<p>I would have folded her to my heart—thrown +myself at her feet. But this beautiful +and—shall I say it—inconsistent woman +repelled me.</p> + +<p>"No, we must not waste our moments in +extravagances. Understand my case. There +is no such thing as indifference in the married +state. Not to love one's husband," she continued, +"is to hate him. The Count, +ridiculous in all else, is formidable in his +jealousy. In mercy, then, to me, observe +caution. Affect to all you speak to, the +most complete ignorance of all the people in +the Château de la Carque; and, if any one +in your presence mentions the Count or +Countess de St. Alyre, be sure you say you +never saw either. I shall have more to say +to you to-morrow night. I have reasons +that I cannot now explain, for all I do, +and all I postpone. Farewell. Go! Leave +me."</p> + +<p>She waved me back, peremptorily. I +echoed her "farewell," and obeyed.</p> + +<p>This interview had not lasted, I think, +more than ten minutes. I scaled the park-wall +again, and reached the Dragon Volant +before its doors were closed.</p> + +<p>I lay awake in my bed, in a fever of +elation. I saw, till the dawn broke, and +chased the vision, the beautiful Countess de +St. Alyre, always in the dark, before me.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XVII" id="CHAPTER_XVII"></a>CHAPTER XVII.</h3> + +<h3>THE TENANT OF THE PALANQUIN.</h3> + + +<p>The Marquis called on me next day. +My late breakfast was still upon +the table.</p> + +<p>He had come, he said, to ask a favour. +An accident had happened to his carriage in +the crowd on leaving the ball, and he begged, +if I were going into Paris, a seat in mine—I +was going in, and was extremely glad of +his company. He came with me to my +hotel; we went up to my rooms. I was +surprised to see a man seated in an easy chair, +with his back towards us, reading a newspaper. +He rose. It was the Count de St. +Alyre, his gold spectacles on his nose; his +black wig, in oily curls, lying close to his +narrow head, and showing, like carved ebony +over a repulsive visage of boxwood. His +black muffler had been pulled down. His +right arm was in a sling. I don't know +whether there was anything unusual in his +countenance that day, or whether it was but +the effect of prejudice arising from all I had +heard in my mysterious interview in his park, +but I thought his countenance was more +strikingly forbidding than I had seen it +before.</p> + +<p>I was not callous enough in the ways of +sin to meet this man, injured at least in intent, +thus suddenly, without a momentary disturbance.</p> + +<p>He smiled.</p> + +<p>"I called, Monsieur Beckett, in the hope of +finding you here," he croaked, "and I meditated, +I fear, taking a great liberty, but my +friend the Marquis d'Harmonville, on whom +I have perhaps some claim, will perhaps give +me the assistance I require so much."</p> + +<p>"With great pleasure," said the Marquis, +"but not till after six o'clock. I must go +this moment to a meeting of three or four +people, whom I cannot disappoint, and I +know, perfectly, we cannot break up earlier."</p> + +<p>"What am I to do?" exclaimed the Count, +"an hour would have done it all. Was ever +<i>contre-temps</i> so unlucky!"</p> + +<p>"I'll give you an hour, with pleasure," +said I.</p> + +<p>"How very good of you, Monsieur, I +hardly dare to hope it. The business, for so +gay and charming a man as Monsieur Beckett, +is a little <i>funeste</i>. Pray read this note which +reached me this morning."</p> + +<p>It certainly was not cheerful. It was a +note stating that the body of his, the Count's +cousin, Monsieur de St. Amand, who had +died at his house, the Château Clery, had +been, in accordance with his written directions, +sent for burial at Père La Chaise, and, with +the permission of the Count de St. Alyre, +would reach his house (the Château de la +Carque), at about ten o'clock on the night +following, to be conveyed thence in a hearse, +with any member of the family who might +wish to attend the obsequies.</p> + +<p>"I did not see the poor gentleman twice in +my life," said the Count, "but this office, as +he has no other kinsman, disagreeable as it is, +I could scarcely decline, and so I want to +attend at the office to have the book signed, +and the order entered. But here is another +misery. By ill luck, I have sprained my +thumb, and can't sign my name for a week +to come. However, one name answers as +well as another. Yours as well as mine. +And as you are so good as to come with me, +all will go right."</p> + +<p>Away, we drove. The Count gave me a +memorandum of the christian and surnames +of the deceased, his age, the complaint he +died of, and the usual particulars; also a note +of the exact position in which a grave, the +dimensions of which were described, of the +ordinary simple kind, was to be dug, between +two vaults belonging to the family of St. +Amand. The funeral, it was stated, would +arrive at half-past one o'clock A.M. (the next +night but one); and he handed me the money, +with extra fees, for a burial by night. It was +a good deal; and I asked him, as he entrusted +the whole affair to me, in whose name I +should take the receipt.</p> + +<p>"Not in mine, my good friend. They +wanted me to become an executor, which I, +yesterday, wrote to decline; and I am informed +that if the receipt were in my name it +would constitute me an executor in the eye +of the law, and fix me in that position. Take +it, pray, if you have no objection, in your +own name."</p> + +<p>This, accordingly, I did.</p> + +<p>"You will see, by-and-by, why I am +obliged to mention all these particulars."</p> + +<p>The Count, meanwhile, was leaning back +in the carriage, with his black silk muffler up +to his nose, and his hat shading his eyes, +while he dozed in his corner; in which state +I found him on my return.</p> + +<p>Paris had lost its charm for me. I hurried +through the little business I had to do, longed +once more for my quiet room in the Dragon +Volant, the melancholy woods of the Château +de la Carque, and the tumultuous and thrilling +influence of proximity to the object of my +wild but wicked romance.</p> + +<p>I was delayed some time by my stockbroker. +I had a very large sum, as I told you, at my +banker's, uninvested. I cared very little for +a few days' interest—very little for the entire +sum, compared with the image that occupied +my thoughts, and beckoned me with a white +arm, through the dark, toward the spreading +lime-trees and chestnuts of the Château de la +Carque. But I had fixed this day to meet +him, and was relieved when he told me that I +had better let it lie in my banker's hands for +a few days longer, as the funds would certainly +fall immediately. This accident, too, +was not without its immediate bearing on my +subsequent adventures.</p> + +<p>When I reached the Dragon Volant, I +found, in my sitting-room, a good deal to +my chagrin, my two guests, whom I had +quite forgotten. I inwardly cursed my own +stupidity for having embarrassed myself with +their agreeable society. It could not be +helped now, however, and a word to the +waiters put all things in train for dinner.</p> + +<p>Tom Whistlewick was in great force; and +he commenced almost immediately with a +very odd story.</p> + +<p>He told me that not only Versailles, but +all Paris, was in a ferment, in consequence of +a revolting, and all but sacrilegious, practical +joke, played off on the night before.</p> + +<p>The pagoda, as he persisted in calling the +palanquin, had been left standing on the spot +where we last saw it. Neither conjuror, nor +usher, nor bearers had ever returned. When +the ball closed, and the company at length +retired, the servants who attended to put out +the lights, and secure the doors, found it still +there.</p> + +<p>It was determined, however, to let it stand +where it was until next morning, by which +time, it was conjectured, its owners would +send messengers to remove it.