Tom Burke Of "Ours" Volume I Part 38

"How came you to know--"

"Oh! I know more than that, Burke; and, believe me, if my foolish conduct the first day we met had led to anything disastrous, I should have pa.s.sed a life of sorrow for it ever after. But we shall have time enough to talk over all these matters in the green alleys of Versailles, where I hope to see you before a week be over. Great events may happen ere long, too. Burke, you don't know it; but I can tell you, a war with England is at this moment on the eve of declaration."

"Perhaps," said I, somewhat piqued by the tone of superiority in which he had spoken for some minutes, and anxious to a.s.sume for myself a position which, I forgot, conferred no credit by the manner of its attainment, "I know more of that than you are aware of."

"Oh," replied he, carelessly, "the gossip of a mess is but little to be relied on. The sabreurs will always tell you that the order to march is given."

"I don't mean that," said I, haughtily. "My information has a higher source, the highest of all,--Greneral Bonaparte himself!"

"How! what! Bonaparte himself!"

"Listen to me," said I; and hurried on by a foolish vanity, and a strange desire I cannot explain to make a confidant in what I felt to be a secret too weighty for my own bosom, I told him all that I had overheard when seated behind the screen in the salon at the Tuileries.

"You heard this,--you, yourself?" cried he, as his eyes flashed, and he grasped my arm with an eager grip.

"Yes, with my own ears I heard it," said I, half trembling at the disclosure I made, and ready to give all I possessed to recall my words.

"My friend, my dear friend," said he, impetuously, "you must hesitate no longer; be one of us."

I started at the words, and growing pale with agitation as the very thought of the importance of what I had related flashed across me, I stammered out, "Take care what you propose to me, De Beauvais. I do not, I cannot, fathom your meaning now; but if I thought that anything like treachery to the First Consul--that anything traitorous to the great cause of liberty for which he has fought and conquered--was meditated, I 'd go forthwith and tell him, word for word, all I have spoken now, even though the confession might, as it would, humble me forever, and destroy all my future hope of advancement."

"And be well laughed at for your pains, foolish boy!" said he, throwing himself back in his chair, and bursting out into a fit of laughter. "No, no, Burke; you must not do anything half so ridiculous, or my pretty cousin could never look at you without a smile ever after. And _ propos_, of that, when shall I present you? That splendid jacket, and all that finery of dolman there, will make sad work of her poor heart."

I blushed deeply at the silly impetuosity I had betrayed myself into, and muttered some equally silly apology for it. Still, young as I was, I could perceive that my words made no common impression on him, and would have given my best blood to recall them.

"Do you know, De Beauvais," said I, affecting as much of coolness as I could, "do you know, I half regret having told you this. The manner in which I heard this conversation--though, as you will see, quite involuntary on my part--should have prevented my ever having repeated it; and now the only reparation I can make is to wait on my colonel, explain the whole circ.u.mstance, and ask his advice."

"In plain words, to make public what at present is only confided to a friend. Well, you think the phrase too strong for one you have seen but twice,--the first time not exactly on terms such as warrant the phrase.

But come, if you can't trust me, I 'll see if I can't trust you."

He drew at these words a roll of paper from his pocket, and was proceeding to open it on the table when a violent knocking was heard at my door.

"What 's that? who can it be?" said he, starting up, and growing pale as death.

The look of terror in his face appalled me; and I stood, not able to reply, or even move towards the door, when the knocking was repeated much louder, and I heard my name called out. Pointing to a closet which led from the room, and without speaking a word, I walked forward and unlocked the door. A tall man, wrapped in a blue cloak, and wearing a c.o.c.ked hat covered with oilskin, stood before me, accompanied by a sergeant of my troop.

"This is the sous-lieutenant, sir," said the sergeant, touching his cap.

"That will do," replied the other; "you may leave us now." Then turning to me he added, "May I have the favor of a few minutes' conversation with you, Mr. Burke? I am Monsieur Gisquet, chef de police of the department."

