had it not been for mr. morris's sudden return from london, calvert would have felt alone, indeed, in paris. having received certain intelligence concerning the plan for the purchase of the american debt to france, mr. morris set off hastily for france and arrived there several days before mr. jefferson's departure for havre. this absence, as all thought, was to be but temporary, but, when mr. jefferson left paris on that morning of the 26th of september, it was never to return. he left his affairs in the hands of calvert and mr. short, and, as for the former, he was only too happy to plunge into work and so forget, if possible, his own unhappiness. mr. morris easily divined it, however, and its cause, and tried, in his cynical, kindly fashion, to divert the young man. he made it a point to see calvert frequently, and, indeed, it was not only out of kindness of heart that he did so, but because he had the greatest liking for the young gentleman and enjoyed his society above that of most of his acquaintances. it was easy enough for the two to see much of each other, for although the approach of winter brought a slight return of gayety, paris was dreary and deserted enough. that first wave of fear which had seized upon the nobles had swept many of them out of france to turin, to frankfort, to metz, to coblentz, and to london. many of those salons which mr. morris and calvert had frequented were already closed, hostesses and guests alike in exile and poverty. alarm succeeded alarm in paris until, with the ill-starred feast to the regiment of flanders and the march on versailles, alarm rose to panic. the incredible folly and stupidity which precipitated these events aroused mr. morris's contempt and indignation to the utmost pitch.
"what malignant devil is it, ned," he fairly groaned, as he and calvert sat over their wine one evening after dinner at the legation, "that urges their unfortunate majesties on to their destruction? what could have been more ill-advised, nay, more fatal in these starvation times, than the banquet to the flanders regiment? and the presence at it of their majesties! oh, luxembourg must have been stricken mad to have urged them to go thither! and once there, who or what could have prevented that tipsy royalist enthusiasm, the wild burst of sympathy, the trampling of the tri-color cockade? they say the queen moved among the half-crazed soldiers shining and beautiful as a star, boy. i had the whole scene from maupas, a cousin of madame de flahaut, who is in the body guard. what wonder that paris raged to remove the suborned regiment of flanders! and, if only the king had remained firm and kept it at versailles, this other horror of the 5th and 6th of october would never have happened. but what can you expect from such a monarch? as i wrote president washington this afternoon, 'if the reigning prince were not the small-beer character he is, there can be but little doubt that, watching events and making a tolerable use of them, he would regain his authority; but what will you have from a creature who, situated as he is, eats and drinks, sleeps well and laughs, and is as merry a grig as lives? there is, besides, no possibility of serving him, for, at the slightest show of opposition, he gives up everything and every person.' and yet i would like to attempt it, if only to thwart those rampant, feather-brained philosophers who are hurrying france to her doom."
"it is lafayette i would like to serve," said calvert, moodily. "d'azay and i were with him at the h?tel de ville for the greater part of the day of the 5th of october. he was no longer master of himself or of those he commanded, and i could scarce believe that this harried, brow-beaten, menaced leader of the milice was the alert and intrepid soldier i had served under before yorktown."
"ah, ned, there is a man whom this revolution has spoiled and will spoil even more! another lost reputation, i fear. truly a dreadful situation to find one's self in. marched by compulsion, guarded by his own troops, who suspect and threaten him! obliged to do what he abhors, or suffer an ignominious death, with the certainty that the sacrifice of his own life will not prevent the mischief! and he has but himself to thank—the dreadful events of the 5th and 6th of october were, as far as concerned lafayette, but the natural consequences of his former policy. did i not warn him long ago of the madness of trimming between the court and popular party, of the danger of a vast, undisciplined body of troops?"
he got up and stumped about the room, irritation and pity expressed in every feature of his countenance, not wholly unmixed, it must be confessed (or so it seemed to calvert, who could not help being a little amused thereat), with a certain satisfaction at his perspicacity. suddenly he burst out laughing.
"after all, there is a humorous side to the marquis's tardy march to versailles with his rabble of soldiers. as the old duchesse d'azay said the other evening to the bishop of autun and myself, 'lafayette et sa garde nationale ressemblent à l'arc-en-ciel et n'arrivent qu'après l'orage!'—i will be willing to bet you a dinner at the cafe de l'école that the bishop repeats it within a week as his own bon mot!"
but mr. morris had graver charges against the bishop than the confiscation of a witty saying. over talleyrand's motion for the public sale of church property he lost all patience, and did not hesitate to point out to him one evening, when they supped together at madame de flahaut's, the serious objections to be urged against such a step. 'twas but one, however, of the many signs of the times which both irritated and pained him, for he was genuinely and ardently interested in the fate of france, and looked on with alarm and sadness at the events taking place. his own plan for a supply of flour from america and the negotiations for the purchase to france of the american debt, which he was endeavoring to conclude with necker, were alternately renewed and broken off in a most exasperating fashion, owing to that minister's short-sighted policy and niggardliness. indeed, france's finances were in a hopelessly deplorable state, and mr. morris looked on in dismay at the various futile plans suggested as remedies—at the proposal to make the bankrupt caisse d'escompte a national bank, at the foolish caisse patriotique, and at the issue of assignats.
