Page images
PDF
EPUB

the Grand Signor, he thought he could not make a more acceptable one than this beautiful slave, and that two days ago she had been embarked on board a large vessel bound to Constantinople. At this intelligence, our Breton lover did not hesitate a moment, he re-embarked, and made sail for the capital of the Ottoman empire -scarcely is he arrived, than he torments himself and acquaintance to find out whether his mistress be in the seraglio, and what may have happened to her. But it is well known that nothing is more difficult than to penetrate into the seraglio of the Grand Signor.-The despairing lover exhausts his purse and credit in vain, all attempts to enter that asylum for neglected beauty are equally disagreeable and dangerous. He paraded sorrowfully day and night round the walls of this gulph, wherein are buried the beauties of Europe and of Asia. One day he overheard, in a coffee-house, some Greeks and Jews conversing, in lingua Franca, on a terrible adventure that had just happened in the seraglio; a beautiful European slave, that had been lately brought thither, had made great resistance to the desires of the Grand Signor. The Sultan, as much animated by her charms as by her resistance, was about to employ violence to reduce her to submission, when this courageous person drew a poignard from her bosom, and declared to his highness, that she would rather lose her life than fail in the vows she had sworn to a lover in her own country, and whom she was expecting would deliver her. The Sultan despising her menaces, she put them into execution, and having given the Sultan a stroke with her poignard so ill directed that the wound was not dangerous, she stabbed herself to the heart and instantly expired.

If this recital had alarmed Keren flute, what he heard and saw on the morrow convinced him of its truth. He was told, that a head was exposed on a pike on the walls of the seraglio, with an inscription below it in the Turkish language, and in such large characters that every one might read it. He hastened to the spot with an interpreter, who, having read the inscription, translated it to him as follows:

"People, behold the head of a cul

pable slave, that dared to raise her hand against the Emperor of believers, instead of submitting herself to his supreme will. She prevented the horrible punishments that would have followed such a crime by putting herself to death-Tremble rebellious and cruel slaves, submit yourselves with patience and humility-Her name was"-the interpreter hesitated a moment, and read " Alzamire."

"Oh, heavens! exclaimed the wretched Kerenflute, it is Balzamie," he raised his eyes with fear to the head of the criminal, which, although disfigured by the agonics of death, still appeared handsome-Her eyes were closed, the cast of her countenance, her little mouth, and long, chesnut hair, every thing recalled to the unfortunate Breton the idea of the person he adored-" It is Balzamie,' cried he a thousand times, while rolling himself in the dust, and attempting to dash his brains out against the walls of the seraglio-with great difficulty was he carried away to the suburbs of Pera, where he lodged, exclaiming incessantly, "Oh, heavens! it is Balzanie."

Madame de Marcel and all the company agreed that the situation was most touching, and complimented the Abbé on his having shown such ability, and the more readily, he had. bawled so loudly "Oh, heavens! it is Balzamie," that all the servants who had heard it in the first anti-chamber ran to inquire what had happened.— It had awakened even the president; but they were all made easy by learning it was but a tale.

The Abbé continuing his recital-let us return, said he, to the other adventures of our Quimper-Corentin :

You have been told, that Saint Leon had set out for Calabria, in the hope of delivering Adelaide from the hands of her tyrant. As the distance is great from Quimper-Corentin to that country, it required all the ability, courage, and patience of Saint Leon, to discover the residence of his mistress, as he was perfectly ignorant of the name of the person she had married. We are unable to render an exact account of all the circumstances of his journey, or of the events, without doubt terrible, that marked the catastrophe. What was known at Quimper was sufficient to throw the whole town into consternation; It was

said, that Adelaide, having suffered greatly from the jealousy of the Calabrese, was dead, and buried in the convent of capuchins at Reggio; and that, not long after, a thread merchant of Quimper, who made yearly very extended journies, and sometimes carried his ware to Italy, had asserted, on his return home, that he had seen Saint Leon, who had become a capuchin under the name of Father Guignold de Concarneau; that he had heard him preach in the parish church of a village in Lombardy-that not only he knew him from the features of his countenance, but had talked with him; and that Saint Leon had begged of him not to say any thing about him in Brittany. The fate of the family of M. de Lokrenan appeared as afflicting as extraordinary, when news was received from Aline, which, without being of so melancholy a cast, was not the less strange. It was not contained in written letters, but a history so much the more deserving of belief, as it was printed. This history was current through France, which, if considered as a romance at Paris, it was solely owing to the personages mentioned in it being unknown in the capital, whereas at Quimper it had quite a contrary effect.