</p> + +<p>None arrived. The servants were then +ordered to take it away; and its extraordinary +weight, for the first time, reminded them of +its forgotten human occupant. Its door was +forced; and, judge what was their disgust, +when they discovered, not a living man, but +a corpse! Three or four days must have +passed since the death of the burly man in the +Chinese tunic and painted cap. Some people +thought it was a trick designed to insult the +Allies, in whose honour the ball was got up. +Others were of opinion that it was nothing +worse than a daring and cynical jocularity +which, shocking as it was, might yet be forgiven +to the high spirits and irrepressible buffoonery +of youth. Others, again, fewer in +number, and mystically given, insisted that +the corpse was <i>bonâ fide</i> necessary to the exhibition, +and that the disclosures and allusions +which had astonished so many people were +distinctly due to necromancy.</p> + +<p>"The matter, however, is now in the +hands of the police," observed Monsieur +Carmaignac, "and we are not the body they +were two or three months ago, if the offenders +against propriety and public feeling +are not traced, and convicted, unless, indeed, +they have been a great deal more cunning +than such fools generally are."</p> + +<p>I was thinking within myself how utterly +inexplicable was my colloquy with the conjuror, +so cavalierly dismissed by Monsieur +Carmaignac as a "fool;" and the more I +thought the more marvellous it seemed.</p> + +<p>"It certainly was an original joke, though +not a very clear one," said Whistlewick.</p> + +<p>"Not even original," said Carmaignac. +"Very nearly the same thing was done, a +hundred years ago or more, at a state ball in +Paris; and the rascals who played the trick +were never found out."</p> + +<p>In this Monsieur Carmaignac, as I afterwards +discovered, spoke truly; for, among +my books of French anecdote and memoirs, +the very incident is marked, by my own +hand.</p> + +<p>While we were thus talking, the waiter +told us that dinner was served; and we +withdrew accordingly; my guests more than +making amends for my comparative taciturnity.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XVIII" id="CHAPTER_XVIII"></a>CHAPTER XVIII.</h3> + +<h3>THE CHURCH-YARD.</h3> + + +<p>Our dinner was really good, so were +the wines; better, perhaps, at this +out-of-the-way inn, than at some of the +more pretentious hotels in Paris. The moral +effect of a really good dinner is immense—we +all felt it. The serenity and goodnature +that follow are more solid and comfortable +than the tumultuous benevolences of +Bacchus.</p> + +<p>My friends were happy, therefore, and +very chatty; which latter relieved me of the +trouble of talking, and prompted them to +entertain me and one another incessantly with +agreeable stories and conversation, of which, +until suddenly a subject emerged, which interested +me powerfully, I confess, so much +were my thoughts engaged elsewhere, I heard +next to nothing.</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Carmaignac, continuing a conversation +which had escaped me, "there was +another case, beside that Russian nobleman, +odder still. I remembered it this morning, +but cannot recall the name. He was a tenant +of the very same room. By-the-by, Monsieur, +might it not be as well," he added, +turning to me, with a laugh, half joke whole +earnest, as they say, "if you were to get +into another apartment, now that the house +is no longer crowded? that is, if you mean +to make any stay here."</p> + +<p>"A thousand thanks! no. I'm thinking +of changing my hotel; and I can run into +town so easily at night; and though I stay +here, for this night, at least, I don't expect +to vanish like those others. But you say +there is another adventure, of the same kind, +connected with the same room. Do let us +hear it. But take some wine first."</p> + +<p>The story he told was curious.</p> + +<p>"It happened," said Carmaignac, "as well +as I recollect, before either of the other cases. +A French gentleman—I wish I could remember +his name—the son of a merchant, came +to this inn (the Dragon Volant), and was +put by the landlord into the same room of +which we have been speaking. <i>Your</i> apartment, +Monsieur. He was by no means +young—past forty—and very far from good-looking. +The people here said that he was +the ugliest man, and the most good-natured, +that ever lived. He played on the fiddle, +sang, and wrote poetry. His habits were +odd and desultory. He would sometimes +sit all day in his room writing, singing, and +fiddling, and go out at night for a walk. An +eccentric man! He was by no means a +millionaire, but he had a <i>modicum bonum</i> +you understand—a trifle more than half a +million of francs. He consulted his stockbroker +about investing this money in foreign +stocks, and drew the entire sum from his +banker. You now have the situation of +affairs when the catastrophe occurred."</p> + +<p>"Pray fill your glass," I said.</p> + +<p>"Dutch courage, Monsieur, to face the +catastrophe!" said Whistlewick, filling his +own.</p> + +<p>"Now, that was the last that ever was +heard of his money," resumed Carmaignac. +"You shall hear about himself. The night +after this financial operation, he was seized +with a poetic frenzy; he sent for the then +landlord of this house, and told him that he +long meditated an epic, and meant to commence +that night, and that he was on no +account to be disturbed until nine o'clock in +the morning. He had two pairs of wax +candles, a little cold supper on a side-table, +his desk open, paper enough upon it to contain +the entire Henriade, and a proportionate +store of pens and ink.</p> + +<p>"Seated at this desk he was seen by the +waiter who brought him a cup of coffee at +nine o'clock, at which time the intruder said +he was writing fast enough to set fire to the +paper—that was his phrase; he did not look +up, he appeared too much engrossed. But, +when the waiter came back, half an hour +afterwards, the door was locked; and the +poet, from within, answered, that he must +not be disturbed.</p> + +<p>"Away went the <i>garçon</i>; and next morning +at nine o'clock knocked at his door, and +receiving no answer, looked through the +key-hole; the lights were still burning, the +window-shutters were closed as he had left +them; he renewed his knocking, knocked +louder, no answer came. He reported this +continued and alarming silence to the inn-keeper, +who, finding that his guest had not +left his key in the lock, succeeded in finding +another that opened it. The candles were +just giving up the ghost in their sockets, but +there was light enough to ascertain that the +tenant of the room was gone! The bed had +not been disturbed; the window-shutter was +barred. He must have let himself out, and, +locking the door on the outside, put the +key in his pocket, and so made his way out +of the house. Here, however, was another +difficulty, the Dragon Volant shut its doors +and made all fast at twelve o'clock; after +that hour no one could leave the house, except +by obtaining the key and letting himself +out, and of necessity leaving the door unsecured, +or else by collusion and aid of some +person in the house.</p> + +<p>"Now it happened that, some time after +the doors were secured, at half-past twelve, +a servant who had not been apprized of his +order to be left undisturbed, seeing a light +shine through the key-hole, knocked at the +door to inquire whether the poet wanted +anything. He was very little obliged to +his disturber, and dismissed him with a renewed +charge that he was not to be interrupted +again during the night. This incident +established the fact that he was in the house +after the doors had been locked and barred. +The inn-keeper himself kept the keys, and +swore that he found them hung on the wall +above his head, in his bed, in their usual +place, in the morning; and that nobody +could have taken them away without +awakening him. That was all we could discover. +The Count de St. Alyre, to whom +this house belongs, was very active and very +much chagrined. But nothing was discovered."</p> + +<p>"And nothing heard since of the epic +poet?" I asked.</p> + +<p>"Nothing—not the slightest clue—he +never turned up again. I suppose he is +dead; if he is not, he must have got into +some devilish bad scrape, of which we have +heard nothing, that compelled him to abscond +with all the secresy and expedition +in his power. All that we know for certain +is that, having occupied the room in which +you sleep, he vanished, nobody ever knew +how, and never was heard of since."