The Mesmerist's Victim — Context and Discussion

Courtly Cynicism and the King’s Voice

The dialogue attributed to Louis XV in Chapter XXI is strikingly informal and self-deprecating. He complains of being “fagged” and “in brown studies,” and jokes that women “lead us by the nose.” This portrayal contrasts with the formal image of a monarch. The King’s exchange with Richelieu reveals a ruler who is weary of court life and suspicious of his mistress’s motives. When Richelieu suggests sending his man Rafté to check on Dubarry, the King’s concern is less about jealousy than about ensuring she does not “drop in at the Trianon.” The language is blunt: “Dash me if I know how you manage it, duke.” Such phrasing gives the King a colloquial, almost vulgar voice, emphasizing the novel’s focus on behind-the-scenes power struggles rather than regal dignity.

The Dubarry Faction and the Baron’s Fortune

In the earlier excerpt, the Baron de Taverney receives a gift of jewels from the King, delivered by Richelieu. The baron is warned to keep the news from “the Dubarry’s friends,” as she might “quit the King and run away.” This scene establishes a factional divide: the Dubarry party versus those who seek the King’s favor independently. The baron’s daughter, Andrea de Taverney, is mentioned as the subject of a conversation about “virtue,” but her role is not developed in the excerpts. The gift is described with a simile: the baron is “like a child waking up and finding what Santa Claus left in his sock.” This homely comparison undercuts the courtly setting, suggesting a tone of ironic detachment. The focus remains on the transactional nature of royal favor, with jewels as a tangible reward for discretion.

Structural Gaps: The Missing Mesmerist

Despite the title, the excerpts contain no direct reference to mesmerism or Cagliostro’s actions. The catalog lists Cagliostro as a fiction subject, but the provided text does not include him. This discrepancy suggests that the mesmerist plot may be confined to later chapters or subplots. The novel’s full title includes “Andrea de Taverney,” and the excerpts focus on her father’s dealings, but Andrea herself appears only as a topic of discussion. Readers should expect a narrative that intertwines court intrigue with a separate thread involving Cagliostro’s influence. The translation by Henry Llewellyn Williams, published in 1894 as part of “The Sunset Series,” preserves archaic spellings (“courteseyed,” “gallopped”) that may affect readability. The text’s origin as a cheap edition is evident from the appended advertisements for house plans.

Readers approaching The Mesmerist’s Victim should be prepared for a historical romance that foregrounds political maneuvering over the occult. The excerpts offer a vivid portrait of Louis XV’s court, but the promised mesmerist remains elusive. Pay attention to the dynamics between the King, Richelieu, and Dubarry, as these relationships drive the plot. The translation’s period flavor and the novel’s serialized origins may require patience with stylistic quirks. The full work likely balances the courtly drama with Cagliostro’s schemes, but the excerpts alone do not reveal how these threads connect.

There’s something a little sad in watching Cagliostro trade wonder for wit, all those courtiers jostling for a king’s glance. It makes me think of quieter afternoons spent with Bob White, where cunning means something gentler. That old Dumas sharpness lingers, yet the countryside feels like remembering sunshine after rain. The Adventures of Bob White — A Reader’s Guide holds that warmth.