Part 8 (2/2)
”Can I see Florestan?”
”In Count de Mussidan's service, I believe?”
”Just so; I have an appointment with him here.”
”He is downstairs in the band-room,” replied the landlord. ”I will send for him.”
”Don't trouble; I will go down,” and, without waiting for permission, Mascarin descended some steps that apparently led to a cellar.
”It appears to me,” murmured Father Canon, ”that I have seen this cove's face before.”
Mascarin pushed open a door at the bottom of the flight of stairs, and a strange and appalling noise issued from within (but this neither surprised nor alarmed him), and entered a vaulted room arranged like a _cafe_, with seats and tables, filled with customers. In the centre, two men, in their s.h.i.+rt sleeves, with crimson faces, were performing upon horns; while an old man, with leather gaiters, b.u.t.toning to the knee, and a broad leather belt, was whistling the air the hornplayers were executing. As Mascarin politely took off his hat, the performers ceased, and the old man discontinued his whistling, while a well-built young fellow, with pumps and stockings, and wearing a fas.h.i.+onable mustache, exclaimed,--
”Aha, it is that good old Mascarin. I was expecting you; will you drink?”
Without waiting for further invitation Mascarin helped himself from a bottle that stood near.
”Did Father Canon tell you that I was here?” asked the young man, who was the Florestan Mascarin had been inquiring for. ”You see,” continued he, ”that the police will not permit us to practise the horn; so, you observe, Father Canon has arranged this underground studio, from whence no sound reaches the upper world.”
The hornplayers had now resumed their lessons, and Florestan was compelled to place both hands to the side of his mouth, in order to render himself audible, and to shout with all his might.
”That old fellow there is a huntsman in the service of the Duke de Champdoce, and is the finest hornplayer going. I have only had twenty lessons from him, and am getting on wonderfully.”
”Ah!” exclaimed Mascarin, ”when I have more time I must hear your performance; but to-day I am in a hurry, and want to say a few words to you in private.”
”Certainly, but suppose we go upstairs and ask for a private room.”
The rooms he referred to were not very luxuriously furnished, but were admirably suited for confidential communications; and had the walls been able to speak, they could have told many a strange tale.
Florestan and Mascarin seated themselves in one of these before a small table, upon which Father Canon placed a bottle of wine and two gla.s.ses.
”I asked you to meet me here, Florestan,” began Mascarin, ”because you can do me a little favor.”
”Anything that is in my power I will do,” said the young man.
”First, a few words regarding yourself. How do you get on with Count de Mussidan?”
Mascarin had adopted an air of familiarity which he knew would please his companion.
”I don't care about the place,” replied Florestan, ”and I am going to ask Beaumarchef to look out another one for me.”
”I am surprised at that; all your predecessors said that the Count was a perfect gentleman--”
”Just try him yourself,” broke in the valet. ”In the first place he is as fickle as the wind, and awfully suspicious. He never leaves anything about,--no letters, no cigars, and no money. He spends half his time in locking things up, and goes to bed with his keys under his pillow.”
”I allow that such suspicion on his part is most unpleasant.”
”It is indeed, and besides he is awfully violent. He gets in a rage about nothing, and half a dozen times in the day he looks ready to murder you. On my word, I am really frightened at him.”
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