PARIS.
The first thing which met my eye, when waking in the morning, after the
affair at the salon, was the rouleau of billets de banque which I had won
at play; and it took several minutes before I could persuade myself that
the entire recollection of the evening had any more solid foundation than
a heated brain and fevered imagination. The sudden spring, from being a
subaltern in the __th, with a few hundreds per annum--"pour tout potage,"
to becoming the veritable proprietor of several thousands, with a
handsome house in Cumberland, was a consideration which I could scarcely
admit into my mind--so fearful was I, that the very first occurrence of
the day should dispel the illusion, and throw me back into the dull
reality which I was hoping to escape from.
There is no adage more true than the old Latin one--"that what we wish,
we readily believe;" so, I had little difficulty in convincing myself
that all was as I desired--although, certainly, my confused memory of the
past evening contributed little to that conviction. It was, then, amid a
very whirl of anticipated pleasures, and new schemes for enjoying life,
that I sat down to a breakfast, at which, that I might lose no time in
commencing my race, I had ordered the most recherche viands which even
French cookery can accomplish for the occasion.
My plans were soon decided upon. I resolved to remain only long enough
in Paris to provide myself with a comfortable travelling carriage--secure
a good courier--and start for Baden; when I trusted that my pretensions,
whatever favour they might have been once received with, would certainly
now, at least, be listened to with more prospect of being successful.
I opened the Galignani's paper of the day, to direct me in my search, and
had scarcely read a few lines before a paragraph caught my eye, which not
a little amused me; it was headed--Serious riot at the Salon des
Etrangers, and attempt to rob the Bank:--
"Last evening, among the persons who presented themselves at the table of
this fashionable resort, were certain individuals, who, by their names
and dress bespoke any thing rather than the rank and condition of those
who usually resort there, and whose admission is still unexplained,
notwithstanding the efforts of the police to unravel the mystery. The
proprietors of the bank did not fail to remark these persons; but
scrupled, from fear of disturbing the propriety of the salon, to take the
necessary steps for their exclusion--reserving their attention to the
adoption of precautions against such intrusion in future--unfortunately,
as it turned out eventually, for, towards eleven o'clock, one of these
individuals, having lost a considerable sum at play, proceeded in a very
violent and outrageous manner to denounce the bank, and went so far as to
accuse the croupier of cheating. This language having failed to excite
the disturbance it was evidently intended to promote, was soon followed
up by a most dreadful personal attack upon the banquier, in which he was
thrown from his seat, and the cassette, containing several thousand
francs in gold and notes, immediately laid hold of. The confusion now
became considerable, and it was apparent, that the whole had been a
pre-concerted scheme. Several persons, leaping upon the table,
attempted to extinguish the great lustre of the salon, in which bold
attempt, they were most spiritedly resisted by some of the other players
and the gens-d'arme, who had by this time arrived in force. The riot
was quelled after a prolonged and desperate resistance, and the rioters,
with the exception of two, were captured, and conveyed to prison, where
they await the result of a judicial investigation--of which we shall not
fail to lay the particulars before our readers.
"Since our going to press, we have learned that one of the ringleaders in
this vile scheme is a noted English escroc--a swindler, who was already
arrest at C____ for travelling with a false passport; but who contrives,
by some collusion with another of the gang, to evade the local
authorities. If this be the case, we trust he will speedily be detected
and brought to punishment."
Whatever amusement I had found in reading the commencing portion of this
ridiculous misstatement, the allusion in the latter part by no means
afforded me equal pleasure; and I saw, in one rapid glance, how much
annoyance, and how many delays and impediments--a charge even of this
ridiculous nature, might give rise to in my present circumstances. My
passport, however, will settle all--thought I--as I thrust my hand
towards my pocket, in which I had placed it along with some letters.
