diff options
| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-14 20:12:41 -0700 |
|---|---|---|
| committer | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-14 20:12:41 -0700 |
| commit | c8df6d7079098abdcc0eded334a68f323d5bae88 (patch) | |
| tree | 7036f81a6414ec9d6f9cb8dcbb27d99d1de38af0 /39411-h | |
Diffstat (limited to '39411-h')
| -rw-r--r-- | 39411-h/39411-h.htm | 6547 |
1 files changed, 6547 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/39411-h/39411-h.htm b/39411-h/39411-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..30a1c68 --- /dev/null +++ b/39411-h/39411-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,6547 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<html> +<head> +<title>Henry of Guise: or, The States of Blois. Vol. I.</title> +<meta name="Author" content="G. P. R. James"> + +<meta name="Publisher" content="Longman, Orme, Brown, Green & Longmans"> +<meta name="Date" content="1839"> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1"> +<style type="text/css"> +body {margin-left:10%; + margin-right:10%; background-color:#FFFFFF;} + + +p.normal {text-indent:.25in; text-align: justify;} +.center {margin: auto; text-align:center; margin-top:24pt; margin-bottom:24pt} + + + +p.right {text-align:right; margin-right:20%;} + +p.continue {text-indent: 0in; margin-top:9pt;} +.text10 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:10%; margin-right:0px; font-size:90%;} +.text20 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:20%; margin-right:0px; font-size:90%;} + + +.poem0 { + margin-top: 24pt; margin-left: 0%; + margin-right: 0%; text-align: left; + margin-bottom: 24pt; font-size:90%} + +.poem1 { + margin-top: 24pt; margin-left: 2em; + margin-right: 10%; text-align: left; + margin-bottom: 24pt; font-size:90%} + +.poem2 { + margin-top: 24pt; margin-left: 20%; + margin-right: 20%; text-align: left; + margin-bottom: 24pt; font-size:90%} + +.poem3 { + margin-top: 24pt; margin-left: 30%; + margin-right: 30%; text-align: left; + margin-bottom: 24pt; font-size:90%} + + + + + +figcenter {margin:auto; text-align:center; margin-top:9pt;} + +.t0 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:0em; margin-right:0px;} +.t1 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:1em; margin-right:0px;} +.t2 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:2em; margin-right:0px;} +.t3 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:3em; margin-right:0px;} +.t4 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:4em; margin-right:0px;} +.t5 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:5em; margin-right:0px;} +.t6 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:6em; margin-right:0px;} +.t7 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:7em; margin-right:0px;} +.t8 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:8em; margin-right:0px;} +.t9 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:9em; margin-right:0px;} +.t10 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:10em; margin-right:0px;} +.t11 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:11em; margin-right:0px;} +.t12 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:12em; margin-right:0px;} +.t13 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:13em; margin-right:0px;} +.t14 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:14em; margin-right:0px;} +.t15 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:15em; margin-right:0px;} +.t16 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:16em; margin-right:0px;} + + +.quote {text-indent:.25in; text-align: justify; font-size:90%; margin-top:36pt; margin-bottom:36pt} +.ctrquote {text-align: center; font-size:90%; margin-top:36pt; margin-bottom:36pt} + +.dateline {text-align:right; font-size:90%; margin-right:10%; margin-top:24pt; margin-bottom:24pt} + +h1,h2,h3,h4,h5 {text-align: center;} + +span.sc {font-variant: small-caps; font-size:110%;} +span.sc2 {font-variant: small-caps; font-size:90%;} + +hr.W10 {width:10%; color:black; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt} + +hr.W20 {width:20%; color:black; margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:12pt} + +hr.W50 {width:50%; color:black;} +hr.W90 {width:90%; color:black;} + +p.hang1 {margin-left:3em; text-indent:-3em;} +p.hang2 {margin-left:3em; text-indent:0em;} + + +</style> + +</head> + +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Henry of Guise; (Vol. I of 3), by +G. P. R. (George Payne Rainsford) James + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Henry of Guise; (Vol. I of 3) + or, The States of Blois + +Author: G. P. R. (George Payne Rainsford) James + +Release Date: April 9, 2012 [EBook #39411] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HENRY OF GUISE; (VOL. I OF 3) *** + + + + +Produced by Charles Bowen, from page scans provided by the +Web Archive (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign) + + + + + + +</pre> + +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<p class="hang1">Transcriber's Notes:<br> +<br> +1. Page scan source:<br> +<br> +http://archive.org/details/henryofguiseorst01jame<br> +(University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)<br> +<br> +2. Table of Contents added by transcriber.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h1>HENRY OF GUISE;</h1> +<br> +<h5>OR,</h5> +<br> +<h2>THE STATES OF BLOIS.</h2> +<br> +<h2>VOL. I.</h2> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h5>London:<br> +Printed by A. Spottiswoode,<br> +New-Street-Square</h5> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h1>HENRY OF GUISE</h1> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h5>OR,</h5> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2>THE STATES OF BLOIS.</h2> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h5>BY</h5> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2>G. P. R. JAMES, ESQ.</h2> + +<h5>AUTHOR OF<br> + +"THE ROBBER," "THE GENTLEMAN OF THE OLD SCHOOL,"<br> +ETC. ETC. ETC.</h5> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h4>IN THREE VOLUMES.</h4> +<br> +<h3>VOL. I.</h3> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h3>LONDON:</h3> + +<h5>PRINTED FOR</h5> +<h4>LONGMAN, ORME, BROWN, GREEN, & LONGMANS,</h4> +<h5>PATERNOSTER-ROW.</h5> + +<h3>1839.</h3> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2>CONTENTS</h2> +<br> +<h4><a name="div1Ref_00" href="#div1_00">DEDICATION.</a></h4> +<h4><a name="div1Ref_01" href="#div1_01">CHAPTER I.</a></h4> +<h4><a name="div1Ref_02" href="#div1_02">CHAPTER II.</a></h4> +<h4><a name="div1Ref_03" href="#div1_03">CHAPTER III.</a></h4> +<h4><a name="div1Ref_04" href="#div1_04">CHAPTER IV.</a></h4> +<h4><a name="div1Ref_05" href="#div1_05">CHAPTER V.</a></h4> +<h4><a name="div1Ref_06" href="#div1_06">CHAPTER VI.</a></h4> +<h4><a name="div1Ref_07" href="#div1_07">CHAPTER VII.</a></h4> +<h4><a name="div1Ref_08" href="#div1_08">CHAPTER VIII.</a></h4> + +<h4><a name="div1Ref_09" href="#div1_09">CHAPTER IX.</a></h4> +<h4><a name="div1Ref_10" href="#div1_10">CHAPTER X.</a></h4> +<h4><a name="div1Ref_11" href="#div1_11">CHAPTER XI.</a></h4> +<h4><a name="div1Ref_12" href="#div1_12">CHAPTER XII.</a></h4> +<h4><a name="div1Ref_13" href="#div1_13">CHAPTER XIII.</a></h4> + +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> + +<h2><a name="div1_00" href="#div1Ref_00">DEDICATION.</a></h2> +<hr class="W20"> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h5>TO</h5> +<br> + +<h4>THE HONOURABLE</h4> +<br> + +<h2>FRANCIS SCOTT</h2> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<p style="text-indent:10%"><span class="sc">My dear Scott,</span></p> + +<p class="continue">In dedicating to you the following work as the tribute of old +friendship, and of sincere and well founded esteem, allow me to add a +few words in explanation of the course I have pursued in the +composition. I do this, it is true, more for the public than for +yourself, as you were with me while it was in progress, and by your +good judgment confirmed my opinion of the mode in which the subject +ought to be treated.</p> + +<p class="normal">The character of every person who plays a prominent part on the great +stage of the world is of course lauded by friends and decried by +adversaries at the time, and the mingled report comes down to after +ages. But the mists of prejudice are wafted away by the breath of +years. The character of the historian is considered in connexion with +those of the personages he has depicted; and allowances are made for +errors and wrong views on all sides: the greater facts remain, in +general, clear and distinct; and from these, together with those small +traits which are rather let fall accidentally than recorded, by +contemporaries, the estimate of history is formed.</p> + +<p class="normal">There are some characters, however, which from various causes remain +obscure and doubtful through all time; and many which have points in +them that are never satisfactorily explained, producing acts which +cannot be accounted for; like those waters which have never been +fathomed, though we know not whether it be some under current that we +see not, or the profound depth itself, which prevents the plumbed line +from reaching the bottom. Amongst the many acts recorded in the annals +of the world, the motives for which have never been ascertained, one +of the most extraordinary is, that of Henry Duke of Guise, when, on +the 12th of May, 1588, the famous day of the barricades, he had the +crown of France within his grasp, and did not close his hand. Some +have called it weakness, some virtue, some moderation, some +indecision; and in fact, whatever view we take of it, there are points +in which it is opposed to the general character of the Duke.</p> + +<p class="normal">In the account of this transaction, which I have given in the +following pages, I have rather attempted to narrate how the event took +place, than to put forth a theory regarding the motives. My own +opinion is, indeed, fixed, after diligent examination of every +contemporary account, that the motives were mixed. I do not believe +that the Duke's moderation proceeded from indecision, for I imagine +that he had decided from the first not to dethrone the King; but I do +believe that he might be, and was, much tempted to usurp the throne, +as the events of the day proceeded. Opportunity could not be without +its temptation to a bold and ambitious heart like his. Whether he +would have remained master of his own conduct, whether he would have +been able to struggle against his own desires and the wishes of the +people, whether he would have maintained his resolution to the end of +that day, had the King not escaped from Paris, is another question. +Suffice it that he resisted the temptation as long as the temptation +existed; and that he did so deliberately is proved, by his strictly +prohibiting the people from surrounding the royal residence, "lest it +should commit him too far." Upon this view of the case have I based my +narration.</p> + +<p class="normal">In regard to the death of the Duke of Guise, I had but little +difficulty; for the event is so amply and minutely detailed by +contemporaries, that no doubt can exist in regard to any of the facts. +In the treatment of the story, however, I had to choose between two +courses. A French writer, or writer of the French school, in order to +concentrate the interest upon the Guise, would most likely have +brought into a prominent point of view his criminal passion for Madame +de Noirmoutier, and would have wrought it up with sentiment till the +feelings of the reader were enlisted in favour of herself and the +Duke.</p> + +<p class="normal">I did not do this for two reasons. In the first place, it would have +been a violation of history to represent Madame de Noirmoutier as any +thing but a mere abandoned woman, as her amours with Henry IV. and +others clearly show. In the next place, I consider it an insult to +virtue to endeavour to excite interest for vice. It was necessary, +indeed, to introduce Madame de Noirmoutier, on account of the famous +warning which she gave to Guise on the night before his death; but I +have done so as briefly as possible for the reasons I have just +stated.</p> + +<p class="normal">I have only farther to say, that I know there is a French work bearing +the same title, or very nearly the same title, as this. I have never +seen that work, nor read any review of it, nor heard any part of its +contents, and therefore have no idea whatsoever of how the story is +there conducted. Doubtless very differently, and, perhaps, much better +than in the following pages; but, nevertheless, I trust that the +public will extend to them the same indulgence which has been granted +to my other works, and for which I am most sincerely grateful.</p> + +<p class="normal">To you, my dear Scott, I am also very grateful, for many a happy hour, +and many a pleasant day, and for many a trait which, in our mutual +intercourse, has given me the best view of human nature, and added one +to the few whom in this life we find to love and to respect. Accept, +then, this very slight testimony of such feelings, and believe me +ever,</p> + +<p class="normal">Yours faithfully,</p> + +<p class="normal">G. P. R. James. +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h1>HENRY OF GUISE;</h1> +<br> +<h5>OR,</h5> +<br> +<h2>THE STATES OF BLOIS.</h2> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2><a name="div1_01" href="#div1Ref_01">CHAPTER I.</a></h2> +<br> + +<p class="normal">It was as dark and sombre a morning, the sky was as gloomy, the earth +as dry and parched, as earth, sky, and morning ever appear in the most +northern climates. A dull grey expanse of leaden cloud shut out the +blue heaven, a hard black frost pinched up the ground, the blades of +grass stood stiff and rugged on the frozen soil, and vague grey mists +lay in all the hollows of the ground. The forests, the manifold +forests that then spread over the fair land of France, showed nothing +but bare branches, except where here and there the yoke-elm or +tenacious beech retained in patches its red and withered leaves, while +beneath the trees again, the ground was thickly carpeted with the +fallen honours of the past summer, mingled with hoar frost and thin +snow. A chilliness more piercing than mere frost pervaded the air; and +the aspect of the whole scene was cheerless and melancholy.</p> + +<p class="normal">Such was the aspect of the day, though the scene was in the south of +France, at a spot which we shall leave for the present nameless, when +at about seven o'clock in the morning--an hour in which, at that +period of the year, the sun's rays are weak and powerless--a tall, +strong, florid man of about four-and-thirty years of age was seen upon +the edge of a wide wood walking along cautiously step by step, +carefully bending down his eyes upon the withered leaves that strewed +his path, as if he had dropped something of value which he sought to +find.</p> + +<p class="normal">The wood, as we have said, was extensive, covering several miles of +undulating ground, broken by rocks and dingles, and interspersed by +more than one piece of water. It contained various kinds of tree, as +well as various sorts of soil; but at the spot of which we now speak +the wood was low and thin, gradually increasing in volume as it rose +along the slope of the adjacent hill, till it grew into a tangled +thicket, from which rose a number of tall trees, waving their grey +branches sadly in the wintry air. On a distant eminence, rising far +above the wood itself, might be seen towers, and turrets, and +pinnacles, the abode of some of the lords of the land; and at the end +of a long glade, up which the man we have just mentioned was +cautiously stealing, as we have described, appeared a little cottage +with one or two curious outbuildings, not usually found attached to +the abodes of the agricultural population.</p> + +<p class="normal">The features of this early wanderer in the woods were good, the +expression of his countenance frank; and though poring so intently +upon the ground as he passed, there was nevertheless an air of +habitual cheerfulness in his countenance, which broke out in the +frequent smile, either at something passing in his own thoughts, or at +something he observed amongst the withered leaves. He was dressed in a +plain suit of dark brownish grey, with a cap and feather on his head, +a sword by his side, and an immense winding horn slung under his left +arm; and though at the present moment he was without either horses or +dogs, his whole dress and appearance bespoke him one of the huntsmen +of some neighbouring lord.</p> + +<p class="normal">After having walked on for about three or four hundred yards, he +suddenly stopped at some traces on the ground, turned into the wood, +which in a particular line seemed disturbed and broken, and following +the marks, which denoted that some large object of the chase had +passed that way, he reached the thicker part of the wood, where, to +use his own expression, he felt sure that the boar was lodged.</p> + +<p class="normal">It would be useless and tedious to accompany him in all the +perquisitions that he made round the thicket, in order to ascertain +that the animal had not again issued forth from its woody covert. He +satisfied himself, however, completely, that such was not the case, +and then paused, musing for a moment or two, till he was roused from +his reverie by the distant sounds of human voices and of horses' feet, +coming from the side of the glade in which we have first displayed him +to the reader's eyes. He now hurried back as rapidly as possible, and +in a minute or two after stood uncovered in the midst of a gay and +glittering party, on which we must pause for a few minutes, ere we +proceed to describe the events of that morning.</p> + +<p class="normal">There were about twenty persons present, but the greater number +consisted of various attendants attached to the household of all +French noblemen of that period, under the names of grooms, piqueurs, +valets de chiens, chefs de relais, &c. Three out of the group, +however, are worthy of greater attention, not alone because they were +higher in rank, but because with them we shall have to deal throughout +the course of this tale, while most of the others may well be +forgotten. The eldest of the three, bore the robe of an ecclesiastic, +though in his deportment, as he sat a spirited, and somewhat fretful +horse, he seemed fully as well suited to play the part of a gay +cavalier as that of a sober churchman.</p> + +<p class="normal">His features were fine, though not strongly marked; the nose straight +and well cut; the chin rounded; the brow broad and high, and the mouth +well formed. But with all these traits of beauty, there were one or +two drawbacks, both in feature and expression, which rendered his +aspect by no means so prepossessing as it otherwise might have been. +The eyes, which were remarkably fine, large, dark, and powerful, were +sunk deep under the sharp cut, overhanging brow, looking keenly out +from below their long fringed lids, as if in ambush for each unguarded +glance or gesture of those with whom he conversed. The lips, though, +as we have said, well formed, closed tight over the teeth, which were +as white as snow, never suffering them to appear, except when actually +speaking. Even then those lips parted but little, and gave one the +idea of their being, as it were, the gates of imprisoned thoughts, +which opened no farther than was necessary to give egress to those +which they were forced to set at liberty. The nostril, though it was +finely shaped, was even stiller and more motionless than the lips. No +moment of eagerness, no excited passion of the bosom, made that +nostril expand, and if it ever moved at all, it was but when a slight +irrepressible sneer upon the lip drew it up with a scornful elevation, +not the less cutting because it was but slight.</p> + +<p class="normal">The age of this personage at the time we speak of might be about +forty-five; and if one might judge by the clear paleness of his +complexion, a considerable portion of his life had been spent in +intense study. The marks of his age were visible, too, in his beard +and mustachios, which had once been of the deepest black, but were now +thickly grizzled with grey. No sign, however, of any loss of strength +or vigour was apparent; and though still and quiet in his demeanour, +he seemed not at all disinclined to show, by an occasional exercise of +strength or agility, that stillness and quietude were with him matters +of choice and not of necessity. He kept his horse a very small pace +behind those of his two younger companions; but he so contrived it +that this very act of deference should not have the slightest +appearance of humility in it, but should rather seem an expression of +what he owed to his own age and character rather than to their +superior rank.</p> + +<p class="normal">The other two were both young men in the very early outset of life, +and were so nearly of the same age, that it was difficult to say which +was the elder. Both were extremely handsome, both were very powerfully +and gracefully formed; and the most extraordinary similarity of +features and of frame existed between them, so that it would have been +difficult to distinguish the one from the other, had it not been that +their complexions were entirely different. The one was dark, the other +fair: in one the hair curled over the brow in large masses, as glossy +as the wing of the raven; in the other, the same profuse and shining +hair existed, but of a nut brown, with every here and there a gleam as +if the sun shone upon it. The eyes of the one were dark, but flashing +and lustrous; the eyes of the other of a deep hazel, and in them there +mingled, with the bright bold glances of fearless courage, an +occasional expression of depth and tenderness of feeling, which +rendered the character of his countenance as different from that of +his brother as was his complexion.</p> + +<p class="normal">Notwithstanding the great similarity that existed between them, they +were not, as may have been supposed, twins, the fairer of the two +being a year younger than his brother. They were both, indeed, as we +have said, in their early youth, but their youth was manly; and though +neither had yet seen three-and-twenty years, the form of each was +powerful and fully developed, and the slight pointed beard and +sweeping mustachio were as completely marked as the custom of the day +admitted.</p> + +<p class="normal">On the characters of the two we shall not pause in this place, as they +will show themselves hereafter; and it is sufficient to say that there +was scarcely a little word, or action, or gesture, which did not more +or less display a strong and remarkable difference between the hearts +and minds of the two. During their whole life, hitherto, +notwithstanding this difference, they had lived in the utmost +friendship and regard, without even any of those occasional quarrels +which too often disturb the harmony of families. Perhaps the secret of +this might be that the elder brother had less opportunity of +domineering over the younger than generally existed in the noble +families of France, for their mother had been an heiress of great +possessions, and according to the tenour of her contract of marriage +with their father, her feofs and riches fell on her death to her +second son, leaving him, if any thing, more powerful and wealthy than +his elder brother.</p> + +<p class="normal">The fortune of neither, however, though each was large, was of such +great extent as to place them amongst the few high and powerful +families who at that time struggled for domination in the land of +their birth. The territory of each could bring two or three hundred +soldiers into the field in case of need: the wealth of each sufficed +to place them in the next rank to the governor of the province which +they inhabited; but still their names stood not on the same list with +those of Epernon, Joyeuse, Montmorency, Guise, or Nemours; and, +contented hitherto with the station which they enjoyed, neither they +themselves, nor any of their ancestors, had striven to obtain for +their house a distinction which, in those times, was, perhaps, more +perilous than either desirable or honourable. Neither of them, indeed, +was without ambition, though that ambition was, of course, modified by +their several characters; but it had been controlled hitherto, +perhaps, less by the powers of their own reason than by the influence +of the personage who now accompanied them, and whom we have before +described.</p> + +<p class="normal">Not distantly connected with them by the ties of blood, the Abbé de +Boisguerin had been called from Italy, where he had long resided, to +superintend their education shortly after their mother's death. His +own income, though not so small as that of many another scion of a +noble house in France, had, nevertheless, proved insufficient through +life to satisfy a man of expensive, though not very ostentatious, +tastes and habits; and the large emoluments, offered to him, together +with the prospects of advancement which the station proposed held out, +induced him without hesitation to quit his residence in Rome, and +revisit a country, the troublous state of which gave the prospect of +advancement to every daring and unscrupulous spirit.</p> + +<p class="normal">It may seem strange to say, as we have said, that the influence of an +ambitious man had been directed to check their ambition: but he was +ambitious only for the attainment of certain ends. He valued not power +merely as power, but for that which power might command. Personal +gratification was his object, though the pursuit of that +gratification, as far as the objects of sense went, was also +restrained, like his ambition, by other qualities and feelings. Thus, +as an ambitious man, at the time we speak of, he was neither fierce +nor grasping; as an epicurean, he was not coarse nor insatiable; and +yet with all this apparent--nay, real, moderation--there lay within +his breast, unexcited and undeveloped, passions as strong and fierce, +desires as eager and as fiery, as ever burned within the heart of man. +He controlled them by skill and habit, he covered them, as it were, +with the dust and ashes of his profession, but it needed only an +accidental breath to blow them into a flame, which, in turn, would +have given fire to every other aspiration and effort of his mind.</p> + +<p class="normal">He had found it in no degree difficult to obtain a complete ascendency +over the minds of the two young men he was called upon to govern. +Their father had plunged deeply, after his wife's death, into the wars +and troubles of the times, and he left his two sons entirely to the +care and direction of the Abbé de Boisguerin. Thus he had every +opportunity that he could desire; and he brought to the task most +extensive learning, which enabled him to direct in every thing the +inferior teachers. His manners were graceful, polished, and +captivating, his temper calm and unruffled: hiding his own thoughts +and feelings under an impenetrable veil, never alluding to his past +life or his future purposes, he skilfully, nay, almost imperceptibly, +made himself master of the confidence of others, and gained every +treasured secret of the hearts around him, without giving any +thing in exchange. His learning, his wisdom, his acuteness, his +impenetrability, won respect and reverence, and almost awe, from the +two youths yet in their boyhood: his courtesy, his kindness, his +consideration for the errors and the desires of their youth, gained +greatly upon their regard; and their admiration and love was increased +by some events which took place towards their seventeenth and +sixteenth years.</p> + +<p class="normal">It happened that about that time their master of arms was teaching +them some of the exercises of the day in the tilt-yard of the castle; +while their governor, with his arms folded on his breast, stood +looking on. He usually, under such circumstances, refrained from +making any observations; but, thrown for a moment off his guard on the +present occasion, by what appeared to him an awkwardness on the part +of the master in teaching some evolution, he said courteously enough, +that he thought it might be executed better in another manner.</p> + +<p class="normal">Conceited and rash, the master of arms replied with a show of +contempt. The Abbé then persisted; and the other, with a sneer, begged +that he might be experimentally shown the new method of the governor. +The churchman smiled slightly, threw off his gown, mounted one of the +horses with calm and quiet grace, and with scarcely a change of +feature, or any other appearance of unusual exertion, displayed his +own superiority in military exercises, and foiled the master of arms +with his own weapons. Ever after that, from time to time, he mingled +in the sports and pastimes of the young men, never losing sight of his +own dignity, but showing sufficient skill, address, and boldness to +make them look up to him in the new course to which their attention +was now directed by the customs of the age.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Abbé de Boisguerin, however, did not suffer their whole attention +to be occupied by those military exercises, which formed the chief +subject of study with the young nobility of the day. He had caused +them at an earlier period to be instructed deeply in the more elegant +and graceful studies: he had endeavoured to implant in their minds a +fondness for letters, for poetry, for music. Drawing, too, and +painting, then rising into splendour from the darkness which had long +covered it, were pointed out to their attention, as objects of +admiration and interest for every fine and elevated mind; and while no +manly sport or science was omitted, the many moments of unfilled time +that then hung heavy on the hands of other youths in France were by +them filled up with occupations calculated to polish, to expand, and +to dignify their minds.</p> + +<p class="normal">As far as this had gone, every thing that the Abbé de Boisguerin had +done was calculated to raise him in the esteem of his pupils; and +when, on the death of their father, they found that their preceptor +had been appointed to remain with them till the law placed their +conduct in their own hands, they both rejoiced equally and sincerely.</p> + +<p class="normal">It may be asked, however, whether, of the two brothers, the Abbé had +himself a favourite, and whether he was better beloved by the one than +by the other? Still wise and cautious in all his proceedings, his +demeanour displayed no great predilection to either. No ordinary eye +could see: they themselves could not detect, by any outward sign, that +one possessed a particle more of his regard than the other, and both +were towards him equally attentive, affectionate, and respectful. But +there was one peculiarity in his method of dealing with them, and in +the effect that it produced upon either, which showed to himself, and +unwittingly showed to one, which was the character best calculated to +assimilate with his own.</p> + +<p class="normal">It more than once happened, nay, indeed, it often happened, that in +order to induce them to arrive at the same conclusion with himself, or +to lead them to do that which their passions, prejudices, or +weaknesses made them unwilling to do, he would address himself, not +directly to their reason or to their heart, but to their vanity, their +pride, their prejudices: he would politically combat one error with +another: he would not exactly assail what he knew to be wrong, but +would undermine it; and when he had conquered, and they were satisfied +that he was right in the result, he would then point, with a degree of +smiling and good-humoured triumph, to the subtle means which he had +employed to lead them to his purpose.</p> + +<p class="normal">The elder brother would sometimes be angry at having been so led; but +yet he took a certain pleasure in the skill with which it was done, +and more than once endeavoured to give the Abbé back art for art. He +strove to lead his younger brother by the same means, and more than +once succeeded. The younger, however, on his part, showed no anger at +having been led, if he were fully convinced that the object was right. +He never attempted, however, to practise the same; and as he grew up, +when any act of the kind was particularly remarkable in the Abbé, or +in his brother, it threw him into musings more serious than those +which he usually indulged in. If it diminished his regard for either, +he did not suffer that result to appear; and when he reached the +period at which his mother's estates were given into his own hands, he +eagerly besought the preceptor to remain with them, and insured to him +an income far beyond that which any thing but deep affection and +regard required him to bestow.</p> + +<p class="normal">The interest of their father had before his death obtained for the +Abbé de Boisguerin the office of a bishopric; but the Abbé had +declined it--perhaps, as many another man has done, with more ambition +than moderation in the refusal--and he had continued to remain with +his pupils, increasing and extending his influence over them, up to +the moment at which we have placed them before the reader. He had +carefully withheld them, however; from mingling in that world of which +they as yet knew little or nothing, and in which his influence was +likely to be lost, looking forward to that period at which the +circumstances of the times should--as he saw they were likely to +do--render the support of the two young noblemen so indispensable to +some one of the great parties then struggling for supreme power, that +they might command any thing which he chose to dictate as the price of +adhesion.</p> + +<p class="normal">Such was their state at the period which we have chosen for opening +this tale. But there was another point in their state which it may be +necessary to mark. They were not themselves at all aware of their +own characters and dispositions; nor was any one else, except the +clear-sighted and penetrating man who had dwelt so long with them; and +he could only guess, for all the world of passions within the bosoms +of each had as yet slumbered in their youthful idleness, like Samson +in the lap of Delilah; but they were speedily to be roused.</p> + +<p class="normal">The dress of each requires but little comment, as it was the ordinary +hunting dress of the period, and was only remarkable for a good deal +of ornament, denoting, perhaps, a little taste for finery, which might +be passed over in youth. Of the two, perhaps the younger brother +displayed less gold and embroidery upon his green doublet and riding +coat. His boots, too, made, as usual, of untanned leather, displayed +no gold tassels at the sides; though his moderation in these respects +might be in some degree atoned by the length of the tall single +feather in his riding cap.</p> + +<p class="normal">Such were the principal persons of the group which rode into the green +alley or glade that we have described in the wood; and the rest, +amounting to some twenty in number, comprised attendants of all sorts +in the glittering and many-coloured apparel of that time.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2><a name="div1_02" href="#div1Ref_02">CHAP. II.</a></h2> +<br> + +<p class="normal">Did all that are hunted in this world--whether the chase be carried on +by care, or villany, or sorrow, by our own passions, or by the +malevolence of our fellow-men--did all that are hunted in this world +obtain as loud and clear an intimation that the pursuit is up and +stirring, as the wild boar which had been tracked to its covert then +had, we might have a better chance than this world generally affords +us of making our escape in time, or, at least, of preparing for +defence.</p> + +<p class="normal">Much was the noise, great the gingling and the tramp, the whining of +impatient dogs, the chiding of surly foresters, the loud laugh and gay +jest of their masters, in the glen of the wood within three or four +hundred yards of the thicket in which the boar lay sleeping. He woke +not with the sounds, however, or, at all events, he noticed them not, +while the preparations went on for putting his easy life in the brown +forest to a close.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well, Gondrin," exclaimed the elder of the two brothers, Gaspar, +Marquis of Montsoreau--"Well, Gondrin, have you made sure of our +beast? is he lodged safely?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"As safe as an ox in his stall," replied the huntsman, whom we have +seen tracking the steps of the wild boar over the crisp frost-covered +leaves of winter. "He has his lair in the thicket there, my Lord, and, +as near as I can guess, he is but a hundred yards in. If you go round +by the back of the cottage, and station two relays, one on the hill of +Dufay, and the other on the bank of the river by the bridge of +Neufbourg, you will have a glorious chase; for he can take no other +way but down the glen, and then crossing the high road by the river, +must run all the way up the valley, and stand at bay amongst the rocks +at the end."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Beautifully arranged, Gondrin, beautifully arranged," cried the +younger brother, Charles of Montsoreau, Count of Logères; but his +elder brother instantly interrupted him, exclaiming, "But have you not +netted the thicket, Gondrin?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"No, my Lord," replied the huntsman; "Count Charles said the other day +he loved to give the beasts a chance, and lodged as the boar is, you +would miss the run, for then he must turn at bay in the thicket and be +killed immediately."</p> + +<p class="normal">"It matters not, it matters not," replied Gaspar de Montsoreau. "If +Charles like it, so let it be; and yet I love to see the huge beast +darting from side to side, and floundering in the nets he did not +think of. There is a pleasure in so circumventing him."</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is not too late yet," said the fine rich musical voice of the Abbé +de Boisguerin. "The nets can be speedily brought, and the thicket +enclosed."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh no," cried both brothers at once: "we have no such patience, you +know, good friend. Send down the relays, Gondrin, and let us begin the +sport at once."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I will go round to the left of the thicket with my men," continued +the younger brother, "and will keep the hill-side as well as if there +were all the nets in the world. You, Gaspar, keep this side and the +little lane behind the cottage."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And what shall I do?" demanded the Abbé with a smile. "I must not +show myself backward in your sports, Charles, so I will go with +Gondrin here, and some of the piqueurs, and force the grizzly monarch +of the forest in his hold."</p> + +<p class="normal">The matter being thus determined, the relays were sent down, and the +parties separated for their several stations, Gondrin saying to his +younger lord as they went round, "If I sound one mot on my horn, sir, +the boar is making his rush towards you; if I sound two, he is taking +towards the Marquis; but if I sound three, be sure that he is going +down the valley, as I said, and must take to the rocks, for he has no +chance any other way but by the ford, which he won't take, unless hard +pressed."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I will go straight round by the ford and turn him," replied his young +lord. "Then we make sure of him altogether, Gondrin."</p> + +<p class="normal">Thus saying, he rode quickly on and took his station on the hill, +where an open space gave him room to plant his men around so as to +meet the boar at any point of the ascent, in case the beast turned in +that direction and endeavoured to plunge into the depths of the +forest.</p> + +<p class="normal">Some time was allowed to elapse, in order to give the relays time to +reach their stations, and then, from the western side of the thicket, +were heard the cries and halloos of the huntsmen, as they themselves +plunged into the wood, and encouraged the dogs to attack the boar in +his lair. For a short space, the hounds themselves were mute; but, in +about five minutes, they seemed to have got upon the boar's scent, who +had moved onward, roused by the cries of the hunters, and a loud long +opening burst announced that they had come upon his track, A minute +afterwards, a single note was heard from the horn of the huntsman, and +the grey form of the boar glanced for a moment past one of the gaps in +the wood where the younger of the brothers had stationed himself; but +the beast plunged in again immediately, and a piercing yell from one +of the dogs seemed to show that he had passed through the midst of the +hounds, taking vengeance upon them as he went for disturbing his +quiet. Shortly after, the horn of Gondrin gave the signal that the +boar was rushing down the valley. Charles of Montsoreau paused to be +quite sure, but the three notes were sounded again after a moment's +silence, and, setting spurs to his horse, he galloped on like +lightning to interrupt the boar, and turn him at the ford. The loud +cries of the dogs in full chase were sufficient to show him that he +was right in the direction he had taken till he issued forth from the +wood, and after that he could see with his own eyes the whole scene of +the boar's flight, and the pursuit through the open country into which +the beast was now driven.</p> + +<p class="normal">Galloping on with all the eagerness and impetuosity of youth, he made +at once for the ford; now catching wide views of the landscape as he +passed over the side of some open hill, now losing the whole again as +he plunged amidst the leafless vineyards or woods. The country around +was thus hidden from his sight, and he could see nothing but the dull +dry stems of the vines, in a low sloping hollow through which he +passed, or a few mottled patches of darker cloud upon the dull grey +sky overhead--when suddenly his ear caught the sound of distant +fire-arms, and he drew up his horse in no small surprise.</p> + +<p class="normal">The situation of the country, indeed--the wars that were taking +place in almost every part of France--the general disorganisation +of society, which throughout almost the whole land changed the +peasant into the soldier, either for the purposes of plunder or +self-defence--might be supposed to have rendered such sounds not at +all unfamiliar to his ear; and, in truth, two years before he would +have shown no sign of astonishment to have heard a whole park of +artillery roaring in the direction from which he now heard the sound +of a few scattered shots. Since, then, however, the tide of warfare +had been turned in another direction. In the secluded spot in which he +dwelt, few visits from occasional marauders were to be apprehended: +the peasantry had returned to their labours, and no news of any kind +from the distant provinces had given reason to suppose that the +scourge of civil war was again likely to afflict that part of the +country. Some precautions, indeed, had been necessary to keep down +petty feuds and plundering excursions amongst some of the inferior +gentry and partisans in the neighbourhood; and the two young noblemen +had been called upon to practise some of the most important duties of +their station, in maintaining, as far as possible, peace and +tranquillity around them.</p> + +<p class="normal">After pausing, then, for a moment, to listen, Charles of Montsoreau, +judging that the sounds he heard proceeded from some new infraction of +the law, rode on, determined, as soon as he had finished the +all-important business of the chase, to investigate the matter more +thoroughly, and to punish the aggressors. All these fine resolutions, +however, were changed in a moment; for almost as soon as they were +formed he emerged from the vineyard through which he had been passing, +entered upon the open side of the hill, and a scene was presented to +his eyes which excited other and somewhat more painful feelings in his +bosom.</p> + +<p class="normal">Although the point on which he stood was not particularly high, the +view was extensive and uninterrupted by any very near object. The +valley through which the stream wound was about a mile and a half in +breadth, and five or six miles in length; along the whole extent of +which the high road was visible, with the exception of a few hundred +yards here and there, where a rock, or a peasant's house, or a +water-mill by the side of the stream, interrupted the view. At the +distance of somewhat more than half a mile lay the bridge over the +stream, and half way between it and the spot where the young gentleman +stood, appeared one of the large, heavy, wide-topped carriages of the +day, drawn by six horses, and driving along at a furious rate, as if +in full flight. The driver was lashing his horses with furious +eagerness; but ever and anon he turned his head to look behind towards +the bridge, where a scene appeared, which showed his anxiety to +quicken his pace to be not at all unnatural.