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'Od's blood！ You！ Also； dolt； she would know you if you escaped the
others。 She stood within a yard of you when Nash expelled you the
pump…room。〃
M。 Beaucaire flushed slightly。 〃You think I did not see？〃 he asked。
〃Do you dream that' because Winterset introduces a low fellow he will
be tolerated … that Bath will receive a barber？〃
〃I have the distinction to call monsieur's attention；〃 replied the young
man gayly； 〃I have renounce that profession。〃
〃Fool！〃
〃I am now a man of honor！〃
〃Faugh！〃
〃A man of the parts；〃 continued the the young Frenchman； 〃and of
deportment； is it not so？ Have you seen me of a fluster； or gross ever； or；
what sall I say … bourgeois？ Shall you be shame' for your guest' manner？
No； no！ And my appearance； is it of the people？ Clearly； no。 Do I not
compare in taste of apparel with your yo'ng Englishman？ Ha； ha！ To be
hope'。 Ha； ha！ So I am goin' talk with Lady Mary Carlisle。〃
〃Bah！〃 The Duke made a savage burlesque。 〃'Lady Mary Carlisle；
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Monsieur Beaucaire
may I assume the honor of presenting the barber of the Marquis de
Mirepoix？' So； is it？〃
〃No； monsieur；〃 smiled the young man。 〃Quite not so。 You shall
have nothing to worry you； nothing in the worl'。 I am goin' to assassinate
my poor mustachio … also remove this horrible black peruke； and emerge
in my own hair。 Behol'！〃 He swept the heavy curled； mass from his
head as he spoke； and his hair； coiled under the great wig； fell to his
shoulders； and sparkled yellow in the candle…light。 He tossed his head to
shake the hair back from his cheeks。 〃When it is dress'； I am transform
nobody can know me； you shall observe。 See how little I ask of you；
how very little bit。 No one shall reco'nize 'M。 Beaucaire' or 'Victor。' Ha；
ha！ 'Tis all arrange'； you have nothing to fear。〃
〃Curse you；〃 said the Duke； 〃do you think I'm going to be saddled
with you wherever I go as long as you choose？〃
〃A mistake。 No。 All I requi … All I beg … is this one evening。 'Tis
all shall be necessary。 After； I shall not need monsieur。
〃Take heed to yourself … after！〃 vouchsafed the Englishman between
his teeth。
〃Conquered！〃 cried M。 Beaucaire； and clapped his hands gleefully。
〃Conquered for the night！ Aha； it ts riz'nable！ I shall meet what you
send … after。 One cannot hope too much of your patience。 It is but
natural you should attemp' a little avengement for the rascal trap I was
such a wicked fellow as to set for you。 I shall meet some strange frien's
of yours after to…night； not so？ I must try to be not too much frighten'。〃
He looked at the Duke curiously。 〃You want to know why I create this
tragedy； why I am so unkind as to entrap monsieur？〃 His Grace of
Winterset replied with a chill glance； a pulse in the nobleman's cheek beat
less relentlessly； his eye raged not so bitterly； the steady purple of his own
color was returning； his voice was less hoarse； he was regaining his habit。
〃'Tis ever the manner of the vulgar；〃 he observed； 〃to wish to be seen with
people of fashion。〃
〃Oh； no； no； no！〃 The Frenchman laughed。 〃'Tis not that。 Am I not
already one of these 'men of fashion'？ I lack only the reputation of birth。
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Monsieur Beaucaire
Monsieur is goin' supply that。 Ha； ha！ I shall be noble from to…night。
'Victor；' the artis'； is condemn' to death； his throat shall be cut with his own
razor。 'M。 Beaucaire … ' Here the young man sprang to his feet； caught
up the black wig； clapped into it a dice…box from the table； and hurled it
violently through the open door。 〃'M。 Beaucaire' shall be choke' with his
own dice…box。 Who is the Phoenix to remain？ What advantage have I
not over other men of rank who are merely born to it？ I may choose my
own。 No！ Choose for me； monsieur。 Shall I be chevalier； comte；
vicomte； marquis； what？ None。 Out of compliment to monsieur can I
wish to be anything he is not？ No； no！ I shall be M。 le Duc； M。 le Duc
de … de Chateaurien。 Ha； ha！ You see？ You are my confrere。〃
M。 Beaucaire trod a dainty step or two； waving his hand politely to the
Duke； as though in invitation to join the celebration of his rank。 The
Englishman watched； his eye still and harsh； already gathering in
craftiness。 Beaucaire stopped suddenly。 〃But how I forget my age！ I
am twenty…three；〃 he said； with a sigh。 〃I rejoice too much to be of the
quality。 It has been too great for me； and I had always belief' myself free
of such ambition。 I thought it was enough to behol' the opera without
wishing to sing； but no； England have teach' me I have those vulgar desire'。
Monsieur； I am goin' tell you a secret： the ladies of your country are very
diff'runt than ours。 One may adore the demoiselle； one must worship the
lady of England。 Our ladies have the … it is the beauty of youth； yours
remain comely at thirty。 Ours are flowers； yours are stars！ See； I betray
myself； I am so poor a patriot。 And there is one among these stars … ah； yes；
there is one … the poor Frenchman has observe' from his humble distance；
even there he could bask in the glowing！〃 M。 Beaucaire turned to the
window； and looked out into the dark。 He did not see the lights of the
town。 When he turned again； he had half forgotten his prisoner； other
pictures were before him。
〃Ah； what radiance！〃 he cried。 〃Those people up over the sky； they
want to show they wish the earth to be happy； so they smile； and make this
lady。 Gold…haired； an angel of heaven； and yet a Diana of the chase！ I
see her fly by me on her great horse one day； she touch' his mane with her
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Monsieur Beaucaire
fingers。 I buy that clipping from the groom。 I have it here with my dear
brother's picture。 Ah； you！ Oh； yes； you laugh！ What do you know！
'Twas all I could get。 But I have heard of the endeavor of M。 le Duc to
recoup his fortunes。 This alliance shall fail。 It is not the way … that
heritage shall be safe' from him！ It is you and me； monsieur！ You can
laugh！ The war is open'； and by me！ There is one great step taken： until
to…night there was nothing for you to ruin； to…morrow you have got a noble
of France … your own protege … to besiege and sack。 And you are to lose；
because you think such ruin easy； and because you understand nothing …
far less … of divinity。 How could you know？ You have not the fiber； the
heart of a lady is a blank to you； you know nothing of the vibration。
There are some words that were made only to tell of Lady Mary； for her
alone … bellissima； divine； glorieuse！ Ah； how I have watch' her！ It is
sad to me when I see her surround' by your yo'ng captains； your nobles；
your rattles； your beaux … ha； ha！ … and I mus' hol' far aloof。 It is sad for
me … but oh； jus' to watch her and to wonder！ Strange it is； but I have
almos' cry out with rapture at a look I have see' her give another man； so
beautiful it was； so tender； so dazzling of the eyes and so mirthful of the
lips。 Ah； divine coquetry！ A look for another； ah…i …me！ for many
others； and even to you； one day； a rose； while I … I； monsieur； could not
even be so blessed as to be the groun' beneath her little shoe！ But to…
night； monsieur … ha； ha！ … to…night； monsieur； you and me； two princes；
M。 le Duc de Winterset and M。 le Duc de Chateaurien … ha； ha！ you see ？
… we