</p> + +<p>"You have now mentioned three cases," +I said, "and all from the same room."</p> + +<p>"Three. Yes, all equally unintelligible. +When men are murdered, the great and +immediate difficulty the assassins encounter +is how to conceal the body. It is very hard +to believe that three persons should have +been consecutively murdered, in the same +room, and their bodies so effectually disposed +of that no trace of them was ever +discovered."</p> + +<p>From this we passed to other topics, and +the grave Monsieur Carmaignac amused us +with a perfectly prodigious collection of scandalous +anecdote, which his opportunities in +the police department had enabled him to +accumulate.</p> + +<p>My guests happily had engagements in +Paris, and left me about ten.</p> + +<p>I went up to my room, and looked out +upon the grounds of the Château de la +Carque. The moonlight was broken by +clouds, and the view of the park in this desultory +light, acquired a melancholy and +fantastic character.</p> + +<p>The strange anecdotes recounted of the +room in which I stood, by Monsieur Carmaignac, +returned vaguely upon my mind, +drowning in sudden shadows the gaiety of +the more frivolous stories with which he had +followed them. I looked round me on the +room that lay in ominous gloom, with an +almost disagreeable sensation. I took my +pistols now with an undefined apprehension +that they might be really needed before my +return to-night. This feeling, be it understood, +in nowise chilled my ardour. Never +had my enthusiasm mounted higher. My +adventure absorbed and carried me away; +but it added a strange and stern excitement +to the expedition.</p> + +<p>I loitered for a time in my room. I had +ascertained the exact point at which the little +churchyard lay. It was about a mile away; +I did not wish to reach it earlier than necessary.</p> + +<p>I stole quietly out, and sauntered along the +road to my left, and thence entered a narrower +track, still to my left, which, skirting +the park wall, and describing a circuitous +route, all the way, under grand old trees, +passes the ancient cemetery. That cemetery +is embowered in trees, and occupies little +more than half an acre of ground, to the +left of the road, interposing between it and +the park of the Château de la Carque.</p> + +<p>Here, at this haunted spot, I paused and +listened. The place was utterly silent. A +thick cloud had darkened the moon, so that +I could distinguish little more than the outlines +of near objects, and that vaguely enough; +and sometimes, as it were, floating in black +fog, the white surface of a tombstone +emerged.</p> + +<p>Among the forms that met my eye against +the iron-grey of the horizon, were some of +those shrubs or trees that grow like our +junipers, some six feet high, in form like a +miniature poplar, with the darker foliage of +the yew. I do not know the name of the +plant, but I have often seen it in such +funereal places.</p> + +<p>Knowing that I was a little too early, I +sat down upon the edge of a tombstone to +wait, as, for aught I knew, the beautiful +Countess might have wise reasons for not +caring that I should enter the grounds of the +château earlier than she had appointed. In +the listless state induced by waiting, I sat +there, with my eyes on the object straight +before me, which chanced to be that faint +black outline I have described. It was right +before me, about half-a-dozen steps away.</p> + +<p>The moon now began to escape from +under the skirt of the cloud that had hid her +face for so long; and, as the light gradually +improved, the tree on which I had been +lazily staring began to take a new shape. It +was no longer a tree, but a man standing +motionless. Brighter and brighter grew the +moonlight, clearer and clearer the image became, +and at last stood out perfectly distinctly. +It was Colonel Gaillarde.</p> + +<p>Luckily, he was not looking toward me. +I could only see him in profile; but there +was no mistaking the white moustache, the +<i>farouche</i> visage, and the gaunt six-foot stature. +There he was, his shoulder toward me, listening +and watching, plainly, for some signal or +person expected, straight in front of him.</p> + +<p>If he were, by chance, to turn his eyes +in my direction, I knew that I must reckon +upon an instantaneous renewal of the combat +only commenced in the hall of the Belle Etoile. +In any case, could malignant fortune have +posted, at this place and hour, a more dangerous +watcher? What ecstasy to him, by +a single discovery, to hit me so hard, and +blast the Countess de St. Alyre, whom he +seemed to hate.</p> + +<p>He raised his arm; he whistled softly; I +heard an answering whistle as low; and, to +my relief, the Colonel advanced in the direction +of this sound, widening the distance +between us at every step; and immediately +I heard talking, but in a low and cautious +key.</p> + +<p>I recognized, I thought, even so, the +peculiar voice of Gaillarde.</p> + +<p>I stole softly forward in the direction in +which those sounds were audible. In doing +so, I had, of course, to use the extremest +caution.</p> + +<p>I thought I saw a hat above a jagged +piece of ruined wall, and then a second—yes, +I saw two hats conversing; the voices came +from under them. They moved off, not in +the direction of the park, but of the road, +and I lay along the grass, peeping over a +grave, as a skirmisher might, observing the +enemy. One after the other, the figures +emerged full into view as they mounted the +stile at the road-side. The Colonel, who +was last, stood on the wall for awhile, looking +about him, and then jumped down on the +road. I heard their steps and talk as they +moved away together, with their backs toward +me, in the direction which led them farther and +farther from the Dragon Volant.</p> + +<p>I waited until these sounds were quite lost in +distance before I entered the park. I followed +the instructions I had received from the +Countess de St. Alyre, and made my way +among brushwood and thickets to the point +nearest the ruinous temple, and crossed the +short intervening space of open ground +rapidly.</p> + +<p>I was now once more under the gigantic +boughs of the old lime and chestnut trees; +softly, and with a heart throbbing fast, +I approached the little structure.</p> + +<p>The moon was now shining steadily, pouring +down its radiance on the soft foliage, and +here and there mottling the verdure under +my feet.</p> + +<p>I reached the steps; I was among its worn +marble shafts. She was not there, nor in +the inner sanctuary, the arched windows of +which were screened almost entirely by +masses of ivy. The lady had not yet +arrived.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XIX" id="CHAPTER_XIX"></a>CHAPTER XIX.</h3> + +<h3>THE KEY.</h3> + + +<p>I stood now upon the steps, watching +and listening. In a minute or two +I heard the crackle of withered sticks trod +upon, and, looking in the direction, I saw a +figure approaching among the trees, wrapped +in a mantle.</p> + +<p>I advanced eagerly. It was the Countess. +She did not speak, but gave me her hand, +and I led her to the scene of our last interview. +She repressed the ardour of my impassioned +greeting with a gentle but peremptory firmness. +She removed her hood, shook back +her beautiful hair, and, gazing on me with +sad and glowing eyes, sighed deeply. Some +awful thought seemed to weigh upon her.</p> + +<p>"Richard, I must speak plainly. The +crisis of my life has come. I am sure you +would defend me. I think you pity me; +perhaps you even love me."</p> + +<p>At these words I became eloquent, as +young madmen in my plight do. She +silenced me, however, with the same melancholy +firmness.</p> + +<p>"Listen, dear friend, and then say whether +you can aid me. How madly I am trusting +you; and yet my heart tells me how wisely! +To meet you here as I do—what insanity it +seems! How poorly you must think of me! +But when you know all, you will judge me +fairly. Without your aid I cannot accomplish +my purpose. That purpose unaccomplished, +I must die. I am chained to a man +whom I despise—whom I abhor. I have +resolved to fly. I have jewels, principally +diamonds, for which I am offered thirty +thousand pounds of your English money. +They are my separate property by my +marriage settlement; I will take them with +me. You are a judge, no doubt, of jewels. +I was counting mine when the hour came, +and brought this in my hand to show you. +Look."