Part 25 (1/2)
”Why are these grounds so brilliantly illuminated?” he asked a curious looker-on.
”In honor of the opening of the wonderful _Saint-Ramon_ mansion,”
replied the man addressed.
”_Saint Ramon_!” repeated the old man, softly, as if speaking to himself. ”How strange!”
He seemed buried in reflections for a few minutes, then turning once more to the man he had already addressed, he asked with evident curiosity:
”Can you tell me anything about this mansion, monsieur?”
”People say it is the eighth wonder of the world; and upon my word, it must be wonderful; the work has been going on for five years,”
responded the man.
”To whom does it belong?”
”To a young millionaire, who has spent his money lavishly and very foolishly, I believe.”
”Do you know his name?”
”I believe the name is Saint Harem or Saint-Herem--”
”There is no more doubt,” murmured the old man. ”But why should he name it _Saint-Ramon_?”
Again he seemed buried in sad reflections, until aroused from his reverie by his companion's voice.
”How singular, after all,” the man was saying. ”A rich marquis should know only people with equipages; and yet, outside of two or three good carriages, the whole procession consists of _fiacres and cabriolets_.”
”Singular, indeed,” repeated the old man. ”But can you tell me the time?”
”Half-past-ten,” the man informed him.
”I am to be at Chaillot at midnight only,” said the old man to himself.
”It leaves me ample time to investigate this mystery. What a strange coincidence.”
After some hesitation, the old man entered the gate, glided into the obscurity of a by-path shaded by secular elm-trees, and walked on toward the mansion. Notwithstanding his evident preoccupation, he could not help remarking the immense quant.i.ty of flowers that banked the main avenue, their thousand variegated colors illuminated by a profusion of many-hued lanterns and glittering gla.s.s candelabra of all shapes and shades.
This fairy-land avenue ended in a vast hemicycle as brightly illuminated, beyond which arose the _Saint Ramon_ mansion, a veritable palace which, by the beauty and grandeur of its architecture, recalled the most brilliant days of the Renaissance.
Crossing the hemicycle, the old man reached an immense porch leading to the peristyle. Through the gla.s.s doors that enclosed this antechamber in all its length, he could see an army of powdered footmen in magnificent livery, while around him a continual stream of carriages unloaded a mult.i.tude of men, women and young girls, whose extreme simplicity of toilet seemed in little harmony with the splendors of this enchanted palace.
Urged on by an invincible curiosity, the old mulatto followed the ever increasing throng into the peristyle; then pa.s.sing through a double row of footmen, in resplendent blue and silver liveries, and standing as impa.s.sible as soldiers, he finally reached the reception room, where another army of servants in blue coats, black silk breeches and white silk stockings, stood in array. Although the modest appearance of the guests seemed little befitting the princely luxury of the house in which they were received, the stranger noticed, with some surprise, that the most respectful deference was shown to all. He paused but a moment here, however, pa.s.sing almost immediately into the music gallery, beyond which was an immense circular salon, surmounted by a dome and forming the center of three other galleries which served as ball room, banquet hall, and billiard room. These four galleries--including the music hall--were connected by wide pa.s.sages paved in rich mosaics and adorned with a profusion of exotic plants, while they were covered with gla.s.s domes, giving the whole the appearance of a hot-house.
We shall not attempt to describe the splendor, elegance, n.o.ble grandeur and sumptuousness of the furnis.h.i.+ngs of these vast rooms, dazzling with gildings and paintings, sparkling with lights, crystals and flowers, reflected indefinitely by enormous mirrors, but will merely mention the rare magnificence that gave this palace its royal, monumental character. The salon and galleries were adorned with allegorical paintings and sculptures that would have made the renown of the most beautiful castle in existence. The most ill.u.s.trious artists of the day had contributed to this superb work. Ingres, Delacroix, Scheffer, Paul Delaroche, and other future celebrities, such as Couture, Gerome, etc., had been employed by the opulent and intelligent creator of this palace. On the banquet table was displayed a marvel of silverware worthy of the epoch of Benvenuto; candelabra, ewers, ice basins, fruit bowls, flower vases, all would have done honor to a musee by the rich purity of form and the precious finish and delicacy that characterized each piece.
One odd peculiarity of the vast circular salon must not be omitted, however. Above a gigantic white marble chimney, a veritable monument to the bold genius of David--our Michael Angelo--were a number of allegorical figures in relief, representing arts and industries, and supporting a large oval frame incrusted in the entablature of the chimney. This frame enclosed a painting which might have been attributed to Velasquez. It was the portrait of a pale man, with a harsh, austere countenance, hollow cheeks, sunken eyes, and high, polished forehead; a brown gown, half in the style of a dressing gown and half way resembling the gown of a monk, gave the figure the imposing character of those saints and martyrs so numerous in the Spanish school of painting; an appearance emphasized, moreover, by a gold aureole which seemed to cast its dazzling reflections on the austere, pensive face. Below, traced in large, Gothic letters in a s.p.a.ce formed by the foliage of the border, were these two words:
SAINT RAMON.