At the theatre the next evening the crowd was even greater than before,
and the crush unprecedented. The reputation of Captain Fracasse, the
valiant conqueror of the Duke of Vallombreuse; increased hourly, and
began to assume a chimerical and fabulous character. If the labours of
Hercules had been ascribed to him, there would have been some credulous
ones to believe the tale, and he was endowed by his admirers with the
prowess of a dozen good knights and brave, of the ancient times of
chivalrous deeds. Some of the young noblemen of the place talked of
seeking his acquaintance, and giving a grand banquet in his honour; more
than one fair lady was desperately in love with him, and had serious
thoughts of writing a billet-doux to tell him so. In short, he was
the fashion, and everybody swore by him. As for the hero of a this
commotion, he was greatly annoyed at being thus forcibly dragged forth
from the obscurity in which he had desired to remain, but it was not
possible to avoid it, and he could only submit. For a few moments he did
think of bolting, and not making his appearance again upon the stage in
Poitiers; but the remembrance of the disappointment it would be to the
worthy tyrant, who was in an ecstasy of delight over the riches pouring
into the treasury, prevented his carrying out this design.
Pages:
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361