Tom Burke Of "Ours" Volume Ii Part 16

"Simple enough. She would n't have you."

The young man endeavored to join in the laugh this speech excited among the rest, though it was evident he felt ill at ease from the ridicule.

"A thousand pardons, my dear Burke," said d.u.c.h.esne, at this moment, as he slipped his arm through mine; "but I thought I should have been in need of your services a few minutes ago."

"Ah! how?"

"Move a little aside, and I 'll tell you. I wished to ask mademoiselle to dance, and approached her for the purpose. She was standing with a number of people, all strangers to me, at the doorway yonder,--Dobretski, that Russian prince, the only man I knew amongst them. A very chilling 'Engaged, sir,' was the answer of the lady to my first request. The same reply met my second and third; when the Russian, as if desirous to increase the awkwardness of my position, interposed with, 'And the fourth set mademoiselle dances with me.'

"'In that case,' said I, 'I may fairly claim the fifth.'

"'On what grounds, sir?' said she, with a look of easy impertinence.

"'The Emperor's orders, Mademoiselle,' said I, proudly.

"'Indeed, sir! May I ask how and when?'

"'Austerlitz, December 2. The order of four o'clock, dated from Reygern, says, "The Imperial Guard will follow closely on the track of the Russians." (Signed) "Napoleon."'

"'In that case, sir,' said she, 'I cannot dispute his Majesty's orders.

I shall dance the fifth with you.'"

"And the Russian,--what said he?"

"_Ma foi!_ I paid no attention to him; for as mademoiselle moved off with her partner, I strolled away in search of you."

If I was amused at this recital of the chevalier, I could not avoid feeling piqued at the greater success he had than myself; for still the chilling reception I had met with was rankling in my mind.

"Let us move away from this quarter," said d.u.c.h.esne. "Here we have got ourselves among a knot of old campaigners, with their stupid stories of Cairo and Acre, Alexandria and the Adige. By Jove! if anything would make me a Legitimist, it is my disgust at those confounded narratives about Kleber and Desaix; the Emperor himself does not despise the time of the Revolution more heartily than I do. Come, there's _bouillotte_ yonder; let us go and win some pieces. I feel I'm in vein; and even to lose would be better than listen to these people. It was only a few minutes ago I was hunted, away from Madame de Muraire by old Berthollet, who is persuading her that her diamonds are but charcoal, and that a necklace is only fit to roast an ortolan. This comes of letting savants into society; decidedly, they had much better taste in the time of the Monarchy."

It was with some difficulty we succeeded in approaching the _bouillotte_ table, where, to judge from the stakes, very high play was going forward. d.u.c.h.esne was quickly recognized among the players, who made place for him among them. I soon saw that he was not mistaken in supposing he was in luck; every _coup_ was successful, and, while he continued to win time after time, the heap of gold grew greater, till it covered the part of the table before him.

"Most certainly, Burke," said he, in a whisper, "this is a strong turn of Fortune, who, being a woman, won't long be of the same mind. Five thousand francs," cried he, throwing the _billet de banque_ carelessly before him, while he turned to resume what he was saying to me. "Were I in action now, I 'd win the _baton de marechal_. I feel it; there's an innate sense of luck when it means to be steady."

"The Chevalier d.u.c.h.esne! the Chevalier d.u.c.h.esne!" was repeated from voice to voice, outside the circle; "Mademoiselle de Lacostellerie is waiting to waltz with you."

"A thousand pardons," said he, rising. "Burke, continue my game, while I try if I can't push fortune the whole way." So saying, and without listening to my excuses about ignorance of play, he pressed me into his seat, and pushed his way through the crowd to join the dancers.

It was only when the players asked me if I intended to go on that I was aware of the position in which I found myself. I knew little more of the game than I had learned in looking over the table; but I was aware of the strict etiquette in all the play of society, which enjoins a revenge to every loser, so that I continued to bet and stake for d.u.c.h.esne as I had seen him do already,--not, however, with such fortune. He had scarcely left the table when luck changed; and now I saw his riches decreasing even more rapidly than they had been acc.u.mulated. At last, after a long run of ill fortune, when I had staked a very large sum on the board, just as the banker was about to begin, I changed my mind and withdrew half of it.

"No, no,--let it stay," whispered a voice in my ear; "the sooner this is over the better."

I turned. It was d.u.c.h.esne himself, who for some time had been seated behind my chair and looking on at the game.

Fleeting as was the glance I had of his features, I fancied they were somewhat paler than usual. Could this be from the turn of fortune? But no. I watched him now, and I perceived that he never even looked at the game. At last, I staked all that remained in one _coup_, and lost; when, drawing forth my own purse, I was about to make another bet,--

"No, no, Burke," whispered he in my ear; "I was only waiting for this moment. Let us come away now. I rise as I sat down, Messieurs," he said, gayly; while he added, in a lower tone, "Sauf l'honneur."

