La comtesse de Charny. English by Alexandre Dumas
CHAPTER II.
GILBERT'S CANDIDATE.
Dr. Gilbert had not seen the queen for six months, since he had let herknow that he was informed by Cagliostro that she was deceiving him.
He was therefore astonished to see the king's valet enter his roomone morning. He thought the king was sick and had sent for him, butthe messenger reassured him. He was wanted in the palace, whither hehastened to go.
He was profoundly attached to the king; he pitied Marie Antoinette moreas a woman than a queen. It was profound pity, for she inspired neitherlove nor devotion.
The lady waiting to greet Gilbert was the Princess Elizabeth. Neitherking nor queen, after his showing them he saw they were playing himfalse, had dared to send directly to him; they put Lady Elizabethforward.
Her first words proved to the doctor that he was not mistaken in hissurmise.
"Doctor Gilbert," said she, "I do not know whether others haveforgotten the tokens of interest you showed my brother on our returnfrom Versailles, and those you showed my sister on our return fromVarennes, but I remember."
"Madame," returned Gilbert, bowing, "God, in His wisdom, hath decidedthat you should have all the merits, memory included--a scarce virtuein our days, and particularly so among royal personages."
"I hope you are not referring to my brother, who often speaks of you,and praises your experience."
"As a medical adviser," remarked Gilbert, smiling.
"Yes; but he thinks you can be a physician to the realm as well as tothe ruler."
"Very kind of the king. For which case is he calling me in at present?"
"It is not the king who calls you, sir, but I," responded the lady,blushing; for her chaste heart knew not how to lie.
"You? Your health worries me the least; your pallor arises from fatigueand disquiet, not from bad health."
"You are right; I am not trembling for myself, but my brother, whomakes me fret."
"So he does me, madame."
"Oh, our uneasiness does not probably spring from the same cause, as Iam concerned about his health. I do not mean that he is unwell, but heis downcast and disheartened. Some ten days ago--I am counting the daysnow--he ceased speaking, except to me, and in his favorite pastime ofbackgammon he only utters the necessary terms of the game."
"It is eleven days since he went to the House to present his veto. Whywas he not mute that day instead of the next?"
"Is it your opinion that he should have sanctioned that impiousdecree?" demanded the princess, quickly.
"My opinion is, that to put the king in front of the priests in thecoming tide, the rising storm, is to have priests and king broken bythe same wave."
"What would you do in my poor brother's place, doctor?"
"A party is growing, like those genii of the Arabian Nights, whichbecomes a hundred cubits high an hour after release from theimprisoning bottle."
"You allude to the Jacobins?"
Gilbert shook his head.
"No; I mean the Girondists, who wish for war, a national desire."
"But war with whom? With the emperor, our brother? The King of Spain,our nephew? Our enemies, Doctor Gilbert, are at home, and not outsideof France, in proof of which--" She hesitated, but he besought her tospeak.
"I really do not know that I can tell you, though it is the reason ofmy asking you here."
"You may speak freely to one who is devoted and ready to give his lifeto the king."
"Do you believe there is any counterbane?" she inquired.
"Universal?" queried Gilbert, smiling. "No, madame; each venomoussubstance has its antidote, though they are of little avail generally."
"What a pity!"
"There are two kinds of poisons, mineral and vegetable--of what sortwould you speak?"
"Doctor, I am going to tell you a great secret. One of our cooks, wholeft the royal kitchen to set up a bakery of his own, has returned toour service, with the intention of murdering the king. This red-hotJacobin has been heard crying that France would be relieved if the kingwere put out of the way."
"In general, men fit for such a crime do not go about braggingbeforehand. But I suppose you take precautions?"
"Yes; it is settled that the king shall live on roast meat, with atrusty hand to supply the bread and wine. As the king is fond ofpastry, Madame Campan orders what he likes, as though for herself. Weare warned especially against powdered sugar."
"In which arsenic might be mixed unnoticed?"
"Exactly. It was the queen's habit to use it for her lemonade, but wehave entirely given up the use of it. The king, the queen, and I takemeals together, ringing for what we want. Madame Campan brings us whatwe like, secretly, and hides it under the table; we pretend to eat theusual things while the servants are in the room. This is how we live,sir; and yet the queen and I tremble every instant lest the king shouldturn pale and cry out he was in pain."
"Let me say at once, madame," returned the doctor, "that I do notbelieve in these threats of poisoning; but in any event, I am underhis majesty's orders. What does the king desire? That I should havelodgings in the palace? I will stay here in such a way as to be at handuntil the fears are over."
"Oh, my brother is not afraid!" the princess hastened to say.
"I did not mean that. Until your fears are over. I have some practicein poisonings and their remedies. I am ready to baffle them in whatevershape they are presented; but allow me to say, madame, that all fearsfor the king might be removed if he were willing."
"Oh, what must be done for that?" intervened a voice, not the LadyElizabeth's, and which, by its emphatic and ringing tone, made Gilbertturn.
It was the queen, and he bowed.
"Has the queen doubted the sincerity of my offers?"
"Oh, sir, so many heads and hearts have turned in this tempestuouswind, that one knows not whom to trust."
"Which is why your majesty receives from the Feuillants Club a Premiershaped by the Baroness de Stael?"
