CONFORMABLY with his engagement to meet M. Louvier, Alain found himself
on the day and at the hour named in M. Gandrin's salon. On this occasion
Madame Gandrin did not appear. Her husband was accustomed to give
_diners d'hommes_. The great man had not yet arrived. "I think,
Marquis," said M. Gandrin, "that you will not regret having followed my
advice: my representations have disposed Louvier to regard you with much
favour, and he is certainly flattered by being permitted to make your
personal acquaintance."
The _avoue_ had scarcely finished this little speech, when M. Louvier was
announced. He entered with a beaming smile, which did not detract from
his imposing presence. His flatterers had told him that he had a look of
Louis Philippe; therefore he had sought to imitate the dress and the
bonhomie of that monarch of the middle class. He wore a wig, elaborately
piled up, and shaped his whiskers in royal harmony with the royal wig.
Above all, he studied that social frankness of manner with which the
able sovereign dispelled awe of his presence or dread of his astuteness.
Decidedly he was a man very pleasant to converse and to deal with--so
long as there seemed to him something to gain and nothing to lose by
being pleasant. He returned Alain's bow by a cordial offer of both
expansive hands, into the grasp of which the hands of the aristocrat
utterly disappeared. "Charmed to make your acquaintance, Marquis; still
more charmed if you will let me be useful during your _sejour_ at Paris.
_Ma foi_, excuse my bluntness, but you are a _fort beau garcon_.
Monsieur your father was a handsome man, but you beat him hollow.
Gandrin, my friend, would not you and I give half our fortunes for one
year of this fine fellow's youth spent at Paris? _Peste_! what love-
letters we should have, with no need to buy them by _billets de banque_!"
Thus he ran on, much to Alain's confusion, till dinner was announced.
Then there was something grandiose in the frank _bourgeois_ style
wherewith he expanded his napkin and twisted one end into his waistcoat;
it was so manly a renunciation of the fashions which a man so _repandu_
in all circles might be supposed to follow,--as if he were both too great
and too much in earnest for such frivolities. He was evidently a sincere
_bon vivant_, and M. Gandrin had no less evidently taken all requisite
pains to gratify his taste. The Montrachet served with the oysters was
of precious vintage; that _vin de madere_ which accompanied the _potage a
la bisque_ would have contented an American. And how radiant became
Louvier's face when amongst the _entrees_ he came upon _laitances de
carpes_! "The best thing in the world," he cried, "and one gets it so
seldom since the old Rocher de Cancale has lost its renown. At private
houses, what does one get now? _blanc de poulet_, flavourless trash.
After all, Gandrin, when we lose the love-letters, it is some consolation
that _laitances de carpes_ and _sautes de foie gras_ are still left to
fill up the void in our hearts. Marquis, heed my counsel; cultivate
betimes the taste for the table,--that and whist are the sole resources
of declining years. You never met my old friend Talleyrand--ah, no! he
was long before your time. He cultivated both, but he made two mistakes.
No man's intellect is perfect on all sides. He confined himself to one
meal a day, and he never learned to play well at whist. Avoid his
errors, my young friend,--avoid them. Gandrin, I guess this pineapple is
English,--it is superb."
"You are right,--a present from the Marquis of H-------."
"Ah! instead of a fee, I wager. The Marquis gives nothing for nothing,
dear man! Droll people the English. You have never visited England, I
presume, _cher_ Rochebriant?" The affable financier had already made
vast progress in familiarity with his silent fellow-guest.
When the dinner was over and the three men had reentered the salon for
coffee and liqueurs, Gandrin left Louvier and Alain alone, saying he was
going to his cabinet for cigars which he could recommend. Then Louvier,
lightly patting the Marquis on the shoulder, said with what the French
call effusion, "My dear Rochebriant, your father and I did not quite
understand each other. He took a tone of grand seigneur that sometimes
wounded me; and I in turn was perhaps too rude in asserting my rights--as
creditor, shall I say?--no, as fellow-citizen; and Frenchmen are so vain,
so over-susceptible; fire up at a word; take offence when none is meant.
We two, my dear boy, should be superior to such national foibles. _Bref_
--I have a mortgage on your lands. Why should that thought mar our
friendship? At my age, though I am not yet old, one is flattered if the
young like us, pleased if we can oblige them, and remove from their
career any little obstacle in its way. Gandrin tells me you wish to
consolidate all the charges on your estate into one on a lower rate of
interest. Is it so?"
"I am so advised," said the Marquis.
"And very rightly advised; come and talk with me about it some day next
week. I hope to have a large sum of money set free in a few days. Of
course, mortgages on land don't pay like speculations at the Bourse; but
I am rich enough to please myself. We will see, we will see."
Here Gandrin returned with the cigars; but Alain at that time never
smoked, and Louvier excused himself, with a laugh and a sly wink, on the
plea that he was going to pay his respects--as doubtless that _joli
garcon_ was going to do likewise--to a belle dame who did not reckon the
smell of tobacco among the perfumes of Houbigant or Arabia.
"Meanwhile," added Louvier, turning to Gandrin, "I have something to say
to you on business about the contract for that new street of mine. No
hurry,--after our young friend has gone to his 'assignation.'"
Alain could not misinterpret the hint; and in a few moments took leave of
his host, more surprised than disappointed that the financier had not
invited him, as Graham had assumed he would, to his soiree the following
evening.
When Alain was gone, Louvier's jovial manner disappeared also, and became
bluffly rude rather than bluntly cordial. "Gandrin, what did you mean by
saying that that young man was no _muscadin_! _Muscadin, aristocrate_,
offensive from top to toe."
"You amaze me; you seemed to take to him so cordially."
"And pray, were you too blind to remark with what cold reserve he
responded to my condescensions; how he winced when I called him
Rochebriant; how he coloured when I called him 'dear boy'? These
aristocrats think we ought to thank them on our knees when they take our
money, and" here Louvier's face darkened--"seduce our women." "Monsieur
Louvier, in all France I do not know a greater aristocrat than yourself."
I don't know whether M. Gandrin meant that speech as a compliment, but M.
Louvier took it as such,--laughed complacently and rubbed his hands.
"Ay, ay, _millionnaires_ are the real aristocrats, for they have power,
as my _beau Marquis_ will soon find. I must bid you good night. Of
course I shall see Madame Gandrin and yourself to-morrow. Prepare for a
motley gathering,--lots of democrats and foreigners, with artists and
authors, and such creatures."
"Is that the reason why you did not invite the Marquis?"
"To be sure; I would not shock so pure a Legitimist by contact with the
sons of the people, and make him still colder to myself. No; when he
comes to my house he shall meet lions and _viveurs_ of the _haut ton_,
who will play into my hands by teaching him how to ruin himself in the
quickest manner and in the _genre Regence_. _Bon soir, mon vieux._"