2
"That evening our near neighbors, Le Compte de Chaumont and M.LeVilleard, came to announce that a dinner and ball in honor ofFranklin would occur at the palace of Compte de Chaumont less than aweek later.
"'My good friends,' said the philosopher, 'I value these honors whichare so graciously offered me, but I am old and have much work to do. Ineed rest more than I need the honors.'
"'It is one of the penalties of being a great savant that people wishto see and know him,' said the Count. 'The most distinguished peoplein France will be among those who do you honor. I think, if you canrecall a talk we had some weeks ago, you will wish to be present.'
"'Oh, then, you have heard from the Hornet.'
"'I have a letter here which you may read at your convenience.'
"'My dear friend, be pleased to receive my apologies and my heartythanks,' said Franklin. 'Not even the gout could keep me away.'
"Next day I received a formal invitation to the dinner and ball. Itold the Doctor that in view of the work to be done, I would declinethe invitation. He begged me not to do it and insisted that he wascounting upon me to represent the valor and chivalry of the New World;that as I had grown into the exact stature of Washington and was sofamiliar with his manners and able to imitate them in conversation, hewished me to assume the costume of our Commander-in-Chief. He did methe honor to say:
"'There is no other man whom it would be safe to trust in such anexalted role. I wish, as a favor to me, you would see what can be doneat the costumer's and let me have a look at you.'
"I did as he wished. The result was an astonishing likeness. Idressed as I had seen the great man in the field. I wore a wigslightly tinged with gray, a blue coat, buff waistcoat and sash andsword and the top boots and spurs. When I strode across the room inthe masterly fashion of our great Commander, the Doctor clapped hishands.
"'You are as like him as one pea is like another!' he exclaimed.'Nothing would so please our good friends, the French, who have animmense curiosity regarding _Le Grand Vasanton_, and it will give me anopportunity to instruct them as to our spirit.'
"He went to his desk and took from a drawer a cross of jeweled gold ona long necklace of silver--a gift from the King--and put it over myhead so that the cross shone upon my breast.
"'That is for the faith of our people,' he declared. 'The guests willassemble on the grounds of the Count late in the afternoon. You willride among them on a white horse. A beautiful maiden in a white robeheld at the waist with a golden girdle will receive you. She will beHuman Liberty. You will dismount and kneel and kiss her hand. Thenthe Prime Minister of France will give to each a blessing and to you asword and a purse. You will hold them up and say:
"'"For these things I promise you the friendship of my people and theirprosperity."
"'You will kiss the sword and hang it beside your own and pass thepurse to me and then I shall have something to say.'
"So it was all done, but with thrilling details, of which no suspicionhad come to me. I had not dreamed, for instance, that the King andQueen would be present and that the enthusiasm would be so great. Youwill be able to judge of my surprise when, riding my white horsethrough the cheering crowd, throwing flowers in my way, I came suddenlyupon Margaret Hare in the white robe of Human Liberty. Now facing meafter these years of trial, her spirit was equal to her part. She waslike unto the angel I had seen in my dreams. The noble look of herface thrilled me. It was not so easy to maintain the calm dignity ofWashington in that moment. I wanted to lift her in my arms and holdher there, as you may well believe, but, alas, I was Washington! Idismounted and fell upon one knee before her and kissed her hand nottoo fervently, I would have you know, in spite of my temptation. Shestood erect, although tears were streaming down her cheeks and her dearhand trembled when it rested on my brow and she could only whisper thewords:
"'May the God of your fathers aid and keep you.'
"The undercurrent of restrained emotion in this little scene went outto that crowd, which represented the wealth, beauty and chivalry ofFrance. I suppose that some of them thought it a bit of good acting.These people love the drama as no others love it. I suspect that manyof the friends of Franklin knew that she who was Liberty was indeed mylong lost love. A deep silence fell upon them and then arose a wildshout of approval that seemed to come out of the very heart of Franceand to be warm with its noble ardor. Every one in this beautifulland--even the King and Queen and their kin--are thinking of Libertyand have begun to long for her blessing. That, perhaps, is why thescene had so impressed them.
"But we were to find in this little drama a climax wholly unexpected byeither of us and of an importance to our country which I try in vain toestimate. When the Prime Minister handed the purse to Franklin he badehim open it. This the latter did, finding therein letters of creditfor the three million livres granted, of which we were in sore need.With it was the news that a ship would be leaving Boulogne in themorning and that relays on the way had been provided for his messenger.The invention of our beloved diplomat was equal to the demand of themoment and so he announced:
"'Washington is like his people. He turns from all the loves of thisworld to obey the call of duty. My young friend who has so wellpresented the look and manner of Washington will now show you hisspirit.'
"He looked at his watch and added:
"'Within forty minutes he will be riding post to Boulogne, there totake ship for America.'
"So here I am on the ship _L'Etoile_ and almost in sight of Bostonharbor, bringing help and comfort to our great Chief.
"I was presented to the King and Queen. Of him I have written--astout, fat-faced man, highly colored, with a sloping forehead and largegray eyes. His coat shone with gold embroidery and jeweled stars. Hisclose-fitting waistcoat of milk white satin had golden buttons and acurve which was not the only sign he bore of rich wine and good capon.The queen was a beautiful, dark-haired lady of some forty years, with anoble and gracious countenance. She was clad in no vesture of gold,but in sober black velvet. Her curls fell upon the loose ruff of lacearound her neck. There were no jewels on or about her bare, whitebosom. Her smile and gentle voice, when she gave me her bon-voyage andbest wishes for the cause so dear to us, are jewels I shall not soonforget.
"Yes, I had a little talk with Margaret and her mother, who walked withme to Franklin's house. There, in his reception room, I took a goodlook at the dear girl, now more beautiful than ever, and held her to myheart a moment.
"'I see you and then I have to go,' I said.
"'It is the fault of my too romantic soul,' she answered mournfully.'For two days we have been in hiding here. I wanted to surprise you.'
"And this protest came involuntarily from my lips:
"'Here now is the happiness for which I have longed, and yet forthwithI must leave it. What a mystery is the spirit of man!'
"'When it is linked to the spirit of God it ceases to understanditself,' she answered. 'Oh, that I had the will for sacrifice which isin you!'
"She lifted the jeweled cross I wore to her lips and kissed it. I wishthat I could tell you how beautiful she looked then. She is twenty-sixyears old and her womanhood is beginning.
"'Now you may go,' she said. 'My heart goes with you, but I fear thatwe shall not meet again.'
"'Why ?' was my question.
"'I am utterly discouraged.'
"'You can not expect her to wait for you any longer. It is not fair,'said her mother.
"'Margaret, I do not ask you to wait,' I said. 'I am not quite a humanbeing. I seem to have no time for that. I am of the army of God. Ishall not expect you to wait.'
"So it befell that the stern, strong hand of a soldier's duty drew mefrom her presence almost as soon as we had met I kissed her and lefther weeping, for there was need of haste. Soon I was galloping out ofPassy on my way to the land I love. I try not to think of her, but howcan I put out of mind the pathos of that moment? Whenever I close myeyes I see
her beautiful figure sitting with bowed head in thetwilight."