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Take my advice go into society, always at night, when there is no danger; get introduced; dance with her; sing serenades under her window; then marry her. Afterwards well, that's your affair." So the youth went into society and met the girl he loved, and danced with her so vivaciously and sang serenades with such feeling beneath her window, that at last she felt he was all in all to her.
Nothing could be more innocent than these parties; yet Paris, France, nay, all Europe, were soon canvassing them in a manner most disadvantageous to the reputation of Marie Antoinette. It is true that all the inhabitants of Versailles enjoyed these serenades, and that there was a crowd near the spot from eleven at night until two or three in the morning.
It was easily discovered, that riches would obtain praise among other conveniences, and that he whose pride was unluckily associated with laziness, ignorance, or cowardice, needed only to pay the hire of a panegyrist, and he might be regaled with periodical eulogies; might determine, at leisure, what virtue or science he would be pleased to appropriate, and be lulled in the evening with soothing serenades, or waked in the morning by sprightly gratulations.
There are serenades and suppers and much gallantry among the myrtles overhead; and meanwhile the foundation shudders under foot, the bowels of the mountain growl, and at any moment living ruin may leap sky-high into the moonlight, and tumble man and his merry-making in the dust.
"Yes, but why did he get up those serenades and the scandals against Ursula?" "He wanted to marry her." "A girl without a penny! the sly thing! Now Minoret, you are telling me lies, and you are too much of a fool, my son, to make me believe them. There is something under all this, and you are going to tell me what it is." "There's nothing." "Nothing? I tell you you lie, and I shall find it out."
You would silence me now, would you? You would rather not hear me speak of your midnight serenades, and your sweet letters dropped from the window of her room at your feet?" But her rage overturned itself, and with a strange cry she fell into a deep chair, and wept bitterly, burying her face in her two hands. "Miserable woman that I am!" she sobbed, and her whole lithe body was convulsed.
Fox had heard the serenades, although his consort had slept soundly through the turmoil; and, while carefully avoiding any reference to the incidents of the night, he was anxiously hoping that somebody would say something about them. Mrs. Easterfield saw that Mr. Du Brant was in a bad humor, and she hoped he was angry enough to announce his early departure.
Man must not monopolize these privileges of peril, birthright of great souls. Serenades and compliments must not replace the nobler hospitality which shares with woman the opportunity of martyrdom. Great administrative duties also, cares of state, for which one should be born gray-headed, how nobly do these sit upon a female brow!
"And where art thou, with all thy songs and smiles, Thou dream-like city of the hundred isles Thy marble columns, and thy princely halls, Thy merry masques and moonlight carnivals, Thy weeping myrtles and thy orange bowers, Thy lulling fountains 'mid ambrosial flowers, The cloudless beauty of thy deep blue skies, Thy starlight serenades to ladies' eyes, Thy lion, looking o'er the Adrian sea, Defiance to the world and power to thee?
As summer comes on and the evenings grow warm, begin the street serenades, sometimes like that of Lindoro in the opening of the "Barbiere di Sevilla," but generally with only one voice, accompanied by a guitar and a mandolin.
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