<h2><SPAN name="CHAPTER_XVIII" id="CHAPTER_XVIII">CHAPTER XVIII.</SPAN><br/> <span class="chapterhead">THE COUNTESS OF BEARN.</span></h2>
<p><span class="firstwords">A hackney</span> coach stopping at the doorway of Chancellor
Maupeou, president of Parliament, induced the porter to
deign to stalk out to the door of the vehicle and see why the
way was thus blocked.</p>
<p>He saw an old lady in an antiquated costume. She was<SPAN name="Page_83" id="Page_83"></SPAN>
thin and bony but active, with cat's eyes rolling under gray
brows. But poverty stricken though she appeared, the porter
showed respect as he asked her name.</p>
<p>"I am the Countess of Bearn," she replied; "but I fear that
I shall not have the fortune to find his lordship at home."</p>
<p>"My lord is receiving," answered the janitor. "That is, he
will receive your ladyship."</p>
<p>The old lady stepped out of the carriage, wondering if she
did not dream, while the porter gave two jerks to a bellrope.
An usher came to the portals, where the first servant motioned
that the visitor might enter.</p>
<p>"If your ladyship desires speech with the lord high chancellor,"
said the usher, "step this way, please."</p>
<p>"They do speak ill of this official," uttered the lady; "but he
has the good trait that he is easily accessible. But it is strange
that so high an officer of the law should have open doors."</p>
<p>Chancellor Maupeou, buried in an enormous wig and clad
in black velvet, was writing in his study, where the door was
open.</p>
<p>On entering, the old countess threw a rapid glance around,
but to her surprise there was no other face than hers and that
of the law lord, thin, yellow and busy, reflected in the
mirrors.</p>
<p>He rose in one piece and placed himself with his back to the
fireplace.</p>
<p>The lady made the three courtesies according to rule.</p>
<p>Her little compliment was rather unsteady; she had not
expected the honor; she never could have believed that a
cabinet minister would give her some time out of his business
or his repose.</p>
<p>Maupeou replied that time was no less precious to subject
than his majesty's ministers, although preference had to be
given to persons with urgent affairs, consequently, he gave
what leisure he had to such clients.</p>
<p>"My lord," said the old lady, with fresh courtesies, "I beg
most humbly to speak to your excellency of a grave matter on
which depends my fortune. You know that my all depends,
or rather my son's, on the case sustained by me against the
Saluces family. You are a friend of that family, but your
lordship's equity is so well known that I have not hesitated
to apply to you."</p>
<p>The chancellor was fondling his chin, but he could not help
a smile to hear his fair play extolled.</p>
<p>"My lady, you are right in calling me friend of the Saluces;
but I laid aside friendship when I took the seals of office <SPAN name="tn_png_85"></SPAN><!--TN: Comma changed to a period added after "up" on Page 83-->up.
I look into your business simply as a juris consultus. The
case is soon coming on?"</p>
<p>"In another week I should beg your lordship to look over
my papers."</p>
<SPAN name="Page_84" id="Page_84"></SPAN>
<p>"I have done so already."</p>
<p>"Oh! What do you think of it?"</p>
<p>"I beg to say that you ought to be prepared to go home
and get the money together to pay the costs—for you will
infallibly lose the case."</p>
<p>"Then my son and I are ruined!"</p>
<p>"Unless you have friends at court to counterbalance the
influence of the Saluces brothers, who are linked with three
parts of the courtiers. In fact, I know not if they have an
enemy."</p>
<p>"I am sorry to hear your Excellency say this."</p>
<p>"I am sorry to say so, for I really wanted to be useful to
your ladyship."</p>
<p>The countess shuddered at the tone of feigned kindness, for
she seemed to catch a glimpse of something dark in the mind,
if not the speech of the chancellor; if that obscurity could be
swept away she fancied she would see something favorable to
her.</p>
<p>"Do you know nobody at court?" he insisted.</p>
<p>"Only some old noblemen, probably retired, who would
blush to see their old friend so poor. I have my right of entry
to the palace, but what is the good? Better to have the right
to enter into enjoyment of my two hundred thousand livres.
Work that miracle, my lord."</p>
<p>"Judges cannot be led astray by private influence," he
said, forgetting that he was contradicting himself. "Why
not, however, apply to the new powers, eager to make recruits?
