THE BALL.
As I was informed that the King would himself be present at the ball, I
knew that German etiquette required that the company should arrive before
his Majesty; and although now every minute I expected the arrival of the
Callonbys, I dared not defer my departure any longer.
"They are certain to be at the ball," said Waller, and that sentence
never left my mind.
So saying, I jumped into the fiacre, and in a few minutes found myself in
the long line of carriages that led to the "Hof saal." Any one who has
been in Munich will testify for me, that the ball room is one of the most
beautiful in Europe, and to me who for some time had not been living much
in the world, its splendour was positively dazzling. The glare of the
chandeliers--the clang of the music--the magnificence of the dresses--the
beauty of the Bavarian women too, all surprized and amazed me. There
were several hundred people present, but the king not having yet arrived,
dancing had not commenced. Feeling as I then did, it was rather a relief
to me than otherwise, that I knew no one. There was quite amusement
enough in walking through the saloons, observing the strange costumes,
and remarking the various groups as they congregated around the trays of
ices and the champagne glacee. The buzz of talking and the sounds of
laughter and merriment prevailed over even the orchestra; and, as the gay
crowds paraded the rooms, all seemed pleasure and excitement. Suddenly a
tremendous noise was heard without--then came a loud roll of the drums,
which lasted for several seconds, and the clank of musketry--then a
cheer;--it is the king.
The king! resounded on all sides; and in another moment the large
folding-doors at the end of the saal were thrown open, and the music
struck up the national anthem of Bavaria.
His majesty entered, accompanied by the queen, his brother, two or three
archduchesses, and a long suite of officers.
I could not help remarking upon the singular good taste with which the
assembly--all anxious and eager to catch a glimpse of his majesty
--behaved on this occasion. There was no pressing forward to the
"estrade" where he stood,--no vulgar curiosity evinced by any one, but
the group continued, as before, to gather and scatter. The only
difference being, that the velvet chair and cushion, which had attracted
some observers before, were, now that they were tenanted by royalty,
passed with a deep and respectful salutation. How proper this, thought
I, and what an inducement for a monarch to come among his people, who
remember to receive him with such true politeness. While these thoughts
were passing through my mind, as I was leaning against a pillar that
supported the gallery of the orchestra, a gentleman whose dress, covered
with gold and embroidery, bespoke him as belonging to the court, eyed me
aside with his lorgnette and then passed rapidly on. A quadrille was now
forming near me, and I was watching, with some interest, the proceeding,
when the same figure that I remarked before, approached me, bowing deeply
at every step, and shaking a very halo of powder from his hair at each
reverence.
"May I take the liberty of introducing myself to you?" said he.--"Le
Comte Benningsen." Here he bowed again, and I returned the obeisance
still deeper. "Regretted much that I was not fortunate enough to make
your acquaintance this evening, when I called upon you."
"Never heard of that," said I to myself.
"Your excellency arrived this evening?"
"Yes," said I, "only a few hours since."
"How fond these Germans are of titles," thought I. Remembering that in
Vienna every one is "his grace," I thought it might be Bavarian
politeness to call every one his excellency.
"You have not been presented, I believe?"
"No," said I; "but I hope to take an early opportunity of paying 'mes
homages' to his majesty."
"I have just received his orders to present you now," replied he, with
another bow.
"The devil, you have," thought I. "How very civil that." And, although
I had heard innumerable anecdotes of the free-and-easy habits of the
Bavarian court, this certainly surprized me, so that I actually, to
prevent a blunder, said, "Am I to understand you, Monsieur le Comte, that
his majesty was graciously pleased"--
"If you will follow me," replied the courtier, motioning with his chapeau;
and in another moment I was elbowing my way through the mob of marquisses
and duchesses, on my way to the raised platform where the king was
standing.
"Heaven grant I have not misunderstood all he has been saying," was my
last thought as the crowd of courtiers fell back on either side, and I
found myself bowing before his majesty. How the grand mareschal entitled
me I heard not; but when the king addressed me immediately in English,
saying,
"I hope your excellency has had a good journey?"
I felt, "Come, there is no mistake here, Harry; and it is only another
freak of fortune, who is now in good humour with you."
