"That positively cries aloud for vengeance. Why, women are the veriest serpents," said Malicorne.
"Compose yourself, my dear Malicorne, compose yourself."
"No, no; let us take the evil in time, on the contrary. There is time enough yet to tell Raoul of it."
"Blunderer, on the contrary, it is too late," replied Montalais.
"How so?"
"La Valliere"s remark, which was intended for the king, reached its destination."
"The king knows it, then? The king was told of it, I suppose?"
"The king heard it."
"Ahime! as the cardinal used to say."
"The king was hidden in the thicket close to the royal oak."
"It follows, then," said Malicorne, "that for the future, the plan which the king and Madame have arranged, will go as easily as if it were on wheels, and will pa.s.s over poor Bragelonne"s body."
"Precisely so."
"Well," said Malicorne, after a moment"s reflection, "do not let us interpose our poor selves between a large oak-tree and a great king, for we should certainly be ground to pieces."
"The very thing I was going to say to you."
"Let us think of ourselves, then."
"My own idea."
"Open your beautiful eyes, then."
"And you your large ears."
"Approach your little mouth for a kiss."
"Here," said Montalais, who paid the debt immediately in ringing coin.
"Now let us consider. First, we have M. de Guiche, who is in love with Madame; then La Valliere, who is in love with the king; next, the king, who is in love both with Madame and La Valliere; lastly Monsieur, who loves no one but himself. Among all these loves, a noodle would make his fortune: a greater reason, therefore, for sensible people like ourselves to do so."
"There you are with your dreams again."
"Nay, rather with realities. Let me still lead you, darling. I do not think you have been very badly off hitherto?"
"No."
"Well, the future is guaranteed by the past. Only, since all here think of themselves before anything else, let us do so too."
"Perfectly right."
"But of ourselves only."
"Be it so."
"An offensive and defensive alliance."
"I am ready to swear it."
"Put out your hand, then, and say, "All for Malicorne.""
"All for Malicorne."
"And I, "All for Montalais,"" replied Malicorne, stretching out his hand in his turn.
"And now, what is to be done?"
"Keep your eyes and ears constantly open; collect every means of attack which may be serviceable against others; never let anything lie about which can be used against ourselves."
"Agreed."
"Decided."
"Sworn to. And now the agreement entered into, good-bye."
"What do you mean by "good-bye?""
"Of course you can now return to your inn."
"To my inn?"
"Yes; are you not lodging at the sign of the Beau Paon?"
"Montalais, Montalais, you now betray that you were aware of my being at Fontainebleau."
"Well; and what does that prove, except that I occupy myself about you more than you deserve?"
"Hum!"
"Go back, then, to the Beau Paon."
"That is now quite out of the question."
"Have you not a room there?"
"I had, but have it no longer."
"Who has taken it from you, then?"
"I will tell you. Some little time ago I was returning there, after I had been running about after you; and having reached my hotel quite out of breath, I perceived a litter, upon which four peasants were carrying a sick monk."
"A monk?"
"Yes, an old gray-bearded Franciscan. As I was looking at the monk, they entered the hotel; and as they were carrying him up the staircase, I followed, and as I reached the top of the staircase I observed that they took him into my room."
"Into your room?"
"Yes, into my own apartment. Supposing it to be a mistake, I summoned the landlord, who said that the room which had been let to me for the past eight days was let to the Franciscan for the ninth."
"Oh, oh!"
"That was exactly what I said; nay, I did even more, for I was inclined to get out of temper. I went up-stairs again. I spoke to the Franciscan himself, and wished to prove to him the impropriety of the step; when this monk, dying though he seemed to be, raised himself upon his arm, fixed a pair of blazing eyes upon me, and, in a voice which was admirably suited for commanding a charge of cavalry, said, "Turn this fellow out of doors;" which was done, immediately by the landlord and the four porters, who made me descend the staircase somewhat faster than was agreeable. This is how it happens, dearest, that I have no lodging."
"Who can this Franciscan be?" said Montalais. "Is he a general?"
"That is exactly the very t.i.tle that one of the bearers of the litter gave him as he spoke to him in a low tone."
"So that-" said Montalais.
"So that I have no room, no hotel, no lodging; and I am as determined as my friend Manicamp was just now, not to pa.s.s the night in the open air."
"What is to be done, then?" said Montalais.
