CHAPTER XVI.
THE PHYSICIAN FOR THE STATE.
On the way back to Paris, Gilbert stopped at St. Ouen to see Necker'sdaughter. He had a suspicion that the financier had not gone toBrussels as everybody was led to think. Indeed, it was at Madam deStael's country house that he was concealed, awaiting events. He madeno difficulty in supplying his friend with a letter of introduction tothe King.
Armed with this, the doctor, leaving Billet and Pitou in a pretty hotelof Paris where the farmer usually stayed, hurried to Versailles.
It was half past ten but Versailles could not sleep now. It wasagitated about how the King would take the insult of the Bastile beingcaptured. It was not a slap in the face like Mirabeau's refusal to obeythe order of the King to vacate the Assembly-rooms, but a death-blow.
The palace and surrounding sites were packed with troops, but Gilbertmanaged to reach the Bulls-eye Chamber where Necker's letter passed himinto the royal presence.
The doctor examined in silence the pilot given to France in stormyweather, whom he had not seen for many long years.
For the physiognomist who had studied under Lavater, the magnetiser whohad read the future with Balsamo, the philosopher who had meditatedwith Rousseau, the traveler who had reviewed many peoples, all in thisshort, stout man signified degeneracy, impotence and ruin.
When Louis had read the introduction he dismissed all attendants with awave of the hand not devoid of majesty.
"Is it true," said he, "that you are the author of the Memoirs onAdministration and Politics, which much struck me? you are young forsuch a work?"
"I am thirty-two, but study and misfortune age a man; treat me as anold one."
"Why are you so slow to present yourself to me?"
"Because I had no need to speak to your Majesty what I could freely andeasily write."
"But you ought to have been informed that I was kindly towards you,"observed the monarch, suspiciously.
"Your Majesty alludes to my audacity in requesting him, in token ofhaving read my work with gratification, to show a light in his ownstudy window? I saw that, and was gladdened, but your Majesty offered areward, and I want none."
"Any way you come like a true soldier when the action is on. But I amnot used to meet those who do not haste when recompense is offered."
"I deserve none. Born a Frenchman, loving my land, jealous of itsprosperity, confounding my individuality with that of its thirtymillions of men, I work for them in toiling for myself. A selfish mandeserves no recompense."
"Excuse me, you had another reason. You thought the state of eventsserious and held back----"
"For a more serious one? Your Majesty guesses correctly."
"I like frankness," said the King, reddening, for he was nervous. "So,you predicted ruin for the sovereign and you wanted to be out of thereach of the flying splinters."
"No, Sire, since I hasten towards the danger."
"You come fresh from Necker and you naturally speak like him. Where ishe?"
"Ready at hand to obey your orders."
"All for the best, for I shall require him," returned Louis with asigh. "In politics, nobody should sulk. A plan may be good and failfrom accidents."
"Sire, your Majesty reasons admirably," said Gilbert, coming to hisaid; "but the main thing now is to see into the future clearly; as aphysician, I speak bluntly at crises."
"Do you attach much importance to the riot of yesterday?"
"It is not riot, but revolution."
"And would you have me treat with rebels and murderers? Their takingthe Bastile by force was an act of rebellion; their slaying of Launay,Losme and Flesselles, murder."
"They should be held apart; those who stormed the Bastile were heroes;those who murdered those gentlemen, butchers."
"You are right, sir," said the King, his lips blanching after atransient blush and perspiration appearing on his brow. "You are indeeda physician, or rather a surgeon for you cut into the tender flesh.But let us return to the subject. You are Dr. Gilbert, who wrote thosearticles?"
"Sire, I consider it is a great happiness that my name is retained inyour memory. It must not have sounded new when spoken a week ago inyour hearing. I mean that when I was arrested and put in the Bastile. Ialways understood that no arrest is made of any importance without theKing being advised."
"You in the Bastile?" cried the astonished King.
"Here is the order to lock me up. Put in prison six days ago by theroyal order, I was released by the grace of the people at three o'clockthis day. Did not your Majesty hear the cannon? they broke the doorsdown to let me out."
"Ah, I should be glad if I might say the cannon was not fired onroyalty at the same time as the Bastile." Thus the King muttered.
"Oh, Sire, do not take a prison as the emblem of the monarchy. Say onthe contrary that you are glad the Bastile is taken; for, I trust, nosuch injustice as I was the victim of will be henceforth committed inthe name of the ruler who is kept ignorant of it."
"But there must be some cause for your arrest."
"None that I am aware of, Sire; I was arrested as soon as I landed andimprisoned--that is all there is in it."
"Really, sir," said the monarch mildly, "is there not selfishness inyour dilating on your troubles when I want my own dealt with?"
"I only need a word: did your Majesty have anything to do with myarrest?"
"I was unaware of your return to this kingdom."
"I am happy for this reply. I may loudly say that your Majesty isdefamed when evil is attributed to you, and cite myself as example."
"You put balm on the wound, Doctor," said the other, smiling.
"Oh, Sire, I will liberally anoint it; and I will cure it, I promise.But you must strongly wish the healing done. But, before pledgingyourself too deeply, I should like you to notice the note on the prisonrecord."
The King frowned to read: "At the Queen's request."
"Have you incurred the Queen's disfavor?" he inquired.
"Sire, I am sure that her Majesty knows me less than yourself."
"But you must have committed some misdeed, for people are not put inthe Bastile for nothing."
"Humph, several in this situation, have come out."
"If you run over your life----"
"I will do so, out aloud: but do not be uneasy, it will not take long.Since sixteen I have toiled without repose. The pupil of Rousseau, thecompanion of Joseph Balsamo, the friend of Lafayette and Washington,since I quitted France, I have not a fault to reproach myself with, nota wrongful deed. Since heaven gave me the charge of bodies, I have shedmy blood for mankind and staunched its flow in others. Thousands liveto bless my labors."
"In America you worked with the innovators and propagate theirprinciples by your writings."
"Yes, Sire, I forgot this claim on the gratitude of monarchs andpeoples."
This silenced the King.
"Sire, you know my life now; I have offended and injured nobody, queenor beggar; and I humbly ask your Majesty why I was imprisoned."
"I will speak to the Queen about it. Do you believe that the warrant toarrest and imprison came directly from her Majesty?"
"I do not believe this; I rather presume that her Majesty countersignedit. But when a queen approves, she commands."
"Countess of Charny," read the King on the record sheet; "is it she whowanted you imprisoned? why, what have you done to poor Charny?"
"Before this morning I never heard of any lady of that title."
"Charny," muttered the King, musing, "virtue, goodness, chastity inperson!"
"You see, they have put me in prison in the name of the ChristianGraces," remarked Gilbert, laughing.
"Oh, I will have this cleared up," said the King, and ringing the bellhe bade the servant bring the Countess of Charny into his presence.
Taking the Bastile; Or, Pitou the Peasant Page 17