The ship on board of which Aline had embarked having been wrecked on the coast of Golconda, its rich contents were plundered by the subjects of the monarch of that rich country, and they had presented to their king a beautiful French woman called Aline, as the most precious part of the booty. The Indian prince was so much of that opinion, that he generously ordered the rest of the prisoners to be set at liberty; and falling desperately in love with our young Bretonne, he had wholly yielded up his heart, and had divided his empire with her. The Golconders, enchanted with the beauty and sweet temper of Aline as much as their monarch, had submitted themselves so totally to her power, that on the demise of the sovereign of the richest diamond mines in the world, they had unanimously chosen her mistress of the empire.

The new queen could not forget her country, nor quit the idea of Sainval, who had testified so strongly his affections. She offered to conclude a treaty of alliance with the governor of

the French settlements in India; and as the attachment between her and Sainval was no secret at Pondicherry, he was chosen to execute the honourable commission of assuring the queen, of the respect and devotedness of his nation. Aline, it may be imagined, gave him a handsome reception; she had even imagined to please and to surprise him, a scene which all Paris admired, as the fruit of a fertile imagination, but the full value of it could not be felt without having lived at Quimper.

M. de Lokrenan had about a league from the town a very beautiful summer retreat, in fact, it was merely a cottage, but decorated with every thing such a place was susceptible of; on one side was a grove, intersected by a rivulet that was crossed by an elegant wooden bridge; on the other was a meadow full of cows, whose milk made the best butter in Brittany. The lady Lokrenans and their cousins went often thither for a walk, and with their fair hands made such butter as would have done honour to the most splendid tables-Aline took greater pleasure in this amusement than the rest, and succeeded far superior to them-she used to dress herself as a shepherdess, and her butter was distinguishable from that of all the others.

Sainval had often assisted her in this innocent occupation-The remembrance of the hours they had so often pleasantly passed at a spot dear to both, was so present to the mind of the queen of Golconda, that she had built, at a small distance from her capital, an exact copy of the cottage and its surrounding objects. It was there the queen of Golconda gave the ambassador a private audience, and assured him of the duration of her affections. On his part, Sainval swore, that the recollection of the butter made by Aline's fair hands was far more delicious than the diamonds of Golconda appeared brilliant.

The description of the queen's cottage was so minutely detailed in the history, that there was none in Quimper did not know it for that of the high steward's; the whole town, on learning the circumstance, went thither with the book in their hands, saying, "aye, there's the grove-there's the bridge the meadow-the cows; let us console ourselves for the misfortunes of our

three other young ladies, for here at least is one who has been fortune's favourite. In truth, it was just that it should be so, for she was the most amiable."

At this part the Abbé stopped, finding that it was rather late, and that he had fulfiled his task. "It is now your turn," said Madame de Marcel to the Chevalier," and to-morrow night we shall expect you to finish the history." "I will do what I can," replied the Chevalier," and as shortly as possible; for, in quality of a soldier, I ought to be expeditious, and fortunately it is not my lot to relieve all these lovers from their embarrassments."

On the morrow, the Chevalier said, I should find it very difficult, I believe, to add any thing to the misfortunes or to the cruel situation of the lover of the defunct Adelaide in Italy, or to the miserable Gabrielle in Spain. I shall leave M. de Verbois to bring them out of the scrape if he can; I shall content myself with continuing the thread of the two other histories.

The joy that the good fortunes of Aline and Sainval had caused in Quimper, was of no long duration; a continuation of the history was received, of which they were the hero and heroine; and it was related that the project the Queen of Golconda had formed of raising her lover to share her throne, had not succeeded. The Golconders had voluntarily submitted themselves to the government of Aline, because such is the power of beauty, that the hearts of the greatest barbarians cannot resist it. The Indians doubted not of her ruling them with kindness, and although their manners were different from hers, that she would permit them to follow their ancient customs without oppression or constraint; but when they found that she intended to place a French officer on the throne, who would soon open their harbours to the vessels of his nation, would introduce French garrisons into their strong places, and force them to conform to the maxims of Europeans, the discontent became general -Sainval having ordered a small body of French troops to advance to support his pretensions, and execute the commands of the queen, was instantly attacked, and surrounded by the army of Golconda; and, notwithstanding, our troops defended themselves with

