The Galley Slave's Ring; or, The Family of Lebrenn

"Better still! I have an idea, my dear man; an excellent idea!"

"What is it, monsieur?"

"Did you ever hear of the tourneys of olden days?"

"Tourneys, monsieur?"

"Yes, in the days of chivalry."

"I beg your pardon, monsieur; plain people like us – "

"Well, dear Monsieur Lebrenn, in the days of chivalry, tourneys were held, and at those tourneys several of my ancestors, whom you see there," and he waved his hand towards the pictures, "took a hand."

"Bless my soul!" exclaimed the merchant, affecting great surprise, and following with his eyes in the direction pointed by the colonel, "I was thinking to myself, there is something of a family resemblance."

"You think so?"

"I do, monsieur – I beg your pardon for the great liberty – "

"Don't begin apologizing again! For God's sake, be not so very formal at all points, my dear man! As I was saying, at those tourneys there always was what was called a Queen of Beauty. She distributed the prizes to the victors. Now, then, that shall be the role for your charming daughter. She shall be the Queen of Beauty at the tournament that I am about to give – she will be well worthy of the distinction."

"Oh, monsieur! That is too much! Oh, it is too much! Moreover, do you not think that for a young girl – to be in that way – in plain view – vis-a-vis to messieurs your dragoons – is a little – I beg your pardon for the great liberty – but it is a little – what shall I say? – a little – "

"Dismiss all such scruples, my dear Monsieur Lebrenn. The noblest dames were in olden days chosen as the Queens of Beauty at the tourney. They even gave a kiss to the victor, on his mouth."

"I understand that – they were accustomed thereto – while my daughter – you see – confound it! – she is only eighteen, and has been brought up – like a bourgeois girl."

"You need not feel uneasy on that score. I never thought for a moment that your daughter should give the victor a kiss."

"That is good, monsieur! How kind you are! And if you will also consent that my daughter do not embrace – "

"That goes without saying, my dear monsieur. You do not need my consent. I am too happy, as it is, to have you and also your family, accept my invitation."

"Oh, monsieur, all the honor is on our side!"

"Not at all, it is on my side!"

"Surely not! Surely not, monsieur! You are too kind! I can clearly see that you mean to bestow great honor upon us."

"Well, have it your way, my good man! There are faces like yours – that charm one on the spot. Besides, I found you to be so honest a man in the matter of the price of the shirts – "

"It is only a matter of conscience, monsieur. Only a matter of conscience."

"That I said to myself on the spot – This Monsieur Lebrenn must be an admirable, an honest man. I would like to be pleasant to him – even to oblige him, if I can."

"Oh, monsieur, I know not how to express to you – "

"Come, you told me a minute ago that business was poor – would you like me to pay you in advance for my order?"

"Oh, no, no, no, monsieur; that is unnecessary."

"Do not be bashful! Be frank. The amount is large – I shall give you an order upon my banker."

"I assure you, monsieur, that I do not need payment in advance."

"Times are so hard yet."

"Very hard, indeed, the times are; that's true, monsieur; we must hope for better."

"Admit it, my dear Monsieur Lebrenn," said the Count, again pointing to the pictures that ornamented the walls of the salon, "the times in which those redoubtable seigneurs lived, were the real good times!"

"Truly so, monsieur."

"And who knows! Perhaps those better times may come back again!"

"Indeed! Do you think so?"

"Some other day we shall talk politics – I suppose you talk politics, occasionally?"

"Monsieur, I do not indulge myself so far. You understand, a merchant – "

"Oh, my dear Monsieur Lebrenn! You are a man of the good old pattern; that's what you are; I'm glad of it! Right you are not to meddle in politics! It is the silly mania that spoiled everything. In those good old times, that I was speaking about to you, nobody grumbled. The King, the clergy and the nobility ordered – and everybody obeyed without saying a word."

"Sure! Sure! It must have been very convenient, monsieur."

"Zounds! I should say so!"

"If I understand you rightly, monsieur, the King, the priests and the seigneurs said: 'Do that!' – and it was done?"

"Just so!"

"Pay! – and people paid?"

"Exactly."

"Go! – and people went?"

"Why! Yes! Yes!"

"In short, everything as on the parade ground – to the right! – to the left! – forward! – double quick! People did not even have the trouble to will this or that? The King, the seigneurs and the clergy took to themselves the trouble of willing for us? And they have changed that! They have changed all that!!!"

"Fortunately we need not despair, my dear Monsieur Lebrenn."

"May the good God hear you!" said the merchant, rising and bowing respectfully to the Count. "Monsieur, to command."

"So, then, next Sunday – at the tournament. You will come, my good fellow – you – your family – agreed?"

"Certainly, monsieur, certainly. My daughter will not fail to attend the festivity – seeing she is to be the queen of – of?"