Balsamo, the Magician; or, The Memoirs of a Physician

by Alexandre Dumas

  CHAPTER XXV.

  GILBERT SNAPS GOLDEN CHAINS.

  It is time to return to Gilbert.

  Our little philosopher had cooled in his admiration for Chon since atthe outbreak of the collision between Chevalier Jean and Philip ofTaverney he had learnt the name of his protectress.

  Often, at Taverney, when he was skulking and listening to the chat ofthe baron and his daughter, he had heard the old noble express himselfplainly about the favorite Dubarry. His interested hatred had found asympathetic echo in the boy's bosom; and Andrea never contradicted herfather's abuse, for, it must be allowed, Lady Dubarry's name was deeplyscorned in the country.

  What completely ranked Gilbert on the side of the old noble was thatNicole had sometimes exclaimed:

  "I wish I were Dubarry."

  Chon was too busy after the duel to think about Gilbert, who forgot hisbad impression as he entered the court capital in his frank admiration.He was still under the spell when he slept in the attic of the royalpalace. The only matter in his dreams was that he, the poor boy, waslodged like the foremost noblemen of France, without his being acourtier or a lackey.

  Gilbert was in one of the thinking fits common to him when eventssurpassed his will or comprehension, when he was told thatMademoiselle Chon wanted to see him. She was waiting in her carriagefor him to accompany her on a ride. She sat in the front seat, with alarge chest and a small dog. Gilbert and a steward named Cranche wereto have the other places.

  To preserve his position, Gilbert sat behind Chon, and the steward,without even thinking of objecting, sat behind the dog and box.

  Like all who lived in Versailles, Chon drew a free breath with pleasurein quitting the grand palace for the woods and pastures, and said asshe turned half round on their leaving the town:

  "How does the philosopher like Versailles?"

  "It is very fine. So we are quitting it so soon?"

  "We are going to our place."

  "Your place, you mean," grumbled Gilbert in the tone of a bear becomingtamed.

  "I mean that I am going to introduce you to my sister, whom you musttry to please, for she is hand and glove with all the great lords ofthe kingdom. By the way, Master Cranche, we must have a suit of clothesmade for this young gentleman."

  "The ordinary livery?" queried the man.

  "Livery?" snarled Gilbert, giving the upper servant a fierce look.

  "Oh, no; I will tell you the style after I communicate my notion to mysister. But it must be ready at the same time as Zamore's new clothes."

  Gilbert was startled at this talk.

  "Zamore is a little playfellow for you, the governor of the royalcastle of Luciennes," explained Chon. "Make friends with him, as he isa good fellow, in spite of his color."

  Gilbert was eager to know what color Zamore was, but he reflected thatphilosophers ought not to be reproved for inquisitiveness, and hecontained himself.

  "I will try," replied the youth with a smile which he thought full ofdignity.

  Luciennes was what had been described to him.

  "So this is the pleasure house which has cost the country so dearly!"he mused.

  Joyous dogs and eager servants came to greet the mistress' sister.Jeanne had not come, and Chon was glad to see her first of all.

  "Sylvie," she said to a pretty girl who came to take the lap dog andthe chest, "give Misapoof and the box to Cranche, and take my littlephilosopher to Zamore!"

  The chambermaid did not know what kind of animal a philosopher was, butChon's glance directed her to Gilbert, and she beckoned him to followher. But for the tone of command which Chon had used, the youth wouldhave taken Sylvie for other than a servant. She was dressed more likeAndrea than Nicole. She gave Gilbert a smile, for the recommendationdenoted that Chon had a fancy, if not affection for the new-comer.

  Gilbert was rather daunted by the idea of appearing before so grandan official as a royal governor, but the words that Zamore was a goodfellow reassured him. Friend of a viscount and a court lady already, hemight face a governor.

  "How the court is slandered!" he thought; "for it is easy to makefriends among the courtiers. They are kind and hospitable."

  In a noble Roman room, on cushions, with crossed legs, squatted Zamore,eating candies out a satin bag.

  "Oh!" exclaimed the incipient philosopher, "what do you call thisthing?"

  "Me no ting--me gubbernor," blubbered Zamore.

  Gilbert had never before seen a negro. The uneasy glance which heturned up to Sylvie caused that lively girl to burst into a peal oflaughter.

  Grave and motionless as an idol, Zamore kept on diving with his paw inthe bag of sweetmeats and munching away.

  At this moment the door opened to give admission to Steward Cranche anda tailor to take the measures of Gilbert.

  "Do not pull him about too much," said the steward.

  "Oh, I am done," said the knight of the thimble; "the costume ofSganarelle is a loose one, and we never bother about a fit."

  "Oh, he will look fine as Sganarelle," said Sylvie. "And is he to havethe high hat like Mother Goose's?"

  Gilbert did not hear the reply, as he pushed aside the tailor and wouldnot help any more preparations. He did not know that Sganarelle was acomic character in a popular play, but he saw that it was a ludicrousone, and he was enlightened further by Sylvie's laughter. She departedwith tailor and steward, leaving him alone with the black boy, whocontinued to roll his eyes and devour the bonbons.

  What riddles for the country boy! what dreads and pangs for thephilosopher who guessed that his manly dignity was in as much danger inLuciennes as at Taverney.

  Still he tried to talk to Zamore, but that interesting African, sittingastride of a chair on casters, made it run him round the room a dozentimes with a celerity which ought to have shown by anticipation thatthe velocipede was a practical machine.

  Suddenly a bell tinkled and Zamore darted out of the room with as muchrapidity as he had shown on the novel quadricycle.

