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diff --git a/40295.txt b/40295.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 3c31a61..0000000 --- a/40295.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,17816 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Lord Montagu's Page, by G. P. R. 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/license - - -Title: Lord Montagu's Page - An Historical Romance - -Author: G. P. R. James - -Release Date: July 22, 2012 [EBook #40295] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LORD MONTAGU'S PAGE *** - - - - -Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Jane Robins and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - - -[Illustration] - - LORD MONTAGU'S PAGE - - AN - HISTORICAL ROMANCE - - BY - G.P.R. JAMES. - - [Illustration] - - PHILADELPHIA - CHILDS AND PETERSON, - 602 ARCH STREET. - 1858. - - I. WATY - - - - - Lord Montagu's Page: - - AN - HISTORICAL ROMANCE - OF THE - Seventeenth Century. - - BY - G. P. R. JAMES, - - _Author of_ - - "RICHELIEU," "DARNLEY," "MARY OF BURGUNDY," "OLD DOMINION," ETC. - - PHILADELPHIA: - CHILDS & PETERSON, 602 ARCH ST. - 1858. - - - - - Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1858, by - CHILDS & PETERSON, - in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States - in and for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. - - STEREOTYPED BY L. JOHNSON & CO. - PHILADELPHIA. - PRINTED BY DEACON & PETERSON. - - - - -BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. - -[_From Allibone's forthcoming Dictionary of Authors._] - - -George Payne Rainsford James was born in London about the year 1800, and -commenced his literary career at an early age by anonymous contributions -to the journals and reviews which catered to the literary taste of "a -discerning public." Some of these juvenile effusions fell under the -notice of Washington Irving, and this gentleman, with his usual kindness -of heart, encouraged the young author to venture upon something of a -more important character than the fugitive essays which had hitherto -employed his pen. Thus strengthened in his literary proclivity, the -young aspirant nibbed his "gray-goose quill," commenced author in -earnest, and gave to the world in 1822 his first work,--a Life of Edward -the Black Prince. Mr. James now turned his attention to a field which -had recently been cultivated with eminent success,--historical -romance,--and completed in 1825 his novel of Richelieu, which, having -received the favorable verdict of Sir Walter Scott, made its appearance -in 1829. This was followed in the next year by Darnley and De L'Orme. - -Richelieu was so fortunate as to secure the favor of the formidable -Christopher North of Blackwood; but this invaluable commendation was -withheld from Darnley:-- - - "Mr. Colburn has lately given us two books of a very different - character, Richelieu and Darnley. Richelieu is one of the most - spirited, amusing, and interesting romances I ever read; - characters well drawn--incidents well managed--story perpetually - progressive--catastrophe at once natural and unexpected--moral - good, but not goody--and the whole felt, in every chapter, to be - the work of a--Gentleman."--_Noctes Ambrosianae, April, 1830; - Blackw. Mag., xxvii. 688, q.v._ - - - -From this time to the present Mr. James has been no idler in the -Republic of Letters, as the following alphabetical list of his writings -amply proves:-- - -1. Adra, or the Peruvians; a Poem, 1 vol. 2. Agincourt, 1844, 3 vols. 3. -Agnes Sorrel, 1853, 3 vols. 4. Arabella Stuart, 1853, 3 vols. 5. Arrah -Neil, 1845, 3 vols. 6. Attila, 1837, 3 vols. 7. Beauchamp, 1848, 3 vols. -8. Blanche of Navarre; a Play, 1839, 1 vol. 9. Book of the Passions, -1838, 1 vol. 10. Cameralzaman; a Fairy Drama, 1848,1 vol. 11. -Castelneau; or, The Ancient Regime, 1841, 3 vols. 12. Castle of -Ehrenstein, 1847, 3 vols. 13. Charles Tyrrell, 1839, 2 vols. 14. City of -the Silent; a Poem, 1 vol. 15. Commissioner; or, De Lunatico Inquirendo, -1842, 1 vol. 16. Convict, 1847, 3 vols. 17. Corse de Leon, the Brigand, -1841, 3 vols. 18. Dark Scenes of History, 1849, 3 vols. 19. Darnley, -1830, 3 vols. 20. Delaware, 3 vols; subsequently published under the -title of Thirty Years Since, 1848, 1 vol. 21. De L'Orme, 1830, 3 vols. -22. Desultory Man, 3 vols. 23. Educational Institutions of Germany, 1 -vol. 24. Eva St. Clair, and other Tales, 1843, 2 vols. 25. False Heir, -1843, 3 vols. 26. Fate, 1851, 3 vols. 27. Fight of the Fiddlers, 1848, 1 -vol. 28. Forest Days, 1843, 3 vols. 29. Forgery; or, Best Intentions, -1848, 3 vols. 30. Gentleman of the Old School, 1839, 3 vols. 31. Gipsy, -1835, 3 vols. 32. Gowrie; or, The King's Plot, 1 vol. 33. Heidelberg, -1846, 3 vols. 34. Henry Masterton, 1832, 3 vols. 35. Henry Smeaton, -1850, 3 vols. 36. Henry of Guise, 1839, 3 vols. 37. History of -Charlemagne, 1832, 1 vol. 38. History of Chivalry, 1 vol. 39. History of -Louis XIV., 1838, 4 vols. 40. History of Richard Coeur de Lion, -1841-42, 4 vols. 41. Huguenot, 1838, 3 vols. 42. Jacquerie, 1841, 3 -vols. 43. John Jones's Tales from English History, for Little John -Joneses, 1849, 2 vols. 44. John Marston Hall, 1834, 3 vols; subsequently -published under the title of Little Ball o' Fire, 1847, 1 vol. 45. -King's Highway, 1840, 3 vols. 46. Last of the Fairies, 1847, 1 vol. 47. -Life of Edward the Black Prince, 1822, 2 vols. 48. Life of Henry IV. of -France, 1847, 3 vols. 49. Life of Vicissitudes, 1 vol. 50. Man-at-Arms, -1840, 3 vols. 51. Margaret Graham, 1847, 2 vols. 52. Mary of Burgundy, -1833, 3 vols. 53. Memoirs of Great Commanders, 1832, 3 vols. 54. Morley -Ernstein, 1842, 3 vols. 55. My Aunt Pontypool, 3 vols. 56. Old Dominion; -or, The Southampton Massacre, 1856, 3 vols. 57. Old Oak Chest, 3 vols. -58. One in a Thousand, 1835, 3 vols. 59. Pequinillo, 1852, 3 vols. 60. -Philip Augustus, 1831, 3 vols. 61. Prince Life, 1855, 1 vol. 62. -Revenge, 1851, 3 vols; so styled by the bookseller, without the author's -consent. It was originally published in papers under a different name. -63. Richelieu, 1829, 3 vols. 64. Robber, 1838, 3 vols. 65. Rose -D'Albret, 1840, 3 vols. 66. Russell, 1847, 3 vols. 67. Sir Theodore -Broughton, 1847, 3 vols. 68. Smuggler, 1845, 3 vols. 69. Stepmother, -1846, 3 vols. 70. Story without a Name, 1852, 1 vol. 71. String of -Pearls, 1849, 2 vols. 72. Ticonderoga; or, The Black Eagle, 1854, 3 -vols. 73. Whim and its Consequences, 1847, 3 vols. 74. Woodman, 1847, 3 -vols. - -It will be seen that the above list presents a total of 188 -vols.,--viz.: 51 works in 3 vols. each, 2 in 4 vols. each, 6 in 2 vols. -each, and 15 in 1 vol. each. Almost all of these volumes are of the -post-octavo size. Mr. James is also the editor of the Vernon Letters, -illustrative of the times of William III., 1841, 3 vols. 8vo; and of Wm. -Henry Ireland's historical romance of David Rizzio, 1849, 3 vols. p. -8vo; and was associated with Dr. E. E. Crowe in the Lives of the Most -Eminent Foreign Statesmen, 1832-38, 5 vols. p. 8vo., (4 vols. were Mr. -James's, and 1 vol. Dr. Crowe's,) and with Mr. Maunsell B. Field in the -composition of Adrian, or The Clouds of the Mind, 1852, 2 vols. p. 8vo. - -To this list may be added Norfolk and Hereford, (in a collection -entitled Seven Tales by Seven Authors,) and enough articles in various -periodicals to fill eight or ten volumes. Perhaps we should not omit to -notice that a work entitled A Brief History of the United States -Boundary Question, drawn up from official papers, published in London, -1839, 8vo., and ascribed to Mr. James, is not his production; nor had he -any share (further than writing a preface, or something of that kind) in -another work often credited to him,--Memoirs of Celebrated Women, 1837, -2 vols. p. 8vo. During the reign of William IV. the author received the -appointment of historiographer of Great Britain; but this post was -resigned by him many years since. - -There have been new editions of many of Mr. James's novels, and some or -all of them have appeared in Bentley's Series of Standard Novels. There -has been also a Parlor-Library Edition. A collective edition was -published by Smith, Elder & Co., commencing in June, 1844, and continued -by Parry, and by Simpkin, Marshall & Co. In America they have been very -popular and published in large quantities. - -About 1850 Mr. James, with his family, removed permanently to the United -States, and resided for two or three years in Berkshire county, -Massachusetts. Since 1852 he has been British Consul at Richmond, -Virginia. The space which we have occupied by a recital of the titles -only of Mr. James's volumes necessarily restricts the quotation of -criticisms upon the merits or demerits of their contents. It has fallen -to the lot of few authors to be so much read, and at the same time so -much abused, as the owner of the fertile pen which claims the long list -of novels commencing with Richelieu in 1829 and extending to the Old -Dominion in 1856. That there should be a family likeness in this -numerous race--where so many, too, are nearly of an age--can be no -matter of surprise. The mind, like any other artisan, can only construct -from materials which lie within its range; and, when no time is allowed -for the accumulation and renewal of these, it is vain to hope that -variety of architecture will conceal the identity of substance. Yet, -after all, the champion of this popular author will probably argue that -this objection against the writings of Mr. James is greatly overstated -and extravagantly overestimated. The novelist can draw only from the -experience of human life in its different phases, and these admit not of -such variety as the inordinate appetite of the modern Athenians -unreasonably demands. A new series of catastrophes and perplexities, of -mortifications and triumphs, of joys and sorrows, cannot be evoked for -the benefit of the reader of each new novel. Again, Mr. James's admirer -insists that this charge of sameness so often urged against our -novelist's writings is perhaps overstated. Where one author, as is -frequently the case, gains the reputation of versatility of talent by -writing one or two volumes, it is not to be believed that Mr. James -exhibits less in one or two hundred. He who composes a library is not to -be judged by the same standard as he who writes but one book. And even -if the charge of "sameness" be admitted to its full extent, yet many -will cordially concur with the grateful and graceful acknowledgment of -one of the most eminent of modern critics:-- - - "I hail every fresh publication of James, though I half know - what he is going to do with his lady, and his gentleman, and his - landscape, and his mystery, and his orthodoxy, and his criminal - trial. But I am charmed with the new amusement which he brings - out of old materials. I look on him as I look on a musician - famous for 'variations.' I am grateful for his vein of - cheerfulness, for his singularly varied and vivid landscapes, - for his power of painting women at once ladylike and loving, (a - rare talent,) for making lovers to match, at once beautiful and - well-bred, and for the solace which all this has afforded me, - sometimes over and over again, in illness and in convalescence, - when I required interest without violence, and entertainment at - once animated and mild."--LEIGH HUNT. - -Two of the severest criticisms to which Mr. James's novels have been -subjected are, the one in the London Athenaeum for April 11, 1846, and -the one in the North American Review, by E. P. Whipple, for April, -1844. - -We have spoken of Mr. James's champions and admirers; and such are by no -means fabulous personages, notwithstanding the severe censures to which -we have alluded. A brief quotation from one of these eulogies will be -another evidence added to the many in this volume of a wide -dissimilarity in critical opinions:-- - - "His pen is prolific enough to keep the imagination constantly - nourished; and of him, more than of any modern writer, it may be - said, that he has improved his style by the mere dint of - constant and abundant practice. For, although so agreeable a - novelist, it must not be forgotten that he stands infinitely - higher as an historian.... The most fantastic and beautiful - coruscations which the skies can exhibit to the eyes of mankind - dart as if in play from the huge volumes that roll out from the - crater of the volcano.... The recreation of an enlarged - intellect is ever more valuable than the highest efforts of a - confined one. Hence we find in the works before us, [Corse de - Leon, the Ancient Regime, and The Jacquerie,] lightly as they - have been thrown off, the traces of study,--the footsteps of a - powerful and vigorous understanding."--_Dublin University - Magazine_, March, 1842. - -The Edinburgh Review concludes some comments upon our author with the -remark, - - "Our readers will perceive from these general observations that - we estimate Mr. James's abilities, as a romance-writer, highly: - his works are lively and interesting, and animated by a spirit - of sound and healthy morality in feeling, and of natural - delineation in character, which, we think, will secure for them - a calm popularity which will last beyond the present day." - -We have before us more than thirty (to be exact, just thirty-two) -commendatory notices of our author, but brief extracts from two of these -is all for which we can find space. - - "He belongs to the historical school of fiction, and, like the - masters of the art, takes up a real person or a real event, and, - pursuing the course of history, makes out the intentions of - nature by adding circumstances and heightening character, till, - like a statue in the hands of the sculptor, the whole is in fair - proportion, truth of sentiment, and character. For this he has - high qualities,--an excellent taste, extensive knowledge of - history, a right feeling of the chivalrous, and a heroic and a - ready eye for the picturesque: his proprieties are admirable; - his sympathy with whatever is high-souled and noble is deep and - impressive. His best works are Richelieu and Mary of - Burgundy."--ALLAN CUNNINGHAM: _Biographical and Critical History - of the Literature of the Last Fifty Years, 1833._ - -The critic next to be quoted, whilst coinciding in the objections -prominently urged against Mr. James as an author,--repetition, -tediousness, and deficiency of terseness,--yet urges on his behalf that - - "There is a constant appeal in his brilliant pages not only to - the pure and generous, but to the elevated and noble sentiments; - he is imbued with the very soul of chivalry; and all his stories - turn on the final triumph of those who are influenced by such - feelings over such as are swayed by selfish or base desires. He - possesses great pictorial powers, and a remarkable facility of - turning his graphic pen at will to the delineation of the most - distant and opposite scenes, manners, and social customs.... Not - a word or a thought which can give pain to the purest heart ever - escapes from his pen; and the mind wearied with the cares and - grieved at the selfishness of the world reverts with pleasure to - his varied compositions, which carry it back, as it were, to - former days, and portray, perhaps in too brilliant colors, the - ideas and manners of the olden time."--SIR ARCHIBALD ALISON: - _Hist. of Europe,_ 1815-52, chap, v., 1853. See also _Alison's - Essays,_ 1850, iii. 545-546; _North British Review,_ Feb. 1857, - art on Modern Style. - - - - -Prefatory Dedication. - -TO - -GUSTAVUS A. MYERS, ESQ. - - -MY DEAR SIR:-- - -In dedicating to you the following pages, I am moved not more by private -friendship and regard, than by esteem for your abilities, and respect -for your many and varied acquirements. It might seem somewhat -presumptuous in me to call for your acceptance or seek your approbation -of this work, when not only your general acquaintance with, but your -profound knowledge of, almost every branch of modern and ancient -literature qualify and might be expected to prompt you to minute and -severe criticism. But I have always found, in regard to my own works at -least, that those who were best fitted to judge were the most inclined -to be lenient, and that men of high talent and deep learning -condescended to tolerate, if not to approve, that which was assailed by -very small critics, or scoffed at by men who, calling themselves -humorists, omitted the word "_bad_" before the appellation in which they -gloried. - -To your good humor, then, I leave the work, and will only add a few -words in regard to the object and construction of the story. - -We have in the present day romances of many various kinds; and I really -know not how to class my present effort. It is not a love-story, for any -thing like that which was the great moving power of young energies--at -least in less material days than these--has very little part in the -book. I cannot call it a novel without a hero, because it is altogether -dedicated to the adventures of one man. I cannot call it a romance -without a heroine, because there is a woman in it, and a woman with whom -I am myself very much in love. I cannot call it absolutely a historical -romance, because there are several characters which are not historical, -and I am afraid I have taken a few little liberties with Chronology -which, were she as prudish a dame as some of the middle-aged ladies whom -I could mention, would either earn me a _box_ of the ear, or produce so -much scandal that my good name would be lost forever. Plague take the -months and the days! they are always getting in one's way. But I do -believe I have been very reverent and respectful to their grandmothers -the years, and, with due regard for precedence and the Court Guide, have -not put any of the latter out of her proper place. - -I do not altogether wish to call this a book of character; for I do not -exactly understand that word as the public has lately been taught to -understand it. There is no peasant, or cobbler, or brick-layer's -apprentice, in the whole book, endowed with superhuman qualities, moral -and physical. There is no personage in high station--given as the type -of a class--imbued with intense selfishness or demoniac passions, wicked -without motive, heartless against common sense, and utterly degraded -from that noble humanity, God's best and holiest gift to mankind. There -is no meek, poor, puling, suffering lover, who condescends humbly to be -bamboozled and befooled through three volumes, or Heaven knows how many -numbers, for the sake of marrying the heroine in the end. I therefore -cannot properly, in the present day, call it a work of character. - -I might call it, perhaps,--although the hero is an Englishman,--a -picture of the times of Louis XIII; but, alas! I have not ventured to -give a full picture of these times. We have become so uncommonly cleanly -and decorous in our own days, that a mere allusion to the dirt and -indecency of the age of our great-grandmothers is not to be tolerated. -In order, indeed, to preserve something like verisimilitude, I have been -obliged to glance, in one chapter, at the freedom of manners of the days -to which I refer; but it has been a mere glance, and given in such a -manner that the cheek of one who understands it, in the sense in which -one of those very days would understand it, must have lost the power of -blushing. At all events, it can never sully or offend the pure, nor lead -the impure any further wrong. - -There are a great many explanations and comments, in illustration of the -times, which I should like to give for the benefit of that part of my -readers who have put on the right of knowing all things at the same time -that the third change was made in their dress, and I would have done so, -in notes; but, unfortunately, I do not write Greek; and a little -incident prevented me from writing those notes in Latin. A work--a most -interesting work--was published a few years ago in London, called the -Bernstein Hexe, or Amber Witch. More than one translation appeared; and -one of these had the original notes,--some written in Latin where they -were peculiarly anatomical and indecent; but, to my surprise, I found -that several ladies were fully versed in that sort of Latinity. I cannot -flatter myself with having a sufficient command of the Roman tongue to -be enabled to veil the meaning more completely from the unlearned. - -Only in the case of two personages have I attempted to elaborate -character,--in regard to my hero, and in regard to the Cardinal de -Richelieu. The former, though not altogether fictitious, must go with -very little comment. I wished to show how a young heart may be hardened -by circumstances, and how it may be softened and its better feelings -evolved by a propitious change. The latter, I will confess, I have -labored much; because I think the world in general, and I myself also, -have done some injustice to one of the greatest men that ever lived. -Very early in life I depicted him when he had reached old age,--that is -to say, his old age; for he had not, at the time of his death, numbered -as many years as are now upon my own head. He had then been tried in the -fire of the most terrible circumstances which perhaps ever assayed a -human heart; not only tried, but hardened; and even then, upon his -death-bed, his burst of tenderness to his old friend, Bois Robert, his -delight in the arts, and passion for flowers, showed that the tenderer -and--may I not say more noble?--feelings of the man had not been -swallowed up by the hard duties of the statesman, or the galling cares -of the politician. I now present him to the reader at a much earlier -period of life,--young, vigorous, successful, happy,--when the germs of -all those qualities for which men have reproached or applauded him were -certainly developed, were growing to maturity; when the severity which -afterwards characterized him, and the gentleness which he as certainly -displayed, had both been exercised; but when the briers and thorns had -not fully grown up, and before the soft grass of the heart had been -trampled under foot. - -All men have mixed characters. I do not believe in perfect evil or in -perfect goodness on this earth; but at various times of life the worse -or the better spirit predominates, according to the nourishment and -encouragement it receives. How far Richelieu changed, and when and how -he changed, would require a longer discussion than can be here afforded. -But one thing is to be always remembered,--that he was generally painted -by his enemies; and, where they admit high qualities and generous -feelings, we may be sure that it was done with even a niggard hand, and -add something to the tribute of the unwilling witness. - -In regard to critics, it may be supposed that I have spoken, a few pages -back, somewhat irreverently: I do not mean to do so in the least. -Amongst them are some most admirable men,--some who have done great, -real, tangible service to the public,--who have guided, if not formed, -public taste; and for them I have the greatest possible respect. I speak -not of the contributors to our greater and more pretentious -Reviews,--although, perhaps, a mass of deeper learning, more close and -acute investigation, and purer critical taste, cannot be found in the -literature of the world than that contained in their pages; but I speak -of the whole body of contemporary critics, many of whose minor articles -are full of astute perception and sound judgment. But there are others -for whom, though I have the most profound contempt, I have a most humble -fear. It is useless in Southern climates, such as that which I inhabit, -to attempt to prevent oneself from being stung by mosquitos or to keep -one's ears closed against their musical but venomous song. The only plan -which presents any chance of success--at least, it is as good as any -other--is to go down upon your knees and humbly to beseech them to spare -you. I therefore most reverently beseech the moral mosquitos, who are -accustomed to whistle and sing about my lowly path, to forbear as much -as possible; and, although their critical virulence may be aroused to -the highest pitch by seeing a man walk quietly on for thirty years along -the only firm path he can find amongst the bogs and quagmires of -literature, to spare at least those parts which are left naked by his -tailor and his shoemaker; to remember, in other words, that, besides the -faults and errors for which I am myself clearly responsible, there is -some allowance to be made for the faults of my amanuensis and for the -errors of my printer. I admit that I am the worst corrector in the whole -world; but I do hope that the liberality of criticism will not think fit -to see, as has been lately done, errors of mind in errors clearly of the -printer; especially in works which, by some arrangement between Mr. -Newby and the Atlantic, I never by any means see till the book has -passed through the press. But, should they still be determined to lay -the whole blame upon the poor author's shoulders, I may as well furnish -them with some excuse for so doing. The best that I know is to be found -in the following little anecdote:-- - -When I was quite a young boy, there was a painter in Edinburgh, of the -name of Skirven, celebrated both for his taste and genius, and his -minute accuracy in portrait-painting. A very beautiful lady of my -acquaintance sat to him for her portrait in a falling collar of rich and -beautiful lace. Unfortunately, there was a hole in the lace. As usual, -he did not suffer her to see the portrait till it was completed; and, -when she did see it, there was a portrait of the hole as well as -herself. "Well, Mr. Skirven," she said, "I think you need not have -painted the hole." - -"Well, madam," answered the painter, "then you should have mended it -first." - - G. P. R. JAMES. - - ASHLAND, VIRGINIA, - December, 1857. - - - - -LORD MONTAGU'S PAGE. - - - - -CHAPTER I. - - -It was a dark and stormy night,--a very dark night indeed. No dog's -mouth, whether terrier, mastiff, or Newfoundland, was ever so dark as -that night. The hatches had been battened down, and every aperture but -one, by which any of the great, curly-pated, leaping waves could jump -into the vessel, had been closed. - -What vessel? the reader may perhaps inquire. Well, that being a piece of -reasonable curiosity,--although I do wish, as a general thing, that -readers would not be so impatient,--I will gratify it, and answer the -inquirer's question; and, indeed, would have told him all about it in -five minutes if he would but have given me time. - -What vessel? asks the reader. Why, a little, heavy-looking, -fore-and-aft, one-masted ship, somewhat tubbish in form, which had -battled with a not very favorable gale during a long stormy day, and -had, as the sun went down, approached the coast of France, it might be -somewhat too close for safety. The atmosphere in the cabin below was hot -and oppressive. How indeed could it be otherwise, when not one breath of -air, notwithstanding all the bullying and roaring of Boreas, had been -able to get in during the whole day? But such being the case, and -respiration in the little den being difficult, the only altogether -terrestrial animal--sailors are, of course, amphibious--which that -vessel contained had forced his way up to the deck through the only -narrow outlet which had been left open. - -The amphibia have always a considerable dislike and some degree of -contempt for all land-animals, and the five sailors, with their skipper, -who formed all the crew so small a craft required, would probably have -driven below the intruder upon their labors, had they had time, leisure, -or light to notice him at all. But for near two hours he stood at the -stern on the weather side of the ship, holding on by the bulwarks, wet -to the skin, with his hat blown off and probably swimming back toward -Old England, and his hands numbed with cold and with hard grasping. - -There is something in the very act of holding on tight which increases -the natural tenacity of purpose that exists in some minds, and, if I may -use a very vulgar figure, thickens the glue. At the end of the two -hours, one of the sailors, who had something to do at the stern in a -great hurry, ran up to the spot where the only passenger was clinging -and nearly tumbled over him. Then, of course, he cursed him, as men in a -hurry are wont to, and exclaimed, "Get down below! What the devil are -you doing up here, where you are in everybody's way? Get down, I say!" - -"I will not," was the reply, in a quiet, and even sweet, but very -resolute, voice. - -"Then I'll knock you overboard, by ----!" said the seaman, adding an oath -which did not much strengthen the threat in the ears to which it was -addressed. - -"You cannot, and you dare not try," answered the other. But then the -voice of the skipper, who had been working hard at the tiller, was heard -exclaiming, "Let him alone, Tom;" and he beneficently called down -condemnation not only upon the eyes but upon all the members of his -subordinate. "Mind your own work, and let him alone." - -Now, it may be worth while to ask what sort of a personage was this, -whom the somewhat irascible Master Tom threatened to knock overboard, -and who replied with so little reverence for the threat. He could not be -a very formidable person, at least in appearance,--a very necessary -qualification of the assertion; for I have known very formidable snakes -the most pitiful-looking reptiles I ever beheld; and some of the most -dangerous men ever seen, either on the same stage of life where we are -playing our parts with them, or on the wider boards of history, have -been the least impressive in person, and the meanest-looking of -creatures. But, as I was saying,--for it is too late to finish that -sentence now,--the single passenger could not be very formidable in -appearance; for Tom was probably too wise and too experienced to engage -in what he considered even an equal struggle on so dark a night, while -the wind was blowing a gale, and the little craft heeling gunwale to. -Yet he could not be one without some powers, internally if not -externally, which rendered him fully as careless of consequences as the -other. Well, he was only a lad of some five feet eight or nine in -height, slight-looking in form, and dressed in a common sailor's jacket. -But in a leathern belt round his waist was a large caseknife, on the -handle or hilt of which, while he continued to hold on to the rail of -the bulwark with his left hand, he clasped the fingers of his right in a -very resolute and uncompromising manner. We all know that bowie-knives, -in one land at least, are very useful companions, and in all lands very -formidable weapons. Now, the knife in the lad's black leather belt was -not at all unlike a bowie-knife, and not in the least less formidable. -There was the slight insinuating curve, the heavy haft, the tremendously -long blade, the razor-like edge, and the sharp, unfailing point; so that -it is not improbable that the youth's confidence was mightily -strengthened by the companionship of such a serviceable friend, although -he was not half the size of his adversary and not above a third of his -weight. Boys, however, are always daring; and he could not at the utmost -have passed much more than seventeen years on the surface of this cold -earth. - -Now, all this account would have been spared the beloved reader had not -a trait of character at the outset of the career of any personage, in a -poem, novel, romance, or tale, been worth half a volume of description -afterward. It would have been spared, indeed, simply because the little -incident ended just where we have left it. Tom, the sailor, though a -reckless, ill-conditioned fellow, was obedient to the voice of his -commander, and, after having boused the boom a little to the one side or -the other of the vessel,--which side I neither know nor care,--he -returned to the bow, muttering a few objurgations of the youth, implying -that if it had not been for him they would never have come upon that -d----d voyage at all, and that probably they all would go to the bottom -for having such a Jonah on board. - -The truth is, Tom had left his sweetheart at Plymouth. - -As soon as he was gone, the skipper called the lad a little nearer and -said, "Tom says true enough, Master Ned. You were better below on every -account. I don't see what you want to come up for on such a night as -this." - -"Because I do not want to be smothered, Captain Tinly," replied Master -Ned. "I had rather be frozen than stewed; rather be melted by the water -like a piece of salt or sugar than baked like a pasty. Besides, what -harm do I do here? I am in no one's way, and that sea-dog could do his -work as well with me here as without me. But I'll tell you what, -captain, we are getting into smoother water. Some land is giving us a -lee. We ought soon to see a light." - -"Why, were you ever here before, youngster?" asked the master. - -"Ay, twice," said the boy; "and I know that when the sea smooths down as -it is now doing, we cannot be far from the island; and you will soon see -the lantern." - -"Well, keep a sharp look-out, then," was the reply: "you can see better -where you stand than I can, and it's so dark those fellows forward may -miss it. A minute or two to-night may save or sink us." - -"It matters not much which," answered the young man. A strange thought -for one at the age when life is brightest! but there are cases when the -disappointment of all early hopes--when the first grasp of misfortune's -iron hand has been so hard that it seems to have crushed the butterfly -of the heart even unto death,--when it is not alone the gay colors have -been brushed off, the soft down swept away, but when Hope's own life -seems extinguished. - -Happily, it is but for a time. There is immortality in Hope. She cannot -die; The fabled Phoenix of the ancients was but an emblem, like every -other myth; and, if the painting of Cupid burning a butterfly over a -flame was the image of love tormenting the soul, the Phoenix rising -from her ashes was surely a figure of the constant resurrection of Hope. -Ay, from her very ashes does she rise to brighter and still brighter -existence, till, soaring over the cold Lethe of the grave, she spreads -her wings afar to the Elysian fields beyond! - -It is an old axiom, never to say "die;" and though there be those who -say it, ay, and in a momentary madness give the word the form of action, -did they but wait, they themselves would find that, though circumstances -remained unchanged, the prospect as rugged or the night as dark, the -sunshine of Hope would break forth again to cheer, or her star twinkle -through the gloom to guide. - -The boy felt what he said at the time, but it was only for the time; and -there were years before him in which he never felt so again. - -"Captain, there is a light surely toward the southwest," said the lad: -"that must be the light at St. Martin's-on-Re. It seems very far off. We -must be hugging the main shore too close." - -"I don't see it," answered the skipper; "but there is one due east, or -half a point north. What the devil is that?" - -The boy ran across the deck nearly at the risk of his life; for though -the sea and wind had both fallen, the little craft still pitched and -heeled so much that he lost his footing and had wellnigh gone overboard. -He held on, however, was up in a moment, and exclaimed, "Marans! The -light in Maran's church! You'll be on the sands in ten minutes! Put -about, put about, if you would save the ship!" - -A great deal of hurry and confusion succeeded; and there was much -unnecessary noise, and still more unnecessary swearing. The youth who -had discovered the danger was the most silent of the party; but he was -not inactive, aiding the captain with more strength than he seemed to -possess, to bring the ship's head as near to the wind as possible. And -the manoeuvre was just in time; for the lead at one time showed that -they were just up the very verge of the sands at the moment when, -answering the helm better than she did at first, she made way toward the -west, and the danger was past. In half an hour--for their progress was -slow--the light upon the Isle de Re could be distinctly seen, and one by -one other lights and landmarks appeared, rendering the rest of the -voyage comparatively safe. - -Still the lad kept his place upon the deck, addressing hardly a word to -any one, but watching with a keen eye the eastern line of shore, which -was every now and then visible notwithstanding the darkness. The moon, -too, began to give some light, though she could not be seen; for the -clouds were still thick, and their rapid race across the sky told that, -though the sea under the lea of the Isle de Re had lost all its -fierceness, the gale was blowing with unabated fury. - -The lad quitted his hold of the bulwarks and walked slowly to the -captain's side, as if to speak to him; but the skipper spoke first. His -professional vanity was somewhat mortified, or perhaps he was afraid -that his professional reputation might suffer by the lad's report in the -ears of those whose approbation was valuable to him; and consequently he -was inclined to put a little bit of defensive armor on a spot where he -fancied himself vulnerable. - -"We had a narrow squeak of it just now, Master Ned," he said. "However, -it was no fault of mine. I could not help it. It is twenty years since I -was last at this d--d place, and the chart they gave me is a mighty bad -one. Besides, those beastly gales we have had ever since Ushant might -puzzle the devil,--and this dark night, too!" - -"You've saved the ship, captain," answered the lad: "that is all we have -to do with;" and then, perhaps thinking he might as well add something -to help the good skipper's palliatives for wellnigh running the ship -ashore, he added, "Besides, there is a strong current running,--what -between the sands of Oleron and the point of Re, and the Pertuis -d'Antioche--I do not know very well how it is; but I was so told by one -of the men last time I was here." - -"Ay, 'tis so, I dare say," answered the captain. "Indeed, it must be -so; for we could never have got so far to the eastward without one of -those currents. I wish to heaven some one would put them all down, for -one can't keep them all in one's head, anyhow. You tell the duke, when -you see him again, about the currents, Master Ned." - -"What is the use of telling him any thing at all but that we got safe to -Rochelle?" asked the lad. "If we get there--as there is now no doubt--he -will ask no questions how; and if we don't, anybody may blame us who -likes: it will make little difference to you or me." - -The skipper was about to answer; but just at that moment a light broke -suddenly out upon that longish point of land which a boat that keeps -under the western shore of France has to double--as the reader very well -recollects--before it can make the port of La Rochelle; and the boy as -suddenly laid his hand on the captain's arm, saying, "Make for that -light as near as you can, captain; keep the lead going; drop your anchor -as close as you can, and send me ashore in a boat." - -"Why, Master Ned, I was told to land you at Rochelle," replied the -other. - -"You were told to do as I bade you," answered the lad, as stoutly as if -he had been a captain of horse,--adding the saving clause, "in every -thing except the navigation of your vessel. I must be put ashore where -you see that light. So send down for my bags, have the boat all ready, -and when I am landed go on to Rochelle and wait till you hear more." - -The captain of the vessel did not hesitate to obey. The ship ran -speedily for the shore and approached perhaps nearer than was altogether -safe; the boat was lowered to the water, and the lad sprang in without -bidding adieu to any one. There was a heavy sea running upon the coast, -and it required no slight skill and strength on the part of the two -stout rowers to land him in safety; but he showed neither fear nor -hesitation, though probably he knew the extent of the danger and the -service better than any one; for, when he sprang out into the shallow -water where the boat grounded, he gave each of the men a gold-piece, and -then watched them with somewhat anxious eyes till they had got their -boat through the surf into the open sea. - - - - -CHAPTER II. - - -What an extraordinary world it is! Men in general are mere shellfish, -unapproachable except at certain tender points; such as the eyes of the -crab, or the soft yellow skin under an alligator's gullet,--Achilles' -heels which have been neglected by the mothers of those sapient reptiles -when they were dipped in Styx. But perhaps it is as well as it is; for -if a man were tender all over, and once began to think of all the misery -that is going on around him, the faces he would make would be horrible -to see. Reader, at this very moment there are thousands dying in agony, -there are many starving for lack of food, there is a whole host of -gentle hearts watching the expiring lamp of life in the eyes of those -most dearly loved, there are multitudes of noble spirits and mighty -minds struggling in doubt for to-morrow's daily crust, there is crime, -folly, sorrow, anguish, shame, remorse, despair, around us on every -side; and yet we are as merry as a grasshopper unless somebody snaps off -one of our own legs. There is not an instant of time that does not bring -with it a thousand waves of agony over the stormy sea of human -existence; and yet every man's light boat dances on, and the mariner -sings, till one of the many billows overwhelms him. It is quite as well -as it is. - -Some, however, are blessed--or cursed, as it may be--with a faculty of -feeling for others; and that boy, as he took his way up from the shore -toward the little hillock of sand on which a bonfire of pine logs was -blazing,--with two heavy bags on his arms, and the rain dashed by the -fierce wind in his face,--could not help thinking of the roofless heads -and chilled hearts he knew were in the world. - -"Poor souls!" he thought; "in an hour I shall be warm and dry and -comfortable, and to-morrow all this will be forgotten; but for them -there is no comfort, no better to-morrow." - -Stay a minute, my lad! Do not go too fast and reckon without your host, -either for yourself or others. Joy may light up the dim eye, hope fan -the aching brow; and you,--after all you have seen and undergone even in -your short life,--how dare you count upon the events of the next -hour,--nay, of the next moment? - -He climbed the hill stoutly but slowly; for it was steep, and his bags -were heavy. The wicked wind, too, fought with him all the way up, and -the rain, which had lately begun to fall, came loaded with small -particles of hail, as if it sought to aid the wind in keeping him back -till their united force could put out the beacon-fire. But the pine was -full of resin, and it burned on, with the flame and the smoke whirled -about by the wind but never extinguished, until at length he stood on -the windward side of the fire and looked round, as if expecting to see -the man who lighted it. - -There was no one there, however; and the youth, who, it must be -acknowledged, was of a somewhat eager and impatient temper and apt to -come to hasty conclusions, fancied for a moment or two that those he -should have found there had grown weary of waiting in that boisterous -night, and had left him to enjoy its pleasures or its terrors by -himself. A moment after, however, as the flame swayed a little more to -the westward, he caught a glimpse of the ground on the other side of the -hill sinking rapidly down into a little dell where some less arid soil -seemed to have settled,--enough at least to bear some scanty herbage, a -few low bushes, and some thin pines; and there, amongst the latter, -appeared a small fixed light. It might be a candle in a cottage-window, -and probably was; for it was too red for a jack-o'lantern. - -"Ah! I can at least find out where I am," thought the lad; "but I dare -say the men are there, taking care of their own skins and little caring -about mine." - -Thus thinking, he began to descend, and had not proceeded far when a -voice hailed him in French. The lad made no answer, but went on; for, to -say sooth, he was somewhat moody with all the events of the last three -or four days. - -"Is that you, Master Ned, I say?" repeated the voice, in English, but -with a very strong foreign accent. - -"Ay, ay!" replied the youth; "but how the devil did you expect me to -find you if you did not stay by the fire?" - -"Oh, we kept a good look-out," answered a stout man of some -five-and-thirty years of age, who was advancing to meet him. "We have -waited for you by the fire long enough these two last nights; and, as we -could see any one who came across the blaze, there was no use of our -getting frozen, or melted, or blown away on the top of the hill. But -what has made you so long behind? You were to have been here on Tuesday -night: so the letters said. What kept you?" - -"Head-winds all the way from Ushant," replied the boy. "But let us go -on, Jargeau, for we must be far from the town, and time enough has been -lost already." - -"Well, come down to the cottage," said the other, in a musing sort of -tone. "You want something to refresh you while the horses are being -saddled. Here; let me carry your bags." And as he spoke he laid his hand -upon one of the large leather-covered cases. - -"Not that one," said the boy, sharply, pushing away his hand: "here; you -may take this." The man laughed, saying, "Ay, as sharp as ever!" and -they descended to the pines, where the light still glimmered behind one -of the few remaining panes of glass in the window of a dilapidated -cottage, on the leeward side of which stood three horses, tethered but -without their saddles. - -The interior of the building offered no very cheerful aspect; but, -seeing that the boy had not eaten any thing for the last twelve hours, -that he was weary, wet, and cold, the sight of a very tolerable supply -of viands on the floor,--for there was furniture of no kind within,--and -a large black bottle fitted to hold at least a gallon, was very -consolatory. - -The only other objects which the cottage contained were the rosin candle -fixed into a split log, and a lean but apparently strong man of perhaps -forty, whose face had evidently had at least a ten years' intimacy with -the brandy-flask. He was stretched out at length upon the ground, but -with his head and arm within reach of the viands and bottle; and though, -in answer to some observations of his comrade of the watch, he swore -manfully that he had touched neither, yet he wiped his mouth upon the -sleeve of his coat, as if he felt that something might be clinging to -his lips which would contradict him. - -"Ah, Master Ned!" he exclaimed, in French, but without moving from where -he lay, "I am right glad you have come, for my throat is as dry as an -ear of rye, and Jargeau there would not have the cold meat touched nor -the bottle broached till you came." - -"By the Lord, you have broached it, though!" exclaimed the other, who -had been stooping down: "the neck is quite wet, you vagabond; and, if we -did not need you, I would give you a touch of my knife for disobeying my -orders. But come, Master Ned, sit down on the floor and eat. There is -enough left in the bottle for you, at all events; and, on my soul, he -shall not have another drop till both you and I have finished." - -The other man only laughed, and the boy applied himself to the food with -a good will. When he had eaten silently for some ten minutes, he -stretched out his hand, saying, "Give me the bottle, Jargeau: I will -have one draught of wine, and then I am ready. Pierrot, get up and put -the saddles on the horses." - -"No wine will you get here," replied Jargeau; "but this is better for -you, wet as you are,--as good eau-de-vie as ever came from Tonnay -Charente. Take a good drink: you will need it." - -"Get up and saddle the horses," said the boy before he drank, addressing -somewhat sharply the lean gentleman on the ground. "Have you forgotten -St. Martin's, good Pierrot?" - -"I will have my drink first," answered the other, grinning. "I brought -the bottle here; and drop for drop all round is fair play." - -As the quickest mode of ending all dispute, the youth drank and gave the -bottle to Pierrot; but it remained so long at his lips that Jargeau -snatched it angrily from him, swearing he would not leave a drop. He -seemed loath to part with it, but at length raised his long limbs from -the floor, and, lighting another rosin candle, went forth to perform his -task. - -"And now, Master Ned," said Jargeau, "I have news for you which you may -be will not like. You are not going to La Rochelle to-night. There is no -one there whom you want to see." - -"I must go," said the boy, thoughtfully, as if speaking to himself. "I -must go." - -"But just listen, Master Ned," said Jargeau. "I know you are somewhat -hard-headed; but what is the use of going to a place where there is no -one to deal with? Now, the Prince de Soubise and the Duc de Rohan are -both at the Chateau of Mauze; and with them are all the people you want -to see." - -The lad paused and mused for several minutes without making any answer, -and Jargeau pressed him to take some more of the brandy, saying that he -would have a ride of thirty miles. But still he replied nothing, till at -length, awaking from his reverie, he asked, "Who is to guide me? I do -not know the way to Mauze." - -"Oh, Pierrot is here for the very purpose," answered Jargeau: "he will -guide you, and though, by one way or another, he will find means to make -all you leave of the brandy disappear, you know he is never drunk enough -not to find his way." - -Master Ned, as they called him, again fell into thought for a moment or -two, and then answered, "It would be better for you to go yourself. But -perhaps you are wanted in Rochelle?" - -"No," answered the other, in an indifferent tone; "I have got to go to -Fontenay, where some of our friends--you understand?--are to have a -meeting to-morrow night." - -"Then you must be there, of course," replied Master Ned; "but, if -Pierrot is to ride thirty miles with me, the poor devil had better have -some food. He has tasted nothing but the brandy." - -"That is enough for him," answered Jargeau: "he cares nothing for meat -when he can get drink." - -"Well, then, let him have enough of what he likes best," answered the -lad; "and in the mean time I will get a cloak out of the bag, for we -shall have a wet ride as well as a long one." Thus saying, he rose, took -the bags into the farther corner of the cabin, and certainly took a -cloak out of one of them. Whether he brought forth any thing else I do -not say; but the cloak was soon over his shoulders, and a moment after -Pierrot appeared at the door, saying that the beasts were saddled. - -"Here, Pierrot," exclaimed the lad; "come in and devour that chicken, -and then you shall have some more of the devil's drops." - -"Take some more yourself, Ned," said Jargeau: "'tis the only way to -prevent catching the fever." - -The lad assented, and, taking the bottle with both hands, put it to his -lips; but whether any of its contents passed beyond them I am doubtful, -seeing that the throat, which was fully exposed by his falling collar, -showed no signs of deglutition. He then handed the liquor to Pierrot, -who by this time had torn a large fat fowl to pieces and swallowed -one-half of it. The brandy fared still worse; for, although Jargeau -frowned upon him fiercely while he drank, the bottle, whatever remained -of the contents when he put it to his mouth, left that organ quite -empty. - -"You drunken beast, you have swallowed it all!" said Jargeau. - -"True," answered Pierrot, with a watery and somewhat swimming eye: "my -mouth is not large, but it is deep. I wish the Pertuis d'Antioche could -be filled with the same stuff and my mouth be laid at the other end. -There would be only one current then, Monsieur Jargeau." - -The lad and the elderman both eyed him keenly as he spoke; but, strange -to say, the sight seemed to please the former more than the latter, and, -as they issued forth to mount, Jargeau drew Pierrot aside and said -something to him in a low but angry voice. - -The lad took not the slightest notice of this little interlude, but, -advancing to where the horses stood with bent heads, not liking the rain -at all, he selected the one which seemed to him the strongest and best, -without asking consent of any one, placed his bags, tied together with a -strong leathern thong, over the pommel of the saddle, and then sprang -into his seat. "Come on, Pierrot!" he cried; "we have far to ride, it -seems, and but little time." Jargeau advanced to his side and said, in a -whisper, "That beast is half drunk. Take care of him. You remember it is -the Chateau of Mauze you are going to. He may turn refractory." - -"Oh, no fear," replied Master Ned. "I can drive him as well as any other -ass. I have driven him before. Mauze?--that is upon the road to Niort, -is it not?" - -"Yes," answered the other. "Where the road forks, keep to the right, and -then straight on: you cannot miss it. I think the moon will get the -better of the clouds and shine out." - -"Good!" said the youth. "We want a little light." - -Thus saying, he struck the horse with his heel, and the beast started -forward. Pierrot, who by this time had contrived to mount, followed, and -Jargeau returned to the cottage, as he said, to put out the light. - - - - -CHAPTER III. - - -There had been something a little peculiar in the way in which Master -Ned had pronounced the words, "We want a little light," which, if -Jargeau had remarked the curl of his lip as they were uttered, might -have induced him to turn his horse's head toward Rochelle instead of -Fontenay; for in truth the lad spoke of other than moonlight. Ned rode -on in silence, however, for some minutes, along a small road, or rather -path, which led from the old cottage, first to a small straggling -village, such as is still to be seen in the Bocage and its neighborhood, -and then to a place of junction with the highroad running from Marans to -Mauze. It was called a highroad then, God wot; but it has fallen into a -second-class way now, and was in all but name a very low road always. - -Pierrot was silent too,--not that he had not a strong impulse toward -eloquence upon him, but that he felt a certain confusion of thought -which did not permit of seeing distinctly which was the head, which the -tail, of a subject. The last draught of brandy had been a deep one. Yet -Pierrot was practised in all the various phases of drunkenness, and in -general knew how to carry his liquor discreetly; but this was in fact -the reason that he abstained from using his tongue, feeling an intense -conviction that it would either speak some gross nonsense, or betray -some secret, or commit some other of those lamentable blunders in which -drunken men's tongues are wont to indulge, if he once opened his mouth. - -It was not an easy task to keep quiet, it is true; and, had he not been -a very experienced man, he could not have accomplished it. But the -struggle was soon brought to a conclusion; for, when they had ridden -about half a mile, Master Ned turned sharp upon him, and asked, -abruptly, "What was that Jargeau said to you, just as we were coming -away, Pierrot?" - -"Oh, nothing," answered Pierrot, in a muddled voice, "but to lead you -right." - -"Where?" demanded the lad, sternly. - -"Why, to Mauze, to-be-sure," replied Pierrot. - -"What a pity he gave himself such unnecessary trouble!" answered the -lad, in a quiet tone: "neither you nor I go to Mauze to-night, Pierrot." - -"Then where, in Satan's name, are you going?" demanded his companion, -checking his horse. - -"To Rochelle," replied Master Ned. "Jog on, Maitre Pierrot. It is the -next turn on the right we take, I think. Jog on, I say. Why do you -stop?" - -"Because I ought to go back and tell Jargeau, and ask him what I am to -do," answered the other, half bewildered with drink and astonishment. - -"You are to do what I tell you, and to do it at once," replied the lad; -"and, if you do not, I have got a persuader here which will convince you -sooner than any other argument I can use." And as he spoke he drew one -of the large horse-pistols of that day from beneath his cloak and -pointed it straight at Pierrot's head. "It is the same argument that -stopped your running away and leaving us in the enemy's teeth at St. -Martin's-in-Rhe," he said. - -"You young devil, the ball is in my leg still," answered Pierrot. "But -this is not fair, Master Ned. You might be right enough then, for you -thought I was going to betray you; though, on my life and soul, I was -only afraid. Now you want me to disobey those I am bound to serve, and -do not even give me a reason." - -"I will give you a reason, though I have not much time, for fear the -powder in the pan should get damp," replied the boy; "but my reason is -that I was told to go to Rochelle and see Maitre Clement Tournon; and -therefore I am going. Now, in the Isle de Rhe I did not think you were -going to betray us, and knew quite well it was mere fear; but at present -I do think Jargeau is seeking to betray me,--or mislead me, which is as -bad. At all events, you have got to go with me to Rochelle, or have the -lead in your head, Pierrot: so choose quickly, because you know I do not -wait long for any one." - -"Well, I vow you are too hard upon me, Master Ned," said Pierrot, in a -whimpering tone. "You take the very bread out of my mouth and give me -over to the vengeance of that cold-blooded devil Jargeau." - -"You will find me a worse devil still," replied Master Ned, coldly; but -even as he spoke he fell into a fit of thought, and then added, "Listen -to me, Pierrot, if the brandy has left you any brains, or ears either. I -want a man like you to go with me a long way, perhaps. It will not be I -who pay you, for I have got little enough, as you know; but I will be -your surety that you shall be well paid as long as you serve well. I -know you to the bottom. You are honest at heart, whether you are drunk -or sober; though liquor has not the same effect upon you as upon most -men. You are brave enough when you are sober, but a terrible coward when -you are drunk. Now, if you like to go with me, you shall have enough to -live on, and to get drunk on, when I choose to let you get drunk." - -"How often will that be?" asked Pierrot, interrupting him. - -"I will make no bargain," answered the lad; "but this much I will say: -you may drink whenever I do not tell you I have important business on -hand. When I do tell you that, you shall taste nothing stronger than -water." - -"Good! good!" said Pierrot: "strong water you mean, of course." - -"Well-water," said the lad, sharply. "But, remember, I am not to be -trifled with. As to Jargeau, I will take care he does nothing to injure -you. If it be as I think, I have got his head under my belt, and he will -soon know that it is so. Now choose quickly, for we have stood here too -long." - -"Well, I'll go," said Pierrot; "but I am terribly afraid of that -Jargeau. However, your pistol is nearest; and so I'll go. I know you are -not to be trifled with, well enough; but I must find some way of letting -Jargeau know I have left him. It would be a shame to go without telling -him, you know, Master Ned." - -"We shall find means enough in Rochelle of sending him word," answered -the lad, putting up his pistol and resuming his journey. - -Pierrot followed with sundry half-articulate grunts; but he appeared -soon to recover both good humor and spirits, for ere they had gone half -a mile he burst forth into song, broken and irregular indeed, now a -scrap from one lay, now from another; but, at all events, the music -seemed to show that no very heavy thing was resting on his mind. His -rambling scraps of old ditties ran somewhat as follows:-- - - "Whither go you on this dark, dark night, - Wayfaring cavalier? - Go you to love, or go you to fight? - Either is better by clear moonlight, - Venturous cavalier. - -"By my life, the moon is beginning to break through,--though how she -will manage it I don't know; for there is mud enough in yonder sky to -swallow up the tallest horse I ever rode. - - "Oh, tell-tale moon, - You are up too soon - For the long train of kisses yet on the way. - Your eyes so bright - Make all the world light: - We might just as well kiss in the full of the day. - -"She has got behind the cloud again. Moons and maidens don't know their -own minds. - - "Katy went to the cupboard-door, - Ah, Katy, Katy! - What want you in your grandam's store? - Cunning little Katy. - - "She went quietly over the floor: - Fie, Katy, Katy! - No use of the lock, no use of the door, - Against that little Katy. - - "She's put away her own little snood: - Fie, little Katy! - She has got on her grandmother's hood: - Can that be pretty Katy? - - "She has opened the back door into the wood: - Beware! Katy, Katy; - Such sly marches never bode good - To any little Katy. - - "But there's a priest with the yeoman tall: - Is that it, little Katy? - And now she is wedded and bedded and all, - And no more little Katy." - -The concluding stanzas, if they were neither very excellent nor very -tender, were at least an indication that his mind was settling down into -a calmer state than when he began. They were connected, at all events; -and continuity of thought is a great approach to reason, which dwelleth -not in the brains of any man together with much brandy. The finer spirit -was, therefore, apparently getting the better of the coarser; and Master -Ned thought the time was come for him to take advantage of the change of -dynasty and see whether he could not obtain some advantage from the new -ruler. - -"Well, Pierrot," he said, "this is a very pretty business you have been -engaged in. After having had the honor of serving the King of England -and fighting for the liberty of the Protestants of France, you have been -persuaded to aid in trying to betray me into the hands of the enemy, -though you did not know that I might not be the bearer of important -messages to your own people." - -"Whew!" cried Pierrot, with a long whistle. Now, whistles mean all kinds -of things, from the ostracism of a play-house gallery to the signal of -love or housebreaking; but the whistle of good Pierrot was decidedly a -whistle of astonishment, and so Master Ned interpreted it. - -"Do not affect ignorance or surprise, Pierrot," he said: "that will not -do with me. Jargeau is a traitor: that is clear." - -"Well, well, Master Ned," interposed his companion, "you are a mighty -sharp lad, beyond question; but sometimes you ride your horse too fast, -notwithstanding. Just stop a bit till my head gets a little--a very -little bit--clearer, and I'll set you right. As you think the matter -worse than it is, I may as well show you it is better. I don't mean to -say they did not want to trick you; but not the way you fancy." - -"Why, are not all the towns round in the hands of the Papists?" asked -the lad. "We have had that news in England for the last four months." - -"No, no, no," answered Pierrot: "the Papists may have the upper hand in -most of them, it is true; but stop a bit, and I'll tell you all clearly. -Your long pistol half sobered me; and when I can get to a spring and put -my head in, that will wash out the rest of the brandy. It is of no use -giving you a muddled tale." - -"Take care you do not make one up," answered Master Ned. "I shall find -you out in five minutes." - -Pierrot laughed. "I'd as soon try to cheat the devil," he said. "But let -us ride on. There is a well just where the roads cross, and it will -serve my turn. Brandy is a fine thing, but a mighty poor counsellor." - -The lad followed the suggestion, for he did not wish to give his -companion too much time to think, and, urging their horses on, in about -five minutes they reached the spot where two highways crossed, and where -a large stone trough received the waters of a beautiful and plentiful -spring, affording solace to many a weary and thirsty horse in those days -of saddle-travelling. There Pierrot dismounted, slowly and deliberately, -for he could not precisely ascertain to what extent he retained a -balancing power till his feet touched the ground. With more directness -of purpose, however, than could have been expected, he made his way to -the trough, and, kneeling down, plunged his head once or twice into the -cool water. He then rose, with his long rugged black hair still -streaming; and, after the horses had been suffered to drink, the two -travellers resumed their way. The moon by this time had completely -scattered the clouds; glimpses of dark-blue sky appeared between the -broken masses, and the keen eye of the young lad could mark every -change in the expression of Pierrot's face as he went on. - -"Now, Master Ned," he said, "I think my noddle has got clear enough of -the fumes to let you know something of what people have been about here, -which you do not know rightly, I can see. Rochelle is going to be taken -by the Catholics: that's clear to me." - -"Unless the great Duke of Buckingham drive the Catholics beyond the -Loire, it must be taken," answered the lad. "You can never stand against -all France. But what makes you give up hope, Pierrot?" - -"First, the King of France, and his devil of a Cardinal, are drawing -together a great army all around us," answered Pierrot,--"a greater army -than ever approached Rochelle before. That we could manage to resist, -perhaps. But then they are going very coolly to work fortifying every -town and well-pitched village of the Papists within fifty miles of the -city, and filling them with soldiers, so that every egg that comes to -market will have to be fought for. Well, that we could perhaps manage -too, for we could get supplies from England. But look here, Master Ned: -there are two parties in Rochelle. Our best lords and wisest citizens, -our chief generals and captains, know well that our only hope is in the -support of England; but there is a more numerous, if not a stronger, -party, who do not like your great duke, would have nothing to do with -your good country, and would have us stand alone and fight it out by -ourselves. One of their chief men is Jargeau." - -"I see," said the lad. "But what did he seek by trying to entrap me to -go to Mauze?" - -"First, your letters were likely either to fall into the hands of the -Catholics, and, by showing how firmly Rochelle could count upon English -help, frighten them and make them reasonable," answered Pierrot, "or, -secondly, they might fall into the hands of Miguet and his other -friends, who would take care they should never reach their destination. -That was the plan, Master Ned." - -"And not a bad plan, either," answered the other, thoughtfully, -"supposing I had any letters. But, as you say, Rochelle is in a bad -way; for, if her leaders are afraid to let each other know their exact -position and what they may count upon, she is a house divided against -herself, and cannot stand. But what made Jargeau think I had letters? -Nobody told him so, I think." - -"No; but they told him you would have messages for our principal -people," answered Pierrot,--adding, not unwilling, perhaps, to show a -little scorn for one whose strong will had exercised what may be called -an unnatural ascendency over him more than once, "and Jargeau never -believed that they would trust messages to such a young boy as you." - -"He must have thought my memory very bad," replied the lad, "not to be -able to carry a message from England to France. But my memory is not so -bad, good Pierrot, as he may find some day. At all events, if Rochelle -is to be lost by the intrigues of a man who does not choose his comrades -to know where succor lies when they like to seek it, all the world shall -know who ruined a good cause. But I suppose, Pierrot, all he told me of -the meeting of the Reformed leaders at Mauze was a mere lure." - -"No, no; it is all true," answered Pierrot. "The prince is there, and -Rohan, and a dozen of others; and if you could have got safe through -without the loss of your bags, you would have found some of those you -want; but I suppose he had provided against that. I don't know: he never -told me; but it is likely." - -"Very likely," replied Master Ned; "but you say 'some of those I want.' -I only want one person; and him I must see if it be possible. Is Maitre -Clement Tournon in the city?" - -"He is not with those in the Chateau of Mauze," replied Pierrot. "I know -little of him. He is a goldsmith,--a very quiet man?" - -"Probably," answered the lad: "quiet men are the best friends in this -world. So, on to Rochelle! Will they let us pass the gates at night?" - -"'Tis a hard question to answer," said Pierrot. "Sometimes they are very -strict, sometimes lax enough. But it is somewhat late, young lad, and, -if none of the guard is in love with moonlight, we shall find them all -asleep." - -"Asleep in such times as these!" exclaimed the young man. - -"Why, either the Papists are trying to throw us off our guard," said -Pierrot, "or they are too busy cutting off each others' heads to mind -ours. They have not troubled us much as yet. True, they have taken a -town or two, and stopped some of our parties into the country, and begun -what they call lines; but not a man of their armies has come within -cannon-shot. And there is not much more strictness than in the times of -the _little war_ which has been going on for the last fifty years. But -the people in the town vary from time to time. When one man commands, -the very nose of a Catholic will be fired at; and, when another is on -duty, the gates will be opened to Schomberg, or the devil, or any one -else who comes in a civil manner. But there is Rochelle peeping over the -trees yonder, just as if she had come out to see the moon shine." - -"Well, then, mark me, good Pierrot," said Master Ned, "I expect you to -do all you can to make them open the gates to us. You understand what -that means, I suppose?" - -"That I shall have a shot in my other leg or through my head if I do -not, I presume," answered Pierrot. "But don't be afraid. When you have -given me a crown, I shall have taken service with you; and then you -know, or ought to know, I will serve you well." - -The lad, it would seem, had some reason to judge that the estimate which -his companion put upon such a bond was just. Indeed, in those days the -act of taking service, confirmed by earnest-money, implied much more -than it does in our more enlightened times. Then a man who had thus -bound himself thought himself obliged to let nobody cheat his master but -himself, to feel a personal interest in his purposes and in his safety. -Now, alas! we hire a man to rob us himself and help all others to rob -us,--to brush our coats in the evening, and cut our throats in the -morning if we have too many silver spoons. However, Master Ned put his -hand into his pocket and pulled out a piece of money, which he held out -to Pierrot, who seemed for a moment to hesitate to take it. "I wish I -had told Jargeau I was going to quit him," he said: "not that he ever -gave me a sol, but plenty of promises. How much is it, Master Ned?" - -"A spur rial," replied the boy,--"worth a number of your French crowns." - -"Lead us not into temptation!" cried Pierrot, taking and pocketing the -money. "And now tell me what I am to do." - -"All you can to make them open the gates," answered Master Ned. "You -have got the word, of course?" - -"Nay, 'faith, not I," replied Pierrot: "Jargeau got it this evening, but -I did not think of asking. Never mind, however: all the people in -Rochelle know me, and I will get in if any one can." - -He was destined to be disappointed, however. In the little suburb, just -before the gate, he and his companion passed a little tavern where -lights were burning and people singing and making a good deal of noise; -but it was in vain that Pierrot knocked at the large heavy door or -shouted through a small barred aperture. No one could be made to hear; -and he and Master Ned were forced to retreat to one of the cabarets of -the faubourg and await the coming of daylight. - - - - -CHAPTER IV. - - -"Who is that boy?" said one of the early shopkeepers of Rochelle, -speaking to his neighbor, who was engaged in the same laudable -occupation as himself,--namely, that of opening his shop for the -business of the day. At the same time he pointed out a handsome lad, -well but plainly dressed, who was walking along somewhat slowly toward -the better part of the city. "Who is that boy, I wonder?" - -"He's a stranger, by that cloak with the silver lace," replied the -other: "most likely come over in the ship that nearly ran upon the pier -last night. He carries a sword, too. Those English make monkeys even of -their children; but he is a good looking youth nevertheless, and bears -himself manly. Ah! there is that worthless vagabond, Pierrot la Grange, -speaking to him. And now Master Pierrot is coming here. I will have -naught to do with him or his." And, so saying, he turned into his shop. - -The other tradesman waited without, proposing in his own mind to ask -Pierrot sundry questions regarding his young companion; for, although he -had no curiosity, as he frequently assured his neighbors, yet he always -liked to know who everybody was, and what was his business. - -Pierrot, however, had only had time to cross over from the other corner -of the street and ask, in a civil, and even sober, tone, where the -dwelling of Monsieur Clement Tournon could be found, when the good -tradesman exclaimed, "My life! what is that?" and instantly darted -across the street as fast as a somewhat short pair of legs could carry -him. - -Now, the street there was not very wide; but it was crossed by one much -broader within fifty yards of the spot where the shopkeeper was -standing, called in that day "Rue de l'Horloge." It may have gone by a -hundred names since. The street was quite vacant, too, when Pierrot -addressed the tradesman; but the moment after, two sailors came up the -Rue de l'Horloge, and one of them, as soon as he set eyes on Master Ned, -who was standing with his back to the new-comers, laid his hand upon his -shoulder and said something in a tone apparently not the most civil, for -the lad instantly shook himself free, turned round, and put his hand -upon the hilt of the short sword he carried. It seemed to the good -shopkeeper that he made an effort to draw it; but whether it fitted too -close, or it had got somewhat rusted to the scabbard during the previous -rainy night, it would not come forth; and in the mean time the sailor -struck him a thundering blow on the head with a stick he carried. The -youth fell to the ground at once, but he did not get up again, and the -two tradesmen ran up, crying, "Shame! shame! Seize the fellow!" - -"You've killed him, Tom, by the Lord!" cried the other sailor. "You -deserve hanging; but get back to the ship if you would escape it. Quick! -quick! or they will stop you." - -"He was drawing his sword on me!" cried our friend Tom, whose -quarrel--not the first one--with Master Ned we have already seen as the -ship neared the Isle of Rhe. But, not quite confident in the -availability of his excuse, he took his companion's advice and began to -run, turning the corner of the Rue de l'Horloge. One of the tradesmen -pursued him, however, shouting, "Stop him! stop him!" and the malevolent -scoundrel had not run thirty yards, when he was seized by a strong, -middle-aged man, who was walking up the street with an elderly companion -and was followed by two common men dressed as porters. - -The sailor made a struggle to get free, but it was in vain; and the -shopkeeper, who was pursuing, soon made the whole affair known to his -captors. - -The elderly man with the white beard put one or two questions to the -prisoner, to which he received no reply; for since that untoward event -of the Tower of Babel the world is no longer of one speech, and Tom was -master of no other than his own. - -"Take him to the prison," said the old man, addressing the two men who -had been following him. "Do not use him roughly, but see that he does -not escape." - -"He shall not get away, Master Syndic," replied one of the porters; and, -while the syndic was speaking a few whispered words to his companion, -Tom was carried off to durance vile. - -The two gentlemen then walked on with the tradesman by their side, and -were soon on the spot where the assault had been committed. By this time -a good many people had gathered round poor Master Ned; and the other -English sailor had lifted the lad's head upon his knee, while Pierrot -was pouring some water on his face. The shopkeeper, to whom the latter -had been speaking when the misadventure had occurred, was trying to -stanch the blood which flowed from a severe cut on the head; but the -moment he saw the syndic approach he exclaimed, "Ah, Monsieur Clement -Tournon, this poor lad was inquiring for you when that brute felled -him." - -"Indeed!" said the old man, with less appearance of interest than might -perhaps have been expected. "Leave stopping the blood: its flow will do -him good; and some one carry him to my house, where he shall be well -tended." - -Pierrot had risen from his knee as the syndic spoke, and now whispered a -word in his ear, which he evidently thought of much consequence; but the -old man remained unmoved, merely saying, "Not quite so close, my friend! -I tell you he shall be well tended. Neighbor Gasson, for charity, call -two or three of your lads and let them carry the poor lad up to my -dwelling." - -At this moment the younger and stouter man who had seized and held -Master Ned's brutal assailant suggested that it would be better to take -the boy to his dwelling, as it was next door but one to the house of the -famous physician Cavillac. - -"Nay, nay, Guiton," replied the syndic, "my poor place is hard by; and -yours," he added, in a lower tone, "may be too noisy. You go and send -down the doctor,--though I think the lad is but stunned, and will soon -be well again. Pierrot la Grange, follow us up, if you be, as you say, -his servant,--though how he happened to hire such a drunken fellow I -know not. Yes, I know you, Master Pierrot, though you have forgotten -me." Thus saying, he drew the personage whom he had called Guiton aside -and spoke to him during a few moments in a whisper. In the mean time, -two or three stout apprentices had been called forth from the -neighboring houses; and the youth, being raised in their arms, was being -carried along the Rue de l'Horloge. Clement Tournon followed quickly, -leaving his friend Guiton at the corner; and at the tenth door on the -left-hand side the party stopped and entered the passage of a tall house -standing somewhat back from the general line of the street. It was -rather a gloomy-looking edifice, with small windows and heavy doors -plated on the inner side with iron; but whether sad or cheerful mattered -little to poor Master Ned, for the state of stupor in which he lay was -not affected by the act of bearing him thither, nor by the still more -troublesome task of carrying him up a narrow stairs. That he was not -dead his heavy breathing showed; but that was almost the only sign of -life which could be discovered by a casual observer. - -"Carry him into the small room behind the saloon," said Clement -Tournon, who was at this time following close; and in another minute the -lad was laid upon a bed in a room situated in the back of the house, -where little noise could penetrate, and which was cheerful and airy -enough. - -"Thank you, lads; thank you!" said the syndic, speaking to the -apprentices. "Now leave us. You, Pierrot la Grange, stay here: undress -him and get him between the sheets." - -The noise and the little crowd going up the steps had brought forth -several women-servants, belonging to Monsieur Tournon's household, in -large, helmet-shaped, white caps; and, after gazing in silence for a -moment or two, with wonder and compassion, upon the handsome pale -countenance, all bedabbled with blood, of the poor lad, they began to -make numerous suggestions to their master, who answered nothing, but -inquired, "Where is Lucette?" - -She was gone, they told him, to Madame Loraine's school; and then, -rejecting all their counsels, and merely telling them that Dr. Cavillac -would soon be there, he ordered the room to be cleared of every one but -Pierrot and himself. - -The old syndic paused for a moment or two after his commands had been -obeyed, gazing upon the pale face before him with a look of greater -interest than he had yet suffered to appear upon his countenance. Then, -suddenly turning to Pierrot, he said, "Now tell me all you know about -this youth. Who is he? What did he come hither for? What is his business -with me?" - -"What is his business with you, Monsieur Tournon? I do not know," -replied Pierrot la Grange. "What he came hither for was to bring letters -or messages from England; and as to who or what he is or was, that is -very simple. He is Lord Montagu's page." - -"And his name?" asked the syndic. - -"We used to call him Master Ned," replied Pierrot. "That was when I was -with the English army in the Isle de Rhe; but his name by rights, I -believe, is Edward Langdale." The old man continued silent; and Pierrot, -whose tendency to loquacity easily broke bounds, went on to tell how -Etienne Jargeau had received, some days before, information that Master -Ned would arrive upon the coast on business of importance, with -directions to have a small beacon-fire lighted that night, and every -night after, on a little hill just above the _trou bourbe_, till the lad -appeared. "You know Jargeau used to be a retainer of the Prince de -Soubise, monsieur," Pierrot continued; "but of late he has left his -service and has gone over--some say bought--to the French party." - -"I trust we are all of the true French party," replied Monsieur Tournon. -"But the lad landed last night, you say. Had he no baggage with him?" - -"Yes, two large leather bags with padlocks on them," rejoined Pierrot: -"they are left safe under lock and key at the Coq d'Or, where we were -obliged to rest last night because the guard was so sound asleep that we -could not wake them to let us in." - -"Ay? so sluggardly? This must be amended," said the syndic. "At the Coq -d'Or, in the suburb? That is no safe place for such bags." - -"So I was just thinking," replied Pierrot: "I will go up and fetch them. -He has got the key of the room in his pocket." - -The worthy gentleman made a movement toward the bed, as if to take -the key; but Clement Tournon stopped him with a somewhat sarcastic -smile, saying, "If the Coq d'Or is no safe depository, Pierrot la Grange -is no safe messenger." - -The man's face flushed. "You do me wrong, sir!" he exclaimed. "Bad -enough I may be; but I never stole a thing in my life." - -"Not a cup of brandy?" asked the syndic, with another smile. - -Pierrot laughed. "Fair booty, fair booty!" he cried: "strong waters are -fair booty everywhere, monsieur." - -"Well, I suspect you of nothing worse," replied Tournon; "but, if you -were once to go for the bags, Heaven knows when we should see you again; -and then you would come without the bags; for there would be plenty of -people to lighten you of your load. Besides, the people of the cabaret -would not let you take them. I will send my head-polisher with you and -give him an order to receive the baggage in my name. They dare not -refuse my order. Get the key gently. I do not love putting my hands into -other people's pockets." - -As soon as the key had been obtained, Clement Tournon led his companion -into a large, curious-looking apartment on the floor below, where round -the room appeared a number of dingy glass cases, through the small panes -of which came the gleam of various articles of gold and silver, while in -different parts of the room were several anvils and work-benches, with -some half-dozen men filing, hammering, and polishing. Near the window -was a tall desk within a sort of iron cage, and two clerks writing. -Every thing was orderly in the house of Clement Tournon; and, advancing -to one of the scribes, he directed him to write the order he had -promised, saw it made out and signed it, and then called a strong, -middle-aged man from a bench, whom he ordered to accompany Pierrot to -the tavern and return with him. He then took his way back to the little -room behind the great saloon and sat down by the bedside of Master Ned, -murmuring, "Poor boy! poor boy! He reminds me of my own poor Albert." - -Ere five minutes were over, he was joined by the physician,--a man -celebrated in his day, well advanced in years, and with that peculiar -look of mysterious noncompromising solemnity which many a doctor still -affects, and which was then as necessary to the profession as rhubarb. -As a description of medical treatment in those times, though it might -prove in some degree interesting to those who are fond of "picking the -bare bone of antiquity," would neither interest nor instruct the general -reader, I will pass over in silence all the remedial means resorted to -in the case of Master Ned. I only know that cataplasms were applied to -the soles of his feet, and that some blood was taken from his arm. The -doctor, after examination, declared that the skull was not -fractured,--which might well have been the case; for, by a curious -arrangement of nature, those whose brains are the best worth preserving -have uniformly the thinnest cases in which to put them. "No, the skull -was not fractured," Monsieur Cavillac said; but the lad had received a -severe concussion of the brain, which was sometimes worse. He, however, -held out good hope, though he told the syndic that he did not -anticipate any change till the sun went down, and read him a lecture -upon the effect of the various changes of the moon, and even of the day, -upon the human frame, assuring him--a fact in which many still -believe--that a scotched viper never dies till the sun sets. - -After he was gone, Clement Tournon took care to have all the directions -carried out to the letter, and the cataplasms had just been prepared and -applied when Pierrot and the polisher returned with the bags. - -"Take him below," said the syndic, addressing his workman, and -indicating Pierrot by a nod of his head toward him,--"take him below, -and let him feed with our people; but take care that he does not get at -strong drink. Now, keep this place as quiet as possible, but tell old -Marton to come here in half an hour: for I have affairs, and must go at -that time." - -"Can I not stay and attend upon my young master?" asked Pierrot, in a -respectful tone. - -"No," said the syndic, dryly: "men who drink are always noisy." - -When left alone with the door shut, what imaginations came upon the good -old merchant! "Would that I knew the lad's errand!" he thought; and his -eyes turned toward the bags, which had been set down at the foot of the -bed. "His letters must be in there," said Tournon to himself, "and the -key of the padlocks is doubtless in his pocket." - -Ah, Mr. Syndic, it is a moment of temptation. - -"Perhaps his business is matter of life and death, and an hour even may -be of vast consequence to me, to the city, to the Protestant cause. -Indeed, it must be so, or they never would have sent him over in such -stormy weather." So said fancy,--a quality much more nearly allied to -curiosity than people think; and Clement Tournon rose from his seat. But -the fine moral sense that was in him interfered. "No, never!" he said; -"no, never! I will not touch them so long as he lives. They shall not be -fingered by any one in my house." - -Still, he felt strongly tempted; and after a while he rose again and -went to call Marton, feeling it would be better for him not to remain in -that room alone. His large-capped pippin-faced maid-servant was then -duly imbued with all the doctor's directions, warned to change the -cataplasms every two hours and to keep the wet cloths on the head cool; -and then Clement Tournon walked forth from his house toward the fine old -town-hall. - -Marton sat and sewed. The invalid did not stir, and an hour passed by. -"It must be time to change the cataplasms," she thought: "he will not -wake till I come back: would Heaven he could, poor lad!" and down she -went to the kitchen where what she needed had been left to keep warm. - -In the mean time, we may as well look about the room. It was a very -pretty little chamber, well and even luxuriously furnished withal. Two -windows looked out to the back court, and the sunshine came in over a -lower house behind. The rays first fell upon a small writing-desk of -dark carved oak, then touched upon a small bookcase in the same style, -well provided with books, and then upon a large armory, as it was then -called, or wardrobe, as we should now term it. There was moreover a -corner cupboard, also richly carved, with a glass door on two sides, -showing a number of little knick-knacks selected with great taste, some -ivory figures exquisitely cut, and a child's sampler of not the best -needlework. - -Suddenly the door opened, and, with a quick step, but so light that one -could not hear a footfall, there entered a creature that seemed like a -dream, or a fairy, or a wreath of morning mist with fancy to shape it -into the form of a young girl. She could not be more than fifteen years -of age; but yet there were traces of early womanhood in neck and -shoulders and rounded limbs. But we may have to describe her hereafter, -and here we only stop to speak of the look of strange surprise which -opened the long, blue, deeply-fringed eyes more wide, and expanded the -nostril of the delicate nose, and raised the arched eyebrow, and showed -the pearl-like teeth between the rosy lips, as she beheld the pale and -bloody figure of the poor lad lying upon her own bed. She stood for a -moment in silent astonishment, and then was approaching slowly on -tiptoe--as if her foot could have made any noise--toward the bedside, -when a soft voice behind her said, "Lucette." - -She started and turned round, and the old syndic, who stood in the -doorway, beckoned her into the passage beyond. - -"My dear child," he said, "I have been obliged to give your room to a -poor young lad who has been sadly hurt, because it was the only one -where he could have perfect quiet. I will put you in the blue room on -the other side, where you may have some noise; but I know your good -heart will not let you feel annoyed at giving up your chamber for a day -or two to him and our good Marton, who has to nurse him." - -"I will nurse him myself," said the young girl, "or at least help -Marton. Annoyed, grandfather? Could you think I would be annoyed in such -a case as his? Poor fellow! I will go and speak to him." And, before the -old man could tell her that it was in vain, she ran up to the bedside, -and said, in a low, sweet voice, "Be of good cheer, young gentleman: we -will nurse and tend you till you are quite well." - -Her lips almost touched his ear as she spoke; and, whether it was that -the soft breath fanned him sweetly, or that the sound of a woman's -tongue had something that found a way to his heart when even hearing -failed, Ned Langdale turned suddenly in his bed, murmuring, "Mother, -dear mother, do not leave me." - - - - -CHAPTER V. - - -About nine o'clock in the evening the invalid wakened to a consciousness -of existence; but how wild and strange a consciousness! His speech was -incoherent, his eye vague and wandering. He seemed to make vehement -efforts to recover the power of reason and thought; but it was all in -vain. If in answer to a question he uttered a few connected words, the -next instant all was confused and senseless in the attempt at a -sentence; and, when Dr. Cavillac visited him at half-past ten, his pulse -was beating as if it would have burst the artery, and his eyes were -bloodshot and wild. - -"Perfect silence, absence of light, with diet and blood-letting," said -the doctor,--"those are the only means to save him. Thank Heaven, he is -finely delirious. He can neither understand nor try to answer any -question. If he could but reason and talk, he were a dead youth. Now, -mark me, syndic: let there be a finger on every lip; let everybody in -your house be dumb for the next three days. If he speak, do not answer -him. If he do not speak, keep silence. Give him the drinks I told you; -and to-morrow I will bleed him again. In three days we shall know more, -and probably at that time he will recover his senses, it may be for -life, it may be for death; but all depends upon good nursing." - -The prognosis of the physician was verified. At the end of three days -Edward Langdale did recover his senses; but some events had taken place -in the mean time which must be noticed before we follow his history -further. We must, in the first place, begin with that most interesting -personage, Master Pierrot, who is going to be introduced in a new -character,--that of a philosopher. Although the press very generally -assumes the form of majesty, and indulges in the plural number, probably -in the proud consciousness of its sovereign power over the minds, and -perhaps the bodies, of a certain number of human beings, it was with no -such vain confidence that the last sentence began, "We must," &c. That -formula was merely adopted to include you and me, dear reader, who, -having to jog over a good space of country together, had better agree -upon our line of travel before we set out upon each day's journey. It -was, therefore, merely a sort of suggestion on my part that we should -first look after Pierrot, and to be understood as implying nothing more. - -Now, during the last few hours Pierrot had met with a number of severe -mortifications,--those somewhat sharp lessons of life which sometimes do -a man a great deal of good. In the first place, poor Master Ned had, in -very plain language, told him that he was a coward when drunk, if he was -a brave man when sober; and, as there was a certain consciousness in -Pierrot's breast that there was a good deal of truth in the lad's -assertion, of course the accusation was the more unpalatable. Secondly, -the conduct of Clement Tournon showed him that one bad habit could -deprive and had deprived him of the last scrap of confidence amongst -people of any character; and, lastly, the refusal to let him attend upon -his young master showed that even his fidelity and affection were -doubted. Now, Pierrot was really an affectionate fellow, and this -mortified him more than any thing else. It is probable that many a time -in life, since by an evil practice he had lost wealth and station and -consideration, Pierrot had resolved to cast the vice from him. He might -have so resolved a hundred or a hundred and fifty times; but he had -never kept his resolution. Never before, however, had any one doubted -his qualities of heart; and on the present occasion, with a good deal of -time to spare,--in fact, it was all to spare, as he sat in the kitchen -or passages of the syndic's house,--he bestowed the golden superfluity -upon thought. His mind was not naturally a weak one, though there is no -denying that it had been weakened by intemperance; and it was now making -a great effort. - -"So," he said to himself, "I am not even to be trusted in the boy's -sick-room. Well, that is somewhat hard. No, it is not. The old man is -quite right. He knows I am a drunken rascal, and thinks I am not to be -trusted in any thing. Hang me if I have not a mind to make him think -better of me. But it is of no use: I should only begin again. Why need I -begin again at all? Master Ned knows me better than any of them; and he -only requires me not to drink when there is any thing important in the -wind. He knows I cannot help it at other times. But why cannot I help it -at other times, if I can help it then? I can help it if I like; and, by -Heaven, I will not drink any more, except when he gives me leave; and -I'll ask him never to give me leave. So we will settle the matter that -way. I do love that lad, though he gave me a shot in the leg to keep me -from running away and disgracing myself. I did not drink one drop last -night at the inn, because he told me not. I am mighty sick at my -stomach, however. I wish I had a drop of brandy, just to settle it. I -have a mind to go out and get just one gill to settle it,--only one -gill. No, I won't; for then I should take another, and so forth. It -shall not be said that my young master was lying sick and I went and -got drunk. Let my stomach take care of itself; and, if it chooses to be -sick, it must be so. I wonder if he will die, poor boy. He has a good -heart, though he is as hasty as a tinker's cur, and as stern as a -general. Marton," he continued, to the good woman who entered seeking -something, "how is Master Ned?" - -"Much the same, Pierrot," answered Marton. "The doctor says there will -be no change yet a while." - -"Marton, I am resolved not to drink any more," said Pierrot, in a solemn -tone. - -"Keep to it," she replied, with a laugh, but evidently with very little -confidence. "Why, Pierrot la Grange, for the last ten years you have -been forever at the flask. You were a very good young man before that, -and well to do; ay, and a handsome man too. I have seldom seen a more -personable man than you were then, before you took to that filthy custom -of making a beast of yourself; but now your face is all over blotches, -and your nose is so red you might fire a cannon with it." - -"Well, well, you shall see, Marton," rejoined Pierrot. "I have taken a -resolution, and fallen upon a plan by which I can keep it, too; and you -may tell the syndic that I will drink no more. Why, just now, I thought -to go out and get myself some brandy, with a spur rial--as he calls -it--which Master Ned gave me, because I am sick at the stomach; but I -resisted, and would not stir a step on account of my resolution." - -"Ah! are you sick at the stomach?" said Marton, quietly. "Suppose I get -you a little cloves and strong waters." - -Pierrot evidently hesitated; but then he suddenly exclaimed, "Not a -drop, Marton, thank you; not a drop. I was once sober for three whole -days, and, I dare say, should have continued so, but that fellow Jargeau -got hold of me and persuaded me to drink. It was his cue to make me -drunk then. So those who know me will never ask me to take a drop, if -they love me." - -"That they certainly will not," said Marton, going away with what she -had come to fetch. - -Her conversation with Pierrot had one good effect, however. She told her -master that she really believed La Grange intended not to drink any -more, not only inasmuch he told her so, but because he refused a glass -of cloves and strong waters which she had offered him on account of his -being sick at the stomach. - -"Most likely sick because he has not had his morning's draught," said -Clement Tournon. "However, encourage all good resolutions, and do not -offer him any more. Marton, I will speak with him myself in the course -of the day, and can judge better than you can." - -The worthy syndic could not keep his promise, however. The day passed -over, and he did not see Pierrot; for the town of Rochelle was in -considerable agitation at that time, the events passing round it being -sufficiently menacing to impress all minds with anxiety, but not -sufficiently urgent to produce unanimity by the presence of immediate -danger. Pierrot kept his resolution, however; and the day passed by -without his having tasted any fluid stronger than water. The next -morning, though he did not feel himself altogether comfortable, his -nausea had departed, and he was more bold in his purpose. About ten he -was sent for to speak with the syndic, who was much too wise a man to -ask him questions which had any relation to brandy. Clement Tournon, -however, examined him closely in regard to his knowledge of Edward -Langdale, what letters he brought, when he had sailed from England, -whether the intimations Jargeau had received had been accompanied by no -information of the young man's objects in coming to Rochelle. - -"He had a long and stormy passage: that I know," answered Pierrot; "and -as to Jargeau, if he had any information he kept it to himself, as he -always does. But you can ask him himself, syndic. Whether the lad has -any letters, you should know better than I do; for, if he have, they -must be in his bags,--and you have had bags and keys too in your hands -these two days, when I have never had either at all." - -"I pry not where I have no right," replied Clement Tournon, coldly. "No -hand opens his bags while he is alive and in my house. As for Jargeau, -he sees not matters as I do, or I would ask him for information. The -Lord Montagu I do not know, though you say the youth is his page; and I -cannot divine why that lord has sent him to me. Indeed, I heard his -lordship was in France." - -"But he is the great Duke of Buckingham's right hand," said Pierrot; -"and perhaps Master Ned has been sent to you by the duke." - -"I have some suspicion it may be so," answered the syndic. "I once had -some diamond pendants made for him in great haste; and perhaps he wishes -to employ me again." - -"In making cannon-balls this time, perhaps, monsieur," said Pierrot, -dryly; but, to his surprise, the syndic answered, quite calmly, "Perhaps -so; for I am told that this morning at daybreak a fleet of ships-of-war -was descried standing in toward Rochelle, and the people thought it was -under English colors." - -He looked keenly at Pierrot as he spoke; but the countenance of the -latter at once showed that he had not been trying to deceive any one as -to the amount of his knowledge; and he clapped his hands, exclaiming, -"Hurrah! We shall have some stirring times again, then, and shall not -have to lie here cooped up like rats in a trap, but have fighting every -day, and----" - -"Plenty of brandy," said the syndic, finishing the sentence for him. - -"Not a drop, upon my salvation!" said Pierrot. - -"Well, your salvation may a good deal depend upon your keeping that -resolution," replied the syndic, "for a man does many things when he is -drunk for which drunkenness can be no excuse, though it may be an -aggravation. But hark! What is that? It was a cannon-shot, was it not? -The fleet must be nearing the town. I must to the council. Well, you may -go in and see the young gentleman. But mind, be as still as death. Say -nothing to him; and, if he recognises you, and asks you any questions, -answer shortly and quietly, and leave him. You said he was of gentle -birth, I think. You are sure he is of gentle birth?" - -Though Pierrot might, and in fact did, think it strange that a merchant -of Rochelle should lay such stress upon gentle--otherwise noble--birth, -he assured the syndic, from what he had seen of the English, that all -the household pages of British noblemen were selected from good -families; and, while they were still speaking together, one of the -goldsmith's apprentices came to call the syndic to the city council, -telling him that a boat had just landed from the English fleet. - -Clement Tournon called for his gown and chain; and, after giving -repeated directions to Pierrot as to his demeanor in the chamber of -Master Ned, and donned his robes in the man's presence, he proceeded to -the town-hall, followed by two of his men. - -The inclinations, if not the affections, of Pierrot were divided. He -would fain have gone to the hall to know the news of the day,--news, as -it proved, much more important than he dreamed of. But then again came -the thought of his poor young master; and, being a conscientious man -when he was sober, and sometimes a conscientious man even when he was -drunk, he fancied it a duty to visit Master Ned. He soon found, however, -that he could do nothing in the world for him. The lad's mind still -wandered terribly; and, though he gave some indications of recollecting -Pierrot, he asked him no questions, and called him "My Lord Duke." -Pierrot might then have turned his steps to the hall, but in one of -Ned's half-muttered speeches the name of Jargeau was uttered; and, -remembering that personage would inevitably be at the place of meeting, -the good man thought it better to wait for tidings till the syndic -returned. - -The news arrived soon enough for Pierrot's mortification, and -immediately spread through the whole house. It was to the effect that -the Lord Denbigh, in command of a powerful British fleet, had come to -offer assistance to the town of Rochelle; that there had been a warm and -even angry debate in the council, but in the end the anti-English party -had prevailed, and all that Tournon and Guiton could obtain was, that a -civil reply should be made to the English admiral, thanking him and King -Charles for their proffered aid, but declining it on the score that _no -previous intimation had been given to the citizens of the approach of a -fleet to their port_. - - - - -CHAPTER VI. - - "Sweet chimes the bell, - O'er slope and woodland pealing, - Mellow'd by distance to a tranquil sound; - Sweetly the rill, - Through moss-bank gently stealing, - Speaks peace around. - - "Calm sinks the sun - Unto his golden slumber, - And folds the clouds around his radiant head: - Up springs the moon; - Her star-train without number - Say, 'Nought is dead!' - - "All live again, - Although their life be hidden; - For the short space of earth's dominion here. - By Heaven's own voice, - The soul of man is bidden - To hope midst fear. - - "All Nature's works, - Though into ashes turning, - Fill the whole heart with a consoling voice:-- - Be ready, man! - And, with thy lamp still burning, - Watch and rejoice!" - - -So sang Lucette,--or, rather, such is a very poor translation of her -song. At the best it was but an old ditty, composed probably by some of -the early Protestants of France. It may have been written by Clement -Marot, or his friend, the poet and printer, Lyon Jamets, for aught I -know. It is so long since I have read the works of either that I have -forgotten somewhat more than half of all their pens produced. - -However, so sang Lucette in the chamber now assigned to Edward Langdale, -while Marton sat beside her, knitting, and from time to time fixing her -eyes upon the face of the invalid. - -It may seem strange that Lucette should choose such a time and such a -place to indulge in music, though her voice was marvellously sweet and -had been cultivated to a degree rare in those days, and though people -who have sweet voices, well cultivated, and, moreover, the love, the -spirit, the inspiration of music in them, are fond of breaking forth -into song at very unseasonable times. - -But, as it happened, it was not an unseasonable time, as Lucette herself -explained to Clement Tournon. When she turned her head, after her song -had ended, to take up her embroidery-frame, she saw the old syndic -standing in the doorway, looking somewhat surprised to hear her voice -then and there, but perfectly quiet and still. Without a word, she rose -and noiselessly approached the door, saying, in a very low voice, "He is -better. He has been speaking sensibly; but he grew drowsy after a moment -and fell asleep quite calmly, murmuring, 'Sing to me, mother; sing to -me,'--as if he did not well know where he was. So I thought it best to -humor him." - -"You did right, my child," replied the syndic, putting his hand upon her -head, round which the light-brown hair with golden gleams upon it was -wound in many a long, silky tress. "The doctor is below: I hear his step -coming along the passage." - -Why all doctors should have creaking shoes I never could divine; but it -is clearly an idiosyncrasy. They cannot help it. Perhaps the leather -gets affected by the close air of sick men's chambers; perhaps it -becomes imbued with sighs and groans,--a novel sort of tanning, but one -well calculated to give a creaking sound; or perhaps the doctors -themselves carry so far the necessary precaution of warming their -nethermost coverings that the material becomes too dry and cries out for -very thirst. - -However that may be,--and I will not venture to decide the -question,--Dr. Cavillac's shoes did creak most lamentably; but they had -no effect upon the slumber of the poor invalid. - -The doctor, the syndic, and Lucette spoke together for a few moments at -the door; but Cavillac did not go in. It is likely that he was conscious -of noisy feet. "It is critical," he said: "do not disturb him for the -world; let him sleep as long as he will. Let him be well watched; and, -when he wakes, speak low and gently to him; give him a few spoonfuls of -good old wine, (for he will be as weak as a child,) and then let me -know. You had better watch, my pretty Lucette, for there is no such good -nurse as a young girl with a kind heart,--except an old woman who does -not drink; and she is apt to have the rheumatism." - -"But, doctor, Lucette must have repose, and these sleeps sometimes last -very long," said Clement Tournon. "I must not; I am bound not to let -fatigue affect her own health." - -"I am not the least tired, dear father," said Lucette, with a bright -look. "His first sensible word did me more good than a whole night's -sleep. Do you think, doctor, that he will wake in his right mind again?" - -"Certainly, my dear," answered the other. "I am sure he will; but his -recovery may be slow and will require much care." - -"Then I will watch till he does wake," answered the beautiful young -girl. "I will watch as hopefully as ever Egyptian did to hear the -morning voice of Memnon." - -"Listen to the little pagan!" said Cavillac, with a smile. "But I will -tell you a better plan, my child. He certainly will not wake for some -hours. You may see that by his great paleness. You go and lie down for a -short time; then let Marton call you. Come with me, syndic: I wish to -speak with you." And he drew the old man to the top of the stairs. - -"Have you heard," he said, "that the cardinal has sent down a thousand -men to complete the lines round about us? This is growing serious." - -"It is indeed!" said Clement Tournon, with a very sad look; "and those -rash men, either from obstinacy and over-confidence, or jealousy and -perhaps treachery, rejected yesterday the offer of succor from England, -and the fleet has sailed away." - -"We should have had a hospital for fools long ago," said Cavillac. "It -is the great want of the city. But there are other things to be attended -to now. Send out everywhere for stores, my good friend, if you spend the -last livre of the city money. Depend upon it, this cardinal will try to -starve us out." - -"He cannot do that while our port is open," answered the syndic. - -"How long will it be open?" asked the physician, with a very meaning -look. "I have heard a whisper, my friend, that he will find means to -close it, either by a fleet from all the neighboring ports, or in some -other way. Look to it; look to it. There is less time to spare than the -men of Rochelle fancy." - -Thus saying, he left Clement Tournon meditating in no very hopeful mood -over the state of the city, and the prospect, clear as a picture to his -calm reasoning eye, of all those horrors that were but too soon to fall -upon unhappy Rochelle. The house soon fell into profound silence: the -hours of labor were over, the sounds of hammer, tongs, and file were -still, and in about an hour Clement Tournon took his place by Edward -Langdale's bedside, sending good old Marton to seek some repose herself. -Twilight faded away into darkness; a little silver lamp was trimmed and -shaded in the corner of the chamber, and two or three hours passed in -silence, the good old man nodding from time to time, but never giving -way to sleep. - -At length the light step of Lucette was heard in the deep stillness,--it -would not have been heard had there been the buzzing of a fly,--and, -approaching the bed, she gazed and listened. - -"He lies sleeping sweetly," she said to the old man. "How differently he -breathes now! I can hardly hear him. Marton will be here in a minute. -Leave him to us, father, and take some rest yourself." - -"As soon as she comes," answered the syndic. "What is the hour?" - -"The great clock has just struck one," answered Lucette. - -"I was drowsy, and did not hear it," said the syndic. "Have the wine -near, Lucette, and give him a spoonful at once when he wakes." - -He made a movement toward the other side of the room as he spoke, and -Lucette took his place in the large chair; but hardly was she seated -when a voice was heard from the bed which made her start. "Where am I?" -asked Edward Langdale: "what has happened to me?" - -"You are with dear friends," replied the sweet voice of Lucette at once. -"You have met with a little accident, but you are recovering fast. Here; -take a spoonful of wine. The doctor orders it." - -"I will take any thing you give me," said the lad, "for I feel very -weak." - -"Hush! silence! silence!" said Lucette, in a low but cheerful tone: "you -are to keep quite quiet, and take some wine from time to time, and try -to sleep again. To-morrow you will be quite well, I doubt not." - -So saying, she poured the wine quietly between his lips; but the poor -lad could not refrain from saying, "That is very nice; and you are very -kind." - -It is probable he would have added "and very beautiful," if he could -have descried in the dim light more than the faint outline of that fair -face and form; but Lucette replied, "I shall think you very _unkind_ if -you say one word more, except to ask for what you want." - -"You understand it better than I do, Lucette, I see," said the old -syndic, in a whisper. "Woman, woman! for such tasks no hands are like -hers! But here comes Marton, and I will leave you." - -The youth gazed after him as he departed, and looked at Marton curiously -as she moved slowly about the room; but his eyes found something more -satisfactory in the form of Lucette, although he could distinguish -little except that there was something graceful and more of his own age -before him, while from time to time she poured the wine between his -lips. He was feeble, however, and inclined to sleep; and before good Dr. -Cavillac, roused out of his bed, came to visit him, his eyes were again -closed, and he had relapsed into slumber. - -It is one of the strange but frequent results of disease or of accident -of any kind which affects the brain, to blot out, as it were, from -memory all the events which have taken place within a certain preceding -period. It is sometimes a long, sometimes a short, period, according to -circumstances not very easily reduced to any rule. I have known a man -lose a language with which he had been for years familiar, and remember -one which he had long forgotten. I have known memory acutely distinct in -regard to events which had occurred a month or two before, and a perfect -blank as to those more recent. - -Edward Langdale recollected nothing after a certain period, when he had -sped over from the town of Antwerp to London, bearing intelligence from -the Lord Montagu to the Duke of Buckingham, although he had perfectly -recovered his senses and some degree of strength, on the day following -that night when the delirium first left him. By degrees, however, -confused images of after-things began to present themselves: his voyage -from Portsmouth, the storms which had baffled and delayed his course, -even the approach to Rochelle, came back indistinctly. It only wanted, -in fact, the ringing of the bell to cause the curtain of oblivion to -rise, and the whole scene of the past to be revealed before the eyes of -memory. - -There is nothing in the physical world at all like the sudden flash of -illumination carried along the many links which bind event to event in a -chain almost invisible, except the operation of the electric telegraph. -One touch applied, establishing the connection by the smallest possible -point, and thought--living thought--flashes on to its object, setting at -nought time and space and obstacle. - -The connecting touch in the case of Master Ned was destined to be the -sudden appearance in his chamber of our friend Pierrot, who came in both -to see his young new master and to speak with good Clement Tournon. The -syndic held up his finger to the man as he entered, as a warning not to -trouble the young gentleman with speech, for the lad was still extremely -weak and could hardly turn in his bed. But the moment Edward Langdale -beheld him, he carried his hand suddenly to his head, saying, "Pierrot -la Grange! Pierrot la Grange! I remember it all now. Good Heaven! and I -have been lying here so long--God knows how long--and forgetting the -message to Clement Tournon! I must get up and seek him. Pierrot, get me -my clothes. I must get up." - -"Lie still! lie still!" said the old syndic: "Clement Tournon is here, -my young friend. I am he. But we can have no talk now, for the physician -says you must still remain quite quiet and without agitation of any -kind." - -"If you be Clement Tournon," answered the youth, "it will agitate me -more to be silent than to speak; but speak I must, if I die. Come -hither, nearer, I pray you, sir. Bend down your head. Do you remember -certain pendants of diamonds and the man you made them for? If so, give -his name in a low voice." - -"The most gracious Duke of Buckingham," said the syndic, in a whisper. - -"Then he bids me tell you," said Master Ned, "that his brother-in-law, -the Earl of Denbigh, will be here in three days with a puissant fleet, -and he begs you to prepare the minds of the citizens to give him a -worthy reception, for he hears you are somewhat divided here. I have -more to say; but that is the burden of it all. Pray lose no time. Good -Heavens! three days! How long have I been here?" - -Clement Tournon's face assumed an expression of deep and even painful -thought for one moment; but he replied, in a calm, well-assured tone, -"Give yourself no uneasiness, my son. The whole has been settled, -notwithstanding the accident that happened to you. We will talk about -these matters more to-morrow. At present I must leave you, for I have -business of importance to transact; but Marton will tend you carefully, -and Lucette will come and sing to you, if you like it." - -Do not let us pause upon the convalescence of our young friend; but for -the present at least let us follow Clement Tournon's movements, which -had some results at an after-period. He took his course straight to the -city prison, into the dark mysteries of which we need not pry. - -Every prison was in those days hideous, and this, like others, had its -dungeons and cells, one hour's tenancy of which was a punishment hardly -merited by aught but murder. There was, moreover, what we should now -call a justice-room in the jail,--at least, a place where justice or -injustice was administered, according to the character of the -functionary who presided. - -Here Clement Tournon seated himself by the side of one of the other -magistrates of the town, and Tom the sailor was brought before them. He -was followed by one of his companions, and by the captain of the little -vessel, which still lay in the port, while the two tradesmen who had -witnessed the assault were likewise present. The faces of the two -magistrates were grave and even stern, and probably had Master Tom shown -a swaggering and insolent air, such as he not unfrequently bore, they -might have dealt hardly with him. But Tom was one of those men whom we -not unfrequently meet with, and though apt to bully and even to fight -when he thought there was some advantage on his side, he was easily -cowed and depressed when he knew or believed that there were odds, or -even equality, on the other side. Besides, he had now been kept for -several days in what modern writers would call a loathsome cell, fed -upon bread and water, and had no companion but solitude. Now, beef and -good company are great promoters of swagger, and the absence of both had -terribly reduced Tom's usual tone. He was indeed inclined to whimper, -pleaded that he and Master Ned had quarrelled on board ship, that Ned -had attempted to draw sword upon him, and that he himself had been -drinking when he struck the blow. These excuses availed him little with -the magistrates; and, strange to say, he found no support either from -his captain or the man who had been his companion. The latter bore -testimony that when he first laid hands on the lad's shoulder he told -him "that he had got him safe on shore now, and would thrash him -soundly;" and the captain merely said, "I trust your honors will -liberate this man and put him in my hands. I warned him more than once -on the voyage to let the young gentleman alone. I suspect he has done -more mischief than he knows; and if you give him up to me I will put him -in irons till I get home, and then make him over to those who will deal -with him severely enough." - -"The young gentleman is in a fair way of recovery," replied the syndic, -who understood the language in which the skipper spoke; "but a serious -offence has been committed in the streets of the city of Rochelle; and -we should certainly punish this man ourselves were it not for the honor -and respect which we bear the King of England. Much mischief he -certainly has done,--as those who sent Master Edward Langdale hither -will probably know by this time. But, captain, if you demand the -prisoner in the name of King Charles, and promise to convey full -intelligence of all that has occurred to those who are best qualified to -judge of the case, and moreover to give this man up to them, I will -speak with my friend here, who understands no English, but who probably -will agree with me that our reverence for your sovereign requires us to -follow your suggestion." - -The captain willingly promised all that was demanded, and sealed his -assurance with an oath; and the prisoner was then placed in his custody. - -"And now, captain, when do you set sail?" asked Clement Tournon. "The -wind is now fair, and the weather fine." - -"I cannot go before Master Ned tells me," said the captain. "My cutter -is to be at his orders till he has done with her." - -"I know not that he can yet write even his name," said the syndic; "but -you can come up to my house, where he now lies, this evening, and if the -physician permits he can speak with you." - -"See what you have done, you d----d scoundrel!" said the captain, -turning sharply toward Tom. "I will be up at your house, sir, by five, -and hope the young gentleman will let me go, for I am tired of this -voyage." - -The following morning, at daybreak, the little craft got under way, -bearing a letter in Clement Tournon's hand; and Edward Langdale remained -alone in France. - - - - -CHAPTER VII. - - -Oh, the calm lapses in the turbulent and turbid stream of life which -Heaven sometimes graciously affords us,--the short breathing-spaces in -the race,--the still pauses in the battle,--how sweet, how comforting -they are! Such a pause had fallen upon the city of Rochelle and all its -inhabitants. True, there were individual griefs and sufferings: the -door of the closet with the skeleton in it can never be altogether shut. -But to the city generally, and to its denizens generally, there was a -lull in the storm. It was nowhere more pleasantly felt than in the house -of good old Clement Tournon. He was a calm--a very calm--man; had been -so all his life. He had met with sorrows which had touched him deeply; -but he had borne them calmly. He had known pleasures; but he had enjoyed -them calmly. He had mingled with angry parties, and seen strife and -bloodshed; but he had been calm through all; and that very -calmness--which, by-the-way, is one of the most impressive qualities in -regard to our fellow-men which any one can possess--had won for him -great reverence upon the part of his neighbors. - -Young Edward Langdale, too, shared in the temporary tranquillity. "Sweet -are the uses of adversity." It is a good text, and a true one also, if -we use the adversity wisely; but sometimes we do not; and, although -Master Ned had known more adversity than most youths of his age, we must -acknowledge that he had found it all very severe, and had not had wisdom -enough to discover honey in the stony rock. He had been hardened, -sharpened, rendered stern, in the rough school through which he had -passed. His character must have seemed to the reader somewhat harsh and -remorseless; at least so I intended it to appear. But he had now -suffered a long and heavy sickness: his frame was still feeble; his -activity, for the time at least, was lost; and some traits in his -character which seemed to have been smothered by coarser things revived -and shone out. There was a latent poetry in his nature, a love and -appreciation of all that was beautiful, a sense of harmony, and a -delight in music, together with those strong affections which are so -often combined with strength of character. These, in the body's -feebleness, asserted their power. Strange how the corporeal and the -mental wage such continual warfare upon each other! But even at times -when the bodily force and the strong will had possessed the most perfect -sway, and given him command and rule over men much older and higher than -himself, those qualities of heart and mind, though latent, had acted -unseen to win affection also. - -Six days after his arrival in Rochelle, the little saloon in Clement -Tournon's house presented as calm and pleasant a scene as ever the eye -rested upon. There was the old man himself, with his small velvet cap -upon his head; and there was Master Ned, leaning back in a large chair, -with the hue of returning health coming back into his cheek,--always a -pleasant sight; and there was beautiful Lucette, who had just been -singing to the two, and who was now sitting on a low footstool, with her -fair, delicate hand resting on the head of a lute. A beautiful silver -lamp, with three burners,--modelled from those graceful lamps which we -see in the hands of the Tuscan peasantry,--gave light to the chamber; -for the wax tapers in two exquisitely-wrought candlesticks had been -extinguished to save the eyes of Master Ned from the glare; and a -water-pitcher and goblet, finely shaped from the antique and covered -with grotesque figures, stood on a little table at the youth's left -hand, to cool his lips, still dry and hot from his recent illness. - -The eyes of Edward Langdale were fixed upon those specimens of the old -syndic's art, and he was expressing his admiration of the delicacy and -fineness of the designs, when Lucette observed, quietly, "He has much -more beautiful things than those, Master Ned. I wish, father, I might -bring and show him the pyx that was sent from Rome." - -"Do so, my child," said Tournon. "And hark, Lucette----" - -He whispered a word in the young girl's ear, and she left the room, but -returned in a minute or two, bringing with her two objects in soft -leathern covers,--one of which was a pyx, probably from the hands of -Benvenuto Cellini. - -Edward took it from her hands and admired it greatly, gazing at the -various curious arabesques with which it was decorated, and at the -medallions displaying exquisitely-chiselled figures, while the old -syndic untied the other cover, and took forth a large cup, or hanap, of -pure gold, ornamented by a row of precious stones encircling it in a -sort of garland, which again was supported by some beautiful sculptured -figures. Master Ned rose feebly to lay the pyx upon the table, but the -moment his eyes lighted on the cup he stood still, gazing at it as if -sight had suspended every other faculty. "Good Heaven!" he exclaimed, at -length, addressing the merchant, who was watching him closely: "where -did you get that?" - -"I bought it some four years ago, when I was in England," answered -Clement Tournon. "Something seems to surprise you. Did you ever see it -before?" - -"See it!" exclaimed Master Ned. "Yes, often, my good friend,--ay, -several times every year, since I could see any thing, till just four -years ago last Martinmas. Every birthday--every festival-day--it was -brought forth; for it must be the same. Oh, yes! Is there not 'Edward -Langdale' engraved on one side of the foot, and 'Buckley Hall' upon the -other?" - -"There is," said the syndic; "and that is the very reason I told Lucette -to bring it. I wished to ask you if you are any relation of those -Langdales of Buckley Hall. Edward Langdale! The two names are the same." - -"They are, indeed," said Master Ned. "That cup is mine, my good friend: -at least, it ought to be,--it and much more which is now lost to me -forever." - -"If it ought to be, it is thine still, my son," said the old syndic. -"Now, God forbid that I should withhold the rightful property of -another! But tell us how all this happened. Let me hear what you can -recollect of your own life and fate. I know something of Buckley Hall, -for it was in Huntingdon that I bought that cup. I would not purchase it -at first, because I thought it was stolen,--most likely from the court -of King James, who was then at Royston; but the goldsmith who had it -told me that he had bought it fairly from Master Richard Langdale, the -owner, and showed me a receipt for the money. I would fain hear how all -this happened." - -"Not to-night; not to-night," answered the youth. "The sight of that cup -has shaken me much, my father; and to speak of those days would shake me -still more in my weak state. To-morrow I shall be stronger, I trust; and -then I will tell you all. I have often thought it would do me good if I -were to talk over the whole of those sad things with some one; for they -only seem to rankle and fester in the silence of my own bosom, and to -make me reckless and ill-tempered. But I must get a little better and -stronger first. Now I think I will go to bed." - -He turned to go, but then paused, and, taking up the cup, gazed at it -earnestly for several minutes, saying, "I was just nine years old when -my father had my name engraved on it and gave it to me on my birthday, -bidding me never to fill it too full nor empty it too often." - -"Wise counsel," said the old man; "but, if it be thine, take it, my son. -I am not a receiver of stolen goods." - -"No," said Edward Langdale. "You knew not that he who sold it had no -right to do so; neither did he from whom you purchased it. Orphans are -often wronged, Monsieur Tournon; but I ought not to have been wronged by -him who wronged me. Well, to-morrow we will talk more of all these -matters." - -A little after nightfall on the following day, the same three sat -together in the same room. There had been no music, however, that -evening; and Lucette was leaning her fair head upon the old merchant's -knee. Edward Langdale was evidently stronger and better,--though he said -he had slept but little. Yet there was more color in his cheek and lips, -and his face and air had more their usual character of bold decisive -frankness, than on the preceding night. - -"Now I will tell you my whole story," he said, "beginning with my -earliest recollections. Indeed, there is not much to tell, and it may be -done very shortly." - - -MASTER NED'S HISTORY. - -"Amongst the first of my remembrances is the burning of my father's -house. I recollect the house itself quite well; and a very handsome -place it was. There were four great octangular towers at the -corners,--one on the southwestern side, all covered with ivy, in which a -number of cream-colored owls used to make their abode during the day -sunshine. A deer-park surrounded the house, full of fern and -hawthorn-trees, and at the bottom of a bank was the highroad, with the -river brawling and rushing on by its side. - -"Of the interior of the house I do not remember much, although there is -an impression on my mind of large rooms and furniture which had seen -better days. Of the events which there took place I can recall nothing -till the night of the fire,--the great fire, as it was called for many a -year. And well it deserved the name; for in its progress it not only -destroyed the house, but ate up the buttery, which was detached, and -consumed the farm-buildings and stabling, in which were lost many fine -horses and an immense quantity of agricultural produce. - -"I remember on that night, the 18th of August, being startled out of my -sleep by loud cries and shrieks and all sorts of noises,--especially a -rushing, roaring sound, which frightened me more than all the rest. I -was a boy about seven years old at the time; and sleep clings to one at -that age like a tight garment, so that though I was as it were roused, -and even alarmed, I was half asleep still. It was more like an ugly -dream than a reality; and perhaps I might have lain down and fallen into -sound slumber again, had not some one suddenly thrown open the door, -rushed to the bed, and caught me up in her arms. I saw not distinctly to -whose bosom I was pressed, yet I felt sure. Whose could it be but a -mother's? She ran wildly with me to the door and there made a short -hesitating pause, then dashed along the corridor through flames and -smoke, ran down the stone steps, out of one of the back doors, upon the -smooth lawn behind, and laid me down under a large mulberry-tree. Hard -by were several persons, weeping and wringing their hands; but amongst -them was my little sister, some three years younger than myself. 