The Chevalier De Maison Rouge (21 page)

hand, and then only perceived how sadly she was changed.

She, on her part, noticed with anxiety the attenuated

frame of Maurice, and his fevered look of wild excitement.

"You are here, then, monsieur," said she, in a voice of which she could not subdue the emotion.

She had determined to address him with perfect in-

difference.

" Bonjour, Citizen Maurice ; why have your visits been so rare of late ? "

This fickleness appeared more strange still to Maurice ;

and nov what a shadow was cast upon all.

Dixmer cut short this examination, and put an end to

all reciprocal reproaches by ordering dinner to be served ; it was nearly two o'clock. They passed into the saUe-a-manger, where Maurice saw a cover was placed for him.

Then the Citizen Morand arrived, dressed in the same

chestnut-colored coat and waistcoat he always wore his

green spectacles and white frilled shirt.

Maurice was so affectionately disposed to all present,

that while assembled before him he dismissed the sus-

picions and fears which intruded themselves upon his

mind when absent from thorn. In short, what probability

was there that Genevieve loved this little chemist ? He

was in love, and in consequence a fool to allow such folly

to enter into his head.

Besides, the moment was badly chosen for jealousy.

Maurice carried within his waistcoat pocket Genevieve's

last letter, and his heart, bounding with joy, beat beneath it. Genevieve had recovered her serenity.

There is th;s peculiarity in the organization of women,

that the present is able to efface all hues of the past, and distances all fears for the future. Geuevieve felt happy,

THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE. 137

having resumed her self-command; that is to say, she

became calm and dignified, though still kind another

shade which Maurice had not the requisite skill to com-

prehend. Louis would have found the explanation in

"Parny," in " Berlin," or the " Gentil Bernard." The conversation turned upon the Goddess Reason. The fall

of the Girondins, and the new mode of worship, were the

prevailing topics of the day. Dixmer pretended he

should not have been sorry to see this unparalleled honor

offered to Genevieve. Maurice felt inclined to laugh,

but Genevieve concurred in the opinion of her husband,

while he regarded them both with astonishment, wonder-

ing that patriotism could so far mislead a sensible man

like Dixmer, and a woman of so poetical and refined a

nature as Genevieve. Morand developed the theory of

female politicians. He cited f; Theroigne de Mirecourt,"

the heroine of the 10th of August, and Mme. Roland, the

" Soul " of the Girondins. Then, en passant, he launched out against the " Tricoteuses." These words made

Maurice smile. It was, however, a cruel joke against

these female patriots that they were latterly termed " the female leeches of the guillotine."

"Ah, Citizen Maurice," said Dixmer, "we respect patriotism, even when it is mistaken."

" As for me," said Maurice, " as far as I know of patriotism, I always find the women sufficiently good patriots, if not too high aristocrats."

" You are quite right," said Morand ; %c nnd as for myself, I frankly confess I consider a woman very contemp-

tible when she affects the demeanor of a man, and a man

a coward, unworthy of the name, when he insults a woman,

even were she his bitterest enemy."

Morand was gradually drawing Maurice on to delicate

ground. Maurice, on his side, replied by an affirmative

sign. The lists being opened, Dixmer, like the sounding

herald, added :

'*' One moment, one moment, Citizen Morand ; yon ox-

cept, I hope, those women who are known enemies of the

the nation : "

138 THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE.

"A silence of some moments succeeded this " parry and thrust " to the response of Morand and the sign of Maurice.

Maurice first interrupted the silence.

" Let us except no one," said he, sadly ; " those females who have been enemies to the nation are now, it appears

to me, sufficiently punished."

" You allude to the prisoners of the Temple ; to the

Austrian, the sister and daughter of Capet ? " cried

Dixmer, with a rapidity which deprived his words of all

expression.

Morand changed color while awaiting the reply of the

young Republican. It has been said that, could we have

seen it during this suspense, the marks of his nails were

visible indented in his breast.

" Just so," said Maurice, " it is of them I am speaking."

" Who ? " said Morand. " Is what they say of them true ? "

" What do they say ? " demanded the young man.

" That the prisoners are cruelly maltreated, sometimes even by those whose duty it is to protect them."

" There are individuals," said Maurice, " who do not deserve the name of men. There are some cowards who,

totally deficient in real courage, retain a desire to torture the vanquished, in order to persuade themselves that they

are the conquerors."

' You are not one of those men, Maurice, I am quite

certain," said Gencvieve.

' ' Madame," replied Maurice, " I who now speak to you, I have mounted guard near the scaffold on which perished

the late king. With drawn saber in my hand, I was pre-

pared to slay any one who attempted to rescue him.

Notwithstanding, on his approach, I removed my hat,

and turning toward my men, said : ' Citizens, I here warn

you that the man who first insults the king receives my

saber through his body.' And I defy any one to assert

that a single shout was heard to proceed from my com-

pany. From my hand first enunciated those ten thousand

placards afiixed to the walls of Paris after the king's re-

turn from Yiucennes : ' Whoever acknowledges the king

THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE. 139

shall be flogged. Whoever insults the king shall be

hung.'

" Well," continued Maurice, without noticing the fearful effect his words had produced upon his listeners,

"well, I have proved to you that I am a frank, good

patriot, that I hate all kings and their partisans. Yet I

declare, notwithstanding my opinion, which is nothing

short of a deep conviction, that, notwithstanding the

certainty I feel that the Austrian is, in a great measure,

the cause of the miseries that desolate France, never,

never shall any man, let him be who he may, even Saii-

terre himself, insult the ex-queen in my presence."

