THE LIBRARY
OF
THE UNIVERSITY
OF CALIFORNIA
LOS ANGELES
the last H~t
...OS
HP'
THE PAGE
OF
THE DUKE OF SAVOY.
BY
ALEXANDRE DUMAS.
VOL. I.
BOSTON:
LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY.
1896.
94 14
Copyright, 1891, 1893,
BY LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY.
UNIVERSITY PRESS:
JOHN WILSON AND SON, CAMBRIDGE, U.S.A.
U-l
HISTORICAL ROMANCES.
THE PAGE OF THE DUKE OF SAVOY.
VOL. I.
Romances of $Uexantii;e umas*
ROMANCES OF THE REIGN OF HENRY II.
I. THE Two DIANAS 3 vols.
II. THE PAGE OF THE DUKE OF SAVOY a vols.
THE VALOIS ROMANCES.
i. MARGUERITE DE VALOJS 2 vols.
II. LA DAME DE MONSOREAU 2 vols.
III. THE FORTY-FIVE 2 vols.
THE D'ARTAGNAN ROMANCES.
I. THE THREE MUSKETEERS 2 vols.
II. TWENTY YEARS AFTER 2 vols.
III. THE VICOMTE DE BRAGELONNE ; or, Ten Years
Later . 6 vols.
THE REGENCY ROMANCES.
I. LE CHEVALIER D'HARMENTAL i vol.
II. THE REGENT'S DAUGHTER i voL
A ROMANCE OF THE REIGN OF LOUIS XV.
OLYMPE DE CLEVES 2 vols.
THE MARIE ANTOINETTE ROMANCES.
I. MEMOIRS OF A PHYSICIAN 3 vols.
II. THE QUEEN'S NECKLACE 2 vols.
III. ANGE PITOU 2 vols.
IV. LA COMTESSE L>E CHARNY 4 vols.
V. LE CHEVALIER DE MAISON-ROUGE i vol.
THE NAPOLEON ROMANCES.
THE COMPANIONS OF JEHU 2 vols.
THE WHITES AND THE BLUES 2 vols.
THE BLACK TULIP i voL
THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO 4 vols.
THE SHE-WOLVES OF MACHECOUL\ .
THE CORSICAN BROTHERS /
NEW SERIES.
ASCANIO : A Romance of Francis 1. and Benvenutq
Cellini 2 vols.
THE WAR OF WOMEN : A Romance of the Fronde . . 2 vols.
BLACK: The Story of a Dog i vol.
TALES OF THE CAUCASUS THE BALL OF SNOW,
AND SULTANETTA I vol.
THE DUKK'S 1'AGE.
Drawn by Prank T. Merrill.
THE PAGE OF THE DUKE OF SAVOY, I.
PQ,
INTRODUCTORY NOTE.
IN " The Page of the Duke of Savoy " we meet again
most of the members of the doughty band of adven-
turers with whom Gabriel de Montgomery is said
in the " Two Dianas " to have accomplished the
marvellous feat of carrying the Old Fort of Calais
by escalade: Malemort, the seamed and scarred
hero of a hundred fights, whose first rush was
always so impetuous and reckless that he inevit-
ably received a fresh wound at the very beginning,
and was incapacitated for further service ; Yvonnet
the dandy, bold as a lion by daylight, and timid as
a hare when the sun had gone down ; Pilletrousse,
the rifler of dead men's pockets ; Lactance, whose
excessive blood-thirstiness was only equalled by
his devoutness ; and the two Scharfensteins, uncle
and nephew, whose feats of strength out-Hercules
Hercules. Procope, Maldent, and Fracasso are new
acquaintances, equally diverting, each in his par-
ticular line.
VI INTRODUCTORY NOTE.
The period of this tale was crowded with events
of deepest import to the world's history : it em-
braced the culmination of the world-empire of
Charles V. and his abdication ; the early years of
the reign of Philip II., in which his future policy
and conduct were so clearly foreshadowed ; the
struggle for supremacy between the Guises and
Catherine de Me'dicis, the Florentine mother of the
last three Valois Kings of France ; and the irre-
sistible growth and spread of the Reformation.
Of all the famous men who fought and governed
in that age, perhaps the very noblest was Emman-
uel Philibert, Duke of Savoy, whom Dumas selected
as the central figure of his story. All that is here
told us of him and his character is amply supported
by authority.
Many of the historical events woven into the
plot of the "Two Dianas" are here presented to us
again, mainly in forms which follow the chronicles
more closely. This is especially true of the life of
the Conite de Montgomery, and the circumstances
attending the fatal disaster at the Tournelles.
There is no reason to believe that the death of
Henri II. was the result of anything but pure acci-
dent, nor has history any more to say of the Conite
de Montgomery than is said by our author in the
INTRODUCTORY NOTE. vii
following pages. It will be noticed, however, that
the gloomy prognostications of Nostradamus re-
appear here in slightly different form.
As to the siege of Saint Quentin, too, the de-
scription given in the present work is entitled to
the credit of being more nearly in accord with the
facts than that which omits to mention Dandelot's
presence, and makes Gaspard de Coligny play a
subordinate part to Gabriel de Montgomery. It
was the failure of Philip II. to follow up the fall of
the town (inexplicable unless it was due to his
jealousy of the Duke of Savoy) which saved Paris,
and not the defence made by the garrison and citi-
zens, heroic and devoted as their conduct was.
It would be perhaps more accurate to entitle
"The Page of the Duke of Savoy" a part of the
romance of history than an historical romance ; for
aside from the scenes in which the exploits of Pro-
cope and his associates appear, and the deeply
touching love episode of Emmanuel Philibert and
his pseudo-page, there are few chapters of which the
historical accuracy can be impugned, from the
famous scene at Brussels when Charles V. laid
down his sceptre, to his mock obsequies at the
little convent in Spain ; from Henri II. haughtily
receiving the heralds of Spain and England, to
Vlll INTRODUCTORY NOTE.
Henri II. meekly consenting to the shameful treaty
of Cateau-Cambresis ; from the brilliant pageant
and superb jousting in the lists at the Tournelles,
to the chamber of death, with Catherine de Mddicis
hovering jealously about the bed of the dying king,
who had been so long and consistently unfaithful
to her.
The epoch is one which readily lends itself to
the romantic treatment, and under the hand of the
master few opportunities of arousing the interest
and moving the heart of the reader have been lost
LIST OF CHARACTERS.
Period, 1528-1580.
THE EMPEROR, Charles V.
MARY OP AUSTRIA, the Queen Dowager of Hungary, sister of
Charles V.
MARY, Queen of England.
PHILIP, Prince of Spain, her husband, son of Charles V.
QUEEN ELEANOR, sister of Charles V.
DON CARLOS, the Emperor's grandson.
EMMANUEL PHILIBERT, Due de Savoie, surnamed Tete de Fer,
nephew of Charles V.
SCIANCA-FERRO, his squire.
GAETANO, his major-domo.
CHARLES THE GOOD, of Portugal, father of Emmanuel Philibert
BEATRICE OP PORTUGAL, Emmanuel Philibert's mother.
LEONA MARAVIGLIA, passing as Leone, the page of the Duke
of Savoy.
COMTE FRANCESCO MARAVIGLIA, her father.
LA COMTESSE MARAVIGLIA.
COMTE ODOARDO MARAVIGLIA, Leona's brother, Ambassador of
the Kings of France and Spain.
JOHN FREDERICK, Elector of Saxony.
ADMIRAL OF CASTILE,
DUKE OF MEDINA COELI,
R.UY GOMEZ DE SILVA,
DUKE OP ALVA,
DON Luis DE VARGAS,
Spanish noblemen.
X LIST OF CHARACTERS.
FRANCESCO MARIA SFORZA, Duke of Milan.
ARCHBISHOP OF TOLEDO.
CARDINAL POLE.
WILLIAM OF ORANGE.
DON GUZMAN D'AVILA, Herald of Spain.
SIGNOR ANGELO POLICASTRO, Astrologer to Charles V.
COMTE WALDECK, in the cavalry service of Charles V.
VICOMTE WALDECK, his sou.
THE BASTARD SON OF COMTE WALDECK.
ODINET DE MONTFORT, a Savoyard cavalier.
COUNCILLOR PHILIBERT BRUSSELIUS.
FRAN9OIS I., King of France.
HENRI II., his successor.
CATHERINE DE MEDICIS,
DIANE DE POITIERS.
DIANE DE CASTRO.
MARGUERITE DE FRANCE, sister of Henri II.
THE DAUPHIN, afterwards Fran9ois II.
MARY STUART, married to the Dauphin.
MARY FLEMING,
MARY SEATON, I M Stuart's " Four Marys."
MARY LIVINGSTON,
MARY BEATON,
ELIZABETH DE VALOIS, j d hters of Heuri IL
MARGUERITE DE VALOIS, )
Due D'ORLEAXS, afterwards Charles IX.
Due DE NEVERS, Lieutenant-general of the king.
HENRI, his brother, afterwards Henri III.
CONSTABLE DE MONTMORENCY.
GABRIEL DE MONTMORENCY, his son.
MONSIEUR DE CHATILLON, the Constable's nephew.
FRAN90IS, Due de Guise.
CARDINAL DE LORRAINE,
Due D'AUMALE, |^ his brothers .
MARQUIS D'ELB(EUF,
CARDINAL GUISE.
LIST OF CHARACTERS.
XI
surgeons.
preceptors of the princes.
ADMIRAL COLIGNY, Envoy extraordinary of Henri II.
MONSIEUR DANDELOT DE COLIGNY, his brother.
MONSIEUR DE BOISSY, Grand Equerry of France.
MONSIEUR DE VIEILLEVILLE, Grand Chamberlain.
ALPHOXSE D'ESTE, Due de Ferrara.
DUCHKSSE DE NEMOURS.
CARDINAL CARAFFA.
GABRIEL DE LORGES.
AMBROISE PARE,
ANDREW VESALIUS,
RONSARD,
REMY BELLEAU,
DORAT,
Da BELLAY,
JACQUES AMYOT,
JACQUES DE LA MOTTE, Abbe de St. Prix.
Due D'EXGHIEN,
MARECHAL DE SAINT-ANDRE,
Due DE NEVERS,
MARECHAL STROZZI,
MARECHAL DE BRISSAC,
MONSIEUR DE THELIGNT,
MONSIEUR DE BREUIL,
MONSIEUR DE JARNAC,
CAPTAIN LANGUETOT,
CAPTAIN RAMBOUILLET,
CAPTAIN Louis POY,
MONSIEUR DANDELOT, the admiral's brother,
VICOMTE DU MONT NOTRE-DAME,
SlEUR DE LA CUREE,
COMTE DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD,
Due DE MONTPENSIER,
DUC DE LONGUEVILLE,
Due DE BOUILLON,
VICOMTE DE TURENNE,
French officers.
Xll
LIST OF CHARACTERS.
soldiers of fortune in the
French service.
HEINRICII SCHAHFENSTEIN,
MARTIN PILLETROUSE,
FRANTZ SCIIARFENSTEIN,
CJESAR ANNIBAL MALEMORT,
HONORS-JOSEPH MALDENT,
JEAN-CHRYSOSTOME PROCOPE,
VICTOR-FELIX YVONNET,
CYRILLE-NEPOMUCENE LACTANCE,
VITTORIO-ALBANI FRACASSO,
COUNT EGMONT,
COUNT HORN,
COUNT SCHWARZBOURG,
COUNT MANSFIELD,
DUKE ERIC OF BRUNSWICK,
DUKE ERNEST OF BRUNSWICK,
FIELD-MARSHAL DE BINNSCOURT,
CAPTAIN CARONDELET,
COLONEL NARVAEZ,
JULIAN ROMERON,
ALONZO DE CAZIERES,
MADEMOISELLE GERTRUDE, | seryants at the Chateau du p arcq
PHILIPPIN, )
JEAN PAUQUET, captain of a company at St. Quentin.
GUILLAUME PAUQUET, his brother.
GUDULE, Guillaume Pauquet's daughter.
MAITRE GOSSEU, a Picard peasant.
CATHERINE, his wife.
officers in the army besieg-
ing St. Quentin.
CONTENTS.
PART I.
CHAPTIB P*
I. WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN SEEN FROM THE GREAT
TOWER OP HESDIN-FERT ON MAY 5, 1555, AT
ABOUT TWO O'CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON . . 1
II. THE ADVENTURERS 10
III. IN WHICH THE READER MAKES FURTHER ACQUAINT-
ANCE WITH THE HEROES TO WHOM WE HAVE
INTRODUCED HIM 23
IV. THE ARTICLES OF PARTNERSHIP 34
V. COUNT WALDECK 47
VI. THE JUSTICIARY 57
VII. HISTORY AND ROMANCE 71
VIII. THE SQUIRE AND THE PAGE 88
IX. LEONE-LEONA 98
X. THE THREE MESSAGES 114
XI. ODOARDO MARAVIGLIA 131
XII. WHAT TOOK PLACE IN THE FORTRESS OF MILAN
ON THE NIGHT OP Nov. 14, 1534 .... 142
XIII. THE DEMON OF THE SOUTH 158
XIV. CHARLES V. KEEPS THE PROMISE GIVEN TO HIS
SON DON PHILIP . . ' 172
XV. AFTER THE ABDICATION . . 202
XIV CONTENTS.
PART II.
CHAPTER PAGE
I. THE COURT OP FRANCE 216
II. THE ROYAL HUNT 233
III. CONSTABLE AND CARDINAL 251
IV. WAR 267
V. IN CAMP AT LA FERE 286
VI. ST. QUENTIN 297
VII. THE ADMIRAL KEEPS HIS PROMISE 312
VIII. THE ADVENTURERS' TENT 324
IX. BATTLE 333
X. MONSIEUR DE THELIGNT 345
XI. A MESSAGE TO THE CONSTABLE 355
XII. THE ASSAULT . 363
THE
PAGE OF THE DUKE OF SAVOY.
PART I.
CHAPTER I.
WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN SEEN FROM THE GREAT TOWER
OF HESDIN-FERT ON MAY 5, 1555, AT ABOUT TWO
O'CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON.
THOSE of our readers who do not fear to take with us a
stride of three centuries into the past, we will transport
at once into the presence of the men whose acquaintance
we wish them to make, and into the midst of the events
we wish them to witness.
It is the fifth day of May in the year 1555. Henri II.-
reigns over France, Mary Tudor over England, and
Charles V. over Spain, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands,
and the two Indies, that is to say, over a sixth part of
the world.
We are in the little town of Hesdin-Fert, which Em-
manuel Philibert, Prince of Piedmont, has just built near
the site of Hesdin-le-Vieux, which he captured and de-
stroyed a year ago. We are travelling, therefore, in that
part of ancient France which was called Artois, and is
known to-day as the department of Pas-de-Calais.
VOL. i. 1
2 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
We say " of ancient France." for Artois was for a short
time reunited to the patrimony of our kings by Philippe-
Auguste, the conqueror of Saint-Jean-d'Acre and of Bou-
vines ; but having been joined to the house of France
in 1180, it was given by Saint Louis to his younger
brother Robert in 1237, and passed successively, at
the hands of three women, Mahaud, Jeanne I., and
Jeanne II., into the possession of three different fam-
ilies. Then, being owned by Marguerite, sister of
Jeanne II., and daughter of Jeanne I., it fell into the
hands of Comte Louis de Male, whose daughter conveyed
it to the house of Burgundy. Finally, after the death of
Charles the Bold, Marie de Bourgogne, sole inheritor of
her father's great name and vast wealth, married Maxi-
milian, son of the Emperor Frederick III., and carried
both name and wealth to the house of Austria, where
they were engulfed like a river which is merged in the
ocean.
This was a great loss to France, for Artois was a fair
and fertile province ; and therefore for three years
Henri II. and Charles V. had struggled, with varying
fortune but with unflinching determination, the former
to recover, the latter to retain it.
During this desperate war in which the son met again
the old enemy of his father, and like his father must have
4iis Marignano and his Pavia each had encountered his
good and evil fortunes, his victories and his defeats.
Charles V. had been forced to abandon the siege of Metz
in disorder, and had lost Marienbourg, Bouvines, and
Djnant ; but, on the other hand, he had carried Therou-
anne and Hesdin by assault, and furious at his defeat
at Metz, had burned one and razed the other to the
ground
We have compared Metz to Marignano, and we do not
THE GREAT TOWER OF HESDIN-FERT. 3
exaggerate in making this comparison. An army of fifty
thousand infantry and fourteen thousand horse, deci-
mated by cold, by disease, and also, it may be said, by
the bravery of the Due Frangois de Guise and the French
garrison, vanished like mist, disappeared like smoke,
leaving, as the only trace of its existence, ten thousand
dead, two thousand tents, and one hundred and twenty
cannon !
The rout had been so complete that the fugitives had
not even sought to defend themselves ; and when Charles
de Bourbon was pursuing a body of Spanish cavalry, their
captain turned his horse, and riding up to the French
officer, " Whether you be a prince or a simple gentle-
man," said he, " if you fight for glory, seek some other
occasion; for now you are slaughtering men who are
not only too feeble to resist, but without strength to
escape."
Charles de Bourbon sheathed his sword and sounded
a recall, and the Spaniards continued their flight without
further molestation.
Charles V. was far from imitating his rival's generosity,
and after the capture of Therouanue gave up the town
to pillage, and then razed it to the ground, respecting
neither churches, monasteries, nor hospitals ; and finally,
that he might not leave one stone upon another, he called
in the peasants of Flanders and Artois to scatter the
fragments.
The summons to the work of destruction had been
obeyed. The inhabitants of Artois and Flanders, who
had sustained losses at the hands of the garrison at The'-
rouanne, came flocking in, armed with pickaxes and ham-
mers, and the city had disappeared like Saguntum under
the foot of Hannibal, like Carthage blasted by the breath
of Scipio.
4 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
Hesdin had met the same fate as The'rouanne. But
at this time Emmanuel Philibert had been appointed to
the command of the imperial troops in the Netherlands,
and not being able to save Therouanne, had determined
at all events to rebuild Hesdin. A few months of in-
cessant labor had accomplished this, and a new city had
risen, as if by enchantment, about a quarter of a league
from the old one. This new city, situated in the midst
of the marshes of Mesnil upon the banks of the Canche,
was so well fortified that one hundred and fifty years
later it excited the admiration of Vauban, although dur-
ing this period of time the system of fortifications had
entirely changed.
The founder had called this new town Hesdin-Fert, in
memory of its origin ; that is to say, he had added to its
name these four letters, " F. E. R. T.," given with the
white cross by the Emperor of Germany to Amadeus the
Great, thirteenth count of Savoy, after his successful de-
fence of Rhodes, and which signified, " Fortitude ejus
Rhodum tenuit," that is to say, "His courage saved
Rhodes."
This, moreover, was not the only marvel eifected by
the young general to whom Charles V. had given the
command of his army. Thanks to the rigid discipline
which he had established, the unhappy province was
beginning to breathe freely, after being devastated by
four years of incessant war. The strictest orders for the
suppression of all pillage and marauding had been issued
and enforced ; every officer offending was placed under
arrest, every soldier taken in the act was hanged.
The consequence was, that, as hostilities had almost
ceased during the winter of 1554 and 1555, the inhabi-
tants of Artois had regarded the last four or five months,
iii comparison with the three years which had intervened
THE GREAT TOWER OF HESDIN-FERT. 5
between the siege of Metz and the rebuilding of Hesdin,
as something like a revival of the golden age.
It must be confessed that now and then some farm or
chateau was burned or sacked, either by the French, who
held Abbeville, Doulens, and Montreuil-sur-Mer, and
who occasionally made incursions into the enemy's coun-
try, or else by those incorrigible freebooters, the German
mercenaries, who followed in the train of the imperial
army ; but Emmanuel Philibert made so good head
against the French, and inflicted so speedy punishment
upon the freebooters, that such catastrophes were becom-
ing rarer every day.
This, then, was the condition of things in the province
of Artois, and particularly in the neighborhood of Hesdin-
Fert, at the time of the opening of our story on the 5th
of May, 1555.
And now, after giving our readers some idea of the
moral and political state of the country, we must describe
its material aspect, which was very different then from
what industry and cultivation have since made it.
Let us suppose, then, in order to perform this difficult
task which we have undertaken, the object of which is to
recall an almost forgotten period, what on that 5th of
May, 1555, toward two o'clock in the afternoon, a man
would have seen who from the highest tower of Hesdin,
with his back to the sea, had looked along the horizon
extending in a semi-circle before him, from the northern
extremity of that little chain of hills behind which
Bethune is hidden, to the last southern hillocks of the
same chain, at the foot of which lies Doulens.
At first he would have seen, immediately before him,
narrowing to a point toward the banks of the Canche, the
dense and dark forest of Saint-Pol-sur-Ternoise, whose
vast expanse of green, like a mantle thrown over the
6 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
shoulder of the hill, reached to the foot of the opposite
slope and dipped its borders in the sources of the Scarpe,
which is to the Escaut what the Saoue is to the Rhone,
what the Moselle is to the Rhine.
Upon the right of this forest, and consequently to the
left of the observer whom we suppose to be standing
upon the highest tower of Hesdin-Fert, in the valley under
the shelter of these hills which form the horizon, are the
villages of Enchin and Fruges, half hidden in the bluish
smoke issuing from their own chimneys, and which en-
velops them like a thin mist or a transparent veil, an
indication that the chilly inhabitants of these northern
provinces, although the spring days had made their ap-
pearance, had not yet bidden a final adieu to the fire,
that cheery and faithful friend of the winter season.
In advance of these two villages stands a rustic dwell-
ing, half chateau, half farm, which bears the name of
" Le Parcq," and which seems like a sentinel placed in
advance of his troop, but who does not altogether fancy
the idea of being beyond the protection of his fellow-
soldiers.
The high-road, like a long golden ribbon, passes in
front of Le Parcq, and winds among the bright green trees
that border the sombre forest, until at length it branches
out in two directions, one leading straight into Hes-
din, and the other following the margin of the wood,
finding its way, not in a very straight line, it must be
confessed, to the villages of Frevent, Auxy-le-Chateau,
and Nouvion-en-Ponthieu.
The plain which extends from these three places to
Hesdin lies exactly opposite to that which we have been
describing ; that is to say, it forms the left of the valley
of Saint-Pol, and consequently lies on the right of a per-
son standing on the high tower of Hesdin-Fert.
THE GREAT TOWER OF HESDIX-FEBT. 7
This plain forms the most interesting part of the view,
not that it has any very remarkable natural character-
istics, but only because at this moment it is animated by
the result of fortuitous circumstances.
While the opposite plain is carpeted with waving grass,
this one is covered by the camp of the Emperor Charles V.,
which, surrounded by trenches and enclosed by palisades,
constitutes a city of tents.
In the centre of this city of tents, like Notre-Dame de
Paris in the Cite, like the Chateau des Papes in Avignon,
like some stately three-decker in the foaming waves of the
ocean, towers the imperial pavilion, from whose corners
hang four standards, any one of which might have satisfied
the highest human ambition, the standard of the Em-
pire, the standard of Spain, the standard of Home, and the
standard of Lombardy ; for this hero, conquering, valiant,
victorious as he is called, has been crowned four times.
He has been crowned at Toledo with the diamond
crown as King of Spain and the Indies ; at Aix-la-
Chapelle with the silver crown as Emperor of Germany ;
at Bologna with the golden crown as King of the Romans,
and with the iron crown as King of the Lombards. And
when opposition was made to his wish to be crowned at
Bologna instead of going as was customary to Rome
and Milan ; when he was reminded of the brief of Pope
Stephen which prohibited the golden crown from leaving
the Vatican, and of the decree of the Emperor Charle-
magne, who declared that the iron crown should not be
taken out of Monza, the conqueror of Franqois I., of
Soliman, and of Luther haughtily replied that he had
been accustomed not to run after crowns, but to expect
crowns to come to him. Above these four standards
waves his own flag, displaying the Pillars of Hercules,
not as the confines of the Old World, but as the gates of
8 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
the New, and bearing this ambitious device, greater for
its mutilation, Plus ultra.
Some fifty paces from the emperor's pavilion rises the
tent of his commander-in-chief, Emmanuel Philibert,
which is distinguished from those of the ordinary soldiery
only by the two standards which adorn it, one of which
displays the silver cross of Savoy on its red ground, with
the four letters, " F. E. R. T.," whose meaning we have
already explained ; and the other, Emmanuel's personal
arms, a hand raising a trophy of lances, swords,
and pistols, with the motto, Spoliatis arma supersunt
(" The despoiled have still their arms ").
The camp overlooked by these two tents is divided into
four parts, through which winds the river, crossed by
three bridges. The first division is assigned to the Ger-
mans, the second to the Spanish, the third to the Eng-
lish; the fourth contains the park of artillery entirely
renewed since the defeat at Metz, and which, since the
addition of French pieces taken at Therouanne and
Hesdin, consists of one hundred and twenty cannon and
fifteen bombards. Upon the breech of each of the pieces
taken from the French, the emperor has caused to be
engraved his two favorite words, Plus ultra.
Behind the cannon and the bombards are ranged in
three lines the wagons and carts containing the ammuni-
tion ; sentinels, sword in hand, with neither arquebuse
nor pistol, take care that no one approaches these vol-
canoes, which a single spark would be sufficient to set
on fire. Other sentinels are stationed just outside the
enclosure.
In the streets of this camp, arranged like those of a
city, move thousands of men with military activity,
tempered however by German gravity, Spanish pride,
and English phlegm.
THE GREAT TOWER OF HESDIN-FERT. 9
The sun shines upon all these arms, which give back
its rays in flashes ; the wind plays with all these stand-
ards, all these banners, all these pennons, whose silken
folds and brilliant colors it rolls and unrolls according to
its caprice.
This activity and noise, which float always upon the
surface of multitudes and of oceans, are in remarkable
contrast with the silence and solitude on the other side
of the plain, where the sun shines only upon the shifting
mosaic of fields of waving grain, which are at different
stages of maturity, and where the wind stirs only those
flowers of the field which young girls delight to weave
into garlands of purple and azure, with which to adorn
themselves on Sunday.
And now that in the first chapter of our book we have
seen what might have been presented to the view of a
man from the highest tower of Hesdin-Fert on the 5th
of May, 1555, let us devote the second chapter to show-
ing what would have escaped his sight, however pene-
trating it might be.
10 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
CHAPTER II.
THE ADVENTURERS.
THAT which would have escaped the notice of this man,
however searching his gaze, is what was taking place in
the thickest and consequently most gloomy spot in the
forest of Saint-Pol-sur-Ternoise, in the remotest corner of
a cavern which the trees covered with their shade and
which the ivy enveloped with its network ; while for the
greater security of those who occupied this cavern a sen-
tinel hidden in the brushwood, lying flat on the ground,
as motionless as one of the trunks of the trees by which
he was surrounded, kept careful watch to prevent any
disturbance of this important assembly, at which, in our
capacity of romancer, that is to say, of magician, to
whom all doors are open, we invite our readers to be
present.
Let us take advantage of the instant when, preoccupied
by the noise made by a frightened hare in bounding
through the brakes, this sentinel, who has not seen us
but whom we have discovered, turns his eyes in the
direction from which the noise comes, to slip unseen into
the cavern, and concealing ourselves behind a projecting
ledge of rock, let us observe, to the smallest details, what-
ever may happen there.
The cave is occupied by eight men, who differ from
one another in face, dress, and character, but who ap-
pear, from the arms they carry, to have adopted the same
calling. One of them whose face expresses cunning and
THE ADVENTURERS. 11
sharpness, and whose fingers are covered with ink, by
reason of his repeated efforts to free his pen from the
hairs so plentiful in the ill-made paper of the period, is
writing fast, a large stone making an admirable table ; a
second is standing like a statue by the side of the first,
and holding a blazing pine-torch by way of light, whose
red, smoky glare not only lights up the writer and his
paper, but also casts fitful bursts of brilliant light upon
the torch-bearer and his six companions.
That the writing is some agreement which is of interest
to the whole company is sufficiently proved by their eager
countenances. Three of the men, however, appear less
engrossed in it than the rest.
The first is an elegant young man, who may be some
twenty-five years of age. He is dressed in a beautiful
buffalo-hide cuirass, which if not ball-proof is at least
dagger- proof ; under this he wears a tight-fitting jerkin
of claret-colored velvet, somewhat faded, it is true, but
still presentable, the sleeves of which are cut d, V Espagnole,
that is to say, in the very latest fashion, as are also his
green velvet breeches. He wears cavalry boots, the legs
of which are sufficiently high to protect the thigh when
the wearer is on horseback, and flexible enough to settle
down below the knees when he is walking.
He is singing a rondeau by Clement Marot, as he
strokes his fine black mustaches with one hand and with
the other combs his hair, which he wears rather longer than
is the fashion at this period, in order, doubtless, to retain
the beauty of the soft, glossy waves with which Nature
has endowed it.
The next is a man of about thirty-six, but whose face
is so scarred and disfigured that it is impossible to dis-
cover in it what his age may be. His arm and a portion
of the chest are naked, and upon every exposed part of
12 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
his body there are a series of scars not less numerous
than those which mark his face. He is engaged in bind-
ing up a wound in the arm, which fortunately is the left
one, and consequently he does not suffer so much incon-
venience as if the right arm were disabled. He holds
between his teeth the end of a linen bandage, with which
he binds on the wound a handful of lint steeped in some
marvellous unguent, of which a gypsy had given him the
receipt, and in which he seems to have entire confidence.
He utters no complaint, and appears as insensible to the
pain as if the limb in the cure of which he is engaged
were of oak or pine.
The third is a tall, thin, ascetic-looking individual, about
forty years of age, who is kneeling in a corner telling
beads with a rapidity which would have done credit to
the most active monk in the universe, and repeating, with
a volubility peculiarly his own, a dozen Paters and a
dozen Aves. From time to time his right hand abandons
the chaplet, and resounds upon his breast like a cooper's
hammer upon an empty cask ; but as he repeats two or
three times in succession in a loud voice the Mea Culpa,
his hand returns to his chaplet, which turns around as
rapidly as a rosary in the hands of a monk, or the com-
boloio in the hands of a dervis.
The three personages who are yet to be described have
characteristics, we are glad to say, not less marked than
those of the five whom we have had the honor of present-
ing to our readers.
One of them is leaning his elbows on the stone which
serves the writer for a table, and follows the movements
of the pen with his eyes, as a spider watches every motion
of the fly which is to serve for his dinner. His face is a
strange mixture of cunning and common-sense, knavery
and good-fellowship. He may be about forty years old,
THE ADVENTURERS. 13
for the thick eyebrows which shade his deep-set eyes are
already turning gray.
Another is lying at full length on his face. He has
found a stone suitable for sharpening swords and poniards,
and is profiting by this circumstance with the help of
an abundant supply of saliva and continued friction upon
the stone to make a new point for his dirk, which has
become very blunt. His tongue, which he presses be-
tween his teeth and which is sticking out of the corner of
his mouth, indicates the attention he gives and the great
interest he takes in his work, with which, nevertheless,
he is not so preoccupied as to be unable to attend to the
discussion. If what he hears meets his approbation, he
simply gives a nod of approval ; if on the contrary it
wounds his moral sense or nms counter to his own ideas,
he starts up, approaches the writer, places the point of
his dirk on the paper, saying these four words, " Pardon,
what do you say ? " and takes away his weapon only when
an explanation is given to his satisfaction, which he ex-
presses by a more abundant salivation and more vigorous
friction between his dirk and the stone, thanks to
which the lovely instrument promises soon to become
again as sharp as ever.
The last, and we begin to realize the mistake we
have made in placing him in the category of those who
seemed most interested in the discussion going on be-
tween the scribe and his assistants, the last, we say,
leaning against the side of the cave, his arms hanging by
his side, his eyes lifted to the sky or rather to the damp
and gloomy roof of the cave on which play like will-o'-
the-wisps the flickering rays of the pine torch, seems at
once a dreamer and a poet. What is he seeking at this
moment ? The solution of some problem like those
solved by Christopher Columbus and Galileo t Is it the
14 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
form of a tiercet such as Dante made, or of a stanza
such as Tasso sung ] No one knows except the demon
which dwells in him, and which is so little interested in
material things absorbed as it is in the contemplation
of abstract things that it allows every portion of the
worthy poet's clothing to fall in tatters, except those
which are of iron, leather, or steel.
We have drawn the portraits, both good and bad ; now
let us give to each its name. The scribe is called Pro-
cope ; he is a Norman and was educated for a lawyer, and
he spices his conversation with quotations from the laws
of Rome and of Charlemagne. Whoever makes a writ-
ten agreement with him may expect a lawsuit. If
however one is satisfied with his word, that is as good
as gold ; but his way of keeping his word is not always
in harmony with the common ideas of morality. We will
give an example of this, which at the same time will ex-
plain his present adventurous mode of life. A seigneur
of the court of Franois I., with three of his companions,
came one day to propose to him a transaction. He
knew that the royal treasurer that very night was to
carry from the Arsenal to the Louvre one thousand
crowns in gold; the plan was to stop the treasurer at
the corner of the Rue Saint-Paul, take from him the
thousand gold crowns, and divide them among them-
selves in this way, five hundred to the seigneur, who
would wait at the Place Royale until the deed was ac-
complished, and who oil account of his rank claimed one
half of the sum ; the other half was to be divided among
Procope and his three companions, who would each
have one hundred and twenty-five crowns. The word
was pledged on both sides, and the thing was done ac-
cording to agreement ; but when the treasurer was duly
robbed, murdered, and thrown into the river, the three
THE ADVENTURERS. 15
companions of Procope ventured this proposition, that
instead of going to the Place Royale, they should take
their way toward Notre-Dame and keep the thousand
gold crowns instead of remitting five hundred to the
nobleman. But Procope reminded them of their pledged
word.
"Gentlemen," he said gravely, "you forget that thus
we should fail to keep our agreement, that thus we
should defraud a client ! We must have loyalty before
all things. We will remit to the duke " (the seigneur was
a duke) " the five hundred gold crowns which are due to
him, in full count. But," he continued, perceiving that
the proposition excited some murmurs, " distinguimus ;
when he shall have received them and recognized us as
honest men, there is nothing to prevent us from conceal-
ing ourselves in the cemetery of Saint-Jean, which I am
very sure that he will pass ; it is a lonely place and very
favorable for ambuscades. We will treat the duke as
we have treated the treasurer ; and as the cemetery of
Saint-Jean is not very far from the Seine, they will both
be found to-morrow in the nets at Saint-Cloud. So that
instead of one hundred and twenty-five crowns, each one
of us will have two hundred and fifty, which two hun-
dred and fifty crowns we can enjoy and use without re-
morse, having faithfully kept our word with this good
duke."
The proposition was accepted with enthusiasm, and
was carried into execution. Unfortunately, in their
haste to throw him into the river, the four associates did
not perceive that the duke had not ceased to breathe ;
the coolness of the water restored his strength, and in-
stead of going as far as Saint-Cloud, as Procope hoped,
he reached the Quai de Gevres, hastened on to Chatelet,
and gave to the provost of Paris, who at this time was
16 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
Monsieur d'Estourville, so exact a description of the four
robbers that from that time forth they thought it best
to keep away from Paris for fear of arrest ; in which case,
in spite of Procope's profound knowledge of the law,
they would have been obliged to give up that to which
all persons, however philosophical, cling more or less,
that is to say, existence.
Our four blades had therefore left Paris, each one
going in the direction of one of the four cardinal points.
The northern course fell to the lot of Procope. Thus it
happens that we have the pleasure of finding him wield-
ing the pen in the cavern of Saint-Pol-sur-Ternoise, draw-
ing up, by the choice of his new companions who had
rendered this homage to his merit, the important instru-
ment to which we shall presently give our attention.
The individual who held the torch bore the name
of Heinrich Scharfenstein. This unworthy disciple of
Luther had been driven, by Charles V.'s persecution of
the Huguenots, into the ranks of the French army, to-
gether with his nephew Frantz, who is at this moment
keeping watch at the mouth of the cave. These are two
giants who may be said to be animated by one soul and
actuated by one mind. Many persons contend that one
mind is not sufficient for two bodies each six feet tall ;
but the Scharfensteins are not of this opinion, and are
wholly satisfied with the arrangement.
In ordinary life they rarely condescend to have re-
course to assistance, whether of man, instrument, or
machine, in order to attain their ends. If some heavy
body is to be moved, instead of trying to find out, like
our modern men of science, by what dynamic force Cleo-
patra transported her vessels from the Mediterranean to
the Red Sea, or what machinery Titus used to raise the
gigantic blocks of the Circus of Flavian, they boldly
THE ADVENTURERS. 17
surround the object to be moved with their four arms,
they form an infrangible chain with their fingers of steel,
they make a simultaneous effort with the precision which
distinguishes all their movements, and the object leaves
its place for that which they intend it to occupy. If
a wall is to be scaled or a window to be reached, in-
stead of dragging after them, as their companions do, a
heavy ladder, which hinders their progress when the ex-
pedition succeeds, or which must be abandoned as a
proof of criminality in case of failure, they go empty-
handed to the work in hand. One of them, no matter
which, leans against the wall ; the other mounts upon his
shoulders, and if necessary upon his hands raised above
his head. With the aid of his own arms the second
reaches thus a height of from eighteen to twenty feet, a
height almost always sufficient to gain the top of a wall
or the balcony of a window.
In battle there is always the same system of physical
association. They march side by side and with equal
step. One strikes while the other plunders; when the
one who strikes is tired of striking, he simply passes the
sword, the sledge, or the axe to his companion with these
words only, " It is your turn." Then the roles change ;
the despoiler becomes the striker, and the striker takes
the place of the despoiler. It is true that their manner
of striking is well known and highly esteemed ; but we
think that on the whole they are valued more for their
arms than their brains, their strength than their intelli-
gence. This is the reason why one has been appointed
to stand sentry outside, and the other to act as chancellor
within.
As for the young man who is stroking his black mus-
tache and combing his curly hair, he is called Yvounet ;
he is a Parisian by birth and a Frenchman in feeling.
VOL. i. 2
18 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
Besides the physical advantages we have already de-
scribed, he has feet and hands like a woman's. In time
of peace he complains unceasingly. The fold of the rose-
leaf hurts him, as it did the ancient Sybarite ; he is lazy
when he is required to walk ; he is dizzy at the thought
of climbing ; it gives him the headache to think. Im-
pressionable and nervous as a young girl, his sensitiveness
requires the most careful consideration. In the daytime
he utterly detests spiders, he has a horror of toads, he
becomes sick at the sight of a mouse. He requires to be
beside himself with a grand passion before he will venture
out into the darkness, to which he has an antipathy. To
be sure, to do him justice, he always has some grand
passion ; but almost always, if the rendezvous is ap-
pointed for the night, he comes into the presence of his
mistress frightened to death and trembling all over ; and
as many reassui'ing words, ardent caresses, and considerate
attentions are necessary to compose him as Hero lavished
upon Leander when he entered her tower all dripping
with the water of the Hellespont.
It is true that the moment he hears the sound of the
trumpet, as soon as he smells the powder and sees the
standards borne along, Yvonnet is no longer the same
man ; he undergoes a complete transformation, no more
idleness, no more dizziness, no more headaches ! The
young girl becomes a ferocious soldier, cutting and
thrusting, a veritable lion, with paws of iron and teeth
of steel. He who hesitates to ascend a pair of stairs to
reach the bedchamber of a pretty woman climbs a lad-
der, hangs by a rope, suspends himself by a thread even,
in order to be the first to gain the top of the wall. The
battle finished, be washes with the greatest care his hands
and face, changes his linen and clothes, then gradually
becomes again the young man whom we see at this
THE ADVENTURERS. 19
moment stroking his mustache, combing his hair, and
flipping off with the end of his fingers the impertinent
dust which is sticking to his clothes.
The one who is binding up the wound he has received
in his left arm is called Malemort. His is a gloomy and
melancholy mind, which has only one passion, one love,
one joy, war. Unfortunate passion, love illy recom-
pensed, joy fleeting and fatal ; for at the very first taste
of caniage, thanks to that reckless fury with which he
throws himself into the combat, and to his carelessness,
while striking others, about his own safety, he receives
some frightful pike-thrust, some terrible musket-shot,
which stretches him on the ground, where he groans la-
mentably, not from the pain of his wound, but from the
pain of seeing the fete go on without him. Fortunately,
his flesh heals quickly and his bones knit readily. At
the present time he can count twenty-five wounds,
three more than Caesar ! and he hopes, if the war con-
tinues, to receive twenty-five more before the final one
shall put an end to this career of glory and pain.
The thin individual on his knees in the corner telling
his beads is Lactance. He is an ardent Catholic, and can
scarcely endure the presence of the two Scharfensteius,
whose heresy he fears will contaminate him. Forced by
the practice of his profession to fight against his brothers
iu Jesus Christ, and to kill as many of them as possible,
there is no penance he does not impose upon himself to
atone for this cruel necessity. The gown with which he
is at this moment clothed, and which he wears without
vest or shirt, next to the skin, is lined with a coat of
mail, although sometimes the coat of mail becomes the
fabric, and the cloth the lining. For in combat he wears
the coat of mail outside as a cuirass ; when the battle is
ended he wears the coat of mail inside, and it serves as
20 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
sackcloth. There is a certain satisfaction in being killed
by him ; he who dies by the hand of this holy man is
sure at least that prayers will be offered for him. In the
last engagement Lactance has killed two Spaniards and
one Englishman ; and as he is in arrears with them, espe-
cially on account of the heresy of the Englishman, for
whom an ordinary De profundis is not sufficient, he is
saying, as we have seen, many a Pater and many an Ave,
resigning to his companions his share of interest in the
temporal concerns which are under discussion at this
moment.
The man who is resting his hands on the table, and
who, unlike Lactance, follows with rapt attention every
stroke of Procope's pen, is Maldent. He was born at
Noyon ; his father was from Le Mans, and his mother
from Picardy. His youth has been spent in extravagance
and folly ; having arrived at mature age, he wishes to
make up for lost time and attend to his affairs. He has
met with a multitude of adventures, which he relates
with a naivete not without its charm ; but it must be
confessed, this naivete disappears completely when he
argues with Procope some point of law. Then they make
real the legend of the two Gaspards, of which they are
perhaps the heroes, the one from Le Mans and the other
from Normandy. Maldent gives and takes bravely a
sword-thrust ; and although he may be far from having
the strength of Heinrich or of Frantz Scharfenstein, the
courage of Yvonnet, or the impetuosity of Malemort, he
is a companion to rely upon in need, who would never
desert a comrade.
It is Pilletrousse who is sharpening his dirk and trying
the point with the end of his finger. He is a thorough
mercenary. He has served by turns the Spanish and the
English. But the English bargained too much, and the
THE ADVENTURERS. 21
Spanish did not pay enough ; he therefore determined to
work on his own account. Pilletrousse prowls about the
highways. At night, especially, the highways are infested
with thieves of all nations. Pilletrousse robs the thieves ;
but he respects the French, his fellow-countrymen, so to
speak, Pilletrousse is Provencal. In respect to them he
is even generous, if they are poor, he assists them ; if
they are feeble, he protects them ; if they are sick, he
takes care of them. But if he meets with a real fellow-
countryman, that is to say, a man who was born in
the country between Mount Viso and the mouth of the
Rhone, between Comtat and Frejus, this man can dis-
pose of Pilletrousse, body and soul, blood and money ; and
it is Pilletrousse who will seem to be under obligation.
Finally, the ninth and last, who stands with back to
the wall, who is swinging his arms and looking upward,
is Fracasso. He is, as we have said, a dreamer and a
poet ; unlike Yvonnet, who shuns the darkness, he loves
these fine nights lighted only by the stars ; he loves the
indented banks of the river ; he loves the sound of the
waves upon the sea-shore. Unfortunately, forced to fol-
low the French army wherever it goes, for although
an Italian, he has consecrated his sword to the cause of
Henri II., he is not at liberty to wander at his own
will. But what matter ] For the poet there is inspira-
tion in everything ; for the dreamer everything is food
for revery ; but then the characteristic of the dreamer is
distraction, and distraction is fatal in the career adopted
hy Fracasso. Often in the midst of a battle Fracasso
stops suddenly to listen to the sound of the bugle, to look
at a passing cloud, or admire some interesting feat of
arms. Then the enemy who is nearest Fracasso profits
by this preoccupation to aim at him quietly a fearful
thrust, which restores him to his senses and arouses him
22 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
from his ecstasy. But woe to this enemy if, in spite of
his favorable opportunity, he has calculated badly and
failed to stun Fracasso with the blow ! Fracasso will
avenge himself, not for the attack upon himself, but to
punish the intruder who has brought him down from the
seventh heaven where he was soaring, borne on the bright-
hued wings of fantasy and imagination.
And now that we have given a description of our
adventurers, some of whom cannot be wholly unknown
to those of our friends who have read " Ascanio " and
" The Two Dianas," let us state the circumstances
which have brought them together in this cavern, and
the character of the mysterious document to the wording
of which they are giving their whole attention.
FURTHER ACQUAINTANCE. 23
CHAPTER III.
IN WHICH THE READER MAKES FURTHER ACQUAINTANCE
WITH THE HEROES TO WHOM WE HAVE INTRODUCED
HIM.
ON the morning of that 5th of May, 1555, a little com-
pany of four men, who apparently were a part of the
garrison of Doulens, left that city, slipping out through
the Arras gate, as soon as that gate, we will not say had
been opened, but was in process of opening.
These four men, wrapped in heavy cloaks, which might
serve to conceal their arms as well as to protect them
from the cold morning wind, had proceeded along the
banks of the river Authie, which they followed with
every precaution to its very source. From that point
they had branched off to the chain of hillocks of which
we have already spoken, followed, always with the same
precautions, its western course, and after a two hours' walk
entered the borders of the forest of Saint-Pol-sur-Ternoise.
There one of them, who appeared to be more familiar
than the others with the locality, took the lead, and rec-
ognizing his whereabouts, now by means of a tree of
denser foliage or more bare of branches than the others,
now by means of a rock or pool of water, he reached with
very little deviation the mouth of this cavern to which we
conducted our readers at the beginning of the last pre-
ceding chapter.
Then he made a sign to his companions to wait a mo-
ment, observing attentively the grass, which he thought
24 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
newly trodden down, and certain branches which seemed
to him to be freshly broken. Then he threw himself flat
on the ground, and creeping like a snake, disappeared
within the cavern.
Very soon his companions, who had remained outside,
heard the sound of his voice ; but there was nothing in
its tone to alarm them. He was calling to the depths of
the cavern ; and as his only answer was silence and soli-
tude, as he heard, notwithstanding his twice-repeated
call, only the echo of his own voice, he did not hesi-
tate to come out and summon his companions to follow
him.
The three men followed him, and after some difficulties,
soon however overcome, found themselves in the interior
of the cavern.
" Ah ! " murmured he who had so skilfully served as
guide, breathing a sigh of relief, " tandem ad terminum
eamus."
" And what may that mean ? " asked one of the three
adventurei-s, who had a very strong Picard accent.
" That means, my dear Maldent, that we are nearing,
or rather have reached, the end of our journej*."
" Pardon, Monsieur Brogope," said another, " but I
did n't understand. Did you, Heinrich 1 "
" I did n't understand either."
" And why the devil do you want to understand 1 " re-
plied Procope, for the reader has already guessed that
. it was our lawyer whom Frantz Scharfenstein addressed
as "Brogope," "is it not enough if Maldent and I
understand ? "
" Yes," answered the two Germans, philosophically,
" that is enough."
"Well, then," said Procope, "let us sit down and eat
and drink to pass the time while I unfold my plans."
FURTHER ACQUAINTANCE. 25
" Yes, yes," said Fraiitz Scharfenstein, " let us eat
and drink to pass the time, and he will unfold his
plans."
The adventurers looked about them ; and as their eyes
were becoming accustomed to the darkness, which, be-
sides, was not so great near the entrance as in the re-
moter parts of the cavern, they saw three stones, which
they placed near together that they might talk more
confidentially.
As they could not find a fourth stone, Heinrich Schar-
fenstein politely offered his to Procope, who had no seat ;
but Procope as politely declined it, spread his cloak upon
the ground, and lay down upon it.
Then they took from wallets carried by the two giants
some bread, cold meat, and wine ; they put it all in the
middle of the semicircle of which the three adventurers
who were seated formed the arc, and of which Procope,
who was lying down, formed the chord ; then they at-
tacked this improvised breakfast with a ferocity which
proved that the morning walk they had just taken had
not been without its effect upon their appetites.
For about ten minutes nothing was heard but the noise
of teeth crauuching, with a regularity which would have
done credit to machinery, bread and the flesh and even
the bones of poultry which had been stolen from the
neighboring farms, and which constituted the more deli-
cute portion of the feast.
Maldent was the first to recover speech. " You prom-
ised, my dear Procope," said he, " that while we were
lunching you would unfold your plan. Luncheon is
more than half through, at least so far as I am con-
cerned. Begin your exposition, then ; I am listening."
"Yes, we are listening," said Frautz, with his mouth
full.
26 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
"Well, then, here it is, 'Ecce res judicanda/ as
they say at court."
" Be quiet, you Scharfensteins ! " said Maldent.
" I have not said a single word," replied Frantz.
" Neither have I," said Heinrich.
" Ah ! I thought I heard "
" I thought so too," said Procope.
* Nonsense ! it is pi*obably some fox we have disturbed
in its hole. Go on, Procope."
" Well, then, I repeat, here it is : there is, about a
quarter of a league from here, a pretty little farm."
" You promised us a chateau," said Maldent.
" Oh, mon Dieu ! how particular you are ! " said Pro-
cope. " Well, I will begin again. There is, a quarter
of a league from here, a pretty little chateau."
" It makes no difference whether it is a farm or chateau
if it only has money in it," said Heinrich Scharfenstein.
" Bravo, Heinrich, that is the way to talk ! But this
fellow Maldent quibbles like a lawyer. I will go on."
" Go on, then," said Frantz.
" There is, as I said before, about a quarter of a league
from here, a charming country-house, occupied by the
mistress alone, who has one man servant and one woman
servant. It is true that the farmer and his people live
close by."
" How many of them are there ? " demanded Heinrich.
"About ten persons," replied Procope.
" Frantz and I will take charge of the ten persons,
eh, Frantz ] "
" Yes, Uncle," replied Frantz, laconic as a Spartan.
" Well," continued Procope, " this is the plan : We
will spend the day here eating, drinking, and telling
Stories."
" Especially eating and drinking," said Frantz.
FURTHER ACQUAINTANCE. 27
"Then, at nightfall," continued Procope, "we will
leave the cave as silently as we entered it ; we will make
our way to the border of the forest ; from there we will
follow an obscure road which I know as far as the foot of
the wall. Once there, Frantz shall mount on his uncle's
shoulders or vice versa ; the one who is upou the other's
shoulders shall climb the wall and open the gate for us.
The gate being open, you understand, Maldent ? the
gate being opeu, you see, do you not, you Scharfen-
steins ? the gate being open, we will go in."
"Not without us, I hope," broke in, a few paces behind
the group, a voice in a tone so emphatic as to make not
only Procope and Maldent, but even the two giants,
start.
" Treason ! " cried Procope, leaping to his feet and
taking a step backward.
" Treason ! " cried Maldent, trying to see through the
darkness, but keeping his seat.
" Treason ! " exclaimed at the same time the two
Scharfensteins, drawing their swords and taking a step
forward.
" Ah, battle 1 " said the same voice ; " you want to
fight ? Well, come on. Here, Lactance ! here, Fracasso !
here, Malemort ! "
A triple shout from the depths of the cavern showed
that those who had been called were ready to respond.
" Stop a moment, Pilletrousse," said Procope, who had
recognized the voice of the fourth adventurer ; " what
the deuce 1 we are not Turks or gypsies to cut one
another's throats in this fashion without trying to come
to an understanding."
" Let us have a light first, one on each side ; let us
look into one another's eyes, that we may know with
whom we have to deal ; let us come to some agree
28 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
ment if possible ; if we cannot agree, why, then we will
fight."
" Let us fight first," said a hollow voice, which, coming
as it did from the depths of the cavern, seemed like a
voice from the infernal regions.
" Silence, Malemort ! " said Pilletrousse ; " it seems to
me that Procope has made a very reasonable proposition.
What do you say, Lactance ? What do you think about
it Fracasso 1 "
" I say," replied Lactance, " that if this proposition
will save the life of our brothers, I agree to it."
" It would, however, have been romantic to fight in a
cavern, which might have served as a tomb for the vic-
tims ; but since it is not necessary to sacrifice material
interests to poetry," Fracasso continued in a melan-
choly tone, " I embrace the opinion of Pilletrousse and
Lactance."
" But I want to fight ! " shouted Malemort.
" Come, bind up your arm and hold your tongue ! "
said Pilletrousse. " We are three against one ; and Pro-
cope, who is a lawyer, will tell you that three always out-
vote one."
Malemort roared with rage at having to give up so
good a chance of receiving a new wound ; but following
the advice given him by Pilletrousse, he yielded to, if he
did not accept, the opinion of the majority.
Meanwhile Lactance, acting for his party, and Maldent,
acting for his, had each struck a light ; and as each party
had foreseen the necessity of seeing clearly, two pine
torches, mounted with oakum smeared with pitch, began
to burn at the same time, and their united flames illumi-
nated the cavern and its occupants.
We have explored the former, and made the acquain-
tance of the latter ; there is therefore no need of describ-
FURTHER ACQUAINTANCE. 29
ing the theatre or the actors therein ; we will only show
the manner in which they were grouped.
At the back of the cavern stood Pilletrousse, Male-
mort, Lactance, and Fracasso. Near the entrance were
the two Scharfensteius, Maldent, and Procope.
Pilletrousse still remained in advance of his party ;
behind him, Malemort was clinching liis fists in rage ;
next to Malemort was Lactance, torch in hand, who was
trying to pacify his pugnacious companion ; Fracasso, on
his knees like Agis at the tomb of Leonidas, was, like
him, tying the thongs of his sandals in order to be ready
for war, while at the same time praying for peace.
The two Scharfensteins, as we have said, formed the
advance guard of the opposite party ; close behind them
stood Maldent, and behind Maldent was Procope.
The two torches lighted up all the central portion of
the cavern. Only one recess near the entrance, contain-
ing a pile of brakes destined doubtless to become the
bed of the future hermit if he should choose to occupy it,
remained in shadow. A ray of light stealing in through
the opening of the cavern, tried, but in vain, with its
feeble glimmer to vie with the almost blood-red rays
cast by the two torches. All this formed a sombre and
martial scene which would have been wonderfully effec-
tive on the modern stage.
Our adventurers were for the most part no strangers
to one another; they had met on the field of battle,
fighting against a common enemy, and were not eager to
begin the game of slaughter. Utterly fearless as they
were, each man found himself reviewing the situation in
his own mind. But the man who had the most clear
and just appreciation of what the battle would be, if it
took place, was unquestionably the lawyer Procope.
He therefore advanced toward his adversaries, taking
30 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
good care however to keep within reach of the two
Scharfensteins.
