The Genius (Carl Grosse)/Chapter 20
CHAP. III.
The count was wont every night before we retired to rest, to come into my bed-chamber to chat with me for an hour and lay himself down on the sopha; on which he would frequently fall asleep, when I was obliged to wake and make him go down stairs. This night, however, his head was so full of what had happened, that, forgetting his former habitude, he immediately betook himself to his own apartment on the first floor, which occasioned one of the most ludicrous scenes I ever witnessed.
I inhabited the second story, and the ground floor was occupied by Madame le B**, our hoftess, by profession a milliner, who perfectly well understood her business, and not to leave the least advantage neglected, she let out the premises to single young gentlemen, who had: day and night, free access to her apartment. The count and I, discontented with so commodious a method of house-keeping, had already resolved to remove in the course of the ensuing week.
The baron, having visited us shortly after our arrival, was smitten with our hostess, a buxom young widow of twenty-two. He was none of those who would let an opportunity go by unprofited, and hearing of the intended change, he hired and gave earnest for the two floors, which we intended to evacuate, on condition of being put previously in possession of the charms of his future landlady. He this very night paid her one of his gallant visits, when both of them were discovered in the situation I am about to state.
The count, who contrary to custom, had withdrawn to his own apartment, in deep meditation on the occurrences of the night, after being undrest thought it still too soon to go to rest. He therefore threw himself on his sopha, to indulge his reveries. His blood was in agitation, and recollecting Caroline, he at last fell into a sweet slumber.
No sooner was he roused from it, by the position which was not the most easy, than half stupified with the effects of sleep he fancied himself in my apartment, took his candle, and cautiously reached the bottom of the stairs, when it went out. He went groping in the dark into the room of the milliner, who was fast in the arms of Her gallant. Mistaking her bed for his own, of which he had been in quest, he drew the curtains, undrest himself to his shirt, and was going to put out a candle which had been kept burning, when one of the baron's boots, which unfortunately laid in the way, made him stumble and in falling dropped the candle, which fell burning on the latter's face.
The baron awoke with a roar, and my friend, provoked with the impertinence of so unwelcome an interloper, answered him with an oath, and ran to seek his sword in the corner of his supposed apartment, which not finding, he rung for his servants so violently, as to break the bell-string.
Meanwhile the baron got out of bed, and more fortunate than the count, found his own sword, which was at the bedside. While the fair milliner was screaming out for assistance, her paramour in his shirt, made up to my friend, who with his breeches in one hand, and the baron's cane in the other, difficultly parried his attacks. The count was an excellent fencer; he now acted on the offensive, and gave his opponent such a vigorous push on the pit of his stomach, as to throw him reeling on the floor, loudly howling for mercy.
The lady perfectly seconded the baron's cries, and thereby roused from sleep all those whom the count's ringing had not yet awakened. Down came soon after a group of half-naked servants, cook, butler and valets, who were joined by our coachmen with their whips. The count's coachman immediately flogged the stranger, who had by this time been permitted to rise, so effectually as to put an end to all farther contest.
By this time I also entered the room, with a light in one hand and my sword in the other, and conjointly with the count, who had now become sensible of his mistake, made the servants retire.
The lady kept muttering in her bed, and unwilling to put her to the blush, if she was still capable of blushing, my friend made a handsome apology for the accident, and I gave all the assistance I could to the bruised baron, whom, as his dulcinea declared she would not keep him for the remainder of the night we put into the count's carriage, and with great professions of condolence, accompanied him home.
The next day the story which we wished to keep secret, was divulged all over the district, and some persons even congratulated us upon this adventure, which had been variously magnified.
No sooner was Baron Hompesch able to leave his room, than he sent the count challenge, leaving him the choice of arms. My friend generously chose pistols.
Time and place being fixed, the count took leave of Caroline, who by her paleness seemed to prognosticate some mishap, as she rose from the sopha and gave him her hand to imprint on it the parting kiss. My Jealousy arose at this scene, and both herself and my friend seemed to notice it.
On the day appointed, we went on horseback to the ground, where we found the baron in readiness. As the combat was to last till the death of either of the parties, each of them brought with him two braces of pistols, which the respective seconds loaded and exchanged.