The king, who was a fine, tall, well-built man, with a large, bushy
moustache, possessed, though not handsome, a most pleasing expression;
his utterance was very rapid, and his English none of the best, so that
it was with the greatest difficulty I contrived to follow his questions,
which came thick as hail upon me. After some commonplaces about the
roads, the weather, and the season, his majesty said,
"My Lord Callonby has been residing some time here. You know him?" And
then, not waiting for a reply, added, "Pleasant person--well informed
--like him much, and his daughters, too, how handsome they are." Here I
blushed, and felt most awkwardly, while the king continued.
"Hope they will remain some time--quite an ornament to our court.
Monsieur le Comte, his excellency will dance?" I here muttered an
apology about my sprained ankle, and the king turned to converse with
some of the ladies of the court. His majesty's notice brought several
persons now around me, who introduced themselves; and, in a quarter of an
hour, I felt myself surrounded by acquaintances, each vieing with the
other in showing me attention.
Worse places than Munich, Master Harry, thought I, as I chaperoned a fat
duchess, with fourteen quarterings, towards the refreshment-room, and had
just accepted invitations enough to occupy me three weeks in advance.
"I have been looking every where for your excellency," said the grand
mareschal, bustling his way to me, breathless and panting. "His majesty
desires you will make one of his party at whist, so pray come at once."
"Figaro qua, Figaro la," muttered I. "Never was man in such request.
God grant the whole royal family of Bavaria be not mad, for this looks
very like it. Lady Jane had better look sharp, for I have only to throw
my eyes on an archduchess, to be king of the Tyrol some fine morning."
"You play whist, of course; every Englishman does," said the king. "You
shall be my partner."
Our adversaries were the Prince Maximilian, brother to his Majesty and
the Prussian Ambassador. As I sat down at the table, I could not help
saying in my heart, "now is your time, Harry, if my Lord Callonby should
see you, your fortune is made." Waller passed at this moment, and as he
saluted the king, I saw him actually start with amazement as he beheld
me--"better fun this than figuring in the yellow plush, Master Jack," I
muttered as he passed on actually thunder-struck with amazement. But the
game was begun, and I was obliged to be attentive. We won the first
game, and the king was in immense good humour as he took some franc
pieces from the Prussian minister, who, small as the stake was, seemed
not to relish losing. His majesty now complimented me upon my play, and
was about to add something when he perceived some one in the crowd, and
sent an Aide de camp for him.
"Ah, my Lord, we expected you earlier," and then said some words in too
low a tone for me to hear, motioning towards me as he spoke. If Waller
was surprised at seeing me where I was, it was nothing to the effect
produced upon the present party, whom I now recognized as Lord Callonby.
Respect for the presence we were in, restrained any expression on either
side, and a more ludicrous tableau than we presented can scarcely be
conceived. What I would have given that the whist party was over, I need
not say, and certainly his majesty's eulogy upon my play came too soon,
for I was now so "destrait and unhinged," my eyes wandering from the
table to see if Lady Jane was near, that I lost every trick, and finished
by revoking. The king rose half pettishly, observing that "Son
Excellence a apparement perdu la tete," and I rushed forward to shake
hands with Lord Callonby, totally forgetting the royal censure in my
delight at discovering my friend.
"Lorrequer, I am indeed rejoiced to see you, and when did you arrive."
"This evening."
"This evening! and how the deuce have you contrived already, eh? why you
seem quite chez vous here?"
"You shall hear all," said I hastily, "but is Lady Callonby here?"
"No. Kilkee only is with me, there he is figuranting away in a gallope.
The ladies were too tired to come, particularly as they dine at court
to-morrow, the fatigue would be rather much."
"I have his majesty's order to invite your Excellency to dinner
to-morrow," said the grand Mareschal coming up at this instant.
I bowed my acknowledgments, and turned again to Lord Callonby, whose
surprise now seemed to have reached the climax.
"Why Lorrequer, I never heard of this? when did you adopt this new
career?"
Not understanding the gist of the question, and conceiving that it
applied to my success at court, I answered at random, something about
"falling upon my legs, good luck, &c.," and once more returned to the
charge, enquiring most anxiously for Lady Callonby's health.
"Ah! she is tolerably well. Jane is the only invalid, but then we hope
Italy will restore her." Just at this instant, Kilkee caught my eye, and
rushing over from his place beside his partner, shook me by both hands,
saying,
"Delighted to see you here Lorrequer, but as I can't stay now, promise to
sup with me to-night at the 'Cross'."