</p> + +<p>"It is magnificent!" I exclaimed, as a +collar of diamonds twinkled and flashed in +the moonlight, suspended from her pretty +fingers. I thought, even at that tragic +moment, that she prolonged the show, with +a feminine delight in these brilliant toys.</p> + +<p>"Yes," she said, "I shall part with them +all. I will turn them into money, and +break, for ever, the unnatural and wicked +bonds that tied me, in the name of a sacrament, +to a tyrant. A man young, handsome, +generous, brave as you, can hardly be +rich. Richard, you say you love me; you +shall share all this with me. We will fly +together to Switzerland; we will evade +pursuit; my powerful friends will intervene +and arrange a separation; and I shall, at +length, be happy and reward my hero."</p> + +<p>You may suppose the style, florid and +vehement, in which I poured forth my gratitude, +vowed the devotion of my life, and +placed myself absolutely at her disposal.</p> + +<p>"To-morrow night," she said, "my husband +will attend the remains of his cousin, +Monsieur de St. Amand, to Père la Chaise. +The hearse, he says, will leave this at half-past +nine. You must be here, where we +stand, at nine o'clock."</p> + +<p>I promised punctual obedience.</p> + +<p>"I will not meet you here; but you see +a red light in the window of the tower at +that angle of the château?"</p> + +<p>I assented.</p> + +<p>"I placed it there, that, to-morrow night, +when it comes, you may recognize it. So +soon as that rose-coloured light appears at +that window, it will be a signal to you that +the funeral has left the château, and that you +may approach safely. Come, then, to that +window; I will open it, and admit you. Five +minutes after a travelling-carriage, with four +horses, shall stand ready in the <i>porte-cochère</i>. +I will place my diamonds in your hands; +and so soon as we enter the carriage, our +flight commences. We shall have at least +five hours' start; and with energy, stratagem, +and resource, I fear nothing. Are you ready +to undertake all this for my sake?"</p> + +<p>Again I vowed myself her slave.</p> + +<p>"My only difficulty," she said, "is how +we shall quickly enough convert my diamonds +into money; I dare not remove them while +my husband is in the house."</p> + +<p>Here was the opportunity I wished for. I +now told her that I had in my banker's hands +no less a sum than thirty thousand pounds, with +which, in the shape of gold and notes, I should +come furnished, and thus the risk and loss of +disposing of her diamonds in too much haste +would be avoided.</p> + +<p>"Good heaven!" she exclaimed, with a kind +of disappointment. "You are rich, then? +and I have lost the felicity of making my +generous friend more happy. Be it so! since +so it must be. Let us contribute, each, in +equal shares, to our common fund. Bring +you, your money; I, my jewels. There is +a happiness to me even in mingling my resources +with yours."</p> + +<p>On this there followed a romantic colloquy, +all poetry and passion, such as I should, in +vain, endeavour to reproduce.</p> + +<p>Then came a very special instruction.</p> + +<p>"I have come provided, too, with a key, +the use of which I must explain."</p> + +<p>It was a double key—a long, slender stem, +with a key at each end—one about the size +which opens an ordinary room door; the +other, as small, almost, as the key of a dressing-case.</p> + +<p>"You cannot employ too much caution to-morrow +night. An interruption would murder +all my hopes. I have learned that you occupy +the haunted room in the Dragon Volant. It +is the very room I would have wished you in. +I will tell you why—there is a story of a man +who, having shut himself up in that room +one night, disappeared before morning. The +truth is, he wanted, I believe, to escape from +creditors; and the host of the Dragon Volant, +at that time, being a rogue, aided him in absconding. +My husband investigated the matter, +and discovered how his escape was made. +It was by means of this key. Here is a +memorandum and a plan describing how they +are to be applied. I have taken them from +the Count's escritoire. And now, once more +I must leave to your ingenuity how to mystify +the people at the Dragon Volant. Be sure +you try the keys first, to see that the locks +turn freely. I will have my jewels ready. You, +whatever we divide, had better bring your +money, because it may be many months before +you can revisit Paris, or disclose our place of +residence to any one; and our passports—arrange +all that; in what names, and whither, +you please. And now, dear Richard" (she +leaned her arm fondly on my shoulder, and +looked with ineffable passion in my eyes, with +her other hand clasped in mine), "my very +life is in your hands; I have staked all on +your fidelity."</p> + +<p>As she spoke the last word, she, on a sudden, +grew deadly pale, and gasped, "Good +God! who is here?"</p> + +<p>At the same moment she receded through +the door in the marble screen, close to which +she stood, and behind which was a small roofless +chamber, as small as the shrine, the window +of which was darkened by a clustering mass of +ivy so dense that hardly a gleam of light came +through the leaves.</p> + +<p>I stood upon the threshold which she had +just crossed, looking in the direction in which +she had thrown that one terrified glance. No +wonder she was frightened. Quite close upon +us, not twenty yards away, and approaching +at a quick step, very distinctly lighted by +the moon, Colonel Gaillarde and his companion +were coming. The shadow of the +cornice and a piece of wall were upon me. +Unconscious of this, I was expecting the +moment when, with one of his frantic +yells, he should spring forward to assail +me.</p> + +<p>I made a step backward, drew one of my +pistols from my pocket, and cocked it. It +was obvious he had not seen me.</p> + +<p>I stood, with my finger on the trigger, +determined to shoot him dead if he should +attempt to enter the place where the Countess +was. It would, no doubt, have been a +murder; but, in my mind, I had no question +or qualm about it. When once we engage in +secret and guilty practices we are nearer other +and greater crimes than we at all suspect.</p> + +<p>"There's the statue," said the Colonel, in his +brief discordant tones. "That's the figure."</p> + +<p>"Alluded to in the stanzas?" inquired his +companion.</p> + +<p>"The very thing. We shall see more next +time. Forward, Monsieur; let us march."</p> + +<p>And, much to my relief, the gallant +Colonel turned on his heel, and marched +through the trees, with his back toward the +château, striding over the grass, as I quickly +saw, to the park wall, which they crossed not +far from the gables of the Dragon Volant.</p> + +<p>I found the Countess trembling in no +affected, but a very real terror. She would +not hear of my accompanying her toward the +château. But I told her that I would prevent +the return of the mad Colonel; and upon +that point, at least, that she need fear nothing. +She quickly recovered, again bid me a fond +and lingering good-night, and left me, gazing +after her, with the key in my hand, and +such a phantasmagoria floating in my brain +as amounted very nearly to madness.</p> + +<p>There was I, ready to brave all dangers, +all right and reason, plunge into murder +itself, on the first summons, and entangle +myself in consequences inextricable and +horrible (what cared I?) for a woman of +whom I knew nothing, but that she was +beautiful and reckless!</p> + +<p>I have often thanked heaven for its mercy +in conducting me through the labyrinths in +which I had all but lost myself.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XX" id="CHAPTER_XX"></a>CHAPTER XX.</h3> + +<h3>A HIGH-CAULD CAP.</h3> + + +<p>I was now upon the road, within two +or three hundred yards of the Dragon +Volant. I had undertaken an adventure with +a vengeance! And by way of prelude, there +not improbably awaited me, at my inn, +another encounter, perhaps, this time, not so +lucky, with the grotesque sabreur.