| Monsieur Beaucaire
By BOOTH TARKINGTON,
Author of “The Gentleman From Indiana’ and “‘The
Conguest of Canaan.”
Copyright, 1900, by McClure, Phillips & Co.
[Continued from inst week. |
“Tis a lucky thing that fellow was got out of the way,” he ejacu-
lated under cover.
“Thank me for it,” rejoined Winterset.
An attendant begged Mr. Nash’s notice. The head bailiff sent
word that Beaucaire had long since entered the building by a side |
door. Tt was supposed Mr. Nash had known of it, and the Frenchman |
was not arrested, as Mr. Molyneux was in his company and said he |
would be answerable for him. Consternation was so plain on the |
beau’s trained face that the duke leaned toward him anxiously.
“The villain’s in, and Molyneux hath gone mad!” |
Mr. Bantison, who had been fiercely elbowing his way toward
them, joined heads with them. “You may well say he is in,” he ex-
claimed, “and if you want to know where, why, in yonder card room. |
I saw him through the half open door.”
“What’s to be done?” asked the beau.
“Send the bailiffs” — :
“Fie, fie! A file of bailiffs? The scandal!” |
“Then listen to me,” said the duke. “T’ll select half a dozen gen-
tlemen, explain the matter and we’ll put him in the center of us and
take him out to the bailiffs. Twill appear nothing. Do you remain
here and keep the attention of Beaujolais and de Mirepoix. Come,
Bantison, fetch Towabrake and Harry Rakell yonder. I'll bring the
others.”
Three minutes later his grace of Winterset flung wide the card |
room door and, after his friends had entered, closed it.
“Ah!” remarked M. Beaucaire quietly. “Six more large men.”
The duke, seeing Lady Mary, started, but the angry signs of her
interview had not left her face and reassured him. He offered his |
hand to conduct her to the door. “May I have the honor?”
“If this is to be known, "twill be better if I leave after. I should |
be observed if I went now.” |
“As you will, madam,” he answered, not displeased. “And now,
you impudent villain,” he began, turning to M. Beaucaire, but to fall |
back, astounded. “’0d’s blood, the dog hath murdered and robbed
some royal prince!” He forgot Lady Mary’s presence in his excite-
ment. “Lay hands on him!” he shouted. “Tear those orders from
him!”
Molyneux threw himself between. “One word!” he cried.
word before you offer an outrage you will repent all your lives
“Or let M. de Winterset come alone!” laughed M. Beaucaire. -
“Do you expect me to fight a cutthroat barber, and with bare
hands ?”
“I think one does not expec’ monsieur to fight anybody. Would |
“One |
1
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I fight you, you think? That was why T had my servants that evening |
we play. I would gladly fight almos’ any one in the worl’, but I did |
not wish to soil my hand with a”—
nN
/
a
“IF YOU HAD KNOWN THIS BEAUCAIRE WAS HONES', THOUGH
OF PEASANT BIRTH, WOULD YOU"—
“Stuff his lying mouth with his orders!” shouted the duké.
But Molyneux still held the gentlemen back. “One moment,” he
eried.
«M. de Winterset,” said Beaucaire, “of what are you afraid? You
calculate well. Beaucaire might have been belief’—an impostor that
you yourself expose’? Never! But I was not goin’ reveal that secret.
You have not absolve’ me of my promise.”
“Tell what you like,” answered the duke. “Tell all the wild lies
you have time for. You have five minutes to make up your mind to
go quietly.”
“Now you absolve me, then? Ha, ha! Ob, yes! Mademoiselle,”
he bowed to Lady Mary, “I have the honor to reques’ you leave the
room. You shall miss no details if these frien’s of yours kill me, on
the honor of a French gentleman.”
| “Know, you villain barber, that your master, the Marquis de Mire-
to M. Beaucaire.
| time. But when the people hear I have been a servant they come only
| my black wig and become myself—and so I am ‘Chateaurien,” Castle
| Nowhere. Then this man I use’, this Winterset, he”—
| teaurien’ and not myself ¢”
| Lord Townbrake.
