"Does the Count Cagliostro live here?" asked Philippe.
"He is just going out."
"The more reason to be quick, for I wish to speak to him first.
Announce the Chevalier Philippe de Taverney;" and he followed the men up-stairs.
"Ask him to walk in," said, from within, a voice at once manly and gentle.
"Excuse me, sir," said the chevalier to a man whom we have already seen, first at the table of M. de Richelieu, then at the exhibition of M.
Mesmer, in Oliva"s room, and with her at the Opera ball.
"For what, sir?" replied he.
"Because I prevent you from going out."
"You would have needed an excuse had you been much later, for I was waiting for you."
"For me?"
"Yes, I was forewarned of your visit."
"Of my visit?"
"Yes; two hours ago. It is about that time, is it not, since you were coming here before, when an interruption caused you to postpone the execution of your project?"
Philippe began to experience the same strange sensation with which this man inspired every one.
"Sit down, M. de Taverney," continued he; "this armchair was placed for you."
"A truce to pleasantry, sir," said Philippe, in a voice which he vainly tried to render calm.
"I do not jest, sir."
"Then a truce to charlatanism. If you are a sorcerer, I did not come to make trial of your skill; but if you are, so much the better, for you must know what I am come to say to you."
"Oh, yes, you are come to seek a quarrel."
"You know that? perhaps you also know why?"
"On account of the queen. Now, sir, I am ready to listen;" and these last words were no longer p.r.o.nounced in the courteous tones of a host, but in the hard and dry ones of an adversary.
"Sir, there exists a certain publication."
"There are many publications," said Cagliostro.
"Well, this publication to-day was written against the queen."
Cagliostro did not reply.
"You know what I refer to, count?"
"Yes, sir."
"You have bought one thousand copies of it?"
"I do not deny it."
"Luckily, they have not reached your hands."
"What makes you think so, sir?"
"Because I met the porter, paid him, and sent him with them to my house; and my servant, instructed by me, will destroy them."
"You should always finish yourself the work you commence, sir. Are you sure these thousand copies are at your house?"
"Certainly."
"You deceive yourself, sir; they are here. Ah, you thought that I, sorcerer that I am, would let myself be foiled in that way. You thought it a brilliant idea to buy off my messenger. Well, I have a steward, and you see it is natural for the steward of a sorcerer to be one also. He divined that you would go to the journalist, and that you would meet my messenger, whom he afterwards followed, and threatened to make him give back the gold you had given him, if he did not follow his original instructions, instead of taking them to you. But I see you doubt."
"I do."
"Look, then, and you will believe;" and, opening an oak cabinet, he showed the astonished chevalier the thousand copies lying there.
Philippe approached the count in a menacing att.i.tude, but he did not stir. "Sir," said Philippe, "you appear a man of courage; I call upon you to give me immediate satisfaction."
"Satisfaction for what?"
"For the insult to the queen, of which you render yourself an accomplice while you keep one number of this vile paper."
"Monsieur," said Cagliostro, "you are in error; I like novelties, scandalous reports, and other amusing things, and collect them, that I may remember at a later day what I should otherwise forget."
"A man of honor, sir, does not collect infamies."
"But, if I do not think this an infamy?"
"You will allow at least that it is a lie."
"You deceive yourself, sir. The queen was at M. Mesmer"s."
"It is false, sir."
"You mean to tell me I lie?"
"I do."
"Well, I will reply in a few words--I saw her there."
"You saw her!"