" Gentlemen," he said, " we have by common accord
wished to see one another ; and it is well, because by so
doing we can understand our chances. We are four
against four ; but we have on our side these two gentle-
men," and he pointed to Frantz and Heinrich Scharfen-
stein, " so that I consider myself almost warranted in
saying that we are eight against four."
The immediate consequence of this imprudent gas-
conade was a shout of defiance from Malemort, Lactance,
and Fracasso, and a general drawing of swords.
Procope saw that he had not been as discreet as usual,
and that he was on the wrong tack. He tried to retrace
his steps. " Gentlemen," he said, " I do not mean to
say that even with eight to four the victory would be
ours, when that four consists of Pilletrousse, Malemort,
Lactance, and Fracasso."
This added remark seemed to quiet them somewhat,
with the exception of Malemort, who was still muttering
in an undertone.
" Come to the point," said Pilletrousse.
" Yes," replied Procope, " ad eventum festina. Well,
I was saying, gentlemen, that setting aside the always
uncertain chances of combat, we ought to try to come to
some agreement. Now, there is a sort of lawsuit pend-
ing between us, jacens sub judice lis est ; in what way
shall we decide this lawsuit ] In the first place, by a
clear and plain statement of the situation, in which the
truth will appear. Who conceived yesterday the idea of
taking possession to-night of the little farm, or little
chateau, of The Parcq, whichever you choose to call it 1
These .gentlemen and I. Who left Doulens this morning
to put this project into execution 1 These gentlemen
FURTHER ACQUAINTANCE. Cl
and I. Who came into this cavern to make arrange-
ments for the night 1 ? Again, these gentlemen and I.
Finally, who matured the plan, who has unfolded it to
you, and who has inspired you with the desire to join the
conspiracy 1 ? Always, these gentlemen and I. Answer
this, Pilletrousse, and say if the management of an en-
terprise does not fairly and fully belong to those who
first conceived the idea and first planned to carry it into
execution. Dixi."
Pilletrousse burst out laughing ; Fracasso shrugged
his shoulders ; Lactance shook his torch ; Malemort
murmured, " Battle ! "
" What makes you laugh, Pilletrousse 1 " asked Pro-
cope gravely, disdaining to address the others and con-
senting to argue only with the one who, for the moment
at least, seemed to have made himself leader of his
company.
" I am laughing, my dear Procope," replied the adven-
turer to whom the question had been addressed, " at the
profound confidence with which you state your claims,
a statement which, even admitting the force of the argu-
ment you use, instantly destroys the claim of yourself
and your companions. Yes, I agree with you that the
conduct of an enterprise belongs fairly and fully to
those who first conceived the idea of carrying it into
execution."
" Ah ! " said Procope, with a triumphant air.
" Yes ; but did you not say that it was yesterday that
you conceived the idea of sacking the little farm, or little
chateau, of The Parcq, whichever you choose to call it ?
Well, we thought of it day before yesterday. You left
Doulens this morning to put it into execution, did you 1
We left Montreuil-sur-Mer last night for the same pur-
pose. You arrived at this cavern an hour ago, but wf
32 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
have been here four hours. You matured this plan and
unfolded it to us? We had already matured and un-
folded this plan to you. You intend attacking the farm
to-night 1 We intend attacking it this evening ! We
claim therefore the priority both of idea and execution,
and consequently the right to conduct our undertaking
without fear of molestation."
And mimicking Procope's classical manner of ending
his address, " Dixi," he added, with as much assurance
and solemnity as the lawyer himself.
" But," demanded Procope, somewhat disturbed by
Pilletrousse's reasoning, " what assurance have I that
you ai'e telling the truth ? "
" My word as a gentleman," said Pilletrousse.
" I should like something better."
" The word of a highwayman, then ! "
" Hum ! " said Procope, imprudently.
Their blood was up ; the doubt cast upon Pilletrousse's
word by Procope exasperated the three adventurers who
were of his party.
"Well, then, let us fight!" exclaimed Fracasso and
Lactance in one breath.
"Yes, fight, fight, fight !" shouted Malemort.
" Fight, then, if you want to ! " said Procope.
"Fight, since there is no other way of settling the
affair ! " said Maldent.
"Fight !" repeated Frantz and Heinrich Scharfenstein,
preparing to draw their heavy, two-edged swords.
And as all were agreed, each man drew his sword or
his dirk, took up his axe or sledge, selected his adversaiy,
and with menace on his lips, fury in his face, and death
in his hand, was about to fall upon him.
Suddenly there was a movement in the pile of brakes
which were heaped up in the recess near the entrance of
FURTHER ACQUAINTANCE. 33
the cavern. A young man elegantly dressed bounded out
of the darkness into the light, extending his arms like
Hersilia in the picture of " The Sabines," and exclaim-
ing,
"Come, put up your weapons, comrades ; I take upon
myself to arrange everything to the general satisfaction."
Every eye was turned upon this new-comer appearing
upon the scene in such a brusque and unexpected man-
ner, and every voice cried out, " Yvonnet ! "
" Where the devil do you come from 1 " demanded at
the same time Pilletrousse and Procope.
" You shall know presently," said Yvonnet ; " but
sheathe your swords and dirks first. The sight of all
these naked blades irritates my nerves horribly."
All the adventurers obeyed, except Malemort.
" Come, come," said Yvonnet, addressing him, " what
is all this about, comrade 1 "
"Ah," said Malemort, with a deep sigh, "can a poor
fellow never indulge in a little fight in peace 1 ?" And
he put up his sword with a gesture indicating his anger
and disappointment.
VOL. i. 3
THE DUKE'S PAGE.
CHAPTER IV.
THE ARTICLES OF PARTNERSHIP.
YVONNET cast a glance upon those about him, and seeing
that if there was still fury in their hearts, at least the
swords and daggers had returned to their sheaths, he
turned, looked from one to the other, toward Pilletrousse
and Procope, who, it will be remembered, had both done
him the honor to put to him the same question.
" Where do I come from ? " he repeated. " Pardieu !
a pretty question that ! I come out of that pile of brakes,
where I hid when I first saw Pilletrousse, Lactance, Ma-
lemort, and Fracasso coming in, and which I did not
think it prudent to leave on seeing the arrival, later, of
Procope, Maldent, and the two Scharfensteins."
" But what were you doing in this cavern at that time
of night ? for we got here before daybreak."
"Ah, that," replied Yvonnet, "is my secret, which I
will tell you soon if you are very good ; but first let us
give our attention to the business which is most urgent."
Then addressing Pilletrousse, he said, " So then, my
dear Pilletrousse, you were thinking of paying a little
visit to the farm or chateau of The Parcq, whichever
you choose to call it ? "
" Yes," said Pilletrousse.
" And you too 1 " Yvonnet asked of Procope.
" And we too," replied Procope.
"And you were going to fight to establish the priority
of your claims 1 "
THE ARTICLES OF PARTNERSHIP. 35
" We were going to fight," said at the same time Pille-
trousse and Procope.
"For shame!" said Yvonnet; "you are comrades,
Frenchmen, or at all events men pledged to the cause of
France."
"Well, we could not help it, since these gentlemen
would not give up their purpose," said Procope.
" We could not do otherwise, since these gentlemen re-
fused us our rights," said Pilletrousse.
" ' Could not help it ' ! ' Could not do otherwise ' ! "
repeated Yvonnet, imitating the voices of the two speak-
ers. " You could not help murdering one another] You
could not do otherwise than cut one another's throats 1
And you were there, Lactance, and saw these prepara-
tions for bloodshed, and your Christian soul did not
groan 1 "
" Yes," said Lactance, " it did groan, and profoundly ! "
"And is that all with which your holy religion has
inspired you, a groan 1 "
"After the combat," replied Lactance, somewhat hu-
miliated by the reproaches of Yvonnet, the justice of which
he admitted to himself, "after the combat I should
have prayed for the dead."
" Just hear that ! "
" What would you have had me do, my dear Monsieur
Yvonnet ? "
" Eh, pardieu ! do as I do, who am not a devotee, a
saint, a prodigal in patemosters as you are. What would
I have had you do 1 I would have had you throw your-
self in among the blades and the swords, inter gladios
et enses, to speak after the fashion of our lawyer Procope,
and I would have had you say to your erring brothers,
with that air of compunction which suits you so well,
what I am going to say to them myself: Comrades, where
36 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
there is anything for four there is also something for
eight ; if the first transaction does not prove to be all
that we expect, we will try another. Men are born to
help one another over the rough paths of life, and not to
place obstacles in the way already so difficult to travel.
Instead of separating, let us combine ; four cannot at-
tempt without enormous risks that which eight can ac-
complish almost without danger. Let us keep our hatred,
our daggers, our swords, for our enemies, reserving for
one another only kind words and good actions. God,
who protects France when he has nothing more pressing
to do, will smile upon our fraternity and will send its
reward. This is what you should have said, dear Lac-
tance, and what you did not say."
" That is true," replied Lactance, beating his breast ;
"uiea culpa, raea culpa, mea maxima culpa." And ex-
.tinguishing his torch, which was no longer needed, he
fell on his knees and began to pray with fervor.
" Well, then, I say it for you," continued Yvonnet ;
" and I add also that it is I who bring you, Comrades,
the divine recompense which Lactance would have prom-
ised you."
" You, Yvonuet," said Procope, in a doubtful tone.
" Yes, I, who had conceived this very idea before any
of you."
"*\Yhat!" said Pilletrousse, "you too conceived the
idea of getting into this chateau which we are all after 1 "
" Not only have I thought of the plan," said Yvonnet,
" but I have even carried it into execution."
" Nonsense ! " cried all the listeners, paying renewed
attention to what Yvonnet was saying.
" Yes, I have an acquaintance in the place," replied the
latter, "a charming little soubrette named Gertrude,"
he added, stroking his mustache, " who is quite ready to
THE ARTICLES OF PARTNERSHIP. 37
leave for me father and mother, master and mistress,
a soul which I am leading on."
Lactance sighed.
" You say that you have been in the chateau 1 "
" I came from there last night. You know how I dis-
like being out alone in the dark ; well, rather than walk
three leagues to Doulens, or six leagues to Abbeville or
Montreuil-sur-Mer, I preferred coming a quarter of a
league to this cavern, which I remembered from having
held here my first rendezvous with my sweetheart. I
groped about until I found this pile of brakes, the posi-
tion of which I knew ; and I was just going to sleep, in-
tending in the morning to propose the affair to those of
you whom I should meet first, when Pilletrousse arrived
with his party ; and later, Procope came with his. Each
party came for the same purpose. This tendency toward
the same end has caused the discussion which you know
was about to end in a tragic manner when I thought it time
to interfere, and did interfere. Now I say to you : In-
stead of fighting, will you form a partnership ? Will you
enter by stratagem instead of by force ] Will you have
the doors opened to you instead of breaking them in?
Instead of taking your chances of finding the money and
the jewels, would you prefer to have the plunder shown
to you ? If so, give me your hand, I am your man ;
and as a sign of disinterestedness and brother!} 7 feeling,
notwithstanding the service I am about to render you, I
will share with you equally. Now, if any one has any-
thing better to propose, I am ready to listen to what he
has to say."
A murmur of admiration ran through the assembly.
Lactance, stopping short in his prayers, drew near to
Yvonnet and humbly kissed the hem of his garment.
Procope, Pilletrousse, Maldent, and Fracasso pressed his
38 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
hand. The two Scharfensteins almost stifled him with
their embraces. Malemort alone grumbled from his corner,
" There will not be a single bit of fighting, curse it ! "
" Well, then," said Yvonnet, who had for some time
desired some such association, and who seeing the god-
dess of fortune passing within reach of his hand, did not
wish to miss this opportunity of seizing her by the fore-
lock, " do not let us lose a moment. Here we are, re-
united, nine comrades, who fear neither God nor the
devil "
" Indeed ! " interrupted Lactance, making the sign of
the cross, " we fear God."
" True, true, only a mode of expression, Lactance.
I was saying, then, that we were nine associates united
by chance "
"By Providence, Yvonnet," said Lactance.
" By Providence, then. Fortunately we have among
us Procope, a lawyer ; fortunately this lawyer has about
him pen and ink, and, I am very sure, some paper bearing
the stamp of our good king Henri II."
" Upon my word, I have," said Procope ; " and as
Yvonnet says, it is lucky."
" Then make haste ; let us arrange a table and draw up
our ai'ticles of partnership, while one of us stands guard
in the forest near the entrance of the cavern, to see that
we are not disturbed."
" I," said Malemort, " will mount guard, and for every
Spaniard, Englishman, or German prowling about the
forest there will be one slain ! "
" But," said Yvonnet, " that is just what we do not
want, my dear Malemort. In our position, that is to say,
not far from the camp of his Majesty the Emperor
Charles Y., with a man in command of the quick hearing
and practised eye of Emmanuel Philibert of Savoy, we
THE ARTICLES OF PARTNERSHIP. 39
must kill only when it is necessary, because, however sure
one may be of his blows, they sometimes wound instead
of killing ; the wounded scream like eagles, their cries
attract attention, and, the forest once occupied, God
knows what might happen to us. No, dear Malemort,
you must stay here, and one of the two Scharfensteins
shall mount guard. Both are Germans ; if the one who
is on guard is discovered, he can pass himself off as a
foot-soldier of the Due d'Aremberg or as a cavalry-man
of Count Waldeck."
" Count Waldeck would be best," said Heinrich
Schaifenstein.
"This giant is full of intelligence," said Yvonnet.
" Yes, my brave fellow, ' Count Waldeck would be best/
because Count Waldeck is a marauder. Is not that
what you mean 1 "
" Yes, that is what I mean."
" And it would not be surprising if a marauder were
hid in the forest 1 "
" No, not at all surprising."
" But the Scharfeustein who shall be on guard must
take care, with this honorable title of marauder, not to
fall into the hands of Monseigneur le Due de Savoie.
He does n't understand how to jest on the subject of
marauding."
" Faith," said Heinrich, " he had two more soldiers
hanged yesterday."
" Three," said Frantz.
"Well, which of you two will mount guard?"
" I," replied the uncle and nephew together.
" My friends," said Yvonnet, "this devotion is appre-
ciated by your comrades ; but one sentinel is enough.
Draw lots therefore. A post of honor is reserved for him
who shall remain here."
40 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
The two Scharfensteins consulted together a moment.
" Frantz has quick ears and keen eyes ; he will stand
sentinel for you," said Heinrich.
" Very well," said Yvonnet ; " go to your post,
Frantz."
Frantz directed his steps toward the mouth of the
cavern with his usual gravity.
" Understand, Frantz," said Yvonnet, " that if you
are captured by any one else, it is of 110 consequence ;
hut if you are captured by the Duke of Savoy you will
be hanged."
" Don't you fear that I shall let anybody take me,"
said Frautz. And he went out of the cavern to go to his
post.
" And where is the post of honor you promised ] " de-
manded Heinrich.
Yvonnet took the torch from Maldent, and giving it to
Heinrich said, " Stand here, hold the light for Procope,
and do not stir."
" I will not stir," said Heinrich.
Procope sat down, drew the paper from his pocket, his
inkstand from his belt, and his pens from his inkstand.
We saw him at work when we first entered the cavern
of Saint-Pol-sur-Ternoise, ordinarily so solitary, and by
a concurrence of strange circumstances so frequented
to-day.
We have shown that the task at which Procope was
hard at work from eleven o'clock in the morning until
three in the afternoon on the important day of the 5th
of May, 1555, was no easy matter to accomplish to
everybody's satisfaction.
Each one had, according to his interest or his insight,
offered his amendments and his second amendments, as
if it had been the discussion of a bill in a modern delib-
THE ARTICLES OF PARTNERSHIP. 41
erative assembly. These amendments and second amend-
ments had been acted on by a majority vote, and it must
be said to the credit of our adventurers that they had
shown in this discussion much fairness, self-restraint, and
impartiality.
There are some cross-grained people, bold calumniators
of judges and justice, who pretend to think that a code
of laws drawn up by robbers, would be much more com-
plete and especially much more equitable than one drawn
up by honest men. We pity these unfortunate persons
for their blindness, just as we pity the Calvinists and the
Lutherans for their errors ; and we pray God to pardon
them all.
At the moment when Yvonnet's watch for rare as
such trinkets were at this period, this fop of an adven-
turer had managed to procure a watch pointed to a
quarter after, three, Procope lifted his head, laid down his
pen, took the paper in his hands, and regarding it with
an air of satisfaction, uttered an exclamation of pleasure.
" Ah," he said, " I think it is finished, and not badly
done. Exegi monument um ! "
At this announcement Heinrich Scharfenstein, who
had been holding the torch for three hours and twenty
minutes, began to stretch his arms, which were getting
very tired. Yvonnet stopped singing, but kept on strok-
ing his mustache ; Malemort finished the dressing of
his left arm, and fastened the bandage with a pin ;
Lactance muttered a final Ave ; Maldent, who had been
leaning upon the table, straightened up ; Pilletrousse
sheathed his now sufficiently sharp dagger, and Fracasso
emerged from his poetic revery with the satisfaction of
having given the final touch to a sonnet on which he had
been meditating for more than a month.
All approached the table except Frantz, who, leaving
42 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
his uncle in charge of their common interests, had taken
his position as sentinel about twenty steps from the en-
trance to the cavern, with the firm resolution not only to
defend his companions against intrusion but to defend
himself against capture by any one, especially by Em-
manuel Philibert of Savoy, the rough dispenser of
justice.
" Gentlemen," said Procope, looking round with satis-
faction upon the circle formed about him, a circle even
more regular than that ordinarily gathered about an offi-
cer mustering his soldiers, "gentlemen, is every one
here ? "
" Yes," answered the adventurers in chorus.
" Is everybody," continued Procope, " ready to listen
to the reading of the eighteen articles of the document
which we have drawn up conjointly, and which might be
called articles of partnership ? For, in fact, we are form-
ing a sort of company."
The answer was affirmative and general, Hetnrich
Scharfenstein answering, it was understood, for himself
and nephew.
" Listen, then," said Procope. And after coughing
and spitting he began : "We the undersigned "
" Pardon," interrupted Lactance, " I do not know how
to sign."
" Parbleu ! " said Procope, " that is a pretty piece
of business ! You will have to make the sign of the
cross."
"Ah," murmured Lactance, "my engagement will be
the more sacred."
Procope continued : " We the undersigned, Jean-Chry-
sostome Procope "
" You don't stand on ceremony ! " said Yvonnet ;
"you have put your own name first!"
THE ARTICLES OF PARTNERSHIP. 43
" Somebody had to be first," said Procope, innocently.
" All right ! " said Maldent, " go on."
Procope resumed : " Jean-Chrysostome Procope, ex-
solicitor at the bar of Caen, also of Rouen, Cherbourg,
Valognes "
" Corlleu ! " said Pilletrousse, " I am not surprised that
it took you three hours and a half to write the document,
if you have given to each one, as you have given to your-
self, his rank and titles. On the contrary, I am surprised
that it is finished so soon."
" No," said Procope, " I have included you all under
one title, and I have assigned to each of you a single and
unique profession ; but I thought that in regard to my-
self, the author of the document, a statement of my
titles and rank was not only suitable, but absolutely
necessary."
"That is right," said Pilletrousse.
" Go on ! " shouted Malemort. " We shall never get
through if we are interrupted at every word. I am in a
hurry to fight."
" Well," said Procope, " I am not the one who is in-
terrupting you, it strikes me ; " and he continued : " We
the undersigned, Jean-Chrysostome Procope, etc., Ho-
nor6-Joseph Maldent, Victor-Felix Yvonnet, Cyrille-Ne-
pomucene Lactance, Ce"sar-Annibal Malemort, Martin
Pilletrousse, Vittorio-Albani Fracasso, and Heinrich and
Fnintz Scharfenstein, all captains in the service of
King Henri II. "
A murmur of applause interrupted Procope, and no
one thought of disputing with him the titles and rank he
had assigned them, so occupied was each in the adjust-
ment of his cravat, bandage, handkerchief, or rags,
symbols of their new rank as captains of the French
army.
44 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
Procope waited until the murmur of applause had sub-
sided, then went on, " have agreed as follows "
" Pardon," said Maldent, " but the deed is null."
" How null 1 " said Procope.
" You have forgotten one thing in making your deed."
"What is that?"
"The date."
" The date is at the end."
" Ah," said Maldent, " that is another thing. How-
ever, it would have been better to put it at the
beginning."
" It makes no difference whether it is at the beginning
or the end," said Procope. "The Institutes of Justinian
say positively : ' Omne actum quo tempore scriptum sit.
indicate; seu initio, sen fine, ut paciscentibus libuerit.'
That is to say, ' Every agreement must be dated ; but
the contracting parties may place the date at the end or
at the beginning of said agreement.' "
" How abominable is this language of the law," said
Fracasso ; " and what a difference there is between this
Latin and that of Virgil and Horace ! " And he began to
scan in a sentimental manner these lines from the Third
Eclogue of Virgil,
" Halo me Galatea petit, lasciva puella,
Et fugit ad salices, et se cupit ante videri "
" Silence, Fracasso ! " said Procope.
" Silence, if you wish it," replied Fracasso ; " but it is
no less true that, however great an emperor Justinian
may be, I prefer the second Homer, and I would rather
have written the Bucolics, the Eclogues, and even the
vEneid, than the ' Digest,' the ' Pandects,' the ' Insti-
tutes,' and the whole ' Corpus juris civilis.' "
Fracasso and Procope were doubtless about to enter
THE ARTICLES OF PARTNERSHIP. 45
into a discussion of this important question, and God
knows where it would have led the disputants ! when
a stifled cry was heard outside the cavern, which turned
the attention of the adventurers into a new channel.
Suddenly the daylight was intercepted by some opaque
body, which came between the artificial and ephemeral
light of the torch and the divine and inextinguishable
light of the sun. Finally, a creature, the species of which
it was impossible to distinguish, so many vague forms it
seemed to assume in the dim light, advanced to the cen-
tre of the circle, which opened spontaneously before it.
Then by the light of the torch which shone upon the
amorphous mass, the astonished men recognized Frautz
Scharfenstein holding in his arms a woman, over whose
mouth he had placed his large hand as a gag. Every one
awaited an explanation of this fresh incident.
" Comrades," said the giant, " here is a little woman
who wus prowling around near the entrance to the cav-
ern ; I caught her and brought her in, what shall be
done with her ? "
" Pardieu ! " said Pilletrousse, " let her go. She will
not eat the nine of us, probably."
"Oh, I am not afraid of her eating the nine of us,"
said Frantz, with a coarse laugh ; " I would first eat her
myself all alone. That I would ! "
And right in the middle of the circle he set the wo-
man down upon her feet, as Pilletrousse had ordered, and
quickly withdrew into the background.
The woman, who was young and pretty, and who by
her dress appeared to belong to the estimable class of
cooks who serve in good families, cast about her a fright-
ened glance, as if to see what sort of company she had
fallen among, and at first sight she was somewhat alarmed.
But before her glance had taken in the whole of the scene
46 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
before her, it had fastened upon the youngest and most
elegant of our adventurers. " Oh, Monsieur Yvonnet,"
she cried, " for heaven's sake, protect me ! defend me ! "
And she threw herself trembling into his arms.
" Why ! " said Y vonnet, " it is Mademoiselle Ger-
trude ! " And holding her to his breast to reassure her,
he said : " Pardieu ! gentlemen, we shall have the latest
news from The Parcq now, for this pretty child comes
from there."
Now, as the news which Yvonnet promised through
Gertrude was of the greatest interest to everybody, our
adventurers, abandoning, for a time at least, the reading
of their articles of partnership, grouped themselves about
the two young persons, and waited impatiently until
Mademoiselle Gertrude's composure should be sufficiently
restored to allow her to speak.
COUNT WALDECK. 47
CHAPTER V.
COUNT WALDECK.
IT was some minutes before Yvonnet could pacify Made-
moiselle Gertrude sufficiently to enable her to relate the
cause of her sudden appearance ; and even then the nar-
rative was so broken and so much interrupted by ques-
tions on the part of her hearers, that, with the reader's
permission, we will substitute our own language for that
of the young lady, and relate, as truthfully as we can,
the tragic events which had driven her from The Parcq,
and brought her among our adventurers.
Two hours after the departure of Yvonnet, just as
Mademoiselle Gertrude doubtless somewhat fatigued
after the visit of the handsome Parisian the previous
evening was deciding that it was time to get up and
go down to her mistress, who had already called her two
or three times, the farmer's son, a lad sixteen or seven-
teen years of age, named Philippin, came rushing into
the chamber of the lady of the house trembling all over
with fright, and announced to her that a troop of from
forty to fifty horsemen, who appeared from their yellow
and black scarfs to belong to the army of the Emperor
Charles ^ 7 ., were approaching the chateau, bringing with
them his father, whom they had taken prisoner while he
was at work in the fields.
Philippin, who had himself been working at a little
distance from his father, had seen the captain of the
company seize upon him, and had divined, from the ges-
48 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
tures of the soldiers and of their prisoner, that they were
talking about the chateau. He then threw himself on the
ground and crept along until he came to a lonely path,
where, seeing that the lay of the land would conceal his
flight, he started up and ran as fast as his legs would
carry him to announce to his mistress what had hap-
pened, and give her time to make some plan.
The mistress of the chateau arose, went to the window,
and saw that the band was scarcely a hundred steps
distant ; it consisted of fifty men, as Philippin had said,
and seemed to be commanded by three leaders. By the
side of one of the leaders walked the farmer, his hands
tied behind him ; the officer by whose side he walked,
had hold of the end of the cord, doubtless to prevent the
farmer from trying to escape, or to prevent his flight in
case he should make the attempt.
This sight was not reassuring. However, as the cava-
liers who were coming to visit the chateau wore, as we
have said, the colors of the Empire ; as the helmets of
the three leaders were surmounted with coronets, and
their breastplates were engraved with coats-of-arms ; as
the Duke Emmanuel Philibert had issued the most strin-
gent orders against all pillage and marauding ; and more-
over, as being a woman, she had no means of flight, the
mistress of the house determined to receive the new-
comers in her best possible manner. Accordingly she
left her chamber, and descending the stairs went, as a
special mark of respect, to welcome them at the door.
As for Mademoiselle Gertrude, her terror at the sight
of these men was so great that instead of following her
mistress, as she ought to have done perhaps, she clung to
Philippin, beseeching him in the most piteous tones to
find her some place where she might hide until the
soldiers had taken their departure, and where he
COUNT WALDECK. 49 .
Philippin could come from time to time to give her
news of her mistress's affairs, which seemed to her to
be in a pretty bad condition.
Although Mademoiselle Gertrude had treated Phi-
lippin badly for some time past, and although the
latter who could not understand the reason for this
sudden change of manner toward him had determined
to have nothing to do with her even if she should need
his services, she was so pretty in her terror, so charming
in her entreaties, that Philippin yielded, and led her by a
private stairway into the courtyard, and thence into the
garden, where he hid her in a corner of a well-house
in which his father and he were accustomed to keep
the garden-tools.
It was not likely that the soldiers, who evidently in-
tended to occupy the chateau, its pantries, and its cellars,
would trouble themselves about a place where, as Phi-
lippin facetiously remarked, there was nothing to drink
but water.
Mademoiselle Gertrude would have been glad to keep
Philippin with her, and perhaps, on his part, Philippin
would have liked nothing better than to stay with Made-
moiselle Gertrude ; but the pretty girl was even more
curious than frightened, so that her desire for news
overcame her fear of remaining alone.
For greater security Philippin locked the door and
put the key in his pocket, which at first alarmed Made-
moiselle Gertrude, but from which, on reflection, she was
able to derive consolation.
Mademoiselle Gertrude held her breath and listened
intently ; she heard at first a great clanking of arms and
neighing of horses and the loud voices of the troopers ;
but as Philippin had foreseen, these sounds seemed to
centre in the chateau and its courtyard.
VOL. i. 4
THE DUKE'S. PAGS.
The prisoner was bursting with impatience and burn-
ing with curiosity. More than once she went to the
door and tried to open it. If she had succeeded, she
would certainly have tried, at the risk of any difficulty
which she might meet in such an undertaking, to hear
what was said by listening at the doors, and tb see
what was going on by looking over the walls.
At last a step, light as that of those animals that prowl
by night around poultry-yards and sheep-folds, came
toward the well-house ; a key, cautiously inserted, grated
in the lock, and the door opened slowly, and then closed
quickly after admitting Master Philippiu.
" Well, what are they doing 1 " asked Gertrude, even
before the door was shut.
" Well, Mademoiselle," said Philippin, " it appears
that they are really gentlemen, as Madame la Baronne
said ; but such gentlemen, bon Dieu I if you should hear
them curse and swear, you would think they were veri-
table Pagans."
" Mon Dieu ! what are you saying, Monsieur Philip-
pin ? " cried the young girl, trembling with fear.
" The truth, Mademoiselle Gei'trude, God's own
truth ! Why, when the chaplain wished to make some
remarks to them, they answered that if he did not keep
still, they would make him say Mass, hanging head down-
ward from the bell-rope, while their own chaplain, a bully
with beard and mustaches, should follow him in the
prayer-book, so that not a single question or response
should be omitted."
" Why, then," said Mademoiselle Gertrude, " they are
not .real gentlemen."
" Oh, yes, pardieu ! they are of the very highest rank
in Germany. They were not ashamed to give their
names, a piece of impudence, you will agree, after
COUNT WALDECK. 51
conducting themselves in that way. The oldest, who is
a man of about fifty years, is Count Waldeck, and com-
mands four thousand cavalry in the army of his Majesty
Charles V. Of the two others, who may he, the first
from twenty-four to twenty-five years of age, and the
second from nineteen to twenty, one is his legitimate
son, and the other his bastard son. But from the little
I have seen, I think he likes the bastard better than the
other, a very common thing. The legitimate son is a
handsome fellow, of pale complexion, with large brown
eyes, black hair and mustaches, and it is my opinion that
he could be made to listen to reason. But the other is
very different ; he is red, and has eyes like a wild-cat.
Oh, Mademoiselle Gertrude, he is a veritable demon !
God keep you from meeting him ! He looks at Madame
la Baronne oh, it is enough to make one shudder ! "
" Ah, really ? " said Mademoiselle, who was evidently
curious to know what such a look was like.
" Oh, man Dieu ! yes," said Philippin, by way of pero-
ration, " and there I left them. Now I will go to learn
more news, which I will bring back to you."
"Yes, yes, go," said Gertrude, "and come back soon ;
but take good care that you don't get hurt."
" Oh, don't be alarmed, Mademoiselle ! " replied Phi-
lippin. " I never appear except with a bottle in each
hand ; and as I know where the good wine is, the bri-
gands are full of consideration for me."
Philippin went out, and shut in Mademoiselle Gertrude,
who immediately began to wonder what sort of eyes those
could be whose glance was enough to make one shudder.
She had not solved this question satisfactorily although
she had been meditating upon it for nearly an hour,
when the key again turned in the lock, and the messenger
reappeared.
52 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
He came not, however, like the dove to the ark, and he
was very far from holding an olive-branch in his hand.
Count "\Valdeck and his sons, by means of threats and even
of violence, had forced the baroness to give up her jewels,
her plate, and all the money she had in the chateau.
But this was not sufficient for them ; and this first ransom
having been paid, the poor woman, just as she believed
herself to be free from the noble bandits who had de-
manded her hospitality, had on the contrary been seized,
bound to the foot of her bed, and shut up in her chamber,
with the assurance that in two hours the chateau would
be set on fire if within that time she had not found, either
in her own purse or in that of her friends, two hundred
rose-crowns.
Mademoiselle Gertrude mourned very properly the fate
of her mistress ; but as she had not two hundi-ed crowns
to lend her to relieve her from her embarrassment, she
strove to think of something else, and asked Philippin
what that hateful bastard of Waldeck's with the red hair
and terrible eyes was doing.
Philippin answered that that bastard of Waldeck's was
getting drunk, an occupation in which he was helped
mightily by his father. The viscount alone kept his
self-possession, as much as was possible in the midst
of pillage and orgy.
Mademoiselle Gertrude had a fierce desire to see with
her own eyes what an orgy was. As for pillage she knew
all about that, having seen it at Therouanne ; but of an
orgy, she had not the slightest conception.
Philippin explained to her that it was a meeting of
men who drank, ate, used bad language, and insulted in
different ways every woman who came within their reach.
Mademoiselle Gertrude's curiosity was redoubled by
this description, which would have made a stouter heart
COUNT WALDECK. 53
than hers tremble with fear. She begged Philippiu to
let her go out, if only for ten minutes ; but he told her
so many times and so earnestly that she would risk her
life by going out, that she decided to remain in conceal-
ment, and to wait until Philippin's next visit before com-
ing to a definite decision.
This decision was made before Philippin's return. In
spite of everything, she would force a passage, reach the
chateau, slip in through the secret corridors and by the
secret stairways, and see with her own eyes what was
going on, since a narration, however eloquent it may be,
never does justice to the scene it is intended to portray.
So, when she heard for the third time the key turn in the
lock, she made ready to rush out of the well-house, even
against the advice of Philippiu ; but when she saw the
young man she recoiled in terror.
Philippin was as pale as death ; his words were inco-
herent, and his eyes wore the haggai-d expression of one
who has just witnessed some terrible scene.
Gertrude wished to question him, but at the sight of
his horror-stricken countenance she turned suddenly
cold ; the paleness of Philippin's face was reflected on
her own, and in presence of that frightful silence she
could not utter a sound.
The young man gave no explanation, but with that
strength of despair which one never even tries to resist,
seized her by the wrist and dragged her toward the little
gate of the garden which opened into the plain, stammer-
ing out these words only,
" Dead murdered stabbed ! "
Gertrude allowed herself to be led. Philippin left her
for a moment to close the garden-gate behind them, a
useless precaution, since no one thought of pursuing
them. But the shock to Philippin had been so severe
54 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
that the poor fellow's excited movements could not be
checked until his strength should wholly fail; and his
strength failed when they had gone about five hundred
steps from the gate. He fell breathless, murmuring with
a hoai'se voice, like that of a man in agony, those terrible
words, the only words he had been able to speak,
" Dead murdered stabbed ! "
Then Gertrude looked about her, and saw that she
was only about a hundred yards from the forest. She
was well acquainted with that forest, and she knew the
way to the cavern. The forest and the cavern would be
for her a twofold refuge ; and besides, in the latter she
might find Yvounet. She was reluctant to abandon
Philippin, who had fainted by the side of the ditch ; but
she saw approaching four or five horsemen who might be-
long to the cavalry of Count Waldeck. She had not a
second to lose if she would escape. She darted toward
the forest, and without looking behind, ran without
stopping, distracted with terror, her hair flying, until she
reached the edge of the woods, where she leaned against
a tree for support and took a survey of the open country
before her.
The five or six cavaliers had stopped at the place where
Philippin had fainted. They had lifted him up ; but see-
ing that it was impossible for him to take a step, one of
them had placed him on the saddle, before him, and fol-
lowed by his companions, had started for the camp.
Now these men appeared to have only good intentions,
and Gertrude concluded that nothing better could happen
to poor Philippin than to fall into the hands of men who
seemed so kind.
Then, reassured as to her companion, and having some-
what recovered her breath while resting, Gertrude turned
her steps toward the cavern, or rather in the direction in
COUNT WALDECK. 55
which she supposed the cavern to lie, for her flight had
so confused her that the signs by which she was accus-
tomed to recognize the path were passed unnoticed by
her. She wandered about, therefore, until, accidentally
or by instinct, she found herself in the vicinity of the
cavern and within arm's length of Frantz Scharfenstein.
The. rest may be easily imagined; Frantz threw one
arm around Gertrude's waist, clapped a hand over her
mouth, and taking her up as if she had been a feather,
entered the cavern and deposited the frightened girl in
the midst of the circle of adventurers, to whom, reassured
by the kind words of Yvonnet, she related the events we
have just described, and who received her story with a
general howl of indignation.
But it must not be supposed that the feeling which
caused this indignation was not a thoroughly selfish one.
The adventurers were not indignant at the lack of mo-
rality shown by the pillagers with regard to the Chateau
du Parcq and its occupants. No, they were indignant that
Count Waldeck and his sons had pillaged in the morning
a chateau which they had counted on pillaging at night.
The result of this feeling of indignation was a general
clamor followed by a unanimous resolution to sally out
and see what was going on, both in the vicinity of the
camp where Philippin had been carried and in the direc-
tion of the Chateau du Parcq, the scene of the events
which Gertrude had narrated with the eloquence and
energy inspired by terror.
But the adventurers' indignation did not overcome their
prudence ; it was decided that some one of them should
explore the forest and report the state of things to the
rest on his return, when, according as they saw grounds
for fear or for confidence, they would determine on their
course of action.
56 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
Yvonnet offered his services to beat up the forest, for
which indeed he was well fitted ; he knew all the hidden
paths, and was as agile as a deer and as wary as a fox.
Gertrude screamed, and tried to prevent her lover from
undertaking so dangerous a mission ; but she was given
to understand in a few words that she had chosen a bad
time for sentimental utterances, which would not be ap-
preciated by the rather practical society in which she
found herself. She was really a girl of good sense ; she
became calm when she saw that her screams and tears
not only would avail nothing, but would work to her dis-
advantage. Besides, Yvonnet explained to her in a low
tone that the mistress of an adventurer should not affect
the nervous sensibility of a princess of romance ; and
leaving her in the care of his friend Fracasso and under
the special protection of the two Scharfensteins, he left
the cavern to accomplish the important mission which he
had taken upon himself.
In ten minutes he came back. He reported that the
forest was entirely deserted, and that there were no signs
of danger.
As the curiosity of the adventurers was almost as much
aroused in their cavern by Mademoiselle Gertrude's story
as Mademoiselle Gertrude's curiosity had been excited by
the story of Philippin, and as old campaigners of their
stamp could not have the same reasons for prudence
which govern the actions of a pretty and timid young
girl, they went out from the cavern, leaving Procope's
articles of partnership in the care of the spirits of the
earth, invited Yvounet to lead them, and guided by him,
took their way toward the borders of the forest, each
one making sure that his dirk or his sword had not
rusted in its sheath.
THE JUSTICIARY. 57
CHAPTER VI.
THE JUSTICIARY.
As our adventurers advanced toward that place where the
forest stretched itself out into a point within a quarter of
a league of Hesdin, separating the two valleys of the tract
of open country already known to our readers, they
passed from the comparatively open spaces among the tall
trees, into a thick undergrowth, which with its thousands
of interlacing stems, hound together by the rich luxuri-
ance of the wild creepers, completely hid them as they
glided cautiously through its shade. In this way the
little baud reached the outskirts of the forest without be-
ing seen. They paused at a short distance from the
ditch which separated the forest from the open country.
This ditch bordered the road to which we drew the read-
er's attention in the first chapter of this book, as forming
a line of communication between the Chateau du Parcq,
the emperor's camp, and the neighboring villages.
The spot was well suited for a halt ; an immense oak,
which had been left, with some others of the same species
and the same height, to show what giants had formerly
fallen under the axe, spread above their heads its leafy
dome, while, by advancing a step or two, they could over-
look the whole plain without being seen themselves.
All eyes were lifted instinctively to the rich vegetation
of the venerable tree. Yvonnet understood what was ex-
pected of him ; he nodded consent, borrowed Fracasso's
note-book, which had only one unoccupied leaf remaining,
58 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
which the poet pointed out to him, recommending him
to respect the others, which contained his pensive lucubra-
tions. He placed one of the two Scharfensteins against
the rough column which was too large for him to encircle
with his arms, mounted upon the folded hands of the
giant, climbed from his hands to his shoulders, from his
shoulders to the lower branches of the tree, and in a mo-
ment was seated astride one of the strong branches with
the carelessness and security of a sailor on a vessel's yard
or bowsprit.
Gertrude had watched this ascent anxiously ; but she
had already learned to keep her fears to herself and re-
strain her cries. Besides, seeing the graceful composure
with which Yvonnet kept his seat upon the branches,
the ease with which he turned his head from right to
left, she felt that except for one of those dizzy turns to
which he was subject, there was 110 danger for her
lover.
Yvonnet, shading his eyes with his hand, looking
first to the north and then to the south, appeared to
divide his attention between two equally interesting
spectacles.
These continued movements of the head aroused the
curiosity of the adventurers, who, down in the thick un-
dergrowth, could see nothing of that which offered itself
to Yvonnet's view from the elevated region where he had
established himself.
Yvonnet understood this impatience, of which more-
over they gave iudications by lifting up their heads,
questioning him with their eyes, and even by venturing
to call to him in suppressed tones, " What do you see 1 "
Among these questioners with gesture and voice let
us do her this justice Mademoiselle Gertrude was not
the least eager.
THE JUSTICIARY. 59
Yvonnet gave his companions to understand by a
motion of his hand that in a few moments they should
kuow as much as he. He opened Fracasso's note-book,
tore out the blank leaf, wrote upon it some lines in pen-
cil, rolled up the paper in his fingers, so that it should
not blow away, and dropped it. Every hand was ex-
tended to receive it, even the white and pretty hands of
Mademoiselle Gertrude ; but it was into the big battle-
doors of Frantz Scharfensteiu that the paper fell.
The giant laughed at his good luck, and passing the
paper to his neighbor, said, " The honor belongs to you,
Monsieur Procope ; I do not know how to read French."
Procope, no less eager than the others to kuow what
was going on, unfolded the paper and read the following
lines :
" The Chateau du Parcq is on fire. Count Waldeck, his
two sons, and his band of cavalry are returning along the
road which leads from the chateau to the camp. They are
about two hundred steps from the point of forest where we
are concealed. In the other direction there is a small party
coming from the camp toward the chateau. This party con-
sists of seven men, an officer, a squire, a page, and four
soldiers. As well as I can judge from here, the officer is
Duke Emmanuel Philibert. His party is at about the same
distance from us on our left, as Count Waldeck's on our right.
If the two parties march with equal step, they must meet at
the point of the forest and find themselves face to face
when they least expect it. If Duke Emmanuel has been in-
formed, as is probable, by Monsieur Philippin of what took
place at the chateau, we shall see something interesting.
Attention, comrades ! it really is the duke."
Yvonnet's note ended here ; but it would have been
difficult to say more in so few words, and to promise with
more conciseness a spectacle which indeed would be of
60 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
the greatest interest if the adventurer was not mistaken
in the identity and intentions of the parties.
So each of the associates approached cautiously the
edge of the forest, in order to witness as comfortably as
possible and without danger the spectacle promised by
Yvonuet, to whom chance had assigned the best point of
view.
If the reader will follow our adventurers' example, we
will not trouble ourselves about Count Waldeck and his
sons, whom we already know through Mademoiselle Ger-
trude's story ; but we too, stealing along by the left edge
of the forest, will put ourselves in communication with
the new-comer announced by Yvonnet, and who is no
less a personage than the hero of our story.
Yvonnet was not mistaken. The officer who advanced
between his page and his squire, followed, as if he were
making his ordinary daily patrol, by a little band of four
horsemen, was indeed Duke Emmanuel Philibert, general-
in-chief of the army of the Emperor Charles V. in the
Netherlands.
It was easy to recognize him from his custom of carry-
ing his helmet suspended to the side of the saddle in-
stead of wearing it on his head. This he did almost
constantly, in sunshine and in rain, and even sometimes
during battle ; from which remarkable insensibility to
cold, heat, and blows, his soldiers had given him the
surname, Tete de Fer.
He was, at the period of which we write, a handsome
young man twenty-seven years of age ; he had a slight
but well-knit figure, with hair cut very short, with high
forehead, brown eyebrows clearly marked, blue eyes
bright and keen, straight nose, heavy mustaches, a beard
trimmed to a point, and, finally, a rather thick-set neck,
as is often the case with those who are born of war-
THE JUSTICIARY. 61
like races, and whose ancestors have worn a helmet for
several generations.
When he spoke, his voice was infinitely sweet and
at the same time remarkably firm. It could express,
strange to say, the most violent menace without rising
more than one or two tones ; the ascending scale of
anger was hidden in an almost indiscernible shading of
accent.
The result was that only those persons who knew him
intimately could understand to what perils those were
exposed who were imprudent enough to arouse and brave
this anger, an anger so well repressed that its violence
could be perceived and its scope measured only at the
moment when with an explosion, preceded by the light-
ning of his eyes, it burst forth in its might, destructive
as the thunderbolt; then, just as when the thunderbolt
has struck the storm subsides and the weather becomes
clear, so when the paroxysm has passed the countenance
of the duke resumes its calmness and habitual serenity,
to his eyes return their pleasant and firm expression,
his mouth recovers its beneficent and royal smile.
The squire who rode on his right hand and who wore
his visor up, was a young man of fair complexion, of
about the same age as the duke, and of precisely the same
height. His clear blue eyes, full of power and pride ;
his beard and mustaches of a warmer tint than that of
his flaxen hair; his nostrils dilated like those of a lion;
his lips whose ripe fulness the hair which covered them
could not conceal; his complexion, rich both with the
burning of the sun and with the glow of health, all be-
tokened the perfection of his physical condition.
Not hanging by his side, but swinging upon his back,
clanked one of those terrible two-handed swords, three of
which Francois I. broke at Marignano, and which on
62 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
account of their length could be carried only over the
shoulder, while upon the bow of his saddle hung one of
those battle-axes which had an edge on one side, a head
on the other, and at the end a triangular spike ; so that
with this single weapon, one could, as occasion demanded,
cleave as with an axe, fell as with a hammer, or stab as
with a dagger.
On the left of the duke rode his page. He was a
handsome youth barely sixteen or eighteen years of age,
with hair which looked blue from its very blackness, cut
& FAllemande like that of Holbein's cavaliers and Ea-
phael's angels. His eyes, shaded by long, velvety eye-
lashes, were of an indescribable shade between chestnut
and violet, which is rarely met with except in Arabs or
Sicilians. His complexion, of that peculiar paleness
found in the northern districts of the Italian peninsula,
resembled the whiteness of a piece of Carrara marble from
which the Roman sun has long and lovingly absorbed the
color. His hands, small and white with tapering fingers,
managed with remarkable skill an Arabian pony, his only
saddle being a covering made of leopard's skin with eyes
of enamel and teeth and paws of gold, and his only bridle
a silken cord. His dress, simple but elegant, consisted of
a black velvet tunic, opening just enough to show a
cherry-colored vest slashed with white satin, drawn in at
the waist by a gold cord, to which hung a dagger whose
handle was made from a single agate. His feet, grace-
fully modelled, were enclosed in morocco boots which
reached to the knee, and at that height were entered by
breeches of velvet similar to that of which the tunic
was made. Lastly, his head was covered by a cap of
the same material and color as the rest of his outside
dress, and around it, fastened in front by a diamond
clasp, wound a red plume, the end of which, moving with
THE JUSTICIARY. 63
the least breath of air, drooped gracefully between his
shoulders.
And now, our new characters having been described
and placed upon the stage, we return to the dramatic
development, interrupted for a moment, which is about
to exhibit even more vigorous and decided action than
has yet been displayed.
Emmanuel Philibert, his two companions, and the four
men who followed in his train continued on their way,
without either hastening or restraining the movement of
their horses. But as they drew near to the point of the
forest the duke's face became more serious, as if in antici-
pation he viewed the scene of desolation which would
meet his eyes when once he had turned that point. Sud-
denly the two troops, coming at the same moment to the
apex of the angle, found themselves face to face ; and,
strange to say, it was the more numerous party which
came to a pause, held to its place by force of surprise, in
which some fear also was clearly apparent.
Emmanuel Philibert, on the other hand, without indi-
cating by any agitation of his person, gesture of his hand,
or expression of his face, the sentiment, whatever it might
be, by which he was animated, continued on his -way
straight to Count Waldeck, who, with a son on either
side, awaited his approach.
At a distance of ten paces from the count, Emmanuel
made a sign to his squire, his page, and his four soldiers,
who stopped at once with military promptness and regu-
larity, leaving the duke to advance alone.
When he had come within arm's length of Viscount
Waldeck, who meanwhile had placed himself as a ram-
part between the duke and his father, Emmanuel in his
turn came to a pause.
The three gentlemen saluted by raising each a hand to
64 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
his helmet ; but the bastard Waldeck, in raising his hand
to his, lowered his visor as if to be prepared for whatever
might happen.
The duke responded to the triple salute by an inclina-
tion of his uncovered head. Then, addressing Viscount
Waldeck with that gentle voice which made his utter-
ances musical,
" Monsieur le Vicomte de Waldeck," said he, " you are
a brave and honorable gentleman, one of those whom
I like, and who are liked by my august master the Em-
peror Charles V. I have had for a long time the inten-
tion to do something for you ; within the last quarter of
an hour an opportunity has offered of which I have has-
tened to take advantage. I have but a moment ago re-
ceived news that a company of one hundred and twenty
lancers which has been raised by my orders in the name
of his Majesty the Emperor, upon the left bank of the
Rhine, has assembled at Spire; I have appointed you
captain of this company."
" Monseigneur " stammered the young man in
amazement, and blushing with pleasure.
" Here is your commission, signed by me and stamped
with the seal of the Empire," continued the duke, draw-
ing from the folds of his dress a parchment, which he
presented to the viscount ; " take it, and set out in-
stantly, without a moment's delay. We shall probably
take the field again, and I shall have need of you and
your men. Go, Monsieur le Vicomte de Waldeck ; prove
yourself worthy of this favor which is shown you, and
may God protect you ! "
The favor was indeed a great one ; and the young
man, obeying without a word the order to set out at once,
immediately took leave of his father and brother, and
turning to Emmanuel, " Monseigneur," he said, " you are
THE JUSTICIAKY. 65
indeed the ' Justiciary,' as you are called, punishing evil-
doers, and rewarding those who are worthy of praise.
You have placed confidence in me ; I will prove myself
worthy of it. Adieu, Monseigneur." And putting his
horse to a gallop, the young man disappeared round the
corner of the forest.
Emmanuel Philibert watched him until he was entirely
lost to view. Then turning round and fixing a stern look
upon Count Waldeck, "And now, it is your turn, Mon-
sieur le Comte ! " he said.
" Monseigneur," interrupted the count, " in the first
place, let me thank you for the kindness you have shown
my son."
" The kindness I have shown the Yicomte de Wal-
deck," replied Emmanuel, coldly, " deserves no thanks,
since it is simply a recognition of his worth. You have
heard what he said, however, that I am a justiciary,
punishing evil-doers and rewarding those who are worthy
of praise. Deliver up your sword, Monsieur le Comte ! "
The count started, and replied in atone which expressed
no readiness to obey the order he had just received, "I
deliver up my sword ! and why 1 "
" You know of my order against pillage and marauding,
under penalty of the whipping-post and the gallows for sol-
diers, and of arrest or imprisonment for officers. You have
violated my order in entering by force, in spite of the
remonstrances of your elder son, the Chateau du Parcq,
and in stealing the money, jewels, and plate of the occu-
pants. You are a marauder and a pillager ; deliver up
your sword, Monsieur le Comte de Waldeck ! "
Count Waldeck turned pale ; but as we have said, it
was difficult for a stranger to conjecture, from the tone of
Emmanuel Philibert's voice, what dangers were threat-
ened by his sense of justice or his anger.
VOL. i. 5
66 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
"My sword, Monseigneur ] " said Waldeck. "Oh,
doubtless I have committed some other offeiice. A gen-
tleman does not deliver up his sword for so slight a
thing ! " And he tried to laugh disdainfully.
" Yes, Monsieur," replied Emmanuel, " yes, you have
committed another offence, but for the honor of the Ger-
man nobility I was unwilling to speak of it. Do you
wish me to speak 1 Well, listen then. When you had
stolen the money, jewels, and plate, you were not satis-
tied ; you had the mistress of the house bound to the
foot of her bed, and you said to her, ' If within two hours
you have not paid into our hands the sum of two hun-
dred rose-crowns, I will set fire to your chateau j ' You
said that, and at the end of two hours, as the poor wo-
man, having given you her last farthing, found it impos-
sible to give you the two hundred crowns demanded, in
spite of the entreaties of your elder sou, you set fire to the
chateau, beginning with the farm-house, so that the
unfortunate victim might have time for reflection before
the flames reached the main building. And you cannot
deny it, for the flame and smoke can be seen from here.
You are an incendiary ; deliver up your sword, Monsieur
le Comte."
The count ground his teeth, for he was beginning to
understand what terrible resolution was hidden under the
calm but stern demeanor of the duke.
" Since you are so well informed as to the beginning of
the affair, your intelligence of the end also is doubtless
not less correct 1 "
"You are right, Monsieur, I know everything; but I
wished to spare you the rope which you deserve."
" Monseigneur ! " exclaimed Waldeck, in a threatening
tone.
" Silence, Monsieur," said Emmanuel Philibert ; " have
THE JUSTICIARY. 67
respect for your accuser, and tremble before your judge !
The end ? I will tell you what it was. At sight of the
flames leaping into the air, your bastard, who had pos-
session of the key of the chamber in which the prisoner
was bound, entered that chamber. The unfortunate wo-
man had uttered no cries when she saw the flames com-
ing nearer ; that meant only death. She did cry out
when she saw your bastard come toward her and seize her
in his arms, for that meant dishonor ! The Vicomte de
Waldeck heard these cries and ran to her aid. He called
upon his brother to release the woman he was insulting ;
but the latter, in answer to this appeal to his honor,
threw his prisoner, bound as she was, upon the bed and
drew his sword. The Vicomte de Waldeck drew his also,
resolved to save this woman even at the peril of his life.
The two brothers fought desperately, since they had for
a long time hated each other. While this struggle was
going on, you, Monsieur, entered, and thinking that your
sons were fighting for the possession of this woman, you
said, ' The prettiest woman in the world is not worth one
drop of the blood from the veins of a soldier. Put down
your weapons, boys ! I will settle your affair.' Then at
the sound of your voice, the two brothers lowered their
swords ; you stepped between them ; both watched you,
to see what you were about to do. You went up to the
woman who had been bound and thrown upon the bed,
and before either of your sons had time to prevent this
imfamous deed, you drew your dagger and plunged it into
her breast. Do not tell me that this thing did not take
place ; do not tell me that it is not true ; your dagger is
still wet and your hands are still bloody. You are an
assassin ; deliver up your sword, Comte de Waldeck ! "
"That is easy to say, Monseigneur," replied the count;
" but a Waldeck would not deliver his sword to you, princa
68 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
crowned or uncrowned, whichever you may be, if he
were alone against seven of you ; much more will he re-
fuse when he has his son on his right and forty soldiers
at his back."
" Then," said Emmanuel, with a slight change in the
tone of his voice, " if you will not hand ine your sword
voluntarily, I must take it from you by force." And
with one bound of his horse he was at Count "Waldeck's
side.
The latter, who was crowded so close that he had no
room to draw his sword, put his hand to his holsters ; but
before he had time to unbutton them, Emmanuel Phili-
bert had plunged his hand into his own, already open,
and had armed himself with pistol ready cocked. This
movement was so quick that neither Waldeck's bastard,
the squire, nor the duke's page could prevent it. Em-
manuel, with a hand as calm and sure as that of justice,
fired the pistol close to the head of the count, burning his
face with the powder and penetrating his brains with the
bullet.