"Nothing easier," said a third voice; whereupon Montalais and Malicorne uttered a simultaneous cry, and Saint-Aignan appeared. "Dear Monsieur Malicorne," said Saint-Aignan, "a very lucky accident has brought me back to extricate you from your embarra.s.sment. Come, I can offer you a room in my own apartments, which, I can a.s.sure you, no Franciscan will deprive you of. As for you, my dear lady, rest easy. I already knew Mademoiselle de la Valliere"s secret, and that of Mademoiselle de Tonnay-Charente; your own you have just been kind enough to confide to me; for which I thank you. I can keep three quite as well as one." Malicorne and Montalais looked at each other, like children detected in a theft; but as Malicorne saw a great advantage in the proposition which had been made to him, he gave Montalais a sign of a.s.sent, which she returned. Malicorne then descended the ladder, round by round, reflecting at every step on the means of obtaining piecemeal from M. de Saint-Aignan all he might possibly know about the famous secret. Montalais had already darted away like a deer, and neither cross-road nor labyrinth was able to lead her wrong. As for Saint-Aignan, he carried off Malicorne with him to his apartments, showing him a thousand attentions, enchanted to have so close at hand the very two men who, even supposing De Guiche were to remain silent, could give him the best information about the maids of honor.
Chapter LI. What Actually Occurred at the Inn Called the Beau Paon.
In the first place, let us supply our readers with a few details about the inn called Beau Paon. It owed its name to its sign, which represented a peac.o.c.k spreading its tail. But, in imitation of certain painters who bestowed the face of a handsome young man on the serpent which tempted Eve, the limner of the sign had conferred upon the peac.o.c.k the features of a woman. This famous inn, an architectural epigram against that half of the human race which renders existence delightful, was situated at Fontainebleau, in the first turning on the left-hand side, which divides the road from Paris, the large artery that const.i.tutes in itself alone the entire town of Fontainebleau. The side street in question was then known as the Rue de Lyon, doubtless because, geographically, it led in the direction of the second capital of the kingdom. The street itself was composed of two houses occupied by persons of the cla.s.s of tradespeople, the houses being separated by two large gardens bordered with hedges running round them. Apparently, however, there were three houses in the street. Let us explain, notwithstanding appearances, how there were in fact only two. The inn of the Beau Paon had its princ.i.p.al front towards the main street; but upon the Rue de Lyon there were two ranges of buildings divided by courtyards, which comprised sets of apartments for the reception of all cla.s.ses of travelers, whether on foot or on horseback, or even with their own carriages; and in which could be supplied, not only board and lodging, but also accommodation for exercise, or opportunities of solitude for even the wealthiest courtiers, whenever, after having received some check at the court, they wished to shut themselves up to their own society, either to devour an affront, or to brood on revenge. From the windows of this part of the building travelers could perceive, in the first place, the street with the gra.s.s growing between the stones, which were being gradually loosened by it; next the beautiful hedges of elder and thorn, which embraced, as though within two green and flowery arms, the house of which we have spoken; and then, in the s.p.a.ces between those houses, forming the groundwork of the picture, and appearing an almost impa.s.sable barrier, a line of thick trees, the advanced sentinels of the vast forest which extends in front of Fontainebleau. It was therefore easy, provided one secured an apartment at the angle of the building, to obtain, by the main street from Paris, a view of, as well as to hear, the pa.s.sers-by and the fetes; and, by the Rue de Lyon, to look upon and to enjoy the calm of the country. And this without reckoning that, in cases of urgent necessity, at the very moment people might be knocking at the princ.i.p.al door in the Rue de Paris, one could make one"s escape by the little door in the Rue de Lyon, and, creeping along the gardens of the private houses, attain the outskirts of the forest. Malicorne, who, it will be remembered, was the first to speak about this inn, by way of deploring his being turned out of it, being then absorbed in his own affairs, had not told Montalais all that could be said about this curious inn; and we will try to repair the omission. With the exception of the few words he had said about the Franciscan friar, Malicorne had not given any particulars about the travelers who were staying in the inn. The manner in which they had arrived, the manner in which they had lived, the difficulty which existed for every one but certain privileged travelers, of entering the hotel without a pa.s.sword, or living there without certain preparatory precautions, must have struck Malicorne; and, we will venture to say, really did so. But Malicorne, as we have already said, had personal matters of his own to occupy his attention which prevented him from paying much attention to others. In fact, all the apartments of the hotel were engaged and retained by certain strangers, who never stirred out, who were incommunicative in their address, with countenances full of thoughtful preoccupation, and not one of whom was known to Malicorne. Every one of these travelers had reached the hotel after his own arrival there; each man had entered after having given a kind of pa.s.sword, which had at first attracted Malicorne"s attention; but having inquired, in an indiscreet manner, about it, he had been informed that the host had given as a reason for this extreme vigilance, that, as the town was so full of wealthy n.o.blemen, it must also be as full of clever and zealous pickpockets. The reputation of an honest inn like that of the Beau Paon was concerned in not allowing its visitors to be robbed. It occasionally happened that Malicorne asked himself, as he thought matters carefully over in his mind, and reflected upon his own position in the inn, how it was that they had allowed him to become an inmate of the hotel, when he had observed, since his residence there, admission refused to so many. He asked himself, too, how it was that Manicamp, who, in his opinion, must be a man to be looked upon with veneration by everybody, having wished to bait his horse at the Beau Paon, on arriving there, both horse and rider had been incontinently turned away with a nescio vos of the most positive character. All this for Malicorne, whose mind being fully occupied by his own love affair and personal ambition, was a problem he had not applied himself to solve. Had he wished to do so, we should hardly venture, notwithstanding the intelligence we have accorded as his due, to say he would have succeeded. A few words will prove to the reader that no one but Oedipus in person could have solved the enigma in question. During the week, seven travelers had taken up their abode in the inn, all of them having arrived there the day after the fortunate day on which Malicorne had fixed his choice on the Beau Paon. These seven persons, accompanied by a suitable retinue, were the following:- First of all, a brigadier in the German army, his secretary, physician, three servants, and seven horses. The brigadier"s name was the Comte de Wostpur.-A Spanish cardinal, with two nephews, two secretaries, an officer of his household, and twelve horses. The cardinal"s name was Monseigneur Herrebia.-A rich merchant of Bremen, with his man-servant and two horses. This merchant"s name was Meinheer Bonstett.-A Venetian senator with his wife and daughter, both extremely beautiful. The senator"s name was Signor Marini.-A Scottish laird, with seven highlanders of his clan, all on foot. The laird"s name was Macc.u.mnor.- An Austrian from Vienna without t.i.tle or coat of arms, who had arrived in a carriage; a good deal of the priest, and something of the soldier. He was called the Councilor.-And, finally, a Flemish lady, with a man-servant, a lady"s maid, and a female companion, a large retinue of servants, great display, and immense horses. She was called the Flemish lady.
