"Come and dance," cried the Comte de Bauvan, "and happen what will!
After all," he added, gaily, "it is better, my friends, to pray to God
than the saints. Let us fight first, and see what comes of it."
"Ha! that's good advice," said Brigaut. "I have never yet known a
day's pay drawn in the morning."
The assembly dispersed about the rooms, where the guests were now
arriving. The marquis tried in vain to shake off the gloom which
darkened his face. The chiefs perceived the unfavorable impression
made upon a young man whose devotion was still surrounded by all the
beautiful illusions of youth, and they were ashamed of their action.
However, a joyous gaiety soon enlivened the opening of the ball, at
which were present the most important personages of the royalist
party, who, unable to judge rightly, in the depths of a rebellious
province, of the actual events of the Revolution, mistook their hopes
for realities. The bold operations already begun by Montauran, his
name, his fortune, his capacity, raised their courage and caused that
political intoxication, the most dangerous of all excitements, which
does not cool till torrents of blood have been uselessly shed. In the
minds of all present the Revolution was nothing more than a passing
trouble to the kingdom of France, where, to their belated eyes,
nothing was changed.
Pages:
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336