CHAPTER LXXXVI

THE first impulse of Consuelo, on returning to her apartment, was to write Albert; but this was more easily said than done. In her first rough copy she had commenced to relate to him all the occurrences of her journey, when suddenly it occurred to her that she might affect him too violently by depicting the perils and fatigue which she had undergone. She remembered the sort of delirious frenzy which had taken possession of him when she recounted in the subterraneous grotto the terrors she had braved in order to reach him. She destroyed this letter therefore, thinking that so earnest and impressionable a being required the manifestation of some ruling and prominent idea, and resolved to omit the moving detail in order to express, were it only in a few words, the fidelity and affection which she had promised him. But these few words, if not precise and clear, would only arouse fresh apprehension, nor could she say that she experienced that deep-seated love and immovable resolve which would enable Albert to hope on with patience. Consuelo was all sincerity and honor, and could not stoop to utter an equivocation. She took her heart and conscience to task, and found, from the calmness which she experienced, that she had gained a complete victory over the remembrance of Anzoleto. She found also in her heart the most complete indifference toward every other man but Albert; but the sort of love and enthusiasm which she now experienced for him, was just the same that she had felt when beside him. It was not sufficient that the memory of Anzoleto should be banished, in order that Count Albert should become the object of a violent passion in her heart. Was she to be blamed for recalling poor Albert's malady, the dreary solemnity of the Castle of the Giants, the aristocratic prejudices of the canoness, the murder of Zdenko, the dreary cavern of the Schreckenstein—in short, all that strange and somber existence which, after having breathed the free air of the Böehmer Wald and enjoyed the melodies of Porpora, recurred to her memory as a frightful dream? Although she had opposed the maestro's cruel maxims as to an artist's career, she found herself in a mode of life so appropriate to her education, her intellectual faculties, and habits, that she no longer conceived it possible for her ever to become the Lady of Riesenburg.

What could she say then to Albert? What new promise or statement could she make? Was she not in the same state of irresolution, a prey to the same fear, as when she left the château? If she had come to take refuge at Vienna rather than elsewhere, it was because she was there under the safeguard of the only legitimate protection that had ever been vouchsafed to her. Porpora was her benefactor, her father, her support, her master, in the most religious acceptation of the word. Near him, she no longer felt herself an orphan, or recognized the right of disposing of herself according to the sole inspiration of her heart or her judgment. But Porpora blamed, ridiculed, and repelled with energy the idea of a marriage which he considered as the grave of her genius, as the immolation of a splendid career on the altar of romantic and childish affection. At Riesenburg, also, there was a generous, noble, and affectionate old man, who offered himself as a father to Consuelo, but can we change fathers according to the necessities of our position? And when Porpora said no, could Consuelo accept Count Christian's yes?

That neither could nor ought to be, and she felt she must wait for the decision of Porpora, when he had better examined the facts of the case and the feelings of the different parties concerned. But while waiting for this confirmation or reversal of his judgment, what could she say to the unhappy Albert—how give him sufficient hope to enable him to wait her decision with patience? To acquaint him with the first storm of Porpora's dissatisfaction, would be to overthrow all his security; to conceal it was to deceive him, and Consuelo could not bring herself to practice the least dissimulation toward him. Had the noble young man's life depended on a falsehood, Consuelo would not have spoken that falsehood. There are some beings whom we respect too much to deceive, even in saving them.

She began again, therefore, and destroyed twenty letters when scarcely commenced, without being able to decide on continuing a single one. In whatever manner she made the attempt, at the third word she always fell into a rash assertion or a doubt which might produce evil effects. She went to bed, overpowered by fatigue, sorrow, and anxiety, and lay long awake, shivering with cold, without being able to come to any resolution, or to trace out any fixed plan for her future career. At last she fell asleep, and remained in bed so late that Porpora, who was an early riser, had already departed on his rounds. She found Haydn busy as on the previous day brushing the clothes and arranging the furniture of his new master. "Welcome, fair sleeper," cried he on seeing his friend appear at last, "I die of ennui, of sadness, and especially of fear, when I do not see you appear, like a guardian angel, between that terrible professor and me. It seems as if he were always about to penetrate my intentions, to discover the plot, and shut me up in his old harpsichord to perish there of harmonic suffocation. He makes my hair stand on end, your Porpora; and I cannot persuade myself that he is not an old Italian demon, the evil spirits of that country being known to be much more wicked and crafty than our own."