The count had scarcely time to utter a cry ; he threw
up his arms, fell slowly backward from his saddle like an
athlete whom an invisible wrestler doubles up backward,
let go the stirrup with his left foot, then with his right
foot, and finally rolled over upon the ground. The jus-
ticiary had administered justice ; the count had died
instantly.
During the whole time occupied by this scene Wal-
deck's bastard, completely covered with his coat of mail,
had remained erect and motionless as an equestrian
statue ; but when he heard the pistol-shot and saw his
father fall, he gave a cry of rage which burst with a grat-
ing sound through the visor of his helmet. Then ad-
dressing the astonished and terrified soldiers, " Help,
THE JUSTICIARY. 69
comrades ! " he cried in German ; " this man is not our
countryman. Death ! death to the Duke Emmanuel ! "
But the soldiers answered by shaking their heads in
token of refusal.
" Ah ! " cried the young man, with increasing violence,
" you do not listen to me ! You refuse to avenge him who
loved you as his children, who loaded you with money,
who gorged you with booty ! Well, then I will be
the one to avenge him, since you are iugrates and
cowards ! " And drawing his sword he was about to
rush upon the duke ; but two men leaped to the horse's
head, seizing hold of the bit, one on each side, while a
third encircled him with his arms.
The young man struggled furiously, heaping abuse
upon those who held him fast. The duke looked on with
a degree of pity ; he understood the despair of a son who
has just seen a father fall dead at his feet.
"Your Highness," said the troopers, "what do you
wish to have done with this man 1 "
"Release him," said the duke. "He has threatened
me, and if I should have him taken prisoner, he would
think that I am afraid."
The troopers took the sword from the bastard's hands
and let him go. With a single bound of his horse the
young man cleared the space which separated him from
Emmanuel Philibert. The latter awaited him with his
hand upon the stock of his second pistol.
" Emmanuel Philibert, Duke of Savoy, Prince of Pied-
mont," cried Waldeck's bastard, stretching out his hand
to him threateningly, " understand that from this day
forth I hate you with a mortal hatred. Emmanuel Phil-
ibert, you have killed my father ! " ( He lowered the
visor of his helmet. ) " Observe carefully my face ; for
whenever you shall see it, whether at night or in the
70 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
daytime, whether at a fete or in combat, woe, woe to
you, Emmanuel Philibert ! " And striking the spurs
into his horse, he started off at full gallop, shaking his
hand as if to hurl a parting malediction upon the duke,
and shouting curses as he went.
" Villain ! " exclaimed Emmanuel's squire, spurring on
his horse in pursuit.
But the duke, with an imperative wave of the hand,
said, "Not a step farther, Scianca-Ferro; I forbid it."
Then turning to his page, who, pale as death, looked as if
he would fall from the saddle, " What is it, Leone 1 " he
said, drawing near and taking his hand. " Why, any
one who saw you so pale and trembling would take you
for a woman."
" Oh, my dear Duke," murmured the page, " assure
me that you are not wounded, or I shall die ! "
" My child," said the duke, " am I not in God's
hands 1 " Then, addressing the troopers, " My friends,"
he said, pointing to the dead body of Count Waldeck,
" see that this man has Christian burial, and let this
example of my administration of justice prove to you
that I am no respecter of persons."
And with a sign to Scianca-Ferro and Leone to follow
him, he retraced his steps toward the camp, his face bear-
ing no mark of the terrible scene in which he had just
been an actor, except that it wore a more thoughtful
expression than usual.
HISTORY AND ROMANCE. 71
CHAPTER VII.
HISTORY AND ROMANCE.
WHILE the adventurers, unseen witnesses of the catas-
trophe we have just described, with regretful backward
glances at the smoking ruins of the Chateau du Parcq
are returning to their cavern to put the final touches to
their articles of partnership, useless for the present, to
be sure, but which cannot fail to be, in time to come,
the source of great advantage to the new association ;
while the soldiers, in obedience to the command, or rather
the request, of Emmanuel to provide for their late chief
Christian burial, are on their way to dig in a corner of
the cemetery of Hesdin a grave for him who, having re-
ceived on earth punishment for his crime, rests now in
the hope of divine mercy ; while Emmanuel Philibert, with
his squire Scianca-Ferro and his page Leone, is riding
back to his tent ; abandoning the prologue, scenery, and
secondary characters of our drama, for its real action and
its leading actors, who have at last made their appearance,
we will undertake that we may give the reader a fuller
knowledge of their character, and of their situation, moral
and political an excursion, at once historic for some
and romantic for others, into the domain of the past, the
magnificent realm of the poet and the historian, of which
no revolution can deprive them.
Emmanuel Philibert, the third son of Charles III.,
called " the Good," and Beatrice of Portugal, was born at
the Chateau de Chambery on the 8th of July, 1528.
72 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
These two names Emmanuel and Philibert were be-
stowed on him, the former out of respect to his mater-
nal ancestor Emmanuel, King of Portugal, and the latter
in fulfilment of a vow made by his father to Saint Phili-
bert de To urn us.
At the time of his birth, which took place at four
o'clock in the afternoon, he was so feeble that his respira-
tion depended on the breathing of air into his lungs "by
one of his mother's women ; and until the age of three
years he could neither hold his head erect nor stand
alone. So when the horoscope which at that time was
cast at the birth of every prince's son declared that the
prince who had just been born would be a great warrior,
and would bring to the house of Savoy glory of a lustre
superior to that of any which had been imparted to it,
either by Pierre, surnamed "Le Petit Charlemagne," by
Amadeus V., called " the Great," or by Amadeus VI.,
commonly called "the Green Count," his mother could
not restrain her tears, and his father, a pious and gentle
prince, said, with a shake of his head and in a tone ex-
pressive of doubt, to the '"mathematician who announced
to him this prediction, "May God hear you, my friend ! "
Emmanuel Philibert was the nephew of Charles V.
through his mother, Beatrice of Portugal, one of the most
beautiful and accomplished princesses of her time. He
was also cousin of Frangois I. through his aunt, Louise of
Savoy, under whose pillow Constable de Bourbon pre-
tended to have left the cordon of the order of Saint-
Esprit when Frangois I. demanded it of him.
Emmanuel Philibert had another aunt, the gifted
Margaret of Austria, who left a collection of manuscript
songs, still to be found in the national library of France,
and who, overtaken by a storm on her way to Spain to
marry the infante, son of Ferdinand and Isabella, after
HISTORY AND ROMANCE. 73
previous betrothals to the dauphin of France and the king
of England, thinking that she was about to die, composed
for herself this curious epitaph,
" Weep, Loves, weep ! fair Margot is dead ;
Who was three times betrothed, yet never was wed. "
Emmanuel Philibert was, as we have said, so feeble
that in spite of the astrologer's prediction that he would
become a mighty warrior, his father destined him for the
Church. So, at the age of three years, he was sent to
Bologna to kiss the feet of Pope Clement VII., who had
just crowned his uncle the Emperor Charles V., at whose
request the young prince obtained from the pope the
promise of a cardinalship. This was the origin of the
epithet " Cardinalin " which was given him in childhood,
very much to his annoyance. Why should it annoy
a child to be called by this name 1 ? We will state the
reason.
The reader will remember that woman, or, let us say,
that intimate friend of the Duchess of Savoy, who attend-
ing her in her sickness had kept alive with her breath the
almost dying little Emmanuel Philibert. Six months
before, she herself had given birth to a son who had come
into the world as strong and vigorous as the son of the
duchess was feeble and delicate.
Now, the duchess, considering that her friend had
saved the child's life, said to her, " My dear Lucrezia, I
give this child to you, for he is now as much yours as
mine ; take him, nourish him with your milk as you have
nourished him with your breath, and I shall owe you
more than he himself; he will owe to you only his life,
while I shall owe to you my child ! "
Lucrezia received as a sacred charge the child to whom
she was to be foster-mother. Nevertheless, she feared
74 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
that it would be at the expense of her own little Rinaldo
that the heir of the Duke of Savoy would gain health
and strength, since whatever portion of the nourishment
would be required to revive the little Emmanuel, by just
so much would his foster-brother's share be lessened.
But Rinaldo at six months was as strong as many an-
other child would have been at twelve months of age.
Besides, Nature has its miracles, and the fount of mater-
nal milk was never for a moment exhausted, although the
two children drew their life from the same breasts. It
gave pleasure to the duchess to see, hanging from the
same living stem, her own child so delicate and the other
so vigorous.
It seemed, too, as if the little Rinaldo understood this
weakness and had compassion for it. Often the capri-
cious ducal infant wanted the breast at which the other
infant was nursing ; and the latter, its little face all
smiles and its lips running over with milk, would yield
- its place to the exacting nursling.
The two children grew up thus together on Lucrezia's
lap. At the age of three years Rinaldo appeared like a
boy of five ; at the age of three years, as we have said,
Emmanuel Philibert could scarcely walk, and only with
effort could he lift his head from its drooping position
on his breast. It was at this time that he was sent to
Bologna, and that Pope Clement VII. promised him a
cardinal's hat.
It seemed as if this promise brought good fortune to
Emmanuel, and as if this name of " Cardinalin " pro-
cured for him the protection of God ; for from this time
when he was three years of age his health went on
improving and his body grew strong.
But the one who in this respect made wonderful pro-
gress was Rinaldo. His strongest toys flew into pieces
HISTORY AND ROMANCE. 75
under his fingers ; he could not even touch anything
that did not break ; the idea was conceived of making
his playthings of steel, and he broke them as if they
had been china. So it happened that the good Duke
Charles III., who liked to watch the children at play,
gave Emmanuel's companion the nickname " Scianca-
Ferro," which in the Piedmontese patois means, " Iron-
Breaker." The name clung to him.
It was very remarkable that Scianca-Ferro never
made use of this miraculous strength except for the
protection of Emmanuel, whom he adored, instead of
being jealous of him as any other child would have been.
The young Emmanuel coveted extraordinarily this
strength of his foster-brother, and he would gladly have
exchanged his sobriquet of Cardinalin for that of
Scianca-Ferro. He seemed, however, to acquire vigor
from the continued association with this lustiness so
much greater than his own. Scianca-Ferro, moderating
his own strength to that of the young prince, wrestled
with him, ran races with him, and sometimes, for fear of
discouraging him, would let himself be thrown in the
struggle or passed in the race. All their exercises were
practised together, horseback-riding, swimming, and
fencing. In everything Scianca-Ferro was for the pres-
ent superior; but it was understood that it was only a
matter of time, and that although somewhat backward
for the time being, Emmanuel had not said his last
word.
The two children were always together and loved each
other like brothers. They were as jealous with regard to
each other, as a mistress with her lover; but the time
was approaching when a third companion whom they
would adopt with equal love would join in their sports.
One day when the court of Duke Charles III. was at
76 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
Vercelli, on account of disturbances which had broken
out at Milan, the two young men rode out with their
riding-master. They proceeded along the left bank of
the Sesia, continued on through Xovare, and went nearly
to the river Tessin. The young duke was riding in
advance, when suddenly a bull confined in a neighboring
field began plunging and breaking down the fences which
enclosed the pasture, and frightened, the prince's horse,
which flew over the meadows, clearing streams, thickets,
and hedges as he went. Emmanuel was an admirable
horseman, and there was nothing to fear on that score ;
nevertheless Sclauca-Ferro started in pursuit, taking the
same route as his friend, and like him leaping over
every obstacle in his way. The riding-master, more
cautious, followed a winding road which would lead to
the point in the direction of which the two young men
were riding.
After a quarter of an hour's frantic pursuit, Scianca-
Ferro, not seeing Emmanuel, and fearing that he had
met with some accident, shouted with all his might.
He called twice without receiving any answer ; hut at
last he thought he heard the prince's voice in the direc-
tion of the village of Oleggio. He turned his horse, and
soon, guided by Emmanuel's voice, found the latter by
the bank of a stream which flows into the Tessin.
At his feet lay the body of a dead woman, and in his
arms a little boy from four to five years of age, who
also seemed to be dying.
The horse, which had become quiet, was browsing at
his ease upon the young shoots of trees, while his mas-
ter was trying to restore the child to consciousness.
There was nothing to be done for the woman ; she was
already dead. She appeared to have succumbed to
fatigue, misery, and hunger. The child, who had doubt-
HISTORY AND ROMANCE. 77
less shared the fatigues and misery of its mother,
seemed to be dying of starvation.
The village of Oleggio was only a mile distant. Scianca-
Ferro put his horse to a gallop, and disappeared in the
direction of the village. Emmanuel would have gone
himself instead of sending his brother, but he had the
child in his arms, and perceiving that the life which
had almost departed was returning to the child, was
unwilling to leave him.
The poor little fellow had led him to the side of the
dead woman, and had said to him in the pathetic tone
of childhood, ignorant of the extent of its misfortunes,
" Wake Mamma ! Wake Mamma ! "
Emmanuel wept. What could he do, mere child him-
self, looking for the first time on death 1 ? He had only
his tears : those he gave.
Scianca-Ferro returned at last, bringing bread and a
flask of muscat wine. They tried to pour a few drops of
wine into the mother's mouth, a vain attempt, for she
was unquestionably dead. They then turned their at-
tention to the child, who, although crying because his
mother would not wake up, ate and drank, and was
somewhat revived.
Just then the peasants from the village whom Scianca-
Ferro had informed of the affair came up, together with
the riding-master, whom they had met quite terrified at
the loss of his two pupils, and had brought back with
them to the place indicated by Scianca-Ferro. They
knew, therefore, that it was the young Prince of Savoy
who had sent for them ; and as Duke Charles was adored
by his subjects, they offered immediately to do anything
for the little orphan and its dead mother that Emmanuel
might choose to ask.
Emmanuel selected from among the women one who
78 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
appeared kind and sensible ; he gave her all the money
that he and Scianca-Ferro had with them, took down in
writing the woman's name, and begged her to attend to
the burial of the mother and provide for the first needs
of the child.
Then, as it was growing late, the riding-master insisted
that his pupils should return to Vercelli. The little orphan
wept ; he wished to keep with him his good friend Emman-
uel, whose name he knew, but of whose rank he was
ignorant. Emmanuel promised to return the next day,
which somewhat calmed the child's grief; but after he
was taken away from Emmanuel he kept his arms ex-
tended toward this savior whom chance had sent him.
In fact, if the help sent to the poor child by chance, or
rather by Providence, had been delayed even only two
hours, he would have died by the side of his mother.
Although the riding-master strove with all diligence to
hasten the return, his two pupils did not reach the
chateau of Vercelli until evening. Much anxiety had
been felt on their account, and messengers had been sent
out in all directions to seek them. When the duchess
began to upbraid them, Emmanuel related his story to
her, his gentle voice taking a tone of sadness from the
sorrowful event. When he had finished his narration
the duchess was no longer disposed to find fault, but
on the contrary commended their conduct. Fully shar-
ing her son's interest in the little orphan, she declared
that on the day after the morrow that is to say, imme-
diately after the funeral of the child's mother she
would go herself to visit him; and in fact, on the day
named she set out in a litter for the village of Oleggio,
the two young men attending her on horseback.
As they approached the village, Emmanuel could not
restrain his impatience ; he put spurs to his horse and
HISTORY AND ROMANCE. 79
rode on in advance, that he might see a little sooner the
orphan child. His arrival gave great joy to the poor
child. It had been necessary to tear him from his
mother's body ; he would not believe that she was dead,
and cried out repeatedly : " Don't put her in the ground ;
don't put her in the ground ! I tell you she will wake
up." From the moment when his mother was taken
away from the house it had been necessary to keep him
confined, he was so eager to go and rejoin her.
The sight of his savior was comforting to him. Em-
manuel told him that his mother, the duchess, had wished
to see him and would arrive in a few moments.
" Oh, have you your mamma 1 " said the little orphan.
" Oh, I will pray the good God that she may not sleep
never to wake again ! "
To the peasants the news that Emmanuel gave them,
that the duchess was coming to visit their house, was of
the greatest importance. They hastened forth to meet
her ; and as in going through the streets they told where
they were going and whom they expected to meet, others
joined them, until finally the whole village had turned
out.
Finally the cortege arrived, preceded by Scianca-Ferro,
who had gallantly remained with the duchess as her es-
cort. Emmanuel presented his protege* to his mother.
The duchess asked the child a question which had not
occurred to Emmanuel, that is to say, she asked him
his name and that of his mother.
The child replied that his name was Leone, and that
his mother had been called Leona ; but he would give no
further particulars, answering to every question put to him,
"I don't know." And yet, strangely enough, one in-
stinctively felt that this was a pretended ignorance, un-
der which was concealed some secret. His mother,
80 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
doubtless, before dying, had requested him to answer aD
questions in that way ; and indeed, nothing less than the
last request of a dying mother could have made such an
impression upon a child of four years.
Then the duchess examined the orphan with a woman's
curiosity. Although dressed in coarse garments, his hands
were soft and white, and had evidently been cared for
by a refined and lady-like mother. Also his manner of
speaking was that of the aristocracy, and at four years of
age he spoke French and Italian equally well.
The duchess asked to see the mother's clothes, and they
were brought to her ; they were those of a country-wo-
man. But the women who had undressed her said that
they had never seen whiter skin, more delicate hands,
nor smaller and more elegant feet. One article of dress
also betrayed to what class of society the poor woman
had belonged ; with her peasant's dress, her cotton skirt,
her coarse woollen waist, and her heavy shoes, she wore
silk stockings. Evidently she had taken flight in disguise,
and of the clothes she had discarded before setting out,
she had kept only the silk stockings which had betrayed
her after death.
The duchess returned to the little Leone, and questioned
him on all these points ; but his answer was always, " I
don't know." The duchess could elicit nothing else ; so,
adding her own instructions to those of Emmanuel, she
again committed the poor orphan to the care of the kind
country-people who had until then attended to his wants,
gave them a sum of money double that which they had
already received, and directed them to make inquiries
about the mother and child, promising them a liberal
reward for any intelligence they might bring her con-
cerning them.
The little Leone wanted to go with Emmanuel ; and
HISTORY AND ROMANCE. 81
the latter was very much inclined to insist on securing
his mother's permission to take the child away with,
him, so much did he pity him. But he assured Leone
that he would come to see him as soon as possible, and
the duchess herself promised a second visit.
Unfortunately at about this time events took place
which prevented the duchess from keeping her word.
For the third time Francois I. declared war against
Charles V. on the ground that he was heir to the dnchy
of Milan, through Valeutina Visconti, wife of Louis
d'Orleans, brother of Charles VI. In the first war
Francois had been victorious at Marignano ; in the sec-
ond, he had been routed at Pavia.
One would have thought that after the treaty of Ma-
drid, after the prison of Toledo, and especially after hav-
ing taken his ofith, Frar^ois I. would have renounced all
pretension to this unfortunate duchy, which if it were
delivered up to him would make the King of France a
vassal of the Empire ; but on the contrary, he only
awaited an opportunity for demanding it again, and
seized upon the first which offered.
The present opportunity was a good one, as it happened ;
but had it not been he would have embraced it with the
same alacrity. Fran9ois I., it is well known, was not
troubled by any of those silly scruples which govern the
actions of that race of fools called honest men.
The opportunity which chance now threw in his way
was this : Maria Francesco Sforza, son of Lodovico il
Moro, reigned at Milan ; but he reigned as vassal of the
emperor, of whom he had bought his duchy, Dec. 23,
1529, for the sum of four hundred thousand ducats,
payable during the first year of his reign, and the further
sum of five hundred thousand, payable during the ten
years following ; as security for these payments the cha-
VOL. I. 6
82 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
teaux of Milan, Coruo, and Pavia remained in the hands
of the emperor.
Now it happened about the year 1534 that Fra^ois I,
sent a Milanese gentleman, whose fortune he, Frai^ois I.,
had made, as ambassador to the court of Duke Sforza.
This gentleman's name was Francesco Maraviglia.
Having attained riches and position at the court of
France, it was with both joy and pride that Francesco
Maraviglia returned to his native city surrounded by all
the pomp of an ambassador. He had taken with him his
wife and his daughter, who was three years old, but had
left at Paris his son Odoardo, who was twelve years old,
as one of the pages of King Fran<jois I.
Why was this ambassador offensive to Charles V., and
why did the latter order Duke Sforza to put him out of
the way at the first opportunity ] This we do not know,
and cannot discover until the secret correspondence of the
emperor and the Duke of Milan is found, as was that
of the emperor with Cosimo de' Medici. But we do
know that the servants of Maraviglia having got into a
quarrel with some of the country -people, and having had
the misfortune to kill two subjects of Duke Sforza, the
latter had Maraviglia arrested and imprisoned in the
chateau of Milan, which, as we have said, was still in
the hands of the emperor.
No one ever knew certainly what became of Maraviglia.
Some say that he was poisoned ; others that he stumbled
and fell into a dungeon of whose proximity he had not
been forewarned. But the most probable version of the
story, and that most commonly accepted, is that ne was
executed, or rather assassinated, in prison. It is very
certain that he disappeared, and that almost at the same
time his wife and daughter also vanished and were not
heard of afterward.
HISTORY AND ROMANCE. 83
These events had taken place quite recently, only a
few days before Emmanuel's discovery of that unknown
child and that dead woman on the banks of a stream.
They were to exercise a terrible influence over the destiny
of Duke Charles.
Francois I. grasped the opportunity. It was not the
lamentations of the son left with him, demanding ven-
geance for the murder of his father; it was not that
royal majesty had been outraged in the person of an am-
bassador ; it was not that the law of the people had been
violated by an assassin, it was not such considerations
as these that turned the scales in favor of war ; no, it
was the old leaven of vengeance working in the heart cf
the vanquished of Pa via and the prisoner of Toledo.
A third expedition into Italy was resolved upon. The
moment was favorable ; Charles V. was in Africa war-
ring against the famous Khair-Eddin surnamed Barba-
rossa. But in order to accomplish this new invasion, it
was necessary to pass through Savoy. Now Savoy was
in the possession of Charles le Bon, Emmanuel Philibert's
father, uncle of Frangois I., brother-in-law of Charles V.
For whom would Charles le Bon declare himself?
Would it be for his brother-in-law or for his nephew ?
This was an important thing to know. It was of course
doubtful ; in all probability the Duke of Savoy would
ally himself with the Empire, and be hostile to France.
In fact, the Duke of Savoy had given to Charles V.,
in pledge of loyalty, his elder son Louis, Prince of Pied-
mont ; he had refused to receive from Frangois I. the
cordon of Saint Michel, and an artillery company with
twelve thousand crowns for its support ; he had occupied
territory belonging to the marquisate of Saluzzo, a fief
of Dauphine ; he had refused homage to the crown of
France for the province of Faucigny ; in correspondence
84 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
with the emperor he had rejoiced over the defeat at
Pavia; and finally he had lent money to Constable de
Bourbon when he passed through Savoy on his way to be
killed by Benvenuto Cellini at the siege of Rome.
It was necessary, however, to find out the truth of the
matter. Accordingly, Fra^ois I. sent Guillaume Poyet,
president of the Paris parliament, to Turin. He was
instructed to demand of Duke Charles III. these two
things : first, permission for the French army to pass
through Savoy and Piedmont; secondly, the surrender,
as pledges of good faith, of Montmeillan, Veillaue. Chi-
vas, and Vercelli. He was to offer to Duke Charles, in
exchange, territory in France, and the king's daughter
Marguerite in marriage with Prince Louis, elder brother
of Emmanuel Philibert.
Charles III. appointed Purpurat, president of Pied-
mont, to conduct the negotiations with Guillaume Poyet,
president of the Paris parliament. He was authorized to
grant permission for the passage of French troops across
the provinces of Savoy and Piedmont ; but as to the sur-
render of the four places named, he was to adopt at first
a dilatory policy, and should Poyet insist, he was to
answer with an absolute refusal.
The discussion between the two plenipotentiaries be-
came heated ; so that, overcome hy Purpurat's cogent
arguments, Poyet at last exclaimed,
" It must be so, because it is the king's will."
" Pardon," replied Purpurat, " but I find no such law
among those of Piedmont." And rising from his seat, he
abandoned the future to the omnipotent will of the King
of France, and the wisdom of the Most High.
The negotiations came to an end ; and one day in the
month of February, 1535, while Duke Charles was at his
chateau of Vercelli, a herald was introduced to his pres-
HISTORY AND ROMANCE. 85
ence who, in the name of King FranQois I., declared war
against him.
The duke quietly listened to him, and when he had
delivered his warlike message replied calmly,
" My friend, I have always rendered service to the King
of France, and I consider that the titles of ally, friend,
servant, and uncle call for measures altogether different
from this. I have done what I could to be on good
terms with him ; I have neglected no means of showing
him how far wrong he is in cherishing resentment against
me. I am well aware that my strength is not to be
compared with his ; but since he cannot in any way be
persuaded to listen to reason, and since he appears deter-
mined to possess himself of my States, say to him that
he will find me on the frontier, and that, seconded by my
allies and friends, I hope to defend myself and protect
my country. The king, my nephew, is acquainted with
my motto : He cannot fail whom God protects" And he
dismissed the herald, after giving him a costly suit of
clothes and a pair of gloves filled with crowns.
After such a reply there was nothing to do but to pre-
pare for war ; and the first step taken by Charles III.
was to place his wife and child in safety in the fortress
of Nice. The departure from Vercelli for Nice was an-
nounced to take place almost immediately.
Emmanuel Philibert thought the occasion opportune
for obtaining from his mother a favor which he had till
then delayed asking, namely, that Leone should be
withdrawn from the house of the peasants, where he had
been left only temporarily, as was well understood, and
should be made, like Scianca-Ferro, the young prince's
intimate companion.
The duchess, as we have already said, was a woman of
good judgment. All that she had observed in connection
86 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
with the orphan the delicacy of his features, the beauty
of his hands, the distinction of his language led her to
believe that some great mystery was hidden under the
coarse garments of the mother and the child. She was,
too, a woman of religious inclinations ; she saw the linger
of God in that adventure of Emmanuel after the accident
occasioned by the bull, an accident that seemed to her
almost providential since it led the young prince to the
dead woman and the dying child. She reflected that
when everything was falling away from her family, when
misfortune threatened her house, when the sombre angel
of sorrow was pointing out to her husband, herself, and
her child the mysterious paths of exile, that this was
no time to repulse the orphan, who grown to manhood,
might be to them a strong support. She recalled the
messenger of God presenting himself, in the guise of a
common traveller, at the threshold of the blind Tobias,
to whom by the hands of his son he afterward restored
sight and happiness ; and far from offering any objection
to what Emmanuel proposed, she readily acceded to his
request, almost before he could declare it, and with the
duke's permission she authorized her son to have his
young protege brought to Vercelli. From Yercelli to
Nice, Leone would make the journey in company with
the other two children.
Emmanuel waited only until the next day to carry the
good news to Leone. At daybreak he descended to the
stables, saddled with his own hands his African pony,
and started for Oleggio with all speed.
He found Leone very sorrowful. The poor orphan had
learned that his rich and powerful protectors had been
visited in their turn by misfortune. He had heard that
the count was to set out for Nice, that is to say, for a
country the very name of which was strange to him,
HISTORY AND ROMANCE. 87
and when Emmanuel arrived, excited by his ride and
beaming with delight, Leone was weeping as if for the
second time he had lost his mother.
It is especially through their tears that children see
the angels ; and we do not exaggerate in saying that
Emmanuel seemed like an angel when seen through the
tears of Leone.
In a few words all was told, explained, and understood,
and to tears succeeded smiles. There is a period in life
and it is life's happiest period when tears and smiles
are close together, as night is close to morning.
Two hours after Emmanuel's arrival came Scianca-
Ferro, with the first squire of the prince and two attend-
ants, leading by the bridle the duchess's own horse. A
good sum of money was left with the peasants who for
six weeks had taken care of Leone. He embraced them
weeping again ; but this time he shed tears of joy as well
as of regret. Emmanuel aided him to mount, and lest
some accident should happen to his dear protege, himself
led the horse that carried him.
Scianca-Ferro, far from being jealous of that new
friendship, galloped joyously along, riding on in advance
and returning again, leading the way as if he had been
an actual captain, and smiling with that beautiful smile
of childhood which reveals the heart while it shows the
teeth.
Thus they arrived at Vercelli. The duchess and the
duke embraced Leone, who became at once a member of
the family. On the next day they set out for Nice,
where they arrived without accident.
88 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
CHAPTER VIII.
THE SQUIRE AND THE PAGE.
IT is not our intention, since the work has been already
so well done by others, to enter into a description of the
battles which in this great strife desolated Italy dur-
ing the first part of the sixteenth century. Our task is
a much more humble one, but at the same time, it must
be said, rnoi-e attractive to ourselves and more interesting
to our readers. Therefore, in the following story we
shall contemplate only the most important events of that
period, which stand forth in commanding prominence, as
the lofty summits of the Alps lift high above the clouds
their peaks covered by everlasting snow.
Francois I. crossed Savoy and Piedmont, and over-
spread Italy with his troops. For three years the can-
non of the Empire and of France kept up their thunder,
sometimes in Provence, sometimes in the Milanese.
Beautiful plains of Lombardy and Piedmont, the angel
of death alone knows how many corpses wei'e required
to give you your inexhaustible fertility !
During ail this time, under the beautiful sky of Nice,
cloudless by day and brilliant by night, when even the
insects are flying sparks of light, the children grew up
under the watchful care of the Princess Beatrice and
under the eye of God.
Leone had become an indispensable member of the
happy trinity ; he joined in all the sports, but not in all
the exercises ; his little hands were not suited to the vio-
THE SQUIRE AND THE PAGE. 89
lent exercises of the drill, and his arms were considered
by his masters too weak ever to carry lance or shield.
Leone was three years younger than his companions, it
is true, but there appeared to be ten years' difference
between them, especially since doubtless by the grace
of the Lord who was reserving him for great deeds
Emmanuel had taken to growing in health and strength
as if he had determined to overtake in this respect his
foster-brother, Scianca-Ferro. The companions of the
little duke fell very naturally into their respective posi-
tions ; Scianca-Ferro became his squire, while Leone, less
ambitious, was satisfied to be his page.
In the mean time news had come that the eldest sou of
the duke had died at Madrid. This was a source of
great sorrow for Duke Charles and the Duchess Beatrice.
God provided consolation for this grief, it is true, if it
is possible for a father and especially a mother to be con-
soled for the death of a child. Prince Louis had lived
for a long time away from home, while, in daily inter-
course with the duke and duchess, Emmanuel Philibert,
\vho every day seemed more likely to justify the predic-
tion of the horoscope, was growing beautiful as the lily
and strong as the oak.
Bat God, who doubtless had meant only to try the
exiles, soon smote them with a blow much more cruel.
The Duchess Beatrice fell into a decline, and in spite of
the skill of the doctors, and in spite of the care of her
husband, her children, and her women, she died on the
8th of January, 1538.
The duke's grief was profound, but borne without a mur-
mur. Emmanuel was almost in despair. Fortunately
the young prince had the companionship of that other
orphan who had known sorrow. What would he have
done without this gentle friend, who did not try to com-
90 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
fort him, and who, instead of philosophizing, was content
to share his grief]
Doubtless Scianca-Ferro also suffered from the death
of the duchess ; if he could have restored her to life by
challenging some terrible giant in his tower or by beard-
ing some fabulous dragon in its den, the paladin of eleven
years would have set out at once and without hesitation
to perform even at the expense of his life this exploit
which would bring joy and happiness to his friend once
more. But this was the limit of his powers of consola-
tion ; his vigorous nature did not give way easily to
unmanly tears. A wound might cause his blood to
flow, but trouble could never draw tears from his eyes.
Scianca-Ferro must have dangers to contend against, and
not misfortunes to endure.
What, then, did he do while Emmanuel Philibert wept
with his head bowed upon Leone's shoulder 1 He sad-
dled his horse, girded on his sword, slung his sledge to
his saddle-bow, and wandering about over that beautiful
range of hills which borders the Mediterranean, like an
enraged mastiff breaking between his teeth sticks and
stones, imagined himself fighting against the heretics
of Germany or the Sai'acens of Africa, saw imaginary
enemies in insensible and inanimate objects, and in default
of breastplates to pierce and helmets to cleave, broke.the
rocks with his hammer, and cleft the pines and the young
oaks with his sword, seeking and finding alleviation of
his pain in the violent exercise so necessary to his rugged
organization.
As time passed, their grief, although still existing as
fond regret and tender memory, gradually disappeared
from their faces ; instead of lamenting the absence here
below of the wife, the mother, and the friend, they
turned their thoughts to the world of spirits.
THE SQUIRE AND THE PAGE. 91
Consolation is very near the heart which turns to God
And besides, time brought its succession of events which
imposed on grief itself their powerful distractions.
A congress had just been decided on, to take place at
Nice^between Pope Paul III. (Alessandro Farnese),
Fraugois L, and Charles V. The points under discussion
were to be the expulsion of the Turks from Europe, the
creation of a duchy for Lodovico Farnese, and the resto-
ration of his States to the Duke of Savoy.
Nice had been chosen by the pope and Charles V. in
the hope that in recognition of the hospitality of liis uncle,
King Frangois I. would be more readily induced t. make
concessions.
There was also a reconciliation to be effected between
Pope Paul III. and Charles V. Alessandro Farnese had
given to his eldest son Lodovico the cities of Parma and
Plaisance, in exchange for the principalities of Camerino
and Nepi, which he had taken away from him in order to
give them to his second son Ottavio. This inv <titure
had displeased Charles V., who, Maria Francesco having
died in 1535, had refused the pope, whatever sain he
might offer for it, that famous duch^ of Milan which was,
if not the cause, at least the pretext for this interminable
war between France and the Empire.
Certainly Charles V. was right ; the new Duke of
Parma and Plaisauce was that infamous Lodovico Far-
nese who said that he did not care to be loved provided
he was feared, who disarmed noblemen, horsewhipped
women, and insulted bishops. The popes of the sixteenth
century were not fortunate in their children !
The object of the congress of Nice, then, was not only
tu reconcile the Duke of Savoy with the King of France,
but also to reconcile the pope with the emperor.
Charles III., however, rendered prudent by misfortune,
92 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
did not see without alarm his nephew, his brother-in-law,
and their holy master established in his last fortified
place. What assurance had he that his dominions would
be restored to him, or that the only city left him would
not be taken from him ?
Therefore, for greater security, he shut up Emmanuel
Philibert his last heir, as Nice was his last city in the
fortress which commanded the place, with instructions to
the governor not to open the castle to any body of sol-
diers, whether they came in the name of the emperor, in
the name of King Fra^ois I., or in the name of the pope.
Then he went in person to meet Paul TIL, who, accord-
ing to the programme agreed upon, would arrive a few
days before the emperor and the King of France.
When the pope was about a league from Nice, the gov-
ernor received a letter from the duke ordering him to
prepare apai'tments in the castle for the pope. This
letter was brought by his Holiness's captain of the
guards, who at the head of two hundred men demanded
admission to the castle to render personal service to his
master.
The duke, in his letter, had mentioned the pope, but
there was not a word about the captain and his two hurt
dred men. This was embarrassing, for the pope de-
manded the very thing which the governor had been
forbidden to grant.
The governor called a council at which Emmanuel
Philibert was present, although only eleven years old.
Doubtless, it was thought that his presence would keep
up the courage of the defenders of the chateau.
While the deliberations were goiugwm, the child ob-
served hanging against the wall the wooden model of the
castle which was the cause of this sudden disagreement
between Charles III. and the pope. " Upon my word,
THE SQUIRE AND THE PAGE. 93
gentlemen," he said to the counsellors, who had passed a
whole hour in discussion without arriving at any conclu-
sion, " see how little reason there is to be disturbed.
Since we have both a wooden and a stone castle, let us
give the wooden castle to the pope and keep the one of
stone for ourselves."
" Gentlemen," said the governor, " this boy shows us
our duty ; the pope may have the wooden castle if he
likes, but I swear to God that while I live he shall not
have the castle built of stone ! "
The boy's answer, with that of the governor, was re-
ported to the pope, who urged his demand no further, and
took up his residence in the convent of the Cordeliers.
The emperor and the King of France then arrived and
pitched their tents on opposite sides of the city, the con-
vent occupied by the pope being in the centre.
The congress was opened, but unfortunately the results
were not what had been expected. The emperor claimed
for his brother-in-law the States of Savoy and Piedmont,
w*tflle Fran9ois I. demanded the duchy of Milan for his
second son the Due d'Orleans.
Finally, the pope, who also wished to procure a settle-
ment for his own son, demanded that a prince who was a
relative neith^^f Franqois T. nor of Charles V. should
be elected Duke of Milan on condition of receiving from
.the emperor the investiture of his duchy, and of paying
tribute to the Kiuer r >f France.
Each desired the impossible, since his desire was in
exact opposition to the wishes of the others. And as
they could not come to any definite settlement of the
questions at issue, they finally agreed upon a truce.
All the parties, indeed, desired this truce, Fran$ois I.,
that he might have time to renew his half-wasted army,
and replenish his wholly exhausted treasury ; Charles V.,
94 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
that he might have an opportunity to put a stop to the
incursions of the Turks into his two kingdoms of Naples
and Sicily ; Paul III., that he might at least assure
himself of the principalities of Parma and Plaisance for
his son, since he could not procure for him the duchy of
Milan.
A truce of ten years was concluded ; the term of years
being fixed by Frai^ois I. himself. " Ten years or noth-
ing ! " he said peremptorily ; and ten years were agreed
upon. And yet it was Francois himself who broke the
truce in four years.
Charles III., who feared that from these conferences
would result the sequestration of the few estates remain-
ing to him, rejoiced even more at the departure of his
illustrious guests than he had dreaded their arrival.
They left him as they had found him, except that he was
the poorer for the cost of their entertainment, the ex-
penses of which they had forgotten to pay. rt
The pope was the only one who had derived any advan-
tage in this business ; he had secured two marriage <&n-
tracts, for the marriage of his second son Otavio Farnese
with Margaret of Austria, widow of Giuliano de' Medici,
who had been assassinated at Florence in the church of
Santa Maria del Fiore; and the marriage of his niece
Vittoria with Antoiue, eldest son of Charles de Vendome.
Relieved from all solicitude with respect to Frar^ois I.,
Charles V. began to make at Genoa preparations against
the Turks ; these preparations were so vast that it re-
quired two years to complete them.
At the end of this tin^e, just as the fleet was about to
set sail, Duke Charles III. decided to pay a visit to his
brother-in-law, and present to him his son Emmanuel
Philibert, who was just entering his thirteenth year. It
is needless to say that Scianca-Ferro and Leone were of
THE SQUIRE AND THE PAGE. .... 95
party, for they accompanied Emmanuel wherever he
it. \y -
For some time the young prince's mind was very much
reoccupied. He was engaged in composing a speech, of
which he did not like to say anything either to Mon-
seigneur Louis Alardet, Bishop of Lausanne, his precep-
tor, or to his tutors Louis de Chatillon, Lord of Musinens,
Grand Equerry of Savoy, Jean-Baptiste Provann, Seigneur
of Leyni, and Edouard de Genuve, Baron de Lullens. He
therefore contented himself with talking of his speech to
his squire and his page. His intention was to ask of the
emperor permission to accompany him in his expedition
to Barbary.
Scianca-Ferro excused himself from giving an opinion,
saying that he should consider himself perfectly compe-
tent to carry a challenge, but in the art of speech-making
he was not at all at home.
Leone also declined to give advice, saying that the
mere thought of the perils Emmanuel Philibert must
encounter in such an expedition so disturbed his mind
that he could not put together the first two words of such
a petition.
The young prince found that he must rely upon him-
self. So, with the aid of Livy, Quintus Curtius, Plu-
tarch, and other writers of antiquity, he composed the
speech he would address to the emperor.
The emperor was living with his friend Andrea Doria,
in that beautiful palace which is, so to speak, the king of
the port of Genoa ; and he watched the fitting out of his
fleet while promenading those magnificent terraces from
which the prodigal admiral after entertaining at dinner
the ambassadors of Venice ordered the silver fy>m which
they had dined to be thrown into the sea.
Duke Charles, Emmanuel Philibert, and their retinue
96 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
were conducted into the presence of the emperor as
as they were announced.
The emperor embraced his brother-in-law, and was
about to embrace his nephew in the same manner ; I>UCT
Emmanuel Philibert disengaged himself gracefully from
the august arms, and kneeling at the feet of the emperor,
with his squire on one side and his page on the other,
before his father even suspected his intentions, and with
the gravest air possible, addressed to the emperor the
following speech : " Devoted to the support of your dig-
nity and your cause, which are also those of God and our
holy religion, I come oimy own free will and joyfully to
beseech you, Csesar, to receive me as a volunteer among
that infinite number of warriors who come from every
direction to serve under your standard. So happy I
should be, Caesar, to learn under the greatest of kings,
under an invincible emperor, the discipline of the camp
and the art of war."
The emperor looked at him with a smile, and while
Scianca-Ferro expressed aloud his admiration for his
prince's speech, while, pale with fear, Leone prayed God
to inspire the emperor with the happy thought of refusing
this offer of Emmanuel, he replied gravely : " Prince, I
thank you for this mark of attachment. Persist in these
noble sentiments ; they will be useful to us both. You
are still too young to follow me to battle ; but if some
years hence you have the same earnest desire, rest as-
sured the opportunity will not be wanting." And raising
the young prince, he embraced him ; then, as if to con-
sole him, taking off his own cordon of the Golden Fleece,
he put it round Emmanuel's neck.
"Ah, mprdieu J" exclaimed Scianca-Ferro, "that is
better than the cardinal's hat."
; " You have a brave companion there, Nephew," said
THE SQUIRE AND THE PAGE. 97
harles V., " we will give him also a chain, and later we
1 suspend from it some sort of a cross." And taking a
Id chain from the neck of one of the noblemen present,
he threw it to Scianca-Ferro, saying, " That is for you,
my fine squire."
Quick as Charles V.'s movement had been, Scianca-
Ferro had time to throw himself on his knees, so that he
was in that respectful attitude when he received the
emperor's present.
" Come," said the conqueror of Pavia, who was in
good humor, "every one must have his share, even the
page ; " and drawing from his little finger a diamond,
" Pretty page," he said, " it is your turn."
But to the great astonishment of Emmanuel Philibert,
Scianca-Ferro, and every one present, Leone appeared
not to have heard, and stood motionless in his place.
" Oh ! oh ! " said Charles V., " we have a deaf page, it
seems ; " and speaking louder, he said, " Come, pretty
page, come here ! "
But instead of obeying, Leone took a step backward.
" Leone ! " cried Emmanuel, seizing the child's hand
and trying to lead him to the emperor.--/
But, strange to say, Leone tore his hand away from
Emmanuel's, uttered a cry, and darted out of the room.
" An unselfish page ! " said Charles V., " and you
must tell me where you procure such, my good nephew.
The diamond I offered him is worth a thousand pistoles !"
Then turning to the courtiers, " A good example to
follow, gentlemen," said Charles V.
VOL. i. 7
98 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
CHAPTER IX.
LEONE-LEONA.
WHEN, a short time after his return to the Palace Corsi,
where he was staying with his father, Emmanuel Phili-
bert asked Leone to tell him why he had refused the
diamond, and why, like a young wild hawk, he had
flown away, so to speak, with a cry of terror, the child
was silent, and no entreaty could draw from him a single
word on the subject. He evinced the same determina-
tion as he had exhibited when the Duchess Beatrice had
endeavored to elicit from him some information about
his mother, and he had refused to speak.
But how could the Emperor Charles V. be concerned in
the calamity which had fallen upon the orphan page]
This was a problem in regard to which Emmanuel
Philibert could form no conjectures. Whatever might
be the explanation, he was ready to impute wrong-
doing to every one, even to his uncle, rather than sus-
pect for a moment that Leone was guilty of caprice or
thoughtlessness.
Two years had flown since the truce had been agreed
upon at Nice. That was a very long time for Franois I.
to keep his word ; and all parties were surprised by his
fidelity, especially Charles V., who during the inter-
view which he had had with his brother-in-law did not
cease to mistrust what the King of France might do as
soon as he, Charles V., should be no longer present to
protect the poor duke.
LEONE-LEONA. 99
In fact, hardly had the emperor set sail when the
Duke of Savoy, on his return to Nice, received a messen-
ger from Francois I. Fra^ois proposed to his uncle to
yield to him Savoy, on condition that Charles III. would
give up Piedmont to him, to be annexed to the crown of
France.
The duke, indignant that such a proposition should be
made to him, sent back bis nephew's messenger, and
forbade him to appear again in his presence.
What had given Francois I. the assurance to declare
war for the fourth time against the emperor 1 ? The fact
that he had two new allies, Luther and Soliman, the
Huguenots of Germany and the Saracens of Africa.
Strange allies these for the " most Christian " king, for
the " eldest son of the Church " !
It is a striking fact that during that long-continued
struggle between Frangois I. and Charles V. the one who
is continually false to his word is called " the knightly
king"! After having "lost all except honor" on the
battle-field of Pavia, he put upon that honor, unblem-
ished by the defeat, an ineffaceable stigma by signing in
his prison a treaty that he did not mean to keep.
Behold this king, who ought to be driven from history
as Christ drove the money-changers from the temple,
this soldier knighted by Bayard, and cursed by Saint-
Vallier because he did not keep his word, he seems to
have gone mad. He is the friend of the Turk and the
heretic ; he offers his right hand to Soliman, and his left
to Luther ; he, the son of Louis, allies himself with the
son of Mahomet ! So God, after sending to this king
defeat, the daughter of his anger, sends him the plague,
the daughter of his vengeance !
Notwithstanding all this he is called in the books in
those of the historians, at least the knightly king! It
100 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
is true, we who are not historians call him the infamous
king, perjurer toward his enemies, perjurer toward his
friends, and perjurer toward God !
This time, on receiving the Duke of Savoy's answer,
he threatened Nice itself.
The Duke of Savoy left on guard at Nice a brave
Savoyard cavalier, Odinet de Montfort by name, and
taking his way through the Col di Tende, he arrived at
Vercelli, where he set about mustering the few troops he
could still command.
Emmanuel Philihert had entreated his father to allow
him to remain at Nice and serve his first campaign at
once against Francois I. and Soliman ; but the life of the
only heir of his house was too precious to the duke for
him to grant such a request. There was not, however,
the same objection in the case of Scianca-Ferro, and he
eagerly made use of the permission granted him.
The duke, his sou, and Leone, with their suite, had
left Nice but a few leagues behind them, when a fleet
of two hundred sail, flying both Turkish and French
standards, was seen entering the harbor of Villa-
Franca, where it disembarked ten thousand Turks under
Khair-Eddin, and twelve thousand French under the
Due d'Enghien.
The siege was terrible ; the garrison defended its posi-
tion inch by inch, and every one citizens, soldiers, and
gentlemen performed prodigies of valor. The town
was laid open in ten different places, and the Turks and
French entered through ten different breaches. Then
every house, every street, and every square was defended
against the invaders, in whose steps followed the flames ;
so that when Odinet de Montfort retreated within the
castle he left to the enemy only a city in ruins.
The next day a herald summoned him to surrender.
LEONE-LEON A. 101
But shaking his head, he said, " My friend, you make a
mistake in proposing to me such a cowardly act. My
name is Montfort ; my arms are pikes, and my motto is,
Stand firm!"'
Montfort showed himself worthy of his motto, of hia
coat-of-arms, and of his name. He stood firm until, the
duke approaching from one direction with four thousand
Piedmontese, and Alphonzo d'Avalos arriving from an-
other direction with six thousand Spaniards, the Turks
and the French raised the siege.
It was a day of rejoicing for Duke Charles and his sub-
jects when they returned to Nice, ruined as was the city ;
it was also a day of rejoicing for Emmanuel Philibert and
his squire. Scianca-Ferro had justified the name given
him by Charles III., when his foster-brother asked him
how he had succeeded when he had real breastplates and
real shields to strike. "Bah !" he answered, "they are
not so difficult to cleave as oaks ; they are not so hard to
crush as rocks."
" Oh that I could have been there ! " murmured Em-
manuel Philibert, not perceiving that Leone, tightening
his hold on Emmanuel's arm, had turned pale at the
thought of the dangers which Scianca-Ferro had already
encountered, and to which Emmanuel must some time be
exposed.
Our poor page, it is true, was later on quite reassured
by the treaty of Crespy, the result of both the invasion
of Provence by Charles V. and also of the battle of
Cerisolles. This treaty, which was signed on the 14th
of October, 1544, stipulated that Philippe d'Orle'ans,
second son of Fra^ois I., should marry, at the end of two
years, the emperor's daughter, and should receive with
her as dowry the duchy of Milan and the Netherlands;
while on his part the King of France should renounce all
102 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
claim to the kingdom of Naples, and restore to the Duke
of Savoy all that he had taken from him, with the excep-
tion of the fortresses of Pignerol and Montmellian, which
should be added to the French territory as places of de-
fence. The terms of this treaty were to be carried into ef-
fect in two years, that is to say, at the time of the mar-
riage of the Due d'Orleans with the emperor's daughter.
We have now come to the year 1545. The children
have grown up. Leone, the youngest of the three, is
fourteen years of age ; Emmanuel, seventeen ; Scianca-
Ferro, the oldest of all, is six months older than
Emmanuel.
What was going on at this time in the mind of Leone,
and why was the young man becoming daily more sad 1
This Emmanuel and Scianca-Ferro tried in vain to dis-
cover. It was strange, indeed, but the older Leone grew,
the less he joined in the sports of his companions. Em-
manuel, that his epithet Cardinalin might be entirely
forgotten, and the squire, that he might be still more
worthy of the sobriquet Scianca-Ferro, passed whole days
in mock combats, wielding the sword, the lance, or the
axe with strength and skill. Emmanuel had acquired
great proficiency in the use of arms, while Scianca-Ferro
had been endowed by nature with the greatest power and
vigor of which human muscle is capable.
At these times Leone would stand in a pensive attitude
on some tower, from the top of which he could see the
exercises of the young men and watch Emmanuel ; or if
their passion for mock combats seemed to be carrying
them too far, he would take a book and withdraw to a
solitary corner of the garden to read.
Riding was the only exercise to which Leone had shown
any inclination, doubtless because it offered him the
means for following Emmanuel ; but for some time past,
LEONE-LEONA. 103
and in proportion as his melancholy had increased, the
page had gradually given up even this exercise.
It was a thing utterly incomprehensible to Emmanuel,
that upon any allusion to the fact that he would sometime
become a rich and powerful prince, the page's counte-
nance assumed a deeper melancholy than usual.
One day the duke received from the Emperor Charles
V. a letter in which he proposed a marriage between
Emmanuel Philibert and the daughter of his brother,
King Ferdinand. Leone was present when this letter
was read, and he could not conceal the effect it produced
upon him ; to the great astonishment of Duke Charles
III. and Scianca-Ferro, who sought in vain the reason for
such grief, he suddenly burst into tears and left the
room.
Duke Charles having gone to his own apartment, Em-
manuel rushed out to follow his page. The feeling he en-
tertained for Leone was peculiar, not at all resembling
that with which Scianca-Ferro inspired him. He would
have given his life to save that of Sciauca-Ferro ; he would
have given his blood to save that of his foster-brother ; but
he would have given both life and blood to restrain the
tear trembling on the velvety eyelid and the long black
lashes of Leone. On seeing him weep he wished to dis-
cover the cause of his grief. For more than a year he
had observed the increasing melancholy of the young
page, and had often demanded of him the cause of his
sadness ; but immediately Leone had made an effort
at self-control, had shaken his head as if to drive away
gloomy thoughts, and had answered, smiling : "I am too
happy, Monseigneur Emmanuel, and I am always in fear
that such happiness will not last ! "
And Emmanuel in his turn had shaken his head. But
as he observed that too much insistence seemed only to
104 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
increase Leone's unhappiness, he had contented himself
with taking his hands in his own and gazing earnestly
into his face as if to question him through every sense at
once. But Leone would slowly turn away his eyes, and
gently withdraw his hands from Emmanuel's.
Then Emmanuel wotild go to rejoin Scianca-Ferro,
about whose sensations he never thought of inquiring,
and whose countenance it would never have occurred to
him to search with his gaze while he clasped his hands
in his own, so different was the friendship between
Emmanuel .and Scianca-Ferro from that which united
Emmanuel and Leone.
But on this day Emmanuel sought for the page for
more than an hour in the chateau and in the park with-
out finding him. He asked every one for information,
but no one had seen Leone. Finally he asked one of the
grooms, who said that Leone had gone into the church,
and that he was probably there still.
Emmanuel ran to the church, and looking over the
whole interior of the dimly lighted edifice, he saw Leone
on his knees in the most retired corner of the most ob-
scure chapel. He approached almost near enough to
touch him, before the page, plunged in meditation, per-
ceived his presence. Then he advanced another step and
touched him on the shoulder, speaking his name.
Leone started and looked at Emmanuel with an almost
wild expression.
" What are you doing in the church at this hour,
Leone ? " asked Emmanuel, anxiously.
" I am praying God," answered Leone, sadly, " to give
me strength to carry into execution a plan which I am
contemplating."
" And what is that plan, child 1 " demanded Emman-
uel ; " am I not to know it 1 "
LEONE-LEONA. 105
" On the contrary, Monseigneur," replied Leone, " you
will be the first to know it."
" You promise me, Leone 1 "
" Alas, yes, Mouseigueur," replied the young man, with
a sad smile.
Emmanuel took his hand and tried to lead him out of
the church. But Leone gently disengaged his hand, as
for some months he had been wont to do under such
circumstances, and kneeling again, entreated with a ges-
ture the young prince to leave him. " I will come pres-
ently," he said. " I need to be a moment longer with
God."
There was something so solemn and so melancholy in
the young man's tone that Emmanuel did not think of
resisting it. He left the church, but he waited at the
door for Leone. When Leone came out he gave a start
on seeing Emmanuel, and yet did not seem astonished to
find him there.
" And this secret," demanded Emmanuel, " shall I
know it soon 1 "
" To-morrow I hope to have strength to tell you, Mon-
seigneur," replied Leone.
" In what place 1 "
" In this church."
" At what hour ? "
" Come at the same time at which you came to-day."
" And until then, Leone 1 " asked Emmanuel, in a tone
almost beseeching.
" Until then, I hope that Monseigneur will not oblige
me to leave my room ; I have need of solitude and
reflection."
Emmanuel looked at the page with an indefinable feel-
ing of apprehension, and accompanied him to his own
door. There Leone took the prince's hand to kiss it;
106 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
but Emmanuel in his turn withdrew his hand and ex-
tended his arms to draw the child to him and kiss him
on the face. But Leone gently repulsed him, evaded
his outstretched arms, and with an accent of sweetness
and unspeakable sadness said, " Until to-morrow, Mou-
seigneur ! " And he withdrew into his room.
Emmanuel stood motionless for a moment at the door.
He heard Leone draw the bolt, and it seemed as if the
coldness of the iron grating along the door penetrated to
his very soul. " Oh, my God ! " he munnured in a low
tone, " what, then, has happened to me, and what is this
that I feel ? "
" What the devil are you doing there 1 " said a loud
voice behind Emmanuel, while a hand was placed heavily
on his shoulder.
