The Bath Keepers Volume I Part 12

"Yes, I do think so!--What! you, to whose place the young n.o.bles come by preference, whether to bathe, or to have their hair and beards arranged, and bring customers to your establishment and make it fas.h.i.+onable!--you take sides against them in this quarrel, instead of going to their a.s.sistance, as every self-respecting man should do! You take part with strangers--a rustic and a strumpet from no one knows where!"

"I do what I please, what suits me, neighbor! I consult my heart before my pocket. I look to see on which side the right and not the profit is.--But why do you interfere? Is it any of your business?"

"Yes, monsieur le baigneur; yes, it is my business--And that young page whom you smeared with soapsuds so shamefully! He even had it in his eyes! You spoiled a superb bow of ribbon that I sold him this morning!"

"So much the better for you; he'll buy another one of you!"

"No, he will not--I mean, yes, he will buy another one.--But your conduct is none the less indecent!"

"By Notre-Dame de Paris! you are beginning to make my ears burn, Neighbor Lambourdin! Not another word, or I strike you!"

"Do you think to frighten me, you low-lived bath keeper, unworthy to shave n.o.ble chins! I am no boy of fifteen; and if you should touch me with your shaving brush, I'd trample you under foot like an old blanket!"

"Ah! so! Well, take that! I won't touch you with my shaving brus.h.!.+"

As he spoke, Hugonnet buried his fist in Lambourdin's side; the latter had gone too far to retreat; and then, too, there were so many witnesses! So he answered the blow with a kick, but he measured the distance so inaccurately that he kicked into s.p.a.ce.

Lambourdin was a little fellow, strong enough, but not of the build to contend with Master Hugonnet. After a struggle that was not of long duration, the two neighbors fell, still clinging to each other.

Unluckily, poor Lambourdin was underneath, and had to endure simultaneously the weight of his adversary's body and the numerous blows which he continued to administer. Then it was that the little man's cries attracted the attention of the young gentlemen who had remained in front of the bath keeper's house.

They ran to the scene of conflict; Hugonnet was excited and would not release his neighbor; but when he heard the voice of his daughter, who came up to see who the combatants were, the barber grew calmer, rose, and entered his shop, saying:

"No matter! he got what he deserved! What need had he to meddle in the affair?"

As for Lambourdin, who was completely done up and could hardly walk, he required the a.s.sistance of two arms to return to his home, but they were neither pages nor n.o.bles who supplied them, although it was in their behalf that he had fought!--So much for the grat.i.tude of those whose quarrels one embraces!

This incident diverted the young dandies, and made them forget Cedrille and Miretta for a moment; and with a Frenchman, when the first ardor has pa.s.sed away, it very rarely returns.

Furthermore, a number of fair dames, who had had time to leave the bath and to dress, came from the house, with a wink to one, a slight nod to another; so that in a few moments the whole crowd dispersed, the idlers sauntered away, the neighbors returned to their homes, and there was no one left in the barber's shop save the Chevalier Pa.s.sedix, who was wiping Roland, which he had picked out of the gutter, and the Sire de Jarnonville, who had thrown himself into a chair and was apparently lost in thought and entirely oblivious to what was going on about him.

"Par la sandioux! my _belle baigneuse_," said the Gascon knight to Ambroisine, who had remained in the shop, and who, as if by accident, glanced very frequently in Jarnonville's direction, "I am very glad to tell you that in this affair you comported yourself like a man of heart!

First, it was well done of you to take that stranger's part; what a lovely face! sandis! what a fascinating profile! and the full face--it is enough to bring one to one's knees! So that I knelt with ardor!--You will pardon me, I trust, _belle baigneuse_, for praising another woman in your presence. You too are superb, after a different type."

"Oh! say on, monsieur le chevalier, do not hesitate. Why should I take it ill of you that you praise that girl? In the first place, she deserves it, for she is very pretty. And then, have you not the right to fall in love with her, if you please? does it concern me?"

"True, true! it could not affect you, since you have refused the homage of my heart--for I think that I offered it to you----"

"But you are not quite sure, eh?"

"Why, you see, I have disposed of it so often! But let us return to the stranger, to pretty Miretta--for her name is Miretta, is it not?"

"Yes, that is the name by which her companion, the stout peasant, called her."

"And she is an Italian?"

