"Well, he is gone," said Madame Dubarry, anxious to bring the conversation back to La Perouse.
"Yes, he is gone," replied Cagliostro, "but don"t believe, in spite of his haste, that he will soon embark. I foresee much time lost at Brest."
"That would be a pity," said De Condorcet; "this is the time to set out: it is even now rather late--February or March would have been better."
"Oh, do not grudge him these few months, M. de Condorcet, for, during them, he will at least live and hope."
"He has got good officers, I suppose?" said Richelieu.
"Yes, he who commands the second ship is a distinguished officer. I see him--- young, adventurous, brave, unhappily."
"Why unhappily?"
"A year after I look for him, and see him no more," said Cagliostro, anxiously consulting his gla.s.s. "No one here is related to M. de Langle?"
"No."
"No one knows him?"
"No."
"Well, death will commence with him."
A murmur of affright escaped from all the guests.
"But he, La Perouse?" cried several voices.
"He sails, he lands, he reembarks; I see one, two years, of successful navigation; we hear news of him, and then----"
"Then?"
"Years pa.s.s----"
"But at last?"
"The sea is vast, the heavens are clouded, here and there appear unknown lands, and figures hideous as the monsters of the Grecian Archipelago.
They watch the ship, which is being carried in a fog amongst the breakers, by a tempest less fearful than themselves. Oh! La Perouse, La Perouse, if you could hear me, I would cry to you. You set out, like Columbus, to discover a world; beware of unknown isles!"
He ceased, and an icy shiver ran through the a.s.sembly.
"But why did you not warn him?" asked Count Haga, who, in spite of himself, had succ.u.mbed to the influence of this extraordinary man.
"Yes," cried Madame Dubarry, "why not send after him and bring him back?
The life of a man like La Perouse is surely worth a courier, my dear marshal."
The marshal rose to ring the bell.
Cagliostro extended his arm to stop him. "Alas!" said he, "All advice would be useless. I can foretell destiny, but I cannot change it. M. de la Perouse would laugh if he heard my words, as the son of Priam laughed when Ca.s.sandra prophesied; and see, you begin to laugh yourself, Count Haga, and laughing is contagious: your companions are catching it. Do not restrain yourselves, gentlemen--I am accustomed to an incredulous audience."
"Oh, we believe," said Madame Dubarry and the Duke de Richelieu; "and I believe," murmured Taverney; "and I also," said Count Haga politely.
"Yes," replied Cagliostro, "you believe, because it concerns La Perouse; but, if I spoke of yourself, you would not believe."
"I confess that what would have made me believe, would have been, if you had said to him, "Beware of unknown isles;" then he would, at least, have had the chance of avoiding them."
"I a.s.sure you no, count; and, if he had believed me, it would only have been more horrible, for the unfortunate man would have seen himself approaching those isles destined to be fatal to him, without the power to flee from them. Therefore he would have died, not one, but a hundred deaths, for he would have gone through it all by antic.i.p.ation. Hope, of which I should have deprived him, is what best sustains a man under all trials."
"Yes," said De Condorcet; "the veil which hides from us our future is the only real good which G.o.d has vouchsafed to man."
"Nevertheless," said Count Haga, "did a man like you say to me, shun a certain man or a certain thing, I would beware, and I would thank you for the counsel."
Cagliostro shook his head, with a faint smile.
"I mean it, M. de Cagliostro," continued Count Haga; "warn me, and I will thank you."
"You wish me to tell you what I would not tell La Perouse?"
"Yes, I wish it."
Cagliostro opened his mouth as if to begin, and then stopped, and said, "No, count, no!"
"I beg you."
Cagliostro still remained silent.
"Take care," said the count, "you are making me incredulous."
"Incredulity is better than misery."
"M. de Cagliostro," said the count, gravely, "you forget one thing, which is, that though there are men who had better remain ignorant of their destiny, there are others who should know it, as it concerns not themselves alone, but millions of others."
"Then," said Cagliostro, "command me; if your majesty commands, I will obey."
"I command you to reveal to me my destiny, M. de Cagliostro," said the king, with an air at once courteous and dignified.
At this moment, as Count Haga had dropped his incognito in speaking to Cagliostro, M. de Richelieu advanced towards him, and said, "Thanks, sire, for the honor you have done my house; will your majesty a.s.sume the place of honor?"
"Let us remain as we are, marshal; I wish to hear what M. de Cagliostro is about to say."
"One does not speak the truth to kings, sire."
"Bah! I am not in my kingdom; take your place again, duke. Proceed, M.
de Cagliostro, I beg."
Cagliostro looked again through his gla.s.s, and one might have imagined the particles agitated by this look, as they danced in, the light.
"Sire," said he, "tell me what you wish to know?"
"Tell me by what death I shall die."