"Be reassured, my friend," replied Consuelo; "our master is only unhappy, he is not ill-natured. Let us begin by bestowing our utmost care to procure him a little happiness, and we shall soon see him soften and return to his true character. In my childhood I have seen him cordial and cheerful; he was even noted for the wit and gaiety of his repartees. But at that period he was successful; he had friends and hope. If you had known him at the time when his Polyphemus was sung at the St. Moses theater, when he took me on the stage with him and placed me in the wing, from which I could see the back scenes and the head of the giant! How beautiful and yet how terrible all that seemed to me from my little corner! Crouching behind a rock of pasteboard, or clambering upon a lamp-ladder, I hardly breathed, and involuntary I imitated with my head and my little arms all the gestures and motions which I saw the actors make. And when the maestro was recalled seven times before the curtain, I imagined that he was a god! He was grand, he was majestic, in such moments! Alas! he is not yet very old, and yet so changed, so cast down! Come, Beppo, let us to work, that on his return he may find his poor lodging a little more agreeable than when he left it. In the first place I will make an inspection of his clothes to see what he wants."

"What he wants will make rather a long catalogue, and what he has a very short one," replied Joseph, "for I don't know that my wardrobe is in a much worse condition."

"Well! I shall take care to furnish yours also; for I am your debtor, Joseph; you fed and clothed me during our entire journey. But let us first think of Porpora. Open that press. What! only one suit? that which he wore yesterday at the ambassador's?"

"Alas! yes, a maroon suit with cut steel buttons, and that not very new either! The other suit, which is old and miserably ragged, he put on to go out; and as to his dressing-gown, I don't know if he ever had one; at all events I have hunted an hour for it in vain."

Consuelo and Joseph having searched in every corner, ascertained that Porpora's dressing-gown was a chimera of their imagination, as well as his overcoat and muff. Taking an inventory of the shirts, they found there were but three, in tatters, the ruffles all in rags, and so of all the rest. "Joseph," said Consuelo, "here is a beautiful ring which was given me yesterday evening in payment for my songs; I do not wish to sell it, that would draw attention to me, and perhaps prejudice the doners against what they would consider my avarice, but I can pawn it, and borrow on its security the money which is necessary for us. Keller is honest and intelligent; he will know the value of this jewel, and must certainly be acquainted with some broker who will advance me a good sum on the deposit. Go, and return quickly."

"It will not take long," replied Joseph. "There is a sort of Israelitish jeweler who lives in Keller's house, and as he is well accustomed to transact such matters for some of our court ladies, he will have the money with you in half an hour; but I want nothing for myself, you understand, Consuelo! You, however, whose equipment made the whole journey on my shoulder, have great need of a new toilet, and you will be expected to appear tomorrow, perhaps this very evening, in a dress a little less rumpled than this is."

"We shall settle our accounts by and bye, and as I please, Beppo. As I did not refuse your services, I have a right to demand that you do not refuse mine. Now run to Keller's."

In less than an hour Haydn returned with Keller and fifteen hundred florins. Consuelo having explained her intentions, Keller disappeared again and soon came back with one of his friends, a skillful and expeditious tailor, who, having taken the measure of Porpora's coat and other parts of his dress, engaged to bring in a few days two other complete suits, a good wadded dressing-gown, as well as linen and other articles necessary for the toilet, which he promised to order from work-women whom he could recommend.

"In the meantime," said Consuelo to Keller, when the tailor had gone, "I wish to have the greatest secrecy observed respecting all this. My master is as proud as he is poor, and he would certainly throw my poor gifts out of the window if he ever suspected that they came from me."

"How will you manage, then, signora," observed Joseph, "to make him put on his new clothes and abandon his old ones without remarking the change?"

"Oh, I understand his ways, and I promise you that he will not perceive it. I know how to manage him."

"And now, signora," resumed Joseph, who, except when tête-à-tête, had the good taste to address his friend very ceremoniously, in order not to give a false opinion of the nature of their friendship, "will you not think of yourself also? You brought scarcely any thing with you from Bohemia, and your dresses, moreover, are not fashionable in this country."

"I had almost forgotten that important affair. Good Mr. Keller must be my counselor and guide."

"Oh!" returned Keller, "I understand; and if I do not procure you a most tasteful wardrobe, I shall give you leave to call me ignorant and presumptuous."

"I will trust to you, my good Keller, and will only observe in general, that my taste is simple, and that very gay dresses and decided colors do not agree with my habitual paleness of complexion and quiet manners."

"You do me injustice, signora, in supposing that I require such a warning. Am I not obliged from my calling to know what colors correspond to particular complexions and style of features, and do I not see from yours what will suit you. Rest easy; you shall be satisfied with me, and in a short time you can appear at the court if you please without ceasing to be as modest and simple as you now are. To adorn the person, and not to change it, is the art of the hairdresser and of the milliner."

"Another word, dear Mr. Keller," said Consuelo, drawing the hairdresser aside. "You will also have Master Haydn dressed anew from head to foot, and with the rest of the money you will offer to your daughter, from me, a beautiful silk dress for the day of her wedding with him. I hope it will not be long delayed; for if I am successful here, I can be useful to our friend, and help him to make himself known. He has talent, great talent, be assured of that."

