The White House Part 34

"Parbleu! in the morning; but I consider them charming, myself. Listen, my little Cupids."

The two peasants, who had no idea that they were the ones who were called Cupids, continued to urge their a.s.s forward; but Robineau overtook them again and stopped them.

"Listen, my children: you say that you live near La Roche-Noire?"

"Yes, monsieur."

"Then of course you know the chateau?"

"Yes, monsieur."

"Is it a fine chateau?"

"Oh! yes, monsieur, it's very fine! It's just like a prison--there's towers and barred windows!"

Alfred roared with laughter; but Robineau continued his examination.

"My friends, it is well that you should know that I am the new lord, the proprietor of that magnificent estate."

The little peasants stared at him with a stupid expression, still plying their stick; and Alfred observed with a laugh:

"How strange; that doesn't seem to produce any effect at all."

"My children," pursued Robineau, "you probably didn't understand what I said--I am the proprietor of La Roche-Noire."

"Yes, monsieur, we understand. But they looked for you last night, monsieur."

"They looked for me!--You see, messieurs, they expected me--I was sure of it!--Poor children! You had a fete all prepared, I suppose?"

"Oh! I don't know, monsieur; all I know is that a gentleman came to our place yesterday, and sung out that his master was coming and we must dance and enjoy ourselves because he'd treat us well. Then my brother and me, we went in front of the chateau to play the bagpipes, and we waited for the man as was going to treat us. But there didn't n.o.body come, and so our father, who was mad because we'd been to the chateau, he wouldn't give us no supper when we got home, and he said that would teach us to make fools of ourselves."

"You shall have two suppers to-day, my children, I promise you, and your father shall see what kind of man I am! But you must do something for me. Just run ahead; you're not tired, you boys! You will reach the chateau before we do, and you must ask for Francois, my valet, and tell him I am coming. Go on; leave your a.s.s with me; I'll mount him and that will rest me a little. He isn't a very n.o.ble steed; but when one has been walking twenty-four hours, one takes what one finds.--Go on."

The boys looked at each other and did not stir.

"Didn't you hear me?" asked Robineau.

"Yes, monsieur; but we can't leave our donkey with you like that; all you'd have to do would be to ride off on him and we'd never see you again!"

"What, you little rascals! you take your lord for a thief?"

"My dear Robineau," said Alfred, "these boys are quite right not to leave their a.s.s in your hands; for, after all, they don't know you, and you haven't the least idea how to play the _seigneur_. Do you suppose that all you have to do is to say: 'I am the man?'--Prove it; draw your purse; that's always the way to make people recognize you."

"Ah! to be sure, I didn't think of that!" cried Robineau; and he immediately produced a five-franc piece and gave it to one of the small boys. The sight of the coin produced much more effect on the peasants than all the t.i.tles in the world. The elder consented to run on ahead to the chateau, and the younger allowed Robineau to ride the a.s.s, on condition that he himself should remain to drive him.

The a.s.s was a large, strong animal; he wore no saddle, so that the new landed proprietor was obliged to ride bareback, and in default of stirrups, to cling to the mane, confining his mount to a foot pace. But he sat proudly erect on the beast, requesting the boy not to make him go too fast, and Alfred declared that Robineau could not find a n.o.bler animal on which to make his entry into the chateau.

"I certainly shall not ride into the courtyard on the a.s.s," said Robineau, "but I am very glad to use him until we arrive there. You have kept me walking since yesterday noon, messieurs.--Don't urge the a.s.s, my boy, let him go quietly, I am not in such a hurry now; there will be no harm done if your brother arrives some time before us."

Thereupon the little peasant fell back and left Robineau to guide the a.s.s as he chose. Alfred and Edouard could not help smiling whenever they glanced at the cavalier, who called to them from time to time:

"We are drawing near my chateau, messieurs; I feel it in the beating of my heart."

"I smell[8] nothing but an odor of barnyard," said Alfred.