</p> + +<p>I was glad I had my pistols. I certainly +was bound by no law to allow a ruffian to +cut me down, unresisting.</p> + +<p>Stooping boughs from the old park, +gigantic poplars on the other side, and the +moonlight over all, made the narrow road to +the inn-door picturesque.</p> + +<p>I could not think very clearly just now; +events were succeeding one another so rapidly, +and I, involved in the action of a drama so +extravagant and guilty, hardly knew myself +or believed my own story, as I slowly paced +towards the still open door of the Flying +Dragon.</p> + +<p>No sign of the Colonel, visible or audible, +was there. In the hall I inquired. No gentleman +had arrived at the inn for the last half +hour. I looked into the public room. It +was deserted. The clock struck twelve, and +I heard the servant barring the great door. +I took my candle. The lights in this rural +hostelry were by this time out, and the house +had the air of one that had settled to +slumber for many hours. The cold moonlight +streamed in at the window on the landing, +as I ascended the broad staircase; and +I paused for a moment to look over the +wooded grounds to the turreted château, to +me, so full of interest. I bethought me, +however, that prying eyes might read a +meaning in this midnight gazing, and possibly +the Count himself might, in his jealous +mood, surmise a signal in this unwonted +light in the stair-window of the Dragon +Volant.</p> + +<p>On opening my room door, with a little +start, I met an extremely old woman with +the longest face I ever saw; she had what +used to be termed, a high-cauld-cap, on, +the white border of which contrasted with +her brown and yellow skin, and made her +wrinkled face more ugly. She raised her +curved shoulders, and looked up in my face, +with eyes unnaturally black and bright.</p> + +<p>"I have lighted a little wood, Monsieur, +because the night is chill."</p> + +<p>I thanked her, but she did not go. She +stood with her candle in her tremulous +fingers.</p> + +<p>"Excuse an old woman. Monsieur," she +said; "but what on earth can a young +English <i>milord</i>, with all Paris at his feet, +find to amuse him in the Dragon Volant?"</p> + +<p>Had I been at the age of fairy tales, and +in daily intercourse with the delightful +Countess d'Aulnois, I should have seen in +this withered apparition, the <i>genius loci</i>, the +malignant fairy, at the stamp of whose foot, +the ill-fated tenants of this very room had, +from time to time, vanished. I was past +that, however; but the old woman's dark +eyes were fixed on mine, with a steady +meaning that plainly told me that my secret +was known. I was embarrassed and alarmed; +I never thought of asking her what +business that was of hers.</p> + +<p>"These old eyes saw you in the park of +the château to-night."</p> + +<p>"<i>I!</i>" I began, with all the scornful surprise +I could affect.</p> + +<p>"It avails nothing, Monsieur; I know +why you stay here; and I tell you to begone. +Leave this house to-morrow morning, +and never come again."</p> + +<p>She lifted her disengaged hand, as she +looked at me with intense horror in her eyes.</p> + +<p>"There is nothing on earth—I don't +know what you mean," I answered; "and +why should you care about me?"</p> + +<p>"I don't care about you, Monsieur—I +care about the honour of an ancient family, +whom I served in their happier days, when +to be noble, was to be honoured. But my +words are thrown away, Monsieur; you +are insolent. I will keep my secret, and +you, yours; that is all. You will soon find +it hard enough to divulge it."</p> + +<p>The old woman went slowly from the +room and shut the door, before I had made +up my mind to say anything. I was standing +where she had left me, nearly five minutes +later. The jealousy of Monsieur the +Count, I assumed, appears to this old creature +about the most terrible thing in creation. +Whatever contempt I might entertain for +the dangers which this old lady so darkly +intimated, it was by no means pleasant, you +may suppose, that a secret so dangerous +should be so much as suspected by a stranger, +and that stranger a partisan of the Count de +St. Alyre.</p> + +<p>Ought I not, at all risks, to apprize the +Countess, who had trusted me so generously, +or, as she said herself, so madly, of the +fact that our secret was, at least, suspected +by another? But was there not greater +danger in attempting to communicate? +What did the beldame mean by saying, +"Keep your secret, and I'll keep mine?"</p> + +<p>I had a thousand distracting questions +before me. My progress seemed like a +journey through the Spessart, where at every +step some new goblin or monster starts from +the ground or steps from behind a tree.</p> + +<p>Peremptorily I dismissed these harassing +and frightful doubts. I secured my door, sat +myself down at my table, and with a candle +at each side, placed before me the piece of +vellum which contained the drawings and +notes on which I was to rely for full instructions +as to how to use the key.</p> + +<p>When I had studied this for awhile, I +made my investigation. The angle of the +room at the right side of the window was cut +off by an oblique turn in the wainscot. I +examined this carefully, and, on pressure, a +small bit of the frame of the woodwork slid +aside, and disclosed a keyhole. On removing +my finger, it shot back to its place again, with +a spring. So far I had interpreted my instructions +successfully. A similar search, next the +door, and directly under this, was rewarded +by a like discovery. The small end of the +key fitted this, as it had the upper keyhole; and +now, with two or three hard jerks at the key, +a door in the panel opened, showing a strip +of the bare wall, and a narrow, arched doorway, +piercing the thickness of the wall; and +within which I saw a screw-staircase of stone.</p> + +<p>Candle in hand I stepped in. I do not +know whether the quality of air, long undisturbed, +is peculiar; to me it has always +seemed so, and the damp smell of the old +masonry hung in this atmosphere. My candle +faintly lighted the bare stone wall that enclosed +the stair, the foot of which I could not +see. Down I went, and a few turns brought +me to the stone floor. Here was another +door, of the simple, old, oak kind, deep sunk +in the thickness of the wall. The large end +of the key fitted this. The lock was stiff; I +set the candle down upon the stair, and applied +both hands; it turned with difficulty, +and as it revolved, uttered a shriek that +alarmed me for my secret.</p> + +<p>For some minutes I did not move. In a +little time, however, I took courage, and +opened the door. The night-air floating in, +puffed out the candle. There was a thicket +of holly and underwood, as dense as a jungle, +close about the door. I should have been in +pitch-darkness, were it not that through the +topmost leaves, there twinkled, here and there, +a glimmer of moonshine.</p> + +<p>Softly, lest any one should have opened +his window, at the sound of the rusty bolt, I +struggled through this, till I gained a view of +the open grounds. Here I found that the +brushwood spread a good way up the park, +uniting with the wood that approached the +little temple I have described.</p> + +<p>A general could not have chosen a more +effectually-covered approach from the Dragon +Volant to the trysting-place where hitherto I +had conferred with the idol of my lawless +adoration.</p> + +<p>Looking back upon the old inn, I discovered +that the stair I descended, was +enclosed in one of those slender turrets that +decorate such buildings. It was placed at +that angle which corresponded with the part +of the paneling of my room indicated in the +plan I had been studying.</p> + +<p>Thoroughly satisfied with my experiment, +I made my way back to the door, with some +little difficulty, re-mounted to my room, +locked my secret door again; kissed the +mysterious key that her hand had pressed +that night, and placed it under my pillow, +upon which, very soon after, my giddy head +was laid, not, for some time, to sleep +soundly.