CHAPTER XII.
TAVERNEY'S PROSPECTS BRIGHTEN.
The first to perceive the archduchess's fainting fit, was BaronTaverney who was on the lookout from being most uneasy about theinterview. Hearing the scream and seeing Balsamo dart out of the bowerhe ran up.
The first word of the dauphiness was to call for the bewitcheddecanter: her second to bid no harm to be done the sorcerer. It wastime to say it, for Philip Taverney had rushed after the latter.
She attributed the swoon to fever from the journey. She talked ofsleeping for some hours, in Andrea's room, but the Governor ofStrasburg arrived in hot haste with a dispatch from Versailles, and shehad to receive Lord Stainville, who was brother in-law of the primeminister.
Opening this missive, the princess read:
"The court presentation of Lady Dubarry is fixed on, if she can find apatroness, which we hope will not be. But the surest method of blockingthe project is to have your royal highness here, in whose presence nonewill dare suggest such an offense."
"Very good. My horses must be put to. We depart at once."
Cardinal Rohan looked at Lord Stainville as if for an explanation ofthis abrupt change.
"The dauphin is in a hurry to see his wife," whispered the latter withsuch cunning that the churchman thought it had slipped his tongue andwas satisfied with it.
Andrea had been trained by her father to understand royal freaks; shewas not surprised at the contradiction. So the lady saw only smoothnesson her face as she turned to her, saying:
"Thank you; your welcome has deeply touched me. Baron, you are awarethat I made the vow to benefit the first French gentleman and hisfamily, whom I should meet on the frontier. But I am not going to stopat this point, and Mademoiselle Andrea is not to be forgotten. Yes, Iwish her to be my maid of honor. The brother will defend the king inthe army, the sister will serve me; the father will instruct the firstin loyalty, the other in virtue. I shall have enviable servitors, doyou not agree?" she continued to Philip, who was kneeling. "I willleave one of my carriages to bring you in my train. Governor, namesomebody to accompany my carriage for the Taverneys, and notify that itis of my household."
"Beausire," called out the governor, "come forward."
A sharp-eyed cavalier, some twenty-four years old, rode out from theescort and saluted.
"Set a guard over Baron Taverney's coach, and escort it."
"We shall meet soon again, then," said the princess with a smile. "Letus be off, my lords and gentlemen."
In a quarter of an hour, all remaining of the whirling cavalcade wasthe carriage left in the avenue and the guardsman whose horse wascropping the dandelions.
"Where is the magician?" inquired Taverney.
"Gone, too, my lord."
"I never heard of the like--leaving all that valuable plate."
"He left a note which Gilbert is fretting to deliver."
"Father," said Andrea, "I know what is tormenting you. You know I havethirty gold pieces, and the diamond-set watch Queen Maria Leczinskagave my mother."
"That is well," said the baron, "but keep it, though we must hunt upmeans for a handsome robe for your court presentation. Hush! here isLabrie."
"The note, my lord, which was given Gilbert by the strange gentleman."
The baron snatched it from the servant and read in an undertone:
"MY LORD: Since an august hand touched this service of plate under your roof, it belongs to your lordship, and I pray you to keep it as a memento, and sometimes to remember, your grateful guest,
BALSAMO."
"Labrie, is there a good goldsmith at Bar-le-Duc?"
"Yes, my lord, the one who mended our young lady's jewelry."
"Put aside the cup the princess used, and pack up the rest of the platein our carriage. And then, haste to the cellar and serve that officerwith all the liquor left. Come, come, Andrea, courage! We are going tocourt, a splendid place where the sun never fails. You are naturallylovely and have only to set the gem becomingly to outshine them all."
Nicole followed Andrea to her room.
"I am off to arrange my titles of nobility and proofs of service,"continued the baron, trotting to his room briskly. "We shall be offfrom this den in an hour; do you hear, Andrea? And we leave by thegolden gates, too. What a trump that magician is! Really, I have becomeas superstitious as the devil's own. But make haste, Labrie!" he criedto his man groping about in the cellar.
"I can't get on faster, master--we have not a candle left."
"It is plain that we are getting out in the right time," thought thebaron.