'He is -safe! he is safe!' cried my mother. 'Run, some one, and tell Sir -Richard.' - -"My father, who was at that time about forty years of age, joined us in -a few minutes, kissed me and my mother, remarked that she was scorched a -good deal and her beautiful hair much burned; but he left us speedily, -and returned to see what could be done to save the valuable property in -the house. I have been told since that he was evidently agitated and -confused, and his orders contradictory, and that much more might have -been saved if he had displayed more presence of mind. Corporeally, he -was undoubtedly a very brave man, and had shown himself such; but he was -not a man of ready action or strong determination. However, almost all -the plate was saved, and some of the pictures, which were fine; but -several boxes of papers of much importance, I am told, could not be -found in the confusion of the moment, and were undoubtedly lost. Memory -breaks off about that time; and I only remember that the whole house was -burned, and the greater part of the walls fell in, with the exception of -those of the ivy-tower, which were very ancient and much thicker than -the rest. Even there the wood-work was all consumed, and the stairs -fell, except where a few of the stone steps, about half-way up, still -clung to the masonry. - -"My father often talked of rebuilding the house; but I believe his -finances had been previously embarrassed, and he had suffered a heavy -loss. We went then to live at Buckley Hall, which had fallen to my -mother from her uncle some two years before, and which was not many -miles distant from the old house. It was a more modern building, with -fine gardens, in stiff figures of all shapes, with urns, and fountains, -and many quaint devices; but it had no deer-park, and I sadly missed the -fern, and the hawthorn, and the wild broomy dells. - -"My next remembrance is of being ill and confined to bed, and my mother -singing to me as I began to grow a little better; and I recollect quite -well her coming in one day, looking very anxious, and my asking her to -sing, with all the thoughtless impatience of youth. Well, she sang; but -the tears rolled down her cheeks; and when I was suffered to go out of -my room I could find my little sister no more. I never saw her again; -and she must have died, I suppose, of the same malady from which I had -suffered. My mother's health waned from that hour, slowly,--so slowly as -to be hardly seen to change between day and day,--but none the less -certainly. Gentle and sweet, patient and uncomplaining, she would not -burden any one even with a knowledge of what she felt. My father was all -kindness to her and to me; but he was sometimes too light and -thoughtless, I believe,--vowed that society would cheer her, and filled -his house with company,--not always the most considerate or the most -quiet. There was upon me, young as I was, an impression that my mother -was not well, that she loved tranquillity, that noise disturbed her; and -I did my best to keep still, and even silent, when I was near her. I -would sit with her for hours, reading; for when we came over to Buckley -we found a good teacher there, and I had rapidly learned to read. Then, -when I could bear inactivity no longer, I would go out and get my pony, -saddle him myself, and ride wild over the country, or wander about the -gardens and think. I learned a good deal about this time; for my father -was very expert in all manly exercises, and took a pleasure in teaching -me, and the good parson of the parish--a very learned but singular -man--took great care of my studies. - -"At length, when I was about ten years old, the terrible moment came -when I was to lose a mother. I will not dwell upon that sad time; but my -heart seemed closed,--shut up. I cared for nothing,--loved -nothing,--took no interest in any thing; and yet I was cast more than -ever upon my own thoughts, for the good old parson, whose instructions -might have afforded me some diversion for the mind, removed suddenly to -a much better living, some fifteen miles distant. - -"My father still gave me instruction in fencing, wrestling, the use of -the broad-sword; but he gave them and I received them languidly. At -length, one day, he said to me, 'Edward, you are sad, my boy; and it is -time you should resume your studies. I shall be very lonely without you; -but I think it will be better for you to go over to good Dr. -Winthorne's, whom you love so well, and who, I am sure, will receive you -as a pupil. We shall only be fifteen miles apart, and I can see you -often.' - -"I made no objection, for Buckley had grown odious to me: every thing -there revived regrets: and in about a week I was quietly installed in -the neat and roomy parsonage, the glebe and garden of which were bounded -by the same stream which ran past the old house in which I was born. It -had been there a brawling stream; but here, some ten miles farther down -upon its winding course, it had become a slow and somewhat wide river. - -"I wish I had time to tell you how I learned, and what I learned, under -the good clergyman's instruction. He had his own notions--and very -peculiar notions--in every thing. Latin and Greek he taught me; but he -taught me French and Italian too,--and taught them all at once. His -lessons were very short, for it was his maxim never to weary attention; -but he took especial care that my bodily faculties should not lose any -thing for want of exercise. He would say that he had known very clever -hunchbacks and very learned and ingenious lame men, but that each of -them had some peculiarity of judgment which showed that a straight -intellect seldom inhabited a crooked body, or a strong mind a feeble -one. He would make me wrestle and play at quoits and cudgels with -plough-boys, shoot with the gamekeepers of neighboring estates, ride my -pony over a rough country and dangerous leaps, and himself lead the way. -He was a devout man, notwithstanding, and was highly esteemed by his -parishioners, and by a small circle of noble gentlemen, to some of whom -he was allied and who were not unfrequent guests at the parsonage. All -this went on for about nine months, a considerable part of which time my -father was absent from Buckley, travelling, as they said, for his -health, in Italy, where he had spent some years when quite a young man. -At length, when he returned, I went home to pass some time with him; but -I found him not alone." - -"Had he married again so early?" asked Clement Tournon, with a look of -consternation. - -"Oh, no!" replied Master Ned: "he never married again; but there was a -young gentleman with him, some twenty-one or twenty-two years of age, -tall, very handsome, but with a dark and heavy brow, which almost -spoiled his beauty. He spoke English with a strong foreign accent, and -had altogether the appearance of a foreigner. I naturally presumed he -was a guest, and treated him as such; but it was evident that he was an -exceedingly favored guest, and all the servants seemed to pay him the -most profound attention. I know not why, but I speedily began to dislike -him: perhaps it was a certain sort of patronizing air he assumed toward -me,--not exactly that of an elder to a younger person, but that of a -superior to an inferior. My father's conduct, too, was very strange. He -did not introduce the visitor to me by name, but presented me to him, -saying, 'My son Edward,' and during the rest of the day called him -simply Richard. On the following morning I detected--or fancied I -detected--the servants looking at me, watching me with an appearance of -interest that almost amounted to compassion. They were all very fond of -me, and each seemed to regard Master Ned--the only name I went by--as -his own child; but when they now gazed upon me there was an air of -vexation--almost of pity--on their faces, and once or twice I thought -the old steward was about to tell me something of importance in private; -but he broke off, and turned his conversation to common subjects. - -"All this, however, was so disagreeable to me, that, after having stayed -two days at Buckley, I returned to my old preceptor's house at -Applethorpe, feeling more wretched than I had felt since the first sad -shock of my mother's death. - -"The same night, after supper, Dr. Winthorne questioned me closely as to -my visit, and asked what had caused me to return so soon. Whether he saw -any thing in my manner, or had heard of any thing from others, I did not -know; but I told him all frankly, and he fell into a fit of thought -which lasted till bedtime. On the following morning my studies, my -exercises, and my amusements were renewed with increased activity. There -was something more I wished to forget, as well as the irreparable loss -of my mother; and I left not one moment unemployed. It was now the month -of May, and the season had been both cold and rainy; but I never -suffered either cold or rain, either snow or sleet, to keep me -within-doors; and no naked Indian could be more hardy than I was. At -length, some warm skies, with flying clouds and showers, came to cheer -us; and, with my rod in my hand, I sallied forth one morning early to -lure the speckled tyrants of the stream out of the water. I walked on -with good success for about two miles, and arrived at a shadowy reach of -the river, where it lapsed into some deep pools, and then, tumbling over -a shelf of rock in a miniature cascade, rushed on deep and strong -toward the east. I have said I was early; but there was some one there -before me. A powerful-looking man, of some four or five and twenty years -of age, was wading the stream with a rod in his hand and a pair of -funnel-shaped boots upon his legs. Where he stood, the water did not -come much above his knees; but I knew that a little farther on it -deepened, and the bed of the stream was full of holes, in which the -finest trout usually lay; but the stranger seemed a skilful angler, and, -I doubted not, knew the river as well as I did. Not to disturb his -sport, I sat quietly down on the bank and watched him. He was not very -prepossessing in appearance, for his features were large and coarse, and -though there was a certain sort of dignity about his carriage, yet his -form was more that of a man accustomed to robust labor than to the more -graceful sports of a gentleman. However, as I was gazing, he hooked a -large fish, apparently somewhat too stout for his tackle; and, to -prevent the trout from getting among the roots and stones while he -played him, the fisherman kept stepping backward, with his face toward -me and his back toward the deep run and the pool. 'Take care! take -care!' I cried. But my warning came too late: his feet were already on -the ridge of rock, and the next instant he fell over into the very -deepest part of the water. He rose instantly, but whether he was seized -with cramp, or that his large heavy boots filled with water, I know not; -but he sank again at once with a loud cry, and I ran along the ridge of -stone to give him help. The stream was much swollen with the late rains, -and even there it was running very strong, so that I could hardly keep -my footing; but I contrived to get to a spot near which he was just -rising again, and held out the thickest end of my rod to him. It was -barely within his reach; but he grasped it with one hand so sharply as -almost to pull me over into the pool with him. I got my feet between two -large masses of stone, however, and pulled hard, drawing him toward me -till he could get hold of the rock with his hands. His safety was then -easily insured; and I only remarked two things peculiar in his demeanor: -one was, that he never thanked me; and the other, that in all the -struggle he had contrived to retain his fishing-rod. - -"'Can you not swim?' he asked, as soon as we had both reached the bank. -I answered in the negative, and he added, 'Learn to swim. Please God, it -may save your life some day. Learn to swim.' I offered to take him up to -the parsonage that he might dry his clothes; but he refused, not very -civilly; and then he asked my name, looking me very steadily in the -face, without the slightest expression of gratitude for the aid I had -rendered him, and no trace of either agitation or trouble from the -danger he had run. 'You have kept your rod,' I said, 'but you have -broken your line.' - -"'I never let go my hold,' he answered; 'but, as you say, I have broken -my line and lost my fish. Are you Sir Richard Langdale's son, the man up -at Buckley?' I answered that I was, and in a few minutes after we -parted. I did not forget his advice, however, for a part of every day -during that summer I passed in the water, learning and practising the -art of swimming, till none could swim better or longer. I have never -seen that man since; but he has fully repaid my service by inducing me -to learn that which has more than once been of great service to me. - -"It was the month of October before I once more visited Buckley; and -then my father sent for me. I found the same young man still there whom -I had seen on my former visit; but now my father removed all doubt of -who he was, by saying, 'Edward, it is time that you should know that -this is your brother Richard,--your elder brother.' - -"I need not dwell upon the mortification and annoyance which this -announcement caused me. I was very young, as you may know when I tell -you that this occurred about five years ago, and, though of a somewhat -sensitive character, I might have thought little of the matter after the -first shock, had my brother's manner pleased me, had he shown kindness -or affection for me. But, with a sort of presentiment of what he was to -become, I disliked him from the first; and he repaid me well, treating -me with a sort of supercilious coldness I could not bear. On the morning -of the fourth day, when he had gone out fowling with a number of -servants and dogs, I went into my father's chamber and announced to him -my intention of going back that morning to pursue my studies with good -Dr. Winthorne. Perhaps my tone was somewhat too decided and imperative -for one so young toward his father; but it certainly was respectful, and -my father did not oppose my purpose. He merely spoke--almost in an -apologetic manner--of my brother and myself, intimated that he saw my -annoyance, and, attributing it to motives which had never crossed my -mind, added, 'You will have fortune enough, Ned. You surely need not -grudge your brother his share.' I did not reply; but his words set me -musing, and, an hour after, I left Buckley and returned to Applethorpe. -There, as before, I told my worthy preceptor all that had occurred, and -he somewhat censured my conduct, but at the same time condoled with and -comforted me. 'This young man,' he said, 'must be the son of an Italian -lady, to whom, according to a vague rumor current about the time your -father married your mother, he had been previously wedded in her own -country. It was said her relations had separated her from him on account -of his religion and had shut her up in a convent, where she had died of -grief. What he said about your fortune being sufficient, alluded of -course to the Buckley estate, which, being derived from your mother, -must descend to you.' - -"'I never thought of fortune,' I answered, 'and should be glad to have a -brother whom I could love; but I cannot like this young man.' - -"I had now seen my father for the last time in life. A quarrel, it would -seem, took place between him and one of the gentlemen of the -neighborhood, and about six months after the period of my visit they met -and fought. Both were good swordsmen; and my father killed his adversary -on the spot. He was much wounded in the encounter, however, and died -some four-and-twenty hours after. Sir Richard, his son, had not thought -fit to send for me; but, as soon as the news reached Applethorpe, Dr. -Winthorne went over with me to Buckley. There a scene took place which I -shall never think of without pain. My brother's whole thoughts were of -the rich succession which had fallen to him. He had four or five lawyers -with him, some from the country, others brought post-haste from London. -He claimed the whole estates,--Buckley, and all that it contained; and -his lawyers showed that, the estate having fallen to my mother after her -marriage, without any deed of settlement having reserved it to herself -and her heirs, it had passed in pure possession to my father, and -descended to his eldest son. There was some dispute between him and Dr. -Winthorne, who, with the village attorney, advocated my cause warmly; -but in the end the good clergyman took my arm, saying, 'Come away, -Edward: there are too many bad feelings here already: there will be more -if we stay. Your brother, who strips you of your mother's fortune -because she perhaps trusted too far his father and yours, cannot deprive -you of Malden farm, which was left you by your great-uncle. Indeed, I -will not believe that your father did not intend to do you justice. His -last words to you implied it; and probably, Mr. Sykes, Sir Richard did -make a will, which we must leave you to have produced, if there be one.' - -"These last words were addressed to my firm friend, the village lawyer, -who, though aged and a good deal deformed, wanted no energy. He had -always loved my mother, and whenever I could I had sent him game and -fish. I always see him when I am in England. But no will was ever found: -proofs of my father's marriage to the Signora Laura Scotti were -produced, and also of her death some five years before the marriage of -my mother, and my brother Richard remained possessed of all that had -once seemed destined for me. He found the property greatly encumbered, -it is true, paid no debt that he could by any means evade, and, being -naturally of a profuse and luxurious disposition, soon found it -necessary to sell much plate and jewels, many of which, beyond doubt, -were my mother's own. Among the rest must have gone the cup I saw last -night. As for myself, the little farm of Malden was all that was left -me, the annual income of which is not quite two hundred pounds a -year,--enough, perhaps, for any right ambition; but I had been educated -in high expectations, and I had received a shock which changed, or -seemed to change, my whole nature. - -"One night, when we had been talking of these things, Dr. Winthorne laid -his hand upon my shoulder, saying, 'Ned, you must make yourself a name -and an estate. There are two courses before you: either pursue your -studies vigorously for a few years, and then go to the university and -push your fortunes in the Church or at the bar, or put yourself in the -way of another sort of advancement, and mingle in the strife of courts -and camps. You have talent for the one if you choose to embrace it; your -animal qualities may fit you for the other. If the latter be your -choice, among my noble kinsfolks I can put you on the entrance of the -road; but you are not a boy who can remain idle. Think over it till -to-morrow at this hour; and then tell me of your resolve.' - -"My determination was soon formed. I could not make up my mind, -especially with the feelings that were then busy in me, to devote myself -to mere dry and thoughtful studies; and I chose the more active scenes. -The very next night Dr. Winthorne wrote to the Lord Montagu, distantly -related to his mother, and in about two months after I received the -appointment of gentleman-page in his household, the only path now open -in England to honor and renown. In this career I have met with many -vicissitudes, and have learned much in a harsher and sterner school than -that of good Dr. Winthorne. I have not suffered, I trust, in mind or in -body, and, if my character has been hardened, I do believe the change -took place, not in the four last years of action and endeavor, but in -the few months of suffering and endurance which immediately preceded and -followed my father's death. Let it not be thought, my excellent friend, -that in any thing I have said I wished to cast a reproach upon his -memory. I am sure that he intended to secure to me what by right and -equity was mine, whatever mere law may say; but probably the duel in -which he fell was hasty; and it was a habit of his mind to put off both -consideration and action as long as he could. Thought was a labor that -troubled him, and he often would not see dangers because reflection upon -the best way of meeting them would have been painful. As to my brother, -I have never seen him again: I hear he has returned to Italy, there to -spend what remains to him of his wealth. Thus, you see that, though that -cup is mine by right, it is no more mine by law than the estate of -Buckley, which has gone from me forever." - -The old merchant mused, and Lucette exclaimed, eagerly, that Sir Richard -Langdale's conduct was cruel and unjust; but Master Ned answered, very -mildly,--more so, indeed, than he might have done had not sickness -softened him,--"There is much that is both cruel and unjust in the law; -but, when I think of the contrast between my home before and after he -appeared in it, and when I think of what my own heart was before and -after he put his icy hand upon it, how he took from it its gentleness, -and its kindness, and its confidence, I cannot but believe he has been -cruel, and, though the same blood may and does flow in our veins, his is -mingled with another stream, which is noway akin to mine." - -"You must take that cup, Master Edward," said the syndic. "I cannot keep -it in conscience. Every time I saw it in the cupboard, I should----" But -his sentence was broken in upon, and all discussion stopped, by the -entrance of Marton, introducing a stout man in plain travelling-attire, -who was a stranger at least to Edward Langdale. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII. - - -The old syndic did not seem to know much more of his visitor than Edward -Langdale; but he called him Master Jean Baptiste, and asked him what -news from Niort. - -"Nothing very good, monsieur," answered the stranger: "half a league -more of the Papist lines is finished, and it is hard to get through. It -was all done so quick and so quietly, no one knew any thing of it till -the day before yesterday, when some troops and a large supply of flour -were sent down to Ferriac." - -"And where is the king himself?" demanded Clement Tournon, somewhat -anxiously. - -"He is still at Nantes," replied the visitor. "But I want some talk with -you, Mr. Syndic, when I can have it alone; and it must be to-night, -too, for I have to go on by to-morrow at daybreak, if I can get a boat." - -The old man at once raised a candlestick from the table and led the -stranger into another room, while Lucette and Edward remained together. - -Now, the most natural thing in the world for a young lad between sixteen -and seventeen, and a young girl a year or two younger, when so thrown -upon their own resources, would have been to make love, or, at least, to -fall into it; and there was also a strong incentive in the gratitude -Edward felt for all Lucette's kind nursing and all the interest which -Lucette had taken in his illness and recovery. But the truth must be -told. They did not make love in any of the many ways in which that -article is prepared in any of the kingdoms of the earth. Moreover, they -did not fall in love in the least. I am sorry for it; for of all the -sweet and charming things which this world produces, that which is -scornfully called calf's love is the sweetest and most charming. If it -has really any thing to do with a calf at all, it is the sweetbread. Oh, -that early love! that early love! how pure, and tender, and soft, and -timid, and bright, and fragrant, it is! It is the opening of the -rose-bud of life, which may in after-times display warmer colors, give -forth more intense odor, but loses in delicacy and grace with every -petal that unfolds. But, as I have said, the truth must be told. They -neither talked of love nor thought of love, although Lucette was very -beautiful and believed Edward Langdale to be very handsome. She merely -made him describe to her the scenes in which his youth had been spent. -She talked to him of his mother, too; and he told her how sweetly that -mother had sung, and said to her that Lady Langdale's voice was very -like her own; and then he besought her to sing to him again; and she -sang to please him; and they fell into thought, and spoke of a thousand -things more, in which the reader would take no manner of interest, but -which interested them so much that, when Clement Tournon returned, they -fancied he had been gone but a few minutes; and he had been absent an -hour and a half. - -His visitor did not come back with him, for he had taken some supper -and retired to rest; but the good old syndic's brow was gloomy, and the -news he had received, whatever it was, did not seem to have been very -favorable. - -"To bed, to bed, Lucette!" said the old man: "we must not keep Master -Ned up late o' night. He will soon have to go travelling again; and he -must gather strength." - -Lucette did not receive the intelligence that Ned must soon depart very -sadly, though she would have very well liked him to stay. She laughed -and kissed the old man, and ran away; but the syndic silently took hold -of the youth's hand and prevented him from retiring till the bright girl -was gone. "Stay a minute," he said, at length. "I have something to -speak to you about. How do you feel your strength and health to-night?" - -"Oh, much improved," replied Master Ned. "I shall be as strong as ever -in a couple of days." - -"That is well! that is well!" said Clement Tournon. "And whither do you -turn your steps when you leave Rochelle?" - -"I have to traverse the whole of France, and even to approach close to -Paris," answered Master Ned; "for the end of my journey, as far as I yet -know, is to be at Dammartin. First, however, I must go to Mauze, where, -I hear, the Duc de Rohan and Monsieur de Soubise are to be found. I have -letters for each." - -The reply seemed to puzzle the old man a little, for he shook his head, -saying, "It will not do." - -"Have they left Mauze?" asked Edward. "This illness has been very -unfortunate." - -"If you do not find them there, you will hear of them," answered the -syndic. "What I mean is, you cannot get straight to Mauze. Things have -changed since you arrived, my son. The Papist troops are between us and -Mauze; and you will have to make a long deviation from your way and come -upon the castle from the north." - -"So be it!" said Master Ned. "If we can but have a fair wind, we can get -to Marans, and, running up the Sevres, reach Mauze from the north. It is -not much longer, if I recollect right. I would embark to-morrow -morning, but I have still some preparations to make." - -"You seem to know the country well, my son," said the old man, "and your -scheme is a good one. But what preparations can you have to make?--not, -indeed, that I would have you go too soon, lest your health should -suffer. I should think as soon as you feel strong enough you will be all -ready." - -"Not quite, Monsieur Tournon," answered the lad. "I must follow my -orders, and those I have are very reasonable commands. I have, as I just -said, to cross three-quarters of France, which I could not do as an -Englishman, since these last troubles, without a safe-conduct. One has -been procured for me, however, from young Sir Peter Apsley, who obtained -it in order to go to Geneva to study. He has changed his mind since, and -I am to represent him; but, as there are mentioned in the paper a page -and two servants, I must engage such followers of the most trusty -character I can find. I have already got Pierrot la Grange, who is an -adept at masquerading, and I did think of bribing Jargeau to accompany -me; but I had some suspicions of him before I landed, and soon found -that he is treacherous. I must therefore look for a man and a boy here -to-morrow; and you must help me, my good father, for it is of much -consequence that they should be trusty." - -"They will soon be found," answered the syndic; "but I fear me you will -be soon discovered, my son. This cardinal has eyes in every quarter, and -almost, I might say, in every house. As to the page, I may have to think -a little," and then he added, musingly: "Did pages wear long tunics, as -in my young days, Lucette might do; but I doubt whether she would put on -boys' clothes as they are worn now." - -"Lucette!" exclaimed Edward Langdale, in a tone of unfeigned -astonishment. "That would never do. She could not ride half through -France at the pace I should have to go; and besides----But tell me, in -the name of Heaven, could you part with her so easily and on such a -journey?" - -The old syndic smiled faintly, saying, "I could and must part with her -whenever it is for her good, my son; but I did not propose she should go -with you farther than Mauze, where you would have to find another page. -There she must go before Saturday, as I will explain. Listen; for it is -fit you should know all that is going on here, that you may tell it to -those whom you are about to see. I will make it all clear to you, and -then I will go and consult my pillow till to-morrow morning. The king -and the cardinal are determined to crush out Rochelle. We have stood a -siege here before, and may perhaps do so now,--though I do not think it, -for Richelieu is not following the rash measures of those who went -before him. He has been hovering over this devoted city like an eagle -over a hare half hidden in the brushwood, and now he is ready to swoop. -They say that he and King Louis have been stayed at Nantes by some -troubles in the court; but nothing is neglected: day by day the troops -are gathering round, and we are now wellnigh hemmed in by land. The sea -is still open to us; but I have learned from a sure hand this night that -the cardinal has gathered together a navy of small armed vessels in all -the neighboring ports,--Rochefort, Marennes, Royan, Bourgneuf, -Painboeuf, and others. They will soon be off our harbor,--on Monday -next, they say; and though, thank Heaven, we have ships and good ones, -yet in point of numbers we are nothing. The foolish men of what they -call the French party refused, as you know, to give entrance to the Earl -of Denbigh's fleet, which would have kept the sea open to us and insured -us against blockade forever. But, as things stand now, I cannot expose a -girl like Lucette to the horrors of a siege with probably no escape. -Indeed, every useless mouth we can remove from Rochelle the better for -us; and, besides, those who have a right have required me to send her -out of the city without loss of time." - -"Had you not better go with her yourself?" asked Master Ned. - -"I will not run away from my post," answered the syndic. "I once could -have struck a good blow in defence of my native city; and, though that -is past, I can still aid her with counsel. Besides, where could I go? -Nowhere but to England. I may send what gold I have got to that country, -if I can find means; but my fate is with Rochelle, and Lucette's must -lie far away. God help us! we are at a dangerous pass, my son; and the -hunter's toils are tighter round us than some of our senseless citizens -will believe. As to Jargeau, you cannot trust him. Of Pierrot I have -doubts,--not of his honesty, for he is truthful and sturdy when he is -sober, nor of his ability, for he is a thing we often see in this -strange world, _a clever fool_,--shrewd enough in every thing that -imports but little, but weak as water in matters on which his own -fortunes and his soul's salvation rest. I doubt his power to abstain -from a vice which has ruled him for ten long years. True, he has been -sober ever since he has been here, and he promises sturdily; but, alas! -my son, I have seen so many a drunkard fall away from all good -resolutions with the first moment of a strong temptation that I wish you -had a better follower." - -"I will keep him sober," answered Master Ned, boldly. "He knows I am not -to be trifled with. I think he has every inclination to reform but only -wants the strength of mind. I will give him the strength. Many a man is -feeble in some point till he has support, just as a pea trails upon the -ground till we plant a strong pole by it. I will be his pea-stick, -Monsieur Tournon. But as to another man and the page. If Mademoiselle -Lucette only goes to Mauze, and you will trust her with me, I will see -her safe there if I get there myself, upon my honor; but I know not why -she should have to change her dress, for the distance is so small from -Maran's that----" - -"You may be stopped and have to show your safe-conduct," answered the -syndic. "You know not how rapidly this cardinal is drawing the net -around us. But surely we can equip her so that she shall remain -concealed and yet not shock her modesty." - -"Oh, yes," replied Master Ned: "'tis still the mode with us to wear a -loose, long, hanging coat over the justaucorps in cool weather; and this -is cool enough. I have one in my bags, and they are so freely fitted -that it matters not whether it be somewhat large or not. But what I fear -is her long, beautiful, amber hair. No boy's head ever bore such a -profusion,--though it is the custom now to wear it very long behind." - -"We must have it cut," said the syndic, with as little reverence for -love-locks as any Puritanical preacher of the coming epoch: "a woman may -well yield her hair to save her liberty and her religion,--nay, perhaps -her life. But we will talk more to-morrow, my son, and we had better -both seek rest now and rise by dawn to-morrow." - -The results of this conversation may easily be divined by the reader, -whose business it is, in a novel as well as in a tragedy, to supply from -his own wit or imagination all the little facts and circumstances which -it may please an author to omit. Yes, dear reader, always recollect that -you have your responsibilities as well as your privileges, your duties -as well as your powers, and then if you and I do not understand each -other it is not your fault. - -The following evening, about seven o'clock, there assembled in the -little saloon, the syndic, Edward Langdale, a strong, supple-looking -man, of whom more hereafter, Pierrot la Grange, and a beautiful boy, -apparently some two years younger, and much shorter, than Master Ned. He -entered the last, dressed in one of the broad-brimmed hats of the day, a -handsome doublet, and a loose black velvet coat with hanging sleeves. It -descended nearly to the knees, and almost met a pair of large -riding-boots, which, together with the hat and feather, and a small -gold-hilted dagger on the left hip, gave the wearer a sort of cavalier -look which accorded well with the character assumed,--yes, assumed; for -a warm mantling blush that spread over Lucette's fair face, and the shy -impulse with which she threw herself into the old man's arms, would have -betrayed her sex to any one who was not in the secret. Every thing, -however, was now hurry, for a good-sized fishing-boat had been engaged -for a somewhat earlier hour; and, with a few words of admonition to -Lucette from the syndic, and some directions to the men, the whole party -set out for the port. Marton gave them egress, kissing Lucette tenderly -as she passed the door; and in ten minutes Clement Tournon held the -young girl in his arms by the side of the boat, taking one last embrace. -He wept not, it is true; but he heaved a heavy sigh. Edward Langdale -lifted her into the little bark, and, as the boat pushed off, he felt -that tears had fallen upon his bosom. - - - - -CHAPTER IX. - - -Although there can be few things more pleasant to many of the senses -with which our dull clay is vivified than to sail over a shining sea -under a moonlight sky,--although the feeling of repose which emanates -from rapid easy motion is then most sweetly tasted,--yet when we are in -haste we would always wish the breeze to be favorable and full. We could -bear a little more rocking of our sea-cradle did we but know that our -progress was all the faster. In this respect, at least, Edward Langdale -was not to be gratified that night. The wind, it is true, was not -exactly adverse; but it was not quite favorable, and, moreover, it was -light. The boat did not make three miles an hour through the water, and -was obliged to take a good stretch to the westward in order to avoid -sands and shoals. - -In the mean time, the party in the boat was arranged very properly: -Lucette sat near the stern, and Master Ned next to her, with Pierrot on -his left; while on the other side were the newly-engaged servant and two -sailors. But Lucette was silent, and Edward thought it better for a time -to leave her so, as tears--springing from what sources it is not worth -while to inquire--were still flowing, and the youth heard every now and -then a gentle sob. For his part, he talked a little to Pierrot, who told -him that he had twice seen the good-man Jargeau that day, had honestly -notified him of his dereliction of his service, and had returned him his -two horses, as he, Pierrot, had been ordered. Jargeau, he said, had been -somewhat supercilious, somewhat triumphant, had shown that he knew all -about Master Ned's encounter in Rochelle, and its consequences, observed -that it would have been better for the youth if he had followed good -counsel, and had laughed heartily at Pierrot's own resolutions of -temperance, which he tried hard to make him break on the spot. - -"I saw he had a great contempt for me, Master Ned," said the man; "but I -showed him I could resist." - -"He will laugh at you ten times more if ever you break your resolution," -answered Edward Langdale; "and then he will laugh with some reason. Of -course you gave him no cause to think we were going to-night?" - -The man replied in the negative, and Edward--judging not amiss of the -precise moment when comfort is most available--applied himself to soothe -his beautiful young companion. It is a very delicate and even dangerous -task for a young man of any thing short of sixty; and it would be vain -to say that Edward Langdale did not perform the office of consoler -warmly. The nature of the case inspired tenderness; the gentleness and -care with which she had nursed him required it; and their very youth -justified it. He called her "dear Lucette" several times; and he tried -hard to prompt hope of a speedy return to Rochelle and a reunion with -her excellent father. - -At the latter word Lucette gave a little start. "You mistake, Edward," -she said: "he is not my father, though indeed he has been a father, and -more than a father, to me. But you are protecting an orphan, my friend. -I have neither father nor mother living." - -"Then is he your grandfather, as you first called him?" asked the youth. -"I thought he was very old to have a daughter of your age." - -"He is no relation whatever," she answered, gravely, "but is as dear to -me as any parent could have been. It is a long story, which I may some -time or other have an opportunity of telling you; but enough for the -present that he has had the care of my education in Rochelle for some -years, and has ever shown to me the affection of a father and won from -me the love and reverence of a child. I weep to part with him; but I -weep from many other causes. Rochelle has been to me like the nest to a -young bird; and now I am going forth into a world where I am almost a -stranger, to a fate that I know not, but which can hardly be a peaceful -one. Let us not talk of it; for it is better not even to think of it. -What will come must come; and I must bear all with patience." - -"Well, then, let us look at that beautiful sea," said Edward Langdale. -"Is it not like an ocean of melted silver? Look there! Here comes a -great wave curling over in the moonlight: now we rise above it, and it -is past. So it is, Lucette, with the misfortunes of this world: they -seem ready to overwhelm us; but with good steering and a strong mind we -rise above them and leave them behind us." - -"But who shall teach me to steer my boat?" asked Lucette, sadly. - -Had it been a few years later in his life, Edward would probably have -said, "Let me;" but he did not say it, and he was wise. He applied -himself, however, with more earnestness than ever, to soothe his sweet -companion and to wean her thoughts from subjects of pain or anxiety; nor -did he do so without success. His mind was stored with the riches of -much and very various study, and he found, too, that her young hours had -not been employed in vain. She could talk with him of things which few -of her age and her country could converse upon; and, to his delight, he -found that she spoke English as well as he did himself, with hardly any -accent, and with perfect facility. Thenceforward their conversation was -carried on in his mother-tongue; and his mind easily saw the many -advantages which might arise, should any impediment present itself on -their journey, from their perfect acquaintance with two languages. - -It was all very perilous for the two young people; and really, could it -have been avoided, they should not have been placed in such a situation; -but there are times and circumstances when proprieties must be forgotten -and folks must take their chance or die. Now, the period was rapidly -approaching when not a mouse could get out of Rochelle; and old Clement -Tournon foresaw its coming. To take advantage of Edward's journey was -all that was left for him; and that was almost too late. Besides, -decorum came in with George the First, and little of it was known in the -world at large before the time of William the Taciturn. Nevertheless, -was it not dangerous to set two young souls, full of early life, and -with all its passions and imaginations just budding, to sail over "the -moonlight sea" together, talking a language unknown to their companions, -with mystery and misfortune and interest on one side, and gratitude, -compassion, and curiosity on the other? They did not, it is true, get -out of that boat with the same feelings they carried into it; but then -all these matters are progressive, except in Italy, and some parts of -Spain, and two or three other countries I could name,--countries where -people jump into love with their eyes open, or fall into it with their -eyes shut. In England we slide into it. But, as I was remarking, all -such things--with the exceptions already specified--are progressive; and -there were several little accidents which helped the matter on. Lucette -was cold, and Edward fastened the agrafes of the loose coat over her -fair bosom; and then he wrapped a cloak round her; and then the wind -shifted and the sea began to run very high, and he had to put his arm -about her to keep her steady on the seat. Then, what between fear and -headache, she leaned her brow upon his shoulder; and he had to comfort -and reassure her the best way he could. There is something in animal -magnetism, dear reader, depend upon it,--although I think it acts in a -different way from that generally attributed to it. - -But, to pause no more upon such discussions,--which are always very -fruitless,--I must say their situation soon became very unpleasant, and -even critical. The wind and the currents carried the little craft far to -the westward of Marans, and the boat shipped many a heavy sea. She was -good and stanch, however, and the sailors were fearless, hardy, and -experienced; but that comforted poor Lucette very little, so that all -her consolation was to cling through long hours to Edward Langdale and -to ask him from time to time if there was any danger. At length, -however,--just when, having run a good way to the northwest, they had -contrived to tack and lay their course with a better wind toward -Marans,--the sun began to rise, and Edward whispered, "Now we shall soon -be there, dear Lucette." - -But he was mistaken. Expectation is always mistaken. There really seems -a perversity about those ladies with the distaff and scizzors which -leads them to spin the thread of our life with knots and tangles, to cut -it short at the very moment of fruition, and--especially when they see -any one foolish enough to calculate upon success--to ravel the whole -skein into inextricable confusion. The boat could only approach the -shore by continual tacking; and I would tell all the tacks she made, and -how long each took,--but, unhappily, I know nothing of nautical matters, -except that a ship has a head and a stern, as most other things have; -that a fair wind carries people rapidly to port, and a foul wind delays -them often a long time. The sun had passed the meridian at least three -hours when the boat at last reached the mouth of the Sevre Niortaise, -which would at that time float small vessels very comfortably. I know -not what it will do now; for the sands upon the west coast of France -have so encroached upon the domains of old Ocean that Hennebon was once -within a short distance of the sea and is now actually an inland town, -only to be reached by a post-road or a good long sail up the river -Blavet. As good fortune would have it, however, and thanks to the -paternal care of good Clement Tournon, there were plenty of provisions -on board the boat; and the Sevre Niortaise received them less hungry -than might otherwise have been the case. The ascent of the river as far -as the spot where it was proposed to stop occupied two hours more; but -all was calm now, and the change from danger to security is a great -promoter of rash hope. The color came back into Lucette's face, and she -and Edward Langdale talked gayly of the coming hours. At length they ran -up to a little landing where a few houses, all occupied by Protestants, -lined the shore, headed by a good-looking cabaret with white walls and a -brush upon the top of a pole. The Rochellois boatmen were well known to -the host, and his welcome was joyful; but when, after seeing Lucette -comfortably lodged in a room by herself,--although the landlord seemed -to think that too much care was taken of a boy who ought to take care of -himself,--Master Ned proceeded to inquire into the facilities for -reaching Mauze, he found more serious impediments than he had expected. -No horses were to be bought nearer than Marans, some three miles -distant; and between the river and the chateau of Mauze the host -reported several large bodies of Catholic soldiers and workmen, whose -conduct, according to his account, was not over-scrupulous. Horses, -however, had to be procured at all events; for to reach the chateau if -possible Edward Langdale was bound; and accordingly, with some -hesitation, he despatched Pierrot la Grange to Marans, with a strong -injunction to temperance. Pierrot's virtue was probably not very -severely tried; for the wine--the only wine to be procured in that part -of the country--was execrable; and brandy at that time, notwithstanding -the proximity of Rochelle, found its way to Marans in very small -quantities. At all events, toward ten o'clock at night he reappeared at -the cabaret with the four horses and their equipments, as his young -master had required, and a boy leading the two last-bought, while he -himself, mounted on one, led another by the bridle. - -The landlord was conversing with the boatmen at the door, while Edward -was calmly sleeping on a bench in the kitchen; but the former seemed to -have received some intimation that the page was not exactly what he -appeared, for he requested Pierrot in a whisper to tell his young lord -that there was a minister in the hamlet, and that young people could be -married there just as well as at Mauze. - -In about an hour the whole party were mounted and on their road, Pierrot -having assured his master that he could guide him to Mauze as well as -any man born on the spot. Nor did he exaggerate his knowledge, but -proceeded perfectly steadily and carefully, till at length the little -bridle-path they followed lost itself in the moors which cover that part -of the country. - -The moon, however, was shining as brightly as it had done the night -before, and there seemed no difficulty in finding the way; but the wide -expanse before them looked solitary and cheerless with its gray shadows -and stunted bushes and pieces of fenny swamp, while here and there rose -a small clump of low rugged pines, or a deep pit obstructed the advance -of the travellers. At the end of about two hours, Pierrot remarked, "We -are not three miles from Mauze now, sir, and we had better be a little -careful; for, if there be any folks we have to fear, they must be about -here." Hardly had he spoken when a line of lights came in sight, which -Master Ned instantly understood to proceed from scattered watch-fires; -and, halting for a few minutes, he held a short council with his -followers, in which their future proceedings were determined. The lights -extended some way to the right and left; and it was conjectured that -the lines which it was known the king's army were employed in -constructing stopped at a certain point on one side or the other, -leaving a passage round the extremity, by which the little village and -its castle could be reached. The question only was which side was free, -and Edward resolved to ride on in advance with one of the men and -reconnoitre, leaving Lucette and the other man at the first sheltered -spot they could find. One of the deep pits which I have mentioned was -soon met with, and its edge, on the opposite side from that which the -little party approached, was edged with a fringe of low wood, which -concealed it well. A road which had been cut for the purpose of digging -gravel--Heaven knows for what purpose the gravel itself was wanted, as -gravel walks were few in that part of the country--led right into the -pit; and along it Edward and his party found their way in. He lifted -Lucette from her horse, and, being more considerate than most lads of -his age, he paused to think which of the men he should leave with her. -That was soon settled. The man he had hired in Rochelle was well known -to Clement Tournon. His name was Jacques Beaupre, by-the-way; and the -good syndic had guaranteed his honesty, adding, that he was a courageous -man and witty. Now, Jacques had not uttered three words since he had -been in Edward's service, and therefore of his wit the young gentleman -knew nothing; but his honesty and his courage were much more important -on the present occasion. Pierrot, Master Ned knew, could be trusted in -all things but one; but there was much to be remembered. He himself -might be taken; and, once delivered from the restraint of his presence, -Edward naturally concluded that the bottle might have too great -temptations for his worthy follower, and Lucette be left to the perilous -guardianship of a drunken man. Jacques Beaupre was therefore left with -Lucette. The bags were taken off the horses and deposited in his care, -with orders to make his way to Mauze, should any misadventure occur to -Edward, and to place them and Lucette under the care of the Prince de -Soubise. A warning was also given him to destroy, if possible, the bag -which had a red cross marked upon it, in case he saw that he could not -escape the Catholic army. It may be supposed that all these directions -alarmed poor Lucette a good deal; but she did not give way to her fears, -although she fully forgave Edward for making his parting embrace a -little warmer than even the customs of that day justified. - -We are too apt in this world to make no allowance for the customs of -different times and phases of society. Some fall into this fault from -ignorance of any state of society but their own, with a vague idea of -something having been strange in the customs of the Greeks and Romans -and the people whom Mr. Hallam wrote about. Some who have read the -chronicles of other times forget the minute particulars in their -attention to more important facts. But believe me, dear reader, the -times and the country, the climate and the water, do make very great -difference in the notions which obtain regarding customs, and even -morals,--ay, morals. Half the morals in the world are made by -society,--and all the customs. I remember a Turkish ambassador, being -present at a dance, and asking, gravely, "What does all that palming -come to?" Since then the Turks have very generally left off their -petticoats, and have acquired a good many new notions; but they still -object to the "_palming_," and think its tendencies not desirable,--the -Koran notwithstanding. However, the age of which I am now writing was a -kissing age,--an age of _embrassades_. Everybody kissed everybody--on -certain occasions; but it was specified that, in public and before -witnesses, the kisses were to be bestowed on the right and left cheek, -and not upon the mouth,--especially in the case of young gentlemen and -ladies. Now, the dereliction of poor Edward Langdale was that his lips -did not altogether confine themselves to the cheek of Lucette. Where -they went, Heaven knows; but I do not. However, she forgave him; and I -do not see why we should not do so too. I am sure I should have kissed -her lips if I had had the opportunity; for they were rich, and soft, and -full, and her breath was as fragrant as new-mown hay. - -After that kiss, he jumped upon his horse again and rode away, leaving -all his precious things behind him,--both those he had brought from -England and those he had found in Rochelle. - -The title I have affixed to this book compels me to adhere to the -adventures of Master Ned; but, as that night was one of critical -influence upon his fate, I cannot finish its events at the fag-end of a -chapter which is already somewhat too long for the reader's patience, -and for the writer's too. - - - - -CHAPTER X. - - -Now, Edward Langdale was a very acute and intelligent lad before he -touched the shores of France on that journey. He had learned more of the -world and mankind in the few years he had been page to Lord Montagu than -many another youth does in a dozen. His previous education had fitted -him for such acquisition; and the circumstances in which he had -afterward been placed--circumstances which required the exercise of -every faculty--had acuminated every faculty. But, strange to say, each -sense seemed to acquire more acuteness after he left Lucette. He had no -notion in the world how it was so. He thought of those valuable leathern -bags of his, and of the letters which were in them, and of the chance -there was of their falling into an enemy's hands. He believed that was -all; but still, as the reader has a right to be let into all secrets, a -vague, indefinite, misty idea of danger to Lucette mingled with all -other considerations and sharpened every perception. - -With Pierrot by his side, and taking advantage of every thing which -could screen his approach, he advanced as close to the king's lines as -he could without being perceived. He then rode along, seeing groups of -soldiers and sappers lying on the ground by their watch-fires, without -one man seemingly wakeful enough to have killed a rat had it invaded his -quarters. The end of the line on the right was soon reached; but now -there were evident signs of completed trenches and a more strict guard; -and, retreating a little to get under cover of the trees, which had -become both taller and closer in that quarter, he turned his course -toward the left, where the lines tended toward the Sevre Niortaise. -Still, nothing stirred; and at length Edward, to his great satisfaction, -perceived the spot where the rapidly-progressing works had been -abandoned at the set of sun, and where shovels and pickaxes and hatchets -were piled up after the labors of the day. Beyond was a wide extent of -moor and brushwood; and, after having gazed for a minute or two, he -determined to push his horse far enough round to make sure that the -passage was free before he went back for Lucette. His course was through -some marshy ground broken by brushes. The last fire of the French lines -was at a full quarter of a mile's distance, and every moment Edward -became more and more convinced that the way was quite open and the -passage safe. Suddenly, however, he checked his horse, making a sign to -Pierrot to stop, and saying, "Hark!" - -"Horse, on my life!" cried Pierrot. - -"Coming up from the left," replied Master Ned. "Down, down! and amongst -the bushes! Let the beasts take their own course. It may mislead them." - -Each sprang to the ground in a moment. The horses, cast loose with a -sharp blow in the flank, scampered across the moor, and the youth and -Pierrot kneeled down amongst the shrubs. But the manoeuvre was in -vain. The moon was still shining brightly: they had been marked; and the -pursuers but too plainly perceived that the two horses which scampered -off were now without riders. There was a momentary search amongst the -bushes, and then a hard hand was laid upon Master Ned's shoulder. It -might have been a dangerous experiment at another moment; but there were -so many soldiers round as to render resistance hopeless; and Master Ned -rose quietly without uttering a word. - -It was a somewhat lawless age; and in lawless ages some men's fingers -have a strange affection for other men's pockets. The worthy trooper, -whose right hand still retained its grasp of Edward's shoulder, felt his -left impelled by irresistible powers toward the spot where purses in -those days were generally carried; but he suddenly found his wrist -grasped with a strength which he had no idea lay in the slight-looking -limbs of his prisoner, who at the same time raised his voice aloud, -shouting, in the French tongue, "Officer! officer!" - -The trooper had either miscalculated his distance from his companions, -or Master Ned's powers of endurance; for, while he struggled to free his -wrist from the clinging fingers which grasped it, half a dozen more -soldiers came up, with a gentleman in a handsome buff coat, or buffle, -laced with gold, who was evidently the leader of the band. - -"How now, young man? how now?" cried the officer, regarding him by the -moonlight. "What! resisting the king's authority?" - -"By no means, seigneur," replied Edward, who still held the soldier fast -by the wrist. "I am merely resisting plunder, which I know is not by the -king's authority. This man's hand was in my pocket. His intention might -be to take my purse,--which I should care little about, as there is not -much in it, and I can get more; but it might be to take my safe-conduct, -which I will not part with, but for proper examination, to any one." - -"Ho, ho! a safe-conduct!" said the officer. "How dare you try to rob -him, Guillaume Bheel? Let him go, this instant." - -"I can't," answered the man, with a good-humored roar of laughter: "the -young devil has got my wrist as tight as if every finger was a vice. My -hand was not in his pocket; for, by St. Ann, he did not let me get it -fairly in. I was only going to search him." - -"Let the man's hand go, young gentleman," said the officer. "You mention -a safe-conduct. Let me see it." - -"It is here," said Edward Langdale, drawing forth a handsome gilt -leather case. "I beg you to promise that it shall be returned to me when -you have examined it." - -"It shall, if I find it all in proper form," replied the other; "but, in -the mean time, you will have to go to the lines, for I cannot examine -passes by moonlight. Some one see and catch the two horses. Have you -found the other man? Ah, there he is. Catch the horses, I say." - -In the mean time he had opened the case and taken out the passport, -which, when spread out in the pale light, showed all the appearance of -an ordinary safe-conduct; and Edward, anxious to prevent any search for -Lucette and her guard, observed, in a quiet tone, "You will remark that -the paper covers more than myself and my servant; but, hearing that -there was danger on the road to Niort, we left the others behind." - -"Then tell me, sir," said the officer, gravely, "how came it, when you -were furnished with such a safe-conduct as this, you attempted to pass -the lines without showing it, and tried to hide yourself when you saw my -party?" - -"Oh, in Rochelle they tell very bloody tales of you gentlemen up here," -replied Edward, laughing; "and I thought that at Niort I could show it -with less trouble." - -"Then you come from Rochelle, do you?" said the officer. "Probably you -came over in Lord Denbigh's fleet?" - -"No," answered the young man, boldly. "I came over before, in a -merchant-vessel; but I was obliged to stay some days in Rochelle to hire -servants and to get well; for I was ill there." - -"Indeed," said the officer,--not in any tone of interest, but merely as -one of those insignificant ejaculations which men employ to stop a gap -when they have nothing else to say; and he continued humming some of the -Parisian airs which are now technically known as _Pont neufs_, till the -horses were caught,--which was not till after half an hour's ineffectual -effort; for they had some spirit and some skittishness. Indeed, it might -have been as well--under fear of the critics--to tell the reader that -the part of the country which we are now treading is rather famous for -the sale of horses, which, though not so good as the Limousin, are of -the same race, very hardy and sometimes very fleet. - -At length the beasts were inveigled by some of the many methods of -deceit which men use to entrap bipeds or quadrupeds; and, mounted on -that which he indicated as his own, Master Ned, between two soldiers, -was led to the end of the trench, followed by Pierrot, as well guarded, -who had the good sense to keep his tongue under a rigorous rein. The two -were civilly inducted into a small building constructed of unplaned -boards, and, with a sentinel at the door, were left together while the -officer went to examine the safe-conduct: at least, so he said. In -truth, he went to show it to a superior officer. - -Edward Langdale, however, took the opportunity, in a hurried manner, of -indoctrinating Pierrot in regard to what he was to say and what not to -say. He could have done it quite at leisure, it is true, for the officer -was full two hours absent; but the time was occupied with various -comments and discussions which might, under most circumstances, have -been of great use. Man almost always makes calculations in vain. He -stands upon a small point, unable to see an inch before his nose, while -Fate is working in the background beyond his sight, weaving round him a -web of fine threads, through which he cannot break, let him flutter as -hard as he will. - -At length the officer reappeared, with the passport in its case. He -returned it to the young gentleman with a polite bow, saying, "Sir, your -safe-conduct seems in good form, and signed by the cardinal himself." - -There he paused for a moment, and Edward replied, "Then I suppose I am -at liberty to proceed. Now you see, sir, how much better it would have -been for me to ride on straight to Niort, where in half an hour I could -have had a good supper and a bottle of wine." - -"Your pardon, sir," said the other. "We can give you the bottle of wine -here,--though all you can have for supper, I am afraid, will be some -sardines, d'Olonne, and bread. But, as to proceeding, you will have to -make a little turn out of your way and go to Nantes. You will have four -soldiers out of my troop for protection,--merely for protection." - -"As a prisoner, in short," said Edward, gravely. "I had thought the -cardinal's name was more potent in France." - -"It is very potent," replied the officer, with a smile. "But he knows -his signature better than we do; and the truth is, although the seal is -certainly official, we had an intimation yesterday, about three o'clock, -that a young English gentleman, with three attendants, would endeavor to -pass the lines, and that it was necessary to stop him, as he was an -agent of the enemy. You have but one attendant; but your pass says -three, and you have yourself acknowledged that you have left two -behind." - -"This is the work of some private enemy," said Master Ned, gravely; for -the situation was not at all pleasant. "The intimation, of course, came -from Rochelle?" - -The officer nodded. "Then," continued the youth, "you put faith in your -enemies rather than in the signature of your own prime minister." - -"Jargeau," whispered Pierrot. But the officer cut discussion short, -saying, "I act under orders, gentlemen, and can only say further that -you do not exactly go as prisoners, and may regulate your marches as you -please. You can set out at once if you please, or you can wait till -daybreak." - -"At once," said Edward, somewhat sternly: "the end of my journey is -Geneva or Savoy, and I am anxious to get out of a country as soon as -possible where even a regular passport does not protect one from -detention." - -"But the wine and the sardines?" said Pierrot. - -"They can be brought while the men are making ready," replied the -officer; and, with a polite bow, he left them still under guard. - -The wine and the sardines d'Olonne were brought and rapidly consumed. -Their horses' feet were heard before the door, and, mounting, Pierrot -and Master Ned, with four soldiers accompanying them, rode away in the -direction of Nantes. It is a long and rather dreary ride at all times, -and to Edward it was particularly unpleasant, for he had to remember a -fact which the reader has probably forgotten, namely, that people who -took advantage without right of other people's safe-conducts were in -those days very frequently hanged. Now, Master Ned had a mortal aversion -to hemp. All depends upon the application of things. An old saw well -applied is excellent, detestable when wrongly introduced. A -Burgundy-pitch plaster on the chest is a capital remedy for incipient -bronchitis, but has quite a contrary effect when applied to the mouth -and nose. It is all the same with hemp. Used in rigging a ship, it is -all very well; in the abstract it is a soft though somewhat tenacious -fibre, which would not much hurt a fly; but when twisted into several -strands and used as a tight cravat it is unpleasant, and often -dangerous. In this light it was viewed by Edward Langdale; but he had -run a good many hair's-breadth risks since he had been Lord Montagu's -page, and the idea of the hemp did not exclude from his mind the idea of -Lucette. (There are two "ideas" in the last sentence, which the verbal -critics may call tautologous; but I will let them both stand, for it -were well if there were as many ideas in most people's noddles.) - -However, as it is a very dreary road from Mauze toward Nantes, and as -the reflections of poor Edward Langdale were drearier still, I will not -pause upon the details, but merely say that thought after thought -followed each other through his head,--sometimes of the danger which he -himself ran, sometimes of the dangers which surrounded Lucette, and -sometimes of the chances of making his escape. This continued for some -three hours, during which time the body was suffering hardly less than -the mind. Barely recovered from severe illness, he had quitted Rochelle -too early: he had since undergone the fatigues of a storm at sea, a long -anxious ride, a short imprisonment, and now a three hours' journey, with -little food and only one hour's sleep out of thirty-six, upon the banks -of the Sevre Niortaise. As day began faintly to dawn, fatigue and -drowsiness overpowered him; and twice he swung to the side of his horse -as if he were about to fall. - -The soldier who rode by his side, and who was well aware that his -superiors had considerable doubt as to whether they were right or wrong -in sending the young gentleman to Nantes at all, seeing his state, -addressed him civilly, telling him that two miles in advance there was -the village of Le Breuil Bertin, where he would find a good clean -cabaret and could both have an excellent breakfast and repose for a few -hours in comfort. - -"I thought we were to go to Nantes as fast as we could," said Master -Ned. - -"Monsieur is the master," replied the man. "I was only told to see you -safe to Nantes and show you all attention on the road. So I shall -certainly take your orders as to where we shall stop, and how long. At -all events, we must feed the horses at Le Breuil." - -"Well, then, I will stay and rest there," said Edward, very glad to -obtain time for somewhat clearer and more composed reflection than the -state of his brain had heretofore permitted; and at Le Breuil they -accordingly paused. - -In the two hundred and odd revolutions of the great humming-top which -have since taken place, Le Breuil Bertin, which was then a very -flourishing village, with a pretty church, a very tolerable inn, and, at -a little distance, a royal abbey, has become a mere hamlet; but then the -cabaret appeared a blessed haven of repose to Edward Langdale: every -thing had a clean and smiling air, and the very sight was a refreshment. -He ordered breakfast, which was in those days always accompanied by -wine, and, though he ate little, he felt stronger for the meal. Then, -after calling Pierrot apart and admonishing him in regard to brandy, he -said he should like to rest for a few hours, and was shown to a chamber -where was a bed of wool as soft as down. It is true that there was but -one staircase leading to the room assigned him, and that, Le Breuil -being built upon a gentle hill, and the inn upon the edge of the hill, -the window had a fall of thirty feet below it,--quite as good, under all -ordinary circumstances, as iron bars. But Edward did not meditate escape -just then, and all he expected was thought and repose. - -Weariness and wakefulness are sometimes strangely combined. "Too tired -to sleep," say people very often; and they say rightly; but it generally -happens--at least in my own case--that fatigue of mind has been added to -fatigue of body when we cannot woo to our pillow "tired nature's sweet -restorer." We have in short been spurring both horses so hard that their -sides are sore. So it was with Edward Langdale. He could not close an -eye: he could not think,--at least collectedly. His mind went rambling -about, first to one subject of consideration, then to another, without -resting upon any. This continued for about two hours; but when the -sergeant, corporal, lunce prisade, or whatever he was, looked in to see -whether he would like to go to mass, the young gentleman was as sound -asleep as he could be, and did not hear the opening or closing door. - -Now, the soldier was a native of Le Breuil Bertin, and, moreover, he had -been brought up a Protestant,--born a Protestant, I had better have -said; for I fear me much that, both in regard to religion and politics, -birth has a good deal to do with the matter. However, being but an -indifferent controversialist, and meeting with a wise Catholic priest, -and having some interest in the army, and the greater part of the -population being of the Romish Church, he had four good reasons for -being converted; and he was so. But the worthy man was mild in his -apostasy, and, as a native of Le Breuil, did not care how long a -gentleman, whether Huguenot or Papist, kept him there, nor whether he -went to mass or conventicle. - -Thus Edward was suffered to slumber undisturbed from nine till one, when -he turned on his other side without waking, and then from one till six, -when a little noise about the inn made some impression on his senses. - -The sun by this time was so far down as to have left an eye of gray in -the sky; but it was not yet dark; and Edward had just swung his feet -over the edge of the bed, and was rubbing his eyes with a certain -doubtfulness whether he would lie down again or not, when his door -opened, and the soldier appeared, supporting a boy dressed in a loose -black velvet overcoat, and asking, "Pray, sir, is this your page?" - -Edward started forward at once and took her hand, answering, "Certainly. -How came he here?" - -The man was about to reply; but as he uttered the first words Lucette -began to sink, and the color quite forsook her lips. Edward caught her -in his arms before she fell and laid her gently on the bed from which he -had just risen, saying, "Send Pierrot here, good sir,--my servant, I -mean." - -The man smiled slightly, but departed; and, before Pierrot appeared, -Lucette somewhat revived, saying, in a low, faint voice, "I am so tired, -Edward, and have been so frightened. I fear I may have betrayed you by -my weakness." - -"Get some wine, Pierrot!" exclaimed the lad, as the man entered. "Or -stay you here, and I will see for it myself. Fear not, dear Lucette. All -will go well." - -They were vague words of comfort enough,--such as a man speaks when his -only trust is in Providence; yet they comforted Lucette. And some water -which Pierrot held to her lips did her good also; but, to tell the -truth, that which revived her most was the reappearance of Edward -Langdale. He brought wine with him,--the first he could find; but he -could hardly pour out a glassful when the good mistress of the house -entered and stayed his hand, saying, "Leave her to me, young gentleman. -Do not be foolish. Your secret shall be safe with me, upon my honor,--if -it be a secret; but all the world can see this is no boy. I have girls -myself, and will treat her like a daughter." And, gently putting the two -men out, she shut and locked the door. - - - - -CHAPTER XI. - - -"My good sir," said Edward Langdale, addressing the chief of the guard, -whom he found conversing with two troopers whom he had not before -seen,--"my good sir, I think it will be necessary for me to change my -mode of travelling. I have just recovered from a severe illness, and am -still weak. So much riding on horseback fatigues me, as you may see by -my long sleep this day; and I would be glad if I could procure a coach. -You can guard us as well, or better then than if we continue as we have -begun. Why are you smiling?" - -The last words had a slight tone of irritation in them; for Edward had -remarked a previous smile with which the man had brought Lucette into -his chamber, and he had arrived at that point on the road to love where -one feels vexed at the very thought of any reflection upon a -sweetheart's name or character. - -But the soldier answered, civilly, "I was thinking, sir, that if you -can, being sick and weak, keep such a tight hold as you did last night -upon Guillaume Bheel's wrist, what sort of a grip you must take when -you are well and strong. But, as to a carrosse, there is none in the -village, and we shall have to send to Aligre, or Marans, as it is -sometimes called, to get one; and Aligre is three leagues off. However, -we can very well stop the night if you please." - -"Well, have the kindness to send for one," said the youth: "there is a -piece of gold for the messenger, and I will pay the owner well. Let it -be here early,--by daybreak, if possible; for I am anxious to arrive at -Nantes soon, as I shall certainly be liberated from this sort of -captivity there." - -It were vain to deny that the arrival of Lucette, while it relieved his -mind considerably in one respect, embarrassed it considerably in -another. Lucette was safe; but could he answer that she would continue -so? What was he to do with her? What would become of her at Nantes if he -were imprisoned there, or perhaps executed? All these questions he put -to himself; and they were difficult to answer. Still, to treat the -matter commercially, when he put down on the one side of the account all -the difficulties and dangers, and on the other the happiness of knowing -she was safe, and the delight of having her with him, he could not for -the life of him think the balance was against him. But then it was -evident that poor Lucette's disguise had not the effect of a disguise at -all, and Edward was as thoughtful of her reputation as a prude. Oh, -sweet delicacy of early youth, how soon thou art rubbed off in the -grating commerce of the world! I fear me that it rarely happens--with -men, at least--that the soft bloom remains on the plum a day after it is -separated from the parent tree. Yet it was so with Edward still; for he -had hitherto had to deal with the harder, not the softer, things of -life; and his nascent love for Lucette rendered the feeling still more -fine and sensitive. Sequiter Deum, however, could only be his motto; for -at present he had no power over his own fate. - -With these thoughts and feelings he returned to the door of the room -where he had slept so long, and knocked for admission, which was given -at once. - -"She is getting quite well now," said the good landlady, "but you will -have to stay here to-night, for she is too tired to go farther." - -Edward explained that he had sent for a coach, which could not arrive -till the following morning, and, sitting down beside Lucette, began to -converse with her in English, while the landlady continued at the table -listening to the strange language, and apparently trying if she could -make any thing of it. In that tongue Lucette, whose sweet lips had -regained their color and her beautiful eyes their sparkle, told him all -that had happened to her since he had left her,--how, with anxiety and -fear, she had remained in her place of concealment hour after hour till -near the dawn of day,--how good Jacques Beaupre had tried to console and -comfort her in vain, till at length suspense became unendurable, and she -had determined to go forth and try to pass the royalist lines -herself,--how Jacques had remonstrated,--how she had persisted, and how -she had not gone three hundred yards before she was challenged, stopped, -and taken to the little house occupied by Monsieur de Lude, who -commanded in that quarter. Her companion, she said, had disappeared at -the very moment of her own arrest, and she did not know what had become -of him. Monsieur de Lude, however, was an elderly man and very -courteous, who asked her a number of questions. - -"And what, in Heaven's name, did you tell him, dear Lucette?" asked -Edward. - -"Not much," replied the sweet girl. "I determined at once that I would -speak no French; and, as he could speak no English, he gained nothing -from me. At length he put pen and paper before me, and made signs to me -to write down who and what I was. I then wrote that I was your page, who -had remained behind you, being frightened, but who, repenting of my -cowardice, had come on, thinking to overtake you. The old gentleman sent -for some of his officers who knew a little English; and between them -they made out what I had written." - -"Did you write my own name, dear girl?" asked Edward, with some anxiety. - -"Nay," replied Lucette, "I wrote the name you told us was in your -pass,--Sir Peter Apsley,--and I described you as well as I could. Then, -to my great joy, I heard Monsieur de Lude say to the officers, 'I am -afraid we have made a mistake in stopping him. That was clearly the -cardinal's safe-conduct; and we must send the page after him. Richelieu -dislikes too much as well as too little zeal; and, on my life, it is -likely we shall be scolded for not having properly reverenced his -signature.' I do think, dear Edward, I could have persuaded him to let -us all go on our way, if I had dared to speak French to him; but, after -having pretended not to understand a word, I was afraid." - -Now, good casuists have clearly shown two things,--that it is perfectly -justifiable to deceive on some occasions, and that we had better not do -it on any. The present is a good elucidation. If ever a girl was -justified in feigning, Lucette was so; but still she got nothing by it, -except a long ride in the way she did not want to go, and she lost all -the advantages of her little innocent trick by the very trick itself. So -it seems to me, at least,--although there may be people who differ with -me on the subject, and, if so, I beg to state that I will not enter with -them into a further discussion of the subject, at least on paper. - -One advantage, however, which neither Edward nor Lucette then knew, but -which had accrued from her interview with Monsieur de Lude, was this: -the officers had let the men understand that they were all very doubtful -as to whether they had done right or wrong in ignoring the name of -Richelieu--then becoming very terrible--written at the bottom of the -safe-conduct, and that therefore the young gentleman and his suite were -to be treated with the utmost respect and consideration. The soldiers -who had escorted Lucette had communicated this to those who had guarded -Edward Langdale, and the intelligence was not without a great effect -upon men who knew that those who present themselves with agreeable -intelligence find a good reception and often a reward, whereas those who -come upon a blundering errand get kicks for their only recompense. - -To return to my story, however. I will not dwell upon the passing of -that night. As far as Edward and Lucette were concerned, it passed as -properly and as decently as possible; and, if any one suspects the -contrary, it is the fault of his own imagination. The next morning, -though not exactly at daybreak, the coach--or carrosse, as the people -called it--arrived from Marans, and all was soon ready for departure. -Edward and his pretty page took their seats within. Pierrot, mounted, -led one horse beside the carriage; one of the guards led another, and -the whole cortege set out for Nantes at a brisk pace of three miles an -hour, or thereabouts. There are other countries in the world where one -can still go at the same pace; but, as Nantes was about ninety miles -distant, it was very evident three days must be consumed in the journey. -Now, it was very pleasant to Edward Langdale to sit side by side with -Lucette, especially when, by way of emphasis to any thing of particular -importance he was saying, he took her soft little hand in his; indeed, -it often rested there quite tranquilly for full ten minutes; and, as he -had no inclination to arrive at Nantes at all, he certainly did not -hurry the horses. Youth has the power of removing evil days,--of -multiplying the intervening hours; and the first part of the journey was -very sweet to both, although the gloomy-looking Nemesis of Nantes was -still before them. But, after Sevigne was passed, and Marans, where they -only stopped to water the horses, the two young people began to think -seriously--somewhat sadly--of the future, and to consider whether it -would not be both prudent and possible to escape. Now, this change of -thoughts and purposes probably took place from the simple fact of both -being refreshed and reinvigorated by repose; but, certainly, things -began to seem quite practicable to Edward, and even very feasible, which -had before seemed impossible, or highly perilous. The country now became -fertile in windmills, country-houses, and canals, and Edward proposed to -get out and ride a little. Lucette gazed at him timidly with a -"do-not-leave-me" look; but he explained to her that he was going to -sound the leader of their escort, and she made no opposition. He was -soon mounted, and rode forward with the good Bertinois, saying, in a -gay tone, "I am not going to run away." - -The man made no reply till they were out of ear-shot of the rest; but -then he answered, "If you did, monsieur, I should not try to stop you; -but others might." - -There was so much gained. "Perhaps the others may be out of the way at -some place upon the road," said Edward, "and I dare say we might slip -away easily without being noticed." - -He looked keenly in the man's face as he spoke; but the soldier did not -move a muscle. - -"Perhaps such a thing might be done," said the man, after pausing for a -moment or two. "We were not told to watch you very closely; and during -one of the nights it would not be very difficult; but of course you do -not intend to try." - -"I am not very fond of going to Nantes," said Master Ned. - -"Why?" asked the soldier, with an air of great simplicity. - -"First, because it is out of my way," answered Edward; "secondly, -because I have no clothes with me, and I should have to appear at the -court; and thirdly, because probably before I get to Nantes my purse, -which is not now very full, will probably be emptier by a thousand -livres." - -The reason last assigned seemed to have some weight with the man: "It is -bad to have an empty purse," he said. "But come, sir, these cannot be -your only reasons. I wish you would give one which might touch an honest -man and a loyal servant of the king." - -A bright thought struck Edward at that moment. He knew not whether the -man was trying to entrap him into a confession of some sinister design, -or whether in good faith he sought--as many a man will do--an excuse to -himself for acting as he wished. Now, it was evident that Lucette's -disguise was of no avail,--that the soldier himself knew that she was no -page, and that the truth would be made manifest at Nantes. Riding closer -to him, therefore, he said, in a low and confidential voice, "It is not -for myself I so much care; but cannot you comprehend that I have got one -with me whom I would not have discovered for the world?" - -"Whew!" cried the soldier, with a long whistle: "I see! I see!" and -then, holding out his hand to Edward, he added, "Count upon me, -monsieur; count upon me. I can manage the other men. But how happens it -that neither of you have any baggage? Sapristi! you must have come away -in a great hurry; and you are both very young." - -"The baggage was left with my other servant, who stayed behind but was -to follow soon. I trust it is at Niort by this time." - -A conversation of an hour's length ensued; in the course of which Edward -Langdale convinced himself that his companion was sincere in his -professions; and at the end of that time he returned to the carriage, -carrying with him hope nearly touching joy. - -The party were now entering, or had entered, upon a tract of country -singular in its nature, its aspect, and its habits. It is called _Les -marais_, (the marshes,) and, as it may perhaps have something to do with -our story, it must have a very brief description. This might be -difficult to give, as I have never seen more than the extreme verge of -the district; but, luckily, at my hand lies the account of one who knew -it well, had passed long months there, and who lived much nearer the -times of which I write. Thus he speaks:--"The inhabitant of the marshes -is taller than the inhabitant of the plain: he is stouter; his limbs are -more massive; but he wants both health and agility. He is coarse, -apathetic, and narrow in his views. A cabin of reeds, a little meadow, -some cows, a boat,--which serves him for fishing, and often for stealing -forage along the river-banks,--a gun to shoot wild fowl, are all his -fortune, and his only means of subsistence. Exposed continually at his -own fireside to all sorts of maladies, his constitution must be very -strong not to give way entirely. His food is barley-bread mixed with -rye, abundance of vegetables, salt meat, and curds. His habitual drink -is the water of the canals and ditches,--a source of innumerable -maladies. The agricultural proprietors, or great farmers, known by the -name of Cabiners, (_cabaniers,_) lead a very different life, and do not -deny themselves any of the comforts they can procure. - -"The inhabitants of this picturesque abode appear, at first sight, the -most wretched of mankind. Their cottages of brush and mud are covered -with reeds. Unknown to the rest of the world, upon a tongue of land of -from twenty-five to thirty paces wide, they live in the depths of -inaccessible labyrinths, with their wives, their children, and their -cattle. The silence of these swampy deserts, which is only broken by the -cry of the water-fowl, the mysterious shadow spread over the canals by -the intertwined boughs above them, the paleness and miserable air of the -people, that narrow border which seems to place an immense interval -between them and all mankind, the sombre hue of the landscape,--all -inspire at the first glance a painful and melancholy feeling, which it -is difficult to get rid of. But, on penetrating into the interior, the -freshness of these cradles, the meanderings of these water paths, the -innumerable varieties of birds one meets at every step and which one -meets nowhere but there, cause the first sensations to be followed by a -feeling of peaceful retirement, which is not without its charm." - -Such was the scene, or rather the country, upon which Edward and Lucette -entered just as the sun was within half an hour of setting, when every -little ridge or hillock cast a long blue shadow upon the brown moor, and -the many intricate canals and little rivers acted as mirrors to the -glories of the western sky, flashing back the last red rays, as if -rubies were dissolved in the calm waters. It was a fine country to -escape in. - - - - -CHAPTER XII. - - -As much consideration and caution were necessary in proceeding after the -sun was set, as a young man requires on his first outset in a court. The -darkness was as profound, there were as many unseen dangers, pitfalls, -ponds, and swamps around; and, though the stars were all out and -shining, no queenly moon was in the sky to light one on the long way. -Night after night she was now rising at a later hour; and the beams -which had cheered the course of the two young travellers on their sail -from Rochelle would not be renewed ere their resting-place for the night -was reached. At length, about eight o'clock, on looking from the -portiere of the coach, Edward thought he saw either a little mound or a -heavy pile of building before him, and in about ten minutes the horses' -feet clattered over the stone pavement of a court. The leader of the -escort had gone on before; and now, as Master Ned and his fair companion -alighted, they found the good soldier standing under a heavy stone -portal, conversing with a man in a monk's gown. - -"It looks like a prison," said Lucette, as she gazed up by the light of -a lantern. - -She spoke in a low voice; but her words caught the ear of the monk, who -replied, "This is the Abbey of Moreilles, young gentleman. I will take -you first to the strangers' parlor, and then will show you round the -building, if you like; for your escort tells me you propose to go on by -daybreak, and you should not miss the opportunity of seeing so famous an -edifice." - -Lucette replied that she was very tired, and should prefer to lie down -to rest; but Edward caught eagerly at the proposal, from several -motives. First, he was anxious to keep Lucette as far as possible from -the monk's eye, and was even afraid that her sweet voice might betray -her; and then he had his reasons for observing accurately every part of -the building. - -"Well, well, I will take you round in a minute or two," replied the -monk; "but I must first see that some of the cells are ready, for this -good gentleman tells me that you two young people are very devout, and -would like best to sleep in cells where saints have lived and died in -the odor of sanctity. Here, here is the parlor. Let me light a lamp. -Most of the brethren have retired, for it has been very hot this -evening. What changes of weather, good lack! Yesterday was as cold as -Noel, and to-night it is as warm as St. John's." - -While he spoke, he lighted a small lamp, with shaking hands, and then -left the three in the parlor together, going himself to prepare the -cells. - -"Now listen, young people," said the soldier, as soon as the monk was -gone, speaking quick, but low: "keep ready and wakeful, and at three -o'clock it shall go hard but you shall find a boat, with a man in it, -upon the canal at the back of the abbey. Go with that man wherever he -rows you." - -"But how shall I find the boat, or the canal either?" asked Edward. -"Remember, I have never been here before." - -"As we go round the building," replied the other, "I will show you the -door which is always left open for the drones who sleep in this wing of -the abbey to find their way to the church at matins. I will pinch your -arm as we pass it. God wot! if they did not leave it open, their winking -eyes would lead them into the canal. That old fellow must make haste, or -we shall have my comrades with us; and it were better not till Master -Page has gone to his cell. You had better give them plenty of drink, -young gentleman, that they may stupefy themselves to-night and sleep -heavily to-morrow morning. I have got two miles on foot to go to see a -friend, but will be back in an hour or two. Ply them well while I am -gone; but, mind you, keep your own head clear." - -"But shall I find any liquor here?" asked Edward, in some surprise. - -The soldier nodded his head, and pointed to a number of stains upon the -table, saying, "I have had more than one roaring bout in this very room. -Those stains were not made with water. Every thing can be had for money -in a _mouster_." - -"But I had better give you what I promised before the monk comes back," -said Edward,--the word _money_ awakening many other ideas. - -"Let me see how much you have got," said the man: "you will need some -for your two selves; and, besides, there is that long thin fellow with a -red face,--that servant of yours. Do not let him drink. Let us see." - -Edward took out his purse of doeskin, which now contained about -seventeen hundred livres in gold. What between the purchase of the -horses, and various expenses at the inns, the rest was all spent, though -it was better furnished when he left Rochelle; and there was more in -his bags, probably lost forever. - -"That is not enough to give me a thousand livres," said the man; "but -the three horses are worth something. That one you ride is a good one, -and so is the young lady's,--the page's, I mean. Give me five hundred, -and write me a promise of the horses in payment of the rest of the sums -I have advanced,--the horses to be given up to me when you get to the -end of your journey, which will be here, I suppose, but which they will -understand as Nantes. That will give me a right to claim them." - -Now, it is quite possible that one, if not more, of my sagacious readers -will be inclined to think that I have been drawing an inconsistent -character. It is very true the soldier was a right generous and a -kind-hearted fellow. He liked to do a good turn. He liked especially to -help two young lovers,--by-the-way, he had been crossed in love himself, -though his history would be too long to tell here,--and yet he was not -unwilling to take money out of their pockets when they had little -enough, and to secure their horses for his own advantage. It was very -inconsistent,--very inconsistent indeed. But I have now lived a -tolerable number of years in the world, and all my life I have been -looking for consistent men, and have not found more than six at the -utmost. The fact is, man is a bundle,--a bundle of very contrary -qualities,--to say nothing of the mere absolute opposition of body and -soul in the mass. There are packages of good feelings and packages of -bad feelings; rolls of wit and rolls of dullness; papers full of sense -and papers full of nonsense; a lump of generosity here and a lump of -selfishness there; and all tied up so tightly together that in a damp -and foggy world they sooner or later mould and mildew each other. Thus, -if I hear of a great man doing a little action, or a wise man committing -a foolish one, instead of crying out, "How inconsistent!" I say, "It is -very natural." Now, if it be very natural everywhere, it is still more -natural in France; for, having inhabited that beautiful country and -lived amongst her gallant and intellectual people a great part of my -life, I have come to the conclusion that the most varied creature upon -the face of the earth _per se_--in himself, in his own nature and -composition--is a Frenchman. - -While the soldier has been making all his arrangements with Master Ned, -and while we have been discussing the knotty point of his inconsistency, -&c., the old monk, with the lantern in his hand, has been getting ready -two cells at the farther end of the long corridor, and the troopers and -Pierrot, together with the driver of the coach, have been taking care of -the horses. But the monk, having the least to do,--for the furniture of -a cell is not usually superabundant, nor its bed difficult to -make,--returns first, and conducts Lucette to her sleeping-place, -without the slightest idea that she is any thing but a very pretty boy; -for his eyes are not very clear, and the lantern dimmer than his eyes, -and the lamp upon the table duller than the lantern. Edward Langdale -accompanied them to see her cell. It was next to his own,--a pleasant -proximity; and, telling her he would presently bring her some -refreshment, he left her. As he walked slowly back with the monk, he -came upon the subject of some stronger liquor than water,--at which the -old man looked shocked; but, upon Edward alluding to the stains upon the -table, and bestowing a donation,--entirely for the abbey,--the ferocity -of his temperance abated, and he ran to the refectory-man, or some other -competent officer, with whom he shared his gains, and informed him what -a generous young gentleman they had got under their roof. The supper did -not suffer in consequence; but, while it was preparing, Edward and the -soldier accompanied the old man through church and cloisters, passages -and corridors. Neither gained much knowledge of architecture, or of the -particular Abbey of Moreilles. I would advise no one who wishes to -criticize that of Westminster to go there at night with nothing but a -bad tallow candle in a dirty lantern; and, though I have it upon good -authority that before the conflagration Moreilles was decorated with the -most beautiful flamboyant arches, mouldings hardly surpassed in -richness, and, moreover, twenty-six cluster-columns of prodigious -height, each with an exquisite capital totally different from all the -others, Edward saw nothing but dark vaults, masses of stone, and a door. -But that door was all he wanted to see; and as he passed it the soldier -gave him a good hard pressure on the arm. It was, luckily, within about -ten paces of Lucette's cell. - -However, on reaching the strangers' parlor, the little party found the -troopers and Pierrot and the driver, and three more monks, and, what was -more to the purpose, a table laid with several large pies and a quantity -of barley-bread. The means of potation had not yet appeared, but tarried -not long; and a meal ensued which I need not further describe than by -saying that the pies comprised rabbits and wild ducks; and none of the -unlearned can imagine what an excellent thing a wild-duck pie can be -made by the mere process of skinning the ducks. - -After a few mouthfuls, the leader of the guard rose and left the room, -saying he must go and see his cousin, who, "as they all knew, lived hard -by;" and the rest of the troopers set to serious work first upon some -sour wine, and then upon some of that good or bad spirit which has -crowned the name of Nantes with a certain sort of immortality. Poor -Pierrot! it was a sore temptation for him, especially when his young -master was gone to carry some refreshment to _the page_; but he resisted -during the very short period of Edward's absence, and Master Ned's eye -was a strong corroborative of resolution after his return. The monks -tasted, at first shyly, and then more boldly; and Edward drew from them -the important fact that there were very few brethren in the convent, -some of them being absent on _quete_, some on leave. Moreover the abbey, -he said, had never been very full, since the abbacy--as was so common in -France--had been bestowed upon a well-known painter of Paris, a layman. - -There was some deep drinking that night; but still Pierrot, though he -could have emptied the most capacious flagon there at an easy draught, -maintained the combat against habit gloriously, till at length, just as -the leader of the party returned, at the end of two hours, the good -Rochellois, finding himself weak with the labor of resistance, retired to -rest, after having received a hint from his master, which happily he was -in a state to profit by,--happily indeed for him. "The primrose path to -the everlasting bonfire" men have strewed in their imaginations with all -sorts of sweet things; but, take my word for it, it is paved by -_Example_,--that most slippery and dangerous of all asphalts. Luckily -for him, the troopers did not care a fig whether he drank or not, and -thus all he had to resist was the sight of outstretched arms and full -cups; but he had something better on the other side: he had the warning -of rolling eyes, and hiccoughing throats, and maudlin faces, and -embarrassed tongues, which he had never seen before when he was himself -sober enough to appreciate them fully. "Well, drunkenness," he thought, -as he left the room, "is a very beastly thing, it is true." - -The monks withdrew nearly at the same time; and I am well pleased to say -that, although they had shown during that night, amongst the pies and -the pottles, no narrow objection to either those carnal or those -spiritual things which some castes of Hindoos call the "creature -comforts of life," not one of them had an uneven step or an unsteady -head. Probably they drank seldom; for those who drink often deprive -themselves of the power of drinking at all,--soberly. - -The coach-driver was soon under the table; and the troopers, though most -of them, when the last drop provided was emptied from the flask, could -make their way by diagonals to the dormitory assigned to them, were in a -state which promised no early rising on the following day; and Edward -and his friendly soldier parted about eleven o'clock, the latter merely -saying, "We shall have a heavy storm to-night. The clouds are rolling up -like distant mountains. But all the better for your purpose. Remember -three!" - -The consequences! Good God! How frightful a thing it is to consider -what--under an overruling hand and will omnipotent--may be the -consequences of the smallest deed we do. The consequences immediate, -proximate, future! How many lives, what an amount of misery, how much -damnation, may depend upon a light word, an idle jest, a sportive trick! - -Should such a consideration forbid us to act and do, to resolve and to -perform? Far from it. Man is an active being, and his life is deeds. -Each moment must have its thought or its action, or the whole is sleep; -but the consideration of that strange thing, CONSEQUENCE,--that -overruling of our deeds to ends that we see not,--should teach us so to -frame thought, word, and act, that, be the consequences what they may, -we may be able at the great end of all to say, boldly, "I did it in an -honest heart." God himself is responsible for the result if man acts -with purity of intent. - -Not one man in that small room who had that night "sinned as it were -with a cart-rope" ever saw the dawning of the morning; and it was a -heavy thought to Edward Langdale for many a year after, "What share had -I in this?" For himself, he took the little lamp which had been left for -him, and sought the cell where his pallet lay. But he had no thought of -sleep. As he went along the corridor, with the rays just gleaming upon -the fretted stone-work, something like a flash reddened the dim panes of -the painted windows, and some seconds afterward a distant roar was -heard, as if of a heavy sea rolling along an extended shore. "It will -thunder," he said to himself; but he thought of it no more; and, opening -the door of the cell, on the little table beneath the window appeared -the missal and the skull and cross-bones--the _memento mori_ of the -cloister. - - - - -CHAPTER XIII. - - -The table, the book, the pallet, the grinning emblem of death, and a -little black crucifix hung up against the wall, were--with the exception -of a large pitcher of very clear, cold water--all that the cell -contained; and yet it was by no means without ornament, for each of -those chambers looking to the western cloister had a window divided into -two by a beautiful mullion and was garnished all round, even in the -interior, with mouldings a foot in depth. The original small panes of -stained glass were also there, but Edward could at first form no idea of -the richness of the coloring; for, although the moon had now risen -several hours, the face of heaven was black with clouds, and all without -was darkness. About five minutes after he had entered the cell, however, -the whole interior of the little room, where the feeble oil-lamp had -only made the darkness visible, was pervaded by intense light, and an -image of the stained-glass window was thrown upon the floor and -opposite wall in colors the most intense and beautiful. Still, the -thunder did not follow for several seconds; but when it did come the -roar was awful. It seemed as if some one were pouring rocks and -mountains in a stream upon the roof of the abbey, making the very solid -walls and foundations shake. Edward drew forth his watch,--one of the -rude contrivances of those days, but with the great advantage of having -the figures on the dial plain and distinct,--and, holding it to the -lamp, perceived it was a quarter past one. "Lucette must be awake," he -thought: "she could not sleep through such a crash as that. I will wait -five minutes and then go and call her." - -In the mean time the flashes of lightning became more frequent, some -followed by heavy thunder, some passing away in silence, till at length -they grew so rapid in succession that one could not attach the roar to -the flame. Edward's first knock brought Lucette, completely dressed, to -the door; and he was surprised to see her cheek so pale. The thought of -danger had never entered his own mind; but he clearly saw that she was -much agitated. "You are not afraid, dear girl?" he asked: "it is but a -little thunder." - -"It is not fear, but awe, Edward," she said. "But is it time to go? I am -ready." - -"Not yet," he answered; "but we may as well stay here in the passage. If -the storm should alarm the monks, and any one come out, we can say we -are frightened too." - -"Is not that some one crossing there?" asked Lucette; but almost as she -spoke a sudden flash showed that what she took for a man was but a short -pillar. Edward drew her closer to him and put his arm round her. She did -not feel at all angry, but rather clung to his side. Fear is a great -smoother away of all prudery; and, to say sooth, Lucette had very little -of it to be planed down. The fact is, she was innocent in heart and mind -as a young child; and innocence is never prudish,--nor is real delicacy. - - "Ne fiez-vous a l'Angelus; - Mais craignez les bois et les orages," - -says an old French song about two lovers somewhat similarly situated; -but Edward and Lucette ran no danger from any thing but the lightning. -It, however, was now really terrific. The clouds, crammed with -electricity, were evidently directly over the abbey, and every instant -the blaze was running across the windows, the various colors of which -gave the flashes the effect of fireworks more brilliant than any that -ever were constructed by the hand of man. - -At length a sound, not the roaring roll of thunder, but an explosion, as -it were, as if some mighty cannon had burst, shook the very ground on -which they stood. Then came a moment's pause, and then a peculiar -noise,--it might be thunder, or it might not, but it seemed more like -the sound of stones rolling rapidly and heavily over each other and then -falling from a height to the ground. The next instant a heavy bell began -to toll, but ceased after three or four strokes had been struck, -mingling strangely with a peal of thunder which was then echoing through -the building. - -A spirit of confusion now seemed to seize upon the abbey: the door at -the end of the corridor was thrown open; monks were seen hurrying -across, moving a little way up the passage and disappearing by another -door. There were voices calling and screaming too, and Edward thought he -could distinguish groans and shrieks; while ever and anon a little bell -was heard ringing with a small, tinkling sound; and, in strange discord -with all the rest, a solemn strain of music burst upon the ear whenever -the little door on the left was opened. - -Edward tried to ascertain from one of the passing monks what was the -matter; but he could get no intelligible answer; and it was with -infinite satisfaction that at length he saw Pierrot appear, coming -toward them in haste. - -"The great tower has been struck, sir," said the man, in answer to his -inquiries; "and Heaven knows how much of it has tumbled down over the -other cloisters. One of the monks is killed, they say, and several other -people are crushed under the stones; but, what is worse than all, just -as they were ringing the great bell, they found out that the lightning -when it struck had set the tower on fire, for the rope broke short off, -and the end that came down upon the sacristan's head was burning. There -is no hope of getting it put out; for some are carrying off the -ornaments of the church, some are praying, some are singing, some are -whipping themselves; and the best thing we can do is to get out to the -bank of the canal,--if we can find the way; for, though the hour you -told me is not quite come, we can wait there more safely than here, -where we are likely to have the roofs and buttresses on our heads every -minute." - -Edward pressed Lucette a little closer to him and whispered something, -to which she answered, "Anywhere you will.