</p> + +<p class="normal">Half upon the bridge and half upon the road, on the nearer side of the +stream, appeared a very small body of horsemen, apparently not more +than seven or eight in number, contending fiercely with a larger body, +as if to give time for the persons in the carriage to escape; and from +that spot, rolling up in white wreaths amongst the yellow banks and +cold green wintry slopes of scanty herbage, curled the white smoke, +occasioned by the discharge of fire-arms. At the distance of about a +mile and a half beyond, again, was seen coming up, with headlong +speed, a still larger body of cavalry; and it was evident, that at the +rate with which the latter were advancing, the carriage and its +denizens, if such were the object of their pursuit, would not be very +long before they were overtaken.</p> + +<p class="normal">It is a pleasant weakness in young and generous minds to seek in all +strifes the defence of the weaker, even when we do not know whether +the cause that we thus espouse be or be not the just one. Charles of +Montsoreau paused but for a moment, and then rode down towards the +carriage as fast as possible, followed by his attendants. The coachman +showed great unwillingness to stop; but he had no power of resisting +the command which he received to do so, and accordingly, as soon as it +was repeated, obeyed. But, at the same moment, the head of an elderly +lady, apparently of some rank, was thrust forth from between the +curtains of the vehicle, uttering various not very coherent sentences, +and displaying in every line and feature indubitable marks of great +fear and trepidation.</p> + +<p class="normal">Brought up in the habit of chivalrous courtesy, the young nobleman +instantly raised his cap, and bowing low, asked if he could render her +any service. His words were few and simple, but there was great +encouragement in his air; and the lady replied, "Oh! for Heaven's +sake, do not stop us, young gentleman. We have been basely betrayed by +one of our servants into an ambush of the King of Navarre's reiters, +who seek to make us prisoners, and Heaven only knows what may become +of us if they succeed."</p> + +<p class="normal">"If the reiters be those that are following you," said the young +nobleman, "there is no earthly possibility of your escaping them, +madam, except by taking refuge in the château of Montsoreau hard by. I +will give your coachman directions, and then go down and help to +disentangle your attendants, who seem to be contending gallantly with +superior numbers on the bridge."</p> + +<p class="normal">"A thousand and a thousand thanks, young gentleman," replied the lady. +"But how," she added, with a look of uncertainty, "but how can we tell +that we shall be kindly received at Montsoreau, and shall not, +perhaps, be treated as prisoners there also?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"By my promise, madam," replied the young gentleman with a smile, "I +am Charles of Montsoreau, the Marquis's brother: will you trust +yourself to my word?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Most willingly," she said; and turning to the coachman, the young +gentleman added, "Drive on with all speed till the road divides, then +take the left-hand road up the hill and through the wood; demand +admittance, in my name, at the castle, if I should not have come up in +time. But I shall have overtaken you before then. Now, speed on, and +spare not your beasts, for the way is not long, if you be diligent."</p> + +<p class="normal">Thus saying, he again bowed low and rode on, and in a very few minutes +had reached the spot where the contention was taking place between the +party of light-armed servants attending upon the carriage and the +heavy armed reiters.</p> + +<p class="normal">The young nobleman was not unwilling to signalise himself by any deed +of arms that might fall in his way; but on the present occasion no +great opportunity was afforded him, for the numbers he brought to the +assistance of the servants appeared so formidable in the eyes of the +other party who were already engaged in the fray, that they hastened +to draw back for the purpose of waiting in security the arrival of +their comrades; and the only event which took place worth noting was +the action of the commander of the reiters then present, who turned +deliberately as he retreated, and fired his pistol at the head of the +young nobleman with so true an aim as to send the bullet through his +hunting cap, within an inch of his head.</p> + +<p class="normal">Under any other circumstances, Charles of Montsoreau would not have +failed to repay this sort of courtesy with something of the same kind; +but recollecting the situation of the persons in the carriage, he +showed more cool prudence than might have been expected from his +years; and telling an elderly man, who seemed the principal attendant +present, that the carriage was proceeding as fast as possible to the +shelter of the château of Montsoreau, he bade him ride after it with +all speed.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You, Martin," he said, turning to one of his own followers, "gallop +up to the ford, cross it, seek out the hunt, which I can see no longer +in the field, and tell my brother what has happened, asking him to +hasten back to the castle with all speed. I shall wait here for a +time, to watch the movements of the reiters, and see that they do not +pursue you--so lose no time, but spur on speedily."</p> + +<p class="normal">The man did as he was bid, and for about five minutes Charles of +Montsoreau kept his position upon the bridge, supported by nothing but +his own attendants. The servant whom he had despatched to his brother +reached the ford and crossed it, without any attempt on the part of +the reiters to interrupt him. He then galloped on in the direction of +the rocks, at full speed; and Charles of Montsoreau having seen him, +as far as he could judge, in safety, turned his horse, and rode after +the carriage and its followers.</p> + +<p class="normal">In the mean time, while these events were taking place, on one side of +the valley the boar, following the plan that the huntsman Gondrin had +laid out for him, pursued the course of the stream, and though chased +by the dogs in full cry, paused not, and turned not, till at the +water-mill a fierce watch-dog rushed out upon him, and received in +return a wound from one of the beast's sharp tusks, which laid him +dying upon the road. This little incident did not stop the fierce +animal for an instant; but it seemed to confuse him, and made him turn +from the direct course he was pursuing sooner than he otherwise would +have done. He doubled once before the hounds almost like a hare, and +then darting up one of the narrow passes to the right, led hounds and +huntsmen a considerable distance from the spot where the chase first +commenced, before he was finally driven into the valley of rocks, from +which there was no outlet, and where he was, consequently, obliged to +stand at bay.</p> + +<p class="normal">The way that he took led the main body of the huntsmen, with the young +lord of Montsoreau and the Abbé of Boisguerin, into a track, from +which the other side of the valley was not visible; and their own +eagerness, the cries of the numerous dogs, and the shouts and halloos +of the huntsmen, prevented them from hearing those sounds which had +attracted the attention of Charles of Montsoreau. When the Abbé and +the Marquis arrived, they found the noble boar already brought to bay +by the dogs, and defending himself stoutly against his enemy. Two of +the hounds were already sprawling in their blood beneath his feet, and +the Marquis sprang to the ground to put an end to the strife as soon +as possible.</p> + +<p class="normal">Nothing extraordinary occurred to mark the event of the chase. The +boar, like one of those unfortunate men that we sometimes see in the +world, upon whom every sort of misfortune falls one after another, +torn by the dogs, assailed by the huntsmen, confused by the clamour, +was soon killed amongst them; and Gaspar, whose hand had performed the +actual deed, executed all the usual offices of the hunter upon that +occasion, and stepping out the boar's length, declared that it was one +of the finest brutes that he had ever slain.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I wonder where Charles is," he exclaimed, as soon as the whole was +completed. "He must have missed us at the turn by the water-mill."</p> + +<p class="normal">And thus saying, he gazed down the valley of rocks, through the +opening of which might be seen a part of the other valley, with the +wood from which the boar had been forced, and the grey towers of the +château of Montsoreau rising upon the hill beyond. A single horseman +appeared coming up the valley, at the distance of about half a mile; +but as the young marquis gazed in the direction of the castle, his eye +was suddenly attracted by a quick flash which seemed to dart from one +of the embrasures, and almost at the same instant a white cloud of +smoke enveloped the top of the principal tower. After a short +interval, the loud booming report of a cannon made itself heard, and +another, and another flash issued forth from the embrasures on the +side which commanded the road, while the cloud of smoke around the +castle grew deeper and more extensive; and the repeated roar of the +cannon gave notice to the country round that war had returned to +disturb the peace which had reigned in those valleys for the last two +years.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What is the meaning of this?" exclaimed the Marquis, turning towards +the Abbé--"What can be the meaning of all this?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Why, simply," replied the Abbé, "I suppose some unexpected attack +upon the castle, and that your brother Charles has thrown himself into +it, and is firing upon the enemy. But, if I mistake not, this man +coming up at such speed is his piqueur Martin. He rides to us with +news, depend upon it."</p> + +<p class="normal">The man soon conveyed to them his own tale, and added the information, +that, as far as he could judge from the backward looks that he had +cast as he rode along, the body of reiters who had followed in pursuit +of the carriage amounted at least to the number of two hundred. The +situation of the Marquis and his companions was now in some degree +embarrassing; for their party was far too small to afford a hope of +forcing their way into the château at once, if opposed by the superior +force which the man described. Measures were, therefore, immediately +taken, for calling the peasantry around to arms; and such was the +military and enterprising spirit of the day, that you would have +thought from the alacrity with which the pike was grasped, and the +steel-cap put on, that some joyful occasion called the good countrymen +forth from their homes, and not a matter of peril and strife.</p> + +<p class="normal">In the course of about two hours, more than forty men had collected in +the valley of rocks; and with this small force, Gaspar de Montsoreau +prepared to force his way into the château, though the Abbé de +Boisguerin still remonstrated with him on the smallness of the number, +and advised him to wait for further support. As they were discussing +the matter, however, the huntsman Gondrin stepped forward, and, with a +low inclination of the head, addressed his lord.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I think, sir," he said, "if you would let me guide you, I could bring +you through the wood to the postern under the rock, without these +German vagabonds catching the least sight of your march; and at that +postern, you know, defended by the guns of the château, you could defy +the whole world till the postern is opened."</p> + +<p class="normal">"How do you propose to do it, Gondrin?" demanded the Abbé, scarcely +giving the young lord time to reply.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Why, I mean," replied the man, "to go round under the hill to the +road between the deep banks, which would cover a whole troop of men at +arms, much less a small body, such as we have here. That leads us +straight into the wood behind my house; and then there is the path +which I always follow myself in coming up to the château. It never +leaves the covert of the wood till it reaches the postern, or at least +the little green that opens before it."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, Gondrin is right, Gondrin is right," exclaimed the young marquis. +"He is always sure of his way. Lead on, Gondrin: keep about twenty +yards in front, and we will follow as orderly as we can. But some one +bring along the boar! we must not leave the boar behind!"</p> + +<p class="normal">The march was then commenced; and the only farther observation that +was made upon the proposed course proceeded from the Abbé de +Boisguerin, who said in a low voice to the young nobleman, "My only +reason for questioning Gondrin so closely was, that he has always +shown a much greater fondness for your brother than yourself, as you +must often have observed; and I thought he might lead us all into +greater peril than needful, in his zealous eagerness to succour +Charles."</p> + +<p class="normal">The Marquis did not reply, but rode on thoughtfully; and yet, upon +words as light as those, have often been built up in this world +rancours and jealousies never afterwards extinguished. In the present +instance, indeed, and at the present moment, the effect went no +further than to make Gaspar of Montsoreau ask himself, "I wonder why +Gondrin should love my brother better than myself? and yet I have +remarked he does so."</p> + +<p class="normal">As they marched on, the sound of the cannon was still heard from time +to time; but at length, as they entered the wood, it ceased, and was +heard no more. After threading the narrow path by which Gondrin led +them, they issued forth upon a green slope beneath an angle of the +rock on which the château stood. The chief road leading to the castle +was visible from that point; but no body of reiters was now to be seen +there; and the moment that they were perceived and recognised from the +battlements, glad shouts and gestures from the retainers on the walls +gave them to understand that the enemy had thought fit to abandon +their object, and retreat. Perhaps Gaspar of Montsoreau was not quite +satisfied that the defence should have been made and the enemy +frustrated by his younger brother; but his heart was still +sufficiently pure and upright to make him angry with himself on +detecting such sensations in his bosom.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2><a name="div1_03" href="#div1Ref_03">CHAP. III.</a></h2> +<br> + +<p class="normal">Those who have never lived amongst strange and stirring events, those +who have never been accustomed to hourly danger, and to continual +change, form no idea of the ease with which the human mind reconciles +itself to the various rapid alternations of our fate, and how soon the +habit of enterprise, excitement and hazard, produces an appetite for +the very things that would seem abhorrent to our nature.</p> + +<p class="normal">The incident of the appearance of the reiters in that part of the +country, of their attack upon the château of Montsoreau, and of the +absence of its lord at the moment, might have ended by the capture and +burning of the castle, and by the massacre of all within its walls. +But the moment that it was over, the Marquis and his train rode in, +and springing from his horse, he entered the hall, laughing gaily at +the perilous events just past. Finding no one there but some servants, +he next proceeded to a part of the building which was called the +Lady's Bower, where he was informed his brother now was, with the +guests who had so unexpectedly taken refuge in the château. He was +followed thither by the Abbé de Boisguerin, and on entering they found +a scene which--though of no very stirring character--we must attempt +to paint for the reader's eye.</p> + +<p class="normal">The lady's bower was a large, lightsome chamber in one of those towers +of the château which was least likely to be exposed to the fire of +artillery in case of attack--for we must remember that every +nobleman's house in that day was built chiefly with a view to defence, +and was in fact a regular fortress, as far as the science of the time +could render it so. The windows of the bower looked over the most +abrupt part of the hill on which the castle stood, and, beyond that, +upon the wide woods, that, sweeping away down into the valley, covered +an extent of many miles of low and gently undulating ground, which +afforded no eminence whatsoever, within cannon shot, that was not +completely commanded by the castle itself. The bower had also the +advantage of being on the sunny side of the building, turned away from +the cold north, and from the east, and looking to the land of summer, +and to the point where the splendid sun went down after his daily +course. On the day that we have mentioned, indeed, the great +light-giver vouchsafed but few of his beams to the world below; but in +the huge fire-place of the lady's bower, which was furnished with its +comfortable seats all round, blazed up a pile of logs, giving heat +sufficient to the whole room, to compensate for the absence of the +sun.</p> + +<p class="normal">At a little distance from the fire was collected a group of persons, +of which the graceful and dignified form of Charles of Montsoreau was +the first that caught the eye. He was standing with his hunting cap in +his hand--the long plume of which swept the floor--and was bending in +an attitude of much grace to speak with a lady who was seated in a +large arm-chair, and who, looking up in his face, was listening with +apparently great interest to all that he was saying. That lady, +however, was not the one who had spoken to him from the carriage. She, +indeed, sat near, while three or four female attendants, who had come +with her in the vehicle, stood behind. But the lady to whom Charles of +Montsoreau was speaking was altogether of a different age, and of a +different appearance.</p> + +<p class="normal">She was apparently not above nineteen or twenty years of age, and +certainly very beautiful, although her beauty was not altogether of +that sparkling and brilliant kind which attracts attention at once. +The features, it is true, were all good; the skin fair, soft, and +delicate; the figure exquisitely formed, and full of grace; but there +were none of those brilliant contrasts of colouring that are +remarkable even at a distance. There was no flashing black eye, full +of fire and light; the colour on the cheek, though that cheek was not +pale, was pure and delicate; the hair was of a light glossy silken +brown, and the soft liquid hazel eyes, screened by their long lashes, +and fine cut eyelids, required to be seen near, and to be marked well, +before all the beautiful depth and fervour of their expression could +be fully perceived. There was one thing, however, which was seen at +once, which was the great loveliness of the mouth and lips, every +line of which spoke sweetness and gentleness, but not without +firmness--tenderness, in short, gaining rather than losing from +resolution. Those lips were altogether peculiar to the race and family +to which she was--not very remotely--related; and it was to their +peculiar form and expression, that was owing that ineffable smile +which is said to have borne no slight part in the charm that rendered +her nearest male relative at that moment all-powerful over the hearts +of men, made him, Henry of Guise, more a king in France than the +sovereign of the land--at least as far as the affections of the people +went--and which had added the crowning grace to the beauty of the +unfortunate Mary Stuart.</p> + +<p class="normal">The dress in which this fair girl was clothed was that in which she +had been travelling, and consequently there was but little ornament of +any kind about it; and yet the blood of the princely Guises spoke out +in every movement and in every attitude, too plainly for any one to +have mistaken her for aught but what she was, had she been dressed +even in the garb of a peasant.</p> + +<p class="normal">The elder lady, clothed altogether in black, with her grey hair drawn +back from the point of the black velvet curch with which her head was +covered, and an eager, somewhat restless, eye, presented no points +either of great interest or attraction, and appeared what, in fact, +she really was, a poor and distant relation of the young lady whom she +accompanied, willing to derive competence, importance, and dignity +from acting the part of companion to one above herself in worldly +advantages.</p> + +<p class="normal">It frequently and naturally happens, that persons in such a situation +lose all native dignity of character, and become at once subservient +to those above them, and domineering to those below. This, indeed, is +not always the case; and when it is not, the great trial of the human +heart, which such circumstances inflict, but leaves the character of +those who endure it well, more bright and noble than they otherwise +would have appeared. But in the present instance, the result was the +more common one, and the old Marquise de Saulny, though possessing +several good qualities, presented, in general, a character but little +estimable. Talkative till she was repressed; loving to rule and direct +the household of the young lady to whom she was attached; excitable, +and somewhat tyrannical by nature, but subservient by habit and by +policy, she was often inclined to affect a degree of power and +authority over her fair companion, which the sweet girl herself but +rarely thought it worth while to oppose, but which, as soon as she did +oppose it, sunk into the most perfect submission and humility. Often, +too, she would make an effort to engross the whole conversation, and +in ordinary instances did so without any fear of rivalry from her less +loquacious companion; but whenever the young lady herself showed an +inclination to speak, Madame de Saulny was silent, or only conversed +with the inferior persons round about her in a low tone.</p> + +<p class="normal">As we have said, it was by the side of the younger lady that Charles +of Montsoreau was now standing, giving her apparently an account of +the events that had just passed, while she, with her soft eyes turned +eagerly towards his face, listened to every word he uttered with deep +interest, and asked him manifold questions as he went on.</p> + +<p class="normal">It would seem that Charles of Montsoreau had not been aware of the +return of his brother, for he started slightly at his appearance, and +the young lady turned her eyes towards the door with an inquiring +look, as the Marquis and the Abbé de Boisguerin entered.</p> + +<p class="normal">"This is my brother, madam," said Charles of Montsoreau, taking a step +forward. "Gaspar, I have been acting as your lieutenant here during +your absence. The man I sent to you doubtless told you what had then +occurred; and although I knew not, when I offered these ladies in your +name the protection of your château, whom it was I had an opportunity +of thus slightly serving, I was quite sure that I only did what you +would have done if you had been present."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Undoubtedly, my gallant brother," replied the Marquis--"you did all +that was right, and all that was chivalrous. For my own sake, I must +regret my absence at the moment when these events took place; but for +these ladies' sake I cannot regret it, for I know none who would +welcome them more warmly, or defend them more gallantly, than you, +Charles.--And so you have stood a siege and won a battle during my +absence, while I have only had the luck to kill a huge boar.--I hope," +he added, advancing towards the younger lady, "I hope that you have +neither suffered great fear nor great inconvenience; and though it is +possible that these reiters will linger about in this neighbourhood +for some time to come, being now upon our guard, we shall soon have +men enough under arms to protect you against any further violence."</p> + +<p class="normal">While he had been speaking the young lady had regarded him +attentively, but with a very different glance from that which she had +been giving to his brother. It seemed as if the events which had taken +place had rendered her familiar with the one, even in the short space +of time which their acquaintance had yet lasted, and she looked upon +him as a friend, while she gazed upon the other as a stranger. She +replied courteously, however, thanking him for the hospitality which +had been shown to them, and assuring him, that though she had +certainly been very much frightened while they were flying from the +pursuit of the reiters, yet she had lost all fear as soon as they were +within the walls of Montsoreau.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You have forgot one thing, Charles," said the Abbé de Boisguerin, +advancing, "which is to present your brother and myself formally to +these ladies; for we, who were unfortunate enough to be absent on a +less pleasing occupation than that of giving them assistance, do not +yet know to whom you have been fortunate enough to afford protection."</p> + +<p class="normal">Charles of Montsoreau coloured slightly, as he was reminded of his +omission, and then presented his brother and the Abbé to the Marquise +de Saulny and Mademoiselle de Clairvaut.</p> + +<p class="normal">At the name of the latter, the brow of the Abbé de Boisguerin, which +had been somewhat contracted, expanded in a moment, and his lip +lighted up with a bright smile.</p> + +<p class="normal">"If I am not mistaken," he said, bowing low to the younger lady, +"Mademoiselle de Clairvaut is niece of that most noble prince the Duke +of Guise."</p> + +<p class="normal">"My mother was his niece," replied the young lady; "but I may boast +that his affection is not less for me than if I were myself his +niece--I may say his daughter."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well may any one be proud of his regard," replied the Abbé, "and +well, I feel sure, may the Duke of Guise also feel deep regard for +Mademoiselle de Clairvaut. But I trust that this young gentleman has +already taken care you should have some better entertainment than the +report of cannon. You have, I hope, had some refreshment."</p> + +<p class="normal">"No," replied the young lady, with a smile, as she saw the colour +again come up into the cheek of Charles of Montsoreau at the implied +reproach; "no, he has been sufficiently occupied, till within the last +half hour, in defending us from the enemy, who seemed at one time, I +understand, resolved to storm the château; and since then, I have kept +him giving me answers to many foolish questions; so that he has had no +time to think of offering refreshment to any one--though I know, my +good Madame de Saulny, that fear always makes you hungry."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Not such fear as we have had to-day, dear Marie," replied Madame de +Saulny. "It has been quite enough to-day to take away my appetite +altogether, till I heard that we were quite safe, and those hateful +reiters gone from before the gates. How I shall ever gain courage to +set out again I do not know."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I only trust, dear madam," said Gaspar de Montsoreau, "I only trust +that your terror may last a long while, so that we may keep our two +fair prisoners within our château till such time as all the roads are +in perfect safety."</p> + +<p class="normal">The colour came a little more deeply into the cheek of Marie de +Clairvaut.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I think, indeed," she said, "that we ought to set off again as soon +as possible. We owe you many, many thanks, gentlemen, for the +protection you have already afforded, and the hospitality you are +willing to show. But as I am hastening by my uncle's direction to my +estates near Dreux, where I expect to meet him, I fear I must not +linger by the way. Some of our poor attendants, I understand, are +wounded; these we must leave to your kind care. But I hope it will be +found possible for us to proceed on our way before nightfall."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You will pardon me, madam," said the Abbé de Boisguerin, "and my +young friends here will pardon me for taking the matter in some degree +out of their hands; but believe me, what you propose is perfectly +impossible. It would be madness to attempt it. I should hold myself, +as an ecclesiastic, deeply criminal, were I not at once to remonstrate +against such a proceeding. The whole country, between this and Dreux, +a space of more than two hundred miles, is filled with the bands of +the King of Navarre, especially the Germans, and other heretics in +his service. I take it for granted, that you have got a passport and +safe-conduct from some of his chief officers; but the conduct of the +reiters towards you this day must have shown you how little such +safe-conducts are respected by those bands of ruffians."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Indeed," said Madame de Saulny, "you give us credit, sir, for more +prudence than we possess. We have neither passport nor safe-conduct +from any of the heretic leaders; for this young lady was so anxious to +obey the directions of her uncle at once, that she would stay for no +remonstrance."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Now that we have her here, however, she must submit to be more +strictly ruled," said Charles of Montsoreau with a smile.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ay, but we have your promise that we should come and go in safety, +and without opposition," said Marie de Clairvaut in the same tone, and +likewise with a smile. "You surely will not shut the castle gates +against my departure."</p> + +<p class="normal">"No, we will not do that," said his brother; "but we will reverse the +usual course, if you prove refractory, and turn you over from the +secular arm to the power of the church, fair lady. Our excellent +friend, the Abbé here, shall decide upon your fate, and I feel sure +that his decision will be ratified and confirmed by your princely +uncle."</p> + +<p class="normal">"My judgment is soon pronounced," said the Abbé. "In the first place, +before you can or ought to stir a step from beyond these walls, you +must absolutely procure a safe-conduct from Henry of Navarre, or some +of his principal leaders. We will send off a messenger to obtain it; +and in the mean while a courier shall be also sent to his Highness the +Duke of Guise, to give him notice of where you are, and to have his +good will and pleasure in regard to your farther proceedings."</p> + +<p class="normal">The young lady turned an inquiring glance upon her companion. It was a +look of much doubt and hesitation; but whatever might be her own +wishes upon the occasion--whether inclination led her to stay, or +feelings of propriety prompted her to go--her appealing eyes were +certainly turned to a personage whose mind was already made up as to +what was expedient to be done. Madame de Saulny loved not reiters at +all; the sound of their galloping hoofs in pursuit of the carriage, +the report of fire arms upon the bridge, the roaring of the cannon +from the castle, were all still ringing in her ears, and persuading +her, in a very loud and imperative voice, that on such a cold day, and +in such perilous circumstances, a warm comfortable mansion, good food, +good lodging, and good attendance, with the society of two handsome +young men, and an agreeable ecclesiastic, formed a whole infinitely +preferable to a dull high road in frosty weather, coarse lodging, bad +inns, dangerous driving, and fears at every turning.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Now, my dear Mary," exclaimed Madame de Saulny, "you see that all my +opinions are fully confirmed by authority, which I trust you will pay +a little more attention to. This excellent gentleman has only said +what I said before, and if you persist in going, the consequences be +upon your head."</p> + +<p class="normal">"My only fear," replied the young lady, "is that the duke should not +approve of my staying. But when the opinion of every one is against +me, of course I must yield."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Do not be the least alarmed in regard to your uncle," replied the +Abbé; "he shall be fully informed that you were very desirous of +falling into the hands of the reiters; but that we would not permit +you to have your own way, and detained you here by force against your +own will."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Under those circumstances, of course, I have no choice," said the +young lady, "but I will beg that no time may be lost in despatching +the messengers, so that I may not have to reproach myself with +unnecessary delay of any kind."</p> + +<p class="normal">The Abbé and his two young friends assured her that no delay should be +used; and it now being settled, according to the wishes of all parties +but herself, that Mademoiselle de Clairvaut and her companions were to +remain at the castle of Montsoreau for some days, her two young hosts, +placed in a new but not unpleasant situation, busied themselves +eagerly to provide for her comfort, and to make her hours fly as +happily as possible. The first thing to be done was to give her and +her companions some refreshment. The best apartments of the castle +were allotted for her use; and although she could not help feeling +that her situation was somewhat strange; though it occasionally made +her heart beat with the apprehension of not doing what was right, and +caused the colour to come more deeply into her fair cheek when she +thought of it; yet Marie de Clairvaut, somewhat like a bird escaped +from a cage, felt, in the midst of timidity and apprehension, a joy in +her little day of liberty, and prepared to make herself as happy as +she could.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2><a name="div1_04" href="#div1Ref_04">CHAP. IV.</a></h2> +<br> + +<p class="normal">The prudent plans and purposes of the most prudent and politic people +in this world are almost all contingent--contingent, in the first +place, upon circumstances, the great rulers of all earthly things, +and, in the second place, not less than the first, upon the +characters, thoughts, and feelings of the very persons who frame them. +Many a one may be tempted to tell us, that it must be a prudent man to +form prudent resolutions, and that such a prudent man will keep them; +but now the reverse of this common-place reasoning is directly the +case, and the most prudent determinations are but too often taken by +the most imprudent people, and violated without the slightest ceremony +or contrition. This is, indeed, almost universally the case; for +really prudent people have no need to make resolutions at all, and +those who make them have almost always some intimation in their own +mind that there is a likelihood of their being broken.</p> + +<p class="normal">The case of Marie de Clairvaut was not exactly that of a person either +wanting in prudence or in firmness. She often considered thoughtfully +and long, regarding proprieties and improprieties before she +determined on any course of action; and, in the present instance, as +she sat by her solitary toilet-table in her own chamber, she revolved +in her mind her situation--the guest of two young and wealthy nobles; +and although she felt perfectly confident, both from their whole +demeanour and from the redoubted power and influence of her uncle, +that she would be treated with the most perfect courtesy, hospitality, +and kindness, she saw that she would have in some degree a difficult +task to perform, both in regard to them and to herself.</p> + +<p class="normal">Though younger than either of them, Marie de Clairvaut had seen a +great deal more of the world; and from her own circumstances, and +those of her family, she had been called upon to consider subjects and +to deal with events, which rarely fall within the scope of a young, a +very young woman's reflections. We have said in the end of the last +chapter, that Marie de Clairvaut prepared to make herself as happy as +she could; and it was the feeling that she had given way somewhat +incautiously to such a design, during the first day that she had spent +within the walls of the château of Montsoreau that made her--as she +sat preparing to retire to rest--think seriously over her situation, +and, as we have said, frame her resolutions according to the result of +her reflections.</p> + +<p class="normal">Some time was likely to elapse before she could hear from her uncle; +and in the mean while two great perils menaced her in her present +situation, as great and as probable, perhaps, as any that fancy +painted in regard to her falling into the hands of the reiters, though +certainly of a very different character. The first of these perils +was, that either of her two gay and gallant hosts should fall in love +with her. The days of chivalry were not then over--men did +occasionally fall in love with a lady and not with her wealth; and +there had been observable more than once, on the countenances of the +two brothers, various looks and expressions so strongly indicative of +admiration, that Marie, without any particular vanity, might well +suppose that warmer feelings still, might spring up in the track of +those which had risen already so rapidly.</p> + +<p class="normal">The next great danger was one of a still more terrible character--it +was, that she herself might fall in love with one or other of the +brothers. Now there were various things which rendered this probable, +as well as various things which rendered it improbable. In the first +place, though of a gentle and affectionate disposition, she had never +yet seen any one whom she could really love; and though she had +mingled with courts and moved in scenes where those startling changes +were constantly taking place which try and ultimately use and wear +away the finer feelings of the human heart, yet her bosom had been +originally richly stored by God with warm, and kind, and generous +sensations; and all that she had seen of the world and its worldliness +had but tended to make her not only hate and detest it, but cling to +any thing that savoured of a fresher nature. She had lived enough in +courts and crowds to make her abhor them, but not enough to forget her +abhorrence; and she was now cast entirely into the society of two +beings as little like those courts and crowds as it was possible to +conceive: she was dependent upon them for amusement, support, +protection; and withal there was that touching knowledge that she was +admired and liked; which, to a generous and a feeling mind, is fully +as powerful--though acting in a different way--as to a vain and a +selfish one.</p> + +<p class="normal">Had there been, in the simplicity and the want of knowledge of the +world which characterised the two brothers, any thing in the least +degree laughable or extravagant, there might have been no occasion for +fear; but such was not the case: their manners and their tone were in +the highest degree courteous, nay, courtly. They felt within +themselves the station in which they were born, the high education +which they had received, the superiority of their mental and corporeal +powers over most of those with whom they had ever been brought in +contact; and that feeling added a dignified and somewhat commanding +ease to the grace which nature had bestowed and education improved.</p> + +<p class="normal">Marie de Clairvaut then considered all these things calmly and +deliberately, wisely making use of her own dispassionate judgment, so +long as she knew that judgment to be cool and unbiassed. The reader, +skilful in the human heart, perhaps may be inclined to ask, whether +there was or was not really some little indication, in her own heart, +of a liking and admiration for one of the two brothers, which caused +her to be thus circumspect and careful? All that we can answer is, +that she herself did not think so; but merely feeling that, placed in +an unusual situation, she was responsible to herself, and to them, and +to her uncle, for her conduct, she took the very first opportunity of +contemplating all the circumstances that surrounded her, in order to +shape her conduct by the dictates of reason. She took a strong +resolution, indeed, but that was the only indication of weakness that +she discovered.</p> + +<p class="normal">In the first place, then, she resolved, on her own part, not to be +betrayed by any circumstances whatever into falling in love with +either the elder or the younger brother; and, in the next place, she +resolved to do all in her power, without acting insincerely in any +degree, or discourteously, to prevent either of them from falling in +love with her. Such a resolution implied that she was not to allow +herself to be so happy as she had at first hoped and expected to be; +but, nevertheless, she framed her purposes accordingly, and determined +that only so much of her time should be given to the two brothers as +kindness and lady-like courtesy required. She would not attempt to +assume a false character, for such a thing was quite contrary to the +frankness and sincerity of her nature. While she was with them she +would appear what she really was, but she would avoid, as far as +possible, all those occasions of intimacy and constant communication, +which her residence in their mansion, during troublous times, might +naturally produce.</p> + +<p class="normal">Now, all this was very wise and very prudent and we have endeavoured +to show, that Marie de Clairvaut was not one of those people whose +prudent resolutions are taken from a consciousness, secret or avowed, +that prudence itself is wanting. Nevertheless, Marie de Clairvaut was +a girl of less than nineteen years of age, and no more mistress, +either of events, or of her own conduct and resolutions, under +particular circumstances, than if she had been fifty. She began her +plan, indeed, on the following morning, by pleading occupations of +various kinds as an excuse for remaining the greater part of the day +in her own apartments. But, alas! there were two enemies in her own +camp.</p> + +<p class="normal">One was Madame de Saulny, who thought herself bound to remain with her +fair cousin, and yet had a very strong inclination for the more +extended society which the château afforded. The other was a still +more dangerous foe, namely, herself, who, to say sooth, found the time +pass uncommonly heavily, having with her on her journey neither books, +nor any other of those sources of occupation which might have helped +to while away the hours in the solitude of her own chamber. Having but +a fretful companion in the good marquise, and none of any interest +amongst her inferior followers, the first day wore away tediously, +and, if we may say the truth, the hours that she gave up in solitude +had the evil effect of making those that she spent with three +intelligent and highminded men appear far more delightful than they +might otherwise have done.</p> + +<p class="normal">She found, also, that all three possessed accomplishments very rare +amongst the high nobility of that day; that the whole world of art and +nature, as far as it was then known, had been opened to their +inquiries: and not only did music, and song, and poetry, aid to make +the day pass pleasantly, but they also rendered the conversation that +occupied another portion of the time refined, and bright, and +comprehensive. They were not driven to talk of nothing but horses, or +armour, or the battlefield, or the chase, though such matters were not +altogether excluded; but, as must ever be the case, every subject +spoken of received a peculiar colour, a tone, a shade from the mind +and habitual feelings of the speaker. If Charles of Montsoreau spoke +of a horse, it was not in the terms of a horse-dealer, but it was +either as the sculptor, the painter, the poet, or the soldier: he +dwelt upon the beauty of its form, the docility of its nature, the +fiery energies which render it the most poetical object in the whole +inferior creation. If he talked of the chase, it was not alone of the +slaughter of stout boars, or the tearing down the antlered quarry; but +it was of the eager excitement of the scene; the rapid motion through +fair woods and bright prospects; the music of echo and the hounds; the +expectation, the strife, the slight portion of danger; of all, in +short, which makes the real difference between the hunter and the +butcher.