'Citizen," said Dixmer, shaking his head as if he dis-

approved of so much hardihood, " are you aware you

ought to be very sure of us before you speak of these

things in our presence ? "

"Before you, and before every one, Dixmer ; and I will add, she may perhaps perish on the same scaffold as her

husband, but I am not one to inspire a woman with fear,

and I respect all those who are weaker than myself."

"And the queen, Monsieur Maurice?" demanded

Genevieve, timidly, "has she sometimes evinced her sense of this delicacy, to which she is so little accustomed ?"

" The prisoner has thanked me several times for my

consideration for her, madame."

" Then she must witness your turn to guard with

pleasure ? "

" I believe she does, madame," replied Maurice.

' Then," said Morand, tremulous as a woman, " since you have confessed to what no one can now doubt that

is to say, a generous heart you will not persecute the

child any more ? "

" Me ! " said Maurice. " Ask the infamous Simon the weight of the arm of the municipal before whom he had

the audacity to beat the little Capet."

This answer produced a spontaneous movement at

Dixmer's table. All the guests rose respectfully ; Maurice

alone remained seated, and did not imagine lie had elicited this mark of admiration.

140 HE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE.

" What is the matter ? " said he, astonished.

" I thought some one called from the manufactory,"

said Dixmer.

"No," said Genevieve ; " at first I thought so, too, but we are mistaken."

And every one resumed their seats.

" Ah ! it is you, then, Citizen Maurice/' said Morand, in a tremulous voice, " who are the municipal so much

talked about, and who so nobly defended a child ?"

" Talked about ? " said Maurice, with a naivete almost sublime.

" Yours is a noble heart/' said Morand, rising from the table. That he might give way to his feelings, he retired

to the manufactory, as if some pressing business there

awaited him.

" Yes, citizen," replied Dixmer, "they do speak about it, and it should be said that all those possessed with

generous hearts applaud without knowing you."

" And let him remain unknown," said Genevieve. " The glory he would acquire would be replete with danger. "

Thus, in this singular conversation, without knowing

it, each had contributed his word of heroism, devotion,

and sensibility.

There had nearly been the word Love.

CHAPTER XVII.

THE MIXERS.

AT the moment they left the table, Dixmer was told

that his notary awaited him in his study. He excused

himself to Maurice, besides, he was accustomed to leave

him thus, and proceeded to attend his man of business.

He was negotiating for the purchase of a house in the Rue

de la Corderie, facing the garden of the Temple. It was

rather, as to the rest, a ruin than a house that Dixmer was purchasing, for the actual basement was in a state of dilap-idation ; but it was his intention to rebuild it. The

THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE.

bargain had not been delayed with the proprietor ; that

same morning the notary had seen him and agreed to pay

nineteen thousand five hundred livres. He, therefore,

brought the agreement for signature,, and came to receive

the requisite money for the purchase, as the proprietor

would that day clear out the building, that the workmen

might commence operations on the morrow.

The contract signed, Dixmer and Morand accom-

panied the notary to the Rue de la Corderie, to view this

new acquisition, for they had purchased without seeing it.

It was a house situated near where Xo. 20 now stands--

three stories in height, and surmounted by a curved root

The lower part at one time had been let to a wine-mer-

chant, and contained some most excellent cellarage.

The proprietor, above all things, vaunted his cellars ;

they were the best part of the house. Dixmer and

Morand appeared to attach very little- interest to these

cellars, yet both, as if from mere politeness, descended

with the proprietor into what he called his vaults.

An exception to the general rule, he had not exaggerat-

ed. The cellars were magnificent ; one of them extended

under the Rue de la Corderie, and from this cellar they

they could hear the voitures roll over their heads.

Dixmer and Morand did not appear to appreciate this ad-

vantage. They even spoke of filling them up, observing

that, however convenient they might be to a wine-

merchant, they became perfectly useless to honest

bourgeoises, who intended to occupy the whole of the

house. After the cellars they visited the first, second, and third stories ; from the third they completely overlooked

the garden of the Temple. It was as usual, invaded by

the National Guard, who enjoyed this privilege, since the

queen never walked there now. Dixmer and Morand

recognized their friend, the widow Plumeau, with her

usual activity, doing the honors of her cantine, but

doubtless their anxiety to be in their turn remembered

by her was not very great, as they kept themselves con-

cealed behind the proprietor, while he expatiated on the

advantages of this view, at once so varied and agreeable.

THE CHEVALIER DE MAI8ON ROUGE.

The purchaser then wished to see the roof. The proprie-

tor, doubtless, was unprepared for this emergency, since

he had not got the key, but, influenced by the bundle of

papers of assignment shown him, he descended to search

for it.

" I was not deceived," said Morand, " and this house will answer our purpose exactly."

" And what do you say to the vaults ? "

" That is an interposition of Providence which will spare us two days' labor, at least."

" Do you think it may be in the direction of the can-

tine ? "

(< It inclines a little to the left, but that is of no consequence."

" But," said Dixmer, " how will you be able to follow your subterranean line with the certainty of its terminating where you wish ? "

' Eest assured," said Morand ; " that is my affair."

" If we were every day to give a signal from here that we are watching ? "

" But from the platform the queen could not see it, for the curved roofs alone are less in height than the platform, and yet I doubt it."

" Never mind," said Dixmer; " either Maury or Toulun may see an opening somewhere, and they will inform

the queen."

And Dixmer tied several knots in a white calico curtain,

passing it backward and forward before the window, as if

shaken by the wind.

Then both, equally impatient to visit the roof, awaited

the proprietor's return on the staircase, having first closed the door, not wishing to afford the worthy man a sight