Part 41 (1/2)
”Quick,” cried she, as the servant at length appeared. ”Quick! Do not delay an instant! My carriage at once!”
CHAPTER XII
THAT WHICH REMAINED
As for John Law, all through that fatal day which meant for him the ruin of his ambitions, he continued in the icy calm which, for days past, had distinguished him. He discontinued his ordinary employments, and spent some hours in sorting and destroying numbers of papers and doc.u.ments.
His faithful servant, the Swiss, Henri, he commanded to make ready his apparel for a journey.
”At six this evening,” said he, ”Henri, we shall be ready to depart. Let us be quite ready well before that time.”
”Monsieur is leaving Paris?” asked the Swiss, respectfully.
”Quite so.”
”Perhaps for a stay of some duration?”
”Quite so, indeed, Henri.”
”Then, sir,” expostulated the Swiss, ”it would require a day or so for me to properly arrange your luggage.”
”Not at all,” replied Law. ”Two valises will suffice, not more, and I shall perhaps not need even these.”
”Not all the apparel, the many coats, the jewels--”
”Do not trouble over them.”
”But what disposition shall I make--?”
”None at all. Leave all these things as they are. But stay--this package which I shall prepare for you--take it to the regent, and have it marked in his care and for the Parliament of France.”
Law raised in his hands a bundle of parchments, which one by one he tore across, throwing the fragments into a basket as he did so.
”The seat of Tancarville,” he said. ”The estate of Berville; the Hotel Mazarin; the lands of Bourget; the Marquisat of Charleville; the lands of Orcher; the estate of Roissy--Gad! what a number of them I find.”
”But, Monsieur,” expostulated the Swiss, ”what is that you do? Are these not your possessions?”
”Not so, _mon ami_,” replied Law. ”They once were mine. They are estates in France. Take back these deeds. Dead Sully may have his own again, and each of these late owners of the lands. I wished them for a purpose.
That purpose is no longer possible, and now I wish them no more. Take back your deeds, my friends, and bear in your minds that John Law tore them in two, and thus canceled the obligation.”
”But the moneys you have paid--they are enormous. Surely you will exact rest.i.tution?”
”Sirrah, could I not afford these moneys?”
”Admirably at the time,” replied the Swiss, with the freedom of long service. ”But for the future, what do we know? Besides, it is a matter of right and justice.”
”Ah, _mon ami_” said Law, ”right and justice are no more. But since you speak of money, let us take precautions as to that. We shall need some money for our journey. See, Henri! Take this note and get the money which it calls for. But no! The crowd may be too great. Look in the drawer of my desk yonder, and take out what you find.”
The Swiss did as he was bidden, but at length returned with troubled face.