</p> + +<p class="normal">Marie de Clairvaut was not so much of a recluse the second day as the +first; and with music, and song, and conversation, such as we have +described, it passed as pleasantly as might be; but there were several +other little incidents which from time to time took place to vary any +monotony that might have been felt. A report of reiters having been +seen at a small distance reached the castle in the morning, and some +horsemen were sent out to ascertain the fact. Preparations of +different kinds were made for offering indomitable resistance in case +of any fresh attack by a larger force. The armoury was explored; and +while every sort of weapon needful for arming the peasantry was +brought forth, pikes, and arquebuses, and morions, Charles of +Montsoreau pointed out to Mademoiselle de Clairvaut many a curious old +relic of other days, to each of which some legend was attached--the +casque and hauberk of the crusader, the arms of some noble ancestor +slain on the bloody field of Poitiers, or still older and less +certain, the gigantic gauntlets of a follower of Hugh Capet, and the +mighty sword and horn of one of the paladins of the Great Charles.</p> + +<p class="normal">Then came in the youthful peasantry to be enrolled--some called upon +as of right by their young lords, but many flocking with voluntary +readiness to the château at the first sound of war; then a tour of the +battlements was to be made, and Marie de Clairvaut, accompanied her +two young hosts round the towers and the walls, gazing from breastwork +and embrasure over as bright, but as curious, a scene, as it was +possible to conceive. The light mist which we have mentioned as +occupying the lower parts of the ground on the day before, had been +dispelled during the night by the severity of the frost; but it had +settled down upon all the branches and stems of the bare trees in +glittering crystals of white, which now reflected with dazzling +brilliancy the rays of the clear unclouded sun.</p> + +<p class="normal">Perched, as was usually the custom at that time, upon one of the +highest points of the country round, even the windows of the castle +commanded a very extensive view: but from the tops of the higher +towers on which Marie de Clairvaut now stood, miles beyond miles were +extended beneath her eye on every side; and the whole shone bright and +clear in the sun's light, displaying a varied landscape of forest and +field, and hill and plain, all covered with the same glistening +frostwork, and only varied in hue by the deep shadows cast by the low +winter sun, and by the blue tints of the far distance, where the +distinction between field and forest was lost, and some high hills +bounded the prospect.</p> + +<p class="normal">Though somewhat monotonous, there was much to admire; and Marie, and +those who accompanied her, stopped often to gaze and to comment on the +scene. It must be acknowledged, that Charles of Montsoreau kept not +far from her side as she walked on, and that, though his brother was +near her on the other hand, it was towards the younger that she +generally turned, either to hear what he said, or to make some +observations on the objects beneath her eyes. Throughout the course of +that day, indeed, she gave him much of her attention, perhaps a +greater share than his brother thought quite equitable; and certainly +had Marie been asked, when she retired to rest that night, which of +the two brothers was the most graceful, which sang, or spoke, or acted +most pleasingly, she would undoubtedly have fixed upon Charles.</p> + +<p class="normal">Perhaps she might ask herself some questions on the subject; but her +heart was sufficiently free and at ease, to make her believe that +there could be no earthly harm in preferring the society of one in a +slight degree to that of the other, and of rendering justice, as she +considered it, to both. If there was, indeed, in her own mind the +slightest idea that any particular feeling of preference was growing +up in her bosom for Charles of Montsoreau, the only effect that it had +was, to make her think it was very natural such a thing should be the +case, as he had been the first to give her assistance and protection, +and to peril his life in her behalf. Though the elder was very +courteous, she thought, and very kind, and graceful, and agreeable, it +could not be expected that she should like him as well as the person +who had been actively interested in her defence; and thus she slept at +ease, imagining that both brothers were but mere common acquaintances, +who might never be thought of three times after she left them; though, +in comparing the one with the other, she was inclined to like the +younger better than the elder brother.</p> + +<p class="normal">While the two young noblemen had been carried, by the most natural +feelings in the world, to bestow the chief share of their attention +upon the beautiful and interesting girl who had so suddenly and +strangely become an inmate of their dwelling, the Abbé de Boisguerin +had held more than one long and apparently interesting conversation +with the Marquise de Saulny. In those conversations--whether they took +place in the halls, or the armoury, or on the battlements while the +Marquise, with two of Marie's women, followed the young lady over the +château--the Abbé, as we have said, seemed to take considerable +interest: but still, from time to time, his eyes fixed upon the +graceful and beautiful form of Marie de Clairvaut, or gazed earnestly +upon the fair face as, beaming with the radiance of the heart, it +turned from one brother to the other at every interesting point of the +conversation. In the expression of his eyes, fine, intelligent, and +speaking as they were, there was something, perhaps, not altogether +pleasing--a look of admiration, indeed, but a look mingled with or +taking its meaning from, feelings, perhaps, not the most pure and +holy. It was more like the gratified admiration of a critic, than the +ordinary impression produced by beauty upon a fine mind.</p> + +<p class="normal">However that might be, Madame de Saulny soon became aware, though she +was a woman and a French woman, that the Abbé de Boisguerin, in the +attentions which he paid her, was not actuated by any admiration of +her own personal charms; and as she was fond of such attentions, and +not very scrupulous as to any innocent means of attracting or holding +them, she made Marie de Clairvaut, her personal beauty, and the high +qualities of her mind and heart, one of the chief topics of her +conversation with a person whom she saw was already, in a great +degree, occupied with such subjects.</p> + +<p class="normal">It may be asked, what were the real feelings of the Abbé de Boisguerin +himself? It will be fully time to dwell upon those feelings hereafter; +for at the time we speak of, if there were any feelings in his bosom +at all different from those which ordinarily occupied it, they were +yet but as seeds in which the first green bursting forth of the germ +was scarcely apparent, even to the closest inspection. It is true that +he sat up for more than two hours after the young lady herself and her +two noble hosts had all retired to rest. It is true that, with his +arms crossed upon his chest, he walked up and down the hall, in which +he was now left solitary, musing beneath the light of the untrimmed +lamps, and revolving many a strange fancy and shadowy imagination in +his own powerful mind. He felt that they were but fancies; but he told +himself that it is often from the storehouses of imagination that +strong minds draw the rich ore from which they manufacture splendid +realities. Ambition finds there her materials; love his gayest robes; +passion gains thence many a device for his own ends; and even science +and philosophy have often to thank imagination for many a grand +discovery, for many a bright thought and happy suggestion.</p> + +<p class="normal">As he paced up and down that hall in silence and solitude, communing +with his own heart and his own mind, the consciousness of vast powers, +great courage, and mighty scope of intellect, became more distinct, +and clear, and potent in his own bosom. He asked himself, what, with +such a mind, he might not be, if, looking on the troublous times in +which he lived as a mere scene for his ambition, he were to plunge at +once into the contentions of the day, and, with the sole object of his +own aggrandisement in view, employ upon all things round him the +mastery of superior intellect. He asked himself this; and with that +thought, there might come up before his mind the thought of love +likewise, the thought of passions, which have so frequently gone hand +in hand with ambition, and of gratifications to be obtained by the +obtainment of power.</p> + +<p class="normal">As he thought, he paused, casting down his eyes, and they accidentally +fell upon the sort of half clerical garments that he wore. He gazed +for a moment at his own dress, and then he murmured to himself, with a +meaning smile, "Thank Heaven! I have taken no vows but such as can be +thrown off as easily as this garment."</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2><a name="div1_05" href="#div1Ref_05">CHAP. V.</a></h2> +<br> + +<p class="normal">The luxury of the present age has perhaps made no greater progress +than in the cultivation of flowers, and in nothing, perhaps, has it +produced its usual effect, of depriving men of the sweet zest of +simplicity, more than in our enjoyment of those sweetest of the +earth's children. Heaven forbid that we should lose any of the many +bright and beautiful blossoms which have been added so abundantly to +our stock within the last few years: having possessed them, we cannot +lose them without pain; and, perhaps, in the very variety we receive a +compensation for the something that is lost. But yet there can be no +doubt that in the present day we do not feel the same keen pleasure +and enjoyment in our gardens thronging with ten thousand flowers which +men did in those old days, when few but the native plants of the soil +had yet received cultivation.</p> + +<p class="normal">At the time that we are now speaking of, the attention of men in +general was first strongly turned in France to the cultivation of +their gardens; and Du Bellay, Bishop of Mans, was about that very +period importing from foreign countries multitudes of those plants +which are in general supposed to be indigenous to the country. One of +the first efforts in the art of gardening had been to multiply those +shrubs, which, though not, as generally supposed, indeciduous, retain +their leaves and their colouring through the colder parts of the year, +and cover the frozen limbs of winter with the green garmenture of the +spring. Amongst the next efforts that took place, were those directed +to the production of flowers and fruits at seasons of the year when +they are denied to us by the common course of nature; and any little +miracles of this sort, which from day to day were achieved, gave a +greater degree of pleasure than we can probably conceive at this time, +when such things are of daily occurrence.</p> + +<p class="normal">In passing round the battlements of the castle, as we have described +in the last chapter, Marie de Clairvaut had remarked a considerable +garden within the walls of the château itself. She had seen the rows +of the neatly clipped yew, and the green holly, and she had thought +that she could discover here and there a flower, even in the midst of +that ungenial season of the year. How it happened, or why, matters +not, but upon the third morning of her stay, she woke at a far earlier +hour than usual, and rising, after a vain effort to sleep again, she +dressed herself without assistance; and believing that she should have +no other companion but the morning sun, she proceeded to seek her way +to the garden, with a feeling of pleasant expectation, which may seem +strange to us in the present day, but was then quite natural to one of +her disposition and habits. The garden was easily found, many of the +servants of the château were up and about; and one of them with haste +and care proceeded to open the gates, and unlock the doors, for the +fair lady, and usher her on her way.</p> + +<p class="normal">It were needless to enter into any description of the garden; for few, +scanty, and poor were the flowers that it contained, even in its +brightest moments, compared with those now produced in the garden of a +cottage in England. At that season, too, every thing was frozen up, +and the more severe frost of the preceding nights had killed even +those hardy blossoms that seemed to dare the touch of their great +enemy, the winter.</p> + +<p class="normal">It was enough, however, for Marie de Clairvaut, that the plentiful +rows of evergreens refreshed her eye; and she walked along the +straight alleys with a feeling of joyous refreshment, while the +hoar-frost upon the grass crackled under her feet, or, catching the +morning light upon the yews and hollies, melted into golden drops in +the cheerful sunshine.</p> + +<p class="normal">She hoped for half an hour of that sort of solitude, when, though +there is no one near us, the heart is not solitary; when we hold +companionship with nature, and in a humble, though rejoicing spirit, +converse with God in his great works.</p> + +<p class="normal">At such moments, dear, indeed, must be the person, sweet to our heart +must be our ordinary commune with them, harmonious must be their +sensations with every feeling of our bosom, if we find not their +coming upon us an interruption; if we can turn from the bright face of +nature to the dear aspect of human love, and feel the scene, and the +companionship, and ourselves, all attuned together.</p> + +<p class="normal">Such we cannot say was the case with Marie de Clairvaut, when, on +hearing a step behind her, she turned and saw the young Marquis de +Montsoreau. She felt disappointed of her solitude; but, nevertheless, +she was far too courteous in her nature to suffer such sensations to +appear for a moment, and she returned his greeting with a kindly +smile, and listened to his words with that degree of pleasure which +the intention of being pleased is sure to carry with it. Gaspar de +Montsoreau talked to her of many things, and spoke on every subject so +gracefully, so clearly, and so pleasingly, that when memory brought +back the conversation which she was accustomed to hear in courts and +cities, it seemed to her a sort of miracle, that wit and talent, such +as those two brothers possessed, should have grown up like a beautiful +flower in a desert, so far removed from any ordinary means of +cultivation. She felt, too, that, on her return to Paris, a comparison +of the sort of communion which she now held in the country, with the +only kind of society which the capital could afford, would be very, +very detrimental to the latter.</p> + +<p class="normal">The young marquis, after the first salutation of the morning, +commented on her early rising, and told her that both he and his +brother had been up even before sunrise.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Some of our people roused us," he said, "with tidings of a large body +of armed men having encamped on the preceding night at the distance of +about seven leagues from Montsoreau." And he added, that his brother +had found it necessary to go forth with a small party of horse to +reconnoitre this force, and ascertain its purposes and destination. He +did not say, however--which he might have said--that other tidings, +regarding the movements of this body of men, had rendered it scarcely +necessary to pay any particular attention to them, and that it was +only in consequence of his pressing request that Charles of Montsoreau +had set out upon a distant expedition, which must keep him absent +during the greater part of the day from the side of Marie de +Clairvaut.</p> + +<p class="normal">On their farther conversation we must not dwell, for we wish to hurry +forward as rapidly as possible towards more stirring events. Suffice +it to say, that it passed pleasantly enough to the fair girl herself, +and far more pleasantly, though also more dangerously, to Gaspar de +Montsoreau. He sat by her side, too, during the morning meal, while +the Abbé de Boisguerin occupied the chair on the other side, between +herself and Madame de Saulny. The Abbé spoke little during breakfast, +and left the conversation principally to the young marquis; but when +he did speak there was a depth, and a power, and a profoundness in his +words and thoughts, that struck Mademoiselle de Clairvaut much, +commanded her attention, and excited some feelings of admiration. But +it often happens, and happened in this case, that admiration is +excited without much pleasure, and also without much respect.</p> + +<p class="normal">The mind of a pure and high-souled woman is the most terrible +touchstone which the conversation of any man can meet with. If there +be baser matter in it, however strong and specious may be the gilding, +that test is sure to discover it. We mistake greatly, I am sure, when +we think that the simplicity of innocence deprives us of the power of +detecting evil. We may know its existence, though we do not know its +particular nature, and our own purity, like Ithuriel's spear, detect +the demon under whatever shape he lurks.</p> + +<p class="normal">Thus, while Marie de Clairvaut turned from time to time, struck and +surprised, towards the Abbé de Boisguerin, when he broke forth for a +moment with some sudden burst of eloquence, there came every now and +then upon her mind a doubt as to the sincerity of all he said--a doubt +of its being wholly true. That the great part was as true as it was +beautifully expressed, she did not doubt; but it seemed to her as if +there was frequently some small portion of what was doubtful, if not +of what was absolutely wrong, in what he said. She tried to detect +where it was, but in vain. It became a phantom as soon as ever she +strove to grasp it; and though at times she seemed to shrink from him +with doubts of his character, which she could not define nor account +for, at other times she reproached herself for such feelings; and +thinking of the two noble and high-spirited young men, whose education +he had conducted with so much skill, wisdom, and integrity, she felt +it difficult to believe that his own nature was any thing but upright, +noble, and just. She knew not, or recollected not, that the children +of darkness are, in their generation, wiser than the children of +light, and saw not that it had been the policy and first interest of +the Abbé de Boisguerin to acquit himself of the task he had undertaken +in the most careful and upright manner.</p> + +<p class="normal">The greater part of the day passed over much as the preceding one had +done, with merely this difference, that the Marquis, aided by the +Abbé, persuaded his fair guest to wander forth for a short time beyond +the immediate walls of the château; assuring her, that as his brother +was out scouring the country, and the peasantry all round prepared to +bring intelligence to the castle rapidly, no danger could approach +without full time for escape and defence. The Marquis and the Abbé +accompanied her on either side, and a considerable train of servants +followed, so that Marie de Clairvaut felt herself in perfect security.</p> + +<p class="normal">Nevertheless, the ramble did not seem so pleasing to her as it might +have been. Neither, to say the truth, did it appear to afford the +young nobleman himself the pleasure which he had anticipated. For the +first time, perhaps, in his life, the society and the conversation of +the Abbé de Boisguerin irritated and made him impatient. He himself +became often silent and moody; and after a time the Abbé seemed to +note his impatience, and divine the cause, for with one of his own +peculiar slight smiles, he betook himself to the side of the Marquise +de Saulny, and left Gaspar de Montsoreau to entertain his fair guest +without listeners or interruption.</p> + +<p class="normal">The young lord's equanimity, however, had been overthrown; it was some +time ere he could regain it; and just as he was so doing, and the +conversation was becoming both more animated and more pleasing between +him and Marie de Clairvaut, his brother Charles was seen coming +rapidly over the hill, at the head of his gallant troop of horsemen, +with grace, and ease, and power in every line of his figure, the light +of high spirit and of chivalry breathing from every feature of his +face, and every movement of his person.</p> + +<p class="normal">His keen eye instantly caught the party from the château, and turning +his horse that way, he sprang to the ground by Mademoiselle de +Clairvaut's side, and gave her the good morrow with frank and manly +courtesy. He said little of his expedition, except to laugh at the +unnecessary trouble he had taken, the band of men whom he had gone out +to reconnoitre proving to be a troop of Catholic soldiers, in the +service of the King of France. He showed no ill humour, however, +towards his brother, for having pressed him to undertake a useless +enterprise, when, undoubtedly, he would have preferred being by the +side of Marie de Clairvaut. But the smiles with which she received him +proved a sufficient recompense; and he now applied himself to make up +for lost time, by enjoying her conversation as much as possible during +the rest of the evening, without observing that his brother appeared +to be out of humour, and not very well satisfied with the attentions +that he paid her.</p> + +<p class="normal">The first thing that at all roused him from this sort of +unconsciousness, was a sudden exclamation of the Marquis towards the +close of the evening, when he was performing some little act of +ceremonious courtesy towards their fair guest.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Why, Charles," he exclaimed, "one would think that you were the Lord +of Montsoreau, you do the honours of the place so habitually."</p> + +<p class="normal">Charles of Montsoreau had never heard such words from his brother's +lips before. He started, turned pale, and gazed with a silent glance +of inquiry in his brother's face. But he made no reply, and fell into +a fit of deep thought, which lasted till the party separated, and they +retired to rest.</p> + +<p class="normal">Marie de Clairvaut had remarked those words also, and she felt pained +and grieved. She was not a person to believe, on the slightest +indication of her society being agreeable to any man she met with, +that he must be necessarily in the high road to become her lover. She +knew, she felt, that it was perfectly possible to be much pleased +with, to be fond of, to seek companionship with, a person of the other +sex, without one other feeling, without one other wish, than those +comprised within the simple name of friendship. She, therefore, did +not know, and would not fancy, that there was anything like love +towards herself springing up so soon in the bosom of Gaspar de +Montsoreau. But she did see, and saw evidently, that he sought to +monopolise her conversation and her society, and was displeased when +any one shared them with him. It made her uneasy to see this, for, to +say the truth, the conversation, the manners, the countenance, of his +younger brother, were all more pleasing to her--not that she felt the +slightest inclination to fall in love with Charles of Montsoreau, or +ever dreamt of such a thing. But, as we have before said, if she had a +preference, it was for him.</p> + +<p class="normal">Nor was that preference a little increased by the manner in which he +bore his brother's conduct. He became more silent and thoughtful: +there was an air of melancholy, if not of sadness, came upon him from +the very moment Gaspar spoke those words, which struck Marie de +Clairvaut very much. He showed not, indeed, the slightest ill humour, +the slightest change of affection towards his brother. He seemed +mortified and grieved, but not in the least angry; and during the +ensuing days bore with a kindly dignity many a little mark of +irritation, on his brother's part, which evidently gave him pain.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is a sad thing to be a younger brother," thought Marie de +Clairvaut--"perhaps left entirely dependent upon the elder."</p> + +<p class="normal">But that very night it happened that Madame de Saulny informed her +that Charles of Montsoreau was, in his own right, Count of Logères, +and considerably superior to his brother, both in power and wealth. It +need hardly be said that her esteem for himself, and her admiration of +his conduct, rose from a knowledge of the circumstances under which it +was displayed; and she could not help, by her manner and demeanour +towards him, marking how much she was pleased and interested. She gave +him no cause to believe, indeed, that the interest which she did feel +went beyond the point of simple friendship. But a very slight change +in her demeanour was sufficient to mark her feelings distinctly; for +her character and her habits of thought and feeling at that time were +peculiar, and affected, or we may say regulated, her whole behaviour +in society.</p> + +<p class="normal">As yet, she knew not in the slightest degree what love is; and though, +in her heart, there were all the materials for strong, deep, +passionate attachment of the warmest and the most ardent kind, still +those materials had never been touched by any fire, and they lay cold +and inactive, so that she believed herself utterly incapable of so +loving any being upon earth, as man must be loved for happiness. From +a very early age she had made up her mind, when permitted, to enter a +convent; and though neither of her uncles would consent to her so +doing, yet she adhered to her resolution, and only delayed its +execution. She knew that at that time, and she believed it would ever +be so, that all her hopes and affections were turned towards a higher +Being; and these feelings in some degree against her will, gave a +degree of shrinking coldness to her demeanour when in the society of +men, which made the slightest warmth of manner remarkable. The +exquisite lines of Andrew Marvell upon the drop of dew might well have +been applied to her general demeanour in the world:--</p> +<div class="poem2"> +<p class="t0" style="text-indent:-6pt"> +"See how the orient dew,<br> +Shed from the bosom of the morn<br> +Into the blowing roses,<br> +Yet careless of its mansion new</p> +<p class="t3">For the clear region where 'twas born,</p> +<p class="t3">It in itself encloses,<br> +<p class="t0">And in its little globe's extent<br> +Frames as it can its native element.<br> +How it the purple flower does slight!</p> +<p class="t3">Scarce touching where it lies,<br> +But, gazing back upon the skies,</p> +<p class="t0">Shines with a mournful light,</p> +<p class="t3">Like their own tear,<br> +Because so long divided from the sphere.</p> +<p class="t0">Restless it rolls and insecure,<br> +Trembling lest it grow impure,<br> +Till the warm sun pities its pain,<br> +And to the skies exhales it back again."</p> +</div> + +<p class="normal">Notwithstanding the words of his brother, and the impatience which +Gaspar more than once displayed, Charles of Montsoreau changed his +conduct not in the slightest degree towards Marie de Clairvaut. He was +kind, attentive, courteous, evidently fond of her conversation and +society; and more than once, when he was seated at some distance, +while she was talking with others, she accidentally caught his eyes +fixed upon her with a calm, intense, and melancholy gaze, which +interested and even confused her.</p> + +<p class="normal">The conduct of the elder brother, however, gave her some degree of +pain. He was always perfectly courteous and kind, indeed, but there +was a warmth and an eagerness in his manner which alarmed her. She was +afraid of fancying herself beloved when she was not; she was afraid of +having to reproach herself with vanity and idle conceit, and yet a +thousand times a day she wished she had not stayed at the château of +Montsoreau; for she saw evidently that she had been the cause of pain, +and she feared that she might be the cause of more. In one thing, +however, she could not well be mistaken, which was, that the Marquis +found frequent pretexts, and not the most ingenuous ones either, for +inducing his brother to absent himself from the château. Charles +yielded readily; but Marie de Clairvaut saw that it was not willingly; +and once, when he consented to go to a town at some distance, which +was proposed to him with scarcely any reasonable cause, she saw a +slight smile come upon his lips, but so sad, so melancholy, that it +made her heart ache.</p> + +<p class="normal">In the mean while the weather had turned finer; the frost had +disappeared; some of the bright days which occasionally cheer the end +of February had come in; the country immediately around was +ascertained to be in a state of perfect tranquillity; and Marie +readily consented to ride and walk daily through the environs, knowing +that on these excursions, accompanied by her woman and Madame de +Saulny, she was thrown less into the society of Gaspar of Montsoreau +than while sitting alone at the château. On one occasion of this kind, +when the morning was peculiarly bright, and the day happy and genial, +it had been proposed to bring forth the falcons, who had not stirred +their wings for many a day, as several herons had been heard of by the +river since the thaw had come on.</p> + +<p class="normal">An hour or two before the appointed time, however, intelligence was +brought to the castle, which proved afterwards to be fabricated, that +a neighbouring baron of small importance had gone over to the party of +the King of Navarre.</p> + +<p class="normal">Gaspar of Montsoreau seized the pretext, and endeavoured to persuade +his brother to visit that part of the country, and ascertain the +facts. But, for once, Charles of Montsoreau positively refused, and +his air was so grave and stern, that his brother did not press it +farther.</p> + +<p class="normal">Gaspar was out of temper, however, and he showed it; and finding that +Charles kept close to the bridle rein of Marie de Clairvaut, he +affected to ride at a distance, with a discontented air, giving +directions to the falconers, and venting his impatience in harsh and +angry words when any little accident or mistake took place. No heron +was found for nearly an hour; and he was in the act of declaring that +it was useless to try any farther, and they had better go back, when a +bird was started from the long reeds, and the jesses of the falcons +were slipped.</p> + +<p class="normal">Marie de Clairvaut had been conversing throughout the morning with +Charles of Montsoreau--conversing on subjects and in a manner which +drew the ties of friendship and intimacy nearer round the heart--and +it so happened that the moment before the heron rose, she remarked, in +a low tone, "Your brother seems angry this morning; something seems to +have displeased him."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, dear lady," replied the young nobleman, "I pray you do not judge +of Gaspar by what you have seen within these last few days. I fear +that he is either ill, or more deeply grieved about something than he +suffers me to know. He is of a kindly, affectionate, and gentle +disposition, lady, and from childhood up to manhood, I can most +solemnly assure you, I never yet saw his temper ruffled as it seems +now."</p> + +<p class="normal">Marie de Clairvaut raised her eyes to his face with a look full of +sweet approbation; and she said, "I wish you would just ride up to +him, and try to calm him. Why should he not come near us, and behave +as usual?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Charles of Montsoreau turned instantly to obey, merely saying, "Keep a +tight rein on your horse, dear lady, till I come back, for he is +somewhat fiery."</p> + +<p class="normal">He had just reached his brother's side when the heron took wing; and +Gaspar de Montsoreau glad of an opportunity of marking his discontent +towards his brother, spurred on his horse with an angry "Pshaw!" and +galloped after the falcons as fast as possible.</p> + +<p class="normal">In an instant every bridle was let loose, every face turned towards +the sky, every horse at full speed. We must except, indeed, Charles of +Montsoreau, for his first thought was of Marie de Clairvaut. His mind +had been greatly depressed during the morning: he had thought much of +her; he had felt a vague impression that some accident would happen to +her; and though he had endeavoured to laugh at himself for giving way +to such a feeling, yet the feeling had remained so strongly as to make +him refuse to go upon the expedition which his brother had proposed to +him. He turned then his horse rapidly to the spot where he had left +her; but she was no longer there.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The lady has gone on at full speed, Count Charles," cried the voice +of Gondrin, the huntsman: "That way, sir, that way, to the right. It +seems as if she knew the country well, and was sure the heron would +take back again to the river."</p> + +<p class="normal">Charles of Montsoreau spurred on at full speed in the direction +pointed out; but, from the woody nature of the ground, it was some +time before he caught even a glance of the horse that bore the lady. +That glance was intercepted immediately by fresh trees and low bushes +of osiers, and all that he could see was, that there was nobody with +her, and that her horse was at full speed. The country was difficult, +the road dangerous from numerous breaks and cuts. To set off at such a +pace and alone, seemed to him unlike the calm, sweet character of +Mademoiselle de Clairvaut; and he heard, or fancied he heard, sounding +as from the path before him, a cry, lost in the whoops and halloos of +those who were following the flight of the birds along the stream.</p> + +<p class="normal">The sport was forgotten in a moment: he spurred vehemently on upon the +road which Marie de Clairvaut had taken, while almost all the rest of +the people in the field crossed the stream by a bridge to the left, +and pursued the flight of the birds across a meadow round which the +river circled before it took a sharp turn to the right. All the more +eagerly did the young nobleman spur forward, knowing that about a +quarter of a mile in advance the path which he followed separated into +two, and that he might lose sight of the fair girl altogether if he +did not overtake her before she reached the point of separation.</p> + +<p class="normal">When he arrived at it, however, she was not to be seen; but one glance +at the ground showed him the deep footmarks of the jennet following +the road to the right, which led far away from the point towards which +the heron seemed to have directed its flight, and to a dangerous part +of the river about a mile beyond. He now urged his horse on +vehemently--furiously.</p> + +<p class="normal">The road wound in and out round the lower projections of the hill, and +through the thinner part of the forest that skirted its base; but +though he, who was generally tender and kind to every thing that fell +beneath his care, now dyed the rowels of his spurs in blood from his +horse's sides, he came not up with the swift jennet which carried +Mademoiselle de Clairvaut. He gradually caught the sound of its feet, +indeed; and the sound became more and more distinct, showing that he +gained upon it.</p> + +<p class="normal">But this slight success in the headlong race which he was pursuing was +not enough to calm the mind of the young cavalier. It was now evident +that the horse, frightened by the whoop and halloo of the falconers, +had run away with its fair burden; and every step that they advanced +brought the horses and their riders nearer to a part of the river +which was only to be passed in the hottest and driest days of summer, +and then with difficulty.</p> + +<p class="normal">Oh, how the heart of Charles of Montsoreau beat when, at the distance +of about a hundred yards from the brink of the river, the trees began +to break away, and left the ground somewhat more open. But before he +could see any thing distinctly but a figure passing like lightning +across the distant bolls of the trees, he heard a loud scream, and a +sudden plunge into the water, and then another loud shriek.</p> + +<p class="normal">He galloped to the very brink, so that his horse's feet dashed the +stones from the top of the high bank into the water, and then he gazed +with a glance of agony upon the stream. The sleeve of a velvet robe +and a hawking-glove rose to the surface of the water.</p> + +<p class="normal">He cast down the rein--he sprang from his horse--he plunged at once +from the bank into the stream--he dived at the spot where he had seen +the glove, and, in a moment, his arms were round the object of his +search. At that instant he would have given rank, and station, and all +his wide domains, to have felt her clasp him with that convulsive +grasp which sometimes proves fatal to both under such circumstances.</p> + +<p class="normal">But she remained still and calm; and bearing her rapidly to the +surface, and then to the lower part of the bank, he laid her down upon +the turf, and gazed for an instant on her fair face. Oh, how deep, and +terrible, and indescribable was the pain that he felt at that moment. +Sensations that he knew not to be in his heart--that he did not--that +he would not before believe to exist therein--now rushed upon him, to +fill up the cup of agony and sorrow to the brim; and, kneeling beside +the form of the beautiful girl he had just borne from the dark tomb of +the waters, he unclasped her garments, he chafed her hands, he raised +her head, he did all that he could think of to recall her to +animation; and then, pressing her wildly to his bosom, while unwonted +tears came rapidly into his eyes, he called her by every tender and +endearing name, adding still, "She is dead! she is dead!"</p> + +<p class="normal">As he did so, as she was pressed most closely and most fondly to his +heart, as her hand was clasped in his, as her head leaned upon his +shoulder, he thought he felt that hand press slightly on his own; he +thought he felt the pulse of life beat in her temples. He lifted his +head for a moment--her eyes were open and fixed upon him. The colour +was coming back into her cheek. She spoke not, she made no effort to +escape from the embrace in which he held her: but it was evident that +she marked his actions, and heard his words; and if any thing had been +wanting to tell her how dear she was to his heart, it would have been +the joy, the almost frantic joy, with which he beheld the signs of +returning consciousness. Eagerly, actively, however, he ceased not to +give her whatever assistance he could, and then bent over her again to +lift her in his arms, saying, "Forgive me, forgive me! But I will +carry you to a cottage not far off, where you can have better +tending."</p> + +<p class="normal">She raised her arm, however, and took his hand kindly in hers, making +him a sign to bend down his head.</p> + +<p class="normal">"A thousand thanks," she said in a low voice; "but I am not so ill as +you suppose. I foolishly fainted with terror when the horse plunged +over, and I remember nothing from that moment till just now. But I +feel I shall soon be better."</p> + +<p class="normal">It was not a moment in which Charles of Montsoreau could put much +restraint upon himself, for joy succeeding terror had already +displayed so much of the real feelings of his heart, that any attempt +at concealment must have been vain. He gave not way, indeed, to the +same ebullitions of feeling which he had before suffered to appear, +while he thought her dead; but every word and every action told the +same tale. He gazed eagerly, tenderly, joyfully in her eyes; he chafed +the small hands in his own; he wrung out the water from the beautiful +hair; he smoothed it back from the fair forehead; and he did it all +with words of tenderness and affection, that could not be mistaken. +Thus kneeling by her side, he again besought her to let him carry her +to the nearest cottage; but she pointed to the small hunting horn +which hung at his side, asking, "Will not that bring some one?"</p> + +<p class="normal">He was not called upon to use it, however, for before he could raise +it to his lips, the sound of a horse's feet was heard coming from the +same path which they themselves had pursued; and in a moment after, +the good forester Gondrin emerged from the wood, with no slight +anxiety on his frank and honest countenance. His young lord supporting +Marie de Clairvaut as she lay partly stretched upon the ground, partly +resting on his arm, with the count's horse cropping the herbage close +by, instantly caught his attention, and riding up with prompt and +unquestioning alacrity, he gave every assistance in his power, seeming +to comprehend the whole without any explanation. His own cloak and +doublet were instantly stripped off, to wrap the chilled limbs of the +fair girl who lay before him, and scarcely five words were spoken +between him and his master. They were: "Bourgeios' cottage is close +by, my lord: shall we carry her there?"--"Is it nearer than +Henriot's?"--"Oh, by a quarter of a mile."--"There, then, there."</p> + +<p class="normal">But without suffering the forester to give him any assistance in +carrying her, the young lord raised Marie de Clairvaut in his arms, +and bore her on into the wood, looking down in her face from time to +time, with a smile, as if to tell her how easy and how joyful was the +task.</p> + +<p class="normal">Gondrin followed, leading the horses; but as he came on, he asked, in +a low voice, "Where is the jennet. Sir?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Drowned, I fancy," replied Charles of Montsoreau--"drowned, and no +great loss, after such doings as to-day."</p> + +<p class="normal">The cottage was soon gained, and there every assistance was procured +for Marie de Clairvaut, which was necessary to restore fully the +diminished powers of life. A sort of hand litter was speedily formed; +some of the peasantry procured as bearers; and, stretched thereon, +dressed in the coarse, but warm and dry habiliments of a country girl; +the beautiful child of the lordly house of Guise was borne back +towards the château of Montsoreau with him who had rescued her from a +watery grave, gazing down upon her, and thinking that she looked even +more lovely in that humble attire than in the garb of her own station.</p> + +<p class="normal">As they approached the château, horns, and whoops, and shouts made +themselves heard; and it was evident that the absence of the young +lord and the fair guest had at length been remarked by other than the +careful eye of Gondrin. Horseman after horseman came up one by one, +and at length Gaspar himself appeared with Madame de Saulny and one of +Mademoiselle de Clairvaut's women, who had followed her mistress to +the field; but, as was common with women of all classes in those days, +had forgotten every thing but the falcons and their quarry, the moment +that the birds took wing.<a name="div3Ref_01" href="#div3_01"><sup>[1]</sup></a><br></p> + +<p class="normal">A multitude of questions and exclamations now took place; and without +suffering the bearers of the litter to stop, Charles explained in few +words what had occurred, dwelling upon the peril which their fair +guest had been in, and merely adding, that he had been fortunate +enough to arrive in time to rescue her from the water.</p> + +<p class="normal">The brow of Gaspar de Montsoreau grew as dark as night, and forgetting +that, in his ill humour, he had voluntarily quitted her side, he +muttered to himself, "There seems a fate in it, that he should render +her every service, and I none."</p> + +<p class="normal">He sprang off from his horse, however, and walked forward on the other +side of the litter, addressing all sorts of courteous speeches to +Marie de Clairvaut, who was now well enough to reply. Madame de +Saulny, however, had no great difficulty in persuading her to retire +at once to bed: not that she felt any corporeal disability to sit up +through the rest of the day; but her mind had many matters for +contemplation, and she insisted upon being left quite alone, with no +farther attendance than that of one of her women stationed in the +ante-room.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2><a name="div1_06" href="#div1Ref_06">CHAP. VI.</a></h2> +<br> + +<p class="normal">The windows were half closed, the room was silent, no sound reached +the ear of Marie de Clairvaut, but the sweet wintry song of a robin +perched upon the castle wall. Her first thoughts were of gratitude to +Heaven for her escape from death, her next, of gratitude to him who +had risked his life to save her. But after that came somewhat anxious +and troublous thoughts.