I accepted of course, and the next instant, he was whirling along in his
waltze, with one of the most lovely German girls I ever saw. Lord
Callonby saw my admiration of her, and as it were replying to my gaze,
remarked,
"Yes, very handsome indeed, but really Kilkee is going too far with it.
I rely upon you very much to reason him out of his folly, and we have all
agreed that you have most influence over him, and are most likely to be
listened to patiently."
Here was a new character assigned me, the confidential friend and adviser
of the family, trusted with a most delicate and important secret, likely
to bring me into most intimate terms of intercourse with them all, for
the "we" of Lord Callonby bespoke a family consultation, in which I was
deputed as the negociator. I at once promised my assistance, saying, at
the same time, that if Kilkee really was strongly attached, and had also
reason to suppose that the Lady liked him, it was not exactly fair; that
in short, if the matter had gone beyond flirtation, any interference of
mine would be imprudent, if not impertinent. Lord Callonby smiled
slightly as he replied,
"Quite right, Lorrequer, I am just as much against constraint as
yourself, if only no great barriers exist; but here with a difference of
religion, country, language, habits, in fact, everything that can create
disparity, the thing is not to be thought of."
I suspected that his Lordship read in my partial defence of Kilkee, a
slight attempt to prop up my own case, and felt confused and embarrassed
beyond measure at the detection.
"Well, we shall have time enough for all this. Now let us hear something
of my old friend Sir Guy. How is he looking?"
"I am unfortunately unable to give you any account of him. I left Paris
the very day before he was expected to arrive there."
"Oh then, I have all the news myself in that case, for in his letter
which I received yesterday, he mentions that we are not to expect him
before Tuesday."
"Expect him. Is he coming here then?"
"Yes. Why, I thought you were aware of that, he has been long promising
to pay us a visit, and at last, by great persuasion, we have succeeded in
getting him across the sea, and, indeed, were it not that he was coming,
we should have been in Florence before this."
A gleam of hope shot through my heart as I said to myself, what can this
visit mean? and the moment after I felt sick, almost to fainting, as I
asked if "my cousin Guy were also expected."
"Oh yes. We shall want him I should think" said Lord Callonby with a
very peculiar smile.
I thought I should have fallen at these few words. Come, Harry, thought
I, it is better to learn your fate at once. Now or never; death itself
were preferable to this continued suspense. If the blow is to fall, it
can scarcely sink me lower than I now feel: so reasoning, I laid my hand
upon Lord Callonby's arm, and with a face pale as death, and a voice all
but inarticulate, said,
"My Lord, you will pardon, I am sure--"
"My dear Lorrequer," said his lordship interrupting me, "for heaven's
sake sit down. How ill you are looking, we must nurse you, my poor
fellow."
I sank upon a bench--the light danced before my eyes--the clang of the
music sounded like the roar of a waterfall, and I felt a cold
perspiration burst over my face and forehead; at the same instant, I
recognized Kilkee's voice, and without well knowing why, or how,
discovered myself in the open air.
"Come, you are better now," said Kilkee, "and will be quite well when you
get some supper, and a little of the tokay, his majesty has been good
enough to send us."
"His majesty desires to know if his excellency is better," said an aide
de camp.
I muttered my most grateful acknowledgments.
"One of the court carriages is in waiting for your excellency," said a
venerable old gentleman in a tie wig, whom I recognized as the minister
for foreign affairs--as he added in a lower tone to Lord Callonby, "I
fear he has been greatly overworked lately--his exertions on the subject
of the Greek loan are well known to his majesty."
"Indeed," said Lord Callonby, with a start of surprise, "I never heard of
that before."
If it had not been for that start of amazement, I should have died of
terror. It was the only thing that showed me I was not out of my senses,
which I now concluded the old gentleman must be, for I never had heard of
the Greek loan in my life before.
"Farewell, mon cher colleague," said the venerable minister as I got into
the carriage, wondering as well I might what singular band of brotherhood
united one of his majesty's __th with the minister for foreign affairs of
the Court of Bavaria.
When I arrived at the White-cross, I found my nerves, usually proof to
any thing, so shaken and shattered, that fearing with the difficult game
before me any mistake, however trivial, might mar all my fortunes for
ever, I said a good night to my friends, and went to bed.