THE PHYSICIAN FOR THE STATE.
On the way back to Paris, Gilbert stopped at St. Ouen to see Necker's
daughter. He had a suspicion that the financier had not gone to
Brussels as everybody was led to think. Indeed, it was at Madam de
Stael's country house that he was concealed, awaiting events. He made
no difficulty in supplying his friend with a letter of introduction to
the King.
Armed with this, the doctor, leaving Billet and Pitou in a pretty hotel
of Paris where the farmer usually stayed, hurried to Versailles.
It was half past ten but Versailles could not sleep now. It was
agitated about how the King would take the insult of the Bastile being
captured. It was not a slap in the face like Mirabeau's refusal to obey
the order of the King to vacate the Assembly-rooms, but a death-blow.
The palace and surrounding sites were packed with troops, but Gilbert
managed to reach the Bulls-eye Chamber where Necker's letter passed him
into the royal presence.
The doctor examined in silence the pilot given to France in stormy
weather, whom he had not seen for many long years.
For the physiognomist who had studied under Lavater, the magnetiser who
had read the future with Balsamo, the philosopher who had meditated
with Rousseau, the traveler who had reviewed many peoples, all in this
short, stout man signified degeneracy, impotence and ruin.
When Louis had read the introduction he dismissed all attendants with a
wave of the hand not devoid of majesty.
"Is it true," said he, "that you are the author of the Memoirs on
Administration and Politics, which much struck me? you are young for
such a work?"
"I am thirty-two, but study and misfortune age a man; treat me as an
old one."
"Why are you so slow to present yourself to me?"
"Because I had no need to speak to your Majesty what I could freely and
easily write."
"But you ought to have been informed that I was kindly towards you,"
observed the monarch, suspiciously.
"Your Majesty alludes to my audacity in requesting him, in token of
having read my work with gratification, to show a light in his own
study window? I saw that, and was gladdened, but your Majesty offered a
reward, and I want none."
"Any way you come like a true soldier when the action is on. But I am
not used to meet those who do not haste when recompense is offered."
"I deserve none. Born a Frenchman, loving my land, jealous of its
prosperity, confounding my individuality with that of its thirty
millions of men, I work for them in toiling for myself. A selfish man
deserves no recompense."
"Excuse me, you had another reason. You thought the state of events
serious and held back----"
"For a more serious one? Your Majesty guesses correctly."
"I like frankness," said the King, reddening, for he was nervous. "So,
you predicted ruin for the sovereign and you wanted to be out of the
reach of the flying splinters."
"No, Sire, since I hasten towards the danger."
"You come fresh from Necker and you naturally speak like him. Where is
he?"
"Ready at hand to obey your orders."
"All for the best, for I shall require him," returned Louis with a
sigh. "In politics, nobody should sulk. A plan may be good and fail
from accidents."
"Sire, your Majesty reasons admirably," said Gilbert, coming to his
aid; "but the main thing now is to see into the future clearly; as a
physician, I speak bluntly at crises."
"Do you attach much importance to the riot of yesterday?"
"It is not riot, but revolution."
"And would you have me treat with rebels and murderers? Their taking
the Bastile by force was an act of rebellion; their slaying of Launay,
Losme and Flesselles, murder."
"They should be held apart; those who stormed the Bastile were heroes;
those who murdered those gentlemen, butchers."
"You are right, sir," said the King, his lips blanching after a
transient blush and perspiration appearing on his brow. "You are indeed
a physician, or rather a surgeon for you cut into the tender flesh.
But let us return to the subject. You are Dr. Gilbert, who wrote those
articles?"
"Sire, I consider it is a great happiness that my name is retained in
your memory. It must not have sounded new when spoken a week ago in
your hearing. I mean that when I was arrested and put in the Bastile. I
always understood that no arrest is made of any importance without the
King being advised."
"You in the Bastile?" cried the astonished King.
"Here is the order to lock me up. Put in prison six days ago by the
royal order, I was released by the grace of the people at three o'clock
this day. Did not your Majesty hear the cannon? they broke the doors
down to let me out."
"Ah, I should be glad if I might say the cannon was not fired on
royalty at the same time as the Bastile." Thus the King muttered.
"Oh, Sire, do not take a prison as the emblem of the monarchy. Say on
the contrary that you are glad the Bastile is taken; for, I trust, no
such injustice as I was the victim of will be henceforth committed in
the name of the ruler who is kept ignorant of it."
"But there must be some cause for your arrest."
"None that I am aware of, Sire; I was arrested as soon as I landed and
imprisoned--that is all there is in it."
"Really, sir," said the monarch mildly, "is there not selfishness in
your dilating on your troubles when I want my own dealt with?"
"I only need a word: did your Majesty have anything to do with my
arrest?"
"I was unaware of your return to this kingdom."
"I am happy for this reply. I may loudly say that your Majesty is
defamed when evil is attributed to you, and cite myself as example."
"You put balm on the wound, Doctor," said the other, smiling.
"Oh, Sire, I will liberally anoint it; and I will cure it, I promise.
But you must strongly wish the healing done. But, before pledging
yourself too deeply, I should like you to notice the note on the prison
record."
The King frowned to read: "At the Queen's request."
"Have you incurred the Queen's disfavor?" he inquired.
"Sire, I am sure that her Majesty knows me less than yourself."
"But you must have committed some misdeed, for people are not put in
the Bastile for nothing."
"Humph, several in this situation, have come out."
"If you run over your life----"
"I will do so, out aloud: but do not be uneasy, it will not take long.
Since sixteen I have toiled without repose. The pupil of Rousseau, the
companion of Joseph Balsamo, the friend of Lafayette and Washington,
since I quitted France, I have not a fault to reproach myself with, not
a wrongful deed. Since heaven gave me the charge of bodies, I have shed
my blood for mankind and staunched its flow in others. Thousands live
to bless my labors."
"In America you worked with the innovators and propagate their
principles by your writings."
"Yes, Sire, I forgot this claim on the gratitude of monarchs and
peoples."
This silenced the King.
"Sire, you know my life now; I have offended and injured nobody, queen
or beggar; and I humbly ask your Majesty why I was imprisoned."
"I will speak to the Queen about it. Do you believe that the warrant to
arrest and imprison came directly from her Majesty?"
"I do not believe this; I rather presume that her Majesty countersigned
it. But when a queen approves, she commands."
"Countess of Charny," read the King on the record sheet; "is it she who
wanted you imprisoned? why, what have you done to poor Charny?"
"Before this morning I never heard of any lady of that title."
"Charny," muttered the King, musing, "virtue, goodness, chastity in
person!"
"You see, they have put me in prison in the name of the Christian
Graces," remarked Gilbert, laughing.
"Oh, I will have this cleared up," said the King, and ringing the bell
he bade the servant bring the Countess of Charny into his presence.