Emmanuel sighed, took Scianca-Ferro's arm, and drew
him into the garden. Both sat down side by side upon
a bench, and Emmanuel related to Sciauca-Ferro what
had just taken place between him and Leone.
Scianca-Ferro reflected a moment, looked up in the air,
and bit his finger-nails. Then, suddenly, " I think that
I know what it is," he said.
" What is it, then ? "
" Leone is in love ! "
Emmanuel felt as if he had been stabbed to the heart.
" Impossible ! " he stammered.
" And why impossible 1 " said Scianca-Ferro. " I am
in love myself ! "
" You ! And with whom 1 " demanded Emmanuel.
" Eh, parbleu ! with Gervaise, the daughter of the
doorkeeper at the chateau. She was dreadfully fright-
ened during the siege, poor child, especially when night
came ; and I kept by her to reassure her."
Emmanuel shrugged his shoulders. He was very sure
LEONE-LEOXA. 107
that Leone had not fallen in love with a doorkeeper's
daughter.
Scianca-Ferro mistook Emmanuel's gesture for one of
disdain.
"Ah, Monsieur Cardinalin," he said, for in spite of
Emmanuel's ribbon of the Golden Fleece, there were mo-
ments when Scianca-Ferro called him by this name,
" don't be too particular. Well, I tell you that I prefer
Gervaise to all the fine ladies of the court. And if there
is a tournament, I am ready to wear her colors and de-
fend her beauty against all comers."
" I should pity those who. were not of your opinion,
my dear Scianca-Ferro," replied Emmanuel.
" And you are right ; for the daughter of my door-
keeper I would strike as hard as for the daughter of a
king."
Emmanuel arose, pressed Scianca-Ferro's hand, and
went to his apartments.
Certainly, as he said, Scianca-Ferro was too rude a
striker to be able to comprehend the workings of Emman-
uel's heart or to divine the struggle of Leone's soul.
As for Emmanuel, although endowed with the greatest
delicacy of feeling and the most exquisite refinement of
mind, he sought vainly in the solitude of his chamber
and in the silence of the night to discover the cause of
Leone's sorrow, and also the cause of his own emotions.
He waited impatiently for the morrow.
The morning passed slowly, and Emmanuel did not see
Leone. When the appointed hour arrived he set out for
the church in as great a state of excitement as if it were
the most critical moment of his life. Indeed the treaty
of Crespy, concluded a year previously, and which decided
the question of the final restoi-ation or alienation of his
dominions, had seemed to him of far less importance
108 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
than the secret which Leone was about to impart to
him.
He found the young man at the same place as on the
day before. He had evidently been praying for some
time, and his countenance bore an expression of gentle
and melancholy resignation. It was evident that his
resolution, so unsettled the evening before, was now fixed.
Emmanuel approached him joyfully ; Leone received him
with a sweet but sad smile.
" Well?" asked Emmanuel.
" Well, Monseigneur, I have a favor to ask of you."
" What is it, Leone ? "
" You know my weakness and my unfitness for all exer-
cises of the body. In your almost royal future you will
have need of strong men like Scianca-Ferro, and will
have no use for feeble and timid children like me, Mon-
seigneur " Though he made an effort to control him-
self, his agitation increased, and tears ran down his cheeks.
" Monseigneur, I have a singular favor to ask of you ; I
want to leave you."
Emmanuel started back ; he had passed his whole life
with Scianca-Ferro and Leone, and had never contem-
plated a separation from either of these two friends.
" Leave me ? " he said to Leone in utter astonishment.
Leone did not answer, and hung his head.
" Leave me ?" repeated Emmanuel, in a tone of deepest
sorrow. " You leave me 1 Impossible ! "
" It must be," said Leone, in an almost inaudible voice.
Emmanuel, like a man who feels that he is losing his
senses, put his hand to his head, looked at the altar, and
let his arms fall heavily by his side. Fot some moments
he had questioned himself. Then he had questioned
God ; and as he could obtain no answer from earth or
from heaven, he fell back into despair.
LEONE-LEONA. 109
" Leave me ? " he said for the third time, as if he could
not get accustomed to these words, " me, who found
you dying, Leone, who received you as if you had been
sent by Providence, who have always treated you as a
brother ! Oh ! "
" It is for that very reason, Monseigneur ; it is because
I owe you much, and in remaining with you cannot repay
you what I owe you, it is for this reason that I would
like to spend all my life in praying for my benefactor."
" Pray for me ! " said Emmanuel, more and more as-
tonished. " And where would you pray ] "
" In some holy monastery, which seems to me a more
suitable place for a poor orphan like me than that which
I should occupy in a brilliant court such as yours will
be."
" My mother, my dear mother," murmured Emmanuel,
" you who loved me so well, what would you say if you
heard this]"
" In the presence of God, who hears us," said Leone,
laying his hand solemnly on the young prince's arm, " I
assure you she would say that I am right."
In this reply of Leone there was such an accent of
truth, such an expression of solemn conviction that Em-
manuel was shaken by it.
" Leone," he said, " you are free to do as you wish. I
have tried to capture your heart, but I have never tried
to enslave your body. I only ask you not to decide has-
tily ; take a week, take "
" Oh," said Leone, " if I do not go now when God gives
me strength to leave you, Emmanuel, I shall never go ;
and I tell you I must go."
" Must go ! But why must you go ? "
This question was met by Leone with the same obsti-
nate silence which he had maintained on two former
110 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
occasions, once when at the village of Oleggio the
duchess had questioned him concerning his parents and
his birth, and also when at Genoa, Emmanuel had asked
him his reason for refusing Charles V.'s diamond. Never-
theless Emmanuel was on the point of insisting upon an
answer, when he heard a strange step in the church.
It was a servant, who brought word that Duke Charles
wished to see him instantly. Important despatches had
just been received from France.
" You see, Leone," Emmanuel said to the child, " I
must leave you now. I will see you again this evening ;
and if you persist in your resolution, Leone, well, you
shall be free to go, my child ; you may go to-morrow,
or to-night even, if you think it your duty to go
immediately."
Leone did not answer, but sank on his knees and sobbed
as if his heart would break.
Emmanuel went away, but he could not help looking
back to see if the child suffered as much in seeing him
go as he himself suffered in going.
Leone remained alone in prayer for another hour, and
returned home more calm. In Emmanuel's absence, his
resolution, so unsettled while the young prince was with
him, was restored to him by that angel with the heart
of ice called reason. But once in his chamber, the idea
that Emmanuel might come at any moment to make a
last attempt at persuading him to alter his decision, dis-
turbed the boy. At every sound he heard on the stair-
case he started ; every step which sounded in the
corridor seemed, as it passed his door, to tread upon
his heart.
Two hours passed, and he heard a step. Oh ! this
time Leone had no doubt, for he had recognized the step.
The door opened, and Emmanuel entered. He was sad,
LEONE-LEONA. Ill
but there was in the expression of his face a gleam of joy
whose light even his sadness could not extinguish.
"Well, Leone," asked Emmanuel, after closing the
door, "have you reflected?"
" Monseigneur," replied Leone, "when you left me I
had already reflected."
" So you persist in leaving me 1 "
Leone was not able to answer; he bowed his head in
sign of assent.
" And you are going to leave me," continued Emman-
uel, with a melancholy smile, " because I am going to be
a great prince and to have a brilliant court ? ''
Leone once more bowed his head.
"Well," said Emmanuel, somewhat bitterly, "reassure
yourself on this point, Leone. I am to-day poorer and of
less importance than ever before."
Leone looked up, and Emmanuel could see the aston-
ishment beaming from his fine eyes through his tears.
"The second son of the King of France, the Due
d'Orleans, is dead," said Emmanuel ; " so that the treaty
of Crespy is nullified."
" And and ? " demanded Leone, with eager curiosity
visible in every line of his face.
"And," replied Emmanuel, " as the Emperor Charles V.,
my uncle, will not give up the duchy of Milan to my
cousin FranQois I., my cousin Franqois I. will not restore
to my father his dominions."
" But," inquired Leone, in a tone of intense anxiety,
" the marriage with King Ferdinand's daughter, that
marriage proposed by the emperor himself, will still take
place?"
" My poor Leone," said the young man, "the emperor
wished to marry his niece to the Comte de Bresse,
Prince of Piedmont, Duke of Savoy, to a princely bus-
112 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
band in short, but not to the poor Emmanuel Philibert,
who of all his possessions has only the city of Nice, the
valley of Aosta, and three or four paltry towns scattered
about through Savoy and Piedmont."
" Oh ! " cried Leone, with an expression of joy impos-
sible to suppress. But almost immediately recovering
the self-control he had nearly lost, he said, "It does not
matter; that can make no change in my determination."
" So," said Emmanuel, sadder and more cast down
at the boy's resolution than he had been at the news
of the loss of his estates, "you still wish to leave me,
Leone 1 "
" What was my duty yesterday is still my duty to-
day, Emmanuel."
" Yesterday, Leone, I was rich, powerful, and the heir
to a ducal crown ; to-day I am poor, I am despoiled, and
possess only my sword. In leaving me yesterday, Leone,
you would have been cruel ; in leaving me to-day, you are
ungrateful. Adieu, Leone."
"Ungrateful?" exclaimed Leone. "Oh, my God,
thou hearest him ; he says that I am ungrateful ! "
Then as the young prince was leaving the room with
stern face and frowning brow,
" Oh, Emmanuel, Emmanuel," cried Leone, "do not
leave me so ; it will kill me ! "
Emmanuel turned and saw the boy standing with arms
stretched toward him, pale, trembling, and almost faint-
ing. He sprang forward, caught the boy in his arms,
and giving way to an impulse for which he could not
account, pressed his lips to those of Leone.
Leone uttered a wild cry of pain, as if a red-hot iron
had touched him, and then sank back fainting. The
clasp of his doublet pressed upon his throat. Emmanuel
unfastened it ; then, as the boy was choking in his stiff
LEONE-LEON A. 113
ruff, he tore it off, and iu order to give him air, he burst
off all the buttons of his shirt. Then it was Emmanuel's
turn to cry out, not with grief, but with surprise,
astonishment, and joy.
Leone was a woman !
"When she came to herself she was no longer Leone ;
henceforth Emmanuel Philibert was the lover of Leona.
There was no further question in the poor child's mind
of separation from her lover, by whom without a word of
explanation everything was understood, her melancholy
solitude, and her desire for flight. When Leoua discov-
ered that she loved Emmanuel Philibert, she had wished
to go away ; but the moment she knew that the young
man returned her love, she devoted to him her life.
To the world the page continued to be a young man,
and was called Leone. To Emmanuel Philibert alone,
Leone was a beautiful young girl called Leona.
As prince, Emmanuel Philibert had lost Bresse, Pied-
mont, and all Savoy with the exception of Nice, the val-
ley of Aosta, and the city of Vercelli. But as man he
had lost nothing, since God had given Sciauca-Ferro and
Leona; that is to say, the two most magnificent gifts
which in his divine liberality God could bestow upon one
of his elect, devotion and love.
VOL. i. 8
114 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
CHAPTER X.
THE THREE MESSAGES.
LET us now devote a few Hues to the political events of
the period included between the date on which the scene
took place which we have just related, and that of the
opening of our story.
Emmanuel Philibert had told Leone that he had
nothing left but his sword.
Open demonstrations by the league of the Protestants
of Germany which was formed by John Frederick, Elec-
tor of Saxony, who was disturbed by the gradual en-
croachments of the Empire, gave the young prince an
occasion for again offering to the emperor the service of
his sword, which this time was accepted.
The Protestant princes maintained, as a pretext for
their procedure, that during the life of the emperor
his brother Ferdinand could not become King of the
Romans.
The league was formed in the little town of Schmal-
kalden, situated in the province of Henneberg, and be-
longing to the Landgrave of Hesse; it took its name from
the town, and is known as the Smalkald League. Henry
VIII. had some scruples, and refused to join; Francois I.,
on the contrary, entered into it heartily. The league
had held its first meeting Dec. 22, 1530.
Soliman also was concerned in this league. In fact,
be had given it his support in laying siege to Messina in
THE THREE MESSAGES. 115
1532. But Charles V. had marched against him with an
army of four hundred and thirty thousand infantry and
thirty thousand horse, and had forced him to raise the
siege. Then with the aid of the plague, he had de-
stroyed Francois I.'s army in Italy ; the consequence of
which was the treaty of Cambrai on the 5th of August
in one quarter, and in another the treaty of Nuremberg,
July 23, 1532, which had for a short time restored peace
to Europe.
The short duration of treaties made with Frangois
I. is well known. The treaty of Nuremberg had been
broken ; and the Smalkald League, which had had time
to collect all its forces, had begun to manifest itself.
The emperor marched in person against the Smal-
kaldistes. The affairs of Germany always seemed to in-
terest him more than those of any other country. It
was because Charles V. well understood that since the
decadence of the papacy the Empire was the greatest
power in the world.
It was under these circumstances that on the 27th
of May, 1545, Emmanuel Philibert set out to join
the emperor at Worms. The young prince, as usual,
was accompanied by Scianca-Ferro and Leone.
He was followed by forty gentlemen, the largest
army that could be raised in the dominions Of the man
who still bore the titles of Duke of Savoy, Chablais, and
Aosta, Prince of Piedmont, Achaia, and the Morea,
Count of Geneva, Nice, Asti, Bresse, and Romont, Baron
of Vaud, Gex, and Faucigny, Seigneur of Vercelli, Beau-
fort, Bugey, and Freiburg, Prince and perpetual vicegerent
of the Empire, Marquis of Italy, and King of Cyprus !
Charles V. received his nephew most graciously, and
permitted him to be addressed in his presence as "Your
Majesty," on account of his father's claim to the king-
116 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
dom of Cyprus, for which kind reception Emmanuel
Philibert repaid by prodigies of valor at the battles of
Ingoldstadt and Muhlberg. This last battle ended the
struggle. Ten of the forty men were unable to answer
the call of their commander Emmanuel Philibert ; they
were either dead or wounded.
As for Scianca-Ferro, recognizing in the midst of the
combat the Elector John Frederick, by his powerful
horse, his gigantic figure, and the fury of his lighting,
he singled him out as an adversary ; and certainly the
young man would have won his name of Scianca-Ferro
this day, if it had not been his long before. With one
blow of his terrible battle-axe he broke the prince's right
arm ; then with a stroke of his two-edged sword he cleft
his helmet, at the same time cutting his face, and so
disfiguring it that when the prisoner raised the muti-
lated visor of his helmet before the emperor, he was
obliged to give his name. His face was one terrible
wound.
A month before this, Fra^ois I. on his death-bed had
said to his son that all the misfortunes of France had
come from his alliance with the Protestants and Turks ;
and avowing that Charles V. had Almighty God on his
side, he had advised the future king to live in peace with
the emperor.
Upon the death of Fra^ois I. a brief period of inac-
tivity ensued, of which Emmanuel took advantage to pay
his father a visit at Vercelli. The interview was full of
tenderness and affection, doubtless by reason of a pre-
sentiment on the duke's part, that he was embracing his
son for the last time.
FranQois I.'s advice to Henri II. made but little im-
pression on the mind of this king, who, without military
genius, had a passion for war ; and after the assassination
THE THREE MESSAGES. 117
of the Due de Plaisance, that Paul Lodovico Farnese,
eldest son of Paul III., of whom we have already spoken,
war broke out afresh in Italy.
The duke was assassinated at Plaisance, in 1548, by
Pallavicini, Landi, Anguisola, and Gonfalouieri, who, im-
mediately after the assassination, delivered up the town
to Ferdinand di Gonzaga, governor of the Milanese under
Charles V.
On the other hand, Ottavio Farnese, second son of
Paul III., had seized upon Parma, and that he might not
be obliged to give it up, had invoked the protection of
King Henri II.
Now, during the lifetime of Paul Lodovico, Charles V.
had always claimed Parma and Plaisance, as cities be-
longing to the duchy of Milan. This was the subject of
their contention at, Nice with Pope Paul III.
Nothing more was necessary to incite war, which broke
out at the same time in Italy and the Netherlands.
It was in Flanders, as before, that Charles V. united
his forces ; therefore our eyes naturally turned to the
North to search for Emmanuel Philibert at the beginning
of this book.
We have related how after the siege of Metz and the
capture of Therouanne and Hesdin, the emperor, while
charging his nephew to rebuild this last city, had ap-
pointed him general-in-chief of his army in Flanders, and
governor of the Netherlands. Then, as if to counter-
balance this great honor, a supreme sorrow had over-
whelmed Emmanuel Philibert. His father, the Duke of
Savoy, had died on the 17th of September, 1553.
It is in this capacity of general-in-chief, and with that
sorrow at the death of his father, if not expressed in his
dress, at least, like that of Hamlet, imprinted on his face,
that we have seen him set out from the imperial camp;
118 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
and it is after exacting respect for his authority, like
Romulus of old, that we see him returning.
A messenger from Charles V. was waiting before his
tent ; the emperor desired to speak with him instantly.
Emmanuel sprang to the ground, flung the bridle to
one of his followers, and assuring with a nod his squire
and page that he would return immediately after his
interview with the emperor, unfastened his sword-belt,
put his sword under his arm, as was his custom when on
foot, so that if it were necessary to unsheathe his sword,
the hilt would be within reach of his hand, and took
his way to the tent of the modern Caesar.
The sentry presented arms, and he entered preceded
by the messenger, who went to announce him to the
emperor.
The emperor's tent was divided into four compart-
ments, without counting a sort of antechamber, or rather
portico, sustained by four pillars. These four compart-
ments served, respectively, for dining-room, drawing-room,
bedroom, and study. Each one had been furnished by
gift of some city ; and was ornamented by a trophy of
some victory.
The only trophy in the emperor's bedchamber was the
sword of Frangois I., which hung by the head of his bed.
This was a very simple trophy, but it had more value in
the eyes of Charles V. who carried this sword with
him to the monastery of Saint-Just than all the tro-
phies of the other rooms put together.
The writer of these lines has often held and drawn,
with sad and melancholy glance backward into the past,
this sword possessed by Fra^ois L, who surrendered it, by
Charles V., who captured it, and by Napoleon, who took
it again. How insignificant are the things of this world !
That sword, after being almost the only dowry of a fallen
THE THREE MESSAGES. 119
princess, is to-day the property of a servant of Cathe-
rine II. ! Fransois I. ! Charles V. ! Napoleon !
In the antechamber, although he had only passed
through it, Emmanuel Philibert with that practised
eye which sees everything at a glance observed a man
whose hands were bound behind his back and who was
guarded by four soldiers. He was dressed in peasant's
clothes; but as his head was uncovered, Emmanuel Phili-
bert thought that neither his hair nor his skin was in
keeping with his dress. He thought that he must be a
French spy who had just been arrested and with regard
to whom the emperor had sent for him.
Charles V. was in his study, and the duke was imme-
diately conducted to him.
Charles V., born at the beginning of the sixteenth cen-
tury, was at this time a man fifty-five years of age, who,
although short, was powerfully built, and whose keen
eyes sparkled beneath his eyebrows, whenever pain did
not obscure their light. His hair was turning gray ; but
his beard, thick rather than long, was still fiery red.
He was lying upon a sort of Turkish divan covered
with stuffs from the Orient captured, in Soliman's tent
before Vienna. Within reach of his hand glittered a
trophy of poniards and Arab cimeters. He was envel-
oped in a long dressing-gown of black velvet, lined with
sable. The expression of his countenance was gloomy,
and he appeared to await with impatience the arrival of
Emmanuel Philibert. When the duke was announced,
however, this expression of impatience instantly disap-
peared, as a cloud which obscures the light of the sun is
dispelled by a breath of the north wind.
During his forty years' reign the emperor had learned
the art of controlling his countenance, and it must be
confessed that no one could be more skilled in that
120 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
art than he ; but at the first glance Emmanuel under-
stood that the emperor had serious matters under
consideration.
Charles V., on perceiving his nephew, turned toward
him, and making an effort to change his position, he
nodded a friendly welcome. Emmanuel Philibert bowed
respectfully.
The emperor began the conversation in Italian. He
who regretted all his life that he had never been able to
learn Latin or Greek, spoke equally well five modern lan-
guages : Italian, Spanish, English, Flemish, and French.
He himself explained the use he made of these five differ-
ent languages. " I learned Italian," he said, " in order
to converse with the pope; Spanish, in which to talk
with my mother Jeanne ; English, to use when with my
aunt Catherine ; Flemish, for intercourse with my fel-
low-citizens and friends ; finally, French, for talking to
myself."
However urgent might be his business with those
whom he summoned to wait upon him, the emperor
always began by making some remarks relative to their
own affairs. "Well, "he asked in Italian, "what news
from the camp 1 ?"
"Sire," replied Emmanuel Philibert, in the same lan-
guage Charles V. had used, and which, moreover, was his
maternal tongue, " something has occurred, the tidings of
which would soon reach you if I did not bring them my-
self. In order to enforce respect for my position and
your authority, I have been obliged to vindicate them by
an example of justice."
" An example of justice ! " repeated the emperor ab-
sently, already preoccupied with his own thoughts ; " and
what was that ? "
Emmanuel Philibert began the story of his affair with
THE THREE MESSAGES. 121
Count "VYaldeck. But it was evident that Charles V.
was listening only with his ears ; his thoughts were
elsewhere.
" Good ! " he said for the third time, when Emman-
uel Philibert had finished ; but, plunged in his own
thoughts, he probably had not heard a word of his gen-
eral's report. Indeed, during the whole narration the
emperor, no doubt to conceal his preoccupation, had been
watching the fingers of his right hand while trying to
move them, which he did with difficulty, so twisted and
deformed were they with the gout.
The gout was Charles V.'s real enemy, as bitter
against him in its way as Solimau, Francois I., and
Henri II. The gout and Luther were the two demons
constantly with him, and he put them both in the same
category.
"Ah, if it were not for Luther and my gout," he would
say, stroking his red beard as he dismounted from his
horse, broken up by the fatigue of a long ride or of a
hard-fought battle, " ah, if it were not for Luther and
my gout, how I should sleep to-night ! "
There was a short silence between Emmanuel's narra-
tion and the renewal of the conversation by the emperor ;
but at~length, turning to his nephew, he said, " I also
have news to give you, and bad news ! "
" Whence, your Majesty 1 "
" From Rome."
" The pope has been elected ?"
" Yes."
" And his name 1 "
" Pietro Caraffa. He whose place he fills was exactly
of my age, Emmanuel, born in the same year as I,
Marcellus II. Poor Marcellus ! does not his death warn
me to prepare to leave this world 1 "
122 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
" Sire," said Emmanuel, " I think you should not
dwell upon this event, or look upon Pope Marcellus's death
as you would upon that of an ordinary mortal. Mar-
cellus Cervini was healthy and robust, and probably
would have lived a hundred years as cardinal ; but when
the Cardinal Marcellus Cervini became Pope Marcellus II.,
he died in twenty days ! "
" Yes, I know that," replied Charles V., thoughtfully ;
" the anxieties of his office were too much for him.
He was crowned with the tiara on Good Friday, the
same day on which our Lord was crowned with thorns.
That must have brought him misfortune. But I am
less concerned at his death than at the election of
Paul IV."
" And yet, if I am not mistaken, Sire," said Emmanuel
Philibert, " Paul IV. is a Neapolitan, that is to say, a
subject of your Majesty?"
" Yes, certainly ; but I have always heard evil reports
of that cardinal, and while he was at the court of Spain I
myself had trouble with him. Ah," continued Charles V.,
with an expression of fatigue, " I must renew with him
the struggle which I have maintained with his predeces-
sors for twenty years, and for which I have no longer the
strength."
" Oh, Sire ! "
Charles V. fell into a revery, from which he almost
immediately roused himself. "And to be sure," he
added, as if speaking to himself, and sighing, " perhaps I
may be mistaken in regard to this man as in the case of
other popes ; they are almost always different from what
they were as cardinals. I believed Clement II. to be a
peaceable man, courageous, and loyal. Well, the moment
he becomes pope, he finds fault with me at every turn ;
his disposition becomes restless, fickle, and meddlesome.
THE THREE MESSAGES. 123
On the contrary, I supposed that Julius III. would neg-
lect business for pleasure, that he would devote himself
to sports and fetes ; peccato ! never was a pope more dili-
gent, more attentive to business, or more indifferent to
the pleasures of this world than he ! What trouble they
gave us in that matter of the marriage of Philippe II.
with his cousin Mary Tudor ! If we had not stopped
that mad Cardinal Pole at Augsburg, who knows whether
the marriage would ever have been consummated 1 Ah,
poor Marcellus ! " said the emperor, with a heavier sigh
than before, " it is not necessary to ascribe to the date of
your coronation day (Good Friday) the fact that you
survived your throning only twenty days ; it was enough
that you were my friend ! "
" Time will show, august Emperor," said Emmanuel
Philibert ; " your Majesty admits having been mistaken
as to Clement VII. and Julius III., and you may be
agreeably disappointed in Paul IV."
" God grant it may be so, but I doubt it."
A noise was heard outside.
" What is the matter now ? " demanded Charles V.,
impatiently. " I gave orders that we were not to be dis-
turbed. See what is wanted, Emmanuel."
The duke raised the portiere, and after communicating
with some person in the next room, turned toward the
emperor, saying, " Sire, it is a messenger from Spain,
from Tordesillas."
" Oh, let him come in, my boy ; he probably brings
news from my mother."
The messenger made his appearance.
" You bring news of my mother, do you not ? " said
Charles V. in Spanish to the messenger.
The messenger, without answering, handed a letter to
Emmanuel Philibert, who took it.
124 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
" Give it to me, Emmanuel, give it to me. She is well,
is she not ? "
The messenger was silent; and Emmanuel hesitated
about giving the letter to Charles V., for he observed that
it was sealed with black. Charles V. also saw it and
shuddered.
" Ha!" he said, "this is the first misfortune to follow
Paul IV.'s election. Give it to me, my boy," he con-
tinued, extending his hand to Emmanuel.
Emmanuel obeyed ; to hesitate longer would be puerile.
" Sire," he said, handing the letter to Charles V., "re-
member that you are a man."
" Yes," replied Charles V., " that is what was said to
the ancient conquerors." And trembling all over, he
opened the letter. It contained but a few lines.
Tears dimmed his sight ; his faded eyes, dried up by
ambition, were themselves astonished at this miracle
which renewed their acquaintance with tears. When he
had finished he handed the letter to Emmanuel Philibert,
and sinking down upon his couch, said, "Dead ! she died
on the 13th of April, 1555, the very day of Caraffa's
coronation ! Ah, my son, I told you that that man would
bring me misfortune ! "
Emmanuel glanced over the letter, which was signed
by the royal notary of Tordesillas, and announced the
death of Charles V.'s mother, Joanna of Castile, better
known in history by the name of Joanna the Mad. He
stood a moment motionless in the presence of this great
sorrow, which he could not alleviate, for Charles V.
worshipped his mother. " Sire," he murmured at last,
" recall what you so kindly said to me, when, two years
ago, I had the misfortune to lose my father."
" Yes ; one says those things," replied the em-
peror. " We can always find consolation for others, but
THE THREE MESSAGES. 125
when our turn comes, we are powerless to console our-
selves."
" Well, then, I will not try to console you, Sire," said
Emmanuel. " On the contrary, I will say, ' Weep, weep,
you are only a man ! ' '
" How unhappy a life hers was, Emmanuel ! " said
Charles V. " In 1496 she married my father Philippe le
Beau, whom she adored ; in 1506 he died, poisoned by a
glass of water which he drank while playing tennis ; and
she became mad from grief. During ten years she was
constantly expecting my father's resurrection, which to
console her a Carthusian friar had promised her ; and for
ten years she never went out of Tordesillas, except when,
in 1516, she met me at Villa- Viciosa, and with her own
hand placed the crown of Spain upon my head. Insane
with sorrow at the loss of her husband, her reason re-
turned at times on any occurrence of interest to her son.
Poor mother ! Certainly my whole reign will bear wit-
ness to my respect for her. For forty years I have under-
taken nothing in Spain without taking counsel with her ;
she was not always able to advise me, but it was ray duty
to consult her, and I did so. Do you know that, Span-
iard of the Spaniards as she was, at the time of my birth
she came to Flanders to be confined, so that I might one
day become emperor in the place of my grandfather Max-
imilian ? Do you know that, strong as was her maternal
instinct, she denied herself the pleasure of nursing me,
lest, if for no other reason than that I had suckled her
milk, I might be accused of being too much Spanish 1
And, indeed, my having been the foster-child of Anno
Sterel and a citizen of Ghent are my two principal titles
to the imperial crown. Well, from before the time of my
birth, all that had been provided for by my mother.
What can I do for her now after her death 1 Give her
126 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
magnificent funeral ceremonies? She shall have them.
But to be Emperor of Germany, King of Spain, Naples,
Sicily, and the two ludies, to be ruler over an empire on
which the sun never sets, as my flatterers say, and yet
powerless to do anything for a dead mother except to
provide for her magnificent obsequies ! ah, Emmanuel,
the power of the most powerful man is circumscribed
indeed ! "
At this moment the portiere was drawn again, and dis
closed an officer covered with dust, and who seemed to
be the bearer of important tidings. The expression of
the emperor's countenance was so sad that the usher,
who realizing the importance of the tidings brought by
this third messenger had, contrary to etiquette, con-
ducted him to Charles V.'s study, stopped him short ;
but Charles V. had already seen the officer covered with
dust.
" Come in," he said in Flemish, " what do you want ? "
" Your Majesty," said the officer, bowing, " King
Henri II. has taken the field with three different divi-
sions of his army, the first under his own command
and that of Constable de Montmorency, the second under
Marechal de Saint-Andre, and the third under Due de
Nevers."
"Well, what else 1 ?" asked the emperor.
" The King of France has besieged and taken Marien-
bourg, and is now marching upon Bouviues."
" And on what day did he lay siege to Marienbourg ? "
"On the 13th of April, your Majesty.''
" Well," said Charles V., in French, and turning to
Emmanuel, "what do you say to the date?"
" It is a fatal one, indeed ! "
" That will do, Monsieur," said Charles V. to the
messenger; "you may go." Then he said to the usher,
THE THREE MESSAGES. 127
" Let that gentleman be cared for as if he were the
bearer of good news. Go ! "
This time Emmanuel did not wait to be questioned.
Even before the curtain had closed, he said : "Fortu-
nately, august Emperor, although we cannot help the elec-
tion of Paul IV., although we cannot prevent the death
of your beloved mother, at least we can do something to
redeem the capture of Marienbourg. "
" And what can we do 1 "
" Retake it, pardieu ! "
" Yes, you may, Emmanuel, but not I."
" Why not you, your Majesty ? "
Charles V. slid from his sofa and endeavored to walk,
but it was with pain and difficulty that he accomplished
a few steps. Then shaking his head, he turned toward
his nephew, saying, " Look at my legs, Emmanuel ; they
will no longer support me on foot or on horseback. Look
at my hands ; they can no longer clasp a sword. And it
is my opinion, Emmanuel, that he who cannot hold a
sword is not fit to wield a sceptre."
" What are you saying, Sire 1 " exclaimed Emmanuel,
in astonishment.
" Something which I have been contemplating, and
which I still intend. Emmanuel, everything warns me
that it is time to resign my place to another. The
surprise at Innspruck, where I was obliged to fly half
naked ; the retreat from Metz, where I lost a third of
my army and half of my reputation ; and finally, you
see, this terrible disease, which no human strength can
resist, which medicine cannot cure, this cruel, pitiless
disease, which seizes upon the whole body from the crown
of the head to the sole of the foot, which contracts the
nerves with intolerable pain, which penetrates the very
bones, freezes the marrow, and converts into solid chalk
128 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
that beneficent oil deposited in our joints by nature to
facilitate their motion, this enemy, more cruel than fire
or sword, or than any instrument of war, and which de-
stroys peace of mind and freedom of soul through mere
excess of physical suffering, this disease cries out to me
incessantly : ' Enough of power ! enough of sovereignty !
Retire into obscurity of life before entering the darkness
of the tomb ! Charles, by divine grace Emperor of the
Romans, Charles the August, Charles, King of Germany,
Castile, Leon, Grenada, Aragon, Naples, Sicily, Majorca,
Sardinia, the Indies, and of islands both of the Atlantic and
Pacific Oceans, make way for another, for another ! ' '
Emmanuel was about to speak, but the emperor stopped
him by a gesture.
" And then and then," continued Charles V., " there
is something else I had to tell you ! As if the dissolu-
tion of this poor body was too slow for the wishes of my
enemies, as if I had not suffering enough with de-
feats, heresies, and the gout, there must also be addea
assassination ! "
" What ! assassination ? r> exclaimed Emmanuel.
The emperor's face clouded. " An attempt to assassi-
nate me was made to-day," he said.
" There has been an attempt to assassinate your
Majesty?" said Emmanuel, in terror.
" Why not 1" replied Charles V., with a smile. " Did
you not tell me just now to remember that I was a
man 1 "
" Oh ! " cried Emmanuel, hardly recovered from the
emotion caused by this piece of news, " who is the
villain ] "
" Ah, yes," said the emperor, "that is the question,
who is the villain ? I have the poniard, but not the
hand."
THE THREE MESSAGES. 129
" Iu fact, that man whom I saw just now bound in the
antechamber "
" Is the villain, as you call him, Emmanuel. But by
whom was he sent ? By the Turk ? I do not believe it.
Soliman is a loyal enemy. Henri III. 1 I do not even
suspect him. Paul IV." ? It is so short a time since he
was elected, and then the popes, they generally prefer
poison to the poniard : Ecclesia abhorret a sanguine.
Ottavio Farnese 1 He is too insignificant a fellow to
attack me, the imperial bird which Maurice did not dare
to capture, knowing, as he said, no cage strong enough
in which to confine it. Is he the tool of the Lutherans
of Angsbourg, or the Calvinists of Geneva 1 I am at a
loss, but I would give much to know. Listen, Emman-
uel; this man refuses to answer any questions. Take
him to your tent, I hand him over to you ; but you
understand ? he must be made to speak. The mure
important an enemy is, and the nearer home, the more
important it is to know him." Then, after a moment's
pause, he fixed his eyes upon Emmanuel Philibert, who
was looking thoughtfully upon the ground. " By the
way," he said, " your cousin Philippe II. has arrived at
Brussels."
The change of conversation was so sudden that Em-
manuel started. He looked up and met the gaze of the
emperor, and this time he shuddered.
Well 1 " he asked.
" Well," replied Charles V., " I shall be glad to see my
son again ! Might it not be said that he divines that the
moment is favorable, that the time has come to succeed
me 1 But before I see him, Emmanuel, I recommend to
your care my assassin."
" In an hour," replied Emmanuel, " your Majesty shall
know all that you desire to know." And bowing before
VOL. i. 9
130 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
the emperor, who held out his maimed hand, Emmanuel
withdrew, convinced that the event of which Charles V.
had spoken only by way of supplement to the conversa-
tion was really the one to which he attached the most
importance.
ODOARDO MABAVIGLIA. 131
CHAPTER XL
ODOAEDO MARAVIGLIA.
IN withdrawing through the antechamber, Emmanuel
looked more carefully at the prisoner, and was confirmed
in his former idea that he had to deal with a gentleman.
He beckoned the sergeant to approach, and said to him,
" My friend, by the emperor's orders you are to bring
this man to my tent in five minutes."
Emmanuel did not need to use Charles V.'s name;
every one knew that the latter had delegated to him his
authority, and as a general thing the soldiers, who adored
him, obeyed him as readily as they obeyed the emperor
himself.
" Your order shall be executed, your Highness," re-
plied the sergeant ; and the duke went to his own quar-
ters. His tent was not like the emperor's, a splendid
pavilion divided into four compartments ; it was an ordi-
nary soldier's tent divided in the middle by a canvas par-
tition. Scianca-Ferro was seated at the entrance.
" Stay where you are," Emmanuel said to him, " but
take a weapon of some sort."
" What for 1 " asked Scianca-Ferro.
" In a few minutes a man who has attempted to assas-
sinate the emperor will be brought here ; I am going to
examine him alone. Notice him when he comes in ; and
if he tries to escape after giving me his word of honor,
stop him, but alive, you understand 1 It is important
to take him alive."
132 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
" Then," said Scianca-Ferro, " I do not see that I need
any weapon at all ; my arms will be sufficient."
" As you like ; only stop him."
" Never fear," said Scianca-Ferro.
Scianca-Ferro had continued on terms of intimacy with
his foster-brother ; or rather the latter, faithful to the
traditions of his youth, had required Scianca-Ferro to
treat him familiarly.
The prince entered his tent, and found Leona waiting for
him. As he was alone, and as the curtain of the tent had
closed after him, Leona came to meet him with open arms.
" Here you are at last, my dear ! "\Vhat a terrible scene
we passed through this morning ! Alas, you were right
in saying that from my paleness and emotion I might be
taken for a woman."
" Yes, Leoua ; and yet such scenes are common in a
soldier's life, and yoa ought to be accustomed to them by
this time." Then, with a smile, be added, " Take an
example from Scianca-Ferro."
" How can you say such things, even in joke, Em-
manuel 1 Scianca-Ferro is a man. He loves you as
well as one man can love another, I know ; but my love
for you, Emmanuel, is inexpressible ; it is something I
could not live without ! I love you as the flower loves
the dew, as the bird the woods, as the dawn the sun.
With you, I live, I love ! Without you, I live no
longer ! "
" My dear Leona," said Emmanuel, " I know very well
that you are all devotion and love. I know that although
you are by my side, you really are one with me. It is
for this reason that I have neither reserve nor secrets
from you."
" Why do you say that ? " %
" Because a man who is a great criminal will soon be
ODOARDO MARAVIGLIA. 133
brought here for me to examine ; because, perhaps, the
revelations he will make may compromise even crowned
heads. Go to the other part of my tent. You may
listen, if you wish ; it is the same as if I alone heard it."
Leona slightly shrugged her shoulders. " You are the
only person in the world to me," she said ; and kissing her
hand to her lover, she retired behind the partition. She
was just in time. The five minutes were up; and with a
very military punctuality, the sergeant arrived, bringing
his prisoner.
Emmanuel received him seated, and half hidden in the
shadow, looking out of which he saw the assassin for the
third time ; but this time his gaze was long and searching.
The prisoner was a man from thirty to thirty-five years
old, tall, and so distinguished in appearance that Emman-
uel had instantly recognized him as a gentleman, in spite
of his disguise.
" Leave Monsieur alone with me," said the prince to
the sergeant.
As the sergeant went out with his three men, the pris-
oner fixed his keen eye upon Emmanuel Philibert, who
went straight up to him.
" Monsieur," said the duke, " the soldiers did not per-
ceive your rank, and they have bound you. You will
give me your word of honor as a gentleman that you will
not try to escape, and I will untie your hands."
" I am a peasant, and not a gentleman," answered the
assassin, " and therefore I cannot give you my word of
honor as a gentleman."
" If you are a peasant, then you will not bind yourself
to anything by giving your word as a gentleman. Do so,
then, for it is the only pledge I ask of you."
The prisoner made no answer.
" Then," said Emmanuel, " I shall loosen your hands
134 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
without your word of honor. I am not afraid to be alone
with any man, whether he has pledged his word or not."
And the duke began to untie his hands.
The stranger started back. " Wait ! " he said. " On
the word of a gentleman I will not try to escape."
v Ah ! " said Emmanuel Philibert, smiling, "dogs, horses,
and men can recognize one another;" and he finished
untying the cord. " There, you are free ; now let us
talk."
The prisoner looked down indifferently at his hands cut
by the cords ; then letting them fall by his side, said
ironically, " Let us talk 1 And what about ] "
"About the motives that led you to commit this
crime."
"I have said nothing," replied the unknown, "and I
have nothing to say."
"You said nothing to the emperoi', whom you in-
tended to kill, that is but natural ; you said nothing to
the soldiers who arrested you, I can understand that ;
but to me, a gentleman who treats you not as a common
assassin but as a gentleman, you will tell everything."
" Of what use would it be 1 "
" Of what use 1 I will tell you, Monsieur. It will pre-
vent my looking upon you as a man hired by some coward
to commit a crime which he did not dare to perpetrate
himself. Of what use 1 It will enable you to be be-
headed like a gentleman, instead of being hanged like a
thief and an assassin."
" They threatened me with the torture to make me
speak. Let them try ! "
" The torture would be a useless cruelty. You would
submit to it without speaking ; you would be mutilated
without being conquered ; you would keep your secret and
leave the shame to your tormentors. No; that is not
ODOARDO MARAVIGLIA. 135
what I wish. I- wish for confidence and truth ; I wish
you to speak to me, a gentleman, general, and prince, as
you would to your confessor ; and if you think me un-
worthy your confidence, it is because you are one of
those scoundrels with whom I am unwilling to confound
you, and because the deed which you attempted was
prompted by some base passion which you dare not con-
fess ; it is because "
The prisoner drew himself up, and interrupting Em-
manuel, said, " My name is Odoardo Maraviglia, Mon-
sieur! Refresh your memory, and insult me no longer."
At the name of Odoardo Maraviglia, Emmanuel heard
something like a stifled cry in the other room of the tent,
but supposed it to be the slight noise made by some
object grazing the canvas partition. And the memories
which crowded on his mind at hearing this name left
him little time to think of other things, for the name of
Maraviglia had been the pretext for the war which had
despoiled him of his estates.
" Odoardo Maraviglia ! " he said. " Is it possible that
you are the son of the ambassador from France to Milan ;
the son of Francesco Maraviglia ? "
" I am his son."
Emmanuel went back in thought to his early youth.
The name was familiar to him, but it threw no light on
the present situation.
" Your name is certainly that of a gentleman," said
Emmanuel, " but it brings to my mind no circumstance
which bears in any way upon this crime of which you are
accused."
Odoardo smiled disdainfully. "Ask the most august
emperor if his memory is as blank as yours."
"Excuse me, Monsieur," said Emmanuel, "but at the
time Comte Francesco Maraviglia disappeared I was but
136 THK DUKE'S PAGE.
a child scai-cely eight years old ; it is not, therefore,
strange that I am ignorant of the details of an affair
which, as I think I recall, remained a mystery to the
whole world."
" Well, Monsieur, I will elucidate this mystery. You
know how that contemptible Prince Sforza was always
vacillating between Frangois I. and Charles V. according
as the God of victory favored the one or the other. My
father, Francesco Maraviglia, was sent envoy extraordi-
nary from Fran9ois I. to the court of Sforza. This was in
1534. The emperor was in Africa; the Duke of Saxony,
an ally of Francois I., had just made peace with the King
of the Romans; Clement VII., another ally of France,
had just excommunicated Henry VIII., King of England ;
in fact, the whole current of events in Italy was against
Charles. Sforza abandoned Charles V., to whom he still
owed four hundred thousand ducats, and placed his po-
litical fortunes in the hands of the envoy extraordinary
of Frangois I.
" This was a great triumph, of which Francesco Mara-
viglia had the imprudence to boast. His words were car-
ried across the sea, reached Charles V. at Tunis, and
made him tremble.
" But alas, fortune is changeable ! Two months after,
Clement VII., who was the main dependence of the
French in Italy, died ; and Tunis fell before the arms of
the emperor, who led his victorious army back to Italy.
It was necessary to find an expiatory victim, and Fran-
cesco Maraviglia was destined to be the one. It hap-
pened that a quarrel arose between the servants of
Comte Maraviglia and some of the Milanese, in which
two of the latter were killed. The duke was only wait-
ing for a pretext to fulfil his promise to the emperor.
The man who for more than a year had been more the
ODOARDO MARAVIGLIA. 137
master of Milan than the duke himself, was arrested as a
common malefactor and thrown into prison.
" My mother and sister, a child four years of age,
were in Milan with my father ; I, being one of the pages
of Francois I., remained in Paris. They dragged my
father from my mother's arms without telling the poor
woman why he was arrested or where they were taking
him. A week passed, during which the countess tried in
vain every plan she could devise to discover what had
become of her husband. They knew Maraviglia to bo
immensely rich, and feared that his wife might buy
his liberty.
" One night a man knocked at the door of my father's
palace and asked to speak to the countess in private.
Under the circumstances everything was important ; my
mother had caused it to be understood throughout the
city that she would give five hundred ducats to whomso-
ever would let her know, by means designated by her,
the whereabouts of her husband. Possibly this man who
wished to speak with her alone might bring tidings of her
husband, and fearing betrayal wished by a private inter-
view to insure secrecy.
" She was not mistaken in her conjecture. The man
was one of the jailers of the fortress of Milan, whither
my father had been conveyed ; he brought not only in-
formation of the place where my father was confined, but
also a letter from him. My mother paid the five hun-
dred ducats when she recognized the handwriting.
" My father's letter announced his arrest and his soli
tary confinement, but did not betray serious anxiety.
My mother answered, begging him to tell her what to do,
and saying that her life and her fortune were at his ser-
vice. Five nights after this, in the middle of the night
the man returned, and having given his signal, was
138 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
admitted to the countess. The situation of the prisoner
looked more serious ; he had been removed to a different
cell, where he was kept in the utmost secrecy. The
jailer said that his life was in danger.
"Was it this man's purpose to wring from the countess
a lai'ge sum of money, or was he telling the truth 1 One
of these two suppositions must be correct. My mother's
terror inclined her to the latter ; and although the man's
answer to her questions displayed greed and cupidity,
they also bore the semblance of truth.
" She gave him the same sum as before, and told him at
all hazards to devise some mode of escape for the count.
She promised him that he should receive five thousand
ducats as soon as the plan was arranged, and twenty
thousand more as soon as her husband was in safety.
"This was a fortune to the jailer, who went away
promising to consider her proposition. My mother, from
her point of view, contemplated the situation ; she had
friends at court, and she learned through them that the
count's position was even worse than the jailer had rep-
resented. They were about to try him as a spy ! My
mother awaited impatiently the jailer's arrival ; she did
not know even his name, and if she had known it she
could not have sent for him without ruining both the
jailer and herself.
"She was, however, somewhat reassured by the fact
that there was to be a trial. Of what could the count
be accused? of the death of the two Milanese? That
had been merely an affair between servants and peasants,
with which a gentleman and an envoy could have nothing
to do. What made her most uneasy was a vague rumor
that there would be no trial at all, but that her hus-
band would be condemned none the less.
" Finally, one night there was a knock at the door at
ODOARDO MARAVIGLIA. 139
which my mother started up ; and she awaited on the
threshold of her bedchamber her nocturnal visitor, whose
peculiar knock she was getting to recognize. He en-
tered with an air more mysterious than usual , he had
concerted a plan of escape, and came to submit it to
the countess.
"The prisoner's cell was separated from the jailer's
quarters by a single dungeon, which communicated with
the count's cell by an iron door with a grating at the top,
and the man had the keys of both. He proposed, how-
ever, to open a passage through the wall of the outside
cell into his own room, exactly behind his bed : through
this opening he could enter the empty dungeon and pass
thence into the count's cell, where he would remove his
irons and then lead him out into the jailer's room.
There the prisoner would find a rope ladder, by the aid
of which he could descend into the moat in the most
solitary and obscure part of the fortifications. Here he
would find a carriage waiting to carry him out of the
country as fast as horses could carry him.
" The plan was a good one, and the countess gave it
her approval ; but fearing lest they might deceive the
count by telling him that he was free, when really he was
still a prisoner, she insisted on seeing herself the execu-
tion of this plan. The jailer objected, in consequence of
the difficulty of introducing her into the prison ; but the
countess overcame this difficulty, showing a permit for
herself and her daughter to visit the count, which not
having been used was still available. They would come
as evening was closing in on the day appointed for the
count's flight, and when they left would take advantage
of the darkness to slip into the jailer's room instead of
leaving the citadel. There she would wait until the mo-
ment came for the prisoner's attempt to escape. The
140 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
count himself would pay the jailer the rest of the money
promised, for the carriage would contain one hundred
thousand ducats.
" The jailer was acting in good faith. Before he left
the countess, he received the five thousand ducats, and
pointed out the place where the carriage should wait
under the care of one of her most trustworthy servants.
The night of the day after the morrow was fixed upon for
the flight.
" But I beg your pardon, Monsieur," said Odoardo,
interrupting himself. "I forget that I am speaking to
a stranger, for whom these details which so excite my
emotion can have no interest."
" You are mistaken, Monsieur," said Emmanuel, " I
desire you to search your memory, that I may share with
you your recollections ; I am listening."
Odoardo went on : " The two days passed in the terrible
anxiety which always precedes the execution of such a
project. The countess was consoled by reflecting on the
deep interest taken by the jailer in the success of the
attempt at escape. A hundred years of fidelity would
not pay him so well as this quarter of an hour of treason.
The countess feared lest during these last twenty-four
hours, which as it seemed to her were passing so slowly,
some catastrophe might happen to frustrate their plan,
well conceived and ingenious as it was. The time glided
on, measured by the hand of eternity ; the hours struck
with their usual impassibility, and the time when she was
to go to the prison came at last.
" In presence of the countess, everything necessary to
the count in his flight was placed in the carriage, so that
he need not be obliged to stop on the road ; relays were
waiting at Pavia, so that he might be enabled to make
thirty leagues without delay. At eleven o'clock the
ODOARDO MARAVIGLIA. 141
horses would be harnessed, and at midnight the carriage
would arrive at the appointed place.
" Once out of danger, the fugitive would communicate
with the countess, and the latter would join him wher-
ever he might be. The hour struck ; face to face with
the execution of their plan, the countess found the time
had come very soon ! She took her little daughter by
the hand, and went on her way to the prison. On the
way thither she was disturbed by a fear that as the permit
was more than a week old, she would not be allowed to
see her husband.
" The countess was mistaken ; she was without any
difficulty conducted to the prisoner's cell. The count's
situation had not been exaggerated ; there was little
doubt of the fate to which he was destined, for the am-
bassador of Franqois I. was manacled by the feet like a
common felon. The interview would have been sad
indeed, were it not to be followed by instant and cer-
tain flight. During this interview all that had not been
arranged was definitely settled.
" The count had determined to risk all on the chance
of escape ; he knew that he could expect no mercy, for
the emperor had positively demanded his death.
Emmanuel Philibert started. " Are you sure of what
you say, Monsieur 1 ?" he asked with severity. "It is a
terrible accusation to bring against so great a prince as
the Emperor Charles V. ! "
" Does your Highness command me to stop, or am I
permitted to continue 1 "
" Go on ; but why not answer my question ? "
" Because the continuation of my story will render
that answer unnecessary."
" Go on then, Monsieur," said Emmanuel Philibert.
142 THE DUKE'S PAGE
CHAPTER XII.
WHAT TOOK PLACE IN THE FORTRESS OF MILAN ON THE
NIGHT OF NOV. 14, 1534.
" AT a few minutes before uine," continued Odoardo,
" the jailer came to inform the countess that it was time
to retire. The sentinel was about to be relieved, and it
was best that the same sentinel should see her both enter
and leave. The separation was painful ; but in three
hours they would meet again to be parted uo more. The
child cried piteously on leaving her father, and the
countess was obliged to take her away by force. They
passed before the sentinel, and then jailer, wife, and child
were lost in the obscurity of the court -yard ; from there
they proceeded with infinite precaution, and succeeded in
gaining the jailer's quarters without being seen. Once
there, the jailer shut in an inner room the countess and
her daughter, enjoining upon them to preserve the most
perfect silence, and to make not the slightest movement,
as an inspector might arrive at any moment. The coun-
tess and the child remained motionless and mute ; one
chance movement, one whisper might be sufficient to
deprive a husband and father of his life.
" The three hours which remained before midnight
seemed to the countess as long as the past forty -eight
hours ; but at last the jailer opened the door. ' Come,'
he said, so softly that the countess understood by the
motion of his lips, not what this man said, but what he
meant to say.
IN THE FORTRESS. 143
" The mother would not give up her child ; she wished
its father to have an opportunity to give it a last kiss
just before going away, and moreover there are mo-
ments when even for an empire we would not separate
ourselves from those we love.
" This poor mother, who was disputing her husband's
life with the executioners, knew not what might happen.
She might be forced to flee either with the count or
separated from him ; and in either case it would be im-
possible to part with her child.
" The jailer drew back the bed, and showed an open-
ing about two feet square which had been cut in the
wall. It was large enough to allow the escape of all the
prisoners of the fortress one after the other. He entered
the first cell, followed by the countess and her daughter.
After they had passed through the opening, the jailer's
wife replaced the bed against the wall ; on it was sleep-
ing a little boy four years of age. The jailer, as I have
said, had the key of this first cell ; he opened the door,
of which he had taken the precaution to oil the lock and
hinges, and they entered the cell occupied by the count.
About an hour before a tile had been given to the count
for cutting his chain ; but being unskilful in such labor,
and fearful of alarming the sentinel who was walking in
the corridor, his work was scarcely half done. The count
embraced his wife and child, and the jailer immediately
applied himself to the work of filing the chain. Suddenly
he looked up, with one knee on the ground and his body
supported by the hand which held the file, extending the
other hand in the direction of the door, and listening.
The count was about to speak. ' Silence ! ' said the
jailer; 'something unusual is going on in the fortress.'
' Oh, my God ! ' murmured the terrified countess-
' Silence ! ' repeated the jailer.
144 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
11 Every one was silent ; their suspended breathings
seemed to have stopped forever. The four individuals
were like a group of bronze representing all the different
shades of fear from astonishment to terror. A dull and
prolonged noise seemed to be drawing near, a sound
like that of the tramp of many feet ; and the regularity
of the step betokened that among these persons some at
least were soldiers.
" ' Come,' said the jailer, seizing the countess round
the waist and dragging her along, ' come ! The gov-
ernor must be making some nocturnal round of inspec-
tion ; but at all events you must not be found here.
"\Vhen the visitors shall have left Monsieur le Comte's
cell, and perhaps they will not enter here, we will
resume our work where we have left it.'
" The countess and her daughter opposed only a feeble
resistance ; and the count himself pushed her toward the
door. They went out, followed by the jailer, who shut
the door behind them. As I have told your Highness,
between these two cells there was an iron door, at the
top of which was an open grating, through which, thanks
to the darkness and the close juxtaposition of the bars,
one could see everything without being seen.
" The countess held her daughter in her arms ; and the
mother and daughter, scarcely breathing, pressed their
faces against the bars to see what was about to take place.
The hope which they had for a moment entertained,
that the new-comers would not enter the count's cell,
had vanished. The cortege had stopped before the door
of the cell, and the listeners heard the grating of the key
in the lock. The door opened. The countess was on
the point of shrieking at the spectacle which met her
eyes ; but the jailer, anticipating an outbreak, whispered :
' Xot a word, Madame ! Not a syllable, not a movement,
IN THE FORTRESS. 145
whatever happens ; or ' He stopped a moment as if
to find a menace which would effectually silence her ;
and drawing a long pointed knife from his breast, ' or
I will kill your child ! ' he said. ' Villain ! ' murmured
the countess. ' Oh/ replied the jailer, ' every one for his
own life; and that of a poor jailer is as valuable in his
own eyes as that of a noble countess.'