  Gilbert would have followed, but on looking through the doorway, he sawthe passage so crowded with servants guarding noblemen in gay clothes,that he shivered and slunk back.

  An hour passed, without the return of Zamore or Sylvie. Gilbertwas longing for human company, when a footman came to take him toMademoiselle Chon.

  Free, after having informed her sister how she had conducted themission to Lady Bearn, Chon was breakfasting with a hearty appetite, ina loose dressing-gown, in a morning room. She cast a glance on Gilbertwithout offering him a seat.

  "How have you hit off with Zamore?" she inquired, after tossing off aglass of wine like liquid topaz.

  "How could I make the acquaintance of a black boy who does not speak,but stares and gulps down candies?"

  "I thought you said all were equal?"

  "He may be my equal, but I do not think him so," answered Gilbert.

  "What fun he is!" muttered Chon: "you seem not to give away your heartin a hurry?"

  "With slowness, lady."

  "I hoped you held me in affection?"

  "I have considerable liking for you personally, but----"

  "Thanks for so much! You overpower me. How long does it take for one towin the good graces of so disdainful a fellow?"

  "Much time; some would never win them."

  "Ah, this explains why you could suddenly leave Taverney Castle afterstaying there eighteen years. It appears that its masters could notobtain your friendship and confidence?"

  "Not all."

  "What did they do? Who displeased you?"

  "I am not complaining."

  "Oh, very well! if you do not want to give your confidence. I mighthelp you to come out even with these Taverneys if you told me what theyare like."

  "I take no revenge, or I take it with my own hand," said Gilbertproudly.

  "Still as you bear a grudge against them, or several, and we have one,we ought to be allies."

  "You are wrong, lady. I feel very different toward different members ofthe family." />
  "Is Lord Philip one whom you paint black or rosy?"

  "I bear no ill to Master Philip, who has done nothing to me one way oranother."

  "Then you would not be a witness against him in favor of my brotherabout that duel?"

  "I should be bound to speak the truth, and that would be unfavorabletoward Chevalier Dubarry."

  "Do you make him out wrong?"

  "He was so, to insult the dauphiness."

  "Are you upholding the dauphiness?"

  "I stand for justice."

  "You are mad, boy; never talk of justice in a royal residence. When oneserves a master, he takes the responsibility."

  "Not so; every man should obey his conscience. Any way, I have nomaster. I did not ask to come here, and now I will go away, freely as Icame."

  "Oh, no, you don't," cried Chon, amazed at this rebellion and gettingangered.

  Gilbert frowned.

  "No, no, let us have peace. Here you will have but three persons toplease. The king, my sister and myself."

  "How am I to please you?"

  "Well, you have seen Zamore? He gets already so much a year out of theroyal private purse; he is governor of Luciennes, and though he maybe laughed at for his blubber lips and complexion, he is courted andcalled my lord."

  "I shall not do that."

  "What, when you assert that all men are brothers?"

  "That is the reason why I will not acknowledge him my lord."

  Chon was beaten with her own weapons; she bit her lips.

  "You do not seem to be ambitious?"

  "Yes, I am," and his eyes sparkled.

  "To be a doctor? You shall be a doctor. That was the costume you weremeasured for. Royal physician, too."

  "I? who know not the A B C of medical science. You are mocking at me,lady."

  "Does Zamore know anything about governing a castle?"

  "I see: you want me to be a sham doctor, a buffoon? The king wantsanother merry-maker?"

  "Why not? Don't you know that the Duke of Tresmes begs my sister toappoint him her monkey. But don't hang your head. Keep that lumpish airfor your doctoral uniform. Meanwhile, as you must live on somethingbetter than your pills, go and have breakfast with the governor."

  "With Zamore? I am not hungry."

  "You will be before evening; if we must give you an appetite, we willcall in the whipper to the royal pages."

  The youth trembled and turned pale.

  "Go back to my Lord Zamore," continued Chon, taking the silence forconsent, or at least submission. "You will find he is fed daintily.Mind not to be an ingrate, or you will be taught what gratitude is."

  A lackey conducted Gilbert to the mock governor's dining-room, but hewould not eat anything. Nevertheless, when the costume of the doctor inMoliere's comedy was brought, he submitted to being shown how he was towear it.

  "I thought that the doctors of that time carried an inkhorn and a quillto write out their prescriptions," suggested Gilbert.

  "By Jove they did!" exclaimed the steward. "Let us have the ****complete while we are about it."

  The foreman charged to get the articles, also acquainted Chon, who wasgoing to join her sister in Paris, with the astonishing willingnessof her pet. She was so pleased that she sent a little purse with somesilver in it, to be added to the doctor's girdle along with the inkhorn.

  Gilbert sent his thanks, and expressed a wish to be left alone to puton the costume.

  "Make haste," said the steward, "that the young lady may see you beforeshe is off to Paris."

  Gilbert looked out of the window to see how the gardens were arranged.Returning to the table, he tore the long black doctoral gown into threestrips, which he made a rope of by tying the ends together. On thetable he laid the hat and the purse and the following declaration whichhe wrote:

  "LADY: The foremost of boons is Liberty. The holiest of duties is to preserve it. As you do violence to my feelings, I set myself free.

  GILBERT."

  He addressed this epistle to Chon, tied his twelve feet of serge ropeto the window sill, glided down like a serpent, and dropped on theterrace at risk of breaking his neck. Though stunned a little by thefall, he ran to some trees, scrambled up among the boughs, slippeddownward till he was on a lower level and could reach the ground wherehe ran away with all his might.

  When they came for him half an hour after, he was far beyond theirreach.