The Fortunes Of Glencore Part 64

"Your national character, like your language, is so full of incongruities and contradictions that I am not ashamed to own myself unequal to master it; but it strikes me that both one and the other usurp freedoms that are not permitted to others. At all events, I am rejoiced that he has gone. It is the most wearisome thing in life to negotiate with one too near you. Diplomacy of even the humblest kind requires distance."

"You agree with the duellist, I perceive," said he, laughing, "that twelve paces is a more fatal distance than across a handkerchief: proximity begets tremor."

"You have guessed my meaning correctly," said she; "meanwhile, I must write to _her_ not to come here. Shall I say that we will be in Florence in a day or two?"

"I was just thinking of those Serravezza springs," said Upton; "they contain a bi-chloride of potash, which Staub, in his treatise, says, 'is the element wanting in all nervous organizations.'"

"But remember the season,--we are in mid-winter; the hotels are closed."

"The springs are running, Princess; 'the earth,' as Mos-chus says, 'is a mother that never ceases to nourish.' I do suspect I need a little nursing."

The Princess understood him thoroughly. She well knew that whenever the affairs of Europe followed an unbroken track, without anything eventful or interesting, Sir Horace fell back upon his maladies for matter of occupation. She had, however, now occasion for his advice and counsel, and by no means concurred in his plan of spending some days, if not weeks, in the dreary mountain solitudes of Serravezza. "You must certainly consult Zanetti before you venture on these waters," said she; "they are highly dangerous if taken without the greatest circ.u.mspection;" and she gave a catalogue of imaginary calamities which had befallen various ill.u.s.trious and gifted individuals, to which Upton listened with profound attention.

"Very well," sighed he, as she finished, "it must be as you say. I'll see Zanetti, for I cannot afford to die just yet. That 'Greek question'

will have no solution without me,--no one has the key of it but myself.

That Panslavic scheme, too, in the Princ.i.p.alities attracts no notice but _mine_; and as to Spain, the policy I have devised for that country requires all the watchfulness I can bestow on it. No, Princess,"--here he gave a melancholy sigh,--"we must not die at this moment. There are just four men in Europe; I doubt if she could get on with three."

"What proportion do you admit as to the other s.e.x?" said she, laughing.

"I only know of one, madame;" and he kissed her hand with gallantry.

"And now for Florence, if you will."

It is by no means improbable that our readers have a right to an apology at our hands for the habit we have indulged of lingering along with the two individuals whose sayings and doings are not directly essential to our tale; but is not the story of every-day life our guarantee that incidents and people cross and re-cross the path we are going, attracting our attention, engaging our sympathy, enlisting our energies, even in our most anxious periods? Such is the world; and we cannot venture out of reality. Besides this, we are disposed to think that the moral of a tale is often more effectively conveyed by the characters than by the catastrophe of a story. The strange, discordant tones of the human heart, blending, with melody the purest, sounds of pa.s.sionate meaning, are in themselves more powerful lessons than all the records of rewarded virtue and all the calendars of punished vice. The nature of a single man can be far more instructive than the history of every accident that befalls him.

It is, then, with regret that we leave the Princess and Sir Horace to pursue their journey alone. We confess a liking for their society, and would often as soon loiter in the by-paths that they follow as journey in the more recognized high-road of our true story. Not having the conviction that our sympathy is shared by our readers, we again return to the fortunes of Glencore.

When Lord Glencore's carriage underwent the usual scrutiny exercised towards travellers at the gate of Florence, and prying officials poked their lanterns in every quarter, in all the security of their "caste,"

two foot travellers were rudely pushed aside to await the time till the pretentious equipage pa.s.sed on. They were foreigners, and their effects, which they carried in knapsacks, required examination.

"We have come a long way on foot to-day," said the younger in a tone that indicated nothing of one asking a favor. "Can't we have this search made at once?"

"Whisht! whisht!" whispered his companion, in English; "wait till the Prince moves on, and be polite with them all."

"I am seeking for nothing in the shape of compliment," said the other; "there is no reason why, because I am on foot, I must be detained for this man."

Again the other remonstrated, and suggested patience.

"What are you grumbling about, young fellow?" cried one of the officers.

"Do you fancy yourself of the same consequence as Milordo? And see, he must wait his time here."

"We came a good way on foot to-day, sir," interposed the elder, eagerly, taking the reply on himself, "and we 're tired and weary, and would be deeply obliged if you'd examine us as soon as you could."