" The countess put one hand upon her child's mouth
to insure her silence. As for herself, after the jailer's
threat, there was no danger that she would utter a
sound.
" But what was the sight that had so nearly caused the
countess to betray herself? First, two men di-essed in
black and bearing torches ; next a man bearing a parch-
ment roll from the lower part of which hung a great red
seal ; behind this man stood another man, masked and
enveloped in a great brown cloak ; following the masked
man came a priest. They entered the cell one by one,
and as they entered, exposed to the eyes of the terrified
countess, who did not betray her emotion by word or
gesture, a group in the corridor which was even more
sinister. Opposite the door a man in a party-colored
dress of black and red was resting both hands upon the
hilt of a long and broad sword, straight and without
sheath; behind him stood six Brothers of Mercy, wearing
black robes with hoods nearly covering their faces, and
carrying upon their shoulders a coffin, while beyond all
these shone the muskets of a dozen soldiers ranged along
the wall. The two men bearing torches, the man with the
parchment, the masked man, and the priest entered the
cell, as I have said ; then the door closed, leaving on
the outside the executioner, the Brothers of Mercy, and
the soldiers.
" The count was standing, and his pale face could bo
VOL i. 10
146 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
distinguished against the dark background of the prison
wall. He looked toward the grating, that his eye might
meet the glance of those eyes which, though he could
not see them, he divined were pressed in terror against
the bars. The sudden and unexpected appearance of
this company of men left him no doubt as to the fate to
which he was condemned ; and had he retained the
slightest hope, it would have been soon dispelled.
" The two men bearing torches stood one on each side
of him ; the man who was masked and the priest took
a position near the door; the man holding the parch-
ment came forward, saying, ' Count, do you feel that
you are at peace with your God ? ' 'As much so as a
man can be,' replied the count in a calm voice, ' who has
nothing with which to reproach himself ' 'That is
well,' continued the man with the parchment, 'for you
are condemned to death, and I am here to read your
sentence.' 'Pronounced by what tribunal 1 ?' asked the
count, scornfully. 'By the all-powerful justice of the
duke.' 'On whose accusation 1 !' 'Upon that of the
most august emperor Charles V.' ' It is well ; I am
ready to hear the sentence/ ' Kneel, Count ; a man
about to die should kneel while listening to his sentence
of death.' ' When he is guilty, but not when he is inno-
cent.' ' Count, you are not beyond the common law.
On your knees ! or we shall be obliged to use force.'
' Try it ! ' said the count. ' Let him stand,' said the in-
dividual with the mask ; ' only let him cross himself,
that he may have the protection of God.' The count
started at the sound of this voice. ' Duke Sforza,' said
he, turning toward the speaker, ' I thank you.' ' Oh, if
it is the duke,' murmured the countess, 'let me implore
mercy ! ' ' Silence, Madame, if you value the life of
your child ! ' whispered the jailer. The countess involun-
IN THE FORTRESS. 147
tarily sighed. The count heard her and trembled. He
ventured in answer to make a gesture with his hand
which meant, ' Courage ! ' Then obeying the duke's
advice, he crossed himself, and said in a loud voice, ' In
the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Ghost ! ' ' Amen ! ' murmured the others.
"Then the man with the parchment began to read the
sentence. It was drawn up in the name of the Duke
Francesco Maria Sforza, by command of the Emperor
Charles V. ; and it condemned Francesco Maraviglia, agent
of the King of France, to be executed in his cell at mid-
night, as a traitor, spy, and divulger of State secrets.
" A second sigh reached the count's ear, a sigh
so faint that he alone could not hear it, but
divine it.
" He turned his eyes in the direction from which came
this sigh of despair. ' Iniquitous as the sentence is,' he
said, ' I receive it without fear and without anger ; yet as
a man who can no longer defend his life must still de-
fend his honor, I appeal from the sentence of the duke.'
' And to whom V asked Sforza. ' First, to my royal mas-
ter, Fran9ois I. ; and secondly, to the future and to God,
to God, to whom all must give account, especially
princes, kings, and emperors.' 'Is that the only tribunal
to which you appeal 1' asked the duke. 'Yes,' replied
the count ; ' and I summon you to appear before that
tribunal, Duke Francesco Maria Sforza ! ' ' And when
shall that be 1 ' asked the duke. ' At the end of the
same period of time that Jacques de Molay, grand
master of the Templars, assigned to his judge, that
is to say, in a year and one day. It is to-day the
15th of November, 1534; therefore on the 16th of
November, 1535, you understand, Duke Francesco
Maria Sforza.'
148 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
" As he said this, he extended his hand toward the
duke in a gesture of denunciation and menace. The
face of the duke turned pale under his mask, for it
was indeed the duke who was thus present at the death
of his victim. For a moment it was the condemned who
triumphed and the judge who trembled before him.
' Enough ! ' said the duke ; ' you have a quarter of an hour
to spend with your confessor before your execution ; ' and
he pointed to the priest. 'Try to finish in a quarter
of an hour, for the time will not be extended by a single
moment.' Then turning to the priest, ' Father,' he said,
' perform your duty.' And he left the cell, followed by
the two torch-bearers and the man who carried the parch-
ment. But he left the door wide open, to allow him-
self and the soldiers to look into the interior of the cell
and follow every motion of the count, from whom, out
of respect for the confession, they had withdrawn to
a sufficient distance to be beyond the sound of his
voice.
" A faint sigh wafted through the grating barely reached
the count's ear. The countess had hoped that by the
closing of the door the count and the priest would be
left alone, and that then, moved by her tears and pray-
ers, seeing a wife praying on her knees for her hus-
band and a child praying for her father, perhaps this
man of God would have consented to turn away his face
and let the count escape. It was the last hope of my
poor mother, and it failed her."
Emmanuel Philibert started. He sometimes forgot
that this was the narration of a son describing the last
moments of his father ; he seemed to be reading the
pages of some terrible legend. Then suddenly a word
would bring him to a realization of the fact that this
story did not proceed from the pen of some indifferent
IN THE FORTRESS. 149
historian, but fell from the lips of a son, the true account
of his father's death-scene.
" It was the last hope of my poor mother, and it failed
her," continued Odoardo, his attention having been with-
drawn for a moment from his narration by Emmanuel's
movement of sympathy. "For," he continued, "on the
other side of the door, in the light of the two torches and
the smoking lamps of the corridor, stood the funeral cor-
tege, a spectacle terrible to look at, and deadly in its
purpose. The priest had remained alone with the count,
as I have said. The count, caring little in whose name this
consoler of his last moments had been sent to him, knelt
before him. Then the confession began, a strange
confession, in which he who was about to die seemed to
have no thought of himself, but to be concerned only
about others ; in which the words apparently spoken to
the priest were in reality addressed to the wife and child,
reaching God only through the medium of a mother's
and a daughter's hearts. My sister alone, if she still
lives, can tell with what tears that confession was re-
ceived ; for I myself was not there. I, happy boy, igno-
rant of all that was taking place three hundred leagues
away, I was playing, laughing, singing perhaps at that
very moment when my father, on the threshold of death,
was speaking of his absent son to my weeping mother
and sister."
Overcome with emotion at these recollections, Odoardo
stopped a moment ; then he continued, sighing : " The
quarter of an hour had passed. The duke with watch
in hand had observed closely throughout the whole
confession the countenances of the priest and the count ;
then, at the end of the fifteen minutes he said, ' Count,
the time which has been allowed you for remaining
among the living has expired. The priest has finished
150 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
his task ; the executioner must now perform his.' The
count received absolution ; and the priest, holding up the
crucifix, withdrew through the door, while at the same
time the executioner came forward. The count had re-
mained on his knees. ' Have you any last request to
address to the Duke Sforza or the Emperor Charles V. ? '
asked the man with the mask. ' I make no petition ex-
cept to my Maker,' replied the count. 'Are you ready,
then 1 ' asked the same man. ' You see that I am ou my
knees.'
" The count was indeed kneeling, with his face turned
toward the grating of that iron door through which the
eyes of his wife and child were looking their farewell.
His lips, still moving as if in prayer, sent them loving
words, his last prayer indeed. ' If you do not wish
my hand to sully you, Count,' said a voice just behind
him, ' be good enough to turn down the collar of your
shirt. You are a gentleman, and I have no right to
touch you except with the edge of my sword.'
" The count, without answering, turned down his shirt
even as far as his shoulders, leaving his neck uncovered.
' Recommend yourself to God,' said the executioner.
'Almighty and most merciful Father, into thy hands I
commit my soul ! '
" Scarcely had the last words been uttered when the
executioner's sword gleamed and whistled through the
air like a flash of lightning ; and the head of the count,
severed from the shoulders, as if by a last impulse of love
rolled slowly forward to the very bottom of the grated
door.
" A dull cry was heard, and a noise like the sound of a
body falling on the floor ; my mother's stifled cry was
thought to be the death-rattle of the murdered man ; and
the noise of the falling body was supposed to be made by
IN THE FORTRESS. 151
the count's corpse as it fell upon the stone floor of the
cell.
" Pardon, Monseigneur," said Odoardo, stopping short ;
" but if you wish to know the rest, I must have a glass
of water, for I feel faint."
Emmanuel Philibert, seeing the narrator of this history
tremble and turn pale, sprang to support him, made him
sit down upon a pile of cushions, and himself offered him
the glass of water for which he had asked. Perspiration
stood upon the prince's forehead, and, soldier accustomed
to the field of battle as he was, he was almost as near
fainting as the unhappy man he was assisting.
In about five minutes Odoardo was himself again. " Do
you wish to know more, Monseigueur ? " he asked.
" I wish to know all, Monsieur," said Emmanuel ; " nar-
rations such as these are valuable lessons for princes who
are one day to be rulers."
" Yes," said the young man ; " besides, the most terri-
ble part of it is over." With the hollow of his hand he
wiped his reeking brow, and at the same time perhaps
the tears from his eyes. Then he continued :
" When my mother recovered her consciousness, the
whole scene had vanished like a vision, and she would
have thought it a fearful dream had she not awaked on
the bed in the jailer's room. So solemn had been her in-
junctions to my little sister not to weep, lest her sobs
should attract attention, that although the poor child
thought she had lost both father and mother at once, she
watched by her mother's side with her great frightened
eyes flooded with tears ; but these tears continued to
flow as silently for the mother as they had for the father.
The jailer was gone, but his wife had taken his place;
she took pity on the countess, dressed her in some of her
own clothes, and put on my sister a suit of her little
152 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
boy's. At daybreak she accompanied them as far as the
road to Novara ; then giving the countess two ducats, she
intrusted her to the care of God.
" My mother seemed pursued by a terrible vision. It
did not occur to her to return to the palace for money, or
to seek information about the carriage which had been
provided for the count's escape ; she was mad with ter-
ror. Her only thought was to fly, to reach the frontier,
to get away from the territory of Duke Sforza. She dis-
appeared with her child in the direction of Novara, and
has never been heard of. What has become of my
mother? Where is my sister? I have no idea. The
news of my father's death reached me at Paris. It was
the king himself who informed me of it, at the same time
assuring me of his constant protection, and announcing
his intention of declaring war to avenge the murder of
the count.
" I asked the king's permission to accompany him. At
first fortune favored the arms of France ; we crossed the
dominions of the duke your father, of which the king
took possession ; then we arrived at Milan.
" Duke Sforza had taken refuge at Rome with Pope
Paul III.
"Inquiries concerning my father's murder were set on
foot ; but it was impossible to find any of those persons
who had been present at the time of the murder or had
participated in it. The executioner had suddenly died,
three days after the execution. No one knew the name
of the clerk who read the sentence, and the priest who
had received the confession of the condemned was also
unknown. The jailer with his wife and son had taken
flight.
" Thus in spite of all my endeavors I could not even
discover the resting-place of my father's body. Twenty
IN THE FORTRESS. 153
years had been spent in this useless search when I re-
ceived a letter dated at Avignon.
" A man who signed his letter only by initial entreated
me to come immediately to Avignon if I wished for cor-
rect and full information concerning the death of my
father Comte Francesco Maraviglia. He gave me the
name and address of a priest whom he recommended to
me as an escort if I should accede to his request.
"This letter offered me the desire of my whole life,
and I set out immediately. I went directly to the house
of the priest, who was expecting me, and who accompa-
nied me to the house of the man who had written to me.
He was the jailer of the fortress of Milan. On seeing the
death of my father and knowing exactly where the car-
riage with the hundred thousand ducats would be in
waiting, an evil spirit tempted him. He had laid my
mother on the bed in charge of his wife, slipped down
the rope ladder and gone to find the coachman, who was
sitting on the box ; he had stolen up close to him, saying
that he came in the name of my father, had stabbed him,
and after throwing him in a ditch, bad driven away with
the carriage and the ducats.
" Once over the frontier, he had travelled by post to
Avignon, had sold the carriage ; and as no one had ever
laid claim to its contents, he appropriated the hundred
thousand ducats, and had written to his wife and son to
join him.
" But the hand of God was upon this man. His wife died
first ; then, after a sickness of ten years, the son followed
the mother ; at last he felt that his turn would soon
come to render to God an account of his deeds during his
life on this earth. It was this cull from on high that
had caused him to repent and think of me. You under-
stand, then, why he wished to see me.
154 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
" He wished to tell ine everything, to ask my pardon,
not for ray father's death, for he was in no way responsi-
ble for that, but for the murder of the coachman, and the
robbery of the hundred thousand ducats. As for the
murdered man, there was no remedy for the crime , the
man was dead. But as far as the hundred thousand
ducats were concerned the case was different ; he had
bought with those at Ville-neuve-lez-A vignon a chateau
with a magnificent estate, on the income of which he
lived.
" I began by making him relate to me every detail
concerning my father's death, not once only, but ten
times. To be sure, that night had made so terrible an
impression on his mind that no incident had escaped him,
and he remembered every detail of that fatal event as if
it had happened on the last night. Unfortunately, he
could give me no information regarding the fate of my
mother and sister, except that his wife had left them on
the road to Novara. They must have died of fatigue or
hunger!
" I was already rich, and had no need of this increase
of fortune, but the day might come when I should find
my mother or my sister. Not wishing to dishonor this
man by a public avowal of his crime, I made a deed of
gift of the chateau and estate to the Countess Maraviglia
and her daughter ; then, so far as I was able, and to
the extent of the grace given me from on high, I pardoned
him.
"But there my forgiveness ended. Francesco Maria
Sforza had died in 1535, exactly a year and a day after
my father had summoned him to appear before the tribu-
nal of God. I therefore had nothing further to do with
him ; he had been already punished for his weakness,
if not his crime. But there remained the Emperor
IN THE FORTRESS. 155
Charles V., an emperor at the pinnacle of his power,
on the summit of his glory, at the height of his prosperity !
He was still unpunished, and upon him I was determined
to avenge myself.
" You will say that men who wield a sceptre or wear
a crown are responsible only to God ; but sometimes God
seems to forget. In that case it behooves man to re-
member. I remembered ; that is all. But I did not know
that the emperor wore under his dress a coat-of-mail.
He also remembered 1 You desired to know who I am,
and why I attempted to commit this crime. I am Odo-
ardo Maraviglia; and I would have killed the emperor
because he caused my father to be assassinated in the
night, and was responsible for the death, by hunger and
fatigue, of my mother and sister.
" I have spoken ; and now, Monsieur, you know the
truth. I attempted assassination, and I deserve to lose
my own life ; but I am a gentleman, and I claim a gentle-
man's death."
Emmanuel Philibert bowed his head in assent.
" Your demand is a just one, and shall be granted. Do
you wish to remain at liberty until the hour of your exe-
cution 1 I mean, do you wish not to be bound 1 "
"On what condition will that be granted me 1 "
" On your pledged word that you will not attempt to
escape."
" You already have it."
" Repeat it, then."
" I repeat it ; but be quick ! The crime has been made
public, and the confession is complete. Why should I
wait?"
" I am not the one to fix the hour of a man's execu-
tion ; that depends entirely upon the pleasure of the
Emperor Charles V." Then, calling the sergeant, " Take
156 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
this gentleman to a private tent," he said, " and let him
be well served. A single sentinel will be sufficient to
guard him ; I have his word as a gentleman. Go ! "
The sergeant withdrew, followed by the prisoner.
Emmanuel Philibert watched him until he had left the
tent ; then, fancying he heard a slight noise behind him?
he turned around. Leona was standing at the entrance
to the opposite compartment, whose canvas hangings had
dropped behind her. It was the noise caused by the fall-
ing of this canvas that had attracted Emmanuel Phili-
bert 's attention. Leona stood with clasped hands, her
eyes still wet with the tears she had doubtless shed over
the sad story she had just heard.
" What do you want 1 " asked the prince.
" I want to tell you, Emmanuel/' replied Leona, " that
this young man must not die."
Emmanuel Philibert's face clouded. " Leona," he said,
" this young man has committed a horrible crime, in
intention, at least, if not in fact."
" No matter," said Leona, throwing her arms around
the prince's neck ; " still I say that this young man must
not die."
" The emperor must decide his fate, Leona. What I
must do, and the only thing possible for me to do, is to
report everything to the emperor."
" And I tell you, my Emmanuel, that if the emperor
condemns this young man to death, you will obtain his
pardon, will you not 1 "
" Leona, you give me credit for more influence with the
emperor than I really possess. The imperial justice must
take its course ; if it condemns "
" Whether it condemn or not, Odoardo Maraviglia
must live, do you understand ? He must live, my dear
Emmanuel ! "
IN THE FORTRESS. 157
" And why, Leona, are you so anxious that he should
live 1 "
14 Because," replied Leona, " because he is my
brother ! "
Emmanuel uttered a cry of astonishment. The woman
dying of fatigue and hunger on the banks of the Sesia,
the child obstinately preserving the secret of its birth and
sex, the page refusing Charles V.'s diamond, every-
thing was explained by those few words which had just
fallen from Leona's lips concerning Odoardo Maraviglia :
44 He is my brother."
158 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
CHAPTER XIII.
THE DEMON OP THE SOUTH.
WHILE the scene just related was being enacted in Em-
manuel Philibert's tent, the huzzas of the soldiers and
the flourish of trumpets announced an event which was
putting the whole camp in commotion.
A small body of horsemen had been descried approach-
ing from the direction of Brussels, and the skirmishers
who had been sent out to meet them had returned at full
gallop, making signals of joy and announcing that the
leader of the cavalcade was none other than the most
august emperor's only son, Philip, Prince of Spain, King
of Naples, and husband of the Queen of England.
At the noise of the trumpets and the cheers of those
who first recognized the prince, every one hurried from
the tents to witness the arrival of the royal guest.
Philip rode a beautiful white horse, which he managed
very gracefully. He wore a violet-colored cloak and a black
doublet, which two colors in conjunction are the insig-
nia of royal mourning, and breeches of the same violet
color as the cloak ; his high boots were of buff leather,
and the little black cap upon his head such, as was
worn at that period was faced on the edge with a fold
of black silk and ornamented with a black plume. On
his neck he wore the collar of the Golden Fleece.
Philip was at that time a man of twenty -eight years of
age, of middle height, rather inclined to stoutness, with
THE DKMON OF THE SOUTH. 159
somewhat full cheeks set off by blond whiskers, and a
mouth expressing firmness and rarely touched by a smile.
His nose was straight, and his eyes were tremulous under
their lids, like those of the hare. Although he was hand-
some rather than ugly, the expression of his face was not
sympathetic, and it was easy to imagine that under this
prematurely furrowed brow he cherished melancholy
rather than pleasant thoughts.
The emperor had a tender affection for Philip. He
loved the son as he had loved the mother of that son ;
but just when a caress seemed on the point of drawing
nearer together their two hearts, he had always felt that
the prince's heart was encased in a coating of ice which
had never melted in any embrace.
Sometimes, when he had not seen his son for a long
time, and was therefore unable to search in the dull and
blinking look of the young prince for the intention hid-
den there, he was uneasy in mind, not knowing in what
direction the mining of his ambition might lead this
worker in the dark, so continually occupied with secret
intrigues. Would it be against their common enemy ]
Would it be against himself 1 ? And then, in the doubt
of his heart, he would let fall some of those terrible
words such as those to which he had that very morn-
ing given utterance iu his interview with Emmanuel
Philibert.
The gloom which attended the young prince's birth
foreshadowed his life. There are dreary dawns which
cast their reflection over the whole day. The emperor
had received the news of his birth which took place
on Tuesday the 31st of May, 1527 at the same time
that he had received news concerning the death of the
Constable of Bourbon, the sacking of Rome, and the
imprisonment of Pope Clement VII. All rejoicing,
160 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
therefore, had been forbidden on the occasion of this
birth, lest it should form too great a contrast with the
grief of Christendom.
A year later, however, the royal offspring had been
recognized Prince of Spain. Then there were splendid
fetes ; but the child who when he became a man would
cause so many tears to flow, during all these fetes had
done nothing but weep.
Philip had just reached his sixteenth year when the
emperor, wishing to see how he would succeed in war,
charged him with forcing the French, under the dauphin,
to raise the siege of Perpignan ; but in order to run no
risk of defeat in this enterprise, the young prince was
accompanied by six Spanish noblemen, fourteen barons,
eight hundred gentlemen, two thousand cavalry, and
five thousand infantry. Against such a reinforcement of
fresh troops resistance was useless. The French raised
the siege, and the Infante of Spain began his military
career with a victory.
But from the account of this campaign which was
brought to him, the Emperor Charles V. had easily
recognized the fact that the instincts of his son were not
warlike; he had therefore reserved for himself the haz-
ards of war and the varying fortunes of battle, leaving to
the heir of his dominions the study of politics, for which
he seemed more especially fitted. At sixteen the young
prince had made such progress in this great science of
government, that Charles V. did not hesitate to appoint
him governor of all the kingdoms of Spain.
In 1543 Philip had married Dona Maria of Portugal,
his first cousin, born in the same year, on the same day,
and at the same hour as himself. He had a son, Don
Carlos, the hero of a lamentable history and of two or
three tragedies. This son was born in 1545.
THE DEMON OF THE SOUTH. 161
Finally, in 1548, Philip had left Barcelona for a visit
to Italy, iu the midst of a terrible tempest, which hud
scattered the fleet of Doria, and forced him to return
temporarily iuto port ; then attempting in the face of
adverse winds to resume his voyage, he had landed at
Genoa, from which place he had gone to Milan. He had
explored the battle-field of Pavia, had been shown the
place where Fran9ois I. had surrendered his sword, and
had measured with his eye the ditch where the French
monarchy had almost found a grave ; then, still silent
and taciturn, he had left Milan, crossed Central Italy,
and rejoined the emperor at Worms. At that time
Charles V., Flemish by birth and Flemish at heart, had
presented him to his countrymen at Namur and Brussels.
At Xamur Emmanuel had received him with public cere-
monies of honor. The two cousins had embraced each
other tenderly at meeting ; then Emmanuel had provided
for the entertainment of the prince a sham fight, in which
of course Philip had taken no part.
The fetes were not less sumptuous at Brussels than at
Namur. Seven hundred princes, barons, and gentlemen
received outside the gates the heir of the greatest mon-
archy in the world. Then, when this heir had been thus
publicly recognized and acknowledged, his father sent him
back into Spain. Emmanuel Philibert accompanied him
as far as Genoa ; and during this journey the Prince of
Piedmont saw his father for the last time.
Three years after Philip's return to Spain, King Ed-
ward VI. of England had died, leaving the crown to his
sister Mary, daughter of Catherine, that aunt of the
emperor whom he loved so well that he had learned
English, he said, only that he might be able to talk
with her.
The new queen was eager to secure a husband ; she
VOL. i. 11
162 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
was forty-six years of age, and consequently there was no
time to lose. Charles V. proposed his son Philip.
Philip's wife, the charming Dona Maria of Portugal,
had lived but a short time. Four days after the birth
of Don Carlos the queen's women, desirous of seeing a
magnificent auto-da-fe of Huguenots, had left the young
mother alone, with a table covered with fruit standing
near her. She had been forbidden to eat of this fruit
during her sickness. Daughter of Eve in every respect,
the poor princess disobeyed the commaud ; she arose,
and applied her young and beautiful teeth to an apple,
and also to a melon ; twenty-four hours afterward she
was dead !
There was nothing therefore to prevent the Infante
Don Philip from marrying Mary Tudor, thus uniting
England and Spain, and between the island of the North
and the peninsula of the South strangling France. This
was the main object of this union.
Philip had two competitors for the hand of his cousin :
Cardinal Pole, a cardinal without being priest, a son
of George, Duke of Clarence, Edward IV. 's brother,
cousin, therefore, of the queen in about the same degree
with Philip ; and the Prince of Courtenay, nephew of
Henry VIII., and consequently as nearly related as both
the others to Queen Mary.
Charles V. began by securing the support of Queen
Mary herself; and with this support, which he had ob-
tained through the influence of Father Henry, the royal
widow's confessor, he did not hesitate to proceed.
The Princess Mary was an ardent Catholic, as is shown
by the title of " Bloody Mary," which all the English
historians have given her. The emperor began therefore
by alienating her from the Prince of Courtenay, a young
man thirty-two years of age, handsome as an angel, brave
THE DEMON OF THE SOUTH. 163
as a Courtenay, by accusing him of being an ardent sup-
porter of heresy ; and indeed Queen Mary noticed that
those among her ministers who advised this marriage
were those whom she regarded as attached to that false
religion of which her father Henry VIII., in order to have
nothing to do henceforth with the " Bishops of Rome,"
as he called them, had declared himself the pope. This
point well fixed in the queen's mind, there was nothing
more to fear from the Prince de Courtenay.
There remained Cardinal Pole, less brave perhaps than
Courtenay, but fully as handsome, and certainly much
more diplomatic, brought up as he had been in the school
of the popes.
He was the more to be feared because, before her coro-
nation, Mary Tudor, with or without intention, had
written to Julius III. to send Cardinal Pole to her in
the capacity of apostolic legate, that the latter might co-
operate with her in the holy work of the restoration of
the old religion. Fortunately for Charles V., the pope,
who knew very well what Pole had suffered under
Henry VIII. and what dangers he had incurred, was un-
willing that so important a prelate should be the first
one to plunge into the midst of the fermentations which
were rife in England. He therefore sent in advance
Jean-Frangois Commendon, gentleman of his bedchamber.
But it was Pole and riot Commendon that Mary wanted ;
she sent back the latter, begging him to hasten the
arrival of the cardinal.
Pole set out ; but the emperor had his spies at Rome.
He was therefore informed of Pole's departure ; and as the
legate a latere would cross through Germany and pass
by Innspruck, Charles V. gave orders to Mendoza, who
commanded a cavalry corps in that city, to stop Car-
dinal Pole on the way, on the pretext that he was too
164 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
nearly related to the queen to give her disinterested
counsel in the matter of her marriage with the Infante
Don Philip.
Mendoza was a good officer, of the kind needed by
princes In such circumstances. He considered nothing
but his instructions, which now were to arrest Cardinal
Pole ; he arrested him and kept him prisoner until the
articles of the marriage contract between Philip of Spain
and Mary of England were signed. Then Pole was re-
leased. He resigned himself to this treatment, like a
man of sense, and filled his office of legate a latere to the
entire satisfaction not only of Mary but also of Philip.
One of the articles of the marriage contract declared
that Mary Tudor could marry only a king. This gave no
trouble to Charles V. ; he- made his son Philip king of
Naples.
This bit of success somewhat relieved the emperor's
depression occasioned by the two defeats he had experi-
enced, one at Inuspruck, where, surprised in the night
by Duke Maurice, he had fled so precipitately that he
had not perceived that he had put on his belt without
attaching to it his sword ; the other at Metz, the siege
of which he had been forced to raise, leaving his can-
non, his wagons, his military stores, and a third of his
army.
" Oh," he exclaimed, " fortune favors me, then, once
more."
Finally, on the 24th of July, 1554, that is to say, nine
months before the period of our story, on the same day
as the fete of Saint Jacques, patron saint of Spain, Mary
of England had been united to Philip II. She who was
called the Tigress of the North had married him who
was called the Demon of the South.
Philip had set out from Spain accompanied by twenty-
THE DEMON OF THE SOUTH. 165
two vessels of war carrying six thousand men. But
before entering the port of Hampton he had sent back all
these vessels, so that he might arrive in England with
only those which Queen Mary, his betrothed, had sent to
meet him. There were eighteen vessels in this fleet, led
by the largest one ever built by the English, which had
been launched for this occasion.
These vessels proceeded to the distance of three leagues
upon the high seas to meet the Prince of Spain ; and
there, amid the firing of guns, the beating of drums, aud
trumpet-blasts, Philip passed from his own vessel to that
which Queen Mary had sent to meet him.
He was accompanied by sixty gentlemen, of whom
twelve were Spanish noblemen, including the Admiral of
Castile, the Duke of Mediua-Coeli, Ruy Gomez de Silva,
and the Duke of Alva, who had each forty pages and
valets. " Indeed, it was reckoned, and such a wonder
ful thing was never seen before," says Gregory Leti,
biographer of Charles V., "that these sixty gentlemen
had with them twelve hundred and thirty pages and
footmen."
The marriage ceremony took place at Winchester.
Those who would like to know in what way Mary Tudor
came to meet her betrothed, what dress she wore, with
what jewels she was decked, of what form was the amphithe-
atre surmounted by two thrones which awaited the bride
and bridegroom ; those who would like to penetrate even
farther and know in what manner Mass was celebi'ated,
in what order the guests were placed at table, how their
Majesties " rose from table so adroitly that although in
the company of so many lords and ladies, they disap-
peared through a secret door and retired to their cham-
ber," will find these details and many others in the
biography from which we have just quoted.
166 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
As for ourselves, interesting and pleasing as we should
find these details, they would carry us too far, and we
will return to the King of Naples and England, Philip II.,
who nine months after his marriage reappeared upon the
continent, and when least expected, was approaching the
boundaries of the camp, saluted by the beating of drums,
the flourish of trumpets, and the cheers of the German
and Spanish soldiers who formed his cortege.
Charles Y. had been one of the first to be informed of
the unexpected arrival of his son ; and pleased that Philip
had no motive for concealing from him his presence in
Flanders, apparently, at least, since he had come to see
him in camp, he made an effort, and leaning upon the
arm of one of his officers, dragged himself to the door
of his tent. He had scarcely reached it when he saw
Don Philip approaching amid cheers, braying of trum-
pets, and beating of drums, as if he were already lord
and master.
" Well, well ! " murmured Charles V. " God's will be
done ! "
But as soon as he saw his father Philip stopped his
horse and sprang to the ground ; then drawing near,
with arms extended, bowing his uncovered head, he knelt
at the feet of the emperor.
This mark of humility removed every suspicion from
Charles V.'s mind. He raised Philip from his knees,
embraced him, and turning to those who had accompa-
nied Philip : " Thanks, gentlemen," he said, " for divin-
ing my pleasure at my dear son's arrival, and for
announcing it in advance by your shouts and huzzas ! "
Then to his son, "Don Philip," he said, "it is nearly
five years since we saw each other last. Come, we must
have much to say to each other ! "
And bowing to the crowd of officers and soldiers as-
THE DEMON OF THE SOUTH. 167
sembled before his tent, he leaned upon his son's arm
and re-entered the pavilion, followed by shouts three
times repeated of " Long live the King of England ! "
and " Long live the Emperor of Germany ! " of " Long
live Don Philip ! " and " Long live Charles V. ! "
In fact, aa the emperor had said, Philip and he had
much to say to each other. And yet, after Charles V.
was seated on the divan, and Philip, declining the honor
of sitting by his father's side, had taken a chair, there
was a moment's silence. It was Charles V-. who broke
the silence, preserved by Philip perhaps out of respect
for his father.
" My son," said the emperor, "nothing less than your
dear presence could have dispelled the bad impression
which the news received to-day has produced upon my
mind."
" A part of this news, and the saddest of all, is already
known to me, as is shown by my dress, my father," re-
plied Philip. " We have had the misfortune to lose
you a mother and I a grandmother."
" You learned this in Belgium, my son ? "
Philip bowed. " In England, Sire. We have direct
communication with Spain; while the courier who brought
the news to your Majesty must have been obliged to
come here by way of Genoa, which would have delayed
him."
" That is true," said Charles V. ; " it would be so.
But besides this I have another source of anxiety."
" Your Majesty doubtless has reference to the election
of Pope Paul IV., and the treaty he has proposed to
the King of France, and which must be signed by this
time."
Charles V. looked at Philip in astonishment. " My
son," he said, " has an English vessel brought you this
168 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
information also 1 It is quite a distance from Civita
Vecchia to Portsmouth ! "
" No, Sire, the news reached me through France ;
therefore I learned it before you. The passes of the
Alps and the Tyrol are still blocked up with snow ; for
which reason your messenger was delayed, while the
tidings came to me straight from Ostia to Marseilles,
from Marseilles to Boulogne, and from Boulogne to
London."
Charles V. frowned. He had long considered it his right
to be informed before any one else of any important event
which had taken place in the world; and here his son had
not only been the first to hear of Queen Joanna's death
and the election of Paul IV., but had actually informed
him of something of which he had known nothing,
that is to say, the alliance between Henri II. and the
new pope.
But Philip did not appear to notice his father's aston-
ishment. "Then," he continued, "all the propositions
had been so well considered by the Caraffas and their
friends that it was possible to send the treaty to the
King of France before the conclave had terminated.
This fact explains the boldness with which, after taking
Marienbourg, Henri II. has marched upon Bouvines and
Dinantj with the intention, doubtless, of cutting off your
retreat."
" Oh, oh ! " said Charles V., " has he then advanced
so far, and am I threatened with another surprise like
that of Innspruck ? "
" No," said Philip, " for I hope your Majesty will not
refuse to conclude a truce with King Henri II."
" By my soul ! " cried the emperor, " I should be mad
to refuse it, and even not to propose it."
"Sire," said Philip, "it would make France too super-
THE DEMON OF THE SOUTH. 169
cilious to receive such a proposition from you. There-
fore we have had the idea Queen Mary and I of
taking the business upon ourselves in the interest of
your dignity."
" And you have come to obtain my permission to act ?
Well, act ; lose no time. Send into France your most
skilful ambassadors ; they cannot arrive there a moment
too soon."
" We thought so too, Sire ; and we have sent Cardinal
Pole to King Henri to demand a truce, reserving of
course to your Majesty the right of refusal."
Charles V. shook his head. " He will not arrive in
time," said he ; " and Henri will be at Brussels before
Cardinal Pole will have lauded at Calais."
" But Cardinal Pole came by way of Ostende, and has
joined the King of France at Dinant."
" Skilful as he is," said Charles V., with a sigh, " I
doubt if he will succeed in such a negotiation."
" Then it gives me the greatest pleasure to announce
to your Majesty that he has been already successful,"
said Philip. " The King of France agrees to, if not a
truce, at least armistice, during which the conditions of
the truce may be settled. The monastery of Vocelles,
near Cambrai, has been selected by him as the place for
the conferences; and Cardinal Pole, when he came to
Brussels to announce to me the result of his mission,
told me that he thought we ought to make no difficulty
on this point'*
Charles V. frit for Don Philip something like admira-
tion ; the latter had come in this unostentatious manner
to announce to him the happy conclusion of a negotia-
tion which he, Charles V., had regarded as impossible.
" And what is to be the duration of this truce 1 " he
asked.
170 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
" The actual or the stipulated duration ?"
" The stipulated duration."
" Five years, Sire."
" And the actual ? "
" As long as it shall please God."
" And how long, Don Philip, do you think it will please
God that it shall last ? "
" Why," said the King of England and of Naples, with
a hardly perceptible smile, "just long enough for your
Majesty to levy in Spain a reinforcement of ten thou-
sand Spaniards, and for me to send from England ten
thousand English soldiers to your assistance."
" My son," said Charles V., " this truce was my dearest
wish, and and as you have obtained it for me, well, I
promise you that you shall either keep it or break it at
your pleasure."
" I do not understand what your august Majesty
means," said Philip, whose self-control could not quite
prevent his eyes from darting a flash of hope and covet-
ousness. He saw almost within reach of his hand the
sceptre of Spain and the Netherlands, and perhaps even
the imperial crown.
Eight days later, a truce was concluded in the following
terms :
" There shall be a five years' truce, both on sea and land,
equally enjoyed by all the peoples, States, kingdoms, and
provinces, of the emperor as well as those of the King of
France and of King Philip. During all these five years there
shall be suspension of hostilities, but each one of these
potentates shall keep all that he has thus far acquired in war.
His Holiness Paul IV. is included in this truce."
Philip himself presented the treaty to the emperor,
who looked almost with terror upon the impassive face
of his son.
THE DEMON OF THE SOUTH. 171
The treaty lacked only the signature of Charles V.
Charles V. signed it. Then, when with infinite pain
he had traced the seven letters of his name, " Sire," he
said, for the first time giving his son this title, " return
to London, and hold yourself in readiness to conie to
Brussels at my first request."
172 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
CHAPTER XIV.
CHARLES V. KEEPS THE PROMISE GIVEN TO HIS SON
DON PHILIP.
ON Wednesday, Oct. 25, 1555, the streets of the city of
Brussels were thronged not only by the inhabitants of
the capital of Southern Brabant, but by those of the
other Flemish States belonging to Charles V. All this
crowd was hastening toward the royal palace, which is
not in existence at the present time, but which then
stood on the heights of the city toward the summit of
Caudenberg.
A general assembly had been convoked by the emperor,
the object of which was as yet unknown ; it had been
once postponed, and was to take place on that day. In
preparation for this gathering the interior of the great
hall had been hung with tapestry on the western end,
that is to say, on the side toward the barriers, and
here a staging had been erected to the height of six or
seven feet, which was covered with rich carpets, and
upon which were arranged three large empty chairs of
state, evidently intended, the one in the middle for the
emperor, that on the right for the King Don Philip,
who had arrived the evening before, and the other, on
the left, for the Queen Dowager of Hungary, Mary of
Austria, Charles V.'s sister. Above these chairs was sus-
pended a canopy on which were emblazoned the imperial
arms. There were also benches arranged in rows on each
end of the stage, which formed with the three chairs a
CHARLES V. KEEPS HIS PROMISE. 173
sort of semicircle. Other seats were arranged on the
floor, facing the stage as we see them in the theatre.
King Philip, Queen Mary, Queen Eleanor, the widow
of Fra^ois I., Maximilian, King of Bohemia, and Chris-
tine, Duchesse de Lorraine, had taken lodgings in the pal-
ace. Charles V. alone had continued to occupy what he
called his little house in the park.
At four o'clock in the afternoon the emperor left this
little house, riding a mule whose easy pace caused hirn
less suffering than any other means of locomotion. As
for going on foot, he could not think of it ; his attack of
gout had redoubled its violence, and he was not sure that
he would be able to walk from the entrance to the stage ;
he might have to be carried even that short distance.
Kings and princes followed on foot the emperor's mule.
The emperor wore the imperial cloak made all of cloth
of gold, over which fell the long cordon of the Golden
Fleece. He had his crown upon his head ; but the
sceptre, which his hand had no longer the strength to
hold, was borne before him on a red velvet cushion.
The personages who were to occupy the benches ar-
ranged at the ends of the stage, on each side of the large
chairs, had already taken their places. Upon a bench
covered with rich tapestry which stood at the right of
the chairs of state, were seated the knights of the Golden
Fleece. Upon the bench on the left, carpeted in the
same manner, were princes, grandees of Spain, and noble-
men. Just behind these, upon other benches not covered
with tapestry were the three councils, the council of
State, the privy council, and the council of finance.
Finally, upon other benches arranged on the floor oppo-
site the stage were placed, first, the deputies from Bra-
bant, then those from Flanders, then those from the
other States according to their respective rights of pre-
174 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
cedence. The galleries running around the hall had been
since morning filled with spectators.
At about four o'clock the emperor entered, leaning
upon the shoulder of William of Orange, afterward called
William the Silent. Next to William of Orange came Em-
manuel Philibert, accompanied by his squire and page.
On the other side of the emperor, and a few steps distant
froin him, walked a man of from thirty to thirty-five years
of age, unknown to every one, and who himself seemed to
be as much astonished as the spectators at his presence
there. It was Odoardo Maraviglia, who had been taken
from confinement, magnificently dressed, and conducted
to this place without knowing where he was going or
for what purpose he was wanted.
At the appearance of this august procession led by the
emperor, the crowd of spectators rose to their feet. The
Emperor Charles V. ascended the steps of the stage with
great difficulty, notwithstanding the assistance rendered
him ; and it could easily be seen that it required indomi-
table nerve and a habit of self-control acquired through
years of suffering, to prevent him from uttering a cry of
agony at every step. He sat down in the middle chair,
with Don Philip on his right and Queen Mary on his
left.
Then, at a sign from the emperor, all took their seats,
with the exception, on one side, of the Prince of Orange,
Emmanuel Philibert, and the two persons of his suite ;
and on the other side, Odoardo Maraviglia, who, free and
as we have said magnificently dressed, was observing
this spectacle in astonishment.
When everybody was seated, the emperor made a
sign to Councillor Philibert Brussellius to address the
assembly.
Every one was waiting with intense curiosity, except
CHARLES V. KEEPS HIS PROMISE. 175
Don Philip, whose countenance remained calm and im-
passive. His veiled eye seemed to see nothing; the
blood seemed hardly to circulate under that surface pale
and lifeless.
The orator explained in a few words that this assem-
bly of kings, princes, Spanish nobles, knights of the
Golden Fleece, deputies from the provinces of Flanders,
had been convoked to witness the abdication of the Em-
peror Charles V. in favor of his son, Don Philip, who
now succeeded to the emperor's titles of King of Castile,
Leon, Grenada, Navarre, Aragon, Naples, the islands of
Sicily and Majorca, the Indies, and the islands of the
Pacific and Atlantic oceans ; to those of Archduke of
Austria, Duke of Burgundy, Lothier, Brabant, Luisbourg,
Luxembourg, and Quelieres to those of Count of Flan-
ders, Artois, and Burgundy ; to those of Palatin of Hai-
naut, Zealand, Holland, Feurette, Haguenau, Namur, and
Zutphen ; and finally those of Prince of Zwane, Marquis
of the Holy Empire, Lord of Friesland, Salmi, Malines,
and the cities, towns, and territory of Utrecht, Overyssel,
and Groeningen. The imperial crown was reserved for
Ferdinand, already King of the Romans.
On hearing this reservation, a livid pallor came over
Don Philip's face, and there was a slight twitching of the
muscles of his cheeks.
This abdication, at which every breath was suspended
in astonishment, was attributed by the orator to the em-
peror's desire to return to Spain, which country he had
not visited for twelve years, and especially to his suffer-
ing from the gout, which was very much aggravated by
the climate of Flanders and Germany. He concluded by
asking them in the empeior's name to take in good part
this transfer of their allegiance to the emperor's son,
Don Philip; and by way of peroration called upon God
176 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
to keep the most august emperor forever under his watch-
ful care and protection. Philibert Brussellius ceased
speaking, and resumed his seat.
Then the emperor arose in his turn ; his face was pale,
and gave evidence of great suffering ; he intended to
speak, and held in his hand a paper containing his written
discourse, to which he might refer in case his memory
should fail him. At the first manifestation of his inten-
tion to speak, the uproar which had spread through the
hall at the end of Councillor Brussellins's speech ceased
as if by enchantment ; and feeble as was the emperor's
voice, from the moment he opened his mouth not one of*
his words was lost by his audience.
As the emperor advanced in his discourse, and looking'
back into the past recalled his labors, the dangers he had
encountered, his deeds, and his designs, his tones grew
louder, his gestures increased, his eye became singularly
bright, and his voice took on those solemn intonations in
which the last words of the dying are spoken.
"Dear friends," he said, 1 "you have just heard my
reasons for deciding to resign my sceptre and crown into
the hands of my son. Let me add a few words which
will render still more clear to you my resolution and my
intention. Dear friends, many of those who listen to me
to-day must remember that it was exactly forty years
ago on the 5th of January last, that my grandfather,
Maximilian of glorious memory, released me from his
guardianship, and in this very hall, here, at this very
hour, when I was scarcely fifteen years old, made me
master of all my rights. The following year, King Ferdi-
1 "We have made no change in the emperor's discourse, which we
borrow from a publication issued in 1830, in Brussels, by the hon-
orable and learned assistant curator of the archives of the kingdom,
Monsieur L. P. Gachard.
CHARLES V. KEEPS HIS PROMISE. 177
nand the Catholic, my maternal grandfather, having
died, I was crowned, being at that time only sixteen
years of age.
" My mother was living ; but although living and still
young,, her mind had been so deranged by the death of
her husband that she was in no condition to assume the
government of the kingdoms of her father and mother ;
therefore it was necessary for me, at seventeen years of
nge, to begin my travels by a voyage across the sea, to
take possession of the Kingdom of Spain. Finally, when
my grandfather the Emperor Maximilian died, thirty-six
years ago, I was then nineteen, I ventured to ask
(pr the crown lie had worn, not because I wished to rule
over a greater number of countries, but that I might
watch more effectually over the welfare of Germany, my
other kingdoms, and especially my beloved Flanders. It
is with the same purpose that I have undertaken and ac-
complished so many journeys ; count them, and you will
be astonished at their number and extent.
" I have been nine times in upper Germany, six times
in Spain, seven times in Italy, ten times in Belgium,
and twice in Africa, making in all forty voyages and
expeditions, without including the excursions of less
importance, to the islands or subject provinces. In per-
forming these journeys I have crossed eight times the
Mediterranean Sea, three times that lying toward the
west, which to-day I am preparing to cross for the last
time.
" I pass over in silence rny journey through France,
which I made on my way from Spain to the Netherlands,
a journey to which, as you know, I was forced by
serious considerations.
u I have been obliged, on account of numerous and
frequent absences, to intrust the government of these
VOL. i. 12
178 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
provinces to my good sister, the queen here present.
Now, I know, and the several orders of the State know
as well as I, how she has discharged her duties.
" Besides making these expeditions I have carried on
many wars. All have been undertaken or accepted against
my will ; and to-day, now that I am going away from you,
dear friends, my greatest sorrow arises from my inability
to leave you a more stable peace, a more assured quiet.
"All these things have not been accomplished, as you
may well imagine, without hard labor, without grievous
fatigue; and my paleness of face and the feebleness of my
body bear witness to the gravity of this fatigue and the
severity of those labors. Do not think me so ignorant
of myself that in measuring the power granted me by
God against the burden laid upon me by circumstances,
I failed to perceive my insufficiency for the task. But
it seemed to me that, on account of my mother's insanity
and my brother's youth, it would have been a crime to
set down so soon the burden, heavy as it was, which
Providence, in giving me the crown and sceptre, had in-
trusted to my brains and arms.
" Yet, the last time I left Flanders to go to Germany,
I had already intended to carry out the project I accom-
plish to-day ; but seeing the wretched condition of
affairs, feeling that there was yet some strength left me,
and compelled by the commotion which was agitating the
Christian republic, attacked at once by the Turks and
by the Lutherans, I believed it to be my duty to put
off my period of rest, and to sacrifice to my people what
remained to me of strength and life. I was in a fair
way to accomplish my purpose, when the German princes
and the King of France, violating their pledges, involved
me in dissensions and battles. The former attacked me
in person, and came near taking me prisoner at Inn-
CHARLES V. KEEPS HIS PROMISE. 179
spruck ; the latter seized upon the city of Met/, which
was a possession of the Empire. Then I hastened to
besiege it myself with a numerous army. I was van-
quished, and my army was destroyed, but by the ele-
ments, not by men. To counterbalance the loss of Metz,
I took from the French Therouanne and Hesdin. I did
more : I went to meet the King of France before Valenci-
ennes, and I forced him to retire, doing what I could at
the battle of Renty, and deeply regretting my inability to
do more.
" But now, besides my incompetency, which I have
always acknowledged, I am weighed down by this disease,
which is constantly increasing in severity. Fortunately,
just when God takes from me my mother, he gives me in
return a son who is old enough to govern. Now that my
powers are failing, and I am drawing near to death, I
have no temptation to place love and the passion for
ruling before the well-being and tranquillity of my sub-
jects. Instead of an infirm old man who has already
seen the best part of himself decay, I give you a prince
who is vigorous, and is to be recommended for his youth
and sturdy virtue. Promise to him therefore that affec-
tion and that fidelity which you promised to me and
which you have so loyally given. Especially take care
lest the heresies which surround you on all sides steal
into your midst, destroying the brotherly love which
should unite you ; and if you see that they are pushing
out roots, hasten to extirpate them, pull them from the
ground, and cast them away.
" And now as a last word about myself, to what I
have already said I will add that I have fallen into
many errors, either through ignorance in my youth,
through pride in my mature age, or through some other
weakness inherent in human nature. At the same time
180 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
I here declare that never have I done, knowingly or vol-
untarily, injury or violence to any one ; and when I have
learned that violence or injury has been done, I have always
made repai'ation, as, before you all, I shall presently
do in regard to one of the persons here present, and
whom I beg to await the reparation with patience and
forbearance."
Then turning to Don Philip, who, as the emperor fin-
ished his discourse, threw himself at his feet, " My son,"
he said, " if by my death you had come into possession
of so many kingdoms and provinces, I should doubtless
even then have deserved at your hands some considera-
tion for leaving you so magnificent a heritage, whose
wealth I have done so much to increase. But since you
succeed to this splendid inheritance, not naturally by my
death, but by my own will ; since your father has pre-
ferred to die to the world before his body descends into
the tomb, that you may enjoy while he is still living the
advantages of this inheritance, I ask you, and I have a
right to ask you, to repay in the care and love of your
subjects what seems due rne for having given you in ad-
vance the pleasures of sovereignty.
" Other kings have taken pleasure in giving life to
their children and bequeathing to them their kingdoms ;
but I have wished to take from death the glory of mak-
ing you this gift, taking a twofold satisfaction in the
fact that I am both the author of your existence and the
source of your power. There will be few to imitate my
example, as I have found in the past centuries few exam-
ples worthy of imitation ; but at least my plan will meet
with approval if by your administration you justify this
first experiment ; and you will accomplish this, my son,
if you preserve that quickness of discernment which you
have hitherto exhibited, if you pass your life in the fear
CHARLES V. KEEPS HIS PROMISE. 181
of the Ruler of the universe, if you undertake the de-
fence of the Catholic religion and the protection of jus-
tice and the laws, which constitute the great moral force
and the best support of empires. Finally, my last prayer
in your behalf shall be that you may be so fortunate in
your children as to be able to transfer to them, freely
and without fear, your empire and your sovereignty, and
without being constrained to it as I am."
After saying these words whether his discourse was
really finished or was interrupted by emotion Charles V.
lost his voice; and laying his hand upon the head of his
son kneeling before him, he stood motionless and speech-
less, the tears flowing freely and silently down over his
cheeks.
Then, after a minute of this silence, which was more
eloquent than the discourse he had just delivered, as
his strength seemed about to give way, he reached out
his hand to his sister, while Don Philip, rising from his
kneeling posture, put his arm about his waist to support
him. Queen Mary drew from her pocket a small crystal
bottle containing a red liquor, and turned the contents
into a little gold cup, which she presented to him.
While the emperor was drinking, every one in the
assembly gave way to emotion. There were among
them, whether personal friends of the emperor or mere
subjects, few hearts that were not touched, few eyes
that were not dimmed with tears.
It was indeed a grand spectacle which was presented
to the world by this sovereign, this warrior, this Caesar,
who, after a forty years' reign such as Providence has
permitted to few men, voluntarily descended from the
throne, and weary in body, weighed down in spirit, pro-
claimed aloud the vanity of human greatness before the
successor to whom he resigned it.
182 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
But a still more extraordinary spectacle was to follow,
which had been promised by the emperor. It was that
of a man publicly acknowledging the commission of a
wrong, and asking pardon of him whom he had injured.
The emperor knew that all were awaiting what he had
promised, and collecting his forces, he gently pushed his
son aside. As soon as it was seen that he was about to
speak again, all were silent.
" Dear friends," said the emperor, " I just now prom-
ised public reparation to a man whom I have offended.
I therefore call you to witness that, after boasting of my
good actions, I make confession of my evil deeds."
Then turning toward the unknown in the magnificent
dress, whom everybody had already remarked, " Odoardo
Maraviglia," he said in a firm voice, " come forward ! "
The young man to whom this formal request was ad-
dressed turned pale, and trembling all over, drew near to
Charles V.
" Count," said the emperor, " whether willingly or un-
willingly, I have done you grievous wrong in the person
of your father, who suffered a cruel death in the prison
of Milan. That deed has often presented itself to my
memory veiled in doubt; to-day it appears to me a
spectre shrouded in remorse. Count Maraviglia, before
all present, iri the sight of God and man, at the moment
of throwing aside the imperial cloak which for thirty-six
years has hung upon my shoulders, I humiliate myself
before you, and entreat you not only to pardon me, but
to intercede for me with God, who will perhaps grant
more to the entreaties of the victim than to the suppli-
cations of the murderer."
Odoardo Maraviglia fell on his knees with a cry.
" Most noble Emperor ! " he said, " not without reason
has the world called you august. Oh, yes, yes, I pardon
CHARLES V. KEEPS HIS PROMISE. 183
you in my own name and that of my father ! Oh, yes,
God will pardon you ! But I, august Emperor, of whom
can I ask a pardon which I no longer grant myself? "
Then rising, " Gentlemen," said Maraviglia, turning
toward the assembly, "you see in me a man who in-
tended to assassinate the emperor, and whom the empe-
ror has not only pardoned, but entreated for forgiveness.
King Don Philip," he added, bowing low before him who
henceforth would be called Philip II., " the murderer
places himself in your hands."
" My son," said Charles V., whose strength was failing
for the second time, " 1 recommend this man to you ; let
his life be sacred to you ! " And he fell back almost
fainting upon his chair.
" Ah, my dear Emmanuel," said the Duke of Savoy's
page, taking advantage of the commotion occasioned by
the accident which had happened to the emperor to steal
up to his master's side, " how good you are ! how great
you are ! I see your influence in what has just occurred."
And before Emmanuel Philibert could prevent it, Leone-
Leona, his heart swelling with emotion, and his eyes full
of tears, had kissed Emmanuel's hand with almost as
much respect as love.
The ceremony, one moment interrupted by the unex-
pected event we have just related, and which was not
the least affecting scene of that solemn day, must resume
its course, for it was necessary, in order to consummate
the abdication, that after Charles V. had resigned,
Philip II. should accept.
Philip, who had made a sign of acquiescence in the
recommendation of his father, bowed again very humbly
before him, and in Spanish a language which many of
those present did not speak, but which most of them
understood he said, in a tone in which for the first
184 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
time, perhaps, there crept a shadow of emotion, " I have
never merited, most invincible Emperor, my honored
father, nor could I expect ever to merit, a paternal love
so exalted, such as most assuredly never before has ex-
isted in this world, or at least never has expressed itself
in so noble a mauner. This generosity at once over-
whelms me with humiliation when I consider my un-
worthiness, and fills me with gratitude and respect when
I think of your greatness. But since you have been
pleased to treat me so tenderly and generously in the
exercise of your august beneficence, I beg you to extend
your kindness, my very dear father, to putting faith in
my determination to do all in my power to convince your
people of the wisdom of the measures you have taken in
my behalf, by exerting myself to govern in such a man-
ner that the States shall be assured of the affection I
have always entertained for them."
