The simplicity dinner was at an end. Released by the President's withdrawal, the crowd--it could be called little else--broke from the table. The anteroom filled with struggling guests, excited, gesticulating, exclaiming.
Meriwether Lewis, anxious only to escape from his social duties that he might rejoin his chief, felt a soft hand on his arm, and turned. Theodosia Alston was looking up at him.
"Do you forget your friends so soon? I must add my good wishes. It was splendid, what Mr. Jefferson said--and it was true!"
"I wish it might be true," said the young man. "I wish I might be worthy of such a man."
"You are worthy of us all," returned Theodosia.
"People are kind to the condemned," said he sententiously.
At the door they were once more close to the others of the diplomatic party who had sat in company at table. The usual crush of those clamoring for their carriages had begun.
"My dear," said Mr. Merry to his irate spouse, "I shall, if Mrs. Alston will permit, ask you to take her up in your carriage with you to her home. I am to go with Mr Burr."
The Spanish minister made similar excuse to his own wife. Thus Theodosia Alston left Meriwether Lewis for the second time that day.
It was a late conference, the one held that night at the home of the Vice-President of the United States. Burr, cool, calculating, always in hand, sat and weighed many matters well before he committed himself beyond repair. His keen mind saw now, and seized the advantage for which he waited.
"You say right, gentlemen, both of you," he began, leaning forward. "I would not blame you if you never went to the White House again."
"Should I ever do so again," blazed the Spanish minister, "I will take my own wife in to dinner on my own arm, and place her at the head of the table, where she belongs! It was an insult to my sovereign that we received today."
"As much myself, sir!" said Mr. Merry, his brows contracted, his face flushed still with anger. "I shall know how to answer the next invitation which comes from Mr Jefferson.[1] I shall ask him whether or not there is to be any repetition of this sort of thing."
[Footnote 1: During the following winter Mr. Merry had opportunity to fulfill his threat. In February, 1804, the President again invited him to dine, in the following words: "Thomas Jefferson asks the favor of Mr. Merry to dine with a small party of friends on Monday, the 13th, at half past three."
Mr. Merry, still smarting all these months, stood on his dignity and addressed his reply to the Secretary of State.