We then measured the ground, and each took his post. Five rounds were fired, and none of the combatants was wounded. "The baron proved so bad a marksman, as to have almost shot me, though I stood: at the distance of ten or twelve yards from the count. At the sixth discharge, I called out, "For shame baron, how can you thus tremble," He was now more lucky than my friend, who fell bleeding on the field; when both I and the baron ran to his assistance. The count, speechless, gave him his hand, and beckoned him to fly with all possible speed. The latter was moved, embraced him, and mounting his horse with his second, gallopped along. Had my friend: fallen on the sport, I had probably tried the remaining brace, and flatter myself, with better success. Bit the desire of saving occupied me more at this moment, than the wish of avenging him.
I did not think the wound mortal; as the bullet had rot penetrated deep enough to effect the entrails. The only thing I dreaded was the effect of the loss of blood. I and my trusty Alsonso; having dressed the count as well as we were able, carried him in our arms to Belle-vue, an adjacent village, where the surgeon, on extracting the lead, and probing the wound, was exactly of my opinion. The result confirmed it, and a few weeks quietness and regularity produced a perfect recovery.
On our return to Paris, the history of the duel had transpired among our friends, and our lodgings were constantly beset with enquiries, among whom the ladies were the most diligent. Caroline herself, accompanied by an old uncle, was a constant visitor, and rarely left the count's bedside.
It was on this occasion, that my love to the tender visitant increased to such a pitch as to render me superlatively wretched. As soon as my friend grew better, I changed my lodgings to try if absence would not cure me of this hapless passion. The Count had long ago perceived it, and doating himself on the beloved object, gladly consented to my removal. Caroline's conduct had so much changed since I first formed her acquaintance, that I now thought to remark in it a species of coquetry, which made it doubtful which of her two rivals she would prefer at last. She teazed me into an illness of near three weeks, occasioned by the fickleness of her deportment, and sealed her sportive cruelty, by making a determinate choice of the Count, who promised her marriage. I loved my friend too much to seek any farther to supplant him in the affections of this changeable female, and bore the effects of my luckless passion with silent murmurs against my untoward fate. During this double contest to conquer my fondness, and to preserve the esteem of my friend, a contest, which lasted five or six months, the count treated me with cold reserve, avoided my company, and ceased to honor me with his confidence. This made me demand an explicit declaration from Caroline, which being given in favour of my rival, I abjured my love, and declaring my real sentiments to him, terminated with regaining his former friendship. We continued as before, to visit the gay circles, and as I told him, that I would return to Spain, after making a tour through some of the French provinces, he promised to accompany me till his marriage, which his bride did not wish to have solemnized for some months to come.
Fernandos and Bernardos continued to share our pleasures, which now began to extend to every kind of dissipation, The expences attending high-life-excesses, beginning to incroach too much on our pecuniary resources, we resolved to dismiss our equipages and all superfluous menial servants, that we might have the more money to bestow upon such amusements as struck our fancy. This appearance of plainness served to introduce us among the lower spheres of people, whose manner of living is not the least fertile in merriment.
Being one night at a masqued ball, we retired at a late hour to one of the lodges adjoining the ball-room to take some refreshments. Rather fatigued with the manifold" sports and intrigues, which predominate on such occasions, it was our intention to remain together in that place, and have some chearful conversation over the sparkling champaign till approaching day-light should put a stop to our libations, and make us retire. The topic having insensibly led me on the Mystic Cabal, I confidentially recounted to my friends, the appearance of my genius Amanuel on Elmira's flight. During my story, the majority of the masks had withdrawn from the ball-room, and only a few of them were at times seen to pass by our table from one room into another. All was attention to my tale, and the eyes of my shuddering companions were immoveably fixed on my lips.
Towards the conclusion, the Duke of M** who was one of our party, suddenly exclaimed with enthusiastic eagerness, "I wish Don Carlos, I could once see your genius!"—At this moment the company was augmented by one mask, drest in a white domino, who advancing behind the Duke's chair whispered into his ear, "Here he is!" The looks of the whole company, who had overheard the stranger were now waiting for the confirmation of this apparition in my countenance, and a deadly paleness immediately afforded it.
The mask, in a peculiar manner opened his cloak,—and indeed I felt it was Amanuel.
Seeing me thus agitated, Dons Fernandos and Bernardos sallied forth to seize the stranger, who, as nimble as a deer, lost himself among the company in the adjoining supper-rooms, and eluded all farther pursuit, which, notwithstanding the activity of my friends, and a duration of near two hours, was completely frustrated.
After a stay of six months longer in the metropolis of France I set out with the two above mentioned friends to range in quest of adventure through several French provinces, and Count Selami accompanied us as far as Orleans, where taking leave of me and my companions, he expressed his hopes of seeing us again in Spain, whither he likewise meditated to retire some time after his marriage with Caroline.