Dubois

“ Is there a M. de Livry at Nantes?"
"No, monseigneur; but there is a Demoiselle de Livry."
"Who is she?"
"The wife of M. de Montlouis, an intimate friend of my master."
"Good," said Dubois, adding ten louis; "and what was your master doing at Nantes?"
"What most young men do; he hunted, danced, and so on."
Dubois took away ten louis. Owen shuddered.
"Stop," said he, "he did something else."
"Ah! what was that?"
"I do not know," replied Owen.
Dubois held the ten louis in his hand.
"And since his departure, what has he done?"
"He passed through Oudon, Ancenis, Le Mans, Nogent, and Chartres." ”

“ But, at length, watching the moment when he went round to the door, she leaped through the window, and ran round the yard, pursued by Dubois, who, with vehement exclamations, endeavoured to reach her with his stick. Mademoiselle Gerard, hearing the noise, opened her window, and seeing the danger of her favourite, she lost all self-control, and screamed out, "Help! Help! Murder!" Dubois, furious, raised his eyes, and not knowing much better than herself what he was about, threatened her with his stick, and then recommenced his pursuit of Nanette, who by this time had gained the staircase. ”

“ It would be difficult to render the expression which passed over the face of Dubois at this moment.
"Yes, but if I were to get a sword-thrust in the enterprise, how monseigneur would laugh; bah! there is no danger: our men are at their post, and besides, nothing venture, nothing gain."
Encouraged by this reflection, Dubois made the circuit of the hotel, in order to appear at one end of the little lane as Gaston appeared at the other. ”

“ I shall save myself with them, or die with him."
"My dear Talhouet," said Montlouis, "all this is very fine; but I have a worse opinion of this affair than you have. If we are in the hands of any one, it is Dubois, who is not a gentleman, and hates those who are. I do not like these people who belong to no class—who are neither nobles, soldiers, nor priests. I like better a true gentleman, a soldier, or a monk: at least they are all supported by the authority of their profession. ”

“ Dubois listened, and, when Gaston had finished—"As to me, chevalier," said he, throwing himself back indolently in his chair, "I must own my history is somewhat longer and more adventurous; however, if you wish to hear it, I obey."
"I think it necessary, in our position, to know each other," said Gaston.
"Well," said Dubois, "as you know, I am called Captain la Jonquiere; my father was, like myself, a soldier of fortune; this is a trade at which one gains in general a good deal of glory and very little money; my glorious father died, leaving me, for sole inheritance, his rapier and his uniform ”

“ If I live when they die, my honor dies with them; think of it, monseigneur, the honor of the name your daughter is to bear."
The regent bent his head as he replied:
"It is impossible, monsieur; they have betrayed France; and they must die."
"Then I die with them!" said Gaston, "for I also have betrayed France, and, moreover, would have murdered your highness."
The regent looked at Dubois; the glance they exchanged did not escape Gaston. ”

“ Then seek out Dubois, and tell him to keep in close touch with the hundred we brought into the city as monks, so as to assemble them at any moment. Do you know how the hundred we played at presenting to this Governor have been bestowed?”
“That was a shrewd step,” answered Pascal, with a laugh. “They are enrolled among the castle guards, in accordance with the suggestion Dubois handed on from his Eminence—yourself, Gerard. Pray Heaven, they do but keep discreet tongues. They are tough fighters, and every man would gladly give his life for you; but like soldiers, they love their liquor.” ”

“ Both left the room and descended the staircase, but separated at the door; Lecocq went along the Rue de Paris; and Dubois, slipping along by the wall, went to peep through the hole in the shutter.
CHAPTER VIII. THE UTILITY OF A SEAL.
Gaston had just supped; for at his age, whether a man be in despair or in love, nature asserts her rights. He was leaning on the table thoughtfully. The lamp threw a light over his face, and enabled Dubois to gratify his curiosity. ”

