And By The Time He Had Wheel'd Round The
Court, And Brought Me Up To The Door, I Found Myself
So much the
better for my own lecture, that I neither ascended the steps like a
victim to justice, who
Was to part with life upon the top most, -
nor did I mount them with a skip and a couple of strides, as I do
when I fly up, Eliza! to thee to meet it.
As I entered the door of the saloon I was met by a person, who
possibly might be the maitre d'hotel, but had more the air of one
of the under secretaries, who told me the Duc de C- was busy. - I am
utterly ignorant, said I, of the forms of obtaining an audience,
being an absolute stranger, and what is worse in the present
conjuncture of affairs, being an Englishman too. - He replied, that
did not increase the difficulty. - I made him a slight bow, and told
him, I had something of importance to say to Monsieur le Duc. The
secretary look'd towards the stairs, as if he was about to leave me
to carry up this account to some one. - But I must not mislead you,
said I, - for what I have to say is of no manner of importance to
Monsieur le Duc de C - -but of great importance to myself. - C'est
une autre affaire, replied he. - Not at all, said I, to a man of
gallantry. - But pray, good sir, continued I, when can a stranger
hope to have access? - In not less than two hours, said he, looking
at his watch. The number of equipages in the court-yard seemed to
justify the calculation, that I could have no nearer a prospect; -
and as walking backwards and forwards in the saloon, without a soul
to commune with, was for the time as bad as being in the Bastile
itself, I instantly went back to my remise, and bid the coachman
drive me to the Cordon Bleu, which was the nearest hotel.
I think there is a fatality in it; - I seldom go to the place I set
out for.
LE PATISSIER. VERSAILLES.
Before I had got half way down the street I changed my mind: as I
am at Versailles, thought I, I might as well take a view of the
town; so I pull'd the cord, and ordered the coachman to drive round
some of the principal streets. - I suppose the town is not very
large, said I. - The coachman begg'd pardon for setting me right,
and told me it was very superb, and that numbers of the first dukes
and marquises and counts had hotels. - The Count de B-, of whom the
bookseller at the Quai de Conti had spoke so handsomely the night
before, came instantly into my mind. - And why should I not go,
thought I, to the Count de B-, who has so high an idea of English
books and English men - and tell him my story? so I changed my mind
a second time. - In truth it was the third; for I had intended that
day for Madame de R-, in the Rue St. Pierre, and had devoutly sent
her word by her fille de chambre that I would assuredly wait upon
her; - but I am governed by circumstances; - I cannot govern them:
so seeing a man standing with a basket on the other side of the
street, as if he had something to sell, I bid La Fleur go up to
him, and enquire for the Count's hotel.
La Fleur returned a little pale; and told me it was a Chevalier de
St. Louis selling pates. - It is impossible, La Fleur, said I. - La
Fleur could no more account for the phenomenon than myself; but
persisted in his story: he had seen the croix set in gold, with
its red riband, he said, tied to his buttonhole - and had looked
into the basket and seen the pates which the Chevalier was selling;
so could not be mistaken in that.
Such a reverse in man's life awakens a better principle than
curiosity: I could not help looking for some time at him as I sat
in the remise: - the more I look'd at him, his croix, and his
basket, the stronger they wove themselves into my brain. - I got out
of the remise, and went towards him.
He was begirt with a clean linen apron which fell below his knees,
and with a sort of a bib that went half way up his breast; upon the
top of this, but a little below the hem, hung his croix. His
basket of little pates was covered over with a white damask napkin;
another of the same kind was spread at the bottom; and there was a
look of proprete and neatness throughout, that one might have
bought his pates of him, as much from appetite as sentiment.
He made an offer of them to neither; but stood still with them at
the corner of an hotel, for those to buy who chose it without
solicitation.
He was about forty-eight; - of a sedate look, something approaching
to gravity. I did not wonder. - I went up rather to the basket than
him, and having lifted up the napkin, and taking one of his pates
into my hand, - I begg'd he would explain the appearance which
affected me.
He told me in a few words, that the best part of his life had
passed in the service, in which, after spending a small patrimony,
he had obtained a company and the croix with it; but that, at the
conclusion of the last peace, his regiment being reformed, and the
whole corps, with those of some other regiments, left without any
provision, he found himself in a wide world without friends,
without a livre, - and indeed, said he, without anything but this, -
(pointing, as he said it, to his croix). - The poor Chevalier won my
pity, and he finished the scene with winning my esteem too.
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