Odilon Barrot

“ Sunday now became an intolerable day to him, for, since the coming of the fine weather, there had begun to assemble in the square under his windows each Sunday morning certain members of the sect to which the long-nosed Barrett adhered. These came with a great drum and large brass-bellied instruments; men and women uplifted anguished voices, struggling with their God; and Barrett himself, with upraised face and closed eyes and working brows, prayed that the sound of his voice might penetrate the ears of all unbelievers—as it certainly did Oleron's. ”

“ There was a momentary pause; and then William Barrett broke forth again.
‘What’s the use of talking of motives and reasons and why you did it? Evidently you did do it, and there’s an end of the matter.’
‘And of our connection,’ said his father. ‘A young man that’s so false to his employers can have no more to do in our works or our office.’
‘As you please, sir,’ said John. He had made a pause of indignation, staring at his accusers, dumb with the passion of a thousand things he had to say—but what was the use? He shut his lips close, growing crimson with the strong effort of self-restraint. ”

“ On the outskirts, the humbler cottages of the poor were built. On all sides lay the gardens and fields in which were raised the vegetables consumed by the vast population.
Couriers had brought to Prince Bardya at Bactra news of his father’s death. A period of mourning had been proclaimed. When the funeral car with its guard drew near the city, a decree was issued and proclaimed on all the street corners, commanding all to leave their tasks and to observe a day of special mourning. A great procession marched out of the city to meet the dead king. A thousand horsemen, four abreast, led the way. ”

“ I suggest that you give a great feast in honor of your brother and that you publicly consent that he may return to Bactra. Permit me to arrange for his departure. I will suggest to him that he is in danger and that he flee from this city at night. I will pretend to be his friend. He shall arrive at no other destination than death. There will ride out towards Rhages next day one who looks like him so much that they cannot be distinguished save by friends. In the desert beyond Rhages, this man will disappear, and it will be announced that your brother has been carried away by robbers. ”

“ The young man was so undisguisedly relieved and so perfectly straightforward in the whole matter, that William Barrett began to doubt. He cast a glance at his father, who, however, sat rigid and showed no relenting.
‘Sandford,’ said the younger man, ‘you seem to speak very fair; but there’s this fact against you—no one supposed it was anyone’s scheme but yours; you are the only man in our office capable of anything of the sort; we all know that. ”

“ Oleron had returned wrathfully to his own house, and thenceforward, looking out of his windows, had seen Barrett's face at odd times, lifting blinds or peering round curtains, as if he sought to put himself in possession of Heaven knew what evidence, in case it should be required of him. ”

“ Mrs. Barrett usually tapped, not at his door, but at the wooden wall beyond which lay Oleron's bed; and then Oleron rose, put on his dressing-gown, and admitted her. He was not conscious that as he did so that morning he hummed an air; but Mrs. Barrett lingered with her hand on the door-knob and her face a little averted and smiling.
"De-ar me!" her soft falsetto rose. "But that will be a very o-ald tune, Mr. Oleron! ”

“ The Persians and Bactrians are restless because you have seen fit to give freedom to the Magi; and they only await a leader to rise against you. They yet look for Bardya to return and raise the standard of rebellion. They think you have him imprisoned. If he could return they would that instant join him. If harm befall the Prince of Iran, remember that his old lion of a father reigns at Bactra, and that he has three hundred thousand of Cyrus’s veterans under his immediate command. The son is the apple of the old man’s eye, the center of his soul ”

“ Bactra is happy, because the people dwell in safety and have justice dealt out to them. Your royal father remains youthful and is ready to march on smooth or rough roads at any moment. There is no man in all Iran like unto him.”
“You saw and heard much as you came hither. You stopped at Hamadan and you gathered news there for me. Is it not so?”
“I was commanded to see and hear and to report all to you.”
“It is well. From what you saw and heard, know you anything concerning the marriage of the King to his sisters?” ”