"Oh! that comes from Monsieur Cheval's--he keeps cows and oxen," said the boy.

"Who is this Monsieur Cheval, little one?"

"He's the horse-doctor and farrier of these parts; he doctors animals."

"The deuce! he must be one of the authorities of the neighborhood!"

"Messieurs! messieurs! I believe I see it!" cried Robineau, taking out his handkerchief and wiping his eyes.

"What--Monsieur Cheval?"

"My chateau! my estate! See--on that hill yonder.--Is that my chateau, boy?"

"Yes, monsieur, yes, that's La Roche-Noire."

"Ah! what rapture, messieurs! Do you see a tower--I mean towers, ramparts, and--Stop the a.s.s a minute, boy.--Wait, my friends--my joy, my emotion are--I believe I am going to fall."

They gathered around Robineau, who was almost fainting. At last he loosened his cravat, took a pinch of snuff, and returned to himself, only to turn his eyes once more upon his property, crying:

"Ah! messieurs, it makes me ill, but it makes me very happy!--Dieu! how large it looks! how beautiful! what a n.o.ble structure!"

"It looks to me like an old ruin," said Alfred.

"It reminds me of Anne Radcliffe's novels," said Edouard.

"Oh! messieurs, how far it extends! What a superb building! and windows!

Heavens! what a lot of windows! It's like the Chateau of Chambord!"

"So far as I can see, there is no gla.s.s in all those windows."

"Perhaps it wasn't the custom to have gla.s.s in old times, my friend.

Besides, I was told that there were some small repairs to be made.--But let us push on, messieurs, let us push on, I cannot contain myself; it seems to me that my chateau is holding out its arms to me.--Above all things, no more Robineau here, I entreat you; I shall not answer to that name again. Come, my boy; urge your donkey a bit, so that we may arrive sooner at yonder beautiful greensward."

The boy switched the beast, which, realizing that it was nearing home, asked nothing better than to fall into a trot. Robineau, a little surprised at first by that rapid pace, allowed the a.s.s to trot on, for the pleasure due to the fact that he was approaching his chateau gave him courage to retain his seat.

They drew near the lawn in front of the chateau, and saw on the right and left a number of cottages of rather attractive appearance. Soon they were near enough to La Roche-Noire to distinguish a number of persons who seemed to be on the lookout in front of the chateau. They were Francois and all the people whom he, having been notified by the little peasant, had found disposed to leave their work in order to witness the new proprietor's arrival. The number was not large: there were three peasants and five peasant women, together with Monsieur Cheval, the veterinary, who hoped to obtain the custom of the chateau, and Monsieur Ferulus, who kept a small school in the neighborhood, and who also counted upon being tutor to the newcomer's family. But in addition to these ten persons, there were a score or so of children, the majority very small, whom Francois easily collected, because children are never scarce in the country districts; and in order to make them useful, the valet had given to each of them a cowherd's horn, the only instrument they were capable of playing. Francois wished the peasants to fire muskets in honor of his master's arrival; but they had been unable to find any that were in condition to be fired, either in the chateau or anywhere in the neighborhood. In default of firearms the Auvergnats had armed themselves with their bagpipes; Monsieur Cheval had taken his drum from its hook--he was a very skilful performer on the drum, and played at all the fetes and merrymakings in the neighborhood; and Monsieur Ferulus, who played upon no instrument, but sang as if he had been dismissed from the Opera, had composed a chorus, which he would be obliged to sing by himself, as the five peasant women refused to join in this.

Francois had stationed the concierge and the gardener at the windows of their respective lodges, looking on the road, to watch; they were to notify him as soon as they saw anyone, when he would give the signal to his party. At last the concierge, who was usually half seas over, and who had been considerably more than that since the preceding night, in order to receive his new master more becomingly--the concierge exclaimed with an ominous hiccough:

"Here comes some one! Here comes a donkey first of all!"

"It's monseigneur!" said Francois; "now, my friends, all together, and make as much noise as you can!"