"No; she told us that she was from Bearn; but it seems that she has lived in Italy a long while."

"O mia cara!--I know a few words of Italian--they may be very useful to me. As I was saying, superb Ambroisine, your conduct was glorious! You showed a courage--a valor--if you had been of my family, you could have done no better. That d.a.m.ned Jarnonville---- He does not hear me; I think that he's asleep."

"Oh, no! he is not asleep; he is thinking, but not of us. Indeed, I would wager that he doesn't even see that we are here!"

"He may hear me or not, I snap my fingers at him! That d.a.m.ned Jarnonville, by a bungler's thrust--for it is never used, everybody scorns to use it--however, he knocked my sword from my hand; and I said to myself just now: 'How in the deuce could I have let Roland go? There must have been some deviltry about it, for it is the first time I was ever disarmed!'--Well, sandioux! I have found the cause, while wiping the hilt of my weapon.--What do you suppose I found on it, just at the spot where one grasps it? I will give you ten thousand guesses."

"I prefer that you should tell me at once."

"Well, my beauty, I found a strip of pork twisted around the hilt of Roland. So you will see that it is not surprising that my sword slipped from my hand. Ah! cadedis! if I knew who played me that vile trick of larding my sword like a partridge!--You laugh, I believe----"

"Bless me! monsieur le chevalier, it seems to me so amusing that your rapier should have been treated like a fowl; it is laughable enough!"

"Do you doubt what I say? Never has a lie soiled my lips!--Look, lovely girl! yonder is that accursed pork which I found on Roland; I threw it into that corner; you can see for yourself."

"I do not doubt what you say, monsieur le chevalier; but as the quarrel attracted many people to this spot, and as there were several housewives among them, returning from market with well-filled baskets on their arms, it is probable that one of them dropped that fine strip of pork on your sword as it lay on the ground; and she is probably looking everywhere for it now."

This explanation did not seem to the liking of Pa.s.sedix, for he compressed his lips angrily and muttered:

"There are some people who distort the simplest things.--But enough of that. Tell me now, young Hugonnette, by what miracle you so suddenly appeased the wrath of that miscreant Jarnonville? How did it happen that at sight of a little brat of three or four years that madman, who knows neither G.o.d nor the devil, became absolutely calm. I confess that I was so surprised that I feel it yet."

Ambroisine motioned to Pa.s.sedix to follow her to the rear of the shop, where the Sire de Jarnonville could neither see nor hear them.

The Gascon, who was very curious to know what the girl had to tell him, lost no time in seating himself by her side on a bench; whereupon Ambroisine resumed the conversation, taking care, however, to speak in undertones.

"Have you known the Sire de Jarnonville long?"

"No--about a year; and even so, I know him only from having been with him in several affrays. He fights well, I am bound to admit, but he's a good-for-nothing fellow. He doesn't believe in anything, and I don't like atheists. I am a bad man with the fair, a libertine, a rake, a seducer!--anything you please, I will not say _nay_. But all that does not prevent my being religious, for without religion there is no true chivalry; and all those stainless knights who fought in Palestine would then be mere braggarts.--But why do you ask me that question?"

"Because, if you had known the Sire de Jarnonville long, you would probably know as much about him as I do, and you would have a very different opinion of him.--I will tell you what I have heard here. About five or six months ago, the Black Chevalier, for he is sometimes so called, had just left our house, where he had been telling the story of one of his exploits--he had broken everything in a tavern, I believe.

When he had gone, a gentleman quite advanced in years, but with a face that inspired respect, said to another gentleman who was with him: 'Poor Jarnonville! how he has changed! who would believe, to look at him now, that he was once the mildest, most obliging, most virtuous of men! the man who was held up as a model to young gentlemen who were just entering the world!'--'What can have changed him so?' the other inquired.--'Jarnonville was married, and he lost his wife, whom he loved very dearly; but she had left him a child, a little girl, who was, they say, an angel of beauty, sweetness, and docility. Jarnonville adored little Blanche--that was his daughter's name; she had become his only love, his sole joy, his whole hope for the future; constantly intent upon providing some pleasure, some delight for his darling child, his grief for his wife's death gradually faded away. Happy and proud to be all in all to his daughter, who became every day more charming in body and mind, Jarnonville hardly ever left little Blanche. At four years of age--and that is very, very young!--at four years of age, the child understood all that she owed to her father, all the sacrifices to which he submitted for her sake; but she repaid them all by her love. Never did a child of that age manifest such affection for its father! If he left her for an instant, her eyes filled with tears; but as soon as she saw him, an enchanting smile lighted up her lovely face.--Poor child!

