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Taking the Bastile

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<h2>CHAPTER XVI.</h2> THE PHYSICIAN FOR THE STATE. On the way back to Paris, Gilbert stopped at St. Ouen to see Necker's daughter. He had a suspicion that the financier had not gone to Brussels as everybody was led to think. Indeed, it was at Madam de Stael's country house that he was concealed, awaiting events. He made no difficulty in supplying his friend with a letter of introduction to the King. Armed with this, the doctor, leaving Billet and Pitou in a pretty hotel of Paris where the farmer usually stayed, hurried to Versailles. It was half past ten but Versailles could not sleep now. It was agitated about how the King would take the insult of the Bastile being captured. It was not a slap in the face like Mirabeau's refusal to obey the order of the King to vacate the Assembly-rooms, but a death-blow. The palace and surrounding sites were packed with troops, but Gilbert managed to reach the Bulls-eye Chamber where Necker's letter passed him into the royal presence. The doctor examined in silence the pilot given to France in stormy weather, whom he had not seen for many long years. For the physiognomist who had studied under Lavater, the magnetiser who had read the future with Balsamo, the philosopher who had meditated with Rousseau, the traveler who had reviewed many peoples, all in this short, stout man signified degeneracy, impotence and ruin. When Louis had read the introduction he dismissed all attendants with a wave of the hand not devoid of majesty. "Is it true," said he, "that you are the author of the Memoirs on Administration and Politics, which much struck me? you are young for such a work?" "I am thirty-two, but study and misfortune age a man; treat me as an old one." "Why are you so slow to present yourself to me?" [Pg 126] "Because I had no need to speak to your Majesty what I could freely and easily write." "But you ought to have been informed that I was kindly towards you," observed the monarch, suspiciously. "Your Majesty alludes to my audacity in requesting him, in token of having read my work with gratification, to show a light in his own study window? I saw that, and was gladdened, but your Majesty offered a reward, and I want none." "Any way you come like a true soldier when the action is on. But I am not used to meet those who do not haste when recompense is offered." "I deserve none. Born a Frenchman, loving my land, jealous of its prosperity, confounding my individuality with that of its thirty millions of men, I work for them in toiling for myself. A selfish man deserves no recompense." "Excuse me, you had another reason. You thought the state of events serious and held back——" "For a more serious one? Your Majesty guesses correctly." "I like frankness," said the King, reddening, for he was nervous. "So, you predicted ruin for the sovereign and you wanted to be out of the reach of the flying splinters." "No, Sire, since I hasten towards the danger." "You come fresh from Necker and you naturally speak like him. Where is he?" "Ready at hand to obey your orders." "All for the best, for I shall require him," returned Louis with a sigh. "In politics, nobody should sulk. A plan may be good and fail from accidents." "Sire, your Majesty reasons admirably," said Gilbert, coming to his aid; "but the main thing now is to see into the future clearly; as a physician, I speak bluntly at crises." "Do you attach much importance to the riot of yesterday?" "It is not riot, but revolution." "And would you have me treat with rebels and murderers? Their taking the Bastile by force was an act of rebellion; their slaying of Launay, Losme and Flesselles, murder." "They should be held apart; those who stormed the Bastile were heroes; those who murdered those gentlemen, butchers." [Pg 127] "You are right, sir," said the King, his lips blanching after a transient blush and perspiration appearing on his brow. "You are indeed a physician, or rather a surgeon for you cut into the tender flesh. But let us return to the subject. You are Dr. Gilbert, who wrote those articles?" "Sire, I consider it is a great happiness that my name is retained in your memory. It must not have sounded new when spoken a week ago in your hearing. I mean that when I was arrested and put in the Bastile. I always understood that no arrest is made of any importance without the King being advised." "You in the Bastile?" cried the astonished King. "Here is the order to lock me up. Put in prison six days ago by the royal order, I was released by the grace of the people at three o'clock this day. Did not your Majesty hear the cannon? they broke the doors down to let me out." "Ah, I should be glad if I might say the cannon was not fired on royalty at the same time as the Bastile." Thus the King muttered. "Oh, Sire, do not take a prison as the emblem of the monarchy. Say on the contrary that you are glad the Bastile is taken; for, I trust, no such injustice as I was the victim of will be henceforth committed in the name of the ruler who is kept ignorant of it." "But there must be some cause for your arrest." "None that I am aware of, Sire; I was arrested as soon as I landed and imprisoned—that is all there is in it." "Really, sir," said the monarch mildly, "is there not selfishness in your dilating on your troubles when I want my own dealt with?" "I only need a word: did your Majesty have anything to do with my arrest?" "I was unaware of your return to this kingdom." "I am happy for this reply. I may loudly say that your Majesty is defamed when evil is attributed to you, and cite myself as example." "You put balm on the wound, Doctor," said the other, smiling. [Pg 128] "Oh, Sire, I will liberally anoint it; and I will cure it, I promise. But you must strongly wish the healing done. But, before pledging yourself too deeply, I should like you to notice the note on the prison record." The King frowned to read: "At the Queen's request." "Have you incurred the Queen's disfavor?" he inquired. "Sire, I am sure that her Majesty knows me less than yourself." "But you must have committed some misdeed, for people are not put in the Bastile for nothing." "Humph, several in this situation, have come out." "If you run over your life——" "I will do so, out aloud: but do not be uneasy, it will not take long. Since sixteen I have toiled without repose. The pupil of Rousseau, the companion of Joseph Balsamo, the friend of Lafayette and Washington, since I quitted France, I have not a fault to reproach myself with, not a wrongful deed. Since heaven gave me the charge of bodies, I have shed my blood for mankind and staunched its flow in others. Thousands live to bless my labors." "In America you worked with the innovators and propagate their principles by your writings." "Yes, Sire, I forgot this claim on the gratitude of monarchs and peoples." This silenced the King. "Sire, you know my life now; I have offended and injured nobody, queen or beggar; and I humbly ask your Majesty why I was imprisoned." "I will speak to the Queen about it. Do you believe that the warrant to arrest and imprison came directly from her Majesty?" "I do not believe this; I rather presume that her Majesty countersigned it. But when a queen approves, she commands." "Countess of Charny," read the King on the record sheet; "is it she who wanted you imprisoned? why, what have you done to poor Charny?" "Before this morning I never heard of any lady of that title." "Charny," muttered the King, musing, "virtue, goodness, chastity in person!" [Pg 129] "You see, they have put me in prison in the name of the Christian Graces," remarked Gilbert, laughing. "Oh, I will have this cleared up," said the King, and ringing the bell he bade the servant bring the Countess of Charny into his presence. <hr class="chap" /> <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

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