Hyde, the Chancellor.--Misfortune Not Always Misfortune.--Prince
Comnenus.--The King at Petit-Bourg.--His Incognito.--Who M. de Vivonne
Really Was.
The castle of Petit-Bourg, of which the King made me a present, is
situate on a height overlooking the Seine, whence one may get the
loveliest of views. So pleasant did I find this charming abode, that I
repaired thither as often as possible, and stayed for five or six days.
One balmy summer night, I sat in my dressing-gown at the central balcony,
watching the stars, as was my wont, asking myself whether I should not be
a thousand times happier if I should pass my life in a retreat like this,
and so have time to contemplate the glorious works of Nature, and to
prepare myself for that separation which sooner or later awaited me.
Reason bade me encourage such thoughts, yet my heart offered opposition
thereto, urging that there was something terrifying in solitude, most of
all here, amid vast fields and meadows, and that, away from the Court and
all my friends, I should grow old, and death would take me before my
time. While plunged in such thoughts, I suddenly heard the sound of a
tocsin, and scanning the horizon, I saw flames and smoke rising from some
hamlet or country-house. I rang for my servants, and told them instantly
to despatch horsemen to the scene of the catastrophe, and bring back
news.
The messengers started off, and soon came back to say that the fire had
broken out at the residence of my lord Hyde, Chancellor of England, who
was but lately convalescent. They had seen him lying upon a rug on the
grass, some little distance from the burning mansion. I forthwith
ordered my carriage to be sent for him, and charged my surgeon and
secretary to invite him to take shelter at my castle.
My lord gratefully accepted the invitation; he entered my room as the
clock struck twelve. As yet he could not tell the cause of the disaster,
and in a calm, patriarchal manner observed, "I am a man marked out for
great misfortune. God forbid, madame, that the mischance which dogs my
footsteps touch you also!"
"I cannot bear to see a fire," said I, in reply to the English nobleman,
"for some dreadful accident always results therefrom. Yet, on the whole,
they are of good augury, and I am sure, my lord, that your health or your
affairs will benefit by this accident."
Hearing me talk thus, my lord smiled. He only took some slight
refreshment,--a little soup,--and heard me give orders for all my
available servants to be sent to the scene of disaster, in order to save
all his furniture, and protect it as well.
After repeated expressions of his gratitude, he desired to withdraw, and
retired to rest. Next day we learnt that the fire had been got under
about one o'clock in the morning; one wing only of the chateau had been
destroyed, and the library, together with all the linen and plate, was
well-nigh intact. Lord Hyde was very glad to hear the news. They told
him that all the labourers living near had gladly come to the help of his
servants and mine. As his private cashbox had been saved, owing to their
vigilance and honesty, he promised to distribute its contents among them
when he returned.
Hardly had he got the words out, when they came to tell me that, on the
highroad, just in front of my gates, a carriage, bound for Paris, had the
traces broken, and the travellers persons of distinction begged the
favour of my hospitality for a short while. I consented with pleasure,
and they went back to take the travellers my answer.
"You see, madame," said the Chancellor, "my bad luck is contagious; no
sooner have I set foot in this enchanting abode than its atmosphere
deteriorates. A travelling-carriage passes rapidly by in front of the
gates, when lo! some invisible hand breaks it to pieces, and stops it
from proceeding any further."
Then I replied, "But how do you know, monsieur, that this mishap may not
prove a most agreeable adventure for the travellers to whom we are about
to give shelter? To begin with, they will have the honour of making your
acquaintance, and to meet with an illustrious person is no common or
frivolous event."
The servants announced the Princes Comnenus, who immediately entered the
salon. Though dressed in travelling-costume, with embroidered gaiters,
in the Greek fashion, it was easy to see what they were. The son, a lad
of fourteen, was presented to me by his father, and when both were
seated, I introduced them to the Chancellor.
"The name is well known," observed the Prince, "even in Greece. My lord
married his daughter to the heir-presumptive to the English throne, and
England, being by nature ungrateful, has distressed this worthy parent,
while robbing him of all his possessions."
