Chapter XII
THE MAGICIAN
No more brilliant spectacle than this masked ball could be imagined.Among other _salons_ and galleries, thrown open, was the enormousPerspective of the "Grande Galerie des Glaces," lighted up on thatoccasion with no less than four thousand wax candles, reflected andrepeated by all the mirrors, so that the effect was almost dazzling. Thegrand suite of _salons_ was thronged with masques, in everyconceivable costume. There was not a single room deserted. Everyplacewas animated with music voices, brilliant colors, flashing jewels, thehilarity of extemporized comedy, and all the spirited incidents of acleverly sustained masquerade. I had never seen before anything in theleast comparable to this magnificent _fete._ I moved along,indolently, in my domino and mask, loitering, now and then, to enjoy aclever dialogue, a farcical song, or an amusing monologue, but, at thesame time, keeping my eyes about me, lest my friend in the black domino,with the little white cross on his breast, should pass me by.
I had delayed and looked about me, specially, at every door I passed, asthe Marquis and I had agreed; but he had not yet appeared.
While I was thus employed, in the very luxury of lazy amusement, I saw agilded sedan chair, or, rather, a Chinese palanquin, exhibiting thefantastic exuberance of "Celestial" decoration, borne forward on gildedpoles by four richly-dressed Chinese; one with a wand in his handmarched in front, and another behind; and a slight and solemn man, witha long black beard, a tall fez, such as a dervish is represented aswearing, walked close to its side. A strangely-embroidered robe fellover his shoulders, covered with hieroglyphic symbols; the embroiderywas in black and gold, upon a variegated ground of brilliant colors. Therobe was bound about his waist with a broad belt of gold, withcabalistic devices traced on it in dark red and black; red stockings,and shoes embroidered with gold, and pointed and curved upward at thetoes, in Oriental fashion, appeared below the skirt of the robe. Theman's face was dark, fixed, and solemn, and his eyebrows black, andenormously heavy--he carried a singular-looking book under his arm, awand of polished black wood in his other hand, and walked with his chinsunk on his breast, and his eyes fixed upon the floor. The man in frontwaved his wand right and left to clear the way for the advancingpalanquin, the curtains of which were closed; and there was something sosingular, strange and solemn about the whole thing, that I felt at onceinterested.
I was very well pleased when I saw the bearers set down their burthenwithin a few yards of the spot on which I stood.
The bearers and the men with the gilded wands forthwith clapped theirhands, and in silence danced round the palanquin a curious andhalf-frantic dance, which was yet, as to figures and postures, perfectlymethodical. This was soon accompanied by a clapping of hands and aha-ha-ing, rhythmically delivered.
While the dance was going on a hand was lightly laid on my arm, and,looking round, a black domino with a white cross stood beside me.
"I am so glad I have found you," said the Marquis; "and at this moment.This is the best group in the rooms. _You_ must speak to thewizard. About an hour ago I lighted upon them, in another _salon,_and consulted the oracle by putting questions. I never was more amazed.Although his answers were a little disguised it was soon perfectly plainthat he knew every detail about the business, which no one on earth hadheard of but myself, and two or three other men, about the most cautiousPersons in France. I shall never forget that shock. I saw other peoplewho consulted him, evidently as much surprised and more frightened thanI. I came with the Count de St. Alyre and the Countess."
He nodded toward a thin figure, also in a domino. It was the Count.
"Come," he said to me, "I'll introduce you."
I followed, you may suppose, readily enough.
The Marquis presented me, with a very prettily-turned allusion to myfortunate intervention in his favor at the Belle Etoile; and the Countoverwhelmed me with polite speeches, and ended by saying, what pleasedme better still:
"The Countess is near us, in the next salon but one, chatting with herold friend the Duchesse d'Argensaque; I shall go for her in a fewminutes; and when I bring her here, she shall make your acquaintance;and thank you, also, for your assistance, rendered with so much couragewhen we were so very disagreeably interrupted."
"You must, positively, speak with the magician," said the Marquis to theCount de St. Alyre, "you will be so much amused. _I_ did so; and, Iassure you, I could not have anticipated such answers! I don't know whatto believe."
"Really! Then, by all means, let us try," he replied.
We three approached, together, the side of the palanquin, at which theblack-bearded magician stood.
A young man, in a Spanish dress, who, with a friend at his side, hadjust conferred with the conjuror, was saying, as he passed us by:
"Ingenious mystification! Who is that in the palanquin? He seems to knoweverybody!"
The Count, in his mask and domino, moved along, stiffly, with us, towardthe palanquin. A clear circle was maintained by the Chinese attendants,and the spectators crowded round in a ring.
One of these men--he who with a gilded wand had preceded theprocession--advanced, extending his empty hand, palm upward.
"Money?" inquired the Count.
"Gold," replied the usher.
The Count placed a piece of money in his hand; and I and the Marquiswere each called on in turn to do likewise as we entered the circle. Wepaid accordingly.
The conjuror stood beside the palanquin, its silk curtain in his hand;his chin sunk, with its long, jet-black beard, on his chest; the outerhand grasping the black wand, on which he leaned; his eyes were lowered,as before, to the ground; his face looked absolutely lifeless. Indeed, Inever saw face or figure so moveless, except in death. The firstquestion the Count put, was: "Am I married, or unmarried?"
The conjuror drew back the curtain quickly, and placed his ear toward arichly-dressed Chinese, who sat in the litter; withdrew his head, andclosed the curtain again; and then answered: "Yes."
The same preliminary was observed each time, so that the man with theblack wand presented himself, not as a prophet, but as a medium; andanswered, as it seemed, in the words of a greater than himself.
Two or three questions followed, the answers to which seemed to amusethe Marquis very much; but the point of which I could not see, for Iknew next to nothing of the Count's peculiarities and adventures.
"Does my wife love me?" asked he, playfully.
"As well as you deserve."
"Whom do I love best in the world?"
"Self."
"Oh! That I fancy is pretty much the case with everyone. But, puttingmyself out of the question, do I love anything on earth better than mywife?"
"Her diamonds."
"Oh!" said the Count. The Marquis, I could see, laughed.
"Is it true," said the Count, changing the conversation peremptorily,"that there has been a battle in Naples?"
"No; in France."
"Indeed," said the Count, satirically, with a glance round.
"And may I inquire between what powers, and on what particular quarrel?"
"Between the Count and Countess de St. Alyre, and about a document theysubscribed on the 25th July, 1811."
The Marquis afterwards told me that this was the date of their marriagesettlement.
The Count stood stock-still for a minute or so; and one could fancy thatthey saw his face flushing through his mask.
Nobody, but we two, knew that the inquirer was the Count de St. Alyre.
I thought he was puzzled to find a subject for his next question; and,perhaps, repented having entangled himself in such a colloquy. If so, hewas relieved; for the Marquis, touching his arms, whispered.
"Look to your right, and see who is coming."
I looked in the direction indicated by the Marquis, and I saw a gauntfigure stalking toward us. It was not a masque. The face was broad,scarred, and white. In a word, it was the ugly face of ColonelGaillarde, who, in the costume of a corporal of the Imperial Guard, withhis left arm so adjus
ted as to look like a stump, leaving the lower partof the coat-sleeve empty, and pinned up to the breast. There were stripsof very real sticking-plaster across his eyebrow and temple, where mystick had left its mark, to score, hereafter, among the more honorablescars of war.
The Room in the Dragon Volant Page 12