Guess my misery, to discover that the whole of the pocket had been cut
away, probably in the hope of obtaining the billets de banque I had won
at play, but which I had changed from that pocket to a breast one on
leaving the table. This at once led me to suspect that there might be
some truth in the suspicion of the newspaper writer of a pre-concerted
scheme, and at once explained to me what had much puzzled me before--the
extreme rapidity with which the elements of discord were propagated, for
the whole affair was the work of a few seconds. While I continued to
meditate on these matters, the waiter entered with a small note in an
envelope, which a commissionaire had just left at the hotel for me, and
went away, saying there was no answer. I opened it hastily, and read:--
"Dear H.--The confounded affair of last night has induced me to
leave this for a few days; besides that I have obtained a most
excellent reason for absenting myself in the presence of a black
eye, which will prevent my appearance in public for a week to come.
As you are a stranger here, you need not fear being detected. With
all its desagremens, I can't help laughing at the adventure, and I
am heartily glad to have had the opportunity of displaying old
Jackson's science upon those wretched gens-d'arme.
"Your, truly,
"G.L."
This, certainly, thought I, improves my position. Here is my cousin Guy
--the only one to whom, in any doubt or difficulty here, I could refer--
here he is--flown, without letting me know where to address him or find
him out. I rung my bell hastily, and having written a line on my card,
requesting Lord Kilkee to come to me as soon as he could, despatched it
to the Rue de la Paix. The messenger soon returned with an answer,
that Lord Kilkee had been obliged to leave Paris late the evening before,
having received some important letters from Baden. My anxiety now became
greater. I did not know but that the moment I ventured to leave the
hotel I should be recognised by some of the witnesses of the evening's
fray; and all thoughts of succouring poor O'Leary were completely
forgotten in my fear for the annoyances the whole of this ridiculous
affair might involve me in. Without any decision as to my future steps,
I dressed myself, and proceeded to pay my respects to Mrs. Bingham and
her daughter, who were in the same hotel, and whom I had not seen since
our arrival.
As I entered the drawing-room, I was surprised to find Miss Bingham
alone. She appeared to have been weeping--at least the efforts she made
to appear easy and in good spirits contrasted a good deal with the
expression of her features as I came in. To my inquiries for Mrs.
Bingham, I received for answer that the friends Mrs. Bingham had expected
having left a few days before for Baden, she had resolved on following
them, and had now merely driven out to make a few purchases before her
departure, which was to take place in the morning.
There is something so sad in the thought of being deserted and left by
one's friends under any circumstances, that I cannot express how much
this intelligence affected me. It seemed, too, like the last stroke of
bad news filling up the full measure, that I was to be suddenly deprived
of the society of the very few friends about me, just as I stood most in
need of them.
Whether or not Miss Bingham noticed my embarrassment, I cannot say;
but certainly she seemed not displeased, and there was in the
half-encouraging tone of her manner something which led me to suspect
that she was not dissatisfied with the impression her news seemed to
produce upon me.
Without at all alluding to my own improved fortune, or to the events
of the preceding night, I began to talk over the coming journey, and
expressed my sincere regret that, having lost my passport under
circumstances which might create some delay in retrieving it, I could
not join their party as I should otherwise have done.
Miss Bingham heard this speech with rather more emotion than so simple a
declaration was calculated to produce; and, while she threw down her eyes
beneath their long dark lashes, and coloured slightly, asked--
"And did you really wish to come with us?"
"Undoubtedly," said I.
"And is there no other objection than the passport?"
"None whatever," said I, warming as I spoke, for the interest she
appeared to take in me completely upset all my calculations, besides that
I had never seen her looking so handsome, and that, as the French wisely
remark, "vaut toujours quelque chose."
"Oh, then, pray come with us, which you can do, for mamma has just got
her passport for her nephew along with her own; and as we really don't
want him, nor he us, we shall both be better pleased to be free of each
other, and you can easily afterwards have your own forwarded to Baden by
post."
"Ah, but," said I, "how shall I be certain, if I take so flattering an
offer, that you will forgive me for filling up the place of the dear
cousin; for, if I conjecture aright, it is 'Le Cher Edouard' that
purposes to be your companion."