At these words Lord Hyde became greatly affected; he could not restrain
his tears, and fearing at first to compromise himself, he told us that
his exile was voluntary and self-imposed, or very nearly so.
After complimenting the Chancellor of a great kingdom, Prince Comnenus
thought that he ought to say something courteous and flattering to
myself.
"Madame," quoth he, "it is only now, after asking for hospitality and
generously obtaining it, that I and my son have learnt the name of the
lady who has so graciously granted us admission to this most lovely
place. For a moment we hesitated in awe. But now our eyes behold her
whom all Europe admires, whom a great King favours with his friendship
and confidence. What strange chances befall one in life! Could I ever
have foreseen so fortunate a mishap!"
I briefly replied to this amiable speech, and invited the travellers to
spend, at least, one day with us. They gladly accepted, and each retired
to his apartment until the time came for driving out. Dinner was laid,
and on the point of being served, when the King, who was on his way from
Fontainebleau, suddenly entered my room. He had heard something about a
fire, and came to see what had happened. I at once informed him, telling
him, moreover, that I had the Duke of York's father-in-law staying with
me at the moment.
"Lord Hyde, the Chancellor?" exclaimed the King. "I have never seen
him, and have always been desirous to make his acquaintance. The
opportunity is an easy and favourable one."
"But that is not all, Sire; I have other guests to meet you," said I.
"And who may they be?" inquired the King, smiling. "Just because I have
come in rough-and-ready plight, your house is full of people."
"But they are in rough-and-ready plight as well," I answered; "so your
Majesties must mutually excuse each other."
"Are you in fun or in earnest?" asked his Majesty. "Have you really got
some king stowed away in one of your rooms?"
"Not a king, Sire, but an emperor,--the Emperor of Constantinople and
Trebizond, accompanied by the Prince Imperial, his son. You shall see
two Greek profiles of the best sort, two finely cut noses, albeit hooked,
and almond-shaped eyes, like those of Achilles and Agamemnon."
Then the King said, "Send for your groom of the chambers at once, and
tell him to give orders that my incognito be strictly observed. You must
introduce me to these dignitaries as your brother, M. de Vivonne. Under
these conditions, I will join your party at table; otherwise, I should be
obliged to leave the castle immediately."
The King's wishes were promptly complied with; the footmen were let into
the secret, and I introduced "Monsieur de Vivonne" to my guests.
The talk, without being sparkling, was pleasant enough until dessert.
When the men-servants left us, it assumed a very different character. The
King induced the Chancellor to converse, and asked him if his exile were
owing to the English monarch personally, or to some parliamentary
intrigue.
"King Charles," replied his lordship, "is a prince to gauge whose
character requires long study. Apparently, he is the very soul of
candour, but no one is more deceitful than he. He fawns and smiles upon
you when in his heart of hearts he despises and loathe you. When the
Duke of York, unfortunately, became violently enamoured of my daughter,
he did not conceal his attachment from his brother, the King, and at last
asked for his approval to join his fortunes to my daughter's, when the
King, without offering opposition, contented himself by pointing out the
relative distance between their rank and position; to which the Duke
replied, 'But at one time you did everything you possibly could to get
Olympia Mancini, who was merely Mazarin's niece!' And King Charles, who
could not deny this, left his brother complete liberty of action.
"As my daughter was far dearer and more precious to me than social
grandeur, I begged the Duke of York to find for himself a partner of
exalted rank. He gave way to despair, and spoke of putting an end to his
existence; in fact, he behaved as all lovers do whom passion touches to
madness; so this baleful marriage took place. God is my witness that I
opposed it, urged thereto by wisdom, by modesty, and by foresight. Now,
as you see, from that cruel moment I have been exiled to alien lands,
robbed of the sight of my beloved child, who has been raised to the rank
of a princess, and whom I shall never see again. Why did my sovereign
not say to me frankly, I do not like this marriage; you must oppose it,
Chancellor, to please me?