</p> + +<p class="normal">She recollected the moment when she woke to consciousness, and found +herself clasped in his arms, with his heart beating against her bosom, +with his cheek touching hers; she recollected that he had unclasped +the collar round her neck; that he had chafed and warmed her hands in +his; that he had dried her hair; that he had braided it back from her +forehead; that he had borne her in his arms close to his heart: she +recollected that her own hand, from the impulse of her heart, had +pressed his; and that she herself had felt happy while resting on his +bosom. As she thought of all these things, so different from any of +the ideas that usually filled her mind, the warm blood rose in her +cheek, though no one could see her; and turning round, she buried her +eyes in the pillow with feelings of ingenuous shame; and yet even then +the image of Charles of Montsoreau rose before her. She saw him, as +she had beheld him when first they met, galloping down to aid her +attendants in her defence; she saw him pointing the cannon of the +castle against her pursuers; she saw him bearing with calm dignity the +ill humour of his brother; she saw him, with passionate tenderness and +grief, bending over her, and weeping when he thought her dead. She saw +all this, and a consciousness came over her that there was no other +being on all the earth on whose bosom she could rest with such +happiness as on his.</p> + +<p class="normal">Nor did love want the advocates of nature and reason to support his +cause. First came the thought of gratitude: she was grateful to God as +the great cause of her deliverance; but ought she not to be grateful +to him also, she asked herself, who was indeed--as every other human +being is--an agent in the hand of the Almighty, but who was carried +forward to that agency by every kindly, noble, and generous feeling, +the contempt of danger and of death, and all those sensations and +impulses which show most clearly the divinity that stirs within us?</p> + +<p class="normal">In being grateful to him, she felt that she was grateful to God; and +it was easy for Marie de Clairvaut to believe that such gratitude +should only be bounded by the vast extent of the service rendered.</p> + +<p class="normal">She did not exactly, in clear and distinct terms, ask herself whether +she could refuse to devote to him the life that he had saved; but her +heart answered the same question indirectly, and she thought that she +could have no right to refuse him any thing that he might choose to +ask as the recompense of the great benefit which he had conferred.</p> + +<p class="normal">What might he not ask? was her next question; and then came back the +memory of every look which she had seen, of every word which she had +heard, at the moment when she was just recovering; and those memories +at once told her what he might and would seek as his guerdon. Was it +painful for her to think that he might even crave herself as the +boon?--Oh no! A week before, indeed, she would have shrunk from the +very idea with pain. The only alternative she could have seen would +have been to be miserable herself, or to make him miserable.</p> + +<p class="normal">Now such feelings were all changed and gone; and Marie de +Clairvaut--having entertained those feelings sincerely, candidly, and +without the slightest affectation--might feel surprised, and, perhaps, +a little alarmed, at the change within herself; but she was by no +means one to cling with any degree of pride or vanity to thoughts and +purposes that were changed.</p> + +<p class="normal">It is true that those thoughts and purposes had been changing +gradually towards Charles of Montsoreau. But it was the events of that +day which suddenly and strangely had completed the alteration. The +near approach of death--the plunge, as it were, into the jaws of the +grave, from which she had been rescued as by a miracle--had seemed to +waken in her new sensations towards all the warm relationships of +life, a clinging to her kindred beings of the world, a tenderer, a +nearer affection for the thrilling ties of human life.</p> + +<p class="normal">Then again, as regarded her young deliverer, and that near +familiarity, from which the habit of her thoughts and the coldness of +a heart unenlightened by love, had made her hitherto shrink with +something more than maiden modesty:--in regard to these, her feelings +had been suddenly and entirely changed by the circumstances in which +she had been placed. It seemed as if to him, and for him, the first of +all those icy barriers had been broken down, and was cast away for +ever. She had been clasped in his arms--she had been pressed to his +bosom--the warmth of his breath seemed still to play upon her +cheek--her hand seemed still grasped in his; and when her mind +returned to those ideas, after more than an hour of solitary thought, +the memories--which at first had called the blood into her cheek, and +made her hide her eyes for shame--were sweet and consoling. She +thought that it was well to be thus--that it was well, as she could +not but consent out of mere gratitude, to be the wife of Charles of +Montsoreau if he sought her hand, that he should be the only man she +could have ever made up her mind to wed; and that she could wed him +with happiness.</p> + +<p class="normal">Such was the character of the thoughts that occupied her during the +rest of the day. Her mind might, indeed, turn from time to time to her +relations of the lordly house of Guise, and she might inquire what +would be their opinion in regard to her marriage with the young Count +of Logères. The first time that she thus questioned herself, she was +somewhat startled to find that she entertained some apprehensions of +opposition, for those apprehensions showed her, more than aught else +had done before, how entirely changed her feelings were towards +Charles of Montsoreau. They made her feel that it was no longer a mere +cold consent she had to give to her marriage with him; but that it was +a hope and expectation which would be painful to lose.</p> + +<p class="normal">The apprehensions themselves soon died away: she remembered the +anxiety of both the Duke of Guise and the Duke of Mayenne that she +should give her hand to some one, and she remembered, also, the half +angry, half jesting remonstrances of both on her declaring her +intention of entering a convent. She called to mind how they had urged +her, some eight months before, to make a choice, representing to her +that it was needful for their family to strengthen itself by every +possible tie, and promising in no degree to thwart her inclinations if +she chose one who would attach himself to them.</p> + +<p class="normal">From the words of admiration and respect which she had more than once +heard Charles of Montsoreau employ in speaking of her uncles, she +doubted not that the only condition which they had made, would be +easily fulfilled in his case; and thus she lay in calm thought, her +fancy more busy than ever it had been before, and new but happy +feelings in her heart, agitating her, certainly, but gently and +sweetly. Glad visions, growing up one by one as she grew more familiar +with such contemplations, came up to gild the future days--visions of +peace, and home, and happiness--while the blessed blindness of our +mortal being shut out from her sight the pangs, the cares, the +horrors, the sorrows into which she was about to plunge.</p> + +<p class="normal">She was like some traveller bewildered in a mountain mist, fancying +that he sees before him the clear road to bright and smiling lands, +when his footsteps are on the edge of the precipice that is to swallow +him up.</p> + +<p class="normal">When she rose and left her chamber on the following morning, Marie de +Clairvaut was greeted with glad smiles from every one. Perhaps her +fair cheek was a little paler than ordinary, perhaps her bright eye +was softer and less lustrous: but the change proceeded not from the +consequences of either the fear or the danger she had undergone the +day before. The slight paleness of the cheek, the slight languor of +the eye, and the night without sleep, which gave rise to both, had a +sweeter cause in bright and happy thoughts which had shaken the soft +burden of slumber from her eyelids.</p> + +<p class="normal">All present gazed upon her with interest. Madame de Saulny was loud in +her gratulations; Gaspar de Montsoreau himself showed a brow without a +cloud, and his brother smiled brightly with scarcely a shadow of +melancholy left upon his countenance. Her first act was to repeat the +thanks which she had given to the latter on the preceding day--to +repeat them warmly, tenderly, and enthusiastically; and Gaspar de +Montsoreau, who loved not to hear such words, or see such looks upon +her countenance, turned towards one of the windows, and spoke eagerly +with the Abbé de Boisguerin, while wise Madame de Saulny drew a few +steps back, and gave some orders to one of Marie's attendants.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Do not thank me, sweet Marie," said Charles of Montsoreau, as soon as +he saw that he could speak unnoticed by any other ears but her own: "I +have not an opportunity of answering you now, as I ought to answer +you. After my return this evening I shall seek to be heard for a few +moments, for I have matter for your private ear."</p> + +<p class="normal">He saw the warm blood coming up into her cheek, and her eyes cast +down, and he added, "I have to excuse part of my conduct yesterday--I +have to see if you will forgive me."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Forgive you!" she exclaimed, raising her bright eyes to his, and +speaking eagerly, though low, "Oh, there is nothing in any part of +your conduct to forgive--every thing to be grateful for: whether your +devotion and courage in saving me from death--or your care and +tenderness," she added in a still lower voice, "after you had saved +me."</p> + +<p class="normal">The eyes of Gaspar de Montsoreau were upon them both; he marked the +downcast look, the rising colour in Marie de Clairvaut's cheek; he +marked the sudden raising of her eyes, and the tender light with which +they looked in the face of her young deliverer. He marked the beaming +expression of joy and gratitude that came over his brother's +countenance, and it was scarcely possible for him to restrain the +fiery feelings in his own bosom, and prevent himself from rushing like +a madman between them. Two or three low deep-toned words from the +Abbé, however, recalled him to himself, and advancing with a graceful, +though a somewhat agitated air, he offered Mademoiselle de Clairvaut +his hand to conduct her to the hall where the morning meal was +prepared.</p> + +<p class="normal">"We are somewhat earlier than usual this morning," he said, "because +my fair brother, with our noble and excellent friend the Abbé here, +have a long ride before them, to visit a relation who we hear is +sick."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And do you not go yourself, my lord?" demanded Marie. "Pray let not +my being in the château act as any restraint upon you."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh no," replied the Marquis; "it is as well that one of us should +remain here in these troublous times; and this relation, this Count de +Morly, is an old man in his eightieth year, who may well expect that +health should fail, ay, and life too."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ay," said Marie; "but I should think that at that period, when life +itself is fleeting away from us, and almost all the bright things of +this existence are gone, any signs of human friendship, and +tenderness, and affection, must be a thousand fold more dear and +cheering, more valuable in every way, than when the energetic powers +of life are at their full. Then we want few companionships, for we are +sufficient to ourselves: but in the winter of our age, close by the +icy tomb, the warmth of human affection is all that we have to cheer +us; the voice of friendship, like the song of a spring bird in the +chill months of the early year, must seem prophetic of a brighter +season, when the cold days of earth are passed, and all glad sounds +and happy sights shall be renewed in a fresh summer. Oh, the tongue of +youth and health, speaking friendly sounds to the ear of sickness and +age, must be the last, the brightest, the sweetest of all things which +can smooth the soul's passage to eternity!"</p> + +<p class="normal">There was an implied reproof in the words of Marie de Clairvaut, which +was not pleasant to the ear of Gaspar de Montsoreau; but it did not in +any degree alter his purpose; and merely saying that, if possible, he +would go on the following day, he led his fair guest on to the hall, +and gladly saw the meal concluded, and his brother quit the table with +the Abbé to proceed upon their way.</p> + +<p class="normal">As soon as they were gone, a burden seemed off his mind; he became +gay, and bright, and pleasing; and his conversation resumed its usual +tone. The stores of his mind once put forth, and there were sufficient +indications of kind and generous feelings to give his society that +charm without which all other attractions are poor--the charm of the +heart. Towards Marie de Clairvaut his manner assumed a warmth and a +tenderness which alarmed and pained her; and with the new insight into +her own heart, which she had obtained, she was enabled at once to +decide upon her conduct towards him. She remained in conversation, +indeed, for some time after breakfast, and though grave and serious, +was by no means repulsive: but anxious to avoid any private +communication whatsoever with the young Marquis, no sooner did she see +Madame de Saulny make some movement as if about to quit the room, than +putting her arm through that of her relation, she said, "Come, ma +bonne de Saulny, I want to have a long conversation with you, and +after that I think I shall lie down and rest for an hour or two, for I +am much fatigued."</p> + +<p class="normal">Madame de Saulny accompanied her to her apartments, leaving the young +Marquis of Montsoreau standing in moody silence in the midst of the +hall; and when, some hours afterwards, he sent up to inquire if +Mademoiselle de Clairvaut would not go forth to see some game taken in +the nets, the reply given by one of her maids in the anteroom was, +that finding herself somewhat indisposed, she had lain down to rest, +and was asleep. At this answer he broke away with an expression of +bitter anger, and mounting his horse, rode out with a furious pace.</p> + +<p class="normal">He had been gone about an hour and a half, when Marie came down into +the room which we have described as the lady's bower, accompanied by +Madame de Saulny, and employed herself in somewhat listless mood with +the various occupations of a lady of that day. For a short space she +plied the busy needle at the embroidery frame, and then took up the +lute and played and sang; but the music was broken, and came but by +fits and starts; and it was evident that impatient expectation marred +the power of present enjoyment or occupation. At length the clattering +of horses' feet was heard below, and fain would she have looked forth +from the window to ascertain which of the two brothers it was that had +returned. At length, however, there was a step upon the stairs, and +her beating heart decided the matter in a moment. It was Charles of +Montsoreau that entered: but he was deadly pale, and that apparently +from no temporary cause; for though he spoke calmly and tranquilly to +Marie de Clairvaut and Madame de Saulny, the colour did not return +into his cheek.</p> + +<p class="normal">Marie, on her part, was anxious and agitated; she spoke low, for she +feared that her voice might tremble if she used a louder tone. Her eye +fell beneath that of her lover, and the colour came and went in her +cheek like light quivering on the wings of a bird; and yet she was the +first to propose that they should go forth together.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Your brother is absent," she said, "and I understand sent up some +time ago, while I was asleep, to ask if I would go out to see some +game taken in the nets. Would it please you to go and join him?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Much," replied the young nobleman. "He is not far; I know where the +nets were to be laid."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then we will walk thither," she said: "I fear I shall be afraid of +horses for many a long day. Madame de Saulny, you will come with us, +will you not?"</p> + +<p class="normal">But Madame de Saulny declined; and Charles of Montsoreau and Marie de +Clairvaut went forth, followed by two of her maids, and some other +attendants, at a respectful distance. The hearts of both beat even +painfully; and for some steps from the castle gates they proceeded in +silence, till at length she inquired how he had found the friend he +went to visit. The young nobleman replied that he feared he was dying; +and, after a few words more on that subject, the conversation again +dropped.</p> + +<p class="normal">At length, as they descended the side of the hill, Charles of +Montsoreau lifted his eyes to the face of his fair companion, saying +in a low tone, "I told you this morning, Mademoiselle de Clairvaut, +that I should ask a few minutes' audience of you. Let me offer you my +arm--nay, be not agitated, I have nothing to say which should move +you. I have to apologise, as I told you, for some parts of my conduct +yesterday, and to ask you to forgive me."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, I told you," she replied, "and I tell you again, that there is +nothing to apologise for, nothing that I have to forgive; every thing +that I have to be grateful for, every thing that will make me thankful +to you through my whole life."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Would that I could believe it were so!" replied Charles of +Montsoreau. "But I remember that in the first agony of thinking you +lost for ever, of thinking that bright spirit gone, that gentle heart +cold, that beautiful form inanimate for ever, I gave way to transports +of grief and sorrow, I spoke words, I used actions, that I neither +would have dared to speak or use towards you, if I had known that you +were then living and conscious. And yet I am sure, quite sure, that +you knew, and saw, and heard those words and actions; and I fear that +they may have offended you."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh no, no, indeed!" replied Marie de Clairvaut, with her eyes bent +down, her hand trembling upon his arm, and the colour glowing bright +in her cheek--"Oh no, no, indeed! I did see, I did hear; but----"</p> + +<p class="normal">In the course of that bright and beautiful thing called Love, very +often between two beings in every respect worthy of each other there +comes a moment when the very slightest touch of that pardonable +hypocrisy in woman, which, from a combination of many bright and +beautiful feelings, teaches her in some degree to veil or hide the +passion of her heart--when the slightest touch of that hypocrisy, I +say, at a moment when it should be all cast away together, and the +bosom of love laid bare to the eye of love--when the slightest touch +of that hypocrisy seals the misery of both for ever.</p> + +<p class="normal">It was such a moment then with Charles of Montsoreau and Marie de +Clairvaut. She knew not all that was in his heart at that moment, she +could not know it; but she knew herself beloved, and might well have +acknowledged her love in return. Had she done so, had she acknowledged +that her own feelings towards him had rendered the caresses which he +bestowed upon what he thought her dead form easily pardonable, the +passionate grief for her death deeply touching to her heart--had she +done this, their course might have gone on in brightness. But she knew +not all that was in his heart at that moment, she could not know it; +and the first impulse was to give way to woman's habitual hypocrisy, +to cast a veil over the true feelings of her heart, and to hide the +timid love of her bosom till it was drawn forth by him.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh no, no, indeed!" she said; "I did see, I did hear; but--I thought +it was but natural grief for one under your charge and protection that +you thought lost in so terrible a manner----"</p> + +<p class="normal">She hesitated to go on; she feared that she spoke coldly; and she +thought of adding some word or two more which might take from the +chilliness of such an answer, and let her real feelings more truly +appear. Before she could collect herself to do so, however, Charles of +Montsoreau answered, with a deep sigh, "You thought it was but +natural, Mademoiselle de Clairvaut; you thought it was but natural; +and so, indeed----"</p> + +<p class="normal">But as he spoke, his brother turned the angle of the little wood +through which they were proceeding down the hill, and came towards +them, followed by several of the huntsmen. There was a frown upon +his brow, a fire in his dark eye, which Charles of Montsoreau saw +and understood full well. But he met his brother calmly and +steadfastly--with deep and bitter grief in his heart, it is true, but +with grief which he had power over himself to conceal.</p> + +<p class="normal">The angry feelings of the heart of Gaspar de Montsoreau were not so +easily repressed, and he spoke in a tone and manner well calculated to +produce angry words between himself and his brother.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Why, how now, Charles!" he exclaimed; "are you back so soon? Where is +the Abbé? Montsoreau seems to possess greater attractions for you than +Morly."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Of course," replied Charles of Montsoreau, calmly; "but even if it +did not, I should have returned in haste. The Abbé I left behind at +Morly, as he has no other occupation here."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And you have pleasant occupation," rejoined his brother, with a tone +in which assumed courtesy but covered ill the intended sneer--"and you +have pleasant occupation as squire to this fairest of all fair +ladies."</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is, indeed, so sweet to attend upon her," replied Charles, "that I +grieve I must lose the task so soon. In consideration of various +circumstances, my dear Gaspar, I find that it will be absolutely +necessary for me to proceed to Logères immediately. I have lingered +too long here already. My people will think that I neglect them; and I +have determined to set off by dawn to-morrow morning."</p> + +<p class="normal">The first expression that came upon the countenance of Gaspar de +Montsoreau was undoubtedly that of satisfaction; but, with the pause +of a single instant, better feelings sprang up, and he grasped his +brother's hand with a look of real anxiety, exclaiming, "Good God, +Charles, at this season of the year! In this disturbed state of the +country! Remember, Logères is more than a hundred and fifty leagues +distant!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"If this fair lady undertook as long a journey," replied Charles of +Montsoreau with a melancholy smile, "in still severer weather, merely +for the sake of doing what she thought was right, should I hesitate, +Gaspar? Fie; she will think us all a household of priests and friars, +who go not forth but when the sun shines, and think an easterly wind +excuse sufficient for not visiting the neighbouring village. I will +not diminish your garrison, either, very much, my dear brother. You +must give me Gondrin with me, as he comes originally from Logères; +but, besides him, I shall only take my own ordinary attendants, and I +will find means to fight my way through, depend upon it."</p> + +<p class="normal">Gaspar de Montsoreau was easily reconciled to this arrangement. He +still raised some objections, indeed; but, when he looked at Marie de +Clairvaut, those objections became more and more faint in their tone, +and he could scarcely refrain from a gaiety so different from the +gloom of the morning, as to mark painfully how little he wished for +his brother's stay. Marie de Clairvaut returned to the château in +sadness and grief. She knew not, indeed, to the full extent, how much +the departure of Charles of Montsoreau was attributable to her own +words; but she felt that it was so, in some degree. She blamed herself +more bitterly than she even deserved; and, hastening to her own room, +she locked the door, and wept long and bitterly.</p> + +<p class="normal">After some time, she was visited by Madame de Saulny, who pressed so +eagerly for admittance, that she could not refuse her. Tears were +still in her eyes, and traces of those she had shed fresh upon her +cheeks; but Marie would give no explanation; and it was not till about +an hour after, when the good marquise heard of Charles of Montsoreau's +intended departure for Logères, that she divined the cause of her +young relation's grief.</p> + +<p class="normal">When she did so, Madame de Saulny felt that, in some degree, she +herself might have been instrumental in producing it. But it was one +good trait in the character of that lady, that, if she committed an +error, she was sorry for it with her whole heart, and sought to remedy +it. She loved Marie de Clairvaut deeply and truly; she grieved much to +see her grieve; but she hoped that there was no such great cause for +grief, and that the matter might be easily remedied.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2><a name="div1_07" href="#div1Ref_07">CHAP. VII.</a></h2> +<br> + +<p class="normal">The conduct which, as we have seen, was pursued by Charles of +Montsoreau, had not been framed alone upon the supposition that his +love for Marie de Clairvaut was without return. That belief, indeed, +ultimately decided his determination; but a thousand other +considerations had previously led him up to a point, where it wanted +but one word to change the balance in either direction.</p> + +<p class="normal">He had set out that morning for Morly full of hope and joy. He was +not, indeed, confident that he was beloved; but he was confident that +Marie de Clairvaut herself saw his affection, and had done nothing to +check it. From all that he knew of her himself--from all that he had +heard of her--from the casual conversation of Madame de Saulny, he was +very, very sure, that the conduct of Marie de Clairvaut would have +been quite different, if she had not felt a sufficient degree of +regard for him, to know that love might follow if he sought it. This +was quite enough to give him hope and happiness. He had, indeed, +remarked his brother's ill humour upon many occasions, and he had +attributed it justly to the disappointment of a desire to engross all +their fair guest's conversation; but he had not the slightest idea of +the eager and fiery passions that were rising up in the breast of +Gaspar of Montsoreau.</p> + +<p class="normal">When he mounted his horse, then, to visit the old Count de Morly--one +who, though only distantly related to his family, had been his +father's dearest friend and wisest counsellor--Charles of Montsoreau +looked forward to his return in the evening, and to the audience he +had craved of Marie de Clairvaut, with a heart full of joyful +emotions, and with fear bearing a very small proportion to hope. There +was much happiness in his whole air; but it was thoughtful happiness, +and for two or three miles he rode on in silence.</p> + +<p class="normal">His companion, the Abbé de Boisguerin, was silent too, and thoughtful, +and from time to time, as they rode along, he gazed upon his former +pupil with a look of contemplative earnestness, a slight frown upon +his calm, cold brow, and the thin nostril raised with something +between triumph and scorn in the expression. He said not a single word +till he saw that Charles of Montsoreau himself began to feel his own +silence strange, and looked round as if about to commence some +conversation. Then, however, the Abbé spoke.</p> + +<p class="normal">"If you are awake, Charles," he said, "I should wish some conference +with you; if you are dreaming, dream on: Heaven forbid that I should +disturb you, for your visions seem pleasant ones."</p> + +<p class="normal">"They were, dear friend," replied Charles, with a smile; "but I can +give them up for a time, in the hopes of their being realised."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Visions are often realised," replied the Abbé.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Indeed!" exclaimed Charles of Montsoreau; "you surely are jesting, my +sage friend. I thought to hear you reprove such idle fancies, and tell +me that visions, however specious, were seldom, if ever, realised."</p> + +<p class="normal">"No, far from it," replied the Abbé: "the visions of a strong, +sensible, and reasoning mind like yours, Charles, are, on the +contrary, very often realised; for they are seldom formed but upon +some sufficient basis. But still I must have my lesson; and I will +tell you, my dear Charles, that the visions which we have formed upon +the best grounds, and which are consequently often realised in all +their parts, are not unfrequently those productive of the utmost +misery to ourselves, even when we thought them the most hopeful, the +most happy. It is, Charles, that a thousand other things mingle with +the realisation of our dreams, which in our dreams we dreamt not of, +turning as with a fairy's wand the pure gold to dross, rendering the +sweetness bitter, and changing wholesome food to poison. Look at that +distant hill--the Peak of Geran--how soft, and blue, and smooth, and +beautiful it looks, and yet you and I know that the small sharp stones +with which it is covered will cut, till they bleed, the feet of the +person who attempts to climb it. That soft blue mountain in the +distance, Charles, is as the vision of an eager mind, and the rough +impracticable stony side, as the realisation of the dream itself. I +would always ask every one who indulges in a vision--Have you +calculated beyond all question of doubt what may be the concomitant +pangs, sorrows, and evils that even probably will accompany the +realisation of that which you desire?--I would ask everyone this +question, Charles; and I now ask you."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I should think, my dear friend," replied Charles of Montsoreau, "that +it would be utterly impossible for any one to answer such a question +in the affirmative. The very fallibility of our human nature would +prevent our doing so with truth. Good and evil must, of course, be +always mingled in this world; and all that we can do is to think +calmly, and endeavour to judge rationally, of that which is the best +for our ultimate happiness. We must prepare ourselves to take the +consequences, be they what they may. If you ask me the question you +have mentioned, I should at once reply--No, I have not calculated all +even of the probable evils which might attend the realisation of the +visions with which I was occupied, because my mind is not capable of +discovering one half of the chances attending any future event."</p> + +<p class="normal">Charles spoke somewhat warmly; for there is always a degree of +bitterness to the confident mind of youth in any words that tend to +shadow the bright promises of hope, and to teach us by doctrine that +which we can only learn by experience, the fallacy of expectations, +the mingled nature of our best pleasures, the dust and ashes of human +enjoyment. The Abbé gazed upon his face for a moment ere he replied; +but then said, "I would put my question closer to you, Charles of +Montsoreau, and I will put it seriously. Have you calculated all the +self-evident evils that would attend the realisation of the visions +which you were pondering?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Why, my dear Abbé," replied Charles with a smile, "it would seem by +your serious aspect, that to-day you had turned prophet as well as +preacher, could divine my thoughts, and see their results."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I can divine your thoughts, Charles, and do," replied the Abbé; "and +as it is a subject on which, however unwillingly, I must speak, I will +tell you at once what these thoughts were. The results are in the hand +of God, and in the hand of God alone. But I can and will show you some +of the probable results."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Nay, then," replied Charles, seeing that the Abbé spoke quite +seriously, "such being the case, my dear Abbé, I need not tell you, +that if you speak to me with warning, as your words imply, I will +listen to you with every sort of deference. Speak, I beg you, and +speak freely. Though no longer your pupil in name, I will gladly be so +in reality. So now let me hear entirely what you have to say."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well, then, Charles," replied the Abbé, "what I have to say is this, +and simply this. Your visions were of Mademoiselle de Clairvaut. You +fancied that by the various services which you have rendered her you +have obtained a strong hold upon her regard, a claim even upon her +hand; that she showed a fondness for your society, a degree of +affection for your person, which promised you fair in every respect; +and, in fact, believing--and with some degree of justice--that you +yourself love her deeply, you saw every prospect of that love being +gratified by obtaining hers, and ultimately, perhaps, her hand. Now, +Charles, was this, or was this not, the matter in your thoughts? was +this the vision upon which your mind was bent? were not these the +prospects which you contemplated just now?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"They were," replied Charles of Montsoreau; "I do not deny it."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well, then," replied the Abbé, "I will not now dwell for even a +single moment upon difficulties, obstacles, obstructions, upon the +pride of the race of Guise, upon the views of self-interest and +ambition, upon the probability of their treating your love for their +niece with contempt, and rejecting your proffered alliance with scorn. +I will not pause for a moment on such things; but I will speak of the +matter with which we began; namely, of the probable, the self-evident +evils which must attend the realisation of your hopes and wishes. +Charles of Montsoreau, have you thought of your brother?"</p> + +<p class="normal">The blood came somewhat warmly up into Charles's countenance. "I have +thought of him," he replied, "most assuredly; but I have merely +thought, my excellent friend, that though he might have some degree of +admiration for Mademoiselle de Clairvaut, yet he has neither had the +opportunities, nor the occasion, if I may use the term, of feeling +towards her as I do. Fate has willed it that I should be the person to +aid her upon all occasions; fate has established between us links of +connection which do not exist between her and Gaspar."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But fate has not willed it," replied the Abbé sternly, "that you +should love her a bit better than he does. On the contrary, Charles, +fate has willed that he should love her deeply, passionately, +strongly, with the whole intensity of feeling of which he is capable. +This has been the will of fate, Charles of Montsoreau, and let not the +selfishness of passion blind you. In your pursuit of Marie de +Clairvaut, you are the rival of your brother."</p> + +<p class="normal">Charles of Montsoreau cast down his eyes as they rode along, and for +several minutes remained in deep silence. "You mean to say," he +replied at length, "that my brother is my rival, for I first loved +her, I first won her regard: he strives to snatch her from me, not I +from him, and why should I hesitate at the consequences? He must learn +to overcome his passion, a passion which is evidently not returned. I +go on with hope; and in love, thank God, at least, there is no elder +brother's right to bar us from success."</p> + +<p class="normal">"If such be your thoughts and feelings, Charles," replied the Abbé, in +a slow and solemn manner, "I see no hope but strife, contention, +misery--perhaps bloodshed! between two brothers, who were born to +love, to succour, to support each other. And now they will draw their +swords upon each other for a woman's smile."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Heaven forbid!" exclaimed Charles of Montsoreau. "Fear not that, +Abbé! My sword shall never be drawn against my brother, were he to +urge me to the utmost. But you view this matter too gravely, you +deceive yourself, I am sure. In the first place, though angry, and +mortified, and somewhat jealous, perhaps, that I have had +opportunities of serving Mademoiselle de Clairvaut, which he has not +obtained--though somewhat charmed with her beauty, and captivated with +her graces--I do not, I cannot, believe that Gaspar feels that love +towards her which cannot easily be conquered. He feels not, Abbé, as I +feel--he cannot feel as I feel towards her."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Charles, you deceive yourself," replied the Abbé, "nay more, you +deceive yourself wilfully. Last night in the great hall, after you had +retired to rest, your brother walked up and down with me in a state +almost of frenzy. He told me how deeply, how passionately, he +loved her; he poured forth into the bosom which has been accustomed +to receive all his thoughts, his grief, his agony, his madness +itself--for I can call it nothing but madness. He spoke of you--of +you, the brother of his love, the being who has gone on nurtured with +him from infancy till now without one harsh word or angry feeling +between you--he spoke of you, I say, with hatred and abhorrence; he +longed to imbrue his hands in your blood; he called you the destroyer +of his peace, the obstacle of his happiness, the being who had driven +him to wretchedness and despair."</p> + +<p class="normal">Charles of Montsoreau dropped the bridle on his horse's neck, +and covered his eyes with his hands. "This is very terrible!" he +said--"this is very terrible!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is terrible," replied the Abbé--"it is very terrible, Charles; but +it is no less true. Your brother so mild, so kind-hearted as he was, +is now changed by his rivalry with you, is now full of the feelings of +a murderer, is now ready to become a second Cain, and slay his +brother, because his offering has not found favour in the sight of the +being he worships, as yours has done! Of all this you knew not, and +therefore you could not judge; but when I said you were deceiving +yourself wilfully, Charles, I said not so without cause. Think of what +your brother was, one bare fortnight ago--all gay, all cheerful, all +good-humoured, bearing contradiction with a smile, laughing at the +thought of care, putting you always in the first place before himself. +See what he is now, Charles, even when restrained by the eyes of many +upon him--moody, irritable, passionate, evidently abhorring the +brother he so lately loved. Can this entire change have come over a +man's nature, I ask you, this sad, this terrible, this blighting +change, without some strong and overpowering passion? and will you +tell me you do not see he loves, loves with all the intensity of an +eager, a warm, a fiery heart, loves passionately, loves to madness?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Again Charles of Montsoreau bent his eyes down upon the ground, again +he remained silent for a considerable space of time; and in that +space, terrible was the conflict which went on within him. At length +he raised his eyes gravely, even sternly, to the face of the Abbé de +Boisguerin, and demanded, "Abbé, what would you have me do?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is not for me to dictate, Charles," said the Abbé, in a sad and +solemn tone. "You are your own master, you are lord of princely lands +and great wealth, you are lord also of yourself. It is not for me to +say what you shall do. But I can tell you, Charles of Montsoreau, what +you would do if you were the same generous, noble, kind-hearted, +self-denying youth that was once under my charge. You would labour +zealously, constantly, firmly, to overcome a passion which can produce +nothing but misery."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What!" exclaimed Charles of Montsoreau, "and see the woman I love +become the bride of my brother! What! witness their union, when she +loves me rather than him! Why is this to be put upon me, Abbé?--why, +when there is every right on my side, and none on his? Why am I to be +the sacrifice rather than Gaspar? Why do you address these words of +exhortation to me rather than to him?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"In the first place," replied the Abbé, "what you fear--what you +seem most to fear, what it would be almost too much to demand from +you--never will, never can take place. Marie de Clairvaut will never +be your brother's bride. She loves him not; she rather dislikes him: +that is evident. You cannot suppose, Charles, that she will ever be +his. So I remove that from all consideration. You next ask me why I +put the hard task on you rather than him; why I exhort you rather than +him. I will tell you, Charles; because with you I believe exhortation +will have effect; with him it will have none. I have told you before, +this passion with him is a madness. He is more violent, he is less +generous, in his nature than you are, Charles; and if you would know +more, know that I have already exhorted him, and found my exhortations +vain. If you persist in your passion, if you, too, do not make a great +effort to conquer it, misery, agony, and bloodshed will be the +consequence. The despair, the death of him who hung at the same +bosom with yourself will lie heavy on your head. You, you will be +more to blame than he is; for you are acting with determinate reason +and forethought, when I tell you that his reason is gone. And, +moreover----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then," exclaimed Charles of Montsoreau, interrupting him, "then I +ought to become a madman, too, to put myself in the right! Abbé, your +reasoning is not just; but I understand and feel your motives, though +I cannot admit your arguments--hear me, hear me out. Were my own +feelings and my own happiness alone concerned, I could--yes, I think I +could--sacrifice them all to my brother, if by so doing I thought I +could secure his peace. But, in the first place, you do not even hold +out to me the supposition that any sacrifice on my part would secure +his happiness; and, in the next place, I have to remember that there +is another whose feelings and whose comfort are to be considered. Much +may have passed between Mademoiselle de Clairvaut and myself to make +me sure that she knows my love, and to make me hope that she returns +it. And, if such be the case, I have no right to draw back a single +step, nor will I for any consideration upon earth. If I love her +without her loving me, I can struggle against my love, though I can +never overcome it; but if she love me too, I will trifle with her +happiness for no man upon earth--no, not my brother!"</p> + +<p class="normal">The Abbé remained silent for a moment or two; and then replied, +"Charles, your hopes are deceiving you. Mademoiselle de Clairvaut's +feelings may be favourable to you, may be kindly; but, believe me," he +added, and a very slight appearance of a sneering smile hung about his +lip--"but, believe me, there is no chance of your injuring her +happiness by ceasing to seek her love. I speak from good authority, +Charles; as it is not two days ago, from Madame de Saulny's own +account, that Mademoiselle de Clairvaut declared her intention to be +stronger than ever of going into a convent. It is very natural, my +dear Charles, that you, knowing and feeling the passion in your own +breast, should think it equally evident to her. Very likely you may +have addressed to her words of passion and of love, displayed signs of +tenderness and affection, which you think fully sufficient to convince +her; and yet she may not have the slightest idea that your feelings +are any thing but those of common courtesy and kindness. You must +remember, that a pure and fine-minded woman shuns the very idea of any +man being in love with her, till his absolute assurance that such is +the case, leaves her no longer any room to doubt. Pure, modest, and +retiring, as Mademoiselle de Clairvaut is, such, depend upon it, are +her feelings; and be you perfectly sure that nothing you have done for +her has been construed by her in any other light than that of common +kindness and courtesy."