"Have you had enough of gayety for one night?" said he, as he drew my arm within his. "Shall we turn home wards?"

"Willingly," said I; for somehow I felt chagrined and vexed at my ill-luck, and was angry with myself for playing.

"Come along, then; this door will bring us to the stairs."

As we pa.s.sed along hastily through the crowd, I saw that a young officer in a hussar uniform whispered something in d.u.c.h.esne's ear; to which he quickly replied, "Certainly." And as he spoke again in the same low tone, d.u.c.h.esne answered, "Agreed, sir," with a courteous smile, and a look of much pleasure.

"Well, Burke," said he, turning to me, "these are about the most splendid _salons_ in Paris; I think I never saw more perfect taste. I certainly must thank you for being my chaperon here."

"You forget, d.u.c.h.esne, the d.u.c.h.esse de Montserrat, it seems," said I, laughing.

"By Jove, and so I had!" said he. "Yet the initiative lay with you; how the termination may be is another matter," added he, in a mumbling voice, not intended to be heard.

"At all events," said I, puzzled what to say, and feeling I should say something, "I am happy your Russian friend took no notice of your speech."

"And why?" said he, with a peculiar smile,--"and why?"

"I abhor a duel, in the first place."

"But, my dear boy, that speech smacks much more of the ecole de Jesuites than of St. Cyr. Don't let any one less your friend than I am hear you say so."

"I care not who may hear it. Necessity may make me meet an adversary in single combat; but as to acting the cold-blooded part of a bystander--as to being the witness of my friend's crime, or his own death--"

"Come, come; when you exchange the dolman for an alb I 'll listen to this from you, if I can listen to it from any one. But happily, now we have no time for more morality, for here comes the carriage."

Chatting pleasantly about the soiree and its company, we rolled along towards our quarters, and parted with a cordial shake of the hand for the night.

CHAPTER XI. A SALLE DE POLICE

When I entered the breakfast-room the following morning, I found d.u.c.h.esne stretched before the fire in an easy-chair, busily engaged in reading the "Moniteur" of that day, where a long list of imperial _ordonnances_ filled nearly three columns.

"Here have I been," said he, "conning over this catalogue of princely favor these twenty minutes, and yet cannot discern one word of our well-beloved cousins Captains Burke and d.u.c.h.esne. And yet there seems to be a hailstorm of promotions. Some of them have got grand duchies; some princ.i.p.alities; some have the cross of the Legion; and here, by Jove! are some endowed with wives. Now that his Majesty has taken to christening and marrying, I suppose we shall soon see him administering all the succors of Holy Church. Have you much interest in hearing that Talleyrand is to be called Prince of Benevente, and Murat is now Grand-Duke of Berg,--that Sebastiani is to be married to Mademoiselle de Coigny, and Monsieur Decazes, _fils de_ M. Decazes, has taken some one else to wife? Oh dear, oh dear! It's all very tiresome, and not even the fete of Saint Napoleon--"

"Of whom?" said I, laughing.

"Saint Napoleon, _parbleu!_ It's no joking matter, I a.s.sure you. Here is the letter of the cardinal legate to the arch-bishops and bishops of France, commanding that the first Sunday in the August of each year should be set apart to celebrate his saintship, with an account of the processions to take place, and various plenary indulgences to the pious who shall present themselves on the occasion. Fouche could tell you the names of some people who bled freely to get rid of all this trumpery; and, in good sooth, it's rather hard, if we could not endure Saint Louis, to be obliged to tolerate Saint Napoleon,--saints, like Bordeaux wine, being all the more palatable when they have age to mellow them. I could forgive anything, however, but this system of forced marriages; it smacks too much of old Frederick for my taste. And one cannot always have the luck of your friend General d'Auvergne."

I felt my cheek grow burning hot at the words. d.u.c.h.esne did not notice my confusion, but continued,--

"And yet, of all the ill-a.s.sorted unions for which his sainted Majesty will have to account hereafter, that was unquestionably the most extraordinary."

"But I have heard, and I believe too, that the marriage was not of the Emperor's making; it was purely a matter of liking."

"Come, come, Burke," said he, laughing, "you will not tell me that the handsomest girl at the Court, with a large dowry, an ancient name, and every advantage of position, marries an old weather-beaten soldier--the senior officer of her own father once--of her own free will and choice.

The thing is absurd. No, no; these are the Imperial recompenses, when grand duchies are scarce and confiscations few. The Emperor does not travel for nothing. He brought back with him from Egypt something besides his Mameluke Guard: that clever trick the pachas have of providing a favorite with an ex-sultana. There, there! don't look so angrily. We shall both be marshals of France one of these days, and that may reconcile one to a great deal."

"You are determined to owe nothing of your promotion to a blind devotion to Napoleon,--that's certain," said I, annoyed at the tone of insolent disparagement in which he spoke.