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"We do." `
`
`
`
"You are mistaken; he will not advance two leagues into the `
`
interior of France without being followed, tracked, and `
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caught like a wild beast." `
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`
`
"My dear fellow, the emperor is at this moment on the way to `
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Grenoble; on the 10th or 12th he will be at Lyons, and on `
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the 20th or 25th at Paris." `
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`
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"The people will rise." `
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`
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"Yes, to go and meet him." `
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`
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"He has but a handful of men with him, and armies will be `
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despatched against him." `
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`
`
"Yes, to escort him into the capital. Really, my dear `
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Gerard, you are but a child; you think yourself well `
`
informed because the telegraph has told you, three days `
`
after the landing, `The usurper has landed at Cannes with `
`
several men. He is pursued.' But where is he? what is he `
`
doing? You do not know at all, and in this way they will `
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chase him to Paris, without drawing a trigger." `
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`
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"Grenoble and Lyons are faithful cities, and will oppose to `
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him an impassable barrier." `
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`
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"Grenoble will open her gates to him with enthusiasm -- all `
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Lyons will hasten to welcome him. Believe me, we are as well `
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informed as you, and our police are as good as your own. `
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Would you like a proof of it? well, you wished to conceal `
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your journey from me, and yet I knew of your arrival half an `
`
hour after you had passed the barrier. You gave your `
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direction to no one but your postilion, yet I have your `
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address, and in proof I am here the very instant you are `
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going to sit at table. Ring, then, if you please, for a `
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second knife, fork, and plate, and we will dine together." `
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`
`
"Indeed!" replied Villefort, looking at his father with `
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astonishment, "you really do seem very well informed." `
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`
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"Eh? the thing is simple enough. You who are in power have `
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only the means that money produces -- we who are in `
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expectation, have those which devotion prompts." `
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`
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"Devotion!" said Villefort, with a sneer. `
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`
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"Yes, devotion; for that is, I believe, the phrase for `
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hopeful ambition." `
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`
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And Villefort's father extended his hand to the bell-rope, `
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to summon the servant whom his son had not called. Villefort `
`
caught his arm. `
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`
`
"Wait, my dear father," said the young man, "one word more." `
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`
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"Say on." `
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`
`
"However stupid the royalist police may be, they do know one `
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terrible thing." `
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`
`
"What is that?" `
`
`
`
"The description of the man who, on the morning of the day `
`
when General Quesnel disappeared, presented himself at his `
`
house." `
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`
`
"Oh, the admirable police have found that out, have they? `
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And what may be that description?" `
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`
`
"Dark complexion; hair, eyebrows, and whiskers, black; blue `
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frock-coat, buttoned up to the chin; rosette of an officer `
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of the Legion of Honor in his button-hole; a hat with wide `
`
brim, and a cane." `
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`
`
"Ah, ha, that's it, is it?" said Noirtier; "and why, then, `
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have they not laid hands on him?" `
`
`
`
"Because yesterday, or the day before, they lost sight of `
`
him at the corner of the Rue Coq-Heron." `
`
`
`
"Didn't I say that your police were good for nothing?" `
`
`
`
"Yes; but they may catch him yet." `
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`
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"True," said Noirtier, looking carelessly around him, "true, `
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if this person were not on his guard, as he is;" and he `
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added with a smile, "He will consequently make a few changes `
`
in his personal appearance." At these words he rose, and put `
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off his frock-coat and cravat, went towards a table on which `
`
lay his son's toilet articles, lathered his face, took a `
`
razor, and, with a firm hand, cut off the compromising `
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whiskers. Villefort watched him with alarm not devoid of `