After saying these words, he kissed several times his
father's hand, while the latter, pressing him to his breast,
said : " My dear son, may God send you his most precious
blessings and his divine assistance ! "
Then Don Philip once more pressed his father's hand
to his lips, arose, turned toward the deputies from the
States, saluted them, and with hat in hand, like those
who listened to him, with the exception of the emperor,
who alone kept his hat on and remained seated, he
spoke in French the following words, which we give
exactly, in order not to detract from their peculiar
characteristics :
" Gentlemen, I regret that I cannot address you in
your native language, and assure you of the affection and
good-will I bear you ; but as I am not sufficiently famil-
iar with the French language, I will ask the Bishop of
Arras to speak for me."
CHARLES V. KEEPS HIS PROMISE. 185
Immediately Antoiue Perrenot de Grauvelle, who was
afterward cardinal, acting as the prince's interpreter,
began by praising Don Philip's zeal for the good of his
subjects, and declared his determination to conform ex-
actly to the good and wise instructions just given him by
the emperor.
Then Queen Mary, the emperor's sister, ruler during
the last twenty-six years of the provinces of the Nether-
lands, arose in her turn, and in a few words resigned into
the hands of her nephew the regency with which she had
been intrusted by her brother.
After which, King Philip took an oath to maintain the
rights and privileges of his subjects ; and all the mem-
bers of the assembly, princes. Spanish nobles, knights of
the Golden Fleece, deputies from the provinces, either in
their own name, or in the name of those whom they rep-
resented, swore obedience to him.
When this reciprocal oath had been taken, Charles V.
arose, yielded his chair to Don Philip, put the crown upon
his head, and said in a loud voice : " God grant that this
crown be not a crown of thorns for his elect ! " Then
he took a step in the direction of the door.
In an instant Don Philip, the Prince of Orange, Em-
manuel Philibert, and all the princes and noblemen pres-
ent sprang to the emperor's assistance ; but he made a
sign to Maraviglia, who came up in a hesitating manner,
for he could not understand what the emperor wanted
of him.
The emperor would accept no other aid as he withdrew
than that of this same Maraviglia of whose father's death
he had been the cause, and who in expiation of this
bloody deed had attempted to assassinate him.
But as the other arm of the emperor fell inert by his
side, "Sire," said Emmanuel Philibert, "allow my page
186 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
Leone also to support your Majesty, and the honor con-
ferred on him I shall consider as bestowed upon my-
self." And he pushed Leone toward the emperor.
Charles V. looked at the page and recognized him.
" Ah, ah," he said, raising his arm so that the page might
offer him his shoulder, " it is the young man who refused
the diamond. You wish then to be reconciled with me,
my pretty page ? "
Then looking at his hand, upon the little finger of
which only, on account of the pain he suffered, he wore a
gold ring, "You have not gained by waiting, my pretty
page," he said ; " in the place of a diamond you will have
only this simple ring. It bears my initials, to be sure j
which I hope will be to you some compensation." And
drawing the ring from his little finger, he put it upon
Leone's thumb, all the fingers of that delicate hand being
too small to retain the ring.
Then he left the hall, observed by every eye, amid
the acclamations of the assembly. Those eyes would
have observed moi'e curiously, those acclamations would
have been more enthusiastic, if the lookers-on could have
known that this emperor descending from the throne,
this Christian withdrawing into retirement, this sinner
who had humiliated himself to be pardoned, was with-
drawing toward his last resting-place supported not only
by the son but also by the daughter of that unfortu-
nate Francesco Maraviglia whom he had caused to be
murdered twenty years before in a dungeon of the for-
tress of Milan. It was an illustration of the penitent
sustained by prayer, that is to say, according to the
words of Jesus Christ, a spectacle most pleasing in the
sight of God.
On arriving at the gate of the solitary street where
the mule which had brought him to the palace awaited
CHARLES V. KEEPS HIS PROMISE. 187
him, Charles V. permitted neither of the young persons
to go a step farther, and sent Odoardo back to his new
sovereign Don Philip, and Leone to his old master Em-
manuel Philibert.
Then, without other guard, without other suite, with-
out other cortege than the groom who held the bridle of
his gentle mount, he took his way to the little house in
the park ; and no one who saw this humble pilgrim rid-
ing thus in the darkness guessed that it was he whose
abdication was at this hour occupying the attention of
Brussels, and would soou attract the attention of the
whole world.
Charles V., on arriving at the little house in the park,
which occupied then the place where stands now the pal-
ace of the chamber of representatives, found the gate un-
fastened. The groom, therefore, had only to press against
it to admit the mule and his rider.
By his master's orders the groom led the mule to the
door of the house, in order to shorten the distance which
his master would be obliged to walk to reach the salon,
and then took Charles V. in his arms and set him down
on the threshold.
This door was open also. Charles V. paid no heed to
this circumstance, absorbed as he was in reflections which
it is easier for our readers to imagine than it would be for
us to describe. Leaning on his cane, which he found
in the same place where he had left it two hours before,
that is to say, behind the door, and on the other side
supported by the arm of his servant, he reached the salon
hung with warm curtains, furnished with thick carpets,
and in the chimney of which burned a bright fire.
The salon was lighted only by the light of the flames,
which wound themselves greedily around the brands
while consuming them ; but this half-light was more in
188 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
harmony with the thoughtful mood of the most august
emperor than a brighter light would have been.
He lay down on a couch, and sending the groom to
his stable, he ran over in his mind all the phases of that
life so filled by the events of a half-century, and what
a half-century ! He recalled the times of Henry VIII.,
Maximilian, Clement VII., Fran9ois I., Soliman, and
Luther ! He constrained his memory to go back over
the road by which he had journeyed, retracing the course
of its years, like a traveller who at the end of his life re-
ascends the river with flowery and fragrant banks which
he had descended in his youth.
The journey was grand, imposing, and magnificent.
Its course lay through admiring tributes of courtiers,
acclamations of multitudes, and homage of peoples
gathered to witness that wonderful career.
All at once in the midst of this revery which was less
that of a man than of a god, one of the burning brands
broke, one piece falling into the ashes, while the other
rolled upon the carpet, causing immediately a thick smoke
to rise. This incident, trivial as it was, and perhaps
because of its very triviality, recalled Charles V. to
reality.
" Here," said he, calling ; " who is in waiting here 1
Somebody here ! "
No one answered.
" Is there no one in the antechambers ] " cried the
ex-emperor, impatiently, and striking the floor with his
cane.
This second call received no more response than the
first.
" Come, somebody, and attend to this fire, and make
haste ! " cried Charles V., more impatiently than before.
Still no answer.
CHARLES V. KEEPS HIS PROMISE. 189
"Oh," be murmured, dragging himself from one piece
of furniture to another until he reached the fireplace,
" already alone, deserted ! If Providence wishes to in-
spire me with repentance for what I have done, the
lesson has come quickly ! "
And then he himself with his aching hands took up
the tongs and with painful efforts mended the fire which
there was no one there to arrange for him. All, from
the princes to the valets, had gone to salute the new
king, Don Philip.
The emperor was thrusting back with his foot from the
carpet the last smoking embers, when a step was heard
in the antechamber, and the form of a man appeared
in the open door, barely visible in the dim light.
" At last ! " murmured the emperor.
" Sire," said the new-comer, seeing that Charles V.
had mistaken him for somebody else, " your Majesty will
excuse me for presenting myself thus ; but finding all the
doors open, and seeing no one in the antechamber to
announce me, I ventured to announce myself."
" Announce yourself then, Monsieur," replied Charles
V., who, as may be seen, readily adapted himself to the
role of private gentleman. " Well, who are you 1 "
" Sire," replied the unknown, most respectfully, and
bowing almost to the ground, " I am Gaspard de Cha-
tillon, Sire de Coligny, Admiral of France, and Envoy
Extraordinary of his Majesty King Henri II."
"Monsieur Envoy Extraordinary of his Majesty King
Henri II." said Charles V., with a bitter smile, "you
have mistaken the door. It is no longer with me that
you should treat, but with King Philip II., my successor
to the throne of Naples nine months since, and to the
throne of Spain and the Indies twenty minutes ago."
"Sire," said Coligny, in the same respectful tone, bow-
190 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
ing for the second time, " whatever change may have
taken place in the fortunes of King Philip II. nine
months ago or twenty minutes ago, you are to me still
the sovereign elect of Germany, the most mighty,
most holy, and most august Emperor Charles V. ; and
as it is to your Majesty that my king's letter is ad-
dressed, your Majesty will permit me to deliver it to
you."
" lu that case, Monsieur PAmiral," said Charles V.,
" help me to light these candles, for it seems that my
son Philip's accession to the throne has deprived me of
even my last lackey." And the emperor, with the as-
sistance of the admiral, set about lighting the candles
already placed in candelabra, that he might see to read
the letter addressed to him by King Henri II.; and prob-
ably, also, he was anxious to see the man who for three
years had been so formidable an adversary to him.
Gaspard de Chatillon, Sire de Coligny, was at this
time a man from thirty-eight to thirty-nine years of age,
with piercing eyes, of martial bearing, tall, and well
built, Loyal and bold in character, he had been as
great a favorite with Franqois I. as he was with Henri
II., and was destined to be with King FranQois II.
For the treacherous assassination of a man such as he,
however extended might be the massacre of August
24, 1572, was needed a combination of the inherited
hatred of Henri Due de Guise, the hypocrisy of Cathe-
rine de' Medici, and the weakness of Charles IX.
This hatred, which at the time of the illustrious ad-
miral's first appearance on this stage, was just beginning
to separate him from his old friend Franqois de Guise,
had taken rise on the battlefield of Renty. In their
youth these two great captains, whose combined genius
might have had such marvellous results, had been very
CHARLES V. KEEPS HIS PROMISE. 101
intimate ; they enjoyed together all sports, all work, and
all exercises. In their studies of antiquity they selected
for models not only the men who were noble examples of
courage, but also those who illustrated the sentiment of
fraternity.
The mutual affection of these two young persons car-
ried them to the extreme of wearing the same ornaments
and the same kind of dress. If King Henri II. wished to
send a messenger to the Emperor Charles V., and this
messenger was other than Constable de Montmorency,
it would be either the Admiral de Coligny or the Due
de Guise.
The emperor looked at the admiral with a degree of
admiration. It would be impossible to find a man so
all contemporaneous historians declare who would
better represent iu his appearance the character of a
great captain.
Still, Charles V. instantly understood that Coligny
had been sent to Brussels, not exactly to bring him the
letter he held in his hand, but rather to report to the
court of France what had taken place in the palace
at Brussels on this very day, Oct. 25, 1555. And there-
fore the first question the emperor asked of Coligny,
when a few moments' observation of Henri II.'s messen-
ger had satisfied his curiosity, was this: "When did you
arrive, Monsieur 1'Amiral I"
" This morning, Sire," replied Coligny.
" And you have brought me "
"This letter from his Majesty King Henri II." And
he presented the letter to the emperor.
The emperor took it, but after several useless efforts
found himself unable to break the seal, to such an extent
had the gout stiffened his fingers.
Then the admiral offered to assist him. Charles V.
192 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
handed him the letter, smiling. " Indeed, Monsieur
1'Amiral," he said, "am I not a fine cavalier to joust
and break a lance, when I cannot even break a seal 1 "
The admiral was about to return the opened letter to
Charles V., but the emperor said : " No, no ; read it,
Monsieur 1'Amiral, my sight is as weak as my hand.
I think you will admit that I have done well to resign
my power and authority into the hands of a man younger
and more adroit." The emperor emphasized this last
word.
The admiral did not answer, but began to read the
letter ; while he was thus engaged Charles V., who pre-
tended not to look at him, was hi fact observing him
with a searching gaze.
The letter contained simply the information that the
King of France sent to the emperor the final form of the
agreement for a truce, the preparatory draft having
been made five or six months previously. When this
letter was read, Coligny drew from his vest the docu-
ment signed by the plenipotentiaries and stamped with
the royal seal of France. The counterpart of this paper,
signed by Spanish, German, and English plenipotentia-
ries, and stamped with the seal of the Empire, had been
previously sent by Charles V. to Henri II.
The emperor cast a glance over these political con-
tracts, and as if he divined that a year would not pass
before they would be broken, he laid them down upon
a large table covered with a black cloth, and with the
help of the admiral's arm moved toward his chair.
" Monsieur 1'Amiral," said he, " is it not a miracle of
Providence which permits me to-day, powerless and re-
tired from the world, to lean for support on the arm
which in the very height of my sovereignty came near
overthrowing me 1 "
CHARLES V. KEEPS HIS PROMISE. 193
" Oh, Sire," replied the admiral, " there was only
one man who could overthrow Charles V., that was
Charles V. himself; and if it was the lot of pygmies like
myself to struggle with a giant, it was because God
wished to prove beyond question our weakness and your
power."
Charles V. smiled. Evidently the compliment did not
displease him, coming as it did from a man like the ad-
miral. Resuming his seat, and motioning to Coligny to
be seated also, "Enough of this, Admiral!" he said.
" I am no longer emperor ; I am no longer either king
or prince ; I am done with flattery. Let us change the
conversation. How is my brother Henri ] "
" He is wonderfully well, Sire," replied the admiral,
accepting the invitation to sit down, which the emperor
repeated.
" Ah, how glad I am of that ! " said Charles V. " And
I have reason to be glad, for I have the great honor to
be allied on my mother's side to the king who wears the
most celebrated crown in the world. But," he continued,
affecting to bring back the conversation to the ordinary
events of life, " I have heard that my dear brother is
getting gray ; and yet it seems but yesterday that he
was in Spain, a mere beardless boy. But that was
twenty years ago ! " And Chai'les V. sighed, as if these
words which had escaped his lips had reopened to his
view the vast horizon of the past.
" The fact is, Sire," said Coligny, in answer to the
emperor's remark, " that his Majesty King Henri does
begin to show gray hairs, but only two or three at
most ; but many a man younger than he has gray
hairs."
" Oh, what you say is very true, my dear Admiral ! "
exclaimed the emperor. "Allow me, who question you
VOL. i. 13
194 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
about my brother Henri's white hairs, to tell you the
story of mine. I was about as old as he is now,
scarcely thirty-six or thirty-seven years, and on my
return voyage from Goulette I had arrived at Naples.
You know the fastidiousness of that admirable city of
Naples, Monsieur 1'Amiral, the beauty and grace of the
ladies who live there 1 "
Coliguy bowed, smiling.
" I am a man," continued Charles V. ; "I wished to
please as well as others. So the day after my arrival I
sent for my barber to curl and perfume my hair. This
man placed before me a mirror, that I might watch the
operation. It was a long time since I had looked at my-
self. That was a fierce war which I waged against the
Turks, the allies of my brother Francois I. Suddenly I
cried out, 'Eh, barber, my friend, what is that 1 ?' 'Sire,'
replied the barber, ' it is two or three white hairs.' Now
I must tell you that the flatterer lied ; there were not two
or three, as he pretended, but, on the contrary, a dozen.
' Quick, quick, master barber,' I said, ' take out these
hairs ! Do not leave one of them ! ' He pulled them
out ; but what do you think happened 1 Some time
after, looking at myself again in the mirror, I perceived
that for every silver thread which had been taken out, ten
more had come in its place, so that if I had taken out
the latter in their turn, in less than a year I should have
been as white as a swan. Therefore, tell my brother
Henri, Monsieur 1'Amiral, to guard carefully his three
white hairs, and not to allow them to be taken out, even
by the fair hands of Madame de Valentinois."
" I will not fail, Sire," replied Coligny, laughing.
" And speaking of Madame de Valentinois," continued
Charles V., showing by this transition that he was no
stranger to the scandal of the court of Heuri II., " what
CHARLES V. KEEPS HIS PROMISE. 195
tidings, Monsieur 1'Amiral, of your dear uncle, the grand
constable ? "
"Oh, excellent," replied the admiral, "although hia
hair is all white."
" Yes," said Charles V., " his hair is white ; but he is
of the nature of leeks, which also have a white head,
while the rest of the body is green. And this is neces-
sary to him, dancing attendance as he does upon the fine
ladies of the court. Ah, let me see, for I do not wish
to let you go, my dear Admiral, without asking you
about everybody, how is the daughter of our old
friend Francois I. ? " And Charles V. smiled as he laid
a peculiar emphasis on these three words, " our old
friend."
"Does your Majesty refer to Madame Marguerite of
France ? "
" Is she still called the fourth Grace, the tenth Muse 1 "
" Yes, Sire ; and every day she grows more worthy this
twofold title on account of the patronage she bestows
upon our great men of letters, such as Messieurs de 1' Hos-
pital, Ronsard, and Dorat."
" Eh ! " said Charles V., " it would seem as if our brother
Henri II., jealous of his neighbor kings, wished to keep
for himself this beautiful pearl ; I hear nothing said yet
of a marriage for Madame Marguerite, and yet she must
be " (Charles V. pretended to be searching his memory)
" nearly thirty-two years of age."
" Yes, Sire ; but she appears to be scarcely twenty.
She grows more beautiful and blooming every day."
" It is the privilege of roses to put forth new leaves and
buds every spring-time," replied Charles V. " But apro-
pos of roses and buds, tell me, my dear Admiral, what is
the plan of the court of France with regard to our young
Queen of Scots 1 Can I not help you to arrange her
196 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
affairs through my influence with my daughter-in-law the
Queen of England ? "
" Oh, Sire, there is no hurry," replied the admiral ;
" and your Majesty, who knows so well the age of our
princesses, must remember that Queen Mary Stuart is
hardly thirteen years old ; besides, she is, I do not
think I am revealing a state secret in confiding this fact
to your Majesty, she is intended for the Dauphin
Frangois II., and the marriage cannot and will not take
place for a year or two."
""\Vait, wait, my dear Admiral, let me think," said
Charles V. ; " it seems to me that I had in mind a piece
of good advice to send my brother Henri II., some sort
of speculation, I think, of cabalistic science Ah, I
have it. But first, can you tell me, my dear Admiral,
what has become of a young nobleman called Gabriel de
Lorges, Comte de Montgomery ] "
" Yes, certainly ; he is at court, in great favor with the
king, and occupies the position of Captain of the Scotch
Guards."
" In great favor, is he 1 " said Charles V., thoughtfully.
" Have you anything to say against this young noble-
man, Sire 1 " asked the admiral, respectfully.
" No, but listen to a story."
" I am listening, Sire."
" When I was crossing France, by permission of my
brother Frangois I., on my way to suppress the revolt of
my dear countrymen and subjects of Ghent, the. King of
France as perhaps you know, although you were a
mere boy at that time paid me every honor; for exam-
ple, he sent to meet me, at Fontainebleau, the dauphin
accompanied by a multitude of young nobles and pages.
I must say, my dear Admiral, that dire necessity forced
me to pass through the kingdom of France, and I should
CHARLES V. KEEPS HIS PROMISE. 197
have preferred to take some other way. I had every
reason for distrusting the loyalty of King Francois L, uud
I admit that I had some fear (groundless, as events
proved) that my brother of France might profit by this
opportunity to take his revenge for the treaty of Madrid.
I had with me, as if human science could avail against
divine resolution, a very clever man, a renowned astrolo-
gist, who could judge, by a glance at a man's face, whether
he meditated any attempt on the life or liberty of those
who trusted him."
The admiral smiled. " It was a wise precaution," he
said, " worthy so wise an emperor as you ; but your
Majesty has seen that sometimes wise precaution is use-
less precaution."
" Wait ; you will see. We were on the road from
Orleans to Fontainebleau, when suddenly we saw coming
toward us a grand cortege. It was, as I have said, Mon-
sieur le Dauphin of France, accompanied by a multitude
of nobles and pages. At first, seeing in the distance only
the cloud of dust raised by the horses' feet, we thought
that it was a troop of soldiers coming to arrest us ; but
we soon saw, through the gray cloud of dust, the sheen
of satin and velvet and the glitter of gold. This was
evidently an escort of honor, and not a hostile troop.
Therefore we continued on our way, full of confidence in
the pledged woi'd of King Franc/iis I. Soon the two
cavalcades met ; and Monsieur le Dauphin, advancing to-
ward me, saluted me in the name of his father. The
compliment was so gracious, and went so far not to
tranquillize my fears ; God, to whom I am about to con-
secrate my life, is my witness that I never had a second
suspicion of my good brother ! the compliment, I say,
was so gracious that I wished to embrace on the spot the
young prince who had made it. Now, while I was giving
198 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
him an embrace so affectionate that it lasted, I think, a
good minute, the two companies had mingled together, and
the young noblemen and the pages belonging to the suite
of Monsieur le Dauphin, curious, doubtless, to see me on
account of the noise I had made in the world, had com-
pletely surrounded me, coming as close to me as possible.
Then I perceived that my astrologer, Angelo Policastro,
an Italian from Milan, had pushed forward his horse in
such a manner that he completely flanked my left. It
seemed to me audacious in this man to mingle thus with
the high nobility. ' Oh, Signer Angelo,' I said, ' what
are you doing here ? ' ' Sire,' he replied, ' I am in my
place.' ' No matter ! fall back a little, Signer Angelo.'
' I cannot and ought not, my august master,' he
answered.
" Then I suspected that there was something wrong
with regard to my journey, and fearing that he might
obey my first command, ' Stay where you are, then,
Signer Aiigelo,' I said, 'since you have taken this posi-
tion with some good intention. Only, on our arrival at
the chateau, you will tell me your reason, will you not? '
' Oh, Sire, I will not fail to do so, since it is my duty; but
turn your head to the left, a:id observe that young man
with the blond complexion and long hair who is riding
near me.'
" I looked askance at the young man ; it was impossi-
ble not to distinguish him, because of his foreign air, un-
mistakably English, and he was the only one who wore
his hair long. ' Well, I see him,' I answered. ' That is
enough, for the present, at least,' said the astrologer ;
' later, I will speak of him to your Majesty.'
" As soon as we entered the chateau I withdrew to my
apartment under pretext of making my toilet; Signor
Angelo followed me. ' Well,' I demanded, ' what have
CHARLES V. KEEPS HIS PROMISE. 199
you to say about this young man 1 ' ' Did you notice,
Sire, the line which, although young, he has between the
eyebrows 1 ' ' Xo, by my faith ! ' I said, ' I did not ob-
serve him so carefully as that.' ' Well, we astrologers
call that line the "line of death." Sire, this young man
will kill a king ! ' 'A king or an emperor 1' I asked. ' I
cannot tell you, but it will be a head that wears a
crown.' 'Ah, and you have no means of ascertaining
whether or not that head is mine 1 ?' 'Yes, Sire; but in
order to do that, I require a lock of his hair.' 'Very
good ! a lock of his hair; but how are you to procure
it?' 'I don't know, but I must have it.'
" I was trying to solve this problem when the gardener's
daughter came in, bearing a basket of beautiful flowers,
which she set about arranging in vases standing on the
mantle, and on little tables about the room. When she
had finished I took her hand and drew her toward me ;
then taking from my pocket two bright gold pieces, I
gave them to her. She thanked me, and I, kissing her
brow, said, ' My pretty girl, do you wish to earn ten
more 1 ' She lowered her eyes and blushed. ' Oh, no,'
I said, ' not that, I don't mean that.' ' What do you
mean then, Sire Emperor 1 ' she asked. ' Look ! ' I said,
taking her to the window and showing her the young
man with the fair hair tilting in the courtyard; 'you
see that young nobleman 1' 'Yes, I see him.' 'What
do you think of him 1 ?' 'I think he is very hand-
some and very richly dressed.' 'Well, bring me a
lock of his hair to-morrow morning, and instead of two
gold pieces, you shall have twenty ! ' ' But how can I get
a lock of this young man's hair "? ' she asked, looking at
me innocently. 'Oh, that is no business of mine, my
pretty girl ; you must find a way. All that I can do
is to give you a Bible.' ' A Bible ? ' ' Yes, so that
200 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
you may see what way Delilah invented to cut Samson's
locks.'
"The girl blushed again, but seemed satisfied with
the instructions, for she went out pensive and smiling
at the same time ; and on the next day she came hack
with a curl of hair as yellow as gold. Ah, the most
innocent girl is more than our match in intrigue and
tact, Admiral."
" And does your Majesty not finish the story 1 "
"Oh, yes. I gave the curl of blond hair to Signer
Angelo, who made upon it his cabalistic experiments, and
who told me that the horoscope did not threaten me, but
a king who bore the fleur-de-lis on his coat-of-arms.
Well, my dear Admiral, this young man with the line of
death between the eyebrows is the Seigneur de Lorges,
Comte de Montgomery, captain of my brother Henri's
Scotch Guard."
" What ! Your Majesty suspects "
" I," said Charles V., rising, to indicate that his audi-
ence was finished, "I suspect nothing, Heaven forbid ! I
only repeat to you, word for word, as possibly useful to
my brother Henri II., the horoscope of Signor Angelo
Policastro ; and I warn his most Christian Majesty to
notice particularly this line between the two eyebrows of
his captain of the Scotch Guards, which Signor Augelo
Policastro called the line of death, remembering that it
especially threatened a prince whose coat-of-arms bore the
fleur-de-lis."
"Sire," said Coligny, "your message shall be delivered
to the King of France."
" And let this serve as a reminder, my dear Admiral,"
said Charles V., putting about the ambassador's neck the
magnificent chain he had worn upon his own, from which
hung that star of diamonds called the Star of the West,
CHARLES V. KEEPS HIS PROMISE. 201
in allusion to the western possessions of the kings of
Spain.
Coligny would have received the present kneeling ; but
Charles V. did not allow him to show this mark of re-
spect, and holding him in his arms, he kissed him upon
both cheeks.
At the door the admiral met Emmanuel Philibert, who
even before the ceremony was over had come to lay his
homage at the feet of this emperor, so much greater in
his eyes for having abdicated all greatness.
The two captains saluted each other with courtesy.
Each had seen the other on the field of battle, and each
estimated the other at his real value, that is to say,
in a high degree.
" Has your Majesty any further message for the king,
my master?"
" No, none," he looked at Emmanuel Philibert and
smiled, "except, my dear Admiral, that if the care for
our salvation left us a moment's leisure, we should turn
our attention to finding a husband for Madame Mar-
guerite of France." And leaning upon Emmanuel's arm,
" Come, my dear Emmanuel," he said, moving toward
the salon ; " it seems an age since I have seen you 1 "
202 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
CHAPTER XV.
AFTER THE ABDICATION.
FOR those of our readers who like to see the completion
of everything and the philosophy of each event, we con-
clude to write the present chapter, which perhaps im-
pedes somewhat the progress of our action, but which
permits the attention, fastened for a time on the Eni-
peror Charles V., to follow this grand career obscured
now in the new mode of life he had adopted from the
day of his abdication to that of his death ; that is to say,
from Oct. 25, 1555, to Sept. 21, 1558.
When the conqueror of Frai^ois I. shall be laid in the
tomb, to which his rival preceded him niue years ago,
we will return to life, combats, fetes, hatreds, and loves,
in short, to all that vast commotion which reaches
even the dead who await in their graves the eternal
resurrection.
The various political matters which Charles V. had
to attend to in the Netherlands, the abdication of the
Empire in favor of Ferdinand, his brother, an abdica-
tion which would follow that of the hereditary States in
favor of Don Philip, his son, detained for another year
the ex-emperor at Brussels ; so that it was not until Sep-
tember, 1556, that he could leave that city. He then
set out for Ghent, escorted by all the ambassadors, nobles,
magistrates, captains, and officers of Belgium.
King Don Philip zealously conducted his father to
the place of embarkation, that is to say, to Flushing,
AFTER THE ABDICATION. 203
whither the ex-emperor was carried on a litter, accom-
panied by the two queens his sisters, with their women,
King Don Philip with his court, and Emmanuel Phili-
bert with his two inseparable companions, Leone and
Sciauca-Ferro.
The leave-taking was long and sad : this man who had
held the world in his grasp was about to part, not only
from his two sisters, his sou, a grateful and devoted
nephew, but also from the world, almost from life, his
intention being to retire into a monastery immediately
upon arriving in Spain. He had chosen to bid his
friends farewell on the day before his departure, saying
that if the parting were delayed until the hour of em-
barking, he should never have the courage to set foot
upon the vessel.
The first one of whom Charles V. took leave per-
haps because in the depths of his heart he loved him the
least was his son, Don Philip. After receiving his
father's kiss, the King of Spain knelt before him and
asked his blessing. Charles V. gave it with that dignity
of manner which he so well knew how to assume on such
occasions, and advised him to cultivate peace with the
allied powers, particularly, if possible, with France.
Don Philip promised his father to conform to his wishes,
although expressing some doubt whether it would be pos-
sible in the case of France ; but he declared solemnly that
he would faithfully maintain the truce so long as it was
not broken by King Henri II., his cousin.
Then Charles V. embraced Emmanuel Philibert, hold-
ing him for a long time clasped in his arms, unable to
make up his mind to let him go. At last, addressing
Don Philip, sorrowfully and with tears in his eyes he
said,
" My dear son, I have given you many things. I
204 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
have given you Naples, Flanders, the two Indies ; I have
despoiled myself of everything in fact, to give you all
that I possessed ; but remember this : neither Naples
with its palace, nor Flanders with its commerce, nor the
two Indies with their mines of gold, silver, and precious
stones, are equal in value to the treasure I leave you in
your cousin Emmanuel Philibert, a man of force and
intellect, a wise politician, and a mighty soldier. I ad-
vise you, therefore, to treat him not as a subject but as
a brother; and even then I assure you he will hardly
receive his deserts."
Emmanuel Philibert would have embraced his uncle's
knees, but the latter still held him in his embrace ; then,
gently putting him from his own arms into those of Don
Philip, "Go," he said, "go; it is shameful for men to
sigh and weep on account of a short separation in this
world ! Let us so live in the merit of good deeds, noble
virtues, and a Christian life, that we may hereafter be
reunited in the other world ; that is the most important
thing." And turning to rejoin his sisters, at the same
time motioning to the young men to go away, he re-
frained from looking toward them again while they
remained in the apartment. Don Philip and Emmanuel
Philibert mounted their horses, and set out immediately
for Brussels.
As for the ex-emperor, he embarked the next day,
Sept. 10, 1556, upon a vessel "truly royal in the
splendor of its equipment," says Gregorio Leti, biogra-
pher of Charles V. ; but scarcely had they reached the
open sea, when they were met by an English vessel on
which was Count Arundel, who had been sent by Queen
Mary to her father-in-law to entreat him not to pass so
near the coast of Great Britain without paying her a
visit.
AFTER THE ABDICATION. 205
In answer to this invitation, Charles V. shrugged
his shoulders, and iu a tone not quite free from bitter-
ness, he said to the count, " What pleasure can so great
a queen derive from a father-in-law who is only a simple
gentleman ? "
In spite of this answer, Count Arundel insisted with
such courteous supplications and so respectful entreaties
that Charles V., unable to resist his persistence, said,
" Monsieur le Comte, everything will depend upon the
winds."
The two queens had embarked with their brother.
Sixty vessels escorted the emperor ; and the Count Aruu-
del, seeing that although the winds were far from unfavor-
able, Charles V. had no intention of stopping either at
Yarmouth, London, or Portsmouth, insisted no longer : he
respectfully joined the escort of the imperial vessel, and
accompanied it as far as Loredo, the port of Biscay, where
Charles V. was received by the grand constable of Castile.
But just as soon as the ex-emperor had stepped upon this
land of Spain, over which he had reigned so gloriously,
and even before listening to the speech which the grand
constable had prepared to deliver, he threw himself on his
knees, and kissing the soil of this kingdom which was to
be henceforth his home, he said,
" I salute thee with the greatest reverence, common
mother ; and as I sprang naked from my mother's womb
to receive from the world so many gifts, so I wish now to
enter naked thy bosom, my dear mother ; and if the first
was a necessity of nature, this to-day is an effect of grace
upon my will."
He had not finished this prayer when the wind began
to blow, and a tempest ai'ose of such violence that the
whole fleet which had accompanied him perished in the
harbor, including the imperial vessel itself, loaded with
206 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
treasure and magnificent gifts which the emperor had
brought from Belgium to Germany as offerings to the
churches of Spain. In reference to this catastrophe it
was said by one of the personages in the suite of Charles
V. that the vessel, foreseeing that there never again would
be such an illustration of glory, had plunged into the sea
as a mark at once of respect, regret, and sorrow.
It was well, indeed, that inanimate things should
show such marks of respect, regret, and sorrow to Charles
V ; for men paid no respect to the emperor dethroned.
At Burgos, for example, the ex-emperor crossed the town
without being met by a deputation, nor did the citizens
even take the trouble to run to their doors to see him
pass. Observing this, the emperor said, shaking his
head, " Truly, I should think that the inhabitants of
Burgos had heard me when I said at Loredo that I was
returning to Spain naked."
That very day a nobleman, Don Bartolomeo Miranda,
had come to pay him a visit, and had said to him, " It is
exactly a year ago to-day, Sire, that your imperial Maj-
esty began your retirement from the world in order to
devote yourself entirely to the service of God."
" Yes," Charles had answered, " and it is exactly a
year ago to-day since I repented of it." He had spoken
thus in remembrance of that sad and solitary evening
of his abdication, when he had no one but Admiral
Coligny to help him replace on the fire the brands which
had rolled upon the carpet.
From Burgos, the emperor went to Valladolid, which
was then the capital of Spain. When within a half-
hour's distance from the city, he saw a cortege advan-
cing toward him ; it consisted of grandees and noblemen,
led by his grandson Don Carlos, then about eleven years
old.
AFTER THE ABDICATION. 207
The boy, managing his horse admirably, rode up on the
left side of the emperor's litter. It was the first time he
had seen his grandfather, and the latter observed him
with an attention which would have embarrassed any
other than the young prince. Don Carlos did not even
lower his eyes, merely lifting his hat respectfully when
the old emperor's glance was fixed upon him, and re-
placing it upon his head when Charles V. stopped looking
at him.
As soon as he had retired to his apartment, the em-
peror sent for the lad, that he might observe him more
closely and talk with him. The boy presented himself
respectfully, but without any embarrassment.
" It was kind of you, my grandson," said Charles V.,
"to come to meet me."
u It was my duty," replied the boy, " since I am
doubly your subject ; for you are my grandfather and my
emperor."
"Ah," said Charles V., surprised to find so much self-
possession and firmness in a boy so young.
" Besides, it was not duty toward your imperial Majesty
so much as curiosity that led me to go to meet you."
" How is that 1 "
"Oh, I have heard it often said that you were
an illustrious emperor, and that you had done great
things."
" Ah, really," said Charles V., who was amused at the
boy's naivete* ; " would you like to have me tell you
about some of these great things?"
" It would be a great honor, and would give me
much pleasure," replied the young prince.
"Well, take that seat."
" With your Majesty's permission," said the boy, " I
will listen standing."
208 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
Then Charles V. told him the story of all his wars against
Francois I., against the Turks, and the Protestants.
Don Carlos listened attentively, and when his grand-
father had finished he said, showing that the story was
not new to him, " Yes, that is it."
" But," said the emperor, " you do not tell me, Mon-
sieur my grandson, what you think of my adventures,
and whether I seem to you to have conducted myself
bravely."
" Oh," said the young prince, " I am very well satis-
fied with your conduct ; there is only one thing which I
could not excuse "
" Bah ! " said the emperor, in astonishment ; " what is
that ? "
" You fled, half naked, one night, at Innspruck, from
Duke Maurice."
" Oh, as to that," said the emperor, smiling, " I could
not help that, I assure you. He surprised me, and I had
only my private retainers."
" But I should not have fled," said Don Carlos.
" What ! you would not have fled ? "
" No."
"But I was obliged to fly, since I could not resist
him."
" I should not have fled," repeated the young prince.
" I should have been obliged to give myself up. That
would have been a great imprudence, for which I should
have been still more to blame."
" No matter ; I should not have fled," repeated the
boy.
" Tell me what you would have done under such cir-
cumstances ; and to be more specific, what would you
actually do, for example, if I should set thirty pages at
your heels ] "
AFTER THE ABDICATION. 209
' I should not fly," was the boy's answer.
The emperor frowned, and summoning the tutor of the
young prince, " Monsieur," he said, " take away my
grandson. I congratulate you on his education ; if he
goes on, he will be the greatest soldier in our family."
The same evening he said to his sister, Queen Eleano'r,
whom he was to leave at Valladolid : " It seems to me,
Sister, that King Don Philip is unfortunate in his son Don
Carlos ; his manners and his disposition in this period of
early youth do not please me ; they are not suitable to
one of his years. I don't know what the result will be
when he shall be twenty-five years of age. Consider
attentively his words and actions, and tell me truth-
fully, when you write to me, your opinion upon this
subject."
The day after the morrow, Charles V. set out for Pa-
lencia, and on the day following that Queen Eleanoi
wrote to him : " My brother, if the manners of our little
nephew Carlos displeased you, who saw him only one
day, I dislike them still more, who have been here three
days."
This little fellow who was so persistent in saying that
he would not have fled at Innspruck was the same Don
Carlos who was killed by the order of his father, Philip
II., twelve years later, on the pretext that he had con-
spired with the re volt era of the Netherlands.
At Valladolid the emperor had dismissed his court,
retaining twelve domestics and twelve horses, and reserv-
ing for himself only a few rare and precious articles of
furniture ; all the rest he distributed among the gentle-
men who had accompanied him. Then he bade farewell
to the two queens, and set out for Palencia.
Palencia was situated only eighteen miles from the
monastery of St. Just, belonging to the order of Saint
TOL. i. 14
210 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
Jerome, which Charles V. had chosen as his retreat, and
whither lie had sent an architect a year previously to
build an apartment of six rooms, four of which were to
be like the cells of a monk, and the other two somewhat
larger. The artist was, besides, to lay out a little garden,
the plan of which the emperor himself had designed.
This garden was the most charming part of the im-
perial retreat ; it was bounded on two sides by a little
stream of clear running water, and was planted with
orange-trees, lemon-trees, and cedars, which filled the air
with perfume and shaded the windows of the illustrious
recluse.
lu 1542 Charles V. had visited this monastery of
St. Just, and on leaving it had said, " This is indeed a
place of refuge for a second Diocletian."
The emperor took possession of his apartment at the
monastery of St. Just on Feb. 24, 1557. It was the
anniversary of his birth, and that had always been
for him a lucky day. " I wish," he said, as he stepped
over the threshold of the convent, "to be born again into
heaven on the same day of the year on which I was born
upon the earth."
Of the twelve horses which he had reserved, he sent away
all but one, which he sometimes used for riding in the de-
lightful valley of Serandilla, distant only about a mile, and
which is sometimes called the Paradise of Estremadura.
From this time he held but little communication with
the world, receiving only rare visits from his former cour-
tiers, and once or twice a year letters from King Philip,
Emperor Ferdinand, and the two queens his sisters ; his
only diversions were the rides already mentioned, the din-
ners which he sometimes gave to gentlemen who came
to visit him and whom he detained until evening, saying,
" My friends, stay with me and live a religious life," and
AFTER THE ABDICATION. 211
the pleasure of caring for the little birds of every species
which he kept confined in aviaries.
This mode of life was continued one year ; but at the
end of that time it seemed to the august recluse to be still
too worldly, and on the anniversary of his birth which
was also, we remember, that of his retirement into the
convent, the Archbishop of Toledo having come to pay
him a visit of congratulation, he said to him : "Monsieur,
I have lived fifty-seven years for the world, one year for
my most intimate friends and subjects, in this secluded
place, and now I wish to devote to the Lord the few
months of life that remain to me."
He thanked the prelate for his visit, but begged him
not to take the trouble to come to see him, unless the
salvation of his soul required that he be sent for. In
short, after Feb. 24, 1558, the emperor lived in an aus-
terity which almost equalled that of the monks, eating
at their table, undergoing the same discipline, attending
regularly the services of the choir, and allowing himself
no other diversion than that of saying masses for the
great number of soldiers, sailors, officers, and captains
who had died in his service, in the various wars which
he had declared or had instigated in the four quarters of
the globe.
For the generals, councillors, ministers, and ambassa-
dors, of the anniversaries of whose death he kept an
exact record, he had special altars erected and Masses
celebrated ; so that it might be said of him that after
seeking glory in reigning over the living, he now made it
his religion to reign over the dead.
At last, toward the beginning of the month of July in
that same year 1558, weary of witnessing the funeral
ceremonies of others and surfeited with that sombre
diversion, Charles V. resolved to celebrate his own
212 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
obsequies. Yet, it took some time to accustom himself
to this somewhat singular idea. He feared to be accused
of pride or eccentricity in yielding to this desire ; but the
fancy took such irresistible hold of him that he disclosed
it to one of the monks of the monastery called Father
Jean Regola.
It was with fear and trembling lest the monk should
see some obstacle to the execution of this plan, that
Charles V. ventured to confide in him ; but the monk, on
the contrary, to the great joy of the emperor, replied
that although it would be an extraordinary and unex-
ampled step, he saw no harm in it, and even considered
it pious and exemplary.
But this assent of a simple monk did not appear in so
serious a case sufficient to the emperor ; Father Regola
offered therefore to obtain the opinion of the Archbishop
of Toledo.
Charles V. approved this suggestion, and appointing
the monk ambassador to the prelate, he sent him off,
mounted on a mule and with an escort, to procure the
much desired permission.
Never in the days of the temporal power of Charles V.
had he awaited the return of a messenger with such
impatience.
At last, in about fifteen days, the monk returned.
The answer was favorable; the Archbishop of Toledo
regarded the emperor's desire as most holy and most
Christian.
Immediately upon the return of the monk the whole
attention of the convent was devoted to the preparations
for the obsequies, that they might be worthy the great
emperor for whom they were to be celebrated.
The construction of a splendid mausoleum in the mid-
dle of the church was the first thing undertaken. Father
AFTER THE ABDICATION. 213
Vargas, who was an engineer and sculptor, made a design
which met the emperor's approval, with the exception of
some details which he changed.
The design approved, master carpenters and painters
were sent for from Palencia, who for five weeks em-
ployed twenty men in the construction of this mauso-
leum. At the end of five weeks, thanks to the diligence
which the emperor's presence and encouragement had
imparted to every one, the monument was completed.
It was forty feet long, fifty feet high, and thirty feet
wide. Galleries ran all around it, the ascent to which
was made by several staircases, and in which could be
seen a series of carvings representing the most illustrious
emperors of the house of Austria, and the principal battles
of Charles V. himself; finally, on the very top rested the
uncovered coffin between Fame on its left and on its
right Immortality.
When all was ready, the morning of the 24th of
August was appointed for these mock obsequies.
At five o'clock that is to say, an hour and a half
after sunrise four hundred large black candles arranged
upon the sarcophagus were lighted, around which stood
all the domestics of the ex-emperor, dressed in mourning,
with uncovered heads, and each bearing in his hand a
torch. At seven o'clock Charles V. entered, dressed in
a long mourning-robe and supported on each side by a
monk also dressed in black. He also bearing in his
hand a torch, took a seat placed for him before the altar.
There, motionless, his torch resting on the ground, he
who was living listened to all those hymns for the dead,
from the Requiem to the Requiescat, while six monks of
different orders were saying six low Masses before the
six side altars of the church.
Then at a given moment, rising and still escorted by
THE DUKE'S PAGE.
the two monks, he proceeded toward the high altar and
kneeling said : " I supplicate and beseech thee, Su-
preme Ruler, and Arbiter of our life and our death, that
as the priest receives from my hands into his own this
wax taper, which I offer in all humility, even so thou
wilt accept my soul, which I recommend to thy divine
indulgence, and that thou wilt receive it when it shall
please thee into the bosom of thy goodness and thy
infinite mercy."
Then the prior put the candle in a massive silver
candlestick which the ex-emperor had given to the
convent for this great occasion. After which Charles V.
arose, and accompanied still by the two monks, who
followed him like his shadow, he resumed his seat.
When the Mass was ended, the emperor proceeded to
the final ceremony, which he considered the most impor-
tant of all. He had a flag-stone lifted from the floor of
the choir, and in the bottom of a sort of grave, dug for
this occasion, he ordered a black velvet cloth to be laid,
together with a black velvet pillow. Then assisted by
the two monks, he descended into this grave, extended
himself, with his hands crossed upon his breast and his
eyes closed, counterfeiting death as well as he was able.
Immediately the priest intoned the De profundis
clamavi, and while the choir was singing it, all the
monks dressed in black, all the gentlemen, and all the
domestics in mourning dress, taper in hand, weeping,
began to march around the deceased, led by the offici-
ating priest, and each in his turn throwing upon him the
holy water, and wishing repose to his souL
The ceremony lasted more than two hours, so many
were there to throw the holy water. The emperor was
wet even through his black robe ; and this combined
with the wind which penetrated through the chinks in
AFTER THE ABDICATION. ' 215
the stone-work, a cold aud damp wind ascending from
the mortuary cellars of the abbey, so chilled the em-
peror that he was shivering with cold when, left alone in
the church with his two monks, he wished to return to
his cell. Finding himself benumbed and shaking with
cold, he said, " Fathers, indeed, I do not know that it is
worth while to get up."
When he reached his cell he was obliged to. go to bed ;
and once in bed he remained there till he died. In less
than a month all the preparations for the mock funeral
ceremonies served for the real obsequies of the Emperor
Charles V.
It was on Sept. 21, 1558, that Charles V. breathed
his last in the arms of the Archbishop of Toledo, who
fortunately happened to be at Palencia, and whom the
emperor summoned for the final scene, according to his
promise, six months before, to send for him at the time
of his death.
The emperor had lived fifty-seven years seven months
and twenty-one days ; he had reigned forty-four years,
and had been ruler of the Empire thirty-eight years.
And as he had been born on the day of one apostle,
Saint Mathias, February 24, he died on the day of
another apostle Saint Matthew, that is to say, on the
21st of September.
Father Strada relates in his " Histoire des Flandres,"
that on the very night of the death of Charles V. a lily
bloomed in the garden of the monastery of St. Just.
When the monks were informed of this, they had the
lily exposed to view upon the high altar, as evident
proof of the purity of the emperor's soul.
What a fine thing is history ! Deeming ourselves
unworthy to perform the function of the historian, we
have joined the ranks of the writers of romance.
PART H.
/
CHAPTER I.
THE COURT OF FRANCE.
ABOUT a year after Charles V.'s abdication at Brussels,
shortly before the ex-emperor retired to the monastery
of St. Just, when from the heights of St. Germain
could be seen in the distance the yellowing fields of
grain, and the last days of July rolled their clouds of
flame across the azm*e sky, a brilliant cavalcade started
out from the old chateau, and proceeded through the
park, where the tall and beautiful trees were beginning
to assume those warm tints that are dear to the painter.
A brilliant cavalcade, indeed ! For it comprised King
Henri II., his sister Marguerite, the beautiful Duchesse de
Valentinois his mistress, the dauphin Frangois, his eldest
son, his daughter Elisabeth de Valois, the young queen
of Scotland, Mary Stuart, and the principal ladies and
noblemen who at that period constituted the ornament
and glory of the house of Valois, which had come to the
throne in the person of Frangois I., deceased, as we have
said, May 31, 1547.
Moreover, on the airy balcony of the chateau, which
was supported by a network of iron marvellously wrought,
were Queen Catherine and the two young princes, Charles,
aged seven, and Henri, aged six years, afterward King
Charles IX. and King Henri III., and the little Mar-
THE COURT OF FRANCE. 217
guerite, who was to be queen of Xavarre, and who at
that time was scarcely five years old. These three chil-
dren were obviously too young to accompany their father,
King Henri, on the hunt which was beginning.
As to the queen, she had avoided taking part in the
chase by alleging a slight indisposition ; and as Queen
Catherine was one of those women who do nothing without
a purpose, we may be very sure that if she was not really
indisposed she had at least a reason for pretending to be so.
Since all the personages above mentioned are destined
to play an active part in the story we have undertaken
to relate, the reader will permit us, before resuming our
continuous narration, to place before him a portrait,
moral and physical, of each of these personages.
We will begin with Henri II., who is at the head of
the cavalcade, with Madame Marguerite, his sister, oil
his right, and on his left the Duchesse de Valentinois.
He was at that time a handsome nobleman, thirty-nine
years of age, with black eyebrows, black eyes, a dark
beard tinted with brown, an aquiline nose, and fine white
teeth ; he was neither so tall nor so muscular as his
father had been, but was above the middle height and
well formed. So fond of war was he that when unable
to engage in actual warfare in his own dominions or in
those of his neighbors, he instituted sham battles among
the pleasures of his court.
Thus, even in times of peace, King Henri II. was the
least idle man in his. kingdom. Of literary culture and
taste he had only enough to incline him to give honorable
recompense to the poets, in regard to whose merits he
received his opinions ready-made from his sister Madame
Marguerite, from his mistress the beautiful Diana, or
from his charming young pupil Mary Stuart.
His days were occupied as follows : his mornings and
218 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
his evenings were devoted to business ; in the morning
two hours were ordinarily sufficient for what was in
hand. Then he devotedly attended Mass ; for he was
a strong Catholic, as was shown in his declared wish that
he might see Anne Dubourg, the Parliament councillor,
burn at the stake, a pleasure denied him, however,
since he had been dead six months when the poor
Huguenot was led to martyrdom. At noon he dined ;
after dinner, in company with the noblemen of his court,
he paid a visit to Queen Catherine, where he met, ac-
cording to Brantome, a throng of human goddesses, each
more beautiful than the rest. While he occupied him-
self with the queen, or with madame his sister, or with
the dauphiness Mary Stuart, or with the princesses his
daughters, each nobleman and gentleman followed the
example of the king, and conversed with the lady most
agreeable to him. This lasted about two hours ; then
the king went to his exercises. In the summer these
exercises were tennis, football, and pall-mall.
Henri II. was extremely fond of tennis, and was very
skilful at that game. When he won, he resigned the
stakes to his partners ; when they lost, he paid for them.
The stakes were usually five hundred to six hundred
crowns, and not, as under his successoi-s, four thousand,
six thousand, and even ten thousand crowns. " But,"
says Brantome, " in the time of King Henri II. the pay-
ments were in cash, and were made on the spot, while in
our time one is often obliged to have recourse to special
terms of adjustment."
The other favorite games of the king, after tennis,
were football and pall-mall ; and in these games also he
was a strong player.
In the winter, when it was very cold, the king, with
membei-s of his court, set out for Fontainebleau ; and
THE COURT OF FRANCE. 219
there, in the avenues of the park or on the ponds, they
amused themselves by sliding on the ice. If there was
too much snow for that diversion, they made forts and
fought with snowballs ; if it rained, they resorted to the
basement halls and practised fencing.
Of the exercise last-named Monsieur de Boucard had
been a victim ; the king while yet dauphin, in fencing
with him, had put out one of his eyes, "an accident
for which Henri politely asked his pardon," says the
author from whom we borrow these details.
The ladies of the court were present at all these exer-
cises, both of the summer and of the winter; for the
king was of the opinion that the presence of ladies marred
nothing, and was very ornamental.
In the evening, after supper, another visit was paid to
the queen, and when there was no ball, an entertain-
ment quite rare at that period, two hours were spent
in conversation. It was then that poets and other men
of letters were introduced, that is to say, Messieurs
Ronsard, Dorat, and Muret, and Messieurs Danesius and
Amyot, preceptors of the princes Franois and Charles ;
and then ensued, among these illustrious disputants, dis-
cussions of science and poetry, in which the ladies were
much interested.
One thing only, when perchance attention was given it,
cast a shade of sorrow over that noble court, the
ominous prediction declared on the day of Henri II.'s
accession to the throne. A diviner summoned to the
palace to compose his nativity had announced, in pres-
ence of the Constable de Montmorency, that the king
would be killed in single combat." Thereupon the king,
delighted that such a death was promised him, had
turned to the constable, saying to him, " Do you hear,
comrade, what this man promises me 1 "
220 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
The constable, thinking the king was frightened by
the prediction, had answered with his usual roughness :
" Eh, Sire, do you put any faith in these rascals, these
liars and braggarts 1 Let me throw the fellow's predic-
tion into the fire, and him with it, to teach him better
than to bring us lies like these."
" By no means, comrade," the king had replied. " It
sometimes happens that these men speak the truth.
And besides, the prediction is not bad, in my opinion.
I would rather die in that way than in any other,
provided, of course, that I am conquered by a brave and
valiant gentleman, and there is some glory in it." And
instead of giving the prediction and the astrologer to
the flames, he had generously rewarded the latter, and
had given the prophecy into the keeping of Monsieur de
1'Aubespine, one of his worthy councillors, whom he
specially employed in diplomatic matters.
This prediction had been brought into prominence
again when Monsieur de Chatillon returned from Brus-
sels ; for, as will be remembered, the Emperor Charles V.
in his little house in the park had asked the admiral to in-
form his good cousin Henri that the captain of the Scotch
Guards, Gabriel de Lorges, Comte de Montgomery, had
between his eyes a certain sinister mark that betokened
death to one of the princes of the fleur-de-lis.
But upon reflection King Henri II. had recognized the
improbability of a duel with his captain of the Guards,
and though he had ranked the former prediction among
things possible and deserving attention, he had ranked
the later prophecy among things impossible, which de-
serve no attention; 8f> that, instead of sending away
Gabriel de Lorges, as perhaps a prince more timorous
would have done, he had, on the contrary, increased
toward him his familiarity and his favor.
THE COURT OF FRANCE. 221
"We have said that on the right of the king rode
Madame Marguerite of France, daughter of Kiug Frau-
c,ois I. Let us for a moment give our attention to that
princess, one of the most accomplished of her time, and
peculiarly related to our subject.
The Princess Marguerite of France was born June 5,
1523, in the same palace of St. Germain whose thresh-
old we have already crossed. It follows that at the time
when we introduce her to the reader she was thirty-three
years and nine mouths old.
How had a princess so grand and so beautiful re-
mained so long unmarried ? There were two reasons
for this, one of which she declared aloud before all ;
the other she perhaps would hardly dare to whisper to
herself.
Kiug Francis I. had wished to marry her, while she
was yet a young girl, to Monsieur de Vendome, first
prince of the blood ; but she, with disdainful pride, had
answered that she would never marry a man who one
day would be the subject of the king her brother.
This was the reason which she declared aloud for re-
maining unmarried, that she might not fall from her
rank as a princess of France; and now for the reason
which she might have whispered to herself, and which
probably was the real cause of her refusal.
