Joseph Balsamo by Alexandre Dumas Page B

another philosopher, sir. Upon the honor of a gentleman, it is sickening ! Did he not speak to me the other day about giving the negroes their freedom ? 4 And what about sugar ?’ asked I, ‘for I like my coffee very sweet, and so does Louis XV.’ ‘ Sir,’ replied he, ‘ is it not better to go without sugar than to make a whole
     
    JOSEPH BALSAMO. 65
    race suffer ? ‘ ‘A race of monkeys said I, and I think it was saying a great deal in their praise. Well, what do you think he said next ? Ma foi ! there must be something in the air to turn people’s heads ! He replied to me, * that all men were brothers ! ‘ I the brother of a Hottentot ! “
    ” Oh, that was going rather far ! “
    ” Hey ! what do you think of that ? I am in great luck with my two children, am I not ? No one will say that I shall be truly represented in ray descendants. The sister is an angel the brother an apostle ! Drink, sir, drink. The wine is detestable ! “
    ” I think it exquisite ‘ said Balsamo, still looking at Andre.
    ” Then yon are a philosopher. Take care or I shall order my daughter to preach you a sermon. But no ; philosophers have no religion. Still, religion was a very convenient thing one believed in God and the king, and all was settled. Now people believe in neither one nor the other they must know so much read so much. I prefer never doubting. In my time, our only study was to amuse ourselves to play at faro and dice, and to fence ; we ruined duchesses, and were ruined by opera dancers that was my history to a tittle. The whole of Taverney went to the opera. It is the only thing I regret, for a ruined man is not worth the name of man. You think me old, don’t you ? Well, it is because I am ruined, and live in this den ; because my wig is shabby, and my coat a relic of antiquity. But look at my friend the marshal, with his coats of the newest cut, and his well-curled wig, and his ten thousand a year. He looks young, fresh, and gay, and yet he is ten years older than I, sir ten years, I assure you ! “
    ” You speak of Monsieur de Eichelieu ? “
    ”Yes, the same.”
    “The duke?”
    “Why, faith, not the cardinal, I think I do not go quite so far back. Besides, the cardinal never did what his nephew did ; he did not last so long.”
     
    66 JOSEPH BALSAMO.
    “I am surprised that, with such powerful friends at court, you should have left it.”
    ” Oh, a temporary retreat ! I shall return to it some day or other ; ” and the old baron cast a singular look on his daughter. Balsamo did not allow it to pass unnoticed.
    ” But,” said lie, ” the marshal might at least advance your son ?”
    ” My son ! He hates him ‘
    ” Hates the son of his friend ?”
    ” He is quite right.”
    ” And do you say so, sir ? “
    ” Pardieu ! I tell you he is a philosopher he abhors him ! “
    ” And Philip returns him the compliment ‘ said Andre, with perfect calmness. ”Remove these things, Legay.”
    The young girl, roused from her fixed contemplation of the window, hastened to obey.
    ” Ah,” said the baron, sighing, “one used to sit after supper till two in the morning ; we had what was fit to eat then, and when the eating was over, we drank. But how drink this stuff when we are not occupied in eating ? Legay, bring a flask of Maraschino, if there be one.
    ” Do so,” said Andre, for the maid seemed to wait for her orders before obeying those of the baron.
    The baron threw himself back in his chair, shut his eyes, and sighed with a grotesque sort of melancholy.
    ” You were speaking of the Marshal de Richelieu,” said Balsamo, who appeared not inclined to let the conversation drop.
    ” Yes,” said Taverney, “I was speaking of him ; ” and he hammed an air as melancholy as his sighs.
    “If he hate your son, and if he be right to hate him because he is a philosopher, he must retain all his friendship for you, since you are not one.”
    ” Philosopher ! no, heaven be praised ! “
    ” You must surely