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A DIPLOMATIC ADVENTURE
BY
S. WEIR MITCHELL, M.D., LL.D.
NEW YORK
THE CENTURY CO.
1906
Copyright, 1906, by
THE CENTURY CO.
_Published April, 1906_
THE DE VINNE PRESS
"She was in an agony of alarm."]
A DIPLOMATIC ADVENTURE
I
No man has ever been able to write the history of the greater years ofa nation so as to include the minor incidents of interest. They passunnoted, although in some cases they may have had values influentialin determining the course of events. It chanced that I myself was anactor in one of these lesser incidents, when second secretary to ourlegation in France, during the summer of 1862. I may possiblyoverestimate the ultimate importance of my adventure, for Mr. Adams,our minister of the court of St. James, seems to have failed torecord it, or, at least, there is no allusion to it in his biography.In the perplexing tangle of the diplomacy of the darker days of ourcivil war, many strange stories must have passed unrecorded, butsurely none of those remembered and written were more singular thanthe occurrences which disturbed the quiet of my uneventful officiallife in the autumn of 1862.
At this time I had been in the legation two years, and was comfortablylodged in pleasant apartments in the Rue Rivoli.
Somewhere about the beginning of July I had occasion to engage a newservant, and of this it becomes needful to speak because the man Itook chanced to play a part in the little drama which at last involvedmany more important people.
I had dismissed a stout Alsatian because of my certainty that, likehis predecessor, he was a spy in the employ of the imperial police.There was little for him to learn; but to feel that I was watched,and, once, that my desk had been searched, was disagreeable. This timeI meant to be on safer ground, and was inquiring for a suitableservant when a lean, alert little man presented himself with a goodrecord as a valet in England and France. He was very neat and had ahumorous look which caught my fancy. His name was Alphonse Duret. Weagreed easily as to wages and that he was to act as valet, take careof my salon, and serve as footman at need. Yes, he could come at once.Upon this I said:
"A word more and I engage you." And then, sure that his reply would bea confident negative, "Are you not a spy in the service of thepolice?" To my amused surprise he said:
"Yes, but will monsieur permit me to explain?"
"Certainly."
"I was intended by my family to be a priest, but circumstances causedme to make a change. It was not gay."
"Well, hardly."
"I was for a time a valet, but circumstances occurred--monsieur mayobserve that I am frank. Later I was on the police force, but aftertwo years I fell ill and lost my place. When I was well again, I wastaken on as an observer. Monsieur permits me to describe it as anobserver?"
"A spy?" I said.
"I cannot contradict monsieur. I speak English--I learned it when Iwas valet for Mr. Parker in London. That is why I am sent here. Thepay is of a minuteness. Circumstances make some addition desirable."
I perceived that circumstances appeared to play a large part in thisqueer autobiography, and saved the necessity of undesirable fullnessof statement.
I said: "You appear to be frank, but are you to belong to me or to thepolice? In your studies for the priesthood you may have heard that aman cannot serve two masters."
His face became of a sudden what I venture to call luminous with thepleasure an intelligent man has in finding an answer to a difficultquestion.
He replied modestly: "A man has many masters. One of mine has used mebadly. I became ill from exposure in the service, but they refused totake me back. If monsieur will trust me, there shall be but one realmaster."
The man interested me. I said: "If I engage you, you will, I suppose,desire to remain what you call an observer."
"Yes. Monsieur may be sure that either I or another will observe.Since the unfortunate war in America, monsieur and all others of hislegation are watched."
"And generally every one else," I said. "Perhaps you, too, areobserved."
"Possibly. Monsieur may perceive that it is better I continue in thepay of the police. It is hardly more than a _pourboire_, but it isdesirable. I have an old mother at Neuilly."
I had my doubts in regard to the existence of the mother--but it wastrue, as I learned later.
"It seems to me," I said, "that you will have to report yourobservations."
"Yes; I cannot avoid that. Monsieur may feel assured that I shallcommunicate very important information to my lesser master,"--hegrinned,--"in fact, whatever monsieur pleases. If I follow and reportat times to the police where monsieur visits, I may be trusted to beat need entirely untrustworthy and prudent. I do not smoke. Monsieur'scigars are safe. If monsieur has absinthe about, I might--monsieurpermits me to be suggestive."
The man's gaiety, his intelligence, and his audacious frankness tookmy fancy. I said: "There is nothing in my life, my man, which is notfree for all to know. I shall soon learn whether or not I may trustyou. If you are faithful you shall be rewarded. That is all." As Ispoke his pleasant face became grave.
"Monsieur shall not be disappointed." Nor was he. Alphonse proved tobe a devoted servant, a man with those respectful familiarities whichare rare except in French and Italian domestics. When once I asked himhow far his superiors had profited by his account of me, he put on aqueer, wry face and said circumstances had obliged him to becomeinventive. He had been highly commended. It seemed as well to inquireno further.