"if they only had a financier of the calibre of hamilton," said mr. morris to calvert; "but they haven't a man to compare with that young genius. necker is only a sublimated bank-clerk. indeed, i think you or i could conduct the finances of this unhappy country better than they are at present conducted," he added, laughing. "i have great hopes of you as a financier, ned, since that affair of the holland loans, and as for myself, luxembourg has urged me seriously to enter the ministry. 'tis a curious proposition, but these visionary philosophers, who are trying to pilot the ship of state into a safe harbor, know nothing of their business, and will fetch up on some hidden reef pretty soon, if i mistake not. the assembly is already held in utter contempt—their sittings are tumultuous farces—the thing they call a constitution is utterly good for nothing. and there is lafayette, with an ambition far beyond his talents, aspiring not only to the command of all the forces, but to a leadership in the assembly—a kind of generalissimo-dictatorship. 'tis almost inconceivable folly, and, to cap all, that scoundrel mirabeau has the deputies under his thumb. can a country be more utterly prostrated than france is at this moment?"
"to get lafayette and mirabeau together is her only chance of safety, i think," said calvert, in reply. "the leader of the people and the leader of the assembly, working together, might do much."
"impossible," objected mr. morris, decidedly, "and i do not blame
lafayette for refusing to ally himself with so profligate a creature as
mirabeau, great and undeniable as are his talents. why, boy, all paris
knows that while he leads the assembly, he is in the pay of the king and
queen."
"and yet i heard you yourself declare," returned calvert, with a smile, "that men do not go into the administration as the direct road to heaven. i think it were well for this country to avail itself of the great abilities of mirabeau and make it to his interest to be true to it." and in the long argument which ensued over the advisability of taking monsieur de mirabeau into the administration, calvert had all the best of it, and judged mirabeau's talents and usefulness more accurately than mr. morris, keen and practical as that gentleman usually was.
toward the middle of november word came to the american legation at paris, by the british packet, of the appointment of mr. jefferson to the secretaryship of foreign affairs under president washington, and the commission of mr. short as chargé d'affaires at paris until a new minister could be appointed. this news was confirmed six weeks later by a letter from mr. jefferson himself to calvert and mr. morris:
* * * * *
it had been my ardent wish to return to france and see the ending of the revolution now convulsing that unhappy country, but the sense of duty which sent me thither when i had no wish to leave america now constrains me to remain here. hamilton has been made secretary of the treasury, and he is anxious to have you return, that he may associate you with him in some way. but i have told him that, greatly as i should like to see you and to see you busy in your own country, it was my opinion that you had better stay abroad for a year or two longer and study the governments of the different european powers before returning to the united states. you can learn much in that time, and your usefulness and advancement in your own country will be proportionately greater. at any rate, i will beg of you to stay in paris until you can arrange some of my private affairs, left at loose ends. i enclose a list of the most important, with instructions. mr. short will attend to the official ones for the present. his commission was the first one signed by president washington. pray present my kindest regards to mr. morris, and, with the hope of hearing from you both soon and frequently,
your friend and servant,
thomas jefferson.
* * * * *
this letter reached mr. calvert on the day before christmas, and added not a little to the gloom of an anniversary already sufficiently depressing, passed so far from friends and home and amid such untoward surroundings. he and mr. short were in mr. jefferson's little octagonal library, still discussing the letter, among others received by the same packet, when mr. morris came in, the three gentlemen intending to have a bachelor dinner at the legation.
"i see you have the news about mr. jefferson," he said, looking at mr. calvert and mr. short. "i have a letter from him myself and a long one from president washington, which i have permission to communicate to you two, but which must go no further for the present," and he handed it to mr. calvert. "as you see, 'tis my orders to proceed to england as accredited agent to the british government, with the object of settling the treaty disputes and of establishing, if possible, a commercial alliance with great britain. the president has written me at length on the subject, and i shall start for london as soon as possible—within a month, i hope."
"'tis a great compliment," said mr. short, a little enviously.