“ Inspired by Dubois, weary of the weakness and dastardly incapacity of the Pretender, the Regent consented to make overtures to the King of England. The Spanish nation was favorable to France, but the king was hostile to the Regent; the English loved neither France nor the Regent, but their king had an interest in severing France from the Pretender forever. Dubois availed himself ably of his former relations with Lord Stanhope, heretofore commander of the English troops in Spain, for commencing a secret negotiation which soon extended to Holland, still closely knit to England. ”

“ Dubois?' asked the regent.
"'Certainly; one of us must remain sober. As Dubois cannot drink, he must undertake to make the marquis drink; and when everybody is under the table, he can take him away from us and do what he likes with him. The rest depends on the coachman.'—'Did I not tell you, marchioness,' said the regent, 'that Richelieu would give us good advice? Stop, duke,' continued he; 'you must leave off wandering round certain palaces; leave the old lady to die quietly at St. Cyr, the lame man to rhyme at Sceaux, and join yourself with us. ”

“ At that moment the Castle soldier made a dash for the door to escape, only to be stopped by two of the Bourbon men.
“You should not have driven me to this, monsieur,” said Dubois in a tone of quiet authority. The officer had risen and stood with folded arms, his face flushed with anger and his brow sullen with the chagrin and humiliation of his ignominious failure. “You must accompany me. No harm will come to you if you obey. But we are resolute men, and our lives may be at stake.” He signed to his own soldiers to bring the prisoner along, and all left the room. ”

“ This order being executed at once, Dubois seized some papers, wrote on them some words with an expression of sinister joy, then, having ordered his carriage, drove to the Palais Royal.
Meanwhile the chevalier was led to the regent, and walked straight up to him.
"How! you here, monsieur!" said the duke, trying to look surprised.
"Yes, monseigneur, a miracle has been worked in my favor by La Jonquiere; he had prepared all for flight, he asked for me under pretense of consulting me as to confessions; then, when we were alone, he told me all and we escaped together and in safety." ”

“ Ah! the good time is passed. But I hope that, thanks to you, it will return, and that the house will feel your elevation."
"Oh! my poor gossip," said Dubois, stooping down in order that La Fillon might unclasp his frock, "you see that now things are much changed, and that I can no longer visit you as I used to."
"You are proud. Philippe comes there."
"Philippe is only regent of France, and I am an archbishop. Do you understand? I want a mistress at a house where I can go without scandal; like Madame de Tencin, for example."
"Yes, who will deceive you for Richelieu." ”

“ Then she left this dwelling which had become dear to her, for there she had found her father and received her lover.
As to Gaston, he waited vainly at the barrier, till, giving up all hope, he returned to the hotel. As he crossed the garden of the Tuileries, eight o'clock struck.
At that moment Dubois entered the regent's bedchamber with a portfolio under his arm, and a triumphant smile on his face.
CHAPTER XIX. THE ARTIST AND THE POLITICIAN.
"Ah! it is you, Dubois," exclaimed the regent, as his minister entered.
"Yes, monseigneur," said Dubois, taking out some papers. ”

“ Soon the rustling of a silk dress was heard.
"Yes, madame," said the usher, "this way."
"Here she is," said the duke, "remember one thing, Dubois: this young girl is in no way responsible for her lover's fault; consequently, understand me, she must be treated with the greatest respect;" then, turning to the door, "Enter," said he; the door was hastily opened, the young girl made a step toward the regent, who started back thunderstruck.
"My daughter!" murmured he, endeavoring to regain his self-command, while Helene, after looking round for Gaston, stopped and curtseyed. ”

“ Dubois is a scamp without a sou. He does no work, and he gambles on the Bourse. Everything he had he has sold by degrees. If he has gone to Brussels now to work honestly, it is for the first time in his life. He lives on the hope of getting money out of an uncle in England—that I know, for he boasts of it to everybody. ”

“ As soon as we were alone, my dear Dubois asked me if I had sufficient proof of Le Duc’s fidelity.
“Well, my dear, he is a rascal and a profligate, full of impudence, sharp-witted, ignorant, a fearful liar, and nobody but myself has any power over him. However, he has one good quality, and that is blind obedience to my orders. He defies the stick, and he would defy the gallows if it were far enough off. When I have to ford a river on my travels, he strips off his clothes without my telling him, and jumps in to see if I can across in safety.” ”

