The Hero of the People: A Historical Romance of Love, Liberty and Loyalty

by Alexandre Dumas

  CHAPTER XXIII.

  THE ROYAL LOCKSMITH.

  As the King had undertaken a very important piece of locksmith work, hesent his valet Hue to beg General Lafayette to come into his smithy.

  It was on the second floor above his bedroom, with inner and outerstairs.

  Since morning he had been hammering away at the work for which MasterGamain gave him praise and so much regret that the politicians shouldtake him away from it to trouble about foreign countries.

  Perhaps he wanted to show the Commander of the National Guard thathowever weak as a monarch, he was mighty as a Tubal Cain.

  On the road Count Louis had time to meditate; and he concluded that theQueen knew nothing of his errand. He would have to study the King'sreception and see if he did not give some sign of better understandingwhat brought him to Paris than his cousin the marquis.

  The valet did not know Bouille so that he only announced the general.

  "Ah, it is you, marquis," said the King, turning. "I must ask pardon forcalling you up here, but the smith assures you that you are welcome inhis forge. A charcoal-burner once said to my ancestor Henry IV.: 'Jackis king in his own castle.' But you are master in the smithy as in thepalace."

  Louis spoke much in the same way as Marie Antoinette.

  "Sire, under whatever circumstances I present myself to your Majesty,"said Lafayette, "and whatever costume your Majesty is in, the King willbe ever the sovereign and I the faithful subject and devoted servant."

  "I do not doubt that, my lord; but you are not alone. Have you changedyour aid-de-camp?"

  "This young officer, Sire, whom I ask leave to introduce, is my cousin,Count Louis Bouille, captain in the Provence Dragoons."

  "Oh, son of Marquis Bouille, commander of Metz?" said the King, with aslight start not escaping the young man.

  "The same, Sire," he spoke up quickly.

  "Excuse me not knowing you, but I have short sight. Have you been longin town?"

  "I left Metz five days ago; and being here without official furlough butunder special permission from my father, I solicited my kinsman themarquis for the honor of presentation to your Majesty."

  "You were very right, my lord, for nobody could so well present you atany hour, and from no one could the introduction come more agreeably."

  The words "at any hour" meant that Lafayette had the public and privateentry to the King. The few words from the sovereign put the young counton his guard. The question about his coming signified that he wanted toknow if Charny had seen his father.

  Meanwhile Lafayette was looking round curiously where few penetrated; headmired the regularity with which the tools were laid out. He blew thebellows as the apprentice.

  "So your Majesty has undertaken an important work, eh?" queriedLafayette, embarrassed how to talk to a King who was in a smutty apron,with tucked up sleeves and had a file in his hand.

  "Yes, general, I have set to making our magnus opus a lock. I tell youjust what I am doing or we shall have Surgeon Marat saying that I amforging the fetters of France. Tell him it is not so, if you lay hold ofhim. I suppose you are not a smith, Bouille?"

  "At least I was bound apprentice, and to a locksmith, too."

  "I remember, your nurse's husband was a smith and your father, althoughnot much of a student of Rousseau acted on his advice in 'Emile' thateverybody should learn a craft, and bound you to the workbench."

  "Exactly; so that if your Majesty wanted a boy----"

  "An apprentice would not be so useful to me as a master," returned theKing. "I am afraid I have ventured on too hard a job. Oh, that I had myteacher Gamain, who used to say he was a crafts-master above themasters."

  "Is he dead, my lord?"

  "No," replied the King, giving the young gentleman a glance for him tobe heedful; "he lives in Versailles, but the dear fellow does not darecome and see me at the Tuileries for fear he will get an ill name. Allmy friends have gone away, to London, Turin or Coblentz. Still, my deargeneral, if you do not see any inconvenience in the old fellow comingwith one of his boys to lend me a hand, I might ask him to drop in someday."

  "Your Majesty ought to know perfectly that he can see and send foranybody."

  "Yes, on condition that you sentries search them as the revenue officersdo those suspected of smuggling; poor Gamain will believe he is to behanged, drawn and quartered if they found his bag of tools on him andtook his three-cornered file for a stiletto!"

  "Sire, I do not know how to excuse myself to your Majesty, but I amanswerable for your person to the Powers of Europe, and I cannot taketoo many precautions for that precious life to be protected. As for thehonest fellow of whom we are speaking, the King can give what orders hepleases."

  "Very well; thank you, marquis; I might want him in a week or tendays--him and his 'prentice," he added, with a glance at Bouille; "Icould notify him by my valet Durey, who is a friend of his."

  "He has only to call to be shown up to the King; his name will suffice.Lord preserve me from getting the title of your jailer, Sire; never wasthe monarch more free; and I have even desired your Majesty to resumehunting and riding out."

  "Thank you, but no more hunts for me! Besides, you see I have somethingto keep me in doors, in my head. As for traveling, that is anothermatter; the last trip from Versailles to Paris cured me of the desire totravel, in such a large party at all events."

  He threw a glance to Bouille who ventured to blink to show that heunderstood.

  "Are you soon going back to your father?" inquired the King of thelatter.

  "Sire, I am leaving Paris in a couple of days to pay a visit to mygrandmother, living in Versailles; I am bound to pay my respects. Then Iam charged by my father to attend to a rather important family matter,for which I expect to see the person who will give me the directions inabout a week. So I shall hardly be with my father before the first weekin December, unless the King has particular reasons for me to see himsooner."

  "No, my lord, take your time; go to Versailles and transact yourbusiness and when done, go and tell the marquis, that I do not forgethim as one of my faithful lieges, and that I will speak of him one ofthese days to General Lafayette for him to advance him."

  Lafayette smiled faintly at this allusion to his omnipotence.

  "Sire," he said, "I should have long ago recommended Marquis Bouille toyour Majesty had he not been my kinsman. The fear of raising the crythat I am looking after my family alone prevented me doing him thisjustice."

  "This chimes in nicely, then; we will speak of this matter again."

  "The King will kindly allow me to say that my father would consider anychange of a post a disgrace that robbed him of the chance to serve yourMajesty particularly."

  "Oh, that is fully understood, count," responded Louis the King, "andMarquis Bouille shall not be moved without it being according to hisdesires and mine. Let General Lafayette and I manage this, and you runto your pleasure-making without altogether forgetting business. Goodbye, gentlemen!"

  He dismissed them with a majestic manner in singular contrast with thevulgar attire.

  "Come, come," he said to himself, when the door was shut. "I believe theyoung blade has comprehended me, and that in a week or so we shall haveMaster Gamain coming to aid me, _with his 'prentice_."