“ He related his experiences during the time she lay in deathly trance, and his voice lost its smooth flow as he approached the most marvelous experience of all, when the vast and murmuring wind blew through the small room and Altair came with sad, sweet face, to bewitch him and to shake his conceptions of the universe to their foundation stones. He confessed his bewilderment and confusion, and ended by saying: "It's all unnatural, diseased. I can't believe it is the real side of things."
"I wonder that you kept your head at all," remarked Bartol. "Your youth and good, hot blood protect you. ”

“ But, behold, just at that moment three figures, blurred among the grey rain-mists, looming into view.
"Be the powers," said Mrs. M'Gurk, jubilantly, "it's Ody Rafferty himself. To your sowls! Now you've a great good chance, ma'am, to be gettin' it back. He's the boy 'ill leg it over all before him"—for in those days Ody was lithe [Pg 44] and limber—"and it's hard-set the thievin' Turk 'ill be to get the better of him at a racin' match—Hi—Och." She had begun to hail him with a call eager and shrill, which broke off in a strangled croak, like a young cock's unsuccessful effort. ”

“ Barrett who had received him into the office, and whom John had always found severe, had his throne. The younger Mr. Barrett was far more favourable to the young man than his father had ever been, and never spoke to him of the hospital, or the duty which lay upon him to repay his mother for her kindness, which was what the elder invariably did. It is not a subject which is agreeable even to the most dutiful of children. Repay your mother for all that she has done for you! ”

“ Wisdom demands silence on your part until you see the King! As King he may act justly. If you stir up trouble, civil war may be the result. Let us be wise and discreet until we return to Bactra, from which you ought never to have departed! Then, if he act unjustly, the people of Iran will stand justly with you.”
“What say you, my brother?” demanded Bardya, turning to the Prince.
The latter answered at once and without hesitation: “The words of your sister are wise. Cambyses is King of Kings by right of birth and by the will of Cyrus. I am bound by an oath to support him in that right. ”

“ Barton, a tall, handsome man, seemed possessed of all the beauty of a cameo, and Olive had inherited his high aquiline nose and the moulding of his romantic forehead; and his colour, too. He wore a flowing beard, and his hair and beard were the colour of pale cafe-au-lait. Giving a hand to each daughter, he said:
'Here is learning and here is beauty. Could a father desire more? And you, Violet, and you, May, are about to break into womanhood. I used to kiss you in old times, but I suppose you are too big now. ”

“ Prexaspes smiled reassuringly, and drawing nearer to the Princess he whispered: “Believe it not, O most royal! That was but a delusion to convince the Great King that his will had been done. How could a spirit appear with cleft head? Spirits have no bodies that may be seen. But Patatheites was able to influence all there so that they believed they saw the spirit of Bardya, while the great Prince was riding swift as the wind to [157] Rhages. Dry your tears! Bardya is beyond the reach of the King now, and in due time you will hear that he has arrived in his dominions. You saw no spirit. ”

“ Should fear grow on him again he would, perhaps, take one more glass of brandy....
But by the time he reached the short street that led to the square he was too late for more brandy. The little public-house was still lighted, but closed, and one or two men were standing talking on the kerb. Oleron noticed that a sudden silence fell on them as he passed, and he noticed further that the long-nosed Barrett, whom he passed a little lower down, did not return his good-night. He turned in at the broken gate, hesitated merely an instant in the alley, and then mounted his stairs again. ”

“ Oleron had cried.
"I 'ave my idears of things, as I don't doubt you 'ave yours—"
"Ideas—mine!" Oleron had cried wrathfully, immediately dropping his voice as heads had appeared at windows of the square. "Look you here, my man; you've an unwholesome mind, which probably you can't help, but a tongue which you can help, and shall! If there is a breath of this repeated ..."
"I'll not be talked to on my own doorstep like this by anybody,..."
Barrett had blustered.... ”