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I will soon know that," replied Charles of Montsoreau; "I will know +that this very night; and if I find that I have been deceiving myself, +I will make any sacrifice for my brother. I will quit the place; I +will stand in his way no longer; although you yourself," he added +bitterly, "give me no hope that, by any of the sacrifices you demand, +I shall contribute in the least to my brother's happiness."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I think," replied the Abbé, "that you will contribute greatly to the +happiness of both; or, at all events, remove those causes of +dissension which would have made you both miserable. Your own +happiness, too, may be served in the end more than you imagine. The +obstacles to your brother's happiness will come from her, not from +you. He may grow wearied of a pursuit that he finds to be fruitless; +he may conquer a passion which he sees can never be returned. Your +generosity and forbearance may, in turn, have their natural effect +upon his heart; and he may learn to see with pleasure your union with +her who never could be his. Thus, in fact, by making a sacrifice, you +may make none; and by seeming to abandon, may win but the more +surely."</p> + +<p class="normal">"No!" replied the young nobleman--"No, Abbé! I will do nothing by +halves. I will act upon no motives but straightforward ones. I believe +that Marie de Clairvaut knows, has seen, and returns my affection. If +she love me, if her happiness is implicated, nothing on earth shall +make me abandon her. I will love her, and seek her unto death. But if +I find that I have deceived myself; if I learn that she has not seen +and does not return my love, I will fly from her at once. To-morrow's +sunset shall see me far away; and then I will do every thing that lies +in my power to contribute to my brother's happiness. He shall be +forced to say that I have laboured for his gratification and my own +disappointment, though he has embittered his heart towards his +brother, and suffered passion to turn the milk of our mother into +gall. Let us ride on, Abbé, let us ride on: my determinations are +taken. It is better to know our fate at once. I shall stay but a short +time with the good Count de Morly; and I will then leave you with him, +and ride back with all speed."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Nay, my dear Charles," replied the Abbé, "I will go back with you. I +cannot suffer you to tread a long road companioned by such painful +thoughts as I fear you will have."</p> + +<p class="normal">"No, no," replied Charles of Montsoreau; "I would rather go alone. I +must deal with this business singly, Abbé; and, besides, some of us +should stay awhile with the good count. He is your cousin as well as +ours, you know; and, as he has no other relations, may leave you all +his wealth."</p> + +<p class="normal">The Abbé turned quickly round, with an inquiring and half-angry look, +as if there was something in his own bosom told him that he might find +a sneer upon the countenance of his young companion. Such, however, +was not the case. All was clear and calm upon the face of Charles of +Montsoreau, except a melancholy smile, as if the motives which he +jestingly attributed to the Abbé were too absurd for any one to +believe he spoke in earnest. They conversed no more on a subject so +painful as that which they had already discussed, but rode on quickly +and in silence. Such had been the conversation which preceded the +interview between Charles of Montsoreau and Marie de Clairvaut.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2><a name="div1_08" href="#div1Ref_08">CHAP. VIII.</a></h2> +<br> + +<p class="normal">It was in the grey of the dawn, that about ten horses were assembled +in the court-yard of the château of Montsoreau, on the following +morning. Six were saddled and bridled, as if for instant departure; +and the men who stood by the sides of those six were armed up to the +teeth. Steel-caps, then called salads, crowned the head of each; and +long swords slung high up on the hip, with the point of the scabbard +almost touching the ground, showed a preparation for desperate +resistance in case of attack; while the small pistols in the girdle +were accompanied by several others attached to the saddle, so as to +give every man an opportunity of firing five or six shots without the +necessity of pausing to reload.</p> + +<p class="normal">The other four horses were burdened with various packages; and after +the whole had been assembled for a few minutes in the court-yard, +Charles of Montsoreau himself, accompanied by his brother and the Abbé +de Boisguerin, descended the steps from the great hall, while his own +strong charger was led forth, together with a spare horse to be led in +hand by one of the grooms.</p> + +<p class="normal">The countenance of the young nobleman was pale as the day before, and +deep emotions were certainly busy in his bosom. But his aspect was +calm and collected; and he gazed round the château of his fathers, +from which he was going forth, perhaps for the last time, with an air +of grave and tranquil resolution, which contrasted strongly and +strangely with the agitation evident on the countenance of his +brother. He grasped the hand of the Abbé de Boisguerin in silence; +then spoke a few words, and made a few inquiries of his attendants; +and at length turning to his brother, extended his hand to him, fixing +his full eyes upon his countenance, and saying, "Farewell, Gaspar!"</p> + +<p class="normal">The Marquis pressed his hand eagerly, but he did not speak, for he was +agitated in a very terrible degree; and his brother put his foot into +the stirrup, and slowly threw himself into the saddle, in a manner +very different from that light and buoyant one with which he usually +mounted his horse to go forth from the same walls.</p> + +<p class="normal">As he was passing through the archway, however, something suddenly +seemed to strike him; and he turned his horse round to say to his +brother, "Remember my poor dog Lupo, and be kind to him, Gaspar," and +his eye ran for a moment over the upper windows, at one of which the +curtain was partly drawn back, though neither the hand that drew it, +nor the eyes which gazed from behind it, were visible to the sight of +those below.</p> + +<p class="normal">Charles of Montsoreau turned his horse again, and rode through the +archway.--"God bless you, sir!" said the warder who stood near;--"God +prosper you, my noble young count," said the porter of the gates--and +in another minute Charles was riding away from his home.</p> + +<p class="normal">At the bridge across the stream, the party which thus left the château +of Montsoreau found another horseman waiting to join them on their +way; no other than the blithe-looking forester, Gondrin, who, with all +his earthly goods enclosed in a large pack behind him, and mounted on +a powerful horse which had borne him many a mile in various forest +sports, looked not a whit the less cheerful--not a whit the more +depressed--at quitting the place which he had made his home for +several years, than he did upon going out in the morning to track the +footsteps of a boar or deer in the course of his usual occupations.</p> + +<p class="normal">The truth is, that Gondrin was one of those men who are without +attachments absolutely local. There was far more of the dog than of +the cat in his nature. Where those he loved were, there was his home; +and if those he loved had not been with him, he would have felt a +stranger even in his birthplace. Our local attachments, indeed, are in +themselves almost all made up of associations; the pleasures that we +have tasted--the happy hours that we have known--the friends that we +have loved--the sports, the pastimes, the little incidents--ay, even +some of the pains of life are woven by memory and association into +ties to bind our affections to certain places. Our loves and our +friendships almost always derive the vigour of their bonds from the +present and the past together--the ties of local attachments are all +found in the past.</p> + +<p class="normal">On the present occasion, Gondrin had with him the great object of his +love and admiration: his young lord, the Count of Logères. He had with +him, too, in the train of his master, more than one old companion of +his forest sports. Two of the under piqueurs were to follow him as +soon as safe-conducts could be obtained for them, with six dogs, which +were the special joy of his heart; so that--with the abatement of a +certain degree of anxiety regarding the temporal welfare of the +aforesaid hounds--Gondrin was as happy as he could be; and whether on +his horse's back, or reposing in the inn-kitchen, or resting by the +roadside, he considered himself just as much at home as in his cottage +under the castle of Montsoreau.</p> + +<p class="normal">He bowed low to his lord as the young nobleman came up, and would have +spoken to him also with his usual frank cheerfulness, but Gondrin was +as shrewd an observer of men's faces as he was of beasts' footmarks; +and he saw on the countenance of Charles of Montsoreau such +indubitable traces of care and thought, that he judged it better to +fall back at once amongst his companions in the rear, whose gay voices +and merry laughter soon showed the effect of his presence.</p> + +<p class="normal">Of his young lord, Gondrin had judged rightly, when he thought +that he was in no mood to be interrupted in pursuing the current of +his own ideas. The heart of Charles of Montsoreau was too sad +and sorrowful--too full of bitter memories--too full of dark +anticipations--to bear any interruption with patience. He had parted +from Marie de Clairvaut--he had parted from her probably for ever--he +had been disappointed in his hopes of love returned--he had +voluntarily sacrificed the chance of winning her--he had cast away the +bright and golden opportunity--he had cast away the delight of her +society--he had left behind him the home of his infancy, a place +filled with every sweet memory--he had parted, too, from his brother, +the object of all his early affections, and had parted from him with +feelings changed, and with a heart wounded and bleeding.</p> + +<p class="normal">Yet on his way he was borne up by the consciousness of rectitude, and +by the vigour of high resolves. He had determined resolutely and +firmly, not only to put down in his bosom any vain hopes of ever +obtaining the hand of her he loved, but, as far as possible, to +conquer that affection--not only to leave his brother full opportunity +of striving for her hand himself, but to aid, as far as it was in his +power, by every exertion and by every thought, to remove all ordinary +difficulties from his brother's path. He had already laid out his +plans, he had already made up his mind to his course of action. He +would go to Logères, he thought; he would call out the numerous +retainers which were then at his disposal; he would take a part in the +strifes of the day; he would attach himself to the Princes of the +house of Guise; and he doubted not to be enabled to render such +service to their cause, as to obviate all opposition, on their part, +to the union of his brother with the daughter of one of the younger +branches of their family.</p> + +<p class="normal">He hoped that it might be so; and he trusted that it might be so. He +could not, indeed, deceive himself into a belief that he could wish +Marie de Clairvaut to return his brother's love. That he could not do: +but if his brother won that love, he could at least contribute, he +thought, to his gaining her hand also; for there was something in his +bosom which told him--though they had never yet competed for any great +stake--that he possessed energies and powers which would enable him to +accomplish more, far more, than Gaspar could achieve in the eager +strife of the world.</p> + +<p class="normal">Such were his views, and such his determinations; but it need hardly +be said, that in forming those views and determinations, there ran +through the whole web of his thoughts the dark and mournful threads of +disappointment, and care, and regret. He was gloomy then, and +melancholy; and though to all who approached him, he spoke +kindly--though he was ever considerate and thoughtful for their +comfort, he uttered not one word uncalled for, and ever fell back into +silent thought as soon as he had uttered any order or direction.</p> + +<p class="normal">The scene through which he passed was certainly not one well +calculated to dissipate gloomy thoughts. After the first four or five +miles, it subsided into a flat watery country, with manifold streams +and marshes, and long rows of stunted osiers and low woods seen in dim +straight lines for many miles over the horizon, with nothing breaking +the continuity of brown but thin white mists rising up from the dells +and hollows, and looking cold, and sickly, and mysterious. The pale +grey overhanging sky vouchsafed but little light to the earth; and +though the sun at one period struggled to break through, his radiant +countenance looked wan and faint. The road itself was heavy and +tiresome for the horses, and relieved by nothing but an occasional +plashy meadow; while ever and anon a wild duck flapped heavily up from +the morass, or a snipe started away at the sound of the horses' feet +with a shrill, low cry.</p> + +<p class="normal">Seldom, if ever, does it happen that the aspect of the scene through +which we pass has not some effect upon us. When deeply absorbed in our +own thoughts; when filled with grief, or care, or anxiety; or even +when occupied altogether with thoughts of joy and happiness to come, +we know not, we do not perceive the scene around us stealing into our +spirit, mingling with, and giving a colouring to, all our thoughts and +feelings, softening or deepening, rendering brighter or more dark, the +colouring of all our affections at the moment. But still it does so: +still every object that our eyes rest upon, every sound that greets +our ear, has its effect upon the mood of the moment; and the sadness +of Charles of Montsoreau, the dark disappointment, the bitter regret, +the withering of all his hopes, the casting behind him of his home and +all sweet associations, were rendered darker, more painful, more +terrible than they otherwise would have been, by the sky, which seemed +to frown back the frown of fate, and by the misty prospect, as dim, as +vague, as cheerless as the future of life appeared to his mind's eye.</p> + +<p class="normal">At length, between ten and eleven o'clock, a little village presented +itself; but the population was few and scanty, while a sickly shade, +as if from the bad air of the place, pervaded more or less almost +every countenance, and bespoke the marshy nature of the soil. In the +middle of this little place, where in England would have been a +village green, was an old stone cross covered with lichens, and +exactly opposite to it, at the side, appeared a large stone building +with a bush over the door, and written above it, "The Inn for +Travellers on horseback.--Dinner at fourteen sols a head."</p> + +<p class="normal">The horses and the servants wanted both rest and food, and Charles of +Montsoreau turned in thither. He himself, however, ate nothing, and +continued walking up and down before the door, musing bitterly of the +future. It mattered not to the innkeeper, indeed, whether the young +nobleman ate his viands or not; for though he had a certain pride +therein, he charged as much for each man that entered the doors, +whether they ate or not, as if they had consumed the best of his +larder; and though he would fain have bestowed the solace of his +company upon the young traveller, the manner of Charles of Montsoreau, +joined with a few words, soon showed him that his company would be +burdensome, and he wisely desisted.</p> + +<p class="normal">Peace and quietness, however, were not to be the portion of Charles of +Montsoreau; for scarcely had the aubergiste left him to his own +reflections, when a number of gay sounds made themselves heard from +the other side of the village, and looking that way, the young count +saw a company of itinerant musicians, who, even in that time of war +and bloodshed, did not cease to practise their merry avocation, +wandering in gay dresses from city to city, sometimes exposed to +plunder and injury, but often strong enough and well enough armed to +defend themselves, or perhaps to pillage others.</p> + +<p class="normal">To tell the truth, these traders in sweet sounds did not altogether +bear the very best of characters; and yet, in that time of discord and +tumult, when the greater part of men's time was given up to painful +thoughts of self-defence, or the fierce struggles of civil contention, +the wandering musicians were generally received with a glad heart to +every abode, and obtained payment of some kind, either in food or +money, for the temporary enjoyment they afforded.</p> + +<p class="normal">The party which now approached consisted of two men, a woman, and a +boy. The two men were ferocious-looking persons enough, with dresses +of gay colours, embroidered with tinsel, and each bearing in his +girdle a dagger, the meretricious ornaments of which seemed adopted +for the purpose of persuading people that it was there only for show, +though in reality the sharp broad blade of highly tempered steel was +very well calculated to effect any murderous purpose. The woman had +once, perhaps, been pretty, and she now decked out charms, blighted +perhaps by vice as much as faded by time, with every ornament within +her reach. The boy, however, was the personage of the group certainly +the most interesting. He preceded his brethren along the street, +playing on a small pipe, from which he produced most exquisite sounds; +while a small spaniel dog ran on before him, and from time to time +stood upon his hind legs, much to the amusement of the children and +women that followed the musicians.</p> + +<p class="normal">The truth is, the whole band had been lodging at the other end of the +village, in one of those little public houses called, in those days, +<i>Répues</i>; but hearing of the arrival of a body of gay cavaliers at the +larger inn, they were coming up in haste to see how many sous their +music could extract from the pockets of the troop. The two elder men +and the woman were pushing in at once into the auberge, without taking +any note of the young Count de Logères, whom they looked upon as a +mere idler at an inn-door; but the boy stopped, and, uncovering his +dark curly head, gazed for a moment in the count's face, with eyes +full of fire and intelligence.</p> + +<p class="normal">He had scarcely paused a moment, however, when one of the men +returning, caught him violently by the arm, exclaiming, "What are you +lingering for, idle fool?" and struck him a blow upon the face with +the open hand, which left the print of his fingers upon the boy's +young cheek. The boy neither wept nor complained, but stood with his +hands by his sides, a dark and bitter frown upon his brow, and a +flashing fire in his eye, which showed that his passive calmness +proceeded from no want of indignant sensibility to the injury. The +blow might very likely have been repeated, had not the man's eye, at +that moment, fallen upon Charles of Montsoreau, and perceived in his +countenance a look of angry indignation, while his apparel and bearing +at once showed that he was superior to the party whom the musicians +had met with within.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Come in, Ignati," cried the musician, with somewhat of a foreign +accent; "either play on your pipe to the gentleman here, or come and +help us to sing to the company within doors."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I will not go in," said the boy, "unless you make me; but I will sing +the gentleman a song here, if he likes it."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ay, do, do," said the man; "sing him that Gaillard song with the +chorus."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I am in no mood, my poor boy," said Charles of Montsoreau, "to take +pleasure in your music. My heart is too sad for your gay sounds. There +is something for you, however. Go in, and sing to the lighter hearts +within."</p> + +<p class="normal">And giving him a small piece of money, he was turning away; but the +boy drew closer to him, and looking up in his face with a sweet and +kindly smile, pressed him to hear his music.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh let me sing to you," he said, "let me sing to you, noble +gentleman. You don't know what music can do for a sad heart. It often +makes mine less heavy; and I will choose you a song, where even the +gay words are sad, so that they shall not be harsh to the most +sorrowful ear."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well, my good boy," replied the count, "if you must sing, let it be +so; but you must expect me to listen but lightly, for I have many +things to think of."</p> + +<p class="normal">The boy instantly laid down his pipe on a bench by the door, and +lifting his two hands gracefully, which had before been clasped +together, he looked up for a minute to the sky, and then began his +song, as follows:--</p> +<div class="poem2"> + +<br> +<p class="t8">SONG.</p> + +<p class="t1">Gué, gué, well-a-day!</p> +<p class="t0">Dost thou remember brighter hours</p> +<p class="t1">Shining upon thy happy way,</p> +<p class="t0">Like morning sunshine upon dewy flowers?</p> +<p class="t4">Oh, join my lay,<br> +And with me say,</p> +<p class="t1">Gué, gué, well-a-day!</p> +<br> +<p class="t1">Gué, gué, well-a-day!</p> +<p class="t0">Has fortune's favour left thee</p> +<p class="t1">(Ebbing fast away),</p> +<p class="t0">Like stranded vessel by a summer sea?</p> +<p class="t4">Oh, join my lay,<br> +And with me say,</p> +<p class="t1">Gué, gué, well-a-day!</p> +<br> +<p class="t1">Gué, gué, well-a-day!</p> +<p class="t0">Have the eyes that once were smiling</p> +<p class="t1">Now learnt to stray,</p> +<p class="t0">Other hearts as fond as thine beguiling?</p> +<p class="t4">Then join my lay,<br> +And with me say,</p> +<p class="t1">Gué, gué, well-a-day!</p> +<br> +<p class="t1">Gué, gué, well-a-day!</p> +<p class="t0">Has love's blossom suffer'd blight</p> +<p class="t1">'Neath misfortune grey,</p> +<p class="t0">Like flow'rs in the frost of a wintry night?</p> +<p class="t4">Oh, join my lay,<br> +And with me say,</p> +<p class="t1">Gué, gué, well-a-day!</p> +</div> + +<p class="normal">The boy's music had contrived to fix the attention of Charles of +Montsoreau, and awakened an unexpected interest in the fate of the +youth, who seemed capable, not only of the mere mechanical art of +singing the words of others, or, like a taught bird, whistling music +by rote, but of feeling every word and every tone that he uttered. As +the young nobleman looked from his face to that of the man whom he +accompanied, and who sat by his side on the bench at the door, gazing +at him with an affected smile upon his coarse assassin-like features, +he could not but think that it must be a hard fate for that poor, +sensitive-looking boy to wander on under the domination of a harsh +being like that, and he almost longed to deliver him from it. He gave +the boy some additional money, however, which made the man's eyes +gleam; and he was proceeding to ask some questions regarding the fate +and history of the whole party, when Gondrin and the rest of the +servants issued forth with the horses, and Charles of Montsoreau +prepared to mount.</p> + +<p class="normal">"These are the vagabonds, my lord," said Gondrin, "who were up at the +castle gates on the day you saved Mademoiselle de Clairvaut from +drowning."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I did not see them," replied Charles of Montsoreau with some +surprise--"I did not remark any one there."</p> + +<p class="normal">"No," answered the boy with a light smile, "no, you were thinking too +much of some one else."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You must have made speed to get here before me," said Charles of +Montsoreau.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ay, we go by paths, sir, that you cannot go on horseback," joined in +the man; "and we will be at the next inn gate before you to-night, if +you would like to hear the boy's music again."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Perhaps I may," replied Charles of Montsoreau; "at all events, you +shan't go without reward."</p> + +<p class="normal">"We will be there, we will be there," replied the man; and the Count +having ascertained that the reckoning was paid, rode on upon his way.</p> + +<p class="normal">The little incident which had broken in upon the train of his +melancholy thoughts did not very long occupy his mind. "This must be a +shrewd boy," he thought, "to adapt his song so well to the +circumstances; for it is clearly from what he saw at the castle gates +that he judged of the nature of my feelings, and sang accordingly."</p> + +<p class="normal">Thus thinking, he rode on, and his mind readily reverted to the darker +topics which had before occupied it. When he arrived at the sleeping +place, which were in those days called <i>Gîtes</i>, he found a large and +comfortable inn, such as was scarcely ever to be met with in any other +country but France in those days. He looked naturally for the band of +musicians at the door; but it seemed that they had either forgotten +their promise, or had not yet arrived; and the young count had entered +the hall and commenced his supper before there was a sign of their +approach.</p> + +<p class="normal">The first thing that gave him any intimation of their coming was the +sound of voices speaking sharp and angrily in the Italian language; +and he thought he heard amongst them the tones of the boy uttering a +few, but indignant, words of remonstrance.</p> + +<p class="normal">Rising from the table at which he sat, the young count approached the +window, and found that he was right in supposing the party of +musicians had arrived. The boy was standing in the midst, and the +woman, as well as the two men, were bending over him, talking to him +earnestly, with vehement grimaces on the countenance of each, while +the clenched fist of the elder man shaken unceasingly, though not +raised even so high as his own girdle, showed that some threats were +being used to the boy, in order, apparently, to drive him to +something, to do which he was unwilling. Although the window was on a +level with their heads, the count could not distinguish what they +said, for they were now speaking low, though still eagerly. They +raised their voices, indeed, almost to a scream, when they uttered +some wild Italian exclamation, but it was meaningless without the +context. At length, however, to the surprise of Charles of Montsoreau, +the boy seemed moved by a sudden fit of rage; and lifting the hand +which held his pipe, he dashed the instrument of music upon the +ground, shivering it to atoms, and exclaiming, "Never! never! I will +neither sing nor play a note!"</p> + +<p class="normal">At that instant the elder man struck him a blow on the side of the +head, which knocked him at once down upon the road; and Charles of +Montsoreau opening the window, leaped out, and interfered, while +several of his attendants followed him from the supper room.</p> + +<p class="normal">The faces of the Italians fell when they saw him; and there was a sort +of confused and guilty look about them, which might well have made any +one of a suspicious nature believe that they had been planning no very +good schemes, when the obstinacy of the boy had obstructed them.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You treat this youth ill," said Charles of Montsoreau, frowning upon +the man who had struck him. "Are you his father?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"No, the blessed Virgin be thanked!" exclaimed the Italian; "his name +is Carlo Ignatius Morone, though we call him Ignati. No, obstinate +little brute! he is no child of mine! I bought him of his mother to +sing and dance for us. A bad bargain I made of it too, for he does not +gain his own bread with his whims. His mother was a courtezan of +Genoa."</p> + +<p class="normal">"She was not my mother!" cried the boy in an indignant tone. "My mother +was dead long before that. But whatever she was, Paulina Morone was +always kind to me; and she would never have sold me to you, if I had +not asked her, when she had no bread to eat herself, and had given me +the last crust she had to give."</p> + +<p class="normal">"This is a sad history," said Charles of Montsoreau; "and as you say +the boy does not gain his own bread, you will, doubtless, be glad +enough to sell him to me, my good friend."</p> + +<p class="normal">The man hesitated. "I don't know that exactly," he said, "noble lord. +The boy can sing well, if he likes it, as you know; and he can play +well both upon the pipe and the lute when he likes it and is not +obstinate; and he is as active as a Basque, and can dance better than +any one I ever saw. Would you like to see him dance, my lord? I'll +make him dance fast enough. That I can always do with a good stout +stick, though sing he won't unless he likes it."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I wonder not at it," replied the count. "But you shall not make him +dance for me. What I wish to know is, will you sell him to me? You +said you had made a bad bargain, and that he did not gain his own +bread, much less repay you."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Not here in the provinces, sir," replied the man. "But I am sure if I +took him to Paris, I could make a good sum by showing him to the lords +and ladies there. However, I will sell him, if I can make something by +him, sooner than be burdened with him any more."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What do you demand?" said Charles of Montsoreau. "If you are +moderate, perhaps I may give it to you, for I like to hear the boy +sing."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I will have," said the man, "I will have at least a hundred and fifty +crowns of gold, crowns of the sun, sir, remember, or I'll not part +with the boy."</p> + +<p class="normal">"That is three times as much as you gave to the Morone," cried the +boy--"you know it is."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ay, little villain," answered the man; "but have I not brought you +from Italy since, and fed you for more than a year?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"And spent a fortune in cudgels too upon him," said the woman.</p> + +<p class="normal">Charles of Montsoreau gave her a glance of contempt, and then turned +his look towards the boy, whose eyes were full of tears. The sum that +was asked for him was, in fact, considerable, each gold crown being in +that day worth sixty sous, and the value of money itself, as compared +with produce, being about five times that which it is at present. But +the young nobleman, unaccustomed to traffic in human flesh, that most +odious and horrible of all the rites of Mammon, looked upon the sum to +be given as a mere trifle when compared with the boy's deliverance +from the hands into which he had fallen.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You shall have the money," he said.--"Gondrin, bid Martin bring me +the leathern bag which he carries, and I will pay the sum +immediately."</p> + +<p class="normal">The first sensation of the Italian was joy, at having over-reached the +young French nobleman, the second was equally natural to the people, +and the class to which he belonged, sorrow at not having contrived to +over-reach him to a greater extent. The money, however, being +produced, and the sum paid, the boy demanded and received from the +younger man, who carried a pack upon his shoulders, some little +articles of property belonging, he said, to himself.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The boy is now yours, my Lord," said the Italian, looking wistfully +at the closing mouth of the bag; "but surely your Lordship will give +me another crown for the bargain's sake."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I will tell you what I will give you," replied Charles of +Montsoreau:--"if you and your base companions do not take yourselves +out of the place as fast as your legs can carry you, I will order my +horsemen to flog you for a mile along the road with their stirrup +leathers."</p> + +<p class="normal">The man put his hand, with a meaning look, to the gilded hilt of his +dagger; but, in an instant, one buffet from the hand of Charles of +Montsoreau replied to the mute sign, by laying him prostrate on the +ground. A loud laugh echoed from the inn door at this conclusion of +the scene; and starting on his feet again, the Italian and his +companions hurried away as fast as possible, the elder one only +pausing for a moment, at about a hundred yards' distance, to shake his +clenched fist at the young nobleman, with a meaning look.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Come, my boy," said the Count, "come and get thee some supper. Thou +shalt be better treated at least with me than with them."</p> + +<p class="normal">The boy caught his hand, and kissed it a thousand times, and the young +nobleman led him towards the house, asking him as they went, "What was +it they wished you to do when I came out to stop them from maltreating +you?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"To sing and play to you, and engage all your thoughts," replied the +boy, "while they stole the jewel out of your hat, and put a piece of +glass in its place."</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2><a name="div1_09" href="#div1Ref_09">CHAP. IX.</a></h2> +<br> + +<p class="normal">The sweetest of all balms to a hurt mind is the doing a good action; +and with that for his consolation, Charles of Montsoreau retired to +rest, and, though he slept not well, certainly, he obtained more +repose than he had expected. On the following morning, he found--that +which we so often find--that things done for kindly and benevolent +purposes bear with them sources of recompense to ourselves which we +never calculated upon. The unfortunate boy whom he had delivered from +the hands of his persecutors on the preceding day, afforded the young +count a subject of interest and occupation, that withdrew his thoughts +from more painful themes, and gave him a degree of relief, which, +though merely temporary, was in itself a blessing.</p> + +<p class="normal">The boy stood by his side while he took his breakfast, and looked so +full of joy, that Charles of Montsoreau could not help congratulating +himself upon what he had done, though he was not sufficiently ignorant +of the world to suppose that, for the sum of a hundred and fifty +crowns, he had bought himself a treasure of high qualities, such as +the best education can hardly bestow upon the best disposition.</p> + +<p class="normal">He had made the boy over entirely to the care of Gondrin, and told the +shrewd huntsman to watch his disposition well, and let him know all +the peculiarities thereof. He was himself too much occupied with +gloomy thoughts, to investigate the matter fully; and, as the boy +stood by him, he confined his questions to some points of his former +history, and to the various accomplishments which he possessed.</p> + +<p class="normal">To a question as to whether he could ride, the boy only replied with a +smile; and it appeared afterwards that, while with the Italians, the +whole of the first part of their journey through Italy and France had +been performed on horseback, till some acts of dishonesty, committed +in the town of Grenoble, forced them to fly on foot with all speed, +and leave their beasts behind them.</p> + +<p class="normal">The purchase of a fresh horse for the boy, and of some suits of +clothes better fitted to a nobleman's page than the gay and mountebank +costume in which he had come to his new master, occupied a +considerable part of the morning; and by the time Charles of +Montsoreau issued forth to proceed upon his journey, the mists of the +early day had cleared away; the grey veil of clouds which had obscured +the sky during the preceding day had been scattered into small +feathery fragments by the sun and the wind; there was a feeling of +spring in the breath of the air, and a look of hope and joyfulness +upon all the world around.</p> + +<p class="normal">As the boy Ignati stood by his master's stirrup for a moment before +they set out, he lifted his fine dark eyes to the countenance of the +young nobleman with a look of love and gratitude that was not to be +mistaken. It is true that a man may smile, and smile, and be a +villain; it is true that the language of looks may often be as false +as the words of the tongue; it is true that no human mode of +expression may not be poisoned by hypocrisy, and that even actions +themselves are often as false as looks and words. But there are +moments when the free soul bursts forth through all the bonds of habit +or of cunning, and sports, if it be but for a single instant, at +liberty; and in those times, though the words may still be false, or +at the best regulated with deliberate skill, yet there are momentary +expressions that cross the countenance--lights that beam up in the +eye--smiles that flutter round the lip--which betray the secret of the +heart's feelings, notwithstanding the most careful guard.</p> + +<p class="normal">Charles of Montsoreau looked down, and laid his hand upon the boy's +head.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You know, Ignati," he said, "that you are a freeman, and not a slave. +I paid your price to the Italians to give you liberty, and not to +purchase you myself; so you are free to come and to go, to stay with +me, or to leave me, as you like."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I will go with you through the world," replied the boy; and though he +said no more, he said it in such a tone as to leave no doubt upon the +mind of Charles of Montsoreau that he was sincere for the time at +least.</p> + +<p class="normal">The boy sprang into his saddle with alacrity and grace; and the first +horseman of the court of France could not have sat his horse with more +ease and vigour. His whole demeanour seemed changed from the former +day, as if slavery and the degrading trade to which he had been +previously bound had bowed down his spirit, and with it his corporeal +frame. There was a lightness, a joyous fire in his look, which spoke +the consciousness of freedom and of dawning hopes. Before, he had been +but a handsome, sullen boy; while, now, he looked older than before, +and all was quickness and activity.</p> + +<p class="normal">The sky, we have said, was brighter, the day more cheerful, and the +scenery itself gradually assuming a finer and a bolder character. +Entering that hilly district which lies between Limoges and Tulle, the +road was constantly ascending or descending. Wide woods and moors, +broken by rocks and streams, were seen on either side; while now a +soft green meadow covered the slope, now a rich-coloured fallow field +showed traces of man's industrious hand. Here and there, too, a +cottage appeared, with its little garden and orchard round about it; +here and there a forge, while the castellated houses of many of the +small provincial nobility showed their glittering weathercocks above +the grey woods. The aspect of the whole scene was very peaceful; and +so, indeed, that part of the country was at the time; for no towns of +sufficient consequence were near to render it, though extremely +defensible, worth the while of any of the various parties which tore +the state to defend it against the rest. Through these scenes the +young count and his attendants rode on during the day, till they came +to their gîte for the night, at the pleasant-named town of St. Germain +les belles Filles.</p> + +<p class="normal">When the young Count de Logères sat down to supper, with none but one +habitual attendant near him--while the rest of his train dined at a +table at the other end of the hall--his mind drew up the short summary +of what changes of feeling his heart had undergone, which we are +almost always inclined to make unconsciously, when we come to the end +of a day's journey.</p> + +<p class="normal">It were vain to say that the scenes through which he had passed, or +the aspect of the day, or the occupation of his thoughts by the boy +that he had freed, had made his heart lighter; but they had, perhaps, +taught that heart to bear its load more firmly. He still thought of +Marie de Clairvaut with the intense passion of first, true, ardent +love. He felt but the more convinced, at every step he took away from +her, that that love would last throughout his being. He felt that, +without her, life was now a blank, void of the grand pointing interest +of existence--void of all sustaining power, but a knowledge of +rectitude, and a purpose of endurance. It was hard, far more hard, for +a young heart like his, that had seldom, if ever, tasted sorrow +before, or known affliction, to undergo at once the extinction of that +brightest of life's lights, the hope of mutual affection. We value not +our minor sorrows sufficiently: there are great ones to be endured by +every man on earth; and did not the lesser ones prepare us gently for +the burden, we should be crushed under the first mighty misfortune +that befall us. But Charles of Montsoreau had known few, so few, that +he felt, as it were, stunned and benumbed by the weight of grief that +now came upon him. He had been deprived of the belief that he +possessed the love of Marie de Clairvaut; he had abandoned the hope +and task of winning that love; and, at the same time, the deep, warm +confidence which he had ever till that moment possessed in his +brother's strong, unalterable affection, had been swept away too. He +could regard Gaspar de Montsoreau no longer as he had regarded him; he +could think of him no longer as he had thought; he could not respect +or esteem him as heretofore; and all the fraternal love that remained +in his bosom towards his brother, rendered him but the more sorrowful, +that his brother was less worthy than he thought.</p> + +<p class="normal">He was sad and gloomy then, and that sadness was seen in every look +and action: he seemed scarcely to know what were the meats placed +before him, and only mechanically to taste of that which was next to +him. After he had eaten as much as was necessary to satisfy mere +nature, he leaned his head upon his hand, and fell into deep thought, +which was only interrupted by the low sweet voice of the boy, who had +come quietly up to his side, saying, "May I not sing to you, sir +count? I have seen a song prove better sauce to a poor meal than a +duke's kitchen could produce."</p> + +<p class="normal">"It would not be so with me, Ignati," replied the Count. "You shall +not sing to me to-night, my good boy; but go to bed, and rest your +young limbs."</p> + +<p class="normal">Though he refused him, yet the voluntary offer the boy had made came +sweetly; for, on the first sweep of disappointment's heavy wing, a +sort of misanthropy is cast upon us which we own not even to our own +hearts. We doubt, without our will, that there is such a thing as +affection, or gratitude, or kindly feeling, or generous sensibility +left upon earth; and it is sweet, and happy, and consoling when any +thing happens, however light or small, to show us feelingly that our +dark judgment of the world was wrong. He still refused the boy's +music, however, though kindly; for he was busy with his own thoughts, +and wished to pursue them undisturbed.</p> + +<p class="normal">On the following morning he continued his journey: nor is it worth +while to follow him day by day, while, taking his way by Bourges and +Chalons, he approached the north-eastern frontier of France. The +journey was long and tedious, but it was accomplished without any +accident or interruption; and, indeed, till he approached near the +frontiers of Lorraine, the traces of the war which desolated France +were comparatively small. Commerce, indeed, there was little or none +throughout the land; but agriculture was pursued with less difficulty; +and in those districts where the strife was not actually going on, the +first return of spring saw the husbandman again in the field.</p> + +<p class="normal">The neighbourhood of Troyes and Chalons, however, began to show +evident marks of the ravages of war: the fields were uncultivated; the +towns guarded with rigorous strictness; no tall ricks of corn were +seen near the farm-house; the cattle lowed not in the plains; the +shepherd turned anxiously round at every sound of a horse's steps; +and, in many places, the vineyards themselves showed the marks of +fire, and the vines were seen cut down and piled up for fuel. Wherever +the traveller stopped and inquired what was the cause of the +destruction he beheld, he was told that a body of reiters had pillaged +here, or a horde of Germans wasted there; and, although there were +some who ventured, in the angry indignation of their heart, to curse +both the house of Guise and the house of La Mark, and to express their +horror of all parties alike, yet it was evident that the chivalrous +spirit of the Guises, their gracious demeanour, and their heroic +actions against a foreign enemy, had in general won the love of the +people, so that they were greatly preferred to the Protestant princes +of Sedan, who had led an army of thirty thousand strangers to the +invasion of their native country.