"How different was his conduct from that of his cousin, the French King!
Mademoiselle d'Orleans wanted to make an unsuitable match; the King
opposed it, as he had a right to do, and the marriage did not take
place."
My "brother," the King, smiled as he told his lordship he was right.
Prince Comnenus was of the same opinion, and, being expressly invited to
do so, he briefly recounted his adventures, and stated the object of his
journey to Paris.
"The whole world," said he, "is aware of the great misfortunes of my
family. The Emperors Andronicus and Michael Comnenus, driven from the
throne of Constantinople, left their names within the heart and memory of
Greece; they had ruled the West with a gentle sceptre, and in a people's
grateful remembrance they had their reward. My ancestors, their
descendants, held sway in Trebizond, a quicksand which gave way beneath
their tread. From adversity to adversity, from country to country, we
were finally driven to seclusion in the Isle of Candia, part of the
quondam Minos territory. Venice had allowed Candia to fall before
Mahomet's bloody sword. Europe lost her bulwark, the Cross of the
Saviour was thrown down, and the Candian Christians have been massacred
or forced to flee. I have left in the hands of the conqueror my fields
and forests, my summer palace, my winter palace, and my gardens filled
with the produce of America, Asia, and Europe. From this overwhelming
disaster I managed to save my son; and as my sole fortune I brought away
with me the large jewels of Andronicus, his ivory and sapphire sceptre,
his scimitar of Lemnos, and his ancient gold crown, which once encircled
Theseus's brow.
"These noble relics I shall present to the King of France. They say that
he is humane, generous, fond of glory, and zealous in the cause of
justice. When before his now immovable throne he sees laid down these
last relics of an ancient race, perhaps he will be touched by so
lamentable a downfall, and will not suffer distress to trouble my last
days, and darken the early years of this my child."
During this speech I kept watching the King's face. I saw that he was
interested, then touched, and at last was on the point of forgetting his
incognito and of appearing in his true character.
"Prince," said he to the Greek traveller, "my duties and my devotion make
it easy for me to approach the King of France's person very closely. In
four or five days he will be leaving Fontainebleau for his palace at
Saint Germain. I will tell him without modification all that I have just
heard from you. Without being either prophet or seer, I can guarantee
that you will be well received and cordially welcomed, receiving such
benefits as kings are bound to yield to kings.
"Madame, who respects and is interested in you, is desirous, I feel
certain, for me to persuade you to stay here until her departure; she
enjoys royal favour, and it is my sister herself who shall present you at
Court. You shall show her, you shall show us all, the golden crown of
Theseus, the sceptre of Adronicus, and this brow which I gaze upon and
revere, for it deserves a kingly diamond.
"As for you, my lord," said his Majesty to the English nobleman, "if the
misfortune of last night prove disastrous in more ways than one, pray
wait for a while before you go back to the smouldering ashes of a
half-extinguished fire. My sister takes pleasure in your company;
indeed, the Marquise is charmed to be able to entertain three such
distinguished guests, and begs to place her chateau at your disposal
until such time as your own shall be restored. We shall speak of you to
the King, and he will certainly endeavour to induce King Charles, his
cousin, to recall you to your native country."
Then, after saying one or two words to me in private, he bowed to the
gentlemen and withdrew. We went out on to the balcony to see him get
into his coach, when, to the surprise and astonishment of my guests, as
the carriage passed along the avenue, about a hundred peasants, grouped
near the gateway, threw off their hats and cried, "Long live the King!"
Prince Comnenus and his son were inconsolable; I excused myself by saying
that it was at the express desire of our royal visitor, and my lord
admitted that at last he recollected his features, and recognised him by
his grand and courtly address.
Before I end my tale, do not let me forget to say that the King strongly
recommended Prince Comnenus to the Republic of Genoa, and obtained for
him considerable property in Corsica and a handsome residence at Ajaccio.
He accepted five or six beautiful jewels that had belonged to Andronicus,
and caused the sum of twelve hundred thousand francs to be paid to the
young Comnenus from his treasury.