“ Barter rubbed shoulders with young men—very young men they were—who would one day have handles to their names, and enjoy the control of considerable estates. He sat at the same table with men whose birth and antecedents, like those of the immortal Jeames, were shrouded in a mystery. He met men of his own position, who like himself were desperately glad of being numbered in the same club society with men eminent on the turf, or familiar in the gilded saloons of the great. ”

“ One or two of the men rose, and in the faces of these was manifest a sudden expression in which was present more or less of absolute terror. Bartot for a moment shrank back in his chair as though he had been struck, only to recover himself the next second; and the lady with the turquoises bent over and whispered in his ear. One person only left his place,—a young man who had been sitting at a table at the other end of the room with one of the gayest parties. ”

“ During this deliberation about the course which they should take, Bart still exhibited the despondency which had characterized him ever since Phil’s disappearance. The gloom of night and the oppressive sultriness had passed, daylight was at hand, and the breeze brought fresh life to them; but still Bart’s spirits were deeply depressed. Against this Pat rebelled, and the cheerfulness and confidence which he had tried to maintain through the night now assumed a prominent place in his thoughts and in his manner. ”

“ Philip judged Barter to be a nervous man, and supposed him, even when strung to his bent, to have no great tenacity or continuance of courage. He had learned more and more to believe his father’s story, though he had perhaps too carefully guarded himself from his own eager desire to accept it Barter’s every action with the cards offered confirmation of the belief that he had taken possession of the lost notes. He was certainly a petty rascal, and there was obviously nothing but opportunity needed to make him bloom into a rascal on a larger scale. ”

“ Bartol asked. "I demand to know the charges!"
For an instant, the Commander's face had blazed with anger. "Demand? What right has an arrested man to demand anything? As a citizen of Apollyon, it is your duty to submit to authority." Then his face softened. "But, come, citizen Bartol; relax. There are no charges."
"Then why—"
"No questions. You will learn."
He had learned, all right. The Commander had selected him as a double for the Autarch himself! Every citizen of the planet Apollyon had his mental and physical characteristics on file in the Master Records of the Grand Palace. ”

“ Then the Prince directed all the officers to come before him and said:
“Men, as to this report that Bardya has set himself up for King, I know that Bardya is dead and he who is set up on high is an impostor. The liars of the hills have done this thing, having heard of the King’s decree that they shall be cast down from their places. Order the soldiers to remain steadfast and resist those men who have stirred up mutiny. Say to them that I, their Prince, have spoken, and my word they must obey. No impious hand shall be laid upon Cambyses, the King!” ”

“ Barrett is a great supporter of the hospital, he is a very good man, and he is one of the first in his profession. He will take you, rather for my sake, it is true, than your own, but that can’t be helped at your age; and, as he takes you without any premium, that is so much to your advantage. He will settle how you are to begin and all about it when you go to him, which I hope will be at once—to-day.’
John went away with his letter without saying any more, and he carried out his mother’s orders, but without any pleasure in the beginning, though as a matter of fact it was his own choice. ”

“ Overjoyed at having met his uncle, and consoling himself with the thought that, after all, the hour of seeing his family, so impatiently awaited, might not be greatly delayed, Odelin busied himself with unsaddling the horses and furnishing them with provender. The goodhearted boy, thereupon, in his hurry to offer the Franc-Taupin the little presents he brought him from Italy, rummaged in his valise for the flask of Imola wine and the dagger that he himself forged for him. The boy was anxious to show his affection to Josephin even before he was back home in Paris. ”

“ We are bound to support Cambyses as King of Kings. No less are we bound to aid you if oppressed by him. We will not fail you. Should he seek to detain you, we shall demand your release, even at the head of an army. What can you ask more? That we be oath-breakers?”
“No, I ask it not! I will be guided by your advice.”
Having thus decided, the three composed a message from Bardya to the King, notifying him that it would please Bardya to visit Hamadan on his way to Bactra and be his guest for some days. The Prince of Iran then took his departure and went to the camp of the Imperial Guard. ”