You will understand how he must have loved her!--Well! that child, already so far beyond her years in her feelings and her intelligence, that pretty Blanche--he lost her after an illness of a few days only!

One of those cruel diseases which feed upon childhood, and which the doctors are as yet unable to cure, carried off the poor little darling!--I will not try to describe her father's grief; it would be impossible. But the frightful calamity that had befallen him changed his character absolutely. Jarnonville accused heaven, Providence. Having never been guilty in his whole life of any evil deed, he rebelled against the fate that dealt him such a cruel blow, which s.n.a.t.c.hed away that little creature to whom life seemed to offer such a beautiful and peaceful prospect--in short, that man, who had always been so religious, ceased utterly to be so, and blasphemed G.o.d. Deaf to all consolation, he lived a long while in retirement. When, by dint of constant solicitation, his friends succeeded in luring him back into society, he was no longer the Jarnonville of other days. To divert his thoughts from his grief, he joins all the parties conceived by the worst scapegraces in the city; not a duel, not a nocturnal affray, in which he does not take part. He drinks, drinks to excess, gambles, pa.s.ses whole nights in debauchery, serves as second to all the young scatterbrains who sow discord in families. He has become the bugbear of the pet.i.ts bourgeois, the terror of cabaretiers, tavern keepers, of all decent folk; in a word, he is just the opposite of all that he used to be.--But, for my part, I cannot help pitying him; it is his head which is at fault, not his heart; it is despair that has changed his nature. Nor do I believe that he is altogether lost! He still wears mourning for his daughter. In the midst of his debauchery, he has not chosen to lay aside his sombre garments; and when he seems most excited by gambling, wine, or pa.s.sion, show him a child of about the age of his little Blanche when she died, and you will see a magical change take place in him instantly; his eyes will fill with tears, and that man, whose glance made you tremble a moment before, will become silent and as gentle as a child.'

"That is what the gentleman told his friend. I listened, at first from curiosity, then with deep interest; and since then, whenever I see the Sire de Jarnonville, despite his harsh or brusque manner, he does not seem to me such a bad man as he used.--To-day, when I saw him interfere in that battle and take sides against us with his long sword, which he uses so skilfully, I said to myself: 'Those poor travellers are lost!'

And, in fact, your Roland was already on the ground and the peasant's staff was beginning to give way, when I remembered what I had heard. A little boy was close by, in his mother's arms; I ran and seized him--and you saw how successful my idea was; for the Black Chevalier instantly ceased to fight, and himself looked to the safe departure of the travellers."

Pa.s.sedix had listened to Ambroisine, making from time to time one of those little grimaces which indicate that one places little credence in what one hears. When she had finished her narrative, he said, shaking his head:

"Between ourselves, _belle baigneuse_, what you have told me seems most extraordinary, and in my opinion this story of the Sire de Jarnonville is a trifle chimerical!"

"Why so, seigneur?" replied Ambroisine, leaving the bench. "It seems to me no more extraordinary than your story of the pork twisted round your sword hilt; and I should say that the event has proved that the gentleman's story was true."

Pa.s.sedix did not think it best to reply. He walked toward Jarnonville, who had risen and was standing in the doorway.

"Sire de Jarnonville," said the Gascon, offering him his hand, "we both fought like brave men; you were victorious, but I bear you no ill will!

especially as I am able to explain why Roland slipped from my hand. We were not on the same side, but, since peace has been concluded, shake hands, and let bygones be bygones!"

Instead of putting his hand in the hand that was offered him, Jarnonville, who had seemed not to listen to the Gascon, suddenly hurried away, without a word in reply.

"Sandioux! what does that mean?" cried Pa.s.sedix, still standing with outstretched hand, while Ambroisine turned her face away to laugh.

"Damme! is this the way that discourteous _sombrinos_ responds to my civility! Evidently, this Jarnonville is nothing more than a felon, a boor, whom I will chastise handsomely at our first meeting. And let no one presume to thrust a child in between us, sandis! or I will give him a good kick somewhere!"