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XXI" id="CHAPTER_XXI"></a>CHAPTER XXI.</h3> + +<h3>I SEE THREE MEN IN A MIRROR.</h3> + + +<p>I awoke very early next morning, and +was too excited to sleep again. As +soon as I could, without exciting remark, I +saw my host. I told him that I was going +into town that night, and thence to ——, +where I had to see some people on business, +and requested him to mention my being +there to any friend who might call. That +I expected to be back in about a week, and +that in the meantime my servant, St. Clair, +would keep the key of my room, and look +after my things.</p> + +<p>Having prepared this mystification for +my landlord, I drove into Paris, and there +transacted the financial part of the affair. +The problem was to reduce my balance, +nearly thirty thousand pounds, to a shape +in which it would be not only easily portable, +but available, wherever I might go, without +involving correspondence, or any other incident +which would disclose my place of residence, +for the time being. All these points +were as nearly provided for as they could be. +I need not trouble you about my arrangements +for passports. It is enough to say +that the point I selected for our flight was, +in the spirit of romance, one of the most +beautiful and sequestered nooks in Switzerland.</p> + +<p>Luggage, I should start with none. The +first considerable town we reached next +morning, would supply an extemporized +wardrobe. It was now two o'clock; <i>only</i> +two! How on earth was I to dispose of the +remainder of the day?</p> + +<p>I had not yet seen the cathedral of Notre +Dame; and thither I drove. I spent an +hour or more there; and then to the Conciergerie, +the Palais de Justice, and the beautiful +Sainte Chapelle. Still there remained +some time to get rid of, and I strolled into +the narrow streets adjoining the cathedral. +I recollect seeing, in one of them, an old +house with a mural inscription stating that it +had been the residence of Canon Fulbert, +the uncle of Abelard's Eloise. I don't know +whether these curious old streets, in which +I observed fragments of ancient gothic +churches fitted up as warehouses, are still +extant. I lighted, among other dingy and +eccentric shops, upon one that seemed that +of a broker of all sorts of old decorations, +armour, china, furniture. I entered the +shop; it was dark, dusty, and low. The +proprietor was busy scouring a piece of inlaid +armour, and allowed me to poke about his +shop, and examine the curious things accumulated +there, just as I pleased. Gradually +I made my way to the farther end of it, +where there was but one window with many +panes, each with a bull's-eye in it, and in the +dirtiest possible state. When I reached this +window, I turned about, and in a recess, +standing at right angles with the side wall of +the shop, was a large mirror in an old-fashioned +dingy frame. Reflected in this I +saw, what in old houses I have heard termed +an "alcove," in which, among lumber, and +various dusty articles hanging on the wall, +there stood a table, at which three persons +were seated, as it seemed to me, in earnest +conversation. Two of these persons I instantly +recognized; one was Colonel Gaillarde, +the other was the Marquis d'Harmonville. +The third, who was fiddling with a pen, was +a lean, pale man, pitted with the small-pox, +with lank black hair, and about as mean-looking +a person as I had ever seen in my +life. The Marquis looked up, and his glance +was instantaneously followed by his two companions. +For a moment I hesitated what to +do. But it was plain that I was not recognized, +as indeed I could hardly have been, +the light from the window being behind +me, and the portion of the shop immediately +before me, being very dark indeed.</p> + +<p>Perceiving this, I had presence of mind to +affect being entirely engrossed by the objects +before me, and strolled slowly down the +shop again. I paused for a moment to hear +whether I was followed, and was relieved +when I heard no step. You may be sure I +did not waste more time in that shop, where +I had just made a discovery so curious and +so unexpected.</p> + +<p>It was no business of mine to inquire what +brought Colonel Gaillarde and the Marquis +together, in so shabby, and even dirty a +place, or who the mean person, biting the +feather end of his pen, might be. Such employments +as the Marquis had accepted +sometimes make strange bed-fellows.</p> + +<p>I was glad to get away, and just as the +sun set, I had reached the steps of the +Dragon Volant, and dismissed the vehicle in +which I arrived, carrying in my hand a strong +box, of marvellously small dimensions considering +all it contained, strapped in a leather +cover, which disguised its real character.</p> + +<p>When I got to my room, I summoned St. +Clair. I told him nearly the same story, I +had already told my host. I gave him fifty +pounds, with orders to expend whatever was +necessary on himself, and in payment for my +rooms till my return. I then eat a slight and +hasty dinner. My eyes were often upon the +solemn old clock over the chimney-piece, +which was my sole accomplice in keeping +tryste in this iniquitous venture. The sky +favoured my design, and darkened all things +with a sea of clouds.</p> + +<p>The innkeeper met me in the hall, to ask +whether I should want a vehicle to Paris? +I was prepared for this question, and instantly +answered that I meant to walk to Versailles, +and take a carriage there. I called St. +Clair.</p> + +<p>"Go," said I, "and drink a bottle of wine +with your friends. I shall call you if I should +want anything; in the meantime, here is the +key of my room; I shall be writing some +notes, so don't allow any one to disturb me, +for at least half an hour. At the end of that +time you will probably find that I have left +this for Versailles; and should you not find +me in the room, you may take that for +granted; and you take charge of everything, +and lock the door, you understand?"</p> + +<p>St. Clair took his leave, wishing me all +happiness and no doubt promising himself +some little amusement with my money. +With my candle in my hand, I hastened +upstairs. It wanted now but five minutes +to the appointed time. I do not think there +is anything of the coward in my nature; but +I confess, as the crisis approached, I felt +something of the suspense and awe of a +soldier going into action. Would I have +receded? Not for all this earth could +offer.</p> + +<p>I bolted my door, put on my great coat, +and placed my pistols, one in each pocket. +I now applied my key to the secret locks; +drew the wainscot-door a little open, took +my strong box under my arm, extinguished +my candle, unbolted my door, listened at it +for a few moments to be sure that no one +was approaching, and then crossed the floor +of my room swiftly, entered the secret door, +and closed the spring lock after me. I was +upon the screw-stair in total darkness, the +key in my fingers. Thus far the undertaking +was successful.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XXII" id="CHAPTER_XXII"></a>CHAPTER XXII.</h3> + +<h3>RAPTURE.</h3> + + +<p>Down the screw-stair I went in utter +darkness; and having reached the +stone floor, I discerned the door and groped +out the key-hole. With more caution, and +less noise than upon the night before, I +opened the door, and stepped out into the +thick brushwood. It was almost as dark in +this jungle.</p> + +<p>Having secured the door, I slowly pushed +my way through the bushes, which soon +became less dense. Then, with more ease, +but still under thick cover, I pursued in the +track of the wood, keeping near its edge.</p> + +<p>At length, in the darkened air, about fifty +yards away, the shafts of the marble temple +rose like phantoms before me, seen through +the trunks of the old trees. Everything +favoured my enterprise. I had effectually +mystified my servant and the people of the +Dragon Volant, and so dark was the night, +that even had I alarmed the suspicions of all +the tenants of the inn, I might safely defy +their united curiosity, though posted at every +window of the house.