Part 17 (1/2)
No one remained in the drawing-room but Cagliostro and the beautiful woman who still lay quietly on the couch, upon the throne. Cagliostro approached her, and, raising the veil, regarded her a moment, with an expression of the most pa.s.sionate tenderness: ”We are alone, Lorenza,”
said he. She opened her great eyes, and looked around the dimly-lighted room; then, fixing them upon Cagliostro, who stood before her in his brilliant costume of magician, she burst into a merry laugh, so loud and so irresistible, that Cagliostro was seized involuntarily, and joined her.
”Oh! was it not heavenly, was it not a glorious comedy, and did I not play divinely, Joseph? Was I not bewitching as the G.o.ddess of Nature?”
”You looked truly like a G.o.ddess, Lorenza, and there is nothing more beautiful than you, in heaven or upon earth. But come, my enchantress, it is time to break up, as we are to set off early to-morrow morning.”
”Have we now much money? Was the tribute richly paid?”
”Yes, we have a hundred louis d'ors and a diamond ring from the mistress of this house.”
”Give it to me,” cried Lorenza.
”Not the ring, Lorenza, but the diamond, so soon as I have a false stone set in the ring--which I must keep as a ring in the chain which will bind this woman to our cause.”
”Was I not astonis.h.i.+ngly like her? Was it not almost unmistakable?”
”Yes, wonderfully deceptive. I shuddered myself as I saw the dagger pointed at your bosom.”
”And the blood, how it gushed forth, Joseph!” Lorenza burst into a merry laugh again, and Cagliostro joined her, but suddenly stopped, and, listening, turned toward the door, which he had closed after Bischofswerder departed. It seemed as if he heard a noise--a peculiar knocking. Four times it was repeated, and Cagliostro waved his hand to Lorenza not to speak. Again were heard the four peculiar rhythmical sounds. ”Be quiet, for Heaven's sake be quiet, Lorenza! Let me cover you with the veil; it is a messenger from the Invisibles.” Cagliostro flew to the door, unbolted it, and stood humbly near the entrance. A masked figure, enveloped in a cloak, opened it, and entered, rebolting it.
Slowly turning toward Cagliostro, he harshly demanded, ”Whose servant are you?”
”The servant of the Invisible Rulers and Fathers,” he humbly answered.
”Who are the Invisible Fathers?”
”The four amba.s.sadors of the great general of the exiles.”
”Call him by that name which he bore before a heretic pope in Rome, a weak empress, a free-thinking emperor in Germany, a lost-in-sin French emperor, and a heretic Spanish minister, condemned him to banishment and destruction.”
”General of the Jesuits,” he answered respectfully, bowing lower.
”Do you know the sign by which he may be recognized?”
”Yes, by a ring with the likeness of the founder of the order, the holy Ignatius Loyola.”
”Then look, and recognize me,” cried the mask, extending his hand to Cagliostro.
”The General,” he murmured, frightened, gazing at the ring upon the small, white hand of the other. ”The holy founder of the order himself!”
He seized his hand and pressed it to his lips, sinking upon his knees.
The mask remained standing before the magician, as lowly as he might bow himself, who was still arrayed in his brilliant costume with the band upon his brow sparkling like diamonds.
With a cold, reserved manner he answered, ”I am he, and am come here to give you my commands by word of mouth.”
”Command me; I am thy humble servant, and but a weak tool in thy hands.”
”It is my will that you should become a powerful tool in my hands. Rise, for I will speak to the man who must stand erect in the storm. Rise!”
The proud commander was now an humble, obedient servant. He rose slowly, standing with bowed head.
”When and where did we last meet?” demanded the mask.