"and a very delicate mission," added calvert. and so it was, and an ungrateful one, too. several of the stipulations of the peace of paris, though ratified several years previously, were still unfulfilled. the british had failed to surrender the frontier posts included in the territory of the united states, and the united states, on her side, had failed to pay the debts due to british merchants before the war. now, although america, at washington's instigation, was eager to fulfil her part of the treaty, england still held off, and 'twas to learn her ultimate intentions, and persuade her, if possible, to carry out her share of the conditions, that the president had named mr. gouverneur morris as private agent to the british government. he was furthermore to discover whether england would send a minister to the infant union and also what her dispositions were in regard to making a commercial treaty.
this mission was discussed at length during dinner and until late into the evening, when mr. short, pleading a supper engagement with the duchesse d'orléans, went away, leaving mr. morris and calvert together.
"and now, ned," said the older man, as they sat comfortably before the fire after mr. short's departure, "your duties here will detain you no longer than mine, so why cannot we take that journey to england together? you remember you would not go the last time i asked you."
"there is nothing to keep me now," returned calvert, quietly, "and—and in truth i shall be glad enough to get away," he said, rising, and moving restlessly about the room. and, indeed, he was anxious to get away and conquer, if possible, in some unfamiliar scene, the disappointment which was consuming him.
"i saw her a few days ago at madame de montmorin's," said mr. morris, in a kindly tone. "she was looking very beautiful and asked about you—do you know, boy, i think she would be glad to see you again? haven't you been to the rue st. honoré all this while?"
"no," replied calvert, "and i shall not go."
"the hardness of youth! my young philosopher, when you are older you will be glad to make compromises with happiness and go to meet her half way. i think you can be a little cruel in your sure young strength, ned, and a woman's heart is easily hurt," said mr. morris, with a sudden, unaccustomed seriousness.
"i am not much of a philosopher. i tried my fortune and failed, and i thought i could bear it, but it is unendurable. perhaps i shall find it more tolerable away from her," said calvert, gloomily.
"then if you won't tempt your fortune further, come to london with me, ned. i promise you diversion and excitement. there are other interesting things to study besides the 'governments of different european powers,'" and mr. morris laughed and tapped mr. jefferson's letter, which he held in his hand. "i am not averse to going away myself. ugh! paris has become insufferable these days, with its riots and murders and houses marked for destruction. 'tis the irony of fate that this breeding-spot of every kind and degree of vice known under high heaven should come forward in the sacred cause of liberty! besides all of which, madame de flahaut has found a new admirer. she swore eternal affection for me, but nothing here below can last forever," he went on, in his old cynical fashion. "i embarrass her manoeuvres, and 'twere well i were away and leave a fair field for my rival." as he spoke, the clock on the mantel chimed the hour of half after eleven.
"'tis christmas eve, ned," he said, getting up. "perhaps we sha'n't be in paris for another, and so i propose we go and hear mass at notre dame. 'tis a most christian and edifying ceremony, i believe. garat is to sing the te deum, so madame de flauhaut tells me."
the two gentlemen decided to walk, the night being clear and frosty, and so, dismissing mr. morris's carriage, they sauntered leisurely down to the place louis xv. and so by the way of the quai de bourbon and the quai de l'école over the pont neuf to the great parvis of notre dame. arrived at the cathedral, the suisse, in scarlet velvet and gold lace, gave them places over against the choir, where they could hear and see all that passed. though 'twas midnight, the great church was filled with a throng of worshippers, who knelt and rose and knelt again as mass proceeded. from the altar rose clouds of incense from censers swung by acolytes; now and then could be heard the tinkle of a silver bell at the elevation of the host and the voice of the priest, monotonous and indistinct, in that vast edifice. lights twinkled, the air grew heavy with incense, and great bursts of music rolled from the organ-loft. 'twas a magnificent ceremonial, and mr. morris and calvert came away thrilled and awed. they made their way out by the old rue st. louis and the quai des orfèvres, and, keeping still to the left bank of the seine, did not cross until they came to the pont royal. from the bridge they could see far down the river and the lights of paris on both sides of the water. a feathery sprinkling of snow, which had fallen in the afternoon, lay over everything; but the rack of clouds which had brought it had blown away, and the night was frosty and starlit. a tremulous excitement and unrest seemed to be in the keen air.
"tis a doomed city, i think, and we are better away," said mr. morris, leaning on the stone parapet of the bridge and looking far out over the river and at the silent ranks of houses lining its shore. a great bell from some tower on the left boomed out two strokes. "two o'clock! 'tis christmas morning, and we had best be getting back, ned." together they walked under the keen, frosty stars as far as the rue st. honoré, and then, with best christmas wishes, they parted, mr. morris going to the rue richelieu, and calvert back to the legation.