</p> + +<p>Through the trunks, over the roots of the +old trees, I reached the appointed place of +observation. I laid my treasure, in its +leathern case, in the embrasure, and leaning +my arms upon it, looked steadily in the +direction of the château. The outline of the +building was scarcely discernible, blending +dimly, as it did, with the sky. No light in +any window was visible. I was plainly to +wait; but for how long?</p> + +<p>Leaning on my box of treasure, gazing +toward the massive shadow that represented +the château, in the midst of my ardent and +elated longings, there came upon me an odd +thought, which you will think might well +have struck me long before. It seemed on +a sudden, as it came, that the darkness +deepened, and a chill stole into the air around +me.</p> + +<p>Suppose I were to disappear finally, like +those other men whose stories I had listened +to! Had I not been at all the pains that +mortal could, to obliterate every trace of my +real proceedings, and to mislead every one +to whom I spoke as to the direction in which +I had gone?</p> + +<p>This icy, snake-light thought stole through +my mind, and was gone.</p> + +<p>It was with me the full-blooded season of +youth, conscious strength, rashness, passion, +pursuit, the adventure! Here were a pair of +double-barrelled pistols, four lives in my +hands? What could possibly happen? The +Count—except for the sake of my dulcinea, +what was it to me whether the old coward +whom I had seen, in an ague of terror before +the brawling Colonel, interposed or not? I +was assuming the worst that could happen. +But with an ally so clever and courageous +as my beautiful Countess, could any such +misadventure befall? Bah! I laughed at all +such fancies.</p> + +<p>As I thus communed with myself, the +signal light sprang up. The rose-coloured +light, <i>couleur de rose</i>, emblem of sanguine +hope, and the dawn of a happy day.</p> + +<p>Clear, soft, and steady, glowed the light +from the window. The stone shafts showed +black against it. Murmuring words of passionate +love as I gazed upon the signal, I +grasped my strong box under my arm, and +with rapid strides approached the Château +de la Carque. No sign of light or life, no +human voice, no tread of foot, no bark of +dog, indicated a chance of interruption. A +blind was down; and as I came close to the +tall window, I found that half-a-dozen steps +led up to it, and that a large lattice, answering +for a door, lay open.</p> + +<p>A shadow from within fell upon the blind; +it was drawn aside, and as I ascended the +steps, a soft voice murmured—"Richard, +dearest Richard, come, oh! come! how I +have longed for this moment?"</p> + +<p>Never did she look so beautiful. My +love rose to passionate enthusiasm. I only +wished there were some real danger in the +adventure worthy of such a creature. When +the first tumultuous greeting was over, she +made me sit beside her on a sofa. There we +talked for a minute or two. She told me +that the Count had gone, and was by that +time more than a mile on his way, with the +funeral, to Père la Chaise. Here were her +diamonds. She exhibited, hastily, an open +casket containing a profusion of the largest +brilliants.</p> + +<p>"What is this?" she asked.</p> + +<p>"A box containing money to the amount +of thirty thousand pounds," I answered.</p> + +<p>"What! all that money?" she exclaimed.</p> + +<p>"Every <i>sou</i>."</p> + +<p>"Was it not unnecessary to bring so much, +seeing all these," she said, touching her +diamonds. "It would have been kind of +you, to allow me to provide for both for a +time, at least. It would have made me +happier even than I am."</p> + +<p>"Dearest, generous angel!" Such was +my extravagant declamation. "You forget +that it may be necessary, for a long time, to +observe silence as to where we are, and impossible +to communicate safely with any +one."</p> + +<p>"You have then here this great sum—are +you certain; have you counted it?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, certainly; I received it to-day," +I answered, perhaps showing a little surprise +in my face, "I counted it, of course, on +drawing it from my bankers."</p> + +<p>"It makes me feel a little nervous, travelling +with so much money; but these jewels +make as great a danger; <i>that</i> can add but +little to it. Place them side by side; you +shall take off your great coat when we are +ready to go, and with it manage to conceal +these boxes. I should not like the drivers to +suspect that we were conveying such a +treasure. I must ask you now to close +the curtains of that window, and bar the +shutters."</p> + +<p>I had hardly done this when a knock was +heard at the room-door.</p> + +<p>"I know who this is," she said, in a +whisper to me.</p> + +<p>I saw that she was not alarmed. She went +softly to the door, and a whispered conversation +for a minute followed.</p> + +<p>"My trusty maid, who is coming with us. +She says we cannot safely go sooner than ten +minutes. She is bringing some coffee to the +next room."</p> + +<p>She opened the door and looked in.</p> + +<p>"I must tell her not to take too much +luggage. She is so odd! Don't follow—stay +where you are—it is better that she +should not see you."</p> + +<p>She left the room with a gesture of caution.</p> + +<p>A change had come over the manner of +this beautiful woman. For the last few +minutes a shadow had been stealing over +her, an air of abstraction, a look bordering +on suspicion. Why was she pale? Why +had there come that dark look in her eyes? +Why had her very voice become changed? +Had anything gone suddenly wrong? Did +some danger threaten?</p> + +<p>This doubt, however, speedily quieted +itself. If there had been anything of the +kind, she would, of course, have told me. +It was only natural that, as the crisis approached, +she should become more and +more nervous. She did not return quite so +soon as I had expected. To a man in my +situation absolute quietude is next to impossible. +I moved restlessly about the room. +It was a small one. There was a door at +the other end. I opened it, rashly enough. +I listened, it was perfectly silent. I was in +an excited, eager state, and every faculty +engrossed about what was coming, and in +so far detached from the immediate present. +I can't account, in any other way, for my +having done so many foolish things that +night, for I was, naturally, by no means +deficient in cunning. About the most stupid +of those was, that instead of immediately +closing that door, which I never ought to +have opened, I actually took a candle and +walked into the room.</p> + +<p>There I made, quite unexpectedly, a +rather startling discovery.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XXIII" id="CHAPTER_XXIII"></a>CHAPTER XXIII.</h3> + +<h3>A CUP OF COFFEE.</h3> + + +<p>The room was carpetless. On the +floor were a quantity of shavings, and +some score of bricks. Beyond these, on a +narrow table, lay an object, which I could +hardly believe I saw aright.</p> + +<p>I approached and drew from it a sheet +which had very slightly disguised its shape. +There was no mistake about it. It was a +coffin; and on the lid was a plate, with the +inscription in French:</p> + +<p> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">PIERRE DE LA ROCHE ST. AMAND.</span><br /> +<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 6em;">AGÉE DE XXIII ANS.</span><br /> +</p> + +<p>I drew back with a double shock. So, +then, the funeral after all had not yet left! +Here lay the body. I had been deceived. +This, no doubt, accounted for the embarrassment +so manifest in the Countess's manner. +She would have done more wisely +had she told me the true state of the +case.</p> + +<p>I drew back from this melancholy room, +and closed the door. Her distrust of me +was the worst rashness she could have committed. +There is nothing more dangerous +than misapplied caution. In entire ignorance +of the fact I had entered the room, and +there I might have lighted upon some of +the very persons it was our special anxiety +that I should avoid.</p> + +<p>These reflections were interrupted, almost +as soon as begun, by the return of the +Countess de St. Alyre. I saw at a glance +that she detected in my face some evidence +of what had happened, for she threw a hasty +look towards the door.