--Trust you? Oh, yes!" And, -getting her large hat from the cell, Edward placed it on her head so as -to conceal as far as possible her wonderfully luxuriant hair: then, -leading her down the passage, opened the door which the soldier had -pointed out to him. Instantly a flash of lightning crossed their eyes; -but it served to show, though it lived but a second, the dull, heavy -features of the Marais, with not one, but half a dozen, streams of -zigzag lightning playing through the sky,--some, as the levin-bolt is -usually represented, darting down to earth like a flaming javelin, -others twisting into all shapes, and even running up, like fiery -serpents disporting themselves in the horrors of the storm. What was of -more importance, however, to Edward and Lucette, that flash displayed, -close before them, one of those long rows of willows and ash-trees which -in that part of the country denote the course of the larger canals, and -also showed a break in the line of wood, where the monks probably went -down to fish from their own boats. - -All the noises of the abbey were now heard far more distinctly, the -thunder notwithstanding; and through every window of the great church, -with its tall square tower, might be seen a red, ominous glare. But -onward Edward supported Lucette, with Pierrot feeling his way before -them, till a few steps brought them to the very edge of the water. Two -boats were fastened to the bank by chains; but there was no boatman -apparent, and Edward and his good servant consulted for a moment, with a -running accompaniment of lightning, as to whether it would not be better -to unloose one of the skiffs and seek safety somewhere. - -"I can break the chain in a moment with a big stone, Master Ned," said -Pierrot; "but, as we do not know where to go, we had better wait for -some one to show us. Master George Brin, the good corporal, promised -that some one should be here at two; and, depend on it, he will keep his -word. Hark! I hear oars. It is not quite two yet; but you had better put -the young lady under that ash-tree, for it is beginning to rain, thank -God. That will soon put the thunder out; and pray Heaven it quenches the -fire in the church, too! Those monks are good, simple souls and merry." - -Not more than two minutes after he had done speaking, a boat came up -quickly to the little landing-place, rowed by an elderly man, as far as -Edward could see by the lightning, who carefully avoided touching the -abbey boats, but, as soon as he backed his oars, looked round over the -bank. - -"Ah, there you are!" he said, in a tongue which, though it was not -French at all, was a jargon quite understandable. "Get in! get in, -quick! Here, young man, give me your hand." And, catching Lucette's arm, -he lifted her in rather than aided her to embark. Edward and Pierrot -followed, and without another word the boatman pushed off. It was all -over in less than thirty seconds, and the boat had made some two hundred -yards over the water, the man pushing her along with a pole, before he -relinquished that instrument and sat down as if to resume his oars. The -rain was now beginning to fall thick in heavy drops, and the boatman, as -he pushed his bark along, had been scanning his party of passengers -earnestly. "Here," he said, at length, dragging something large and -shaggy from beneath one of the seats,--"here, you one in the large hat, -put this on, or you will get wet. The sky may come down in drops without -going through that." - -"What is it?" asked Lucette, taking what the man offered, but not -comprehending what it was. - -"A _peau de bique_, to-be-sure," replied the boatman. "You are the girl -that Georgy Brin told me of, are not you? I must not let you get wet; -for he says you are weakly. 'Tis a bad business, anyhow!" And, with this -sage reflection, he began vigorously to handle his oars. - -Edward aided his fair companion to envelop herself in the water-proof -garment then and still common in that part of France; and the boat shot -on rapidly under the branches of the trees, which may be said to have -interlaced above them. For about a quarter of a mile all was darkness, -but at the end of that distance the boatman began to look up toward the -sky wherever a small patch of the heavens could be seen through the -overhanging trees. Edward, too, saw from time to time gleams of red -light upon the water; and it seemed as if the sky itself had caught fire -from the lightning and would soon be in one general blaze. Another -quarter of a mile brought the travellers to a spot where were two reed -cabins and an open space of ground round them; and there the boatman lay -upon his oars. All eyes were now turned toward the abbey, where a sight -at once sad and grand presented itself. The top of the great square -tower, like an immense altar, bore a pyramid of flame up to the skies; -and from every window and loophole issued forth a tongue of fire, -licking the gray walls. The windows even of the church were painted in -red upon the dark stone-work, whenever the cloud of smoke which -surrounded the whole of the lower part of the building like a vast -shroud suffered the masonry to appear. - -"Alas for the poor monks!" said the boatman, with an unaffected sigh: -"if they did not do much good, they did not do any harm; and we might -have had worse people amongst us. That abbey has stood wellnigh four -hundred years, they tell me; and it was never touched by lightning until -now,--doubtless because they have given it to a lay abbot, and he turns -all the revenues to the works of man which were devoted to the works of -God. Well, we cannot help the poor souls." And, without further thought -of the burning edifice, he plied his oars again, and the boat cut her -way smoothly through the glassy waters, leaving long, fiery ripples -behind her. - -Two miles more of hard rowing brought the party to a small farm, where -two or three of the same huts of mud, bushes, and reeds appeared close -together on the bank; and the rower paused before the largest of the -humble edifices, calling, in a loud voice, to persons who might not be -without ear-shot but who were certainly not within sight, to inform -them that he would not be home till daybreak. "The rain is falling," he -said, as if speaking to himself, "but the whole abbey will be down: that -is clear." - -He then rowed on, pursuing for some three hundred yards the larger -canal; but at the end of that distance he turned into a very narrow and -sinuous channel, where he laid down his oars and propelled the boat -solely with the pole. The labor seemed hard, and the progress slow, and -Edward took the occasion to ask quietly whither they were going. - -"To La Caponniere, to-be-sure," replied the man. "Did you not know -that?" - -"No," replied the youth: "Monsieur Brin merely told me that he would -procure me a boat at two o'clock to carry us to a place of safety." - -"Well, here is the boat," answered the man, "and La Caponniere is a -place of safety. There are no better people in the world than old Madame -Brin and her sons and daughters. They are cousins of his, you know, and -by this time they are ready to receive you. She was his cousin before -her marriage, you know, and then she married his first-cousin, who left -Niort in the time of the troubles; and so they are doubly cousins, you -know." - -But, as Edward did not know any thing about it, he thought it better not -to show his ignorance, and resumed his English conversation with -Lucette. - -The voyage--for we cannot call that a journey which was performed at -night upon the water--was somewhat long and fatiguing to the boatman; -but at length,--it must have been at least four o'clock in the -morning,--after turning and twisting, and sometimes grating against the -banks, the boat reached a spot where suddenly appeared a small, -star-like light from what seemed the window of a better house than any -they had yet passed, which, skipping over various indistinct objects, -rested more fully on a small skiff at the shore. Some one started up as -they approached: their boatman threw him a rope, and they were speedily -drawn up to the bank and moored. - -"Come this way," said the lad who had been waiting for them, holding -out a great coarse hand to Lucette. "Here, mother; they are come." And, -leading the poor girl on, followed by Edward, he conducted her through a -little garden in which various kitchen-vegetables were more plentiful -than flowers. Half-way between the house and the canal they were met by -a goodly-sized dame of forty and a girl of some sixteen or seventeen, -who took Lucette frankly in their arms and gave her a warm embrace. "So -this is your young man, poor thing?" said the elder, looking at Edward; -but then, immediately turning to the boatman, she inquired, eagerly, -"What has been the meaning of all that red light out by the abbey?" - -"There's no abbey by this time," answered the man. "But come, good dame, -let us in to your kitchen-fire, if you've got one, and I will tell you -all about it. We are all as wet as bull-frogs, except the girl; and I -gave her my _peau de bique_." - -Thus saying, he pushed past the rest and entered a large, roomy kitchen, -well stored with every sort of salted and dried provisions, dependent -from great racks suspended from the ceiling. - -There a hearty welcome awaited the poor wayfarers: the fire, which had -nearly gone out, was soon blown up into a cheerful blaze; warm soup was -produced; and to Lucette the good dame of the house, though she weighed -at least two hundred pounds, showed the tenderness and gentleness -associated by poets and romance-writers solely with sylphlike forms and -nymphlike graces. Her two good, buxom girls, who to very pretty faces -added in form a promise of future extent worthy of the stock from which -they sprang, joined in, somewhat more shyly, but with real kindness; -and, for the first time since they left Rochelle, Edward and Lucette -experienced that feeling of security which--to plagiarize a -little--"wraps the whole heart up like a blanket." - - - - -CHAPTER XIV. - - -The house in which Edward Langdale found himself on waking the next -morning was evidently one of those belonging to what they call in France -the _cultivateurs proprietaires_, and in the Marais the _cabaniers_, or -farmers possessing the freehold of the land they till. He had been -placed in a little room not larger than the abbey cell; but his bed had -been most comfortable, and he might have slept late had not the youth -whom they had found in the boat the night before, and who was a son of -the good dame of the house, come in to ask how he had rested and to -invite him to go to the farther side of the farm to shoot some ducks for -breakfast. Edward did not neglect the opportunity, thinking that he -might obtain some important information by the way; but the youth, -though perfectly and even profusely communicative, could tell him little -of any thing beyond the precincts of the _Marais_, because he knew -little. They had heard, he said, from his cousin George, the night -before, that at some hour in that night a young gentleman and lady who -had run away to get married would come to their house for shelter and -protection, which he bespoke for them particularly; and the good soldier -had added many an injunction to secrecy and discretion. He had also -asked that a boat might be sent with their neighbor Bonnet to the abbey -wharf, with directions to take off the young gentleman and lady without -saying a word. - -This was the amount of young Brin's foreign intelligence,--for such to -him it was; and as soon as it was given he proceeded to describe and -eulogize his mother's farm, which he had not quitted more than two or -three times in his life, and which he seemed to think both the richest -and most beautiful spot of earth. Rich indeed it was; but to explain its -sort of riches I must have recourse to that old author whom I have -already quoted. I must premise, however, that the spot on which Edward -Langdale now found himself was just at the edge of what are called the -dried marshes, where they join on to the _marais mouillans_, which, at -the time I write of, were much more extensive than at present. The farm, -then, of La Caponniere comprised a portion of both; and, as the _marais -desseches_ have been already described from the account of an -eye-witness, I may be permitted a word or two from the same source in -regard to the _marais mouillans_. "All these marshes," says my author, -"are not equally inundated; and, in consequence, all parts are not -equally sterile. The highest parts [of the _marais mouillans_] are under -water from the middle of October to the middle of June, and sometimes -later. The lower parts never dry; and, to make something of them, they -have been cut by innumerable canals, all communicating, and only -separated from each other by earth-banks of from twelve to fifteen feet -in width, piled up from the excavated earth of the canals. These -earth-banks are of prodigious fertility, many of them planted with -willows, ashes, poplars, and sometimes oaks; so that one is often -astonished to see so vigorous a forest springing out of the middle of -the waters." - -The traveller then goes on to tell the uses these forests are put -to,--how the fagots are sent to Rochelle and the Isle de Rhe, and how -the trunks of the trees, cut into firewood and called _cosses de -marais_, are highly valued throughout the whole of the neighboring -country, and burn better than any other trees. But, as the reader will -probably never dabble in the cultivation of the marshes of Bretagne, he -shall be spared the details. My author, however, goes on to state that -the farms vary in extent from two hundred and forty to twelve hundred -acres, and that each is divided by little canals into squares of about -thirty acres, each canal being large enough to carry a small boat. - -Now fancy, dear reader, what an interminable network of -water-communication these canals, each hidden from the other by trees -and shrubs, must form; how impossible for any but one born and bred in -the country to find one's way along there; how easy for any one -acquainted with their involutions to baffle the most skilful pursuer, to -lie hid from the eyes of the most clear-sighted enemy. The Minotaur did -not feel himself more safe in the depths of the Cretan labyrinth than -Edward Langdale after their morning's row; and Edward was more safe than -the Minotaur. - -"Here," he thought, "we may stay till all pursuit is ended and all -suspicions forgotten, till dear Lucette has recovered strength,--and, -perhaps, till I can communicate with Mauze or Rochelle." - -All very well as a matter of probability; but where any thing is joined -together by mere tacks--as is indeed the case with the fate of every -one,--and not alone with his fate for years or months, but for a single -hour--it is much better to remember, before we make any calculation at -all, what tacks may fall out or get broken and the whole piece of -machinery tumble to atoms. - -Edward Langdale could shoot a duck; and, though the birding-piece which -the young farmer trusted to his hands was a single barrelled gun of -rather primitive construction, and the shot merely bits of lead cut -small, not a bird got away from him,--more to the admiration than the -liking of his companion, who had fancied that he could display some -skill in the eyes of one whom he believed to be city bred. - -However, the boat was plentifully loaded before they returned; and the -young farmer guided it back by a different course from the _marais -mouillans_ to the firm land near the house, pointing out to Edward, with -an air of pride and satisfaction, six or seven woolly beasts upon a -tongue of the _terrier_, and telling him they were sheep. - -At their return to the house they found the whole household up, with the -exception of Lucette; but the result of their sport was very much -commended, and one of the hearty breakfasts of the country was prepared. -The living, indeed, seemed profuse, and, what though the cooking was for -the land somewhat coarse, yet it was French, and therefore better than -it would have been anywhere else in the same circumstances. There were -ducks, and good bacon, and eggs, and fine fowls, and a ragout, and -plenty of galette. Alas! there was no coffee, no chocolate,--nay, no -tea; but there was excellent white wine of Loge, and there was as good -red wine of Fay Moreau; for the age of hot stops had not yet arrived, -and Noah's discovery blessed the land within ten leagues of them. - -Lucette joined them before they sat down; and, for some reason, she -blushed more at her boy's dress when there were women round her than she -had done before; but her cheek soon became pale, and Edward thought, -with some alarm, she did not look well. She assured him, however, that -she merely suffered from fatigue. - -The meal was not concluded when several of the peasantry from the -neighboring country came to La Caponniere in their boats, bearing with -them tidings of the fire of the preceding night, and of various other -serious accidents which had occurred during the great storm. Numberless -trees had been struck and two men killed by the lightning; but the facts -of most interest--at least to Edward and Lucette--were those connected -with the destruction of the abbey. One of the visitors had come that -morning from Moreilles, and of course was the oracle of the occasion. -Two-thirds of the great tower had fallen, he said, crushing the -dormitory and the southern cloisters. The whole church was seriously -injured, the Lady chapel being the only part preserved; and, although -the monks themselves with one exception had escaped unhurt, it was -generally rumored, the good man said, that some five or six -persons--either guests, or people who came to assist--had been crushed -under the part of the tower which first fell. Who they were the peasant -could not tell; but the mention of the sad fact set both Lucette and -Edward upon the track of imagination. It was then for the first time -that Edward perceived that Pierrot la Grange had not been at the -breakfast-table. On inquiring for him, Master Ned was answered by good -Madame Brin's son that his servant had gone with the man who had rowed -them the night before, to inquire about the fire,--a very imprudent act -as it seemed to Edward; and yet he had a good deal of confidence in -Pierrot's tact,--which was not ill placed. About twelve, his long figure -appeared in the kitchen; and now the whole details were given. They were -interesting to the good Cabanier family, for the principal new fact was -that Monsieur George Brin, their relative, was safe and well, and had -set out for the lines under Mauze. The other soldiers, he said, had -perished, with the exception of one, who still lived, terribly mangled. -He was so drunk when he left the parlor, Pierrot said, that he could not -get to the assigned sleeping-place, but fell upon the stairs, where he -still lay when the tower was struck. Thus, though sadly beaten by -detached stones, he had escaped crushing by the great mass of masonry. - -Lucette felt very sorry for the poor soldiers; for hers was a very -kindly and tender heart. Edward gave them a passing "Poor fellows!" and -at his heart wished he had not made them so drunk. But still, as a man's -mind is always a more business sort of article than a woman's, he argued -from the premises that all chances of further pursuit and detention were -at an end; and thus, though the troopers were to be pitied, their -removal from this scene of care was no misfortune to him. - -Now, all this shows, or may be supposed to show, that Master Ned was not -of a very sensitive or sentimental disposition. In truth, dear reader, -it only shows that he had mingled a good deal more with the world than -most lads of his age, and that time and storms had hardened the outer -shell. There was much that was soft within,--not about the head, but at -the heart. That very night proved it; for Lucette, after having been -somewhat languid all day, was suddenly seized about seven o'clock with a -violent fit of shivering, and Edward had to behold the marsh-fever in -all its horrors. Good old Madame Brin took upon herself to be physician: -indeed, there was no other within thirty miles, except the barber at -Fontenay le Comte; and he could not be got at. The eldest daughter was -to be head nurse; but Lucette had another and a good one. She had nursed -Edward through a severe illness, and he was resolved to nurse her in -return. Happily, they were good, simple people there, and had no false -notions of proprieties and decorums, so that Edward had his own way; and -it was very sweet to poor Lucette to take her tisanes of _ecorce de -chene_ and thyme-flowers from his hand, and to gaze into his eyes as he -bent over her and drink in a better medicine from his looks than any up -to that time discovered,--or since, to say the truth. - -Then, again, the household was a cheerful household. Though they lived -in the midst of swamps and ponds and canals, like a family of frogs, -there was nothing cold or chilly about them. Madame Brin had had the -fever twice herself, she said: all her children had had it. She would -soon get the dear little girl well; and a shake or two they thought -nothing of in their country. Her poor dead husband had had hundreds of -them, and died, drowned, at sixty and upward. The eldest girl and the -young one, too, were also all kind cheerfulness; and Edward, who was -certainly the most melancholy and apprehensive of the party, took care -to hide that such was the case whenever he was in Lucette's room. When -he was unwillingly away, his thoughts were very heavy; for, though it -must be confessed they rested principally on his fair young companion, -yet they would often turn to other subjects of care. Leave her amongst -perfect strangers he could not,--he would not; but when he considered -that he had lost valuable letters, much money, much time still more -valuable, and asked himself whether he should still find Lord Montagu at -the place of rendezvous, where he should find him, what secrets might -not have been revealed to the enemy by his losses, how much he himself -might be compromised and his passage through France endangered by the -discoveries which probably had been made, there appeared a very -tolerable bundle of cares for one young pair of shoulders to carry. - -Nevertheless, good nursing, and that skill which is given by experience, -did their usual services to poor Lucette. The fits of fever were -retarded, lessened, ceased; and at the end of a fortnight she could sit -at the door in the sunshine and look out. Often would she now gaze up at -Edward; and at length she summoned courage to ask, in English, "Is it -not time we should go forward?" - -It did require a great effort of courage to put that question, for, what -between weakness and some other sensations, Lucette had got into a frame -of mind which would have made it even pleasant for her to remain there -in the Marais all her life,--if Edward Langdale had remained with her. - -There is always a good effect produced by looking difficulties and -unpleasant things of all sorts in the face. We either discover some mode -of getting rid of them, or else we learn to endure them. Very soon -Edward and Lucette talked composedly over their future plans; and both -agreed, with a sigh, that to proceed upon their journey as soon as she -had recovered sufficient strength was unavoidable. They might both, -perchance, have dreamed, and their dreams might have been somewhat wild; -but with calm thought the sense of serious reality returned, and they -felt that they must soon proceed together to part very soon. - -"And when shall we meet again, Edward?" said Lucette, in a low voice. - -Edward laid his hand upon hers, saying, sadly, "God only knows, Lucette. -But I know and am sure we shall meet again. Till then, let us never part -in heart. We cannot forget each other after all that has passed; and, -oh, let the memory be as dear to you as it is to me, so that, when we do -meet, it may be with the same feelings we now experience." - -Lucette bent down her eyes, and there was a tear in them; but that tear -seemed to Edward Langdale a promise. - -This was the only word of love that passed between them; but there were -other matters pressing for consideration. Neither of them knew the -country round. Pierrot was as ignorant as themselves; and it was -necessary to take Madame Brin not only into consultation but in some -degree into their confidence. She was naturally a woman of strong sense; -but she was wonderfully ignorant of the world beyond the Marais. - -"This is a mad scheme," she said,--taking for granted all that she had -heard from her cousin George, and never imagining that a corporal in the -king's army could have been deceived. "You are both very young to run -away and be married. Why, this boy can hardly be nineteen, and you, my -child, cannot be more than fifteen; but, now you have been away so long -together, it is the best thing for you. We can send for the minister -to-morrow, and he can be here on Friday. But if you be Papists you will -find the matter more difficult; for----" - -Edward cut her short by informing her of the fact that they were both -Huguenots, and at the same time attempting to undeceive her as to the -purposes with which they left Rochelle. He told her briefly the -principal events of the last month, and besought her to aid them in -reaching at least Niort, where the number of Protestants still remaining -insured them the means of ascertaining where the principal Huguenot -leaders were to be found. - -All this sudden intelligence threw the good lady into a deep fit of -thought. "So you do not want to be married?" she said, in some -bewilderment. - -"Not immediately," answered Edward, with a smile he could not repress. -"But I tell you, my dear lady, I do wish to be married to Lucette as -soon as ever she wishes to be married to me." Lucette looked at him -almost reproachfully; but he went on to say, "Her relations have of -course to be consulted first; and, as I undertook to escort her safely -to them, I must do so before I can even pretend to her hand." - -"Well, then," said the mistress of La Caponniere, after several minutes' -thought, "there is no way for you but to go boldly to Nantes. They will -never suspect you there. 'Those who are nearest to the cardinal are -safer from him than those who are far off,' they say. His arms are so -long that they do not easily reach what is close by. You can then easily -go round to Niort, and thence where you like; but go to Nantes first; go -to Nantes first. It is the safest place." - -This suggestion required long and much consideration; but at length it -was adopted, though the minor arrangements afterward devised removed a -great many of the objections which at first presented themselves. Edward -was to be transformed into a young farmer of the Marais, and Lucette to -appear as his sister, while Pierrot assumed the garb of one of the -peasants. It took two days to procure the long-waisted, square-cut coat, -and wide breeches for Master Ned, and a similar but coarser dress for -Pierrot; for tailors were not plenty in the Marais, and clothing-shops -were none,--so that the wardrobes of neighbors were to be ransacked. -Lucette was more easily supplied with the manifold petticoats and the -white cap to cover her immense luxuriance of hair. Changes of apparel, -provisions of many kinds, and good wine, were stored in a boat; and, -after about three weeks' residence in that wild and strange but not -uninteresting district, with two stout boatmen for their guides, Lucette -and her companions took their departure from La Caponniere, and entered -upon a tract perhaps even more desolate and intricate than that which -they quitted. By Tallemont, by La Motte Achard, and by Loge, they -proceeded on the _country-road_, as it was called, toward Nantes, and at -the end of the third day they began to approach a city the glory of -which certainly has departed, but the interest of which--a melancholy -interest--remains. - -Before I close the chapter, however,--a chapter devoted to quiet if not -dull subjects,--I may as well say a few words--a very few--upon the -actual state of France, and the changes which had taken place within the -last five weeks, which were not without their significance. - -Every day had seen La Rochelle more and more closely hemmed in by the -royal forces. Slowly, quietly, but steadily, troops had poured into the -Sevres and the Aunis, and the ports in the neighborhood of the -threatened city had become crowded with small armed vessels. Invested by -land, the citizens of Rochelle might have felt alarm if their fine port -had been also subjected to blockade; but their own powerful fleets, and -the certain aid of England, made them contemn the small though numerous -ships of the enemy, and they never comprehended, till too late, that the -gigantic mind of their enemy was then planning a vast undertaking -destined to deprive them of all the advantages of their position. Their -egregious confidence was perhaps further increased by a knowledge that -the court of France, and, indeed, the whole country, was fermenting with -plots against the man whom they had most to dread; and it is not at all -impossible that they were more or less aware that the most formidable -conspiracy which had ever threatened the power of Richelieu was upon the -very eve of explosion. - - - - -CHAPTER XV. - - -It was late in the afternoon of a bright, warm day, when three strangers -to the city of Nantes took their way across the magnificent Cour St. -Pierre,--one of the most beautiful public places in Europe,--somewhat -hurrying their pace when they saw the number of gay groups with which -that part of the town was crowded. - -"This way,--this way, sir," said the seemingly tall, lean peasant, who -carried a good-sized bundle on his arm. "I know the house exactly; and -the sooner we are out of this the better." - -"On my soul, a pretty little wench!" exclaimed one of a group of -gay-looking gallants who were lounging about at the upper end of the -square. "Let us take her from that young boor. My pretty maid, will you -honor some poor gentlemen with your company to take a cool glass of -wine?" - -"Stand out of the way, sir, and let my sister pass," said Edward -Langdale, in French, speaking as coolly as he could, for he knew the -danger of a brawl in that place and at that moment. - -"Ha!" said the other, with a cool stare: "though you speak mighty good -French for a peasant of the Marais, yet I think we shall have to teach -you some better manners, boy. Do you presume to push against a -gentleman? This must give you a lesson." And he raised the cane he -carried, as if to apply it to Edward's shoulders. - -The lad's hand was instantly on the dagger concealed under the flaps of -his broad-cut brown coat. But he had no occasion to use it; for, at the -very moment when blood was on the point of being shed, a man of -gentlemanly appearance, dressed altogether in black and without any -arms, stepped in between Edward and his antagonist, saying, in a deep -tone, "Hold!" - -The uplifted cane had nearly descended upon his head; but the moment the -young coxcomb beheld the face of the intruder his countenance changed, -the color came into his face, and he turned the descending blow away, -though he could not stop it entirely. - -"I have seen all that has passed, Monsieur des Louches," said the -stranger in black: "be so good as to retire into the chateau. His -Majesty, as you know, is determined to stop all insolent brawls. It will -be my duty to report your conduct to these two young people as soon as I -return; and you shall hear the result." - -The young gentleman said something about his only having said a word or -two to some peasants of the Marais; but the other cut him short, -observing that the treatment of the peasantry by the _petite noblesse_ -was at that very time attracting the royal attention. - -"Petite noblesse, sir! Petite noblesse!" cried Monsieur des Louches, -with a face as red as fire: "do you call me of the petite noblesse?" - -"Certainly," replied the other; "but, as you do not retire as I have -told you, it will be better that you should go in a different manner. -Guard!" And he raised his hand toward the bridge of the chateau, where -two or three of the king's soldiers were standing. - -Two of the guard instantly ran up; but, before they arrived, Monsieur -des Louches was moving sullenly toward the gate, and the stranger in -black, without taking any further notice of him, turned to those who had -gathered round, saying, "Have the goodness to disperse, gentlemen. I -will take care of these young people." - -The gay gallants of the French court might possibly have indulged in -some merriment at the expense of the elderly gentleman who had taken a -young girl out of their companion's hands; but there were at that moment -some sinister rumors hovering about the city of Nantes, which a good -deal depressed the courtly circle, although the courtiers endeavored -still to keep up an air of sprightly carelessness, and sometimes, -probably, overacted their part in public. On the present occasion, -however, they dispersed quietly, one giving the good-day to the stranger -by the name of Monsieur Tronson. As soon as the rest had passed away, -the face of the stranger cleared, and, looking at Edward and Lucette -with a good-humored smile, he asked, "And now, young people, where is it -you want to go to?" - -"To the Auberge du Soleil," answered Edward, using as few words as -possible, for he remembered, perhaps a little too late, that his -language and his dress did not correspond, and that, though his garb was -that of the Marais, his tongue was not at all imbued with the jargon of -its inhabitants. - -Monsieur Tronson took no notice, however, and said he would show them -how to find it; but, in walking slowly and soberly along, he began to -chat about many things, asked if ever they had been in Nantes before, -and not only proposed to show them some of the objects most worthy of -attention in the place, but actually, as he admitted, led them a little -out of their way to point out the crosses of Lorraine which had been -scattered over one of the faces of the chateau when it was in the hands -of the League. The cathedral, too, with its stunted towers and gigantic -nave, he must needs show them; and he asked so many questions, waiting -for replies, that both Edward and Lucette were forced to speak much more -good French than was at all desirable. - -At length a slight twinkle in their good companion's eye, and a little -curl of the upper lip, led Master Ned to the complete certainty that -they were discovered; and, taking a moment when M. Tronson, who seemed -to be determined to know the whole party, was speaking with Pierrot, -Edward suddenly bent down his head and whispered a few words in English -to Lucette. "We are discovered, I fear," he said. "If any questions are -asked, remember the words of the safe-conduct I showed you: tell how we -were stopped in trying to quit Rochelle, and say that when the abbey was -burned we escaped in a boat as best we could and came on here." - -Lucette was about to remind him that she could no longer pass for the -page named in the safe-conduct; but Monsieur Tronson finished his brief -conversation with Pierrot and turned to the young people again, saying, -with his placid air, "Now we will turn this way, and you will soon be at -your resting-place. So I suppose you two are the children of some good -rich proprietors of the Marais, and have got leave to come and see the -world now the court is at Nantes?" - -"No, sir, we are not," answered Edward, with perfect calmness; for he -had now determined upon his course. - -"Then, in Heaven's name, what are you, young people?" asked their -companion. "Yours are not peasants' manners, nor peasants' tongues; but -let me tell you that it is somewhat dangerous to be masquerading here -just now." - -"Very likely, sir," replied Edward; "but we shall not masquerade -long,--if we are doing so at all. As to who we are, I shall have to -explain that to a very high personage shortly, and to ask him if he will -suffer his name and handwriting to be set at naught. I shall not show -him so little respect as to talk to any one else about the affair before -I talk to him, as I must see him, if possible, before I quit Nantes." - -"You are discreet," said M. Tronson, leading the way through a street -which ran down to the Loire at the back of the chateau. "There, where -you see that tall pole and bush, is the Soleil; but, if you would take -my advice, you would choose another auberge. That is not fit for your -station; and, besides," he added, with a shrewd smile, "you will find -nobody there who speaks any thing but the _patois des Marais_; and I -suspect that would puzzle you." - -Edward persisted, however, and the next moment their companion stopped -at the door of a heavy stone house of small size, the back of which must -have nearly touched the ditch of the old castle. "Here I stop," he said: -"you see the inn. Good-evening." - -They gladly bade him adieu, and hurried on down the street, Pierrot -thanking Heaven that they had got so well out of his clutches. "He is a -spy, I am sure," said Pierrot; "but, if we order the coach we were -talking of, to be at the door by daybreak, we can get through the gates -and be off before he has time to get his orders." - -"His orders from whom?" demanded Edward, in some surprise. - -"From the cardinal, to-be-sure," replied the other. "Do you not know -that----" But by this time the three had reached the door of the Auberge -du Soleil, and Edward had paused, not at all satisfied with the look of -the place. There was an air, not exactly of discomfort, but of loose, -disorderly carelessness about it which pained him to think of in -connection with Lucette. She herself entered the passage without a word, -but she looked sad and, as it were, bewildered; and the sallow walls, -the dirty tiles of the floor, and various noises of singing and riot -from neighboring rooms, did not serve to reassure her. Edward was at her -side in a moment, and, laying his hand gently upon her arm, he said, -"Lucette, this will not do. We must seek some other place." - -The appearance of the landlord, who now presented himself, was not at -all calculated to change this resolution; and, as he was somewhat -inclined to be uncivil when he found that his guests were likely to go -elsewhere, Edward left him to the management of Pierrot, and turned -toward the door. There, however, he found, looking in, a servant in the -livery of the court, with two men in military garb; and the former -immediately saluted him civilly, saying, "I am ordered by my master to -request your presence with the young lady and your servant." - -"And who may be your master?" asked Edward, not at all liking the look -of the guard. - -"Monsieur Tronson, sir, secretary of the king's cabinet," replied the -man. - -"It is enough, sir," replied Edward: "we will accompany you if you will -lead the way." - -The servant bowed, and preceded them, and the two guards followed; but -now Lucette and Edward found the great advantage of speaking two -languages. Few were the minutes which they had to spare; but those few -minutes were filled with words upon which, though their companions -comprehended them not, depended their safety, and perhaps the life of -one of them. - -"We shall assuredly be asked, dear Lucette," said Edward, "how you came -first to travel with me as a page, and since then have resumed your -woman's apparel. May I, dear girl, say, in case of need, that we sought -to be married in a foreign land because our friends at home thought us -too young? Your liberty and my life may be perilled by any other -course." - -"Yes, say so; say so," replied Lucette. "Good Clement Tournon told me -twice that if the Catholics caught me they certainly would shut me up in -a convent till I adopted their faith." - -"But what name shall I give you?" asked the youth, just as they reached -the door of the house into which M. Tronson had turned. - -"Call me Lucette de Mirepoix," answered the young girl: "it is one of my -names, so that I have a right to take it." - -"This way, sir," said the valet: "Monsieur Tronson is in the castle." -And, passing the door, he led the way through a narrow building which -from the street seemed like an ordinary dwelling-house, but which in -reality was merely a sort of outwork of the chateau, with which it was -connected by a bridge over the fosse. - -Edward saw the two guards following; but he merely said, with a cold -air, "Are you taking us to prison, sir?" - -"No, monsieur; I am taking you to Monsieur de Tronson," replied the -valet. "Please to step into this room." By this time they had passed the -bridge and had taken some half-dozen steps along a dark passage through -the thicker part of the outer walls; and, as the man spoke, he opened -the door of a small room with one of those deep windows which almost -formed another chamber within the first. The room was quite vacant, and, -as soon as the travellers had entered, the servant left them with the -door partly open, showing them the soldiers without as if upon guard. -Poor Lucette trembled a good deal, but she lost not her presence of -mind; and another hasty consultation took place between herself, Edward, -and Pierrot, in the course of which their plans were finally -settled,--as far as any plans can be settled when the events against -which they are provided are still uncertain. They remained undisturbed -for some five minutes, and then the servant reappeared with some -glasses, a bottle of apparently very old wine, and a page carrying some -cakes and comfits on a salver. These were hardly placed on the table -and some seats drawn round, when Monsieur de Tronson himself appeared -with a smiling countenance, and desired his young friends to sit down, -as if they were honored guests. "Retire, and wait without," he added, -turning to the valet and page: "we can serve ourselves. Take that good -man with you, and see that he be well attended to. Now, Monsieur Apsley, -have the kindness to taste this wine after I have helped the young lady, -and tell me whether you could find any as good at the poor little -cabaret where you were inclined to bestow yourself. My auberge is the -best of the two, believe me." - -"While we are treated with so much courtesy, sir," replied Edward, -filling his glass. "But may I ask what has led you to believe that my -name is Apsley?" - -Monsieur de Tronson, who was pressing some of the confectionary upon -Lucette, did not answer for a moment, but then, turning round, said, -with his usual placid smile, "What was that? Oh, how I knew you? Why, my -good sir, we have been expecting you for some time. His Eminence has -letters for you, and very nearly a thousand crowns in gold, which a good -man, called Jacques Beaupre, brought in about ten days ago. How I know -you? Why, my young friend, do you suppose any thing is unknown at this -court?" - -He paused and looked straight in Edward's face. But the young man had -passed through scenes which had given him a resolute firmness of -character not easily discomposed; and he answered at once, without a -change of countenance, "True, you may have known that Sir Peter Apsley -was about to visit Nantes,--though that could be but a guess, for I did -not intend to come this way till I was compelled; but it must have been -a still shrewder guess to lead you to suppose a young man dressed as a -peasant of the Marais to be an English gentleman." - -"Guesses are good things," said Tronson: "in fact, almost every thing -that man knows, or thinks he knows, is a mere guess. But, when we have -good hooks to hang them on, we can shape them almost into certainties. -You have heard of birds who when they hide their heads fancy their whole -bodies hidden. Now, my young friend, when next you want to hide yourself -in a peasant's dress, take the air as well as the garb; have something -of the patois, and do not speak English to a fair companion when there -are sharp ears near. Our good friends of the Marais speak little -English, and when they walk they carry their shoulders round, and their -heads somewhat slouching,--so." And he imitated the air of one of the -peasants so well that even Lucette could hardly refrain a smile. - -"Besides," continued their companion, "you hinted that you wished to see -the cardinal before you quitted Nantes. Now, putting a good number of -other facts to those I have just mentioned, it was easy to divine that -you were the personage Jacques Beaupre was in search of." - -"True," replied Edward; "and probably I should have taken more care if I -had wished to be concealed much longer. But, as you say, sir, I must, if -possible, have the honor of seeing his Eminence the prime minister. When -do you think I can be so favored?" - -"It will be somewhat difficult just now," said the other, with a much -graver countenance than he had hitherto borne. "The cardinal is full of -very serious and painful business. Certainly you cannot see him -to-night." - -"Then," said Edward, in a firm and confident tone, "we had better retire -and seek some good inn, and I can send and crave an audience to-morrow." - -"Nay, you will have to wait close at hand and snatch your audience when -you can get it," replied Monsieur de Tronson,--adding, laughingly, "my -auberge is the best for your purpose, depend upon it. But tell me, -Monsieur Apsley, why did you disguise yourself at all, when, I have been -told, you have a proper safe-conduct?" - -"You mean, sir, why we put on Breton dresses?" replied Edward. "That was -done for the best reason in the world:--because we had none other fit to -wear. My whole baggage was lost, and one of my servants stopped, when it -pleased some good officers near Mauze to turn me from my straight road -and send me toward Nantes. I trust Master Jacques has brought our -clothing with him. If not, we must purchase more." - -"I cannot tell," replied Monsieur de Tronson, gravely: "all he did bring -is in the hands of his Eminence." - -A consciousness that what the man had brought might prove his -destruction, perhaps, induced Edward to imagine that M. Tronson laid a -particular emphasis on the words "in the hands of his Eminence;" but -still he lost not his coolness, and he replied, "Well, then, we had -better proceed to our inn,--if you will recommend us to one; for that we -saw but now will certainly not suit us. It is growing dusk, and I shall -scarcely have time to-night to purchase clothing fit to appear in before -the cardinal." - -As he spoke, he rose; but the secretary of the king's cabinet repeated -what he had before said:--"This is the best auberge for your purpose; -and I will send for one of those tailors who always follow courts to -relieve you from your unseemly attire. The young lady, too, had better -have other clothing. That, too, shall be attended to." - -Edward now saw that nothing but a direct question would bring forth the -truth as to whether he was to consider himself a prisoner or not; and he -put it much in the same words as he had used to the officer near Mauze. - -"You have been very discreet with your answers, my young friend," said -Monsieur Tronson, still smiling: "let me advise you to be as discreet -with your questions. But I can excuse a little anxiety, and therefore -tell you that you must look upon yourself as a prisoner or not, just as -you please. You will not be treated as such further than being lodged in -this chateau, with a slight hint that you had better not try to leave it -till you have seen his Eminence. If you will give me your word as an -English gentleman not to make the attempt, you shall have all the -liberty possible, and you shall be only like one of your good English -lords kept in-doors by a fit of gout. You shall have as good a table at -least as any auberge here could furnish, and you will save money by -living at the king's expense. But if you do not make me that promise I -am afraid there must be such things as keys sent for, and a turning of -locks which might be disagreeable to the ear." - -"I understand, sir," replied Edward, "and, of course, make the promise; -but I certainly did not expect that when I came here furnished with a -pass from his Eminence, it would imply so little." - -"Let me see the pass," said the secretary, somewhat abruptly: "have you -it with you?" - -"Yes, it is here," answered Edward, drawing it forth. "As it is my only -security in the present unfortunate state of affairs between the two -countries, I have taken care not to lose that." - -Tronson took it from his hand and carried it to the window to see -better, saying, after he had gazed at it for a minute or two, "Yes, it -is in due form. That is the signature of his Eminence, beyond all doubt. -Here are mentioned Sir Peter Apsley, a page, and two serving-men. Am I -to presume that mademoiselle is or was the page? Why, here are no end of -transformations, it would seem." - -People talk of blushing like a rose,--a very bad figure indeed. Roses do -not blush. Their gentle color knows no sudden change. The soft emotion -of the heart which sends the tell-tale blood into the cheek they never -feel, but, as an image of eternal health, keep the same hue unchanged. -No: Lucette blushed like the morning sky when, conscious of the coming -of the sun, the whole face of heaven grows rosy and more rosy. - -"May I ask you, sir," continued the secretary, "if you are married to -this young lady? is she your wife? is she your sister?" - -"Neither, sir," replied Edward,--"neither as yet. She may be some day my -wife: till then she is to me as a sister. But, Monsieur Tronson, if I am -to submit to interrogatories at all, I should prefer that they be put by -his Eminence the cardinal himself." - -"One more, and I have done," said the secretary. "How happens it that -you two have been so long on the road? Could you find no means of coming -to Nantes sooner?" - -"If you know the time we have spent on the road, sir," replied Edward, -"you should know likewise that Mademoiselle de Mirepoix's illness -detained us." - -"Mademoiselle de Mirepoix!" said De Tronson, with an air of surprise: -"this is altogether a somewhat strange affair. But, as you say, it will -be better all reserved for the cardinal himself. But as Mademoiselle -Mirepoix is neither your wife nor your sister, Sir Peter, it will be -necessary to place her under a lady's care while here." - -"But," said Edward, fearing a longer and stricter separation from -Lucette than he had calculated upon; but Monsieur de Tronson cut him -short, gravely. "No buts, my young friend. It must be now as I say," he -replied. "Wait here, mademoiselle: I will send some women to you in a -few minutes. You, sir, follow me, and I will show you your apartment." - -Resistance, of course, was not to be thought of; but Edward could not -part from Lucette coldly, and, before going, he took her in his arms and -kissed her warmly, whispering in English the first real words of love -which had yet been spoken between them. "Love me, Lucette," he said; -"love me, whatever befalls." - -The tears rose in her beautiful eyes; but it was a moment when she felt -there could be no coyness. "I do; I will," she murmured. - -"Ho! ho!" said the secretary, with a smile: "is it so far gone?" And he -led the youth from the room. - -Passage after passage seemed to Edward to be placing a terrible distance -between him and her he loved, and cold and dreary appeared, and indeed -was, his walk through the palace of the king. At length, however, -Monsieur de Tronson opened a door at the foot of some steps, and there, -in a short sort of long vestibule, appeared the first human beings they -had seen since they quitted the room of the secretary. The first person -they beheld was the valet whom Edward had before seen; but at the other -end of the corridor, near a heavy iron-plated door, was a guard with a -halberd on his shoulder. - -"The room is quite ready, sir," said the valet, addressing Monsieur de -Tronson, and at the same time opening a door on the right. "I lighted -the fire, as the chamber has not been occupied since Monsieur de Laval -left." - -"That was well," replied Tronson; "and you will remember to attend -diligently upon this gentleman and see he has all he wants. You can put -his own servant a bed in the dressing-closet, and let a tailor be sent -for as soon as may be. And now, Monsieur Apsley, I will leave you for -to-night. You can, when you desire exercise, take your walk in this -passage and the neighboring rooms on that side; but a gentleman so well -educated will, I know, remember that this is a palace, and not carry his -peregrinations too far. On that side your walks will be impeded by the -sentinel. Can I send you a book or any thing to amuse you?" - -"If you have got a copy of Homer or Horace," said Edward. - -Monsieur de Tronson shook his head with a laugh. "I fear you are too -learned for us," he answered; "but I will see, and send you something, -at all events. The room looks cheerful enough, does it not? and in the -daytime there is a fine view over the Loire. The moon is late to-night. -You had better bring more candles, Guillaume." And, with these words, he -left the young Englishman, who, though the room was indeed a cheerful -one and bright with lights and a warm fire, could not but feel that he -was a prisoner. - - - - -CHAPTER XVI. - - -The first sensation in Edward's heart was certainly that of the loss of -liberty. The next was of the loss of Lucette. But then came many -unpleasant recollections; and not amongst the least unpleasant was the -remembrance that he might very likely have incurred the loss of life. To -take a false name, to enter a country with which his own was at war, -with a false passport, to come, from a town actually in rebellion -against her king, into that king's camp, and to be the bearer of letters -to his enemies,--all gave him very much the character of a spy. Edward -did not like his position at all; he did not like the steps which had -led to it; he did not altogether like his own conduct. Yet what could he -have done, when ordered by those he was bound to obey? He would do it -again, he thought, if the same circumstances were to come over again; -and yet to be hanged in a foreign country as a spy was a matter for -which not all the orders of all the princes or potentates in the world -could offer any consolation. - -He had walked some fifty times up and down the room, the simmering of -his heart and brain acting upon him like the boiler of a locomotive -steam-engine, when an ecclesiastic entered with some books, and spoke a -few words of bad Latin to him, to which Edward replied in so much better -Latinity that the good man speedily beat a retreat. - -Then came the tailor; and a tailor is always a relief, except when he -makes garments too tight, or makes them too loose in one place for the -purpose of making them too close in another. But this tailor was really -a great man in his way; and he did succeed in amusing Edward's mind in a -slight degree by the importance he attached to his calling and to every -one of its accessories. He also estimated very highly his own station in -that calling. He told Edward that although he had not the honor of -clothing his Majesty,--because all the world knew he was very careless -in his dress,--yet he made for all the handsomest young noblemen of the -court. He himself, he assured his listener,--and he dropped his voice -while he spoke,--had _composed_ the dress in which the poor Count de -Chalais had been arrayed on the very day of his arrest. - -"Indeed!" said Edward. "Is he arrested? What are they going to do with -him?" - -"They will cut off his head, to a certainty," said the tailor. "Though -he was the king's greatest favorite, his Eminence was his greatest -enemy; and the enemies of the cardinal never escape." - -This was such cold comfort to Edward Langdale that he brought the -subject back to the matter of his own clothing. "I shall want one suit -as soon to-morrow as possible," he said; "for I trust I shall have an -early audience of his Eminence; and of course I cannot present myself -before him in this garb." - -"Of course, of course, seigneur," said the tailor, with a look of -horror: "that would be as good as a confession. Of what may your -lordship have been guilty to assume such a dress?--high treason?" - -"I hope not," said the young man: "at least, if I have committed -_lese-majeste_, it must have been in my sleep. But what about the -clothes, my good friend? Can I have them?" - -"Assuredly, seigneur; assuredly," answered the man. "I have a beautiful -_haut-de-chausses_, and a _pourpoint_, which will fit you exactly: they -are in the best taste,--philimot velvet, opened with blue, and silver -points. They were made for poor Monsieur de Courmerin; but he never had -the opportunity of wearing them, for he put off doing so for one single -day, and that night he was arrested and his head cut off before the end -of the week. They will suit you perfectly. But the cloak I must make -myself. I will keep the workmen up all night, sooner than disappoint -you, however. You had better trust the whole arrangement to me,--the -boots, the collar, the hat; and then all will correspond." - -Edward readily agreed to the proposal; and, merely stipulating for a -certain price, as his funds were running short, he dismissed the tailor, -whose conversation had a certain ominous croak about it, which was all -the more painful from the frivolities with which it was mixed. - -Not ten minutes more passed ere supper was brought in,--good fare and -excellent wine; and perhaps of the latter the poor youth did take more -than he usually did, from a feeling that something was needful to raise -his spirits. He felt more compassion that night for the faults of -Pierrot la Grange than he had ever known before; but he did not follow -his good servant's example, drinking not enough even to have the effect -desired. - -After supper he felt more melancholy than before; and that sensation -increased as all noises died away in the castle and in the neighborhood, -and the dull gloomy ripple of the Loire was the only sound that broke -the stillness. The air of the room seemed oppressive to him. He looked -at the door, and wondered if the last time the valet had gone out he had -locked it; and he walked toward it and opened it. All in the corridor -was as he had seen it before,--the guard at the door on the right, with -his halberd on his shoulder, and two lamps burning pendant from the -ceiling. The air seemed less oppressive there; and Edward determined to -go forth and take his walk without, as he had been permitted. He turned -to one side, and then to the other, without any notice being taken by -the soldier, till once, approaching within some five paces of the -iron-plated door, the man drew himself up, and, in a stern tone, told -him to keep off. Edward retrod his steps, and passed up and down several -times, till at length the door at the other end of the passage opened, -and a tall, fine-looking man, in a large cloak, with hat and feathers, -and a small silver candlestick in his hand, appeared, and walked -straight toward him. The stranger's eyes were bent upon the ground, and -at first he did not seem to see the youth; but, when he did, he stopped -suddenly, and gazed at him from head to foot. - -Edward walked quietly on, and passed the other without taking much -notice, though he thought his stare somewhat rude. At the end of the -corridor he turned again, just in time to see the stranger opening the -iron-plated door with a key, while the guard stood in a statue-like -attitude before him, with presented arms. When the door was opened, the -light of the candle served just to show the top of a flight of stone -steps, and all the rest was darkness. The door shut to with a bang the -next moment, and the youth pursued his walk, feeling it would be -impossible for him to sleep for some hours to come. Wellnigh an hour -went by, and the young Englishman was returning to his room, to try at -least to sleep, when that heavy door opened, banged to, was locked, and -the stranger, whom he had before seen, again passed him. This time, -however, his head was borne high, and there was a strange look of -triumph on his face; but he was evidently in haste, and, though he fixed -his eyes upon Edward with a gaze that seemed to pierce through him, he -paused not an instant, but passed on. - -Why he could not tell, but all this excited the youth's imagination. -There was something strange in it, he thought. Who could that man be to -whom the guard paid such respect? It could not be the king, for Louis -was not so tall, and had no such commanding carriage. It might be some -high officer of the royal prison; and that door, with the dark stone -steps beyond, might lead to the ancient dungeons, where many a -prisoner, in ancient and in modern times, had awaited, _au secret_, as -it was called, judgment or death. - -"Such may soon be my fate," thought Edward; and, with that pleasant -reflection, he re-entered his chamber, and, casting off his clothes, lay -down to rest. It was long before sleep came; and then troublous dreams -took from it the character of repose. He felt himself, in fancy, in the -hands of the hangman: the gibbet was over his head, and on a scroll -fixed to his breast was written, in large letters, "A spy!" - -Then, again, his dead body was lying in a chapel, and close by, at an -illuminated altar, appeared Lucette, with a bright train of fair girls, -just about to give her hand to a cavalier much older than herself, whose -face bore a strange resemblance to that of the man who had twice passed -him in the corridor, and with a start he awoke, crying, "She is mine!" - -It was already day; and but a few minutes went by ere Pierrot presented -himself. "I have seen Jacques Beaupre, Master Ned," he said, "and I -trust all is safe. That fellow is shrewd; and he vows that he has not -said a word. He escaped the troopers at Mauze, found his way to the -castle, and gave up the bags to Monsieur le Prince de Soubise. The -prince opened them without any ceremony, took out a letter to himself, -read it, and then sent him on with one of the bags, telling him to find -you out at all risks. He was stopped immediately he reached Nantes; but -he vows, even to my face, that he only knows you as Sir Peter Apsley; -though I heard good old syndic Tournon call you by your right name to -him himself. He says that the prince put several letters into the bag -with the money and the clothes; and there is the only danger." - -"How did you contrive to see him?" asked Edward, abruptly; for he feared -every moment to be interrupted. - -"Why, sir, there are various sorts of detention," said Pierrot: "there -is imprisonment _au plus grand secret_; there is imprisonment _au -secret_; there is simple arrest and imprisonment; there is -_surveillance_; but there is nothing more. Now, as you, Master Ned, are -simply under _surveillance_, they have left me, as your servant, to roam -about as I please; and I made the best use of my time. Jacques Beaupre, -I found----" - -But, as he spoke, Monsieur de Tronson's valet entered, to tell Edward -that breakfast would be served to him in a moment, and began to set the -room in order. Edward tried to get rid of him, perhaps too apparently; -but he did not succeed. In vain the young gentleman hinted that the -tailor had not brought the clothes he had promised. The man replied, -coolly, that he would seek him as soon as the breakfast was served; and, -before there could be any further question upon the subject, two lackeys -and a page appeared. Before the breakfast was carried away, the tailor -was in the room; and before Edward was fairly dressed in his new -apparel, Monsieur de Tronson himself appeared, and sent every one from -the room,--Pierrot amongst the rest. - -"I come to tell you," said the secretary, "that his Eminence will -receive you at ten o'clock;" and then, after a short pause, during which -he seemed to think deeply, he added, "If you will allow me, sir, as a -friend, to advise you, you will deal in every thing frankly and -sincerely with the cardinal. Men are often much mistaken as to his -character. Deceit and trickery upon the part of his enemies have of -course made him suspicious; but candor is soon perceived by him, and -always appreciated." - -"I really do not know to what you particularly refer," replied Edward; -"but I shall certainly answer any questions his Eminence chooses to -propound to me truly." - -"That is well," said the other, somewhat dryly. "But will you answer me -one question? Is not Mademoiselle de Mirepoix a near relation of the -Duchess de Chevreuse? Reply frankly, I beg of you." - -"I do not know," answered Edward, at once. "I only know that she is -connected with the Prince de Soubise, and----" - -"The same, the same," said his companion, interrupting him. "That is -rather unfortunate; for neither Madame de Chevreuse nor the prince are -in good odor at this court." - -"The cardinal, I am sure," answered Edward, "is too generous to make a -young girl who has never offended him suffer for the faults of others -who have." - -Monsieur de Tronson made no reply, but soon after left the young -Englishman, merely saying, in a warning tone, "Remember: be frank." - -Edward then proceeded to finish his toilet; and it cannot be denied that -he felt more lightsome and at his ease in his new apparel. Still, he -could not help revolving the coming interview; and, with that most -foolish though common practice of us poor mortals in difficult -circumstances, considering the answers he might make to questions which -might never be asked. He would have given much for five minutes more of -private conversation with Pierrot; but that worthy appeared no more, and -for the simple reason that he was not permitted to leave the room to -which he had been taken to breakfast. An hour thus passed in anxious and -solitary thought, and then a man, in a black robe something like that of -the verger of a cathedral, opened the door and summoned him to the -presence of the cardinal prime minister. Edward answered nothing, but -merely bowed his head and followed. He was conscious that he had felt -some weakness; but, now that the all-important moment had arrived, he -nerved himself to bear all firmly, and the very effort gave a dignity to -his whole person which well accorded with the handsome and graceful -dress he had assumed. - - - - -CHAPTER XVII. - - -We must leave Edward Langdale for some half-hour, and carry the gentle -reader with us to another part of the old Chateau of Nantes. No one can -venture to say that we have not adhered to him through good and evil -with the tenacity of true friendship; but we must now either turn to a -different personage and another scene, or embarrass our after-narrative -with that most ugly beast, an explanation, which so frequently in -romance and poem follows the most brilliant heroes and most beautiful -heroines like an ill-favored cur. - -In a fine long room with windows looking upon the Loire, about half-past -ten o'clock in the morning, was a gentleman between forty and fifty -years of age,--nearer the former than the latter period. The chamber was -well tapestried, and furnished with chairs scattered about in different -directions, and a large table a good deal to the right of the occupant -of the room. A smaller table was close at his hand, covered with papers -and materials for writing, which he was using slowly and deliberately, -sometimes carrying his hand to his head as if in thought, and then again -resuming the pen and writing a line or two. In person he was somewhat -above the middle height, with straight, finely-cut features and hair -very slightly mingled with gray. The face in itself was somewhat stern, -and the small pointed beard and mustache gave somewhat of a melancholy -look; but on that morning the expression was cheerful,--nay, even -good-humored; and the hand that held the pen was as soft and delicate as -that of a woman. His dress was principally scarlet, as that of a high -ecclesiastic of the Romish Church; but above all he wore a light -dressing-gown of dark purple trimmed with sable. Such was Richelieu as -he appeared in 1627; and those who have been accustomed to associate his -name with nothing but deeds of blood and tyranny might well feel -surprised could they see the bland expression of that noble countenance, -that smooth white hand, and, still more, could they look over his -shoulder and perceive that what he was writing was no grave despatch, no -terrible order, no elaborate state paper, but--some verses,--grave, -indeed, but neither sad nor stern. - -The door opened, and the cardinal laid down his pen. Monsieur de Tronson -paused, as if for permission to advance, and Richelieu beckoned him -forward, saying, "Come in, Mr. Secretary; come in. I am enjoying a space -of leisure after so many busy and anxious days. Till one, I have little -to do and less to think of." - -"Your Eminence will allow me to remind you," said Tronson, advancing and -standing by his side, "that this morning you appointed the hour of ten -to see that young English gentleman." - -"True," said the cardinal. "I have not forgotten." And he pointed with -his hand to the larger table, on which lay one of Master Ned's -unfortunate leathern bags; adding, "What do you make of the case? Think -you he is the person he represents himself, or, as our hard-headed -friends before Rochelle will have it, a spy from England?" - -"The passport is evidently signed by your Eminence," answered Tronson; -"and the young man himself has the manners of a gentleman of -distinction. He is highly educated, too,--a profound Greek and Latin -scholar: so says Father Morlais, whom I sent to have some conversation -with him. He is somewhat bluff and abrupt in his manners, it is true, as -most of these islanders are; but still his whole demeanor strikes me as -dignified, and even graceful. He can be no common spy, your Eminence: -that is clear; and if Buckingham has chosen him for an agent he has -chosen strangely well." - -"As to his learning," replied Richelieu, "that signifies little. Many a -poor scholar is willing to risk his neck in the hope of promotion. We -have employed such ourselves, my good friend. Then, as to dignity of -manner, it is easily assumed. But his abruptness and _brusquerie_ offer -a different indication. It requires long habit to know when to be rude -and harsh, when soft and gentle. How old did you say?" - -"From eighteen to nineteen at the utmost," said Tronson: "he appears -even less." - -"Well, but this girl who is with him?" asked the cardinal: "what of -her?" - -"That seems easily explained, monseigneur," replied the secretary, with -a smile: "she is, it would seem, of high family,--related to Monsieur de -Soubise on the one side," (the cardinal's brow became ominously dark,) -"and to Madame de Chevreuse on the other." - -For an instant Richelieu's brow became darker still; and, with -uncontrollable vehemence, he exclaimed, "Ah! she has escaped me, as she -thinks; but she will find that I forget not my enemies,--nor my friends, -Tronson,--nor my friends," he added, with one of those subtle smiles -which had at least as much of the serpent in them as the dove. - -Tronson turned a little pale, for that peculiar smile was known at the -court by this time, and it was not supposed to be favorable to those on -whom it was bestowed. But the secretary was too wise to notice it; and -he merely asked, "Who has escaped, your Eminence?--this young lady? She -was safe in the castle not an hour ago." - -"No, no, man; no," answered Richelieu. "I mean Madame de Luynes,--Madame -de Chevreuse, Tronson. Have you not heard? She quitted Nantes at -daybreak this morning for Le Verger. Strange!" he continued, speaking to -himself: "'twas only last night; and yet she must have heard enough to -frighten her. Can the king betray himself and me? She must have learned -something. What is the girl's name, Monsieur de Tronson?" - -"Lucette du Mirepoix, she says," replied the secretary. - -"Lucette de Mirepoix du Valais," said the cardinal, slowly and -thoughtfully: "the same,--the same, Tronson. Do you not remember there -was much contention, some six years ago, between Madame de Luynes and -this scheming rebel Soubise, about the guardianship of this very girl? -There the duchess was right, for she would have brought her into the -bosom of the Church; but Soubise was too quick for her, and sent the -child away,--perhaps to England, to make sure she should be brought up -in heresy. But my fair duchess shall find me worse to deal with than -Soubise. But you said just now," he continued, in a calmer tone, "that -all could be easily explained. What did you mean, my friend?" - -"Merely that her travelling with this youth is a problem easily solved," -answered the secretary. "Last night, when they parted, there were some -warm kisses passed,--not at all fraternal, your Eminence; and, putting -those gentle signs in connection with some words and rosy blushes, I -conclude that they are bent on matrimony. Probably they have found -difficulties at home, and, as is not unfrequent with these English, they -have gone off together." - -"Is the young man of noble birth, think you?" asked the cardinal, -thoughtfully. - -"Not of high rank, even amongst the English," answered Tronson: "his -very name shows it." - -Richelieu smiled, but this time it was a bland and pleasant smile. "We -will punish her," he said, speaking to himself,--"punish both!" - -"But, your Eminence, if the safe-conduct be yours, as I think, and the -young man be really what he pretends, you will hardly----" - -"Hand me that leathern bag and the knife," said the minister, -interrupting him, and seemingly paying not the slightest attention to -the secretary's words. "And now," he continued, when De Tronson had -obeyed, "let the youth be brought to me; and have the girl taken to the -adjoining room, ready to be brought in when I require her: see that no -one converses with her, my excellent good friend." - -The secretary bowed his head and withdrew, repeating to himself, "'My -excellent friend!'--I have someway offended him. His words are too -kind!" But then, after a moment's thought, he murmured, in almost the -same words which Richelieu had used a minute or two before, "Can the -king have betrayed me? If so, he has betrayed himself too; for God knows -I advised him solely for his benefit." - -Louis XIII. had now been on the throne of France about sixteen years, -and Richelieu had not been actually of the king's council more than -three; but both had been long enough before the world's eyes for men to -have learned that a king could betray his best friends from fear or -weakness, and that a minister could be most gentle in manners when he -was the most savage at heart. Richelieu was fond of cats, and perhaps -learned some lessons from his favorites. However, in the present -instance Tronson guessed rightly: the king had betrayed him to his -powerful minister. The night before, nearly at midnight, the cardinal -had carried to the king the confession of the unhappy Count de Chalais, -drawn from him in his dungeon by the minister himself,--perhaps--nay, -probably--by the most unworthy artifices. In recompense for an act which -put an end to one of the monarch's painful fits of hesitation, Louis -revealed to Richelieu the names of those who, in the confidence of loyal -friendship, had opposed some of the minister's favorite schemes; and -Tronson was one. Thus, he had guessed right. Whether Richelieu had -guessed right likewise no one can tell. That Louis had communicated the -confession of Chalais to some of his inferior confidants, who had -warned Madame de Chevreuse to fly, is very probable; but most -improbable that he had warned her himself. She was the friend, -companion, counsellor of his unhappy queen, and was hated by himself as -well as by his minister. The king's hatred, however, was merely the -reflex of his hatred for another. The enmity of Richelieu was more -personal and of long standing. When Marie de Rohan had married the -Constable Duke of Luynes, the now potent cardinal had been but a petty -agent of the queen-mother; and he had been treated by the proud woman -with some contempt. Again, in appearance the king, the constable, and -all the ministers had solicited for Richelieu the cardinal's hat from -Rome, but he had discovered that Luynes secretly opposed what he -publicly asked; and he attributed this treachery to the suggestions of -the duchess. - -When, after the death of her first husband, Marie de Rohan married the -princely Duc de Chevreuse, and Richelieu rose rapidly to the height of -power, the enmity between them was no longer concealed, except by the -courtly varnish of external politeness,--and, indeed, not always by -that. - -Thus, when sitting there in his apartments in the Chateau of Nantes, -there was perhaps no one in France whom Richelieu desired to mortify and -humiliate personally more than Marie de Rohan, Duchess of -Chevreuse:--no, not even her distant relatives the Prince de Soubise and -his brother the Duc de Rohan, though both had opposed the royal forces -in the field, and the reduction of both to submission was essential to -his policy. For them he had some respect, and no individual enmity; but -toward her there was a rancor which prompted to any act that would sting -rather than destroy. At that time even Richelieu had cause to follow the -course which had been pursued by Luynes, and to avoid carrying -resentments too far. He was not yet so firmly seated in power that, if -he made great enemies, he might not be thrown aside by a fickle king. -Otherwise it might seem strange that he dared not follow the same bold -course against Madame de Chevreuse which he soon pursued against the -unfortunate Chalais, and later against Montmorency and Cinq Mars. But, -as I have said, his fingers were not so tightly fixed round the staff of -command that he could venture to assail in front the mighty houses of -Montbazon and Lorraine, while Vendome and Conde were already his -enemies. It was perhaps meditation upon subjects such as these that -occupied the minister's deepest thoughts while he opened with a sharp -penknife the leathern bag which De Tronson had brought him, took out -several letters, cut the silk, and read the contents; for he did all -with an absent air. But Richelieu's mind was one of those which can -carry on two processes at once,--one deep, intense, and mighty, the -consideration of vital questions, the other the mere observation and -recognition of objects--for the time, at least--less important. He -seemed to pay little attention to those letters; yet not one word -escaped him, and when he had done he replaced them in the bag and cast -it behind his chair, but within reach of his hand. He then took up, from -the little table close by, the paper on which he had previously been -writing, and was reading over the verses, when the door opened, and an -exempt of the court appeared, looking at the minister with a sort of -inquiring air. Richelieu bowed his head, and the man, stepping back, but -holding open the door, introduced Edward Langdale and retired into the -ante-chamber. - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII. - - -Edward Langdale entered the presence of the cardinal firm and upright; -and, to say the truth, now tricked out with all the taste and ornament -which the skill of a French tailor of the reign of Louis XIII., and the -short time allowed for the operation, permitted, he was as -handsome-looking a youth as you could easily see in this world of ugly -hearts and indifferent faces. His air was perfectly calm and well -assured, but not presumptuous; and the easy grace with which he carried -his hat with its long plume in one hand, and the velvet case with the -passport in the other, was not unnoticed by the cardinal, who was -accustomed to observe slight indications and to draw his inferences from -them,--not exactly taking for granted that they meant what they seemed -to mean; for there was many a man in France and at the court who -affected well more gayety than the lark when his heart was full of -anxiety and sorrow, many a one who assumed a grave solemnity who within -was as light a bubble as ever floated down the stream of time. But often -he drew inferences the most opposite from the outside indications, and -saw evidence of the pinchbeck in the fresh glitter of the gilding. - -Richelieu did not make any motion to rise, but, pointing to a seat near -him, he bent his head calmly, and said, "Be seated, sir. I am glad to -see you in Nantes. How long is it since you arrived?" - -"Yesterday evening, my lord," replied Edward, "I reached the city, -having been delayed by several causes during many days. Indeed, it is -probable I should not have visited this city at all had not some of the -royal officers refused to recognise my safe-conduct." - -"Perhaps they did not recognise your person," said the cardinal, softly, -continuing to gaze at the young Englishman with a keen and scrutinizing -look. "But I think, Monsieur Apsley, I must have seen your face -somewhere before." - -"That cannot be, may it please your Eminence," replied Edward, frankly. -"I never had the honor of beholding you till now." - -"You speak French with great purity," said the minister. "Did you never -reside in this country?" - -"I visited it some time ago, but did not remain more than a few months," -the youth replied; "but I studied the language long in my own country, -and spoke it continually with those who spoke it well." - -"Well, indeed!" said Richelieu; "but they tell me you are learned in -many ways, and doubtless you have given attention to our -poets,--superior, in refinement at least, to any that the world can -boast. Let me have a sample of your taste. What think you of these lines -just sent to me by a young poet? The hand is inexperienced, but I think -the head is good. You can read the language, of course." And he handed -the lines to Edward, who, confounded by what was passing, took the paper -and gazed at it for a moment in silence. Then, feeling that such -silence might be dangerous, he proceeded to read the verses aloud, with -good emphasis and a graceful delivery:-- - - "Who on the height of power would stand must be - Hard as the rock to those who dare his arm; - To the indifferent, cool; and tenderly - Treat the young faults of those who mean no harm. - - "The sunshine warms the serpent in the brake: - Then crush his head while lasts his sleeping hour, - Nor wait till, fresh envenom'd, he awake. - There still are snakes enow where there is power." - -Whether he discovered by the similarity of the writing with the -signature of the safe-conduct that the verses were the cardinal's own, -or that he thought he saw some allusion to the minister's situation -which discovered the author, I know not; but there were particular -passages which he dwelt upon in reading; and the minister smiled -approvingly, saying, "Well! exceedingly well, Monsieur Apsley. The poet -loses nothing on your lips. Think you the verses good?" - -"Very good, your Eminence," replied Edward. "Were the arrangement of the -lines somewhat different, they would make an excellent speech in a -tragedy." - -"Ha! say you so?" said the minister, apparently well pleased: "I will -give the author that hint. He has some small merit, and may perhaps -hereafter aim at higher flights." - -"He has chosen a high subject now, sir," replied Edward, "But, by your -pardon, I did not come here to read poetry, however good, but to request -your Eminence to recognise my safe-conduct and to let me go forward on -my way." - -Richelieu's brow became a little shaded. "So fast!" he said, as if -speaking to himself, and then demanded, "Where do you wish to go?" - -"First to Niort," answered Edward, boldly, "where I was going when I was -stopped, and then, by Paris, into Switzerland." - -The cardinal paused and gazed at him for a moment in silence, and then -replied, "There are previously several matters to be inquired into. I -trust we are here in France too courteous to stay any gentleman -travelling through our country for purposes of mere pleasure or -instruction, though there may be matters of enmity, and even war, -between the two nations. I trust we are too honest to give a -safe-conduct and then to deny its efficacy. But spies we hang, young -gentleman." - -The words sounded chilling upon Edward Langdale's ear; but he knew that -a moment's silence might be destruction, and he replied, at once, "I am -no spy, your Eminence; and, whatever I may have done that is indiscreet, -I came not to examine or report, and never will, any thing I see in this -country. It is as safe with me as with yourself, lord cardinal." - -"Then you acknowledge you have done indiscreet things?" said Richelieu. - -"Probably," answered the young man: "who has not? But, still, I am no -spy." - -"Of the character of a spy there may be many definitions," answered the -minister; "and modern codes do not exactly limit themselves to the -Hebrew interpretation of the term, to wit, that he is a person who goes -out to see the nakedness of the land. But, that apart, we must know the -meaning of what the letters in this bag contain." And, stretching back -his hand, he took the wallet and drew out a letter, while Edward -observed, as calmly as he could, "I am not responsible, your Eminence, -for what those letters contain. I know not the contents of any one of -them, but merely took them as requested to persons in France with whom -the writers had no other means of communication." - -He spoke the truth; for he had not seen and did not know the contents of -any one of the letters he had borne across the channel, except that to -the good syndic Clement Tournon, which announced the speedy arrival of -Lord Denbigh's fleet. - -Richelieu paid no apparent attention to what he said, but read from the -letter he held in his hand: "'To the most mighty Prince the Duc de -Rohan. These will be given to you by one in whom you can put all -confidence. Yield him all credence in what he shall tell you on the part -of a true friend.' 'To his Highness the Prince de Soubise. Monsieur: Let -me commend to you most highly the bearer, a young English gentleman of -good house, true, faithful, and worthy of all credit. He ought to be the -possessor of great estate; but I assure your Highness that his merit is -above his fortunes, and that the dearest trust you have you may confide -to his keeping.' Signed with a large B. All the rest, sir, are of the -same tenor,--without due signature, and in vague terms. What is the -meaning of this?" - -"Probably the writers foresaw," replied Edward, who had determined on -his course, "that the letters might fall into the hands of your -Eminence, and, knowing themselves not your friends, might not wish to -make you my enemy." - -"Bold, upon my life!" exclaimed Richelieu, in a tone of surprise. - -"But true!" said Edward. "I much wish to see the Duc de Rohan or the -Prince de Soubise, upon matters totally unconnected with those letters; -and when your Eminence gives me permission to proceed I shall seek them -instantly." - -"When I give permission," said Richelieu, somewhat scornfully; "but -well,--'tis very well. Sir, these letters are very suspicious, and would -well justify the detention of the bearer. But I must ask some more -questions. What seek you with Messieurs de Soubise and Rohan, two -noblemen in arms against their sovereign?" - -"My lord cardinal, my business with them is private. Those letters are -suspicious or not, as they may be viewed: they are not criminal; and -though, as you shall determine, they may perhaps justify my detention, -yet I assure you once again I knew not their contents until this moment. -You must be the judge of your own conduct. I know my own purposes, and -can safely say my only object in seeking to see those two princes is one -with which your Eminence has no concern." - -"I _am_ the judge of my own conduct, young gentleman," answered the -minister, in a not ungentle voice. "But see you here. Sir Peter Apsley -has been represented to me as a good, lubberly youth, whom his relations -and guardians are fain to send to foreign lands to see if he can gather -some grains of sense and learning amongst more quick-witted people. Now, -here we have a young man well read, ready and quick, of a fine taste, -and speaking many tongues. This is suspicious too,--unless indeed you -have visited some shrine and the saint has worked a miracle." - -"My lord cardinal, it would befit me ill to bandy words with you," -replied Edward: "I should but fare the worse. Your qualities are not -unknown in England; and, having said all I can rightly say, I would not -willingly try to match my wit against yours." - -"I know few who could do it better for your age," said the cardinal, -perhaps remembering still with pleasure the youth's praise of his not -super-excellent verses. "But now to another theme. Who is the girl that -is travelling with you, first as a page, then in the habit of a -peasant-girl? Your paramour, I trust, she is not." - -The cheek of Edward Langdale glowed like fire. "You wrong us both, even -by the thought, lord cardinal," he said, although Richelieu had spoken -the last words with a somewhat threatening brow. "You have heard me avow -that I have been perhaps guilty of some indiscretion; and I wish to -Heaven she had never come with me; but I could not dream of wronging an -innocent girl who has trusted entirely to me, and should think my love -for her but a poor and false excuse were I to do so even in thought. As -to her being with me, your Eminence may surmise many motives; but, -believe me, all were honest." - -"I am willing to suppose it," answered the cardinal, mildly. "You wish -to marry: is it not so?" - -Edward bowed his head. - -"And you fear there may be difficulties raised by her family?" continued -Richelieu, in a tone of inquiry. - -"Many," replied the youth. - -"Perhaps there is a difference in rank," suggested the cardinal. - -"It may be so," answered Edward; "but yet I am a gentleman, and all my -friends have been so, as far as we can trace the house." - -"Well, we shall hear what she says herself," answered the minister, -ringing a small silver bell. - -The exempt immediately appeared at the door, and the cardinal bade him -call Mademoiselle de Mirepoix from the neighboring room. - -It is to be feared that Lucette was not a heroine. Her step was -tottering, and her face pale, when, after a pause of one or two minutes, -she entered the cardinal's presence. But the dress she now wore, rich -and in very good taste, not only displayed the young beauties of her -face and form, but made her look several years older than she really -was. Edward, conscious of what she must feel, bent his eyes to the -ground for an instant as she entered, but the next moment, with a sudden -impulse, advanced, and, taking her hand, led her toward the minister. - -Richelieu was evidently struck with her appearance: it was something -very different from what he had expected to see, and the disappointment -was a pleasant one. With dignified politeness he rose to meet her, and -led her himself to a seat, saying, "I am glad to see you, mademoiselle. -I trust you rested well last night?" - -Lucette raised her eyes with a look of surprise at the unexpected -kindness of his tone, and a warm blush passed over her cheek, while she -replied, "I did not sleep at all, my lord: I was too much frightened." - -"Nay, be not frightened here, my child," replied Richelieu, in a -fatherly tone. "I must ask you a few questions, to which you must give -me sincere answers; but it will soon be over. To the bold and daring, -men in my position must be stern and harsh; but the timid and submissive -will only meet kindness and protection. First, then, tell me, what is -your name?" - -"Lucette de Mirepoix," answered the beautiful young girl, in a low -voice. - -"De Mirepoix du Valais?" inquired the minister. - -"The same," said Lucette, looking up again with some surprise. - -"Now let me hear if you have ever been in England," said Richelieu, -fixing his dark eyes upon her. - -"Yes," answered Lucette, at once. "I have been in England for several -years." - -"Do you know why you were sent there?" asked the cardinal. "Surely this -is a richer and more beautiful land than that cold, foggy island." - -"Oh, no!" cried Lucette, eagerly. "It is true, I know nothing of the -land of France except about Rochelle; but nothing can be more beautiful -than England." - -"And you would gladly marry an Englishman?" said Richelieu, with a -smile. Lucette blushed deeply, but answered nothing, and the cardinal -went on:--"You have not yet told me why you were sent to England." - -"I do not personally know," answered Lucette; "but I have heard that a -lady--I think, called Madame de Luynes--claimed me as my nearest -relation, and that my other friends did not choose to give me up to her, -which the law might have forced them to do if she could have found me in -France." - -Richelieu smiled. "That is a mistake," he said. "We would have found -means to frustrate such an attempt. Do you know if she still persists in -her purpose?" - -"Oh, yes," answered Lucette, quickly: "at least, so I have been told. -They said that she had power enough in England, through the Duke of -Buckingham, to have me given up to her, even there. That was one reason -why I returned to France." - -"And not to wed this young gentleman?" said the cardinal. - -Lucette blushed again, and was silent. - -"But you love him, and are willing to wed him?" continued Richelieu, -seeming to take a pleasure in the rosy embarrassment his questions -produced. - -Poor Lucette! It was indeed a painful moment for her; but she felt that -her own fate, and that of Edward also, depended upon her words, and, -with her eyes bent down, and her face all in a glow, she answered, in a -low but firm tone, "Yes." Then, springing up as if she could bear the -torturing interrogation no longer, she darted across, cast herself upon -Edward's bosom, and wept. - -"Answer enough, methinks," said Richelieu, speaking to himself. "And -now, daughter," he continued, gravely, "only two more questions, and I -have done. But your answers must be frank and open. Did your good -friends in La Rochelle know and consent to your travelling alone with -this young gentleman disguised as a page?" - -"Oh, yes!" sobbed the poor girl: "they themselves proposed it. They knew -they could trust to his honor, and so could I. But we were not alone; we -had servants with us; and--and--" - -"Enough," said Richelieu. "Monsieur de Soubise, you are a confident -man." - -These words might have shown Lucette that she and the cardinal had been -playing in some sort at cross-purposes; but they were spoken in a low -tone, and in her agitation she did not hear or take notice of them. - -"Now for the last question," said Richelieu: "but you must first resume -your seat;" and, taking her hand, he led her back to her chair. "Tell -me,--and tell me true, my child: have you ever heard that young -gentleman standing opposite to you called by any other name than Sir -Peter Apsley?" - -It was a terrible blow to poor Lucette. She had been educated in truth -and honor; a lie was abhorrent to all her previous feelings and -thoughts; and yet, if she told the truth, she knew or believed that she -was condemning one whom she now felt she loved more than any one on -earth, to an ignominious death. She turned deadly pale, and raised her -eyes to Edward's face, as if seeking counsel or help. - -Edward gave the help without a moment's hesitation. Stepping quickly -forward so as to stand immediately before the prelate's chair, he said, -"Ask her not that question, my lord cardinal. Neither make those sweet -honest lips utter a word of falsehood, nor force them to betray a secret -she thinks herself bound to keep. I will answer for her. She _has_ heard -me called by another name; but I could not have come into this country -without obtaining the passport of Sir Peter Apsley,--a young man of my -own age and height,--who had given up the intention of visiting France. -My name is Edward Langdale, son of Sir Richard Langdale, of Buckley, of -as good and old a family as his whose name I took." - -Richelieu gazed at him coldly, without the least mark of surprise. "You -have tried to deceive me," he said; "but you could not. It was a -dangerous experiment, sir. And, now, what have you to say why the fate -you have sought should not fall upon your head?" - -"Not much, your Eminence," replied Edward; "and all I have to say is -written here." And, as he spoke, he stretched forth his hand and took -the verses he had before read from the small table at the cardinal's -right hand, and repeated the first stanza:-- - - "'Who on the height of power would stand must be - Hard as a rock to those who dare his arm; - To the indifferent, cool; and tenderly - Treat the young faults of those who mean no harm.' - -"That is all I can plead in favor of forgiveness." - -"And you have fairly won it," said Richelieu, gravely; "but it shall -come in such a shape as perhaps you do not expect." - -The words were ambiguous, and the cardinal's look was so cold that -Lucette's heart fell. She hesitated a moment, and then cast herself at -Richelieu's feet, murmuring, "Oh, spare him, my lord! spare him! He has -told you the whole truth now." - -"Whatever becomes of me," exclaimed Edward, "for God's sake, give not up -this dear girl to Madame de Chevreuse." - -He had touched the key-note; but it only served to confirm a half-formed -purpose in the great minister's mind. A smile spread over his face, -which was then eminently handsome, and, first turning to Lucette, he -said, "He has told me the whole truth, has he? Still, he will be all the -better of a safe-conduct in his own name. Shall I put in the page and -all, young gentleman?" Then, ringing the silver bell again, he ordered -the exempt, who had still waited without, to carry the passport of Sir -Peter Apsley to one of his secretaries and bid him make a copy, -substituting the name of Edward Langdale for Peter Apsley. "And hark," -he continued; "bend down your ear." - -The man obeyed. Richelieu whispered to him for a moment or two, and the -exempt retired, closing the door. - -Still, Edward Langdale did not feel altogether at ease as to the fate of -Lucette. The smile upon the cardinal's lip when he proposed to "put in -the page and all" evidently marked the words as a jest; and Richelieu -now sat silent for several minutes, gazing upon the ground, as if still -somewhat undecided. - -At length he looked up. "Monsieur de Langdale," he said, pointing to the -leathern case, "that belongs to you. It shall be sent to your room. In -it you will find nine hundred and eighty crowns of gold, all told. -Moreover, you can take the letters: I trust to your honor as a gentleman -not to use them against the king's service. Your safe-conduct will be -here in a few minutes; but, before I sign it, I will put the sincerity -of yourself and this young lady to one more test." - -He paused, and looked at them both gravely for a moment, adding, "You -have given me to understand that you wish to unite your fates. You have -travelled so long together unrestrained, that, whether your families -consent or not, it is desirable, for the lady's sake, that there should -be a sacred bond between you. I now ask you both, are you willing to -plight your faith to each other at the altar?--now,--this very hour?" - -Edward's heart beat high, it must be owned, with joy, although there -were many other emotions in his bosom; and perhaps at that moment he -regretted the loss of property which was rightfully his, more than he -had ever done before. - -Lucette bent down her eyes with a face suffused with blushes; but, when -the cardinal again demanded, "What say you, Mademoiselle de Mirepoix?" -she took his hand and kissed it for her sole reply. - -"With joy, my lord," answered Edward. "But will our marriage--both under -age--be valid without the consent of relations?" - -Richelieu smiled. "Their consent you must obtain hereafter," he said; -"but, in the mean time, I will make your union so firm that no power on -earth or in hell can break it. By the power which the Church has given -me, I will sweep away all obstacles. But remember, sir, for the time you -separate at the altar. You may indeed convey Mademoiselle de Mirepoix -to either the Prince de Soubise or the Duc de Rohan,--not as your bride, -but with the same respect you assure me you have hitherto shown her. You -must promise me, as a gentleman, to return here, and confer with me, as -soon as you have seen the young lady safe under the protection of one of -her two cousins. Tell him--whichever it is--that in the peculiar -circumstances of the case the cardinal prime minister has judged it -imperatively necessary that you should be married, and has himself seen -the ceremony performed; that for two years you leave your bride with -him, but at the end of that time you will claim her and take her, and -that all my power shall be exerted to give her to you. He will find me -more difficult to frustrate than Madame de Chevreuse." - -"The gentlemen your Eminence was pleased to summon," said a servant at -the door; and the next moment a number of different persons entered the -room, amongst whom the only one known to Edward and Lucette was Monsieur -de Tronson. - -"Gentlemen, by your good leave, you are called as witnesses to a -marriage," said Richelieu. "You, Monsieur de Bleville, have the kindness -to take note in double of all the proceedings: there is paper. Go on to -the chapel: the almoner is there by this time: I will follow in an -instant. You will find two ladies there, I think. Tronson, stay with me -for a moment. Monsieur de la Force, you are of good years: give -Mademoiselle de Mirepoix your hand." - -The crowd passed out, carrying with them Edward and Lucette, both -feeling as if they were in a dream. Richelieu extended his hand gravely -to Monsieur de Tronson, saying, "You see, De Tronson, even I can -forgive." - -The secretary pressed his hand respectfully, saying, "Those you do -forgive, if they be generous and wise, will never offend again. But I -understand not this matter, your Eminence." - -"Not understand!" cried Richelieu, with a laugh. "Did I not say I would -punish them both?--not these two pretty children, for I do believe I -make them happy,--but the proud Duchesse de Chevreuse and the rebellious -Prince de Soubise. What will be in the heart of Marie de Rohan when she -hears that the heiress, on whose guardianship she had set her heart to -strengthen herself by her marriage into some powerful house, is already -married to a poor English gentleman? What will be in her heart, Tronson, -I say? Hell! hell! To Soubise--if he submits,--as submit he must--we can -make compensation. But there is much to be done, Tronson, and I must -leave it to you to do; for in an hour I must be on my way to Beauregard, -where I expect a visit from Monsieur this evening. First, these two -lovers must set out to-night for Niort. Let a coach well horsed be ready -for them. Then they must have some aged and prudent dame to bear them -company; and next, a good sure man must keep his eye on the lad till he -returns here, which will be in a day or two." - -"Then does your Eminence still suspect him?" asked De Tronson. - -"Suspect him? No, man, no: I know him!" answered Richelieu. "This is -Edward Langdale, page to my Lord Montagu,--a brave, bold, honest, clever -lad, who shall do me good service yet, without knowing it. He is going -to join his lord somewhere on the frontier, or in Lorraine or in Savoy, -doubtless with tidings from Buckingham,--though there be no letters from -the gaudy duke amongst those he carries. I like the lad, and, were it -possible to gain him--but that cannot be. Now, let us to the chapel. You -see to the rest; I have but time to dispose of Madame de Chevreuse's -fair ward, and make all so sure that she must fret in vain."[1] - -[Footnote 1: Some historians have fancied that there were feelings of -tenderness on the part of Richelieu toward the beautiful Marie de Rohan; -but it is only necessary to look into any of the memoirs of those times, -and to remember the character of the man, to see that Madame de -Chevreuse was incessantly employed in thwarting his plans, undervaluing -his genius, and even ridiculing his person; and that nothing but the -most bitter enmity could be excited on his part by such conduct.] - - - - -CHAPTER XIX. - - -The state of France at that time was curious, and worthy of a short -description. It shall be very short, reader, for I am aware how tiresome -such details are to three classes of people,--to those who know every -thing, to those who know nothing, and to those who want to "get on with -the story." But it will save us a world of trouble hereafter, and spare -us the use of that bad beast, Explanation, which is always trotting with -the wrong leg foremost. - -In England, the Wars of the Roses, the salutary severity of that great -king, Richard the Third, the avarice of his successor, the tyranny of -the eighth Henry and his two daughters, had swept away the exorbitant -power and privileges which the feudal system had conferred upon the high -nobility. But in France not even the wise rigor of some of her -kings--not even the sanguinary struggles of the League--had effected -nearly so much. Indeed, the termination of the wars of the League had -wellnigh undone what had previously been accomplished toward restricting -the inordinate independence of the nobles; for Henry IV., after having -conquered his enemies, was obliged to buy them, and to make concessions -which would have rendered the sceptre powerless in any hand less mighty -than his own. - -When the knife of Ravaillac placed Louis XIII. on the throne of France, -troubles of various kinds succeeded, which not only weakened the royal -authority but impoverished the kingdom; and at the moment when the -Cardinal de Richelieu laid his strong hand upon the reins of government, -the weak monarch, feeling his own incompetence, had fallen almost into a -state of despair from the troubles and dangers around him. But the words -of an author who wrote while despotism still existed theoretically in -France will give us a good picture of the ideas of the day, though we -may not coincide with him in his conclusions. - -"Louis," says the writer of whom I speak, "to excuse the timidity of his -council, did not fail to repeat the statements made to him every day -about the weakness of his kingdom, and to assert that by a firmer course -he would run the risk of bringing wars upon his hands which he could not -support. The prelate [Richelieu] overthrew all these objections, by -showing the young monarch the resources of France,--her immense -population, the bravery of her inhabitants, the fertility of her soil, -the abundance and variety of her productions, her beautiful forests, her -quarries, the riches of her mines,--above all, her wine and her salt, -gifts of Nature which other nations are obliged to come to her and ask -for; her rivers almost all navigable, so favorable to internal commerce; -her happy position between two seas, favorable to external; the strength -of her frontiers, defended by rivers and mountains, natural ramparts, or -by cities which a little art would render impregnable; in fine, the very -constitution of her government, which gave to a single man the power to -put all these resources in action by one word and in one instant. - -"Richelieu then proceeded to assert that the principal cause of the -depression of France amongst the nations was that she tolerated various -religions in her bosom, and doubtless he had determined to root out that -evil; but there was another which he clearly saw, but concealed from the -king, and against which he afterward waged a continual war, by art, by -arms, and by the axe: this was the independent power of the nobles, -which, in fact, gave all its strength to religious faction." - -In that day, every high noble had his city or his castle, which he did -not scruple, on slight pretexts, to garrison against his sovereign, and -very often resisted the royal troops with so much success as to force -the monarch to purchase his submission. Such was the case, but two or -three years before the time of which I write, with the Marquis de la -Force at Montauban; such the case with the Count de Coligni at Aigues -Mortes. A marshal's baton, a large sum of money, the government of a -province, the revenues of an abbey, were the reward of acts which -Richelieu resolved should in future be rewarded by exile or the axe. - -A report of the surprise of one of these feudal fortresses at this very -period gives a vivid picture not only of the state of France in a time -of profound peace, but of the strength of the castle itself. "They [the -citizens of Chateau Renard]," says Monsieur de Fougeret, in his -_Relation_, "obtained possession with the armed hand on the 27th May, -1621, at four o'clock in the afternoon, of the fortress called the -Castellet, which commanded their town, and in which the lords of -Chatillon had kept a garrison for the last twenty-five years. The walls -were four toises and a half in thickness; and there were within many -chambers, casemates, prisons, dungeons, cellars, a well, ovens, -hand-mills, battering-pieces, falconets, powder, ammunition of every -kind, and a private subterranean passage to come and go under cover all -about the said fortress, all terraced within." - -Instead of attempting to remedy this state of things, Louis had -recognised and acted upon the system which he had found in existence, -and about this time, in the case of Richelieu himself, not only -permitted him to maintain a guard of musketeers, but gave him the town -of Brouage "as a place of surety." - -To strike at the root of such a system of legalized rebellion at once -was impossible; but the cardinal had resolved to make his master, or his -master's minister, King of France in reality as well as in name, to curb -and humiliate the high nobility, and in the end to make them servants -instead of rulers of the state. To effect this, the first step was to -strike them with terror, and, although the name of Richelieu had already -become redoubtable to many, to make it a word of omen to all. The first -acts of a terrible tragedy arranged for that purpose were actually -passing before the eyes of the court at the time when Edward Langdale -arrived in Nantes. The Duke of Vendome, the governor of the province of -Bretagne, and his brother the Grand Prior of France, were both already -prisoners in the castle of Amboise,--a place full of the memories of -cruelty, treachery, and crime; and Marshal Ornano was in the prison of -Vincennes. Chalais--once a great favorite, and still Master of the Robes -to the King--was in the dungeons of Nantes, waiting trial and judgment -by an iniquitous and illegal tribunal. No victims could have been better -chosen for the gods whom Richelieu sought to propitiate: Vendome and the -Grand Prior were natural sons of Henry IV. and half-brothers of the -actual monarch. The one humbled himself completely before the minister, -and issued out of prison stripped of all his offices and property, and -reduced to the revenue of a simple and even needy gentleman. The Grand -Prior conceded nothing, confessed nothing, and died in prison. Ornano -also died a captive, exclaiming, almost with his last breath, "Ah, -cardinal, what power thou hast!" But the Count de Chalais was the choice -victim, reserved for the most conspicuous sacrifice. Of the high house -of Talleyrand-Perigord, grandson of the great and terrible Montluc, held -up to envy by the favor of the king and the high dignities to which he -seemed treading a rapid course, the news that he was arrested, thrown -into a solitary dungeon, forbidden communication with any one, to be -tried by a high commission, spread that air of fear and gloom over the -court and city which Edward Langdale had remarked on entering Nantes. No -one knew how far the conspiracy extended; no one knew who was next to -fall. All were aware, however, that the number of noble gentlemen and -ladies under suspicion was immense, and that the king's own brother -himself trembled at the consequences of his rash acts and purposes. A -pause of hope came in the midst of all these disquietudes. The -commission had sat once, presided over by Marillac, the lord-keeper; and -it began to be whispered that the prisoner had defended himself so well, -had cast so much suspicion upon the documents produced against him, and -had shown so clearly that the graver parts of the accusation were -utterly improbable and probably false, that even the fickle king, whose -affection he had long lost, expressed convictions in his favor. But that -same day, in the darkness of the night, Richelieu's chamber was left -vacant; that same night a muffled cavalier passed Edward Langdale and -descended to the dungeons; that same night the jailer gave the stranger -admission to the cell of the unhappy Count de Chalais; and that same -night the king was roused to receive the cardinal, bearing him -important intelligence. - -Previous to that hour, Richelieu had been restless, imperious, anxious, -irritable: the first proceedings of the commissioners had brought him, -evidently, any thing but satisfaction; but a strange change came over -him in a few hours. When De Tronson visited him on the morning of the -day succeeding his mysterious interview with the prisoner Chalais, he -found him calm, placable, even sportive. The mind was evidently at ease: -he had slept, he said, like a child: some great object was -accomplished,--some mighty triumph gained,--some move on the wide -chess-board made which insured the game. There had been a moment of -apprehension, a moment of danger: if he failed against Chalais, the -fabric of his power, the cement of which was hardly dry, would tumble -about his ears. But Richelieu was not destined to fail. He had taken the -necessary course, however terrible, however unusual, however strange; -and now he could not only repose in peace, but he could be as playful as -his cat. - -The cardinal's equipage had been ordered for his beautiful house of -Beauregard, not far from the walls of Nantes, at one o'clock; and he set -out for that place at the exact hour. Shortly after he was gone, the -Duke of Anjou applied to see him at his usual apartments in the castle. -The air of the king's brother was somewhat troubled,--not greatly, for -he thought he had assured himself that the rumor of Chalais having made -some unexpected confession was false. The duke was, as all the world -knew, timid and feeble, and less personally brave than his brother; and -the very first reports of a confession made by Chalais, which he feared -might compromise himself, had induced him to see the king and ask his -permission to go for a few days to the sea-side to recover his health. -Louis, with his habitual hypocrisy, caressed his brother, whom he hated, -but told him he must apply to the cardinal for the permission he -required. The manner of the king was so gentle and so smooth that Gaston -of Anjou was quite deceived. He mounted his horse within the hour, and, -followed by a gay and brilliant company, rode out for Beauregard. -Richelieu had watched his coming from the window, and met him at the -top of the great stairs. He conducted the prince into his private -cabinet, and then begged him to be seated, himself standing in the -presence of his sovereign's brother. - -"Monsieur le Cardinal, I am anxious to go to the sea-side for a short -time," said Gaston, "and my brother has no objection; but he requires -first that I shall obtain your consent." - -"How does your royal Highness propose to travel?" asked the minister. - -"Oh, quite simply," replied the prince; "in fact, _incognito_." - -"Would it not be better for your Highness to wait," said Richelieu, "at -least, till your marriage with Mademoiselle de Montpensier has taken -place? Then you can travel as a prince." - -That marriage had been the central point of all the plots and intrigues -of the court for months. Richelieu, knowing the volatile and intriguing -spirit of the prince, as well as his wild ambition, had determined that -Gaston should wed a French gentlewoman, whatever wealth she might bring -him, rather than a princess who would insure to him the dangerous -support of foreign aid. Chalais and his party had opposed such a union; -Gaston had joined them; and round this simple opposition, Richelieu had -woven a web of mingled facts and falsehoods which was of a far stronger -texture than the young duke fancied at that moment. - -"If I wait till I am married to Mademoiselle de Montpensier," said the -Duc d'Anjou, "I shall not get to the sea-side this summer, at least." - -"Why so?" asked the cardinal. "Why cannot the marriage take place in a -few days?" - -"I do not feel well," said the prince, who did not venture to say he -would not conclude the marriage at all: "I am ill, and would rather -regain my health before I marry. The sea-air will do me good." - -The serpent-smile came upon Richelieu's lips again. "Oh, I have a -prescription," he said, "which will cure the malady of your Highness -very rapidly." - -"How soon?" asked the prince, in a hesitating tone, not liking that -smile, which he had seen before. - -"In ten minutes," answered Richelieu, "for it cannot take long to act." -And, opening his portfolio, he took forth a paper all written in a hand -which Gaston knew too well. There, before his eyes, all apparently in -the writing of the unhappy Chalais, was a confession of a treasonable -conspiracy against the king and the state, in which he himself, Gaston -of Anjou, and the young Queen Anne of Austria, were implicated by name. -How much was really written by Chalais, how much had been added by the -cardinal's skilful secretaries, has never been known; but Gaston was -conscious that he was lost if he did not make his peace. After a moment -of stupefied astonishment, he agreed to the proposed marriage,--agreed -that it should take place immediately; but then, remembering his high -position as brother of the reigning monarch and heir-presumptive to the -throne, he began to make conditions,--demanded some security for the -life, at least, of his friend and partisan Chalais. - -But the terrible words which had long been hanging on the cardinal's -lips were spoken at last, when the prince proposed some stipulations. -"Perhaps," he said, "in the position in which your Highness now stands, -it would be better to content yourself with the promise of your own life -and liberty." - -The young duke stood like one stupefied. The audacious idea that he--he, -Gaston of Anjou--might possibly be brought to trial, condemned, -executed, or sentenced to perpetual imprisonment, was spoken with calm -civility, with courtly reverence for his high rank, but in a tone so -cold, so grave, so determined, as to show that it was not unfamiliar to -him who uttered it. A vague impression of the character of the man with -whom he had to do--no definite perception, no clear insight into his -character, but a sort of instinct, which seemed given to him on a sudden -for his preservation--took possession of Gaston of Anjou. He yielded at -once and entirely. A faint, hypocritical effort in favor of the unhappy -Chalais, which Richelieu well knew how to parry with soft words and -half-promises, was all that the selfish prince ventured to attempt. -Toward himself, however, the minister showed himself unbounded in -liberality. Dukedoms, Government posts to the amount of a million of -revenue, were promised and given on the marriage of Monsieur with -Mademoiselle de Montpensier; and the contract was sealed with the blood -of Chalais. It was a part of Richelieu's system. - -Vialart, Bishop of Avranches, a contemporary, remarks that the great -minister was accustomed, in dealing with those nobles who had any real -pretensions, to grant them even more than they could rightly claim; but, -if they showed themselves insensible to such conduct, from that moment -he had no mercy on them. It was a part of his system, also, to teach one -to betray another. The weaknesses of the men with whom he had to do -served him as much as their strength. - -The art of fathoming the characters of those who surround us, and the -science of applying their strong qualities against our enemies and using -their weaknesses against themselves, is the great secret of ambition. By -it, every usurper has risen to power; by it, most have maintained -themselves in authority; and when they have fallen, it has been more -frequently by a mistake in the character of others than by want of force -in their own. It may seem a Machiavelian axiom; but, had I the wisdom of -the great Florentine, I should not be at all ashamed of being compared, -even in one short passage, to that wise, virtuous, much-misunderstood -man. The axiom, however, applies as closely to nations as to -individuals. It resolves itself simply into this:--Who knows a nation -best will rule that nation best. We have a thousand illustrations of the -fact; and Richelieu certainly knew the French nation--that is to say -when speaking of those times--knew the nobility, as well as man could -know them,--in the mass, and individually; and, whenever it suited his -purpose to be stern, he knew no pity, showed no compassion; whenever -there was no object in severity, he was kind, or gentle, or sportive. - -The well-known anecdote of Boisrobert and Mademoiselle de Gournay, when -the former induced Richelieu to bestow upon the good old poetess, first -a pension of a hundred crowns for herself, then a pension of fifty -crowns for her chambermaid, then a pension of twenty crowns for her cat, -and, lastly, a pistole for each of the cat's kittens, shows to what -extent his good-humor could be carried. On the other hand, the fate of -Chalais, Montmorency, Cinq Mars, De Thou, Marillac, and a host of -others, gives fearful evidence of his relentless vengeance. At the -period of which I write, however, the harsher points of his character -had not fully developed themselves: perhaps they were not fully formed; -for the minister whom we see represented on the stage, at this very -period of his history, as an old and almost decrepit man struggling with -an imaginary conspiracy, was really only forty-two years of age, and -vigorous in body as in intellect.