Page:Dumas - Tales of Strange adventure (Methuen, 1907).djvu/35

Rh The Marquis stood amazed. Nothing at once more splendid and more elegant had ever met his eyes. The four main panels bore the arms of the Du Barrys and their motto, the famous war-cry, Boute en avant. On each of the side panels was depicted a basket of roses, on which perched two doves billing and cooing,—the whole in that ' vernis Martin,' of which the secret is now lost. The coach had cost fifty six thousand livres.

"Has the King seen this superb present, Madame?" asked the Marquis de Chauvelin.

"Not yet; but I am certain of one thing,—that he will be delighted."

"H'm, h'm! . . ."

"What do you mean by ' h'm, h'm!'"

"I have my doubts.—I even wager he will not allow you to accept it."

"Why, pray?"

"Because you could never use it."

"Pooh! really! " she said scornfully.

"Ah! you are surprised at such trifles."

"Perhaps I am."

"You shall see something much more surprising, not to mention the gold mirror, — and this," she added, drawing a paper from her pocket, " but no! you shall not see this."

"As you please, Madame," returned the Marquis with a bow.

"Still, you are, after that old ape of a Richelieu, the King's oldest friend. You know him thoroughly, and he listens to what you say. You might help us if you would, and then . . . Let us go upstairs again to my room. Marquis."

"I am at your orders, Madame."

"You are very cross and disagreeable to-day. What is the matter with you? "

"I am sad, Madame."

"Ah! so much the worse. 'Tis a stupid thing to be! "—and Madame du Barry remounted, but with a more sedate step, the private staircase she had just come down tripping airily and singing like a bird.

She re-entered her closet. Monsieur de Chauvelin still following her. Then she shut the door, and turning eagerly to the Marquis,

"Now come," she asked, " are you my friend, Chauvelin? "

"You cannot doubt the respect and devotion I feel towards you, Madame."

"You would help me against anybody and everybody."

"Yes, except against the King."

"At any rate, if you do not approve what you are going to hear, you will remain neutral."

"Yes, I promise to, if you will have it so."

"On your word? "

"On my word of honour! "

"Then read this,"—and the Countess gave him a document, the most extraordinary at once in its daring and its absurdity, that ever startled a sober gentleman. The Marquis did not at first grasp the whole significance of the thing.

It was an appeal addressed to the Pope for the annulling of her marriage with the Comte du Barry, under pretext that, having been his brother's mistress, and the canons of the Church forbidding any marriage in such a case, the marriage in question was ipso facto null and void. It stated further that no sooner was the nuptial benediction pronounced than she had been warned of the sacrilege she was on the point of committing, and which she had never suspected till that moment; consequently she had been terrified and the marriage had not been consummated.

Twice over the Marquis read this strange petition; then returning it to the Countess, he asked her what she proposed to do.

"Why, send it, I should imagine," she replied with her usual insolent frankness.

"To whom? "

"To the Pope; is it not addressed to him? "

"And then?"

"You cannot guess."

"No."

"Heavens! how heavy-headed you are to-day."

"Very likely; but as a matter of fact I cannot guess."

"So you really suppose I protected Mademoiselle de Maintenon without any ulterior object? So you have forgotten the Grand Dauphin and Mademoiselle Choin, Louis XIV. and Madame de Maintenon? They are all day long urging the King to imitate his illustrious grandfather; so they can make no objections. I am as good as the Widow Scarron, I suppose; and I am not sixty, into the bargain."

"Oh! Madame, Madame, what is this I have just heard! " cried Monsieur de Chauvelin, turning pale and falling back a step.