The White House Part 47

"Yes,--that is to say, I have often heard him spoken of. But how old are you?"

"How old!" said Alfred in surprise; "twenty-four years."

The stranger seemed to reflect and to try to collect his memories; then he muttered in an undertone:

"Twenty-four years! Oh, yes! I remember, he had a son by his first wife--I heard that. And have you any brothers or sisters?"

"No, I have none," replied Alfred, whose curiosity was keenly aroused.

"But might I know what interest you can possibly have in knowing about my family?"

The stranger evidently tried to a.s.sume his usual air of indifference as he replied:

"Oh! I asked you that just for the sake of talking, that is all. Is your father still alive?"

"To be sure he is."

"But he isn't in this region?"

"No, he is in Paris. Did you ever serve in his regiment?"

"No; not in his regiment exactly; but I did serve in the army once."

"You have defended your country, and now you are unfortunate and a vagrant!" cried Alfred. "Oh! forgive me, monsieur! I spoke to you rather hastily just now; I am a thoughtless fellow; I often make mistakes and am sorry for them afterward; but Edouard will tell you that my heart is in the right place. Come, prove that you bear me no grudge by accepting this purse, and let me have the pleasure of helping an old soldier."

As he spoke, Alfred handed the traveller a purse filled with gold; he glared at it with covetous eyes, but still his hand repulsed the hand that was held out to him, and he answered with something like bitterness in his tone:

"No, I don't want your money; I am not in need of anything."

"You refuse me," said Alfred; "I see, you bear me ill will for my hasty speech of a moment ago. Well! as you have known my father, I offer you this trifling sum in his name."

"In his name!" cried the stranger; and his eye gleamed with repressed rage. But soon, seeming to obtain control of himself, he continued:

"I say again, I am not in need of anything now; later, it is possible that your money may be of use to me. Adieu, young man; we shall meet again."

And the vagabond walked away, after casting upon Alfred a glance of strange meaning. The young men returned to their horses and rode back to the chateau, discussing this meeting, which caused them to forget Isaure and their rivalry for the moment.

XVI

PREPARATIONS FOR FESTIVITIES

While the two friends spent their time making love to the pretty goatherd, while Monsieur Ferulus placed his grammars and his dictionaries on the dusty shelves of the library, while Mademoiselle Cheval exercised her talents in the kitchen and Cunette in the cellar, while the gardener was digging up the garden and the workmen were repairing the whole domain of La Roche-Noire, Robineau pa.s.sed his time at the dinners and other parties which were given him at Saint-Amand, whither he went every day. Like all small provincial towns, the little town of Saint-Amand contained its proportion of originals, gossips, pretentious folk, and heads of families who had daughters to marry.

Robineau was rich, he had just purchased a chateau, and he proposed taking a wife; that was more than was necessary for him to be feted, made much of and invited everywhere.

Robineau created a sensation in every house that he visited; people said to themselves: "That is Monsieur de la Roche-Noire, the new owner of the chateau; he is rich and he means to marry; he told his notary, who told his clients, who told the rest of the town." All the young ladies glanced furtively at Robineau and a.s.sumed pretty little airs to attract that gentleman, who was not particularly fascinating; but it is so cruel to remain unmarried, and on the other hand so pleasant to have a chateau, and to be called Madame de la Roche-Noire, that those young ladies were very excusable for trying to captivate the newcomer. Their mammas also heaped attentions upon him; they applauded what he said and smiled at what he did. Even the widows darted at the new landed proprietor an occasional flashing or tender glance, accompanied by a stifled sigh; for many widows are not at all sorry to contract a second marriage, in order to divert their minds from their grief, if they have had a good husband; to recompense themselves, if they have had a bad one; or to draw distinctions, if they have had a pa.s.sable one. Amid all these allurements, Robineau hardly knew where he was; he considered the soirees at Saint-Amand far preferable to the b.a.l.l.s in Paris; he deemed himself at once an Apollo and a Voltaire, and did not reflect that it was his twenty-five thousand francs a year, which, in the eyes of many people, endowed him with charm, wit and learning; whereas in reality he was still as dull and as great a fool as ever! Bridoison declares that that is the sort of thing which people say to themselves; but there are many people still, who never do.