`
admiration. `
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`
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His whiskers cut off, Noirtier gave another turn to his `
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hair; took, instead of his black cravat, a colored `
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neckerchief which lay at the top of an open portmanteau; put `
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on, in lieu of his blue and high-buttoned frock-coat, a coat `
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of Villefort's of dark brown, and cut away in front; tried `
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on before the glass a narrow-brimmed hat of his son's, which `
`
appeared to fit him perfectly, and, leaving his cane in the `
`
corner where he had deposited it, he took up a small bamboo `
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switch, cut the air with it once or twice, and walked about `
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with that easy swagger which was one of his principal `
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characteristics. `
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`
`
"Well," he said, turning towards his wondering son, when `
`
this disguise was completed, "well, do you think your police `
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will recognize me now." `
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`
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"No, father," stammered Villefort; "at least, I hope not." `
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`
`
"And now, my dear boy," continued Noirtier, "I rely on your `
`
prudence to remove all the things which I leave in your `
`
care." `
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`
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"Oh, rely on me," said Villefort. `
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`
`
"Yes, yes; and now I believe you are right, and that you `
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have really saved my life; be assured I will return the `
`
favor hereafter." Villefort shook his head. `
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`
`
"You are not convinced yet?" `
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`
`
"I hope at least, that you may be mistaken." `
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`
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"Shall you see the king again?" `
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`
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"Perhaps." `
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`
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"Would you pass in his eyes for a prophet?" `
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`
`
"Prophets of evil are not in favor at the court, father." `
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`
`
"True, but some day they do them justice; and supposing a `
`
second restoration, you would then pass for a great man." `
`
`
`
"Well, what should I say to the king?" `
`
`
`
"Say this to him: `Sire, you are deceived as to the feeling `
`
in France, as to the opinions of the towns, and the `
`
prejudices of the army; he whom in Paris you call the `
`
Corsican ogre, who at Nevers is styled the usurper, is `
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already saluted as Bonaparte at Lyons, and emperor at `
`
Grenoble. You think he is tracked, pursued, captured; he is `
`
advancing as rapidly as his own eagles. The soldiers you `
`
believe to be dying with hunger, worn out with fatigue, `
`
ready to desert, gather like atoms of snow about the rolling `
`
ball as it hastens onward. Sire, go, leave France to its `
`
real master, to him who acquired it, not by purchase, but by `
`
right of conquest; go, sire, not that you incur any risk, `
`
for your adversary is powerful enough to show you mercy, but `
`
because it would be humiliating for a grandson of Saint `
`
Louis to owe his life to the man of Arcola, Marengo, `
`
Austerlitz.' Tell him this, Gerard; or, rather, tell him `
`
nothing. Keep your journey a secret; do not boast of what `
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you have come to Paris to do, or have done; return with all `
`
speed; enter Marseilles at night, and your house by the `
`
back-door, and there remain, quiet, submissive, secret, and, `
`
above all, inoffensive; for this time, I swear to you, we `
`
shall act like powerful men who know their enemies. Go, my `
`
son -- go, my dear Gerard, and by your obedience to my `
`
paternal orders, or, if you prefer it, friendly counsels, we `
`
will keep you in your place. This will be," added Noirtier, `
`
with a smile, "one means by which you may a second time save `
`
me, if the political balance should some day take another `
`
turn, and cast you aloft while hurling me down. Adieu, my `
`
dear Gerard, and at your next journey alight at my door." `
`
Noirtier left the room when he had finished, with the same `
`
calmness that had characterized him during the whole of this `
`
remarkable and trying conversation. Villefort, pale and `
`
agitated, ran to the window, put aside the curtain, and saw `
`
him pass, cool and collected, by two or three ill-looking `
`
men at the corner of the street, who were there, perhaps, to `
`
arrest a man with black whiskers, and a blue frock-coat, and `
`
hat with broad brim. `
`
`
`
Villefort stood watching, breathless, until his father had `
`
disappeared at the Rue Bussy. Then he turned to the various `
`
articles he had left behind him, put the black cravat and `
`
blue frock-coat at the bottom of the portmanteau, threw the `
`
hat into a dark closet, broke the cane into small bits and `
`
flung it in the fire, put on his travelling-cap, and calling `
`
his valet, checked with a look the thousand questions he was `
`
ready to ask, paid his bill, sprang into his carriage, which `
`
was ready, learned at Lyons that Bonaparte had entered `
`
Grenoble, and in the midst of the tumult which prevailed `
`
along the road, at length reached Marseilles, a prey to all `
`
the hopes and fears which enter into the heart of man with `
`
ambition and its first successes. `
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`
`
`
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`
`
Chapter 13 `
`
The Hundred Days. `
`
`
`
M. Noirtier was a true prophet, and things progressed `
`
rapidly, as he had predicted. Every one knows the history of `
`
the famous return from Elba, a return which was `
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