the utmost courage, they were overpowered by numbers. The people besieged the palace wherein the queen and her husband had shut themseves; Sainval, wishing to repel the mutineers sword in hand, was slain; Aline herself appeared on the balcony, in the hope her presence would have some effect; they wished indeed to spare her, for the intention of the rebels was not to put her to death, but the arrows flew about in all directions, and one gave her a fatal stroke, by piercing her heart. After a moment's silence, let us now see, said the Chevalier, what is become of M. de Kerenflute. The horrid spectacle he had witnessed on the walls of the seraglio had affected his head and heart; his senses were gone, and he fancied he saw the Turks in a fury, massacring the fair Balzamie; and on the other hand, all Quimper in tears, and the family of M. de Lokrenan overwhelmed in grief for this cruel event. Who, in fact, could have retained his senses in such horrid circumstances? All the physicians of Constantinople, Franks, Greeks, Jews, and Mahommedans, declared that Kerenflute was incurably mad, and kept him tightly bound until there should offer a vessel to carry him to France. During his passage, he constantly exclaimed in the same tone the Abbé did yesterday, "Oh Heavens, it is Balzamie!" Fancying he wore a sabre, he was continually drawing it to cut off the head of every Turk his wandering mind made him see in the ship; but all offensive weapons had been taken from him. It was in this miserable condition he disembarked at Marseilles ; and having undergone quarantine, he was placed in the house of a surgeon, who, in concert with an apothecary, applied every possible remedy, but in vain.

At length a Quimper-Corentin coming into Provence, hearing talk of the misfortunes of Kerenflute, went to see him. He undertook to convey him safely into his own country, which he did with all imaginable prudence and precaution. During the journey, with the intent of calming him, he told him of all the miseries that had befallen the sister and cousins of Balzamie. Kerenflute sighed deeply at the recital, and concluded, that misfortune, when once attached to a family, it was impossible for any part of it to escape. It

is now the turn of M. de Verbois, said the Chevalier, to tell us the remainder, as he stopped short in his narration. That cannot take place to-morrow, said Madame de Marcel, for I must inform you, gentlemen and ladies, that we shall have to-morrow a very large company, which will oblige us for some days to discontinue our evening's amusements. The bishop of Poitiers writes me word, that he is on his visitation, and will dine here to-morrow, and desires me to permit him to remain until after Sunday; and that same evening, the intendant of the provinces will arrive to pass two days with us. "By Heavens exclaimed the Abbé, these episcopal visits are very inconvenient: you see, ladies, how I am equipped, my hair in a club, and a green coat: Since you are to have a bishop visit you, I shall be obliged, out of consider ation to him, to return to my curled head and my black coat."

For my part, said the president, yawning, I don't care a fig for an intendant, I sit above him in our courts of justice. "Ah! for Heaven's sake, president," said Madame de Marcel, "quit these pretensions, an intendant is a man of whom we may always wish to make use of when we have lands and tenants; besides, who knows what these people may come to."

"Well," added M. de Verbois, "I am very thankful for these visits; they will be of use to me, for I was embarrassed how to conclude these histories of the lovers of Quimper-Corentin, and a few days of reflection will help me out of all my difficulties."

The bishop and intendant having quitted the castle of Madame de Marcel, and left the company free to pursue their former amusements, M. de Verbois, who had undertaken to conclude the history of the lovers of Qimper-Corentin, acquitted himself as you shall now see.

We left the unfortunate Kerenflute on his road from Marseilles to Quimper, conducted by one of his countrymen, who, to console him, told him of all the misfortunes that had happened to the family of M. de Lokrenan. The lover of Balzamie, inconsolable for his own loss, cried out incessantly, "Oh, Heavens! it is her; it is her head that I see fixed on the walls of the seraglio at Constantinople." However, they at length arrived in their own country; but VOL. V.

when about two leagues distant from Quimper, Kerenflute's guide, having placed him safely in the house of a clergymen of his acquaintance, hastened to the town to inform his friend's relations of the melancholy state he had left him in. But how greatly was he astonished himself to learn, that since he had left Quimper a-year ago, Mademoiselle Balzamie was in perfect health at her father's house, having returned very rich from Roussillon, as the heiress of her late uncle, the governor of Collicoure. It was on a groundless report that Kerenflute had made his expeditions to Africa and Turkey, and it was not the head of Balzamie which he had seen on the walls of the seraglio. His own head, however, was turned, and it was necessary to use the utmost precaution to prepare him to receive the news of the happiness that awaited him; for Balzamie, having heard what strong proofs of affection Kerenflute had shewn, was resolved to arouse his love with her heart and hand, so soon as he should return from his fruitless voyages, and her parents did not disapprove of her intentions. But whence arose this cruel error, in which not only Kerenflute, but the whole family of the Lokrenans, were plunged? It was owing to a dream, which I will now relate. Mademoiselle Balzamie, while at Collicoure, on the Mediterranean shores, was invited to a party of pleasure on this sea, which was happily put into execution. A galley, elegantly ornamented, conveyed the company from Collicoure to Port de Vendres, where they found a tent pitched near the shore, surmounted by several arbours of branches of trees, a ball-room, and tables laid out for a collation.

