Joseph Balsamo Read Online Free PDF Page B

God thanks thee by me for thy efforts in His cause. I
    DCMAS VOL. VI. B
     
    26 JOSEPH BALSAMO.
    shall give thee an address to which them shalt send the promised money to France.”
    The president bowed, and departed, full of astonishment at that intelligence which had discovered his name.
    ” I grant thee, Fairfax,” continued the master, “thou art worthy of thy great ancestor. “Remember me to Washington when next thou writest to him.”
    Fairfax bowed, and followed Swedenborg.
    “Come, Paul Jones,” said the Copt, “thou spokest bravely ; thou shalt be the hero of America. Let her be ready at the first signal.”
    The American thrilled in every nerve, as if the breath of some divine being had passed over him, and retired also.
    ” And now, as to thee, Lavater, abjure thy theories ; it is the time for action. Study no longer what man is, but what he may be. Go ! Woe to thy countrymen if they rise against us ; for our people will devour in its wrath as the wrath of God devours.”
    The trembling Swiss bowed and departed.
    ” Here, Ximenes,” he went on, addressing the Spaniard, ” thou art zealous, but distrustful. Thy country sleeps, but it is because none awakes her. Go ! Castile is still the country of the Cicl.”
    The last of the six was advancing, but by a gesture the Copt forbid him.
    ” Scieffort of Russia, before a month thou wilt betray our cause, but in a mouth thou shalt be no more.”
    The Russian envoy fell on his knees, but a threatening movement of the master made him rise, and with tottering steps he also departed.
    And now this singular man, whom we have introduced” as the hero of our drama, left alone, looked around the empty, silent hall, buttoned up his black velvet coat, fixed his hat firmly on his head touched the spring of the great bronze gate which had closed behind him, and sallied out into the defiles of the mountain. Though he had neither guide nor light, he went on rapidly, as if led by an invisible hand.
     
    JOSEPH BALSAMO. 27
    Having passed the thick belt of trees, he looked for his horse ; but not seeing him, he listened, and soon thought he heard a distant neighing. He whistled with a peculiar modulation, and in a moment Djerid could be seen coming forward like a faithful and obedient dog. The traveler sprang to the saddle, and quickly disappeared in the darkness, which spread over the heath extending from Mont Tomierre to Danenfels.
     
    CHAPTER I.
    THE STORM.
    EIGHT days after the scene just related, about five in the evening, a carriage with four horses and two postilions, left Pont-a-Mousson, a small town between Nancy and Metz. It had taken fresh horses at an inn, in spite of the recommendation of an attentive hostess who was on the lookout for belated travelers, and continued on its road to Paris. Its four horses had scarcely turned the corner of the street, when a score of children and half a score of gossips, who had watched the progress of their being put to, returned to their respective dwellings with gestures and exclamations expressive in some of great mirth, in others of great astonishment.
    All this was because nothing like that carriage had for fifty years passed the bridge which good King Stanislaus threw across the Moselle to facilitate the intercourse of his little kingdom with France. We do not except even those curious vehicles of Alsace, which bring from Phalsbourg to our fairs two-headed wonders, dancing bears and the wandering tribes of harlequins, and gypsies.
    In fact, without being either a child or a curious old gossip, surprise might have arrested one’s steps on seeing this primitive machine, on four massive wheels, roll by with such velocity that every one exclaimed :
    ” What a strange way of traveling post ! “
     
    28 JOSEPH BALSAMO.
    As our readers, fortunately for them, did not see it pass, we shall describe it.
    First, then, the principal carriage we say principal, because in front it was a sort of cabriolet the principal carriage was