“A French what?” laughed Bantison.
“Do you dare keep up the pretense?” cried Lord Townbrake.
‘a
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AP Ro \ !
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FY A
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“PHILIPPE!
HE CRIED.
YOU BACK WITH ME.
“MY BROTHER, I HAVE COME 70 TAKE
poix, is in the next room.”
Molyneux heaved a great sigh of relief. “Shall I”— He turned |
The young man laughed and said, “Tell him come here at once.”
“Impudent to the last!” cried Bantison as Molyneux hurried from
the room.
“Now you goin’ to see M. Beaucaire’s master,” said Beaucaire to
Lady Mary. “’Tis true what I say, the other night. I cross from
France in his suit; my passport say as his barber. Then to pass the
ennui of exile I come to Bath and play for what one will. It kill the
secretly, and there is one of them—he has absolve’ me of a promise
not to speak—of him I learn something he cannot wish to be tol. I
make some trouble to learn this thing. Why I should do this? Well
—that is my own rizzon. So I make this man help me in a masque,
the unmasking it was, for, as there is no one to know me, I throw off
“I have great need to deny these accusations ?” said the duke.
“Nay,” said Lady Mary wearily.
“Shall I tell you why I mus’ be ‘Victor’ and ‘Beaucaire’ and ‘Cha-
“To escape from the bailiffs for debts for razors and soap,” gibed
“No, monsieur. In France I have got a cousin who is a man with
a very bad temper at some time’, and he will never enjoy his relatives
to do what he does not wish” —
He was interrupted by a loud commotion from without. The
door was flung open, and the young Count of Beaujolais bounded in
and threw his arms about the neck of M. Beaucaire.
“Philippe!” he cried. “My brother, I have come to take you back
‘with me.”
M. de Mirepoix followed him, bowing as a courtier in deference,
but M. Beaueaire took both his hands heartily. Molyneux came after,
with Mr. Nash, and closed the door.
“My warmest felicitations,” said the marquis. “There is mo
longer need for your incognito.”
“Thou best of masters!” said Beaucaire, touching him fondly on
the shoulder. “I know. Your courier came safely. And so I am
forgiven! But I forget.” He turned to the lady. She had begun to
tremble exceedingly. “Faires’ of all the English fair,” he said, as the
gentlemen bowed low to her deep courtesy, “I beg the honor to
presen’ to Lady Mary Carlisle, M. le Comte de Beaujolais. M. de
Mirepoix has already the honor. Lady Mary has been very kind to
me, my frien’s. You mus’ help me make my acknowledgment. Made-
moiselle and ‘gentlemen, will you give me that favor to detain you one
instan’?
“Henri,” he turned to the young Beaujolais, “I wish you had
shared my mask—I have been so gay!” The surface of his tone was
merry, but there was an undercurrent, weary-sad, to speak of what
was the mood, not the manner. He made the effect of addressing
every one present, but he looked steadily at Lady Mary. Her eyes
were fixed upon him, with a silent and frightened fascination, and sho
trembled more and more. “I am a great actor, Henri. These gentle-
‘men are yet scarce convince’ I am not a lackey! And I mus’ tell you
that T was jus’ now to be expelled for having been a barber!”
“Oh, no!” the ambassador cried out. “He would not be content
with me. He would wander over a strange country.”
“Ha, ha, my Mirepoix! And what is better, one evening I am
oblige’ to fight some frien’s of M. de Winterset there, and some ladies
and cavaliers look on, and they still think me a servant. Oh, I am a
great actor! ’'Tis true there is not a peasant in France who would
not have then known one ‘born;’ but they are wonderful, this English
people, holding by an idea once it is in their heads—a mos’ worthy
quality. But my good Molyneux here, he had speak to me with
courtesy, jus’ because I am a man an’ jus’ because he is al-ways kind.
(T have learn’ that his great-grandfather was a Frenchman.) So Isen’
to him and tell him evrything, and he gain admittance for me here
tonight to await my frien’s.
. {Continued on page 7]
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