After the conference at Nice between Pope Paul III.
and King Fra^ois I., by the order of the king, the Queen
of Navarre went to visit the late Monsieur de Savoie, the
father, at the castle of Nice, and had taken with her
Madame Marguerite. The old duke had been much
pleased with the young princess, and had spoken of a
marriage between her and Emmanuel Philibert. The
two children had seen each other at that time ; but Em-
manuel Philibert, absorbed in the exercises of his age, in
222 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
his tenderness for Leona, and in his friendship for Sciauca-
Ferro, had scarcely noticed the young princess. It was
not so with her, however ; the image of the young prince
had taken firm hold of her heart, and when the nego-
tiations were broken off and war was once more declared
between the King of France and the Duke of Savoy, she
experienced a real despair, like that of a neglected child,
which, for a long time nourished by her tears, became
transformed into a gentle melancholy, soothed by that
vague hope which never abandons tender and trusting
hearts.
Twenty years had rolled by since that time, and the
Princess Marguerite had found some pretext for refusing
every proposal of marriage.
While waiting until chance or the decree of Providence
should favor her secret desires, the Princess Marguerite
had grown in height as she grew in years, and had be-
come a charming princess, full of grace, agreeable in
manner, and of gentle disposition. She had beautiful
golden-colored hair, hazel eyes, a nose somewhat long,
full lips, and a skin of milky whiteness tinted with
rose-color.
At the king's left hand, as we have said, rode Diane de
Poitiers, Comtesse de Breze, daughter of that Sieur de
Saint- Vallier who, an accomplice of the Constable de Bour-
bon, had been condemned to be beheaded in the Place
* de Greve, and who even when on the scaffold and under
the sword of the executioner had obtained as a favor
if such a thing can be called a favor the commutation
of his punishment to imprisonment for life. His im-
prisonment was to be in a space enclosed by four stone-
walls, with no opening except a little window through
which his food and drink were to be handed to him.
This Diane, who was the subject of mysterious and
THE COURT OF FRANCE. 223
mythical stories, was at this time fifty-eight years of age,
and yet by her apparent youth and real beauty she
eclipsed the most beautiful and the youngest princesses of
the court, so that the king preferred her beyond all others.
Such marvellous and mysterious things as the follow-
ing were said of this beautiful Diane, who had been made
Duchesse de Valentinois in 1548 by King Henri II. :
In the first place, she was said to have been descended
from the fairy Melusina, which was the cause of the
king's love for her, and accounted for the wonderful
preservation of her beauty. Diane de Saint- Vallier had
inherited from her ancestress, the great enchantress, the
twofold secret a rare and magic secret of eternal
beauty, and the endless power of inspiring love.
Diane owed this eternal beauty, it was said, to drinks
of liquid gold. It is well known how largely this liquid
gold entered into the chemical preparations of the Middle
Ages. That endless power of inspiring love was ascribed
to the efficacy of a magic ring which she had given to
the king, and which had the virtue of securing to her the
king's love so long as he should wear it.
This last report had gained general credence, for Ma-
dame de Neinours told the story to whoever wished to
hear it, as we in our turn narrate it.
The king having fallen sick, Queen Catherine de' Me-
dici had said to Madame de Nemours : " My dear Duchess,
the king is very fond of you ; be so kind as to go to his
room and sit by his bed, and while talking with him try
to take from the third finger of his left hand the ring he
wears, which is a talisman given him by Madame de
Valentinois to secure his love for her."
Now, no one at court had much affection for Madame
de Valentinois, not that she was ill-natured, but the
young women did not like her because, as we have said,
224 THE DUKK'S PAGE.
she persisted in remaining young, and the older women
detested her because she would not grow old.
Madame de Nemours willingly undertook the commis-
sion ; and entering the king's room, and sitting down by
the bed, she began playfully to draw from Henri's finger
the ring, the virtue of which he himself did not know ;
but no sooner had the ring left the sick man's finger than
he begged Madame de Nemours to whistle for his valet.
Now, until the time of Madame de Maiutenon, who in-
vented bells, the gold or silver whistle was the means
employed by princes and noblemen in calling their ser-
vants The sick man, therefore, entreated Madame de
Nemours to whistle for his valet, who, as soon as he
appeared, received the king's orders to close his door to
every one.
" Even to Madame de Valentinois 1 " asked the aston-
ished valet.
"To Madame de Valentinois as well as others," replied
the king, sharply ; " there is no exception to the order."
A quarter of an hour later Madame de Valentinois
presented herself at the king's door, and was refused
admittance. She returned at the end of an hour, and
was again refused ; at last, at the end of two hours, in
spite of a third refusal, she forced open the door and
walked straight to the king. She took his hand, and
perceiving that the ring was gone, obtained an avcf\val of
what had taken place, and forthwith insisted that he
should reclaim his ring from Madame de Nemours. The
king's command to return the precious trinket was so
peremptory that Madame de Nemours, who had not
yet delivered it up to Catherine, through fear of the
consequences, sent back the ring. The ring once more
upon the king's finger, the fairy regained her power,
which from that day forth suffered no diminution.
THE COURT OF FRANCE. 225
In spite of the grave authorities which give us this
history, and observe that for the drink of liquid gold
we have the testimony of Brantome, and for the affair of
the ring the assurance of Monsieur de Thou and Nicolas
Pasquier, we are inclined to believe that no magic ex-
isted in this miracle of the beautiful Diane de Poitiers,
which a hundred years later was to reappear in Ninon de
Leuclos ; and we are disposed to accept, as containing
the only and real magic, the recipe which she herself
gave to any one who asked it, that is to say, in all
sorts of weather, even the coldest, a cold-water bath.
Besides this, every morning the duchess rose with the
dawn, rode for two hours on horseback, and on her re-
turn went back to bed, where she remained until noon
reading or talking with her women.
Nor was this all ; everything relating to the beautiful
Diane has been made a subject of speculation, and the
most reliable historians have forgotten in her case this
first principle of history, that every accusation should be
supported by proof.
Mezeray says and we are not sorry to find Mezeray
at fault that Francois I. would not have granted favor
to Jean de Poitiers, Diane's father, unless he had taken
from his daughter " that which was most precious to
her." Now, the incident occurred in 1523 ; at that time
Diane, born in 1499, was twenty-four years of age, and
for ten years had been married to Louis de Breze. We
do not say that Francois I., an old offender in that line,
did not impose certain conditions upon the beautiful
Diane ; but it was not, as Mezeray says, upon a young
girl of fourteen years that he imposed these conditions;
and without calumniating that poor Monsieur de Braze",
to whom his widow raised the magnificent tomb so much
admired at Rouen, one cannot reasonably suppose that
VOL. i. 15
226 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
he left it to the king to take from the -woman twenty-
four years old that which had been most precious to the
young girl of fourteen.
All that we have just said has but one aim, to prove
to our readers that the history written by novelists is of
more value than that written by historians ; because it
is, in the first place, more veracious, and, in the second
place, more amusing.
Finally, Diane at this time, having been a widow for
twenty-six years, and mistress of Henri II. for twenty-one
years, had, in spite of her full fifty-eight years of age, a
most smooth and beautiful complexion, beautiful curly
black hair, an admirable figure, and a neck and throat
without fault.
This at least was the opinion of the old Constable
de Montmorency, who, although more, than sixty-four
years old, pretended to enjoy with the beautiful duchess
peculiar privileges ; which would have made the king very
jealous were it not a well-established fact that those per-
sons who are most interested to know a thing are the last
to discover it, and sometimes do not discover it at all.
Pardon us this long historical digression; but if any
woman at this court, so polite, so cultured and elegant,
was worthy of so many words, it was certainly that one
among them who induced her royal lover to wear the
colors which she herself wore as a widow, black and
white, and by suggestion of her pagan name " Diane,"
inspired him with the idea of adopting for arms a crescent
with this device : Donee totum impleat orbem /
We have said that behind King Henri II., who had
Madame Marguerite of France upon his right, and on his
left the Duchesse de Valentiuois, rode the dauphin Fran-
Qois, with his sister Elisabeth on his right, and his fiancee,
Mary Stuart, on his left.
THE COURT OF FRANCE. 227
The dauphin was fourteen years old ; Elisabeth, thir-
teen; Mary Stuart, thirteen. The sum total of their
ages was forty years.
The dauphin was a feeble and sickly child, of a pale
complexion, auburn hair, eyes dull and without definite
expression save when they gazed upon the young Mary
Stuart ; then they became animated by an expression
of desire, which changed the child to a young man.
Furthermore, he was but little inclined to the violent ex-
ercises of which his royal father was so fond, and seemed
to be oppressed by a lassitude for which the physicians
were unable to account. Following the hints given in
the pamphlets of the period, they might possibly have
found an explanation in that chapter of " The Twelve
Caesars " where Suetonius mentions Nero's rides in a
litter with his mother Agrippina. We hasten to say,
however, that Catherine de' Medici was bitterly hated,
both as a Catholic and as a foreigner ; and it is not neces-
sary to believe without examination all that was said of
her in the lampoons, songs, and satires of the time,
issued, for the most part, by Calvinist presses. The
early death of the young princes Franqois and Charles,
to whom Henri was preferred by their mother, contri-
buted not a little to give credibility to all those evil
reports which have come down across the centuries, and
have reached our own time invested with an authenticity
that is almost historic.
The Princess Elisabeth, although a year younger than
the dauphin, seemed more mature than he. Her birth
had been associated with public rejoicings, as well as the
source of private satisfaction ; for at the very date of her
birth articles of peace were signed between King Francois
I. and King Henry VIII. She who by her marriage was
to establish peace with Spain was related by the date of
228 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
her birth to the peace with England. Her fath'er, Henri
II., so highly estimated her beauty and her character
that, upon the marriage of her younger sister, Madame
Claude, to the Due de Lorraine, he replied to some one
who remonstrated with him on the wrong done by that
marriage to his elder daughter, still unmarried : " My
daughter Elisabeth is not of those who would be satis-
fied with a duchy for a dowry ; she must have a
kingdom, and it must not be a kingdom of secondary
importance, but one of the grandest and noblest, she
is herself so grand and noble in everything."
She had the promised kingdom, and with it un-
happiuess and death.
Alas ! no better fortune awaited the beautiful Mary
Stuart^who rode at the left of the dauphin, her betrothed.
There are misfortunes which have made such a noise in
the world that they have awakened an echo everywhere,
and after drawing to their victims the observation of those
living at the time, they still, across the centuries, when-
ever recalled by the utterance of a name, draw to these
victims the attention of posterity.
Such, were the misfortunes, but little merited, of the
beautiful Mary Stuart, misfortunes which so far tran-
scended the ordinary allotment that the faults, the crimes
even of the victim, are overshadowed by the excess of
punishment.
But at this time the young queen of Scotland was
joyously pursuing her way in a life saddened at the out-
set by the death of her father, the chivalric James V.
Her mother wore in her stead that crown' of Scotland,
full of thorns, which, according to the last words of her
father, "came wi' a lass, and would gang wi' a lass."
She had arrived at Morlaix August 20, 1548, and then
for the first time had touched the soil of France, where
THE COURT OF FRANCE. 229
she spent her only happy days. She brought with her
that garland of Scotch roses which was called " the four
Marys," consisting of four girls who were of her own
age to the year and the month, and whose names were
Mary Fleming, Mary Seaton, Mary Livingston, and Mary
Beaton. She was at that time an adorable child, and
gradually, as she grew older, she had become an adorable
young woman. Her uncles the Guises, who thought
they saw in her the realization of their ambitious projects,
and who, not content with extending their domination
over France, would extend it through her mediation over
Scotland, and perhaps even over England surrounded
her with a veritable worship. For example, the Cardi-
nal de Lorraine wrote to his sister Marie de Guise :
" Your daughter has improved, and is improvingyjay by
day, in goodness, beauty, and virtue. The king spends
his time in chatting with her, and she knows how to en-
tertain him with good and wise answers, as if she were a
woman twenty-five years old."
The bud of that glowing rose had yet to open itself to
love and pleasure. Mary, unable to do what gave her
no enjoyment, passionately engaged in everything she
liked. If she danced, she danced till she fell exhausted ;
if she rode, it was at a gallop, till the best of racers
would be tired out ; if she attended a concert, the music
shook her with electric thrills. Sparkling with jewelry,
caressed, flattered, adored, she was, at thirteen years of
age, one of the wonders of that court of the Valois,
so full of wonders. Catherine de' Medici, who loved
nothing much except her son Henri, said, "Our little
Scotch queenlet has only to smile to turn all heads."
Ronsard said :
" Mid the blossoms of spring, in a lily she came,
Aiid her whiteness the lily's own white put to shame.
230 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
Yet her color is such that the roses, blood-reel,
Compared with her lips appear faded and dead.
Love with his best touches fashioned her eyes,
And the Graces those daughters three of the skies
Their most beautiful gifts on this princess bestowed,
And to serve her the better forsook their abode."
The princess could well appreciate the most subtile
significance of these charming tributes. Prose and verse
were alike intelligible to her. She could talk in Greek
Latin, Italian, English, Spanish, and French. Poetry
aud science paid homage to her, and other arts looked to
her for encouragement. In her travels with the court
from one residence to another, she went from St. Ger-
main to Chambord, from Chambord to Fontainebleau, from
Fontainebleau to the Louvre. She lived among the ceil-
ings of Primatice, the canvases of Titian, the frescos of
Rosso, the masterpieces of Leonardo da Vinci, the statues
of Germain Pilon, the sculptures of Jean Goujon, and
the monuments, porticos, and chapels of Philibert De-
lorme ; so that any one who should see her, so poetic,
so charming, so perfect, amid all these marvels of genius,
might easily believe that she was not a creature of the
human species, but had been produced by some meta-
morphosis like that of Galatea, that she was some
Venus detached from her canvas, some Hebe who had
stepped down from her pedestal.
And now we, who cannot wield the painter's brush,
will try to give, with the novelist's pen, some idea of
that intoxicating beauty.
She was, as we have said, nearly fourteen years of age.
Her complexion combined the tints of the lily, the peach,
and the rose, with perhaps a little more of the lily than
of the others. Her high forehead, rounded out in its
upper part, seemed the seat of a proud reserve, and at
THE COURT OF FRANCE. 231
the same time strange combination ! full of gentle-
ness, intelligence, and audacity. It would be surmised
that the will behind that forehead, should it incline to-
ward love and pleasure, would overleap the bounds of
ordinary passions, and to satisfy voluptuous and despotic
desire would proceed even to crime. Her nose, slender and
delicate but strong, was aquiline, like those of the house
of Guise. Her ears were small, and curved like irides-
cent shells beneath her throbbing temples. Her brown
eyes, of a hue between the chestnut and the violet, were
of a moist transparency, yet full of fire, under their
auburn lids and eyebrows formed with classic pre-
cision. Finally, two charming curves completed, at
their two angles, a mouth with red lips, tremulous,
half open, which, when she smiled, seemed to spread
joy around her, above a chin fresh, white, rounded,
and merging into outlines which led by imperceptible
gradations to a neck undulous and velvety, like that of
a swan.
Such was she whom Ronsard and Du Bellay called
their " tenth muse." Such was the head which, thirty-
one years later, was to lie on the block of Fotheringay,
and which was to fall from the body under the axe of
Elizabeth's executioner.
Alas ! if a magician could have announced to the
spectators who gazed upon that brilliant cavalcade, as
it passed under the great trees in the park of St.
Germain, the fate which awaited those kings, those
princes, those princesses, those grand noblemen, those
elegant ladies, would any one of them, though clad in
coarsest garb, have wished to exchange his lot for that
of those fine noblemen in doublets of silk and of velvet,
or of those elegant ladies in garments adorned with pearls
and gold 1
232 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
Let us leave them passing under the vaulted arches
of the chestnut-trees and the beeches, and return to
the chateau of St. Germain, where, as we have said,
Catherine de' Medici remained at home upon the pretext
of a slight indisposition.
THE ROYAL HUNT. 233
CHAPTER II.
THE ROYAL HUNT.
SCARCELY had the squires and pages forming the rear
rank of the cortege disappeared in the depths of the
copses which succeeded the tall trees, and which at this
period surrounded the park of St. Germain like a gir-
dle, before Catherine withdrew from the balcony, taking
with her Charles and Henri. Sending the elder to his
tutor and the younger to her ladies, she remained alone
with the little Marguerite, who was still so young that
there was no occasion for concern as to what she might
see or hear.
She had just sent away her two sons, when her confi-
dential servant entered, announcing that the two persons
whom she expected were in attendance in her cabinet.
She rose at once, hesitated a moment about sending away
her daughter as she had sent her sons ; but thinking,
doubtless, that her presence would do no harm, she pro-
ceeded to her cabinet.
Catherine de' Medici was at that time a woman thirty-
eight years of age, of beautiful and voluptuous form, and
of commanding dignity. She had a pleasing countenance,
a most beautiful neck, and perfect hands. Her black
eyes were almost always half closed, except when she
needed to search the heart of her adversaries ; then their
glance possessed the lustre and sharpness of two blades
drawn from their scabbards and plunged at once into the
234 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
same breast, where they remained buried, as it were, until
they had explored its innermost depths.
She had suffered much, and concealed it under a smil-
ing countenance. At first, during the ten earlier years
of her married life, which were barren, and during which
the question of repudiating her and giving the dauphin
another wife was twenty times considered, the love of
the latter alone protected her and resisted desperately
the most terrible and inexorable of all arguments, the
welfare of the State. At last, in 1544, after eleven years
of marriage, she gave birth to Prince Francois. But al-
ready, for nine years, her husband had been the lover of
Diane de Poitiers.
Perhaps, if from the beginning of her married life she
had been a happy mother and a fruitful wife, she would
have contended as wife and as queen against the beauti-
ful duchess ; but her sterility reduced her to the rank of
a mistress. Instead of contending she submitted, and by
her humility gained the protection of her rival.
Besides, all that splendid nobility of the sword, those
brilliant soldiers who valued rank only when it was a
flower grown in blood and culled on the field of battle,
held in light estimation the commercial race of the Me-
dici. They made sport of their name and their coat-of-
arms ; their ancestors were doctors (mediti) ; their arms
were not cannon-balls, as they pretended, but pills.
Mary Stuart herself, who would caress the Duchesse de
Valentinois with her pretty hand, soft as an infant's,
would sometimes make of that soft hand a paw with
which to scratch Catherine. " Are you coming with us
to see the Florentine tradeswoman 1 " she would say to
the Constable de Montmoreucy.
Catherine bore all these insults ; she waited. For
what did she wait ] She herself did not know. Henri II.,
THE ROYAL HUNT. 235
her royal husband, was of the same age with herself, and
the state of his health gave promise of a long life. Never-
theless, she waited with the pertinacity of one who, know,
iug and appreciating his own value, feels that as God
makes nothing in vain the future must have something
in reserve for him. At this time she had attached her-
self to the Guise party.
Henri, weak in character, could never rule by himself;
sometimes it was with the assistance of the constable,
and then the Guises were at a disadvantage ; then again,
the Guises were his co-rulers, and the constable was in
disgrace.
The House of Guise was noble and powerful. One day
when Due Claude, accompanied by his six sons, went to
pay his respects to King Fra^ois I. at the Louvre, the
king said to him, " Cousin, you must be a happy man to
see yourself reproduced, before you die, in so fine and
numerous a posterity."
And certainly Due Claude, when he died, left a family
which was the richest, most talented, and most ambi-
tious in the kingdom. These six brothers, whom their
father had presented to Franqois I., had altogether an
income of about eight hundred thousand francs, that is
to say, more than four millions of our money.
The eldest, who was called Due Fra^ois le Balafre,
was the Grand Due de Guise. His position at court was
almost that of a prince of the blood. He had a chaplain,
a treasurer, eight secretaries, twenty pages, and a retinue
of eighty gentlemen ; a kennel whose dogs were second
only to those ' of the royal stock ; stables containing
horses from Africa, Turkey, and Spain; perches full of
gerfalcons and hawks of priceless value, which had been
sent him by Soliman and other infidel princes, who thus
paid homage to his renown. The King of Xavarre wrote
236 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
to him announcing the birth of his son, afterward
Henri IV. The Constable de Montmorency himself, the
most haughty nobleman of his time, in writing to him
began his letter with " Monseigneur," and closed it with
" Your most humble and most obedient servant ; " and
in reply the duke would say, " Monsieur le Connetable,"
and " Your very good friend," a statement, by the
way, which was not true, for the houses of Guise and
Montmoreucy were in eternal feud.
It is necessary to have recourse to the chronicles of
the time, whether unfolded by the aristocratic pen of the
Sieur de Brantome, or recorded every hour in the journal
of the Grand Crier, Pierre de 1'Estoille, in order to have
an idea of the power of this privileged and tragic race,
conspicuous in the street as on the battle-field, and lis-
tened to in the market-place as well as in the cabinets of
the Louvre, Windsor, or the Vatican, especially when
represented by Due Fra^ois himself. Go into the Mu-
seum of Artillery and look at the breastplate worn by
the eldest Guise at the siege of Metz, and you will see on
it the marks of five balls, three of which alone would
certainly have been fatal if their force had not been
deadened by the rampart of steel.
It was therefore a cause of rejoicing to the inhabitants
of Paris whenever he emerged from the Hotel de Guise,
and when, more generally known and more popular than
the king himself, mounted upon " Fleur-de-lis " or " Mou-
ton," these were his two favorite horses, dressed
in his doublet and small-clothes of crimson silk, his vel-
vet cloak, his cap surmounted by a plume of the same
color as his doublet, and followed by four hundred gentle-
men, he rode through the streets of the capital. Then
every one hastened to see him pass, some throwing
branches of trees before him, and others strewing flow-
THE ROYAL HUNT. 237
era under his horse's feet, crying out, " Long live our
duke ! "
And he, rising in his stirrups, as he was accustomed
to do in the battle-field, in order to extend his view and
expose himself to danger, bowing to right and left,
saluting courteously the women, men, and aged persons,
smiling upon the young girls, caressing the children,
was the true king, not of the Louvre, of St. Germain,
of Fontainebleau or the Tournelles, but the king of the
streets, the squares, and the market-places, the true
king, the real king, since he was the king of hearts !
So, at the risk of breaking the truce of which France
had so much need, when Pope Paul III. on account
of a private quarrel with Colouna, whom the support he
expected from Philip II. had rendered sufficiently bold
to take up arms against the Holy See declared the
King of Spain dethroned from his sovereignty of Naples,
and offered this sovereignty to Henry II., the king did
not hesitate to appoint the Due Fra^ois de Guise general-
in-chief of the army which he was to send into Italy.
It is true that on this occasion and for the first time
Guise and Montmorenoy were of one mind. With Fran-
c.ois de Guise out of France, Anne de Montmorency would
be the first personage in the kingdom ; and while the
great captain was prosecuting on the other side of the
mountains his projects of glory, Montmoreucy, who con-
sidered himself a great politician, could pursue at the
court his ambitious projects, the most urgent of which
at that moment was to marry his son to Madame Diane,
legitimate daughter of the Duchesse de \ r alentiuois, and
widow of the Duke of Castro, of the house of Farnese,
who was killed at the assault of Hesdin.
Monsieur le Due Frauqois de Guise, then, was at Rome
fighting against the Duke of Alva.
238 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
The second son of this family of Guise was the Cardi-
nal of Lorraine, who was no less able than his brother, and
whom Pius V. called " the pope beyond the mountains."
He was, says the author of the " Histoire .de Marie
Stuart," a diplomatist of twofold strength, having the
audacity of a Guise and the subtlety of an Italian.
Later on he conceived, matured, and put in execution
that grand idea of the League, which led his nephew
gradually near the throne, until the moment when uncle
and nephew were struck down by the sword of the Forty-
five. When the six Guises were at court, the four
younger ones the Due d'Aumale, the grand prior, the
Marquis d'Elbeuf, and the Cardinal de Guise never
failed to come, in the first place, to the morning recep-
tion of Cardinal Charles; then all five attended the
morning reception of Due Fra^ois, who accompanied
them to that of the king.
These two elder Guises one after the manner of a
soldier, and the other like a cardinal had erected their
batteries with a view to the future. Due Fra^ois had
made himself the king's master; Cardinal Charles had
become the queen's lover. The grave L'Estoille speaks
of the matter in a way which leaves in the mind of the
most incredulous reader no further doubt on the subject.
" One of my friends," he says, " told me that once when
he occupied, together with the cardinal's valet, a room
adjoining that of the queen mother, he saw toward mid-
night the said cardinal, with a dressing-gown only thrown
over his shoulders, making his way to the queen's room,
and that his friend told him that it would be at the risk
of his life that he spoke of what he had seen."
It would take too long to describe the other princes of
the house of Guise who play an insignificant part in the
course of this story. We will confine ourselves, there-
THE ROYAL HUNT. 239
fore, to the portraits we have just drawn, insufficient as
they are, of Due Francois and Cardinal Charles.
It was this Cardinal Charles who had been seen
going at night to the queen's apartment with only a
dressing-gown thrown over his shoulders who was
waiting for Catherine de' Medici in her cabinet.
Catherine expected to find him there; but she ex-
pected to find him alone. He was, in fact, accompanied
by a young man twenty-five or twenty-six years of age, ele-
gantly dressed, although evidently in travelling costume.
" Ah, it is you, Monsieur de Nemours ! " exclaimed
the queen, as she perceived the young man ; " you come
from Italy. What news from Rome 1 "
" Bad, Madame ! " replied the cardinal, while the Due
de Nemours saluted the queen.
" Bad ! Has our dear cousin, the Due de Guise, been
defeated 1 " asked Catherine. " Take care ! do not say
yes, for I shall not believe it ; such a thing would be
impossible ! "
" No, Madame," replied the Due de Nemours, " Mon-
sieur de Guise has not been defeated ; as you say, that
would be impossible ! But he has been betrayed by
Caraffa, abandoned even by the pope, and he has de-
spatched me to inform the king that his position is no
longer tenable, with honor either to himself or France,
and to beg either for speedy reinforcements or his instant
recall."
" And according to our agreement, Madame," said the
cardinal, " I have brought Monsieur de Nemours first to
you."
" But," said Catherine, " the recall of Monsieur de
Guise means relinquishing the pretensions of the King
of France to the kingdom of Naples, and my claims to
the duchy of Tuscany."
240 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
" Yes," said the cardinal ; " but remember, Madame,
that it cannot be long before we have war in France,
and that then it will not be a question of reconquering
Naples and Florence, but of protecting Paris."
" What ! Paris ! You jest, Monsieur le Cardinal ! It
seems to me that France can defend France, and that
Paris can protect itself."
" I fear that you are mistaken, Madame," replied the
cardinal. " Our best troops, depending on the truce,
have gone to Italy with my brother ; and certainly, had
it not been for the incomprehensible conduct of Cardinal
Caraffa, had it not been for the treachery of the Duke
of Parma, who has so far forgotten what he owes to the
King of France as to make common cause with the em-
peror, an advance movement upon Naples and the neces-
sity King Philip would be under of weakening his forces
in order to protect Naples, would have prevented an
attack upon France. But now that Philip is assured that
he has men enough in Italy to hold us in check, he will
turn his attention toward France, and will not fail to
take advantage of its weakness. Besides, this prank of
the constable's nephew apparently justifies the King of
Spain in breaking the truce."
11 You refer to his descent upon Douai ? " said
Catherine.
" Exactly."
" Listen ! " said the queen. " You know that I detest
the admiral as heartily as you do ; therefore procure his
downfall if you can. 1 will not hinder you, but, on the
contrary, will give you all the aid in my power."
" In the mean time upon what do you decide 1 " said
the cardinal. And seeing that Catherine hesitated, he
continued : " Oh, you can speak before Monsieur de
Nemours ! He belongs to Savoy, it is true, but is as
THE ROYAL HUNT. 241
much our friend as his cousin Emmanuel Philibert is
our enemy."
" Decide yourself, Cardinal," said Catherine, throwing
a side glance at the prelate ; " I am but a woman, whose
weak mind is little fitted for politics."
The cardinal understood Catherine's glance. She had
no friends ; she had only accomplices.
"Still, Madame," said Charles de Guise, "give an
opinion, and I will use the privilege of opposing it if it
does not agree with my own."
" Well, then, I think," said Catherine, " that the king,
being the sole head of the State, should be the first to
receive important information. In my opinion, then, if
Monsieur le Due is not too fatigued, he should remount
his horse, rejoin the king wherever he may be, and de-
liver to him before any one else the news which in your
friendship for me, my dear Cardinal, you have brought
first to me, much to my regret."
The cardinal turned toward the Due de Nemours in-
quiringly. But the latter, bowing, said, " Monseigneur,
I am never fatigued when I can be employed in the
king's service."
" In that case," said the cardinal, " you shall have a
fresh horse; and I will take the risk of notifying the
secretaries that the king will hold a council immediately
upon his return from the hunt. Follow me, Monsieur de
Nemours ! "
The young duke saluted the queen respectfully, and
was about to follow Monsieur le Cardinal de Lorraine,
when Catherine touched lightly the latter's arm.
" After you, Monsieur de Nemours," said Charles de
Guise.
" Monseigneur " said Jacques de Nemours, hesitating.
"Lead the way, I entreat you."
VOL. i. 16
242 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
" And I," said the queen, extending her beautiful
hand, "I command you, Monsieur le Due!"
The duke, concluding that doubtless the queen had
some private business with the cardinal, made no fur-
ther difficulty about taking precedence ; and kissing the
queen's hand, he went out, purposely allowing the cur-
tain to fall behind him.
"What is it, my dear Queen 1 " asked the cardinal.
" I wanted to tell you," replied Catherine, " that the
good King Louis XL, who in consideration of a loan of
five hundred thousand crowns gave our ancestor Laurent
de' Medici permission to add three fleurs-de-lis to our
coat-of-arms, used to say, 'If my night-cap knew my
secret, I would burn my night-cap ! ' Remember this
maxim of the good King Louis XL, my dear Cardinal.
You are too confiding ! "
It amused the cardinal that this piece of advice should
be given him, who was considered the most cautious of
politicians ; he had met with a caution greater than his
own in the person of the Florentine Catherine de' Medici.
The cardinal in his turn stepped beyond the curtains,
and saw the prudent young man, who, that he might not
be accused of listening, was waiting for him at the end of
the corridor. They descended together into the court-
yard, where Charles de Guise ordered a groom to bring
instantly a horse saddled and bridled. The groom re-
turned in five minutes leading the horse. Nemours
sprang into the saddle with the grace of an accomplished
horseman, and set off at full gallop down the broad
avenue of the park.
The young man had been told that he would probably
find the royal hunting-party somewhere near the road to
Poissy. He therefore laid his course in that direction,
hoping that when he arrived at the start the sound of
THE ROYAL HUNT. 243
the horns would guide him to the king. But in the
vicinity of the road to Poissy he saw and heard nothing.
A wood-cutter whom he questioned told him that the
hunting-party had gone toward Conflans ; so he turned
bis horse's head in that direction.
In about a quarter of an hour, while riding up a cross-
road, he saw in an open place just before him a cavalier,
who was rising in his stirrups in order to see farther, and
putting his hands to his ears in order to hear better.
This cavalier was a hunter, who evidently had become
separated from the hunting-party. But although this
hunter had lost his way, he would be likely to know
more of the probable locality of the hunt than the young
duke who had arrived from Italy scarcely a half-hour
before. Therefore Monsieur de Nemours rode up to the
hunter.
The latter, seeing a cavalier approach him, and sup-
posing he had found some one who could enlighten him
as to the progress of the hunt, also advanced.
But in a moment both put spurs to their horses ; they
had recognized each other.
The cavalier who had lost the hunt, who was trying
to ascertain his whereabouts by rising in his stirrups to
see and putting his hands to his ears to hear, was the
captain of the Scotch Guards.
The two cavaliers accosted each other with that cour-
teous familiarity which distinguished the young noble-
men of that period. Besides, although one, the Due de
Nemours, was of a princely house, the other, the Comte
de Montgomery, belonged to the oldest Norman nobility,
and was a descendant of that Roger de Montgomery who
had been with William the Bastard at the conquest of
*England.
Now, there were in France some old names which were
244 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
considered of equal rank with the names which were the
most powerful and glorious, notwithstanding the inferi-
ority of the titles they bore. For instance, there were
the Montmorencys, who had only the title of baron ; the
Rohans were only seigneurs ; there were the Coucys,
who were only sires, and the Montgomeiys, who were
only counts.
As the Due de Nemours had imagined, Montgomery
had lost the hunt, and was trying to find out where he
was. The place he had chosen was well fitted for this
purpose ; it was an open place upon an elevation to
which every sound would rise, and overlooked five or six
roads through one of which the hunted animal would not
fail to pass.
The two young men, who had not seen each other for
more than six months, had a thousand important ques-
tions to ask each other, Montgomery, on the subject
of the army and the glorious enterprises of war in which
Monsieur de Guise would naturally embark ; the other,
about the court of France and the fine intrigues which
were carried on there.
They had reached the most interesting part of the con-
versation, when Comte de Montgomery laid his hand
upon the duke's arm. He thought he heard the baying
of the hounds in the distance. Both listened. The
count was not mistaken ; for just then they saw at the
end of a long path an enormous boar passing with the
speed of an arrow. About fifty steps behind him followed
the fiercest of the dogs ; then the bulk of the pack, and
after them the stragglers.
Montgomery instantly put his horn to his mouth and
sounded the view halloo, in order to call together those
who, like himself, might be wandering astray, of whom
there must have been a considerable number, for three
THE ROYAL HUNT. 245
persons only, a man and two women, followed in the
track of the animal.
By the ardor with which the man followed the chase,
the two officers imagined that they recognized the king ;
but the distance was so great that it was impossible to say
who were the two bold amazons who followed him so closely.
All the rest of the hunting-party seemed to have been
scattered.
The Due de Nemours and the Comte de Montgomery
dashed into a path which, from the direction taken by
the animal, would enable them to cross the course of the
chase at right angles.
The king had indeed roused near the road to Poissy
the animal, which in terms of venery is called a ragot.
It had broken cover with that ferocity which character-
izes old animals, and headed straight for Conflans. The
king had immediately set out in pursuit, sounding the
start ; and all the court had followed the king.
But boars are bad courtiers ; and this particular boar,
instead of keeping to the open forest and good roads,
had dashed into the thickest coppice-wood and bram-
bles ; the consequence of which was that after a quarter
of an hour only the most inveterate of the hunters
followed the king closely, and of all the ladies three only
kept up with him : these were Madame Marguerite, the
king's sister; Diane de Poitiers; and Mary Stuart, the
little "queenlet," as Catherine called her.
In spite of the courage of the illustrious hunters and
huntresses of whom we have just spoken, the difficulties
of the ground, the thickness of the forest, which obliged
the horsemen to take a circuitous way, the height of the
bushes which it was impossible to clear, would soon have
allowed the boar and the dogs to disappear in the
distance ; but at the very edge of the forest the animal
246 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
had encountered the wall, which obliged him to retrace
his steps.
The king, left behind for the moment, but relying on
his pack of greyhounds, had paused to await the result.
This afforded some of the hunters an .opportunity to
rejoin him ; but soon the baying of the dogs was heard
once more.
That part of the forest toward which the animal now
turned was more open than the rest ; the consequence
was that this time the king could resume the chase with
the probability of continuing it to the end.
But, as had been the case ten minutes before, each one
held to the pursuit with a persistence limited to his en-
durance and courage. Besides, among the handsome
noblemen and charming women who constituted this
court many perhaps fell behind who were not absolutely
compelled to it by the incompetence of their horses, the
thickness of the wood, or by the inequalities of the
ground ; indeed, this was clearly proved by the groups of
gentlemen and ladies which were seen at the corners of
the avenues and in the open places, who seemed more in-
terested in the conversations in which they were engaged
than in listening for the baying of the dogs and the horn
of the huntsmen. And this explains the fact that when
Montgomery and Nemours caught sight of the boar, it
was followed only by a cavalier whom the young men
thought they recognized as the king, and by two ladies
whom they could not distinguish.
It was in fact the king, who with his usual ardor
wished to arrive in advance of the others, at the moment
when the boar, brought to a stand, should place himself
before some tree, bush, or rock, and make head against
the dogs.
The two amazons who were close behind him were
THE ROYAL HUNT. 247
Madame de Yalentinois and the little Queen Mary, of
whom the former was the best, and the latter the boldest
horsewoman among the court ladies.
Xow the boar was flagging, and evidently could hold
out no longer ; already the foremost dogs were at his
heels. For a quarter of an hour more, however, he tried
to escape his enemies by flight ; but perceiving that he
was nearly overtaken, he determined to die a noble death,
the proper death of a boar; grunting, and working his
huge jaws, he took his stand against the upturned roots
of a tree.
Scarcely had he done this, when the whole pack rushed
upon him, and announced by their redoubled barking
that the animal had turned to bay.
The sound of the king's horn was soon mingled with
the barking of the dogs, which he followed as closely as
they themselves followed the animal.
As he sounded his horn he turned to look for his gun-
bearer; but Henri had distanced all the most inveterate
huntsmen, even those whose duty it was never to leave
him, and saw only Diane and Mary Stuart who, as we
have said, had persisted in the chase coming after him
at full speed.
Not a lock of the beautiful Duchesse de Valentinois's
hair was out of place, and her velvet cap was fastened
upon the top of her head as firmly as at the moment of
setting out.
As for the little Mary, she had lost veil and cap ; and
her beautiful auburn hair, dishevelled by the wind, as
well as the charming glow upon her cheeks, bore witness
to the wildness of her ride.
The sound of the king's horn soon brought up the
gun-beai'er, with an arquebuse in his hand and another
on the pommel of his saddle. Behind him, through the
248 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
trees, were seen the glitter of gold embroideries, and the
bright colors of dresses, doublets, and cloaks. These
belonged to the hunters, who were advancing from every
direction.
The animal did his best; attacked at once by sixty
dogs, he held his own against them all. While the
sharpest teeth were dulled upon his tough hide, the
blows of his tusk produced deep wounds upon the adver-
sary on whom they fell. But although mortally wounded,
and notwithstanding their loss of blood, their trailing
entrails, the king's grays, as they were called, were of so
noble a breed that they only returned fiercer to the com-
bat ; and the multitudinous spots of blood which stained
this carpet of living green were the only evidence of
wounds.
The king saw that it was time to put an end to this
butchery, or he would lose his best dogs. He threw
down his horn, and motioned his gun-bearer to give him
an arquebuse.
The match was already lighted, and the gun-bearer
had only to hand the weapon to the king, who was an
excellent shot and rarely missed his aim. Arquebuse in
hand, he advanced to within twenty-five feet of the boar,
whose eyes shone like burning coals. He aimed between
the animal's eyes, and fired.
The animal had received the charge in the head, but
by a movement made at the moment when the king was
pulling the trigger, had turned his head to one side, so
that the ball had just grazed the bone, and killed
one of the dogs. On the boar's head, between the eye
and ear, a line of blood was seen, indicating the course
the ball had taken.
Henri remained for a moment astonished that the ani-
mal had not fallen dead ; while his horse, trembling all
THE ROYAL HUNT. 249
over, settled on his haunches and pawed the air with his
forefeet. He handed to the huntsman the discharged
arquebuse, and took from him in exchange another al-
ready primed and lighted, and laid the breach against
his shoulder.
But before he had time to aim, the boar, unwilling
doubtless to run the risk of a second shot, suddenly
shook off the dogs which were clinging around him, made
a charge through the pack, leaving a bloody trail behind
him, and quick as lightning rushed between the legs of
the king's horse, which reared upon his hind legs with
a cry of pain, exposing to view a wound from which blood
flowed and entrails dropped, and then fell, with the king
under him.
All this happened so suddenly that it had not occurred
to one of the spectators to make an attack on the boar,
who had renewed his charge upon the king before the
latter had time to draw his hunting-knife. Henri tried
to get hold of it, but it was impossible ; the hunting-knife
was held fast under his left side.
Brave as the king was, he had already opened his
mouth to cry for help, for the hideous head of the
boar, with its eyes of fire, its bloody mouth, and its sharp
tusks, was right upon him, when suddenly he heard,
close to his ear, a voice whose firmness of tone there is
no mistaking, say, " Do not stir, Sire ; I will answer for
your safety." Then he felt his arm raised, and saw a
long sharp blade flash quickly by him and plunge itself
into the body of the boar.
At the same time two strong arms seized Henri from
behind, drawing him from under the horse, leaving the
king's defender exposed to the attacks of the animal to
which he had just given the death-blow.
He who drew the king from his dangerous position was
250 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
the Due de Nemours ; the other, who with one knee on
the ground and with arm extended had just run his
sword through the boar's heart, was the Comte de
Montgomery.
The Comte de Montgomery drew his sword from the
animal's body, wiped it upon the long grass, replaced it
in its scabbard, and advancing toward Henri It. as if
nothing extraordinary had happened, "Sire," he said,
" I have the honor to present to you Monsieur le Due de
Nemours, who comes from beyond the mountains, and
who is the bearer of news to the king from Monsieur le
Due de Guise and his brave army in Italy."
CONSTABLE AND CARDINAL. 251
CHAPTER III.
CONSTABLE AND CARDINAL.
Two hours after the scene we have just described,
when the real or affected agitation in the minds of those
present had subsided ; when congratulations had been
offered to the Comte de Montgomery and the Due de
Nemours, the two saviors of the king, upon the courage
and adroitness they had displayed on this occasion ; when
the quarry an important matter, which was never neg-
lected for the most serious business was distributed
among the dogs in the courtyard of the chateau in pres-
ence of the king, the queen, and all the gentlemen and
ladies of the court at St. Germain, Henri II., with
the smiling face of a man who has just escaped mortal
peril, and who feels strong and full of life in proportion
as the peril has been great, entered his cabinet, where,
besides his ordinary councillors, Cardinal Charles de Lor-
raine and Constable de Montmorency awaited him.
We have already two or three times spoken of the
Constable de Moutmorency ; but we have neglected to do
for him what we have done for the other heroes of this
story, that is to say, raise him from his tomb and
place him before our readers, like the celebrated Consta-
ble de Bourbon, whom his soldiers carried after his death
to the house of an artist, that the latter might make a
portrait of him, erect and fully armed, as he had appeared
in life.
252 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
Anne de Moutmorency was the head of that old house
of Christian barons, or Barons of France, as their title
was, descended from Bouchard de Moutmorency, which
has given to the kingdom ten constables.
His name and his titles were as follows : Anne de
Montmorency, Duke, Marshal, Grand Master, Constable,
and First Baron of France, Chevalier de St. Michel and
de la Jarretiere ; Captain of one hundred of the king's
orderlies ; Governor and Lieutenant-General of the Lan-
guedoc ; Comte de Beaumont, Dammartin, de la Fere-en-
Tardenois, and Chateaubriant ; Vicomte de Meluu and
Moutreuil ; Baron d'Amville, de Preaux, de Montbron,
d'Offemont, de Mello, de Chateauneuf, de la Rochepot,
de Dangu, de Meru, de Thore, de Savoisy, de Gourville,
de Derval, de Chanceaux, de Rouge, d'Aspremont, and de
Mainteuay ; Seigneur d'Ecouen, de Chantilly, de 1'Isle-
Adam, de Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, de Nogent, de Val-
mondois, de Compiegue, de Gandelu, de Marigny, and de
Thourout.
As is seen by this catalogue of titles, the king might
be king in Paris, but Moutmorency was duke, count,
baron, all about Paris ; so that the dignity of royalty
seemed to be confined to his duchies, earldoms, and
baronies.
Born in 1493, he was at the time of which we write
an old man sixty-four years old, who, although he looked
his age, possessed the strength and vigor of a man of
thirty. Violent and brutal, he had all the rougher quali-
ties of the soldier, blind courage, thoughtlessness of
danger, and insensibility to fatigue, hunger, and thirst.
Full of pride, puffed up with vanity, he acknowledged
himself inferior only to the Due de Guise, or rather to
his rank as Prince de Lorraine ; for as a general and
commander of expeditions, he considered himself im-
CONSTABLE AND CARDINAL. 253
mensely superior to the defender of Metz and conqueror
at Renty. For him Henri II. was only the little master ;
Fraii9ois I. had been the great master, and he would ac-
knowledge no other. An uncommon courtier, headstrong
in his ambition for power, he obtained by rebuffs and
brutalities advantages for the increase of his fortune and
power which another would have gained by complaisance
and kindness. Diane de Valentinois, too, helped him
very much in some cases where, but for her, he would
have failed ; coming after him with her gentle voice, her
sweet smile, and pleasant face, she set to rights every-
thing which the limitless anger of the soldier had put in
confusion. He had already been engaged in four great
battles, and in each one he had performed the labor of a
vigorous man-at-arms, but in none of them had he distin-
guished himself as an intelligent leader.
These four battles were as follows : First, that which
took place at Ravenna ; he was then eighteen years old,
and followed, for his own pleasure and as volunteer, what
was called the general standard, or, in other words, the
standard of the volunteers. The second battle was that
of Marignano ; there he commanded a company of one
hundred men-at-arms, and he might have been able to
boast that his hand had dealt the most vigorous sword-
thrusts and sledge-hammer blows if there had not been
by his side, and often in advance of him, his great master
Fran9ois I., that hundred-handed giant, who might have
made a conquest of the world, if that conquest had de-
volved upon him who should strike most vigorously and
with the greatest rapidity. The third was the battle of
La Bicoque, where he was colonel of the Guards ; he
there fought hand to hand, and was left for dead on the
battle-field. Finally, the fourth was the battle of Pavia.
He had at that time become marshal of France, through
254 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
the death of Monsieur de Chatillon, his brother-in-law.
Expecting that the battle would take place the next day,
he had set out in the night to reconnoitre ; at the sound
of the cannon he had returned to camp, and was taken
prisoner " like all the rest," says Brantome ; and indeed
at this calamitous defeat of Pavia everybody was taken
prisoner, even the king.
Quite in contrast with Monsieur de Guise, who had
great sympathy with the middle and professional classes,
the constable detested the common people and execrated
lawyers. He lost no opportunity of snubbing both.
For instance, one very warm day, TV hen a judge had
come to confer with him in regard to the duties of his
office, Monsieur de Montmorency received him with his
hat in hand, and said,
" Come, Monsieur le Juge, say quickly what you have
to tell me, and put on your hat."
The judge, thinking that it was out of respect for
him that Montmorency kept his head uncovered, replied,
" Monsieur, I will not put on my hat while you yourself
remain with bare head."
The constable thereupon exclaimed : " What a great
fool you are, Monsieur! Do you think, perchance, that
I remain uncovered for love of you ? Not at all, but for
my own comfort, my friend, and lest I die of heat. I
am listening ; go on."
The president, quite abashed, could only stammer in
reply ; and Monsieur de Montmorency interrupted him
with : " You are an idiot, Monsieur le Juge ! Go home,
learn your lesson, and when you know it come back to
me ; but not before." And he turned on his heel.
The inhabitants of Bordeaux had revolted ; and after
they had killed their governor, the constable was sent
against them. When they were informed that he was
CONSTABLE AND CARDINAL. 255
coming, fearing that the reprisals would be heavy, they
went to meet him the distance of two days' journey,
carrying to him the keys of the city.
But he, who was ou horseback and fully armed, said :
" Gentlemen of Bordeaux, begone with your keys ; I do
not want them." And pointing to his cannon, he con-
tinued : " See what I bring with me ; these guns will
make an overture quite different from yours Ah! I
will teach you to rebel against the king and kill his gov-
ernor and his lieutenant. Understand that I will have
you hanged ! " And he kept his word.
At Bordeaux, Monsieur de Strozzi, who had passed
his men in review before the constable the day before,
came to pay his respects to him, although he was a
relative of the queen. When Monsieur de Montmo-
rency perceived him, he exclaimed : " Ah, good-day,
Strozzi ! Your men did wonderfully well yesterday, and
were truly worth seeing ; they shall have some money
to-day, I have commanded it."
" Thanks, Monsieur le Connctable," replied Monsieur de
Strozzi ; " I am very glad that you are satisfied with
them, for I have a petition to offer you from them."
" What is it, Strozzi ? Speak ! "
"Wood is very dear in this' city, and they cannot
afford to buy as much as they need, considering the
severe cold ; they entreat you to give them a vessel
called the ' Montreal,' lying on the strand, which is worth
nothing, to break up for firewood."
"Yes, indeed, I am willing." said the constable; "let
them go right away, taking with them their camp-boys,
and break it up for firewood."
But while he was at dinner, the aldermen of the city
and the councillors of the court came to him to protest
against the destruction of the vessel. Whether MOD-
256 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
sieur de Strozzi had seen incorrectly, or had relied on the
reports of his soldiers, or was unable to distinguish an old
vessel from a new one, the vessel which he had ordered
the soldiers to break up for firewood was still in con-
dition for long and useful service. So these worthy
magistrates had come to represent to the constable how
great a loss would be incurred by the destruction of
this fine vessel, which had made but two or three
voyages, and whose capacity measured three hundred
tons.
But the constable, in his ordinary tone, interrupted
them almost as soon as they had begun : " Well, well,
well ! Who are you, fools, to presume to censure me 1 ?
Yet you are a clever set of idiots to be so bold as to
remonstrate with me. If I should do the right thing,
and what is there to prevent ] I should send the sol-
diers to demolish your houses instead of the vessel ; and
that is what I will do, if you do not quickly take to your
heels. Go home and attend to your own affairs, and let
mine alone." And on that very day the vessel was
broken up.
During the reign of peace the constable poured out
his most violent wrath upon the ministei*s of the re-
formed religion, against whom he cherished a fierce hatred.
One of his diversions was to go into the temples in Paris
and drive them from the pulpit ; and once when he had
learned from the king that with the king's permission
they were holding a council, he hastened to Popincourt,
forced his way into the assembly, overturned the pulpit,
broke up all the benches and set them on fire; on
account of which expedition he was surnamed Captain
Brule-Bancs.
And all these brutalities the constable committed
while mumbling prayers, especially the Lord's Prayer,
CONSTABLE AND CARDINAL. 257
which he most frequently repeated, and which he inter-
larded in the most grotesque manner with his barbarous
and irrevocable commands.
Therefore it boded ill when he began to mumble his
prayer. "Our Father who art in heaven," he said,
' ; Go, catch me such a one ! hallowed be thy name
Hang me that fellow to that tree ! Thy kingdom come
Run that other one through with a pike ! thy will
be done Shoot those rascals there in front of me !
upon the earth as it is in Heaven ! Cut in pieces those
marauders for me, who tried to hold this tower against
the king! Give us each day our daily bread Burn
me this village ! Forgive us our sins as we forgive
those who have trespassed against us Set tire to every
corner, and let not a house escape ! and lead us not
into temptation If the villains cry out, throw them into
the fire! but deliver us from evil. Amen!"
This was called the constable's Pater-noster.
Such was the man whom, on entering his cabinet,
King Henri II. found seated opposite the refined, intel-
lectual, aristocratic Cardinal de Lorraine, the most cour-
teous churchman, and the ablest political prelate of his
time.
It is easy to understand the antagonism between these
two natures so absolutely opposite, and the disturbance
these ambitious rivals might cause in the State, espe-
cially since the family of Montmoreucy was scarcely less
numerous than the family of Guise, the constable having
had by his wife, Madame de Savoy, daughter of Monsieur
Roue 1 , Bastard of Savoy and Grand Master of France, five
sons Messieurs de Montmorency, d'Amville, de Meru,
de Montbron, and de There" and five daughters, four
of whom were married, respectively, to Messieurs de la
Tre'mouille, de Turenne, de Ventadour, and de Caudale ;
VOL. i 17
258 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
arid of whom the fifth, the most beautiful of all, became
the Abbess of St. Pierre at Rheims.
Now, it was necessary to establish this numerous fam-
ily, and the constable was anxiously planning for this
establishment when the king arrived.
Every one arose and uncovered on perceiving Henri.
The king saluted Montmorency with a friendly and
almost soldier-like gesture, while he turned to Charles de
Lorraine with a deferential bow.
"I have summoned you, gentlemen," he said, "in or-
der to consult you on a serious matter. Monsieur de
Nemours has arrived from Italy, where our affairs are in
a wretched condition, in consequence of the pope's failure
to keep his word and the treachery of most of our allies.
At first, everything progressed wonderfully well. Mon-
sieur de Strozzi had taken Ostia, although it is true
that we had lost in the trenches of the city Monsieur de
Montluc, a brave and worthy man, gentlemen, for whose
soul I ask your prayers. Then the Duke of Alva, know-
ing of the approach of your illustrious brother, my dear
Cardinal, withdrew to Naples. All the places in the
vicinity of Rome, consequently, had been successively
occupied by us. Indeed, after crossing the Milanese, the
duke advanced toward Reggio, where his father-in-law,
the Duke of Ferrara, awaited him with six thousand in-
fantry and eight hundred horse. There a consultation
was held between the Cardinal Caraffa and Jean de Lo-
deve, the king's ambassador. It was thought by some
that either Cremona or Pavia should be attacked, while
the Marechal de Brissac should divert the enemy ; others
were of the opinion that before they should have time to
seize upon these two places, which are the best fortified
in Italy, the Duke of Alva would have doubled his army
by levying troops in Tuscany and in the kingdom of
CONSTABLE AND CARDINAL. 259
Naples. Cardinal Caraffa had another plan ; he pro-
posed to enter the military frontier of Ancona through
Terra di Lavoro, every part of which was poorly fortified,
and would yield to the first attack. But the Duke of
Ferrara objected that the defence of the Holy See being
the principal object of the campaign, the Due de Guise
should march straight to Rome. The Due de Guise de-
cided in favor of this last course, and wished to take
with him the Duke of Ferrara's six thousand infantry
and eight hundred horse ; but the latter retained them,
saying that he might be attacked at any moment either
by the Grand Duke Cosimo de' Medici or by the Duke of
Parma.
" Monsieur le Due de Guise, gentlemen, was therefore
obliged to continue his course with the small number of
troops which already accompanied him, depending only
on the reinforcement which, according to Cardinal Caraffa,
was waiting at Bologna to join the French army. Hav-
ing arrived at Bologna with Monsieur le Cardinal, his
nephew, the duke sought in vain for the reinforcement.
There was none. Your brother, my dear Cardinal," con-
tinued the king, " did not conceal his dissatisfaction ;
but he was promised that on reaching the neighborhood
of Ancona he would find ten thousand fresh troops levied
by the- pope. The duke trusted to this promise, and
continued his way through Romagna. No reinforcement
awaited him there ; he left our army there in charge of
the Due d'Aumale, and proceeded directly to Rome to
learn from the pope himself upon what he might rely.
The pope, thus brought to the point by Monsieur de Guise,
replied that he had a contingent of twenty -four thou-
sand men for this war, but that among these twenty-four
thousand men were included the men-at-arms guarding
the strongholds of the Church. Now, eighteen thousand
260 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
papal soldiers distributed about in different places were
occupied in this service. Monsieur de Guise saw that he
could rely only on those men he had brought with
him; but, according to the pope, these men would be
sufficient, the French having heretofore failed in their
attacks upon Naples only because the pope was opposed
to them. But now, instead of being opposed to the
French, he was on their side ; and thanks to this co-
operation, only moral and spiritual though it was, the
French could not fail to succeed. Monsieur de Guise,
my dear Constable," continued Henri, "is a little like
you in this respect ; he is never distrustful of fortune so
long as he has his good sword by his side and a few
thousand brave men to follow him. He sent in haste for
his army, and when it had rejoined him he set out for
Rome, attacked Campli, took the city by assault, and put
to the edge of the sword men, women, and children."
