Mercier

“ Mercier and you had been working cleverly. Consider! A train-guard, who there in that dimly lighted place could pass for a porter, could take a man’s luggage and abstract smuggled stones from them before the luggage went to the customs. A clever plot. But this time Mercier did not play the game. He wanted to get away from you with the money he had gained in England. The false beard? Exactly! He put it on after he had left the passport inspector; he did not turn on the full lights in the compartment, hoping thus to deceive you and slip past. Well, you could play such a game yourself, eh? ”

“ It seems an age since I felt the wind on my cheeks."
"That is better," said Mercier, as with some skill he tinted Barrington's face and then treated Seth in the same fashion. "Now listen. You, Monsieur Barrington, are Citizen Roche, your man here is Citizen Pinot. You are both officers of the Convention under the leadership of Citizen Mercier, a trusted servant of the Convention. Remember these names, Roche, Pinot;—think of no others. I have papers with me in which you are so named. Leave the speaking to me. You are glum fellows lusting only for the work you have been given to do." ”

“ For all my boasting I suppose, like others, I do care something for what men—for what my friends think of me. Something of the world must cling to the cassock of even the saintliest priest, and Heaven knows, I claim no such exalted rank for myself. For you, Mercier, there are greater rewards in store. These papers are ready. At dawn to-morrow, Mercier, you must leave Vayenne, and make all speed for the frontier. There is no suspicion that we are not heart and soul with the Duke. ”

“ At this point of this singular conversation, Mercier arrived, all out of breath.
"There!" he said, in a gloomy voice. "It's worse than ever! ... I shouted, 'It's a serious matter! Open the door! It's I, Mercier.' I heard footsteps. The door opened and Moncharmin appeared. He was very pale. He said, 'What do you want?' I answered, 'Some one has run away with Christine Daae.' What do you think he said? 'And a good job, too!' And he shut the door, after putting this in my hand."
Mercier opened his hand; Remy and Gabriel looked. ”

“ Sometimes as an animal was being raised, its horns would break, and it would be lowered with a bleeding head, while the coolies stood by and grinned, and considered it a joke. Mercier was still sensitive on some points, and while long ago he had ceased to find any beauty in the island, he was nevertheless disgusted with needless suffering, with stupid, ugly acts. ”

“ In or about 1685 refugees from Saumur came to London, named Le Mercier. In 1691 Martha, daughter of René Bertheau, D.D., and sister of Rev. Charles Bertheau, was married in London to Lieutenant Claude Mercier, and left a son. There were Huguenot refugees of the name in Prussia, and one of the family removed to England — viz., Philip Mercier, born at Berlin in 1689, a painter praised by Horace Walpole, his departments of the art being portraits, and interiors of houses. ”

“ Mercier was a young man, not over thirty. He had come out to the East three years ago, to a minor official post in the Penal Settlement, glad of a soft position, of easy work, of an opportunity to see life in the Tropics. At a port on the mainland, he transshipped from the liner to a little steamer, which two days later dropped anchor in the blue bay of his future home. ”

“ Mercier said nothing of the amount of wine he had drunk, nothing of his boasting. He described the men at the Lion d'Or as truculent, easily ready to take offense, difficult to persuade.
"They began by rejoicing that a market woman was on her way to Paris to give evidence against an aristocrat," Mercier said, "and then the devil prompted some man to speculate whether she might not be an aristocrat in disguise. They were for making certain, and if she were an aristocrat they would have hanged her in the inn yard. I had to threaten to shoot the first man who attempted to mount the stairs." ”

“ When Mercier appealed to the electorate in 1890, his policy was endorsed, and he was able to give effect to many important measures. Early in 1891 he negotiated a loan in Europe for the province, and whilst on a visit to Rome he was created a count of the Roman Empire by Leo XIII., who three years previously had conferred upon him the rank of a commander of the order of St Gregory the Great. Of commanding presence, firm, decisive, courteous in manner, convincing in argument, and deeply attached to his native province, he had all the qualities of a popular leader. ”