"Yes, you have guessed quite correctly; but you must not tax me with
inconsistency, but really I have grown quite tired of my poor cousin,
since I saw him last night."
"And you used to admire him prodigiously."
"Well, well, that is all true, but I do so no longer."
"Eh! perche," said I, looking cunningly in her eye.
"For reasons that Mr. Lorrequer shall never know if he has to ask them,"
said the poor girl, covering her eyes with her hands, and sobbing
bitterly.
What I thought, said, or did upon this occasion, with all my most sincere
desire to make a "clean breast of it in these confessions," I know not;
but this I do know, that two hours after, I found myself still sitting
upon the sofa beside Miss Bingham, whom I had been calling Emily all the
while, and talking more of personal matters and my own circumstances than
is ever safe or prudent for a young man to do with any lady under the age
of his mother.
All that I can now remember of this interview, is the fact of having
arranged my departure in the manner proposed by Miss Bingham--a
proposition to which I acceded with an affectation of satisfaction that
I fear went very far to deceive my fair friend. Not that the pleasure
I felt in the prospect was altogether feigned; but certainly the habit
of being led away by the whim and temper of the moment had so much become
part of my nature, that I had long since despaired of ever guarding
myself against the propensity I had acquired, of following every lead
which any one might throw out for me. And thus, as poor Harry Lorrequer
was ever the first man to get into a row at the suggestion of a friend,
so he only waited the least possible pressing on any occasion, to involve
himself in any scrape or misfortune that presented itself, provided there
was only some one good enough to advise him to do so.
As I entered my own room, to make preparations for my departure, I could
not help thinking over all the events thus crowded into the space of a
few hours. My sudden possession of wealth--my prospects at Callonby
still undecided--my scrape at the Salon--my late interview with Miss
Bingham, in which I had only stopped short of a proposal to marry, were
almost sufficient to occupy any reasonable mind; and so I was beginning
to suspect, when the waiter informed me that the Commissaire of Police
was in waiting below, and wished to speak to me. Affecting some surprise
at the request which I at once perceived the object of, I desired him to
be introduced. I was quite correct in my guess. The information of my
being concerned in the affair at the Salon had been communicated to the
authorities, and the Commissaire had orders to obtain bail for my
appearance at the Tribunal de Justice, on that day week, or commit me at
once to prison. The Commissaire politely gave me till evening to procure
the required bail, satisfying himself that he could adopt measures to
prevent my escape, and took his leave. He had scarcely gone when Mr.
Edward Bingham was announced--the reason for this visit I could not so
easily divine; but I had little time allowed for my conjectures, as the
same instant a very smart, dapper little gentleman presented himself,
dressed in all the extravagance of French mode. His hair, which was
permitted to curl upon his shoulders, was divided along the middle of the
head; his moustaches were slightly upturned and carefully waxed, and his
small chin-tuft or Henri-quatre most gracefully pointed; he wore three
most happily contrasting coloured waistcoats, and spurs of glittering
brass. His visit was of scarcely five minutes' duration; but was
evidently the opening of a breaching battery by the Bingham family
in all form--the object of which I could at least guess at.
My embarrassments were not destined to end here; for scarcely had I
returned Mr. Bingham's eighth salutation at the head of the staircase,
when another individual presented himself before me. This figure was in
every respect the opposite of my last visitor. Although framed perfectly
upon the late Parisian school of dandyism, his, however, was the "ecole
militaire." Le Capitaine Eugene de Joncourt, for so he introduced
himself, was a portly personage, of about five-and-thirty or forty years
of age, with that mixture of bon hommie and ferocity in his features
which the soldiers of Napoleon's army either affected or possessed
naturally. His features, which were handsome, and the expression of
which was pleasing, were, as it seemed, perverted, by the warlike turn of
a most terrific pair of whiskers and moustaches, from their naturally
good-humoured bent; and the practised frown and quick turn of his dark
eye were evidently only the acquired advantages of his military career;
a handsome mouth, with singularly regular and good teeth, took much away
from the farouche look of the upper part of his face; and contributed,
with the aid of a most pleasing voice, to impress you in his favour; his
dress was a blue braided frock, decorated with the cordon of the legion;
but neither these, nor the clink of his long cavalry spurs, were
necessary to convince you that the man was a soldier; besides that, there
was that mixture of urbanity and aplomb in his manner which showed him to
be perfectly accustomed to the usages of the best society.