</p> + +<p class="normal">Charles of Montsoreau learned all these tales as he passed; and at +each inn where he stopped he received some warning not to advance +rashly in this direction, or in that, lest he should meet with some of +the scattered bands who had turned their swords into reaping hooks in +a very different sense from the pacific one, and were gathering in a +harvest which they had not sown, from the fears and necessities of the +country.</p> + +<p class="normal">Thus it happened in setting out from Chalons, the good aubergiste, who +had taken care to extract from the purse of the young nobleman as much +as could be obtained with any appearance of honesty, counselled him +strongly, instead of pursuing the high road towards Rheims, to follow +the way along the river towards Mareuil, and thence across the +country. "For," said he, "there is a band of at least fifty reiters +have been watching the Rheims' gate for the last ten days, and have +taken toll of every one that passed, be he citizen or gentleman. Your +train, too, is so scanty, young sir, that one sees evidently you come +from a quieter place. Why, no one here ever thinks of riding without +forty men at least; and the good Duke of Guise dare not go himself +from one château to another without a hundred salads at his back."</p> + +<p class="normal">As Charles of Montsoreau was not by any means well satisfied with the +peculiar species of honesty of his host, he made no reply to his +counsels, but followed his former purpose, and took the high road. Ere +he had pursued it two miles, however, the merry huntsman Gondrin rode +up, with the boy Ignati by his side, and some eagerness on his +countenance.</p> + +<p class="normal">"My Lord," he said, "the boy declares that he saw the gleaming of +spear-heads upon the side of the hill a mile on."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Indeed, Ignati!" said the Count--"your eyes must be sharp. Point out +to me these spears; for I have seen nothing of them, though I have +been watching anxiously."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I can't show them to you now, sir," replied the boy, "for they have +gone slowly behind the wood; but I saw them, believe me, and I am not +mistaken."</p> + +<p class="normal">Even while he was speaking a peasant was seen coming along the road +upon an ass which he was beating forward to as fast a pace as the +brute's natural indocility would admit. The moment, however, that he +saw the count's troop drawn up in the midst of the road, he suddenly +paused in his course, with a look of some alarm, which did not seem at +all to subside upon the young nobleman riding up to him with Gondrin +and the boy, and insisting upon his stopping; for he was now +endeavouring to drive his beast into one of the by-paths through the +country.</p> + +<p class="normal">He was soon re-assured, however; and no sooner did he find that the +party he had met with was not calculated to be an object of terror, +than he endeavoured to inspire the persons of whom it was composed +with the same fears which had taken possession of himself, informing +the young count that he had just himself passed the reiters, who, +though they had left him the vegetables that he was carrying in his +panniers to the market at Chalons, had taken from him all his poultry +and eggs. He magnified their number and their ferocity very greatly; +and as it was evident that they would not prove the most agreeable of +companions on the road he was about to travel, Charles of Montsoreau +obtained more correct information of the peasant as to the way to +Mareuil, and struck back again from the high road towards the course +of the Marne.</p> + +<p class="normal">The circuit that he had made, however, and the time that had been lost +by one interruption or another, rendered it late before he reached the +village of Condé, and it was dark before he approached Mareuil. The +place was unfortified, and, as far as he could judge in passing +through the little narrow street by which he first entered it, had an +air of greater tranquillity and comfort than he had lately seen.</p> + +<p class="normal">No house of public entertainment was apparent till he reached an open +part of the street, near the centre of the little town, where a large +stone building stood back from the rest, and displayed a wide front, +with windows few and far between, and a single large archway for a +door. Over this swung the sign of the inn, under a highly ornamented +and gilded grating of iron-work; and as soon as the feet of horses +were heard in the dusty open space before the building, mine host and +two of his palefreniers rushed forth to receive the new guests.</p> + +<p class="normal">The night was clear, and the moon was up; and what between the +assistance of the fair planet and the host's lantern, a very +sufficient knowledge could be obtained in a moment of the persons of +the strangers. That knowledge seemed in some degree to surprise and +puzzle the landlord; and had Charles of Montsoreau remarked very +acutely, he would have perceived that some one else had been expected +in his place.</p> + +<p class="normal">He noted not the demeanour of the landlord at all, however; but, +springing from his horse, entered the archway, and passed through a +door which stood ajar to the right, showing through the crevice a well +lighted room within. It was one of the large open halls of an old +French inn, the rafters low and black with smoke, the chimney wide and +stretching out far into the room, the andirons, on which were piled up +immense masses of wood, containing each more than one hundred weight +of iron, and the table in the midst fit to support viands for forty or +fifty people. The light which the young nobleman had seen proceeded +both from the fire which was blazing and crackling cheerfully, and +from two large sconces of polished brass hung in different parts of +the room.</p> + +<p class="normal">The hall possessed at the moment of the Count's entrance only one +tenant, of whom he could see little more, than that he was dressed in +grey of the most ordinary kind. His hat was on, and differed a good +deal from the cap and feather then common at the court of France, +being tall in the crown, broad in the brim, and decorated by a single +cock's feather raising itself from the button on the right side. Large +untanned riding-boots were drawn up above his knees, a light sword was +by his side, as if he felt himself in perfect security; and he wore a +falling collar of lace over his doublet, instead of the ruff, which +was ordinary at that period. The buttons of the grey suit were of jet, +and on the middle finger of his right hand was a large seal ring, of +apparently coarse manufacture. He was sitting at one of the farther +corners of the table, with an inkhorn before him and a pen in his +hand, busily writing on a sheet of coarse paper, which had been +supplied to him by the host; so that looking at him as he sat, one +might very well have taken him for some public notary of a +neighbouring town, in not the best practice in the world.</p> + +<p class="normal">Such, indeed, would have been the interpretation which Charles of +Montsoreau would have put upon his appearance, had it not been for the +somewhat Spanish cut of his hat, and the singular fashion of his +collar, which puzzled him a good deal; for, notwithstanding the +occupation of his mind with other thoughts, and the very ordinary +apparel of the stranger, there was something in his form and aspect +which attracted attention and excited curiosity in the young nobleman, +he neither knew why nor how.</p> + +<p class="normal">As soon as he heard a step entering the room, the stranger turned +partially round and half rose from his seat; but a momentary glance +was sufficient to show him that the person who appeared was unknown to +him; and, turning towards the table again, he pursued his occupation. +The young count advanced slowly to the fire, and drawing a settle +near, stretched out his feet to warm himself, turning his back to the +stranger so as to avoid any air of scanning his proceedings. Gondrin +and the other attendants came and went, asking him questions and +directions as he thus sat; and from time to time the writer turned +round his head and examined their movements and appearance, but +without uttering a word. The aubergiste himself at length approached +the fireplace, in order, it seemed, to consult with the young +gentleman regarding his supper. There was but little, he said, in the +house, and at that late hour it was impossible to procure much more. +However, he would do his best, he added, and assured his new guest of +at least giving him good wine.</p> + +<p class="normal">Charles of Montsoreau informed him that he was easily satisfied, and +doubted not that every thing would be good and abundant. But somewhat +to his surprise--for such things were not at all customary in that +day--the aubergiste proceeded to demand whether he would not prefer +having a chamber apart to sup in, rather than take his meal in the +common hall. He was in the act of replying in the negative, when the +voice of the stranger who was writing at the table made itself heard +for the first time, exclaiming, in an authoritative tone, "Pierre +Jean."</p> + +<p class="normal">The innkeeper instantly flew to his side, and the other addressed him +in a low tone, to which the innkeeper replied almost in a whisper.</p> + +<p class="normal">"As you will, Maître Henri, as you will," said the landlord in +conclusion. "But I think it very strange they have not come."</p> + +<p class="normal">The other merely nodded his head in reply, and then folding up the +paper he had written, he put it in his pocket, and approached the fire +with an air of being quite at home. He was a man of about six or seven +and thirty years of age, and, as he now stood before Charles of +Montsoreau at his full height, appeared to the eyes of the young +nobleman one of the most powerful men he had ever beheld. His chest +was at once broad and deep, his limbs muscular and long, the head +small, the flanks thin, and the foot and hand well formed. Every +indication was there of great strength and great activity, and the +countenance also harmonised perfectly well with the figure, the broad +high forehead giving that air of a powerful and active mind which we +are all, whether physiognomists or not, inclined by nature to see in +the expanse which covers and seems to represent the great instrument +of the human intellect. He wore the mustachio somewhat long, and the +beard pointed, but small. The eyes were large and fine, the eyebrows +strongly marked, the nose was beautifully formed, displaying the wide +expansive nostril, generally reckoned a sign of generous feelings; and +though there was a cut upon his brow scarcely healed, and a deep scar +in his cheek of a more remote date, yet they did not at all detract +from the handsomeness of the countenance, which, notwithstanding the +plainness of his dress and appearance, was peculiarly striking and +attractive.</p> + +<p class="normal">"This is a cold night, young gentleman," he said, as he approached the +fire, "and you ride out somewhat late for a traveller in these parts +of the world."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, I fear not the cold," replied Charles of Montsoreau; "and though +I certainly prefer not the night to travel in, yet, when I must betake +myself to it, I do so without much discomfort or hesitation."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ay; but there are other things sweep over this country besides the +wind," said the stranger, "things more cutting and more sharp, I can +assure you."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, against those I go pretty well prepared also," replied Charles of +Montsoreau; "every French gentleman is a soldier, you know; and we are +not unwilling or unable to make use of our arms when it may be +needful."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You have served, I suppose," said the stranger, "perhaps at Coutras, +with the Duke of Joyeuse, or with Harry of Navarre and his Huguenots."</p> + +<p class="normal">Charles of Montsoreau looked up with a smile. "If we begin talking of +where we served, and on what causes, good sir," he said, "we shall +have our worthy host, Pierre Jean, requiring us to give up our swords +into his safe keeping till we set out again, as indeed he is bound by +law to do."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, no fear, no fear," replied the stranger, laughing. "We shall not +quarrel and cut each other's throats, depend upon it. You are here, a +young lord, with, it seems to me, a dozen or two of attendants, and I +am alone, a poor Escribano, by name Maître Henri, as you just heard."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And yet," replied Charles of Montsoreau, "the poor Escribano, I +should judge, had seen some service in his day, and that not very many +years ago either."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, you judge from that cut upon my forehead. That is but the scratch +of a cat."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well, then," answered Charles, "if you will tell me sincerely whether +that cat's claw was a reiter's estramaçon, or the spear of a De la +Mark, I will tell you whether I drew my sword at Coutras, and on what +part."</p> + +<p class="normal">The stranger gazed at him for several moments, with an inquiring and +yet half laughing-glance.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You are as keen," he said at length, "as a Gascon; perhaps, for aught +I know, as ambitious as a Guise, as hardy and obstinate as a La Mark, +and as politic and secret as a Brisson. The last, at least, I am sure +of; and I can tell you, my good youth, if I judge right, we are not +likely to part so soon as we both expected when you entered this +room."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Perhaps not, Maître Henri," replied Charles of Montsoreau; "for, if I +judge rightly, and you are, as you say, alone, I am not likely to +leave you till I see you safe on the other side of Rheims. There lie a +strong body of reiters on the Chalons road; and there is one man in +France for whom I have much love and respect, but who is somewhat too +famous for exposing himself unnecessarily. I have but few men with me; +but, well led, and with a great purpose, those few may do much."</p> + +<p class="normal">The expression which the stranger's countenance assumed, as he +listened to this speech, was strange and mingled. There was a smile +came upon it, as if half amused, half touched; and yet there was a +degree of doubt hung wavering upon his brow, while he first +scrutinised the countenance of his companion closely, and then, +casting down his eyes, fell into a deep fit of thought. After a short +pause, however, he replied,--"You fought at Coutras, sir, neither for +Henry of Navarre nor Anne of Joyeuse, that is clear. Am I not right?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Quite, Maître Henri," replied the young count, with an air of +indifference and a smile; "I fought neither for the heretics, because, +Heaven be praised, I am a good Catholic, nor for the minions, because +the hero of Jarnac and Montcoutour has passed away into a lover of pet +puppies and a pedant in cosmetics."</p> + +<p class="normal">A sarcastic smile curled the lip of his companion while he spoke. "Two +good, wise, and sufficient reasons," he said, "such as a notary may +approve of. But tell me, young gentleman, have we ever met before?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Never," answered Charles of Montsoreau, "unless we met before we were +born. But, however, Maître Henri, to put an end to all doubts, that I +see are in your mind, my name is Charles of Montsoreau, Count of +Logères, whom you may have heard of, perhaps, though he has yet to +make a name in history, and hopes to do so with his sword."</p> + +<p class="normal">The stranger instantly extended his hand to him, exclaiming, "Indeed, +young friend, indeed! How came you here? What brought you to this part +of the world?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I came for two purposes," replied Charles of Montsoreau. "In the +first place, it is long since I have seen Logères; my tenantry need my +presence; and it is time that I should take the management of those +estates out of the hands of underlings, and defend, protect, and +direct them myself."</p> + +<p class="normal">While he spoke, several of his attendants returned to the room, +accompanied by the host, to make preparation for the visiter's supper, +and the stranger instantly resumed the position he had at first been +standing in, after he approached the fire, while Charles of Montsoreau +went on, taking a hint to be cautious from his companion's eyes. "In +the next place," he continued, "my second purpose was to visit the +good Duke of Guise, who, I understand, is at Soissons, or in that +neighbourhood."</p> + +<p class="normal">"He was at Nancy but a week or two ago," replied the other; "but, +after all, you may very likely find him at Soissons, for he is +continually moving about the country; and there was a report not long +ago, that he was to hold a private conference one of these days with +Monsieur de Bellievre, sent on the part of the king. But there is +little trust in this Henry, and Heaven knows whether he will send or +not.--Shall we sup together, sir?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"With all my heart," replied the young count, not a little to the +surprise of some of his attendants who were in the room, and who did +not at all comprehend how their lord, whom they were themselves +accustomed to treat with much reverence and respect, came to sit down +with a person of such plain apparel.</p> + +<p class="normal">Their astonishment was not less when they beheld the young nobleman, +after supper had been placed upon the table, wait till the other was +seated, before he took his own place. The only one who seemed to +understand the whole was the boy Ignati, who said, in an under voice, +to Gondrin, "He has forgotten himself, master huntsman! Or is Maître +Henri gone for to-night?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"And who is Maître Henri?" demanded Gondrin, in the same tone.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I could tell, if I would," answered the boy, "but our lord knows him, +if you do not."</p> + +<p class="normal">Before he had well ended, a servant, dressed like his master, in grey, +entered the room in haste, and placed a written paper in the hands of +Maître Henri, who read it with attention, and then bending over the +table towards Charles of Montsoreau, demanded, in a low tone, "How +many men have you with you, my young friend?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Only seven," replied Charles of Montsoreau, "besides myself and the +page. But they are all well-armed, resolute, and determined, and I, +the eighth, trust not to be behind any of them."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Eleven!" said his companion, musing. "We should but muster eleven if +we were to set off this moment; for though we counted six amongst us +when I arrived, I have sent off three to a distance, and they cannot +be back ere the morning. No, we had better wait till daylight. I must +give them till twelve o'clock, too, to see if they will keep their +word with me: though, by these tidings, it seems to be broken +already.--Hark ye," he continued, speaking to the servant who had +brought him the paper, and who still stood beside his chair--"hark ye; +bend down your ear."</p> + +<p class="normal">The man did as he was bidden; and, after whispering to him for several +minutes, the stranger added, in a louder tone, "If you go by Les +petites Loges, you will pass them. Tell him that fifty will do. I want +no more, and we must not leave any point weak."</p> + +<p class="normal">After he had thus spoken, he tore off a bit of the paper he had +received, wrote a few words down upon it in a careless way, and tossed +it over to Charles of Montsoreau. Those words were, "Schelandre, who +you know is as brave as a lion and as cunning as a fox, is looking out +for me, with two squadrons, on the road by Hautvilliers. He has got +news of my coming by some means--very likely from Henry himself."</p> + +<p class="normal">Charles turned an inquiring look upon his companion's face, as if to +ask, what is to be done? But the other glanced his eye over his +shoulder towards the attendants, and proceeded with his supper, +commenting upon the landlord's good cheer, praising his wine, and +laughing and talking gaily, as if there were no such thing as peril +upon the earth.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2><a name="div1_10" href="#div1Ref_10">CHAP. X.</a></h2> +<br> + +<p class="normal">It was in the grey of the morning on the following day that a party of +horsemen, now amounting in all to the number of fifteen or sixteen, +was seen winding through the little wood, which at that time occupied +the ground in the neighbourhood of Chaumizy, a spot which in the +present day sends forth many an excellent bottle of sparkling wine, to +warm the hearts of many a distant potator.</p> + +<p class="normal">To any eye which watched the progress of that party from a height--and +there was an eye which did so--the movements of the band might seem +complicated and curious,--now turning to the east, now winding to the +west--now marching on straight forward to the north. One thing, +however, was evident, that those horsemen affected by-paths and shady +roads, never crossing a hill where they could take their way through +the valley, never choosing the open ground where they could go through +the wood. Sometimes the eye which, as we have said, watched them from +the most elevated ground in the neighbourhood, lost them for several +minutes amongst the trees and vineyards, sometimes saw them emerge +when it least expected them, sometimes was baffled altogether in +regard to a conception of their onward course, by the strange turns +and windings which they took.</p> + +<p class="normal">Nevertheless the band still continued to advance in its own way, +winding amidst the brown leafless woods, with Charles of Montsoreau +completely armed at its head; Gondrin, little less formidably equipped +by his side on the right hand, and the boy Ignati, now dressed +completely as a page, with pistols at his saddlebow, and a strong +dagger on his thigh, upon the left hand of the young nobleman. Then +came, mixed together, the attendants of the Count--all as we have +described them before, strongly armed;--two or three strangers of +military appearance, clothed in general in grey suits with a double +black cross observable on some parts of their garments; and two or +three hardy spirits from the little village of Mareuil, who had been +hired to swell the numbers of the Count's train, as they passed across +the dangerous part of the country between Chalons and Rheims.</p> + +<p class="normal">Amongst the rest of the persons thus mixed together, might be observed +Maître Henri, dressed precisely as he had been the night before, +though most of the other personages in grey had contrived to purchase +in the village of Mareuil several pieces of defensive and offensive +armour, such as steel caps, called salads, breast plates, and the +large heavy swords then in use against cavalry, which, like the +attendants of Charles of Montsoreau, they bore naked in their hands.</p> + +<p class="normal">Very few words were uttered as the band rode along: sometimes an order +was given in a low voice by the young count, sometimes, while the rest +continued to advance, he rode back, to speak to some one in the rear, +sometimes he addressed a few words to Gondrin or the page; but in +general all passed in silence.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Are you sure you know your way?" he demanded at length of the boy +Ignati, on their suddenly taking a path which appeared more than +usually out of the direct course.</p> + +<p class="normal">"As well as I know the lines on my own hand, sir," replied the boy in +the Italian language, which he had discovered that his master +understood. "I would rather lose my eyes than lead you or him a step +wrong."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Who do you mean by him?" demanded Charles of Montsoreau, in the same +tongue.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I mean him with the scar," replied the boy.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Why, what is he to thee?" asked his master.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Why, he is the only one in all the land," replied the boy, "that ever +was kind to me before yourself; and I remember seven months ago, when +they made me dance and sing at a great banquet in the town of Nancy, +he patted my head, and called me a good youth, and while all the rest +showered money into the box my master carried round, he gave me a +broad piece, and told me it was for myself. They took it from me +afterwards: but he did not know that."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then recollect him, and you know him?" demanded his master.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Grey cloth and brown baize will not hide him from me," replied the +boy, with an intelligent smile, "though when I saw him, it was crimson +velvet and gold. The heart has its eyes, dear lord, as well as the +head, and the heart's eyes never forget."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well then, Ignati," replied the Count, "in case of any attack--which +we cannot be sure will not take place--you attach yourself to his +side, quit him not for a moment, serve him in every thing; but in the +very first place guide him on towards Rheims, by the safest paths that +you know."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But must I leave you?" demanded the boy--"must I leave you in the +hands of the enemy?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Never mind me," replied his master--"I will defend myself, good +Ignati. Besides, they can scarcely be called my enemies, as I have +taken no service against them."</p> + +<p class="normal">Just as he spoke, the band issued forth from the little by-path which +they had been pursuing, into one of the main roads through the wood, +and saw before them, at the distance of about a hundred yards, an old +grey stone cross, raised upon several steps, in the very centre of the +road, marking the spot where two ways crossed. When first they came +within sight of that memento of past years, the ground around it was +completely solitary: but before they reached it, five or six heavy +armed horsemen came at a quick pace up the road leading to the left +and planted themselves round the cross. The moment they reached it, +one of their party took off his steel cap, and waved it in the air, +looking at the same time down the road by which he had come, as if +giving a signal to some persons who followed him.</p> + +<p class="normal">To the eyes of Charles of Montsoreau and his companions these +indications wanted no explanation, nor was any consultation necessary; +for it was evident that there was but one thing to be done, namely, to +endeavour to force a passage through this little advanced party of the +reiters before the main body could come up.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Quick to the side of Maître Henri," exclaimed Charles of Montsoreau, +speaking to the page. "You, Gondrin, too, attach yourself to him. +Leave nothing undone to secure his escape; and now forward, my men! +Upon them!"</p> + +<p class="normal">He turned one anxious glance round in the direction of his newly +acquired companion; but saw--with some surprise, perhaps--nothing but +a calm, unperturbed smile on his countenance. Maître Henri was quietly +drawing his sword from its sheath, and in answer to the anxious look +of Charles of Montsoreau, only gave a familiar nod, saying, "Go on!"</p> + +<p class="normal">The young count's orders had been already given, and his horse was +instantly put into the gallop. The reiters on their part seemed to +require neither parley nor explanation any more than the young count; +and instantly separating into two parties, they occupied the road on +either side of the cross: he, who was evidently the commander, again +waving his steel cap in the same direction as before.</p> + +<p class="normal">Charles of Montsoreau saw that all depended upon speed, and the prompt +execution of his commands; and, turning to the man who followed +immediately behind him, he exclaimed, without at all checking his pace +as he did so, "Pass round to the right of the cross with two others; +but where the passage is forced, attach yourself to drive back the men +on the left of the cross, up the road to the left; while I with the +rest bar that road against those that are coming up."</p> + +<p class="normal">The man seemed to understand at a word; and in a moment more they were +at the spot where the two roads crossed. As he came up, Charles of +Montsoreau turned his head for an instant, and, to his great +satisfaction, saw that a large body of horse, which was coming down at +full speed, was still at a considerable distance.</p> + +<p class="normal">That turning of his head, however, had nearly cost him his life; for +the three men immediately behind him, having been detached to the +other side, one of the reiters, emboldened by this circumstance, +spurred suddenly forward, and aimed a long heavy stroke at the head of +the young nobleman, which struck him upon the neck, and had it not +been for the goodness of his arms, must inevitably have killed him on +the spot. As it was, the blow made the count bend almost to his +saddle-bow: but it was only to raise himself again immediately, and to +return the blow with a force and vigour which cast the reiter headlong +from his horse.</p> + +<p class="normal">At the same time the three men whom he had detached, passed round to +the right of the cross. The reiters, who were opposed to them on that +side, prepared to stop their progress; but as they were about to do +so, they perceived Gondrin, the page, and Maître Henri, with one of +his attendants, advancing at full speed a little further to the right. +This was enough to make them desist their opposition to the others, +and turn to close the path on that side, while the three followers of +Charles of Montsoreau, taking advantage of the space thus left, +wheeled upon the men on the left side of the cross, and drove them +back, trampling upon their fallen companion.</p> + +<p class="normal">The young nobleman, as soon as he saw the success of this manœuvre, +drew in his rein for a moment, in order to suffer it to be fully +executed, and the reiters to be driven back into the road up which +they had come. On the other hand, they, finding themselves decidedly +overmatched, suffered this to be accomplished with ease, and made the +best of their way back towards the larger body of their comrades, who +were now coming down at full speed to their support.</p> + +<p class="normal">The moment that Charles of Montsoreau saw this accomplished, he turned +his head once more to Maître Henri, exclaiming, "On, on, with all +speed! I will insure you at least ten minutes:". and then, without +waiting for any answer, he brought the greater part of his men into +the road down which the chief body of the reiters was advancing, and +prepared, as best he might, to stand the coming shock, which was +certain to be tremendous.</p> + +<p class="normal">In the mean while, Maître Henri, with Gondrin on one side, and the boy +on the other, had advanced at full speed towards the three reiters on +the right of the cross. One of the stranger's own attendants followed +only a step behind; but as they came up, a fierce-looking, powerful +man, from amongst their opponents, aimed his petronel right at the +head of Maître Henri, exclaiming, "I know thee! I know thee!" and was +in the very act of firing, when the page, making his horse spring +forward, endeavoured to grasp the muzzle of the piece.</p> + +<p class="normal">He did not succeed entirely, but was enabled to turn the weapon in +some degree, so that the ball passed through the tall Spanish hat of +Maître Henri; and being fired from the higher ground on which the +cross stood, entered the head of the attendant who was coming up +behind, and killed him on the spot. The contest at that point was thus +rendered a very unequal one, there being but two men, and one of those +nearly unarmed, with a boy of fourteen or fifteen, opposed to three +strong and well-armed men.</p> + +<p class="normal">As all knew, however, that the party headed by Charles of Montsoreau +could maintain the road but a very short time against the force coming +down upon him, the gain or loss of a minute was every thing to those +who were struggling on the right of the cross. The long heavy sword +usually borne by the reiter was but feebly opposed by the light weapon +of Maître Henri; but that light weapon was used with a degree of +skill, coolness, and presence of mind which made up for the disparity; +and, with the page still close to his side, he was driving back his +immediate opponent, warding off every sweep of his heavy blade, +pressing him so hard whenever he paused for a moment, as to prevent +him from snatching one of the pistols from his saddle-bow, and +gradually urging his own charger onward, till he had very nearly +cleared the road before him, when one of the other two reiters--who +had hitherto attached themselves to Gondrin, as the only completely +equipped man-at-arms of the opposite party--turned suddenly upon +Maître Henri, and assailed him on the right, while the other rapidly +recovered his ground upon the left.</p> + +<p class="normal">Never, however, did skill, strength, and presence of mind, do so much +for one individual as they did for the man in grey. For a moment or +two he applied himself solely to the defensive, wheeling his horse +from the one to the other, as they attacked him with the most +extraordinary rapidity and skill,--now parrying one blow, now parrying +another, and still watching for an opportunity of resuming the +offensive. At length the reiter who was assailing him on his right +hand, seeing that their other companion had by this time been well +nigh mastered by Gondrin, determined to end all by killing the horse +of the man opposed to him, and with the bridle in his teeth, and his +sword in both hands, aimed a tremendous blow at the poor animal's +head; but Maître Henri instantly divining his intention, turned the +spur sharply into the horse's side, and reined him to the left at the +same time.</p> + +<p class="normal">The noble animal, practised for years to comprehend the slightest +indication of its rider's will, instantly took a demivolte, as it was +called, to the left with a sharp spring. The reiter's sword descended +with tremendous force; but the object at which he had aimed was just +beyond his reach, and the weight of the sword, with the impetus he had +given the blow, nearly threw him from the saddle, making him bend down +to his saddle-bow. The opportunity was all that his opponent desired; +his horse was turned like lightning, and before the man could raise +himself, he received a severe wound in the back of the neck, which +made heaven and earth, and the whole scene around, swim dizzily before +his eyes.</p> + +<p class="normal">The other reiter on the left, however, was upon the successful +swordsman in a moment. By this time his pistol was in his hand, and a +very slight movement brought the muzzle within a foot of Maître +Henri's bosom.</p> + +<p class="normal">That advantage retained for one single second more might have changed +the destiny of many thousands of human beings; but at the very moment +that he was sure of his aim, and about to draw the trigger, a strong, +well-aimed, unhesitating blow from the hand of the page, drove the +dagger, with which he was armed, under the very arm which held the +pistol, between it and his corselet. So strong, so determined was that +blow, that the weapon entered to the very haft, and there remained, +fixed between the corselet and the brassard, so that the boy could not +withdraw it.</p> + +<p class="normal">But that mattered not, the weapon had cut through many a vital part in +its passage; the sick faintness of death came upon the man's heart and +brain; the pistol and the reins dropped from his hands; and, after a +reeling attempt to keep the saddle, he fell headlong to the ground.</p> + +<p class="normal">One glance of the eye had shown Maître Henri all that took place; and +without uttering a word, he continued the fight with his other +antagonist, taking advantage of the wound he had given him, and +pressing him so hard, that at length the horse, reined back upon the +slippery ground of the forest road, reared, and fell over with his +rider, crushing him under its weight.</p> + +<p class="normal">By this time, though the space that had elapsed was very short, +Gondrin had so far got the better of his antagonist, that the man's +steel cap had fallen off under the repeated blows of the huntsman, and +a deep bleeding wound in the forehead showed that the protection of +the casque was not a little wanting. The sight of one of his +companions dead upon the ground, and of the horse falling over with +the other, did not give him any very great encouragement to pursue the +strife; and he was making the best of his way, closely pursued by +Gondrin, towards the branch of the road which led up to the right, +when the voice of Maître Henri attracted the huntsman's ear, +exclaiming, "Leave him, leave him! Let us make our way onward, with +all speed, now that the road is clear."</p> + +<p class="normal">Gondrin certainly asked himself, "Is it fair and right to leave my +noble master thus?" But the orders of that master had been distinct, +and he obeyed at all risks, following Maître Henri, who galloped on +with a degree of speed which, to the eyes of the huntsman, seemed +somewhat unseemly. At the distance of about a mile and a half, +however, the road took a turn to the left; and, in a moment, a large +body of horse was before the eyes of the fugitives, advancing at a +somewhat quick pace towards the scene where the late contest had taken +place. On the left breast of each corselet appeared a double cross; +and, without drawing his rein for a moment, Maître Henri galloped up +towards them, while a loud shout of "The Duke! the Duke!" burst from +the ranks of the soldiery.</p> + +<p class="normal">Few, however, were the words which the man in grey spoke. He wheeled +his horse at their head, bade Gondrin and the page get into the rear; +adding, "You have had fighting enough for to-day, my friends,"--and in +a moment the whole body was put to full speed, and advancing towards +the cross, in the heart of the wood.</p> + +<p class="normal">They came but up in time, however; for Charles of Montsoreau, though +contending pertinaciously for every inch of ground, from a knowledge +of how needful was each moment to his companion, had been driven back +by superior numbers into the other road, and, though still keeping his +face to the enemy, and closing the path against them, was losing +ground rapidly.</p> + +<p class="normal">In the first shock with the reiters, he had turned his head to +ascertain that there was no space left for the passage of the enemy, +and had beheld, to his surprise, that two or three of Maître Henri's +servants had remained with him, instead of following their master. In +answer to an exclamation expressive of his surprise, however, one of +the men merely replied, "It was his order;" and the fierceness of the +struggle that ensued left no room for farther inquiry.</p> + +<p class="normal">The number of reiters amounted to at least fifty men; and had the +space been open, the young cavalier must have been overpowered in a +moment. But the arrival, nay, the very sight, of the strong body that +now came down to his assistance, changed in a moment the aspect of the +whole scene.</p> + +<p class="normal">At a single word from the lips of Maître Henri, the lances of the +three first lines of his horsemen were levelled in an instant; the +reiters halted in mid-career; and Charles of Montsoreau, at once +comprehending what had occurred, opened the way, as far as possible, +by drawing his wounded and weary followers out of the road, and +plunging their horses, where they could, in amongst the trees. The +reiters wavered for a moment, as if hesitating whether to retreat at +once, or endeavour to make a stand; but so sudden and unexpected was +the appearance of the adverse horse, that nothing had been prepared +for retreat; and the commander found himself forced to maintain his +ground for a time, till the ranks that followed could be wheeled and +withdrawn.</p> + +<p class="normal">In the mean time, with loud cries of "Lorraine! Lorraine<a name="div3Ref_02" href="#div3_02"><sup>[2]</sup></a>! A Guise! +a Guise!" the adverse cavalry came down; but the German horse could +not stand for a moment before the long lances of the men-at-arms, and +in a few minutes all was confusion, flight, and pursuit.</p> + +<p class="normal">As soon as the cavalry of Lorraine had passed by, Charles of +Montsoreau drew his men out again from the wood, and, perfectly secure +from any further annoyance, began to count his loss, and to examine +into the state of the wounded men who had continued to fight on by his +side. He himself was bleeding from a sharp wound in the head, received +from so strong a blow of one of the reiter's heavy swords, that not +even his steel cap had been able to protect him. He had another wound, +also, from a pistol ball in the left arm; but it was very slight, and +had not prevented him from managing his horse with ease. Almost every +man about him was more or less wounded, and some severely, but only +two had been left on the ground from which he had been driven; and he +hastened on after the two parties still engaged in conflict, to see +for those who were thus missing.</p> + +<p class="normal">Luckily, the reiters, in their retreat, had followed the straight road +behind them, instead of taking that by which they came; otherwise the +whole force of charging cavalry must have passed over the young +count's two followers.</p> + +<p class="normal">One of them was still living, and afterwards recovered, though he was +at the time so severely wounded in the leg that he could not move from +the spot where he lay. The other was quite dead, a pistol ball having +passed through his head.</p> + +<p class="normal">The road through the wood was now, for a minute or two, turned into an +hospital; and all that was possible was done to stanch the bleeding of +the wounds which had been received, and to put the men in a state to +pursue their onward journey towards Rheims. Nor were the wounded +reiters themselves neglected; for Charles of Montsoreau was not one to +forget, as soon as the eagerness of the actual strife was over, that +his adversaries were his fellow-men.</p> + +<p class="normal">This had been scarcely completed, and the young count once more on +horseback again, when the sound of distant trumpets ringing merrily +through the wood gave notice that the horsemen of Lorraine were on +their return; and in a few minutes after a group of some six or seven +cavaliers, with Maître Henri at their head, appeared coming up the +road, followed at the distance of a couple of hundred yards by the +body of cavalry he had met with so opportunely. All was laughter and +merriment amongst the little group of officers; and, though Maître +Henri himself was not loud in his mirth, he came on smiling at the +jests and gibes of the others, and sometimes answering them in the +same strain, though with a manner somewhat chastened and stately.</p> + +<p class="normal">At the distance of about twenty or five and twenty yards from the +young count, he held up his hand to the troops that followed, +pronouncing die word "Halt!" Then riding up with his group of +officers, he grasped Charles of Montsoreau warmly by the hand; and, +turning to those who followed, said, "Noble lords, to this gallant +gentleman, to his courage, skill, determination, and good faith, I owe +life or liberty. You are witnesses that, in the fullest manner, I +acknowledge the debt, and that in no manner will I fail to pay it, +when he chooses to call upon me."