[2] - -[Footnote 2: In the beautiful play of Richelieu, by Sir Edward Lytton, -Richelieu is always dressed and represented, both on the English and -American stage, as a very old and feeble man. The period of Richelieu's -life is marked in the play by the introduction of Baradas. Now, Baradas -succeeded Chalais in the favor of Louis XIII., and was exiled within the -year. His fall from high favor and great wealth to his original -obscurity and actual poverty was caused by no crime or conspiracy on his -part, but merely by his rudeness and imprudence.] - - - - -CHAPTER XX. - - -The marriage-ceremony of Edward Langdale and Lucette de Mirepoix du -Valais was over. Act was taken, as it was then sometimes called, of the -fact, signed by the bride and bridegroom and by all present; and -Richelieu's own name stood first in the list of witnesses. - -Every one well knows that in those days clandestine marriages took place -frequently between persons very young, and also that the omnipotent -power of the Romish Church was not uncommonly called in to dissolve a -rite which the Church itself pronounced a sacrament. But the presence of -Richelieu as prelate, cardinal, and prime minister was enough to secure -the union of Edward and Lucette against any machinations of unconsenting -friends in the courts, either civil or ecclesiastical. But the great -minister left nothing undone to prevent the possibility of such a -result: not a word was omitted which could render the ceremony binding; -and Spada, the pope's nuncio, himself, was easily induced to give his -formal sanction to an act which recognised to a certain degree the -authority of the Romish Church and struck a heavy blow at one of the -greatest Protestant leaders. - -But a few words were spoken by the cardinal to the young bridegroom -after the marriage; but they seemed to be important; for, though they -were for the most part uttered in a whisper, all those who were still -around heard the question, "Do you promise me, upon your honor as a -gentleman?" and Edward's reply, "I do, most solemnly." - -"Now, De Tronson," said the cardinal, "give our young friends an hour or -two to compose their minds after so much agitation, and then forward -them, as I directed, to wherever they may find the Prince de Soubise or -his brother." - -In five minutes after Lucette was left alone with her young husband, his -arms were thrown around her, and her blushing face and tearful eyes were -hidden on his bosom. - -"Have we done right, Edward?" she said, after some pause. - -"It was the only thing left for us to do, my love," he answered, kissing -her tenderly. "And yet, Lucette, I fear it may not be so much for our -happiness as it would seem. I foresee that your great relations will -make every effort to annul our marriage or to keep us forever separate." - -"That they shall never do, my love,--my husband," said Lucette, warmly: -"they may separate us now; doubtless they will: but the time must come -when I shall be my own mistress; and whenever that time does come, and -you desire it, I will go to join you anywhere,--as, indeed, I am in duty -bound to do." - -"Then, my own dear girl," said the youth, "this marriage is not a forced -union on your part, but as full of love and willingness as on mine? Oh, -speak, Lucette!" - -"Can you doubt it, Edward?" she answered. "I only feared for a moment -that our own feelings might have led us to seize upon the cardinal's -proposal too eagerly for our duty and respect toward others; but, on -reflection, I think we could not avoid it. It was our only chance of -safety." - -"I think so too," answered her young husband. "But yet it is almost -cruel of the cardinal not to have carried his kindness one step further, -and suffered me to take you with me, as my wife, wherever fate may lead -me. But yet, dear girl, perhaps he was wise. We are both too young." - -"But, if we are too young, is this marriage binding? Can they not break -it?" asked Lucette, with a look of apprehension which was of very sweet -assurance to Edward Langdale. - -"Oh, no," he replied: "the cardinal made sure of that. I could see he -took especial pains at every point of the ceremony, that there might not -be a flaw now nor a quibble hereafter. Did you not remark how he -corrected two words in the act with his own hand? They cannot break it, -Lucette,--except, perhaps, with your consent." - -"That they shall never have," replied Lucette. "Oh, Edward, let us both -swear to each other never to consent that this contract shall be broken -between us. Let us do it solemnly; let us go down upon our knees before -the God who sees all hearts, and be married again by our own holy -promises." - -As she spoke, she knelt, holding the youth's hand in hers, and, carried -away by her simple love, he knelt beside her; and, with the confidence -of early youth, they repeated the vows of everlasting faith to each -other, and solemnly promised never to consent to a dissolution of their -union, but each to seek the other at the first call. - -Had Lucette known more of the world and worldly things, had her heart or -her thoughts been less pure and spotless, Edward might have had a -difficult task that day; for the cardinal had bound him by a promise -similar to the injunction which the King of the Genii imposed upon -Prince Zeyn Alasnum in the book which has enchanted all young and -imaginative brains. But her innocence saved him from all suspicion of -coldness; and the very undisguised love with which she rested on his -bosom or received his kisses--warmer though not more affectionate than -her own--spared all explanation, and gave to hope all the coloring of -joy. - -But they had much else to discuss,--how to communicate with each other -when they were separated, how they were to act toward the Prince de -Soubise when they found him, what they were to tell and what they were -to conceal. Just let the reader sit down and fancy all that could and -might be said by two people who had passed through so much during the -last few hours, who had so much to pass through still, who were so -strangely situated, who knew so little of each other and yet who loved -each other so well, and his imagination will supply much more of their -conversation than I am skilled to tell. That conversation lasted long. -One hour went away after another: they were left totally alone; (and for -that, too, Richelieu had his reasons;) and two o'clock had passed ere -any one disturbed them. Then a servant came to announce to them that -their mid-day meal was served in an adjoining chamber, and they -proceeded thither, with feelings very strange:--happy, and yet not -fully; composed, in comparison with their feelings not many hours -before, yet agitated; with warm hope for the future, but many a -bewildering doubt and some apprehension. - -But the first sight that presented itself on entering the little hall -where their dinner was served gave matter for fresh thought to Edward. -As to Lucette, her thoughts had employment enough: she was married; she -was a wife, and one act of the life-drama of a woman was over: the -curtain was down for the time. - -But there, on two sides of the table, each behind a chair, appeared -Pierrot la Grange and Jacques Beaupre; and Edward's dinner was rendered -tedious by his anxiety to learn from the latter the particulars of his -escape near Mauze and all that followed. While the court laquais was in -the room, of course nothing could be said; but the man soon delivered -the party from his presence, retiring as soon as the dinner--which was -somewhat meagre--was over and the dessert placed upon the table. Pierrot -had, indeed, before the man left the room, boldly apologized to his -young master for not returning to him that morning, saying plainly that -he had been stopped by the servants of the chateau. "I hear, however," -he added, with a smile and a reverence, "that all has ended happily; and -I beg humbly to offer my congratulations to monsieur and madame." -Jacques, in his grave way, and the laquais, with courtly fluency, added -their compliments upon the occasion; and Edward felt his scanty purse -under tax. - -"And now, Jacques," he said, as soon as they were free from the presence -of the stranger, "tell me, as quickly and succinctly as possible, what -has occurred since we last met." - -"Why, sir, what happened to me can be little to you," answered the man: -"suffice it I got through a small hole in the lines when my young lady -stuck in a large one. I reached the Chateau of Mauze easily, bags and -all, and, as you had ordered, went straight to the Prince de Soubise. I -found the whole party there ready to break up, for the Papists were -getting too many for them in the neighborhood,--the prince and duke -having but three hundred men with them, while the enemy had three -thousand round about. Monsieur de Soubise roared like a cow that has -lost her calf when he heard that you and Pierrot were in all likelihood -captured, and still worse when he learned that mademoiselle was -certainly in the hands of the enemy; but the bags seemed a great -consolation to him, and he plunged into them for refreshment as a tired -man does into a cool river. He took out all the letters and papers, and -fingered the gold and counted it; and then he read a letter which had -his own name on it, and looked at all the rest one by one. Some he put -aside, and the others he returned to the bag again with the money, and -he and Monsieur de Rohan, with two or three others, went into the window -and talked together for full half an hour. At the end of that time they -came back and opened the other bag; but they seemed to have no great -love for a frippery; for, finding there was nothing in it but purfled -shirts and laced collars and some suits of clothes, they soon shut it up -again, and then told me I must come with them, for Mauze was likely to -be turned into a rat-trap. As I had found by this time there was very -little cheese in the trap, I was as glad as any one to get out, and we -travelled for two days, having a brush now and then with the king's -soldiers. Sometimes we had a little the better and sometimes a little -the worse; but we contrived to get through all in the end, and we also -made three prisoners. From them Monsieur le Prince learned that you had -been sent to Nantes and that mademoiselle had been sent after you; and -thereupon he proposed to me to follow you, taking with me your money and -such letters as he said could do no harm. I was to inquire for you -diligently but quietly; and his Highness told me of several places in -the town where I certainly should find friends, and perhaps information. -Well, sir, I made my conditions, as all wise men do. I stipulated for a -good horse, and for leave to go round by Meile and St. Maixens, (for we -were by this time at a good farm hard by St. Jean,) and for money enough -to carry me there and bring me back, and a little to spare. All this was -granted, and I set out. But in one of the places where I was certain to -find friends in Nantes, the good folks were so very friendly that they -thought I should be better lodged and fed in the chateau, and therefore -let his blessed Majesty or some of his people know that I was in the -city inquiring for one Sir Peter Apsley, who was soon to arrive. -Thereupon I was brought up here with my bag by two archers and an -exempt; and here have I been entertained at the royal expense ever -since." - -"But you have not been a prisoner?" asked Edward. "Pierrot told me you -were at liberty." - -"You have seen a mouse just after a cat has caught it, sir?" said the -man. "I was just in that state. I underwent a good mumbling in the shape -of an examination when first I came, and then I was told I was set free -because Sir Peter Apsley was under the cardinal's particular protection; -but, whenever I tried to go a hundred yards, pat came a paw upon me; and -I fully made up my mind that, like poor madame mouse, I was only to be -played with till I was eaten up. But at length I heard you were here; -and last night I was chewed up in another examination; but I always took -refuge in utter ignorance. I only knew that you had arrived at Rochelle -in a merchant-ship,--not in Lord Denbigh's fleet, for that they asked me -particularly; that, you and I being both anxious to get out of that -God-forgotten place, I had taken service with you, as you wanted another -man, having but one attendant and a page; that you were neither very -tall nor very short, neither very brown nor very fair; that you spoke -some French, but more English, looked for a beard with good hope, and -were altogether a personable young gentleman about nineteen." - -"You did me more than justice, Jacques," replied Edward. "However, you -have acted well and discreetly; and I trust all present danger has -passed away." - -"Ah, sir," replied the man, "danger is always present. Neither you nor I -can tell that twelve hours ago you were in greater peril than you are at -this moment." - -"Good Heaven! what does he mean, Edward?" exclaimed Lucette, turning -pale. "What new peril does he speak of?" - -"None, madame, in particular," replied Jacques Beaupre. "My father was -killed by the fall of a beam on the celebration of his wedding-day. My -uncle served under King Henry the Fourth, and fought in ten battles, but -died from running a nail into his foot. My eldest brother was a sailor, -and saw many a storm, but was drowned while bathing in the Sevre -Niortaise; and by the time that I was twenty I had learned that in this -world there is no such thing as danger, no such thing as security, and -that the only way to be happy is to be ready at all times and fearful at -none." - -"A good philosophy, upon my word," said Edward. "But now our thought -must be, where we can find Monsieur de Soubise." - -"You might as well try to ride in a carriage after a hawk," answered -Jacques: "he is here and there and everywhere in a day. But Monsieur de -Rohan you will find more easily. He is probably at St. Martin des -Rivieres, the little castle which, just in the fork of the two rivers, -can be defended by a handful against an army." - -"There, then, we must go," said Edward. "But it is strange, dear -Lucette, that we have seen no one for the last three hours. I thought -Monsieur de Tronson said he would rejoin us." - -Edward little knew the multitude of events which were passing within the -sombre walls of that chateau,--some great, some small, but all tending -more or less to the promotion of those mighty results which were now -marching on in France, all full of deep personal concern to the various -personages around him, and amongst which the fate of himself and his -Lucette was but as a petty interlude, which could excite nothing but a -transient feeling of interest or amusement. - -Half an hour more went by; and then was heard the sound of many feet -passing along through some chamber near. At the end of above five -minutes the door opened, and Monsieur de Tronson led in an elderly lady -habited as if for a journey. - -"Madame de Langdale," said the secretary of the cabinet, addressing -Lucette, "Madame de Lagny, with whom you passed last night, will have -the pleasure of accompanying you and Monsieur de Langdale on your -journey. The carriage has been ready for an hour; but, the council -having sat later than usual, I could not leave my post. Monsieur will do -me the honor of accompanying me to his chamber below, where I will put -him in possession of his money and his safe-conduct, together with his -baggage, while you prepare for travelling, which, as it is, must, I -fear, be protracted into the night." - -Edward followed him down several flights of steps, conversing with him, -as he went, upon the arrangements for their journey, telling him that he -feared from his servant's information they would be obliged to proceed -beyond Niort to St. Martin des Rivieres, and that, consequently, at -least two days more than he had calculated upon must pass ere he could -fulfil the promise he had given to return. - -But De Tronson seemed thoughtful and absent; for, in truth, he had just -come from a painful scene;[3] and, although he heard, and answered all -his young companion said, it was by an effort, and evidently without -interest. - -All the arrangements were soon made, however. Edward's property was -restored to him; the tradesmen he and Lucette had employed were paid; -and then the secretary led him to the little court, where stood one of -the large clumsy carriages of the day with four tall horses. A stout man -on horseback was also there, holding by the rein the horse which Jacques -Beaupre had ridden to Nantes, and, as no beast had been provided for -Pierrot, he mounted beside the coachman. Lucette and her companion were -already in the vehicle, and, with a kind adieu from M. de Tronson, -Edward took his place beside them, and the vehicle rolled on. - -[Footnote 3: The second examination of the unhappy Chalais, -perhaps,--perhaps the lamentable scene of Anne of Austria's appearance -before the council. It does not seem that De Tronson was particularly -intimate with the Count de Chalais during his prosperity; but he -certainly spoke in his favor to the king after his arrest, and painted -in strong colors the danger of marrying Gaston to the rich heiress of -Montpensier, whose revenues would in time make the heir-presumptive more -wealthy than the monarch. Indeed, to many it has seemed that in this -marriage Richelieu made the most dangerous error of his life. De Tronson -seems to have been an amiable man and a man of talent, who somewhat -feared Richelieu and courted him as much as honor and honesty would -permit. But he soon disappears from the political stage; and his -ultimate fate I do not know.] - - - - -CHAPTER XXI. - - -It was a beautiful evening in July, the sky flecked with light clouds -just beginning to look a little rosy with a consciousness that Phoebus -was going to bed. They cannot get over that modest habit; for, although -they have seen the god strip himself of his garmenture of rays and -retire to rest every day for--on a very moderate calculation--six or -seven thousand years, they will blush now and then when they see him -entering his pavilion of repose and ready to throw off his mantle. There -is much pudency about clouds. All other things get brazen and hardened -by custom, but clouds blush still. - -It was a beautiful evening in July when the carriage which contained -Lucette, Edward, and Madame de Lagny arrived in sight of the chateau of -St. Martin des Rivieres; but, when they did come in sight, how to get at -it became a question of some difficulty. There, on a little mound, stood -the building,--not large, but apparently very massive and well -fortified,--within a hundred yards of the confluence of two deep and -rapid rivers, the passage of each commanded by the guns on the ramparts -and on the keep. No bridge, no boat, was to be seen, and for some time -the party of visitors made various signals to the dwellers in the -chateau; but it was all in vain, and at length Edward Langdale resolved -to mount the good strong horse of Jacques Beaupre and swim the nearest -stream. - -Educated in a city, it was not without terror and a sweet, low -remonstrance that Lucette saw her young husband undertake and perform a -feat she had never seen attempted before; but Edward, though borne with -his horse a good way down the stream by the force of the water, reached -the other side in safety, and his companions could see him ride to the -drawbridge and enter the castle. - -During some twenty minutes nothing further could be descried; and then, -at a point where one of the outworks came down to the river, what I -think was called in those days a water-gate was opened, and a boat shot -out with two strong rowers. - -Edward Langdale himself did not appear; but one of the boatmen walked up -to the carriage and informed the ladies that his lord, the Duc de Rohan, -would be happy to receive them in the chateau, but that the carriage and -the men must remain on that side of the river, as the boat could only -contain four persons and none other could be had. - -"Ah, that is the reason Monsieur de Langdale did not return for us," -said Madame de Lagny, with whom Edward had become a great favorite. "I -was sure he had too much politeness to send servants for his lady if he -could come himself." - -A few minutes passed in placing Lucette's little wardrobe in the boat, -and then, with a heart somewhat faint and sad, she followed Madame de -Lagny to the water-side, remembering but too acutely that on the -opposite bank she was to be received by persons who, however near akin, -were but strangers to her, and there, too, very soon to part from him -whom she was not now ashamed to own to herself she loved better than any -one on earth. - -The boat shot off from the shore, and though carried so far down by the -force of the current that the water-gate could not be reached, yet after -some hard pulling the shore was gained, and the two ladies turned toward -the drawbridge over which they had seen Edward Langdale pass. Madame de -Lagny looked toward the great gate, but the young husband did not -appear. In his place, however, was seen a stout middle-aged man, with -hair somewhat silvered, and his breast covered by a plain corslet of -steel. There were two or three other persons a step farther under the -arch; and Madame de Lagny whispered, "That must be the duke himself. But -where can Monsieur Edward be?" - -Lucette's heart was asking her the same question; but by this time the -Duc de Rohan was advancing to meet her and her companion, and in a -moment more he was near enough to take Madame de Lagny's hand and raise -it courteously to his lips. - -"You have come to a rude place, madame," he said, "and among somewhat -rude men; but we must do what we can to make your stay tolerable." - -"Oh, my lord duke," replied the lady, with a courtly inclination of the -head, "I must away as soon as possible. I am expected back at the court -directly. But where is Monsieur de Langdale? I do not see him." - -"He is in the chateau, madame," replied the duke; "but he has been -telling me so strange a tale that I have judged it best, before he and -this--["girl," he was in the act of saying; but he checked himself, and -substituted the words "young lady"]--before he and this young lady meet -again, to have from her lips and from yours what are the facts of the -case. Pray, let us go in." - -"The facts of the case are very simple, my lord," replied the old lady, -with some stiffness. "Monsieur de Langdale is the husband of this young -lady, formerly Mademoiselle de Mirepoix, whom you do not seem to -recognise, my lord duke, though she is your near of kin. He married her -in the presence of the cardinal and the whole court." - -"More impudent varlet he!" exclaimed the duke, angrily. "And you, -mademoiselle,--what have you to say to all this fine affair? Why, you -are a mere child! This marriage can never stand!--without any one's -consent! It is a folly!" - -"Not at all, duke," said Madame de Lagny. "Pray, recollect, sir, that -Madame de Rambouillet was married at twelve,--I myself at sixteen. -Madame is nearly fifteen, she tells me; and, as to the marriage not -standing, you will find yourself much mistaken. The man who made it is -not one to leave any thing he undertakes incomplete, as you will -discover. They are as firmly married as any couple in the land, and that -with the full authority of the king, which in this realm of France -supersedes the necessity for any other consent whatever. She is a ward -of the crown, sir; and her father having died in rebellion is no bar to -the rights of the monarch." - -"Madame, I beseech you, use softer words," said the duke, in a calmer -tone. "My good cousin De Mirepoix died in defence of his religion, -without one thought of rebellion, and really in the service of his -Majesty, whose plighted word had been violated not by himself, but by -bad ministers who usurped his name. Make room, gentlemen. This way, -madame. We shall find in this hall a more private place for our -conference." - -So saying, he led the way into the large room in the lower story of the -keep, and there begged Madame de Lagny to be seated. Lucette he took by -the arm and gazed into her face for a moment, saying,-- - -"Yes; she is very like. Here, take this stool, child: we have no -fauteuils here. Now, answer my question. What had you to do with this -marriage? Did it take place at his request or yours?" - -Lucette's heart had at first sunk with alarm and disappointment at the -harsh reception she had received, having little idea what a -chattel--what a mere piece of goods--a rich orphan relation was looked -upon amongst most of the noble families of France. But the very -harshness which had terrified her at first at length roused her spirit; -and, though she colored highly, she replied, in a firm tone, "At neither -his request nor mine, my lord." - -"Ah! good!" cried the duke. "Then neither of you consented? The marriage -of course----" - -"We did both consent," said Lucette, interposing. "Did he not tell you -the circumstances? Did he not give you the cardinal's message?" - -"He told me a good deal, and he said something about the Eminence; but, -by my faith, I was so heated by the tale that I did not much attend to -the particulars. Let me hear your story, mademoiselle. What did the -cardinal say?" - -"My lord, we had been stopped near Mauze by some of the royal officers, -and sent on under guard toward Nantes----" - -"Oh, I know all about that," interrupted the duke. "What have you been -doing since? I trust, not masquerading about Nantes dressed up as a -page; though, by my faith, ladies are now getting so fond of men's -clothes that they will soon leave us none to wear ourselves. Why, there -was my good cousin De Chevreuse, with her young daughter, rode across -the country, both in cavaliers' habits, and, finding no other _gite_, -stayed all night with the good simple cure of the parish, who never -found out they were women till they were gone. Well, where have you -been, and what have you been doing, since that affair at Mauze?" - -"The Abbey de Moreilles was burned by lightning, my lord," replied -Lucette, whose cheek had not lost any part of its red from De Rohan's -language. "We escaped into the Marais, where I was taken ill of the -fever common there. As soon as I could travel, we went direct to Nantes, -intending to come round at once and seek for Monsieur de Soubise. In -consequence of his having sent a man with some of my husband's baggage -to that city, we were discovered and arrested." - -"Your husband, little child?" exclaimed the duke. "But go on; go on. -What happened next?" - -"I was separated from Edward, who had treated me with the kindness of a -brother," said Lucette. - -"Ay, I dare say," again interrupted De Rohan;--"with something more than -the kindness of a brother." - -"For shame, Monsieur le Duc!" said Madame de Lagny, sharply. "You said -very truly just now that we had come to a rude place and amongst rude -men. If the cardinal had known what sort of reception this poor lady -would meet with, I am sure he would have followed the course Monsieur de -Tronson hinted at and given her up to Madame de Chevreuse. There at -least she would have been treated with respect and kindness." - -At the mere name of Madame de Chevreuse the duke's countenance changed. -Without knowing it, good old Madame de Lagny had touched a chord which -was sure to vibrate in the heart of any of the Rohan Rohans as soon as -one of the Rohan Montbazons was mentioned; and after a moment's pause -the prince answered, with a very much less excited air, "His Eminence -acted courteously and well in not giving up my fair young cousin to a -lady who has no right to her guardianship, who was her father's enemy, -whose conduct is not fit for the eyes of a young girl even to witness. -But tell me, mademoiselle, what was the message his Eminence sent to my -brother to account for his conduct in bestowing--in attempting to -bestow--your hand upon an unknown English lad, who may be of good family -or may not, but who is no match for any one of the name of Rohan?" - -"He said, sir," answered Lucette, "that we were to tell you or the -Prince de Soubise, whichever we might find, that, under the peculiar -circumstances of the case,--by which, I presume, he meant our having -travelled so long together,--the cardinal prime minister had judged it -imperatively necessary we should be married, and had himself seen the -ceremony performed; that for two years Edward should leave me with you, -but that at the end of that time he should claim me and take me, and -that all his Eminence's power should be exerted to give me to him. He -added, in a lower tone, 'They will find me more difficult to frustrate -than Madame de Chevreuse.'" - -"That is true, as I live!" said the duke. "But yet this is hard. Why, -girl, it will drive my brother Soubise quite mad,--if he be not mad -already, as I sometimes think he is." - -"His madness will not serve him much against the cardinal," said Madame -de Lagny, dryly. "But, my lord, we must bring this discussion to an end, -for it is growing dark, and I and Monsieur de Langdale must be treading -our way back to Nantes. He is but, as it were, a prisoner upon parole; -and I promised my cousin De Tronson I would make no delay." - -"Madame, in all the agitation and annoyance this affair has cost me," -said Rohan, "I have somewhat, I am afraid, forgotten courtesy. I ordered -refreshments for you, indeed, as soon as I heard of your coming; but I -did not remember to ask you to partake of them. They will be here in a -moment." - -"We can hardly stay," said the old lady. "But I beg, sir, you would let -Monsieur Edouard be called, both to accompany me and to take leave of -his wife." - -The duke bit his lips; but after a moment's thought he answered, "Pray, -madame, take some refreshment. As to this lad, he may come and wish her -good-bye; but no private interview, if you please!" - -The old marquise was a good deal offended at all that had passed, and it -was not without satisfaction she replied, "Oh, I dare say they have said -all to each other they want to say, Monsieur le Duc. They have had -private interviews enough since their marriage to make all their -arrangements. Is it not so, dear Lucette?" - -But Lucette was weeping, and De Rohan, with a cloudy brow, quitted the -room. - -In a few moments some refreshments were brought in and placed upon the -table, and the duke appeared, accompanied by Edward Langdale. The -youth's look was serious, and even angry, but that of De Rohan a good -deal more calm. "Sit down, monsieur, and take some food," said the -latter as they entered; but Edward answered at once, "I neither eat nor -drink in your house, sir. I did you and your family what service I -could, honestly and faithfully; and--because, under force I could not -resist, and to save myself and your fair cousin from a fate which you -would not have wished to fall upon her nor I wish to encounter for -myself, I yielded to a measure which God and she know I never proposed -when it was fully in our power--you treat me with indignity. You much -mistake English gentlemen, sir, if you suppose that such conduct can be -forgotten in a few short minutes." - -"By the Lord!" said De Rohan, with a laugh, "it is well you did not -meet with Soubise; for you might have had his dagger in you for half -what you have said." - -"Or mine in him, if he had insulted me further," answered Edward, -walking toward Lucette and taking her hand. - -"A pretty bold gallant," said the duke, with a smile. "Madame de Lagny, -I pray you, do more honor to my poor house than your young friend." - -Now, it must be confessed, the good old lady was hungry; and hunger is -an overruling passion. The duke helped her to food and wine, and then, -having done what second thoughts had shown him was only courteous to a -lady, he turned, under the influence of the same better thoughts, toward -Edward, who was still talking in a whisper to Lucette, while she, on her -part, could hardly answer a word for weeping. - -"Young gentleman," said De Rohan, holding out his hand, "do not let us -part bad friends. Remember, first, that if there be any validity in this -marriage it is always better to keep well with a wife's relatives; and, -secondly, that one of my house, above all others, may well feel -mortified and enraged at an alliance which under no circumstances we -could have desired or sanctioned. Recollect our family motto,--'_Roi ne -puis; prince ne daigne: Rohan je suis_;' and pride is not so bad a thing -as you may think it now. If it be pride of a right kind, it keeps a man -from a world of meannesses. As to this young lady, I will take care of -her, and, now that my first fit of passion is past, will treat her -kindly. Be sure of that, Lucette; for I have even got a notion, by some -bad experience, that a portion of love is no evil in the cup of -matrimony. However, the question of this marriage must be a matter of -consultation between my brother Soubise and myself, and the lawyers too; -for I will not conceal from either of you that Soubise, who has more to -do with the business than I have, will break it if he can." - -Edward took the proffered hand; but he only replied, "His Eminence the -cardinal said that he had made it so fast there was no power on earth or -in hell to break it. But that must be determined hereafter, my lord -duke. At the end of two years I will claim my wife. In the mean time, -where is Monsieur de Soubise?" - -"Go not near him! go not near him!" said De Rohan. "By my honor, there -would be bloodshed soon! He is at Blavet, I fancy, now, on his way to -England; but I will write to him this night, and, if possible, you shall -have his answer at Nantes. You must not expect any thing very favorable -to your pretensions; but, whatever it is, it shall be sent." - -"My lord, if I might ask one favor, I would do it," said Edward. "It is -this. From what you have yourself said, and from what others have told -me, I infer that Monsieur de Soubise is of no very placable nor -temperate disposition. He himself has had some share in producing both -what you look upon as a misfortune and what had nearly proved the -destruction of Lucette and myself, by sending--with very good -intentions, doubtless, but I think very unadvisedly--letters and other -matters to the very residence of the court, which betrayed our coming to -his Eminence the cardinal. Had that not been done, we should in all -probability have passed without question, and I should have been able to -restore this dear girl to her relations as Mademoiselle de Mirepoix. As -it is, my wife she is and must remain; but I would rather that she was -under your care than that of the prince, for she has this evening -suffered too much for an event, which she could not avoid without -dooming herself and me to destruction; and I would fain that the same or -perhaps more should not be inflicted upon her from another quarter. -Lucette will explain to you much that I have not time to tell, for I see -Madame de Lagny has risen, and it is growing so dark that I fear we must -depart." - -"I can promise nothing," said the duke, "but that I will do my best." - -Thus saying, he turned toward Madame de Lagny, who by this time had some -lights on the table before her, and addressed to her all those -ceremonious politenesses which no one knew better how to display, when -not moved by passion, than the Duc de Rohan. - -In the mean time, Edward and Lucette remained at the darker side of the -room; but, had it been the broadest daylight, their natural feelings -would have suffered little restraint. The contrast of Edward's love and -tenderness with the cold harshness of her own relations made all her -affections cling closer round him than ever, and she hung upon his -breast and mingled kisses with his, while the tears covered her cheeks -and sobs interrupted her words. "Oh, Edward," she said, "I wish to -Heaven that I were indeed but the grandchild of good Clement Tournon, of -Rochelle, as you once thought me! We might be very happy then." - -Mingled with his words of politeness to Madame de Lagny, the duke had -been giving some orders to his own attendants; and at length he said, -"Now, young gentleman, it is time to depart. Madame is ready." - -One last, long embrace, and Edward advanced to the side of the duke. He -did not venture to look at Lucette again, but followed Rohan and Madame -de Lagny closely into the outer hall, thence through a small court and a -_place d'armes_, in each of which were a number of soldiers fully armed, -and then by a covered way to the water-gate, to which point the small -boat had by this time been brought round. There was still a faint light -upon the river; but a lantern had been placed lighted in the bow of the -boat, and in a few minutes the old lady and her young companion were -landed on the other side. One of the boatmen lighted them up to the -carriage, and Edward, after bestowing a piece of money upon the man, -took his seat beside Madame de Lagny, who gave orders to proceed toward -Nantes, stopping, however, at the first auberge where any thing like -tolerable accommodation could be found. - -"Ah, poor Monsieur de Rohan!" she said, with perhaps not the most -compassionate feelings in the world. "He is much to be pitied; and, -indeed, he ought to feel, as he said, that some love in marriage is a -very good ingredient. He ought to know it by experience; for his own -good-for-nothing dame cares not, and never did care, for him; and it is -the common phrase in Paris that she has so large a heart she can find -room in it for everybody except her husband. Why, I know at least ten -lovers she has had besides the Duc de Candale, who is more her slave -than her lover, and who"---- - -Just at that moment, the horses having been put to, the coachman gave a -sharp crack of his the whip, the coach a tremendous jolt, and Madame de -Lagny brought her story to an end, somewhat to the relief of her young -companion. - - - - -CHAPTER XXII. - - -For the first time in life--and it was very early to begin--Edward -Langdale felt that loneliness of heart which parting for an indefinite -time from one we dearly love produces in all but the very light or the -very hard. He had never loved before; he had never even thought of love; -but now he loved truly and well. He might not indeed have loved even -now, for he and Lucette were both so young that the idea might not have -come into the mind of either; but their love had been a growth rather -than a passion; and, as the reader skilled in such mysteries must have -seen, it had been watered and trained and nourished by all those -accidents which raise affection from a small germ to a beautiful flower. -First, she had nursed him so tenderly that he could not but feel -grateful to her; then she had been cast upon his care in dangers and -difficulties of many kinds, so that deep interest in her had sprung up. -Then, again, she was so beautiful, in her first fresh youth, that he -could not but admire what he protected and cherished. Then she was so -innocent, so gentle, so ductile, and yet so good in every thought, that -he could not but esteem and reverence what he admired. Then had come his -turn of nursing, and the interest became warmer, more tender; and at -length, when the mere thought of stating, in order to account for their -companionship, that they sought to be married first entered the mind of -each, it let a world of light into their hearts, and the whole was -pointed, directed, confirmed, by the sudden ceremony which bound them -together. They had promised at the altar to love each other forever, -and they felt that they could keep their word. - -But Edward, as he rolled along by the side of Madame de Lagny, could not -help asking himself painful questions: "I shall love her ever," he said -to himself; "but she is so young, so very young,--a mere child! Will her -love last through a long separation? will not her feelings change with -changing years? does she even love me now as I love her?" - -Luckily he asked himself the last question, for it went some way to -answer the others to his satisfaction. There had been something in her -embrace, in her kiss, in her eyes, in her clinging tenderness, which -told him that she did love as he did; and he, feeling, or at least -believing, that he would love still, however long they might be -separated, learned to credit the sweet tale of Hope and believe that she -would love constantly too. - -Nevertheless, he felt very sad; and yet he exerted himself eagerly and -successfully to make the journey pass as pleasantly as he could to poor -Madame de Lagny, who, though she had not undertaken her disagreeable -task out of any affection to either Edward or Lucette, but merely in -obedience to the wishes of Richelieu, had learned to love both her young -companions, and had taken their part sincerely in the discussion with -the Duc de Rohan. She was both a keen-sighted and a clear-minded old -lady; and she saw well the gloomy sadness of Edward Langdale, and -understood its cause; but she saw likewise that he was making every -effort to show her courteous attention; and no old women are ever -ungrateful for the attention of young men. - -For three days the weary journey back to Nantes continued; and in that -time the good marquise contrived to store the young Englishman's mind -with many of her own peculiar apothegms, some good and some indifferent, -but all the fruit of much worldly experience grafted upon a keen and -sensible mind. - -"Never despair, my son," she said. "Many a man is lighted on his way by -a candle; nobody by a stone. Of a misfortune you can remove, think as -much as you like; of a situation you cannot change, think as little as -possible. If you have a marsh to go through, gallop as fast as you can; -and, if you have a heavy hour, fill it with action. A wasp will not -sting you if you do not touch it; and we do not feel sorrow when we do -not think of it." - -Such were a few of the old lady's maxims, and one of them struck Edward -Langdale's fancy very much. "If you have a marsh to go through," he -repeated to himself, "gallop as fast as you can; and, if you have a -heavy hour, fill it with action." He thought that the next two years -would indeed be a marsh to him, and he resolved to gallop through them -as fast as he could. But there was one sad reflection which he could not -banish, one point in his situation which gave him anxiety rather than -pain. He knew not how to hold any communication with his young bride. He -was well aware that every effort would be made to prevent it. Lucette -had been once sent to England to keep her out of the hands of the -Duchesse de Chevreuse: where might she not be sent now? Her two cousins -Soubise and Rohan were constantly roving from place to place, and there -was as little chance of any letter from him finding her as of any news -of where she was reaching him. - -The old fable of Midas telling his misfortune to the reeds is founded -upon a deep knowledge of human nature. Man must have some one to share -the burden of heavy thoughts, and Edward told his to Madame de Lagny. -The old lady was better than the reeds, for she whispered consolation. -"I can help you but little, my son," she said; "but, if you could attach -yourself to the cardinal, he could help you a great deal. However, I -will do the best I can for you and the dear child your little wife. If -you want to write to her, send your letter to me at the court, wherever -it is, and the letter shall reach her sooner or later. I will find means -to let her know that she must send hers to me likewise, and they shall -reach you; if you will keep me always informed of where you are." - -Edward not only pressed her hand, but kissed it; and not five minutes -after, when they were within ten miles of the city of Nantes, a man came -riding at full speed after the carriage, drew up his horse at the great -leathern excrescence called the portiere, and asked, in a brusque tone, -if Monsieur Langdale was in the coach. - -"Yes; I am he," answered Edward. "What want you with me?" - -"A letter," replied the man. And, handing in a sealed packet, he turned -his horse's head and rode away. - -It was still early in the day, and the youth, breaking open the letter, -read the contents. They ran thus:-- - - "MY LORD AND BROTHER:-- - - "On the wing for England, I have received your letter. Tell the - insolent varlet that he shall never see her face again, the - devil and the pope and the cardinal to boot, or my name is not - - "SOUBISE." - -Edward's brow became fearfully contracted, and he muttered, "At the end -of the earth." - -"Show it to me! show it to me!" exclaimed Madame de Lagny, who was not -without her share of woman's curiosity. "What is it makes you look so -angry, my son?" - -Edward handed her the letter, and she read it with attention, but not -with the indignation he expected to see. On the contrary, she seemed -pleased and amused. "Let me keep this," she said. "Methinks that -Monsieur de Soubise may find the triple alliance of the devil, the pope, -and the cardinal to boot somewhat too much for him. The cardinal alone -might be enough, without two such powerful auxiliaries. But let me keep -it. It can be of no value to you." - -"Oh, none!" answered Edward. "Keep it if you will, madame. But the -Prince de Soubise shall find that, if he have a strong will, I have a -strong will also; and, if he have some advantages, we have youth and -activity and resolution." - -"And the Cardinal de Richelieu," said Madame de Lagny, emphatically: "he -is not the man to leave any work incomplete, nor to be bearded by any -one. However, we must be near Nantes by this time. Now let us consider -what your course is to be when we arrive." - -The good marquise then proceeded to indoctrinate her young companion -with all the forms of a court, which, though not so rigid as they -afterward became,--for Louis XIV. was the father of etiquette,--were -sufficiently numerous and arbitrary to puzzle a young man like Edward. -He found that, although he had once by the force of circumstances won -easy access to the cardinal prime minister, he had now various -ceremonies to go through before he could hope for an audience. To call, -to put down his name and address in a book, to see principal and -secondary officers, and to give as it were an abstract of his business, -were all proceedings absolutely necessary, Madame de Lagny thought, -before he could see the cardinal; and Edward, with a faint smile, asked -her if she did not think it would be better for him to commit a little -treason as the shortest way to the minister's presence. - -"Heaven forbid!" cried the old lady. "But in the mean time you must go -to an auberge near the chateau, where his Eminence can find you at any -moment." And she proceeded to recommend the house of an excellent man, -who had been cook to poor Monsieur de Lagny, and now, she assured -Edward, kept the very best auberge in Nantes. - -At length the city was reached, and the coach drove straight to the -castle, where Madame de Lagny took a really affectionate leave of Edward -and retired to her own apartments. The young Englishman then proceeded -to inquire for Richelieu, found he was absent at a small distance from -the town, and, having written his name in a book, betook himself to the -inn which his travelling-companion had mentioned. In the court of the -castle he had seen no one but a guard or two and some servants at the -door of the hall. In the great place there was hardly a human being to -be seen,--no gay cavaliers on horseback or on foot, no heavy carrosse -with its crowd of laquais. At the other side of the square, indeed, near -the end of the little street which led toward the dwelling of Monsieur -de Tronson, was a group of workmen; and another larger group just -appeared beyond some buildings close by the river-side. But, altogether, -the whole town had a melancholy and deserted look. A sort of ominous -silence reigned around, too, which Edward felt to be very depressing to -the spirits, especially in a country celebrated even then for the light -hilarity of its population. - -The inn, however, was fresh-looking and clean, and the landlord, who -soon appeared, although he was not at the entrance as usual when the -coach stopped, was the perfection of a French aubergist,--as polished as -a prince, and full of smiles. While Pierrot la Grange and Jacques -Beaupre stayed by the carriage, at their master's desire, to take out -the little sum of his baggage and to bestow a small gratuity upon the -coachman, the host led his guest up to a large, somewhat gloomy chamber -floored with polished tiles, recommended his fish--the best in the -world--and his poultry, which he asseverated strongly were the genuine -production of Maine, and took the young gentleman's pleasure as to his -dinner. - -He had hardly gone when the two servants appeared, bringing various -articles; but their principal load was evidently in the mind. The face -of Pierrot, which temperate habits had not yet improved in fatness, -though it had become somewhat blanched in hue, was at least three inches -longer since they entered Nantes; and Jacques Beaupre, always solemn -even in the midst of his fun, was now not only solemn, but gloomy. - -"I wish we were safe out of this place, sir," said Pierrot, shutting the -door after him. "It is a horrible place!" - -"What is the matter?" asked Edward: "the whole town looks sad, and you -both seem to have caught the infection." - -"Did not the landlord tell you, sir?" said Jacques Beaupre. "I thought -landlords always told all they knew, and a little more. But I suppose he -has lived long enough near a court to keep his tongue in his mouth, for -fear somebody should cut it out." - -"The matter, sir, is this," said Pierrot: "the poor young Count de -Chalais, who was confined in the dungeons close under the room where -they put you, has been condemned to die this morning,--they say, for a -few light words." - -"Indeed!" said Edward, with a somewhat sickening memory of the dangers -he himself had seen: "that is very sad. But probably the king will -pardon him." - -"Oh, not he," answered Pierrot: "they say the poor countess, his mother, -has moved heaven and earth to save him, without the least effect. His -head is probably off by this time." - -"No, no; that cannot be," rejoined Jacques: "did not the boy tell us -that the two executioners had both been spirited away?" - -"Yes, but he said that a soldier--a prisoner--had been found to -undertake the job," answered Pierrot. "Oh, it is a bad business, Master -Ned! They say the queen herself has been brought before the council, and -the Duke of Anjou threatened with death, and half the court exiled, and -the cardinal in such a humor that----" - -"That every one as he walks along is feeling his ears, to be sure that -there is any head upon his shoulders," added Jacques Beaupre. "Would it -not be better for you, sir, to go to that good Monsieur de Tronson, and -be civil to him, and make as many friends as possible?" - -Edward paused in thought for a moment, and then replied, "That is well -bethought, Beaupre; for though I think I have nothing to fear, yet in -common courtesy I owe my second visit to one who has been so kind to me. -I will go directly. Let the landlord know that I may be a little later -than I mentioned at dinner." - -Edward put on his hat and went out into the place, taking care to mark -particularly the position of the auberge, that he might not be forced to -inquire his way in a town where so many dangers lurked on every side. -The road to Monsieur de Tronson's house was easy; and, crossing the -square, the young gentleman directed his course toward the end of the -street where, when passing in the coach, he had seen a crowd of workmen, -who were still gathered round a spot about a hundred and fifty or two -hundred yards in advance. On approaching nearer, Edward caught sight of -a platform of wood raised some eight or ten steps from the ground. He -could only discern a part, for the people had gathered thickly round; -but, though he had never before seen the preparations for a public -execution, it flashed through his mind at once that this was the -scaffold on which the unhappy Chalais was to suffer. To avoid the -terrible scene, he turned toward the left; but, just as he was -approaching the end of the street, a shout came up from the water-side -and a dull rushing sound from the southeast. A large crowd poured into -the square from both sides; and before Edward could escape he was caught -by the two currents and forced along to within thirty yards of the -scaffold. He tried to free himself and force his way out, but a warning -voice sounded in his ear. - -"Be quiet, young gentleman," said an elderly man close by, speaking in a -low tone. "This young count has to die, and, if he be your best friend, -take no notice. Suspicion is as good as proof here just now. Look where -he comes!" - -Edward turned his eyes in the direction to which the old man was -looking, and beheld a sight which was but a mere prologue to the horrors -that were to follow, but which could never be banished from his memory. -Surrounded by a body of guards came a tall, handsome young man, without -his cloak, as if he had been torn from his dungeon unprepared, but still -showing, in such habiliments as he did wear, all the extravagant -splendor of the times. By his side, with her hand passed through his -arm, as if to support him, and pouring a torrent of words into his ear, -was an elderly lady in a widow's dress. Her face and carriage were noble -and dignified, though lines of past grief and present anguish were -strongly marked upon her countenance; but when she lifted her eyes -toward the scaffold, and beheld there a stout, bad-looking man leaning -on a large, heavy sword, a sort of spasm passed over her features. - -"That is his mother," whispered the same voice which Edward had heard -before. - -Behind the mother and the son came the confessor, a dull-faced, heavy -monk; and then a good number of guards, and one or two men in black -robes,--probably exempts, or other inferior officers of the court. But -the eyes of Edward Langdale were fixed upon the mother and her son; and -the thought of his own dear mother gave him the power--I might almost -call it the faculty--of sympathizing with the noble-minded woman, to a -degree that made the whole scene one of actual agony. - -"I wish I could get out," he said, speaking to the old man, who was -jammed up against him: "this is horrible. Can you not make way?" - -"Try to force your way through the castle-wall," replied the other, -cynically: "you have but to see a man die, young gentleman." - -"Ay, but how?" said Edward. - -"By the sword," said the old man: "it is an interesting sight,--much -better than by the cord. I have seen every execution that has taken -place in the city for twenty years. Perhaps I may see yours some day. -They are fine sights,--the only sights that interest me now; but this is -likely to be a bungled business, for the old countess there bribed both -the executioners to get out of the way, and this fellow does not -understand the trade. He is paler than the criminal. See how he shakes!" - -Edward raised his eyes for an instant and saw the unhappy mother -supporting her luckless son up the very steps of the scaffold,--not that -he wanted aid, for his step was firm and his look bold and frowning. -There was a fearful sort of fascination in the sight; and the lad gazed -on till he saw the last embrace taken and the young count make a sign -and speak a word to the executioner. Then he withdrew his eyes, till, a -moment after, there was a shrill cry of anguish and a murmur amongst the -crowd; and he looked up again only to see the wretched young man, all -bleeding, leaning his wounded head upon his mother's bosom. - -The executioner had missed his stroke. Again and again he missed it. He -complained of the sword: a heavier one was handed up to him; but still -his shaking arm refused to perform its hideous office, till, after more -than thirty blows,[4] the head of the unhappy young man was literally -hacked off, almost at his mother's feet. - -The noble woman raised her hands and her eyes to heaven, exclaiming, "I -thank thee, O God, that my son has died a martyr and not a criminal!" - -The last acts of the terrible drama Edward did not see. He felt as if -his heart would burst with the mingled feelings of indignation and -horror which all he had beheld awakened; and after the second or third -blow he kept his eyes resolutely bent down, till the pressure of the -crowd relaxed as the spectators of the bloody scene began to disperse. -Then, sick at heart, and with a strange feeling of hatred for the world, -he turned his steps back to the inn. He was in no mood for conversation -with any one. - -[Footnote 4: Some say seven-and-twenty.] - - - - -CHAPTER XXIII. - - -It was eleven o'clock on the following day when Edward Langdale appeared -at the door of Monsieur de Tronson. The laquais said he did not know -whether his master was visible or not, but he would see; and, leaving -the young Englishman in an ante-chamber, he went in and remained some -five minutes. At his return he asked Edward to follow, and introduced -him into the bed-chamber of the secretary, who welcomed him, he thought, -rather coldly. - -"I hear, Monsieur de Langdale," said De Tronson, "that you have -accurately fulfilled the injunctions of his Eminence and your word. -That, my good cousin, Madame de Lagny, has told me; but I think you -should have been here earlier." - -"It was my intention, sir," replied Edward, seating himself in a chair -to which the secretary pointed, near that in which he himself sat, -wrapped in a large dressing-gown, by the fire, though it was the month -of July. - -"After having left my name in the ante-chamber of his Eminence, I went -to my auberge for a few minutes, and then came out, with the intention -of paying my respects to you; but I was stopped by a great crowd of -people and forced to witness a dreadful scene, which rendered me -incapable of holding any rational conversation with any one." - -"Ha! you were there!" exclaimed the secretary, suddenly roused from the -sort of listless mood in which he seemed plunged when Edward entered. -"What happened? Tell me all. But first shut that door, if you please. I -am ill, or I would not trouble you; but it is well to have no listening -ears in this place, whatever one has to say." - -Edward closed the door, and, although unwillingly, detailed all that he -had witnessed of the execution of the unhappy Chalais. - -De Tronson was moved far more than the young man expected. He put his -hand over his eyes, murmuring, "Poor lady! Unhappy young man!" and -Edward thought he saw some tears steal down his cheek. "I call God to -witness," he exclaimed, at length, "that I had no share in this affair! -Though my relations with Monsieur de Chalais were very slight, I would -have saved him if I could,--saved him from himself, I mean." - -He sank into silence; and, to change the conversation, Edward said, "I -would have been here earlier this morning, but I thought you would -probably be at the council." - -"There will be no council to-day," replied the secretary, shaking his -head: "we are all made sick by this affair. It has been like one of -those epidemic blasts that sweep over the marshes, filling every one -they touch with fever. I did not know you had waited on his Eminence: -that was what I alluded to,--not a mere formal visit to me. That was all -well; but you had better let him know that you are here. I know not that -he will see you; but you must show every token of respect--especially -just now." - -"Shall I go to his apartments, then?" asked Edward. - -"No, no," said De Tronson, with somewhat of the petulance of illness: -"call a servant." - -The servant was soon called, and De Tronson bade him go to the apartment -of his Eminence. "Seek out one of his secretaries," he said, "and, if -you cannot find one, ask for his chaplain. Request him to present my -duty to the cardinal and tell him that Monsieur de Langdale, the young -English gentleman he knows of, is with me, waiting his Eminence's -pleasure. Say I would have come myself, but I am ill of fever." - -The man retired and was absent only a few minutes ere he returned with -the simple words, "His Eminence cannot be interrupted to-day." Edward -heard the reply with regret; for time was passing away, his journey was -just beginning when those who sent him imagined it was ended, and his -funds were diminishing every hour. But, even while taking leave of -Monsieur de Tronson and expressing a sincere hope that he would soon be -better, a servant in purple livery entered, and, bowing to Monsieur de -Tronson, announced that his Eminence would see Monsieur de Langdale. - -"Go, go! quickly!" said De Tronson, in a low voice; "but be careful." -And Edward followed the attendant from the room. - -"Now for my fate," thought the young man, as he crossed the little -bridge over the moat. "Such scenes as that of yesterday harden rather -than soften. Methinks I could meet death more easily now than I could -have done four-and-twenty hours ago. Yet why should I think the cardinal -wishes me ill? He has been kind to me, however cruel he may be to -others. But why should I call him cruel? I know nothing of that young -count's guilt or innocence; and the horrid accessories of his fate were -certainly none of the minister's devising." - -Thus thinking, he followed through the long passages of the castle till -he came to a door where stood one of the cardinal's guard, and there the -servant paused and knocked. A page opened it, and to his guidance Edward -was consigned. He was then led through an ante-room, and then through -the room where he had seen Richelieu before, to another smaller chamber, -where he once more found himself in the presence of the man whose life -and power were so often in the balance, but whose will in reality, from -that time forward, was fate in France. - -Richelieu, though habited in clerical garb, was in what may be called -half-dress, and the _robe de chambre_ which he wore above his cassock -was of bright colors and a mere mundane form. His pointed beard, or -royal, as it was then called, with the dark mustache and the rich lace -collar, which might have suited any gay cavalier of the court, also had -a very lay appearance; and at once it flashed across the mind of the -young Englishman that he had seen him somewhere in another costume. -Where, for an instant he could not recollect; but he had not half -traversed the room before the magic power of association brought back a -night not more than a week before, when, walking in one of the corridors -of that very chateau, he had met a man descending to the dungeons in -which the unhappy Chalais was confined; and that man was before him. He -shuddered when his mind instinctively combined the visit of that night -with the scene of the day before; but in the look and manner of the -cardinal at that moment there was nothing to inspire awe or indicate any -cruelty or even harshness of character. His face was grave,--very grave; -but with a mild gravity much like that of the famous bust which is, -perhaps, the only good likeness of that extraordinary man. In his hand -was a book,--the famous Imitation of Christ; but he had let it drop upon -his knee when the door opened; and one who did not know him would have -said, to see him, "There is some calm student of theology a little -disturbed by being interrupted." - -"Come in, young gentleman, and take a seat," said Richelieu, as the page -closed the door. "You have kept your word well with me, I find." - -"I always try to do so, my lord cardinal," replied Edward, seating -himself near the minister. - -"Lord cardinal!" said Richelieu, with a faint smile: "that is English, -and somewhat Roman too. But what matters it? You heretics from the other -side of the sea sometimes give us a lesson about dignities. Eminence! -Any man can reach that title of right in other paths besides the Church, -if he be wise, and brave, and firm,--ay, firm: he must be firm! Many a -man who might be great, by some small weakness in his own nature yielded -to, even once too often, mars all the results of higher qualities. Well, -you have returned, as you promised; but you have come at a time when we -are all sad,--very sad. I thought I would not see any one this morning, -but take counsel with the only happy ones,--the dead. However, on second -thoughts, I resolved to admit you, as you had performed your part of our -bargain well, and your last conversation pleased me." - -He spoke in a sort of meditative tone, and, when he stopped, Edward had -nothing to reply but, "Your Eminence is gracious." - -"Not so," answered Richelieu: "I am not gracious. I was not formed so by -nature. I can be kind, I think, to those who love me,--affectionate, -merciful; but graciousness implies some tenderness, and I am not tender. -Nay, not even tender to myself; for I declare to Heaven that, did I find -in my own heart the weakness that would yield right and justice to -prayers and tears and entreaties, I would pluck out that heart and -trample it under foot!" - -His tone was somewhat vehement, and his eye sparkled; but after a moment -or two all was calm again; and he asked, even with a smile, "What think -you, young gentleman, men will say of me hereafter?" - -"I have neither wisdom, your Eminence, nor experience sufficient to -divine," answered Edward; "neither can any one say till a period, I -trust, far, far distant." - -"You mean when I am dead," said Richelieu. "Who can say how soon that -may be? How long can a poor human frame bear the labors, the anxieties, -the cares that I undergo,--the struggle against factions, the struggle -against oneself, the crushing out of sympathies, the resistance of all -kindly feelings, the endurance of ingratitude, falsehood, treachery, the -malice and the envy of the many, the undeserved hatred of not a few? -Happy the monk in his cloister! happy the ecclesiastic in his chair! -Miserable, miserable is the man whom either personal ambition, or idle -vanity, or the desire of serving his country, leads to the thorny paths -of state or places on the tottering pinnacle of power!" - -"Thank Heaven!" said Edward, interested deeply, "there can be no chance -of my ever having to verify the truth of what your Eminence says." - -"Who can tell?" rejoined Richelieu. "I have seen many rise to high place -with less opportunity than you. I myself,--did I ever think at your age -of being seated where I am now? You have talents, daring, firmness. -Ambition grows like a worm upon a leaf, destroying what supports it. The -moth may have laid its egg in your heart even now; and in ten years -hence you may be what you dream not. But let us talk of other things. I -am sorry you have come here just now, young gentleman." - -"May I presume to ask why, my lord?" said Edward. - -Richelieu paused thoughtfully for a moment, and then raised his keen -dark eyes to the young man's face. "To answer you fully I must say what -ought to flatter you and what cannot do so. You have pleased me; you -have high qualities which I esteem; I think you will be faithful to any -one to whom you attach yourself; and you have talents and courage to -serve him well. But your mind is not clear enough, your experience is -too little, your prejudices too great, for you to judge sanely of acts -which have lately been done here. In bidding you return after your late -journey and see me before you went farther, I wished to gain you to my -service,--not by bribes, not by promises, but by winning your esteem and -showing you friendship; and I can be a good friend. What is it that -passes over your brow? I thought so: you judge I can be a deadly enemy -also. Sir, I tell you, on my life and on my faith, I know no enemies but -those of France. I have endured much, but I have never struck a blow but -for the best interests of my king and my country. Even that young man -who perished yesterday, had he not warning sufficient? Had I not passed -over follies without number? Had I not forgiven designs against my own -power and life? They were nothing so long as the safety of France was -not involved. But when his pertinacious treason went into schemes to -bring foreign troops into the land, to overthrow a mighty policy, to -thwart his sovereign's will, to shake his throne, ay, and, perchance to -touch his life, what were mercy but folly? what were clemency but -treason?" - -"I presume not, your Eminence," said Edward, bewildered by a -conversation so strange and unexpected, "to judge even in my own heart -of your conduct in circumstances of which I know nothing. I will own -that a great part of the scene I was yesterday forced to witness struck -me with horror; but even now, as I passed the bridge, I said to myself, -'I know nothing of that young man's guilt or innocence; and the dreadful -accessories of his death were certainly not of the cardinal's -devising.'" - -"You did me that justice, did you?" said Richelieu, with a well-pleased -look: "let me tell you, sir, there is many a man in France who will deny -it to me. Ay, it was horrible, they tell me. But I had naught to do with -that. Did I steal away the executioner of the court or of the city? Did -I have any share in any of the details left to the common justice of the -land? Inexorable I was bound to be, even to a mother's prayers and -tears, though they wrung my heart. This court--this turbulent and -factious court--needed an example; a traitor deserved a traitor's death. -Both have been given; for there was not one mitigating circumstance, not -one palliation or excuse. Death was his doom; but God knows, could I -have spared one additional pang to his poor mother or to himself, I -would have done it." - -"Indeed, I believe you, my lord cardinal," replied Edward, moved by the -apparent sincerity of the minister and the warmth and fire with which he -spoke. - -"And yet," said Richelieu, more calmly, "were it to be done over again, -I would do it: nay, I will do it; for, though the medicine be strong, -the malady of this land of France cannot be cured by a single dose. I -will advise my king, as I have advised him, to show no mercy to -persisting traitors. Let the blame fall on me: I care not. But save -France!" - -When men high in power have been forced into severe and terrible -measures by motives which seem to them perfectly sufficient at the time, -they sometimes feel a doubt when the execution of their purpose is over, -and, though they may scorn to make a defence before the world, they will -seek out some individual, however insignificant, who will listen while -they plead their own cause,--apparently to him, but in reality to -themselves. They will go over again all the reasoning, state all the -motives afresh, which at first carried them forward, in order to prove -to conscience that there was in the deed none of the selfishness which -each human sinner of us all knows too well is in his own heart. Such, -doubtless, was the case with Richelieu at the moment when the visit of -Edward Langdale gave him the opportunity of justifying the death of -Chalais to a foreign and impartial ear. - -There might be a little deceit in this,--self-deceit; but in his -eagerness, in the strong current of his language, and in the earnest -vehemence of his manner, there was much that struck, ay, and captivated, -his young companion. Let any one suppose himself in the presence of -Cromwell or Caesar,--and Richelieu was little less, if at all,--hearing -him defend his most doubtful actions, and motive his most ruthless -course, and they can conceive the sensations of Edward Langdale. Edward -compared the cardinal to neither; but he knew that he was in the -presence of the greatest and most powerful man who had yet appeared in -that age,--a man famous for stern discretion and unfaltering firmness of -purpose,--and that some strong and terrible emotions within him had led -him to pour forth in his presence views, principles, purposes, but dimly -discerned by any one at that time. It was a somewhat awful confidence -Richelieu placed in him; and when the minister paused the youth knew not -what to reply, but repeated, mechanically, not knowing why, the words, -"Ay, save France!" - -Richelieu gazed at him for a moment with his bright eyes, full of -thought. It is known how, like most great men, he was somewhat -superstitious, and, forgetting probably that he had himself used the -words a moment before, he answered, "Young man, that is my oracle. Save -France! I will, if it be in me, though a thousand heads should fall, and -my own the last,--though it should cost a river of blood and a river of -tears. I will save France. I will put her upon the pinnacle of -countries, where she ought to stand; and after my day men shall say of -her, 'This is the great leader of the nations, in arts, in science, and -in arms.'" - -He stopped and gazed into vacancy, as if he already saw the beautiful -future of which he spoke, and then, as if feeling that the vehemence of -his feelings had carried him beyond his usual reserve, he composed his -countenance; the fire of the eye went out; the features, which had been -much moved, became calm and still; and the phantasmagoric light which -had covered his face with great images passed away, leaving almost a -blank behind. - -"Let us talk of what we were speaking about a few minutes since," he -said, not losing the expression of sympathy and admiration which had -come upon young Langdale's face. "I was referring to the possibility of -your attaching yourself to me, and meriting and meeting higher honors -and distinction than there seems any likelihood of your obtaining in -your own country. I offer you no unworthy incentive, for, if I -understand you, you are incapable of being moved by such; but I offer -you my friendship. Have I not given you the best proof of it?--not by -bestowing on you the hand of a noble French heiress,--that is -nothing,--but by speaking to you as Richelieu rarely speaks to any -one,--by showing you the things that lie within this bosom?" - -Keen and acute as the young Englishman had become, he saw that he was -perhaps in more danger now than he had ever been before; that he was -standing on the edge of a precipice, and that the very confidence which -the cardinal had accidentally placed in him was only the tottering stone -which might fall and hurl him over the brink. Habitual boldness came to -his aid, however. "Let me recall to your Eminence," he said, "that -England and France are at war." A slightly scornful smile, at what he -thought a subterfuge, curled Richelieu's lip. "I assure you, sir," -continued Edward, earnestly, "that, were such not the case, I would -grasp eagerly at an offer which can be rarely made to any one. I fear -not danger, though I know your service might be dangerous, (pardon my -plain speaking.) But on that score I should have no apprehension; for I -am convinced that if that service proved fatal to me it would be by my -own fault. But what your Eminence wants is one who will be faithful and -true to you. What would you think of me if, at the first prospect of -somewhat higher fortunes, I were not only to abandon my country, but to -leave those who have treated me most kindly, educated, trusted me? Would -not all the good opinions you have entertained of me vanish? Would you -not view me as base, treacherous, worthless? Could you ever confide in -me, esteem me more? Should I thenceforward be the man you want?" - -"There is some truth in what you say," said the minister, slowly. "Yet, -after what has passed, there may be something to consider. Are you -aware, young gentleman, that I know more of you than I have seemed to -know?--that I know all?" - -"Yes," answered Edward, at once: "I have seen that some time. I know -that if you were to hang me on that tree the world would hold you -justified. But I do not think you will do it." - -"Pshaw!" said Richelieu, "I care not for the world. But what makes you -think I will not do it?" - -"Because your Eminence has shown me the principles on which you act," -said Edward; "and such a deed would not be within those principles. If -you hanged me now, it would be because I refused to serve a country at -war with my own,--not because I came into France under a false name and -with the safe-conduct of another." - -"Good," said the cardinal, "and true! But you forget another reason,--or -from the idle babble of the day you may have learned to believe it not a -good one: you do not mention that I promised to let you go on to your -journey's end." - -"I had forgotten it," said the lad; "but there might be many an excuse, -or I may say reason, for passing over that promise. You may have learned -more since you made it." - -"Young man, do you wish to be hanged?" asked the cardinal, with a smile. - -"Far from it, monseigneur," said Edward, gravely; "but I wish to act -honestly and bravely. I told your Eminence that my only motive for not -grasping eagerly at your generous proposal was, that France and England -are at war, that if I now took service here you yourself could never -trust me, and that I should feel myself unworthy of the trust of any -one." - -"That objection may be sooner removed than you imagine," said Richelieu. -"Your gilded butterfly--your Buckingham--cannot flaunt it in the -sunshine forever. Already he has plunged his monarch into difficulties -which may, and will, produce sad consequences hereafter. An unnatural -war of a brother-in-law against his wife's brother, for no reasonable -cause, cannot long please the people of England. The Parliament--that -handcuff of kings--is already screwing the bolt tighter; and we may -leave it safely to compel a peace before your journey to the east is -over. I will exact one promise from you, which keep as I keep mine. It -is the only condition I put to your safety. Go on your way. Serve your -lord faithfully: I will take no umbrage at that: then return to France -as soon as you hear that peace is concluded between our two -countries;--nay, I know you will return, for there is a lure you will -not miss to follow, my young hawk; but come to visit me, and have your -best hopes confirmed by serving one who can reward as well as punish. Do -you promise me this?" - -"I do, most readily," replied Edward, "and most gratefully thank your -Eminence for kindness I have perhaps not deserved." - -"You have deserved better by refusing me just now," said Richelieu, -"than you would have done by yielding. I could _not_ have trusted you. -Go to, now. Men say that everybody must obey me, or I am a fiend. You -have judged better of the Cardinal de Richelieu." - -"You gave me the means of judging, my lord," said Edward; "if all men -had the same, perhaps----" - -"They would misconstrue me," said the minister. "But one thing remember: -If, in an open and unguarded moment, I have been led to show you -thoughts and feelings I do not usually suffer to appear, as you are a -man of honor, you will keep them to yourself. Breathe not one word to -any one of aught that has passed here. Say not to Lord Montagu, or any -one, Richelieu says this, or, Richelieu said that. By this I will test -your discretion." - -"I will not forget," said Edward; "but, if I hear any one assail your -Eminence's motives, I may be permitted, surely, to defend them by the -means you yourself have afforded me." - -"Let my motives take care of themselves, young man," said the minister, -sternly. "You may say that the cardinal treated you well,--kindly, -liberally,--and, although he had every right to stop you, sent you on to -Lord Montagu, though he knew your errand and his. Compliment his -lordship for me. And now farewell. I will to work. My spirit was -somewhat crushed with care, anxiety, and thought; but I am better for -this conversation." - -Edward rose to retire, but the cardinal made him a sign to stay, saying, -"I forgot to ask what reception you met from the fiery Soubise." - -"I did not see the prince, my lord," replied Edward: "he had gone to the -sea-coast. But we found the Duc de Rohan at Deux Rivieres, and he was -fiery enough. He calmed his passion before I left, however, and promised -to convey what I had said to his brother, which he did, as I know by a -letter sent after me by that nobleman himself." - -"Ha! De Rohan is a good man, and might be a great one," said Richelieu: -"he will be a loyal subject before two years have passed. As for -Soubise, he is weak and full of passions. What said his letter?" - -"It is in the hands of Madame de Lagny, my lord," replied Edward; "but I -think I can repeat it word for word;" and he did so without omitting a -syllable. - -Richelieu listened attentively; and at the words, "Tell the insolent -varlet that he shall never see her face again, the devil, the pope, and -the cardinal to boot," he laughed low, remarking, "We will dispense with -the devil, and need not trouble the pope: but the cardinal says you -_shall_ see her face again; and she shall be your wife in the face of -the whole world, or my name is not Richelieu. One of the two brothers -shall sign the contract, or both shall rot in exile. Now, fare you well, -my young friend. The time is not far distant when not even a Huguenot -prince shall dare to name me, or the pope either, in such company. Have -you money sufficient?" - -"Enough till I can get more, I thank your Eminence," replied Edward. - -He would have made the same answer if he had possessed much less; for he -would not have had any man say that he had received a livre from the -cardinal, had it been to save him from starving. He was turning to -depart; but the memory of all that great but terrible man had done for -him within the last few days came flashing across his mind, and he -paused, saying, with true emotion, "I will make no professions, my lord -cardinal, but this: Your great and extraordinary kindness shall never -be forgotten as long as Edward Langdale lives." Richelieu waved his -hand, but with a well-pleased look, and the youth retired. - -"I have heard of such long memories before," said the minister to -himself. "Well, we shall see." - - - - -CHAPTER XXIV. - - -What say you to a quick ride and a short chapter, reader? We have stood -wasting our time too long with cardinals and secretaries and courtiers. -Let us set out on our journey toward Paris, with three strong horses, -each under the saddle, two stout men, and a young lad, who, ride as hard -as they will, still keeps ahead of them. They are not troubled with much -baggage; but they have good long pistols at their saddle-bows, swords by -their sides, and eke daggers in their belts. - -The apparel of the two men had nothing remarkable in it. Each had the -common slashed and laced pourpoint with the short cloak of the times, -and their lower limbs were clad in that very peculiar and ugly garment, -between trousers and breeches, which distinguished the epoch of Louis -XIII. The boots, like a pair of gigantic funnels, however, covered not -only the foot and ankle, but the whole of the lower part of the leg, and -hid in a degree the monstrous _chausses_. The young man was dressed with -somewhat greater taste and richness; and there was something in his air -and his wondrous horsemanship which would have distinguished him at once -from his two followers without the accessories of dress. In vain his -horse--which he had bought in Nantes for a mere trifle, on account of -its vicious propensities--darted to the right or left at every -suspicious object, reared, plunged, and kicked; not all its efforts -could shake him in the saddle for a moment: in vain the brute galloped -at full speed when he was only required to trot; the youth only whipped -and spurred him the more, till at length the fierce beast, finding that -he had indeed got his master on his back, yielded with a good grace; and -by the time the party reached Ancenis he was as quiet as a lamb. - -But, though Ancenis is a pretty little town, and the fare is good and -the wine by no means bad, Edward Langdale was not inclined to lose time -by the way. One hour for refreshment was all that was allowed for man or -horse, and then on again they went toward Angers. It is true that Angers -is somewhat more than fifty miles from Nantes, that the road in those -days was not remarkable for its excellence, and that a broiling July sun -had shone upon the travellers from break of day till night; but Edward -saw with his own eyes that the horses were well cared for; and all was -prepared for departure early the next morning. Here, however, for the -first and only time during the journey, the safe-conduct was demanded by -an officer of the governor. All was in order, however; no suspicion was -entertained, and on the little party went, to Suette, Duretal, La -Fleche. The sweet little valley of the Loire passed with all its beauties -unseen; and, after two hours' repose at La Fleche, Fouletourte, -Guecelard, and Le Mans were reached. Nearly one-half of the journey -between Nantes and the first place to which Edward had been directed was -now accomplished; but the horses--especially the two ridden by Pierrot -and Jacques--showed evident signs of fatigue, and it was found necessary -to have their shoes removed and give them somewhat more time for repose. - -Edward could not reach Chartres upon the third night, as he had hoped; -but reflecting, with some apprehension, that if one of the horses were -to fall sick he had not funds sufficient to purchase another, he -proceeded more quietly to Nogent le Rotrou, where he paused for the -night before the sun had gone down. - -Now, the dear but hasty reader has come to a conclusion that I have been -engaged in writing an itinerancy, rather than a romance or a true -history. But in this he is mistaken; for it was necessary to mention two -little incidents which befell Lord Montagu's page on his way toward -Paris; and one of these occurred at Nogent le Rotrou. It was therefore -requisite to show that Edward got there; for an incident cannot happen -to a man at a place where he is not. It was necessary, also, to explain -how he arrived at that place later by some eight hours than he at first -expected; for, if he had been able to continue the same galloping pace -with which he set out from Nantes, the incident would not have happened -at all. - -At Nogent, the young Englishman--as is the case with most -Englishmen--had looked to the accommodation of the horses in the first -instance, and, having seen that they had a good dry stable, that the -saddles were taken off and that they were well rubbed down, he directed -them to be walked up and down before the house for a few minutes; when, -to his consternation, he perceived that one of them was going somewhat -lame. It was the horse ridden by long Pierrot la Grange, and one of the -best of the three; and a consultation in regard to the poor animal was -held immediately. One proposed one thing, another another; but, none -being particularly skilful in the veterinary art, and as Edward did not -choose to trust to a common blacksmith, it was determined to rest upon -cold water applied to the lame foot and fetlock, and the horse was led -back to the stable. - -The inn was a neat little auberge, and the landlord a fat, well-doing, -clean-looking sinner as ever shortened a flagon or lengthened a bill. He -promised worlds in the way of edible refreshment, trout and crayfish -from the Huisne, pigeons from his own dove-cot, and capons equal to -those of Maine; and, while all these delicacies were in preparation, -Edward took post before the door, standing beside the tall pole with a -garland upon it, which in those days appeared at the entrance of many a -little cabaret in France. - -As he thus stood, in not a very happy mood, two new travellers on -horseback trotted up. Their dress was coarse, and evidently not the -costume of any part of France that the young gentleman was acquainted -with; but that which attracted his attention more particularly was the -lameness of one of their horses, who limped much after the fashion of -Pierrot's beast, but a great deal worse. The riders dismounted, and one -of them, passing him, gave him "_Bong jou_," in a strange sort of -_patois_. Edward advanced to the side of the other, who was holding the -beasts, saying, "That horse seems very lame, my good friend." - -"Oh, it is nothing," answered the man, in the same sort of jargon as -that of his companion. "He'll be well before morning: we are _marechaux -de chevaux_, and will soon set him right. You see us go away to-morrow: -he not lame then." - -Shortly after the horses were led into the stable, and the young -gentleman's dinner was announced; but, before partaking of any of the -good things, he followed the two strangers, and found that they were -provided with all the tools of the blacksmith and all the oils and -essences of the veterinary surgeon of that day. "Let him cool, and then -we see," said the master, speaking to his companion; and the whole party -adjourned to the _salle-a-manger_. Five more hungry men never sat down -to dinner, if they might be judged by their consumption of food; but all -the other guests, and the landlord more particularly, remarked that the -two last-arrived strangers ate none of the admirable crayfish. Now, when -at a house of public entertainment you eat none of the especial dish of -the place, it is not only an affront to your host, but an insult to his -country. The landlord shook his head and declared the men must be some -outlandish cannibals, for they neither spoke French nor ate crayfish. In -this conclusion nobody gainsaid him,--not even the two men themselves, -who did not seem to understand, but finished their dinner and went to -attend to the lame horse. - -Now, it may seem very strange in the author to entertain a reader with a -lame horse, with which, though fully as good as a dead ass, that reader -seems to have nothing on earth to do. But I declare it is neither for -the purpose of filling up a vacant chapter, nor in any spirit of -perversity,--such as frequently seizes every writer,--nor from a desire -to delay till I have made up my mind how to proceed, nor from any -caprice, that I pause upon that lame horse. On the contrary, it is a -piece of genuine, serious history,--in fact, the only pure and dignified -piece of history in this whole book,--mentioned by authors of high -repute, and confirmed by a long train of consequences, which involved at -least the three next years of Edward Langdale's life in their network; -and so the fate of that lame horse cannot be omitted. With one of those -sympathetic movements of the mind which we can neither direct nor -restrain, and which lead us on the course of destiny whether we will or -not, the youth felt a personal interest in that lame horse,--was not -one of his own horses lame?--and he went to the stable to see the -treatment the animal was to undergo. Need I pause to tell how one of the -uncouth travellers took off the shoe, examined the foot, poured some -fluid which he called oil of vipers into the hole left by one of the -nails, wrapped an old rag round the hoof, and did sundry other -beneficent acts to the affected part? No: suffice it to say that he -seemed to treat it so skilfully, and with so much of that decision which -continually passes for skill and nine times out of ten has as good a -result, that Edward determined he should try his hand on Pierrot's horse -also. - -The immediate result was relief to both the beasts, and when their -several riders mounted next morning no sign of lameness was visible. - -The score was paid, and Edward with his party rode away first; but they -had not gone half a mile before they were overtaken by the two -blacksmiths, who seemed to desire company on the way, which they -accounted for by telling the companions of the young cavalier that they -were wandering Savoyards, who, having some skill in horse-medicine, had -come to France, made a little money, and were returning to their own -country to live upon the fruits of their toil. - -Now, Savoy is a fine country, and the people are a very good people, -very much like other people who live amongst rocks and stones,--not -quite so wise as serpents nor so innocent as doves. "Poor, patient, -quiet, honest people," says Sterne, "fear not. Your poverty, the -treasury of your simple virtues, will not be envied you by the world, -nor will your valleys be invaded by it." Now, why I quoted this author -in regard to Savoy was simply because the most interesting account of -any country is always given by a man who knows nothing about it. He has -such a wide field to expatiate in! There are exceedingly good people in -Savoy, and exceedingly good people come out of it; but there is a -tolerably large minority as cunning and as selfish as I ever met with. -Now, Edward Langdale had few prejudices upon the matter. He had never -seen a Savoyard before, or one who pretended to be so; but he had heard -a good deal of their "simple virtues," and, therefore, if the balance -leaned either way it was in their favor. But somehow the faces of his -two new companions did not please him, and he said not a word of the -probability that he would himself be obliged in the end to direct his -steps toward their mountain-land. Indeed, with a remarkable degree of -discretion in one so young, he had kept his own two immediate followers -in ignorance of that and many other facts, and they went like lambs to -the slaughter with their heads hanging down, and thinking the journey -somewhat long, but without the slightest idea where it was to end. When -they had reached Chartres, however, he had to make many inquiries as to -his further course; and, though he conferred with the landlord of the -Ecu Royal himself, Pierrot la Grange stood provokingly near, and it is -probable--for his ears were long and sharp--he heard every word that was -said, and drew his own conclusions. - -The two Savoyards, or whatever they might be, had adhered to Edward and -his two companions with the tenacity of a bramble-shoot, and Edward had -no objection to their accompanying him a stage or two farther; but, as -he was now coming to one of the dangerous passes of his expedition, he -determined to cut them loose at the end of the first thirty miles. Those -thirty miles, however, were destined to be performed slowly and with -difficulty. - -The morning, when they quitted Chartres, was bright and beautiful; a -pale pink tint was in the sky, varied by brown clouds with golden edges; -but ere they had half crossed the rich plain which lies between Chartres -and Maintenon the rain began to fall, and a deluge poured down from the -sky, rendering the roads wellnigh impassable. Still Edward rode on, -passed Maintenon without stopping, and first drew bridle at Rambouillet. -It was then beginning to grow dark, for the progress made had been very -slow, and every man in the party was drenched to the skin. To go farther -immediately was out of the question and not exactly suited to Edward's -plans. Indeed, what between fatigue and a sudden change in the weather, -the face of Pierrot la Grange had become very blue, his limbs shivered, -and his teeth chattered. Dinner--or rather, as they called it, -supper--was soon served, and the young gentleman so far relaxed his -stern rule as to order some bottles of good wine for his drenched -companions, bidding Pierrot himself partake. The long man looked -somewhat doubtfully at his master, but the temptation was too strong, -and the fatal cup approached his lips. Edward soon left the party and -went out to make some inquiries. No one attempted to follow him, for the -room was warm and comfortable, and mirth and conviviality reigned. - -Pierrot's first cup was the Rubicon. It was but wine, it is true; but he -had drunk nothing but water for wellnigh two months, and the first -draught made him feel so comfortable that the second, and the third, and -the fourth, and the fifth were added in rapid succession. His tongue, -which had been marvellously still for many weeks, was unloosed, and the -unruly member did its part in setting free every thing that was a -secret, or which he thought was one. In five minutes he was in full -career, and by the time that Edward returned--he had not been absent -half an hour--the two Savoyards were made aware that the young gentleman -had probably gone to inquire his way minutely to Dampierre, the place of -retreat of the Duchesse de Chevreuse. "For," said Pierrot, "he was -asking about it at Chartres; and the people there could not give him -half the information he seemed to want." - -On their part, too, the Savoyards were wonderfully free and -confidential; and the only one who retained his full discretion was -Jacques Beaupre, who was remarkably taciturn, and kicked Pierrot's shins -under the table,--a hint which he did not choose to take. - -The entrance of Edward Langdale instantly silenced Master Pierrot, -however, for he was not in the least drunk. In the ladder of inebriety -there are many rounds, and he had only reached the first, which with him -was always talkativeness. But Edward looked grave, for he had heard much -speaking, with Pierrot's voice predominant; and, when the host entered -to inquire whether the guests would take some more wine, the young -gentleman's "No" was uttered in a tone that went home to his follower's -consciousness. - -"What a fool I am!" thought Pierrot. "If it had been brandy, now, -instead of wine, I should have been drunk again to a certainty." - -The following morning at an early hour the whole party were once more in -the saddle, and the two Savoyards were ready as soon as the rest, -seeming to think that they had fixed themselves upon the young -gentleman's party. Edward examined the priming of his pistols before he -set out, and ordered his followers to do so likewise; but, as the day -before had been rainy, the precaution excited no remark, and the day's -journey was begun. - -Four or five miles only had passed, however, when, at a spot where a -road branched off through the forest to the left, the young Englishman -suddenly drew in his rein and turned to the Savoyards, saying, "Here, my -good friends, we have to part. That is your road, and this is mine." - -The two men seemed much surprised, and even ventured to remonstrate, -commending highly the safety and sociability of travelling in company, -and magnifying the great advantage it would be to him to have two such -skilful smiths and horse-doctors in his train. They offered even to wait -for him, if he had business on the road, and to attend to his horses -without pay. - -But Edward Langdale was peremptory. "You said you were going to Savoy," -he remarked. "The only way to get there is to follow the road before -you. Moreover, it will be safer for you to go in other company than -mine; for I am subject to fits of choler, and apt to shoot people if -they offend me, as that good gentleman, Monsieur Pierrot la Grange, can -inform you." - -"Ay, that he is!" exclaimed Pierrot. "I have got the bullet in my leg -now." - -The two men looked at each other in astonishment, and made some -exclamation in a language which Edward did not understand, but which did -not sound like any species of Italian. - -"Ah!" said Jacques Beaupre, solemnly, "it is a sad infirmity he has. I -always ride on the right side of him, for he does not aim so well on -that side as on the left." - -The two men smiled; but a slight movement of Edward's hand toward his -pistols soon restored their gravity, and he added, "Take my advice. Go -on your way, and let me see you go, for I do not choose to be followed." - -A shrug of the shoulders and a shake of the rein was their only answer, -and they rode away along the highroad before them. - -Edward watched them for some distance, and then turned into the smaller -path on the left. "I do not like those men," he said, speaking to his -followers. "Both their countenances are bad; and, as for the taller one -of the two, I am certain I have seen him at Nantes. I think it was in -the court of the chateau, the day we set out for Deux Rivieres." - -"I think so too," said Jacques Beaupre. "He is too ugly to be forgotten -easily; and, as for their tongue, I think it is Basque. I once heard -that language spoken; and theirs is much more like it than Savoyard." - -Poor Pierrot was conscience-stricken, and heartily wished his tongue had -been cut out before it had run away from his discretion on the preceding -evening; but he kept his own counsel, and Jacques Beaupre had too much -of the laquais' spirit about him to tell of a companion before he was -found out. - -The day was dull and gray, but not actually raining, and the road was -muddy and heavy to travel; but the forest was soon passed, and at the -end of two hours Edward judged, by the descriptions he had received, -that he was entering the vale of Chevreuse. Hidden in a dense shroud of -mist, it did not indeed look beautiful to his eyes, as he had been led -to believe; and, in some doubt, he stopped to ask a peasant, whom they -overtook driving an ox-cart, if the Chateau of Dampierre was near. - -"Why, there it is, seigneur," said the man. "Dame! don't you see it?" -And, looking forward, Edward caught a faint sight of some towers and -pinnacles rising over the distant trees. - - - - -CHAPTER XXV. - - -Two large gates of that fine hammered iron which is now rarely seen, -twisted into leaves and flowers and coronets, with gilding here and -there, and the arms of Chevreuse and Montbazon let into the centre, shut -the small park of Dampierre from the road. They seemed indeed to offer -no ingress to any one, for Edward rang the great bell at least half a -dozen times before any one appeared; but then a man walked slowly down -the road from the chateau itself, and examined the strangers through the -filagree-work of the gate as he came. At neither of the two lodges at -the sides of the gate was there the least sign of life. - -The man, who seemed an old servant, however, and who carried a large key -in his hand, applied it to the lock without asking any questions, and -Edward, before entering, inquired if Madame de Chevreuse was at the -chateau. - -"I do not know," replied the servant, in an indifferent tone. "A good -many people rode away the day before yesterday, and I have not seen her -since; but, if you ride up, they will tell you there." - -Edward accordingly rode on, and, though the distance was not more than -three hundred yards, he perceived that his coming had created more -sensation at the chateau than at the gates. There were heads at several -of the windows, and two or three men came forth upon the terrace and -watched the approaching party. Edward rode slowly to give time for a -full examination; for, from all he had heard at Nantes, he could very -well conceive that the fair duchess might be inclined to stand somewhat -upon her guard before she admitted strangers. Dismounting before the -chateau, he gave his horse to Jacques Beaupre to hold, and advanced -toward one of the servants at the door, who showed no disposition to -advance toward him, inquiring if the duchess was at Dampierre and would -receive him. "Come in, sir," said another servant, who had just come -down the steps. "Go up that staircase and turn to your right through the -first door. You will soon find somebody who will inform you." - -Edward obeyed, thinking the manners of the Chateau of Dampierre somewhat -strange, it must be confessed, but being perfectly prepared to follow -the old adage of doing at Rome &c. The stairs were wide and low-stepped, -of dark polished oak, with richly-ornamented balusters; and the walls of -the staircase were covered with rich pictures both of Italian and -Flemish schools. At the top was a broad landing-place or vestibule, with -doors all round; but, following the directions he had received, the -young Englishman opened the first on the right and entered a splendid -saloon, where, seated in a great arm-chair, was a lady of gorgeous and -dazzling beauty, with a little girl of some seven or eight years old at -her knee, nearly as beautiful as herself. The eyes of both were fixed -upon the opening door with a gay look of expectation; and the moment -that Edward was fairly in the room the little girl ran forward, sprung -up, and kissed him. The beautiful lady followed and kissed him likewise, -laughing gayly as she did so. - -It was certainly a surprise, though not a very disagreeable one, and -Edward would not have objected to go over the same scene again; but, -fancying there must be some mistake, he said, "I beg pardon for my -intrusion. I imagine, madame, that you have--happily for me--taken me -for some one else, by the honor you show me. I am merely a page to Lord -Montagu, whom I hope to find here." - -"No mistake at all, monsieur," said the gay lady. "It is a vow, -sir,--altogether a vow,--which I and my daughter made, to kiss the first -gentleman that came to relieve our solitude; for my magnificent lord has -chosen to take himself away with all his people, and we have seen no -faces but those of the old servants for two whole days. It was a vow, -sir, we accomplished; but, even had it not been, I suppose I am not the -first duchess who has kissed a page, and probably I shall not be the -last." - -"Heaven forbid!" said Edward, entering into the humor of the hour, "if -all duchesses' kisses are as sweet. But I presume I am in the presence -of Madame de Chevreuse, for whom I have a letter." - -"Well, well," said the bright, reckless woman, "sit down here beside me -and tell me more. So you are my friend Lord Montagu's page. He has -expected you long, and told me all about you. How happened you to linger -on the road? Now, I warrant you met with some pretty little maiden, and -could not tear yourself away till you had beguiled the poor thing." - -Edward took the seat to which she pointed beside her own chair, and -proceeded to tell her all he thought necessary to account for his long -delay, but without alluding in any way to Lucette. The explanation was -somewhat long, and the duchess listened listlessly, sometimes gazing at -his face, sometimes looking down at her own beautiful hands and shifting -the rings about in an absent manner. Edward, as was customary at that -period, nourished two locks of dark silky hair, twisted into those long -pendent curls which brought forth at an after-period the famous -puritanical tirade upon "the unloveliness of love-locks;" and, a little -to his surprise, as he went on he felt the fair duchess's hands busy -with the curls and twisting them round her fingers. Suddenly, however, -she started, exclaiming, "What am I about?" and Edward innocently -thought she was shocked at the familiarity into which a fit of absence -had betrayed her. Not a bit of it; and he was soon undeceived. - -"Surely I saw two attendants with you as I was looking from the window," -she continued; "and I have totally forgotten the poor men and the poor -horses. Run, my child, and tell Paton, the Savoyard, to have the men and -horses monsieur brought here taken care of; and bid somebody carry his -baggage to the chamber Lord Montagu had, next to mine. It is strange, -you will think," she continued, as her daughter tripped away: "I have -not a soubrette in the house, nor any woman but the old housekeeper and -my own girl; but I came away from Britanny in such haste, not knowing -whether I should be suffered to come away at all, that the fewer people -I brought with me the better. Now let me hear the rest, and give me the -letter you mentioned,--after which you shall have some food." - -Edward had little more to tell, except the execution of poor Chalais, -and the permission given him by Richelieu to pursue his journey. The -first he touched but slightly, as the common rumor of something more -than the mere relations of friendship between the unhappy count and -Madame de Chevreuse had reached him; but the duchess would hear all, and -for a time she seemed greatly moved, although her love was so very -minutely divided that there could be no great portion for any individual -lover. At his account of his last interview with Richelieu,--which was -somewhat lame, from there being various circumstances which he felt -bound to keep back,--Madame de Chevreuse mused. - -"The cardinal has some object," she said: "in fact, he always has. It -was not for your good mien he let you go on, depend upon it,--though you -are a handsome boy, I do not deny, and if the fox had been a woman I -could have understood his favor for you better,--though probably he -would then have kept you with him, as I intend to do." - -"Indeed, madame," replied Edward, "I fear my duty requires me to go on -immediately, if, as I gather from your conversation, Lord Montagu is not -here. I need not tell you how much I should like to stay." - -"Why do you not add something about bright eyes and beautiful lips, &c. -&c. &c., in true page style?" said Madame de Chevreuse; and then, giving -him a playful box on the ear, she added, "Were not you told to take my -orders and follow my directions, sir? It was so explained to me; but I -see I have a great deal to teach you yet. You will have to wait till the -day after to-morrow. Here; listen; put down your head." And as Edward -obeyed she brought her rosy lips so near his ear that the perfumed -breath fanned his cheek. "To-morrow night," she whispered, "I shall have -news of Montagu, and the day after, perhaps, I shall find it convenient -to take flight for Lorraine myself. The neighborhood of the court is -somewhat dangerous for me; and my head looks prettier upon my own -shoulders than in the hands of the executioner. In the mean time, you -have to stay here and console my daughter and myself. We live the life -of two nuns just now: you know how nuns live, I dare say,--young nuns, -of course, I mean. And now, let us talk of any thing but business: you -have to amuse me, and I have to be amused. I do not much care how." - -I think it may be as well to drop for the present the further -conversation of the gay young duchess and her still younger companion. -She had all her life been famous for free speaking, and a little -celebrated for free acting; and, had it not been necessary to show -something of the life and manners of the times, I might have been -tempted not to bring her on the stage at all,--although, in writing the -adventures of Lord Montagu's page, Edward's visit to Dampierre could -hardly be left out. It must be remembered, however, that, though -somewhat more beautiful, more gay and witty, than most of her courtly -compeers, Marie de Rohan was but a type of French society at that time. -Few of the high dames of that day were at all more virtuous than -herself, although she had the candour--or the impudence, as it may -be--to make very few pretensions. - -She had said that she had many things to teach Edward, and certainly -hers was not a very good school for a young lad; but he learned there -more perhaps than she imagined, and in the midst of her light coquetries -the sweet pure image of his Lucette came up to his mind, like the odor -of a fresh flower in the midst of some scene of revel. He thanked God -with all his heart that she whom he loved had never been subjected to -the guardianship of such a woman; and he even felt pained that the poor -young child her daughter should be witness to the reckless levity which -the mother displayed. There is a holiness about childhood; and the heart -of every man not impious revolts at the very thought of any thing which -can profane that shrine of innocence. - -Edward dined well; for the Duc de Chevreuse was one of the most -luxurious--the French writers call it splendid--of the nobility of the -day. He is reported at one time to have ordered six magnificent coaches -merely to try which was the easiest; and he was not a man to have any of -his many houses at any time unprovided with a good cook. - -After dinner is the time for sober but not heavy chat: the most -persistent of appetites is satisfied; the blood has something to do in -the process of digestion, and frolics less freely than at other times; -and the brain itself turns hard work over to the stomach, and neither -sports like a young horse set free from harness, nor lies down to sleep -like an ass upon a common. The Duchesse de Chevreuse went to lie down -upon her bed and rest after dinner, as was then common; but, as was -fully as common, she asked the young Englishman to come and sit beside -her. There were no triclinia in those days, nor _chaises longues_, nor -sofas; and, although piles of cushions had been introduced into a few -houses by those who had served against or with the Turks, they had not -found their way into the Chateau de Dampierre. Her conversation was much -more sober, however, than it had been in the earlier part of the day; -and from it Edward learned that Lord Montagu had talked to her much -about him, had told her his whole history, and had even left with her a -purse of five hundred crowns for his use, expressing a conviction that -some unforeseen accident had delayed him on his journey and might have -exhausted his finances. - -"He seemed to take a vast deal of interest in you," said the duchess, -"and made me long to see you. But, Monsieur Langdale, this conduct of -his Eminence of Richelieu toward you puzzles me, and to my mind augurs -little good. Tell me: did any thing particular happen to you on the -road? Did you meet with any of the cardinal's people? Are these two men -you have brought with you sure and faithful?" - -The remembrance of the two strangers who had endeavored to force -themselves upon him, instantly recurred to Edward's mind, and he related -the whole adventure. - -"Spies! spies, on my life!" cried the duchess. "I trust they did not -discover you were coming here?" - -"Not from me," answered Edward Langdale; "for I suspected them from the -first." - -"Ah! then you have learned to suspect betimes," said the duchess; "and I -dare say you suspect women as much as men,--though we are more sincere -by half. I say not we are more faithful, for men are so unfaithful that -we should lose at that game; but we show more openly what we feel, and -therefore are more true. Now, tell me: were you ever in love, Monsieur -Langdale?" - -Thus she rambled on, with less gayety, and less familiarity, perhaps, -than before dinner; but there was a sort of languor about her, a soft -sleepiness, which was perhaps more attractive, especially to a young -man. One of the greatest charms of that extraordinary woman was her -infinite variety. Was it now a desire merely to coquet with a young and -handsome lad? Was it only with the purpose of amusing a vacant hour or -two? Was it without purpose at all, and that she simply gave way to the -passing feelings of the moment and with listless carelessness left the -results to chance? I know not; and probably she herself and Edward -Langdale were the only persons who ever knew. - -Authors will get into difficulties sometimes, dear reader,--will come to -sticking-places where they find it as difficult to go back as to wade -through. The only way in such circumstances is to take a great jump; -and, thank Heaven, the horses we ride are equal to any leap. - -The next morning Edward and the duchess and her daughter met at -breakfast; and Madame de Chevreuse, if not in great spirits, was -cheerful and gay, and full of plans for passing the day pleasantly. She -would go and show the young Englishman the grotto and the rocks; they -would kill a stag in the adjoining forest; they would visit the _cure_ -of Chevreuse, and astonish the good man,--a sport which she by no means -disliked: but while they were arranging all these schemes on the open -space before the chateau, a courier was seen riding up from the gates, -and when he came near he handed the duchess two letters. - -The blood left her cheek as she read, and, instantly drawing Edward -aside, she said, "We must part at once. You go on as fast as possible to -Gray. Wait there two days, and, if you hear no more, ride forward to -Turin. As for myself, look here." And she put a paper into his hand. It -was a copy of the decree banishing her to Lorraine, there to remain upon -her own estates till the king's further pleasure. - -"Order your horses quickly," she said. "Then come to my chamber for the -sum Montagu left for you. Glimpses of