Calvert of Strathore Part 15

They had scarce got through the mob when the cavalry, advancing, were met by a shower of stones.

"The captain is. .h.i.t," says Calvert, still looking out of the coach-window. Pale with fear, Adrienne laid her hand on his arm and Calvert covered it with one of his. In a few minutes they were out of sight of the fray and, driving as rapidly as possible up the Champs Elysees, were soon at the door of the Legation.

Mr. Jefferson was not at home, but in a few moments he came in with the account of having been stopped also at the Place Louis Quinze as he returned from a visit to Monsieur de Lafayette and a confirmation of the news regarding Necker's dismissal.

"It is sufficiently clear with what indignation the people regard the presence of troops in the city," he said, "and by to-morrow they will make known, I have no doubt, their equally bitter indignation at the removal of Necker. Affairs are coming rapidly to a crisis; the Palais Royal is this evening in a state of the wildest agitation, so d'Azay has just told me, and, indeed, the city is not safe, even on the boulevards.

I shall take you back, Madame," he went on, turning to Adrienne. "I believe the carriage of the American Minister will be treated with respect even by this insane mob."

"A thousand thanks, Monsieur," said Madame de St. Andre, rising, "and, as it is late, perhaps we had better go at once, although I hate to take you away from Monsieur Morris and Monsieur Calvert."

"Oh, as for me, I am off to the Club to hear further details of the riot and afterward to a supper with Madame de Flahaut. And as for Ned, I am sure he would rather a thousand times escort you back to the rue St.

Honore than to sit here chatting with an old fellow like myself," said Mr. Morris, and he went off limping and laughing, leaving the others to follow quickly. For, in truth, it was late, and the disturbance seemed to be increasing instead of decreasing as the night wore on. Mr.

Jefferson and Calvert turned into the Palais Royal on their way back, after leaving Adrienne safe in the rue St. Honore, and found it a seething ma.s.s of revolutionary humanity, as d'Azay had reported. The agitation increased all during the following day of the 13th, and on the 14th was struck the first great blow which resounded throughout France.

Mr. Jefferson and Calvert, who, unconscious of the disturbance in the distant quarter of the Bastille, were calling at the hotel of Monsieur de Corny, had the particulars from that gentleman himself. He came in hurriedly, pale with emotion and fear and haggard with anxiety.

"Tis all over," he says to Mr. Jefferson when he could speak. "How it has happened G.o.d only knows. A fearful crime has been committed. The deputation, of which I was one, advanced, under a flag of truce, to have speech with de Launay, Governor of the Bastile, when a discharge killed several men standing near us. We retired, and instantly the great throng of people--there were, G.o.d knows, how many thousand wretches waiting there--rushed forward, and are even now in possession of that impregnable fortification. 'Tis incredible how 'twas done."

"And de Launay?" inquired Calvert.

"He has been beheaded and dragged to the Place de Greve," says de Corny, gloomily. "Come, if you wish to see the work of destruction," and he rose hurriedly.

Together the gentlemen entered Mr. Jefferson's carriage, which was waiting, and were driven along the boulevards toward the Bastille. But the streets near the prison were so crowded with spectators and armed ruffians that they were finally forced to alight from the carriage, which was left in the Place Royale, and proceed on foot. As they pa.s.sed Monsieur Beaumarchais's garden, they came upon Mr. Morris and Madame de Flahaut, who had also driven thither and were leaning against the fence looking on at the work of demolition.

"You should have been here some moments ago," said Mr. Morris.

"Lafayette has just ridden by with the key of the Bastille, which has been given to him and which, he tells me, he proposes sending to General Washington. A strange gift!"

"Why strange?" inquired Mr. Jefferson. "'Tis an emblem of hard-earned liberty."

"An emblem of madness," said Mr. Morris, with a shrug. "However, I have witnessed some thrilling scenes in this madness. But an hour ago a fellow climbed upon the great iron gate and, failing to bring it down, implored his comrades to pull him by the legs, thus sustaining the rack.

He had the courage and strength to hold on until his limbs were torn from the sockets. 'Twould make a great painting, and I shall suggest the idea to d'Angiviliers."

"Do they know of this at Versailles?" asked Calvert.

"The Duc de Liancourt pa.s.sed in his carriage half an hour ago," said Mr.

Morris, "on his way to Versailles to inform the King. Yesterday it was the fashion at Versailles not to believe that there were any disturbances at Paris. I presume that this day's transactions will induce a conviction that all is not perfectly quiet! But, even with this awful evidence, the King is capable of not being convinced, I venture to say." He was quite right in his surmise, and 'twas not until two o'clock in the morning that Monsieur de Liancourt was able to force his way into the King's bed-chamber and compel His Majesty to listen to a narrative of the awful events of the day in Paris.