"You know that?" cried the royal lady, starting.
"I know your majesty is pledged to take Count Louis de Narbonne."
"And, of course, you blame me?"
"No; it is a trial like others. When the king shall have tried all, hemay finish by the one with whom he should have commenced."
"You know Madame de Stael? What do you think of her?"
"Physically, she is not altogether attractive."
The queen smiled; as a woman, she was not sorry to hear another womandecried who just then was widely talked about.
"But her talent, her parts, her merits?"
"She is good and generous, madame; none of her enemies would remain soafter a quarter of an hour's conversation."
"I speak of her genius, sir; politics are not managed by the heart."
"Madame, the heart spoils nothing, not even in politics; but let usnot use the word genius rashly. Madame de Stael has great and immensetalent, but it does not rise to genius; she is as iron to the steel ofher master, Rousseau. As a politician, she is given more heed than shedeserves. Her drawing-room is the meeting-place of the English party.Coming of the middle class as she does, and that the money-worshipingmiddle class, she has the weakness of loving a lord; she admiresthe English from thinking that they are an aristocratic people.Being ignorant of the history of England, and the mechanism of itsgovernment, she takes for the descendants of the Norman Conquerors thebaronets created yesterday. With old material, other people make a newstock; with the new, England often makes the old."
"Do you see in this why Baroness de Stael proposes De Narbonne to us?"
"Hem! This time, madame, two likings are combined: that for thearistocracy and the aristocrat."
"Do you imagine that she loves Louis de Narbonne on account of hisdescent?"
(Louis de Narbonne was supposed to be an incestuous son of King LouisXV.)
"It is not on account of any ability, I reckon?"
"But nobody is less well-born than Louis de Narbonne; his father is noteven known."
"So you do not believe that De Narbonne is the outcome of the SwedishEmbassy, as the Jacobins assert, with Robespierre at the head?"
"Yes; only he comes from the wife's boudoir, not the lord's study. Tosuppose Lord de Stael has a hand in it, is to suppose he is master inhis own house. Goodness, no; this is not an embassador's treachery,but a loving woman's weakness. Nothing but Love, the great, eternalmagician, could impel a woman to put the gigantic sword of therevolution in that frivolous rake's hands."
"Do you allude to the demagogue Isnard kissed at the Jacobin Club?"
"Alas, madame, I speak of the one suspended over your head."
"Therefore, it is your opinion that we are wrong to accept De Narbonneas Minister of War?"
"You would do better to take at once his successor, Dumouriez."
"A soldier of fortune?"
"Ha! the worst word is spoken; and it is unfair any way."
"Was not Dumouriez a private soldier?"
"I am well aware that Dumouriez is not of that court nobility to whicheverything is sacrificed. Of the rustic nobility, unable to obtaina rank, he enlisted as a common soldier. At twenty years he foughtfive or six troopers, though hacked badly, and despite this proof ofcourage, he languished in the ranks."
"He sharpened his wits by serving Louis XV. as spy."
"Why do you call that spying in him which you rate diplomacy in others?I know that he carried on correspondence with the king without theknowledge of the ministers; but what noble of the court does not do thesame?"
"But, doctor, this man whom you recommend is essentially a most immoralone," exclaimed the queen, betraying her deep knowledge of politicsby the details into which she went. "He has no principles--no idea ofhonor. The Duke of Choiseul told me that he laid before him two plansabout Corsica--one to set her free, the other to subdue her."
"Quite true; but Choiseul failed to say that the former was preferred,and that Dumouriez fought bravely for its success."
"The day when we accept him for minister it will be equivalent to adeclaration of war to all Europe."
"Why, madame, this declaration is already made in all hearts," retortedGilbert. "Do you know how many names are down in this district asvolunteers to start for the campaign? Six hundred thousand. In theJura, the women have proposed all the men shall march, as they, withpikes, will guard their homes."
"You have spoken a word which makes me shudder--pikes! Oh, the pikesof '89! I can ever see the heads of my Life Guardsmen carried on thepikes' point."
"Nevertheless, it was a woman, a mother, who suggested a nationalsubscription to manufacture pikes."
"Was it also a woman who suggested your Jacobins adopting the red capof liberty, the color of blood?"
"Your majesty is in error on that point," said Gilbert, although hedid not care to enlighten the queen wholly on the ancient head-gear."A symbol was wanted of equality, and as all Frenchmen could not welldress alike, a part of a dress was alone adopted: the cap such as thepoor peasant wears. The red color was preferred, not as it happens tobe that of blood, but because gay, bright, and a favorite with themasses."
"All very fine, doctor," sneered the queen. "I do not despair of seeingsuch a partisan of novelties coming some day to feel the king's pulse,with the red cap on your head and a pike in your hand."
Seeing that she could not win with such a man, the queen retired, halfjesting, half bitter.
Princess Elizabeth was about to do the same, when Gilbert appealed toher:
"You love your brother, do you not?"
"Love? The feeling is of adoration."
"Then you are ready to transmit good advice to him, coming from afriend?"
"Then, speak, speak!"
"When his Feuillant Ministry falls, which will not take long, let himtake a ministry with all the members wearing this red cap, though it soalarms the queen." And profoundly bowing, he went out.