You must have known the royal princesses?"</p>
<p>"They have grown out of remembrance."</p>
<p>"The prince royal?"</p>
<p>"I never knew him."</p>
<p>"Besides, he is dwelling too much on his bride, who is on
the road hither, to do any one a good turn. Oh! why not address
the favorites?"</p>
<p>"The Duke of Choiseul?"</p>
<p>"No, the other, the Countess——"</p>
<p>"Dubarry?" said the prude, opening her fan.</p>
<p>"Yes, she is goodhearted and she likes to do kindnesses to
her friends."</p>
<p>"I am of too old a line for her to like me."</p>
<p>"That is where you are wrong; for she is trying to ally
herself with the old families."</p>
<p>"But I have never seen her."</p>
<p>"What a pity! Or her sister, Chon, the other sister
Bischi, her brother Jean, or her negro boy Zamore?"</p>
<p>"What! is her negro a power at court?"</p>
<p>"Indeed he is."</p>
<p>"A black who looks like a pug dog, for they sell his picture<SPAN name="Page_85" id="Page_85"></SPAN>
in the streets. How was I to meet this blackamoor, my lord?"
and the dame drew herself up, offended.</p>
<p>"It is a pity you did not, for Zamore would win your suit
for you. Ask the dukes and peers of the realm who take candies
to him at Marly or Luciennes. I am the lord high
chancellor, but what do you think I was about when your
ladyship called? Drawing up the instructions for him as
governor of Luciennes, to which Zamore has been appointed."</p>
<p>"The Count of Bearn was recompensed for his services of
twenty years with merely the same title. What degradation!
Is the monarchy indeed going to the dogs?" cried the indignant
lady.</p>
<p>"I do not know about the government, but the crumbs are
going to them, and, faith! we must scramble among them
to get the tidbits away from them. If you wanted to be welcomed
by Lady Dubarry, you could not do better than carry
these papers for her pet to her."</p>
<p>"It is plain that fate is against me; for, though your lordship
has kindly greeted me, the next step is out of the question.
Not only am I to pay court to a Dubarry, but I must
carry her negro-boy's appointment—a black whom I would
not have deigned to kick out of my way on the street——"</p>
<p>Suddenly the usher interrupted:</p>
<p>"Viscount Jean Dubarry."</p>
<p>The chancellor dropped his hands in stupor, while the old
petitioner sank back in an armchair without pulse or breath.</p>
<p>Our old acquaintance pranced in, with his arm in a sling:</p>
<p>"Oh, engaged? Pray, do not disturb yourself, my lady; I
want only a couple of minutes to make a complaint, a couple
of his precious minutes. They have tried to murder me! I
did not mind their making fun at us, singing lewd ballads,
slandering and libeling us; but it is too much of a vile thing
to waylay and murder. But I am interrupting the
lady."</p>
<p>"This is the Countess of Bearn," said the chancellor.</p>
<p>Dubarry drew back gracefully to make a proper bow, and
the lady did the same for her courtesy, and they saluted as
ceremoniously as though they had been in court.</p>
<p>"After you, viscount," she said; "my case is about property;
yours about honor, and so takes the lead."</p>
<p>Profiting by her obligingness Dubarry unfolded his complaint.</p>
<p>"You will want witnesses on your side," observed the
chancellor.</p>
<p>"That is awkward, for everybody there seems to be on the
other side."</p>
<p>"Not everybody," interrupted the countess, "for if the affray
was the one that happened in Chaussee village, I can be<SPAN name="Page_86" id="Page_86"></SPAN>
your witness. I came through there a couple of hours after,
and all were talking of it!"</p>
<p>"Have a care, my <SPAN name="tn_png_88"></SPAN><!--TN: Quote added after "lady," on Page 86-->lady," said the viscount; "for if you
speak in my favor, you will make an enemy of Choiseul."</p>
<p>"She ought to lean on your arm, then; though one is
wounded, it will soon be healed, and the other is still formidable,"
said the law lord, while the old dame rolled from one
gulf into another.</p>
<p>"Ah, but I know another, whose arms are perfect," said
Jean, merrily; "and service for service, she will offer your
ladyship hers. I am going straight to my sister, and I offer
you a seat in my carriage."</p>
<p>"But without motive, without preparations," faltered the
countess.</p>
<p>"Here is your excuse," whispered Maupeou, slipping
Zamore's governmental instructions into her sallow, wrinkled
hand.</p>
<p>"My lord chancellor, you are my deliverer," she gasped.
"And the viscount is the flower of the chivalry."</p>
<p>Indeed, a splendid coach in the royal colors was waiting at
the doors. The countess placed herself in it, swelling with
pride. Jean entered likewise, and gave the word for the departure.</p>
<p>In her joy at this smooth sailing, the countess forgot that
she had wanted to lay a private complaint before the chancellor
as head of the legal fraternity.</p>
<p>It may be remembered that Chon had decoyed her into
traveling to Paris by pretending to be the daughter of her
lawyer Flageot.</p>
<p>What was her amazement, therefore, on calling on that
gentleman, to learn that not only was he a bachelor without
a daughter, but that he had no good news to impart to her
on her suit. Burning with disappointment, she had sought a
remedy against this lawyer or this woman who had hoaxed
her.</p>
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