In the meantime crowds of the greatest ladies and gentlemen flocked to the Place de la Bastille to witness the strange and horrid scenes there enacting, rubbing elbows with the armed and drunken sc.u.m of the city, and only retiring when night hid the sight of it all from them. It was amid a very carnival of mad liberty, of flaring lights and hideous noises, of fantastic and terrible figures thrusting their infuriated countenances in at the coach-windows, with a hundred orders to halt and to move on, a hundred demands to know if there were arms in the carriage, that Mr. Jefferson and Calvert finally regained the Champs Elysees and the American Legation. With the next day the foreign troops were dismissed by order of the frightened King, and Paris had an armed Milice Bourgeoise of forty thousand men, at the head of which, to Mr.

Jefferson's satisfaction and Mr. Morris's dismay, Lafayette was placed as commander-in-chief. From the 16th to the 18th of that fatal July twenty n.o.ble cowards, among them Monsieur de Broglie, Monsieur de St.

Aulaire, six princes of the blood royal, including the Comte d'Artois and the Princes of Conde and Conti, fled affrighted before the first gust of the storm gathering over France.

CHAPTER XIII

MONSIEUR DE LAFAYETTE BRINGS FRIENDS TO A DINNER AT THE LEGATION

It was in the midst of the alarms, the horror, and feverish agitation following hard upon the taking of the Bastille and the a.s.sa.s.sination and flight of so many important personages, that Mr. Jefferson, one evening, received from Monsieur de Lafayette a hurried note, requesting a dinner for himself and several friends. Mr. Morris and Calvert, who were dining with Mr. Jefferson, would have retired, that the company might be alone, but Monsieur de Lafayette, coming in almost instantly, urged upon the gentlemen to remain.

"Tis to be a political deliberation, at which we shall be most happy and grateful to have you a.s.sist," he said, graciously, for, though he disliked Mr. Morris, he appreciated his abilities, and as for Calvert, he both liked and admired the young man, having the greatest confidence in his good sense and keen judgment.

Mr. Jefferson, though deeply embarra.s.sed by that thoughtlessness which made the American Legation the rendezvous for the leaders of opposing factions in French politics, made his unexpected guests as welcome as possible, but, though he was urged again and again to express himself by Lafayette and his friends--he had brought with him some of the most brilliant and most influential of the revolutionary leaders, d'Azay, Barnave, Lameth, Mounier, and Duport--he yet remained an almost silent spectator of the prolonged debate which took place when the cloth had been removed and wine placed on the table, according to the American custom. The discussion was opened by Lafayette, who submitted to the consideration of the a.s.sembled company his "Rights of Man," to which he was inordinately attached and which he designed as a prelude to the new const.i.tution. With pride and emphasis he read aloud the most important of his _dicta_, and which, he owned with a profound bow to Mr.

Jefferson, had been largely inspired by the great Declaration of Independence.

"The Rights of Man" were received with acclaim and approved almost without a dissenting voice, and then was introduced the main theme of the discussion--the new const.i.tution projected by the a.s.sembly. So incredibly frank were the deliberations that the three American gentlemen could not but marvel that they were allowed to be present.

'Twas a curious exhibition of weakness, thought Calvert, that they should be allowed, nay, urged, to partic.i.p.ate in such a session. So intimate, indeed, were the details presented to the company by its different members, so momentous the questions raised and settled, that even Mr. Morris, usually so impetuous, hesitated to express an opinion.

Only when it had been decided that the King should have a suspensive veto; that the Legislature should be composed of but one chamber, elected by the people; only when it was evident that the n.o.blesse were to be rendered powerless and that Lafayette had abandoned his King, did Mr. Morris burst forth.

"This is madness, Marquis," he says, scarce able to contain himself.

"Take from the King his power and this realm will fall into anarchy, a b.l.o.o.d.y disunion, the like of which the world has never seen! This country is used to being governed, it must continue to be governed.

Strengthen the King's hands--for G.o.d's sake, do not weaken them! Attach yourself to the King's party--'tis this unhappy country's only hope of salvation. Range yourself on the side of His Majesty's authority, not on that of this insane, uncontrollable people. What have I seen to-day? As I walked under the arcade of the Palais Royal, what was the horrible, the incredibly horrible sight that met my eyes? The head of one of your chief men--of Foulon, Counsellor of State, borne aloft on a pike, the body dragged naked on the earth, as though 'twere some dishonored slave of Roman days. Gracious G.o.d! what a people! Have we gone backward centuries to pagan atrocities? And you talk of making this people the supreme authority in France! Your party is mad!"

"If 'tis madness," says Monsieur de Lafayette, coldly, "I am none the less determined to die with them."

"'Twould be more sensible to bring them to their senses and live with them," returned Mr. Morris, dryly.

"We cannot hope to gain the liberty, so long and so hardly withheld from us, without bloodshed. Mr. Jefferson himself hath said that the tree of liberty must be watered with blood."