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Your highness is too generous in your consideration of the service," +replied Charles of Montsoreau. "I came from a distant part of France +to seek you, in order to offer you my poor services--perhaps somewhat +tardily--in your efforts to chase from the soil of our native country +bands of foreign adventurers who have no business to meddle with our +intestine quarrels. I found you likely to be surprised by accident by +one of those bands; and what could I do less than assist you to the +utmost of my power?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Our views of the extent of the service," replied the Duke of Guise, +with the bright smile of his house playing on his lip, "must be +somewhat different, I fear, my young friend. But now we have met, we +will not part speedily. You must be my guest, and go on with me, first +to Rheims, and then to Soissons, with all speed. There we will talk of +our future alliance; for the Count de Logères and the Duke of Guise +shall treat together as crown to crown, and nobody call it treason. I +have," he continued in a lower voice, but with a marked and meaning +smile--"I have to ask you many questions in regard to a fair child of +our house, who has, according to her letters and to yours, received +the same protection and defence at your hands which you have this day +afforded her uncle. Perhaps it may be on her account that you come to +seek me. Is it so, good friend?"</p> + +<p class="normal">The words of the Duke--those words which, under other circumstances, +might have been the brightest and the dearest to the heart of Charles +of Montsoreau--now entered into his spirit like a sword. The beaming +smile of his race upon the lip of the princely Guise called up +before the eye of fancy in a moment the form of the beautiful and +beloved being on whose countenance he had first seen it. All his +tenderness--all his affection for her--all the deep, unchangeable +attachment of his heart--were felt at that moment more deeply, more +powerfully, than ever; but, at the same time, strong upon his mind, +came the bitter resolution he had taken to yield his hopes of +happiness, to cast away his chance, his most probable chance, of the +brightest joy that fancy could dream of, and to yield to the brother +who had ill-treated him all those advantages which he himself of right +possessed.</p> + +<p class="normal">The blood fled from his cheek to his heart, as if to strengthen it +against the pains and against the temptations of that moment; and the +Duke of Guise, seeing him turn very pale, judged, perhaps, wrongly of +his feelings, and again grasped him by the hand, saying, "Fear not, +fear not, good friend. Come, let us on upon our way. I may meet with +tidings at Rheims to hasten my progress onwards."</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2><a name="div1_11" href="#div1Ref_11">CHAP. XI.</a></h2> +<br> + +<p class="normal">During the two days that followed the events recorded in the last few +pages, Charles of Montsoreau had scarcely any opportunity of speaking +with the Duke of Guise, without that multitude of listeners around, +which renders all conversation general and frequently insignificant. +It is true he dwelt in the same splendid hotel which served the Duke +for his residence in the city of Rheims; that he dined with him at the +same table; that he was present on every occasion when he received the +nobles who flocked around him. But the continual press of business of +various kinds, the constant coming and going of couriers from and to +Paris and Nancy; the writing of letters that seemed innumerable, and +the almost hourly consultations with different members of the clergy +and officers of the army, seemed to occupy the whole private time of +the Duke of Guise, and to leave him no space for either thought or +repose.</p> + +<p class="normal">At length on the third morning, when the young nobleman had +breakfasted with the Duke in company with the Duke of Nemours, the +Baron d'Aussonville, the bailiff of St. Michael, and a number of other +gentlemen, with two or three ladies of the good town of Rheims--who +seemed not a little anxious to attract the attention of the +Duke--Guise, on rising to proceed to other business, drew his young +friend aside for a moment, and asked him some questions concerning the +wounded men. The Count replied that they all bade fair to recover; and +after a few words more, spoken in the same tone, and evidently +intended for the ears of those around, though apparently addressed to +him in private, the Duke dropped his voice nearly to a whisper, +saying, "I have much to talk with you about. Sup with me alone +to-night at nine o'clock, when I trust we shall have time to make all +our arrangements."</p> + +<p class="normal">Charles of Montsoreau did not miss the hour; but descending from the +apartments which had been assigned to him, and which were immediately +over those of the Duke, he proceeded to the hall where he had usually +found him, but in which he now met with no one but a solitary +lute-player, a great favourite with the Duke of Guise. The musician +was now seated with his instrument in his hand, with one of his feet +raised upon the huge andirons of the fireplace, and his hands employed +in striking from time to time a few low and listless sounds from the +instrument that lay upon his knee. The man had thus been apparently +left solitary for some time; for no sooner did Charles of Montsoreau +appear, than, seizing him by one of the buttons of his doublet, he +began to tell him a long story, of not the most interesting kind, from +which the young count would willingly have delivered himself.</p> + +<p class="normal">Perhaps the greatest art of human benevolence that can be conceived, +is that of listening with a tolerable appearance of satisfaction to a +tiresome tale; and Charles of Montsoreau, whose heart was really kind +and gentle, and who had not yet learned in the great wise school of +the world the lesson of treading upon the feelings of others, did his +best to seem interested, till one of the Duke's servants entered the +room, and, after a glance around, retired without any further +announcement. A moment or two after, while the young nobleman was +still in the sort of durance in which the lute-player held him, the +servant again made his appearance, and, walking straight up to him, +informed him that the Duke wished to speak with him in his cabinet.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Show me the way," said the young nobleman, detaching his button from +the grasp of the musician--"show me the way, and I will come +directly."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, I will go with you, and show you the way," exclaimed the +lute-player: "I've no idea of staying here all by myself, as +melancholy as a rat in a rat-trap."</p> + +<p class="normal">"His Highness particularly said," observed the servant in a dry tone, +"that he wished to converse with Monsieur de Logères alone."</p> + +<p class="normal">The lute-player looked confounded and mortified; but Charles of +Montsoreau, not a little pleased to be rid of his company, followed +the attendant, and in a few moments was ushered into the Duke's +cabinet. It was a small but somewhat lengthened octangular room, lined +throughout with dark black oak, carved in the most exquisite manner. +From the centre of the ceiling hung a silver chain, bearing a large +lamp of the same material, with eight burners. At the further end of +the room was the fireplace, and in the midst a small table with two +covers and a number of dishes and cups of silver, some plain, some +jewelled at the rim.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Duke himself was standing at the farther side with his back to the +fire, reading a letter by the light of a small lamp which shed its +rays over his shoulder; and certainly as he stood there, now dressed +in the magnificent costume of those days, partially reclining against +the projecting chimney, with the letter raised in his hand, the light +of the lamp streaming over his shoulder, but catching brightly upon +his cheek and lip, and on the rich brown beard and mustachio, with the +deep carved oak behind him, and a certain sort of gloomy splendour +round that part of the room, there probably never was any thing so +graceful, so princely, so dignified, as his whole appearance.</p> + +<p class="normal">He folded up the letter as soon as Charles of Montsoreau's step +sounded in the cabinet, and banishing a slight frown which had been +upon his brow while reading, he advanced to the table with a smile +saying, "Our viands are getting cold, Monsieur le Comte."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I went into the usual hall," replied the young nobleman, "not knowing +where to find your Highness, and fearful of intruding upon you."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I should have told you, I should have told you, dear friend," replied +the Duke: "when I wish to have an hour in private for conversation +with any of my most confidential friends, I sup in my own cabinet, +which is the only place to which my worthy countrymen and +acquaintances will grant the right of sanctuary.--Now Martinez," he +continued, speaking to the servant, "uncover the dishes, put us down +some good wine, bring me in a <i>naquet</i> to hold our dirty platters, and +then leave us."</p> + +<p class="normal">"The attendant did as he was commanded, removed the tops of the +dishes, put several bottles of wine down by the side of the Duke, and +after bringing in a sort of buffet on a small scale, somewhat like +what we now call a dumb waiter, but which was then called by the name +of <i>naquet</i>, (though that word was only properly applied to the marker +of a tennis-court), he retired, shutting the door closely behind him.</p> + +<p class="normal">"This is an hour of relief," said the Duke, as soon as the man was +gone; "for our business to-night, dear count, must of course be light +and easy to us both--light to you, because you have nothing to do but +to express your wishes and desires to Henry of Guise, and light to me, +as nothing can be more joyful to my heart than to show my gratitude +for the services that you have rendered me, and to express, in every +manner in my power, my esteem and regard for yourself, and my +admiration for your conduct."<a name="div3Ref_03" href="#div3_03"><sup>[3]</sup></a></p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, my Lord," replied Charles of Montsoreau, "I thought you had +forgotten by this time to use such high-flown expressions towards me."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Call them not high-flown, good friend," replied the Duke: "persons +situated as I am, dealing with and often obliged of sheer necessity to +excite the worst passions of our fellow-creatures, meet so rarely with +frank, disinterested service, that when it comes upon us in the sudden +way that yours has come upon me, without claim, without expectation, +without any previous notice, it strikes us as something both wonderful +and beautiful; and we admire, as we would the visit of an angel, that +which gives us a view of a fairer state of being than the one with +which our daily thoughts are familiar. Besides, if I must own the +truth, too, there was something in the frankness--some of my adulators +would call it the bluntness--with which you dealt with me in the +little inn at Mareuil, evidently knowing me all the time, but still +treating me as the comrade of an inn dining-room, which, as you may +suppose, struck me not a little. But a truce to all fine speeches: let +us begin our supper; and after doing justice to what Maître Lanecque +has set before us, we will discuss the matter further at our ease."</p> + +<p class="normal">Although the cookery of that day, as exemplified in a small but +refined supper of the Duke of Guise, might well astonish, both from +its materials and its combinations, any of the culinary artists of the +present day, both the Duke and his young friend found it excellent, +and every thing was praised as it deserved. The wine also was of the +finest kind that could be procured, and the Duke was liberal of it; +but Charles of Montsoreau was not one to be tempted by any vintage to +drink more than was beneficial to him either corporeally or mentally; +and though the Duke of Guise drank more than himself, he pressed not +the ruby juice of the grape upon his young friend after he once saw +that it might become disagreeable to him.</p> + +<p class="normal">Towards Charles of Montsoreau, indeed, he had none of those designs +which lead wily politicians sometimes to press the wine-cup upon a +tyro. He might, it is true, be somewhat surprised at the easy and +courtly grace with which a young nobleman, educated almost entirely in +the provinces, met and mingled with the highest and most stately in +the land; and he might, consequently, be a little inclined to see him +off his guard; but when he found that he was not disposed to take any +more, he abstained from asking him, and pursued the subject of their +former discourse, interrupted by various little remarks upon things of +an ordinary character, touching them, however, with grace and ease, +which raised them all, and made them harmonise with graver discourse.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Now, Monsieur de Logères," he said, as soon as he had passed to his +young friend the dish at his end of the table with which they +commenced the meal, "tell me clearly and exactly what were your +motives and your views in coming hither from so far to seek me; for it +would seem that you have been acting entirely independently of your +brother. Speak to me, my good friend, without reserve of any kind, as +to a brother--as to a father, if you will--for I am old enough surely, +both in years and experience, to claim that title, though indeed it is +not I who have given you life, but you to whom I owe it."</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is scarcely either needful or possible, my Lord," replied the +young count, "for me to tell your Highness more than I have already +told. In the first place, I came to see my lands of Logères, which, as +you well know, lie not above forty or fifty miles from this spot--a +long day's journey. I have only seen them once since the death of my +father. I have withdrawn but a small part of the revenues from the +improvement of the territory, and the encouragement of the peasantry; +and it is time that I should now see what is the state of the whole. +At the same time, I thought and believed that I had remained somewhat +too long a spectator of the contentions which distract my native land. +Now, my Lord Duke, I had to choose between three personages, the great +leaders of the present day--Henry of Navarre, Henry of France, and +Henry Duke of Guise, The first seemed to me out of the question, +though a gallant and a noble prince; for, waging war as he does, for +the advancement of heresy, it was not for me to draw my sword in such +a cause. Between the other two there could surely be no question; for +though I may not think your Highness always right in every thing that +you have done, yet as a gallant and a knightly leader, as one whom a +brave and true-hearted man may follow, there is none whom I know that +I could choose against yourself from one end of Europe to the other. +In attaching myself to you, too, I trust and am sure that I do not ill +serve my king; and, to say but the truth, I would far rather serve his +Majesty under another, than come within the reach of his perfumes and +cosmetics."</p> + +<p class="normal">The Duke of Guise smiled, and leaning his arm upon the table, gazed +down for a moment or two in a meditative mood, not a little struck and +surprised at the calm and reasoning, but bold and straight-forward +frankness with which his young companion spoke. Perhaps, too, he +traced back into the past the various motives and views with which the +different distinguished men, who appeared as followers of the three +leaders mentioned, had chosen their party, and he might find none +amongst them all who were actuated by such feelings as the young man +before him. He was silent for several moments then; and the first +thing that roused him was the young count adding, to what he had said, +"Indeed, my Lord, this was my pure and simple motive."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I doubt it not. Monsieur de Logères," replied the Duke, drawing +towards him another dish--"I doubt it not; and this is a pure and +simple salmi, and apparently as good a one as ever was cooked; but +still, if you were to ask Maître Lanecque to analyse it--try it, good +friend, you will find it an antidote against all the poisons and evils +of the inn at Mareuil, and other such pestiferous places--but, as I +was saying, if you were to ask Maître Lanecque to analyse this simple +salmi, you would find it composed of some hundreds of different things +besides the woodcock, which is the basis of the whole. All these +accessories are admirable in themselves, and contribute to make the +woodcock better. And thus it is in life. Every human motive is a +salmi, cooked by a skilful artist, for our own palates as well as +those that observe them. There is one grand and apparent cause of +action, which may be considered as the woodcock, but there are a +thousand minor motives, incentives, and inducements, the condiments, +the gravies, the truffles, the toast, which nobody ever thinks of +counting, which pass, in fact, under cover of the woodcock, and which, +nevertheless, all tend to make the salmi what it is. Now, I have no +doubt on earth, my dear young friend, that the great motive of your +coming hither was what you say; but were there not other motives +joined therewith--feelings, designs, views, and purposes of your own, +all mingling together, to aid and strengthen your original motive--in +fact, to make up the salmi?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Charles of Montsoreau knew and felt that there were; for he could not +help remembering the real cause of his quitting his brother's dwelling +in such haste, and the resolutions then taken, which were still strong +within him, to be generous, even to the utmost extent of human +generosity, towards one who had been ungenerous to him. He now looked +down thoughtfully for a moment; but he was by nature far too frank and +open to conceal his thoughts from one who sought them in the way which +they were sought by the Duke of Guise.</p> + +<p class="normal">"My Lord," he said, "if your Highness means to ask, whether there were +or were not private feelings which induced me at once to plunge into +contentions from which I had long withheld myself, and combined with +the general public motives which otherwise called upon me so to do, I +by no means deny that there were such feelings; and had it not been +for them--though I certainly think I should have joined your Highness +before many months were over--yet it might not have been so early or +so opportunely as it has turned out."</p> + +<p class="normal">The Duke smiled frankly, and replied, "I thought so, Monsieur de +Logères. You are always candid and true, and you shall see at once, by +my next question, why I asked you this so particularly. Tell me, has +not a fair relation of mine, who has found a place of refuge in the +castle of Montsoreau--has she not something to do with the motives +that you speak of?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"She has, my Lord," replied Charles of Montsoreau--"but not in the way +which I see you imagine."</p> + +<p class="normal">The Duke laughed. "What!" he exclaimed,--"pretty Mistress Marie of +Clairvaut has, I suppose, been acting the prude with you, as usual, +and gave you warning, when it was too late, that she intended to +plunge herself into a convent. Take heart of grace, man--take heart of +grace. Though she has ever yet shown herself, in these affairs of +love, as cold as the top of the Vosges, and as hard as the +nether-millstone, yet she is always candid and true, poor girl; and in +two letters which have reached me from her hand, the one sent by your +own courier, the other arriving to-day, she speaks of you, and of your +services towards her, in terms that admit of no mistake. I do not mean +to say you know that you have won her heart, because her heart is not +one easily won, but I do most assuredly think that you may win it; and +if you do, as far as Henry of Guise's power goes, you win her too."</p> + +<p class="normal">There is nothing so terrible on earth, as when some friendly hand +approaches to our lips the cup of joy, seeing not, knowing not, that +we must not, that we dare not, that we cannot drink, when accidental +words, perhaps most kindly spoken, present to the eye of fancy, in +colours more vivid than ever, the pictures that were once painted by +the hand of hope, after every fair reality that they represented is +done away, and nothing remains but the memory and the endurance. +Terrible, indeed, was the temptation of Charles of Montsoreau, and +terrible the struggle in his bosom. Not the arch-fiend himself could +exhort man to break high resolutions more powerfully, than did the +words spoken with the best intentions by the Duke of Guise. But +amongst those words were a few, which, by recalling to the mind of the +young nobleman most strongly the circumstances on which his +determination was founded, gave him strength to endure. Had the Duke +said that he knew her heart was won, those few words would have put +all his resolutions to an end; but he implied that her heart was not +won, and it was upon that persuasion that all his purposes had been +hitherto framed.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Duke of Guise saw him once more turn very pale, and was not a +little puzzled to divine the cause. "Why do you not answer?" he +demanded, after pausing for a moment or two. "In consideration of a +vast service, I have spoken to you as I would to no other man under a +prince's dignity in Europe."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And I am most grateful, my Lord," replied the Count; "but your +Highness has mistaken me. My pretensions to the hand of Mademoiselle +de Clairvaut are too small, too few to be thought of even by myself. +My brother, indeed, may have greater pretensions. Your Highness knows +that his estates in the south are considerable; that his race, though +certainly not equal to that of the princely house of Guise, is as old +and as pure as any in France; but he has a thousand high qualities +that you do not know. He is brave, skilful, with far more experience +than myself, faithful and true in his attachments, and even more +zealous and eager than I am in every thing he undertakes. Let any +little services of mine, my Lord, be attributed to him; let him also +serve and attach himself to your Highness; and let the sum of the +affection and zeal of both in your cause induce you to look favourably +upon his suit, even should he aspire to the hand of Mademoiselle de +Clairvaut."</p> + +<p class="normal">"By my faith," exclaimed the Duke of Guise, pushing the glass of wine +which he was just about to drink away from him--"By my faith, this is +the most extraordinary piece of business, I think, I ever heard of!" +And he paused, thoughtfully gazing down upon the table. "You are a +strange youth," he continued, "and there is something under this which +I do not understand. But, be you sure, Maître Charles, that Maître +Henri will unriddle it. And now let me tell you something that you do +not know yourself. I have this very morning received an epistle from +your brother; an epistle which, though eloquent enough, well written, +clear, and masterly, yet I love not altogether. He tells me, that the +passports for my niece, from Henri of Navarre, have arrived; but that +he judges it best, seeing the troubled state of the country, to escort +her towards Soissons himself, with a sufficient band to protect her +against any attack. He speaks of you, too, as '<i>a brother of his</i>,' +and gives as a reason for delaying a day or two ere he sets out, that +you had taken with you on your journey some men from the castle, so +that it is necessary for him to increase his numbers ere he departs."</p> + +<p class="normal">"That was hardly generous of him," said Charles of Montsoreau, calmly; +"for I took no more than my own immediate retainers, except, indeed, +the one man, Gondrin, whom your Highness knows, and who was born upon +my own lands of Logères."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, I know him well, indeed," replied the Duke, "and owe him much. We +will have him and the page in before we part, that I may thank them. +And so, Monsieur de Logères, you will let me do nothing for you."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Say not so, my Lord," replied the Count, "I ask you much, when I ask +you for the honour and the pleasure of serving under you, and also +express the hope that you will always treat me and consider me as +now."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, such requests are easily granted," said the Duke: "you shall +command a company of my Albanians, and be ever near my person; but +still I shall consider that there is a debt to be paid, and shall +reserve the payment thereof for a year; and if you name not your own +boon by that time, I shall force my gratitude upon you. There is some +mystery in your conduct which at present I do not understand. But all +earthly mysteries disappear, my good young friend. When they +represented Time, they would have done well to put a torch in his hand +as well as a scythe, for he throws light upon all things. I will write +about the Albanian company this night."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Your pardon, my Lord," replied Charles of Montsoreau--"but I would +fain serve you at the head of my own people. Give me but a month away +from you, and I will bring you a hundred steel-caps from Logères, +mounted, armed, and trained as well as any cavaliers in France. All +the tenantry are bred to arms there from their infancy, so that but a +short space will suffice."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You are resolved to make me still more your debtor," said the Duke; +"and I will acknowledge, that at the present moment the assistance of +every brave and true-hearted man in France is needful to Henry of +Guise; for oh, my young friend, I have to deal with as wily a serpent +as ever was hatched in the Asiatic deserts. Were it but Henry of +Navarre I had to deal with, the contest in this country would soon be +settled, for as gallant a knight, and as noble a gentleman is he, as +ever lived; frank, generous, and true; and with our lances in our +hands and our helmets on our heads, we could decide the fate of France +between us in an hour. But when I have to deal with one who, +professing love and friendship, would poison the chalice, or arm the +assassin's hand against me; who, while he feigns to listen to my +counsel, deals secretly with every enemy of his state and of his +country; who betrays every secret that is intrusted to him as soon as +he finds an interest in so doing; and who only sinks from the activity +of evil-doing into voluptuous, effeminate, indecent repose;--when I +have to deal with such a man as that, I say, the support of every true +man in France is needful to me, to free my country from the evils that +afflict her--never forgetting my duty to the crown. Go, my young +friend, arm your vassals, bring to me every man that you can command, +and you shall find Henry of Lorraine as deeply grateful to you for +this new service as he is for that which is past. I will make no +further professions to you. What I have said already ought to be +enough to convince you, that with me, at least, neither the pride nor +the ambition, of which they unjustly accuse our race, can stand in the +way of gratitude. Now, however, let us have in your man Gondrin and +your little page. He speaks, it seems to me, with a foreign accent. +Where did you get him?"</p> + +<p class="normal">As he spoke, the Duke rang a silver bell which stood by his side, and +gave orders to the servant who appeared to seek for the two attendants +of the young Count, and bring them before him. While he was absent, +Charles of Montsoreau gave him a full account of his accidental +meeting with the boy Ignati, and of his redeeming him from the hands +of the Italians. The tale seemed to interest the Duke not a little; +and, after musing for a moment, he said, "You see, my young friend, +how kindness and services always render men greedy. I would to heaven +that you would give me these two who have gone with me through such a +moment of peril. I feel as if that boy were destined again to do me +some great service."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Take him, my Lord, with all my heart," replied Charles of Montsoreau, +"not that I put any great faith in such presentiments; but as I +redeemed the boy from these men only for his own good, far be it from +me to stay him in any way from advancement. Your Highness remembers, +however, that he is not noble, and therefore can scarcely be your +page."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, we set our foot upon such things now," replied the Duke--"the +service of the Guise shall make him noble. But here they are. Come +hither, good youth," he added, as the boy and Gondrin entered--"let me +look in your face: it seems to me as if I had seen you somewhere +before. Your look pleases me, and memory seems to bring it back with +pleasure. Where have I beheld you?"</p> + +<p class="normal">The boy looked up in the Duke's face, with his colour slightly +heightened, but his manner calm and self-possessed. "You have seen me, +my Lord," he said, "in the good town of Nancy, in the palace of the +noble Duke of Lorraine, upon the night of a high festival, where many +a gallant lord and many a bright lady sat around you; and a poor +Italian boy was brought in to dance and sing before the high table at +which you feasted. The princes, and the nobles round, the beautiful +women, and the politic matrons, poured their money into the cap which +my hard taskmaster handed round; but the Duke of Guise alone called up +poor Ignati to his side, laid his hand upon his head, thanked him for +his music, and gave him a broad piece of gold for himself."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I remember," said the Duke, thoughtfully, "I remember. Well, boy, by +that kind word, and that broad piece, it seems I have purchased +service that never was bought at so light a rate. My good Lord of +Logères, when the pistol of a reiter was within a foot of my breast, +his finger on the trigger, and my life apparently at his mercy, with +nothing but a grey doublet between, me and destruction, this boy +proved better to me than a breastplate of Milan steel, and, by driving +his dagger into the heart of my adversary, saved the life of Henry of +Guise, for whatever period God in his grace may grant it further. Will +you give me this youth, my Lord, to be my page?"</p> + +<p class="normal">The young Count bowed his head in token of assent, and the Duke went +on. "What say you, boy? would you willingly serve me?"</p> + +<p class="normal">The boy paused, and looked down, while the tears rose in his eyes. +Then, turning his look to Charles of Montsoreau, he said, "He has been +very kind to me!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Come, come, Ignati," said the young Count, "I will not have your heart +spoil your fortunes, my good youth. I took you for your own service, +not for mine; and though I like you well, and would willingly have you +with me, yet this is a noble offer, and must not be refused."</p> + +<p class="normal">The boy then knelt down and kissed the Duke of Guise's hand, saying, +"I am your Highness's servant."</p> + +<p class="normal">"So shalt thou be, Ignati," replied the Duke, with one of the bright +smiles of the Guise. "But I will tell thee what thou shalt do. Thou +shalt go with this young lord to his lands of Logères, and be my spy +upon all his actions and his thoughts. Then, if thou findest out that +thing on all the earth which he most wishes and desires to possess, +and bringest me the tidings thereof, thou shalt have a purse of broad +pieces for thy pains. When he comes back, thou shalt come to be of my +household; and, as I trust that he will be ever near me, thou mayest +find many a way of serving him also.--Now, good soldier," he +continued, turning to Gondrin, "you, too, have aided me well in a +moment of great need: what recompense shall the Duke of Guise offer +you? Will you take service with him, and he will care for your +fortunes?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I thank you, my Lord," replied Gondrin, bluntly. "But on this young +gentleman's lands was I born, his race have I served, his forest +sports have I tended through all my life, and I think I will not leave +him now, unless he dismount me out of his troop; and then, pardie! I +think I shall follow him on foot. What I did for your Highness was +done by his orders. I knew you but as Maître Henri, with a grey +doublet and a cock's feather, so that I deserve neither thanks nor +recompense, though I will gladly serve your Highness under him, if God +and the good Count so will it."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Would that there were many such as thou art!" said the Duke of Guise, +thoughtfully. "There are few who will not quit old kindness for new +preferment. Here, my friend, take you that ring, in memory of Henry of +Guise. It is a diamond, for which the goldsmiths will give five +hundred crowns; but, should you ever want money, he who now gives it +will gladly give a thousand crowns for it back again."</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2><a name="div1_12" href="#div1Ref_12">CHAP. XII.</a></h2> +<br> + +<p class="normal">The rock which it meets with in its course turns the impetuous river +from the way it was pursuing, even when it comes down in all the fury +of the mountain torrent. The slight slope of a green hill, the rise of +a grassy bank at an after-period, bends the calm stream hither and +thither through the plains, offering the most beautiful image of the +effect of circumstances on the course of human life. Some streams also +become coloured by the earth they pass over, or mingle readily with +the waters that flow into theirs. But there are a few--and they are +always the mightiest and most profound--which retain their original +hue and character, receive the tribute of other streams, pass over +rocks and mountains, and through the midst of deep lakes, without the +Rhone losing its glossy blue in the bosom of Lake Leman, or the Rhine +mingling its clear stream with the waters of Constance or the current +of the Maine.</p> + +<p class="normal">The firm and powerful mind may be affected in its operations by +circumstances, but not in its nature, and the depths of original +character remain unchanged from the beginning to the end of life. Even +strong feelings in such hearts, like objects cast upon a grand and +rapid river, are borne along with the current through all scenes and +circumstances, till with the waters themselves they plunge into the +ocean of eternity.</p> + +<p class="normal">Neither by nature nor by the period of his life was Charles of +Montsoreau likely to retain and nourish long any light feelings of +disappointment, but such was not the case with deep sorrows or with +strong affections. His heart was of that firm and tenacious kind that +it lost not readily any thing once strongly impressed upon it. The +love of Marie de Clairvaut was one of those things never to be +forgotten; the sorrows by which that love had been followed were never +to be obliterated from his mind.</p> + +<p class="normal">In the gay scenes of the sort of second court which the Duke of Guise +held for some days in the city of Rheims, Charles of Montsoreau +mingled without any apparent grief weighing upon his mind, or any dark +and gloomy memory seeming to oppress his spirit. He smiled with those +who smiled, he admired all that was fine, and bright, and beautiful; +and if he felt for a moment coming over him the deep melancholy with +which he had quitted his own home, and which had now concentrated +itself in his heart, he struggled against it and banished the outward +appearance of it speedily, deriving only from those deeper feelings +which lay concealed within, that degree of indifference towards the +pleasures and amusements of youth which is seldom obtained but by +experience. He forgot not Marie de Clairvaut, however--he forgot not +the painful task which he had imposed upon himself; but he gladly +occupied his immediate thoughts with the objects around him, and +remained for some days well pleased himself, and not un-noted by +others for his calm and graceful demeanour, amongst all the proud +nobles who now surrounded the princely Guise.</p> + +<p class="normal">At length, however, all his attendants but two, whose wounds promised +a tedious convalescence, were sufficiently recovered to enable him to +pursue his journey to Logères; and he set out, with his train +increased by six or seven veteran soldiers, whom the Duke spared to +him, for the purpose of completing, as rapidly as possible, the +discipline and training of his own retainers. As the distance was not +far, and the Duke of Guise had given him more than one hint that no +time was to be lost, he resolved to accomplish the march in one day; +and, setting off early in the morning, approached Logères towards +sunset upon a short spring day.</p> + +<p class="normal">It was a wild and wooded country, on the borders of the ancient +Ardennes, with the scene continually varying in minor points, but +never changing the character of rough, solitary nature, which that +part of France, and indeed many other parts, at that time displayed. +Here the ground was rocky and mountainous, shooting up into tall hills +covered with old woods; there, smooth and even, with the feet of the +primeval oaks carpeted with green turf. Then, again, came deep dells, +and banks, and ravines, and dingles, so thick that the boar could +scarcely force his way through the bushes; and then the trees fell +back, and left the wild stream wandering through green meadows, or +sporting amongst the masses of stone. If a village appeared, it was +perched high up above the road, as if afraid of the passing strangers; +if a cottage, it was nested in the brown wood, and scarcely to be +distinguished from the surrounding banks. The air was now as warm as +May, and all the sweet things that haunt the first dream of summer had +come forth: the birds were tuning their earliest songs; the flowers +were gathering round the roots of the trees, and the branches above +them were making an effort, though but faint, to cast away the brown +cloak of winter, and put on the green garmenture of the spring.</p> + +<p class="normal">The evening sunshine was clear and smiling. Pouring from under a light +cloud, which covered a part of the sky, it streamed in amongst the +bolls and branches of the trees; it gilded the green turf, and danced +upon the yellow banks: and what between the wild music of the +blackbird, and the thrush, and the woodlark, the flowers upon the +ground, the balminess of the air, the spring sunshine, and the +peaceful scene, Charles of Montsoreau felt his sorrows softened; and +though not less deeply melancholy than before, yet owned the influence +of that season, which is so near akin to youth and hope, and rode on +with a vague, but sweet feeling, that brighter hours might come.</p> + +<p class="normal">He had spent many a happy youthful day at Logères; and though he had +forgotten much, so that the charm of novelty was not altogether +wanting, he remembered enough to make his heart beat with the thrill +of memory, while many an object, once familiar to his eye, rose up, as +if to greet him on his return. At length, the road passing straight +over a ridge of rising-ground, showed him his own little village, in +the sweet valley below, with the château rising on a tall hill that +started up from the side of the little town, unconnected with any of +the other heights around. The clouds that were in the zenith at that +moment were pouring forth a light shower of spring rain; the sun was +shining bright near the edge of the horizon, catching on the +weathercocks, and turrets, and windows of the château; while spanning +over the castle and the village, and wavering on the face of the light +grey cloud above was seen the radiant bow of heaven, the pledge of +brightness for the days to come.</p> + +<p class="normal">The young Count, as he paused for a moment to gaze, could hear gay +distant voices, borne on the wind, rising up from the village in the +valley. It was a cheerful sound; but, more than any thing else, it +recalled the former times, and wove between them and the present a +tissue of associations both sweet and melancholy. He thought of the +gallant father, by whose knee he had played in those very scenes in +other days; he thought of the mother, whose inheritance those lands +had been; he thought of the mutual love and harmony that had subsisted +between them all, and how death had taken two, and how disunion had +arisen between the two that remained. He thought of all this; and he +thought of how--if fate had willed it otherwise--he might have led a +happy bride to those glittering towers, have listened with her to the +glad voices of the rejoicing peasantry, and have pointed to the +sunshine that lit their dwelling, and the rainbow that waved across +their sky, as auguries of hope, and happiness, and mutual love. He +thought of all this, and how it was all in vain: and the tears filled +his eyes, as he rode on towards the dwelling before him.</p> + +<p class="normal">The two servants, whom he had sent on the day before, had spread the +news, and given the probable hour of his coming; the street of the +village was thronged with people, in their holy-day attire; the old +grey cross, and the rude stone fountain, were decked with flowers; the +light-hearted peasantry echoed his name with shouts when he appeared, +and greetings and gratulations poured forth upon him: but the heart of +the young Count of Logères was sad. The face of nature reviving from +the wintry cold, the voices of the birds, the eloquence of sunshine +and of flowers, had soothed, and calmed, and inspirited his heart; but +the rejoicings of fellow-beings like himself--he knew not why, and he +was angry to feel it--made him even more melancholy than before.</p> + +<p class="normal">The elders of the village, conscious of dignity, the Count's own +intendant, and the seneschal of his lands, came forward to greet him, +and conduct him on his way, while Gondrin lingered behind, shaking +hands with many an old friend, and inquiring after many an old +acquaintance, vaunting the high deeds and noble qualities of his lord, +and gladdening the hearts of the villagers with the promise of great +doings at Logères.</p> + +<p class="normal">Such was Charles of Montsoreau's arrival on his own estates; but the +aspect of the interior of his dwelling again recalled bitter feelings +and manifold regrets. But we must pass over such things, and merely +notice briefly what followed after his arrival. Immediate inquiry +showed him a state of things which few lords who absent themselves +long from their own lands can ever hope to find:--his tenantry, his +vassals, were in general contented and happy; no one had been pressed +hard upon by his officers in his absence; no one brought forward any +accusation of extortion or oppression; and though there were many who +had their little petition to present, or their request to make for the +future, there was none who found occasion to complain of the past. At +the same time, he found that considerable sums, and a considerable +quantity of produce, had accumulated for his own use; that there were +large woods, the trees of which required to be thinned; that the wool +of many years yet remained to be sold; that some distant mines had +poured unexpected wealth into his coffers; and that, in fact, great +riches, which seemed still greater to an inexperienced eye, were +immediately at his command.</p> + +<p class="normal">The secret of all this was, that those left in authority behind him +were all old tried and attached servants of his mother's house; and +the feudal system had that advantage at least, if it had no other, +that it created an identity of interests between a lord and his +servants, which nothing but blindness and folly could break through on +either part.</p> + +<p class="normal">On speaking with the old seneschal in regard to the military capacity +and disposition of the people, the old man smiled at the question if +he could raise a hundred strong troopers within the ensuing month.