sunshine! glimpses of sunshine in -this April-day life! and then dark clouds and heavy showers." - -In an hour, Edward Langdale rode away from Dampierre. He was grave and -silent. What was in his heart who can tell? but he certainly did not -view the world more brightly, or feel more confidence in human nature, -than he had done before that short visit. - - - - -CHAPTER XXVI. - - -Edward Langdale rode on from place to place, sometimes quickly, -sometimes slowly, as the condition of the roads and the nature of the -country required; and, strangely enough for a journey in those days, -neither accident nor adventure befell him. One thing excited his -curiosity and suspicion, however. At Trapes, where he passed the first -night after leaving the house of Madame de Chevreuse, when he had -finished his supper and was just retiring to rest, he caught for a -moment, on the somewhat darksome stairs, one glance of a face he thought -he had seen before. He could not identify it, indeed, for it was lost as -soon as seen; but it instantly carried his mind back to his adventure -with the two Savoyards, and he felt almost sure that face belonged to -one of them. But neither of the two strangers appeared the next morning; -and Pierrot and Jacques both assured him that their horses were not in -the stable. - -There are faces that haunt us both in night and daydreams; and Edward -was almost led to believe that one of these spectres of the imagination -had taken possession of him; for twice or three times before he reached -Gray that face again crossed him for a moment, and always when no one -else was present who could confirm or remove his suspicions. - -Those were not pleasant days to live in; and it is a very difficult -thing for any one born in and accustomed to the bad comfortable modern -days to realize those _good old times_. Espionage was then a great -science, an honorable profession, practised by great dignitaries and men -of high degree. Words brought men's heads to the block, and thoughts -often conducted to a prison. There was no need of overt acts: intentions -were quite sufficient; and friends and foes were so continually changing -places that no one could tell that the thoughts uttered in the -confidence of familiar intercourse would not be brought forward a few -days or weeks later to lead one to the dungeon and the rack. Yet it is -wonderful, unaccountable, how freely and daringly men spoke their -mind,--how the grave condemnation, the witty lampoon, or the hideous -libel, was disseminated without ceremony. Men laughed and had their -heads chopped off,--and would have laughed still if they could have been -fixed on again, I do believe; for nothing seemed a warning or a -restraint. - -Edward, however, born in a country where neither the reign of the Tudor -nor of the Stuart had been able to crush out the spirit of liberty, -loved not to be watched; and there is always something more alarming in -the indefinite than the definite danger. He could not divine what was -the object of the two strangers, if, indeed, they had any object, in -thus persisting in following him. The cardinal had lacked no opportunity -of detaining him at Nantes, or of arresting him on his journey, if he -had thought fit; and yet he could not clear his mind from suspicion till -he reached Franche Comte and found himself beyond the power of the -French minister. - -It may be necessary to remind the reader that Franche Comte was not -annexed to France till the year 1668; and at the time of which I now -write the important town of Gray was a fortified place, consisting of -the city on the high ground strongly walled, and a suburb on the bank of -the Saone, defended merely by a small battery. For a long period of -troublous times, so frequent had been the visits of French exiles to -Lorraine, Burgundy, and Franche Comte, that safe-conducts or passports -from one country to another were very generally dispensed with in the -country and in open towns; but in fortresses some trouble was -experienced; and it is probable that the directions which the Duchesse -de Chevreuse had given Edward Langdale to stop in the faubourg were -intended to guard against his detention. The inn which she had named to -him was good, however,--perhaps better than that in the upper town; and -the appointed two days of Edward's stay passed dully but not -unpleasantly. The horses were refreshed and the two men none the worse -for the repose. For Edward himself, too, perhaps two days of thought -were beneficial. Every man, in the toil and tumult and hurry of the -world, requires some moment to pause and consider his position, to -decide upon his future course, to apply the lesson of past errors, to -take breath as it were amidst the bustle of existence. Edward was like a -stout swimmer who had been suddenly plunged into a torrent, and was -likely to be carried away by the flood which for the last three months -had been whirling confusedly round him; and those two days at Gray were -like a little island of dry ground where he could rest and scan his way -to the opposite bank, avoiding the rocks and eddies which might impede -or destroy him. It is a quaint old proverb, but a true one, that "a man -who does not look clearly before him will often have to look sadly -behind him;" and happy is he who has both the will and the time to do -so. - -Those two days then with Edward passed in almost uninterrupted thought; -but at last the night of the second day came, and yet neither message -nor letter had arrived. Supper had been eaten, and the horses had been -ordered for daybreak on the following morning to proceed to Turin, when, -toward nine o'clock, the landlord brought in a scrap of writing, asking -Edward if that was intended for him. It was addressed in -English,--"Master Edward Langdale,"--and underneath was written, "Join -me at Chambery or Aix. I shall be there from the twenty-ninth till the -first." - -No name was signed, but the writing was Lord Montagu's; and the -landlord, on being questioned, said the paper had been given to him by a -courier from Arnay le Duc going to Vesoul, who had gone on his way as -soon as he had left it. - -Now, Edward's knowledge of geography was considerable, and, as far as -France and England were concerned, minute; but he had at Gray got -somewhat out of his latitude, and the landlord had to be consulted as -to the road to Aix and Chambery. The good man was learned upon the -subject, however, knew every inch of the road, he said, and could find -his way in the dark. It was true, he added, that it was rather a wild -way, and carriages could hardly go one-half the distance; but, as the -gentleman had horses, it would be easily managed. He must first go -straight to Dole, then from Dole to Lons-le-Saulnier, from -Lons-le-Saulnier to Bourg or Nantua, and thence to the Pont du Sault. -After that, he said, came Bellay and Aix and Chambery; but there the -traveller would have to ask every step of his way. It was a five days' -journey, he remarked, and, ride as hard as you would, it would take four -and a half. - -Edward did ride hard, and the first part of the way was overcome in a -much shorter space of time than the good host had anticipated; nor was -it till the party had passed Bourg that any thing like difficulties -occurred. It is as pleasant a ride in fine weather as any one can take, -for the roads are now good and the scenery exceedingly picturesque -without being fatiguingly grand; but neither Edward nor ourselves have -any time to pause upon the beauties of nature. The roads, however, were -then in a very different condition from that which they now display; -and, indeed, the wonder-working eighteenth and nineteenth centuries have -done more for few countries than for the districts lying between the -Jura and the Rhone and Saone. - -On the twenty-seventh of July, Edward Langdale and his party were within -one short day's journey of Aix, and the early morning when they set out -was fresh and beautiful. The hot summer sun was shaded by the rocks and -forests, and the air was cooled by the mountain-breeze. As he was -earlier than the first of the days named by Lord Montagu, the young -traveller suffered his horses to proceed leisurely. But in this he made -a mistake. Man always wants more money and time than he calculates upon; -and nobody can tell what the want of an hour or a guinea may bring -about. - -As every one knows, the country which Edward had now to traverse is a -land of rocks and mountains, of rivers and lakes. Not three miles can be -passed without encountering some stream or torrent hurrying down to -join the great Rhone; and at every mile, as the road then went, was some -steep ascent or descent, flanked with rugged cliffs, sometimes covered -with dark forests, sometimes naked and gray, with immense masses of -stone impending over the traveller's head without the root of a single -tree to bind them to the crag, while high up in front the Mont du Chat -was seen from time to time rearing its rugged front and seeming to close -the pass. About one o'clock, over the edges of the hills some heavy -clouds were seen rising, knotty and dull, and of a deep lead-color, -except where the sun tipped their edges with an ochrey yellow. The wind -was from the northeast, and the clouds were coming from the south. But -they did not heed the breeze, which soon began to fail before them. - -"Let us ride faster," said Edward: "the road is good here." And on he -went, keeping his eye on the heavy masses, but fearing no greater -inconvenience than a wetting. He had never travelled in Savoy before. -However, by quick trotting he saved himself and his followers for about -two hours; but by the end of that time the sun was hidden and great -drops began to fall. Then came the thunder echoing through the hills, -and then a complete deluge. Every thing turned gray, and the old castles -which strew that part of the country could hardly be distinguished from -the rocks on which they stood. - -Two more hours were passed by the travellers under an overhanging shelf -of rock, which afforded some shelter, not only to themselves, but also -to their horses. But at the end of that time the rain had had the effect -of loosening some parts of the cliff, and several large masses of stone -began to fall, giving them warning to retreat as soon as possible. - -The thunder was now more distant and the flashes of lightning farther -apart; but the rain continued to fall, not so heavily, but in a dull, -incessant pour. There was nothing to be done but to ride on, and, even -then, but slow progress could be made; for the roads were cut up in a -terrible manner, the smaller streams were swollen so as to be well nigh -impassable, and here and there the way was nearly blocked up by piles of -rock and gravel. Night was rapidly coming on; no human habitation was -in sight except a scattered old tower here and there, and that in ruins. - -At length, just as the sun sank, a more formidable obstacle than ever -presented itself. Where the road took a rapid descent between some high -rocky ground on the right and the Rhone in flood upon the left, just at -the spot where one of the branches of the Guiers joins the larger river, -an immense mass of rock, undermined by the torrent, had fallen across -the mouth of the stream, which, thus blocked up, had flooded the whole -road. By the side of the water, gazing disconsolately at the rushing and -whirling current, was a group of men, some four in number. It was too -dark for Edward to distinguish who they were at any distance, but when -he came nearer he perceived his two old friends the Savoyard -blacksmiths, and two laborers of the country, whom the fall of the rock -and the consequent inundation had, it seemed, cut off from their own -cottages on the other side. - -"Ah! bon jour, bon jour, seigneur!" said one of the blacksmiths, who had -dismounted, and was holding his horse by the bridle: "we came all along -the road with you, after all, but we kept out of your way for fear of -your pistols. Here is a pretty pass! We shall not get over to-night, -these men say." - -"Can we find no place of shelter this side?" asked Edward, whose -suspicion of the two men had been greatly abated by finding they had -quietly pursued their way to Savoy. The blacksmith shook his head. - -"I saw an old castle about half a mile back," said the young Englishman: -"it was not far up the mountain." - -"All ruined! No roof," replied the other. "Ask them yourself." - -But Edward could not make either of the peasants comprehend a word he -said. "We must do something," he remarked. "It is growing darker every -moment, and it would give us some sort of covering, were it but under an -old arch. Hark! there are horses coming on the other side. Those men -will be into the torrent if they do not mind." And, raising his voice, -he shouted aloud to warn the horsemen, who were dashing on at furious -pace from the side of Aix. - -The wind set the other way, and the roaring of the water was loud, so -that it is probable his shout was not heard, for the next moment there -was a plunge into the water and then a loud cry for help. - -Edward sprang instantly from his horse and advanced to the very verge of -the stream. - -"For Heaven's sake, Master Ned, for Heaven's sake, do not try it!" cried -Pierrot, catching his arm. - -"Here, take the horse," said Edward, sharply. "Let go my arm." - -A flash of lightning came at that moment, faint, indeed, but sufficient -to show him a horse carried away toward the Rhone, a horseman who had -pulled up just in time upon the other brink, and a man struggling in the -water and trying to hold by a smooth mass of fallen rock, just in the -middle of the torrent, about twelve yards from him. He paused not to -consider, but ran as far as he could up the water, dashed in, and swam -with all his strength toward the drowning man, whom he could just -distinguish. Borne down by the current, he drifted right to the rock, -calling aloud, in French, "Do not touch me, and I will save you!" - -Such warnings are usually vain. The man's first effort was to clutch -him; but Edward was prepared, and kept him off, catching him tightly by -the back of the neck. We have said that he was a good and practised -swimmer; but neither skill nor strength would probably have carried him -across that small space of twelve yards against that powerful current. -But Jacques Beaupre caught sight of him, and exclaimed, "Here, Pierrot, -catch my hand. Let us all be drowned in company." And, running in till -the water reached his shoulders and almost carried him off his feet, he -contrived to grasp Edward's arm and pull him on till he could touch -ground. - -The young lad was almost exhausted, for the man, of whom he had never -loosed his hold, had struggled to the last to grasp him, and the few -moments since he had left the rock had been all one confused scene of -strife amongst the dark and eddying waters. - -"Here; let me take him, sir," said Jacques: "if ever a man's life was -nobly saved, it is his." And, throwing his brawny arms round the -stranger, who struggled still, he carried him on to the road. - -Edward paused for a moment, as soon as he could resist the stream, to -draw breath, and then slowly joined the rest. They had laid the stranger -down on the bank, and for a moment or two he remained quite still, -though his panting breath showed that his life was in no danger. - -"Here, moosoo, take some of this," said one of the blacksmiths, pouring -some spirit out of a bottle into the stranger's mouth: "you owe that -young seigneur something; for if he had not been here you would have -been out of Savoy by this time." - -"I know it; I know it," said the rescued man, faintly. "Where is he? -which is he?" - -"Look! look!" cried Pierrot: "there is a light up there, in one, two, -three windows. That must be in the old chateau which these fellows said -was all in ruins. Let us go up. We shall none of us ever get dry here, -it is raining so hard." - -"Are you able, sir, to walk up to that castle?" asked Edward, speaking -to the stranger, who had now raised himself upon his arm. "I fear your -poor horse is lost beyond all hope." - -"Let the fiery brute go," said the other, petulantly: "if he would have -obeyed the rein I should not have been in this plight. I will try to -accompany you in a moment. But what castle is that? It must be Groslie, -I think." - -He did not speak very good French; but, calling to one of the Savoyard -peasants, he addressed him in his own language, of which he seemed to -have a perfect command. - -The good man instantly began to speak fast and gesticulate vehemently; -and, translating as best he could the language of signs, Edward -concluded that the Savoyard was trying to dissuade the gentleman from -going to the old chateau he had seen. - -"What does he say?" asked the young Englishman: "he seems unwilling we -should go." - -"Oh, he talks nonsense," answered the stranger: "he will have it that -the place is haunted, and says that no one is ever seen there by day, -but that those lights appear from time to time at night,--smugglers, -more likely, or coiners; but we are too many for them to do us any -harm." As he spoke he raised himself slowly upon his feet and said to -the friendly blacksmith, "Give me some more of those strong waters, my -friend. I will pay you well for them." - -The man readily supplied him, and he professed himself ready to proceed; -but the two peasants could not be induced by any means to accompany the -rest. One of the blacksmiths, however, produced a lantern and candle -from the packs which each carried behind his saddle, and the party set -out, not without fresh remonstrances from the boors. - -"If they be devils, we do not fear them," replied the stranger, and then -added some directions which probably referred to the servant, who had -been able to stop his horse in time and remained on the other side of -the torrent. - -The peasants seemed to treat the stranger with much respect; but even -when, by the aid of a flint and steel, the lantern was lighted, it was -impossible for Edward to discern more of the other's person than -sufficient to satisfy him that he was a man of distinguished appearance, -tall and well formed though slight, and clothed as one of the higher -classes. - -The ascent was somewhat laborious but not long, after they had once -discovered the right road; and about twenty minutes brought the party to -an old bridge and gate under a deep arch. By the faint light of the -candle, which was by this time wellnigh burned out, the place looked -fully as ruinous and desolate as the peasants had represented it to be. -The rugged outlines of some of the towers showed that much of the -masonry had fallen, and the key-stone of the arch and a large mass of -rubbish only left room for the horses to pass one at a time. Still, -however, the light they had seen from below continued to stream from -three windows in a great, dark, shapeless mass of buildings, and the -approach of the new-comers did not seem to have been discovered by the -persons within, if there were any. - -"Stop a moment," said Edward, pausing under the arch. "As we do not -know what sort of persons we shall find within, it is well to be -prepared. The priming of my pistols may be damp, though the holsters are -made as tight as possible." And, standing under the shelter of the -walls, he took the weapon from his saddle-bow, threw the powder out of -the pans, and primed them anew. He then took the very useful precautions -of ascertaining that no water had entered the barrels and that the balls -were still in their places. - -"Ay, he has got two lives there," said Pierrot, keeping close to his -master; and then, fastening the horses to some chains which hung about -the bridge, the whole party advanced toward the building in which the -lights were seen. A low and narrow door admitted them to the foot of a -small stone staircase, and, lighted by the blinking lantern, they began -to ascend. They had hardly gone half-way up--Edward with one pistol in -his belt and the other in his hand--when they heard a clear, merry peal -of laughter; and, somewhat hurrying his pace, lest the little candle -should go out before they reached the object of their search, the young -Englishman reached a little ante-room with a door on the opposite side, -through the large key-hole of which a ray of light streamed out upon the -floor. - -The door was thrown open without ceremony; but the scene which the -interior of the large hall or chamber presented was what none of the -party expected. Seated round a table, on which were the remains of an -abundant meal, with plenty of wine, and sundry papers and maps, was a -party of gentlemen, richly dressed, with the exception of one who -occupied the top of the board and who was habited as an ecclesiastic. A -gentleman on the abbe's right hand was in the very act of speaking with -some gesticulation when the door was flung open; but he instantly -stopped. The party at the door stopped, also, in much surprise, and each -group gazed upon the other for a moment in silence. - - - - -CHAPTER XXVII. - - -The hall was lighted by three large sconces hung against that part of -the wall nearest to the table; but still the extent of the chamber -rendered the light feeble, except immediately under the burners. It -cannot be said that the appearance of Edward Langdale and his companions -was very prepossessing. Edward himself wore his hat and plume, which had -been thrown off before he plunged into the water; but his dress was -soiled as well as wet. The stranger whom he had saved was in a still -worse plight: his hat, of course, had been lost in his struggle with the -torrent, and his forehead and part of his face were covered with -dripping locks of long black hair. His sword, which had remained in the -sheath, was the only distinguishing mark of a gentleman about him. -Pierrot and Jacques Beaupre looked far more like bravos than the -followers of an English gentleman of those days; and the two ill-favored -blacksmiths, one armed with a half-extinguished lantern and the other -with a sledge-hammer, did not add to the beauty or respectability of the -group. - -No wonder, then, that several of the gentlemen at the table laid their -hands upon their swords; and the one who had been speaking advanced a -step or two, exclaiming, in a threatening tone, "What is this? What -means this ill-mannered intrusion? Who are you, sirs, and what seek you -here?" - -"Shelter from the storm, and food, if it can be procured," said Edward: -"we know not upon whom----" - -But, before he could finish the sentence, the gentleman to whom it was -addressed started forward and caught him by the hand, exclaiming, "What! -Ned, my boy! How came you to seek me here?" - -"I did not seek you here, my lord," replied Edward, "and, to say truth, -if I had known you were here, I should not have come. I was on my way to -Aix to join your lordship, according to your commands; but the road is -impassable. Some of us have been half drowned; and, though this is a -desolate-looking place, we said, 'Any port in a storm.'" - -"But who are these gentlemen with you?" asked Lord Montagu, still -speaking in French, but running his eye somewhat doubtfully over the -group of five persons who had advanced some way from the door. - -"Those two," answered Edward, in the same gay tone, which was generally -affected by pages of noble houses,--"those two are my servants, or -rather your lordship's, the renowned and reformed Pierrot la Grange and -the facetious Jacques Beaupre. Those two--the one with the lantern and -the other with the hammer--are two respectable blacksmiths and -horse-doctors, who have joined themselves on to me and mine and did good -service in curing one of my horses. They profess to be Savoyards -returning to their own country." - -"They shall be welcome," said Lord Montagu, smiling,--"most welcome, for -I have no less than five good horses sick of some distemper at Chambery. -But who is the other,--that gentleman who seems half drowned?" - -"He was half drowned a few minutes ago, my lord," replied the youth, -"and so was I; but he will probably tell you more of himself if you will -ask him. His horse leaped with him into the river, and it was a hard -matter to get him out." - -"I hold it but courteous in these bad times," said Lord Montagu, "to -follow the old knightly rule and ask no stranger any questions,--before -he has cut your throat; and therefore we will invite him to sup, and -leave him to explain himself. He seems a gentleman." - -"Yes, my lord," was all Edward's reply; but a very peculiar expression -crossed his countenance as he uttered those three words, which, had Lord -Montagu seen it, might have caused more inquiry. That nobleman, however, -had turned to speak for a moment with the gentlemen who had been seated -with him; and he then advanced to the stranger, inviting him courteously -to be seated and take some refreshment, and expressing sorrow for the -accident which had befallen him. He also bade the other four sit down -and eat; and, there being no place for so many at the table, filled as -it was, most of those who had already supped rose and gathered together -at the end of the board, Edward taking his place amongst them without -touching any thing. - -Lord Montagu introduced him to the rest in kind terms, saying, "My page -and young friend, Monsieur Edward Langdale, Monsieur le Prince de ----, -Monsieur le Comte de ----, Monsieur l'Abbe Scaglia, the Duke of Savoy's -prime minister. We came here on a little party of pleasure, Ned, and sat -long over our cups, in truth, hardly hearing that the storm was still -going on. Come, my good youth, sit down and eat. You must be well weary -of all the adventures which the fair duchess writes me you have gone -through. Eat, boy! eat!" - -"Your pardon, my lord," said Edward, gravely: "I will take a cup of wine -here standing: that is all. I have much to tell your lordship." - -"By-and-by, by-and-by," said Lord Montagu, "we shall have plenty of time -and plenty to talk of. Well, drink if you will not eat." - -Edward Langdale advanced to the table, filled himself a goblet of wine, -and returned with it to Lord Montagu's side. Before he could raise it to -his lips, however, the stranger whom he had saved from drowning turned -round his head, saying, with a polite smile, "Let me have the pleasure -of drinking with you, young gentleman, in memory of the service you -rendered me. I do not know your name, though your face is very familiar -to me." - -A dark cloud gathered upon Edward Langdale's brow, and he answered, not -sharply, but with stern, cold bitterness, "I neither eat with you nor -drink with you, sir." - -The stranger started up with his face all on fire, and exclaimed, with -his hand upon the hilt of his sword, "Do you mean to insult me, sir?" - -"I mean to tell you, sir," said the youth, boldly, "that I am Edward -Langdale,--your father's son; and that you have robbed me of that to -which neither he nor you had any right,--my sweet mother's estates." - -"Robbed? robbed?" cried Sir Richard Langdale, furiously drawing his -sword. - -"Ay, robbed,--swindled, if you like it better," said Edward. "Put up -your sword, or sheathe it here," he continued, throwing his arms wide -open and exposing his chest. "I do not fight with my brother." - -The other rushed upon him like a madman. - -"What is this? what is this?" cried the Abbe Scaglia, running forward. - -"Back, madman!" exclaimed Lord Montagu, seizing Richard Langdale by the -collar. - -Pierrot la Grange also darted forward and tried to push between. But all -were too late. Edward fell to the ground with a heavy fall, and his -brother withdrew his sword all dripping with blood. - -The burly blacksmith advanced toward him with his hammer raised in the -act to strike him on the head, exclaiming, in very good French, "The -murdering villain! He has killed the man who saved his life at the risk -of his own, not an hour ago!" - -But Lord Montagu caught his arm, saying, "Stand back. This must be -inquired into by justice. No more slaughter here. Sir, give up your -sword! You are a prisoner." - -"Aid, all men, to arrest him!" cried the Abbe Scaglia. "I command you in -the duke's name!" - -Sir Richard Langdale moved not a muscle, but stood gazing at the fallen -form of his brother with a face as pale as marble and bloodless lips. -Such sudden changes of feeling will often take place in terrible -circumstances. When the dreadful deed, prompted by the fierce fire of -passion, is once done, we know all its horrors; but not before. The -consummation is like the lightning-flash upon a corpse, showing every -ghastly feature more livid and frightful from the remorse-like glare -that darts across it. Suddenly he started, raised his hands to his head, -tearing his long black hair, and exclaiming, "Curse the lands! Curse the -riches!" - -"Here!" cried Lord Montagu, "take him away, you two. Guard him safely, -but do him no hurt. You stout fellow, aid us to raise this poor lad, -and let us see if nothing can be done for him. On my life, I would as -soon have lost my brother!" - -"Let me tend him, sir," said the blacksmith with the lantern: "I have -cured many a horse as bad hurt as he; and a horse and a man are much the -same thing." - -"Not quite," said Lord Montagu, who even at that moment could not -altogether resist the joking spirit of his times and his party. "Heaven! -how he bleeds! Gentlemen, he was the noblest lad--the promptest with -hand and head and heart--I ever saw. Poor Edward! can we do nothing for -you?" - -As he spoke, they raised the youth and laid him on the table, and the -blacksmith tore open his vest. The movement seemed to awaken him a -little; and, probably with thoughts far distant, he exclaimed, in a -faint voice, "No, never! no, not with life!" But the rough hands stayed -not their work; and, after gazing for an instant at his wounded side, -the man turned to his companion, saying, "Ivan, run down and bring up -the pack, quick! We can stop this bleeding. Do you not see? it does not -jerk. Then, if none of the vitals be touched----" - -"A hundred crowns if you save him till we can get to Aix," said Lord -Montagu. - -"I think I can save him altogether," said the man. "The thing is, people -will not treat man as if he were a beast; and so they kill him. Man and -beast are only flesh, and all flesh is grass." - -But it is needless to discuss or to display any further the views and -principles of Edward's somewhat rough doctor, or to detail the treatment -he underwent. There was the usual amount of bustle and confusion, and -the much talking and the recommendation of many remedies which could not -be procured and would have done no good if they had been there. Suffice -it that the bleeding was soon stayed, and that Edward recovered from the -fainting-fit into which the wound, probably penetrating some very -sensitive part, had thrown him. The blacksmith by no means wanted -mother-wit, and his treatment was probably based upon the sound -principle of merely aiding nature. The lad spoke a few words, and they -tried to impose silence upon him; but he would not hold his peace till -those around assured him that no one had hurt his brother and that he -was safe in another chamber. - -All Lord Montagu's anxiety seemed to be to get him to Aix; and he went -out himself and sent out more than once to see if the storm was over. -Luckily for Edward, it continued all night and part of the next morning; -I say luckily, for the hands in which he was were probably better -calculated to bring about his recovery than any which could have been -found in a small town in Savoy, as medical science went in those times. - -In the mean while, the party assembled made themselves as comfortable as -they could in disagreeable circumstances of many kinds; and the heavy -tread of Sir Richard Langdale was heard through the night beating -incessantly the floor of the room above. Toward morning that wearisome -footfall ceased, and Lord Montagu, who sat by Edward's side and was -still awake, said to himself, "That poor wretch has found sleep at -length. Now, which is the happiest?--he, or poor Ned here? I would -rather be that boy than the man who has killed his own brother. They say -that Edward saved his life, too, not an hour before. Very likely! He is -fit for any gallant act. Heaven! what must that man's thoughts be?" - -Soon after, the Abbe Scaglia roused himself in the corner where he had -ensconced him, and, moving quietly up, talked in a low tone for some -twenty minutes with Lord Montagu. They then roused the rest of the party -who had been supping there, and went down into the court-yard, where -they found the horses of Edward Langdale and his companions. Their own -were hidden in one of those deep vaults under the great tower which were -common in most feudal castles, especially in border-districts, as a safe -and silent receptacle of stolen cattle and horses. - -Though it was still raining, most of the party mounted and rode away, -promising to send up a litter and a surgeon as soon as the road was -passable. Lord Montagu himself said he would remain with the poor lad, -and reascended to the chamber where he had left him. - -All was silent there: the wounded youth had fallen into a sleep which -seemed calm, and the two blacksmiths were nodding beside him. The -English nobleman then went up to the floor above, where he found Jacques -Beaupre asleep across the door, and Pierrot sitting up, but rubbing his -eyes as if he had not been long awake. - -In answer to the nobleman's questions, Pierrot detailed all that had -occurred upon the road, and dwelt upon the gallant conduct of his young -master. "He little thought," said the man, "that he was risking his own -life to save the very man who would kill him. But I have often heard say -that it is unlucky to rescue a man from drowning. As to this man in -here, sir, I believe he is mad; for he has been walking about all -night,--sometimes talking to himself, sometimes groaning as if his heart -would break. I had better wake him, perhaps." - -"No, no! Let him sleep if he can," said Lord Montagu, quickly. "Well may -he groan! Pray Heaven neither of us may ever have such cause, my man. -When you hear him move, get him some wine. There is still some -down-stairs. Till then, let him alone. If he sleeps, it is the best -thing for him." - -Thus saying, he went down again, and, finding every thing as before, -approached the window and gazed at the morning light, still pale and -blue, spreading up from the mountain-edges into the rainy sky. After -about half an hour, Edward turned painfully and asked for some water. -His lord gave it to him with a kindly word or two, and the blacksmiths -woke up and examined the wound. They seemed satisfied with its -appearance, and one of them said, loud enough for Edward to hear, "He -will get well, sir." - -Oh, what a blessed thing is hope! Those few words were a better balm -than any druggist could have supplied. They brought with them, too, the -thought of Lucette; and, beckoning to Lord Montagu to hold down his -head, he whispered, "If I should die, my lord, I beseech you to write a -few lines to the old Marquise de Lagny, to tell her the fact. She will -be with the court of France, wherever that may be." - -"No, no; you will get well, Ned," said Lord Montagu, in a cheerful tone. -"I do not intend to part with you yet. But now you must positively be -silent if you would not increase the evil." - -Some four or five hours passed. The rain cleared away, the sun broke -out, and Lord Montagu looked anxiously from the windows which were -turned toward the road, in expectation of the promised litter. All he -could see, however, was a large party of Savoyard peasantry working -hard, apparently, to remove some obstruction from the highway. - -He was still gazing forth, when Pierrot appeared at the door, and, -finding all still, beckoned to him. - -"My lord," he said, in a low voice, when Montagu had joined him, "I can -hear nothing of that man above, nor Jacques either. He could not get out -of the windows; and I should not wonder if he has hanged himself." - -Lord Montagu started and instantly ran up-stairs, thinking the -conclusion at which Pierrot had jumped not at all improbable. He opened -the door gently and looked around. The sun was shining full into the -room, but Sir Richard Langdale was not there. The only thing that could -indicate the mode of his escape was a pair of large riding-boots, very -wet, which lay on the floor; and it is probable that, opening the door -cautiously while the two men were asleep, he had stepped lightly over -them and then gone down the stairs. - -"What a thing is the love of life!" thought Lord Montagu. "This man -would rather live miserable than risk the grave. However, I cannot be -sorry; and I believe poor Ned will be glad." - -He entered the room below as silently as possible; but Edward, who had -heard his rapid step running up the stairs, turned his head, asking, "Is -there any thing the matter above?" - -"Only that your brother has escaped," said his lord. - -"Thank God!" said the young man, with a smile. "Pray, do not pursue him, -my lord." - -"I will not," replied Montagu: "make your mind easy, Ned." - -"Here come some people with a litter up the hill," said one of the -blacksmiths. - - - - -CHAPTER XXVIII. - - -The _auberge_, the _cabaret_, the _gite_, were the usual places of -repose for travellers in the reign of Louis XIII., as they had been -under that of his father, Henry IV. Some change, indeed, had taken place -in point of comfort and refinement; and even before the epoch of Louis -XIV., which was now rapidly approaching, many an auberge was a very -comfortable and luxurious dwelling. But there was another roof, which, -in those days, afforded in Catholic countries--and even now afford, on -the less frequented lines of travel--a more peaceful and little less -comfortable or luxurious resting-spot than the houses of public -entertainment. This was the large monastery, the abbey or the priory of -any of the hospitable orders; and in Savoy these were peculiarly -numerous, as their splendid ruins still attest. - -Alas that in the march of what we call improvement so much that is good -is swept away! Many undoubtedly were the vices and the evils which had -crept into the Romish Church; great, we Protestants believe, was the -corruption of her faith; but the time will come when the whole world -will own that to that Church we owe a debt of gratitude for arts, -institutions, faith itself, preserved, and will regret that in the -fanatical zeal of religious innovation the good and the bad were -promiscuously crushed together. - -With the men who bore the litter sent by the Abbe Scaglia was a surgeon -of some eminence, who strongly advised that the wounded youth should be -carried to the Abbey of St. Pierre rather than to a noisy inn in Aix. It -was but a mile from the city, he said: the air was pure and fine, and -the attendance of the sisters, who were of an order of charity, would be -worth more than that of any nurses who could be found in the town. They -were the servants of God; the others were the servants of Mammon: and no -one could doubt which would do their duty best. - -His reasoning was conclusive; and Edward Langdale was accordingly -carried to the abbey and kindly received. - -No need to dwell upon his illness. It was severe, but it was not fatal; -and, by the reader's leave, we will advance six days in our story and -look into the chamber which had been assigned him in the hospital-part -of the building. Lord Montagu sat by his bedside with a cheerful look, -and the young man was already able to raise himself upon his arm and -listen to or answer questions. His noble friend had passed the -intervening time, as he had proposed, at Aix, and his days were full of -business and excitement; but still he had found leisure to ride out each -day and visit his page. - -"Well, Ned," he said, "you are now in a fair way. The surgeon tells me -there is no doubt of your recovery now, if you have even tolerable -prudence; so I shall leave you for a day or two and go to Turin. I trust -you will be able to travel shortly after I come back; for I have wanted -you much during your long absence, and shall want you more now. There is -Henry Freeland; he is stupid as an ass; and then George Abbot, who has -sense enough when you give him three hours to think over what he has to -do, is as slow as an elephant." - -"I was indeed very long on my journey, my lord," replied Edward; "but I -can assure you I could not help it. One unfortunate accident after -another detained me, as I have partly told you." - -"Ay, Madame de Chevreuse wrote me all that," said Montagu. "You were ill -from a knock on the head at Rochelle. You are too quick, my boy, and, I -dare say, brought it on yourself; but I would rather have a ready hand -and a ready head than a slow heart and a dull understanding. It was -unfortunate, it is true; for it gave an excuse for sending away Lord -Denbigh's fleet. But that was all a pretext. We understand these -Rochellais well; and they will quarrel amongst themselves till they lose -their city. Then you were caught by this great cardinal and detained by -him. You must tell me all about that by-and-by. It is a marvel he hanged -you not; and you must have managed him skilfully. But tell me about -these two blacksmith horse-doctors you had with you. They say they met -you on the road at Chartres, and that you would have none of their -company." - -"They say true, my lord," answered Edward. "I liked not their faces, and -I wished to ride alone. Besides, I had seen one of them, I am sure, at -Nantes, in the court of the castle; and I feared he might be one of the -cardinal's people. But, as he is here in Savoy, whither he said from the -first he was coming, I was probably mistaken. However, it is always -better to be sure of your company." - -"Oh, they are honest fellows," said Lord Montagu; "and, as I am -continually wanting a smith, I have engaged them both to go with me as -far at least as Liege. If they were the cardinal's men they would not go -out of the cardinal's reach." - -It may be necessary to explain that in those days, in Europe, men were -much in the same state as travellers in Hindostan at present. Each -servant you had with you had his specialty, and the train of a man of -means and retinue consisted of a dozen more persons than any one now -requires. It is true that at great towns you could find artificers of -all sorts, ready to repair your coach or shoe your horses, or perform -any services which the accidents of the road might require; but, if one -of those accidents occurred between great town and great town, you might -have to travel twenty miles with a lame horse or a broken vehicle, -unless you had some one with you capable of rectifying the mischance -upon the spot. Poor men were obliged to submit to such inconveniences, -but the rich were prepared against them; and, as Lord Montagu's object -was haste, and that rapidity of movement which is the best concealment, -he very naturally desired to guard against all impediments. - -The object of that nobleman in the long journey which he was even then -taking was to forward the great schemes of one to whom he was devoted -with a warmth and sincerity of attachment very rare even then, rarer -still now. The famous Duke of Buckingham, favorite of two kings, and -ruler for a time of both king and people, was a man of great and daring -enterprise, of bold and courageous action, but of small foresight and -of less discretion. Unfortunate in action, from causes which he often -could not control, he was great in purpose and even obstinate in -resolution. The fault was generally a want of capacity for detail, and a -miscalculation of the means in his power as proportioned to the end he -had in view. For the first time in life, however, he had now considered -his steps well and devised each move on the political chess-board -accurately. Whatever were his motives, (none has discovered them, nor, -perhaps, ever will,) his present object was to humble France and to -raise England at her expense; and, while he himself prepared eagerly for -a war in which he was not fitted for command, his most intimate friend -and confidant, Lord Montagu, was intrusted with the execution of that -great political scheme which is the only bright point in Buckingham's -career as a statesman. His task was, in the first place, to unite every -discontented person and party in France against the crown, to combine -Huguenots with dissatisfied Catholics, a turbulent nobility with a -turbulent people, and to disunite the powers, wherever they might be, -which supported the throne. But in the next place came the still more -important part of the scheme. It was to bring together all the foreign -enemies of France, a discordant and heterogeneous body, and to direct -their efforts in one concentrated torrent against a kingdom already -distracted by internal feuds. - -Few men could have been better fitted for these tasks; but in some -respects Lord Montagu was wanting. He was somewhat too confiding; though -politic, he was not sufficiently reserved; though clear-sighted, he was -not observant of small particulars. - -Hitherto he had been successful in all he had attempted; and now, by -Edward's bedside, he spoke with some satisfaction of all he had -done:--how he had remained in France in despite of the terrible minister -who then already ruled the destinies of that great country; how he had -passed from house to house and castle to castle, giving consistency to -plans and direction to purposes which had previously been vague and -undefined; how he had obtained written assurances of co-operation and -support from many of the most powerful nobility and the most -influential factions in France; how his efforts in Spain and Lorraine -and Savoy were all on the eve of triumph. - -"Here," he said, "I have met with more difficulty than I expected. The -court of the duke is divided. Many of his advisers have been gained by -Richelieu, and a number of the chief nobility are attached to an -alliance with France. It was to strengthen the hands of our friend the -Abbe Scaglia, and to commit irrevocably to our party many of the most -influential of these nobles, that we held the secret meeting in the old -Chateau of Groslie, where you found us so unexpectedly. Your coming was -not, in truth, inopportune; for all was settled, and further discussion -would have done harm rather than good." - -"I am glad your lordship has been so successful in great matters," said -Edward, "while I have been so unsuccessful in smaller ones. Indeed, -though I cannot trace my want of success to any fault of my own, yet I -cannot help feeling that my failure to accomplish any thing that was -intrusted to me must have shaken your lordship's confidence in me. -Either I must have been stupid, or most unfortunate,--which is perhaps -worse." - -"Nonsense, lad!" said Lord Montagu. "Many of the most successful men I -have ever known failed in their first efforts: some failed for many -years. There is in circumstance, my good youth, a dead weight which no -human strength can overcome. We sent you to France because you were -likely to pass where no man of riper years and known reputation could -have made his way; but we were well aware that you had difficulties to -contend with which were sure to try you hard and probably might -frustrate all your efforts. But you have not wholly failed. You have -been delayed, impeded; but you have made known the views of England -where it was necessary they should be known, and you have brought me -intelligence of the state of preparation of his Grace of Buckingham, -which was most important at the present moment." - -"Indeed, my lord!" cried Edward, with a look of extreme surprise. "The -cardinal minister opened all the letters and read them in my presence, -and I heard no such intelligence." - -"Look there!" said Montagu, taking a letter from his pocket and holding -it up before the young man's eyes. "You thought that there was nothing -on that sheet but what is written in black ink; and so did Richelieu; -but he did not and could not discover all that is told in those orange -characters unless he had possessed the secret, only known to three -persons, of the liquid which brings out the characters from the -apparently blank paper. It is only a marvel, my boy, that you passed at -all. We hardly expected it; but you have passed, and, though delayed -upon your journey, have brought me this intelligence in time. This -cardinal is very shrewd; but there are people as shrewd as he. This news -will hurry the movements of Savoy, Lorraine, the empire; and yet he had -this letter in his hand and suffered it to pass." - -"No thanks to me," said Edward; "for I knew not what was in it." - -He was in a somewhat desponding mood, and inclined to undervalue his own -services; but he could not help seeing that papers had been put into his -hands which, unknown to himself, must have led him to an ignominious -death if they had been discovered; and, for the time at least, he felt -sick of political intrigue. There are moments; even in the midst of the -bustle and turmoil, the eagerness and the excitement, of this world's -objects and ambitions, when a consciousness of the excellence of perfect -truth and plain sincerity comes upon us, and we feel that if all men -would but follow the pure and plain injunction of the Savior, and do -unto others as we would they should do unto us, we should be happier -here as well as hereafter. We excuse to ourselves our own acts by the -actions of others. We say, "We must fight our adversaries with their own -weapons." We would be ready to follow the gospel precept if others would -follow it; but each man has the same apology, and no one will commence -obedience. - -But Edward felt that it did not befit one so young to discuss ethics -with his lord; and, changing the subject, he inquired, "How long did -your lordship say you would be absent?" - -"Some seven days," answered Lord Montagu. "And, from what the surgeon -says, I judge you will be able to travel about six days after. I have -work here for at least that time." - -"I trust so, my lord; for I certainly feel my health improving," said -the young man. "But I wish your lordship would not take those -blacksmiths with you,--though they treated me well and kindly,--perhaps -skilfully too: I can feel grateful to them, but cannot bring my mind to -confide in them." - -"Why, what is the matter with them?" asked Montagu, bluffly. - -"I know not, my lord," said Edward; "but they have both bad faces,--a -cunning and a double look." - -"Pooh, pooh! prejudice!" said Lord Montagu. "They are mighty good folks. -Why, they have already cured two of my horses, which the people here -could make nothing of. You are sick and whimsical, boy. Now, tell me: -how long did you stay at the Chateau of Dampierre? The fair duchess does -not mention that fact; but she seems mightily smitten with you." - -"But a day and a night, my lord," replied Edward, not without a slight -flush of the cheek. "She received a command from the court to retire to -Lorraine, and a letter--I presume from your lordship--arrived the same -day, telling me to go to Gray." - -"No need of reasons," said Montagu, somewhat shortly. "Well, have you -heard that your somewhat unkind brother has succeeded in making his -escape?" - -"No; I have heard nothing, my lord," replied Edward. "You assured me he -should not be pursued." - -"Not so," answered Montagu. "A few words make a great difference, young -man. I assured you I would not pursue him,--not that he should not be -pursued; and the Abbe Scaglia, as in duty bound, ordered an immediate -search for one who had attempted such a crime in his presence. It has -thus far been unsuccessful, and I think will prove so altogether." - -"Has nothing at all been heard of him?" asked Edward. - -"Very little that can be at all relied upon," replied Lord Montagu. "The -servant who was with him when he so rashly leaped his horse into the -river was apprehended and questioned. He says that Sir Richard was on -his way to Lyons when the accident occurred; but on that road no trace -of him can be discovered. A peasant declares he met with a man of an -appearance like his, without boots, hat, or sword, wandering along the -mountain-paths toward _Les Echelles_, and a little boy says he saw the -same person at a distance; but this is all that has yet been -discovered." - -"I would fain beseech the Abbe Scaglia to drop all pursuit," said the -young man; "but I fear they will not let me write. It is useless to seek -for him now that I am, as they say, recovering; and, moreover, my lord, -I think I was myself a good deal in fault. My words were rash and -intemperate. I could not have borne them myself had I been in his -place." - -"They certainly were not very sweet," said Lord Montagu, with a laugh; -"and I will tell the abbe what you say, Ned. But you will soon be well, -I do trust, and then this affair will terminate of itself." - -The conversation was not prolonged much further; and Lord Montagu left -his young friend to the care of Pierrot and Jacques Beaupre and the -attendance of the good sisters. Every kindness was shown him. The room -in which he had been placed was large and airy; the sunshine and the -sweet summer air came streaming in at his window, and day by day his -health improved; but still illness is ever tedious, and the hours passed -heavily along. Thought was his only resource; but, for a young man of -his character, thought--even enforced thought--is a blessing. The -adventure which had so nearly closed his life was not without its good -results. He reproached himself for the harsh words he had uttered and -the harsh feelings he had entertained toward his brother, and he -resolved to nourish better things in his heart. The five or six -preceding years and the events they had brought with them had all had a -hardening tendency; but, one by one, during the few last months, -softening lessons of various kinds had disciplined and entendered -without enfeebling his spirit; and on the sixth day after Lord Montagu's -departure Edward rose for an hour or two from his bed of sickness, a -very different being from him whom we first introduced to the reader. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIX. - - -Every thing is irrevocable. The word spoken, the deed done, is -registered in that book of fate from the page of which no solvent can -blot it out. Nay, more: every word or action, however small, has some -effect on all that surrounds it; and that effect is often quite out of -all proportion to the cause. It is hard for the narrow, slippery mind of -man to conceive and hold fast the fact that a pebble dropped into the -Atlantic produces a ripple which is more or less felt to all the -Atlantic's shores: yet it is a fact. The eye may not be keen enough to -detect it ten yards from the spot where the stone displaced the waters; -but, though unseen, it exists. It may be crossed by counteracting -causes, but still it acts upon them while they act upon it; and it has -its effect,--permanent, persisting, never ending. - -It is the same with man's actions. Deeds done a thousand years ago are -affecting every one of us now; and Julius Caesar has more to do with a -common-councilman of the city of London than that common-councilman ever -dreams of. - -We have seen that Edward Langdale had little to do but to think. The -surgeons would not let him read. He was enjoined to speak as little as -possible, for there was a shrewd suspicion that the sword which wounded -him had passed through, or very near, one of the lungs. But he employed -thought to good purpose,--to calm all angry feelings, to quench -repinings, to humble himself to God's will. He was naturally led by this -train of thought to follow, in reference to his own case, some of the -fine threads out of which the great network of cause and effect is -wrought. - -"Why should I be so angry with my brother?" he thought. "If he had not -taken from me my property, what a different creature I should have -been!--a country squire with a pack of hounds; a justice of the peace -some day, to hear old women's plaints about robbed orchards and -violated hen-roosts! I should never have been Lord Montagu's page; I -should never have met with dear, dear Lucette. Sweet girl! where is she -now? Does she think of me still? Does she ever regret the indissoluble -bond that binds us together?" - -Then the train of thought became somewhat more gloomy. He recollected -that for two long years--how sadly, sadly long they seemed in -prospect!--he was not to see her. And what might happen in the interval? -All means, all arts, would be used to induce her to forget him, to break -their union, perhaps to make her love some other; and he felt for an -instant, as he thus pondered, the little, sharp sting of jealousy,--the -most poignant of pangs. - -The world has always been full of tales of woman's fickleness, and -Edward had heard them,--tales in which her firmness and her truth are -often forgotten altogether. But speedily came better thoughts and nobler -confidence. Lucette was full of gentleness, was of a tender, loving -nature, he knew; but he thought he had remarked, in the various scenes -through which they had passed,--scenes well calculated to try a young -girl to the utmost,--a strength, a constancy of purpose which bade him -trust. - -"She will not abandon me," he thought. "She will not bestow that love -upon another which was first mine,--is mine by right. Dear, beautiful -girl! there is truth and enduring love in those clear, liquid eyes. Oh -that I could see her again but for one moment! Oh for one embrace, one -kiss!" - -The day declined, and night came on. They brought the invalid the scanty -supper that was allowed him, and, an hour or two after, Pierrot came to -take away the light; for Edward, who had slept very lightly for several -nights, had expressed a wish that the night-lamp and the good folks who -had hitherto watched him might be withdrawn. He thought he should rest -better, he said, if he were quite alone and in darkness. He was not -mistaken. From ten till twelve he slept more soundly than he had done -for many days. He heard the abbey clock strike twelve, however, but it -was but a momentary interruption of his slumber; and he was turning -round to sleep again, when the door of the chamber creaked a little -upon its hinges. The room was large and the windows well shaded; but, as -Edward lay with his face toward the door, he could see a gleam of -moonlight partly interrupted at the doorway, and he gazed to discover -who was coming in. The figure was small, the garments those of a woman; -and the youth thought, "One of the good sisters, to see if I am sleeping -well. She means it kindly; but I wish she had not come." - -Unwilling to have any conversation, he shut his eyes again and affected -to be still asleep; but the door was gently closed, and then a light -footfall crossed the floor. It stopped near his bedside, and then a hand -lightly touched him; for the room was very dark, and probably the -visitor, whoever it was, did not see any thing distinctly. - -"This is strange," thought Edward: "the sisters commonly have a lamp -with them." - -The stranger paused where she stood, and seemed to be gazing down upon -the spot where he lay; and then she quietly crossed the room to where a -small crack between the blind and the wall showed a very narrow ray of -moonshine. She quietly and softly pulled back the blind a very little -farther, so as to admit the slightest possible light into the room, and -then returned to the bedside and gazed down again. A moment or two -after, Edward felt the pressure of a cool, delicious kiss upon his -cheek. He could affect sleep no longer, and opened his eyes; but it was -in vain. He could neither see the face nor distinguish the garments of -his visitor; and, stretching forth his hand, he caught her dress, -saying, "Who are you? what is it you seek?" - -She answered not; but, kneeling down by his bedside, she threw her arms -round him, covering his lips and brow with kisses; and he thought he -felt a warm drop or two fall from her eyes upon his cheek. - -"Good Heaven!" exclaimed the young man, raising himself on his arm; "who -are you? What is this? I should know that kiss; but I do not--I cannot -believe in such happiness. Tell me, tell me who you are!" - -She put her soft cheek, wet with tears, close to his, and whispered, -"Dear, dear Edward! Who am I? Who but your own Lucette,--your own wife? -And did you know my kiss? Never, never forget it, Edward." And she -kissed him again and again, as if she would fix the soft pressure of her -lips upon his memory forever. - -"Never! never!" he said, putting his arm round her. "But am I in a -dream? I cannot believe that this is a waking truth." - -"Lie down," said Lucette, "and do not be agitated, dear husband; -otherwise I must leave you. It is no dream, though it seems almost as -much so to me as to you. I thought you would forgive me for waking you; -and I could not be so near you, and you ill and wounded, without one -word of affection before we go on. I am afraid it was cruel and wrong, -when you were sleeping so calmly. But tell me yourself that you are -better,--that you are getting well. The good sister who told me all -about your wound said you would soon be able to ride out. They are all -anxious about you here; but who can be so anxious as I am?" - -"But tell me more, dear Lucette," said Edward, disobeying her, and still -holding her to his heart. "How came you in Savoy? how came you here? how -did you find your way hither?" - -"I came on with the family of Monsieur de Rohan," answered Lucette. "He -judged it best we should all quit France for a season and go to Turin or -Venice, while he endeavored to deliver Rochelle; and when we arrived -here the first thing the nuns told us was of the young foreign cavalier -who lay wounded under their care. When I heard your name, I seemed for a -moment to have no feeling in my heart, no thought in my brain; but I -soon recovered. I got the good sister who attends upon you to tell me -all; and, by prayers and entreaties and the gold cross I used to wear, I -induced her to bring me here, telling her that you are my husband,--my -own wedded husband. But I promised her, Edward, not to agitate you or -talk to you too much, and only to stay five minutes." - -"Oh, stay, Lucette! stay!" said Edward, forgetting all consequences. -"Dearest girl, do not leave me! Lord Montagu will be back to-morrow. -Must you go on to Turin?" - -"Remember your promise to the cardinal, Edward," she answered. "I must -remember mine to good Sister Agatha. If I break my promises to others, -you will not believe mine to you,--although I fear I have already -somewhat failed, and agitated you more than I intended." - -"Five minutes have not passed yet," said the youth, feeling that she was -about to rise from her knees, where she had hitherto remained. "Oh, no! -it is but an instant since you came, dearest! Another kiss, dear -Lucette. Could I have had them before, I should have been well ere -this." He took another, and not only one; and, between, he told her he -was really better, and would soon be well, and that he would try some -means to see her soon, and at the end of two years would seek her as his -wife, whoever might oppose; and she on her part promised that he should -not seek in vain, but should find her ever ready to go with him to the -ends of the earth. - -But the five minutes were certainly outstayed; and Lucette's heart was -reproaching her, and Edward was thinking how he could ever part with -her, when the door opened again, and Sister Agatha came in to remind the -poor girl of her promise. - -It was a hard parting,--harder, perhaps, than it had been before; and -many another word had to be spoken and many another kiss to be taken ere -they could separate. Sister Agatha was no restraint upon them, and, to -say sooth, entered into their feelings with sympathies not altogether -consistent with her vows. What they said she could not understand, for -they spoke in English; and, though she had a certain portion of French -and a good deal more of Italian, the rich Anglo-Saxon tongue was to the -good old soul a most harsh and unintelligible jargon, and she wondered -that such pretty lips as Lucette's could pronounce the hideous sounds. -The five minutes were lengthened to half an hour after her arrival, for -Lucette felt she was breaking no promise when the person to whom it had -been made was present and not an unconsenting party; but in the end -Sister Agatha insisted that they should part, asking Lucette in a -reproachful tone if she would kill the poor young man. - -"I have been selfish," said Lucette, rising from the edge of the bed -where she had been sitting; and, kissing him once more, with a long, -tender, lingering kiss, she left him. - -Thus they parted, not to meet again for a longer period than they -anticipated. They could hardly be said to have seen each other, for -Sister Agatha had left her lamp at the door, and the ray of moonlight -which Lucette had let in was very faint; but that interview, short as it -had been, was something for memory to fix upon during many months. - -The first effect upon Edward Langdale was what Sister Agatha had -dreaded. It had agitated him much, and for more than one hour after -Lucette had left him his heart beat and his brain throbbed, and sleep -deserted him as if she never would return. But the reaction was balmy. -He had met her again; he had held her in his arms; he had tasted once -more the honey of her lips; and there was a sort of superstitious -feeling about him as if a bad spell had been broken. He had felt a dread -till then that some old rhyme he had heard in his young days was to be -verified in his own case. It was somewhat to the following effect, -though I know not if memory retains it rightly:-- - - "They had met, they had loved, they had parted, - And met no more till both were broken-hearted." - -It had haunted him, that old distich, ever since he left Lucette under -the care of the Duc de Rohan; but now the vision was dispelled. They had -met again, and his Lucette loved him still as warmly, fondly, as he -could wish. It was a dexter omen; and, with more faith than ever Roman -augur possessed, he interpreted it to forebode future happiness. Joy, -however, is wakeful as well as sorrow; and, even after the first effect -of agitation and excitement had passed away, he lay sleepless and -thoughtful, but very, very happy. He remembered many a word he could -have wished to have uttered, many a question he would willingly have -asked; but the great question of the heart was answered. She loved him -still unchanged; and Edward was at a time of life when hope and trust -were sure to rise out of such assurance. Gradually fatigue and -exhaustion did their work upon the body, and, through the body, upon the -mind. Had there been trouble in the spirit, he might, and probably -would, have slept a few minutes, from mere weariness, to wake speedily -with irritation, if not fever. But the heart was at rest; and as soon as -his eyes closed he slept like a wearied but happy child, calmly, -profoundly, long, and only woke some three hours after every other -person in the abbey. His look was relieved, his color better, his eyes -more bright. During that night he had made the first rapid stride toward -convalescence. - -Oh, if physicians would but take pains to discover whether the malady -lies most in the mind or the body, what cures might be performed!--if -they could but find the medicine! But happiness is a mithridate so -compound and so fine that, search over the world, you will find few -places where it can be procured, and never--alas! never--pure and -unadulterated. That villanous serpent has left his slime on every thing. - -The whole day Edward Langdale waited impatiently for the return of Lord -Montagu; but he waited in vain: Lord Montagu did not appear. Another and -another day passed: still he was absent. Young men calculate not the -many impediments which lie between design and performance. "He could -easily do this; he might easily have done that," is the constant cry; -when in truth it would have been impossible for the person spoken of to -have done any thing more than he did do. The smallest thing in the world -overthrows the grandest scheme, frustrates the most positive assurance. -Is it accident,--that refuge of the destitute? Is it not rather the -quiet intervention of that ruling Power which, foreseeing all man's -acts, bends the results to the accomplishment of his own predetermined -purposes? - -Edward Langdale was impatient. Strength was returning fast: when he -coughed, his handkerchief came from his lips unstained with blood; his -wound was nearly healed, and he longed to pursue his career of active -exertion. But he did not know that the Duke of Savoy had been out to -kill deer in the mountains, and that Lord Montagu was forced to wait -his return. In the mean time, however, he rose earlier each day. He went -out; he roamed round the abbey; he visited the city; and the only thing -which retarded his complete recovery was his impatience. He was eager to -get on,--too eager. He had always been too eager; but there was a great -difference between his eagerness now and that of former years. Hitherto -he had been moved only by the vague, aspiring hope of youth,--so often -disappointed till the frost of age and the chill of adversity have -withered the plant and blighted the flower and destroyed the fruit under -the bud,--the hope of doing something great in life. Now he had a more -definite object, a clearer purpose. It was Lucette. - - - - -CHAPTER XXX. - - -The expression of Lord Montagu's face when he at length rejoined his -page at Aix was calm and well satisfied, cheerful, but not particularly -gay. Yet Edward, who had enjoyed many opportunities of witnessing the -effect of various emotions upon him, clearly perceived that he returned -with full success. Had his mood been merrier, the page might have -doubted; had he been full of the playful wit or the light jest which -distinguished the cavaliers of those days, the youth might have supposed -there was disappointment under the levity; but that quiet and composed -demeanor he knew meant success. Their first meeting was at the inn where -Montagu had lodged while previously at Aix; for the youth had gone down -each evening for the last two or three days to watch for his arrival: -but on the night in question his lord had ridden into the town some -half-hour before the time he was expected; and when Edward entered his -chamber he was sitting with a book in one hand and a spoon in the other, -lightly running over the pages, and from time to time taking a spoonful -of soup flavored with those delicious truffles of Savoy which have -often kept kingly couriers running between Paris and Turin. - -"Ah, Ned!" he exclaimed, as soon as he saw the lad. "You have recovered -wonderfully soon: a little pale still; but that is natural. How say you? -can you ride forward three days hence?" - -"Whenever your lordship pleases," answered Edward. "I am only eager to -get on; and this inactivity does me more harm than all the exercise in -the world. I am quite well, my lord, and only a little weak." - -"Do not be impatient," answered Montagu, with a smile. "We cannot go on -just yet. Oakingham is ill now, poor fellow! I have ridden too fast for -him; and he broke down during the last stage, and has gone to bed. So I -am without any one to write my letters for me to-night." - -"Can your lordship trust the task to me?" asked the young man. - -"Oh, trust you? Certainly, Ned," replied the other. "But will it not -hurt you?" - -Edward expressed his readiness; and the letters were written, full of -that well-satisfied confidence which in this world is so often destined -to disappointment. Fate is no better than a fine silk stocking, in which -one stitch or another is sure to run down ere we have taken a dozen -steps in the ball-room of the world: well if it be not rent from top to -toe! There are no key-stones in the architecture of our designs; and, if -a pebble slips, woe be to the whole edifice! - -But we are getting a little ahead of the story, or, at least, -foreshadowing conclusions which should be reserved in solemn secrecy for -the moment of their occurrence. - -The letters being written, one of the noble lord's grooms was called up, -furnished with money and directions, and departed to bear the missives -to their several destinations as rapidly and as carefully as he could. - -"There goes another," said Montagu. "That is the fifth courier I have -sent off this week. Upon my word, Ned, if it had not been for your -coming with two lackeys and two blacksmiths I should soon have been -without any train at all. But you seem not to love your two -blacksmiths, my boy. What has set your face against them? Have they -lamed your horse, or found you out in a love-affair with the landlord's -daughter, cheated you of two _livres Tournois_, or eaten the only fish -upon a _jour maigre_?" - -"None of all those great offences, my lord," replied Edward. "They are -good smiths; I have not been fortunate with mine host's daughters; their -charges are compassionate to youths without experience; and no trout -that I know of has slipped off my own hook. But one of them I am certain -I saw in the court of the chateau at Nantes; and I like not the -countenance of either." - -"Pshaw!" said Lord Montagu. "Do you give way to the superstition of -physiognomy? Why, cut me across the nose with the back-handed blow of a -spadroon, and you make a marvellous ill-favored fellow out of a gay -gentleman who has not been thought unpersonable. Nonsense, nonsense, -Edward! The best nuts have the roughest shells. The diamond itself is -but like a pebble-stone till it is cut and polished. And where in the -fiend's name should either of these two poor devils get ground down or -burnished?" - -"Well, my lord, I say not a word against them," answered Edward. "They -told a true tale, it seems, as to their journey. To me they were -wonderfully kind when I was hurt. Neither do I mind mere ugliness: that -is God's doing; and it may be as a warning to others, or it may not: I -cannot tell. But there is a sort of look--an expression--which men beget -in themselves by their habitual acts or thoughts, which is a great -truth-teller, I think. Now, these men look cunning. Each of them -squints, too, more or less. One cannot see whom or what they are looking -at." - -Lord Montagu broke into a gay laugh. "As if every man," he said, "should -be condemned who does not square his gaze by line and rule. Out upon it, -Ned! If ever you fall in love, you will need an astrolabe to measure the -exact angles of your beauty's lustrous orbs. Why, some of the best men -in England squint like a green parrot. More lucky they, if they can see -both sides of every thing at once. But I will show you a man to-night -who shall come up to even your ideas of perfection. He ought to be here -about this hour. Oh, he is a marvel of beauty and grace!" - -Thus saying, he knocked hard with the hilt of his dagger upon the table, -and one of the servants of the inn appeared. "Show in the illustrious -Signor Morini whenever he comes," said Lord Montagu: "we must not keep -so great and amiable a personage waiting." - -"He is here now, monseigneur," answered the servant. - -"Well, conduct him hither," answered the English gentleman, "and tell my -servant to give you a bottle of that delicious Italian wine which I sent -on from Turin. Three Venice glasses, too, must be brought, and a small -plate of sugared peaches." - -The waiter retired, and, a moment or two after, one of the most singular -figures entered the room that Edward had ever seen. It was that of a -man, not old, but past the middle age, dressed in the height of the -fashion, beribboned and belaced, with a long rapier by his side, which -would have touched the ground had it even been borne upon the thigh of a -tall man. But Signor Morini was not a tall man: on the contrary, he was -certainly not more than four feet two or three inches in height, with a -back bent into the shape of the bow of a double-bass. He was thin, too, -and his face--with the exception of the eyes, which were large and -lustrous--was of that peculiar ugliness which is frequently seen in the -deformed, the features all packed together and looking as if they had -been pinched to get them into a smaller space. - -No consciousness of ugliness appeared in his demeanor, however,--no -timidity, no shyness. He entered with the strut of a bantam-cock, while -his rich but short cloak, borne out by the round of his back so as to -hang far off from his person, afforded no bad image of the tail of the -bird. He saluted Lord Montagu with ceremonious respect, and stared at -Edward Langdale with an unwinking gaze which was almost insolent, -smoothing down the little sharp tuft of sandy-colored hair which adorned -his chin in the form of what was then called a royal, with an air of -ineffable puppyism. - -"Ah, my lord," he said, in French, "you see I kept my word and was at -Aix two days before you. But who is this young gentleman? I do not know -him. He was not in your suite at Turin, I believe." - -"This is my young friend and gentleman, Monsieur de Langdale," answered -Lord Montagu, with much assumed politeness. "Let me present him to you, -Signor Morini. He is a philosopher like yourself, and deals, as you do, -in the great science of physiognomy, though of course his youth places -him far behind you in knowledge." - -Edward and Morini exchanged bows and salutations, the latter either not -at all perceiving, or not appearing to perceive, that there was a vein -of jest running through Lord Montagu's politeness which might not have -been very flattering to his vanity. "Ha! a philosopher!" he exclaimed. -"I am right glad to see any one who, in these degenerate times, devotes -himself to the only great, pure, and noble pursuits on which the mind of -a man can expatiate. What is the particular science to which you have -most addicted yourself, young gentleman? What have you lately been -studying?" - -"Nothing," replied Edward, almost inclined to be rude. "My lord does me -too much honor in calling me a philosopher." - -"Nay, nay," said Montagu, laughing: "if I may judge from letters I have -received, and from what you yourself have told me, you have been lately -studying much,--fair ladies' hearts and prime ministers' heads,--Ned. He -has quite captivated a duchess and smoothed down a cardinal. But what he -means, learned signor, is, that, having been badly wounded by a sword -which let rather too much daylight into the dark chamber of his chest, -his only study was to get well again." - -"Did you anoint the blade?" asked Morini: "the blade should always be -anointed at the proper hour of the moon. Had I been here he would have -been well in a few days." - -"Probably," said Montagu, gravely; "but we had no one but poor, ignorant -surgeons, who forgot the precaution you mention." - -"Ah, they are stupid and hard-headed creatures," replied the other: -"they never consider that man is composed of an animal and an ethereal -part indissolubly linked together, each depending upon the other, and -both affected by higher influences. The sympathies which exist between -all created things they take into no account. The compelling powers of -the whole heavenly host upon the human frame, upon every part -thereof,--upon man as an animal, upon man as an angel, upon man's whole -fate and destiny, upon his mixed and separate natures,--are mere visions -to them; and the time will come, my lord, when this mere material view -will prevail over all the earth: intelligence--spirit--will be -superseded, and engines will be invented to do the work of mind as well -as matter. Where was your wound, young gentleman?" - -"Here on the right breast the sword entered," answered Edward; "and it -went out here, just under the shoulder." - -"A dangerous wound!" replied the little man, gravely. "None but a -brother's hand could have inflicted that wound and the sufferer -survive." - -Lord Montagu and Edward both started; but Morini went on, without -seeming to perceive their surprise. "Nature abhors," he said, "such -acts, and often frustrates them. The crime of Cain--the first and most -terrible the world ever saw, the origin of death, the eldest-born of -evil--is repugnant to every thing animate and inanimate. Fibres and -tissues join which seem rent apart forever, and humours flow of -themselves, nerves act without cause, all to repair the consequences of -the terrible act, while thunders fall to prevent it and rocks to hide -it. But what is written up there must be,--shall be; and it is possible -this very wound, given by a brother's hand, may work great changes in -your life." - -"I trust it will," said Edward. - -"But how did you know it was so given?" asked Lord Montagu. - -"By the simplest of all means," replied Morini: "from knowing it could -be given in no other way." - -As he spoke, he turned round sharply, for the door behind him opened -suddenly. It was but two of the servants of the inn, bringing in the -wine and the Venice glasses; and their coming so laden was certainly not -at all unpleasant to the learned signor, who did full justice not only -to the wine but to the confections also. While the party regaled -themselves, the conversation wandered to many topics,--some of little, -some of much, interest, with variety always agreeable. Indeed, Morini, -who undoubtedly led, did not suffer it to rest long upon any subject. He -spoke of several of the most celebrated people of Europe, of that and of -the preceding age. He had seen King James, he said, shaking his head. "I -did think," he said, "that homely sovereign would never have died a -natural death, for he certainly brought a dark and bloody cloud over the -royal house of England. But you will remark, my lord, I could never -obtain clearly the particulars of his nativity; otherwise I could not -have been mistaken. However, the aspects in the horoscope of his -successor are more unfavorable still, I hear." - -"Now, Heaven forefend!" said Lord Montagu, warmly: "he is a right noble -monarch, and, though the commonalty do fret and storm, he is too strong -and firm for them to shake him. But what say you of the great and -gallant Duke of Buckingham, signor? There is a man born to success and -honor." - -"His star has passed its culminating-point," said Morini: "there is -something dark and sad behind. His life cannot be long. Perhaps he may -die upon the battle-field in this new war; but I think it more likely he -will receive his death in a private encounter. He is hot and fiery, they -say. Such a thing is probable." - -Montagu shook his head. "Few things less probable," he said: "there are -not many men in England who would venture to call Buckingham to the -field; and, though his is so free and noble a spirit that he would very -likely consent to meet any one of gentle blood, yet he would not -willingly offend the king by such rashness." - -"Well, 'tis a foolish practice," said Morini, changing the -subject,--"ay, and a barbarous one too, my lord. We derive it from the -worst and rudest times of history. Who ever heard of a Roman or a Greek -fighting a duel? Yet they were brave men, those ancients." - -"Yet you go well armed, signor," said Lord Montagu, pointing to his long -rapier, with a smile. - -"It is good always to be prepared," answered the other. "Besides, this -rapier has many qualities and perfections, for which I value it. The -blade is true Toledo, the sheath wrought by Jean of Cordova. Then the -hilt, you see, is of silver, exquisitely cast by Cellini's own hand. Did -you ever see a more graceful group than the two figures which compose -it?--a warrior putting his hand to his sword, and a young girl with her -arm round his neck pressing the weapon back into the sheath,--types of -courage and moderation. The dagger is a curious relic of the feudal -times,--a kill-villain, as the young Genoese nobles used to call it. We -have no such handiwork as that now, my lord," he continued, as Montagu -examined the weapon. "'Tis curious how arts and sciences are lost, and -how, whilst mankind deem they are making great progress, they are -falling back in one path as much as they are advancing in another." - -Edward Langdale went round to Lord Montagu's side and gazed at the -workmanship of the sword and dagger over his shoulder, murmuring, as he -did so, "Beautiful, indeed!"--much to Morini's satisfaction. - -"You seem to be a judge of such things, young gentleman," said the -Italian. - -"But little," said Edward: "my father, indeed, had some fine specimens -of art which he had brought over to England from this country; but any -one who sees a beautiful and graceful figure, well executed, must know -and admire it." - -"Your pardon! your pardon!" cried Morini. "The eye and the taste both -want educating. Had you not seen and admired those objects of your -father's, you would probably not have discovered the beauty of this. If -you stay long in Aix, I can show you some other things well worth your -observation." - -"My stay depends entirely upon my lord," replied Edward; "but I think if -he have no further commands I must retire to the abbey, for it is late." - -"I will accompany you part of the way," said Morini, rising. - -"Nay," said Lord Montagu, "you forget you came here for a special -purpose, my good signor. Edward can go; for, though he has faith in -physiognomy, he has none in astrology, I believe; but you must stay -with me a little longer. Come early to-morrow, Ned, and bring your two -men with you." - -"It is wrong, my lord," said the Italian, "very wrong, to put full faith -in an uncertain science and refuse it to a certain one. But I will -convince him in a moment before he goes home. Come hither, young -gentleman, and let me speak a word in your ear." - -Edward went round to the side of the table where he was still standing, -and bent his head a little. Morini dexterously placed himself between -the young man and his lord and slipped a folded paper into his hand, -whispering, "Read when you get home." - -"Are you now convinced?" continued the Italian, aloud; but Edward, while -bending down his head to listen, had kept his eyes raised thoughtfully -to Montagu, and he saw--what the other had not seen--that his lord was -not unaware of what had passed. He kept the paper in his hand, however, -and took his leave; but, determined that, if needful, Lord Montagu -should know the contents of the paper that very night, he called for a -light at the foot of the stairs. He found a note in his hand, neatly -folded, and tied with silk. It was addressed to him, and, on opening it, -he saw a few lines beautifully written in a woman's hand, and, at the -bottom of the page, "Lucette." - -All other thoughts were gone; and he hurried to the abbey to read in a -less exposed place. - - - - -CHAPTER XXXI. - - - "MY BELOVED HUSBAND:--I think you will be glad to hear of me after - my leaving you so shortly a few nights since. We have reached Turin - in safety, and without accident; but it was a weary journey for me, - as every step took me farther from the place where I wished to - remain. We are going on to Venice in three days, and there I am to - be placed with a Madame de la Cour, a cousin of the Duc de Rohan, - and a distant relation, I am told, of my own. I am glad of it, for I - cannot love the duchess. I trust this to the care of an Italian - gentleman going to Aix. He passes for an astrologer; and Madame de - Rohan, who is very superstitious, receives him with great - distinction. She would fain have had him draw the horoscope of all - the household, and we each had audiences apart. But I could tell him - nothing of my own birth,--neither date, nor time, nor place. He, - however, contrived to draw from me, before I well knew it, something - of my history, and has promised to take this and deliver it to you - secretly, if I write it quickly. He knows Lord Montagu, and is to - join him at Aix. Perhaps I have been imprudent to tell him any - thing; but his questions were so artfully shaped that I knew not how - to answer; and I cannot resist the temptation of sending you these - few words, to let you know where I am and where a letter will find - me. Whenever a change occurs, I will try to find means of letting - you know, in order that when our long period of separation is over - you may be aware where to find your LUCETTE." - -Such were the lines upon which Edward's eyes rested as soon as he -reached his room in the abbey; and, though very simple, they gave him -matter for thought during one-half of the night. That thought was all -sweet; but on the following morning other considerations suggested -themselves. He felt certain that Lord Montagu had seen Morini slip the -paper into his hand; and there had been so much and such unusual -confidence between the master and the page that Edward shrank from the -idea of its being shaken even by a suspicion. Yet he could not resolve -to put the note into Montagu's hands. Lucette's love had something -sacred in it in his eyes, and, with the shyness of early affection, he -could not bear the idea of even a jest upon the subject. He thought long -while he was dressing: the servants came and went, and he had almost -forgotten to tell them to follow him to the town, when Pierrot himself -brought the matter to his mind by mentioning Lord Montagu's return as a -rumor of the abbey. - -The youth then set out for the city on foot, without having at all -settled how he should act in regard to Lucette's letter. It is -extraordinary how trifles sometimes embarrass us more than matters of -deep moment. He had faced Richelieu himself, conscious that life hung -upon the caprice or the accident of a moment, without half the -hesitation he now felt. He did at last what he might as well have done -at first,--left the direction of the matter to chance; for chance, -unfriendly on most occasions, generally supplies us with an opportunity -of acting rightly in embarrassing circumstances, if we have but the wit -to take advantage of it. - -When Edward entered Lord Montagu's room, he found the learned Signor -Morini already there, with some papers, covered with strange characters, -on a table between him and the English nobleman. Montagu gathered up the -papers quickly and spoke to his page, without any allusion to the -subject which principally occupied the young man's thoughts. His speech -seemed somewhat dry, however, and Edward saw that the Italian gazed at -him with meaning looks. A sudden thought struck him as Lord Montagu -turned the conversation with Morini to some common topic, and, waiting -till there was a momentary pause, he said, "By-the-way, Signor Morini, -where did you leave the lady from whom you brought me a note last night? -Had she gone on toward Venice?" - -The Italian changed not a muscle, but replied, deliberately, "Yes: she -went in the morning. I set out in the afternoon." - -"Ho, ho! Signor Morini!" cried Montagu, laughing: "so you condescend to -be Venus's messenger, do you?" - -"Well may your lordship say Venus," replied Morini; "for a more -beautiful little creature never rose from the sea or brightened the -land. But your lordship will bear me witness that I betrayed no secrets. -It was the young gentleman himself." - -"I have betrayed no secret," said Edward, gayly, for he felt relieved. -"Lord Montagu has never seen the young lady,--does not even know her -name; and there is no cause why I should conceal that a lady has written -to me." - -"A young lady!" said Montagu, thoughtfully. "Now I have it. The Duchess -of Rohan was at Turin; she had with her a cousin or a niece,--as pretty -a little creature as I ever beheld. Ha, Edward! so you took care on -your long journey to guard yourself against the charms of the -innkeepers' daughters. Now I understand a good deal. And pray, Ned, how -much of the time you consumed is to be attributed to the attractions of -this pretty fair one?" - -"Not a moment, my lord," replied Edward,--"unless it be that when she -was stricken with the fever of the Marais I stayed with her a few days, -rather than leave a lady confided to my care amongst a people almost -savage and in a rude country. I might perhaps have forced my way on more -quickly had I been alone; but by that time I had accepted the charge; -and I will ask your lordship if I could have refused to see a lady of -high rank safely to the Duc de Rohan or the Prince de Soubise, her -relations, when the only alternative was for her to be shut up in -Rochelle during the horrors of a siege, and when the task was pressed -upon me by those who had nursed me tenderly and saved my life by their -care. All we contemplated at first was a journey of a few hours; but -would your lordship have left her when a series of unfortunate mishaps -had cast her, sick and in danger, upon the care of perfect strangers? -Could you have left any woman?" - -"Perhaps not, Master Ned," said Lord Montagu, laughing,--"especially if -she were as young and as pretty as the lady I saw. The only question is -why you did not tell me all this before. Concealment between friends is -a bad thing, Edward, and in this case might breed a suspicion that you -had been trifling your time away with the pretty girl who is now sending -you love-letters." - -"I did not even imply that the letter was a love-letter," replied -Edward; "and, moreover,----" - -"I will return to your lordship in an hour or two," said Morini, rising -and approaching the door: "at present I have some business." - -"I was going to say," continued Edward, resuming the subject which he -had dropped as Morini spoke, "if your lordship would consider, you would -see that I have not yet had time to tell you one-half that has happened -to me." - -"Well, well," answered Montagu, good-humoredly, "no need of any -excuses, Ned. I do not doubt you. Young men are young men, all the world -over; and you have fewer of their faults and more of their best -qualities than any one of your age I ever met with. Besides, your -conduct this day would clear away all suspicions of your frankness, if I -had any. I saw that crouch-backed Italian give you a billet secretly -last night; and, had you concealed the fact from me, I might have -thought it had reference to an intrigue more within my competence than a -love-affair. But you spoke of it frankly, and that cleared my mind; for, -to say truth, I had some doubts----" - -"Not of me, I trust, my lord?" said Edward, somewhat mortified. - -"No, not exactly of you," replied Montagu, thoughtfully, "but great -doubts of that man. Do you know who he is?--or, rather, what he is?" - -"I know nothing of him, my lord," replied the youth. "I never saw him or -heard of him till last night." - -"And yet he knew all about your having been wounded by your own brother. -You will make even me believe in occult sciences," answered Montagu. - -"That piece of knowledge is easily accounted for," said Edward. "He -learned that from Lucette. She stayed at the abbey with Madame de Rohan -as they passed, heard all my story from the good sisters, and, in her -anxiety to write to me, suffered him to draw the facts from her." - -"Oh, it was from Lucette, was it?" asked Montagu, with a smile. "Well, -that explains all, and without any secrecy, if you are sure it is so." - -"She speaks of it in her letter," answered Edward, "and blames herself -for indiscretion. But your lordship asked me but now if I knew what -Signor Morini is. What can he be but a well-read quack?" - -"He is something more than that," replied Montagu, lowering his voice. -"He is a most cunning intriguant. He is more than that. He is an agent -of the Cardinal de Richelieu; and I could not be certain that the note -you received last night did not contain strong inducements for you to -betray me." - -"He would be a bold man to offer them to me, my lord," replied Edward, -warmly; "but there was nothing of the kind. The possibility of such a -thing, however, forces me to do what nothing else would have induced me -to think of,--namely, to show you the letter. There it is, my lord. In -regard to all that concerns myself and the writer, I must beg you to ask -me no questions. If there can be found in it any thing that affects your -lordship, interrogate me, if you will; and I will answer all frankly." - -Montagu looked at the address of the letter, and, perhaps, had some -desire to see more; for where is the breast without some share of that -small vice called curiosity? but he returned it unopened, saying, "I am -quite satisfied, Ned. But you must understand: we are living in an age -of intrigue. Each man is playing a game which has no laws. And in cases -where the strong arm of power cannot reach--where no soldiers or sailors -can be employed--friends, acquaintances, attendants, pages, must be -gained to obtain this or that advantage for an adverse politician. You -know not how widely this is practised,--how many devoted confidants of -great men are also the confidants of their bitterest enemies,--what -hosts of spies surround every man in eminent station. You know little of -all this; but in France and Italy the evil system is carried further, -deeper, lower than anywhere else; and it was very natural for me to -suppose that this man, whom I know to be an emissary of Richelieu, -should attempt to seduce you, and to find it hardly possible to suppose -that when Richelieu had you wholly in his power he did not personally -aim at the same object. The thought never struck me till last night; but -then it flashed across my mind vividly, and would seem to explain how he -let you go so easily." - -Edward smiled bitterly. "This is somewhat hard!" he said. "And thus, my -lord, my good fortune in escaping safe from a most perilous situation -has shaken your trust in my honesty?" - -"Not at all," replied Montagu: "he may have attempted you without -success, or you may have promised him, in order to save your neck, what -you did not intend to perform. I do not believe that you would really -betray me for any consideration: on my soul I do not!--no, not for life! -But tell me, Ned; in your conversation with that Eminence, did he never -desire you to write him of my movements, or perchance to send him some -of my letters, or copies thereof, or give him intimation of whom I -correspond with?" - -"No, my lord! no!" replied Edward, warmly. "He never did. He never -hinted at or insinuated such a desire. Your name was never mentioned but -once or twice in the last interview I had with him. Then he said, so far -as I can recollect his words, 'You may say to Lord Montagu that the -cardinal treated you well,--liberally,--and, although he had every right -to stop you, sent you on to Lord Montagu, though he knew your errand and -his. Compliment his lordship for me!' This was the only time that your -name was mentioned, my lord; and till toward the close of that interview -I did not know that his Eminence was aware I was attached to your -household." - -"That is strange!" said Montagu, gravely. "He knew your errand and mine, -and yet let us both go forward! We form a different estimate of his -character in England." - -"At the risk of making your lordship still suspect he has gained me," -said Edward, "I must say that I cannot but believe the cardinal has many -high and noble qualities. Some evening--perchance the time may come -again--when I may be permitted to pass a few hours in calm conversation -with your lordship, as in days of yore, I will repeat, as nearly as I -can remember, all that passed between his Eminence and myself. You will -then see why I think so highly of him. But now I cannot conceive why, -knowing this man Morini as you seem to know him,--an agent of Richelieu, -a spy, and a charlatan,--you suffer him to hang about you, and give him -the opportunity of tampering with your servants or perhaps even stealing -your letters and despatches. I cannot believe that your lordship has any -faith in his pretended science." - -Montagu looked at him for a moment with a somewhat doubtful smile. "As -to my believing in his pretended science, as you call it," he said, "I -neither altogether believe nor disbelieve. There is such a thing in the -world as a state of doubt, Ned,--a state where assent is not given nor -dissent entertained. But what is this pretended science you speak of? -Astrology has a very wide meaning, though circumscribed to its mere -etymological sense it seems very narrow. But even in that sense I see -not why it should be rejected altogether. Are not the stars mere -creatures of God, obeying his will, following his impulses? Were they -created for some purpose, or for none? Various men will tell you that -their functions are this or that. Now, the astrologer says they are the -real handwriting on the wall of heaven, announcing to those who can read -them the fate of nations and of men. Writing in stars! What a -magnificent thought! I have heard men object that those golden -characters are so few and the human race so numerous that the several -fortunes of all men could not be written by them. But such people forget -that the motions of the stars are infinitely complex, that the relative -position of every star to every other forms a new combination and may -foreshadow a different event to each one of those born under their -influence. Thus, if the human race be protracted to eternity, or the -numbers now existing be multiplied by myriads, the various positions of -those bright characters to each other in the course of time would be -more than sufficient to indicate the fate of every man that ever can be -born. I say not that they do indicate, but that they may. These things -must always remain doubtful till repeated verification gives more -convincing proof. I hold my mind open to receive or to reject; but, in -the mean time, I do not neglect opportunities of obtaining means for -forming a just opinion." - -Lord Montagu might be in some degree amusing himself by puzzling his -young companion, or he might not; but there can be no doubt that a great -portion of the well-educated and many of the greatest men of his day -believed at least as much as he seemed to believe of judicial astrology. -Indeed, no picture of those times would be correct which did not display -this peculiar aspect of the human mind. The great reformers of science -had not yet appeared, or were little known; and the mind of Bacon itself -was but beginning to have its influence in leading the minds of others -into the course of truth and certainty. - -But Edward Langdale had a great fondness for the definite, not -original,--perhaps, for he was of a somewhat poetical disposition,--but -acquired by the rubbing and chafing of the hard world; and he returned -pertinaciously to his point. "However that may be, my lord," he said, "I -cannot believe that your desire for opportunities of judging on these -abstract points can be the cause of your giving such opportunities to a -man whom you believe to be an enemy and a rascal. You must have some -other motives for tolerating the Signor Morini about you, and appointing -to meet him here, than a desire to test the science of astrology. What -they are I cannot divine." - -Montagu laughed. "Thou wilt be satisfied, Ned!" he said. "That man is -better here than at Turin. Do you understand me? He is better under my -eye than intriguing unobserved at the court of Savoy. He may tamper with -my attendants, but I am upon my guard; and I would rather that he -tampered with them than with the duke's counsellors. To me he can do -little harm while I am forewarned and forearmed against him; but he -might do much to the cause of England if he were left with a hesitating -court to plant a word here and a purse of gold there as they might be -needed. Yet what I said about astrology is true, and this very man's -firm belief in it rather tends to make the balance in my mind lean that -way; for he is keen, philosophical, worldly, learned." - -"But does he really believe firmly in it?" asked Edward. "Is it not with -him a mere cloak and a pretence?" - -"He has suffered it to lure him here," answered Lord Montagu, "when no -other inducement would have brought him. He will allow it to keep him -here three days longer, when in truth he is all anxiety to hurry into -France and tell the cardinal what he has discovered. I have played him -as your skilful angler plays a lively fish. Once his ruling passion -discovered, I have led him by it where I wished. It was like a ring in a -bull's nose, which he was forced to follow, with or against his will." - -"Then does your lordship propose to stay three more days in Aix?" asked -the page. - -"Ay, or till I receive one more note from Scaglia," answered Montagu. -"Then all will be settled irrevocably: Signor Morini may bestow himself -where he will, and we may do so likewise. You are impatient to hurry on, -I see. Impatience is youth's quality, deliberation is man's; and so, my -boy, you must keep your wishes tranquil, for I certainly shall not put -spurs to mine." - -"Of course, my lord, I must only follow where you lead," answered -Edward, gayly. "I dare say your lordship believes I should bear the -delay more patiently in Venice, and I will not deny the fact; but I -suppose there is no time to go thither ere we depart." - -"No, no, Ned! no!" replied Montagu. "I will not trust you near that -little siren again while we have business in hand,--at least till you -learn the great art of the present day, to let love and policy go hand -in hand and yet never let the former impede the latter." - -"A difficult task," said Edward. - -"Ay," answered Montagu; "and those who try it and miss often find a -bloody pillow. But here comes Morini again." - -Edward immediately took his leave, and retired to obtain a chamber for -himself in the inn, where he could meditate over the conversation which -had just passed. It was satisfactory to him that his connection with -Lucette had been acknowledged. He had previously shrunk from the thought -of all mention of the subject to Lord Montagu, with the sensitive -timidity of early love; but now the ice was broken, and he feared no -more. But one point in that conversation was very painful to him. He saw -that, if Montagu did not absolutely suspect him, his lord's confidence, -which had hitherto been unbounded, was shaken. It was in vain Edward -said to himself, "These great men are bound to be suspicious." There was -a voice within him which always added, "At all events, he ought not to -suspect me." - -His musings were not suffered to continue long uninterrupted, however. -Pierrot and Jacques Beaupre soon arrived with the horses. The two junior -pages of Lord Montagu--Henry Freeland and George Abbot--came to see him, -and he himself had to visit the chamber of Mr. Oakingham, a companion of -Lord Montagu's, who was travelling with him in no very well-defined -capacity. Oakingham was still ill from over-fatigue, and Edward sat -with him for some time, trying to amuse and soothe him. Thus passed the -greater part of the morning, and the two following days were fully -occupied by preparations for departure; but the thought that Lord -Montagu confided in him less still rankled in Edward's mind. He thought -he perceived evidences of doubt in many things where perhaps no doubt -existed; and he said to himself, more than once, "I cannot bear it -long." The time, however, was rapidly approaching when, according to the -custom of those days, Lord Montagu would feel it incumbent upon him to -provide for his young friend, either in the army or at the court; and -Edward resolved to wait and be patient as long as it was possible. - - - - -CHAPTER XXXII. - - -From Aix to Ramilly and Geneva was all safe enough. From Geneva through -Franche-Comte, as I have before explained, had no perils; but a small -piece of country in Lorraine and Bar, where the road ran along the -frontier of France, and, as some statesmen and geographers asserted, -actually crossed it and passed through French territory for at least -three miles, was in reality the perilous part of Lord Montagu's journey. - -That nobleman, however, seemed to consider himself very secure. He had -so recently almost bearded the lion in his den with impunity, he had -with such reckless freedom gone from one part of France itself to -another without being stopped, that he thought there would be little -risk in approaching a remote and somewhat poorly-peopled frontier or -passing over a small space of debatable ground. He did not know, or he -forgot, that the keen eyes of the fearless and unscrupulous French -minister had been opened to his proceedings; that Richelieu had assumed -a more bold and stern course of policy than ever; that personal -hatred--perhaps, as some assert, personal rivalry--rendered it necessary -for the cardinal to know in order to frustrate the efforts of his -magnificent though very inferior adversary on the British side of the -channel; and that no price, no labor, no violence even, would be -considered too much which would place the designs and operations of -Buckingham before the cabinet of France. He rode gayly, therefore, on -his way,--though, in order not to attract too much attention, he sent -forward several of his English attendants by a different road to meet -him at Metz, and kept with him only Mr. Oakingham, Edward Langdale, a -valet, and the two blacksmiths, with an ordinary groom. - -This little party, on the evening of a beautiful autumnal day, rode -along with tired horses through the little wood of Mirecourt, issued -forth upon the side of the dry calcareous hill to the west, and looked -anxiously for some place of rest. No one was well acquainted with the -road; the horses were heavy-laden, for each besides his rider carried a -heavy valise and two bags in front; and the whole morning had been -passed in going up and down hill through an arid and almost deserted -country. Some scattered houses, and then a nice clean village and a -small but neat country inn, all gathered together in a little dell -shaded with trees, at length gladdened the eyes of the weary travellers; -and Lord Montagu, as was his custom, applied himself to make his sojourn -comfortable for the hour, leaving his followers to enjoy themselves as -best they could. He laughed and joked with the pretty Lorrainese -landlady as with her own hands she laid the table for his dinner; he -took out a book from his valise, and, with his feet upon one chair and -his body on another, rejoiced in the ease of a new position, and, when -his dinner at last came, ate with moderation but good appetite, and -called a glow of satisfaction into the cheek of his hostess by -pronouncing it the best meal he had ever tasted. - -In the mean time, Mr. Oakingham had taken some refreshments and gone to -bed; the valet had remained in the room with his lord, to serve him at -table; the blacksmiths and the groom had gone to the stable; and Edward -Langdale seemed the only unquiet spirit of the party. He ate but little; -he drank less; he sat down; he rose up; he went out several times, -either to the front of the house or the back; he visited the stable -three times; he made many inquiries of the people of the house regarding -the neighborhood and its inhabitants; and at length, instead of -retiring to bed, he leaned his arms upon a table and his head upon his -arms, and apparently went to sleep. People came and went, but he did not -move; one of the girls of the inn spoke to him, but he did not answer; -and it was near eleven o'clock before he changed his position. At that -hour he rose and walked quietly to the back door of the inn, which -looked into the stable-yard. The moon was shining near the full, and two -men were standing near the stables talking together earnestly. As soon -as he appeared at the door, they went round to the back of the low -wooden building; but Edward had caught sight of them, and he walked -straight to the stable and looked in. Most of the tired horses were -resting quietly in the stables; but one, though disencumbered of packs -and burdens, was saddled and bridled and tied up to a pillar. - -Edward examined the animal well, to make sure of whom it belonged to, -then quietly re-entered the inn and went straight to the room of Lord -Montagu. He knocked at the door, and Montagu's voice told him to come -in. - -"Ah, Ned!" said his lord, "I have not seen you to-night." - -"No, my lord," replied the youth: "I have been watching some things -which I dislike." - -"A very unsatisfactory employment," said Lord Montagu. "But what is it, -good youth? You look gloomy, and your face is full of meaning. Are the -Philistines upon us?" - -"I do not know, my lord," replied Edward; "but I fear they soon will be. -I do not like those two blacksmiths, my lord. They are bent upon some -mischief, depend upon it." - -"Oh, the old story!" said Montagu. "What is it now, Ned? Do they squint -the other way, perchance?" - -Edward was mortified; but he answered, respectfully, "No, my noble lord, -but the same way as ever. I feel sure they are spies upon you and intend -to betray you the very first opportunity." - -"Indeed!" said Montagu, now somewhat roused. "But the proofs, Master -Ned,--the proofs." - -"Absolute proofs I cannot give," said Edward; "but their conduct is so -suspicious that I cannot believe them honest. I beg your lordship's -excuse while I detail what I have observed during the last ten days. -You can then judge for yourself. These men affect to speak a _patois_ -almost incomprehensible; but I have detected them speaking as good -French as you or I more than once. Together they talk a language I do -not at all understand; but good Jacques Beaupre says it is Basque. I am -certain it is not Savoyard. At Geneva, one of them wrote a letter and -sent it off by a courier who was going to France. During the last two -days' journey they have been making as diligent inquiries at every inn, -as to the neighborhood, as if they had to direct the march." - -"Pooh! that is all nothing," answered Montagu: "don't you think a -blacksmith may have a sweetheart to write to, as well as yourself, Ned? -And the poor devils, who have to find their way back, may well inquire -about the roads." - -"Well, my lord, I have but little more to say," replied Edward. "All day -they have been looking curiously at every chateau we passed, even at -five miles' distance; they have lagged behind all along the road, and -stopped more than once to talk with the peasantry they met; and two -hours before we arrived here I saw one of them give a piece of money to -a lad, who set out incontinently over the fields." - -"Ha! that was strange," said Montagu, thoughtfully. "What more?" - -"Some three or four hours ago," continued the young man, "the taller of -the two despatched the hostler somewhere. I could not learn where; but I -heard him say, distinctly, 'Remember, tell him at eleven o'clock; not -before eleven!' I have waited and watched ever since, and the scoundrel -is now in close conference with a man who has come to see him, while his -horse is standing saddled in the stable." - -"This looks serious," said Montagu, rising. "Have you remarked any thing -further?" - -"Yes," answered Edward: "I have remarked that, though they pretend never -to have been in this part of the country before, they know every inch of -the road and have some acquaintance in every town." - -"Let us go to the stable," said Lord Montagu: "I will know more of this -before I sleep." - -Quietly opening the door, he passed through a sort of dining-room and -the kitchen into the court-yard; but at the moment he opened the outer -door the sound of horses' feet was heard, and one of the stalls in the -stable was found vacant. "Too late!" said Lord Montagu, calmly: "let us -go back, Ned, and consult what is to be done." - -Perhaps, where one person alone has power to decide, all consultation is -useless,--more than useless,--only a waste of time. Who ever takes -another man's advice unless he wishes to shuffle off a responsibility to -which he feels himself unequal? Give me an obstinate general, if he have -but a brain as big as a walnut. As far as success goes, it is better to -be bravely wrong than timidly right. - -Now, though Lord Montagu had a very great opinion of Edward Langdale's -good sense, he had a much better opinion of his own; but councils of war -had not then fallen into the state of disrepute to which they have sunk -in our days; and therefore he returned to his room, and, having seen the -door closely shut, asked, in a grave tone, "Now, Ned, what is to be -done?" - -"Why, my lord, you are the best judge; but if I were you I would go back -to the road we left ten miles behind and go straight to Nancy. You are -here on the very frontier of France, surrounded by French towns and -castles: there are disputes about the exact bounds, and the cardinal, I -should suppose, would not be very particular if he thought he could get -possession of your lordship and your papers by a _coup-de-main_." - -"You are a geographer, Ned," said Montagu. "Have you calculated how much -time that detour would cost?" - -"A day and a half," answered Edward, "if we ride hard." - -"The roads are bad,--very hilly," said Montagu: "the beasts are tired -now. It would cost two days and a half, at a moderate calculation; and I -have not two days and a half to spare. I have promised to meet the Duke -of Lorraine on Wednesday at Metz. We have ample time to do it if I ride -straight on, but not more; and, if I do not come, he will not and cannot -wait." - -"Send him a messenger, my lord," said Edward: "I will undertake to carry -him any message from your lordship before Tuesday night, to appoint a -meeting at Pont a Mousson, or anywhere you like. Better kill a horse by -hard riding than have you taken prisoner." - -Montagu thought in silence for a few moments, and then said, in a -meditative tone, "Do you know, Ned, I do not think there is so much -danger as you imagine? The man's conduct is suspicious, I admit; but it -is no more than suspicious. How do we know he has any thing to do with -Richelieu? But even suppose he has: he can have no means of -communicating with his sweet Eminence between this night and to-morrow -morning. No governor of a castle or commander of troops would venture to -violate a neutral territory without an express order; and it was -impossible for the cardinal to know that I should pass by this road, so -as to give his orders beforehand. I think we are quite safe, my good -youth." - -Montagu spoke in that cool sort of indifferent tone which almost -implied--at least, so Edward construed it--that his page had been -magnifying dangers. The young man bit his lip and for a moment remained -silent; but then a sense of duty made him answer, "I cannot but think -that by following the direct road your lordship will place yourself in -extreme peril." - -"Why, you are not afraid, Edward?" said Lord Montagu, laughing. "You -little fire-devouring Turk, I never saw you afraid of any thing before." - -The young man's cheek reddened. "I am not afraid of any thing, my lord," -he answered, "but of seeing your lordship a prisoner in the hands of -your enemies. If they once get you into the Bastille, what becomes of -all the results of your lordship's negotiations?" - -"True," answered Montagu, "the stakes we play for are great ones; but in -playing for great stakes one must risk boldly wherever there is a chance -of success. I think we can pass, Edward; and I will try it. But I will -take precaution to make our passage sure. An hour and a half will carry -us over all immediate danger; for the road, I find, bends back deeper -into Bar, and it is only on the very frontier that there is any risk. No -French force will venture more than a mile at the most into the Duke of -Lorraine's territory." - -"But what precaution can you take, my lord?" asked Edward, in some -surprise. "Doubtless his Highness would grant you an escort; but he has -no troops near. We are amidst peasants." - -"No, no! I seek no escort," said Montagu: "we will pass alone if we pass -at all. But you heard me on our arrival give the order to set out at -seven. We will change the hour, Ned, and begin our march at five. Say -not a word to any one to-night. I will trust only to you. At four let us -all be called. Call Oakingham a quarter of an hour earlier, and Abbot -too, for they are slow. Let the groom and the laquais get the horses -ready by five; but, above