“ So the Kling was hanged next morning, and Mercier sailed away that afternoon, when the little steamer came in. The little colony on the island of prisoners went on with its life as usual. Ah, bah! There was no harm done! She was so very immature! Mercier need not have exacted the life of the Kling servant, after all. He was supersensitive and over-scrupulous. Life in a prison colony in the Far East certainly affects one's judgment. ”

“ Jeanne held her breath. Was Mercier playing a part for her greater security? How well he played it!
"There'll be room for you and your friends," laughed a man, "or they'll make room by cutting off a few heads. It's very easy."
"There's more demand for heads than supply," growled another. "There's some calling themselves patriots that might be spared, I say." ”

“ I found the ticket.”
“Well, then. Who fits all our specifications for the guilty man? We know him to be a confederate of Mercier; it seems likely that he is also the murderer. Who else? Two others on the train had been associated with Mercier. On the boat from New York he had made arrangements with Mr. Depping to sell Depping his diamonds (I also was on that liner, and it was I who threatened Depping with the law if he did not pay Mercier in marked money) . Moreover, Miss Mertz had bought one of the diamonds. Both these people were on the train. ”

“ About 1737 Mercier fell out of favour with the prince, was dismissed, and retired for a time into the country, but soon resumed practice in Covent Garden as a fashionable portrait-painter, and regained his position in the prince's household. Subsequently he resided for some years at York, until he was induced to go to Oporto in Portugal. There he found so much profit in painting leading merchants, that he sent for his family, intending to settle there. He soon, however, returned to London, and after a visit to Ireland died in London on 18 July 1760, aged 71. ”

“ In the Tropics, work is always done in a small, half-hearted way, by reason of the heat which so soon exhausts the vitality, consequently many people are required to perform the smallest task.
Mercier, therefore, was obliged to accept the life as he found it, and he found it different from the romantic conception which he had formed at home. And he became very listless and demoralised, and the lack of interests of all sorts bored him intolerably. He was not one to find solace in an intellectual life. ”

“ I accuse General Mercier of having made himself an accomplice, at least through weakness of mind, in one of the greatest iniquities of the century. ”

“ However, I am aware that Mercia is in love already. That fellow Geometrus desires her, and she loves him: at all events she told me as much. I suppose thy prophecy refers to him; for he is one also who troubles little about the affairs of women; for he slaves all day making astronomical instruments for Mercia to do her star-gazing with. He is her devoted servant, and she appreciates him accordingly,’ observed Felicitas cynically.
‘But will she marry him?’ remarked Swami musingly.
‘Exercise thy soul-reading powers and discover for thyself,’ answered the Emperor lightly. ”

“ This new emotion filled him with a subtle rapture, imparting to him a new fervour that lent a charm to every look and motion.
His dreamy eyes had turned intensely brilliant, their excitement spreading to every muscle of the face, imparted over all his countenance a delicious softness, that instantly set every nerve in Mercia’s frame a-throbbing. ”

“ Mercia coloured violently upon hearing Geometrus’ name thus mentioned, then trying to regard it lightly, she observed—‘Who is it, show me his reflection?’
‘Not to-night. Come again, dear lady, and the portrait shall be in readiness for thee.’
‘Ah, Swami,’ returned Mercia sweetly; ‘I perceive that thou art only playing with me. Thou knowest full well, that neither love nor marriage is for me. If I win my case, I return to my post. My work is my bridegroom; I am bound to no other ”

“ But I count upon thy presence near me at the trial, for few are my friends. I have led the life of a recluse almost, so great has been my devotion to my work, and this is how that ingrate has rewarded me. Farewell, dearest, for one hour only—in that time I will see thee at the court.’ And Mercia stepping into the well-appointed carriage belonging to Swami was driven away to the barrister’s. ”

“ As his gaze dwelt upon her sweet face, he looked into her eyes with rapturous emotion, and clasping his hands together, knelt before this lovely delineation of his secret adoration, uttering in tenderest accents a passionate apostrophe.
‘O, divine Mercia, I love thee! Thou hast brought into my life a new element—a new force, as mysterious, as it is powerful. A new joy has come into my heart hitherto unknown. A new hope is imparted to my lonely life, irradiating its darkness, and giving the sweetest comfort known to the human soul. ”