Robineau, thus fawned upon, flattered and courted as an oracle, and at a loss to know in which direction to throw the handkerchief, determined meanwhile to return the courtesies which he had received from the society of the town; he spurred the workmen on when he was at the chateau, and when he left it, he instructed his librarian to take his place and to hurry the work along. The librarian, who had as yet succeeded in collecting only twenty-three volumes in the library, was not sorry to have another position to fill and to be monseigneur's man of business as well. Through his efforts, two young Auvergnats were placed under Mademoiselle Cheval's orders, as scullions; for the scholar began his improvements in the culinary department. Next he inspected the cellars, and required the keys to be placed in his hands, to the intense disgust of Monsieur Cunette. But Monsieur Ferulus had read somewhere that the great n.o.blemen had _officiers de bouche_, and he declared that butlers were just that; consequently, he took that position upon himself also. He hired two new servants, who were to act as coachman and as footman; he suggested to Robineau to purchase a small horse and a chaise, in which he made his daily visits to the town. Lastly, a stout girl of twenty years was retained as a.s.sistant to Monsieur Vincent, who was forever saying that he could not do everything; and the new gardener was expected, when she should be called upon, to warm the beds and warm Monsieur de la Roche-Noire's feet. This clause was expressly stipulated by Monsieur Ferulus when he engaged the peasant girl; "for," said he, "servants used to do that for their masters, when they needed it; and Monsieur de la Roche-Noire and I have agreed to reestablish the praiseworthy customs of ancient times."

The stout girl, who had engaged to do everything,--like the young ladies who advertise in the Pet.i.tes-Affiches,--promised to do whatever was wanted, and the librarian-man of business-butler installed Jeannette at the chateau.

After a few days, the chateau a.s.sumed a much more attractive aspect; one could ascend the staircase without the risk of falling; the walls were repaired, and fresh papers replaced those blackened by time; the windows were provided with gla.s.s, the doors could be closed, and the wind could not be felt in every corner. Robineau concluded that he could safely give the party which he had promised to the swell society of the town.

His household was established, his cellar supplied, the servants had their livery, the garden was despoiled of beets in a large measure, and embellished with new flowers; and lastly, Monsieur Ferulus had written some poetry for the occasion. Robineau fixed the day, and despatched his invitations, and everything was made ready at the chateau for that grand event, in which the new proprietor proposed to demonstrate at once his good taste, his refinement and his magnificence.

On returning from the valley of Chadrat, Alfred and Edouard were not a little surprised to find everything up in arms at the chateau; servants were running hither and thither, setting up in the courtyard posts upon which lamps were fixed; stringing cords, with colored lanterns attached, along the garden paths; and in the midst of it all, Monsieur Ferulus, holding a book in one hand and a corkscrew in the other, went from this person to that person, issuing orders and wiping his brow with the end of his sleeve, because, presumably, he had not yet taken charge of the handkerchief department.

"Bless my soul! what is going to happen here?" asked Alfred.

"Can it be that Monsieur Jules de la Roche-Noire is going to be married?" said Edouard.

"Messieurs," said Ferulus, "I have read in some Italian author--as he said this he waved his corkscrew--'_Lontano dagli occhi, lontano dal cuore!_' You, messieurs, are away from the chateau all day, and consequently you cannot know what is in preparation here. But here is Monseigneur de la Roche-Noire, who will inform you."

Robineau was in fact coming toward the young men at that moment.

"Upon my word, messieurs," he said, "you are very agreeable! I never see you now; you start off in the morning to go--I have a shrewd idea where!

If I had not had Monsieur Ferulus, this estimable scholar who has established my household upon a magnificent footing, I should never have got through with it. I hope that to-morrow at least you will be kind enough not to absent yourselves. I am giving a party--a magnificent dinner, a ball, and games of all sorts; the entertainment will begin at noon precisely; is that not so, Monsieur Ferulus?"

"Yes, monseigneur; at noon the cannon, that is to say, three muskets fired spontaneously, will give the signal for the party."

"Mon Dieu! it is after the style of the Tivoli at Paris," said Alfred.

"First of all," continued Ferulus, "a foot race in the gardens, followed by homage to the ladies."

"What is this homage to the ladies to be, Monsieur Ferulus?"

"A bouquet presented to each one of them, monseigneur, in which there will be a little compliment in verse, of my composition."

"That will be very gallant."

"In order that there may be no jealousy, I shall put the same compliment in each bouquet. Next, a foot race through the apartments of the chateau."

"Ah! Monsieur Ferulus," said Alfred, "you should have made it a horse race; it would have been more exciting."

"Next, refreshments of all sorts, consisting of red wine and water, distributed to all the company; then a little concert, performed under the windows of the balcony."

"Monsieur Ferulus," said Robineau, "I won't have bagpipes. The villagers hereabout are very obliging, but I remember my first party, and I don't propose that those fellows shall dance here again."

"Never fear, monseigneur, they will not dance; they will come into the courtyard simply to be present at the games and to see the greased pole."

"Ah! We are to have a greased pole, are we?"

"Yes, monseigneur, we shall have two, in fact; I thought that it would be courteous to have one for the men and one for the ladies."

"Parbleu!" said Alfred, "I have never yet seen women climbing a greased pole; but it cannot fail to be very amusing. You will supply them with drawers, I presume, Monsieur Ferulus?"

"I have not gone into those details, monsieur; but in order that it may be easier for the ladies to reach the top, I have conceived rather a happy idea: while the men's pole will be greased and rubbed with soap, I shall have the ladies' pole rubbed with honey from top to bottom; in that way, they will be able to ascend as easily as if it were a ladder."