"'Tis a different creed from the one you believed in but a short time ago," rejoined Mr. Morris. "'Twas not very long since I heard you prophesying a bloodless revolution. And this horde of undisciplined troops, for which you are responsible--do you not tremble for your authority when you deny the King's?"

"They will obey me, they love me," cried Lafayette, rising in some confusion, not unmixed with anger. "At any rate, 'tis too late to draw back. Our dispositions are taken, gentlemen," he adds, turning to the company, which had risen at his signal, "and we will now withdraw, sensible of the courtesy and hospitality we have received," and with a bow to Mr. Morris and Calvert, he pa.s.sed from the room, accompanied by Mr. Jefferson and followed by the rest of the gentlemen.

"What madness!" exclaimed Mr. Morris, as the door closed upon the company. "This is a country where everything is talked about and nothing understood, my boy." He sank into a chair opposite Calvert's and poured himself a gla.s.s of wine.

"There goes a man who, in his vanity, thinks himself capable of controlling these terrific forces he has helped to awaken, but, if I mistake not, he is not equal to the business in hand. He has the best intentions, but is lacking in judgment and strength. He has le besoin de briller, unfortunately, and does from vanity what he should do from conviction. I am almost glad that affairs call me to England for a while and that I shall not be a witness to the Marquis's mistakes and the horrors toward which I see France fast drifting."

"You are leaving for England?" asked Calvert, in surprise.

"Yes," returned Mr. Morris. "I have thought for some time that it would be necessary for me to go to London on business connected with my brother's estate in America, and letters which I received lately have decided me to go at once. Moreover," and here he hesitated slightly and laughed his dry, humorous laugh, "I have ever thought discretion the better part of valor, my boy. To speak plainly, Madame de Flahaut becomes too exigeante. I have told her that I am perfectly my own master with respect to her, and that, having no idea of inspiring her with a tender pa.s.sion, I have no idea either of subjecting myself to one, but I hardly think she understands my att.i.tude toward her. Besides," he went on, with so sudden a change of tone and sentiment that Calvert could not forbear smiling, "I find her too agreeable to bear with equanimity her treatment of me. The other day, at Madame de Chastellux's, her reception of me was such that I think I would not again have troubled her with a visit had she not sent for me to-day."

"And did you go?" asked Calvert, smiling.

"Yes," said Mr. Morris, bursting out laughing. "Of course I went, Ned--that is the way with all of us--the women treat us with contempt and we go away in a huff, vowing never to see them again, and they beckon to us and back we go, glad to have a word or glance again. She treated me very civilly indeed, and received me at her toilet--'twas a very decent performance, I a.s.sure you, Ned. She undressed, even to the shift, with the utmost modesty, and I would have found it a pleasant enough experience, if a trifle astounding to my American mind, had it not been for the presence of the Bishop of Autun, who came in and who is confoundedly at his ease in Madame de Flahaut's society. High ho! we two are not the only favored ones. She is a thorough-paced flirt and plays off Curt against Wycombe--he is Lansdowne's son and her latest admirer--or the Bishop against myself, as it suits her whim. I would warn you to beware of women as the authors of all mischief and suffering, did I not think it too late," he said, looking keenly at the young man, who blushed deeply. "Come to London with me, Ned," he went on, impulsively, after an instant's silence. "I think you and I will not be bad travelling companions and will enjoy the journey together prodigiously."

"I thank you, Mr. Morris," said Calvert, shaking his head, "but--but 'tis impossible for me to leave France."

"Ah, 'tis as I thought," said Mr. Morris, slowly, "and Madame de St.

Andre is a most charming and beautiful woman. Forgive me for having guessed your secret, boy. 'Tis my interest in you which makes me seem impertinent. Have you told her that you love her?"

"'Tis a poor game to tell all one knows," says Calvert, again shaking his head and smiling a little bitterly. "Besides, it would be but folly in this case."

"Folly!" exclaimed Mr. Morris. "Don't be above committing follies, Ned!

Old age will be but a dreary thing if we have not the follies of youth to look back upon. Happiness and folly go hand in hand sometimes. Don't miss one in avoiding the other, boy! Besides, why do you call your love for her folly? By the Lord Harry," he burst out, "why shouldn't she love you in return? 'Tis true you are not one of the dukes or marquises who follow her about, but I think that no disability, and, were she not a capricious, worldly woman, she would have the wit vastly to prefer a clean, honest American gentleman to these dissolute popinjays, whose t.i.tles, riches, and very life are being menaced. Were I a woman, Ned,"

and he gave the young man a kindly look, "I think I could find it in my heart to admire and respect you above most men."

"'Tis far more than I can hope for in Madame de St. Andre, and it has been madness for me to think of her for a moment," said Calvert, gloomily.

"Then come away," urged Mr. Morris. "Come with me to London." But Calvert was not to be persuaded.