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The ringing, sir, of the old ban-cloque," he said, "which, thank God, +I have heard but once in my day, would bring double the number of +well-armed lads round your gate in an hour. They are only angry +because, in all the feuds that have lately fallen out, I would never +let them go to join either one party or another, if I could help it. +Your own orders upon that head were strict; and I certainly thought it +very wise, as long as they judged fit to leave us at peace here, to +avoid all occasion of bringing feuds upon ourselves. Some of the young +men stole away, indeed, whether I would or not, and took service with +the good Duke of Guise against the reiters. They have almost all come +back now; but the tales they bring of battles here and there, and +driving the Germans out of France like sheep, are not likely to make +those that remained more fond of home."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I have no wish," replied the Count, "to drain the place of its +peasantry, good seneschal. A hundred men will be enough for my +purpose, and of those, none but such as are willing. I would rather, +of course, have those who have served already, if they are inclined to +serve again under their own lord's banner. And now let this be +arranged with all speed, for I have promised the Duke of Guise not to +delay a day longer than necessary."</p> + +<p class="normal">No delay or obstruction of any kind was met with by the young Count in +his proceedings. Though neither very populous nor very productive, +except in wood and pasture, his territories were very extensive; and +no sooner were his wishes known, than many more volunteers flocked in +to serve beneath his banner than he was willing to receive. With the +old soldiers who accompanied him, and the aid of such of his peasantry +as had served before, whatever was wanting to the discipline of the +rest was soon accomplished. The providing them with arms and horses +occupied a some--what longer time; but every thing was in active +preparation, when, at the expiration of about a fortnight, a courier +from the Duke of Guise arrived at Logères, bearing a letter dated from +Soissons, and addressed to the young Count.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I fear," the letter said, "that this will not find you in such a +state of preparation as to enable you to join me at once, at the +little town of Gonnesse, with all the men you promised. If you could, +however, advance at once towards that place, with whatever men you can +command at the moment, you might render the greatest of services to +Henry of Guise.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It would be as well," he continued in a postscript, "if you could +cross the Aisne. My presence is required, with all speed, in the +neighbourhood of Paris. I have not fifty men with me; and, +notwithstanding the defeat of Auneau, I hear that a strong band of +reiters has been seen in the neighbourhood of La Ferté sous Jouarre. +If you can set off before night to-morrow, send me tidings that such +is the case by the messenger who bears this letter; but do not go +farther than Montigny before you hear more. God have you in his good +keeping.</p> + +<p class="right">"<span class="sc">Henry of Guise</span>."</p> +<br> + +<p class="normal">The consultation of Charles of Montsoreau with his seneschal was but +short. He well knew that the field is the place to make good soldiers, +and that but little more preparation was needful. He therefore caused +his band to pass before the courier of the duke, and bade him tell +that Prince what he saw, directing him to add, that he would, on the +following day, make his first march towards La Ferté with fifty men; +and that, in four days more, the rest would follow, if by any +possibility their arms could be prepared by that time. With this +message he mounted him afresh, and sent him back to Soissons.</p> + +<p class="normal">A night of bustle and preparation succeeded, which left little time +for that indulgence of calm thought during which the heart broods over +its own griefs, and but increases them by contemplation. The first +day's march was performed without danger or difficulty; and, not a +little to the satisfaction of Charles of Montsoreau, the soldiers whom +he had raised, being bred amongst a rural population, demeaned +themselves peaceably and orderly amongst the inhabitants of the +village where they halted for the night, so that no complaint was +heard in the morning; and when they departed, many a villager was seen +shaking hands with, and bidding God speed, the acquaintance of the +evening before.</p> + +<p class="normal">On the second day's march, which brought them to Grisolles, rumours +and reports of the band of reiters which the Duke of Guise had +mentioned began to reach their ears. The peasantry showed every sign +of rejoicing on their appearance; and as they rode through the various +villages, the young Count's horse was often surrounded by the +peasantry, giving him this report or that, and expressing a hope that +he had come to deliver them from the marauding strangers. On the third +day's march towards Montigny, more accurate information was obtained +concerning the real position and proceedings of the band of German +adventurers, who were represented as lying further down towards the +Marne, in the woods and hamlets about Gland and La Fern, intercepting +the passengers on the roads between Château Thierry, Epernay, and La +Ferté: the lower part of which latter town they were said to have +attacked and plundered. Manifold were the entreaties now addressed to +Charles of Montsoreau by the wealthy farmers and proprietors of that +rich tract of country to go at once against the marauders, and drive +them across the Marne. But he adhered firmly to his resolution of +obeying the Duke's orders; and after halting for some hours to refresh +his horses and men at Gandelu, he again began his march towards three +o'clock in the evening, expecting to arrive at Montigny before +nightfall.</p> + +<p class="normal">On the whole of the road he had received no greater service from any +one than from the boy Ignati, whose light weight and arms did not +fatigue his horse so much as those of the other horsemen, and who was +constantly riding hither and thither through the country obtaining +intelligence, and bringing it rapidly to the young Count. He had left +the little village of Gandelu about a quarter of an hour before the +rest of the troop, and was not seen again for nearly an hour and a +half after it had recommenced its march. The Count had asked for him +more than once, and had become somewhat apprehensive regarding him, +when, as they were passing through the wood of Ampon, his anxiety +regarding the boy was not diminished by hearing a discharge of +fire-arms at some distance, but apparently in advance. He was relieved +on Ignati's account, however, in a moment after, by seeing him coming +at full speed through the wood in apparent excitement and alarm.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Quick! quick, my Lord!" he cried: "down in the meadow there, the +Schwartz reiters have attacked a gallant little band just crossing a +small stream, and are driving them back towards the Marne. I saw some +ladies in a carriage, too; and they must have fallen by this time into +the hands of the enemy."</p> + +<p class="normal">No further inducement was wanting to Charles of Montsoreau. Giving +orders to quicken his men's pace, he himself advanced at still greater +speed, till he reached the point where the road issued forth from the +wood upon the meadow, where he had at once before him, at the distance +of scarcely three hundred yards, the whole scene which the boy had +described, though it was, of course, somewhat changed in aspect during +the time which had since elapsed.</p> + +<p class="normal">On the bank of the small stream which, flowing through a slight hollow +in the meadow, proceeded towards the Marne, was seen a party of some +thirty or forty horsemen, the greater part of them well armed, making +a gallant but ineffectual stand against a body of reiters nearly +double their number, which charged them on every side, and seemed +likely to overpower them in a few minutes. That, however, which struck +Charles of Montsoreau the most, was to see, in the very front of the +party who opposed the reiters, a man dressed in a clerical habit, who +seemed, with the utmost coolness, skill, and determination, to be +directing the movements of those around him, for the purpose of +extricating a heavy carriage which was embarrassed in the bed of the +rivulet.</p> + +<p class="normal">The forms of the reiters passing here and there obscured the view of +his person from time to time; but Charles of Montsoreau felt sure that +his eyes could not deceive him, when they told him that there, in the +midst of the fight, was the form of his old preceptor, the Abbé de +Boisguerin. A moment after, he caught sight of his brother also, and +prepared, without the loss of an instant, to extricate the whole party +from their perilous situation.</p> + +<p class="normal">The numbers which he brought were hardly sufficient to make his band, +even when united with that of his brother, equal numerically to that +of the reiters. But he knew that there was much in surprise; and, +though he did not exactly despise his enemy, yet he by no means looked +upon each reiter as a match for one of his own men at arms. His +troopers had followed him at all speed; and, the moment they came up, +his orders were given, the lances levelled, the spurs struck into +every horse's sides, and down the gentle slope they went, against the +flank of the enemy, with a speed and determination that proved for the +moment quite irresistible. The commander of the foreigners had +scarcely time to wheel a part of his force to receive the charge of +this new adversary, before the troops of Logères were upon him, and, +in a moment, he was driven down the stream for nearly fifty yards.</p> + +<p class="normal">But the marauders had one great advantage over ordinary troops. +Accustomed to fight in small parties, and even hand to hand, they were +fully as much, if not more, in their element when their ranks were +broken than when they were in a compact mass, and Charles of +Montsoreau now found that the success of his first onset by no means +dispirited them; but that, superior in numbers to his own soldiery, +they met his troopers man to man, and that a body was even detached to +pursue the carriage, which by this time had been extricated; while +neither his brother nor the Abbé de Boisguerin, embarrassed in +protecting the unarmed persons of their own party, thought it needful +to give him the slightest assistance in his contention with the +reiters.</p> + +<p class="normal">Under these circumstances, the only thing that appeared to be left for +him to do, was to keep his men in the most perfect order, and fall +gradually back, covering his brother's band, and sending to demand his +co-operation for their mutual benefit. The reiters, however, in the +mean time, made every effort to frustrate this purpose, which they at +once divined, and by repeated charges endeavoured to break his line, +and force him to fight after their own manner. In pursuing this plan, +however, they committed the oversight of making a part of their body +cross the stream in order to take him on the flank.</p> + +<p class="normal">With a quickness of perception, which he generally displayed in times +of difficulty and danger, he had remarked, even while in the act of +charging the enemy, that the stream higher up grew deeper, and the +banks more steep. He now saw that, by falling back a little farther +than he had at first intended, he could deal with the Germans in +separate bodies, and in all probability rout them band by band.</p> + +<p class="normal">To do so, however, obliged him to leave his brother's party, the +carriage, and those whom he knew it contained, to struggle unassisted +with the little force which had been detached from the reiters, as +well as they might, and for a moment he remained in a state of +suspense which almost lost him the advantage. The hour, however, was +late; the shades of evening were beginning to fall: one look to the +other side of the field showed him that the first attack of the +reiters on his brother's party had been repulsed, apparently with +considerable loss, and he accordingly took his resolution, and gave +orders to retreat slowly up the stream, preparing his men, however, to +charge again the moment that he found it expedient so to do.</p> + +<p class="normal">The reiters, thinking him defeated and intimidated, pursued him +fiercely, and those on the right bank of the stream galloped quickly +on to cut him off from a retreat by the high road. But the others +immediately in front of him were surprised, and somewhat astounded, to +find that as soon as he perceived the stream was deep enough, and the +bank was high enough--if not to prevent the other body of reiters from +crossing, at all events to embarrass and to delay them--the order was +given to the French troopers to charge, and the young Count and his +band came down upon them with a shock which scattered them before him +in an instant.</p> + +<p class="normal">He was now, in turn, superior to that party in numbers, and knowing +that not a moment was to be lost, he exerted every energy of mind and +body. With his own hand he struck the commander from his horse, and +urging on his men with all speed, drove a number of the scattered +parties over the banks into the stream. Some escaped unhurt to the +other side, but in many instances the horses fell, and rolled over +into the water with their riders; and in the mean time terrible havoc +was going on amongst those who remained upon the bank.</p> + +<p class="normal">The pistols and musketoons of the German soldiery had been discharged +in the first contest with his brother; but the troops of Logères, +charging with the lance, had still their fire-arms loaded: and seeing +that the struggle with the sword might be protracted till the other +party came up, the young commander shouted loudly to his men to use +their fire-arms. His voice was heard even in the midst of the strife; +and now mingled as the two parties were with each other, the effect of +the pistol was terrible. A number of the enemy were killed and thrown +from their horses on the spot, a number were wounded, and unable to +continue the conflict, and the rest, seized with panic, were flying +amain, when the other band, seeing the error that had been committed, +endeavoured to repair it by crossing the stream and attacking Charles +of Montsoreau in the rear.</p> + +<p class="normal">Though they succeeded in their first object, it was with difficulty +and in disorder, some choosing one place, some, not liking to venture +too far, seeking a safer passage; and heavily armed as were both +horses and men, the task was certainly one of great danger. In the +midst of the strife which he was carrying on, the young Count had not +failed to watch eagerly, from time to time, the movements of the party +on the other bank.</p> + +<p class="normal">The body immediately opposed to him was by this time completely +routed, and in full flight; and wheeling his men to encounter the +other, he calmly brought them once more into good order, and led them +to the charge.</p> + +<p class="normal">But the leader of the enemy in that part of the field seeing that he +had come too late, and that his men were in no condition to protract +the struggle with success, was wise enough not to attempt to play out +a losing game. Giving orders for instant retreat, he kept a firm face +to his adversary, till his men had recovered from the disorder of +crossing the water, and then marched firmly up the hill, facing round +every two or three minutes to receive the charge of the French +troopers, and not suffering his pace to be hurried, though he lost +several men as he went.</p> + +<p class="normal">The sight, however, of a group of peasantry, watching the strife from +a part of the road above, seemed to strike the reiters, who probably +mistook them for a fresh band of soldiers, with panic and dismay. +Their leader lost all command over them; and though he was seen in +vain endeavouring to rally them, and keep them in their ranks, they +fled down the road at full speed, pursued by Charles of Montsoreau and +his band for some time, till the coming on of night rendered it +useless to protract the chase any farther.</p> + +<p class="normal">The young officer then caused the recall to be sounded, and turned his +bridle rein towards the field where the skirmish had taken place, in +order both to ascertain what was the amount of his own loss, and to +give assistance to the wounded. He found a number of peasants on the +field; and though in all instances they were giving the tenderest care +and attention to the wounded troopers of Logères, there was too good +reason to suspect that the knife of the boor had been employed without +mercy to end the course of any of the wounded Germans who had fallen +into their hands. Only two were found alive upon the field, and it is +probable that they owed their lives to the return of Charles of +Montsoreau.</p> + +<p class="normal">His own loss in persons actually killed was very slight, but a number +were severely wounded; and in order to gain some assistance for these +poor men, it was necessary, of course, to proceed to the nearest town. +On inquiring what that was, the peasantry replied that none was nearer +than La Ferté sous Jouarre, and thither the young Count bent his +steps, as soon as some litters and carriages could be procured to bear +the wounded men.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2><a name="div1_13" href="#div1Ref_13">CHAP. XIII.</a></h2> +<br> + +<p class="normal">Night had fallen heavily over the world, ere Charles of Montsoreau and +his party approached the town of La Ferté: but the moon was coming out +heavily from behind the clouds, and cast a silvery radiance over all +that part of the sky which lay behind the heights of Jouarre, throwing +out a part of the towers and pinnacles of the old abbey in clear +relief, as they rose above the shoulder of the hill.</p> + +<p class="normal">But there were other lights in the prospect of a different hue, which +not a little puzzled Charles of Montsoreau, as he rode on at the head +of his men. What seemed to be torches, by the red and heavy glare they +gave, were seen moving about fitfully amongst the banks and vineyards +on the heights, and, in a minute or two after, a horseman passed the +young Count at full speed.</p> + +<p class="normal">He turned suddenly from the path, however, and plunged his horse down +the banks into the neighbouring meadow, as soon as he saw the body of +men at arms; but though the young Count judged it useless to pursue +him, the faint light that was in the sky was quite sufficient to +enable him to judge that he belonged to a part of the marauding band +which had been defeated in the morning. He concluded, naturally and +rightly, that he was one of those who had followed the party of his +brother Gaspar, and had probably pursued it towards Jouarre. A moment +or two after, the sound of coming horses again met his ear; and, +ordering some of his men to advance, and cut off the way into the +meadow, he halted the rest of the troop, and waited in listening +expectation.</p> + +<p class="normal">At the end of a few minutes, three more horsemen appeared, and dashed +into the very midst of the ambush that the young Count had laid for +them.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Halt, and surrender!" he cried in a loud tone, ordering his men at +the same time to close round them; and the reiters, for such indeed +they were, finding escape impossible, yielded without resistance. From +them Charles of Montsoreau found that his suspicions were true, and +that they formed part of the band which had pursued his brother +towards La Ferté. He could gain no further information, however, from +the men he had taken, except that the Marquis had effected his retreat +in safety, and that a large body of armed burghers, coming out from La +Ferté, had forced the reiters to fly with all speed.</p> + +<p class="normal">Having given the prisoners in charge to those who would not lose sight +of them, Charles of Montsoreau resumed his march; and, as his band +approached La Ferté, their trumpet sang cheerily out in the clear +night, giving notice to the citizens of the arrival of a friendly +party.</p> + +<p class="normal">The streets were now full of horses and people, the red light of the +torches flashing upon the eager and excited countenances of those who +had taken part in the affray; and, by the glare, Charles of Montsoreau +easily distinguished the chief inn, with a number of horses held +around the door, and a group of fifteen or sixteen persons gathered +together round one, in whom he at once recognised his brother.</p> + +<p class="normal">Perhaps Charles of Montsoreau had not any cause to be more satisfied +with that brother's conduct during the eventful day which had just +passed, than he had been with that which preceded his departure from +Montsoreau. But fraternal affection was strong at his heart, and +halting his men in the market-place, he rode up with the page and two +or three others to gratulate his brother, and ask how he fared after +the perils he had undergone. He was surprised, however, as he came +near, to see a heavy cloud lowering on the Marquis's brow, and his +eyes rolling with an expression both fierce and anxious.</p> + +<p class="normal">"So, Charles of Montsoreau," he exclaimed in a loud harsh tone, even +before his brother could dismount, "so you have come to render an +account of your conduct this day, I trust, and to explain away the +treachery which is but too evident."</p> + +<p class="normal">The young Count heard him with surprise, as may be well supposed; but +he saw that he was under the excitement of some strong passion, and +instantly dismounting from his horse, he walked up to his brother +through the crowd, holding out his hand, and saying, "Gaspar, you are +under some mistake. How do you fare? You shall explain to me what is +the matter within."</p> + +<p class="normal">But the Marquis put his hand angrily by, exclaiming, "I take no hand +stained with such treachery, even though it be my brother's. I care +not who sees or who hears. I suppose, sir, you have brought the Lady +with you, whom you have contrived to rescue once more, by first +leading her into danger, that you might then deliver her from it."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I can hardly suppose you sane, Gaspar de Montsoreau," replied his +brother at length. "What danger have I led you or any one else into? +though you say true, when you say that I have delivered you, even when +you thought fit to give me no assistance. But I ask again, What danger +have I led you into, or any one else? What is it that you mean?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Pshaw!" exclaimed his brother, turning away with a look of contempt, +which was very hard to bear. "You had better bring the Lady into the +house, sir, and let her take some repose; and if she be not altogether +blinded, I will take care to explain to her how all this day's +brilliant achievements have been brought about."</p> + +<p class="normal">"In the name of God, Gaspar of Montsoreau!" exclaimed his brother, at +length, "what is it that you mean? What Lady? Where is Mademoiselle de +Clairvaut? What madness has seized upon you now?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Gaspar of Montsoreau took a step forward, till he almost touched his +brother, and demanded in a voice that was loud, but that trembled with +passion, "Did I not see your page, that very page who is holding your +horse now--that very page, who was pointed out to me by one that knows +him well, as your bought bondsman--did I not see him--can you deny +it?--did I not see him with the reiters at the moment that they +charged down the hill upon us? And then I saw him by your side five +minutes after, when you came pretending to assist us."</p> + +<p class="normal">"The man's mad, or drunk!" said the boy aloud; but Charles of +Montsoreau turned upon him sharply, exclaiming, "Hush! Remember, sir, +he is my brother!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I am sorry that he is, sir," replied the boy. "He might see me +near the reiters, but he never saw me with them, for I had been +watching them for half an hour, concealed behind a great mass of +bushes, and not daring to stir for my very life, till I saw them +begin to ride down the hill, when I came out and galloped as fast as I +could to tell my noble Lord, and bring him up to attack them.--Out +upon it!--Pretending to help any one, when there is scarcely a man in +the troop unwounded!--Out upon it!--Pretending to attack the reiters, +when he has well nigh cut them to pieces, and not left two men +together of the whole band!"</p> + +<p class="normal">The boy spoke loud and indignantly, and at the joyful news of the +marauders being cut to pieces, a glad shout burst from the town's +people, who had gathered round, listening with no small surprise to +the dispute between the two brothers.</p> + +<p class="normal">"For Heaven's sake, Gaspar," said Charles of Montsoreau, "govern your +feelings for a few minutes. I am here on the service of the noble Duke +of Guise, and set out from Logères only three days ago. I had heard of +the reiters by the way, and determined to fight them if I met them. +The first moment that I saw or had any communication with them--on my +honour and on my soul!-was that when I ordered my men to level their +lances, and charge them in the flank. You have nothing to do but +either to look at the banks of the stream, where they lay by dozens, +to speak to the prisoners I have brought in, or to take one glance +into those litters and those carts that carry my own wounded, to show +you that it was no feigned strife, as you have wildly fancied, that +went on between us. And now believing this, and feeling that you have +done me wrong, tell me where is Mademoiselle de Clairvaut, for your +words alarm and agitate me concerning her? Where is she, Gaspar? I say +where is she?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I know not," said the Marquis, turning sullenly away, "I know not, +Charles. In the last charge of the reiters, which happened nearly at +night-fall, they drove us beyond the carriage, and I have seen no more +of her. The Abbé, however, was with her, and he has not come up +either; two or three of the men, too, were there."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Bring up the prisoners," exclaimed Charles of Montsoreau, with a +degree of agony of mind that it is impossible to conceive. "These men +can give us information, for we took them on the road just now.--Bring +up those prisoners."</p> + +<p class="normal">With their arms tied, and their heads uncovered, the three Germans, +who had endeavoured, as was customary with many of their bands, to +make themselves look as fierce and terrible as possible, by suffering +their hair and beards to grow in confused and tangled masses, were now +brought before the young commander; and gazing sternly upon them, he +said, "You are here not as fair and open enemies, but as plunderers +and marauders, after the generals who brought you here have retreated +from the land, and entered into a treaty with the King of this +country. Your only way, then, of obtaining any portion of mercy is, by +answering the questions I am going to ask you distinctly and truly; +for if I catch the slightest wavering or falsehood in your replies, I +will have you shot one by one within the next five minutes, as a just +punishment for the crimes that you have committed."</p> + +<p class="normal">His words seemed to make little or no impression upon men accustomed +to the daily contemplation of death. They all seemed to understand +him, however, though it was with difficulty that they answered him in +his own language, mingling German with French, so as to render it +nearly unintelligible.</p> + +<p class="normal">"We will tell you the truth to be sure," replied one of the men. "What +should we tell you a lie for? All that ought to be lied about you know +already; so we can do no harm by telling you the truth, and may do our +own throats harm by telling you a lie. Hundred thousand! Ask your +questions, and you shall have truth."</p> + +<p class="normal">It was in vain, however, that Charles of Montsoreau questioned the man +sternly and strictly in regard to what had become of Marie de +Clairvaut, and those who were with her. It was evident that he knew +nothing. He admitted that they had driven the party of the Marquis +beyond the carriage, and had passed it themselves in the eagerness of +pursuit; but the sudden appearance of the armed burghers of La Ferté +had caused them, he said, to retreat in great haste, and in separate +parties. He and those who were with him had not taken the same road by +which they came, and had seen nothing of the carriage.</p> + +<p class="normal">This information, though so scanty, afforded Charles of Montsoreau a +hope. "If the road," he exclaimed eagerly, "on which these men were +captured, is not the same on which the carriage was left, it may still +be there, and Mademoiselle de Clairvaut safe."</p> + +<p class="normal">But his brother shook his head with an air of sullen grief and +despair. "No!" he said, "No, the carriage is not there! I have been +out myself to seek it, and have passed the spot. Not a trace of it was +to be seen, and I only returned when I heard your trumpets, believing +that you were bringing in your prize in triumph."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You have learnt, Gaspar," said his brother, "I know not why or how, +to do me sad injustice. However, it is the duty of both of us not to +close an eye till we have discovered what has become of the young Lady +whom you undertook to conduct in safety till she was under the +protection of her relations."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I see not how it is your duty, Charles," replied his brother, +sharply. "I, as you say, undertook to conduct her, and therefore it is +my duty; but you, it seems to me, have nothing to do with it."</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is my duty, Gaspar," replied his brother, "as a gentleman, and as +a man of honour; and it is also my duty as an attached friend of the +Duke of Guise; so that I shall seek for her this very instant. Let us +both to horse again; let us obtain guides who know the country well. +You take one circuit, I will take another; and as there is now no +farther fear of any attack from the reiters, we can suffer the greater +part of our men to repose, and meeting here in the morning, report to +each other what we have done, and concert together what steps are +farther to be taken.--And oh, Gaspar," he continued, "let us, I +beseech you, let us act together in a brotherly spirit; do justice to +my motives and intentions, for they have been all what is kind and +brotherly towards yourself."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Doubtless," said the Marquis of Montsoreau, with one of those bitter +sneers, which the determination of persisting in wrong too often +supplies to the uncandid and ungenerous: "doubtless your motives and +intentions were good and brotherly, when the first thing that you did +after learning from the Abbé de Boisguerin my feelings, wishes, and +hopes, was instantly to seek the Duke of Guise for the purpose of +prepossessing him in your favour, and against my suit."</p> + +<p class="normal">"In this, as in all else, you do me wrong, Gaspar," replied his +brother; "and so you will find it when you see the Duke: but I +cannot pause to explain all this. We lose time, precious and +invaluable.--Gondrin, call out ten of our freshest and best mounted +men. Let surgeons be obtained immediately to dress the wounds of the +hurt, and tell Alain and Mortier to provide for the comfort and +refreshment of the rest, according to the orders I gave them as we +came along. Take this German with us, as a sure guide to show us the +spot where the carriage was last seen. If I might advise you, Gaspar, +you will go round under Jouarre, and stretch out till you reach +Montreuil. The carriage cannot have passed the Marne except by this +bridge, so that----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I shall follow my own plan, Charles of Montsoreau," said the Marquis +sullenly; "I want not an instructor as well as a rival in my younger +brother." And thus saying, he turned away to give his own orders to +some of those who surrounded him.</p> + +<p class="normal">In the mean time his brother remounted his horse in haste; and, +followed by Gondrin, and the ten men who had been selected, he set out +upon his search. That search, however, proved utterly vain. No tidings +whatsoever of Marie de Clairvaut, or those who accompanied her, were +to be obtained; the peasantry, in terror of the reiters, had kept all +their cottages closed and defended as best they could; and, with few +if any of them, Charles of Montsoreau could open a communication, as +every door that they applied to was shut, and in general nothing but +sullen silence was returned to his application for admittance or +information. In the few instances where the sound of his voice, +speaking in the French tongue, obtained for him any answer, the reply +was still the same, that they had kept all closed, from fear of the +reiters, and had neither seen nor heard of any one passing since +nightfall.</p> + +<p class="normal">With horses and men wearied and exhausted by their fruitless search, +and with his own brow aching, and his heart sad and anxious, Charles +of Montsoreau returned towards daybreak to the town of La Ferté. His +brother, he found, had arrived some time before him, and had retired +to rest without waiting for his arrival. The young nobleman argued +from that fact, that though the Marquis had not absolutely brought +back the carriage with him to La Ferté, he must have obtained some +satisfactory intelligence concerning it; and, unbuckling his arms, +without, however, casting off the dress he wore beneath, he cast +himself down to rest in the apartment which had been prepared for him.</p> + +<p class="normal">Though much fatigued, however, and with a mind and body both exhausted +by all the events and anxieties of the day, sleep refused to visit his +eyelids. His busy thoughts turned to every painful theme that memory +could supply from the past, or despondency call up out of the future; +and finding that it was in vain to seek repose at that moment, he +approached the deep casement, threw open the window, and gazed out +into the market-square, which lay directly beneath his apartments.</p> + +<p class="normal">The morning was advancing brightly; the spring sunshine sparkling +down the principal street, through an opening in which the Marne was +seen flowing gaily on, with the open country rising up behind. The +little market-cross was surrounded by the carts and litters in which +he had brought in the wounded men, and some of the early townsmen +were already seen walking hither and thither, while peasants and +country-women in gay dresses came in one by one, now driving a horse +or an ass loaded with the produce of their farms, now bearing the +whole of their little store in a basket on their shoulders or their +arm. Most of them paused to consider and to comment upon the array of +vehicles round the cross, talking in a low voice, as if fearful of +breaking the stillness of the morning hour. The scene was calm, and +quiet, and soothing; and feeling tranquilised after gazing at it for +some minutes, the young Count again turned to his couch, and wooed the +blessing of slumber not now in vain. He slept profoundly, and might +have gone on for many hours, had he not been awakened about nine +o'clock by the page Ignati pulling him by the arm.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What is the matter, Ignati?" he cried, starting up. "You seem in +haste and agitated."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Your brother is on horseback, and setting out," cried the boy; "and +he has learned tidings of the Lady, which will fit ill with your +wishes or those of the Duke."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What tidings, Ignati?" exclaimed the young Count eagerly. "Quick boy, +do not keep me in suspense."</p> + +<p class="normal">"See your brother, and he will tell you," said the boy. "If he does +not, I will. But, quick, or he will be away; run down at once, even as +you are."</p> + +<p class="normal">Charles of Montsoreau hastened towards the door, dressed as he was in +the buff coat which he wore beneath his armour; and from the stairs +heard sounds that hastened all his movements. There was the trampling +of horses, and the noise of many tongues in the court-yard, but above +all the voice of his brother, ordering his men as if for instant +departure.</p> + +<p class="normal">When he reached the foot of the staircase, which led into the great +court of the inn, he found that those sounds had not deceived him. +Gaspar de Montsoreau was on horseback, with his men drawn up in line +ready to depart; and a cart containing two or three wounded men, and +all the baggage which had not fallen into the hands of the reiters, +was in the act of issuing forth through the archway into the +marketplace. There was an air of eager and somewhat scornful triumph +on the face of the Marquis de Montsoreau; and, at the very moment of +the young Count's appearance, he was turning to speak with a +well-dressed cavalier by his side, whom his brother had never before +beheld.</p> + +<p class="normal">As soon as the eyes of the two brothers met, the Marquis exclaimed +aloud, in a scoffing tone, addressing his new companion, "Ha, Monsieur +de Colombel! By Heaven here comes my good young brother of Logères! +We must put spurs to our horses and ride quick, for he has taken +service, it seems, with the Duke of Guise--commands a band of stout +men-at-arms, enough to overpower us here--and may think fit to +arrest us on the spot, if he finds that we are not of the same +party as himself. He is not one to be stopped by brotherly love or +consideration, I can assure you."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Nay!" replied the cavalier whom he addressed, speaking with a courtly +but significant smile, "the Duke of Guise is King Henry's dear friend +and faithful cousin, and professes every sort of reverence for the +crown of France."</p> + +<p class="normal">The whole of this was spoken, as Charles of Montsoreau advanced +towards them, with an evident intention that he should hear it; but he +took not the slightest notice, and walking up calmly to the side of +his brother's horse, he said, "This is not kind of you, Gaspar, to +quit the place thus early, without giving me an opportunity of +explaining to you things which you have misinterpreted and taken +amiss."</p> + +<p class="normal">"As you said to me last night, Charles," replied his brother, "I have +not time for long explanations now; every minute is precious and +invaluable. You can write to me if you have any thing to explain."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You will inform me at least then," said his brother, "whether you +have obtained any news of Mademoiselle de Clairvaut, and where she +is."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I am in haste! I am in haste, good brother!" replied the Marquis, +"and can only wait to tell you that she is in safe hands and well, +which must be enough to satisfy you."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Not quite," answered Charles of Montsoreau. "As I am now upon my way +to meet the Duke of Guise, and shall most likely reach him before you +do, it will be but courteous of you to send him some fuller +information regarding a Lady so nearly connected with himself."</p> + +<p class="normal">"If you do not reach him before I do," replied his brother with a grim +smile, "you and he will be long parted from each other, my good +brother; and as to Mademoiselle de Clairvaut, she is in safe hands, +and will be well taken care of. Fare you well, my brother. Now march, +my men!" And without waiting for any other reply, he shook his bridle +and rode out of the court.</p> + +<p class="normal">The patience of Charles of Montsoreau was nearly at an end, and he +paused, gazing upon the ground for a minute or two, before he could +overcome the pain and indignation that he felt. He then turned to his +own chamber again, beckoning to the boy Ignati, who was still upon the +stairs, to follow him thither.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Now, Ignati," he said, "What is the meaning of all this? You have +probably heard all that has passed. Give me what information you can, +without loss of time."</p> + +<p class="normal">"This is all that I know," replied the boy; "but it is enough. +Mademoiselle de Clairvaut, the Lady whom you were asking about last +night, has met with a party of the King's troops which had been sent +against the reiters, and has by them been carried to Château Thiery, +whence she sent that cavalier whom you saw with your brother, to tell +him what had become of her. All those facts I heard the cavalier +himself relate: but from the page he brought with him, who was in the +room, or at least at the door, when his master and the Marquis were +speaking, I gathered, that this Monsieur de Colombel--by the advice of +some priest who accompanied Mademoiselle de Clairvaut, I know not +whom--has persuaded your brother to join the party of the King, +telling him that Henry would certainly hold Mademoiselle de Clairvaut +as a hostage for the Duke's good conduct, and would most likely bestow +her upon any one he thought fit."</p> + +<p class="normal">Charles of Montsoreau pressed his hand firmly upon his brow for two or +three minutes. He had been learning for some time those dark and +painful lessons of human nature which come so bitterly to a noble +and a generous heart, when first the world, the contentions of +self-interest, and the strife of passion, teaches us how few, how very +few, there are who have any thought or motive in all their actions but +the mean ungenerous ones of self--those bitter lessons which fix upon +mature life the sad, the dark, the horrible companionship of doubt and +suspicion.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Can I," he muttered, speaking to himself, "can I have been mistaken +in the Abbé de Boisguerin? Can I have trusted, and believed, and +reverenced, where neither trust, nor belief, nor reverence was +due?--It cannot be! No, it cannot be!" And after thinking again over +all that the page had said, he added aloud, "The King's troops at +Château Thiery!--The Duke at Gonesse!--We must lose no time, but get +to Montigny as speedily as possible."</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h3>FOOTNOTES</h3> +<br> +<p class="hang1"><a name="div3_01" href="#div3Ref_01">Footnote 1</a>: So extraordinary and remarkable was the passion for +falconry amongst the women of that day, that Catherine de Medici +herself, engaged as she was in all the wiles of policy during her +whole life, found time to pursue this sport day after day, and had +courage enough to follow it after having not only received several +severe falls, but after having once broken her leg and once fractured +her skull, by the imprudent habit of galloping at full speed after the +birds, with the eyes fixed upon them, and inattentive to every thing +else. The moment that the falcons were flown, every thing on earth was +forgotten, and the most serious accidents were of daily occurrence.</p> +<br> +<p class="hang1"><a name="div3_02" href="#div3Ref_02">Footnote 2</a>: The Duke of Guise was at this time employing several +bodies of troops levied in Lorraine, against the Princes of Sedan.</p> +<br> +<p class="hang1"><a name="div3_03" href="#div3Ref_03">Footnote 3</a>: Those who may be inclined to suppose such language +inconsistent with the character of the proud, ambitious politician, +which Guise is often represented to have been, need but read any of +his letters to Bassonpierre, or any other of his personal friends, to +see with what openhearted affection he dealt with them.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br><h3>END OF THE FIRST VOLUME.</h3> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h5>London:<br> +Printed by A. Spottiswoode,<br> +New-Street-Square.</h5> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Henry of Guise; (Vol. I of 3), by +G. P. R. (George Payne Rainsford) James + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HENRY OF GUISE; (VOL. I OF 3) *** + +***** This file should be named 39411-h.htm or 39411-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/9/4/1/39411/ + +Produced by Charles Bowen, from page scans provided by the +Web Archive (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +http://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at http://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + + +</pre> + +</body> +</html> + + + + |