"Has he really, signora, I am happy to hear you say so. I have always thought so. What do I say?—I was sure of it from the first day I remarked him, quite a little boy, in the choir of the cathedral."

"He is a noble youth," returned Consuelo, "and you will reap an ample reward in his gratitude and loyalty for all that you have done for him, for you also, Keller, as I know, are a worthy man and possess a noble heart. In the meantime," added she, approaching Joseph along with Keller, "tell us if you have already done what we agreed upon respecting Joseph's protectors. The idea came from you; have you put it in execution?"

"Have I done so, signora?" replied Keller; "to say and to do are one and the same thing with your humble servant. On going to dress my customers this morning, I first informed his excellency the Venetian ambassador (I have not the honor to dress his own hair, but I curl his secretary), then the Abbé Metastasio, whom I shave every morning, and Mademoiselle Marianna Martinez, his ward, whose head is also intrusted to my care. She lives, as he does, in my house—that is to say, I live in their house—but no matter! Lastly, I saw two or three other persons who likewise know Joseph's face, and whom he is exposed to meet at Master Porpora's. Those who were not my customers, I visited under some pretext or other, such as the following: 'I have been informed that Madame the Baroness has sent to some of my neighbors for genuine bear's grease for the hair, and I have hastened to bring her some which I can warrant. I offer it gratis to distinguished personages as a sample, and only ask their custom for the article if they are pleased with it,' or else: 'Here is a prayer-book which was found at St. Stephen's last Sunday, and as I dress the hair of the cathedral (that is to say, of the scholars), I have been requested to ask your excellency if this book does not belong to you.' This book was an old worm-eaten concern of gilt and blazoned leather, which I had taken from the stall of some canon or other, knowing that no one would claim it. In fine, when I had succeeded in making myself heard under one pretext or another, I commenced to chat with that ease and spirit which is tolerated in persons of my profession. I said, for example: 'I have often heard your lordship spoken of by one of my friends who is a skillful musician, Joseph Haydn. It was this that emboldened me to present myself in your lordship's honorable mansion.' 'What!' they said to me, 'little Joseph? a charming performer, a young man of great promise.' 'Ah! truly!' replied I, enchanted to come to the point, 'your lordship will be amused by the singular and advantageous position in which he is at this moment placed.' 'What has happened to him then? I have heard nothing of it.' 'Oh! there can be nothing more comical and at the same time more interesting! He has become a valet-de-chambre!' 'How? a valet? Fie! what a degradation, what a misfortune, with so much talent as he possesses! Then he is very poor? I will certainly assist him.' 'It is not on that account, your lordship,' replied I; 'it is the love of art which has made him adopt this singular resolution. He was most anxious at any sacrifice to procure the lessons of the illustrious master Porpora.' 'Ah! yes, I know that, and Porpora refused to hear him and admit him. He is a very fanciful and most morose man of genius.' 'He is a great man, a great heart,' replied I, according to the instructions of the Signora Consuelo, who in all this does not wish her master to be blamed or ridiculed. 'Be assured,' added I, 'that he will soon recognize little Haydn's genius, and will bestow on him all his care; but, not to irritate his gloomy temper, and to obtain admittance to his house without exciting his anger, Joseph has hit upon nothing more ingenious than to enter his service as valet, and to pretend the most complete ignorance of music.' 'The idea is touching, charming,' replied they, quite moved; 'it is the heroism of a real artist; but he must hasten to obtain the good grace of Porpora before he is recognized and mentioned to the latter as an already well-known artist; for young Haydn is liked and protected by some persons who frequently visit at Porpora's house.' 'But those persons,' said I then, with an insinuating air, 'are too generous, too high-minded, not to keep Joseph's little secret for him, and even to dissemble a little with Porpora in order to preserve his confidence in him.' 'Oh,' cried they, 'I certainly will not be the one to betray the good and learned Joseph, and I shall forbid my people to drop an imprudent word which might find its way to the maestro's ears.' Then they sent me away with a trifling present, or an order for bear's grease, and as for the gentleman secretary of the embassy, he was greatly interested in the adventure, and promised to entertain Signor Corner with it at breakfast, in order that he, who is a particular admirer of Joseph's, may be the earliest on his guard with Porpora. Thus my diplomatic mission has been fulfilled. Are you satisfied, signora?"

"If I were a queen, I would appoint you my ambassador on the spot," replied Consuelo. "But I see the maestro returning. Fly, dear Keller, do not let him see you!"

"And why should I fly, signora? I will begin to dress your hair, and it will be supposed you sent your valet Joseph for the nearest hairdresser."

"He has more wit a hundred times than we," said Consuelo to Joseph; and she abandoned her ebon tresses to the skillful hands of Keller, while Joseph resumed his duster and apron, as Porpora heavily ascended the staircase humming an air of his forthcoming opera.