All these travelers had arrived on the same day, and yet their arrival had occasioned no confusion in the inn, no stoppage in the street; their apartments had been fixed upon beforehand, by their couriers or secretaries, who had arrived the previous evening or that very morning. Malicorne, who had arrived the previous day, riding an ill-conditioned horse, with a slender valise, had announced himself at the hotel of the Beau Paon as the friend of a n.o.bleman desirous of witnessing the fetes, and who would himself arrive almost immediately. The landlord, on hearing these words, had smiled as if he were perfectly well acquainted either with Malicorne or his friend the n.o.bleman, and had said to him, "Since you are the first arrival, monsieur, choose what apartment you please." And this was said with that obsequiousness of manners, so full of meaning with landlords, which means, "Make yourself perfectly easy, monsieur: we know with whom we have to do, and you will be treated accordingly." These words, and their accompanying gesture, Malicorne had thought very friendly, but rather obscure. However, as he did not wish to be very extravagant in his expenses, and as he thought that if he were to ask for a small apartment he would doubtless have been refused, on account of his want of consequence, he hastened to close at once with the innkeeper"s remark, and deceive him with a cunning equal to his own. So, smiling as a man would do for whom whatever might be done was but simply his due, he said, "My dear host, I shall take the best and the gayest room in the house."
"With a stable?"
"Yes, with a stable."
"And when will you take it?"
"Immediately if it be possible."
"Quite so."
"But," said Malicorne, "I shall leave the large room unoccupied for the present."
"Very good!" said the landlord, with an air of intelligence.
"Certain reasons, which you will understand by and by, oblige me to take, at my own cost, this small room only."
"Yes, yes," said the host.
"When my friend arrives, he will occupy the large apartment: and as a matter of course, as this larger apartment will be his own affair, he will settle for it himself."
"Certainly," said the landlord, "certainly; let it be understood in that manner."
"It is agreed, then, that such shall be the terms?"
"Word for word."
"It is extraordinary," said Malicorne to himself. "You quite understand, then?"
"Yes."
"There is nothing more to be said. Since you understand,-for you do clearly understand, do you not?"
"Perfectly."
"Very well; and now show me to my room."
The landlord, cap in hand, preceded Malicorne, who installed himself in his room, and became more and more surprised to observe that the landlord, at every ascent or descent, looked and winked at him in a manner which indicated the best possible intelligence between them.
"There is some mistake here," said Malicorne to himself; "but until it is cleared up, I shall take advantage of it, which is the best thing I can possibly do." And he darted out of his room, like a hunting-dog following a scent, in search of all the news and curiosities of the court, getting himself burnt in one place and drowned in another, as he had told Mademoiselle de Montalais. The day after he had been installed in his room, he had noticed the seven travelers arrive successively, who speedily filled the whole hotel. When he saw this perfect mult.i.tude of people, of carriages, and retinue, Malicorne rubbed his hands delightedly, thinking that, one day later, he should not have found a bed to lie upon after his return from his exploring expeditions. When all the travelers were lodged, the landlord entered Malicorne"s room, and with his accustomed courteousness, said to him, "You are aware, my dear monsieur, that the large room in the third detached building is still reserved for you?"
"Of course I am aware of it."
"I am really making you a present of it."
"Thank you."
"So that when your friend comes-"
"Well!"
"He will be satisfied with me, I hope: or, if he be not, he will be very difficult to please."
"Excuse me, but will you allow me to say a few words about my friend?"
"Of course, for you have a perfect right to do so."
"He intended to come, as you know."