</p> + +<p>"Have you seen anything—anything to +disturb you, dear Richard? Have you been +out of this room?"</p> + +<p>I answered promptly, "Yes," and told +her frankly what had happened.</p> + +<p>"Well, I did not like to make you more +uneasy than necessary. Besides, it is disgusting +and horrible. The body <i>is</i> there; +but the Count had departed a quarter of an +hour before I lighted the coloured lamp, +and prepared to receive you. The body +did not arrive till eight or ten minutes after +he had set out. He was afraid lest the +people at Père la Chaise should suppose +that the funeral was postponed. He knew +that the remains of poor Pierre would certainly +reach this to-night although an unexpected +delay has occurred; and there are +reasons why he wishes the funeral completed +before to-morrow. The hearse with the +body must leave this in ten minutes. So +soon as it is gone, we shall be free to set +out upon our wild and happy journey. The +horses are to the carriage in the <i>porte-cochère</i>. +As for this <i>funeste</i> horror (she shuddered +very prettily), let us think of it no more."</p> + +<p>She bolted the door of communication, and +when she turned, it was with such a pretty +penitence in her face and attitude, that I was +ready to throw myself at her feet.</p> + +<p>"It is the last time," she said, in a sweet +sad little pleading, "I shall ever practise a +deception on my brave and beautiful Richard—my +hero? Am I forgiven."</p> + +<p>Here was another scene of passionate +effusion, and lovers' raptures and declamations, +but only murmured, lest the ears of listeners +should be busy.</p> + +<p>At length, on a sudden, she raised her +hand, as if to prevent my stirring, her eyes +fixed on me, and her ear toward the door of +the room in which the coffin was placed, and +remained breathless in that attitude for a few +moments. Then, with a little nod towards me, +she moved on tip-toe to the door, and listened, +extending her hand backward as if to warn me +against advancing; and, after a little time, she +returned, still on tip-toe, and whispered to +me, "They are removing the coffin—come +with me."</p> + +<p>I accompanied her into the room from +which her maid, as she told me, had spoken +to her. Coffee and some old china cups, +which appeared to me quite beautiful, stood +on a silver tray; and some liqueur glasses, +with a flask, which turned out to be noyeau, +on a salver beside it.</p> + +<p>"I shall attend you. I'm to be your +servant here; I am to have my own way; I +shall not think myself forgiven by my darling +if he refuses to indulge me in anything." +She filled a cup with coffee, and handed it +to me with her left hand, her right arm she +fondly, passed over my shoulder, and with her +fingers through my curls caressingly, she +whispered, "Take this, I shall take some +just now."</p> + +<p>It was excellent; and when I had done she +handed me the liqueur, which I also drank.</p> + +<p>"Come back, dearest, to the next room," +she said. "By this time those terrible people +must have gone away, and we shall be safer +there, for the present, than here."</p> + +<p>"You shall direct, and I obey; you shall +command me, not only now, but always, and +in all things, my beautiful queen!" I murmured.</p> + +<p>My heroics were unconsciously, I daresay, +founded upon my ideal of the French school +of lovemaking. I am, even now, ashamed as +I recall the bombast to which I treated the +Countess de St. Alyre.</p> + +<p>"There, you shall have another miniature +glass—a fairy glass—of noyeau," she said, +gaily. In this volatile creature, the funereal +gloom of the moment before, and the suspense +of an adventure on which all her +future was staked, disappeared in a moment. +She ran and returned with another tiny glass, +which, with an eloquent or tender little speech, +I placed to my lips and sipped.</p> + +<p>I kissed her hand, I kissed her lips, I gazed +in her beautiful eyes, and kissed her again +unresisting.</p> + +<p>"You call me Richard, by what name +am I to call my beautiful divinity?" I +asked.</p> + +<p>"You call me Eugenie, it is my name. Let +us be quite real; that is, if you love as entirely +as I do."</p> + +<p>"Eugenie!" I exclaimed, and broke into a +new rapture upon the name.</p> + +<p>It ended by my telling her how impatient I +was to set out upon our journey; and, as I +spoke, suddenly an odd sensation overcame +me. It was not in the slightest degree like +faintness. I can find no phrase to describe it, +but a sudden constraint of the brain; it was +as if the membrane in which it lies, if there +be such a thing, contracted, and became inflexible.</p> + +<p>"Dear Richard! what is the matter?" she +exclaimed, with terror in her looks. "Good +Heavens! are you ill. I conjure you, sit +down; sit in this chair." She almost forced +me into one; I was in no condition to offer +the least resistance. I recognised but too truly +the sensations that supervened. I was lying +back in the chair in which I sat without the +power, by this time, of uttering a syllable, of +closing my eyelids, of moving my eyes, of +stirring a muscle. I had in a few seconds +glided into precisely the state in which I had +passed so many appalling hours when approaching +Paris, in my night-drive with the +Marquis d'Harmonville.</p> + +<p>Great and loud was the lady's agony. She +seemed to have lost all sense of fear. She +called me by my name, shook me by the +shoulder, raised my arm and let it fall, all the +time imploring of me, in distracting sentences, +to make the slightest sign of life, and vowing +that if I did not, she would make away with +herself.</p> + +<p>These ejaculations, after a minute or +two, suddenly subsided. The lady was perfectly +silent and cool. In a very business-like +way she took a candle and stood +before me, pale indeed, very pale, but with +an expression only of intense scrutiny with +a dash of horror in it. She moved the candle +before my eyes slowly, evidently watching the +effect. She then set it down, and rang a +hand-bell two or three times sharply. She +placed the two cases (I mean hers containing +the jewels) and my strong box, side by side +on the table; and I saw her carefully lock the +door that gave access to the room in which I +had just now sipped my coffee.</p> + +<p>END OF THE SECOND VOLUME.</p> + +<hr style="width: 95%;" /> + +<p class="caption"><a name="CONTENTS" id="CONTENTS">CONTENTS</a></p> + +<p> +<a href="#PROLOGUE"><b>PROLOGUE.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_I"><b>CHAPTER I.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_II"><b>CHAPTER II.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_III"><b>CHAPTER III.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_IV"><b>CHAPTER IV.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_V"><b>CHAPTER V.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_VI"><b>CHAPTER VI.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_VII"><b>CHAPTER VII.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_VIII"><b>CHAPTER VIII.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_IX"><b>CHAPTER IX.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_X"><b>CHAPTER X.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XI"><b>CHAPTER XI.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XII"><b>CHAPTER XII.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XIII"><b>CHAPTER XIII.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XIV"><b>CHAPTER XIV.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XV"><b>CHAPTER XV.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XVI"><b>CHAPTER XVI.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XVII"><b>CHAPTER XVII.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XVIII"><b>CHAPTER XVIII.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XIX"><b>CHAPTER XIX.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XX"><b>CHAPTER XX.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXI"><b>CHAPTER XXI.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXII"><b>CHAPTER XXII.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXIII"><b>CHAPTER XXIII.</b></a><br /> +</p> + + + + + + + +<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 37173 ***</div> + +</body> +</html> |