city being formed by the city itself, nothing threatening
presented itself to disturb this concert of universal hatred
or freeze the frequent scoffs of slanderous lips.
Nevertheless, at eight o’clock in the morning the regiment
of the queen’s guards, commanded by Guitant, under whom was
his nephew Comminges, marched publicly, preceded by drums
and trumpets, filing off from the Palais Royal as far as
Notre Dame, a manoeuvre which the Parisians witnessed
tranquilly, delighted as they were with military music and
brilliant uniforms.
Friquet had put on his Sunday clothes, under the pretext of
having a swollen face which he had managed to simulate by
introducing a handful of cherry kernels into one side of his
mouth, and had procured a whole holiday from Bazin. On
leaving Bazin, Friquet started off to the Palais Royal,
where he arrived at the moment of the turning out of the
regiment of guards; and as he had only gone there for the
enjoyment of seeing it and hearing the music, he took his
place at their head, beating the drum on two pieces of slate
and passing from that exercise to that of the trumpet, which
he counterfeited quite naturally with his mouth in a manner
which had more than once called forth the praises of
amateurs of imitative harmony.
This amusement lasted from the Barriere des Sergens to the
place of Notre Dame, and Friquet found in it very real
enjoyment; but when at last the regiment separated,
penetrated the heart of the city and placed itself at the
extremity of the Rue Saint Christophe, near the Rue
Cocatrix, in which Broussel lived, then Friquet remembered
that he had not had breakfast; and after thinking in which
direction he had better turn his steps in order to
accomplish this important act of the day, he reflected
deeply and decided that Councillor Broussel should bear the
cost of this repast.
In consequence he took to his heels, arrived breathlessly at
the councillor’s door, and knocked violently.
His mother, the councillor’s old servant, opened it.
“What doest thou here, good-for-nothing?” she said, “and why
art thou not at Notre Dame?”
“I have been there, mother,” said Friquet, “but I saw things
happen of which Master Broussel ought to be warned, and so
Page 294
Dumas, Alexandre – Twenty Years After
with Monsieur Bazin’s permission — you know, mother,
Monsieur Bazin, the verger — I came to speak to Monsieur
Broussel.”
“And what hast thou to say, boy, to Monsieur Broussel?”
“I wish to tell him,” replied Friquet, screaming with all
his might, “that there is a whole regiment of guards coming
this way. And as I hear everywhere that at the court they
are ill-disposed to him, I wish to warn him, that he may be
on his guard.”
Broussel heard the scream of the young oddity, and,
enchanted with this excess of zeal, came down to the first
floor, for he was, in truth, working in his room on the
second.
“Well,” said he, “friend, what matters the regiment of
guards to us, and art thou not mad to make such a
disturbance? Knowest thou not that it is the custom of these
soldiers to act thus and that it is usual for the regiment
to form themselves into two solid walls when the king goes
by?”
Friquet counterfeited surprise, and twisting his new cap
around in his fingers, said:
“It is not astonishing for you to know it, Monsieur
Broussel, who knows everything; but as for me, by holy
truth, I did not know it and I thought I would give you good
advice; you must not be angry with me for that, Monsieur
Broussel.”
“On the contrary, my boy, on the contrary, I am pleased with
your zeal. Dame Nanette, look for those apricots which
Madame de Longueville sent to us yesterday from Noisy and
give half a dozen of them to your son, with a crust of new
bread.”
“Oh, thank you, sir, thank you, Monsieur Broussel,” said
Friquet; “I am so fond of apricots!”
Broussel then proceeded to his wife’s room and asked for
breakfast; it was nine o’clock. The councillor placed
himself at the window; the street was completely deserted,