1816: the Grandest Tour

France: Chapter 17

"Is your friend all right?" said Juliette once George had rejoined her.

"Yes, he'll be fine," said George. "He sends you his deepest apologies," he added. Tobias had done nothing of the kind. His friend still had much to learn about social comportment.

"Oh, it was not a great problem," she said.

The ensemble struck up again, but this time George and Juliette sat out. The new music was an English country tune, danced in quadrilles, so the remaining two British gentlemen were back in their element. But it was Hugh's turn to be upstaged now, as there were only a few things (such as cockfights, horse races, and prizefighting) that Robert liked better than a country dance. George watched in amusement as Robert leapt high in the air, expertly flitting his feet like a great burgundy-coated herring. His boisterous shouts and loud clapping at first caught the French dancers by surprise, but they soon joined in themselves.

Juliette and George meanwhile picked up their conversation, at that infamous novel Werther. They both agreed that while the protagonist was a man of great sensibility and feeling, he did go on a bit l at some points. It was also a terrible irony that his fictional suicide should have inspired so many real-life imitators. Gradually they moved on to talking of their own lives, and George learned that Juliette was indeed very high-born, being the daughter of no less a person than the Marquis d'Aubagne. During the revolution their lands and residence were confiscated, and Juliette had spent nearly all of her life growing up in exile in Switzerland. Then, along with so many exiles and emigres, the multiplying reversals for Napoleon led to a rapid reversal of fortunes. As the Corsican retreated back into France before the armies of the Sixth Coalition, Juliette's father had rushed to England to pledge his service to the Bourbon monarch in exile. Before Napoleon's abdication it was by no means clear that any Bourbons would return to the throne, so this turned out to be an astute gamble on her father's part. With the restoration and elections of 1815, the Marquis had swept into the National Assembly along with 350 other ultra-royalists and joined a chamber that would prove more monarchist than the monarch himself. As Juliette recounted all this in glowing terms, George wasn't quite sure how he felt about it.

The music came to an end, and while everyone applauded they made their way over to a larger group which happened to include her father. Juliette introduced George to him: he was a stern, straight-backed nobleman with the same jet-black hair as his daughter. He was courteous despite the stiff expression, and they began the familiar conversation about George's time in Paris and journey ahead.

While George went over their plans for Italy and potential digressions, he saw Dr. Boxborough out of the corner of his eye and called him over.

"This is the man I've mentioned, our bear-leader who's showing us the sights of Europe. My lord and lady, may I present Dr. Benjamin Boxborough."

The doctor made a smart bow and a genuine effort at small-talk, but George could tell something was off. The Marquis's expression didn't change much, but George sensed a watchfulness and reserve in his eyes that hadn't been there before. He was also stiff in the extreme, but whether this was more than usual the young man could only speculate.

"It is fascinating to see you, Mr. Doctor," said the Marquis after the former's pleasantries had fallen flat, "and in Paris of all places." Juliette looked at her father in surprise.

"Do you know the gentleman, sir?" she asked.

"Not I, my dear, not I," he replied slowly, never taking his eyes from Boxborough, who remained pleasantly calm. "But I expect," he went on, "that the doctor is recognized by many others wherever he goes. And I expect he is the sort of man who takes many for friends. I would caution him, however, that this is a new Europe. We are building it back up on the foundations of tradition, and honor, and legitimacy. And he may not find so many friends today as he previously counted."