The Crossing

eur l

he empty streets towards the Governor's house. We were followed by André and Madame's maid. The sleepy orderly started up from under the archway at

ke him," said Mad

His Excellency would at first be angry, no doubt. Angry? As an Andalusian bull, Madame. Once,

t her again. "You will wake Monsieur le Baron, and tell him that Madame

or my head was hot and throbbing from my exertions in such a climate. It was a new room,-the hotel being newly built,-with white walls, a picture of his Catholic Majesty and the royal arms of Spain, a map of Louisiana, another of New Orleans fortified, some walnut chairs, a desk with ink and sand and

ng to the forts and palisades to guard against such foolish enterprises as this of Mr. Temple's. And to be waked out of a well-earned

is Excellency. I wondered whether this were birth, or training, or both, or a natural ability to cope with affairs. The women of her orde

manded, and continued without wait

all these years by a portrait, that we should finally be thrown together,

t she did not seem to ta

irl. He was a very queer person to be attached to the Embassy,-not a courtier, but a serious,

sked. Other questions rose to

I believe you might have done. A certain Marquis spoke lightly of a lady, an Engl

her breath was coming more

d t

ed him to the service. I have never seen him since," she said, "but I have often thought of him. There," she added, af

court-yard, and the orderly appeared at t

lency the

plump calves stretching his white stockings to the full. Madame extended her hand and he kissed it, albeit he did not bend easily.

I owe the honor of this visit,

for a man would not have dared to disturb you. May I pr

d had sufficient dealings with men to divine that, in the coming conversation, th

r having fallen into such company. "Ah," he cried, breathing hard in the manner of

ook a like cognizance of all my countrymen who

Excellency,

eralist?" he said,

our Exce

have come. Pardieu, I declare every day that, if it were not for the Americans, I should have ten years more of life ahead of me." I co

e beliefs upon most matters. We have both suffered at th

with a wit I had not thought in him, "that Mr. Ritchie

e lau

locks against your Excellency's orders with the image and superscription of the Goddess in whose name all thing

nd began to thaw. There was a little mor

e?" he asked. "We all worship the sex in som

t his remark was a purely random one. But the roots of my hair seemed to have taken fire. I saw the Ba

me la Vicomtesse,

ing me with a new interest, "I did n

Baron," said the Vicomtess

or me, I held my breath, wonderin

miniature of me by Boze, that was painte

e Baron. "And how did such a th

triumph for your Excellency. Mr. Ritchie bought the miniature from

d, and I began to think that, if he didn't relieve himself, his head might blow off. As for the Vicomtes

ter I know not what repressions, "you have com

icomtesse, calmly, "you may hang Auguste, put him in

f, and utterly confounded, "why is it you have come to me, then

to accompany Auguste to Louisiana," she continued, "in beh

ted abruptly f

," he cried; "Madame

is that which I came t

nplussed. "You came to tell me where

re I tell you where they are, I wish t

ng of him already," sai

Gignoux. And what do y

k, under which the Ba

se in the plot?" he cried. "Wh

anner sudd

a plot which has for its furtherance that abominable anarchy which depriv

han ever. "I have had much to do these last years, and the heat and the R

ity" (there was a little gleam in her eye as she gave me this array of virtues) "can be perfectly established. When he came to New Orleans some years ago he brought letters to Monsieur de

fortunate in your advocate. Madame la Vicomtesse neglected to say tha

Monsieur le Baron,"

g of this expedition," said the Baron, hi

xcellency is well informed, and that Monsieur Vigo ha

pted me wi

onsieur," he said; "you contrive to

now, has been as much of a farce as Citizen Genêt's commissions. But it has been a sad farce to me, inasmuch

e Baron, craftily. "Pardon me, Mr. Ritchie, b

boy of the regiment, and a sort of ward of the Col

nel to Louisiana?" said his Excellency, for

your Excellency knows that, and I put loyalty to my government before friendship

y laughing. His irritability an

d. "I have seen something of men in my time. In wh

d the pale of the fortune-seeker, and I firmly believe that if your Excellency sees fit to allow him to leave the province, and if certain disquieting elements can be removed from his life" (I glanced at the Vicomtesse), "he will settle down and become a useful citizen of the United States. As much as

Mr. Ritchie,"

back of which his Excellency might at any time become cognizant, and therefore I told him as briefly as possible Nick's story, leaving out only the episode with Antoinette. When I came to the relation o

he said, and turned to the Vicomtesse. "I have lear

in Louisiana that your Excellency

he said, speaki

ce my cousin to abandon this matter, and I went out last evening to try to get word of him." This was not s

eyes, Monsieur

To say that Gignoux were deep in the councils of the expedition, that he held a commission from Citizen Genêt, I reali

countrymen, who are coming down the river like driftwood, more resembled you. As for Citizen Gignoux," he went on, smiling, and wiping his face, "let not your heart be troubled. His Majesty's

erwhelmed at this example of S

erhaps Madame la Vicomtesse is ready to tell me of the whereabouts of Mr. Temple and her estima

since I have begun to tremble at the amazing thoroughn

efore us, with his calves crossed and his hands folde

six to Havana; and if Monsieur étienne de Boré had not, in the nick of time for him, discovered how to make sugar he would have gone, too. I had an idea that t

rised, and

astute. Why did you thin

believed them to be harmles

misjudged him when you introduced him to me. And again, where are Mr. Temple and your estimable

Excellency," sa

imed the Ba

he is probably by this time on board a French ship at the English Turn. H

usband, and several other noblemen and their ladies and some of her Majesty's letters and jewels would never have gotten out

t both Mr. Temple and Auguste de S

s only a man in his condition of flesh can perspire. To say that I was bewildered by this last evidence of the insight of the woman beside me would be to

e I came to Louisiana. But, diable," he cried, "just as I was congratulating myself that I was to have one American the less, you come and tell me that h

o bring him to your Excellency, and he were to give you his word that he would leave the province at the first opportunity? He now wishes to

in a service which did

o-night after dark I will send down an officer and have him brought before me. He will not then b

audience was ended, and he added, as he kissed her hand, "Madame la