all, say not a word to the Savoyard who is -left, or his companion, if he returns, and keep a watch upon them." - -"A sure watch," said Edward, with a grim smile. "All shall be ready, my -lord; but yet----" - -"Nay, nay," said Montagu, waving his hand; "no more objections, Ned. Now -send the lackey to me: I will go to bed as if I had no alteration of -last night's arrangements in my mind. You had better go to your room, -too, and obtain a little sleep. I know you can wake when you like." - -"I will go to my room," said Edward; "but I do not close my eyes -to-night, my lord. I am not fond of leaving any thing to chance." - -"You must have another word," said Montagu, laughing. "Pooh! pooh! We -shall pass, my boy. Now, good-night." - -Edward left him, sent the lackey to his room, went to the kitchen, where -two of the stable-men were sleeping by the fire, roused one of them to -give him a lamp, and retired to the chamber where young Abbot was -snoring powerfully. But Edward was ill at ease. He thought that the -precautions Lord Montagu had spoken of and ordered were not sufficient: -he thought--as all men think, and young men especially--that his own -plan was the best. However, he drew the charges of his pistols, loaded -and primed them afresh; and then, sitting down at the window, where he -had a view of the court-yard on one side and on the other a glance into -the passage through the door which he left ajar, he waited, without -moving a limb, for the coming of morning. - - - - -CHAPTER XXXIII. - - -At a quarter to four o'clock, Edward Langdale shook young Abbot by the -shoulder and with some difficulty succeeded in waking him. "Quick, -Abbot! get up!" he said. "Go down and saddle your horse: but make no -noise. Do you understand me? No more than an owl. Go down and saddle -your horse: do you hear? but be quiet about it." - -"What is in the wind?" said the other. - -"Nothing to you: but do as you are bidden," answered Edward, and took -his way to Mr. Oakingham's room. Here he had more difficulty, for the -door was locked or bolted, and he had to make some noise before the good -gentleman would open it. - -"Why, what is the matter?" asked Oakingham. "Is the house on fire? It is -quite dark." - -"Here, sir, light your lamp," said Edward. "My lord has changed his -mind, and is going to set out directly. You will be left behind if you -do not make haste." - -Oakingham swore a little; but Edward did not stay to listen, gave him -his lamp, and turned toward the rooms of the servants, which lay at the -end of the passage over the kitchen. The last chamber but one had been -assigned to the two blacksmiths, and, as Edward was approaching quietly -that where the lackey and the groom were housed, the shorter of the -Savoyards, roused by the noise at Mr. Oakingham's door, put his head -out. - -Edward walked on quietly, and, when he was abreast of the man, said, -with an easy air, "You had better get your clothes on. You will be -wanted presently." - -"Which horse?" asked the man, at once. - -"All but one," said Edward; and, knocking hard at the door of the -servants' room, he ordered them in a loud tone to rise and come to the -stable. The blacksmith was still at the door; but Edward caught him by -the neck and pushed him back into the room, saying, "Pardie! did I not -tell you to get dressed?" - -The man staggered back, and before he recovered himself the young -gentleman had caught the key from the inside and locked the door. He did -not, however, call Lord Montagu till he had gone out into the yard and -ascertained that the windows of the rooms above were too high to admit -of any one dropping to the ground. - -A good deal of bustle succeeded: the servants of the house were roused, -valises and bags were packed in haste, and horses were saddled; but -before five o'clock all was ready for departure, and Edward approached -Lord Montagu as he stood before the inn, saying, "Shall I let out that -blacksmith? He is safely locked in his room, and hammering at the door -as if he would knock it down. Well he left his tools in the stable, or -he would have been out by this time." - -"Let him out, to-be-sure," said Montagu: "he may follow now if he will. -He will keep us too late." - -"His horse is saddled for him, my lord," replied Edward: "by your leave -he shall come with us, or I will come with him." And, running up-stairs, -he opened the door of the man's room. - -The worthy was at first inclined to make some noisy remonstrance, but -Edward stopped him in an instant. "No noise!" he said, seeing that he -was dressed. "Go down-stairs. Get on your horse and put him between me -and the groom. If you take a step too quick or a step too slow, you will -have a ball through your head in one minute. We know where your comrade -is gone, and all about you: so pray Heaven we meet with no misadventure -on the road, for, if we do, this is the last morning you will ever see." - -The man looked scared out of his senses, and descended the stairs with a -face as pale as ashes. - -The thundering command of Lord Montagu, "Mount, quick! Stand by him, -Ned!" did not serve to allay his apprehensions; and perhaps no man of -the whole party more sincerely prayed that they might pass uninterrupted -than he did. - -The score was paid, and the party rode off, with Montagu and Mr. -Oakingham at the head, and Edward Langdale, the groom, and the -blacksmith between them, in the rear. It was still quite dark; but the -eye of the pretended Savoyard roamed round and round from the very -commencement of the journey. At the end of a few minutes he began to -talk, and apparently desired to exculpate himself from any complicity in -his fellow-countryman's proceedings; but Edward stopped him sternly, -saying, "Silence! Your tongue makes as much noise as the crack of a -pistol, and I will silence it if you say one word more." He put his hand -to his holster as he spoke, and the man ceased instantly. - -"I have pistols too, sir," said the sturdy groom. - -"He will need no more than I give him," said Edward. "I do not miss, -Hobbs." - -"No, I know you don't, sir," said the groom: "at least I never saw you." - -"Let us keep quiet," said Edward; "but be prepared. If we should be -stopped, and this fellow's comrade is there, you take care of him. I -will settle with this one." - -The first part of the way led up hill, through a pretty close wood -skirting the road on either hand; but at the top of the ascent the -little party issued forth upon some open, undulating ground, which the -insecurity of border-life had kept a good deal out of cultivation. The -darkness was now growing pale at the approach of day, and the gray -outline of a chateau or two, with a village church some two miles off, -and what seemed a considerable town a good deal farther, might be seen -to the right and left. All was still and silent till the light clouds -overhead began to turn rosy, and then a lark started up close beside the -road and went quivering and trilling into the sky. - -"My heaven! they are going very slow," murmured the blacksmith, in a low -voice and with a groan. "Why does not the English lord go faster, young -gentleman? Does he not know this part of the country is full of -brigands?" - -"He knows there are brigands about," answered Edward; "but we know how -to deal with them." - -Edward, however, did think that his lord might have ridden faster; and, -as they began to descend into another hollow with a thick wood at the -bottom, he scanned every thing around and below with a keen, quick eye, -but could discover no moving thing. - -When they issued out of the wood at the other side of the dell, the sun -was apparently just rising above the horizon, and the whole sky was full -of purple and gold; and, when they topped the hill above, a wide but not -very interesting landscape was before them. Some high blue hills were -seen at a distance on the right; but nearer, on both sides, were several -chateaux and villages, with scattered woods and ponds and rivers, all -glowing like rubies in the red light. The human race, too, began to -bestir itself to daily toil, and several men, evidently peasants, were -seen leading horses or driving oxen to the field. But the view was soon -cut off from their sight by broken banks tumbled about in strange -confusion, interspersed with patches of scrubby firs, and here and there -a low hovel looking picturesque in its very wretchedness. - -The agitation of the blacksmith seemed every moment increasing, and once -he even attempted to drop behind; but the stern words from Edward, "Keep -up!" accompanied by a motion of the hand toward his pistols, soon -brought the man to a line with his companions. At length, after they had -ridden on for about half a mile or more, he burst forth, saying, "I want -to speak to the lord: he is going too slow. Let me speak to him." - -"Well," said Edward, "ride on by my side." And, drawing a pistol as a -precaution, he spurred forward. The country indeed just there would have -greatly favored the fellow's escape, for it was rough, uneven, and -covered with stunted trees and bushes, while a small pine wood flanked -the road on the left or French side, and a _borne_, or landmark, with a -low wall, lay on the other. The highway was wide, however; and Edward -felt certain that if the smith endeavored to gallop off he could bring -him from his horse before he got out of sight. In a moment they were by -the side of Lord Montagu, who checked his horse to hear what they -wanted. - -"My lord, my lord," said the man, in very good French, but with great -agitation, "ride fast. Take good advice, and ride fast, or they will -catch you." - -"Who will catch me?" asked Montagu, eyeing him. - -"I do not know who, exactly," said the man, "Brin, my comrade, has the -names of so many on his list. The cardinal gave it to him before we set -out. But ride fast, for God's sake! There may be time yet." - -"Good advice, truly," said Montagu. "Use your spurs, gentlemen. We will -inquire further hereafter, if we can,--if we can: ay, if we can, indeed! -Draw up your horses. Let the rest come forward. Stir not from that spot, -man, or I blow your brains out. Now, who are these before us?" - -From a little bridle-path which issued from the wood and crossed the -highroad some twelve or fourteen men, well armed and mounted, had just -ridden out and barred the way. - -"Let us charge them at once, my lord," said Edward. "Some of us may cut -through. You shall, if I live." - -"Look behind, Ned," said Lord Montagu. - -Edward turned his head in the direction to which Montagu had glanced a -moment before, and saw a party not much less numerous than that in -front, with the blacksmith who had disappeared the night before amongst -the foremost. His pistol was in his hand, and the temptation was -irresistible. He threw his arm across his chest without wheeling his -horse, pulled the trigger, and the traitor fell from his saddle with a -bullet in his shoulder. - -At the same moment the English groom, who had ridden up at Lord -Montagu's first order, caught the other unhappy man by the arm, and had -the muzzle of his weapon at his ear; but Montagu put it aside before he -could fire, saying, "Vain! vain! Edward, you are always too ready with -those pistols." - -"I have given him but his due, my lord, if I die for it the next -minute," said Edward. "But see: that tall man with the white scarf is -waving it to your lordship." - -"Stay here, and I will go forward a little," said Lord Montagu. "There -is nothing for it but to surrender quietly. They are five to one." - -"Let me go with you, my lord," said Edward. - -"Well, then, put up your pistol," answered Montagu. "The rest stay -here." - -Montagu took off his hat in answer to the signal made by the other -party, and rode forward with Edward, while a gentleman of some five or -six and thirty, who seemed the leader of the larger body gathered across -the road, advanced alone to meet the English nobleman. As they neared -each other, the two saluted courteously; and throughout their interview -the utmost politeness manifested itself, instead of the ferocious -roughness which in a French picture of this very incident is represented -as characterizing the demeanor of M. de Bourbonne. - -The French gentleman spoke first. "I have the honor of wishing you -good-day, my Lord Montagu," he said. "Your lordship is here somewhat -earlier than we expected you." - -"I am sorry I did not know, sir, that you are so matutinal in your -habits," replied Montagu, somewhat superciliously; "otherwise I should -have been here earlier still." - -"Doubtless," answered the other. "But I need not now tell your lordship -that, being later than you intended, it is useless to attempt to pursue -your journey to-day." - -"Why, the roads seem very bad, it is true," said Montagu. "I had hoped -that my good friend the Duke of Lorraine kept his highways in better -order." - -"I am afraid, my lord," said the stranger, "that the French Government -must bear the blame in this instance; for you are now upon French soil. -That landmark points out the boundary." - -"I did not mark the landmark," answered the Englishman; "but, if I be -upon French territory, may I know to whom I am indebted for this -hospitable reception?" - -"My name, my lord, is Bourbonne,--the Count de Bourbonne," said the -other. "I only last night heard of your lordship's arrival in these -parts; and I at once made preparation to receive you in my chateau." - -"We expected something of the kind," rejoined Montagu; "for a personage -who had attached himself to my service on the road thought fit to absent -himself last night, and we judged he would most likely spread the rumor -of my coming. In truth, I wished to spare all noble gentlemen the -hospitable trouble you seem inclined to take, and, indeed, would a great -deal rather not inflict it upon you now." - -"No trouble in the world, my lord," replied the count. "And, indeed, I -must insist upon the honor of entertaining you till you can be better -lodged. As to the poor man who favored me with notice of your approach, -I am afraid he has met with a little accident. I heard the report of a -pistol, and saw one of the people there fall off his horse." - -"A pure accident," said Montagu, in an indifferent tone. "One of my -attendants had a pistol in his hand and his finger upon the trigger. He -was seized at that moment with a convulsive affection to which he is -sometimes subject: the hammer fell, and the bullet flew out of the -muzzle. In those cases, monsieur le comte, the ball, as you must have -often remarked, flies right at the greatest villain it can find. It is -invariable, I believe." - -"Very probably," answered De Bourbonne: "I will ask a philosopher his -opinion. But, in the mean time, may I ask your lordship if there are -more accidents of the same kind likely to happen? Are there any other -gentlemen of yours with their fingers on their triggers?" - -"Oh, no!" replied Montagu. "I made them put all their pistols up as soon -as I comprehended the pressing nature of the invitation I was about to -receive, and the forcible arguments ready to back it. Am I to understand -that it is extended to my attendants also?" - -"To every one," replied the count, with a low bow. "I could never think -of asking your lordship to my house without including your friends and -followers." - -"You do me too much honor," said Montagu. "But amongst my followers you -will find a comrade of the worthy gentleman who did me the favor of -being my harbinger. Now, if I have any influence with you, my lord -count, I would bespeak for him a high place, not in your esteem, but on -your castle. Doubtless you have battlements, or iron stanchions, or -things of that kind, about, to which you could raise him _sus per_ -_col_. He has all the same qualities as his friend, whom you already -know, and is a Savoyard, he says,[5]--though we have some doubts upon -the subject." - -"I should be most happy to oblige your lordship in any thing," answered -the Count de Bourbonne; "but you know the king is the bestower of all -dignities and the fountain of all honors; and therefore I cannot take -upon me to raise the gentleman to the elevated position you desire for -him." - -"Well, well," replied Montagu, "time works wonders; and doubtless he -will meet his deserts sooner or later. May I ask if you have lately -heard from our mutual friend the Cardinal de Richelieu?" - -"Last night, my lord," answered Bourbonne. "He was quite well, and -desired me to inquire particularly after your health." - -"I expected no less of his courtesy," said the English nobleman. "But I -see your people are closing up pretty near, and, if I mistake not, have -got possession of my valet's horse, with a desire of lightening the poor -beast's load. We had probably better join them, as the man does not -comprehend much French; and Englishmen are sometimes so surly and stupid -that it is impossible to get them to comprehend the force of numbers." - -"At your pleasure," replied the count; and, making a sign to his -followers on the road to the north to join him, he went quietly to the -spot where Mr. Oakingham and Lord Montagu's servants had remained. - -He now somewhat changed his tone, and, abandoning the bantering mood in -which he and Lord Montagu had indulged, but still with undiminished -courtesy of manner, required all present but his own followers to give -up their arms. Edward for one did so with regret; but still it was some -satisfaction to him to see the treacherous blacksmith lying on the bank -with his comrade busily engaged in bandaging his wounded shoulder. - -"I will now have the honor of conducting you to my poor house," said the -count, bowing to Lord Montagu; and, with five or six armed men before -and a larger number following, with three on each side to guard against -any evasion, he commenced his march. Before departing, however, he spoke -a word or two to one of his attendants; and Edward remarked that, as -they went, a diligent examination was made of all the pistols which his -party had given up, as if to ascertain which had been discharged; and he -doubted not that some consequences not very agreeable to himself would -follow the inevitable discovery that he had fired the shot which had -wounded the traitor. - -The road wound through one of the wildest parts of France, just upon the -frontier of Champagne and Bar; two or three small rivers had to be -crossed; the country was but little cultivated, bearing more the aspect -of a sandy moor than of the entrance to one of the richest -wine-districts in the world; and more than once Edward cast his eyes -around, thinking that it might be no difficult matter to escape and find -a refuge in Lorraine if he could but avoid the pistol-shots which were -sure to follow him. Had he been intrusted with the care of Lord -Montagu's papers he would certainly have made the attempt, but he knew -not even who carried them, and he resolved not to abandon his lord -except for his service. - -Whether Montagu divined what was passing in his mind or not, I cannot -tell; but, after they had gone about half a mile, he called Edward to -his side and said to him, in English, "Keep still, Ned. Activity will do -no good here. The best thing for all of us is to be perfectly passive. -If I had trusted to your young, sharp eyes sooner, it might have been -better; but it is too late now either to regret or amend what is done." - -"May I request your lordship to speak to your attendants in French?" -said Monsieur de Bourbonne. "You speak our tongue in such perfection, -my lord, that it must be as familiar to you as your own." - -"I shall probably have time to study it more profoundly," answered -Montagu, with a smile. "But you can inform me yourself, count, if that -fine old chateau upon the height is Bourbonne, where we shall rest, I -presume." - -"That is Bourbonne," replied the count; "and the little town you may -catch sight of down there in the hollow, a little to the left. But, -though we will stop there to take some refreshment, I think that the -Castle of Coiffy will afford your lordship a more convenient -resting-place." - -"Oh, yes! I remember Coiffy," answered Montagu, laughing. "I passed -close to it some three months ago. It is a strong place, and so well -built, I am told, count, that the garrison cannot hear the drums of -Lorraine beat at Bar." - -"That is only because they do not pay attention to them, my lord," -replied Bourbonne. - -As they rode on, the old chateau grew more and more clearly defined; and -the state of decay into which the ancient defences had fallen showed -plainly why it had not been chosen for the place of Montagu's detention. - -In the village the party stopped to breakfast, and the English nobleman -was treated with every sort of respectful attention; but a strict guard -was kept at the door of the chamber where he was served. The attendants -had some food placed before them in another room; but they were as -carefully watched. In about an hour the march recommenced, and shortly -after, while gazing forward, Edward perceived rising over the trees at -the distance of several miles the towers of Coiffy, a much stronger -place than Bourbonne, which he never lost sight of till they reached the -drawbridge. - -It was apparent that their coming had been made known beforehand, for -all was evidently prepared to receive Lord Montagu with ceremonious -politeness. An old gentleman whom they called Monsieur de Boulogne stood -in the gateway, hat in hand, and immediately proceeded to conduct the -noble prisoner to his apartments. - -Mr. Oakingham followed, and Edward Langdale was about to do the same, -when the Count de Bourbonne took him by the arm, saying, "Stop, young -man! I destine another chamber for you." - -His tone was somewhat menacing, and Edward turned round and gazed full -in his face. - -"Tell me," said the count, "and mind you tell me true----" - -"If I tell you any thing at all, I shall tell you the truth," answered -Edward, interrupting him: "so spare such exhortations, sir count. But it -is probable that I shall not answer a small gentleman of Champagne at -all, especially if he interrogates me in a manner which much greater -personages than himself have never displayed toward me." - -It is probable that this rude answer was intended to stop all inquiries -into Lord Montagu's affairs,--for Edward did not doubt that they were -about to be the subject of De Bourbonne's questions; but the count gazed -on him with extreme surprise, exclaiming, "Ha! Whom have we here? A -small gentleman of Champagne! Will your magnificence have the -condescension, then, to inform the small gentleman of Champagne if it -was your hand that sent a pistol-ball into the shoulder of a poor -personage who came up with my train when I first had the honor of seeing -you?" - -"It was by accident I shot him in the shoulder," replied Edward: "I -intended the ball for his head." - -"If he dies we may find a rope that will fit you, young man," said the -count; and, beckoning up the man who had examined the pistols on the -road, he said, "Take him away and put him in the dungeon where I told -you." - -"If you hang me, sir count," said Edward, without the slightest alarm, -"you will do so with the passport in my breast which was given me by his -Eminence of Richelieu with his own hand. You had better ask the two -spies a few questions before you treat me with any thing like -indignity." - -So saying, he followed the man to whom Bourbonne had spoken. Another -soldier took a lantern from a hook and came after; and in a minute or -two Edward found himself pushed into a room where the faint light of the -lantern only served to show the shining damp which clung to the stone -walls. - -[Footnote 5: These two men, who adhered to Lord Montagu through his -whole journey, first tracking him from place to place with the sagacity -and pertinacity of well-trained hounds, and then contriving to get -admitted to his service, were in reality Basques. Some have supposed -that they were creatures of Monsieur de Bourbonne; but there seems no -doubt they were two of the many skilful agents whom Richelieu took care -to provide himself with in every rank of life.] - - - - -CHAPTER XXXIV. - - -A dungeon is by no means an agreeable place; and the dungeon of poor -Edward Langdale was not an agreeable dungeon. As was common at that -time, before Vauban and others had introduced a better system of -fortification, the principal defence of the Castle of Coiffy was a wet -ditch or fosse, which differed little from those we see surrounding old -castles of the feudal period. This wet ditch was supplied with abundance -of water from a spring a little higher up the hill, which, indeed, was -the source of one of the principal confluents of the Aube; but the soil, -as I have said elsewhere, being somewhat sandy, the banks suffered the -water to percolate, somewhat to the detriment of the foundations of the -castle; and, had not the masonry been very heavy and the mortar somewhat -better than we use in building cockney villas, the square flanking-tower -to the right of the gateway as you look east would have been down fifty -years before and crushed to death the denizens of poor Edward's -dungeon,--if it had been furnished with tenants at that time. - -Now, doubtless the reader learned in romance-composition may imagine -that I am merely preparing the way for a fine scene of escape from -prison, with melodramatic incidents, new songs, scenery, and -decorations. But, as I am sorry to say no such heroic result was at this -time achieved by Lord Montagu's page, I cannot use it as an incident in -this part of my true history. I only mention the percolation of the -water of the fosse, and its effect upon the foundations amongst which -that and other dungeons were placed, to show that the place of the poor -youth's confinement was as damp and disagreeable as it could be. Some -stones had fallen from the vault above, some large detached pieces of -mortar, green and shiny, covered the mud or stone floor, and the walls -were all glistening with dampness; but those walls were too thick and -the blocks of stone of which they were composed too heavy for any -unaided prisoner to have worked his way out, with the utmost diligence. -In one corner of the miserable hole was a sort of camp-bedstead, with a -straw bed covered with yellow and green stains from long exposure to the -foul, moist air,--disgust and sickness and death to lie upon; and in -another corner, high up on the wall, was a little grated window, not so -high as the opposite parapet of the glacis, but sufficiently so to admit -the air and the sounds from without. The wall was too thick to allow of -a prisoner catching even a glimpse of the blue sky or to permit one ray -of the sun to enter, even at his rising or his setting. It was indeed a -desolate chamber. What an expressive word that _desolate_ is! Although -sometimes in the heats of an almost tropical climate--heats often more -intense than I ever heard of in the tropics themselves--I sometimes -grumble a little at the power and ardor of the sun, yet what would the -earth be without him? what is any place on the earth's surface which he -does not visit? Desolate, desolate indeed! - -The first sound which Edward heard after the bolts had ceased to grate -in their sockets was that of a cannon, apparently from the walls of the -castle. Some few minutes after the same sound seemed to be repeated from -a distance. It might be an echo. He could not tell. But a moment or two -after another report was heard, certainly nearer; and then two more -confirmed his fancy that they were signal-guns announcing that the -well-watched English envoy had been captured and was a prisoner at -Coiffy. Some three hours then passed, if not in perfect silence, at -least only enlivened by the voices of some soldiers on the ramparts; and -then came the squeaking of the wry-necked fife and the beating of drums, -intimating to Edward that troops of some kind were drawing round Coiffy. -Then were heard voices on the drawbridge, and gay laughter, as if -officers were being received into the castle with signs of honor. - -All that passed away, and silence resumed her reign till night fell. The -light in the lantern burned down almost to the socket. No meat, no -drink, had been brought to the prisoner; and he began to ask himself if -it could be their intention to starve him there in darkness. His -feelings were not pleasant. - -Just about that time there was some noise and bustle heard from -without,--probably on the drawbridge or at the gate,--the tramp of -horses, and voices speaking. Then for a few minutes all was silent -again. Then there were sounds just above, more distinct and clear than -any he had hitherto heard,--people speaking, and others moving slowly -about,--evidently penetrating to the cell which Edward tenanted by the -broken parts of the vault on which the flooring of the upper chamber -rested. - -"Oh!" cried a voice, with a groan, "you have got me by the shoulder just -on the wound! Do not do that! Put your hand lower down: not there, not -there!--lower still. That young devil! he does not miss his mark, -indeed!" - -"Lay him on the bed,--flat on his back," said another voice. "Now, Brin, -is not that easier for you?" And then followed several sentences in a -language Edward did not understand at all. - -"The two blacksmiths," said Edward to himself. "They have just brought -in the wounded man." - -For some half-hour various sounds succeeded, some distinct, others -confused, to which the young prisoner did not pay much attention; and -then there was a sort of lull,--not quite silence, but still much less -bustle. Even slight sounds were easily distinguishable in the dungeon; -for the roof was so far dilapidated that here and there the rays of -light from above found their way through a chink in the flooring and -traced a yellow line upon the pavement. He could hear the wounded man -groan and ask in a faint tone for drink. - -"He is badly hurt, it seems," said Edward Langdale to himself: "if the -horse had not shied away, it would have gone through his head and served -the traitor right." - -Edward wanted a little more softening to make him a real sentimental -hero; but I can only paint him as I find him. He did not feel the -slightest remorse for what he had done. He thought it but right,--but -just; and he would have done it over again the next minute. It is true, -the groans of the wounded man did somewhat annoy him. He felt no -pleasure in his pain; but, as to the mere fact of having shot him -because he had betrayed his lord, Edward was as hard as a stone. - -It seemed, indeed, as if Monsieur de Bourbonne was inclined to try upon -the young Englishman the treatment sometimes employed to tame wild -beasts,--fasting and darkness. He had kept him without food all day; and -now the light in the lantern went out, and all was obscure in the -dungeon, except where those yellow streaks from above checkered the -floor; and the youth's only entertainment was to listen while a good -deal of walking to and fro and speaking took place overhead. He divined -from all he heard that a surgeon had been sent for and was performing -some operation upon the wounded man. At length the latter exclaimed, -"Oh, you have got it now. There, there! that is comfortable. It feels as -if you had pulled out a hot coal!" - -Just at that time a soldier opened the dungeon-door and brought in a -pitcher of cool water and some bread. - -"Am I to be kept in darkness?" asked Edward. - -"I don't know," answered the man, holding up his own lantern to look at -him: "you have offended Monsieur le Comte mightily, it seems; but I do -not suppose that he intends you should have no light." - -"Well, tell him something for me," replied Edward. "Say that I am -greatly obliged to him for all his kindness, but that I have friends in -France who will repay him sevenfold, or I am much mistaken in them." - -The man went away without reply, but returned in a minute or two with a -fresh candle. - -"Did you tell him?" asked Edward. - -"Yes," answered the soldier, who seemed a good-natured sort of person; -"I told him. But you had better not enrage him. It will do no good, -young gentleman." - -Edward ate heartily of his poor fare, and drank the cool water as if it -had been nectar. He had hardly finished the temperate meal, when he -heard a voice above which he recognised by a slight hesitation of speech -as that of Monsieur de Bourbonne; and he certainly might be excused in -his circumstances for listening with all his ears. - -First the count made several inquiries as to the state of the wounded -man; and then he added, "Well, my good friend, I have got the young -tiger who scratched you safely caged in the worst dungeon of the castle. -I hope you will get well; but if you should die I will hang him from the -_herse_." - -"For God's sake, do not do that, monseigneur," cried the companion of -the patient. - -"If I die, hang him as high as you please," growled the voice of Maitre -Brin: "the cardinal cannot do any thing to me after I am dead, and the -young devil had better go with me." - -"Ha!" said Monsieur de Bourbonne, apparently in a tone of some surprise: -"he boasts of having some good friends in France, and speaks as if he -personally knew his Eminence." - -"And so he does," said Brin's more timid companion: "he is a great -favorite of the cardinal; and Monsieur de Tronson warned us not to touch -a hair of his head under any circumstances. He said that we should be -held to answer for any evil that happened to him. We were only to follow -him wherever he went from Nantes, and not lose sight of him till he -joined the English lord." - -"Then did you first see him at Nantes?" asked the count. - -"Surely," replied the other: "we waited in the court-yard while he was -in with the cardinal, that we might take good note of him as he came -out." - -There was a silence of some minutes, and then the voice of the sick man -was heard saying, "After all, you had better not treat him badly, -monseigneur. I do not think I am very much hurt; and if he is hardly -used some of us will suffer, you may be sure." - -"You should have told me this before," said Monsieur de Bourbonne, in a -very sharp tone. - -"Why, what time had we to tell you any thing, monseigneur?" asked the -wounded man's brother. - -"At all events, we tell you now," growled Brin; "and this talking is not -likely to do me good. The lad is as fierce as a young wolf. He -threatened to shoot me once before; but he is a pet of the -cardinal,--one of his own people, for aught we know,--and, now that you -are told he is so, you may use him as you think fit. It is no fault of -ours: we have not hurt him." - -It is probable that the interview was less satisfactory to the Count de -Bourbonne than he had expected; for he brought it speedily to a -conclusion, and Edward for full half an hour after heard the two men -above talking together in the language he did not understand. At the end -of that time the bolt of the door was undrawn, and the soldier who had -previously brought him bread and water appeared again, with somewhat of -a grin upon his face. - -"Well, young gentleman," he said, "Monsieur le Comte begs you will send -him up the safe-conduct you mentioned to him. After seeing that, perhaps -they may treat you better." - -"Tell him I will not!" said Edward, in a resolute tone: "he may come and -take it from me by force,--or he may see it here in my presence; but I -give it out of my own hands to no one,--especially not to one who has -treated me unlike a soldier and a gentleman. Tell him what I say." - -The soldier laughed. "'Pon my word, you are a bold one!" he said. "Do -you not know you are quite in his power?" - -"Not so much as you think," replied Edward: "I am not the least afraid -of him. Tell him exactly what I say." - -A full hour passed; and probably it was spent in some degree of anxious -and hesitating deliberation between Monsieur de Bourbonne and the Count -de Boulogne, his father-in-law, for they remained the whole of that time -shut up together in a small room on the second floor. One can easily -conceive that it was a hard thing for a proud and irritable man to make -any concession to a mere lad who set him at defiance in language -somewhat tinged with contempt. But a bold face stoutly kept up has a -great effect upon most men; and if Edward had known the count intimately -he could not (though it was entirely accidental) have chosen his course -better. De Bourbonne was brave, and even rash; but he had a terrible -reverence for power, and, when he found the youth's account of himself -confirmed even by the very man whose life he had nearly taken, fancy -conjured up all sorts of ministerial indignation, and showed him the -service he had rendered in the capture of Lord Montagu--on which he had -based many gorgeous dreams--more than counterbalanced in the eyes of -Richelieu by his treatment of one of the cardinal's favorites. Monsieur -de Boulogne, too, an older and milder man, strongly counselled -moderation and gentleness, somewhat censured what had been already done, -and advised recourse to measures perhaps too directly and suddenly -opposed. - -Still, pride struggled hard with De Bourbonne. He vowed he did not and -would not believe the tale which he had heard. What hold, he asked, -could a mere fierce English lad have upon the cardinal? and for some -time his father-in-law reminded him in vain that Richelieu, though a -wonderfully great man, was somewhat capricious in his affections, -suggested that, as he was not a little superstitious, too, in regard to -astrology and the occult sciences, he might find some imaginary -connection between the youth's fate and his own, and pointed out that it -was utterly improbable Edward should treat him with such daring -disrespect if he was not certain of some very strong support. - -In the mean time the poor prisoner remained in some doubt and anxiety. -Imprisonment, solitude, and low diet had gone some way to tame the wild -bird, and the uncertainty of the last hour had been very heavy. He had -fancied that the words he had heard spoken by the wounded man and his -companion would produce an immediate change; but, as minute after minute -passed by and nothing indicated any better treatment, he began to -despond. At length, however, he heard the tramp of feet and the jingle -of spurs, and a man with a torch opened the door, admitting Monsieur de -Boulogne and one or two attendants. - -"Young gentleman," said the old nobleman, with a reproving but fatherly -air, "you have been acting very rashly and impetuously toward the count -my son-in-law." - -"And how has he been acting toward me, sir?" asked Edward, in a more -respectful tone than he had used in speaking to the younger man. - -"Somewhat harshly, I am afraid," said the other, looking round him: "he -could not have known the state of this place, or he would not have put -you here." - -"What right had he to put me in a dungeon at all?" asked Edward. - -"Why, you shot and nearly killed one of his attendants," was the reply. - -"Not at all," answered Edward. "You are deceived, sir. I shot an -attendant of Lord Montagu whom I caught in the act of betraying his -master. Ask his lordship--ask the man himself or his brother--if they -had not both taken service with my lord and received his money." - -The old gentleman smiled. "That puts a new face upon the matter," he -said. "But let us leave recriminations. I wish to smooth matters down -between you and my fiery relative. You say you have a safe-conduct from -his Eminence of Richelieu. Let me see it." - -"On the sole condition, sir, that you restore it to me at once," said -Edward, putting his hand into a pocket in the breast of his coat and -taking out the passport in its velvet case. - -"Let me examine it," said Monsieur de Boulogne. "Do not fear. You shall -have it again in a moment." - -"I do not fear," replied the youth, giving him the case. "I am sure you -are a man of honor, by your face." - -"Here, man, hold the torch nearer," said the count; and, putting a pair -of spectacles--or banicles, as they were then commonly called--upon his -nose, he proceeded to examine the safe-conduct minutely. But all was in -proper form and order, calling upon all royal officers, governors of -cities, castles, or provinces, to let the Seigneur Edward Langdale and -suite pass and repass, without limitation of time or place, throughout -the land of France; and there was the seal of the council, and the -undoubted signature of the prime minister. - -The face of the count turned very grave as he read. "This is odd!" he -said. "My son should have seen this. Here is your suite mentioned, young -gentleman. Of whom consists your suite?" - -"I might reply," said Edward, "that any one I choose to name is of my -suite, for his Eminence put no restriction. But I wish not to quibble. -The suite of which he speaks is now at Nancy,--with the exception of one -page," he added, half smiling, "who is in Venice." - -"Well, this is all very strange," said the old man. "I cannot understand -the cardinal's giving you such a wide safe-conduct at all,--an -Englishman,--and a youth like you." - -"I am neither bound nor inclined to explain the motives of his -Eminence," replied Edward. "If you think fit to interrogate any one upon -that subject, it must be himself." - -"God forbid!" cried Monsieur de Boulogne, eagerly. "There! take the -paper and come with me. I will take this business on myself. Two such -young, rash spirits may make mischief." - -Edward followed, willingly enough; and the old count led him up the -stairs from the dungeon to a tolerably comfortable room in one of the -towers above, where he left him on his promise to remain till Monsieur -de Bourbonne could be conferred with. In a few minutes the two noblemen -entered together, De Bourbonne evidently struggling--not very -successfully--to keep up his dignity while forced to make disagreeable -concessions. - -"The Count de Boulogne informs me, sir," he said, "that you have really -got a safe-conduct from his Eminence of Richelieu." - -"Which you have known ever since mid-day," said Edward. - -"Hush! hush!" said the elder gentleman. "No more of that. Tell my -son-in-law, young gentleman, what it is you demand of him in the -circumstances." - -"I demand that he shall respect the cardinal's safe-conduct," answered -the youth. - -But De Bourbonne waved his hand, saying, "I will respect it by sending -you to his Eminence under guard on the very first opportunity. What -more?" - -"That I be no more put in a wet dungeon; that I be not fed on bread and -water; that I have my baggage restored to me; and that I be treated in -every respect as that safe-conduct gives me a right to expect." - -"Granted," said the count, "but upon the clear understanding that you -are a prisoner and remain such till I can send you to the cardinal." - -"With the clear understanding added," replied Edward, "that you shall be -called to a strict account for every hour you keep me prisoner without -lawful cause, and for your manifest disobedience of the cardinal's -written orders under his own hand and seal." - -The count's face flushed, and he exclaimed, in evident embarrassment, -"What the fiend are you to the cardinal, or the cardinal to you?" - -But Edward saw that, one way or another, he had got the advantage. -"That, sir," he said, in a cool tone, "you may have to learn hereafter, -from other lips than mine. In the mean time you can do exactly as you -think fit. Obey the commands you have received in the king's name, or -disobey them, as seems expedient to you; but only do not put me in a -damp dungeon or feed me on bread and water any more, for it is as -unpleasant to me as it may be dangerous to yourself." - -"But suppose the safe-conduct is a forgery," said De Bourbonne. - -"It would be a curious one," replied the youth, with perfect -composure,--"somewhat bold to devise and difficult to practise. Of that -you can judge yourself; but take care you judge right. I have but one -other demand to make; namely, to be permitted to visit my Lord Montagu." - -"He has gone to bed," said De Bourbonne, sharply, "and I shall consider -of the matter further till to-morrow. I have now one more question. How -much liberty in this castle do you want? It will depend entirely upon -whether you do or do not give me your parole of honor that you will not -attempt to escape." - -"Now, this is strange!" said Edward, with an irrepressible laugh. "One -moment I am suspected of forgery, and the next my word of honor is to be -relied upon implicitly. However, Monsieur le Comte, as I have no -intention of leaving you quite so soon, and as, if I did escape, I -should run straight to his Eminence, to whom you say you intend to send -me, I will give you my parole. But would you allow me to insinuate that -I am exceedingly hungry, and that I have always considered a little good -wine of Beaugency better than a draught of cold water out of a pitcher -not over-clean?" - -Both the counts laughed; and old Monsieur de Boulogne, taking his -son-in-law by the arm, led him away, saying, in a low voice, "Come, -come! I shall make you two better friends before I have done." - -"You will need to do so, father," said M. de Bourbonne; "for, on my -life, it shall be long enough before that keen boy sees the cardinal. If -what he says is true,--as I suppose it is,--the tales he has to tell -might ruin us; and, if it is false, he well deserves a good long spell -of imprisonment." - - - - -CHAPTER XXXV. - - -The writers of biography and auto- or pseudo-autobiography who -flourished and were so abundant in France during the seventeenth and -eighteenth centuries made a great mistake by adding to the simple -narrative a great number of romantic incidents which there is much -reason to believe had no foundation in fact. Putting aside the morality -or immorality of lying, they committed an artistic blunder. History is -the best romance. Just in as much as a painter or sculptor can approach -to the realities of the human form, so is the grace and interest of his -design. Just in as much as a writer can approach to the truth of -history, telling all the truth minutely, so is the romantic interest of -his book,--only history is so very romantic that no one who writes it -completely can obtain credence. Let us see whether the reader will -believe a morsel of true history when it appears under the character of -romance. - -The fact of the capture of Lord Montagu spread rapidly through all -France. Couriers carried it to Villeroy and Rochelle; rumor brought it -rapidly to Paris; and thence, with concentric ripples, the knowledge was -carried far and wide to all who were unwise enough to meddle with -politics in those days. - -The effect was very different upon different people. The great cardinal -rejoiced at the success of his well-laid schemes; for he had long known, -and watched with a keen eye, the negotiations which had been intrusted -to the English nobleman. Perhaps, however, he rejoiced more at the hold -which he doubted not the seized papers of the diplomatist would give him -upon his own enemies in France itself than upon the means afforded of -frustrating all the combinations which had been effected abroad against -his country. His mighty mind feared foreign enemies much less than -secret cabal at home. In fact, he knew that the fortress of his power -was strong enough to resist a cannonade but might not be proof against a -mine. - -Nor was the spirit of the king dissatisfied to learn that Buckingham's -agent had fallen into his power, with all his correspondence, -compromising probably one-third of the nobility of France. We have not -had time, we shall not have space, to dwell upon the character of Louis, -though it well merits a treatise entirely to itself. His sports in youth -had been cruel, his amusements low. His father had called him "that -wicked boy;" and, though he possessed all that father's courage and much -of his military skill, he had none of his kindness of heart, his -clemency, or his gentleness. It may be that he did not feel pleasure in -the shedding of blood, but it is certain that he never objected to shed -it; and when his best friends and greatest favorites were condemned, -often by unlawful tribunals, he consented to their death with coolness -or a jest. - -But there was one in France who heard of Lord Montagu's capture with -very different feelings. Anne of Austria, the unhappy queen, the -childless wife of the coldest-hearted monarch that ever lived, received -the tidings with terror and confusion. It might be that the tales they -tell of certain secret communications between her and the brilliant Duke -of Buckingham were founded in truth. It might be that she had connived -at schemes for the overthrow of a minister who persecuted her. But it is -beyond doubt that she held dangerous correspondence with her own family -in Spain, that Buckingham had been negotiating with that court, and that -Montagu was his most confidential emissary. What letters might not be -upon his person at the moment of his arrest?--what papers which might -give a complete triumph to her enemies? and she had many. Happily, -however, she had many friends, sincere, devoted, fearless. At the very -moment when she was in the most profound agony of terror, one of these -was near at hand. - -It is well known that gentlemen of good family but small means were in -those days proud to accept even what we consider menial offices in the -household of princes or great men. A youth of the name of Laporte had -been attached to the service of Anne of Austria, in the humble capacity -of valet-de-chambre, almost ever since her entrance into France. In one -of the many intrigues of the court he had incurred the anger of the -king, but had been permitted to enter a corps of cavalry, known as the -Gens d'armes de la Reine, as ensign. This corps, at the time of the -capture of Lord Montagu, was serving on the frontiers of Lorraine, and -was one of the first to be called toward the Chateau of Coiffy to form -part of the escort of the noble prisoner on his way to Paris. But -Laporte was not with his regiment. He was, when the news arrived, on -leave of absence in the capital, and his presence had been known to the -young queen. At midnight, and in disguise, he was brought to the Louvre; -and Anne of Austria at once laid open to her attached servant the -terrible apprehensions under which she suffered. To ascertain if her -name was at all compromised in the correspondence of Lord Montagu was of -immediate importance. It was, in fact, an affair of life and death. But -to do so seemed utterly hopeless. All the papers of the prisoner were in -the hands of his captors, and the utmost secrecy was maintained as to -their contents. Laporte, however, undertook the difficult task, and on -the following day set out to rejoin his regiment at Coiffy. The way was -long, and he did not reach the castle till the prisoner and his escort -were already on the march to Paris; but he was near enough to witness -the absurd gasconade of M. de Bourbonne, who, having gathered together a -very considerable force, notified the Duke of Lorraine of the day and -hour when he would commence his journey. A cannon was fired from the -battlements to give notice that the French troops were in motion; and -the whole body remained in battle-array for about half an hour, to give -the duke, Monsieur de Bourbonne said, an opportunity of rescuing the -prisoner if he could. When this comedy had been enacted, the worthy -Laporte joined his regiment and fell into the ranks, resolved, as he -states, to watch for some happy accident which might enable him to -communicate with the captive. Fortune favored him sooner than he -expected, and, indeed, beyond all expectation. In the midst of the -troops, consisting of some nine hundred horse, rode the Counts of -Bourbonne and Boulogne, with Lord Montagu between them, treated with -every mark of profound respect, but disarmed, without spurs, and mounted -on a small horse not very capable of competing in speed with those which -surrounded him. Laporte marked all this well; but a much more easy and -secure mode of communicating with the English nobleman than any effort -in the open field soon presented itself. The Baron de Ponthieu, a -gentleman of considerable distinction, was one of the officers of -Laporte's company of Gens d'armes de la Reine; and, as soon as he saw a -man whose leave of absence did not expire for some weeks suddenly rejoin -his regiment, an instant suspicion crossed his mind that his inferior -officer had some important object in view. The baron was one of the most -devoted partisans of the queen. He knew that Laporte was a bird of the -same color, and also that he came straight from Paris. Quick and -clear-sighted, Ponthieu, it appears, in his conjectures came near the -real object of his companion-in-arms. But he had the rare gift of -discretion; and, after having sounded Laporte and found that he was -unwilling to trust his dangerous secret even to him, he contented -himself with losing no occasion to give facilities for communication -between the queen's attendant and the English prisoner. - -What marks the age as especially an age of faction is the fact that men -usually sensitive on the point of honor had not the slightest scruple in -violating their most sacred obligations and most solemn oaths in favor -of the party to which they belonged. No shame, no remorse, attached to -such acts; but, on the contrary, they were looked upon, both by actors -and observers, as proofs of chivalrous daring and skilful diplomacy. -Ponthieu and Laporte, though serving in what was called the "Queen's -Gens d'armes," were the soldiers of the king, bound by solemn oaths to -obey and serve him against all and every one; but they had not the least -hesitation in betraying their trust and violating their promise when it -was to assist the queen or thwart the minister. It was not dishonest or -disloyal in their eyes: it was honorable and chivalrous. There is too -much of this in the world even now; but there was much more then, and -the wars of the Fronde both brought the abuse to its height and in some -degree wrought its cure. - -Monsieur de Bourbonne had received secret instructions to treat Lord -Montagu with every sort of consideration, while taking all measures to -prevent his escape; and at each halt upon the long march the officers of -the various corps which escorted him were invited to bear him company -during the evening, and various devices were formed for amusing the -prisoner. Ponthieu, divining, as I have said, Laporte's object, invited -his young comrade to partake his quarters, which were always near those -of De Bourbonne, and took care that he should be at all the parties -given in the evening for Montagu's entertainment. At the very first -interview, Montagu, who never forgot a face, remembered having seen the -young officer when he had visited Paris some years before; and mutual -looks of intelligence conveyed the information that Laporte was not -there without a purpose. Cards were introduced, and the ensign of the -Queen's Gens d'armes contrived to slip a pencil across to the captive. -On the succeeding night, Laporte sat at the same card-table with -Montagu, Monsieur de Bourbonne, and Ponthieu. But in shuffling the pack -the young officer let it fall, scattering the cards upon the floor. He -stooped instantly to remedy the effects of his awkwardness. Montagu -stooped also with an easy grace to assist him; and, before he rose, a -note was in his pocket, beseeching him to inform the writer if amongst -his papers there had been any matter which could compromise the queen, -and desiring him to be very careful of even mentioning her name. - -On the following evening, Lord Montagu, with a free and unembarrassed -air, held out his hand to the young officer when they met, and, with -better skill than the Signor Morini, contrived to slip into the hand of -Laporte an answer to the note of the preceding night, without being seen -by any one. - -It conveyed the joyful news that the queen's name had never been -mentioned in the papers which had fallen into the hands of the captors, -and that Montagu himself would rather die than compromise her in any -way. - -Nevertheless, although he knew the anxiety and suspense of his royal -lady, Laporte did not venture to trust the billet out of his own hands, -nor again to quit his regiment to carry the intelligence himself. He was -forced, therefore, to accompany the prisoner's escort by slow marches to -Paris, and to see Montagu lodged in the Bastille. As soon as that was -done, however, he found his way secretly to the Louvre, and easily -explained to Anne of Austria the causes of his delay and the complete -success of his mission. He tells the story himself; but, with the usual -fate of zeal, intelligence, and devotion, his services were but poorly -rewarded, though they were highly praised. - - - - -CHAPTER XXXVI. - - -And where was Edward Langdale all this time? On the day which saw Lord -Montagu a prisoner in the Bastille, the poor lad had been just a month -in the Chateau de Coiffy; and his captivity was not yet at an end. Care -had been taken that he should have no opportunity of seeing Lord -Montagu; and, though he was well treated, and his personal liberty -seemed but little abridged within the walls, there was a cold, silent -guard kept over him which tended a good deal to subdue his impatient -spirit. If he spoke to any one, he received a civil answer; but it was -confined to two or three words, and never afforded any information. If -he asked for writing-materials, they were promised, but never came. If -he walked on one of the ramparts, there was a soldier at each end, who -never lost sight of him; and his own chamber, with one or two of the -passages near, was the only place where he found himself free from -supervision. His principal resort was the walls, where on fine days he -would sit and think, and gaze over the undulating country round, for -hours,--pondering his own fate, dreaming of Lucette, or asking himself -what the conduct of Monsieur de Bourbonne could mean. - -It certainly had its meaning; and the secret was a very simple one. The -reader has already the key in the few words spoken by the count on the -first night of Edward's captivity. He had determined that the youth -should have no communication with Richelieu till he himself had reaped -the reward he expected for the valuable services he believed he had -rendered. - -For many reasons, however, the cardinal was slower in bestowing that -reward than the count anticipated. In the first place, his mind was -profoundly occupied with matters which we shall have to touch upon -hereafter. In the next place, the service of the count was not so great -as he imagined. Lord Montagu was a prisoner, it is true; the treaty with -Spain, Lorraine, and Savoy was in the minister's hands; and the schemes -of the external enemies of France were dissipated or deranged; but there -were few names in France itself implicated by the papers which had been -seized, and fewer letters found which could bring home to Richelieu's -foes the treason which many of them had certainly meditated. Thus, day -after day passed without bringing to Monsieur de Bourbonne the expected -recompense; and it suited well with the cardinal's policy to keep the -nobility of the kingdom expectants upon the bounty of the minister, as -they were now daily becoming, rather than dictators to the Government, -as they had too long been. Poor Edward suffered without the minister -knowing it, and, at the end of three long months, the youth determined -to endure but a few days longer. He contrived, with some oil and the -soot of his lamp, to fabricate a sort of ink. A leaf torn out of one of -the books which were amongst the baggage returned to him served him for -paper sufficient to write on; and with such rude materials he contrived -to indite a letter to Monsieur de Bourbonne, which will explain itself. - - "Sir," he said, "you informed me that you would send me to the - cardinal prime minister by the very first opportunity; and on that - understanding I gave my parole not to escape. You have broken your - word; and I might be held justifiable in breaking mine: but the word - of an English gentleman is too sacred to be trifled with. I - therefore give you notice of my intention to leave the Castle of - Coiffy as soon as I find an opportunity of doing so after this - letter has had full time to reach you and you have had full time to - take your measures accordingly. Your men have debarred me the use of - pen and ink and cut me off from all communication with others. They - may neglect or refuse to carry this letter; but I shall give it to - one of them for that purpose, and if it do not reach you the fault - is not that of EDWARD LANGDALE. - - "_Postscriptum_.--I shall not set out for fourteen days." - -This epistle was given to the servant who brought his food, with an -injunction to have it given to the post-courier. At first the man -hesitated to take it; but, on seeing that it was directed to his master, -he ultimately consented; and Edward applied all his thoughts to devise -the means of carrying the resolution he had expressed into execution, -let Monsieur de Bourbonne take what precautions he would. The fourteen -days passed without any answer, and all seemed dull and tranquil as -before; but some messengers had been coming and going, and Edward little -doubted that one of them bore directions in regard to himself. To test -the fact, on the fifteenth morning he walked out upon the walls and -approached quietly one of the little flights of steps that led down from -the ramparts toward some of the outworks. Instantly the sentinel -presented his musketoon, saying, "You cannot pass here." - -"Why not?" asked the youth. "I have passed before." - -"The orders are changed," answered the man, gruffly. "Keep off, I say." - -Edward was satisfied. Monsieur de Bourbonne had received his letter: his -parole was at an end; and he felt almost as if he were already free. Two -days passed without his making any attempt to escape; but he carefully -selected every thing from amongst his baggage which was most valuable, -including money, and packed it in the smallest compass. Sometimes, -indeed, he was tempted to leave all behind him, for he foresaw that he -should have to swim the canal; but the absolute necessity of money in -almost every transaction of life he had learned early, and he remembered -that he had a large piece of France to traverse. His attention was next -directed to ascertain if, by passing boldly through the interior of the -chateau, he could not turn the position of the sentinels upon the walls -just in face of his windows, and emerge upon the opposite ramparts, -which, from all he recollected of the approach to the castle, and from -various other circumstances which had come to his knowledge during his -long stay, he imagined were neither very high nor very well guarded. -Away he went, then, along the passage through which he had always been -allowed to pass, to a door at the end on the left-hand side, where there -had usually sat a servant, and which he had understood,--believed would -be the better word, for he knew not what had led him to the -conclusion,--which he believed led to the apartments of the Countess of -Bourbonne. But now no servant sat there, either to question or let him -pass. The door, however, was shut; and when he tried it he found it -locked. - -It was a great disappointment; for the servant who usually sat there was -sometimes male, sometimes female, and he had calculated that he could -devise some means of getting either out of the way. The ramparts before -his windows were too steep for him to attempt the leap. Had the fosse -been immediately below, he might have risked it, trusting that the water -would soften his fall; but a ridge of dry ground ran along under the -wall, and the breaking or dislocation of a limb, with his consequent -recapture, was inevitable. He returned to his room, then, disappointed -but not disheartened, and instantly applied himself to form some new -scheme. The first thought that struck him was that a rope ladder might -be constructed from the ropes which in those days garnished every -bedstead in France. It would be short, indeed, but at all events it -might diminish the distance between the parapet and the ground, and by -dropping from the last round he would not, he thought, have more than -eight or ten feet to fall. He instantly set to work to detach the ropes -from the sacking; but he had not unlaced a yard before he asked himself -how, when it was constructed, he was to fasten the upper end of his -ladder to the parapet. With all his ingenuity, he was puzzled. There was -nothing in the room of which he could make a hook,--nothing in the -world, except an ancient pair of tongs for putting wood upon the fire; -and he might as well have tried to make a hook out of the Colossus of -Rhodes. He looked round and round in vain, when suddenly, as his eyes -rested upon the heavy key in the lock of the door, he thought that keys -would sometimes fit more locks than one. He took it out at once, greased -it well with oil from the lamp, and walked quietly along to the door at -the end of the passage. It was still locked, and by applying his eye to -the key-hole he saw that there was no obstruction. The key had been -taken away,--probably to prevent any tampering with the servants on the -part of the young prisoner. But he saw also three persons sitting by a -large fireplace in the long gallery before him. They were a lady of two -or three and twenty,--probably Madame de Bourbonne,--a very beautiful -child, three years old perhaps, and another woman, whose dress betrayed -the soubrette. - -Edward had to return to his room again and wait with impatience for the -trial of the key. As he meditated by the remains of his fire, he -remembered having heard that, but a year or two before, the famous Duke -of Buckingham himself, while ambassador in Paris, in a wild frolic had -passed through the whole of the royal palace disguised as the White -Lady. - -"Some sort of disguise might not be amiss," thought Edward. "Each of -these old chateaux has some superstitious tale attached to it. A sheet -and a little lampblack will make a very good ghost. But it is not yet -time." - -His impatience had wellnigh ruined all, however; for, just as he was -about to take one of the sheets from the bed to tear a hole for his head -to pass through, the servant entered his room with a fresh supply of -wood. - -"When does Monsieur de Bourbonne return?" asked Edward "I hope when he -does he will give me a warmer room." - -"I do not know," answered the man, piling some more wood on the fire. -"Some say he comes Saturday. That is the day after to-morrow." - -Edward let him depart, and then sat and listened. For at least two hours -sounds were still to be heard in the chateau; but they gradually died -away. At midnight the password was heard upon the walls; then there was -some tramping up and down; and then all was silent. Edward knew that -there was a snug, warm pavilion, or look-out, thrown forth from the -walls, whence the whole line of the curtain on that side could be seen, -but which was sheltered from all rude winds; and he doubted not the two -guards had retreated to its friendly covering,--for it was a cold spring -night, and the keen blast was sweeping over the open country round. He -waited some five minutes longer, and then wrapped the sheet round him, -smeared his face with the soot of the lamp, and sallied out with the key -in his hand. All was darkness in the passage, and he had to feel with -his fingers along the wall, not without some anxiety as to how he should -find his way through the part of the house with which he was not -acquainted. Liberty was at stake, however, and on he went. Fortune -favored him: at the end of the passage a faint light came through the -key-hole of the door he was in search of. It was red, though dim; and he -at once comprehended that it did not proceed from any lamp left burning, -but from the embers of a half-exhausted fire. Then came the -all-important moment. Quietly and slowly he applied the key to the lock. -It entered readily; but when he came to turn it there was some -resistance. He was almost in despair; but, thinking he might not have -pressed the key home, he pushed hard, and it started forward with some -noise. He paused to listen, but there was no sound, and, twisting it -slowly round, the lock gave way, the door opened, and the gallery he had -seen through the key-hole was before him, with the wood fire burnt low -in a large fireplace on the left-hand side. There were a number of doors -on the right, tight shut, to keep out the wintry air; but the gallery -was vacant, and the fire gave light enough. On then he strode toward the -opposite end, calculating that he was now in the great tower or -lodging-part of the castle, and soon reached the farther extremity of -the gallery, where another door presented itself, with the key in the -lock. The moment he opened it, the cold air rushed in, and he found -himself in a little garden upon the inner ramparts. All was still; and -there seemed nothing there but one or two bare apple-trees and some -withered shrubs and flowers. - -The rampart, however, was very high, and all the young man's trouble -would have been in vain had he not divined that there must be some lower -outwork to defend the foot of the wall. The moon was not yet up: there -was no light but that of the stars; and he walked cautiously along under -the parapet till he came to some descending steps. He could see no one -on the walls; but the dry leaves crackled under his footsteps and more -than once made him stop, thinking a sentinel was near. At the bottom of -the steps was another wall, with embrasures and a solitary cannon, -evidently commanding the approach from some work below; and, making his -way along for about forty steps, Edward reached some more stairs, which -led him down to what seemed a small bastion. - -At the foot he paused, for upon the wall of the outwork he perceived -some dark object, which he could not clearly make out. It was too large -for a man, he thought, and it remained motionless; and after gazing for -several minutes he quietly mounted the five steps which led up to the -platform. He then perceived that the object which had alarmed him was a -rude sentry-box, with a cannon hard by; and, having ascertained that it -was empty, he looked over and beheld the river flowing quietly through -the fosse at the foot. - -The wall was about eleven feet in height, and he certainly would not -have feared to leap. But noise was to be avoided; and, tying the end of -the sheet to one of the trunnions of the cannon, the young adventurer -let himself down by his hands as far as he could, and then dropped into -the water. A slight splash was all the sound; but he sunk deep, and his -feet touched the bottom. He rose again, however, and, thanking in heart -the harsh angler who had first counselled him to learn to swim, he -struck out for the other side of the fosse, and reached it in a moment. -It was a sharp night, it is true, for cold bathing; but his heart felt -warm with the consciousness of freedom, and, getting amongst the low -bushes which covered a good part of the ground on the Lorraine side of -the castle, he walked rapidly round to the other side, and then struck -across the country directly toward the heart of Burgundy. - -Edward had many motives for so shaping his course. He had heard a vague -rumor that the Duke of Lorraine had made his peace with France, and -therefore he was as likely to be interrupted in the duke's territories -as anywhere. In the next place, he knew that his evasion must be -discovered early on the following morning, and the pursuit was of course -likely to be directed on the side where the open doors and the sheet -tied to the cannon gave evidence of the course he had first taken. But, -after all, there was a certain degree of whim, or character, or call it -what you like, in it. He had told Monsieur de Bourbonne that if at -liberty he would go straight to the Cardinal de Richelieu. Some people -might have thought that it was going straight into a lion's den. But -Edward did not fear; and he determined to go frankly and at once throw -himself upon the cardinal's generosity, tell him all he had done and all -he had suffered, and show him that he had kept his word in coming back -to him, though only seven months, instead of two years, had passed since -they had parted. He anticipated no obstruction in that direction if he -could once get at a distance from Coiffy; for he still had the -cardinal's safe-conduct about him. - - - - -CHAPTER XXXVII. - - -Twenty miles in a day is no great walking. I myself have walked forty in -ten hours. But the great point is what we walk over. It is the great -point in life, too; for the worthy patriarchs, I have no doubt, -journeyed through life for two or three hundred years without getting -weary, simply because they had such an easy road to travel. Abraham had -to fight now and then, it is true, and from time to time there was a -quarrel amongst the herdsmen; but these were little incidents that only -served to enliven the way; and the rest of the travel was without -excitement of mind or great exertion of body. If Abraham or Isaac or -Jacob had passed through nothing but low entangling bushes,--bilberries -and cranberries, and sometimes blackberries, with their long prickly -arms,--they would have laid themselves down to rest much sooner, and -felt themselves as tired as Edward Langdale when, just about daybreak, -he reached the end of the twentieth mile from the Chateau of Coiffy. - -Edward had then arrived at a country somewhat more open; and he sat -himself down to rest not far from a little country-road, which he could -trace by the eye, running on, almost in a straight line, toward the tall -square tower of a village-church. But that village-church was at least -six miles distant; and Edward had not tasted food during fourteen or -fifteen hours. His wet clothes had dried upon him, too, under the cold -night-wind, stiffening every limb; and he had no comfortable little -brandy-bottle, such as so often cheers the way for the modern romantic -traveller. - -The spot where he stopped, however, was a dry grassy mound, with some -yellow broken ground before it; and out of the bank welled a little -clear rivulet, where he quenched his thirst after the olden fashion -before ladles or goblets were invented. - -While he was still stooping down he heard the beat of horses' feet upon -the road; and, with that strong consciousness of running away which -makes every man who possesses it more or less timid, he hid himself -under the bank as well as he could. - -Presently, as well as the footfalls, he heard the sound of voices; and -for a moment his apprehension was increased by one of the voices -sounding familiar to his ear. - -He was relieved in a moment, however,--and very much relieved. - -"Why, you are drunk already, you beast!" said one voice; and then came -the thick and juicy tones of good Pierrot la Grange, with the music of -brandy very strong in them. "To-be-sure I am," answered Pierrot. "Have I -not had sorrow and trouble enough to make me drunk every day of the -week for the last three months? My noble lord in prison; Master Ned no -one knows where,--the only lad in all this world that could keep me -straight." - -"Pierrot! Pierrot!" shouted Edward; "Jacques Beaupre! halt there! I am -nearer than you think." - -The two horsemen stopped, the one with a dumb and stupefied gaze around, -a little conscience-stricken, perhaps, at the state in which he had to -present himself to his young master, the other with an observation in a -low tone as to the consequences of talking of the devil. But Edward was -soon by their side, and they were not long upon their horses' backs. -Each was sincerely glad to see the young Englishman; for force of -character as often wins affection as respect. Edward's adventures were -soon told; and luckily the two men had some solid provisions with them, -as well as Pierrot's brandy-bottle,--which was now nearly vacant of its -contents. While the young gentleman ate and drank, the history of the -two servants was related, at somewhat greater length than his own, -though it was a very monotonous one. They had remained at Nancy with the -rest of Lord Montagu's servants for some time, they said, before they -heard of that nobleman's capture. After the news reached them, a week -was spent, according to Jacques Beaupre, in active deliberations, at the -end of which, as they had a sufficiency of money, their wages having -been paid for some time in advance, it was determined to stay quietly -where they were till they received some orders. One or two of their -comrades, however, dropped off from time to time, till the two Frenchmen -and young Freeland only remained of the whole party. For week after week -no news came; but at length, some four days previous to that on which -they spoke, a messenger had arrived from Lord Montagu, announcing his -liberation and bearing funds to pay all expenses. At the same time, they -said, Master Freeland was ordered to give them their discharge, and they -were actually on their way back to their own part of France. - -"And so his lordship is liberated?" said Edward, with a slight touch of -bitterness in his tone; for he could not imagine such an event to have -happened so suddenly that Montagu, who had found time to take care of -common servants, had none to bestow a thought on him. "You are going -back to Aunis, you say. Well, my good fellows, if you have a mind for -such a companion, I will go with you. I will be no charge to you, for I -have money enough with me. All I want is a horse and some arms." - -"Charge, Master Ned!" exclaimed Pierrot, in a burst of semi-drunken -enthusiasm. "What care we about charges? If it were the last crown I had -in the world, I would share it with you. And as to a horse, here, get -upon mine. I can walk well enough to that big village there, which they -say is called Vitell. But here; let me take the pistols out of the -holsters. I won't trust you with them, by the Lord!" - -"Nonsense!" answered Edward. "I will not use them, man, upon my honor." - -"No, no," said Pierrot, deliberately taking the pistols from his -saddle-bow. "If once you get your hand upon the stock, there is no -knowing where the bullets may go flying; and my legs have got lead -enough in them already this morning." - -"Your head has got brandy enough in it," said Jacques Beaupre: "that's -what puts the lead in your heels. Here; let me hold the horse while our -young master mounts, or you'll be down with your nose in the water and -set the fountain boiling." - -"If all the water in the world could wash it white," answered Pierrot, -"I would tumble into a pond every day. It is that nose of mine gets me a -bad reputation and makes men say I drink. Why, every man drinks. It -entirely depends upon what men drink. But, after all, I think I had -better try the cold water; for somehow I have a notion if I try to walk -to Vitell with nothing but brandy in my stomach I shall make the -distance three times as long with zigzags and vagaries." - -Thus saying, while Edward mounted, very well pleased with some relief to -his tired legs, Pierrot knelt down by the side of a tolerably deep -little pool formed by the rivulet at the side of the road, and, putting -his lips to the clear water, took a deep draught. Jacques Beaupre, -however, seemed to think that the water had better be applied externally -also, and, giving him a push with his foot, sent him headlong into the -pool. - -The good man started up with a furious look; but we have already seen -the singular effect which liquor had upon poor Pierrot la Grange,--an -effect quite contrary to that which it produces on most men. The reader -will not be surprised, then, that, though really angry, Pierrot sought -no vengeance upon his assailant. - -Had we time, and were it worth while, I might be inclined to examine -psychologically into this peculiarity of Pierrot's idiosyncrasy; but -suffice it to say that the result probably proceeded from one of two -causes. Nothing cows like shame carried to a certain degree; and Pierrot -at heart was always ashamed of being drunk. On the other hand, as when -he did drink he never stopped at that point where liquor merely -exhilarates, but generally went far enough to deprive both brain and -limbs of vigor, he might feel very doubtful of his capability to combat -an enemy even much weaker than himself. - -However that might be, his immersion in cold water produced its usual -effect. I do not say that it sobered him entirely: that would be too -much; but it certainly greatly relieved his head, and gave his limbs a -capability of direct progression which they had not previously -possessed. - -"Come, come, Pierrot," said Edward, interrupting him in the midst of -terrible threats against Jacques, "we have no time to lose, my good -friend. Did I not tell you that it is likely that I shall be pursued at -once? We must get to the village as fast as possible, and then ride hard -for the rest of the day, in order to put as great a distance between us -and Coiffy as we can." - -"Go on, then; go on," cried Pierrot: "I will come after as fast as I -can. You can be buying a horse and arms in the mean time, if you can -find them. If not, I suppose you must take to _franc etrier_." - -Edward took him at his word, and, accompanied by Jacques Beaupre, rode -on, running over in his mind, with his usual quickness, his chances of -escape and the best means of securing it. He did not know, indeed, how -far the local jurisdiction, either as seigneur or Government officer, of -the Count de Bourbonne extended; but he felt certain that, if he could -once get beyond its limits, no other governor or Government officer -would recognise it in opposition to the safe-conduct under the -cardinal's own hand. Speed, therefore, was every thing; and, though he -had neither whip nor spur with him, his light hand and thorough -horsemanship easily kept Pierrot's horse at a swift trot till they -reached the village of Vitell. - -France has always been a comfortable country to travel in. Most villages -have always possessed a tolerable inn, though the external man was -sometimes not so well provided for as the internal. But what Edward -principally wanted at that moment was generally in those days to be -found in almost any part of France. People then almost universally -travelled on horseback, and very rarely went without arms. Pistols and a -good sword, therefore, were soon found in Vitell. But a horse took -longer to obtain, not from any want of the commodity,--for there were -plenty of very excellent nags in the town,--but from the invariable and -unextinguishable propensity inherent in horse-dealers to cheat the -chapman, and never to sell a good horse under any circumstances if they -can sell a bad one. Six were brought in succession to the door of the -inn for Edward's inspection, without remaining for more than a minute -before he ordered them away. At length, however, one of the dealers, -perceiving that he had not to do with a novice, as Edward's youth had at -first led him to imagine, thought fit to bring forth from the stable a -beast which, though not very handsome and somewhat vicious,--if not so -great a devil as that which Edward rode from Angers,--was a good -serviceable beast enough. All these things cost but a small sum compared -with the price which we should pay for them in the present day; and -bridle, saddle, and a pair of spurs were quite within the young -gentleman's means. - -Pierrot had arrived in time to give his opinion in regard to the -purchase of the horse, and, as he was now sober, that opinion was worth -having. But the first moment he found himself alone with his former -master he was eloquent in his excuses for his relapse; and Edward could -not but admit to himself that, left alone in a great city where he knew -no one, uncertain of his fate from day to day, and with sufficient -money, no poor sinner had ever better cause to plead temptation. - -The young Englishman contented himself, however, with telling him that -as he was no longer his master he could pretend to no control over his -conduct. - -"Ah, Master Ned," cried the honest fellow, "do not say I am no longer -your servant! Pray, do control me. I am sure I cannot control myself. -You are the only one who ever could; and I do believe if I could but -stay with you for a couple of years I should get over my bad habits. See -what an effect good training had. All the time I was at Nancy, I -declare, I did not drink two quarts till this very morning. Ask Jacques -Beaupre: he will tell you the same; and if you will but let me serve you -for two years you may read my name backward if I ever drink again." - -"I am afraid, my good friend," answered Edward, "you would always be -what the Catholics call a relapsed convert. As to serving me two years, -Pierrot, God knows what will become of me before two years are over, and -in the mean time I have little enough money for myself,--and none to -keep a man upon." - -"Well, well," cried Pierrot, joyfully, "I will run fortune with you! -Only don't send me away, and don't fire at me any more, unless you see -me drunk,--when it will be natural. But now tell me, Master Ned, where -are you going now?" - -"Into the lion's den, Pierrot," replied Edward, with a somewhat rueful -smile: "I am going straight to the Cardinal de Richelieu." - -"In the name of Heaven!" exclaimed Pierrot, with a look of astonishment, -"do you know he is now besieging Rochelle with a powerful army? The king -has fallen sick and gone back to Paris. The cardinal has tucked up his -gown and turned soldier; and our poor friends in the city are already, -they say, so badly off for food that they will soon have to eat each -other. The cardinal will not let a mouse stir out, and if any one -ventures beyond the walls they send a shot at him and drive him in -again." - -Edward mused without reply for some moments; and, while he was still -silent, Jacques Beaupre came back to the little _salle-a-manger_ and -stood by the young gentleman's side. - -"Poor Clement Tournon!" cried Edward, still musing. - -"Ay, poor Clement Tournon!" said Jacques Beaupre, in a sad tone: "he is -a good man, sir, and took care of me from my boyhood." - -"I would give the world to save him," answered Edward. "Come, let us -ride." - -They were soon upon their horses. Edward mounted first and Pierrot last, -having stopped to answer some questions of the host. - -"What did he ask you?" said Edward, as they rode on. - -"He asked where your lordship was going," answered Pierrot, "and I told -him straight to the cardinal." - -"Right," said Edward. "And did he call me lordship, Pierrot? My lordship -is a very small one." - -"Ay, sir, but you have got quite a grand air now, though your doublet is -somewhat soiled by dust and wet. You cannot think how you are changed -since we left Nantes. What between riding, and getting stuck, and being -in prison, you have grown broad and brown, and your mustache is an inch -long. Those who saw you before would never know you." - -"I hope they will," answered Edward, with a smile followed by a sigh; -"and, as for my doublet, I must get a new one, whenever I can afford to -stop without danger. All my baggage I left with the discreet Monsieur de -Bourbonne. But, if I am not mistaken, Pierrot, I will make him pay all -he owes me before I have done." - -"At the pistol's point?" asked Pierrot, with a grim smile. - -"No, no," replied Edward,--"in another way, and by other hands. But let -us ride on fast; for I have a great notion the news you left with the -aubergist will sharpen the spurs of any who may be pursuing us." - -The whole party accordingly rode forward more quickly, but not at so -headlong a pace as to risk any damage to their horses; and before night -all fear of pursuit was ended by their entrance into another province, -where, at a small walled town, which they reached just after sunset, -Edward was obliged to produce his safe-conduct before the soldiers at -the gates would give them admission. - -The officer to whom it was shown, at the first sight of the broad seal -of France and the name of Richelieu, respectfully came out of the -guard-house to bid the bearer welcome, and asked, with great politeness, -where he was going to lodge in the town, and whither his journey was -directed. - -"I am going straight to Rochelle, or wherever his Eminence of Richelieu -may be," replied the young Englishman. "As to the place where I shall -lodge, I shall be glad of advice; for I am a stranger here, and must -depart early to-morrow." - -"Your horses look tired, sir," said the officer, "and you had better -give them some rest." - -"No wonder they are tired," replied the young man; "for we have ridden -from the frontiers of Lorraine, where I was somewhat badly treated, lost -all my baggage, but luckily saved my purse." - -"By brigands?" asked the officer. - -"No better," answered Edward, somewhat bitterly. "But may I ask you the -way to the best inn?" - -The officer, all politeness, sent one of the soldiers to show him the -way; and in a large, comfortable, though somewhat gloomy, old auberge -the young Englishman passed the first night for several months with a -feeling of freedom and security. - - - - -CHAPTER XXXVIII. - - -We left Edward Langdale at nightfall, and, by the reader's good leave, -may as well take him up again about the same hour, but with an interval -of some ten days. The interval measured upon the earth's surface must be -equally great. When we last saw him he was entering a little town on -the frontiers of Burgundy, just after the cool sunset of a chilly spring -day. He was now riding out of the fine old town of Niort after a warm -day's journey; for even under the genial sky of France ten days will -make a great difference, and bring the warm breath of the South to -expand the flowers, though winter even there will sometimes linger in -the lap of spring. - -"Well, sir," said Jacques Beaupre, who was a good deal tired with a -longer day's ride than usual, "everybody says you will find the town -full of soldiers; and we all know where fighting men are there is no -room for civil men." - -"We will find room, Jacques," replied Edward, in a light, confident -tone; "and, as to civility, if we don't show ourselves too militant, the -fighting-men will be civil enough, depend on it. But, my good friend, I -must, if possible, see the cardinal to-morrow. They tell me that an -assault upon Rochelle will be made shortly; and, if I could but get into -the town for a few hours----" - -Jacques Beaupre shook his head, saying, "Ah, sir, it is all in vain. I -will go as far to help poor old Clement Tournon as any man; but the good -syndic is most likely dead of starvation by this time; and, if he is -not, you might as well try to persuade a cat to let a mouse get out of -her jaws as attempt to persuade his Eminence to let one single soul, old -or young, get out of Rochelle." - -"I will try, at all events," answered Edward. "He who makes no effort -never succeeds. He who makes an effort may fail, but he may succeed. The -man who helped me at my utmost need shall never say that I did not try -to help him when he was in a harder scrape. Ride on, ride on: we have -still three leagues to go." - -The twilight grew fainter as they went, and it was quite dark when they -emerged from the little wood which lies about a quarter of a league from -the small old town of Fontenay, then universally called Rohan Rohan. It -is now a mere insignificant burgh; but in those times and in the time -before it was a small city of some importance,--if not for its commerce, -at least for its capabilities for defence. It had even ventured a short -time before to set at defiance the arms of France, and had made an -obstinate resistance, but, having fallen at length, had suffered -severely from the captors. - -It was night, as I have said, when Edward and his two companions first -came within sight; and very little of the place would have been visible -had not a large body of men, which formed the rear-guard of the royal -army, been marched out some days before and encamped a mile beyond the -town. Every one who has seen a camp must have remarked how much more -light finds its way to the sky from amongst the tents in the early part -of the night than arises from amongst the houses of a city, though, -perhaps, much more populous; and now the blaze from watch-fires and -lamps and torches threw out the dark masses of the town of Rohan Rohan, -with its fine old castle, in strong relief. - -It is rarely that the rear of an army is guarded with as much care as -its van. Few captains are as careful as Earl Percy. But in this case -negligence was more excusable; for no one in all the camp ever dreamed -of such a thing as an attack in the rear. Moreover, to say the truth, -that rear-guard in advance of Rohan Rohan was composed of a somewhat -disorderly set, gentlemen and soldiers alike, not one of whom wished -particularly to see the fall of Rochelle. - -To explain the cause of this indifference would take up too much time; -but the words of Bassompierre revealed the fact when he said, "You will -see we shall be fools enough to take Rochelle." - -However that might be, Edward and his companions had passed the centre -of the town before they saw a single soldier. It was badly lighted, it -is true; but the cause of their not seeing any was that there were none -to be seen. The young gentleman looked for guard, or picquet, or patrol, -in vain, till he arrived within a hundred yards of the end of the street -which leads up from Pont de Cosse to the castle. There, however, he was -challenged for the first time,--one of a group of musketeers who were -drinking at the door of a house starting up and demanding the password. - -Edward, unable to give it, requested to see the man's officer, and was -led unceremoniously into the house, where he found an old gray-headed -gentleman seated reading, with his steel cap upon the table. To him the -young gentleman's errand was soon explained, and his safe-conduct -exhibited. - -"I cannot let you pass, young gentleman, without further orders," said -the old man; "but if you will wait here for an hour I will send on your -name and the description of your pass to our commander. He will soon let -us hear from him. I am rather curiously situated myself, and therefore -must be careful." - -"I must wait the leisure of the king's officers," answered Edward, in a -civil tone. "But, in the mean while, perhaps my two men, who are -without, can get some forage for the horses and some food for -themselves. I have not seen an inn open in the whole place." - -"I suppose not," said the old officer, dryly. "But some of my people -will easily find for yours what they want. Pray, be seated and wait till -my return." - -He was not gone more than five minutes; and then about an hour passed in -broken and desultory conversation between him and his visitor, whom he -treated with every sort of distinction,--for by this time Edward was -once more equipped in the garments of a gentleman of the court, which -were none the less gentlemanly for being plain and sober. Some of the -old man's questions and observations seemed to his young companion -somewhat strange: he asked if Edward had met any parties of armed men on -the road, how long he had travelled, which way he had come, and remarked -that this siege was a weary business, but that the cardinal was -determined to carry Rochelle whatever it might cost. - -Edward replied as shortly as politeness permitted, and only put a few -questions in return. Amongst them, however, he inquired who was the -officer commanding the troops in front, and heard, with sensations not -altogether pleasant, that his name was Monsieur de Lude, into whose -hands he had fallen once before. - -At the end of an hour he was relieved, however; for a soldier, entering -the room with every appearance of haste, gave a letter into the hands -of the old officer, who opened and read it with a good deal of -merriment. - -"Monsieur de Lude writes thus," he said: "'Present my compliments to -Monsieur de Langdale and inform him that I cannot let him pass the posts -till I have the cardinal's permission, which I have no doubt will be -given as soon as he hears his name.' Shall I read the rest?" asked the -old officer. - -Edward nodded, and he went on thus:--"'I got into a devil of a scrape -last summer about him and a girl he had with him. Who the mischief he is -I don't know; but, by what the cardinal said when I saw him, I think he -must be his Eminence's pet cat turned into a cavalier. On your life, be -as civil to him as possible; give him the best rooms in the castle, and -feed and drink him well, till I can come over myself,--which will be as -soon as I hear from the cardinal to-morrow. I am half afraid to stop -him. But what can I do? The orders are strict not to let any one pass -the posts, because'----The rest," continued the old man, abruptly, -"refers to matters of no consequence. You will find the rooms of the -castle very comfortable, for they were inhabited by the Duc de Rohan but -a few weeks before we sat down before the place, and some of the old -servants have been suffered to remain till the king's pleasure is known. -Heaven grant there be no ghosts there to disturb you!--though there are -some strange tales, as in regard to every old country-house." - -"I am not afraid of any thing unsubstantial," answered Edward. "Do you -know what has become of the Duc de Rohan?" - -"No,--not rightly," replied the old officer, with some slight -hesitation. "They did say he was threatening the right flank of the army -with a body of horse; but he must have found out by this time it was of -no use. Men must submit to circumstances, sir. But let us go. I will -have the honor of escorting you. We shall find your servants somewhere -about." And, calling aloud for torches, he led the way out of the low -house where he had taken up his quarters, and gave some orders to the -men about the door. - -Before the torches were lighted and Edward Langdale and his companion, -with two men before them, had proceeded a hundred yards up the hill, -Jacques Beaupre and Pierrot had joined them, leading the horses. In -sooth, the party proceeded exceedingly slowly; and it took a full -quarter of an hour to reach the gates of the chateau. All watch and ward -was gone; and at the inner door of the lodging-part of the building -appeared a tremulous old man with a candle in his hand. The old officer -called him "Matthew," as if they had been long acquainted, and ordered -him briefly to pay every attention to the guest and give him the best -chambers in the house. - -"Those are the duchess's apartments," said the old majordomo. "We will -have a fire lighted in a moment, gentlemen; but I fear me there is not -much in the house to eat. However, I will tell old Henri Borgne, who was -cook here before Maitre Grondin's father came, to get something ready -with all speed." - -"No, no," said the old officer: "this gentleman is not fond of -antediluvian sauces. I will make shift to send him up a roast chicken -and a pottage. We are not particularly well off for provisions down -below; but I can find something, and I think, Matthew, you can find the -wine." - -"Hush, hush, sir," said the old man, in a low voice: "if your soldiers -did but hear." - -"I will break the first man's neck that climbs the hill," replied the -officer. - -"I want nothing," said Edward. "We supped at Cosse, and my men have -taken care of themselves below, depend upon it. Where is the duchess -now, Monsieur Matthew? and who has she got with her?" - -"Oh, she is in Venice still," replied the old man; "and there are Madame -St. Aignan, and Mademoiselle de Mirepoix, and three or four maids, and -the serving-men. Do you know her, sir? She's a fine lady, and mighty -gay." - -"I have not the honor," said Edward. "But now, my good man, let the fire -be lighted: I shall go to bed soon, for I have ridden long and hard. I -trust," he continued, addressing the old officer, "that Monsieur de Lude -will communicate my coming to his Eminence as soon as possible; for it -is very necessary that I should see him without delay." - -"Be you sure he will do that," replied the other. "De Lude is not a man -to burn his fingers twice with the same chestnut." - -He then took his leave. The old servant with the candle marshalled the -way ceremoniously to a very splendid suite of apartments which had -escaped, I know not how, from the rude hands of the soldiers when the -town was taken. Pierrot and Jacques Beaupre disposed of themselves, -doubtless very comfortably; and Edward sat down to meditate. The reader -need not ask what was the subject of his thoughts, if he remembers that -those were the halls and dwelling-place of the ancestors of Lucette. - -"Was it a dream?" he asked himself. Hardly nine months before, had he -passed with her not many miles from that very spot? had they wandered -alone together for weeks without restraint? had they borne suffering, -anxiety, danger in dear companionship which made even danger sweet? had -they been married, parted, met again, and again parted? - -There are times when a sensation of the unreality of all things upon -this earth comes over us,--when memory seems but a dream, our past acts -a vision, our hopes, our fears, our enjoyments, but the fancies of the -fleeting hour. - -For an instant it was so with Edward Langdale as he sat and gazed into -the flickering and phantasm-begetting fire. But when he turned his eyes -around upon those old walls, whose scrolls and sconces and fantastic -ornaments all spoke of the past,--all told that he was in the dwelling -of the Rohan Rohans,--the strange, shadowy doubts vanished: he felt that -there was something real in the world,--something more real than mere -tangible objects; that, if all else died or passed away like a show, the -realities of heart and mind must remain forever,--that esteem, -affection, love, truth, honesty and honor, genius and wisdom, can never -perish. - -How long he sat he knew not; but his meditations were interrupted by the -old servant bringing in fresh wood, with a man from the town below, -bearing a tray of provisions. - -The former he was glad to have, for the night had grown chilly; but the -latter he sent away to Pierrot and Beaupre, bidding them eat and then go -to rest, as he wanted nothing more. The old man, after reverent offers -of service, put some fresh candles in the sconces and left him, assuring -him that he should have had candlesticks,--fine silver flambeaux,--but -that they had been taken away. - -Edward, left alone, began to pace up and down the room. He looked at the -bed, which seemed comfortable enough, and thought of lying down; but he -had no inclination to sleep. The chamber was a square room in an angle -of the tower, one side looking to the south and the other to the east. -The windows were without blinds or shutters. Edward advanced to one on -the southern side, from which there was a view over a considerable part -of the camp. The glow which had risen in that direction some hours -before had considerably diminished: the watch-fires were dying out; the -torches no longer moved about from place to place. He lifted his eyes to -the sky, studded with stars, and saw a planet with a pure mild light -moving upward untwinkling amongst the more steadfast watchers of the -night. - -"Can there be any truth," he thought, "in those tales of the -astrologers? Can the fate of many men, of many nations, depend upon the -course of such a pale, silent orb as that?" And, turning to the table -again, he sat down and let his thoughts run on in the new course they -had assumed. Every thing grew more and more silent around. The village -clock struck. He did not count its sounds, but he felt it must be near -midnight. - -Who can tell what it is which, when alone and in silence, at that still -spectral hour, seems to chill the warm blood of the heart, and fills the -brain with ideas vague, and awful, and sublime,--with fancies gloomy, if -not fearful? - -Edward sat thoughtfully for nearly half an hour longer. The fire had -fallen low, and he rose and threw some more wood upon it; but it would -not burn. He then rose and went to the other window, which looked -eastward. The moon was just rising, and he could see over a wide extent -of country, with the wood which he had passed on his way to Fontenay on -the left of the picture, then half a mile or so of open sandy ground, -then another wood to the right, and farther still, on the same side, -but more distant, the spires and towers of some other little town. There -was the haziness of moonlight over the whole scene; but the moon, though -she was strong enough to cast long shadows from every elevated object, -so flooded the whole scene with light that the more distant features -were not distinct. - -Suddenly Edward raised his hand half open to his brow, and gazed from -underneath. He saw something that surprised him. A dark figure issued -from the wood; more followed; line after line of black, soldier-like -phantoms swept over the sandy ground from the one wood toward the other, -disappearing as they entered. But still more followed, horse and foot. -They seemed to be a moving host; but there was something so quiet and -gliding in their motions that Edward could hardly believe they were -substantial. He opened the window quietly and listened. There was no -noise; there was no beat of drum, or sound of fife, or clang of arms, or -tramp of marching men. Yet still the line went on, troop after troop and -squadron after squadron, in the same silent, stealthy way; and where he -stood he could discern no shadows cast by the moon from the passing -multitude. - -At length he thought that fatigue must have affected his mind or body -strangely; and, retiring from the window, he closed it, and lay down to -sleep without undressing. - -His eyes closed heavily in a few minutes; but, ere an hour was over, he -started up and gazed around him, wondering where he was. Then, as -remembrance came back, he approached the window again and gazed out. The -moon was higher in the heaven, and shining with great splendor; but the -phantom host had disappeared, and nothing was to be seen but the misty -landscape and the shadows of the trees. - - - - -CHAPTER XXXIX. - - -There was a loud knocking in the old castle of Rohan Rohan about -half-past four o'clock in the morning, and then various other sounds, -which seemed to indicate that people had been roused from their beds by -some unusual summons. Horses' feet were heard stamping in the -court-yard, too, and two or three persons talking below the windows; and -Edward rose up, pulled on his boots, and lighted another candle in one -of the sconces which was nearly extinguished. In those days people were -more matutinal in their habits than in our times; but still half-past -four was a somewhat early hour, and Edward had not slept well or long. -He was bathing his face and head, however, in cold water, to waken up -his sleepy faculties, when some person knocked at the door of his room. -He bade them come in; and old Matthew, with the inevitable candle in his -hand, entered, introducing a young man in military attire, who, having -satisfied himself of Edward's name, presented a letter bearing his -address. - -Edward opened it, and, approaching the light, read the contents:-- - -"M. de Lude begs to inform Monsieur de Langdale that the cardinal will -receive him this morning half an hour before daybreak. The bearer will -be his guide to the quarters of his Eminence." - -"We have hardly time," said Edward. - -"Oh, yes," answered the other, with a smile. "The cardinal sometimes -keeps people waiting; and I took the liberty of ordering your people and -your horses to be brought forth, wherever they might be." - -"Thanks for the precaution," said Edward, looking at his watch, and -shrewdly suspecting that the messenger had somewhere dallied on the way. -"It wants now a quarter to five o'clock. I will not detain you a moment, -sir." And, catching up his beaver and his cloak, and a few other -articles that lay about the room, he descended to the court-yard, taking -an opportunity of slipping some money into the hand of the old servant. - -Pierrot was already there with two horses, and Jacques Beaupre appeared -the instant after, leading the other. No time was lost, and Edward was -immediately in the saddle. Three or four troopers followed; and the -whole party set out down the steep streets from the castle toward the -Pont de Cosse. - -Edward asked no questions as to the course in which their ride was -directed; and hardly a word passed between him and his companion as they -trotted rapidly on. The fact was, the young man's mind was full of the -coming interview. On some points his determination was formed; but upon -others he was doubtful. To tell all that happened at Coiffy he was -resolved, and to demand redress; but, turn it in his thoughts as he -would, he could fix upon no way beforehand of introducing his proposed -visit to Rochelle, and in the end he was obliged to leave it to chance -and circumstance. - -Very little of the country did he see as they rode on, for the moonlight -was checkered with cloudy shadows; and faint gleams, and deep shades, -and hazy hollows, and brown knolls, were all that caught the eye as the -travellers passed along. - -At length, after several miles' ride, a gleam of light rested for a -minute or two upon a little elevation, and on the walls of an old -castle, not unlike that of Rohan Rohan; and the young officer by -Edward's side pointed forward, saying, "There is Mauze, where his -Eminence has passed the last four days." - -"How far is it?" said Edward. - -"About two miles," replied the young man; "but we shall soon be there. -The road is good and even." - -The light passed away, and Edward caught no other distinct view of the -chateau till, about twenty minutes after, they began to ascend the -little slope. He then perceived a red and garish glow ascending from -amidst some old walls, and in a minute more was in the court-yard, -where a number of torches were burning and several men and horses were -collected. - -"Stay here," said the young officer. "I will go and announce you." And, -leaving him there, he entered the chateau. - -He had not been gone two minutes, however, when there was a bustle on -the steps of the great hall, and some six or seven persons came forth, -with a tall, fine-looking man at their head, habited certainly more in -military than ecclesiastical costume; for, though he had a loose scarlet -robe thrown over his shoulders, there was the gleam of a cuirass -underneath, and he bore a heavy sword by his side. Edward pushed his -horse forward, seeing at once it was the cardinal; but the great -minister was evidently fully occupied. He spoke a few words to one of -the little crowd which surrounded him, gave some papers to another, -listened for a moment to a third, and then mounted a powerful charger -which was held for him at the foot of the steps. His fine but somewhat -stern face was full of thought, and the glare of the torches gave it -even a look of harshness, which Edward had never remarked there before. -His eye turned upon everybody around, and rested longer perhaps on the -face of Edward Langdale than upon that of any other. But he did not seem -to recognise him, and probably only remarked him because he remained on -horseback while all the rest were on foot. - -"Follow!" said Richelieu, and rode away; while a faint tinge of gray -began to spread itself through the dark sky, announcing the coming -sunrise. - -As the party rode on, Edward remarked that Richelieu spoke a few words -to those immediately about him; and presently after one of them fell -back to his side and asked if his name were Langdale. He answered in the -affirmative; and the gentleman then told him to ride up near his -Eminence. Edward did so; but the cardinal took no notice, and continued -to push on at a quick pace till they reached the top of one of those -abrupt little eminences which are scattered over the flatter ground upon -the western coast of France. Upon the very summit Richelieu pulled in -his horse; and by this time the pale bluish twilight had gained -sufficient strength to show the brown moors and yellow sands, and the -towers and pinnacles of Rochelle, with a gleam of the sea beyond. An -odor of seaweed also came sweeping up from the northwest, and a saltish -taste was felt upon the lips of those who sat there and gazed. - -"Edward Langdale!" said Richelieu, after a moment or two; and Edward -spurred his horse up to his side. - -"You have kept your word in coming back," said the cardinal; "but I did -not expect you so soon." - -"That was because your Eminence did not know all the circumstances," -answered the young man, with that mixture of frankness and respect which -is always well pleasing to the great. - -Richelieu raised what was then called a perspective glass--a very feeble -sort of telescope--to his eye, and gazed toward Rochelle, the long lines -of which were becoming more distinct every moment. Edward was silent, -seeing that the mind of the great minister was fully occupied; and no -one spoke a word for nearly ten minutes. Then occurred one of those -phenomena by no means uncommon, and easily accounted for in these days, -but to which the superstition of old times lent a significance they do -not now possess. Away out to the east the sun began to rise, somewhat -pale and sickly in look, and with a whitish glare around him; while in -the west, rising over the sea, appeared another sun, exactly of the same -aspect and keeping as it ascended the same height in the sky. - -"Two suns in the same heaven!" exclaimed Richelieu, with an accent of -surprise. - -"Yes, your Eminence," replied Edward. "But one is much brighter than the -other, and its light will last after the other has gone out." - -Richelieu turned suddenly round and gazed in his face with an inquiring -look, as if he thought there might be something beneath his words more -significant than the words themselves; then, bowing his head with a -well-pleased smile, he said, "True, true! one is fading already." - -Whether Edward had spoken to his thoughts or not must be always a -mystery; but it is certain that minds of great fire and eagerness, even -without much fancy, will snatch at images supplied by external nature -to figure forth without danger thoughts, dreams, purposes in their own -hearts which they dare not utter. The parable is always a resource of -ambition, and often a resource of love. Certain it is, too, that there -were at that time two suns in the sky of France, and that one was -already fading into an obscurity becoming darker and more dark till the -faint figure of the dying monarch was hardly seen or felt, while the -other was destined to go on increasing in splendor and power till it set -forever. Here the comparison may be supposed to halt; for some may say -that the real sun was fading while the false one was increasing in -splendor. But that depends, after all, upon how men appreciate -greatness,--whether genius or birth be the real sun. - -However that may be, it is certain that Louis XIII. was at all events -endowed with military genius; but even in the splendor of that most -dazzling--to the eyes of men--of human gifts, his rays were paling -before the superior endowments of his minister. Sickness, weariness, -disgust, despondency--we know not well what--had already induced him to -withdraw from the siege of Rochelle, and to leave Richelieu to carry on -the operations with a force, an energy, a talent, which would have won -fame for the most distinguished general or engineer. The cardinal might -well, therefore, apply the words of Edward Langdale to himself, feeling -them a compliment which, like the misty light of a summer's day, was the -more warm because it was in some degree indefinite. Richelieu did not -wish to have it otherwise, and, without further words, turned his eyes -once more upon the scene before them. A small battery opened its fire -upon the walls of the devoted town as they sat there and gazed; but -nobody could see whether it produced any effect or not. Richelieu, at -all events, paid little attention to it, and only murmured to himself, -"Waste of saltpetre!" Shortly after, he sent off two gentlemen on -horseback with messages written in pencil on small scraps of paper, and -then turned to gaze again. Some five minutes after, a man on horseback -came back, galloping up from the rear, and gave him some information in -a low voice. For a short space his brow contracted as if with anger; -but the emotion lasted evidently only a moment, and the next instant he -smiled almost gayly, and he said, aloud, "Well, one may have too many -rats in a rat-trap. Monsieur Langdale, come hither." - -Edward rode close up, and the cardinal asked, "Do you know any thing of -the Duc de Rohan?" - -"No, your Eminence," replied Edward; "I have not seen or heard of him -for nearly nine months." - -"You did not see him last night?" said Richelieu. - -"The Duc de Rohan!" exclaimed Edward, in a tone of surprise. "I passed -all last night, sir, in the Chateau de Fontenay; but the duke certainly -was not there, to my knowledge." - -"Nevertheless," said Richelieu, in a quiet tone, "he passed from right -to left of our army in the rear with his whole force: so I understand." - -"Now I comprehend what I saw last night," said Edward; and he detailed -all he had observed from the window of the chateau. - -"It was no phantom," said Richelieu, gravely; "but it is as well. I -wonder if there were other people in the town or castle who took men for -shadows as well as you. How long are you from Savoy, where I last heard -of you?" - -"A long time, may it please your Eminence," replied the young -Englishman; "but only eleven days from the Chateau of Coiffy,--whence -you certainly should have heard of me if they had not debarred me the -use of pen and ink and kept me a close prisoner for months." - -"Ha!" said the minister, with a grave, stern face, "Monsieur de -Bourbonne thinks he can play with me, does he? and now he fancies he has -got his reward. But we must talk more of this when I have some leisure. -At present, that little black line there," he continued, pointing toward -Rochelle, "occupies much of my thoughts. The battery has not yet ceased -firing. These men of trumpet and broad-sword, Monsieur Langdale, -attribute more virtue to gunpowder and cannon-balls than I do. There are -much more efficient elements in war." - -"Indeed, your Eminence!" exclaimed Edward: "may I ask what?" - -"The impudent young cur," said one of the old officers near, to another, -in a low voice, "talks to the cardinal as if he were his -bottle-companion." - -Richelieu answered calmly, but with emphasis, "A pickaxe and a shovel, -followed up by the movements of those two great officers, Pestilence and -Famine. When you announced in Rochelle, Master Langdale, the coming of -Lord Denbigh's fleet, and those wise men of the East refused to receive -it in their port, they little thought, I ween, that those two mighty -commanders would be so soon amongst them. But how was it," he continued, -changing his tone and speaking rapidly, "that they dared, in such -perilous circumstances, to send away King Charles's ships upon the -pretext that they had not been warned, when you yourself had warned -them?" - -"Your Eminence's pardon," answered Edward; "but Master Jargeau, who of -course told you all this, should also have said that I had not been an -hour in Rochelle before I had my head broken, and lay for nearly a week -incapable of delivering any of my letters. It was a pretext, as your -Eminence calls it; but the Rochellois had really not been warned when -Lord Denbigh's fleet arrived." - -"You are mistaken, young man," said Richelieu, with a slight curl of the -lip: "you jump at your conclusions too rapidly. There have been more -Jargeaus than one in Rochelle; and this one, though a very serviceable -fellow, I am told, never saw me in his life. Ay, it is a pity that he -would not keep his neck out of the noose; but he forced us to hang -him,--which was a severe loss to the king's service. He was in the case -of those men who, as the Scriptures say, are exceedingly fond of serving -both God and mammon. God abandoned him, and mammon could not save him; -for though he offered Bassompierre the whole value of a cargo of fish he -had contrived to get into Rochelle,--and every fish was worth an ounce -of gold, be it remarked,--Bassompierre, whose intelligence is very good, -seized the gold where he had hidden it, and hanged him according to -proclamation." - -All this was said with much coolness and deliberation; and from time to -time the great minister raised his glass to his eye and gazed at the -battery, which had not yet ceased firing. He waited about ten minutes -more, and then beckoned up some of the superior officers round him, -asking if they thought his messenger had not had time to reach the -lines. They all agreed that there had been plenty of time; but one of -them added, in a careless tone, "It is possible, your Eminence, that he -may not have carried either his head or his message with him. There has -been a puff or two of smoke from the walls, and nobody can tell where -the shot may have gone. A man may have a tierce major in his favor and -yet lose the game after all." - -"Possibly," replied Richelieu, and then resumed his watch. During some -five minutes after, the line of the battery showed no more smoke or -fire; the wreaths of sulphurous vapor curled away; the town also ceased -firing, the whole scene lay quiet and peaceful beneath their eyes, and -nothing was seen but a few horsemen riding about, with one apart from -the rest, galloping quickly up toward the hill on which they were. - -The cardinal waited his arrival and put some questions, which Edward -Langdale, who had fallen a little back, did not hear. - -"In five days, your Eminence," replied the officer, aloud. "He says that -at present no boat bigger than a cockle-shell can get in or out, and, -unless there be a very high tide or a gale of wind, the place will be -sealed up as tight as a bottle of old Burgundy." - -"Well," said Richelieu; "it is well. Have they made no attempt to -interrupt the works?" - -"None whatever, your Eminence," replied the other: "they are trusting to -God's good providence and a high tide,--doubtless praying in all their -temples for storm and tempest with profound devotion; but the devil and -the wind do not seem inclined to help them, and the poor creatures whom -they drove out have been received into the town again to eat them up, so -that they cannot hold out many weeks longer." - -The cardinal smiled, and, turning his horse, rode slowly back toward the -Chateau of Mauze, without saying a word to any one, and seemingly buried -in profound thought. - -Edward Langdale followed, not knowing well what to do; and not one word -did Richelieu speak to him or any one till they reached the gates -leading into the court-yard. The cardinal dismounted and entered the -building, followed by some of his immediate attendants. The military men -scattered in different directions, each to his own quarters, without -taking any notice whatever of the young stranger; and Edward remained -upon his horse in the court-yard, while a curious smile upon the lip and -a raising of the eyebrow of Jacques Beaupre read an unpleasant -commentary upon his disappointed expectations. - -"You must seek lodgings in the little town, Pierrot," said Lord -Montagu's page. "Get the best you can,--though bad, I fancy, will be the -best,--and make some arrangement for obtaining food. We must have -something to eat,--though the poor folks in Rochelle are worse off than -we, it would seem." - -"It is a small place, Mauze, sir, and quite full of soldiery," said -Pierrot. "But I will do my best, and get something at all events; for I -know some of the people here, who, I think, would kill a hog for me, if -we can do no better. But I am afraid quarters will be worse to find than -rations." - -"We must seek for both," answered Edward, "and something for the horses -too." - -He was turning toward the gates again, to ride down the slope into the -little town, or rather village,--for it was no better then,--when a man -dressed in a dark suit and bearing somewhat the appearance of a servant -came down the steps and approached the young gentleman's horse. "His -Eminence the Cardinal de Richelieu," he said, in a low, sweet voice, -"has commanded me to tell Monsieur de Langdale that he will see him as -soon as the business of the day is over,--about nine o'clock to-night. -In the mean time, I will show Monsieur de Langdale a chamber,--somewhat -high up, it is true; but the castle is very full. Monsieur de Langdale -will take his meals with the officers of the cardinal's guard. His -servants must provide for themselves in the village, as we have no room. -The cardinal allows them a crown a day as livery." - -Edward dismounted and followed him to a chamber convenient enough, -though very near the top of the main tower; and, knowing the policy of -saying as little as possible in such places, he only asked if at nine -o'clock he should present himself before the cardinal, or if his -Eminence would summon him. - -"He did not say," replied the man. "But monsieur had better go to the -ante-chamber at that hour and speak with the almoner, whom he will find -there." Thus saying, he left him, seemingly as much indisposed to say a -word more than was necessary as Edward could be himself. - -The reader may probably have no great opinion, from the facts already -related in this true history, of Edward Langdale's prudence; but, as I -have shown, he had been undergoing for the last nine months a course of -discipline under which he had greatly improved. Much was at stake at -that moment, and he resolved to act as cautiously as possible; and -during the whole morning he never quitted the chamber which had been -assigned to him,--passing the time partly in sleep, partly in deep -meditation over the character of the great minister, which had now -appeared to him in a new point of view. The coldness, the somewhat -sarcastic indifference with which Richelieu had spoken of the hanging of -the unfortunate Jargeau and of the miseries of the people of Rochelle, -would have given the impression that he was merely a hard, selfish -politician, had it not been for the deep emotions which had stirred him -in the case of Chalais and the lighter and more graceful feelings which -Edward had seen him display in their first interview. - -It was matter of study for the young man; but, as he thought over his -own conduct, he determined to make no change. He had hitherto followed -the promptings of the moment; and he had acquired a conviction that with -the cardinal unpremeditated frankness was the best policy. - -He was still indulging in this strain of thought, when a servant came to -inform him that the officers of the cardinal's guard were at dinner, and -led him to the great hall, where he found a seat reserved for him at the -table. There was no sympathy, however, between him and those with whom -he had to associate for a few minutes: they were civil,--which was all -he could expect; and hardly ten words passed his lips before he retired -once more to his chamber. - - - - -CHAPTER XL. - - -It was night, and the scene was a somewhat curious one. A large chamber, -with a vaulted roof, long square windows, and decorations neither new -nor in a modern taste, a tall four-post bedstead with green velvet -hangings a good deal tarnished, a brick floor well waxed and polished, -an immense armory or wardrobe quaintly carved, three or four tall -straight-backed chairs, and one large arm-chair well stuffed, together -with a table of black oak, the legs of which were cut into the forms of -some nondescript species of devil,--not the conventional gentleman with -hoofs and tail and pitchfork, but somebody not a whit less -hideous,--presented the aspect of a chamber quite of the olden time, it -might be of the reign of Francis I. or Louis XII. - -All days have their olden times; and I believe the olden times have -always been praised,--such is the tendency of the human mind to regret. - -When we are school-boys we wish we were children again, and think of the -caresses without the pangs and inconveniences of infancy; when we are -men we wish we were school-boys again, and forget the heavy task, the -ferule, and the rod; old age looks back to youth and sorrows over its -lost powers; and only one man I know of has written in praise of life's -declining stage. But even Cicero upon such a theme could only indite an -eloquent lie. - -Possession is always paid for by regret; and we take out the small -change in hope. - -Nevertheless, it would appear, notwithstanding the excellencies of those -old times, that some improvements have been made in the march of -society,--at least, in the manufacture of chairs. Although they were not -famous for that fabric in Louis the Thirteenth's time, Edward Langdale -felt that seats were certainly much more inconvenient at a former -period. "Men must once have had back-bones of quite a different -construction," he thought. "They must have either been so supple as to -bend into all kinds of corners, or so hard as not to care for any -corners at all." - -Such thoughts passed through his mind as he sat in a straight-backed -sort of rack in the Castle of Mauze, just opposite to the Cardinal de -Richelieu, who, having cast off cuirass and scarlet robe, was seated, in -an easy gown of deep purple, in that comfortable arm-chair. The light -fell upon his magnificent head and easy graceful figure from a sconce -upon the wall; and the fine flowing lines of the drapery and -half-concealed limbs, with the broad high forehead and slightly gray -hair, gave him the look of some antique picture, and made the whole -person harmonize well with the room in which he sat. - -The figure of Edward Langdale would have spoiled all, for it was full of -youth,--I might almost call it youngness; but, as I have said before, -his garments, though cut in what was then the modern fashion, were all -of a sober color; and about the square brow, the delicately-chiselled -nose, and the firm, determined mouth, there was an antique, if not a -classical, character. - -With the cuirass and the scarlet robe Richelieu seemed to have cast off -the heavy cares and hard sternness of the day, and with the satin -pantoufles to have put on the ease and relaxation of spirit which no man -enjoyed more intensely than himself, if we may believe the stray -admissions even of his enemies and calumniators. It is greatly to be -regretted that Bois Robert did not write his history; for, although we -might not have had a true picture of his many-sided character, we should -have had another,--a more amiable and perhaps even a grander view of the -man than any historian has given us, except by accident. - -He had sent for Edward Langdale about half an hour before the time he -had appointed. His orders for the night and the following morning had -been given; his letters and despatches had been written or dictated; -audiences had been afforded to several gentlemen on business; even the -minute details of his household had been attended to; and he had sat -down for that repose of the mind which can only be obtained by complete -change of subject. The young Englishman had pleased him from the first, -and, without knowing it, had flattered his vanity on its most sensitive -point,--for Richelieu had his weaknesses as well as other men. Where, -indeed, is there any one who can boast that he is without either the -hair of the Hebrew giant or the heel of the Greek demigod? The cardinal -knew, too,--had, indeed, very soon perceived,--that Edward's mind had -been early imbued, in an irregular manner, perhaps, but to a deep -degree, with that sort of graceful literature of which he was himself -most fond, and that he was full of that refined and delicate taste on -which he prided himself. He was the very person Richelieu sought for the -social converse of hours which were unfilled by any weighty -employment,--hours which he would not give to his military officers, -because his plans were all formed, his resolutions were all taken, and -he neither sought advice nor remonstrance; hours which he would not -bestow upon his almoner nor upon his chaplain, for he did not wish to -sleep just then; hours that he wished to pass very lightly indeed, as a -wise man takes nothing very heavy for his supper before he goes to bed. - -"Welcome, Monsieur Langdale," said the great minister, as Edward -followed a servant into the room. "I have not had time to welcome you -yet; for, in the first place, I did not recognise you, your beard having -grown into somewhat leonine proportions. Since then I have not had time; -for I have been engaged with what the people of this world call weighty -business,--weighty enough, God wot, for those who have to handle it, and -which somewhat tries the arm that has to wield it. But let us leave that -and talk of other things. How have you fared? Poor Lord Montagu, your -friend, could not keep his nose out of a rat-trap; and yet it was badly -baited." - -"He would not have gone near the wires if he had taken my advice," said -Edward. "I ventured to guess, not at the designs of your Eminence, but -at your probable conduct; and I warned Lord Montagu not to come too -close to you." - -"Perhaps I have let you see me too close, young gentleman," said -Richelieu, with a good-humored smile. "And yet it is probable you -served me when you did not intend it. There be some men, my young -friend, and they very sensible men too, who will take no advice which -comes from younger and less experienced persons; but yet things, as the -Scripture says,--I speak with all reverence,--are often revealed to the -poor and simple and are hidden from the wise and great. Now, I have a -strong idea that you know more of Cardinal Richelieu, poor Bishop of -Lucon, than that great diplomatist, Lord Montagu." - -Edward shook his head. "I cannot pretend to do that," he said; "but my -lord thought he might venture to pass over a quarter of a league of -French territory, when some time before you had suffered him to roam for -weeks over the whole of France." - -"He had not got the papers then," said Richelieu, with a short laugh. "I -did not want Montagu's skin: it was his letters and his papers that I -arrested; and for that matter one quarter of a league is as good as a -thousand miles. As for yourself, you have told me something new to-day. -I heard of you at Aix, where your hot spirit had brought some damage on -your skin. You had been wounded, I mean to say,--by your own brother I -believe they told me. Very foolish, Master Edward Langdale, to fight -with one's own brother!" - -"I did not fight with him, may it please your Eminence. My sword was -never drawn." - -"Ha!" said the cardinal. "That is well. But then I heard of your making -a hole in another man's skin. How was that?" - -"Why, I told the two men you sent after me, sir," replied Edward, -frankly, "that I would shoot them if they kept dogging me; and I always -hold to my word. They not only kept dogging me, but betrayed my lord -into the hands of Monsieur de Bourbonne; and so I shot one of them. I am -sorry to say I had not time to shoot the other, or probably your -Eminence would not have heard so much of me as you have done." - -"Oh, yes," replied Richelieu, calmly: "the man got well, and was here -some two months ago. Besides, I never depend upon one informant. But -every one may be deceived; and no one told me that the good count had -got you in limbo all this time. You say he denied you the means of -communicating with me. Did you show him your safe-conduct?" - -"I did, sir," answered Edward; "and it had a very good effect, for it -made him give me beef and wine instead of bread and water, with which he -began my diet. I demanded also to be sent to your Eminence; but Monsieur -de Bourbonne did not see fit to do so." - -"Enough," said Richelieu; "enough." And, taking a scrap of paper from -the table, he wrote a few words thereon and laid it down again. "And now -tell me all about your escape," he continued. "How did you get away from -this giant of the castle?" - -Edward narrated, with perfect gravity of manner, but with some quiet -pleasantry of language, every particular of his escape from Coiffy; and -Richelieu listened, evidently amused, but without any comment. - -"Then you did not pass through Paris?" said the cardinal. "That is a -pity: you would have seen some interesting things there. We are -improving the drama greatly; and the Marais has a good troupe, they tell -me. I am building a house, too, there, and I should like to have your -opinion of it." - -Edward smiled. "My opinion would be little worth," he answered. "I have -but little experience in those things of which your Eminence has a -thorough knowledge." - -"And yet," said Richelieu, "I am told that you have great taste and -skill in arts which reached their height not long ago, but which we have -nearly lost in these days: I mean the designing in precious metals. A -very extraordinary man told me you were a thorough connoisseur." - -"The little knowledge I possess," answered Edward, "is derived from -seeing every day in my early youth some very precious specimens which my -father brought over from Italy. They are all gone, alas! but one; and -that, I am afraid, will soon be lost also." - -"Nay," said Richelieu, rather eagerly; "if you want to part with it I -will buy it. I am making a collection of the works of Cellini and the -men of his time." - -"Could I obtain it," answered Edward, "I would humbly offer it to your -Eminence without price, as a token of my gratitude. And, indeed, it is -beyond price. But some day soon I fear it will be in less worthy hands, -or melted down into gold crowns and the jewels picked out to adorn the -brown neck of some Parisian seamstress. It is within the walls of yon -devoted town, my lord. I was foolish not to bring it away with me." - -Richelieu paused, and did not speak for a moment or two; but then he -asked, "What sort of object is it?" - -"It is a golden cup, or what we in England call a hanap," answered -Edward, "with figures exquisitely sculptured, and the rim surrounded by -a garland of jewels in the form of flowers. The figures are in high -relief, and with their hands seem to support the garland." - -"It must be beautiful indeed!" said Richelieu. - -"The only defect," continued Edward, "is that my name is engraved upon -the stem." - -"What may be its value?" asked the cardinal: "it is a pity indeed so -rare an object should be lost." - -"I never heard it valued," replied the young man; "and I will sell it to -no one on this earth,--though I should have pride to see it in the hands -of a benefactor." - -"Well, it is a pity," said the cardinal. "But, as there is no help, let -us change the theme. Have you seen or heard from Mademoiselle de -Mirepoix--I should say Madame de Langdale--lately?" He spoke with a -smile. But Edward had learned that Richelieu's questions, even in his -lightest moments, always meant something, and he replied, at once, "Not -very lately, my lord. I have seen her once since we parted in Aunis, as -she was passing through Aix on her way to Venice; and she has written to -me once since her arrival, by the hands of a gentleman whom you -know,--Signor Morini." - -"He is a very singular man," said Richelieu, in a meditative tone. "Do -you know, young gentleman, he says that your fate and mine are connected -by an inseparable link?--that we were born under the same aspect?" - -"Your star must have been in the ascendant, sir," said Edward, with a -smile. "Yet there must be some truth in it; for who could have thought a -year ago that I should be sitting here, conversing with your Eminence -as calmly as if you were some ordinary literary man? who could have -thought that I should be indebted to you for more than life?" - -"Act honestly and truly by me, young gentleman, and my friendship shall -go further still," replied Richelieu. "As to these visions of -astrologers," he continued, "they are only to be regarded as curious -speculations. The star of a man's destiny is in his heart or in his -brain. It is that star raises to power, shields against danger, guides -amidst intrigue. God's will is above all; but he it is who gives the -clear mind and the strong will, the wisdom and the courage; he renders -them successful as far as their success is necessary to his own wise -purposes, and then throws a bean-stalk in their way, and they stumble -and fall. We have naught to do but to bow the head and say, Thy will be -done!" - -He ceased, and fell into a fit of thought, and Edward rose and took up -his hat as if about to retire; but Richelieu motioned him to his chair -again, saying, "Sit, sit! I have yet an hour. Have you read any of this -man Corneille's verses?" - -Edward, luckily, could say he had not, for Richelieu's dislike for -Corneille was already strong, and, taking up a book from the table, he -read some lines, commenting severely upon what he called their rudeness. -He went on with his criticisms for some ten minutes, to an attentive -ear; but Edward fancied he perceived an under-current of thought running -through his literary disquisition. - -"Perhaps I may be wrong," said Richelieu; "but in all matters of taste I -like the graceful and the polished better than the strong and rude. This -cup which you were speaking of must be a beautiful specimen of art. The -design as you have described it shows the conception of a great genius. -Is it known who was the artist?" - -"I cannot assure your Eminence with certainty," replied Edward; "but he -was always said to be a countryman and rival of Benvenuto Cellini. I -forget the name; but it is engraved on the inside of the foot." - -"John of Bologna," said the cardinal,--"probably John of Bologna." - -"The same, the same," said the young Englishman. "I now remember that is -the name." - -"It is invaluable!" exclaimed Richelieu, warmly. "His works are much -more rare than those of Cellini, and some are amongst the most -triumphant efforts of genius. There is a Mercury, for instance: the -heavy bronze seems instinct with godlike life,--actually springing from -the ground. What a pity that a work of his should be lost! Is there no -way of getting it out of Rochelle, think you?" - -"But one," answered Edward, gravely; "and that I do not suppose either -your Eminence or the people of Rochelle would permit." - -"What is it?" demanded Richelieu, abruptly. - -Edward's heart beat high, for he had brought him to the very point he -desired; but yet a single misplaced word might spoil all, and he -struggled against his eagerness with sufficient success to answer with -seeming indifference. "I left the cup," he said, "in the hands of the -syndic of the goldsmiths, one Clement Tournon, who had taken me to his -house and nursed me most kindly----" - -"He is a pestilent heretic," said the cardinal, sharply. - -"And so am I, my lord," answered Edward; "but he is an honest and a good -man. I am willing, if your Eminence desires it, to try and get back into -La Rochelle and bring you the cup; but I could only do so on being -permitted to offer poor old Monsieur Tournon a pass to quit the city and -escape the famine which they say is raging there." - -Richelieu sat silent for a minute or two, and Edward then added, "I am -not sure I shall be able to accomplish what I desire; but I will do my -best, and shall be well pleased to see such a treasure of art in the -hands of one who can appreciate it as your Eminence can." - -"I could not accept it," said Richelieu, "except on making -compensation." - -"Nothing like sale, my lord," replied Edward: "the price has been paid -beforehand, and it must be an offering of gratitude, or not at all. But -I much fear that the Rochellois will not admit me within their walls. I -can but make the attempt, however." - -"But this Clement Tournon," said Richelieu, thoughtfully. "You know not -what you ask, young man. Every mouth within that city hastens its fall; -and I have been obliged already to show myself obdurate to all -entreaties,--to see women and children and old men driven back into -their rebellious nest. They say, too, your great Duke of Buckingham is -preparing another fleet for their relief. He will find himself mistaken; -but still we must waste no time." - -"Old Clement Tournon is no great eater," said Edward, bluntly. "His -feeble jaws will not hasten the fall of the city five minutes; and it is -possible that, if admitted to your Eminence's presence, he might be the -means of persuading his fellow-citizens to submission, if he sees that -defence is hopeless and that favorable terms may be obtained." - -"Ha! say you so?" exclaimed Richelieu; and, leaning his head upon his -hand, he fell into profound thought. Edward would not say a word more, -and after some five or ten minutes the cardinal looked up and shook his -head. "They will receive no messengers, reject all offers: even the -king's proclamation sent by a herald they would not admit within the -walls, and Montjoie had to leave it before the gates." - -"Perhaps they have learned better by this time," said Edward; "and, if -not, they can but drive me back with bullets and cannon-balls." - -"Well," said Richelieu, with a clearer brow, "you give me a better -reason now for suffering you to go. So help me Heaven as I would spare -this poor infatuated people the horrors they now suffer, if they would -let me! But rebellion must not exist in this land, and shall not while I -live. They must submit; but they shall have terms that even you will -call fair. So you may tell them if you can but find your way in." - -Edward saw that the message was vague and not at all likely to have any -effect upon the people of Rochelle; but he did not try to bring the -cardinal to any thing more definite, for he had no inclination to take -part in a negotiation for the surrender of Rochelle, remembering that -all the plans of his own Government might be frustrated by such a -result. - -He and the cardinal both kept silent for several minutes, Richelieu's -eyes remaining fixed upon the table, and his face continuing perfectly -motionless, though he was evidently deep in thought. At length he said, -abruptly, "You will come back yourself?" - -"Upon my honor, sir," replied Edward, "if I live and they will let me. -They shall either keep me as a prisoner, or I will be here in -four-and-twenty hours." - -"So be it, then," said the cardinal. "You shall not only have a pass, -but some one shall be sent with you to the very outmost post; for there -is something uncommonly suspicious in your appearance. Twice in your -case already men have set at naught my hand and seal. The second case -shall be punished: the third, for your sake and my own, must be guarded -against. As to your entrance into Rochelle, there may be--probably will -be--some difficulty; but if you are skilful--and I think you are--you -may succeed. I need not recommend to you caution in what you say and do. -We have some disease in the camp, it is true; but they have pestilence -in the city. Our supplies are not over-abundant; but they are suffering -from the direst famine. Every day increases our supplies and diminishes -theirs." - -"I shall say as little as possible, your Eminence," answered Edward. -"First, because I cannot, knowing what I know, advise them to hold out; -secondly, because if I advise them to surrender I might be wrong. -Clement Tournon, when he has seen your Eminence, after having witnessed -what is passing in the city, can advise better, and will be more readily -believed. It is well you should have some means of communication with -the Rochellois. I know none of their chief men, even by name; and they -would put no faith in me." - -"In a week from this time," said Richelieu, "they must surrender. The -dyke will be finished which shuts them out from all the world. Vain will -be English fleets, vain all their imaginary armies. The gaunt spectre -which already strides through their streets will have knocked at every -door. Where will be the hand to fire the cannon? where the arm to -defend the gate? The dead and the dying will be the garrison; and the -soldiers of the king will rush in to wrest the undefended plunder from a -host of skeletons. I would fain avoid such a result, young man," he -added, with a shudder. "I delight not in misery and suffering; I have no -pleasure in tears and woe. But France must have peace, the king must -have loyal subjects; and, were my brother amongst those rebels, they -should be forced to obey. You are frank, and I believe you honest. I -therefore expect that you bear them no message from the enemies of -France, that you delude them with no vain hopes, that you return -yourself as speedily as possible, and that you bring this old man with -you if he will come. Remember that I am not to be trifled with, and that -I bear open enmity more patiently than deceit." - -"I have no fear, sir," answered Edward. "I have come back and placed -myself in your power without the least hesitation, and I will do so -again; but then I will beseech your Eminence to let me pass over into -England. I am nearly without money; and, although I have sufficient on -the other side of the Channel, I cannot get it without going for it." - -"We will talk of that hereafter," answered Richelieu. "I think I will -let you go; but, at all events, you shall not want for money. What is -money, Monsieur Langdale? It is but dross,--at least, so the poets tell -us; and yet I have found few men who like it better than the poets." - -"Without it men cannot travel," replied Edward,--"cannot eat or drink or -even sleep; and it would be hard for want of money to want meat and -drink and sleep when I have plenty for all my wants on the other side of -that arm of the sea; but harder still, my lord cardinal, to take from -any man money that does not belong to me." - -"How proud these islanders are!" said Richelieu, with a smile. "Why, -there is hardly a Frenchman in the land who would not thank me for a -crown." - -"If I had worked for it," answered Edward, "I might thank you too; but -till there be peace between France and England I can do your Eminence no -service." - -"Now, let any one say," exclaimed the cardinal, with a laugh, "that I am -not the sweetest-tempered man in all this realm of France,--ay, as sweet -and gentle as Signor Mazarin himself. Why, no man will believe that you -say to me such things and I do not send you to the Bastille at once. Oh, -tell it not in the camp, or you will lose credit forever." - -"I do not intend to tell it anywhere, my lord," replied Edward. "I know -it would be foolish, and perhaps it might be dangerous. I am not -ungrateful for your condescension to me; but it is a sort of thing I -should not like to sport with." - -"Right," said Richelieu: "you are right. You know the fact in natural -history that tigers may be tamed; but if any one suffers them, in -playing with them, to draw blood, he seldom goes away as full of life as -he came. I see you understand me. Now go away and sleep. Be here by -daybreak to-morrow, and you shall find the passes ready and somebody -prepared to ride with you to the outposts. He will wait there -four-and-twenty hours for your return. But if I should find you in -Rochelle when it is taken, except in a dungeon, beware of the tiger." - -Edward bowed and withdrew; but he retired not to rest. His first object -was to inquire for Beaupre and Pierrot. They were not in the castle, and -he had to seek them in the village below, where, after passing through -many of the wild scenes of camp-life, he found them at length in a small -wooden shed, where some sort of food, such as it was, could be procured -by those who had money to pay for it. Much to the surprise of good -Pierrot la Grange, the young gentleman's first order, after directing -his horse to be prepared half an hour before daylight, was to have his -flask filled with the best brandy he could procure and brought up to his -room that night. - -"Has the cardinal given you leave to go into the city?" asked Jacques -Beaupre, in astonishment. - -"He has given me leave to try," replied Edward. - -"Pray, then, let me go with you," said the good man. - -"Impossible!" was the answer. "I must go alone, and take my fate alone, -whatever it may be. See that the brandy be good, Pierrot, if you can -find it. But be quick, for I would fain sleep before I go." And, -retiring to his room in the castle, he waited till the man brought a -small flat bottle well filled, and then, casting himself down upon the -bed, fell sound asleep, exhausted less by fatigue than by emotions which -he had felt deeply, though he had concealed them well. - - - - -CHAPTER XLI. - - -Two hours had not passed after the sun's rising above the horizon when -Edward Langdale stood with a small group of officers at the extreme -outpost of the royal army, before what was called the Niort gate of the -city of Rochelle. There was still a space of about five hundred yards -between him and the walls; and before him rose all those towers and -pinnacles, many of which have since been destroyed, but which rendered -then and still render Rochelle one of the most picturesque cities of -France when seen from a distance. During the whole siege the operations, -though sure and terrible, had been slow and apparently tardy. The -Rochellois had been glad to husband their powder; and it was no part of -Richelieu's plan to breach the walls or to do more than harass the -citizens by an occasional attack. On this morning there had been no -firing on either side, and the town looked as quiet and peaceable as if -there were no hostile force before it. But, as Edward Langdale and his -companion, a young officer of the cardinal's guard, had ridden down from -Mauze, the latter had pointed out to the young Englishman that famous -dyke which, stretching across the mouth of the port, had gradually cut -off the city from all communication with friends at home or allies -abroad. He had, in a jesting way, too, put some questions to Edward in -regard to the objects of his journey; but he obtained no information, -and did not dare to press them closely. - -"You had better take some more breakfast, sir," said an old officer -commanding at the advance-posts. "You will get none in there; and, -though we are forbidden to suffer the slightest morsel to go in, I -presume that does not apply to what a man can carry in his stomach." - -"I shall soon be back again if they let me in at all," answered Edward. -"Can any one give me a white flag? for I may as well not draw the fire. -That is a sort of breakfast I have no inclination for." - -A small white flag was soon procured, and, leaving his horse with -Pierrot and Beaupre, who had followed him down the hill, Edward set out -on foot. He carried the white flag in his hand and approached the gate -with a calm, steady pace. He saw some men walk quickly along the wall -toward the same point to which his own course was directed; but the flag -of truce was respected, and he was permitted to come within five or six -yards of the heavy gate. Then, however, a voice shouted from behind a -small grated wicket, "Stand back! What seek you here?" - -"I seek to speak with the syndic Clement Tournon," said Edward; "and, if -not with him, with Monsieur Guiton, mayor of the city." - -"Stand back! You cannot enter here," said the man on the other side. - -"Will you cause the mayor to be informed," said Edward, "that Master -Edward Langdale, an English gentleman well known in Rochelle, stands -without and desires admittance, if it be but for an hour?" - -The man grumbled something which Edward did not hear, and there seemed -to be a consultation held within, at the end of which the same voice -told him to keep on the other side of the drawbridge while they informed -the mayor. The young gentleman accordingly retired, and seated himself -on a large stone at the end of the bridge, where for nearly an hour he -had nothing to occupy him but his own thoughts, with every now and then -a puff of smoke from one of the royalist batteries, which had lately -begun firing, and one gun replying from the walls. It seemed all child's -play, however; and he soon ceased to think of the matter at all. His -mind then turned to his own position and the curious fact of Richelieu -having suffered him to visit Rochelle with so very little opposition. He -could not but ask himself how much the gold cup had to do with the -minister's acquiescence; but, as he reflected more deeply upon the -cardinal's character and upon various incidents which had come to his -knowledge, he concluded in his own mind that Richelieu might be well -pleased to make another effort to open a communication with the citizens -without compromising his own dignity. The position of the besieging -force, he thought, might not be so good as it appeared. The dyke, on -which so much depended, and which he had had no means of examining -closely, might not be sufficiently solid to resist the action of the sea -and winds. The English armament might be, to Richelieu's knowledge, of a -more formidable character and more advanced state of preparation than -was admitted; and all these circumstances might render the speedy -capture of Rochelle upon any terms absolutely necessary. - -In little more than an hour, the same voice he had heard before called -him up to the gate, and the wicket was partly opened to give him -admittance under the archway, where he found five or six men with -halberds on their shoulders and otherwise well armed, while a young man -bearing the appearance of an officer advanced to meet him. The steel -caps of the soldiers in some degree concealed their faces; but the -broad-brimmed, plumed hat of the young officer served in no degree to -hide the gaunt, pallid features, the high cheek-bones, the fallen-in -cheeks, the hollow eyes, and the strong marking of the temples, which -told a sad tale of the ravages of famine, even amongst the higher and -more wealthy classes of the town. A feeling of delicacy made Edward -withdraw his eyes after one hasty glance at the young gentleman's -countenance; and, as the other paused without speaking for a moment, he -said, "May I ask, sir, if any one has conveyed my message to the syndic -Clement Tournon or to the mayor?" - -"Monsieur Tournon is ill in his own house," replied the young officer: -"but Monsieur Guiton, the mayor, has come down to a house near this -gate, and will receive you there, as it might be inconvenient to invite -you to the town-house, for fear of any disturbance." - -"I am ready to wait upon him," replied Edward, "wherever he pleases." - -"I am sorry to say," replied the young officer, "that even for so short -a distance you must give up your arms and suffer your eyes to be -bandaged." - -"I have no arms," replied Edward, "as you may see. I purposely came -without. As to bandaging my eyes, do as you please. I am no spy nor -agent of the French Government." He pulled off his hat as he spoke, -bending down his head for the handkerchief to be tied over his eyes; -and, as soon as that somewhat disagreeable operation was performed, the -young officer took him by the hand, and, with one of the soldiers -following, led him into Rochelle. When they had passed on perhaps a -hundred yards, Edward received a painful intimation of the state of the -city. As they seemed to turn into another street, the young officer -caught him by the arm and pulled him sharply aside, saying to the -soldier, "Have that body removed. These sights serve to scare the people -and make them clamorous." - -"I don't think she is dead yet," said the soldier. - -"Then have her carried to the hospital as quickly as possible. Don't let -her lie there and die." - -He then led Edward on, and in two or three minutes more stopped at the -door of a house and entered what seemed a small passage, where he -removed the handkerchief from Edward's eyes. "Monsieur Guiton is here," -he said, opening a door where, in a little room and at a small table, -was seated a man of middle age with a dagger by his side and a sword -lying on the table. His form seemed once to have been exceedingly -powerful and his face firm and resolute; but there was that gaunt and -worn expression in every line which Edward had seen in the countenance -of his guide. - -"Who are you, sir?" said the mayor; "and what is the motive of so rare a -thing as the visit of a stranger to the town of Rochelle?" - -"My name is Edward Langdale," replied the young Englishman,--"a poor -follower of my Lord Montagu, who once bore letters from his Grace of -Buckingham to the city of Rochelle." - -"Ay, I remember," said the mayor, thoughtfully: "you were roughly used, -if I remember right. But now, sir, to your business." - -"It is in a great degree personal," replied Edward; "but, as it is -private, I would rather speak to you alone." - -"Leave us," said the mayor, addressing the young officer, who at once -quitted the room and closed the door. "Now, sir," continued Guiton, "I -am ready to hear. But be brief, I pray you. Occupation here is more -plenty than time, and time more plenty than provisions. Therefore I -cannot offer you refreshment nor show you much courtesy." - -"I require neither, sir," answered Edward. "My business refers to -Monsieur Clement Tournon. He is aged,--infirm; and I have with some -difficulty obtained from the Cardinal de Richelieu permission and a pass -for him to quit Rochelle." - -"Ha!" said the mayor. "Ha! This is strange, young gentleman! You must be -in mighty favor! Why, sir, he has driven back women and children and old -men--all starving--from the French lines into this city of famine! You, -an Englishman, an enemy,--he show such favor to you! Pah! There must be -something under this. Have you no message for me?" - -"No distinct message, sir," replied Edward: "the cardinal indeed said, -in terms so vague that I cannot and will not counsel any reliance upon -them, that if Rochelle would submit she should have favorable terms,--as -favorable as even I could expect. But I am not his messenger, sir. -Neither is there any thing that I know under the plain fact which I have -stated." - -"Let me see your pass," said Guiton, abruptly. Edward handed it to him, -and he examined it minutely. "'Edward Langdale and one companion,--to -wit, the syndic Clement Tournon'!" he said. "Well, this is marvellous -strange! I cannot let this pass without some further knowledge of so -unaccountable a matter." - -"Well, Monsieur Guiton," answered Edward, firmly, "pray remember that I, -comparatively, a stranger to him, have perilled much to aid and rescue -a man who once showed me kindness, nursed me like a father when I was -sick, and trusted me as he would his son when I had recovered; and that -it is you--his ancient friend, as I am told--who keep him here to die of -famine or of sickness when he can be of no further service either with -hand or head. I have done my duty. Probably you think you are doing -yours." - -The mayor waved his hand. "Not so many words," he said. "Can you give me -any explanation of this strange matter?" - -"None," replied Edward, boldly. - -"Does Clement Tournon wish to leave the city?" demanded the mayor again. - -"I do not know," replied the young Englishman. "He is old, infirm, and, -I am told, sick. I have had no communication with him. But he knows that -he can be of no further service in Rochelle, or I believe he would -remain in it till the last man died and the last tower fell." - -"He is sick," said the mayor, "of a very common disease here. But yet we -are not so badly off that we cannot maintain the city till the English -fleet arrives." - -"The dyke!" said Edward, emphatically. - -"Oh," replied Guiton, with a scoffing and unnatural-sounding laugh, "the -first storm, such as I have seen many, will sweep that dyke away." - -"But, if it stands fourteen days," said Edward, "will you not have a -storm within these walls which will sweep away the people of Rochelle?" - -Guiton covered his eyes with his hands and remained silent. - -"But I have nothing to do with these things, sir," said Edward. "It was -only to give aid, to give safety, to a friend, an old noble-minded man -who befriended me when I had need of friendship, that I came into -Rochelle at all. May I ask what is this sickness that you speak of so -lightly?" - -"Famine, sir! famine!" said Guiton, sharply. "An ounce of meat,--God -knows of what kind,--two ounces of dried peas, and a draught of cold -water, is but a meagre diet for old men and babes. We strong men can -bear it; but there be some who are foolish enough to die rather than -endure it a little longer." - -"And have you the heart, sir," asked Edward, with some indignation in -his tone, "to refuse the means of escape offered to an old man, and that -man Clement Tournon, and to speak lightly of his sufferings,--his -martyrdom, I might say?" - -"No! no! no!" cried the mayor, vehemently, stretching forth his hands. -"Young man, you mistake me! Could my blood nourish him, he should have -the last drop. What! old Clement Tournon, my dear, dear friend,--would I -deprive him of one hour's life? But it is that I cannot comprehend how -you are here,--why you are here. This story that you tell is mere -nonsense." - -"It is true, nevertheless," said Edward. "But if my word will not -satisfy you,--as, indeed, I see no reason why it should,--come with me -to Clement Tournon, and he perhaps can tell you how much I can dare to -serve a friend." - -"I will!" cried Guiton, starting up; but then he sat down again -immediately, saying, "No, no! I cannot bear those faces in the streets. -Can you find your way yourself?--for I can spare no men." - -"Not if I am to be blindfolded," said Edward: "otherwise I could find -it, I am sure." - -"Pshaw!" said the mayor, "what use of blindfolding you? You will see -dying and dead, plague-eaten, famine-stricken. But you can go and tell -the Cardinal de Richelieu how the citizens of Rochelle can die rather -than see their privileges torn from them, their religion trodden under -foot. You can tell him, too, that I will defend those walls as long as -there is one soldier left to man them and one hand capable of firing a -gun, unless we have security for our faith. You are sure he said nothing -more?" - -"No, nothing more," answered Edward: "merely that he would give you the -most favorable terms, but that he would not have rebellion in the land." - -"Rebellion!" muttered Guiton, scornfully. "Who first drew the sword? But -let us think of Clement Tournon. I am willing to believe you, young -gentleman. If I remember rightly, I have heard the old man speak well -of you. And, after all, what harm can you do? You can but repeat a story -of our sufferings which I am aware they already know too well in yonder -camp. What they do not know is the courage with which we can bear them. -Go to the syndic. He has not come forth for several days. Go to him, and -see if the prospect of relief can give fresh strength to those enfeebled -limbs, fresh energy to that crushed and scarcely-beating heart. Tell him -that I not only permit but beseech him to go with you,--that even one -mouth less in Rochelle is a relief. He has done his duty manfully to the -last. He can do it no longer. Beseech him to go. And yet," he continued, -in a sad tone, "I much doubt his strength. Could he have crawled even to -the council-chamber, we should have seen his face. Could he have lifted -his voice, we should have heard his inspiring words. He was alive last -night, I know. But to-day----Alas, alas, my poor friend!" And some tears -ran down the worn cheek of the gallant defender of Rochelle. - -"I have some brandy under my coat," whispered Edward. "I brought it on -purpose for him. It may give him strength at least to reach the -outposts." - -Guiton seized his hand and wrung it hard. "Noble young man! well -bethought!" he said. "But he must have a little food. Stay; he shall -have my dinner. I do not want it. By Heaven! the thought that we have -saved old Clement Tournon will be better than the best of meals to me!" - -He rose from the table, and, approaching the door, gave some orders to -those without, and then returned, saying, "There is still much to be -thought of, young gentleman, and we have little time to think. I fear if -you go out in the daytime the people will pour forth after you, and all -will be driven back by cannon-shots." - -"It must now be near one o'clock," said Edward, "and it will probably -take some time to restore his strength a little. If you, sir, nobly give -him up your own food, it must be administered to him by slow degrees, -and----" - -"What! an ounce of meat?" said Guiton, with a miserable smile: "my fare -is the same as the rest, sir. But I must leave all that to you. His own -ration will be served to him in an hour. Mine you shall take and give -him as it seems best to you. I will write a pass for you and him, that -you may not be stopped at any hour of the night or day; and then I must -go back to the town-hall, lest men should wonder at my long absence. My -only fear is that the good old man will not take my ration if he knows -it comes from me." - -"Take a little of these strong waters, sir," said Edward, drawing the -flask from beneath his coat. Guiton hesitated, and Edward added, "There -is much more than he can or ought to use; and, if I tell him that I -brought you some supply, he will take the food you send more readily." - -The mayor took the flask and drank a very little, giving it back again -and saying, "Mix it with water ere you give him any. By Heaven, it is -like fire! Yet it will keep me up, I do believe. Hark! there are steps. -Put it up, quick. They might murder you for it, if any of the common -people were to see it." - -The steps were those of a soldier bringing the scanty meal, which was -all the mayor allowed himself. A pen and ink and a scrap of paper were -then procured, and the pass for Edward and Clement Tournon was soon -written. To make all sure, Guiton called the young officer, in whom he -seemed to have much confidence, and asked if he would be on guard at the -gates that night. The young man answered in the affirmative; and the -mayor gave strict directions that Monsieur Edward Langdale and the -syndic Tournon should be passed safely and unmolested on their way -toward the royal camp. A smile of hope and pleasure came upon the -officer's face, and Guiton added, "Do not deceive yourself, Bernard. -This is no treaty for surrender. We must suffer a little longer; and -then we shall have relief. Here, go with Monsieur Langdale, first to the -gate by which he entered, then to the end of the Rue de l'Horloge. There -leave him. Farewell, sir," he continued, turning to Edward, and then -adding, in a lower tone, "Mark well the turnings from the gate, and walk -somewhat slow and feebly, so as not to draw attention. The people are in -an irritable state." - - - - -CHAPTER XLII. - - -I will not dwell upon the horrors of the streets of Rochelle. They have -been described by an able pen: at least, I believe so; for I have not -seen the work of Madame de Genlis since my boyhood, and that, dear -reader, is a long time ago,--quite long enough to forget more than that. - -The part of the town in which stood the house of Clement Tournon seemed -quite deserted, and the house itself showed no signs of being inhabited. -The windows were all closed; and the little court before the building, -which separated it from the general line of the street, and which was -once so trimly kept, was now all overgrown with grass. It was knee-high; -and even the path of smooth white stones which led to the principal door -hardly showed a trace of the unfrequent footfall. With a sinking heart, -Edward looked up; but all was still and silent. The door stood open, and -he approached and knocked with his knuckles. There was no reply, -however: no voices were heard from the once merry kitchen, no sound of -hammer or file from the workshop. - -Edward Langdale had learned to know the house well, and, entering, he -mounted the stairs and entered the room on the right. It was vacant and -dark also, for the windows were all closed. He then turned to another; -but it was empty likewise. He saw some light, however, stream from the -room at the back,--the little room where he had lain in sickness for so -many days,--Lucette's room, where he had first seen that dear face. It -was a place full of memories for him; and, even if he had not seen that -ray of sunshine crossing the top of the stairs, he would have entered. -Pushing open the door, which stood a little ajar, he went in; and there -was the object of his search straight before him. - -Seated in the great arm-chair in which he himself had sat when first -recovering was good old Clement Tournon, the shadow of his former self. -The palms of his hands rested on his knees; his head was bent forward on -his chest; his eyes were shut, and his lips and cheeks were of a bluish -white. Had it not been for a slight rocking motion of his body as he -sat, Edward would have thought him dead. Behind his chair, silent and -still as a statue, stood the good woman Marton. She, too, was as pale as -her helmet-shaped white cap, and the frank, good-humored expression of -her countenance was supplanted by a cold, hard, stony look which seemed -to say that every energy was dead. That such was not really the case, -however, Edward soon saw; for, the moment her eyes lighted on him as he -passed the door, the old bright light came into them again, and she -walked quietly but hastily across the floor in her little blue socks, -holding up her finger as a sign to keep silence. - -"He sleeps," she said; "he sleeps. It is wellnigh as good as food for -him. But how came you here, Master Ned? What has brought you? Has the -English fleet arrived?" - -"Alas, no," replied Edward, in the same low tone which she herself had -used; "and it could not enter the port if it had. But I come, if -possible, to save that good old man. I have a little food here with me. -Go get me a cup and some water; for I have a little of that which will -be better to him at first even than food." - -"God bless you, sir!" said the good woman: "there is not a drop of wine -in all the city, and with him the tide of life is nearly gone out. I -thought he would have died this morning; but he would rise. You stay -with him, and I will be back in a minute. But keep silent and still, for -sleep always does him good." So saying, she hurried away and brought a -silver cup and some fresh water. - -All was silent during her absence: the old man slept on, and Edward -Langdale seated himself near, as quietly as possible. Marton took her -place again without a word; and for about three-quarters of an hour the -slumber of old Clement Tournon continued unbroken. Then a voice was -heard at the foot of the stairs, crying, "Rations!" and Marton hurried -down. - -Either the voice or the movement in the room disturbed the old man. He -moved in his chair, raised his head a little, and Edward, with some of -the strong waters well diluted in the cup, approached and put it to his -lips. - -"What is it?" said Clement Tournon, putting the cup feebly aside with -his hand. "I thought it might have pleased God I should die in that -sleep." - -"Take a little," said Edward, in a low tone: "it will refresh you." And -Clement Tournon suffered him to raise the cup again to his lips, aiding -with his own feeble hands, and drank a deep draught, as if he were very -thirsty. Then, suddenly raising his eyes to Edward's face, he exclaimed, -"Good Heavens! who are you? Edward Langdale! Is it all a dream?--a -horrible dream?" - -"I have come to see you and take you away, Monsieur Tournon," said -Edward, as calmly as he could. "Keep yourself quite tranquil, and I will -tell you more presently. At present be as silent as I used to be when I -was sick and you were well." - -The old syndic sat without speaking for a moment or two, and then said, -"I know not what you have given me; but it seems to have strengthened -and revived me. But pray, tell me more: I cannot make this out at all." - -"I will tell you after you have eaten something," said Edward. "I have -brought something with me for you. But first sip a little more of this -draught." - -The old man drank again, and then ate a little of the food which had -been brought him; but the forces of life had so much diminished that it -was long before the weight of the body seemed to give the mind liberty -to act. At first he would wander a little, less with what seemed -delirium than with forgetfulness. The brain appeared to sleep or faint; -but with judicious care--an instinctive knowledge, as it were, of what -was best for him--Edward administered support and stimulus by slow -degrees till the mind fully wakened up. Quietly and cautiously the young -man told him what he had done, why he came, and the certain prospect -there was of his escape from that city of horror and famine if he could -but summon strength to pass the gates. - -"But Guiton,--but my friend Guiton," said Clement Tournon. "What will he -think of me?" - -"He begs you, he beseeches you, to go," said Edward. "He says you have -done all you can for Rochelle, that you can do no more, that every mouth -out of the city is a relief, and that, now you can go in safety, you -ought to go." - -"Oh, my son," said Clement Tournon, "you know not what it is to ask me -to quit the home of many years. I have travelled, it is true; I have -left my domestic hearth; I have left the earth that holds my wife and -children; but it was always with a thought of coming back and dying -here. Now, if I go, I go forever,--never to see Rochelle more." - -"Nay, I hope that is not so," answered Edward. "The cardinal assured me -that he would give the most favorable terms to the city; and I cannot -but think that your presence may be the means of rendering those terms -really and not nominally favorable. You can tell him of the -determination of the people, of your certain expectation of succor----" - -The old man shook his head. "No succor," he said; "no succor." - -"But at all events it is probable," replied Edward, "that you may be -able to obtain terms for Rochelle which she can accept honorably. You -can aid no one here; you may do good service there. In this instance the -paths of duty and of safety are one." - -"Oh, I will go," said Clement Tournon, languidly. "I need no persuading. -But what am I to do with this poor creature?" he continued, looking at -Marton, who continued still in the room. "How can I leave her behind -me?" - -A sort of spasm passed her countenance; but she answered, with the real -devotion of woman, "Go, old master; go. Never mind me. I can do well -enough. My light heart keeps me up; and old women live upon little. When -the young gentleman has risked every thing to save you, you cannot -disappoint him." - -"No indeed, Marton," said the syndic; "but yet----" - -"Never talk about yet," said Marton. "You have got to go, that is clear; -and perhaps you may be able to make a treaty by which we shall be all -fed and comforted. Maitre Guiton should have done it long ago; but he is -a hard man, and would see us all die of famine, and himself too, before -he would bate an inch of his pride." - -"Hush, hush!" said Edward: "he is a good and noble man, Marton; and -times far distant shall talk of the famous defence of Rochelle by the -Mayor Guiton. Bring your master a little more food, Marton. The sun is -beginning to go down, and we shall soon be able to set out." - -The poor old syndic bent his eyes down upon his hands and wept tears of -age, of weakness, and of manifold emotions; and Edward, thinking it -better to distract his thoughts, spoke of the gold cup which he had -promised to bring to Richelieu, and asked where he could find it. - -"What! a bribe?" exclaimed Clement Tournon, with more energy than the -young man thought he had possessed. "The great Cardinal de Richelieu -take a bribe?" - -"No, no!" replied Edward: "do not misunderstand me. This cup was -mentioned but incidentally as a curious and beautiful object of art, and -I promised to bring it to him: therefore I must keep my word. But, if I -must tell the truth, I believe the cardinal's inducement to give me a -pass for you was that through you he might open some communication with -the citizens, who have refused all overtures." - -"Ay, there is that Mayor Guiton again," said Marton. - -"The cardinal assured me," continued Edward, "that he had no wish to -crush Rochelle, and would grant such favorable terms as could not -honestly be rejected." - -"God grant it!" said Clement Tournon; "but he has us at his mercy, and -he knows it. As to the cup, my son, you will find it in the armory, -where it stood when you were here before. Where are the keys, Marton? -You will find it all safe, and the papers with it,--a letter for you -amongst the rest; but I knew not where you were. All the gold and silver -is safe; for when the people broke into the house it was food they -sought, poor fools! They cared not for gold and silver: they could not -eat them." - -Marton found the keys and handed them to Edward, by Clement Tournon's -orders; and the cup, wrapped in manifold papers and enveloped in an old -parchment bag, was soon found. The whole packet was inscribed, in the -old goldsmith's own handwriting, with the words, "The cup within belongs -to Master Edward Langdale, of Buckley, in the county of Huntingdon, -England, left with me for safe-keeping." By the side of the cup lay a -letter, surrounded, as was common in those days, with a silken string, -tied and sealed; and, on taking it up, Edward instantly recognised the -handwriting of good Dr. Winthorne. That was no time for reading, -however, and he put the letter in his breast; but his eye could not help -glancing over the vast quantity of plate, both gold and silver, which -even that one cupboard contained. Taking the cup in his hands, he locked -the door, and, returning to the room of the syndic, inquired, with some -anxiety, what was to be done for the protection of his property while he -was gone. - -"Dross, dross, my son," said Clement Tournon. "Yet the door of the room -may be as well locked and bolted. Give Marton the key." - -"We will take care of it, Master Ned," said Marton. "The boys come back -every night,--all who are left of them, poor fellows! but stout John -died of the fever, and William the filigree-man soon gave way when we -came to want food. Old men and old women have borne it best. But nobody -will think of touching the gold and silver. What could they do with it -if they had it? All the gold in that room would not buy a pound of beef -in Rochelle." - -"It were as well to make all safe, however," answered Edward. "I will go -and lock all the doors." - -"I will come with you," said Clement Tournon, "and see whether I can -walk. What you have given me seems to have revived me much, very much. -What is it?" - -"What you probably never tasted in your life before," said -Edward,--"strong waters; and it shows the benefit of reserving the use -of them for cases of need. That which kills many a man who uses it -freely is now giving you back life, because you have never used it at -all. All I have in that flask would not have the slightest effect upon -Pierrot la Grange. I trust there is enough there to afford you strength -to reach the camp." - -"Oh, more than enough,--more than enough," said the good old syndic, -whose holy horror of drunkenness made him almost shudder at the idea of -what he had been imbibing, although he could not but feel that it had -wrought a great and beneficial change upon him. "Now let me see how I -can walk." - -Edward gave him his arm; but the old man showed much more strength than -he expected,--tottered a little in his gait, it is true, and lost his -breath before he reached his arm-chair again. But Edward and Marton -applied themselves diligently during the next two hours to confirm the -progress he had already made, and were not unsuccessful. - -I cannot say whether the good woman, whose love and devotion toward her -master were extreme, did or did not secretly bestow upon him her own -scanty portion of the common food which was doled out to all those who -had given up their own stores to be disposed of by the city; but certain -it is that, till the sun had nearly set, she and Edward contrived every -quarter of an hour to furnish the old man a small piece of meat and a -mouthful of pea-bread, with a few spoonfuls of the brandy-and-water. - -At length the hour for departure came; and the parting between the old -syndic and the faithful Marton was a very painful one. They said -nothing, it is true; but she kissed his hand, and her tears, whether she -would or not, fell upon it. Clement Tournon wept too; but Edward drew -him slowly away, and once more he went out into the streets of Rochelle. - -Those streets were nearly vacant, for almost everybody not wanted on the -walls had retired to their miserable dwellings, there in solitude and -famine to wait the return of the daylight which brought no comfort and -very little hope. - -Two men indeed passed by at a slow pace, and turned to look. "There goes -old Clement Tournon," said one,--"up to the town-house, I suppose, as -usual." - -"I thought he was dead," said the other. "Old Dr. Cavillac died last -night." - -They spoke aloud, for those were no times of delicacy; and Edward, -fearful that the old syndic had heard such depressing words, whispered, -"I trust, Monsieur Tournon, you will be able to obtain such terms as the -city can accept." - -"Pray God I may!" said the old man, not perceiving Edward's little -stroke of art in playing off hope against despair. "Oh, it would be the -brightest day of my life!" - -They walked slowly, very slowly; but at length they reached the gate, -over which a very feeble oil-lamp was burning under the heavy stone -arch; for by this time even an article of such common necessity as oil -was terribly scarce in Rochelle. The common soldiers on guard were -evidently indisposed to let Edward and his companion pass; but the young -officer whom the mayor had called Bernard was soon summoned forth from -the guard-house, and with a reverent pressure of the hand he welcomed -the old syndic. "God bless you, sir!" he said. "I was right glad to hear -what Monsieur Guiton told me. Would to Heaven I had a horse or mule to -give you to help you across! but it is not half a mile, and I trust you -have strength for that." - -"God knows, Bernard," said the old man, who was leaning very heavily -upon Edward's arm. "I trust my going may be good for the city. Were it -not for that hope, I should be well contented to stay and die here. God -knows how often during the last week I have wished that it were all over -and these eyes closed." - -"Nay, nay, sir," said the other, in a kindly tone: "you are reserved for -better things, I trust. But the wicket is open. You had better pass -through, lest any people should come." - -The syndic and his young companion passed out into the darkness; but -Clement Tournon's steps became so feeble as they crossed the drawbridge -that Edward proposed to sit down and rest a while upon the same stone -where he had sat in the morning; and there, to amuse his mind for the -time, he spoke of his last visit to the city, and even, under shadow of -the night, alluded to Lucette. - -"Ah, dear child!" said the old man. "I heard that she had reached safely -the care of the Duc de Rohan, for he wrote to me. But such a letter! I -could not comprehend it at all. It was full of heat and anger about -something,--I know not what; for there has been no means of inquiring -since. He surely would not have had me keep her in Rochelle to suffer as -we have suffered; but yet he seemed displeased that I had sent her -away." - -"He knew not all the circumstances," answered Edward; "and these great -men are impetuous. Have you heard from her?" - -"Not a word," said the syndic, with a sigh. "And yet God knows I loved -her as a father." - -"And she loved you," said Edward; "but it was some months ere she could -possibly write, and since then Rochelle has been strictly blockaded." - -"Ah, Edward Langdale," said the old man, in a sad tone, "the young soon -forget. Joys and pleasures and the freshness of all things around them -wipe away the memories of all early affections. And it is well it should -be so. Old people forget too; but the sponge that blots out their -remembrance is filled with bitterness and gall and decay." - -Edward felt that Clement Tournon was doing injustice to Lucette; yet the -words were painful to him to hear, and he changed the subject, trying to -converse upon indifferent things, but with his mind still recurring to -the question, "Can Lucette forget so easily?" - -At the end of some half-hour he said, "Let us try now, sir, to reach the -outposts. But first take some more of this cordial. Remember what we -have at stake." - -The old man rose; but he was still very feeble, and he stumbled amongst -the low bushes at the end of the bridge. Immediately there was a call -from the walls above of "Who goes there?" and the next instant a shot -from a musket passed close by. Another succeeded, but went more wide; -and, hurrying forward Clement Tournon, Edward put as much space between -them and the walls as possible, saying, in a light tone, "Hard to be -shot at by our friends. I trust that it is an omen we shall be well -received by our enemies." - -"I cannot go so fast," said the old man. "Go you on, Master Ned: I will -follow. If they shoot me I cannot hurry." - -"No, no! we go together," replied Edward. "Here; keep along this path, -straight for that watch-fire." And, placing the old syndic before him, -he sheltered him completely from the walls with his own body. But there -was no more firing; and the only result was to scare the unhappy -Rochellois with a report that a party of the enemy had approached close -to the gates to reconnoitre. - -The distance was really very short, as we have seen, from the walls to -the royal lines; but it was long to poor Clement Tournon, and it -required all Edward's care and skill and attention to get the old man -across. But at length the challenge of the sentinel came; and it was the -most welcome sound that at that moment could meet Edward Langdale's ear. -His flask was at the last drop, and the good syndic seemed to have no -strength left. All difficulties, however, were now over. In five minutes -the young officer who had accompanied Edward from Mauze was by their -side, with Jacques Beaupre and Pierrot; and, by the demonstrative joy of -the two latter when they beheld Clement Tournon, one would have thought -it was their father who had been rescued from death. - -"Ah, sir," exclaimed Jacques, addressing Edward, "I will never doubt -that you can do any thing again. Nobody but you in the whole world could -have done it." - -"I must beg of you, sir," said Edward to the young officer, "to obtain -some place of repose for my poor old friend here. He is incapable of -going any farther to-night; and I must away to the cardinal. These two -men can, I presume, procure wine and meat for him; for food and rest are -all that is needful." - -"Be assured, sir, all shall be attended to properly," said the young -officer, in the most courteous tone. "Monsieur de Bassompierre will be -here himself in a moment, for he says he knows and esteems this -gentleman, and we could not leave him in better hands, as I myself must -accompany you back to his Eminence, who has moved down to what they call -the Petit Chateau, some miles nearer the city." - -This brief conversation took place some fifty yards from where Clement -Tournon was seated between Pierrot and Jacques Beaupre; and at the -moment Edward uttered the last words he heard a bluff, good-humored -voice saying, "Ah! Clement Tournon, my old friend, right glad am I to -see you. So his Eminence has let you out of the cage. What, man! never -droop! we will soon restore your strength. This cardinal of ours has -heard how men tame wild beasts by keeping them on low diet, and he has -determined to try the same plan with you people of Rochelle. But I have -a nice cabin for you here in a corner of the trench, and a good soft -bed, all ready, with a boiled pullet; and we will have a good stoup of -wine together, as we had when you sold me that diamond signet." - -"Ah, sir," said the feeble voice of Clement Tournon, "you drank -seven-eighths of the stoup yourself, saying you were thirsty and needed -it. I need it most now, I fear." - -"And so you shall drink the seven-eighths now," said Bassompierre, -gayly. "Here! some one bring us a litter. We will carry him home in -triumph. The best of goldsmiths shall have the best of welcomes." - -"Farewell for a few hours," said Edward, in a low voice, approaching the -old man's side and pressing his hand. "I must away up to the cardinal, -to show him that I keep faith. But I leave you in good hands, dear -friend, and will be with you again early to-morrow." - -Thus saying, he turned away, rejoined the young officer, and rode off -with him as fast as he could go, in order to present himself before -Richelieu had retired to rest. Though probably burning with curiosity, -Edward's companion did not venture to ask any questions in regard to La -Rochelle, but merely pointed to the large packet containing the cup -which Edward carried slung to his cross-belt, saying, in a jocular tone, -"I suppose, Monsieur Langdale, that is not a _havresac_ of provision; -for they do say that article is somewhat scanty in the city." - -"Oh, no," said Edward: "this is something too hard to eat: it belongs -not to me, but to his Eminence. I wish it contained something I could -eat; for I have tasted nothing since I left you this morning." - -"They fast long in Rochelle," said the young man, dryly; "but you will -be able to get something up at the chateau." - -"I must report myself first," answered Edward; and on they rode without -further conversation. - -Edward was destined to wait longer for his supper than he expected, for -he was detained in the cardinal's ante-chamber nearly an hour. At the -end of that time, some five or six gentlemen came forth from Richelieu's -room, and Edward's name was called by the usher. The minister was -standing when the young gentleman entered, and was evidently in no humor -for prolonged conversation. - -"Have you brought the old man?" he said. - -"Yes, my lord cardinal," replied Edward. "I left him at the outposts: he -was too weak to come on." - -"Then the famine in the city is severe, I suppose," observed the -cardinal. - -"It is, your Eminence," answered Edward; "but I was permitted to see -very little." - -"Blindfolded?" asked Richelieu. - -"Yes," answered Edward. "But they may hold out some time, I think." - -"How long?" demanded the minister. - -"With their spirit, perhaps a month," replied Edward. - -"A month!" repeated Richelieu. "Impossible! Did you hear of no tumults?" - -"None whatever," replied Edward. - -"What have you there?" next demanded the cardinal, pointing to the cup -and its covers, which Edward had now detached from his belt. - -"It is that work of art I mentioned, sire," replied the young man, -taking it from the parchment bag and unwrapping the many papers which -enfolded it. - -Richelieu took it from his hands, gazed at it for a moment or two with -evident admiration, and then set it down on the table, saying, -"Beautiful! beautiful indeed! Have you heard any thing from England?" he -continued, abruptly. - -"No," answered Edward; but, instantly correcting himself, he added, -"Yes: I forgot. I found a letter waiting me; but I have not opened it. -It is merely from my old tutor." - -"Let me see it," said Richelieu, in a tone that admitted of no refusal. - -Edward took it from the pocket of his coat and gave it to him in -silence. - -Without the least ceremony, Richelieu opened it, and, after looking at -the date, gave it back again, saying, "Why, it is six months old; and I -have news not much more than seven days. The English fleet is just ready -to sail, it seems, and only waits for your mighty duke to lead them. He -will find some stones in his way before he harbors in Rochelle. But now -good-night, Monsieur Edward Langdale. Be here to-morrow betimes, and we -will talk more. Just now I am tired, and must to rest." - - - - -CHAPTER XLIII. - - -Space is growing short, and we have much to tell. It was several weeks -after the period of which we have just been writing when Edward Langdale -and old Clement Tournon, now restored to health and some degree of -strength, were in the cabinet of the great minister of France. Manifold -papers were before them, and Richelieu's brow was cloudy and stern; but -the old syndic of the goldsmiths of Rochelle was as calm, and seemingly -as much at ease, as when he first encountered Edward Langdale in the -streets of his city. - -"Your Eminence, they will not accept it," he said. "There are things -which you do not consider. True, they are, as you say, pressed by -famine. They may, or they may not,--for I have no correct -information,--be forced to surrender or die for want of food within four -days; but, if I know the people of Rochelle, they will die rather than -surrender, unless they have better terms than these. It is useless to -propose them. I should be in some sort deceiving your Eminence were I to -be the bearer of such offers. I know that, without the free exercise of -their religion being assured to my fellow-citizens, die they will,--of -famine or pestilence, or by cannon-balls. I cannot undertake to propose -such terms." - -"Are you aware," asked Richelieu, in slow but emphatic language, "that, -seven days ago, George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham, was stabbed at -Portsmouth, by an assassin named Felton, and died upon the spot?" - -Edward Langdale turned pale at the terrible news; but not the slightest -mark of emotion was apparent upon the face of Clement Tournon. Old men -are not easily moved; and he was thinking only of Rochelle. - -"Possibly," he said, in a quiet tone: "I always thought he would die a -violent death. But the hopes of the people of Rochelle never rested, my -lord cardinal, upon the Duke of Buckingham." - -"Upon what, then, did they rest?" asked Richelieu, in some surprise. - -"Upon the hand of God," replied Clement Tournon; "upon the winds and -waves, his ministers. The storms which annually visit this coast have -been long delayed this year. But when they do come they will come more -fiercely; and every man in Rochelle well knows that the marvellous dyke -your Eminence has built will be but as a bed of reeds before them. -Succor will pour in the moment the port is open, and the citizens, -refreshed and comforted, will be ready to resist again all efforts to -control their consciences." - -"Pshaw!" said Richelieu: "this point of religion is but a name." - -"Not for the people of Rochelle," said Clement Tournon. "We are loyal -subjects of the King of France. We are willing to be obedient in all -temporal things; but we will never profess one faith while we hold -another: we will never resign our right to worship God according to our -own belief." - -"Well, well, that will be easily settled," said the cardinal, taking a -pen and striking three or four lines from a writing on the table. "I am -not fighting against any man's sincere faith. I am warring against -rebellion. Read that, sir. Will that be received?" - -"Not without a clause securing to the people of Rochelle the full and -free exercise of their religion," said the old syndic, resolutely. - -"That is what I mean to grant," said the cardinal,--though a slight -cloud passed over his brow and seemed to indicate that the concession -was made less willingly than he pretended. But, in truth, Richelieu had -heard that very day that the English fleet had sailed, notwithstanding -the death of the high-admiral. One severe storm, and all the labor of -long months might be destroyed, and Rochelle be as safe as ever. There -were indications in the sky, too, which threatened such an event. "That -is what I mean to grant," he repeated. "Have it put in what words you -will, so that nothing be inserted which shall give a turbulent people -pretence for levying war upon their king. Call me a secretary, Monsieur -Langdale." - -Edward obeyed; and the terms offered by the cardinal were written out -fair, with a clause guaranteeing to the Rochellois the full and -unmolested exercise of their religion. This paper formed the basis of -that remarkable treaty, soon afterward signed, which for its moderation -has been the wonder of all historians. It is true that the Cardinal de -Richelieu had many reasons for desiring peace as speedily as possible. -It is true that the Rochellois had good reason to hope that relief of -some kind would be afforded them ere long. But it is no less true that -thousands had perished of famine within those walls, and that in a few -days more no soldiers would have been found to man the walls, and -corpses only would have opposed the entrance of the royal troops. There -can be no doubt that a wise and politic clemency characterized the -proceedings of the minister, and that, had he waited till the sick -king's return to the camp, harder conditions would have been imposed. He -seems not to have heeded where the glory of success or the honor of -clemency might fall, so that his great purposes were accomplished; and, -applied to his conduct toward Rochelle, as applied to a later period of -his life, the words of one of his historians are neither fulsome nor -unjust when he said, "France triumphed within and without the realm. -Foreign enemies themselves proclaimed the superior genius of the -cardinal; and the Huguenots, even while sighing over the ruins of their -fortresses dismantled by his orders and under his eyes, could not but -acknowledge his affability, his readiness to adopt all gentle -expedients, and the fidelity with which all his engagements were -observed." - -And what became of Edward Langdale all this time? He remained in the -royal camp, not as a prisoner, not exactly free. It was impossible for -him to travel through France and to pass into England without -safe-conduct of some kind; and Edward soon divined that--whether from -suspicion, or from some other motive, he knew not--Richelieu had -determined not to let him depart till Rochelle had surrendered. The -minister became more difficult of access, also, after the king had -returned to the camp, and the long and more familiar conversations which -Edward had enjoyed with him previously were altogether at an end. He was -courteous and kind when the young man was admitted to his presence; but, -when Edward pressed for permission to depart, the answer always was, "In -a few days." On one occasion, indeed, the natural impatience of Edward -Langdale's disposition caused him to burst forth with something beyond -frankness, and he said, bluntly, "Your Eminence has promised to let me -go for the last six weeks. Now, six weeks are nothing to you, but they -are all-important to me; for I have only one crown and two livres in my -pocket, with two servants and myself to furnish, to say nothing of the -horses, who are as badly off as if they were citizens of Rochelle; and, -besides----" - -"That will be soon amended," said Richelieu, with a slight smile. "Give -me some more paper off that table." And he wrote an order upon the -treasurer of his household for the payment to Monsieur Edward Langdale -of the usual salary of a gentleman-in-ordinary to the king. - -"My lord cardinal, how am I to take this money?" asked Edward. "England -and France are still at war." - -"Then take it as a prisoner," said Richelieu, somewhat sternly. "Do not -talk nonsense, lad. But you said 'besides.' What is there besides?" - -"If you had read the letter I showed your Eminence," replied Edward, -"you would have seen that my presence is absolutely required in England -upon business of much importance to myself." - -"What letter? When? Oh, I remember,--when you brought me the cup. I -cannot help thinking, notwithstanding, you are as well here for the -time. But, speaking of the cup, I pray you put a price upon it." - -"I cannot sell a gift that was given me by my father on my birthday. The -very act of giving places an obligation on the receiver not to sell, but -none not to give; and I trust your Eminence will condescend to receive -it on the only terms on which I can part with it." - -"Well," said Richelieu, "I will take it on those terms, and will direct -my good friend Monsieur Mulot to give you back the papers that enveloped -it. They seem to belong to you; for I see the name of Langdale -frequently mentioned. Guard them safely till some more learned head than -your own has examined them, for few men know the value of scraps of old -paper. Sometimes they will raise a man to wealth and power, sometimes -throw him headlong down. God knows whether that same art of writing has -done more good or harm in the world. Cadmus, who invented letters, they -say, was the same man who sowed the serpents' teeth and reaped an iron -harvest. Is not this an allegory, Master Langdale? Go and consider of -it; for I am busy just now." - -Not long after this conversation, the good but stupid Father Mulot -brought to the young gentleman the bundle of papers in which the cup had -been enveloped, and entered into a long disquisition upon the various -differences between the Catholic and Protestant faiths. He was evidently -bent upon converting his hearer from his religious errors; but Edward -was obdurate to the kind of eloquence which he displayed, and the good -man left him rather in pity than in anger. To examine the papers was -Edward's next task; but he could make nothing of them. Some pages were -wanting; others were mutilated; and, though he saw his father's and his -mother's name in many places, yet but little light could be obtained as -to the import of the documents in which they were mentioned. Only one -gleam of significance appeared throughout the whole. There was one -passage which stated that "Richard Langdale, baronet, with the full and -free consent of his wife, Dame Heleonora Langdale, in virtue of the last -will and testament of Henry Barmont, her uncle, lord of the manor of -Buckley as aforesaid, which consent was testified by her hand and seal -unto the within-written lease and demise, did lease, give, and grant -unto William Watson, his heirs and assigns, for the term of twenty-one -years from the fifth day of----" - -There the manuscript stopped, the page which followed being torn off; -but at the same time, though he had no knowledge of law, Edward could -perceive that an admission of the absolute rights of his mother over the -manor of Buckley, under the will of her uncle, was implied. He resolved, -then, to follow the advice of the cardinal and preserve the papers with -care. But still his detention in France was exceedingly annoying. The -letter of Dr. Winthorne had pressed him earnestly to return to England; -and other thoughts and feelings were busy in his bosom urging him in the -same direction. He felt himself something more than bound--shackled--by -his engagement with Lord Montagu. Without any definite cause of -complaint, the links which attached him to that nobleman had been -broken. He felt that he had been doubted without cause, that he had been -neglected and forgotten in a moment of difficulty and peril, and that -the confidence which had at one time existed between his lord and -himself could never be fully restored. Such were the reasons which he -urged upon himself to explain the desire he felt for severing the -connection. But perhaps there was another motive which he did not choose -to scrutinize so accurately. Fifteen months had passed since he had -promised the Cardinal de Richelieu not to seek his young bride for the -space of two years, and Richelieu had promised him that at the end of -those two years she should be his. He had no absolute certainty of where -she was; he knew not what might have become of her; he could only frame -vague, wild plans for finding and recovering her; and nine months, -without a long journey to England, seemed to his impatient heart not -more than time sufficient to vanquish all the obstacles which might lie -between him and her. - -In the idleness of the camp, without post, duty, or occupation, his mind -naturally rested for hours each day upon youth's favorite theme. The -imaginative--perhaps I may say the poetical--temperament which he had -inherited from his mother, and which had hitherto in life found few -opportunities of development and little or no encouragement amidst the -hard realities with which he had had to deal, had now full sway, and -sometimes soothed, sometimes tormented him with alternate hopes and -fears. - -Lucette was often the theme of his conversation with good Clement -Tournon, who was daily regaining health and strength. The old syndic -asked many questions as to Lucette's journey, and told Edward many of -the rumors which had reached Rochelle; but it was evident that he knew -nothing of that part of Lucette's history which was the most interesting -to his young hearer. Feelings which it is needless to dwell upon -prevented Edward from referring to it himself; and day after day he -would ride forth into the country alone, or walk up and down in the -neighborhood of the cardinal's residence, buried in solitary thought. - -To the country-house now inhabited by Richelieu was attached a garden in -an antique taste, where roses had now ceased to bloom and the flowers of -summer had all passed away. But it was a quiet and solitary place, for -the taste of neither soldiers nor courtiers led them that way, and, -though the gates were always open, it was rarely that any one trod the -walks, except one of the cooks with white night-cap on head seeking -pot-herbs in a bed which lay at the lower part of the ground. Edward -Langdale was more frequently there than anywhere else; and one day, -toward evening, as he was walking up and down in one of the cross-walks, -he saw the cardinal come forth from the building alone and take his way -straight down the centre alley, looking first down upon the ground and -then up toward the sky, as a man wearied with the thoughts and cares -and business of the day. It seemed no moment to approach him; and Edward -somewhat hurried his pace toward a small gate at the end of the garden. -He had nearly reached it when the cardinal's voice stopped him. - -"Come hither," said Richelieu, "and, if you are inclined to talk of no -business, walk here by me. It is strange that amongst all who are here -there is hardly one man with whom one's mind can refresh itself. My -friend Bois Robert is too full of jest. It becomes tiresome. Good Father -Mulot (whom they should have called Mulet) is full of one idea,--the -conversion of heretics, by fire and sword, pestilence and famine, or -what else you like,--though I cannot see why to prevent them from being -damned in the other world I should be damned in this. I know the verses -of Horace are against me, and that every man unreasonably complains of -his fate; but I cannot help thinking that of all the conditions in the -world the fate of a prime minister is the most anxious, laborious, and -tiresome." - -"I should think so indeed, your Eminence," said Edward, with a sigh. - -"Ha!" said Richelieu: "then you are so little ambitious as to deem it -has no advantages?" - -"Not so, my lord," replied Edward. "It has vast and magnificent -advantages,--the power to do good, to stop evil, to reward the worthy, -ay, and even to punish the bad,--to save and elevate one's country. But -great and valuable things must always be purchased at a high price; and -I can easily conceive that the sense of responsibility, the opposition -of petty factions and base intrigues, the stupidity of some men, the -cunning devices of others, the importunity and the ingratitude of all, -the want of domestic peace, the continual sacrifice of personal comfort, -must make the high position your Eminence speaks of any thing but a bed -of roses." - -"You shall have your safe-conduct to-morrow morning," said Richelieu. -"Such sentiments are sufficient to corrupt the whole court of France. -Sir, if they were to become general, and men would but act upon them, I -should have nothing to do. There would be nobody to envy me. Nobody -would try to overthrow me. They would only look upon me as the -wheel-horse of the car of state, and wonder that I could pull along so -patiently. The ingratitude of all!" he repeated, in a meditative tone. -"Ay, it is but too true! Those are the petrifying waters which harden -the heart and seem to turn the very spirit into stone. Do you know what -has been done within this hour, Monsieur Langdale?" - -"No," replied the young Englishman: "I have heard of nothing important, -sir." - -"Why, I thought it must be at the gates of Paris by this time," said -Richelieu. "A treaty has been signed with Rochelle; and a good man--a -marvellous good man in his way--says I am no true Catholic, because I -will not starve some thousands of men to death or make them take the -mass with a lie upon their mouths. I do not understand his reasoning, -but that is my fault, of course; but through this very treaty of -Rochelle I think I shall make more real Catholics than he would make -false ones. But now, Monsieur Langdale, you think I have kept you here -unreasonably; but you are mistaken. I wished to have news from various -quarters ere I suffered you to go back to England. I need not tell you -to return by the month of July next; but, for many reasons, I desire you -should return before. I leave it to yourself to do so or not; but you -will find it for your benefit. To-morrow you shall have all necessary -passes,--though it is probable that the fall of this very city of -Rochelle will lead to peace between France and England. If it do so, -remember a conversation which took place between us a good many months -ago." - -"I will not forget it, my lord," replied Edward. "I believe I have -always kept my word to your Eminence." - -"You have," said Richelieu. "You have. Would to God I could say the same -of all men! And, now, what money will you want for your passage?" - -"None, your Eminence," replied Edward. "I have a little property in -England, the rents of which accumulated while I was lodged and fed by -good Monsieur de Bourbonne; and I can get what I want at Rochelle." - -"Oh, go not into that miserable place!" said Richelieu,--"at least not -till all the bodies are interred and it is free from pestilence. This -siege will ever be memorable in the annals of the world for the -sufferings of the people, and for the resolution of their leaders also. -I can admire great qualities even in my enemies. But here comes Tronson -to call me to the king. Come to me to-morrow." - - - - -CHAPTER XLIV. - - -Four days more passed before Edward actually got his proper passes and -safe-conduct; but then they came in the most precise style and ample -form. His whole person was described with accuracy. He was mentioned as -a young English gentleman attached to Lord Montagu, travelling under the -particular protection of his Majesty the King of France, with two -_palfreniers_ and other servants and attendants; and all governors of -towns and provinces, and officers civil and military, as well throughout -the realm of France as in neighboring countries in amity with that -power, were directed not only to let him freely pass and give him aid -and assistance, but to show him every hospitable attention and courtesy -on his journey or journeys in any direction whatsoever during the next -two years ensuing. The whole was signed by the king's own hand and -countersigned by the cardinal. Though I possess one of these passports -myself on parchment, signed with an immense "_Louis_," I regret to say -it does not have the countersignature of Richelieu; but it is certain -that they were occasionally given under his administration also. At all -events, Edward comprehended that, wherever he bent his steps, no more -interruptions of his journey would occur on the part of any of the -officers of the crown. - -The cardinal himself he could not see before his departure, for those -were very busy times; but on the sixth day the young gentleman -re-entered the city of Rochelle with his good friend Clement Tournon, -and went direct to the syndic's house. The royal soldiers were in -possession of the place; the walls were in progress of demolition; and -there was an aspect of disappointment and sadness upon the faces of the -people generally, though some were rejoicing openly in the return of -peace and plenty, little heeding the loss of a certain degree of that -liberty which they had at one time cherished as the best of human -possessions. - -The royal forces, however, had not confined themselves to razing the -fortifications, but, with that good-humor which is one of the chief and -most amiable characteristics of the French people, had aided the -citizens in burying the dead, in cleansing the streets, and in purifying -the town generally, so that, on the whole, the city bore a much more -cheerful and happy appearance than it had done when Edward had last -visited it. In the court before the house of the old syndic, two of the -apprentices were busy rooting out the grass from between the stones; and -Marton herself, with a gay face, though it was still somewhat pale and -thin, came running down to greet her old master. These were all that -remained of the once numerous household; and the joy of his return to -his ancient dwelling was mingled with sufficient bitterness to draw some -natural tears from Clement Tournon's eyes. - -Many little incidents occurred to Edward Langdale during his short stay -in Rochelle which we need not dwell upon here. Amongst the servants of -his host he was in some sort a hero for the part he had taken in saving -their beloved master. Several of the citizens, too, came to visit him; -and, in the stormy night of the 2d of November, Guiton himself, wrapped -in his large mantle, presented himself to pass an hour or two with his -old friend and the syndic's young guest. - -It was a night very memorable,--much like that on which Edward had -crossed the seas some eighteen months before. The winds burst in sharp -gusts over the town, still rising in force, and howling as they rose; -the casement shook and rattled, the tiles were swept from the roofs and -dashed to pieces in the streets, and rain mingled with sleet dashed in -the faces of the passers-by. Many died that night of those who were -still sick in the hospitals. The conversation of the mayor was by no -means cheerful. He had been forced into his high position against his -own desire; he had drawn the sword unwillingly, but, full of energy and -hope, he had sheathed it with even less willingness, and saw in the -surrender of Rochelle the ruin of the Protestant cause and the -destruction of the religious liberties of France. His heart was -depressed, and all his thoughts seemed gloomy. Once, when one of the -fiercest gusts shook the house, he burst forth in an absent tone, -exclaiming, "Ay, blow! blow! You may blow now without doing any damage -to Fortune's favorite! By the Lord in Heaven, Mr. Langdale, it would -seem that this man Richelieu's fortunes have even bent the clouds and -storms to his subjection! Here that tempestuous sea which was never -known for six weeks to an end to be without storm and shipwreck has been -as calm and tranquil as a fish-pond in a garden for months--ever since -that accursed dyke was first commenced; and now no sooner is Rochelle -lost than up rises the spirit of the tempest. Hark how it howls! At high -tide half the dyke that has ruined us will be swept away! Mark my words, -young gentleman: by this time to-morrow all the succors which we needed -so many months will be able to enter our port in safety." - -And it was so. On the following day, more than forty toises of the dyke -were carried away, and a fleet of small wine-vessels from the -neighboring country entered the harbor without difficulty. - -The storm raged fiercely for the next two days; and the time was spent -in friendly intercourse by Clement Tournon and Edward Langdale, who -wished to embark from Rochelle but could find no vessel ready or willing -to put to sea. - -Of all the remarkable changes which have taken place in the state of -society during the last two hundred years--changes which produce and -will daily produce other changes--none is so wonderful as in the -facility of locomotion. The change from the caterpillar to the butterfly -is not so great. Go back two hundred years, and you will find nothing -but delay and uncertainty. Ay, within a shorter space than that, the -back of your own horse, the inconvenient inside of a heavy coach going -three miles in an hour, or the still slower wagon with its miscellaneous -denizens, or the post-horse with its postilion riding beside it, were, -in every part of Europe, the only means afforded to the traveller of -journeying from place to place over the land; while over the water slow -ships could only be found occasionally at certain ports, and their -departure and arrival depended upon a thousand other chances and events -than the pleasure of the winds and waves. It is only wonderful that a -voyage did not occupy a lifetime. Now----But it is no use telling my -reader what this now is. He knows it so well that he forgets even the -inconveniences that he himself has suffered, perhaps a score or two of -years ago, and can hardly conceive the possibility of the hardships, the -troubles and disappointments, of a journey in the seventeenth century, -till he takes up some of the memoirs or romances of that day, and finds -a whole host of minor miseries recorded which render an expedition to -Mount Sinai at present but a joke in comparison. It is true that our -present system has its evils as well as its benefits, viewed by -different persons according to their different professional or habitual -tastes. The picturesque traveller will tell you that you lose one-half -of the scenery; the timid traveller, that you risk breaking your neck; -the police-officer, that thieves and swindlers get off much more easily -than they used to do; and members of Parliament, that their constituents -are a great deal too near at hand. But there are compensations for all -these little troubles and especially in the case of those of the -police-officer; for, if the thief or swindler has easy means of getting -away, there are--thanks to electric telegraphs--more easy means still of -catching him. - -All Edward's preparations were made: the calculation of what rents had -accumulated in the hands of good Dr. Winthorne was easy also, and to get -the amount in gold and silver was easier still, with Clement Tournon at -his right hand. But, as there seemed, upon inquiry, no probability -whatever of a ship sailing from Rochelle within a reasonable time, -Edward determined to run across the country to Calais, between which -port and England there always has been a desultory trade carried on, -even in time of war, down to the reign of the third George. - -"I shall see you soon again, Edward," said old Clement Tournon, as the -young gentleman descended the stairs to mount his horse. - -"I trust so," said Edward. "But I really cannot tell how soon I shall -return." - -"Nor I how soon I shall go over," said the old man, with a smile. "I -have business myself at Huntingdon; and if you are in that neighborhood -a month hence we shall meet there. You have told me all the places where -you intend to stop, and I have made a note of it,--so that I shall -easily find you wherever you are." - -Edward was surprised, but not so much, perhaps, as might be expected; -for, from vague hints which his good old host had let drop, he had -gathered that Clement Tournon, steadfast and perhaps a little bigoted in -the Protestant faith, had a strong inclination to make England his -future home. He had been there often; he loved the country and the -people, and still more the religion; and most of the ties between him -and Rochelle seemed to have been severed when the city lost its -independence. Often in Edward's hearing he had called England the land -of comfort and peace,--alas! it was not destined long to remain so,--and -even that very day he had remarked that the state of France, with its -constant broils, intrigues, and factions, might suit a young and -aspiring spirit, but was not fitted for declining years. - -He and his young friend parted with deep and mutual regret. It is seldom -that so much friendship ever exists between the old and the young; but -each might feel that he owed the other his life, not by any sudden act -which might be the result of a momentary impulse, but by calm, -determined, persevering kindness, which could not but have a deeper -source. - -This has been a very short chapter: but we may as well change the scene; -for our space, according to the law of Goths and Vandals, which altereth -not, is very short, alas! - - - - -CHAPTER XLV. - - -The days of _vis-a-vis_ lined with sky-blue velvet had not come, though, -as any one who is read in the pleasant Antoine Hamilton must know, one -generation was sufficient to produce them. But, had they been in -existence, there were no roads for them to travel upon; for we hear that -just about this time one of the presidents of the Parliament of Paris -lost his life by the great imprudence of travelling in a large heavy -coach over a French country-road. - -I was in great hope at this place to be enabled to introduce, for the -gratification of my readers, a solitary horseman. But I am disappointed; -for Edward Langdale, now that I have again to bring him on the scene, -had good Pierrot la Grange with him. And it would never do to have a -solitary horseman two. - -It was on a road, then, leading from London into the heart of the -country, that Lord Montagu's page--Lord Montagu's page no longer, for he -had formally resigned his attendance upon that nobleman--rode along, on -a cold, bright, wintry evening, with the renowned Pierrot la Grange, -whose face, by adherence to the total-abstinence system, though much -less brilliant in hue, had become much smoother, plumper, and fairer. -Both he and his master were well armed, as was the custom of the day, -and each was a likely man enough to repel any thing like attack on the -part of others; for be it remarked that Edward Langdale was very much -changed by the passage of twenty months over his head since first we -introduced him to the reader. He was broader, stronger, older, in -appearance; and, though of course there was nothing of the mould of age -about him, yet all the batterings and bruisings he had gone through had -certainly stamped manhood both on his face and form. He had a very -tolerable beard also,--at least as far as mustache and royal were -concerned,--trimmed in that shape which the pencil of Vandyke has -transmitted to us in his portraits of some of the most memorable -characters in modern history. It is probable that he had grown a little -also; for at his age men will grow, notwithstanding all the world will -do to keep them down. He was, in short, somewhat above the middle -height, though not a very tall man,--of that height which is more -serviceable in the field than in the ring. - -At the crossing of two roads, one of which ran into Cambridgeshire, -while the other took toward Huntingdon, was a small, low inn: I mean low -in structure, for it was by no means low in character. It was one of the -neatest inns I ever set my eyes on,--for it was standing in my day and -is probably standing still,--with its neat well-whitewashed front, its -carved doorway, its various gables, and its mullioned windows and the -lozenge-shaped panes set in primitive lead. To the right of the inn, as -you looked from the door upon the road, was a very neat farm-yard, half -full of golden straw, with a barn and innumerable chickens,--chanticleers -of all hues and colors, and dame partlets of every breed. Beyond the -barn, at the distance of fifty or sixty yards, ran a beautiful clear -stream, which crossed both the roads very nearly at their bifurcation, -and which, though so shallow as only to wash gently the fetlocks of the -passengers' horses, was, and must be still, renowned for its beautiful -trout, silvery, with gold and crimson spots and the flesh the color of a -blush-rose. On the other side of the stream, about a quarter of a mile -farther up, was a picturesque little mill, with a group of towering -Huntingdon poplars shading it on the east. - -Here Edward Langdale drew in his horse, although the sun was not fully -down. - -God knows what made him do so, for he had proposed to ride farther: but -there was an aspect of peace and rural beauty and contented happiness -about the whole place which might touch that latent poetry in his -disposition already alluded to. Or it might be that all the fierce -scenes of strife and turmoil and care and danger he had passed through -in the last twenty months had made his heart thirsty for a little calm -repose; and where could he find it so well as there? Expectation, -however, is always destined to be disappointed. This is the great moral -of the fable of life. The people of the house, who had much respect for -a man who came with an armed servant and whose saddle-bags were well -stuffed, gave him a clean, comfortable room looking over the court-yard -to the river, and served him his supper in the chamber underneath. - -It was night before he sat down; but, before the fine broiled trout had -disappeared, the sound of several horses' feet was heard from the road, -and then that of voices calling for hostlers and stable-boys. - -Edward had easily divined, from his first entrance into the house, that -this which he now occupied was the only comfortable public room in the -inn,--although there was another on the other side of the passage, where -neighboring farmers held their meetings and smoked their pipes. He -expected, therefore, that his calm little supper would be interrupted, -and was not at all surprised to see a gentleman of good mien, a little -below the middle age, followed by two or three attendants, enter the -parlor and throw himself into a chair. - -The stranger cast a hasty and careless glance around, and then gave some -directions to one of his followers in the French language. It was not -the sort of half French spoken a good deal in the court of England at -that time, but whole, absolute, perfect French, with French idioms and a -French tongue. - -As long as the conversation referred to nothing more than boots and -baggage and supper and good wine, Edward took no notice, but went on -with his meal, anxious to finish it as soon as possible. But soon after, -when the person the stranger had been speaking to had left the room, -that gentleman began a different sort of discourse with another of his -followers, and commented pretty freely, and with some wit, upon the -state of parties at the court of England. - -"Your pardon for interrupting you," said Edward at once. "My servant and -myself both understand French; and it would be neither civil nor honest -to overhear your conversation without giving you that warning." - -The other thanked him for his courtesy, adding, "You are a Frenchman, of -course?" - -"Not so," answered Edward. "I am an Englishman; but I have spent some -time in France." - -Next came a great number of those questions which nobody can put so -directly without any lack of politeness as a Frenchman:--how long he had -lived in France; whom he knew there; when he had left it. - -Edward answered all very vaguely, for he never had any great relaxation -of tongue; but the stranger caught at the admission that he had been -only a fortnight in England, exclaiming, "Then you must have been in -France when Rochelle surrendered." - -"I was," answered the young gentleman: "it is not quite three weeks -since I left that city." - -"Ha!" said the stranger, eyeing him from head to foot. "Will you favor -me, sir, by telling me the state of the place and the condition of its -inhabitants? It is a subject in which I take a great interest. Methinks -they surrendered somewhat promptly when succor was so near." - -"Not so, sir," replied Edward. "When men have nothing to eat,--when they -have seen their fathers, and their brothers, and their mothers, and -their sisters, die of famine in their streets,--when the very rats and -mice of a city are all consumed, and the wharves have been stripped of -mussels and limpets,--they must either die or surrender. There is no use -of dying; for death is the worst sort of capitulation, and the city -becomes the enemy's without even a parchment promise." - -"Ay; and was it really so bad?" said the other. - -"More than one-third of the inhabitants had died," said Edward; "another -third were dying; and the rest were so feeble that the walls might be -said to be manned by living corpses." - -"You excite my curiosity and my compassion," said the other. "May I ask -if you had any command in Rochelle?" - -"None," replied the young gentleman. "By accident I was in it for a day -during the siege, and saw how much they could endure. I was in it also -immediately after the siege, and saw how much they had endured. Though -Rochelle fell at last, her defence is one of the most glorious facts in -French history." - -The stranger looked down upon the ground and replied nothing for several -minutes; but his companion with whom he had been conversing familiarly -took up the conversation, and asked after several of the citizens of -Rochelle whom Edward was personally acquainted with or knew by name. The -solemn words, "He is dead", "She is dead", "All the family died by -famine", "He died of the pestilence", were of sad recurrence. "But -then", the stranger remarked, "we know that Guiton is alive; for he -signed the treaty." - -"He tried hard to die first," said Edward. "But nothing seemed to break -his iron frame, and the people became clamorous." - -"And what became of the good old syndic Tournon?" asked the first -stranger. - -"He is alive and well," answered Edward. - -"Ah! but he would have been dead and buried," exclaimed Pierrot, who -could refrain no longer, "if it had not been for you, sir." - -"Indeed?" said the stranger. "Let me inquire how that happened." - -"It matters not, sir," replied Edward, making a sign to Pierrot to hold -his tongue. "What the man says may be partly true, partly mistaken; but, -although I am willing to give any one interested general news, I must -decline referring to matters entirely personal when conversing with -strangers." - -"Well, then, let us talk of other subjects," said the first stranger. "I -cannot consent to part with a gentleman lately from my own land, so soon -as that movement of your plate seems to imply. Supper I shall take none; -for the news that has flowed in upon me for the last fortnight, has not -tended to strengthen my appetite. Wine, however,--the resource of the -sad and the sorry,--I must have. They tell me it is good here. Will you -allow me to try some of that which stands at your right hand?" - -Edward ordered Pierrot to bring some fresh glasses, and put the bottle -over to his self-invited guest. The stranger drank some, and, saying, -"It is very fair," immediately ordered more to be brought, while -Pierrot, bending over Edward's chair as if to remove the dish before -him, whispered in his ear, "It is the Prince de Soubise." - -With all his habitual self-command, Edward could not refrain from a -slight start. The color, too, mounted in his cheek with some feelings of -anger; but he was glad of the warning, and did not suffer what was -passing in his heart to appear. The conversation turned in a different -course from that which it had before assumed, Soubise referring no more -to the subject of Rochelle, though his companion, who seemed a friend of -inferior rank, often turned toward that topic. Whenever he did so, the -prince immediately asked some question as to Edward's knowledge of -France and its inhabitants; and the young gentleman, to say the truth, -took some pleasure, after the first effects of surprise were over, in -puzzling him by his answers. He had passed over so much of France that -his intimate acquaintance with the country excited Soubise's -astonishment; and from localities his questions turned to persons. "As -you have been in Lorraine," he said, "you have probably seen the -beautiful and witty Duchesse de Chevreuse." - -"I have the honor of knowing her well," replied Edward. - -"Do you know the Duc de Montbazon?" asked the prince. - -"Not in the least," replied Edward. - -"The Cardinal de Richelieu?" continued Soubise. - -"I have seen his Eminence frequently," said the young gentleman, "and -have had audiences of him; but, as to knowing the cardinal, that can be -said but by few, I imagine." - -Soubise smiled. "The duchess is more easily known," he answered; "but -the death of her lover Chalais must have affected her much,--poor thing! -Did you ever meet with him?" - -"Not exactly," replied Edward, with a slight shudder at the memory. "I -saw his head cut off, but did not know him personally." - -The reference caused a momentary pause in the conversation; and then -Soubise said, in an indifferent tone, "As you have been much in that -part of the country, you must have probably seen a Duc de Rohan." - -"I had the honor of meeting him once," replied Edward, fully on his -guard. - -"He is a relation of mine," said Soubise. - -Edward merely bowed his head, and the prince proceeded to ask if there -had been any news of him current when the young gentleman was in France. - -"The last I heard of him," said Edward, "was a rumor that, after -menacing the right of the king's army till a party had been sent out to -cut off his retreat, he had, by a skilful night-march through the woods -in the rear, effected his escape and fallen back upon Saintonge." - -Soubise seemed desirous of prolonging the conversation; but Edward soon -after retired to his chamber, resolved to be up by sunrise and pursue -his way. His determination was vain, however. Though he was on foot -early, Soubise was up before him; and they met at the door of the inn, -where their horses were already standing. A quiet bow on either part was -their only salutation; and, as there were two roads, Edward would -willingly have seen which the prince selected. As he did not mount, -however, the young gentleman followed the path he had previously -proposed to take,--namely, that toward Huntingdon,--and three or four -minutes after heard the more numerous party of Soubise coming up at good -speed. - -"Ah, young gentleman," said the prince, riding up to his side, "so we -are going the same way. Permit me to bear you company." - -Edward bowed his head somewhat coldly, for he did not desire the -companionship. He might have learned some policy in the varied life he -had led, and it certainly would have been politic in him to court the -good opinion of the man by his side; but, even had the nature of his -character permitted it, he believed it would be of no use. Generous and -frank, Soubise was known to be somewhat obstinate as well as hasty; and -Edward thought, "I would rather win her in spite of him than by his -aid." - -Their journey, therefore, did not promise to be very agreeable; and, -when the prince demanded which way his course ultimately lay, the young -gentleman replied, "I go toward Huntingdon, sir; but, if that is the -direction of your journey, I shall have to leave you before we reach the -town, for I have to turn off the highroad some miles on this side of -Buckden." - -"And so have I," said Soubise; "but we may as well make the way pleasant -by each other's society as long as our roads lie together. Do you know -this country as well as you know France?" - -"This part of the country," replied Edward; "for I was born and brought -up not many miles from where we are now riding." - -"Indeed!" said the prince. "I should have thought by your speech you had -passed the greater part of your life in my own land. Do you know what -that little river is just before us?" - -"It is the Ivil," answered Edward, "which runs into the Ouse lower -down." - -"The Ouse!" said Soubise. "I do not know much English, but that seems to -me an ugly name. If I recollect, Ouse means mud,--slime." - -"We are a plain-spoken people," answered the young man, "and usually -give things the name we think they deserve. The Ouse in many places is a -sluggish, muddy stream; and our good ancestors applied the name they -judged most appropriate." - -"'Tis as well they do," said Soubise, with a sigh. "We in France have a -different habit. Our more excitable imaginations take fire at a name, -and we are apt to decorate very plain things with fanciful appellations; -but this leads to frequent disappointment. Which is the happiest people -must depend upon whether it is best in a hard world to see things as -they are, or to see them as we would have them." - -"We are often forced to see them as they are," replied Edward; "and if -we always did so there would be no disappointments." - -"Nor much happiness," said Soubise. - -Thus conversing, they rode on. But we must pass lightly over the talk -with which they enlivened the way, merely observing that Lucette's -cousin rose not inconsiderably in Edward's opinion as they went. Nay, -more: his manners were so graceful, his thoughts so just, his -conversation so varied, that the young Englishman could not but feel -pleased with his company and inclined to like himself. Still, in the -true English spirit, he said, in his own heart, "Oh, yes, he is very -charming now he is in a good humor. The devil is so when he is pleased; -but methinks I could conjure forth the horns and hoofs if I were but to -tell him who I am." - -At length the scenes through which they passed became painfully familiar -to Edward's eye,--spots he had known well, cottages he had visited, -houses belonging to old friends of his family. The very trees and shrubs -and little water-courses seemed like old acquaintances calling back -times past and appealing to regret. He grew grave and cold. The chilly -feeling which had first fallen upon him not many years before, but which -had somewhat passed away during the last few months, returned, and many -memories, as ever, brought their long train of sorrows with them. - -Not far from Little Barford, a fine sloping lawn came down to the -road-side, separated from the highway merely by a thick, well-trimmed -hedge broken by some fine groups of trees; and, looking up, a large -square house with many windows, and a trim garden terraced and -ornamented with urns and statues, could be seen at the distance of a -quarter of a mile. There were several men in the grounds engaged in -various country-employments, and Edward said, within himself, "He is -taking care of the place, at all events." - -At the same moment Soubise observed, "That is a fine chateau! Do you -know to whom it belongs, and what it is called? It is so long since I -was in this part of England that I forget the places." - -"That is called Buckley Hall," replied Edward. "It belongs to Sir -Richard Langdale." - -"How is that?" said Soubise, suddenly, as if something surprised him. -But Edward did not answer, and the prince merely said, "Let us pull up -for an instant and look at it." - -It was torture to Edward to stay; but he paused for a moment, and then -said, "I fear I must go on, for I have still some distance to ride. My -road, too, lies here to the left." - -"Ay?" said Soubise; "so does mine. Let us go on." - -"Are you sure you are right?" asked Edward Langdale. "Huntingdon is -straight before you." - -"Oh, I am right," answered the prince: "I turn just beyond Buckley." - -Edward had nothing more to say; but he could not help beginning to think -that his adventure with the two blacksmiths seemed likely to come over -again. Somewhat quickening their pace, they rode on, and Edward made an -effort to cast off the melancholy mood which had fallen upon him, and -even the impression which the unsought society of a man who had spoken -of him in such insulting terms had produced at first, and the -conversation between him and Soubise became lively and cheerful. Mile -after mile passed; and at length, after proceeding for more than an hour -and a half, on a little bank by the side of the river appeared an old -church with its gray ivy-clad tower and groups of yews in the -churchyard. Beyond, at the distance of some two or three hundred yards, -was one of those fine antique houses, built of stone, which were erected -in the end of Elizabeth's reign and in the earlier part of that of the -most pompous and conceited of kings. Thick walls, small square windows, -little useless towers, and somewhat peaked roofs, spoke a good deal of -King James. But the lawn, as soft as velvet, the groups of shrubs, and -the garden, well trimmed and swept even in the winter-time, told a tale -of more modern taste. - -"I fear I shall have to quit you here, sir," said Edward, as they -approached the gate with its two massy stone pillars and large balls at -the top. "This is the end of my journey." - -"What is the name of this place?" asked Soubise. - -"Applethorpe," answered Edward,--"the residence of Dr. Winthorne." - -"Ha?" said Soubise; "then we shall not part so soon. This is the end of -my journey also." - -Edward could not refrain from turning round and gazing in his face with -a look of most profound surprise; but the prince made no further remark, -and, after pulling in their horses while one of the servants dismounted -and opened the gates they rode up to the large arched door of the -house. A heavy bell hanging outside soon brought forth an old domestic, -dressed in dark gray, who gazed earnestly first at Soubise and then at -Edward, both of whom had sprung to the ground while he was opening the -door. At first he evidently recognised neither; but a moment after the -light of honest satisfaction brightened his countenance, and, holding -forth his hand to Edward, he exclaimed, "Oh, Master Ned, how glad I am -to see you, and how glad the doctor will be! He has been looking for you -for months. But he is not at home now, and may not come back for an -hour. But come in; come in. Every thing is ready for you. Your old room -is just as you left it,--not a book moved, nor a gun, nor a fishing-rod: -only when I went in to-day to dust the things, I saw the ink had dried -up in the horn, and was going to put in fresh this very day." - -Edward shook the old man warmly by the hand; and, turning to the Prince -de Soubise, he said, "If I understood you right, sir, you came to visit -Dr. Winthorne. He is out, the servant says; but I have interest enough -in this house to invite you to enter till his return. He will be back in -an hour, and happy, I am sure, to entertain you. But, knowing my old -preceptor's habits well, allow me to hint that it will be necessary to -send your attendants into the village, as I shall send my servant; for, -being a clergyman, he objects to have in his house what he calls -'swash-buckler serving-men;' and his rule apply to all, however high the -quality of his guests." - -Soubise smiled; and, ushering him into the library, Edward proceeded, -amidst the somewhat garrulous joy of the old footman, to direct Pierrot -to take the other men down to the village inn, to tell the host there to -attend on them well, "for Master Ned's sake," and then to return as soon -as might be with his saddle-bags. - -The prince merely ordered his baggage to be brought up, directing his -men to take care of themselves, and seeming fully satisfied that he -would be a welcome guest. He took some books from the shelves of the -library, examined them cursorily, and put them back, saying, "The good -doctor seems to have improved much in worldly matters. He has attained, -apparently, the state he always desired,--competency, and enough to -have a good library. Can any one imagine a man more happy?" - -"Perhaps not," said Edward, gravely. "I believe circumscribed desires -and moderate fortunes attain the height of human felicity." - -"Not so," said Soubise. "I believe every human life must be looked at as -an aggregate; and skilful would be the calculator who could reduce to an -exact sum how much joy and how much sorrow are required to equivale a -given portion of calm and unimpassioned existence. All these things are -as the individual views them. We have nothing in this life by which to -measure the real value of any object but our own tastes. You may like a -pearl better than a diamond; I may esteem the flashing lustre of the one -more than the calm serenity of the other. That man is only happy who -obtains what he really desires. But here come our men, I see, with the -baggage." - - - - -CHAPTER XLVI. - - -The Prince de Soubise stood at the window of the library of Applethorpe -alone; for Edward had made an excuse to leave him, not thinking himself -bound to play the host in a house which was not his, nor to act as the -entertainer of a man whom he had some good cause, as he thought, to -dislike. Soubise was then past forty, however, and he did not--as indeed -who does in middle life?