“ Ah! monseigneur, it is certain that you are short-sighted."
Dubois went down, and again took up his post at his observatory. As he approached it, Gaston rose, after putting his note in his pocket-book.
"Ah," said Dubois, "I must have that pocket-book. I would pay high for it. He is going out, he buckles on his sword, he looks for his cloak; where is he going? Let us see: to wait for his royal highness's exit? No, no, that is not the face of a man who is going to kill another ”

“ Since Dubois has proved himself a traitor—" [293]
"Oh, mamma!" came now in great sobs, "you are not playing with me. He has come; he is here; the horse I heard stop at the door—"
"Was that of the marquis," acknowledged the mother. "He is in the sitting room, child, but he does not expect you at present. This evening you shall see him if you will promise me what I have asked. Otherwise he must go. I will have no complications arising out of a secret betrothal. If you have not sufficient strength—"
"Oh, I have strength, mamma! I have strength. ”

“ He understood that he had dealt with a false La Jonquiere as well as a false Duc d'Olivares.
"No," said Dubois, addressing Gaston, "you shall not die for that, monsieur; but you must understand that there are crimes which the regent has neither the power nor the right to pardon."
"But he pardoned me!" exclaimed Gaston.——"You are Helene's husband," said the duke.
"You mistake, monseigneur; I am not; and I shall never be; and as such a sacrifice involves the death of him who makes it, I shall die, monseigneur."
"Bah!" said Dubois, "no one dies of love nowadays ”

“ It is you who pay, but they wish aloud that you may die, and your race become extinct. Pardieu! Monsieur de Chanlay will find some acquaintances there, and be as comfortable as a fish in the water. Ah, pity him, monseigneur, for he is much to be pitied, poor fellow!"
"Yes, yes," cried the duke, delighted; "and after the revelations in Bretagne we shall see."
Dubois laughed.
"The revelations in Bretagne. Ah, pardieu! monseigneur, I shall be anxious to know what you will learn that the chevalier did not tell you. Do you not know enough yet, monseigneur? Peste! ”

“ Then Mademoiselle Gerard became alarmed at his hatred, and could not endure the thought of remaining alone with him in the Château, saying that unless her mistress returned very soon she should be lost. If on these occasions Dubois happened to pass near her apartment, she ran to bolt and barricade the door, as if he were going to murder her. It was in moments of fever that these ideas took possession of her mind, and more especially in the evening, because the room occupied by Dubois was close to her own. ”

“ Cardinal Dubois, when he met me, almost courted me. He knew not how to catch me. The bonds which united me to M. le Duc d'Orleans had always been so strong that the prime minister, who knew their strength, did not dare to flatter himself he could break them. ”

“ Simon?"
"The princess palatine, your mother."
The regent laughed.
"And whom shall we choose for the commission?" asked he.
"Oh, monseigneur, people of mind and resolution, be sure; not provincials; not very sensitive to family scenes; men old in the dust of tribunals, whom the Breton men will not frighten with their fierce eyes, nor the Breton women seduce with their beautiful languid ones."
The regent made no reply.
"After all," continued Dubois, "these people may not be as guilty as we suppose. What they have plotted let us recapitulate. Bah! mere trifles. ”

“ He died sadly, shamefully, without a friend and without regret, even on the part of the Regent, whom he had governed and kept in hand by active and adroit assiduity, by a hardihood and an effrontery to the influence of which that prince submitted, all the while despising it. Dubois had raised up again, to place himself upon it, that throne of premier minister on which none had found a seat since Richelieu and Mazarin ”

“ You know my principle, monseigneur: distrust first impulses, they are always good."
"It is an infamous principle."
"Monseigneur, either one is a diplomatist or one is not."
"Well," said the regent, stepping toward the door, "I shall go and warn him."
"Monseigneur," said Dubois, stopping the duke with an accent of extreme resolution, and taking a paper out of his portfolio, already prepared, "if you do so, have the kindness in that case to accept my resignation at once. Joke, if you will, but, as Horace said, 'est modus in rebus.' He was a great as well as a courteous man. ”