A trembling ran through me at the words, and I stammered out something scarce audible in reply. Monsieur Gisquet followed me as I led the way into my room, which already had been deserted by De Beauvais; and casting a quick glance around, he leisurely took off his hat and cloak and drew a chair towards the table.

"Are we alone, sir?" said he, in a measured tone of voice, while his eye fell with a peculiar meaning on a chair which stood opposite to mine, on the opposite side of the stove.

"I had a friend with me when you knocked," I muttered, in a broken and uncertain accent; "but perhaps--"

Before I could finish my sentence the door of the cabinet slowly opened, and De Beauvais appeared, but so metamorphosed I could scarcely recognize him; for, short as the interval was, he had put on my old uniform of the Polytechnique, which, from our similarity in height, fitted him perfectly.

"All safe, Tom," said he, stealing out, with an easy smile on his countenance. "Par Saint Denis! I thought it was old Legrange himself come to look for me. Ah, Monsieur, how d' ye do? You have given me a rare fright tonight. I came to spend the day with my friend here, and, as ill luck would have it, have outstayed my time. The _cole_ closes at nine, so that I 'm in for a week's arrest at least."

"A cool confession this, sir, to a minister of police!" said Gisquet, sternly, while his dark eyes surveyed the speaker from head to foot.

"Not when that minister is called Gisquet," said he, readily, and bowing courteously as he spoke.

"You know me, then?" said the other, still peering at him with a sharp look.

"Only from your likeness to a little boy in my company," said he, "Henri Gisquet. A fine little fellow he is, and one of the cleverest in the school."

"You are right, sir; he is my son," said the minister, as a pleased smile pa.s.sed over his swarthy features. "Come, I think I must get you safe through your dilemma. Take this; the officer of the night will be satisfied with the explanation, and Monsieur Legrange will not hear of it."

So saying, he seized a pen, and writing a few lines rapidly on a piece of paper, he folded it note fashion, and handed it to De Beauvais.

"A handsome ring, sir!" said he, suddenly, and holding the fingers within his own; "a very costly one, too."

"Yes, sir," said De Beauvais, blushing scarlet. "A cousin of mine--"

"Ha, ha! an amourette, too. Well, well, young gentleman! no need of further confessions; lose no more time here. Bonsoir."

"Adieu, Burke," said De Beauvais, shaking my hand with a peculiar pressure.

"Adieu, Monsieur Gisquet. This order will pa.s.s me through the barrack, won't it?"

"Yes; to be sure. You need fear no interference with my people either, go where you will this evening."

"Thanks, sir, once more," said he, and departed.

"Now for our business, Mr. Burke," said the minister, opening his packet of papers before him, and commencing to con over its contents. "I shall ask you a few questions, to which you will please to reply with all the accuracy you can command, remembering that you are liable to be called on to verify any statement hereafter on oath. With whom did you speak on the evening of the 2d of May, at the soiree of Madame Bonaparte?"

"I scarcely remember if I spoke to any one save Madame herself. A strange gentleman, whose name I forget, presented me; one or two others, also unknown to me, may have spoken a pa.s.sing word or so; and when coming away I met Monsieur de Beauvais."

"Monsieur de Beauvais! who is he?"

"_Ma foi_ I can't tell you. I saw him the day before for the first time; we renewed our acquaintance, and we supped together."

"At Beauvilliers's?" said he, interrupting.

"Pardieu, Monsieur!" said I, somewhat stung at the espionage on my movements; "you seem to know everything so well already, it is quite needless to interrogate me any further."

"Perhaps not," replied he, coolly. "I wish to have the names of the party you supped with."

"Well, there was one who was called the prfet, a large, full, elderly man."

"Yes, yes, I know him," interrupted Gisquet again. "And the others?"

"There was an abb, and a secretary of the Russian mission."

"No other?" said he, in a tone of disappointment.

"No one, save De Beauvais and myself; we were but five in all."