"Stand aside and wait your turn," was the stern response.

"You almost deserve the fellow's insolence, Billy," said the youth; "a crown-piece in his hand had been far more intelligible than your appeal to his pity." And he threw himself wearily down on a stone bench.

Aroused by the accent of his own language, Lord Glencore sat up in his carriage, and leaned out to catch sight of the speaker; but the shadow of the overhanging roof concealed him from view. "Can't you suffer those two poor fellows to move on?" whispered his Lordship, as he placed a piece of money in the officer's hand; "they look tired and jaded."

"There, thank his Excellency for his kindness to you, and go your way,"

muttered the officer to Billy, who, without well understanding the words, drew nigh the window; but the gla.s.s was already drawn up, the postilions were once more in their saddles, and away dashed the c.u.mbrous carriage in all the noise and uproar that is deemed the proper tribute to rank.

The youth heard that they were free to proceed, with a half-dogged indifference, and throwing his knapsack on his shoulders, moved away.

"I asked them if they knew one of her name in the city, and they said, 'No,'" said the elder.

"But they so easily mistake names: how did you call her?"

"I said 'Harley,--la Signora Harley,'" rejoined the other; "and they were positive she was not here. They never heard of her."

"Well, we shall know soon," sighed the youth, heavily. "Is not this an inn, Billy?"

"Ay is it, but not one for our purpose,--it's like a palace. They told me of the 'Leone d'Oro' as a quiet place and cheap."

"I don't care where or what it be; one day and night here will do all I want. And then for Genoa, Billy, and the sea, and the world beyond the sea," said the youth, with increasing animation. "You shall see what a different fellow I'll be when I throw behind me forever the traditions of this dreary life here."

"I know well the good stuff that's in ye," said the other, affectionately.

"Ay, but you don't know that I have energy as well as pride," said the other.

"There's nothing beyond your reach if you will only strive to get it,"

said he again, in the same voice.

"You're an arrant flatterer, old boy," cried the youth, throwing his arm around him; "but I would not have you otherwise for the world. There is a happiness even in the self-deception of your praise that I could not deny myself."

Thus chatting, they arrived at the humble door of the "Leone d'Oro,"

where they installed themselves for the night. It was a house frequented by couriers and _vetturini_, and at the common table for this company they now took their places for supper. The Carnival was just drawing to its close, and all the gayeties of that merry season were going forward.

Nothing was talked of but the brilliant festivities of the city, the splendid b.a.l.l.s of the Court, and the magnificent receptions in the houses of the n.o.bility.

"The Palazzo della Torre takes the lead of all," said one. "There were upwards of three thousand masks there this evening, I 'm told, and the gardens were just as full as the _salons_."

"She is rich enough to afford it well," cried another. "I counted twenty servants in white and gold liveries on the stairs alone."

"Were you there, then?" asked the youth, whom we may at once call by his name of Ma.s.sy.

"Yes, sir; a mask and a domino, such as you see yonder, are pa.s.sports everywhere for the next twenty-four hours; and though I 'm only a courier, I have been chatting with d.u.c.h.esses, and exchanging smart sayings with countesses, in almost every great house in Florence this evening. The Pergola Theatre, too, is open, and all the boxes crowded with visitors."

"You are a stranger, as I detect by your accent," said another, "and you ought to have a look at a scene such as you'll never witness in your own land."

"What would come of such freedoms with us, Billy?" whispered Ma.s.sy.

"Would our great lords tolerate, even for a few hours, the a.s.sociation with honest fellows of this stamp?"

"There would be danger in the attempt, anyhow," said Billy.

"What calumnies would be circulated, what slanderous tales would be sent abroad, under cover of this secrecy! How many a coward stab would be given in the shadow of that immunity! For one who would use the privilege for mere amus.e.m.e.nt, how many would turn it to account for private vengeance."

"Are you quite certain such accidents do not occur here?"

"That society tolerates the custom is the best answer to this. There may be, for aught we know, many a cruel vengeance executed under favor of this secrecy. Many may cover their faces to unmask their hearts; but, after all, they continue to observe a habit which centuries back their forefathers followed; and the inference fairly is, that it is not baneful. For my own part, I am glad to have an opportunity of witnessing these Saturnalia, and to-morrow I 'll buy a mask and a domino, Billy, and so shall you too. Why should we not have a day's fooling, like the rest?"