“ Am I to be flouted for him?’
‘His love is honourable, and thine is not; therein lies the difference, my Sire,’ the voice of Mercia replied in a propitiating tone; as if to win the monarch over to give consent to her marriage with Geometrus.
‘But my love shall be made honourable, Mercia, I will get a divorce, and thou shalt fill the Empress’ place. Aye, and fill it far away better than she has ever done! I hate her—curse her!’ Then followed a grating noise as if the Emperor were grinding his teeth in fury at the thought of his marriage fetters. ”

“ Let thine heart melt to its influence, and all will go well with thee. Thy melancholies will disappear; thy solitude lightened; for thou wilt have a new theory to analyse—a new and a better one.’
110‘Yes, thou canst love, dear Mercia, I know it; for thine eyes were made for the conquest of man’s heart, rather than star-gazing. Cease to disregard the designs of Nature when she formed thee, and yield thyself to the pleasure of love.’
Mercia essayed to answer him, but her tongue refused her utterance, so great was her confusion. ”

“ I do affirm that thy beauty only exceeds thy knowledge, or thy knowledge thy beauty, I know not which.’
‘Be it so, then, Sire. It is nothing to my credit if I be beautiful; I had no part in the making; and as to my knowledge, it is a necessity to possess it, for it is my livelihood—my very bread.’
‘Ah, Mercia, why spoil those eyes more beautiful than the brightest star in gazing into unknown regions day and night; year in, year out? Thou knowest no enjoyment—thou hast no pleasure of life, as other women; thine existence is lonely—colourless. ”

“ When fame is won, leisure is lost, Mercia quickly discovered; for no sooner had Swami left than she found herself surrounded by crowds of persons who had come to offer their congratulations. Of course the sincerity of those demonstrative ones was not to be doubted, nevertheless the visits of a goodly percentage were prompted more by curiosity to see the woman who might have displaced their Empress, had she been so minded, and the Divorce Courts sufficiently obliging, than anything else. Consequently, Mercia had a livelier time of it for several hours than she was prepared for. ”

“ Then Mercia awakening, evidently, from her love-dream, and realising her true position exclaimed with great dignity, ‘Felicitas, the Emperor, hath no crown to offer his subject, Mercia, for it sits already on the brow of his Royal Spouse. Neither has he love to offer his astronomer, for it is sworn to his Empress for ever. ”

“ The same might have happened with a variation, had the Astronomer Royal been of the male sex,’ returned his neighbour.
‘It is a love-intrigue, ending with the usual quarrel,’ whispered an elderly Solomon, wise in the knowledge of the world’s weakness.
‘I thought Mercia incapable of love-intrigues, or any other, being a perfect model of all the virtues,’ answered his neighbour.
‘All women are “perfect” till they’re tried,’ uttered the same cynic dryly. ”

“ Mercia looked at him earnestly for a moment; then blushed, and an instant later recovering herself, she smiled archly—
‘Ah!’ she exclaimed, ‘it seems to me that all men are given to flattery, I imagined that the illustrious Swami would have been an exception.’
271‘Because all men say the same that proves it is no flattery,’ said Swami deprecatingly; ‘nevertheless it is not meet that one should give expression to his opinion while yet he is a stranger. Pardon me, Mistress Mercia, for the liberty taken. ”

“ And so the cry spreading itself through every quarter of that vast Empire was caught 344up in wild delight—Long live Mercia, our Empress, being echoed from every part, by people of every caste and every creed. But when the intelligence reached this impressionable people that Mercia, the greatest Astronomer, and noblest woman the world had ever seen, was about to enter into a matrimonial alliance with Dayanand Swami, the actual lineal descendant of The Great Mogul Dynasty, which governed India from the early centuries downwards, that settled the question. ”

“ No, he cries hourly for new toys and new delights. Thy Majesty would weary in course of time with the beauteous Mercia, as thou hast wearied of thy spouse. Physical charms delight the eye for a season; but if there be no union of psycho-magnetic sympathy there is no possibility of an enduring affection. Sire, be content; as thou hast made thy bed, so must thou lie upon it.’
262‘That reminds me of my suit to-morrow,’ interrupted Felicitas impatiently. ‘What wouldst thou advise in this dilemma?’
‘The case is surrounded with difficulties,’ answered Swami reflectively. ”