When they were about to sit down to table, they saw a chebec, bearing the flag of Algiers, steal from behind Cape Béarn. It had cannon, which fired broadsides slowly, while distant; but when it approached the shore where the ladies were, they redoubled. Balzamie at first did not know what to think of this unexpected visit, and was much alarmed; but her companions comforted her by saying, that the Turks she saw were very polite and gallant. In fact, the chebec having entered the port, those who disembarked, though disguised as Turks, were soon known for the officers of

D

the garrison of Collicoure, having at their head a young and amiable marine officer, who, being desirous of partaking of the feast, had thus dressed out the vessel he commanded. She was laden with an excellent supplement to the collation already prepared; having done the honours of it to the ladies, they danced until evening, when they all returned to Collicoure as fortunately as they had set out.

Nevertheless, during the repast, and in the course of the day, they assured Balzamie that her fears were not totally groundless; and they related a great many stories which tradition had preserved, tending to prove that corsairs had often made captures on the very shore which they had danced upon. They hide themselves, added the captain of the chebec, as we did, behind Cape Béarn, and suddenly rush on the shepherds and their flocks, at a moment the least expected, for the shore near Port de Vendres is defenceless. It is not more than ten years ago, said another, that the corsair Barbarossa carried off a whole wedding-party, who were amusing themselves on those sands. The bride, being very pretty, was carried to the seraglio of Barbarossa, of which she made the chief ornament, while her unfortunate husband was condemned to labour the ground, and his shoulders regaled with stripes. The reflections that were made on these stories were so gay, that the governor's lady was forced to impose silence on the young officers. But the conversation had continued so long and so incessantly, on Barbarossa, rapes, and corsairs, that Mademoiselle Balzamie dreamt of them all night. One of her dreams was quite connected; and as the morrow was post-day, she wrote a long letter to Quimper Corentin, when, having detailed a full account of the pleasant fete that had been given her, she could not help speaking of her dream at the end of her letter. It was this unlucky letter, brought by the unfortunate courier whose portmanteau was plundered, and papers dispersed and wetted between Vantes and Vannes, that had caused an alarm, which threw the whole town of Quimper into consternation. All that remained of Balzamie's letter was the end of it, and the whole of her dream, which had heen taken for a real adventure; for the rest was quite blotted and

illegible. This sad mistake had sent the wretched Kerenflute to seek her; and fully convinced of the imaginary disaster of his mistress, he thought he had heard her spoken of at Algiers, where fortunately no French women have been transported for a long time. The name of an Italian, Bolzani, had deceived him; and on his arrival at Constantinople, the resemblance to the name of a young Greek, Alzamire, had also deceived him. She had made resistance to the grand Seignor's desires, for which her head was cut off. It is easy to mistake the features of a beauty when thus situated, and especially when a false idea occupies the mind. About a fortnight after the receipt of this fatal letter from Mademoiselle Balzamie, others were received, which made the family perfectly easy; but Kerenflute had in his im patience set out for Toulon, and, from that moment, no one could tell where he might receive more fortunate intelligence.

When Balzamie had passed some months at Collicoure, making the governor's house pleasant and agreeable to the whole garrison, her uncle died, leaving her his heiress; and her aunt having settled her affairs, retired to Quimper-Corentin, ready to confirm to her niece all she was possessed of. We have said that Mademoiselle Balzamie had heard all that her lover had undertaken for her sake. She waited impatiently to tranquillize him, and to make him happy-she did not, however, wait long; but the state of Kerenflute's mind demanded every attention in announcing to him this unexpected happiness. They began by hinting doubts of what he had seen; then giving hopes of more fortunate events, and to tell him, at last, that he might make his mind easy, for that he would speedily be completely happy. He was admitted to see Balzamie, and joy was now causing the same effect that despair had done. Marriage alone could cure him of his delirium; this was tried, and succeeded.

"Yes," exclaimed Kerenflute, recollecting what his companion had told him on the journey from Marseilles to Quimper, "I am now happy; but the rest of M. de Lokrenan's family, his other daughter, his nieces, and my friends, who are so much in love with them, are still plunged in

« PreviousContinue »