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Marie Antoinette Romances, Vol 1: Balsamo, The Magician

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<h2>CHAPTER XX. ANNOYANCE AND AMUSEMENT.</h2> The king had been at Luciennes from three o'clock till dark, when, supremely wearied, he reposed on a sofa in a sitting-room, where Countess Dubarry surprised him about half-past ten. Zamore was at the door when she woke him up. "Have you come at last, countess?" he said. "At last? I have been waiting for you this hour. How soundly your Majesty sleeps." "I have slept three hours. But what do I see there?" "That is the governor of Luciennes. The chancellor sent me the appointment, and so he donned the uniform. Swear him in quickly, and let him begin guarding us." Zamore marched up, wearing a showy lace dress, with a sword. His huge three-cocked hat was under his arm. He went down on his knees, laid one hand on his heart, the other one was placed in the king's, and he said: "Me swear faith and homage to my massa and missee; me will defend the castle placed under my guard to the last gasp, and me will not surrender it till the last can of jelly is eaten." The sovereign laughed, less at the comic oath than at the black boy's gravity in taking it. "In return for this pledge," he said with due seriousness, "I confer on you, Sir Governor, the sovereign right of dealing out justice to the extent of capital punishment over all in your hold, in earth, air, fire and water." "Thankee, massa," said Zamore, rising. "Now, run away into the servants hall and show your fine trappings." As Zamore went out by one door, Chon came in by another. The king took her on his knee and kissed her. "Good-evening, Chon. I like you because you tell me the truth. I want to know what has made your sister so late in hunting me up." "No, Jeanne is the one to tell the truth. Still, if you will pay me for my report, I will show you that my police spies are up to the mark of Chief Sartines'." "I have the pay ready," said the king, jingling some coins in his pocket. "No fibs." "The Countess Dubarry went to her private residence in Valois Street, Paris, where Zamore met her about six o'clock. She went to speak with her sponsor." "What, is she going to be baptized?" "Her social sponsor—I do not know the right name for it." "Say, the lady patroness. So you have fabricated one." "Nay, she is ready made, and from away back. It is Countess Bearn, of the family of reigning princes. I guess she will not disgrace the line which is allied with the Royal Stuarts, the Dubarry-Moores." "I never knew of any Countess Bearn but the one who lives by Verdun." "The very one, who will call to-morrow at seven for a private audience. If the question will be allowed, she will ask when the introduction is to take place, and you will fix it shortly, eh, my Lord of France," said the countess. The king laughed, but not frankly. "To-morrow at eleven?" "At our breakfast hour." "Impossible, my darling, for I must away; I have important business with Sartines." "Oh, if you cannot even stay supper——" The king saw her make a sign to Chon, and suspecting a trap, he called for his horses to go. Delighted with this display of his free will, he walked to the door, but his gentlemen in waiting were not in the outer room. The castle was mute, even in its echoes to his call. He ran and opened the window, but the courtyard was deserted. The tremulous moon shone on the river and lit up the calm night. This harmony was wasted on the king, who was far from poetic, artistic or musing, but rather material. "Come, come, countess!" he broke forth in vexation; "put an end to this joke." "Sire, I have no authority here," said the countess. "It is a royal residence, and the power is confided in the governor. And Governor Zamore is going the rounds with his guard of four men." The king rather forced a smile. "This is rather funny," he said. "But I want the horses put to my coach." "The governor has locked them up in the stables for fear robbers might get at them. As for the escort, they are asleep, by orders of the governor, too." "Then I will walk out of the castle alone." "Hardly, for the gates are locked and the keys hang at the governor's belt." "Pest on it! we have one castle strictly guarded!" The countess lounged on a divan, playing with a rose, less red than her coral lips. "But we might go in quest of him," she said, rising. "Chon, carry the light before his majesty." The little procession of three had barely reached the end of the first hall before a whiff of delicious odor set the royal mouth watering. "You smell supper, my lord," explained the countess. "I thought you were going to partake with me, and I had a feast prepared." The king reflected that if he went on to Marly he would find nothing but a cold collation. Here, through a doorway open he saw a table set for two. The odor continued to scent the house. "Bless us! you have a good cook." "I do not know, for this is his first attempt to please us. I engaged him because he has a reputation for a choice omelet of pheasants' eggs." "My favorite dish! I should not like to grieve your new cook, countess, and I might taste it while we wait for the governor to finish his inspection. But who will wait upon us?" he asked, entering. "I hope to do so without upsetting any of this iced champagne—a new invention, of which I wish your opinion." "I fear I shall never take it from your hand, for it fascinates me into solely admiring it." "Ah, if my hired eulogists would say something so sweet as that!" "I see that I must let you have your own way," and he settled down in an easy chair like one who was put in good humor by the prospect of a luxurious repast. They finished it with coffee burnt in brandy, with a paper which the king held while the fair cajoler lighted. "That is bad luck to the Choiseul party," said she; "that was one of the lampoons against us which they inspire and allow to be circulated." "Did I call you a fay? I mistook: you are a demon." The countess rose. "I think I had better see if Governor Zamore is not on the return." But the king shook his head, inflamed by the punch, the tokay and the champagne. He was conscious of still another perfume, and his nose directed him to a doorway suddenly opened. It led into a tempting chamber, hung with sky-blue satin, embroidered with flowers in their natural colors, an alcove where a mysterious soft light reigned. "Well, sire, the governor seems to have locked us in. And unless we save ourselves out of window with the curtains——" "No, do not let us pull them down—rather, draw them close!" He opened his arms, laughing, and the beauty let the rose fall from her teeth and it burst all its petals open as it reached the carpet. <hr style="width:65%;"> <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

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