"May I beg to know," said he, as he seated himself slowly, "if this card
contains your name and address," handing me at the same moment one of my
visiting cards. I immediately replied in the affirmative.
"You are then in the English service?"
"Yes."
"Then, may I entreat your pardon for the trouble of these questions, and
explain the reason of my visit. I am the friend of Le Baron D'Haulpenne,
with whom you had the altercation last night in the Salon, and in whose
name I have come to request the address of a friend on your part."
Ho, ho, thought I, the Baron is then the stout gentleman that I pummelled
so unmercifully near the window; but how came he by my card; and besides,
in a row of that kind, I am not aware how far the matter can be conceived
to go farther, than what happens at the moment. These were the thoughts
of a second of time, and before I could reply any thing, the captain
resumed.
"You seem to have forgotten the circumstance, and so indeed should I like
to do; but unfortunately D'Haulpenne says that you struck him with your
walking-cane, so you know, under such a state of things, there is but one
course."
"But gently," added I, "I had no cane whatever the last evening."
"Oh! I beg pardon," interrupted he; "but my friend is most positive in
his account, and describes the altercation as having continued from the
Salon to the street, when you struck him, and at the same time threw him
your card. Two of our officers were also present; and although, as it
appears from your present forgetfulness, that the thing took place in the
heat and excitement of the moment, still--"
"But still," said I, catching up his last words, "I never did strike the
gentleman as you describe--never had any altercation in the street--and--"
"Is that your address?" said the Frenchman, with a slight bow.
"Yes, certainly it is."
"Why then," said he, with a slight curl of his upper lip--half smile,
half derision--
"Oh! make yourself perfectly easy," I replied. "If any one has by an
accident made use of my name, it shall not suffer by such a mistake.
I shall be quite at your service, the moment I can find out a friend to
refer you to."
I had much difficulty to utter these few words with a suitable degree of
temper, so stung was I by the insolent demeanour of the Frenchman, whose
coolness and urbanity seemed only to increase every moment.
"Then I have the honour to salute you," said he, rising with great
mildness in his voice; "and shall take the liberty to leave my card for
the information of your friend."
So saying, he placed his card upon the table--"Le Capitaine Eugene de
Joncourt, Cuirassiers de la Garde."
"I need not press upon Monsieur the value of despatch."
"I shall not lose a moment," said I, as he clattered down the stairs of
the hotel, with that perfect swaggering nonchalance which a Frenchman is
always an adept in; and I returned to my room, to meditate upon my
numerous embarrassments, and think over the difficulties which every
moment was contributing to increase the number of.
"The indictment has certainly many counts," thought I.
Imprimis--A half-implied, but fully comprehended promise to marry a young
lady, with whom, I confess, I only intend to journey this life--as far as
Baden.
Secondly, a charge of swindling--for such the imputation goes to--at the
Salon.
Thirdly, another unaccountable delay in joining the Callonbys, with whom
I am every hour in the risque of being "compromis;" and lastly, a duel in
perspective with some confounded Frenchman, who is at this very moment
practising at a pistol gallery.
Such were the heads of my reflections, and such the agreeable impressions
my visit to Paris was destined to open with; how they were to be followed
up I reserve for another chapter.
EBOOK EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS:
A crowd is a mob, if composed even of bishops
Involuntary satisfaction at some apparent obstacle to my path
Levelling character of a taste for play
Never able to restrain myself from a propensity to make love
Strong opinions against tobacco within doors
We pass a considerable portion of our lives in a mimic warfare
What we wish, we readily believe
Whenever he was sober his poverty disgusted him