--look upon trifles with the serious view which -one takes of them in earlier years. "Hasty and quick in quarrel" applies -to small as well as great things; and Heaven knows how much patience we -acquire each day by the mere habit of endurance. He received the young -man's apology in good part, then; and, while Edward Langdale went to -speak to every old servant and then to change his travel-stained dress, -he stood, as I have said, at the window and gazed forth upon a scene to -be viewed in no other country under the sky,--a home scene of English -life. It is probably of no age, of no time; for it is an impress of the -mind and character of the people. But I must not dwell upon it. The -chapter of descriptions has gone by. Soubise gazed out, compared that -which was before his eyes with that on which they might have rested in -his own country, admired what he saw, and perhaps, in the desponding -mood which certainly then affected him, felt sorry that France had not -so calm, so peaceful, and so happy a look as an English country-village. - -After he had continued gazing for some ten minutes, upon the road before -him appeared an elderly man upon a fine stout horse, with clerical hat -and cassock turned up, and a servant following him on a still better -beast. They both rode fast; and, though the first sat his steed somewhat -after the fashion of a sack of wheat, it was clear that the saddle was -quite familiar to him, and the slouching shoulders and negligent air -were more the consequences of perfect ease and habit than of -awkwardness. The servant pulled back the gate: his master dashed -through, and in a moment after Dr. Winthorne was at the door. - -The old footman ran forth to give him entrance, and a few words passed, -of which Soubise only heard the words, "Ned come back? Tell the dear -fellow to come down. A stranger? Well, we must see strangers." And the -door of the library opened. - -Dr. Winthorne gazed at Soubise, and the prince at him, without any sign -of recognition as they approached each other. But suddenly the reverend -gentleman stopped, exclaiming, "God bless me! Monsieur Soubise! On my -life, sir, I am glad to see you. When did you come over? How fares it -with you? You are older by a good deal, but you look well. I am -right?--surely the Prince de Soubise?" - -"The same, my good old friend," said the prince. "I am not surprised you -doubt, for I feel I am much changed. It is ten long years since we met, -and with me they have been stormy years." - -"So I have heard," said the good doctor, "though news travels but slowly -in our poor country. But I have watched your noble struggles as closely -as I could; and I have felt great interest in them all, though -you--every one of you--made great mistakes. And now Rochelle is lost. -God help us! It is a sad case; but she could hold out no longer; and -that Mayor Guiton is a noble man." - -"He is indeed," said Soubise; "and his character has risen in my opinion -by what has been told me by a young gentleman who came hither with -me----" - -"Odds-my-life!" cried the old doctor, "my boy Ned!--Ned Langdale! I must -go, prince,--I must go and hug him. Sir, he is as fine a youth as ever -lived, and ought to be a great man. God send he may escape it! But I -have not seen him yet. Excuse me: I will be back in a minute. Make -yourself at home; make yourself at home. All shall be prepared for you -before you can say Amen." - -With this somewhat unconnected speech, Dr. Winthorne left the room, and -in a few minutes returned with Edward Langdale, who allowed himself to -be introduced to the prince with cold ceremony. "He says," observed Dr. -Winthorne, "that somehow you have not treated him well. But we will talk -of that after supper. Every thing should be explained between all -people; but no explanation should take place fasting. The humors are -then in a bad condition; and, as there is no chance in my house of -people heating them by potations, we will just calmly regulate them by -wholesome food and moderate drink, and then have a clear understanding." - -"I am perfectly unconscious----" said the prince; but the doctor cut him -short, exclaiming, "After supper, after supper, my lord! Your apartments -are quite ready. Let me conduct you." - -The old clergyman and the Protestant prince retired from the room, and -Dr. Winthorne was nearly half an hour absent. When he returned, however, -he shook Edward once more warmly by the hand, saying, "Why, Ned, my boy, -you are grown quite a man. Heaven show us mercy! you have a beard an ell -long. But now tell me all that has happened to you. As to this man -up-stairs, he is a good man, a very good man,--hasty, but noble and -generous, steady in his friend-ships, true to his cause. There is some -mistake between you and him. He says your brother Richard wrote to him, -or visited him, or something, and he might have treated him with some -indignity; but he never saw or heard of you in his life till last night, -when he met you at an inn." - -Edward smiled, saying, "He must have a short memory." - -"Well, well," said Dr. Winthorne, "we will have it all after supper. Now -tell me every thing you have done and seen and suffered; for I doubt not -you have suffered too, my poor boy. We shall have plenty of time if this -prince takes as long to bedizen himself as he used to do. He was a -mighty fop in other years; but he has a more soldier-like look now. -Well, Ned, give me the whole story." - -Edward Langdale willingly enough related succinctly what had befallen -him since he parted from the good doctor nearly two years before. There -was a good deal, indeed, he did not tell, for he knew that the -explanations required would be too long for the limited space before -him. Indeed, before even the abbreviated narrative was brought to a -close, the Prince de Soubise joined them, and they retired into another -chamber to supper. - -The meal passed over in great cheerfulness; the wine was good, and of -that quality which parsons loved in those days, but all partook -moderately; and as soon as the servants had withdrawn--for supper at -that period of the world's history was served with very nearly the same -forms as dinner in the present times--Soubise bowed his head to Edward -Langdale, saying, in not very good English, "There must be some mistake -between us, sir. I should like to have it set right, for your father was -one of my dearest friends. We travelled long together with this worthy -minister; and I wish much to remove any thing like coldness between -myself and his son." - -"I really do not know, Monsieur de Soubise," replied Edward, in French, -"what mistake there can be. But may I ask if in June of last year you -did not write a letter to your brother the Duc de Rohan, in which you -styled me an insolent varlet? The duke sent me the letter, and my eyes, -I think, cannot have deceived me." - -"No, no!" cried Soubise. "Stay; let me remember. I applied that term," -he continued, more slowly, "to Sir Richard Langdale, your father's -eldest son, who, as I have been told and as I have still reason to -believe, had robbed you of your property,--of your mother's as well as -your father's inheritance. To the latter he might have some claim: even -that is doubtful. To the former he had none." - -"Unfortunately, by the laws of this country he had," said Edward. "But -all this is past and over, and----" - -"Stay, stay," said Soubise, interrupting him. "It is not all over yet: -it is the very cause of my coming here. I was a witness, sir, to the -marriage-contract--or settlement, as you call it here, I -believe--between your father and your mother, by which it was agreed -that all the property she possessed, not only at the time, but which -might descend to her from her uncle, should belong to her and descend to -her children. In his last letter, when he thought himself dying, good -old Clement Tournon informed me that this very property had been taken -from you by him whom I may well call your base-born brother. Having done -all that I had to do, and been disappointed in all,--having seen the -noble Buckingham die at my feet, and borne the loss of Rochelle,--my -first business was to come on here to see right done if it could be -done." - -"There, Edward! there!" said Dr. Winthorne. "I told you he was noble and -true." - -"I doubted it not, my dear friend," replied Edward. "But still the words -his Highness used were somewhat galling." - -"They never were applied to you, upon my honor," said the prince. "As -far as I recollect now,--for it was a time of great hurry and -confusion,--I had heard that Richard Langdale, whose whole history I -knew as well as my daily service, was at the court of France soliciting -some place from his Majesty. My brother wrote to me, mentioning only -Monsieur de Langdale. Probably it was to you he referred. Probably he -was deceived as well as myself, although he did not know so much of the -circumstances as I did. My cousin left his child with his dying breath -to my charge, enjoining me strictly to have her educated in the -Protestant faith, and never to suffer her to fall into the hands----" - -"What!" exclaimed Dr. Winthorne, interrupting him,--"dear little -Lucette? How is the sweet child? where is she? Oh that I could see her -again for an hour! for she was an angel. Do you remember, Edward, that -you once had a little sister, and that when you were ill of fever she -disappeared?" - -"Was that Lucette?" exclaimed Edward. "Remember her, my dear sir? Oh, -yes! But how can that be? her death killed my mother, I think. Lucette -my sister!" And he gazed down upon the table with a bewildered mind and -a chilly, painful feeling at the heart, such as he never had experienced -in life before. "I cannot comprehend," he added. "Lucette my sister! My -sister not dead!" - -"No, no," said Dr. Winthorne. "Tell him all, my lord the prince. Lucette -is not your sister: she merely passed as such. Your father and your -mother took her in very early years to hide her from her Roman Catholic -relations in France, out of love and friendship for this noble -gentleman. Those relations were powerful here as well as in the -neighboring country; and at length they discovered where she was, but -Monsieur de Soubise came over and removed her, first to the town of -Brixham, where she remained some years, and thence to France. I had some -share in all this, too. But you are mistaken, my son, about your -mother's death. She grieved to lose her little pet, and wept often and -bitterly at her loss; but the origin of her illness was a terrible fire -which consumed your father's house when you were very young. Then, -exposure and injuries received before she could escape sowed the seeds -of that sad malady which, in this land of ours, like Death's gardener, -culls the sweetest and most beautiful flowers to decorate the grave." - -"Then she is not my sister?" exclaimed Edward. "She is not dead! Thank -God for that!" - -It might be difficult for those who heard it to know which he thanked -God for most; and the exclamation produced a slight smile upon the -countenance of Dr. Winthorne. - -"Methinks, prince," he said, "this young man must have met Lucette -since. You dog, you told me nothing of that." - -But the Prince de Soubise was very grave. "Let us not talk of that part -of the subject to-night," he said. "I fear there are painful -conclusions before us. But, Mr. Langdale, my friendship for your father -and my deep gratitude to your saintly mother make me most anxious to see -you reinstated in her fine property. Let us consult what can be done. I -am here ready to swear I signed the deed as witness with my own hand." - -"That will not be sufficient," said Dr. Winthorne, with somewhat of a -smile on his countenance. "In this land we shall require the deed -itself. But let us ride over to-morrow to Buckley and see our old friend -Sykes, the hunch-backed attorney; for I cannot help thinking that he -knows something more than he will tell me. For the last six months he -has been keeping up the place at his own expense; for I dare say you -have heard, Edward, that no one has known any thing of Sir Richard for -more than twelve months. He draws no rents, sends over no orders. His -lawyer here has written and sent to Turin, but no intelligence whatever -can be procured; and many people think that he is dead." - -"It is very strange," said the Prince de Soubise. "But I have no belief -in the report of his death. Most likely he is wandering somewhere, and -does not wish the place of his abode to be known. He was always very -eccentric." - -"Then you know him, my lord?" said Edward, who had not lately mingled in -the conversation; for some words which had fallen from Soubise had -saddened him. - -"I have not seen him for many years," replied the prince; "but even then -he was as strange a boy as I ever saw. There was insanity in the family -of his mother, and some people thought that the child would grow up an -idiot. It was not so, however. Though he was very strange, this -strangeness never reached to madness. Fits of moody gloom would come -upon him, and he often would not speak a word for hours. If he did, it -would be with a bitter and supercilious tone, very extraordinary in a -mere child. Then, again, at times he would fly into the most violent -fits of passion, and then sink into melancholy. The way I learned all -this is easily explained. At your father's request I took some charge of -him after his mother's death in the convent; but his behavior became so -bad that I had to relinquish the trust." - -"You applied to him, a short time since," said Edward, "a somewhat hard -and unpleasant expression. You said that you might almost call him -base-born. Is it too much to ask that you would give me some information -on that point?" - -"I know not well how to explain," replied Soubise, looking down -thoughtfully. - -"His mother was a very light Italian woman, of a low, bad race. Your -father married her, beyond doubt, before this child was born; but it was -only just before, and that with half a dozen stilettos at his throat; -for they caught him alone with her and forced the marriage. Almost as -soon as it was over, he separated from her and she went into a -convent,--her relations spreading absurd stories that they had caused -the separation because your father was a Protestant. This gained them -some favor at the court of Rome, and one of them obtained advancement in -the Church, where, after leading a very dissolute life, he was struck -with remorse and retired into the most austere seclusion. This is nearly -all I know of the matter; but it was this knowledge of the young man's -birth, character, and connections which made me use the term 'insolent -varlet' which gave you so much offence. I pledge you my honor, however, -it was not intended for you; and I should not have applied it, probably, -to him, had I not been in haste and irritated at the moment." - -"Then I hope, my good lord," replied Edward, "that, as the expression -was not applied to me, I may look upon all the sentiments and -resolutions contained in that letter as unsaid also?" - -"Do not press me to-night," said Soubise, very gravely. "I am afraid if -I speak now my reply will pain you. The house of Rohan is a proud house, -and I have much to think of. Give me a few days for reflection, and I -will meet you fairly. But in the mean time let us be friends. Your -father was the companion of my youth and my most intimate associate; -your mother, now a saint in heaven, was an angel upon earth; and I would -fain have their son's regard." - -As he spoke, he held out his hand to the young man, who took it -respectfully; and shortly after the prince retired to rest. - - - - -CHAPTER XLVII. - - -Though those were days of splendid cavalcades, and the neighborhood of -the royal palace of Royston had rendered them not infrequent some years -before in that part of Huntingdonshire, it was not often that such a -party presented itself in the small village of Buckley as that which was -seen on the day after Edward's arrival. First, there was Dr. Winthorne, -on his tall, stout, Roman-nosed horse, forming the centre of the group; -then, on his left, Edward Langdale, riding a wicked, fiery devil, which -screamed and bit at the approach of any other animal, but which he -managed with grace and ease. Then there was the Prince de Soubise on the -doctor's right, mounted on a powerful Norman charger and looking very -much the soldier and the prince. Behind them were three servants, all -well mounted and armed; and the whole formed a group which attracted the -attention of the villagers and made even the blacksmith suspend the -blows of his sledge-hammer to look at the fine horses he longed to shoe. - -There was a little, old, dusty house on the right-hand side of the road -as you came from Applethorpe toward the king's highway to Huntingdon, -with the gables turned toward the street, a wooden porch carved in -curious shapes, and some five or six descending steps. On one of the -pillars of the porch was hung a curious sort of shield painted with -various colors,--a quaint emblem of the holy Roman empire; and -underneath was written, with no great regard to symmetry either in the -size or shape of the letters, the words "Martin Sykes, Notary Public, -Attorney-at-Law, Solicitor in his most gracious Majesty's Court of -Chancery, &c. &c. &c.,"--which etceteras were explained and commented -upon by a long inscription on the other pillar. - -Before that little porch Dr. Winthorne pulled in his rein and floundered -off his horse, and Soubise and Edward Langdale followed. In the first -room on the left hand they found three or four clerks; and at a -separate desk, which he could not have overtopped without assistance, -was seated a little old man with very keen features and a back and chest -which assumed a menacing posture in regard to the head. - -"Ah, doctor," he said, slipping off the high stool which raised him up -to the desk, "what brings you so early to Buckley? Odds-my-life! Why, I -can hardly believe my eyes! Master Ned grown into a bearded man of war! -My dear boy, how are you? Oh, how I have missed you!--missed the trout -in the month of May,--missed the partridges in September,--missed the -snipes and the woodcocks in the cold weather, when I have my annual -abscess in the lungs,--missed thy handsome face at all those times when -a kind word in a youthful voice cheers an old man like me!" - -Edward shook him warmly by the hand, and asked after all his ailments -kindly, but speedily turned to their companion, saying, "Mr. Sykes, this -is the Prince de Soubise, an old friend of both my parents." - -"I remember him well," said Mr. Sykes. "That is to say, I do not -remember him at all. I mean, in person I do not remember him, for he -might as well be Goliath of Gath as Prince de Soubise, so far as any -identification on my part could go; but I remember quite well a young -gentleman of that name, in purfled silk philimot velvet laced with gold, -slashed velvet breeches, and a sword as long as a barbecuing-spit by his -side, being present at your father's wedding and witnessing the -marriage-contract." - -"He has got me exactly," said Monsieur de Soubise. "I have had, Mr. -Notary, to take to lighter but more serviceable weapons since; but, if -my person is so much changed that you cannot remember me, there are -plenty of witnesses here to swear to whom I am; and I expect in a few -days my good friend Monsieur Clement Tournon, syndic of the goldsmiths -of Rochelle, who made and brought over a set of jewels for my friend's -bride, and who saw me witness the contract with his own eyes. He -remembers the whole deed, he says; for it was read over to us before the -signature." - -"He will be an important witness, sir," said Martin Sykes; "and your -Highness will be more so. It is all coming right, as I thought it -would," he continued, turning to Dr. Winthorne and rubbing his thin, -bony hands. "Somewhat long we have been about it; but step by step we -are making way. Every thing takes time, doctor,--even a sermon, as the -poor people here know well. The great difference between a lawsuit and a -sermon is, that during the first the people sleep often and sleep badly, -and during the second they sleep once and they sleep well. Now, Master -Ned, I calculate that we shall get to the end of this suit and have a -decree in our favor--let me see: you are about twenty, are not you?--in -about forty-nine years and seven months." He paused a single instant, -and rubbed his hands, and then added, with a smile slightly triumphant, -"That is to say, if we cannot get the original settlement. But I think -we shall get it, Ned, my boy. I think I can guess where it is. It is -most likely badly damaged; but just give me sufficient of it left to -show some of the signatures and the date, and then come in these -gentlemen as witnesses to prove what it originally contained. Oh, we -will make a fine little case of it! But parties: we want -parties,--somebody to fight us,--Master Ned." - -"But if the fight is to last so long as you have said, my dear friend," -remarked Edward Langdale, "and I am only to succeed when I am sixty-nine -years and seven months old, I think I had better not begin the battle." - -"Ay, but you forget the if," said Martin Sykes, with a laugh. "An _if_ -makes every thing in law. It is as potent as 'any thing hereinbefore -contained to the contrary notwithstanding,' or 'always provided -nevertheless,' or any other of those sweet phrases with which we double -up the sense of our documents or give a sweet and polite contradiction -to what we have just been saying the moment before. As to the battle, my -dear young friend, it has begun already. Acting on your behalf, as your -next friend, I have managed to get possession of Buckley, have served -Sir Richard's lawyer and agent with all sorts of processes,--some -sixteen or seventeen, I think,--ejectments, quo warrantos, rules nisi, -and others; and the poor fool, who is nothing at all unless he has a -Londoner at his back, has let me have very nearly my own way, having no -orders, not knowing where to get any, and standing like a goose under -the first drops of a thunder-shower, with his eyes staring and his mouth -half open." - -"But where is the contract?" asked Monsieur de Soubise, in French. "If I -understood him aright, he said he knew where it was." - -Edward interpreted, feeling very sure that good Mr. Sykes was not very -abundantly provided with French; but the little lawyer shook his head, -saying, "No, no; I did not profess to know absolutely where it is; but -there is one not very far from here who I think does know. I think he -does,--I am sure he does. He tells me a box of valuable papers were lost -at the great fire; and he shakes his head, and looks wise, and talks of -its being 'made worth his while.' He is the most avaricious old devil in -the world. It is a curious thing, Ned, all sextons are avaricious. They -deal so much with dust and ashes that they learn to like the only sort -of dross which does not decay when you bury it. He is a very old man -now, and could not enjoy for more than a few months any thing he had, -were it millions." - -"What! you are not speaking of the old sexton at Langley, are you?" -asked Edward,--"the man with the lame hip? He used to say he got that -injury at the fire; and my father gave him many a guinea for it. I used -to give him shillings and sixpences, too, to make him tell me all about -the fire, till one day I caught him taking away a groat I had given to a -poor child, and then I knocked him over the shoulder with my -fishing-rod. He has never liked me after, but hobbles away into his -cottage whenever he sees me, and shuts the door tight." - -What there was in this little anecdote which peculiarly struck good Mr. -Sykes I cannot tell, but he fell into a fit of thought, still -standing,--for there were no chairs in the room, except one, which had -lost a leg, (in what action I do not know,) and the high stools on which -the clerks were sitting, if they could be called chairs. He kept a -finger of his right hand resting on the side of his nose, however, for -two or three minutes; and then, suddenly rousing himself, he said, "Let -us go into the house. We can sit down there and talk. This is a poor -place for such company. It does well enough for roystering farmers' sons -who have been breaking each others' heads, or for a deputy -tax-collector, or for gossiping women who have been slandering and being -slandered. I don't want them to sit down at all; and that is the reason -I have only one chair with a broken leg, to which I always hand old -Mistress Skillet, the doctor's widow, who abuses every young girl in the -place who has got a pretty face and wears a pink ribbon. Then down she -comes, and declares she has broken her hip-bone, and walks away in great -indignation, never coming back until she has another peck of lies upon -her stomach. I must not do it any more, for she has grown as large as an -elephant; and the last time she tumbled she had nearly shaken the office -down. Besides, it cost me two ounces of peppermint to bring all those -boys there out of their convulsions. But come, gentlemen, let us go." - -Thus saying, he led the way through a little door at the back of the -office, across a small passage, into an exceedingly neat old fashioned -parlor, where, having seated his guests, he rushed at a corner cupboard -and brought forth some tall-stalked cut and gilded wineglasses, and a -square-sided bottle, likewise cut and gilded, from which he pressed his -visitors to help themselves. Monsieur de Soubise remarked it was too -early to drink wine; but the old man pressed them, saying, "It is not -wine at all. It is fine old Dutch cinnamon." And, each having taken a -little, good Mr. Sykes leaned his arms upon the table, remarking, "Now, -this looks really like the commencement of a conspiracy; and a -conspiracy we must have. I have settled it all. We must go over to the -old place,--that is, old Langley Court, prince. I will enact my own -character. The doctor here is too reverent to undergo transformation. -You, my noble sir, must be a French nobleman about to buy Langley Court, -and Buckley too,--in fact, half the estates in the neighborhood. Edward -here must be your cornet of horse. There will be no need to mention his -name; but the old wretch, who is as sharp as Satan, will most likely -know him. He is aware, however, that Master Ned has been over in the -wars in France: so the story will go down." - -"It seems to me, my good friend Sykes," said Dr. Winthorne, "that you -are going to tell a vast quantity of lies. Mark you, now: I will have -nothing to do with them. I don't even know that I ought to stand by and -hear them." - -"You shall not hear a lie come out of my mouth," said Sykes, laughing. -"My lord the prince, I dare say you are willing enough to buy Langley -Court and the estate, if I will sell it to you for a gold crown,--what -you call in France an _ecu d'or_?" - -"Oh, very willingly," answered Soubise: "this cinnamon is worth an _ecu -d'or_." And he helped himself to some more. - -"Well, then, I will sell you the whole estate for that sum,--if ever I -can prove my title to it," said Sykes. "It is a bargain. Now, Dr. -Winthorne, do not you by any scruples spoil your young friend's only -chance, if you would not have us take you for a cropped-eared Puritan -instead of a good old sound Church-of-England man." - -"Well, then, don't you lie too much, Mr. Attorney. I will swallow as -much as I can; but keep within bounds, or you may chance to find me -break out." - -"All you have to do is to hold your tongue. I will do all the speaking," -replied Sykes. "The prince here may talk as much French as ever he -likes, and Master Ned may answer him in the same tongue. I will answer -for it that neither old Grimes the sexton nor Martin Sykes the lawyer -will be a bit the wiser for it." - -"But when is this to be done?" asked Dr. Winthorne. "We have ridden ten -miles already to-day." - -"Well," said Mr. Sykes, "if we go over by the Barford road, that is but -ten miles; and then we can go to Applethorpe, where you intend to give -me a bed: that is but nine miles more. You would not mind going thirty -miles any day for a fox-hunt." - -"I never go fox-hunting," grumbled Dr. Winthorne. - -"No, but you used once," said Mr. Sykes. And, bearing down all -opposition, being strongly supported, it must be owned, by Edward and -the Prince de Soubise, Mr. Sykes carried his point, ordered his own -easy-going cob to be brought round, and had a bag fixed to the saddle -with such little articles of dress as he wanted. - -When the four gentlemen issued forth into the street to proceed upon -their way, a certain rosyness of Pierrot's nose, which, together with -some dewy drops in his eye, gave his face somewhat the aspect of a -morning landscape, induced Edward to believe that he had been engaged in -the pious employment of breaking a good resolution. But Pierrot declared -manfully that he had only been following his young master's orders with -his French companion. "You told me to treat them hospitably, sir," he -said; "and how can I treat them hospitably without drinking with them?" -Edward gave him a caution to keep himself sober at all events, and on -they went some nine miles upon their way at a brisk pace. - -"Now," said Sykes, as they approached the old park-wall, which had -fallen down in several places, "we won't go nearer the old rascal. We -must be perfectly indifferent." - -"I recollect this park well," said the Prince de Soubise. "What a -splendid place it was before the fire!" - -"Hush! hush!" cried Sykes. "That is English." And, riding on, he pulled -up his horse at a spot where some cottages were built between the road -and the river, just fronting the old iron gates of what was called the -grass court, beyond which, some two hundred yards off, appeared the -blackened ruins of Langley. - -The walls were all down,--at least, those of the main building; for not -only had the fire overthrown them, but the pick and shovel had been busy -for several weeks after the catastrophe, turning over the principal -ruins in search of plate and other articles of value which had not been -carried out during the fire. - -There the gentlemen dismounted. The servants tied the horses to the iron -gates, and the whole party entered the grass court and looked around. At -that moment an old wizened face appeared at one of the small lozenges of -a cottage-window, and the next a chink of the door was opened and the -same face gazed out. In the mean time Mr. Sykes, with his riding-whip in -his hand, was pointing out to Soubise all the wonders of the place, -telling him where the great hall used to stand, where the guest-chambers -were, and where were the private apartments of the Lady of Langley. -Never before in his life was he so eloquent. While he went on, an old -man of perhaps eighty hobbled across the road and came close up to the -side of Dr. Winthorne. Just at that moment Mr. Sykes pointed with his -whip to a tower a little detached from the main building, and apparently -of more ancient architecture, saying, "That was the wine and ale cellar; -and I have heard people say that during the fire the casks burst with an -explosion like so many cannon." - -"That is not true," said the old man, who had just come up; "for there -had not been a thing or a body in that tower for thirty years before. -Why, the stairs were half worn away; and Sir Richard would have pulled -it down if it had not been for my lady, who liked the look of it." - -"Ah, is that you, old Grimes?" said Mr. Sykes. "Why, you look younger -than ever." - -"I shall live to bury you yet," said the old sexton. "Don't make me wait -long, for I am tired enough of life, I am sure. Who is that you have got -with you, Sykes?" - -"This is a French nobleman, the Prince de Soubise," replied the -attorney. "As he cannot live in his own country, on account of the -troubles, he has come over to England. We have been talking about his -buying this place. Indeed, it is almost a bargain. He will have all -these ruins cleared away," he continued, in a confidential tone, and -somewhat dropping his voice, to prevent Dr. Winthorne from hearing too -much. - -The old sexton's face had turned a little pale; but the next instant he -said, a little gruffly, "You can't sell him the place, Sykes." - -"No; but Sir Richard can," replied the lawyer. - -The old man grunted forth something which nobody heard distinctly, but -which had some reference to "Sir Richard," and to "not paying a -pension," and "giving no orders." - -Sykes kept his eye fixed upon him steadily, and thought he saw an -uneasy look come upon the old man's face, which was turned at that -moment toward the ruined tower; and, looking round, the attorney saw -that the servants, having left the horses at the gate, were sporting -about the court-yard, and that Pierrot had mounted upon a pile of stones -which had fallen from the tall wall above. - -"What were you saying, Grimes?" asked Mr. Sykes. "That Sir Richard had -not paid your pension? That is strange. The agent has plenty of money in -his hands, for he has got all the rents of Langley, and Sir Richard has -not drawn a farthing." - -"Ay, but he says he has no orders," said Grimes, with a hasty and uneasy -manner. "But what I am saying now is, that man will break his neck if he -goes up there: I tell you he will. I put my hip out once doing just the -same thing." - -"Ha!" exclaimed Sykes: "I thought that was at the fire, Grimes. But what -you say is very true. He will break his neck. Call him down, sir,--call -him down: he is your servant." - -The last words were addressed to Edward, who instantly called to Pierrot -to come down,--which the good man unwillingly did; for he had imbibed -just a sufficient quantity of liquor to make him full of sport without -shaking his nerves. - -Now, it is to be hoped that the reader read and pondered well the -description given of that old tower in the seventh chapter of this -eventful history; but, as there are some readers, and a great number of -them, who will skip certain passages which they in their -superciliousness think of little importance, I may as well recall the -words of Edward Langdale while he was narrating the scenes of his early -life to Clement Tournon and Lucette. "The whole of the house was -burned," he said, on that occasion; "and the greater part of the walls -fell in, with the exception of those of the ivy-tower, which were very -ancient, and much thicker than the rest. Even there the wood-work was -all consumed, and the staircase fell, except where a few of the stone -steps, about half-way up, clung to the masonry." - -Since Edward had seen the place or marked it with any particular -attention, some changes had come over that tower, though they were not -very apparent. We shall be compelled to notice them more in a moment or -two. Suffice it for the present to say that those stone steps which -Edward had mentioned were still sticking out about half-way up the -tower, and that, somehow or another, Pierrot had contrived nearly to -reach them. - -However, Mr. Sykes took no notice of the careful forethought of an old -sexton for a foreign servant's life, though he thought his benevolence -strange, but went on round the old building, the piles of rubbish, and -the blackberry-bushes which encumbered them, speaking a word or two -every now and then to Dr. Winthorne, and keeping Mr. Grimes in pretty -constant conversation. There is a game which young people play at, -called, I think, "Hide-and-Seek;" and Mr. Sykes was determined to have a -game with the old sexton. The seeker, when he approaches the object of -his search, is told that he is hot; when he goes far from it, that he is -cold. Now, in the neighborhood of most parts of the old building -Grimes's face said, as plainly as possible, "Cold; cold as ice;" but -when Mr. Sykes brought him near to the old ivy-tower again there was a -tremulous motion of the hanging under lip, an anxious twinkle of the -eye, and a fidgety motion of the hands, which said, as plainly as -possible, "Warm; warm; very hot." This was the more apparent when the -party came in face of that part of the tower where about a third of the -wall, rent from top to bottom by the great heat, had fallen and strewn -the ground with ruins. Mr. Sykes did not look up at the tower at all. -His eyes were fixed upon the face of Mr. Grimes, and he was reading it -as a book. Dr. Winthorne was reading it too. Edward Langdale and the -Prince de Soubise were talking together in French; but their eyes were -about them all the time. - -Suddenly Edward exclaimed, in English, "Why, Pierrot could have gone up -very easily. There is a stone taken out of the wall every two or three -feet, and between them somebody has made steps by jamming in large -blocks of wood with smaller stones. Besides, the tough old stems of ivy -would take any one up who has hands to hold by. Pierrot! Pierrot!" - -"No, no!" cried Dr. Winthorne: "send for a ladder from the church. My -man shall go." - -"Doctor, doctor," said Mr. Grimes, with a face as pale as death, "I want -to speak to your Reverence." - -"Well, speak out!" cried the bluff parson; but the old man drew him a -little aside, and said, "If they will give me a hundred pounds sterling -I will tell them something." - -"Not a penny, you old sinner," said Dr. Winthorne. "Go down for the -ladder to the church, William: get some men and bring it up, and be -quick." - -"Oh, doctor, I am an old man, and have suffered very much for the last -fifteen years----" - -"What is that he is saying? what is that he is saying?" said Sykes. "I -have a notion you are very like the boy who went up the apple-tree to -steal his neighbor's fruit: the branch broke, and he cracked his leg, -and ever after he used to say that it had pleased God to afflict him." - -At that moment a loud shout was heard from the tower above; and Pierrot, -who had run up like a squirrel, put out his head, shouting, "A pie's -nest! a pie's nest! Here are all manner of things!" - -"Well, stay there and guard them," cried Dr. Winthorne. - -"They are all mine!" cried the old man Grimes, wringing his hands, and -speaking with the air and tone of a disappointed demon. "Well, I will -not speak a word. I have done nothing. What business have you to take my -things? I shall go home. If there is law in England, I will have it." -And he was turning away toward the gates, when Mr. Sykes took him by the -arm, saying, "John Grimes, I apprehend you for robbery on the night of -the fire at Langley. Master Ned, tell that servant not to let him -depart. I will be responsible: I know my man, and have had my eye upon -him for many years. The old fool could not keep his tongue from -babbling, and boasted what he could do if he liked." - -A few minutes passed in almost perfect silence, till the church-ladder -was brought and reared against the tower, and then all the younger men -ran up. Dr. Winthorne and Mr. Sykes kept guard over the prisoner, having -no great confidence in their own agility, not being much accustomed to -mount ladders; and, for a moment or two, Mr. Grimes, now evidently -panic-struck, continued to whisper eagerly to Dr. Winthorne, while Mr. -Sykes's eyes were turned with impatience toward the tower. - -"I can promise you nothing," answered the clergyman, bluffly. "It is no -great matter to them what you confess or what you don't; but perhaps, if -you do tell the whole truth, Ned Langdale, in consideration of your -great age, may spare you. It is a horrible thing to see a man hanged at -eighty." - -At that moment the servants began to come down, bringing between them a -chest of no very great size but bound with brass and somewhat -ornamented, though its color and appearance showed it to have been a -good deal scorched with fire. Though its weight did not seem great, the -men carried it with much care, the occasion of which became evident when -they reached the ground; for the top had been rudely forced open, and -they were afraid of its falling back and the contents tumbling out. - -A number of other objects were subsequently brought down,--a chalice, -evidently the property of some church, a silver waiter, a clergyman's -cassock, a number of silver spoons bearing the arms of the family of -Langdale, and a whole mass of miscellaneous articles, some valuable, -some perfectly worthless. But Mr. Sykes put his foot firmly upon the -chest after it was laid upon the ground, saying, "Take notice, doctor, -that I do not open this till there are plenty of witnesses." The moment, -however, that the Prince de Soubise and Edward had descended, he called -upon them to remark what the chest contained, and proceeded to the -examination. - -It is not my intention to give a descriptive catalogue of old papers; -but, after turning over many documents of no great importance, a -parchment was found and opened, and the Prince de Soubise instantly put -his finger on the lowest part of the fifth sheet, saying, "There stands -my name." - -"Well," said Dr. Winthorne, "I can easily conceive this old man stealing -the sacrament-cup and the silver spoons. I remember the robbery of the -church quite well. Those he could melt down, and he was a great fool -for not doing it. But why he should take Brother Wynstone's gown, which -he could never dare to wear, and why he should steal this box of papers, -which he could make no use of, I cannot imagine." - -It is impossible for any writer of history to discover and describe the -real motives of one-half the actions he relates; and what it was that -moved old Grimes the sexton at that moment I cannot at all pretend to -say, but he certainly mumbled, in low and tremulous accents, and with -some tears, "I thought it was my lady's jewel-case." - -The scene which then took place is not worthy of description. Let the -reader imagine the congratulations that were poured upon Edward -Langdale, how all his friends shook hands with him heartily, how -Pierrot, who from his knowledge of English understood the whole, almost -danced with joy, and how the servant of the Prince de Soubise, seeing -all the rest do it, shook hands with him too, and wished monsieur a good -morning, being the two principal words he possessed. A cart was -procured, and also a constable; under whose charge, escorted by Dr. -Winthorne's servant, Mr. Grimes and the contents of his magpie's -nest--with the exception of the all-important settlement, which Mr. -Sykes would not part with--were carried over to Applethorpe that night. - -Dr. Winthorne and his party had preceded them by nearly an hour, and -very important business occupied the remainder of the day till it was -time to retire to rest. On that business we need not dwell at present; -but in order not to be obliged to turn back to a character which, -however important, has appeared but briefly, let me say that that very -night Mr. Grimes, in the first terror of detection, made a full and -frank confession of all he had done. He had been one of the first to -enter the house on the night of the fire, and had met Lady Langdale -carrying the case which contained her marriage-settlement. He had -instantly asked her after her boy; and, dropping the case, she had flown -to Edward's room to see if he had been rescued by his father. The -sexton, concluding that the case contained her jewels, had seized upon -it and carried it off. At first he had concealed it under some of the -bushes, but had afterward carried it up into what was called the -ivy-tower, which, having been vacant and in ruins for some years, he -imagined would never be searched. When asked why he had not carried it -to his own cottage, he replied, "Because that was certain to be examined -as soon as they discovered that any thing was lost." He was never -prosecuted for the thefts he had committed; but he died some seven weeks -after,--perhaps as much from shame and disappointment as disease; and -thus he never had the pleasure of burying Mr. Martin Sykes. - - - - -CHAPTER XLVIII. - - -"I can promise you nothing, my young friend," said the Prince de -Soubise, about a fortnight after the period at which I concluded the -last chapter, "till I have consulted with my brother Rohan and some -other members of my family. You English people view these matters -differently from ourselves in France: a marriage is not only the uniting -two persons who are attached to each other, but it is the linking of two -families together. Of course, this nominal and merely formal marriage -between you and my young cousin is altogether null and void,--of no -effect or consequence." - -"I do not know, my lord the prince," replied Edward, in a tone of a good -deal of irritation. "I have been assured it is a perfectly valid -marriage; and, I must respectfully add, I shall attempt to prove it so." - -"Pshaw!" said Soubise, in a light tone: "we had better not take up -hostile positions toward each other." And, turning on his heel, he left -the room. - -The scene of this conversation was the rector's library at Applethorpe, -for Dr. Winthorne had a headache and had retired to rest; and, as soon -as the prince was gone, Edward took forth some letters he had received -that morning, and, approaching the table where the candles stood, he -read them again with an eager look. No French post, to his knowledge, -had come in; but the letters were evidently from France, and one, -addressed to Clement Tournon, was sent open to him; whilst -another,--very short, but in Lucette's own hand,--tied and sealed, came -to him direct. - -Both were of a date which surprised and alarmed the young -Englishman,--that from Clement Tournon dated only two days after he had -left Rochelle, that from Lucette fully seven weeks previous. The letter -of the good goldsmith which enclosed the other was somewhat long. It -told Edward a great deal about Rochelle, and contained much matter that -need not be recapitulated; but the point of greatest interest was his -mention of Lucette. "Probably," he said, "she has told you in the -enclosed all she has told to me, and therefore I need not repeat it. She -calls upon us both for aid, and, as far as a feeble old man can give it, -she shall not want it. But alas, my dear Edward, it is very wrongly that -men attribute power to wealth. I have proved it, and know that there are -times when heaps of gold will not buy a loaf of bread. However, if my -last livre will help that dear girl, she shall have it. In the mean -time, do you, young, active, enterprising as you are, follow her -directions to the letter. You can do more than I can. I set out this -night; but, considering that you may want money for so long and -expensive a journey, I have left such directions that all your drafts -upon me will be paid to any reasonable amount. In a month I will be in -Huntingdon, where I am assured by one I can depend upon that my presence -is required for your benefit." - -Lucette's letter was but a note. - - "Fly to me, my beloved husband." So it said. "If you love your poor - Lucette as she loves you, come to me without the delay of an hour. - There are people here who want to take me away and carry me to - France. They have no authority from Monsieur de Rohan,--otherwise, - as hard as he is, I should feel myself secure,--but they have great - power with the rulers of this republic, it seems. Madame de la Cour - is an excellent woman, but weak and timid. She says that she dares - not resist them, that she is but a poor exile herself, and that when - they are ready to go she must yield me up to them. I would rather - die were it not that, when I think of you, hope still comes in to - give me a ray of light which all these sorrows and troubles cannot - darken. Oh, come soon to your LUCETTE." - -Edward looked at the date again. There was no time to be lost, if he -were not already too late; and at once he determined on his course. The -two years during which he had promised not to seek Lucette were nearly -at an end. The words of Monsieur de Soubise had given him no -encouragement to wait for the consent of her family: the only course was -to make her his own irrevocably, then let them scoff at the marriage -between them if they would. He would go to Richelieu, he thought; he -would lay before him the letters he had received; he would beseech the -cardinal to free him for the few short weeks that remained from the -promise he had made, and to speed him to Venice with the power which -only he possessed. Once side by side with his dear little bride, he -thought, it would not be in the power of worlds to tear them apart. - -The determined and impetuous spirit roused itself; recent success had -refreshed hope; he had found more money waiting for him than he -expected, so that none of the small material obstacles which so -frequently trip up eagerness were present; and he determined to set out -that very night. - -Not more than half an hour was occupied in his preparations, and then he -went to Dr. Winthorne's room and knocked at the door. After the second -knock a somewhat testy voice told him to come in, and there he remained -for a full hour in earnest conversation. Whatever took place, nothing -Dr. Winthorne said induced him to alter his resolution; but about -midnight he and Pierrot mounted in the court-yard and set out for -London. - -Let us pass over all the little impediments of the road,--the -horse-shoes and the blacksmiths, and the trouble about a pass from Dover -to Calais, which, as the relations between France and England had become -much more amicable, presented no great difficulties after all,--and let -us carry Edward at once to the gates of Paris, where the gay and -glittering crowd was as dense and perhaps more brilliant in those days -than it is in ours. The young man's brain felt almost confused at the -numbers before his eyes and the whirling rapidity of every thing around -him. As he knew nothing of the town, he had to ask his way to an inn -which had been recommended to him, and met with all the urbanity and -real good-humor which have always distinguished the Parisian population. - -The master of the _auberge_--for there were no hotels in Paris till the -nobility who had hotels, broken in fortune and deprived of power, were -forced to sell their dwellings to the affable receivers of all -men--welcomed him, as he himself would have called it, with all -distinction; and his reverence was greatly increased when the young -stranger called for pen and ink and paper and indited a note to the -cardinal prime minister, telling him of his arrival in Paris, and -craving an audience as soon as possible on business of the utmost -importance. He had the good faith to tell him that the business was of -importance to himself; but that frankness was not thrown away upon the -cardinal. - -He sealed the letter with the great seal of his arms, and begged the -aubergist to send it immediately by a messenger who would if possible -obtain an answer. - -The good man remarked that it was the hour of the cardinal's dinner, and -that men said that his Eminence was to set off on the following day upon -a long journey. - -"The more reason he should have that letter as soon as possible," said -Edward. "Pray, let it go without delay; and if the man brings me back an -answer I will give him a gold crown." - -What took place at the cardinal's palace--a smaller building than the -magnificent edifice he afterward erected, long known first as the Palais -Cardinal and afterward as the Palais Royal--I do not know; but at the -end of an hour and a half the man returned, and, with a happy grin, -demanded his gold crown, handing Edward a sealed paper. The contents -were as follows:-- - - "I am commanded by his Eminence to inform Monsieur de Langdale that, - though he cannot give him a formal audience, he will see him - to-night at the theatre of the Hotel de Bourgogne, when he will hear - whatever he has to communicate. This letter presented at the door - will be his introduction. - - "ROSSIGNOL." - -Edward Langdale took care to obtain every information he could from the -landlord in regard to the Parisian theatre, which was at that time just -beginning to rise into some degree of importance. Some years before, the -theatres of Paris were merely the resort of bad women and dissolute men -and the scene of very bad actors; but Richelieu, with that fine taste -which was one of his remarkable characteristics, had not only seen that -the stage might easily be refined, but had absolutely refined it. -Excellent actors were engaged at both the great theatres of Paris; -authors, not alone of merit, but of real genius, pressed forward in a -new career of literature; and the highest and purest ladies of the -French court graced the theatre, perhaps as much to please and flatter -the great minister as for any entertainment they received. - -At the hour which had been indicated by the landlord Edward was at the -door of the Hotel de Bourgogne; and as he saw that everybody was paying -for entrance he did the same, and then exhibited the letter of the -secretary Rossignol. The moment it was seen by the people at the door -the effect was magical. Two men started forward, bowing to the ground, -reproached the young stranger in somewhat stilted terms for not showing -the note before he had paid for admission, and begged to lead him to the -cardinal, who they informed him had just entered. The arrangement of a -theatre in those days was very different from that of modern times; but -yet Richelieu had his little room, or box, as we should call it now, at -the Hotel de Bourgogne, close to the stage, but not upon it. Into this -room no one was admitted but those specially invited, and at the door -stood two of his guards, who, however, gave instant ingress to Edward as -soon as they saw the letter he carried in his hand. In the box were some -eight or nine people, with the cardinal himself on the left-hand side, -where he had a full view of the stage but could hardly be seen from the -body of the house. The play had not commenced, and he turned his head -at the sound of the door as Edward entered. The moment he saw him he -beckoned him up to his side, before Edward had seen the other persons in -the box, who, be it remarked, were all standing. Richelieu's first -question was what had brought his young friend--as he was pleased to -call him--to Paris before the stipulated time. Edward, in his usual -brief style, explained all the circumstances, and, without hesitation, -placed the two letters he had received in the minister's hands. -Richelieu read them and smiled, saying, "So you are both still very much -in love with each other? Well, I have done one good work at least in -life _pour l'amour de Dieu_. Now, what do you intend to do, Monsieur -Langdale?" - -"To go post-haste to Venice, may it please your Eminence," replied -Edward; "and when I arrive there, as it will not want much more than six -weeks of the time I promised you not to seek her as my wife, I intend to -ask you to free me from that promise, let me claim her as my own, and -trust to my good luck and your power to sustain me." - -The cardinal seemed half inclined to laugh. "Take her when you can get -her," he said, with something more than a smile. "But you cannot get to -Venice, my good boy, till the king opens the pass of Suza. Don't you -know that the very impracticable Duke of Savoy holds all the passes -closed and thinks he can resist the power of France?" - -"By the Lord! I wish I had the power of France," said Edward: "I would -soon make him open them." - -"Ha, ha!" said Richelieu, with a significant nod of the head. "Did I not -tell you that one day you would become ambitious? But the power of -France is just as well as it is; and I think the king can open the -passes as well as you could. He has gone there now, and I am going after -him to witness his victory. But hush! they are going to begin the play. -Mark it well, and tell me what you think of it." - -Almost as he spoke the comedy commenced, and Edward withdrew from -Richelieu's side into the little crowd behind. It was a piece of no -great merit,--one of the failures of the great Corneille; and, to say -the truth, Edward's thoughts were deeply engaged with other things. - -While he was trying to attend, however, his hand was gently pressed by -some one near, and, turning round, he beheld the diminutive figure of -Morini the Italian adventurer. - -There was something in the man that Edward could not altogether dislike, -especially after the kindness he had shown him on two or three -occasions, and he shook hands with him warmly. The little man stood on -tiptoes, and said, in a whisper, "Good fortune to you. You and the -cardinal will always have good fortune unless you quarrel. Look just -opposite. Did you ever see so beautiful a creature?" - -Edward cast his eyes across the theatre, which was not very well -lighted, and saw a group of ladies splendidly dressed and well deserving -commendation; but there was only one who struck him particularly, seated -somewhat behind, and with the profile alone displayed. There was -something, however, so exquisitely beautiful in the line of the face and -the whole turn of the head, that Edward moved a little on one side to -see her more distinctly. There, however, the head-dress of another lady -interposed, and he was disappointed. - -At that moment the first act ended, and Richelieu beckoned him to his -side again. "What are you staring at there, young man? What would your -Lucette say? I am afraid you are faithless." - -"Oh, no, my lord," replied Edward. "That lady is very beautiful, but -Lucette is more so,--to my mind at least." - -"Do you think so?" said Richelieu. "I do not know which you were looking -at, but one of them is my niece, the Duchesse d'Aiguillon. What do you -think of the comedy?" - -"Not much," replied Edward. "But I really am no judge, my lord." - -"I think you are a good judge," said Richelieu, whose dislike to -Corneille is well known. "Now I will tell you what you had better do. Go -on with me to Suza. You can help to force the pass as a volunteer, if -you like, and then proceed to Venice should you feel disposed. You shall -have Morini for a companion, and I will give you one of the king's -foragers to see that you are not starved on the road." - -No proposal could be more agreeable to Edward Langdale; but there was -one impediment, which he frankly told the cardinal. As always happens, -he had miscalculated his expenses, and found that the money he had -brought from England would hardly suffice till he arrived at Venice. "I -can get more to-morrow, your Eminence, I believe," he said, "for I have -full authority to draw on my good friend Clement Tournon, whose credit -is good in Paris; but that will take time; and your Eminence, I presume, -sets out early." - -"Not very early," answered Richelieu; "but if you follow me the next day -you will catch me on the road. You can ride fast, I know, for you nearly -killed the poor Basques who were sent to ride after you when you left -Nantes. Morini will help you to get the money. Don't you know he is an -alchemist, and can change any thing into gold? But he will take you to -my banker,--who is the best alchemist, after all. So Clement Tournon -trusts you, does he? He is the first goldsmith of the kind, I fancy." - -"I can well afford to pay him whatever he lends me now, my lord," -replied Edward. "For on one lucky day, which the Romans would have -marked with a white stone, I recovered the deeds which secured to me my -mother's large property, which deeds had been lost for several years." - -"What day was that?" asked Richelieu, in a somewhat eager tone. - -Edward told him, for he remembered it well; and the cardinal immediately -called Morini to his side, and spoke to him for a moment or two in a low -tone. - -"The very same day, your Eminence sees," replied Morini, with an air of -triumph. "Such small coincidences may be necessary to confirm your -belief: with me it is not so. The stars never lie, my lord cardinal." - -"If they speak at all, I suppose they do not," said Richelieu. - -"They have spoken very plainly in this case," replied the astrologer. -"But the actors are going to begin again." And he was about to retire. - -"Never mind," said the cardinal; "stay here. I have orders to give you, -and I want them obeyed to the letter." - -Edward knew that it was sometimes dangerous to overhear too much of the -minister's conversation. He had heard of a man's finding his way into -the Bastille merely because he had been very near his Eminence while he -was conversing with a friend; and he therefore prudently withdrew to the -farther part of the box. While the second act went on, Richelieu -continued to talk with Morini, in a low tone, it is true, but with an -indifference not at all complimentary to the actors or the piece. To the -last acts he was somewhat more attentive, but went away before the play -was concluded, merely saying to Edward as he passed, "Go with this good -signor, Monsieur Langdale, and follow his counsels. He has heard my -opinion upon several matters; and, until we meet again, you had better -be guided by him even in what may seem things of small consequence." - -Edward Langdale bowed, and the minister passed out; but Morini -approached Edward's side, saying, "Let us go also, my young friend. -There is no use of staying to see this stupid play." - -The young gentleman's eyes, however, were fixed upon the opposite side -of the theatre, where the cardinal's niece and the ladies in her company -were also preparing to take their departure. He had caught another -glance of that beautiful face, though it was but for a moment; and now -the figure as she was moving away showed lines as lovely as the profile. -Taller than most of her companions, and yet not very tall, every -movement seemed grace itself; and, just as she was passing the door, she -turned round and gave a quick glance at the cardinal's box, which -certainly did not diminish the admiration of the young Englishman. - -"How very beautiful the Duchess of Aiguillon is!" said Edward, turning -to Morini. - -"Oh, yes," replied the other. "She is perhaps the most beautiful woman -in France. But take care of what you are about; for some people say the -cardinal is in love with her himself, and he will bear no rival." - -"Oh, love," said Edward, "is out of the question. I look at her, Signor -Morini, merely as I should look at a beautiful statue. I love one, as -you know, fully as beautiful, and to me a thousand times more dear than -she could ever become." - -"Now you mention it," said Morini, "it strikes me there is some likeness -between them." - -"There is," said Edward; "but Lucette is much younger, and not so tall. -Now I will follow you, my good sir." And they went out of the theatre -together. - - - - -CHAPTER XLIX. - - -Youth and Fate are always at variance as to times and distances. Youth -says, "one day;" Fate says, "two." Youth says, "fifty miles;" but Fate -almost always makes it a hundred. Edward had more difficulty in getting -a thousand crowns than he had expected; and he did not altogether think -that Signor Morini aided him as much as he might have done. Richelieu, -who had only made a very short stay in Paris, quitted the capital about -mid-day, and Edward, as may be supposed, was all impatience to hurry -after him; but Morini, on the contrary, was as cool and composed as if -he was making an astrological calculation, always remarking that he -would overtake the minister long before he got to Suza. "He never -travels very fast, you know," said the little Italian; "and, besides, he -has got a whole party of the ladies of the court with him, who always -make a march tedious. They went off at daylight this morning; but you -may count upon them to make the journey at least five days longer than -it ought to be." - -"Nevertheless," said Edward, "I wish to proceed as fast as possible; and -the objections of these bankers seem to me to be ridiculous." - -"Oh, no; they make no objections," said Morini. "They only want a little -time to consider. They are not all in love. They do not all want to get -to Venice. They do business in a business-like way, and have no idea of -firing off large sums like cannon-shot." - -However, the whole of that day passed without the money being procured; -and the second day had seen the sun rise several hours, when at length -Signor Morini thought fit to whisper two words in the ear of Monsieur -Philippon, the banker, which, as if by magic, brought forth the thousand -crowns about which there had been so much difficulty. - -Nevertheless, it was three o'clock in the evening before Edward Langdale -could depart; and then, besides Signor Morini himself and the king's -forager who had been promised, were half a dozen lackeys and pages, and -a good deal of baggage,--which did not promise to accelerate the -journey. Once started, however, and with sufficient money in his pocket, -Edward resolved to delay for no man, and to be at Suza as soon as the -cardinal. He was somewhat mistaken in his calculation, indeed; for -Richelieu pursued his way, wherever he could, by water; and, though the -prime minister could always command boats, the young English gentleman -could not obtain the same accommodation in a country where the passage -of troops and the court had rendered all means of progression scarce. In -every other respect, the first part of Edward's journey was without -accident,--I might almost have said without incident. But it so happened -that at Montargis, where the young gentleman arrived in the afternoon, a -large party of ladies were setting out on horseback just at the moment -he entered the little town. The number of servants with them, and a -small body of the cardinal's guard, showed that they belonged to the -court, which could not otherwise have been discovered by their faces, as -each, according to the general custom of that day, wore a little black -velvet mask, called a _loup_, to guard her complexion when travelling. -Signor Morini, however, either divined who each was by her figure, or -else, with Italian carelessness, took his chance of mistakes; for he -dashed at once amidst the party, talked first to one and then to -another, and seemed very well received by all. Edward had ridden up by -his side; but, as he knew nobody, he spoke to nobody till one of the -ladies observed, in a very sweet voice, "You do not seem so sociable as -your companion, sir." - -"I could not presume," said Edward, "to address ladies whom I have never -seen before, unless they gave me some encouragement to do so." - -"I do not know whether you have seen me," said the lady; "but I have -seen you." - -"Pray, where?" asked Edward,--"that I may give that wild bird, Fancy, -some notion how to fly." - -"I saw you last with the cardinal, at the Hotel de Bourgogne," said the -lady, with that sort of timid, trembling accents which are so attractive -on young and beautiful lips,--small drops of honey to young ears and -hearts. - -"Last?" said Edward. "Had I ever the pleasure of seeing you before that -night?" - -"I did not mean to say that," answered the lady. "But you imply that you -did see me then." - -"I saw two or three very beautiful persons," said Edward, "but have no -means of knowing which of those you are." - -"No, nor shall you have any," she replied, bowing her head gracefully, -"neither to-day, nor to-morrow, nor the next day; but if you are very -good, and behave yourself very well, I may take off my _loup_ some time -between this and Michaelmas. But now tell me: where are you riding so -fast?--to get yourself killed at Suza?" - -"No," answered Edward: "such is certainly not my object; but I am going -toward Venice, and wish to reach that city as soon as my horse can carry -me." - -"Oh, that is a long way off," said the lady. "I think I must keep you -near me. You shall be my cavalier along the road. I will find out some -crime you have committed, and put you to all sorts of penances." - -"But what if I have committed no crime?" asked the young gentleman. - -"Oh, but you have," she said. "You should have known me the moment you -saw me. No mask should be sufficient to hide a lady from a gallant and -courteous cavalier. You ought to be able to see my face through my -_loup_, as if it were made of glass." - -Edward smiled, but made no reply; but he thought within himself, -"Lucette would not have spoken so to a mere stranger. What a difference -there is between her pure, sweet simplicity and the free manners of -these courtly ladies!" - -"You do not answer," continued the lady: "I am afraid we do not ride -fast enough for you. Now, what is it makes you so anxious to run forward -to Venice? Now, I warrant it is some of the beautiful black eyes of the -City of the Sea." - -"No, indeed, it is not," replied Edward. "I never was in Venice in my -life." - -"Well," she continued, "love of some kind, at all events. Nothing but -love could make a man in such a hurry. Now, tell me what kind of love it -is." - -"Why, the most extraordinary love in the world," answered Edward. "The -love of a man for his wife,--a love they recognise little in France, not -at all in Italy, and so dilute in Turkey that it is not worth having." - -"Very marvellous love indeed," replied the lady. "Yet I think if I were -a man, and were married, I should love my wife better than you do." - -"I defy you," said Edward, laughing. - -"Now, I will catechize you," returned the lady. "Do you think of her -every day?" - -"Every hour, every moment," said Edward. - -"Do you make her your chief object in life?--pray for her, work for -her?" - -"Every thing else in life," said Edward, "is but valuable to me as it -has reference to her. Ambition becomes splendid when I think it may -elevate her. Money, which is but dross, seems to gain real worth if she -is to share it." - -"And do you ever," continued the lady, laughing, "stare at pretty faces -across a theatre and dream for a minute or two as to what might be your -luck if you had not tied yourself to another?" - -"No!" replied Edward, boldly. "I sometimes may stare at pretty faces, -and think them very beautiful, when I think there is a fanciful -resemblance to that which I think most beautiful of all." - -The lady was silent for a minute or two; but at length she answered, -"Well, I think you are very rude. You must be an Englishman, you are so -uncivil. You dare me so that I have a great mind to make you in love -with me, just to punish you. Nay, do not shake your head: I could do it -in five minutes. All men are as weak as water,--at least, so I have -always been told; and I could soon bring you to my feet if I chose to -employ a few little simple arts upon you." - -"I doubt not your power, dear lady," replied Edward, "upon any heart not -preoccupied like mine; but Helen of Troy, or her bright mistress, Venus -herself, could have no effect upon one who loves as I do." - -"Well, this is too bad," said the lady. "We shall see. We have a long -journey to take together; and if before it is over I do not make you -tell me you love me, my name is not--what it is." - -Just at this moment one of the young cavaliers rode up, with the gay and -dashing air of his country and his class, and addressed the lady in some -commonplace terms of gallant attention. In an instant she seemed turned -into ice,--answered a few words politely, but in so cold a tone that -Edward could not but see at once the dangerous preference she seemed to -show him. The young man appeared to feel it too; and, after staying by -her side for about five minutes, he directed his horse to another group, -where his society seemed more welcome. The conversation was renewed -between Edward and his fair companion as soon as the officer was gone, -and did not much vary in character from the specimen already given. It -was late, however, when the party arrived at Chatillon, and the ladies -retired at once to the apartments which had been prepared for them; but -at eight o'clock on the following morning none of them had quitted their -chambers, nor did Edward see any preparation among guards or attendants -for pursuing the journey before a late hour. Calling Pierrot without -much deliberation, the young Englishman ordered his horses to be -saddled, and was in the act of mounting, when Morini, whom he had not -yet seen that day, appeared at the door, exclaiming, "Hi? Where are you -going?" - -"To Suza," replied Edward, springing on his horse's back; and, without -waiting to hear any remonstrances from the little Italian, he rode off -as fast as he could go. - -We will not pursue him on his journey, nor even dwell upon the forcing -of the pass at Suza. Suffice it to say that Edward arrived, just in time -to volunteer, the night before the attack. Richelieu he did not see, -although he heard he was in the camp. But one of the first persons he -met with was the young officer who had gone down with him to the -outposts before Rochelle, and who now gayly marched up with him against -the entrenchments at Suza. It is well known how they were taken at the -first rush, with no great resistance on the part of the troops of Savoy. -But Edward and his companion both received slight pike-wounds,--one in -the arm and the other in the shoulder,--sufficient to show they had been -in the heat of the battle, but not severe enough to obtain much -commiseration. The king, as was usual with him, retired to his quarters -as soon as the pass was carried, without inquiring the amount of his -loss or taking any notice of the wounded. Not so Richelieu; for as soon -as the particulars could be ascertained he caused a list of all who had -suffered much, or little, to be laid before him. - -On the following morning, somewhat to his surprise, Edward received a -summons to attend the cardinal, and, when he presented himself, met with -a somewhat sharp rebuke for having left Morini and his party. - -"They tell me you are wounded," said Richelieu. "It serves you very -right, for having disobeyed my commands." - -"It is but a scratch, sir," said Edward. "A rusty nail in an old door -would inflict a worse; and I was anxious to show that in all cases, -except against my own country, I am really desirous of serving your -Eminence." - -"That is all very well," replied the cardinal. "But I like to be obeyed. -You could not tell my views or purposes in the directions which I gave. -But, as it is done, it cannot be helped. And now, I suppose, you are -longing to go on to Venice?" - -"Most anxiously," replied Edward, "if I understand your Eminence -rightly, that you free me from the promise I made to you some two years -ago, and authorize me to claim my bride wherever I may find her." - -"That is soon settled," said Richelieu; and, taking up a pen, he -wrote:--"Lucette Marie de Mirepoix du Valais is the wife of Edward -Langdale, of Buckley; and these are to summon and require all persons -who have or have had any control or custody of the said Lucette to give -her up to the said Edward Langdale, her husband, and, in the king's -name, to warn all persons to refrain from opposing the rights of the -said Edward Langdale in regard to the said Lucette de Mirepoix, under -pretence of relationship, guardianship, or any other cause whatever." - -He signed it with his name, and gave it to Edward, saying, "Get it -sealed, and then away to Venice as soon as you please. Peace will be -signed in three days, if I am not mistaken; and not only peace with -Savoy, young gentleman, but with England also,--hard-headed England! In -the mean time, you can pass freely. My safe-conduct--which of course you -have with you--is as good now, I imagine, in Italy as in France. Only -one thing more. Let it be understood that you return and join me as soon -as you have fulfilled your mission; and bring your bride with you, if -you find her." He paused, with a smile of much good-humor, and then -added, "When you come back I may have a little negotiation for you; for -the first steps to the surrender of Rochelle I owe to you." - -The political events which followed are well known. The peace of Suza -with Savoy and England, the raising of the siege of Casal, and the -relinquishment of Mantua to the house of Nevers, succeeded with the -utmost rapidity; and the Cardinal de Richelieu saw every thing that his -mind conceived or his hand touched perfectly successful. - -In the mean time, Edward Langdale hastened over the Alps, crossed the -whole breadth of Italy, and, taking boat at Mestre, landed in Venice. -But he was not so successful as the great man he had just left. -Richelieu's safe-conduct obtained for him instant access to all the -authorities of the republic; and, with more frankness than they usually -displayed, they informed him at once that the young lady he sought was -no longer in the city. She had been claimed, they said, some months -before, by authority which their laws prevented them from opposing, and -had been carried, they believed, into Savoy. Edward then asked for -Madame de la Cour; but he found that she also had left Venice, and had -gone, they believed, to Paris. The only person, they said, who knew any -thing of Mademoiselle de Mirepoix was an old merchant who had arrived -some days before and was living at a goldsmith's on the Sclavonian quay. -Edward hurried there, and, as he expected, found old Clement Tournon. -But the worthy syndic could give him no information, and was in almost -as much distress about his Lucette as Edward himself. - -"Depend upon it," he said, "that horrid Madame de Chevreuse has got -possession of the dear girl at last; and our only resource will be an -appeal to the cardinal. He has eyes everywhere, and will both know where -to find her and how to recover her." - -No time was lost. The old man and Edward set off together, directing -their course by Turin and Suza. But again they were disappointed. The -king, who in time of war forgot all his slothful inactivity and showed -the fire and eagerness of his father, had by this time turned upon the -Cevennes,--the last refuge of the Protestants in France,--and Richelieu -had followed--or, rather, accompanied--him. With the delay of one day at -Chambery, to rest the old man, Edward pushed on after the cardinal -toward Nismes, hearing nothing as he went but tales of Louis's exploits. -The army of the Duc de Rohan, which had opposed successfully several of -the best generals of France, had seemed paralyzed by the fierce energy -of the king. Town after town had fallen; and Montauban itself, the -people said, could not hold out three days. Such was the last -intelligence which Edward received just after his entrance into Ners; -but at the same time came the news, far more satisfactory to him, that -Richelieu himself was at Alais, but a few miles distant. No horses were -to be procured: his own were tired nearly to foundering; and poor -Clement Tournon, in his eagerness to keep up with his young companion, -had greatly over-tasked his strength. Nothing remained but to pass the -night at Ners, a mere village, where almost every house was occupied by -some of the followers of the court. But though the accommodation was as -poor as it could be, yet Edward saw the next morning that Clement -Tournon must still remain at Ners. His bodily powers were not equal to -carry him farther without long repose; and Edward set out for Alais -alone, leaving Pierrot to attend upon the old man. - -The little town, when the young gentleman entered it, was all alive. -Courtiers and soldiers were fluttering about in every direction; and the -gay dresses, unspotted and fresh, showing that the court had been some -days there, contrasted sadly with Edward's dusty garments and -travel-soiled apparel. Nevertheless, he rode straight forward, through -what is now called the Place de la Marechale, to a house where the -numerous groups, both on foot and horseback, before the door, led him to -believe the cardinal's quarters were established. There he sprang to the -ground under the arcade, and, leaving his tired horse, with the perfect -certainty that he would not run away, he was pushing his way through the -little crowd around, noticed very little by anybody, when the voice of -his young companion in the attack at Suza met his ear, exclaiming, "Ah, -Monsieur de Langdale! Have you heard Montauban has been taken? But do -not let me stop you; for his Eminence was asking for you yesterday." - -"As you are of his household," said Edward, "will you have the kindness -to tell his Eminence that I am here?--for I know none of these people. -They do not know me; and I suspect I am not a very courtier-like figure -to seek an audience of the prime minister." - -"I will do it directly," said the young officer. "He is very busy, but I -know he wishes to see you: so follow me up." - -Edward mounted the stairs close after his companion, and, entering a -chamber to which there was no ante-room, as he had expected, found -himself immediately in the presence of Richelieu, who was seated at a -table near the window, while two secretaries were writing at his right -hand. The room was half full of people, some of whom were waiting -silently, as if for audience, while others were conversing in low -voices; and one middle-aged man was speaking to the cardinal, with a -paper in his hand, as if making a report. Richelieu raised his eyes as -Edward entered, but took no notice, and continued to listen attentively -to the gentleman who was speaking. As soon as he was done, the cardinal -said, "Well, be it so. See that it is done;" and wrote a few words on a -sheet of paper. Another and another succeeded, spoke a few words to the -minister, and received their answer; and then Richelieu, rising, said, -aloud, "No more audiences this morning." The young Englishman was about -to retire with the rest, who were slowly going out; but the cardinal -added the next moment, "Monsieur Langdale, I wish to speak to you." - -Thus saying, he passed into a room beyond, and Edward followed, leaving -none but the secretaries in that which they had just quitted. It was a -bed-chamber they now entered, (for, when campaigning, prime ministers, -as well as others, must put up with such accommodation as they can get,) -and Richelieu neither seated himself nor asked his companion to be -seated. - -"You have come at an important moment," said the cardinal, abruptly, -"and I almost feared you would not be here in time. Are you willing to -undertake a mission for me to Monsieur le Duc de Rohan, some forty miles -hence?" - -"Certainly, your Eminence," replied Edward. "But I must make three -conditions, though to you. They are very slight ones." - -"Ha!" said Richelieu, his brow somewhat darkening. "I am not accustomed -to conditions. But let me hear what they are. You are an original, like -most of your countrymen. Perhaps I shall be able to grant them." - -"Simply these three, my lord cardinal:--That while I am gone you shall -cause search to be made for my young wife, who is not in Venice, has -been brought to France, and is beyond doubt, I think, in the hands of -Madame de Chevreuse." - -"Granted," said Richelieu. "The next." - -"That you shall send over a physician to good old Clement Tournon, whom -I have left ill at Ners." - -"Ah!" said Richelieu. "Is he at Ners? That is most lucky. That man -Morini said truly. Fortune goes with you. He may help me to raise the -money, so that there may be no delay; for you must know, Master -Langdale, that even kings and prime ministers, when they carry on -expensive wars, sometimes come to the end of their finances at the very -moment when large sums are most necessary. Clement Tournon: he is -connected with all the goldsmiths of Nismes, is he not?" - -"I heard him say on the journey that he had a number of friends there, -and also in Avignon," replied Edward. - -"It will do," said Richelieu. "Your second condition is granted. What is -the third?" - -"That your Eminence lends me a fresh horse, for my own is knocked up. I -could wish also that I had some servant with me,--some one who knows the -way." - -"The horse you shall have," said Richelieu; "but as for the servant," he -continued, thoughtfully, "I think you must go alone. I do not wish to -send any Frenchman to that camp. Nay, more: nobody must know where you -are going. Look at this map. This is the road." And he pointed with his -finger to a map of the Cevennes. "First you go there,--to St. -Martin,--then on to Mas Dieu. There you must inquire where the duke is -encamped. I think it is somewhere near St. Andeal; but you will soon -learn." - -He ceased, and fell into a fit of thought; and, after waiting two or -three minutes, Edward inquired, "And what am I to say to him? or will -your Eminence write?" - -"No, I will negotiate no more," answered Richelieu. "Say to him I have -received his message; and I answer, 'One hundred thousand crowns in -money, in four days, on the conditions expressed before;' and I wish his -answer, Yes or No, before mid-day to-morrow." - -"One horse will not carry me there and back--if it be forty miles--in -that time over those mountains," said Edward. - -"Pshaw! Kill the horse and buy another!" exclaimed Richelieu. "It is -worth ten horses for me to have the news to-morrow. Stay; you must have -some credence." - -Thus saying, he went into the other room again, was absent a few -minutes, and returned with a small packet and a sheet of paper. Both -were addressed to the Duc de Rohan, and on the latter was written, "Hear -and believe the bearer, Edward Langdale, to you already known;" and then -followed the great scrawl of "Richelieu." The packet was sealed; but, as -the cardinal gave it to his young friend, he said, "That contains the -terms which he must sign and return by your hand. Go down and get -yourself some breakfast in the eating-hall while the horse is getting -ready. You will find good wine here. But remember: silence!" - -Edward went down, and soon procured refreshment; but, ere he had eaten -more than a few mouthfuls or drank more than one draught of wine, one of -the secretaries whom he had seen above came in, with a very reverential -bow, saying, "His Eminence desires me to ask if Monsieur de Langdale -requires any money for his journey." - -"No," replied Edward: "I have enough." - -The horse was announced as ready the moment after, and Edward, springing -on his back, set out before the secretary lost sight of him. - - - - -CHAPTER L. - - -The ride was long and hot, for it was just the middle of the month of -June; and though the scenery is perhaps without its parallel in the -whole world, combining more beauties and more varieties of beauty than -ever I saw anywhere else, though every now and then the road was shaded -with trees attaining a height and breadth which would shame the -forest-giants, yet toward evening Edward was forced to acknowledge to -himself that he was very much exhausted. The horse which bore him was -excellent, strong, willing, but not easy in its gait; and it also, ere -they reached St. Andeal, showed the effects of the heat, though it had -not had the preceding journey from Ners to Alais. At St. Audral he had -but little difficulty in extracting from the towns-people an account of -the position of the Duc de Rohan's camp, and Edward rode on under the -shade of the mountains somewhat more slowly, calculating that he would -have time both to take some rest and return to Alais before noon on the -following day. - -It was dark when he arrived; and all that he could discover of the -position of the camp was that it was very strong, while a number of -mountain-gorges radiating from a centre offered the means of retreat in -almost any direction. After some difficulties and delays at the -outposts, he gave up his horse to one of the soldiers, who regarded him -with a somewhat gloomy look, and was led to a little, rudely-constructed -hut, where a sentry kept guard before the door. He found the Duc de -Rohan perfectly alone; and, advancing to meet him, he was received in a -much more courteous and friendly manner than at their last interview. - -"Monsieur Langdale," said the duke, holding out his hand, "I am glad to -see you. Pray, be seated. I can only offer you a stool in this place, -for we are obliged to fare hardly here. What brings you now I know not; -but I am glad of an opportunity of apologizing for some rudeness and -heat which I displayed at our last meeting. By your bearing the -cardinal's safe-conduct, I presume you come from him. What have you to -say?" - -"First let me hand you this," said Edward, giving him the letter of -credence, over which the duke ran his eye hastily. "And next," said -Edward, "that, in answer to your message, his Eminence says, 'One -hundred thousand crowns, to be paid in four days, in money.'" - -"Is that all he said?" said De Rohan. "Are you to act as negotiator in -this business, sir?" - -"Not in the least," replied Edward. "I merely bear you a message, and am -perfectly ignorant of the whole circumstances, even of the contents of -this package,--though I have been told that it contains the conditions, -which, if you assent to them, you will sign, and enable me to return -them to the cardinal by noon to-morrow." - -The duke took the packet, broke open the seal, and looked at the -writing, which was very brief, consisting only of three paragraphs. -There was a second paper, however, apparently briefer still. As he read, -de Rohan knit his brows and bit his lip. - -"Am I to understand that you know nothing of these papers?" he asked. - -"Nothing whatever," replied Edward; and the duke, rising from his stool, -walked up and down the hut for some minutes in deep thought. - -"It must be done," he said, at length. "There is no use taking counsel -in the matter, for it is what they all wish. And thus ends the -Protestant cause in France! Monsieur Langdale, the only part of these -papers which is personal to myself is that." And he laid the second -enclosure before the young Englishman. "Why the cardinal has made this a -condition all along I cannot conceive, unless it be a point of pride -with him." - -Edward read the paper, and perceived these words:--"I do hereby solemnly -consent to and affirm the marriage of my cousin Lucette Marie de -Mirepoix du Valais with Edward Langdale, of Buckley, in the county of -Huntingdon, England, as solemnized at Nantes, on the 3d of July, in the -year of grace 1627." - -"I do assure you, my lord," said Edward, "this is none of my doing; and, -sooner than be any impediment to a peace so necessary to the poor -Protestants of France, I say, tear it. I will win Lucette by other -means." - -"No," said the duke: "I will sign it; I will sign all. And when a Rohan -pledges his word the cardinal may be assured that it will be kept." - -He took a little ink-horn from a neighboring table and signed the two -papers; then, shaking Edward by the hand again, he said, "Give you joy, -cousin! But you look ill and tired." - -"I have ridden some sixty miles," said Edward, "with hardly any food, -and no rest." - -The duke heard his reply with a rueful smile, but called a man from -without, telling him to bring the best he had for a young gentleman's -supper. The best was merely a bone of ham and some brown bread; but -there was added a flagon of very good wine. - -"I require a little rest more than any thing," said Edward; "and I would -fain, my lord, lie down to sleep for a few minutes, if your people will -take care of my horse and wake me at four o'clock when they change the -sentries." - -"That shall be done," said Rohan. "No chance of sleep for me to-night -after signing these papers. Here; you can sleep on my bed. It is as good -as any in the camp, I suppose." And, opening a door in the boarded -partition, he pointed to a great pile of rosemary and wild -mountain-herbs, saying, "It is a little better than the ground; but -fatigue gives balm to sleep." - -Edward's eyes were closed in a moment, and he knew nothing more till the -duke himself called him at four. "Your horse is at the door," he said. -"There are the papers. I hope his Eminence will be punctual in the -payment; for I cannot turn ten thousand men loose amongst the mountains -with no money in their pockets. Let the man who has brought the horse -walk by your side and give the passwords." - -Edward rode away well pleased with his success, and about half-past -eleven reached the small town of Alais. There he was informed that the -cardinal had not returned from Ners, but that Monsieur Rossignol would -see him; and, on being admitted to the well-known secretary, an order to -deliver the papers which he brought, signed by Richelieu, was given him. -Edward obeyed; and good Monsieur Rossignol, a man of great talent, -though originally a peasant, said, in a significant tone, "It will be -better for monsieur to ride out to the castle at Bourillaut, near Ners, -where he will find the cardinal." - -"My good sir, I am tired to death, and my horse can hardly move a leg. -You forget what these mountain-roads are like." - -"You can rest below for three or four hours," said the secretary. "Get -some refreshment,--by which time your own horse will have had rest -sufficient,--and then ride to Bourillaut in the cool of the evening. It -will be better. His Eminence desired it." - -The thought that perhaps Richelieu might have obtained, through his -many-eyed communications, some news of Lucette gave Edward fresh spirit; -but still he followed the secretary's advice, for, after having ridden -so hard for many days, some more repose was absolutely needful. Toward -four o'clock, however, he set out toward Ners, having ascertained that -the chateau to which he was directed lay on the right of the road some -two or three miles before he reached the village; and all that need be -said of his journey is that the road, as every one knows, is beautiful, -and that his thoughts were like all young men's thoughts,--a little wild -and chaotic, perhaps, but with Lucette prominent above all. Some two -miles before the castle appeared in sight, however, he was met by a -large cavalcade of gentlemen, ladies, guards, and pack-mules, with -Richelieu at its head, going back apparently to Alais. The cardinal drew -up his horse, saying, "I have heard of you, my young friend. Rossignol -has sent me a messenger. Our good friend the syndic is well and gone to -Nismes, but will be back in two days. Go on to the chateau, where I have -ordered every thing to be prepared for you. There rest in peace for the -night. You will find nobody there to plague you, unless it be a few -women, who, if they are wise, will let you alone." - -The cardinal moved on as he spoke; and Edward was fain to pursue his way -to Bourillaut. He found some servants on the drawbridge, loitering about -in the fine summer sunset; but as soon as his name was given the -omnipotent commands of the cardinal made them all activity and -attention. His horse was taken to the stable by one man; another ushered -him into a handsome room, communicating with a bedroom beyond; and a -third ran to bring the supper which he said his Eminence had ordered for -him. All around had a very comfortable aspect; and Edward thought, as he -threw himself into a chair, "A man with a wife whom he loved, and some -little ones to cheer him, might pass his life very happily even here." - -The supper was soon brought, and was evidently the handiwork of some -courtly cook; the wine was delicate and good; and Edward, according to -the English fashion of all times, chose to take the moderate portion he -did take after his meal. Telling the man who waited on him to leave him, -he was about to pass the evening quietly, when, soon after the servant -had quitted the room, the door was opened and some one looked in. One -glance at the figure showed Edward that it was the lady with whom he had -ridden some way from Montargis; and, to say the truth, the young -Englishman would willingly have been spared her company. She still wore -the black velvet _loup_ over her face, which Edward thought was somewhat -too coquettish, considering that it was now dark and the candles -lighted; but of course he found himself bound to be polite, though he -was determined to be as cold as ice. Yet there was something timid and -hesitating in her manner that surprised him. As she came forward he -could see that she trembled, and, rising, he placed a chair for her, -saying, "To what am I indebted for this honor?" - -"I have come to pass the evening with you," she said, in a low voice: "I -cannot let you be here all alone." - -Edward did not well know what to reply, and he answered at random:--"Let -me beseech you, at all events, madam, to lay aside your mask now. Your -complexion runs no risk here." - -"No," said the lady, shaking her head; "not till you tell me you love me -and will marry me." - -"Are you not married already?" exclaimed Edward. - -"Yes," she answered, "I am; but that makes no difference. Do you love -me?" - -"I have told you, dear lady," said Edward, in as calm a tone as he could -assume, "that it is impossible. If you are the lady whom I saw at the -Hotel de Bourgogne, doubtless I could have loved you if my whole heart -and soul had not been given to another; for I have seldom seen anybody -more lovely." - -"But who is this you love so well?" said the lady. "Give me her -name,--her full name." - -"Lucette Marie de Mirepoix du Valais," said Edward, impatiently. - -The mask was off in a moment. "Am I so changed, Edward?" said Lucette, -throwing her arm round his neck. "I know I am taller,--much taller; but -I did not think you would ever forget me." - -"Forget you! Oh, no, no, Lucette!" cried Edward, circling her in his -arms and covering her with kisses. "Have I ever forgotten you? have I -ever ceased to think of you? But I saw you but for a moment across the -dull and misty air of a theatre; and you are changed,--more charming, -more beautiful than ever. But even Lucette unknown could not rob Lucette -long known of the love that has been hers always. When for a moment I -saw your face I did not hear your voice, and when I heard your voice I -did not see your face. But now I see all these loved features -distinctly, and wonder how I could be deceived." - -"We shall both change still more, Edward," she said, almost sadly. "And -will you love me still?" - -"Better,--still better," said Edward, clasping her to his heart. "If, -Lucette, I loved you still after long absence, when you yourself tried -to make me love another, do you suppose that affection will wane when -the change comes over us together and you yourself engage me to love you -still? Oh, yes, Lucette; I will not deny it; you are more beautiful than -you used to be; but it was my young Lucette I loved; and how could I -love any other?" - -"Well, I own that it was wrong," said Lucette, "to play with you and -tease you as I did; but it was not to try you, for I was sure I knew -your heart right well. It was the cardinal's command, however, and I -feared to disobey him. He brought us all from Paris,--some for one -reason, some for another: one that she might not intrigue against him at -the court of the queen-mother; another, to remove her from poor Anne of -Austria; others, for the amusement of the king and court, and perhaps to -assist him in his own views. Why he brought me I know not,--perhaps to -tease you on the road. No, no: I do him injustice. I sincerely believe -it was to unite us in the end. But do you forgive me, Edward? Do you -forgive me for acting a part that is not in my nature? A hundred times -the mask was nearly taken from my face. My joy to find that you loved -me still, and that you were faithful to your poor Lucette, passed all -bounds, and made me almost faint with happiness. It is nearly eighteen -months since I saw you at Aix; and since then how much I have suffered! -And I have heard that you have suffered too,--that you have been -apprehended and kept in prison, wounded again----" - -"Oh, that is nothing!" answered Edward. "All has been followed by joy -and success. I never valued wealth, Lucette, till I met with you; but -now I have beyond doubt recovered one-half of my patrimonial -property,--all that belongs to me; but enough, and more than enough, to -secure my Lucette against all those grinding cares and petty annoyances -which, though less sharp than the fierce blows of misfortune, are more -wearing to the spirit and the heart. But tell me, my Lucette: how came -you here? I had feared, from what they said at Venice, that you had -fallen into the hands of Madame de Chevreuse." - -"Oh, no," she answered: "that was a mistake. The council notified Madame -de la Cour that I was demanded by those who had a right to demand me in -France; but, with their usual secrecy, gave no further information. At -first I resolved to fly; but whither could I go? To Madame de Rohan I -could not apply; for her life in Venice has been one of great scandal -and disgrace. Madame de la Cour could not or would not help me. But in -the end I found that it was the ambassador from France who claimed me; -and, when assured that I was to be under the guardianship of the -cardinal himself, I went joyfully. He forbade me to write to you, saying -you promised soon to rejoin him; and on the night I saw you at the -theatre he told me to look at his _loge_, but to take no notice whatever -I might see. The only thing I now fear is the opposition of my high -relations. The Duc de Rohan is the head of the house; and, though he was -kind to me--very kind--while I was with him, I know him to be the -proudest man on earth, and as obdurate in his determinations as a rock." - -"You are my wife," said Edward, pressing her to his heart,--"my wife by -every tie, human and divine. Soubise may oppose, Madame de Chevreuse may -oppose; but their opposition is nothing. Look here what authority the -cardinal gave me when I was setting out for Venice." Lucette looked at -the paper which he gave her. - -"It was unkind of him to let you go," she said, "when he knew that I was -within two days' journey of Suza; but that was to punish you for leaving -that little Morini on the road." - -"Do you know why I left him?" said Edward, kissing her rosy lips. "It -was because a very beautiful lady said she would make me love her before -our journey was ended; and I was resolved to love nobody but Lucette. -No, my Lucette: our journey together has never ended, and through life -never must end. You are mine, as I have said, by every tie. The Duc de -Rohan, the only one who had any real authority, I saw last night. His -opposition was entirely withdrawn, and his formal approval of our -marriage at Nantes was given in writing." - -Lucette was silent for a moment or two, and turned a little pale; and -Edward asked, in a low tone, "What ladies are there here in the castle?" - -"None," said Lucette. "Except my maid, we are all alone. Now I -understand: I think I see why the cardinal took every one else away and -insisted on my staying." - -"Assuredly," replied Edward, "because you are my wife, Lucette, and he -did not wish that we should be separated any more." - -Her face was now as rosy as the dawn, and her breath came thick with -agitation. - -"You are mine, Lucette! are you not mine?" said Edward,--"my own, my -wife, my beloved?" - -"Oh, yes, yes!" sobbed Lucette, casting herself upon his bosom,--"my -husband, my own dear husband!" And they parted no more. - - - - -CHAPTER LI. - - -The famous peace of Alais, which terminated, during the reign of Louis -XIII., the struggles of the Protestants of France for a distinct -organization and left them nothing but an insecure toleration, was -concluded on the 27th of June, 1629, a few days after the reunion of -Edward and Lucette. None can doubt that Richelieu was politically right -in asserting and enforcing the sovereign authority over a body of men -who had made religious differences a pretext for rebellion and a -continual source of exaction and menace. Nor can any one accuse him of -having violated his word in any degree to the Huguenots. They were -suffered to follow the forms of their religion in peace; their peculiar -tenets formed no obstacle to their admission into the highest offices in -France; and the Duc de Rohan himself was employed in high and delicate -negotiations, and ultimately fell in the military service of the monarch -against whom he had so often fought. - -A few days after the period to which we have carried our story in the -last chapter, the hundred thousand crowns in gold, which were necessary -for him, as well to provide for his troops as to repair his own -shattered fortunes, were paid to the duke, according to Richelieu's -promise; and the Protestant army was immediately disbanded,--glad to -escape from the inevitable ruin and disaster which hung over their -heads. - -The peace concluded at Suza restored those friendly relations with -England which had so long been broken off. Spain and Savoy were, at -least for the time, cowed by the power of France; and all men, both -friends and enemies, saw in the well-directed operations of the French -armies and the success of French diplomacy the great military and -political genius of Armand du Plessis. - -In the mean time, the cardinal kindly left Edward and Lucette to the -enjoyment of each other's society; and it was not till some six or seven -days after the union which he himself had aided so much to bring about -that he visited them at the castle of Bourillaut. Great success, if in -the end it makes men haughty and overbearing, seems at first to soften -and expand the heart; and Richelieu, at the culminating-point of his -fortunes, sat down and conversed with the two young people as their -friend. He amused himself somewhat with their love, and expressed, and -probably felt, some gratification at their happiness. - -"Monsieur Langdale," he said, "a foolish prediction has been made to me, -that as you and I were born on the same hour of the same day of the same -month, though a number of years apart,--how many I do not remember,--my -fate and yours should run together; and, though of course I put no faith -in it, that prophecy has as yet proved remarkably true. I am therefore -very desirous to attach you to me, now that peace is signed between -France and England; and you must tell me, according to a promise which -you once made, what post I can give you at the court of France." - -Edward and Lucette looked at each other; and then, with his usual -frankness, Edward answered, "No post your Eminence can give me can -attach me more strongly to you than that which you have already given -me,--the husband of this dear lady. Two days ago we had a long -consultation with our good friend Clement Tournon, and laid out our -plans for life. He is resolved, with the sum he has amassed, to purchase -a small and beautiful estate and chateau which he has seen not far from -Paris; and Lucette and myself intend to live there a great part of each -year as his son and daughter. We shall of course visit England from time -to time; but our wish is to avoid courts and cities as much as may be." - -"Young people's dreams," said Richelieu, gravely. - -"That may be," said Edward, "but I trust it will not prove so. However, -if your Eminence were to give me some high post, you would make many of -the French nobility dissatisfied, and you might find me ungrateful; but, -as it is, I shall be near you the greater part of my days; and, whether -I may be in England or in France, if at any time I can serve you with my -hand, or my head, or my heart, believe me, I will not forget these happy -days are all owing to your great goodness." - -"I wish I could dream," said the cardinal, looking down thoughtfully. -"It must be a very happy thing to be so confident of the world and of -fate and of oneself. But be it so, Monsieur Langdale. Only remember!" - -"My lord, have I ever forgotten?" asked Edward. - -"No, no," said Richelieu; "and it is for that I have esteemed you. Come -and see me when you are near Paris; for when I have a leisure hour I -shall love your conversation. We will talk of art, and literature, and -science; and I shall banish for that hour the thought of politics, and -intrigue, and cabal: oh, how I hate them! And if you have a son," he -continued, laying his hand kindly upon that of Lucette as he rose to -depart, "you shall call his name Armand." - -"And you shall bless him," cried Lucette, warmly, kissing his hand; "and -I will tell him that you made his father and myself happy." - -Perhaps, in all his career of splendid misery, that was one of the -happiest hours that Richelieu had ever experienced. - -The Prince de Soubise, as is well known, did not return to France and -make his full submission to his king till Edward and Lucette had been -married some time. To Edward, whom he met at the court not long after -the final fall of Marie de Medici, he was polite and even friendly; but, -whether it was that he was naturally of a more haughty disposition than -his brother the Duc de Rohan, or that he was never placed under the same -pressure of circumstances, he refused to acknowledge, by any authentic -act, the legality of the marriage between his young cousin and the son -of one of his earliest friends. It made no difference to them, however, -nor troubled their peace in the least; and in the end, after witnessing -their mutual felicity for many years, both he and his brother the duke, -by their own wretched experience, were forced to acknowledge that a -marriage of affection has more chance for happiness than a marriage of -convenience. Still, however, with the same peculiar obduracy which had -characterized his resistance to the crown in the hopeless war of the -Protestants against Louis XIII., he refused to sign, on several -occasions, the papers which were necessary to enable Lucette to enter -fully into possession of her father's estates, saying that he would not -recognise her marriage with the second son of a simple English -gentleman. But his consent was passed over by certain forms of the -Parliament; and as for Madame de Chevreuse, with her usual gay -lightness, she signed her approbation of the marriage without a word of -opposition,--when she found that opposition would be vain. She was even -inclined to be exceedingly kind and intimate with the young pair; but -Edward gave no encouragement to her advances, and she satisfied herself -by declaring that, like many of his countrymen, he was a handsome man, -but somewhat brutal. - -In regard to Edward's claim to the estate of Buckley, there was no -opposition; and he kept quiet possession during the whole of his life of -that fine part of his inheritance. The estates of Langley were suffered -to go greatly to decay for several years, the rents accumulating in the -hands of the agent without ever being called for or paid over to any -one. - -How this property reverted to Edward himself, and how the objections of -the Prince de Soubise to the marriage of his young cousin with Edward -Langdale were at last done away,--what was the ultimate fate of Sir -Richard Langdale,--and how an old proverb was verified,--would be too -long of telling in the pages which yet remain. - -Perhaps, if God spares the life, the health, and the senses of the -author of this work, these particulars may all be related in another. At -all events, the history of Lord Montagu's Page is completed; for it -would be folly to pursue that history in the calm, continued, -uninterrupted happiness of his married life. Every one has been -unsuccessful in painting happiness with the pen. Dante failed in his -Paradiso, Milton in his Paradise Regained; and the writer of these pages -is not sufficiently presumptuous to suppose that he could succeed in -representing a state as near as this world permits to that which they -attempted to picture in vain. - - - THE END. - - - STEREOTYPED BY L. JOHNSON & CO. - PHILADELPHIA. - - * * * * * - - Transcriber's notes: - - P.18. 'It it' is changed to 'It is' - P.76. 'stoop' changed to 'swoop'. - P. 106, 'dulness' changed to 'dullness'. - P.108. 'Rochelois' changed to 'Rochellois'. - P.126. 'Loge' changed to 'Loge'. - P. 211. 'Loir' changed to 'Loire'. - P. 219. 'th' changed to 'there'. - - * * * * * - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Lord Montagu's Page, by G. P. R. 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