The constable received the account of this achievement
with the first visible sign of approbation he had given.
The cardinal remained unmoved.
" From Campli," continued the king, " the duke went
to lay siege to Civitella, which is built, as it appears,
upon a steep hill, and is protected by strong fortifications.
He began by an attack on the fortress ; but our army,
with its usual impatience, was eager for an assault. Un-
fortunately, the place selected for this purpose was de-
fended on all sides by bastions ; the consequence was that
our men were driven back, with a loss of two hundred
killed and three hundred wounded."
A pleased smile flickered on the lips of the constable ;
the invincible had failed before a paltry fortress !
" Meanwhile," pursued the king, " the Duke of Alva,
having collected his troops at Chieti, marched to the aid
of the besieged with an army of three thousand Span-
CONSTABLE AND CARDINAL. 261
iards, six thousand Germans, three thousand Italians, and
three hundred Calabrians. This army was more than
twice as large as that commanded by the Due de Guise,
a fact which determined the duke to raise the siege,
and go to await the enemy in the open country between
Fermo and Ascoli. He hoped that the Duke of Alva
would accept his offer of battle ; but the Duke of Alva,
sure that we shall suffer loss if left to ourselves, con-
tinues to hold aloof, and accepts neither encounter,
combat, nor battle, or accepts them in positions which
afford us no chance of success. In this situation, with-
out hope of obtaining from the pope either men or
money, Monsieur de Guise sends me Monsieur le Due de
Nemours to ask me either for large reinforcements or for
permission to leave Italy and return home. What is
your opinion, gentlemen ? Shall we make a final effort
and send to our dear Due de Guise the men and money
which he absolutely needs, or shall we recall him and by
so doing renounce all claim to the possession of that
beautiful Kingdom of Naples, which, on the promise of
the pope, I had already designed for my son Charles ? "
The constable signified by a gesture that he had some-
thing to say, at the same time indicating his readiness to
give precedence to the Cardinal de Lorraine ; but the
latter by a slight movement of the head gave him to un-
derstand that he was free to speak. It was the cardinal's
habitual practice to let his adversary speak first.
" Sire," said the constable, " it is my opinion that
an affair so well begun should not be abandoned, and
that your Majesty should make every effort to sustain in
Italy your army and your general."
" And you, Monsieur le Cardinal 1 " said the king.
"I," said Charles de Lorraine, "ask the constable's
pardon, but I am of a very different opinion."
262 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
"That does not surprise me, Monsieur le Cardinal,"
replied the constable, with acrimony ; " it would be the
first time that we were agreed. So in your opinion,
Monsieur, your brother should be recalled ? "
" I think it would be good policy to recall him."
" Alone, or accompanied by his army ? " asked the
constable.
" With his army, even to the last man ! "
" And why ? Do you think the highways are not
sufficiently infested with bandits 1 For my part, I think
they are abundant."
" The highways are perhaps sufficiently infested with
robbers, Monsieur le Connetable, they are perhaps abun-
dant, as you say ; but brave soldiers and great captains
are not abundant."
" You forget, Monsieur le Cardinal, that this is a
period of universal peace, and that in such times of peace
we do not need valiant conquerors."
" I beg your Majesty," said the cardinal, addressing
the king, " to ask Monsieur le Connetable if he seriously
believes in the duration of this time of peace."
"Morbleuf if I believe in it! " said the constable,
" a pretty question ! "
" Well, I, Sire," said the cardinal, " not only do not
believe in it, but I am of the opinion that if your
Majesty does not wish the King of Spain to have the
glory of attacking us, we must hasten to attack the King
of Spain."
" In spite of the truce solemnly sworn 1 " exclaimed
the constable, with an earnestness which had the appear-
ance of being genuine. " Do you forget, Monsieur le
Cardinal, that it is a duty to keep an oath, that the
king's word should be more inviolable than that of
any other person, and that France never broke her
CONSTABLE AND CARDINAL. 263
oath of fidelity, even in regard to the Turks and
Saracens ? "
" But in that case," demanded the cardinal, " how did
it happen that your nephew Monsieur de Chatillon, in-
stead of quietly attending to his own affairs in Picardy,
made an attempt to surprise and escalade Douai, in
which he would have succeeded had it not been for an
old woman who happened to pass near the place where
the ladders were placed, and who gave the alarm to the
sentinels 1 "
" Why did my nephew do that ? " exclaimed the con-
stable, falling into the trap. "I will tell you why he
did that."
" We are listening," said the cardinal. Then turning
to the king, he said with significance, " Listen, Sire ! "
" Oh, his Majesty knows as well as T, mordieu ! " said
the constable ; " for occupied as he seems to be with his
love affairs, understand, Monsieur le Cardinal, that we do
not leave the king in ignorance of the affairs of State."
"We are listening, Monsieur le Conne'table," replied
the cardinal, coldly. " You were about to tell us what
reason Monsieur 1'Amiral had for his attack upon
Douai."
" What reason ! I will tell you ten of them, and not
one only, mordieu ! "
" Go on, Monsieur le Connetable."
" In the first place," replied the latter, " the attempt
which Monsieur le Megue, Governor of Luxembourg,
himself made, through the instrumentality of his house-
steward, who bribed for one thousand crowns cash and
the promise of a pension of an equal sum three soldiers of
the garrison of Metz, who were to deliver up the city."
" Which my brother so gloriously defended ! " said the
cardinal. " We have heard that attempt spoken of, which,
264 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
like that of your nephew the admiral, fortunately failed.
But that is only one reason, and you promised us ten,
Monsieur le Connetable."
" Oh, wait ! Do you not know, also, Monsieur le Car-
dinal, that this same Comte de Megue had bribed a Pro-
vengal soldier of the garrison of Marienbourg, who in
consideration of a large sum of money engaged to poison
all the wells in the place, and that the project failed
only because the count, fearing that one man would not
be sufficient for the undertaking, applied to others, who
divulged the secret of the plot ? Mordieu ! you cannot
say the story is false, Monsieur le Cardinal, since the
soldier was put to the rack."
" That reasoning would not be quite sufficient to con-
vince me ; you have in your day, Monsieur le Connetable,
put to the rack and hanged not a few persons whom I
consider to be as innocent and as truly martyrs as those
who were put to death in the circus by those pagan
emperors called Nero, Commodus, and Domitian."
" Mordieu ! Monsieur le Cardinal, you deny, perhaps,
that project of Monsieur le Comte de Megue to poisou
the wells of Marie ubourg 1"
" On the contrary, Monsieur le Connetable, I have told
you that I admit it. But you have promised to give us
ten reasons for the project of Monsieur, your nephew,
and we have heard only two of them."
"You shall have them, mordieu! you shall have them !
Perhaps you do not know, for instance, that Monsieur le
Comte de Berlaimont, treasurer of Flanders, had formed,
jointly with two Gascon soldiers, a conspiracy, in which
the latter, aided by Sieur de Veze, captain of a company
of foot soldiers, engaged to deliver up to the King of
Spain the city of Bordeaux, provided they were backed
by five or six hundred men ? Just deny this conspiracy
CONSTABLE AND CARDINAL. 265
of the Catholic king, and I will answer that one of those
two soldiers, arrested near St. Quentin by the governor
of the place, has confessed everything, even that he had
received the reward promised in the presence of Antoine
Perrenot, Bishop of Arras. Come, mordieu! deny it,
Monsieur le Cardinal, deny it ! "
" I will take good care not to do that," said the cardi-
nal, smiling, " since it is indeed the truth, Monsieur le
Connetable, and since I do not wish to trifle away the
salvation of uiy soul by so great a falsehood; but this
makes, on the part of his Majesty the King of Spain,
only three violations of the treaty of Vaucelles, and you
have promised us ten."
" Yet once more I tell you you shall have your ten,
mordieu ! and, if necessary, you shall have even a dozen !
Ah ! for example, was not Maitre Jacques la Fleche, one
of the best engineers of King Philip II., arrested while
taking soundings in the shallow places of the river Oise,
and taken to La Fere, where he confessed that the Duke
of Savoy, Emmanuel Philibert, had hired him, with
money furnished by Monsieur de Berlaimont, to draw
plans of Montreuil, Roye, Doulens, St. Quentin, Mezieres,
and other places which the Spaniards wanted to capture,
in order to control Boulogne and Ardres, and cut off
Marienbourg from supplies 1 "
" That is perfectly true, Monsieur le Connetable ; but
we are a long way from our ten."
" Eh, mordieu / do I need to give you ten reasons to
show that in reality the truce is already broken on the
part of Spain, and that if my nephew the admiral did
make a descent upon Douai, he was perfectly right in
doing so 1 "
" And I had no intention of inducing you to say any-
thing further, Monsieur le Coune'table ; these four proofs
266 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
are quite sufficient to convince me that the truce has
been broken by Philip II. Now, since the truce has
been broken, not once, but four times, it is Philip II.,
King of Spain, who has failed to keep his pledge, and the
King of France is justified in recalling from Italy his
army and his general, and in preparing for war."
The constable bit his light mustaches ; the cunning of
his adversary had trapped him into admitting just the
opposite of what he meant to say.
The cardinal had hardly ceased speaking, and the con-
stable biting his mustaches, when a trumpet, sounding
a foreign air, was heard in the courtyard of the chateau
of St. Germain.
" Oh, oh ! " said the king, " who is that disagreeable
joker of a page, who comes to torture my ears with an
English air ] Go and inquire, Monsieur de 1'Aubespine,
and give the little fool a good flogging for this jesting."
Monsieur de 1'Aubespine went to execute the king's
orders, but returned in about five minutes, saying,
"Sire, it is neither page nor squire nor huntsman
who performed the air in question ; it is a real English
trumpet which announces a herald sent by your cousin
Queen Mary."
Monsieur de 1'Aubespine had scarcely finished these
words when another air was heard which they recognized
as Spanish.
" Ah, ah ! " said the king, " the husband follows the
wife, as it seems."
Then, with that dignity which on occasion all the old
kings of France knew so well how to assume, " Gentle-
men," he said, "let us withdraw to the throne-room.
Assemble your officers ; I will call together the court.
Whatever may be the intelligence from our cousins Mary
and Philip, we must do honor to their messengers."
WAR. 267
CHAPTER IV.
WAR.
THE combined notes of the English and Spanish trum-
pets, like a double echo from the North and from the
South, had been heard not only in the council-chamber
but throughout the palace. The king found the court
already informed of the new arrival ; the ladies were at
the windows, gazing curiously at the two heralds and
their suite.
At the door of the council-chamber the constable was met
by a young officer whom his nephew the admiral had sent,
he who, as we have seen, visited the Emperor Charles
V. on the evening of his abdication. The admiral was,
as already mentioned, Governor of Picardy ; he therefore,
in case of an invasion, would be especially exposed to
attack.
" Ah, is it you, Theligny ? " l said the constable, in a
low tone.
" Yes, Monseigneur," replied the young officer.
" And you bring me news from the admiral ? "
" Yes, Monseigneur."
" You have seen no one, and have told no one ? "
" This intelligence is for the king, Monseigneur," re-
plied the young officer ; " but I am instructed to commu-
nicate it to you first."
1 This Theligny is not to be confounded with the admiral's son-
in-law, who waa killed on St. Bartholomew's Day.
268 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
" Very well, follow me," said the constable.
And as the Cardinal de Lorraine had taken the Due
de Nemours to the apartment of Catherine de' Medici, so
the constable conducted Monsieur de Theligny to that of
the Duchesse de Valentinois.
Meanwhile the court had assembled in the throne-room.
The king sat upon the throne, with the queen at his right ;
upon the steps of the throne stood the officers of the
crown, while upon chairs around the throne were seated
Mesdames Marguerite and Elisabeth of France, Mary
Stuart, the Duchesse de Valentinois, the four Marys,
in short, all the members of the brilliant court of the
Valois. The king gave orders to introduce the English
herald.
Long before he appeared, the sound of his spurs and
of those of the men-at-arms who formed his escort could
be heard as they drew nearer ; then at last he crossed
the threshold, dressed in a tunic emblazoned with the
arms of England and France, and advanced without un-
covering his head until within a few steps of the king's
throne. Then he bared his head, and kneeling on one
knee spoke in a loud voice the following words :
"Mary, Queen of England, Ireland, and France, to
Henri, King of France, greeting ! Inasmuch as you have
held relations of friendship with the English Protestants,
enemies of our person, our religion, and our 'government,
and have afforded them succor and protection against our
just pursuit of them, we, William Norry, herald of the
crown of England, declare war against you by sea and
land, and in token of defiance throw down before you the
gauntlet." And the herald hurled his iron gauntlet upon
the floor at the feet of the king.
" It is well," replied the king, without rising. " I ac-
cept this declaration of war; but I wish all the world to
WAR. 269
kuow that I have kept faith with your queen, a duty I
owed to the pleasant friendship we have always entertained
for each other ; but since she attacks France so unjustly, I
pray God that she shall have no better success than her
ancestors had when they fought mine. I address you
thus quietly and civilly because it is a queen who sends
you ; if it had been a king, I should have used a very
different tone."
And turning to Mary Stuart, " My gentle Queen of
Scotland," he said, " since you as well as I are concerned
in this war, and since you have as much right to the
crown of England as our sister Mary has to that of France,
I beg you to pick up this gauntlet, and present to the
brave Sir William Norry the gold chain which you wear
about your neck, which my dear Duchesse de Valentinois
will gladly replace with her necklace of pearls ; and I
promise that she shall not lose by so doing. Come !
a woman's hand must pick up a woman's gauntlet."
Mary Stuart rose, and with exquisite grace took the
chain from her beautiful neck and threw it around that
of the herald ; then with that proud look which suited
her face so well, " I pick up this gauntlet," she said, " not
only in the name of France, but also in that of Scotland.
Herald, tell this to our sister Mary."
The herald arose, and bowing slightly, withdrew to the
left of the throne. " I will act according to the wishes
of King Henri of Fi-ance and Queen Mary of Scotland,"
he said.
"Admit the herald of our brother Philip II.," said
Henri.
The same clatter of spurs was heard announcing the
Spanish herald, whose manner as he approached was
even more haughty than that of his colleague. Stroking
his CastUian mustache, he advanced to within a few
270 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
steps of the king, and without kneeling, but simply bow-
ing, said,
" Philip, by divine grace King of Castile, Leon, Granada,
Navarre, Aragon, Naples, Sicily, Majorca, Sardinia, of the
Indies and islands of Oceanica ; Archduke of Austria ;
Duke of Burgundy, Lothier, Brabant, Limbourg, Lux-
embourg, and Guelders ; Count of Flanders and Artois ;
Marquis of the Holy Empire ; Seigneur of Friesland,
Salins, Malines, the cities, towns, and territory of Utrecht,
Overyssel, and Groeningen ; ruler in Asia and in Africa,
declare to you, Henri of France, that by reason of the as-
saults made upon the city of Douai, and the pillage of the
city of Sens, under the order and direction of your gov-
ernor in Picardy, we aonsider that the truce sworn by us
at Vaucelles has been broken, and we declare war against
you by land and sea. In token of this challenge, in the
name of my said king, prince, and seigneur, I, Guzman
d'Avila, herald of Castile, Leon, Granada, Navarre, and
Aragou, here throw down my gauntlet." And drawing
it from his right hand, he threw it with an insolent ges-
ture at the feet of the king.
Then, through his swarthy complexion, Henri II. 's
expressive face was seen to turn pale, as, with a voice
slightly changed, he said,
" Our brother Philip is beforehand with us in address-
ing to us complaints which we might make against him ;
but he would have done better, since he has taken such
personal offence, to challenge us personally. We should
have been glad to answer for our deeds in single combat,
and to let God be judge between us. Tell him, Don
Guzman d'Avila, however, that we accept heartily his
challenge of war, but that if he should decide to change
his mind, and seek a personal encounter, we should ac-
cept that challenge with even greater pleasure."
WAR. 271
The constable touched his arm significantly, and he
continued : " You may add that you saw our good friend
Monsieur de Montmorency, when he heard this proposal
we offer you, touch our arm to remind us of a prophecy
that we shall die in a duel. Well, at the risk of the
fulfilment of this prophecy, we repeat this proposal,
which we are doubtful if this prophecy be sufficiently
reassuring to our brother to determine him to accept.
Monsieur de Montmorency, as Constable of France, I ask
you to pick up King Philip's gauntlet."
Then to the herald, "Stay, my friend !" he said,
bringing forward a bag placed behind him for this pur-
pose, which was filled with gold, " it is a long distance
to Valladolid, and as you came to bring me so welcome
news, it is not fair that you should spend upon this long
journey your own money or your master's. Therefore
take these hundred crowns to defray your expenses."
" Sire," replied the herald, " my master and I live in a
country where gold grows, and we have only to stoop and
pick it up when we need it." And bowing to the king,
he stepped back.
"Ah, ah, proud as a Castilian !" murmured Henri.
" Monsieur de Montgomery, take this bag and distribute
the gold through the windows among those outside ! "
Montgomery took the bag, opened the window, and
threw the gold to the lackeys in the courtyard below,
who received it with exclamations of joy.
" Gentlemen," continued Henri, rising, " it has always
been the custom at the court of France to give a fte
whenever war has been declared against us by a neigh-
boring sovereign ; there will take place to-night a fete of
twofold significance, since we have received at the same
time declarations of war from a king and from a queen."
Then turning to the two heralds, who were standing,
272 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
one on the left and the other on the right, " Sir William
Xorry, Don Guzman d'Avila," said the king, " since you
bring occasion for the fete, you are invited to take part
in it as representatives of Queen Mary our sister, and
King Philip our brother."
" Sire," said the constable, in an undertone to King
Henri, " will your Majesty hear some news fresh from
Picardy, which my nephew sends by a lieutenant of the
dauphin's company, Theligny by name 1 "
" Ah ! " said the king, " bring this officer to me, Cousin ;
he will be welcome."
Five minutes later the young man was shown into the
king's private cabinet, where he stood, respectfully wait-
ing, until the latter should speak to him.
" Well, Monsieur," demanded the king, " what news
do you bring us concerning the admiral's health ? "
" Excellent in that respect, Sire ; indeed, the admiral
was never better ! "
" May God preserve his health, and all will go well !
Where did you leave him 1 "
" At La Fere, Sire."
" And what intelligence do you bring me from him ] "
" Sire, he desired me to warn your Majesty to prepare
for a great war. The enemy has mustered more than
fifty thousand men ; and the admiral believes that every
movement on the part of the enemy hitherto has been
only a manoeuvre to conceal his real plans."
" And what has the enemy done up to this time 1 "
demanded the king.
"The Duke of Savoy, commauder-in-chief," replied the
young lieutenant, " accompanied by the Duke of Aer-
schott, Count Mansfield, Count Egmont, and the principal
officers of his army, has advanced as far as Givet, the
general rendezvous of the hostile troops."
WAR. 273
" I have learned that from the Due de Nevers, Gov-
ernor of Champagne," said the king. " He also added in
his despatch that he thought that Emmanuel Philibert
chiefly threatened Rocroy or Mezieres ; and as I was of
the opinion that Rocroy, so recently fortified, was not in
a condition to sustain a long siege, I requested the Due
de Nevers to determine whether it might not be advisa-
ble to abandon that place. Since that time I have heard
nothing further from him."
" I can inform your Majesty," said Theligny. "Rely-
ing upon the impregnability of the place, Monsieur de
Nevers had taken up his position there, and behind the
shelter of its walls had given the enemy so hot a recep-
tion that after some skirmishes, in which they lost a few
hundred men, they were obliged to retreat by the ford of
Houssu, between the villages of Xismes and Hauteroche ;
thence they proceeded to Chimay, Glayon, and Montreuil-
aux-Dames ; they went next to La Chapelle, which they
pillaged, and then to Vervins, which they reduced to
ashes ; at last they advanced toward Guise, and the ad-
miral does not doubt their intention to besiege that
place, where Monsieur de Vasse is in command."
"What troops has the Duke of Savoy 1" asked the
king.
" Flemish, Spanish, and German troops, Sire, forty
thousand infantry and about fifteen thousand horse."
" And how many men have Monsieur de Chatillon and
Monsieur de Nevers at their disposal ] "
" Sire, even by uniting their forces they can scarcely
command eighteen thousand foot and from five to six
thousand horse ; besides, Sire, among the latter there are
fifteen hundred or two thousand English, who cannot be
relied on in case of war with Queen Mary."
" Then, including the garrisons which must be left in
TOL. i. 1.8
274 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
the towns, we can give you scarcely twelve or fourteen
thousand men, my dear Constable," said Henri, turning
to Montmoreucy.
" It cannot be helped, Sire ! I will do rny best with
the few you can give me. I have heard it said of a famous
general of antiquity, called Xenophon, that he had only
ten thousand men in his command when he achieved a mag-
nificent retreat of nearly one hundred and fifty leagues ;
and that Leouidas, King of Sparta, commanded at the
most a thousand men when he held his ground for eight
days against the army of Xerxes, which was much more
numerous than that of the Duke of Savoy,"
" Then you are not discouraged, my good Constable 1 "
said the king.
" Quite the contrary, Sire. Mordieu I I was never so
happy or full of hope. I only wish that some one could
give me information as to the condition of St. Quentin."
" And why is that, Constable 1 " asked the king.
" Because with the keys of St. Quentin one may open
the gates of Paris, Sire : that is an old saying. Do
you know the condition of St. Quentin, Monsieur de
Theligny 1 "
' No, Monseigneur ; but if I dared "
" Dare, mordiea ! dare ! the king permits it."
" Well, Monsieur le Connetable, I have with me a sort
of squire, provided for me by the admiral, who can give
you all the information necessary on the condition of the
city, if he wishes."
" What ! if he wishes 1 " exclaimed the constable.
" He must wish."
"Doubtless," said Theligny, " he will not dare refuse to
answer the questions of Monsieur le Connetable ; but he
is a very shrewd fellow, and will answer in his own
way."
WAR. 275
" His own way? that is to say, my way, Monsieur le
Lieutenant."
" That is the very point on which I wish you not to
be deceived, Monseigneur. He will answer in his own
way, and not in yours ; particularly as you, not being ac-
quainted with St. Quentin, Monseigneur, cannot know
whether or not he is telling the truth."
" If he does not tell the truth he shall be hanged."
" Yes, that would be a way of punishing him, but it
would not be a way to make use of him. Believe me,
Monseigneur, he is a shrewd fellow, clever, and very
courageous when he wishes "
" What ! when he wishes 1 Is he not then courageous
always 1 " interrupted the constable.
" He is brave, Monseigneur, at all times when it is for
his interest to fight. Nothing more can be expected of
an adventurer."
"My good Constable," said the king, "whoever seeks
an end must use the means at his command. This man
may render us a service ; Monsieur de Theligny knows
him ; let him conduct the examination."
" Very well," said the constable ; " but let me remind
you, Sire, that I have a way of speaking to people "
"Yes, Monseigneur," replied Theligny, smiling, "we
know that manner of yours, and it has its advantages ;
but in the case of Maitre Yvonnet, the only result would
be that he would join the enemy on the very first occasion,
and would render him the service which he is in a position
to render us."
" To the enemy, morUeu I To the enemy, sacrebleu ! "
cried the constable. " In that case we will hang him im-
mediately. Is he a scoundrel, a robber, a traitor, this
squire of yours, Monsieur de Theligny ? "
" He is simply an adventurer, Monseigneur."
276 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
" Oh, oh ! and does my nephew employ such rascals 1 "
" We must take things as they are, Monseigueur," re-
plied Theligny, laughing. Then turning to the king, he
said : " I place my poor Yvonnet under your Majesty's
protection, and I demand that whatever he may say or
do, I may take him back with me safe and sound as I
brought him here."
"You have my promise, Monsieur," said the king.
" Go find your squire."
" If your Majesty permits it," replied The'ligny, " I will
simply give a signal, and he will come up."
"Do so."
Theligny approached a window which overlooked the
park, opened it, and made a signal.
Five minutes later Maitre Yvonnet appeared upon
the threshold, dressed in the same leather cuirass, the
same jerkin of brown velvet, and the same high boots
in which he was first presented to our reader. He
held in his hand the same hat ornamented with the
same plume. But everything looked two years older.
A brass chain which once had been gilded hung upon his
neck, and glittered upon his breast.
The young man needed but a single glance to see into
what presence he had come, and probably recognized
either the king or the constable, perhaps both, for he stood
respectfully near the door.
"Come in, Yvonnet; come in, my friend/' said the
lieutenant ; " his Majesty Henri II. and Monsieur le
Oonne'table desired to see you on account of my report
of your merits."
To the constable's great astonishment, Maitre Yvonnet
did not appear at all surprised that his merits should
have deserved such favor.
" I thank you, Lieutenant," said Yvonnet, advancing a
WAR. 277
few steps, and then checking himself, under the combined
influence of caution and respect ; " my merits, small as
they are, are laid at the feet of his Majesty and at the
service of Monsieur le Conne'table."
The king remarked the young man's clever discrimina-
tion between the homage rendered to royal Majesty, and
the obedience offered to Monsieur de Montmorency.
Doubtless the constable noticed it also.
" Very well," said the latter ; " enough of words, my
fine fellow ! Now give me plain answers, or I shall "
Yvonnet darted a glance at Monsieur de Theligny, as
if to say, " Am I incurring danger ? Are they paying me
an honor 1 "
Theligny, relying on the king's promise, began to ques-
tion him. " My dear Yvonnet," he said, " the king knows
that you are a gallant cavalier, much loved by the ladies,
and that you devote to your toilet the profits of your
intelligence and courage. Now, as the king wishes to
make use of your intelligence immediately, and your
courage later, he commissions me to offer you ten gold
crowns if you will consent to give him and Monsieur le
Conuetable some positive information concerning the
town of St. Quentin."
"Will the lieutenant be good enough to explain to
the king that I am a member of a band of good fellows
who have all sworn to turn half the profits gained by
each, whether won b^v intelligence or courage, into the
common stock ; so that of the ten gold crowns which are
offered me, five only will belong to me, the other five
being the property of the society ? "
" And what is to prevent you from keeping the whole
ten, you idiot, and saying nothing about your good for-
tune i" said the constable.
278 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
" My word, Monsieur le Connetable ! Peste ! we are
of too low rank to break our word."
"Sire," said the constable, "I have not much confi-
dence in a man who will do things only for money."
Yvonnet bowed before the king. " I ask his Majesty's
permission to say two words."
" Ah, now ! Why, this rascal "
" Constable," said the king, " I entreat you " Then,
smiling, he said to Yvonnet, " Speak, my friend ! "
The constable shrugged his shoulders, withdrew a few
steps, and then began to walk back and forth, as if he
disdained to have any share in the conversation.
" Sire," said Yvonnet, with a respect and grace which
would have done honor to a finished courtier, "your
Majesty will observe that I did not fix any price, either
small or great, for services which it is both my duty and
pleasure to render as your Majesty's most humble and
obedient subject. It was my lieutenant, Monsieur de
Theligny, who spoke of ten gold crowns. Your Majesty,
of course, could not be aware of my partnership obliga-
tions toward eight comrades who also are in the service
of Monsieur 1'Amiral; therefore I thought it my duty
to inform your Majesty that one half of the ten crowns
which were to be given me would go to the asso-
ciation. Now that I have explained this to your Majesty,
if you wish to question me, I am ready to answer, and
without any question of five, ten, or twenty gold crowns,
but simply out of respect, and in obedience and devotion
to my king." And the adventurer bowed before Henri
with as much dignity as if he had been the ambassador
of an Italian prince or a count of the Holy Empire.
"Bravo!" said the king; "you are right, Maitre
Yvonnet. We will make no bargain in advance, and you
will fare the better."
WAR. 279
Yvonnet smiled, as if to say, " Oh, I kiiow what I ain
about ! "
But all these little delays irritated the impatient tem-
per of the constable ; he came forward and stood before
the young man, and stamping with his foot, said, "Come,
now that the conditions are arranged, will you tell me
what you know about St. Quentin, you rascal 1 "
Yvoimet looked at the constable, and with that quizzi-
cal expression which belongs only to the Parisian, he
said: "St. Quentin, Monseigueurl St. Quentin is a
town situated upon the banks of the river Somme, six
leagues from La Fere, thirteen leagues from Laon, thirty-
four leagues from Paris ; it has twenty thousand inhabi-
tants, and a city government consisting of twenty-five
municipal officers, namely, a mayor, a vice-mayor,
eleven jurymen, and twelve aldermen. These officers
themselves elect and create their successors, whom they
select from among the citizens, according to a decree of
Parliament of Dec. 16, 1335, and a charter of King
Charles VI. in 1412."
" Ta, ta, ta, ta, ta ! " cried the constable ; " what the
devil is this bird of ill omen singing to us 1 I ask you to
tell me what you know about St. Quentin, blockhead ! "
" Well, I am telling you what I know about St. Quen-
tin, and I can vouch for the correctness of the informa-
tion ; I have it from my friend Maldent, who is a native
of Noyon, and who has spent three years at St. Quentin
in the capacity of lawyer's clerk."
" Sire," said the constable, *' believe me, we shall get
nothing out of this clown until he is placed on a wooden
horse, with four twelve-pound balls on each leg."
Yvonnet remained impassive.
"I am not quite of your opinion, Constable ; I think
that we shall gain no information so long as you try to
280 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
make him talk, but that he will tell us all we desire to
know if we allow Monsieur de Theliguy to question him.
If he knows what he has told us, which is just what
he would not be likely to know, you may be sure that
he knows something more. Is it not true, Maitre Yvonnet,
that you have not only made a study of the geography,
population, and constitution of the city of St. Quentin,
but that you also are aware of the condition of its ram-
parts, and in what state of preparation its inhabitants
are at present ? "
" If my lieutenant wishes to question me, or if the
king should do me the honor to address to me questions
to which he desires answers, I will do my best to satisfy
my lieutenant or obey the king."
" The scamp is all honey," murmured the constable.
" Come, my dear Yvonnet," said Theligny, " be so good
as to prove to his Majesty that I was not misleading him
when I boasted of your intelligence ; explain to him and
to Monsieur le Connetable the actual condition of the
city's fortifications."
Yvonnet shook his head.
" One would think the rascal knew something about
it!" muttered the constable.
" Sire," replied Yvounet, not at all disturbed by Mon-
sieur de Montmorency's observation, " I have the honor
to inform your Majesty that the city of St. Quentin, un-
aware that it is threatened by any danger, and conse-
quently having prepared no means for defence, is scarcely
in a state to resist an attack."
" But, at least, it has ramparts ? " demanded the king.
"Yes, certainly," said Yvonnet, " ramparts of round
and square towers connected by curtains, with two horn-
works, one of which guards the Faubourg d'Isle ; but the
rampart has not even parapets, and is protected only by
WAR. 281
a moat in front. Its upper surface, which rises above
the general level of the surrounding country, is over-
looked at some points by the neighboring heights, and
even by many of the houses situated along the outer
moat ; and on the right of the road to Guise, between
the river Somrne and the Isle Gate, the old wall that
is the name of the rampart at this point is so
dilapidated that a man of any agility can easily scale
it."
" But, you rogue, if you are an engineer," cried the
constable, " say so at once ! "
" I am not an engineer, Monsieur le Connetable."
" And what are you, then ? "
Yvonnet lowered his eyes with affected modesty.
" Yvonnet is a lover, Monseigneur," said Theligny;
" and in order to visit his lady-love, who lives in the
Faubourg d'Isle, near the gate of this same faubourg, he
has been obliged to study the strong and weak points of
the walls."
" Ah, ah," murmured the constable, " that is an
explanation ! "
" Go on," said the king, " and I will give you a beau-
tiful gold cross to carry to your mistress when you next
go to see her."
" And never did gold cross adorn, I am confident, a
more beautiful neck than Gudule's, Sire."
" Why, the brute is going to give us a description of
his mistress ! " said the constable.
" And why not, if she is pretty, Cousin 1 " said the king,
laughing. " You shall have the cross, Yvounet."
" Thanks, Sire."
" And now there is a garrison, at least, in the city of
St. Quentin 1 "
" No, Monsieur le Connetable."
282 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
" Xo ! " cried Montmorency ; " and how does that
happen ] "
" Because there are no barracks in the town ; and the
defence of the city is a right which belongs to the citi-
zens, which right they strictly maintain."
" Citizens ! rights ! Sire, believe me, things will al-
ways go wrong so long as the citizens, the common
people, claim all sorts of rights, which they have re-
ceived from I don't know whom ! "
" From whom ? I will tell you, Cousin, from kings,
my predecessors.''
" Well, if your Majesty will commission me to take
back these rights from the citizens, it shall be quickly
done."
" We will attend to that later, my dear Constable ;
meanwhile our chief concern is with this Spaniard.
There ought to be a good garrison at St. Quentin."
" The admiral was occupied with this very matter
when I left," said Theligny.
" And he must have succeeded by this time," observed
Yvotmet, " provided he had the assistance of Maitre Jean
Pauquet."
" Who is this Maitre Jean Pauquet 1 " asked the king.
"He is Gudule's uncle, Sire," replied Yvonnet, in a
tone not quite free from an expression of self-satisfaction.
"What, you rascal!" cried the constable, "you are
courting the magistrate's niece ? "
"Jean Pauquet is not a magistrate, Monsieur le
Connetable."
"And what is this Jean Paxiquet of yours ?"
" He is syndic of the weavers."
" Jesus ! " said the constable, " what sort of times are
these, that when the king wishes to garrison one of his
cities, he is obliged to negotiate with a syndic of weavers ?
WAR. 283
Tell your Jean Pauquet that I will have him hanged if
he does not open, not only the gates of the city, but also
the doors of his house to the men-at-arms it shall please
me to send him."
" I think that Monsieur le Connetable would do well
to leave this business to Monsieur de Chatillon," said
Yvonnet, shaking his head ; " he knows better than Mon-
seigneur the proper way to speak to Jean Pauquet."
" It seems to me that you are getting impertinent ! "
cried the constable, threateningly.
"Cousin, Cousin," said Henri, "for mercy's sake, let
us finish the business we have begun with tin's brave
fellow ! You will be able to judge yourself of the truth
of his assertions, since the army is under your command,
and you are to rejoin it immediately."
" Oh," said the constable, " not later than to-morrow !
I must hasten to reduce these bourgeois to reason ! A
weavers' syndic, mordieu ! a fine fellow to negotiate
with an admiral ! Peuh! " And biting his finger-nails,
he withdrew into the recess of a window.
" Now," asked the king, " are the approaches to the
town easy t "
" On three sides, yes, Sire, on the sides looking
to the Faubourg d'Isle, Remicourt, and the chapel
of Epargnemaille ; but on the other side, to one ap-
proaching through Tourival, it is necessary to cross
the marshes of Grosnard, which are full of pitfalls and
quagmires."
The constable had gradually drawn near to listen to
these details, which interested him.
" And in case of need," he said, " would you undertake
to guide through these marshes a body of troops entering
or leaving the city 1 "
" Certainly ; but I have already told Monsieur le Con-
284 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
netable that one of my associates, called Maldent, would
be better fitted for this affair, having lived at St. Quentin
three years, while I have been there only at night, and
have always walked very fast."
" And why so fast ? "
" Because when I am alone at night, I am afraid."
" What ! " cried the constable, " you are afraid ? "
" Certainly, I am afraid."
" And you confess it, you scoundrel ? "
" Why not, since it is so 1 "
" And of what are you afraid 1 "
" I am afraid of will-o'-the-wisps, ghosts, and phantoms."
The constable burst out laughing. "Ah, you are
afraid of will-o'-the-wisps, ghosts, and phantoms ] "
" Yes, I am dreadfully nervous." And the young man
pretended to shiver.
" Ah, my dear Theligny," continued the constable, " let
me compliment you on your squire ! That is enough for
me ; I will not take him for my night messenger."
" It is really better worth while to employ me in the
daytime."
" Yes, and let you visit Gudule by night, I suppose ? "
" You see, Monsieur le Connetable, that my visits have
not been useless, in the opinion of the king, since he has
had the kindness to promise me a cross."
" Monsieur le Connetable, be good enough to give this
young man forty gold crowns for the valuable informa-
tion he has affoi-ded us, and the services he promises.
You may add ten crowns from me to buy a cross for
Mademoiselle Gudule."
The constable shrugged his shoulders. "Forty
crowns," he muttered ; " forty strokes of the lash !
forty blows with a cane ! forty blows with the handle
of a halberd on the shoulders ! "
WAR. 285
" You hear me, Cousin ? My word is pledged ; take
care that you do not make me break my word."
Then to Theligny : " Monsieur le Lieutenant," con-
tinued the king, " Monsieur le Connetable will give you
orders to take horses from my stables at the Louvre
and at Compiegne, that you may travel fast. Do not be
afraid of killing them, but try to be at La Fere to-morrow.
It is important that Monsieur 1'Amiral should know of
the declaration of war as soon as possible. Good-by,
Monsieur, and good luck to you ! "
The lieutenant and his squire respectfully saluted King
Henri IT., and followed the constable.
Ten minutes later they were galloping along the road
to Paris ; and the constable went back to rejoin the kiug,
who was still in his cabinet.
286 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
CHAPTER V.
IN CAMP AT LA FERE.
HENRI II. awaited the constable, that he might give him
on the spot orders of the highest importance.
Monsieur de Montgomery, who had already some years
previously conducted French troops to the relief of the
regent of Scotland, was sent to Edinburgh to demand
that in accordance with a treaty existing between that
kingdom and France, the Scots should declare war
against England, and that the nobles constituting the
Council of Regency should send to France delegates
authorized to conclude the marriage between the young
Queen Mary and the dauphin.
At the same time a deed was drawn up by which Mary
Stuart, with the approbation of the Guises, transferred to
the King of France her kingdom of Scotland and the
rights which she then possessed, or might yet acquire, to
the throne of England, in case she should die without
leaving a male heir. When the marriage should be con-
summated Mary Stuart would assume the title of " Queen
of France, Scotland, and England." In the mean time
the silver service of the young sovereign bore the
triple blazon of the Valois, the Stuarts, and the
Tudors.
In the evening, as Henri II. had directed, there were
magnificent festivities at the Chateau de St. Germain ;
and the two heralds on their return the one to his mis-
IN CAMP AT LA FERE. 287
tress, the other to his master could tell them with what
exuberant joyousness declarations of war were received
at the court of France.
But some time before the first light appeared in the
windows of St. Germain, two cavaliers, well mounted,
started out from the courtyard of the Louvre, and gain-
ing the barrier of La Villette, followed at a fast trot the
road to La Fere. At Louvres they paused a moment
to breathe their horses ; at Compiegne they changed
horses, according to arrangements previously made ; then,
notwithstanding the advanced hour of the night and
their need of rest, they resumed their journey, reached
Noyon at daybreak, rested there an hour, and then con-
tinued on toward La Fere, which place they reached at
about eight o'clock in the morning.
Nothing new had happened there since the departure of
Theligny and Yvonnet.
Although the latter had made but a brief stay in Paris,
he had found time to renew his wardrobe at the shop of an
old acquaintance who dealt in second-hand clothes. He
had there substituted for his jerkin and brown trunk-hose
a doublet and a pair of breeches of green velvet em-
broidered with gold, and had procured a cherry-colored cap
with a white feather. He had also provided himself with
boots that were very nearly irreproachable, armed with
immense spurs. If these garments were not quite new,
they had been worn for so short a time and by so careful
an owner that only a very ill-bred person would make re-
marks upon them, or even recognize them as issuing from
the shop of an old-clothes dealer, and not from a tailor's
emporium.
As to the chain, after turning the subject over in his
mind, Yvonnet had concluded that there was still enough
gilding on it to deceive the observer, provided he remained
288 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
at a sufficient distance ; and it was his business to keep
it from being closely inspected.
We hasten to say that the golden cross had been
scrupulously purchased ; but no one ever knew whether
or no Y von net had scrupulously applied to that purchase
the ten crowns given by his Majesty Henri II. to procure
that gift for Jean Pauquet's niece. Our own private
opinion is that in the clippings of that cross Yvonnet had
found means not only to clothe himself with doublet and
breeches of green velvet, a cherry-colored cap with a
white plume, and boots armed with copper spurs, but
also to procure an elegant cuirass, which, placed on the
crupper of his horse, gave forth, at every movement of the
animal, a slight metallic sound that was quite warlike.
But it must be admitted that since all this expenditure
was designed to adorn or to defend his person, and since
his person belonged to Mademoiselle Gudule, if Yvonnet
did indeed thus utilize the clippings of his mistress's cross,
it cannot be said that the gift of his Majesty the King of
France was diverted from its destination.
Yvonnet had hardly entered La Fere when he had an
opportunity to measure the effectiveness of his new toilet.
Frantz and Heinrich Scharfenstein were engaged, as pur-
veyors to the band of associates, in conducting to camp
an ox of which they had obtained possession. But the
animal, actuated by that instinct of conservatism which
makes animals averse to scenes of slaughter, refused to go
forward ; and Heinrich Scharfenstein was drawing him
on by one of his horns, while Frantz pushed him from
behind.
On hearing the noise made by the horses' feet on the
pavement, Heinrich raised his head, and recognizing our
squire, "Oh, Frantz," said he. "just look at Meinherr
Yvonnet, how fine he is ! "
IN CAMP AT LA FERE. 289
Absorbed in his admiration, Heinrich relaxed his hold
on the horn ; and the ox, taking advantage of the opportu-
nity, made a half-turn, and would have set off straight
for its stable had not Frantz, stationed, as we have said,
near the tail, possessed himself of that member, and by
holding back with his herculean strength arrested the
course of the fugitive animal.
Yvonnet made with his hand a patronizing gesture of
salutation, and passed on.
On arriving at the residence of the admiral, the young
lieutenant announced himself, and was immediately ad-
mitted to the admiral's cabinet, followed by Yvonnet,
who with his usual tact, and notwithstanding his changed
condition, waited respectfully at the door.
Monsieur de Chatillon, bending over one of those un-
completed maps which were made at that epoch, was
endeavoring to complete it from information given him
by a man of good appearance, with a sharp nose and in-
telligent eye, who was standing before him. This was
our friend Maldent, who, as Yvonnet had said, having
been a lawyer's clerk three years at St. Quentin, was well
acquainted with the city and the surrounding country.
The admiral, hearing the noise made by Theligny in
entering, looked up and recognized his messenger Mal-
dent quietly turned his eyes toward the door, and recog-
nized Yvonnet. The admiral extended his hand to
Theligny. Maldent exchanged a glance with Yvcnnet.
who showed on the edge of his pocket the strings of a
purse, by way of informing his associate that his journey
had not been without gain.
Theligny briefly gave the admiral an account of his
interview with the king and the constable, and delivered
to the Governor of Picardy his uncle's letters
"Yes," said Coligny, as he read, " I have thought, with
VOL. i. 19
290 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
him, that St. Quentin is indeed an important point to be
protected. And therefore, my dear Theliguy, your com-
pany went thither yesterday. You will rejoin it this
very day, and announce that I shall come immediately."
And quite preoccupied by the information which Maldent
was giving him, he bent again over the map and contin-
ued his annotations.
Theligny was well aware that the grave and profound
mind of the admiral must be left free to follow its own
course ; and since, in all probability, when his notes were
completed Coliguy would have further orders to give him
in regard to St. Quentin, the lieutenant, approaching
Yvonnet, said to him in a low tone,
" Go and wait for me at the camp. I will take you
up as I pass, after I have received the admiral's last
instructions."
Yvonnet bowed silently, and withdrew. He found his
horse at the door, and in a few moments was outside the
town.
The admiral's camp, located at first at Pierrepout, near
Marie, had been moved to the neighborhood of La Fere.
Too weak to keep to the open country with the fifteen to
eighteen hundred men in his command, the admiral, fear-
ing a surprise, had sought the shelter of a fortified post,
considering the advantage to his small force of being
behind good walls.
Yvonnet, crossing the outer limit of the camp, stood
up in his stirrups, seeking to recognize some one of his
companions, and to discover in what part of the camp
they had their quarters. Very soon his gaze was arrested
by a group, in the middle of W 7 hich he thought he saw
Procope sitting on a rock, and writing.
Procope was putting to use his clerical knowledge.
At the moment when an encounter with the enemy
IN CAMP AT LA FERE. 291
might be expected, he was drawing wills at five sous
each. Yvounet understood that he must not be inter-
rupted in that serious occupation. He again looked
around him, and perceived Heinrich and Frantz Schar-
fenstein, who had abandoned their efforts to lead the ox
to camp, and having tied his legs, were carrying him
thither suspended from a carriage-pole, one end of which
each of them supported on his shoulder. A man, who
proved to be no other than Pilletrousse, was making
signs to them from the door of a tent which seemed to
be in fair condition.
Yvonnet was ready to avail himself of his rights of
domicile, and immediately approached Pilletrousse, who,
instead of offering a greeting to his old companion, took
a turn around him, then a second turn, and then a
third. Yvonnet, like the horseman in an equestrian
statue, looked at him with a smile of satisfaction while
he made these perambulations.
Having made the third circuit, Pilletrousse paused,
and with a click of the tongue, which meant admiration,
"Peste/" said he, "that is a fine horse, well worth
forty crowns. Where the devil did you steal it?"
" Hush ! " said Yvonnet, " speak of the animal with
respect ; it comes from his Majesty's stables, and is in
my possession only by way of loan."
" That is a pity ! " said Pilletrousse.
" Why ? "
" Because I have a purchaser."
" Ah ! " said Yvonnet ; " and who is your purchaser 1 "
" I," said a man standing behind him.
Yvonnet turned, and threw a quick glance at the man
who announced himself with that proud monosyllable,
which a hundred years later made the success of the
tragedy of " Medea."
292 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
The admirer of the horse was a young man twenty-
three or twenty-four years old, only partially armed, ac-
cording to the custom of soldiers when in camp.
Yvonnet needed only to observe those square shoul-
ders, that head with flowing hair and a red beard, those
blue eyes full of determination and ferocity, to recognize
the man who had addressed him.
"Monsieur," said he, "you have heard my answer.
The horse belongs to his Majesty the King of France,
who had the goodness to lend it to me for my return to
camp. If he reclaims it, I must restore it to him ; if he
leaves it with me, it is at your service, its price, you
understand, being agreed upon between us in advance."
"That is what I mean," the gentleman replied. "Keep
it, then, for me ; I am rich and generous."
Yvonnet bowed.
" Moreover," the gentleman continued, " this is not
the only matter in which I expect to have to do with
you." "
Yvonnet and Pilletrousse bowed together.
" How many are there in your band 1 "
" In our troop, you mean, Monsieur ? " replied Yvonnet,
a little hurt by the term employed.
" In your troop, if that suits you better."
" If during my absence no accident has happened to
any one of my comrades," replied Yvonnet, with a ques-
tioning glance at Pilletrousse, " there are nine of us."
A look from Pilletrousse reassured Yvonnet, if indeed
he was anxious on the subject.
" Nine brave men 1 " the gentleman asked.
Yvonnet smiled ; Pilletrousse shrugged his shoulders.
"Indeed, you have there some promising specimens,"
said the gentleman, pointing to Frantz and Heinrich, " if
those two brave fellows belong to your troop."
IN CAMP AT LA FERE. 293
" They belong to it ! " replied Pilletrousse, laconically.
" Very well, I can negotiate "
" Pardon," said Yvounet, " but we belong to the
admiral ! "
" Except for two days in the week, when we can work
on our own account," remarked Pilletrousse. " Procope
inserted that clause in the agreement to provide for these
two cases, first, when we may have some enterprise of
our own to put into execution, and, secondly, when some
honorable gentleman makes a proposition to us of the
kind which Monsieur seems now to have in mind."
" It is only for a single day or for a single night ; so
that falls out marvellously well. Now, in case of need,
where shall I find you ] "
"At St. Quentin, probably," said Yvonuet. "As for
myself, I am to be there this very day."
" And two of our number," continued Pilletrousse,
" Lactance and Malemort, are there already. As for the
remainder of the troop "
" As for the remainder of the troop," Yvounet inter-
rupted, "they will not be slow to follow us, since the
admiral, after what I have heard him say, is to be there
himself in two or three days."
" Very well," said the gentleman. " So, then, we shall
meet at St. Quentin, my brave fellows ! "
" At St. Queutin, Monsieur."
The gentleman made a slight bow, and withdrew.
Yvonnet continued looking at him until he was lost in
the crowd ; then calling a camp-boy, who served the nine
associates, and who in exchange for his services received
from the association temporal and spiritual nurture, he
threw his horse's bridle over the boy's arm.
Yvonnet's first impulse had been to approach Pille-
trousse, and impart to him his recollections concerning
294 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
the stranger; but reflecting, probably, that Pilletrousse
was of too coarse calibre to be intrusted with a secret
of such importance, he swallowed the words that were
ou. the tip of his tongue, and appeared to give all
his attention to the labors of Heinrich and Frantz
Scharfenstein.
Heinrich and Frantz having, as we have said, by sus-
pending their recalcitrant ox from a carriage-pole trans-
ported him to the middle of the camp, had deposited
him, breathing hard and with bloodshot eyes, opposite
their tent. Heinrich went into his tent to get his war-
hammer, and had some difficulty in finding it ; for Fra-
casso, seized with a poetic inspiration, had stretched
himself upon a mattress, that he might dream more at
ease, and had made use of the hammer as a pillow to
support his head.
This hammer was simple in form and of common ma-
terial, a twelve-pound cannon-ball attached to an iron
handle ; it was, together with an immense two-handed
sword, the customary weapon of the two Scharfensteins.
Heinrich found it at last ; and in spite of Fracasso's com-
plaints, whom he interrupted in the very fire of composi-
tion, he drew it from under the poet's head, and returned
to Frantz, who was waiting for him.
As soon as Frantz freed the forelegs of the ox, the
animal made a sudden effort and partly rose from his
recumbent posture. Heinrich took advantage of that
moment; he raised the iron hammer until, as it de-
scended behind him, it touched his loins, and then with
all his force he struck the ox between the horns.
The animal, who had begun to utter a moan, ceased at
once, and fell as if struck by lightning.
Pilletrousse, who with eager eye, and in an attitude
like that of a pointer making a stand, was awaiting this
IN CAMP AT LA FERE. 295
moment, threw himself upon the prostrate animal, and
opened an artery in his neck. He then split the body
from the lower lip to the opposite extremity, and applied
himself to the task of dissecting it.
Pilletrousse was the butcher of the association. Hein-
rich and Frautz, the purveyors, bought and killed the
animal, as they had done in the present instance ; then
Pilletrousse took off the hide, cut up the body, set aside
for the association the choice bits, and in a sort of stall,
set up at a short distance from the partnership tent, he
exposed for sale, arranged with all the skill at his com-
mand, the several portions which he had no wish to keep.
And he was so skilful a carver and so adroit a seller
that after setting apart enough to last the association
two or three days, he generally gained from the sale of
three quarters of the animal one or two crowns more
than it had cost.
All this was to the advantage of the association, which,
as may be seen, was likely to be quite prosperous if its
affairs were prosecuted by every one of its members as
they had been by those who have come under our
observation.
The carving of the body had been completed, and the
auction sale was in progress, when a ca'valier appeared in
the midst of those who thronged around the stall of
Maitre Pilletrousse, and who each according to his
means were purchasing all the parts of the animal
that were offered for sale.
That cavalier was Theligny, who, provided with letters
from the admiral to the mayor, to the governor of the
city, and to Jean Pauquet, syndic of the weavers, was
looking for his squire, Yvonnet. He also brought the
news that as soon as the admiral had procured the troops
for which he was waiting, and had communicated with
296 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
his uncle the constable, he would set out for St. Quentin,
accompanied by five or six hundred men.
Maldeut, Procope, Fracasso, Pilletrousse, and the two
Scharfeusteins would form a part of the garrison, and
would rejoin in the city Malemort and Lactance, who
were there already, and Yvonuet, who, with Monsieur de
Theliguy, would be there in two or three hours.
The farewells were brief; for Fracasso had not yet
finished his sonnet, and was seeking in vain a rhyme for
the word perdre ; and the two Scharfensteins, though fond
of Yvonuet, were naturally undemonstrative ; and finally,
Pilletrousse was so much occupied with his sale that
he could only say to the young man, as he pressed his
hand,
" Try to keep the horse."
ST. QUENTIN. 297
CHAPTER VI.
ST. QUENTIN.
As Yvonnet had told the constable, St. Queiitiu was six
leagues from La Fere. The horses had already travelled
a long distance since the night before, without any stop
except for an hour at Noyou. They had just rested two
hours, it is true; nevertheless, as there was no reason
for haste, except perhaps Yvonuet's desire to see Gudule,
the cavaliers occupied nearly three hours in making the
six remaining leagues of their journey.
At last, after passing the outer wall, and leaving on
the right the road to Guise, which branches off about
one hundred steps from the old wall, after giving their
names at the gate, and passing under the archway made
in the rampart, the two cavaliers arrived in the Fau-
bourg d'Isle.
" Will my lieutenant give me leave of absence for
about ten minutes 1 " asked Yvonnet, " or is he willing,
by a slight change of course, to get news of what is tak-
ing place in the city ? "
"Ah, ah!" said Th&igny, laughing, "you must be
in the neighborhood of Mademoiselle Gudule's place of
residence ] "
" Exactly so, Lieutenant," said Yvonnet.
" Is it not imprudent 1 " asked Theligny.
" Not in the least ! I pass in the daytime for a mere
acquaintance of Mademoiselle Gudule, who exchanges
with her a friendly salutation. It has always been my
298 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
principle not to injure the marriage prospects of pretty
girls."
And turning to the right, he proceeded down a narrow
street, on one side of which was a high garden-wall, and
on the other a row of houses, one window of which was
half hidden by nasturtium and convolvulus vines. By
rising in his stirrups, Yvounet could just reach up to this
window, under which was a stepping-stone, affording to
pedestrians, in case of love or business affairs, the same
facility which was possessed by Yvounet on horseback.
Just as he arrived, the window opened as if by magic,
and a charming little face, blushing with joy, appeared in
the midst of the flowers.
" Ah, it is you, Gudule ! " said Yvonnet. " How did
you divine my arrival 1 "
" I did not divine it. I was at my other window,
which overlooks the road to La Fere, and saw two cava-
liers approaching; and although I had no reason to think
that you were one of them, I could n't take my eyes off
those two travellers. As you came nearer, I recognized
you. Then I ran to this window, trembling with fear ;
for I feared that you would pass without stopping,
partly because you were not alone, and partly because
you are so grandly and beautifully dressed that I feared
you had made your fortune."
"The person whom I have the honor to accompany,
my dear Gudule, and who has allowed me this short
interview with you, is Monsieur de Theligny, my lieu-
tenant, who has, as well as I, some questions to ask you
concerning the condition of the city."
Gudule cast a timid glance at the lieutenant, who sa-
luted her with a polite bow, to which the young girl
replied by a " God preserve you, Monsieur ! " spoken in
an agitated tone.
ST. QUENTIN. 299
"As to my change of costume, Gudule," continued
Yvonnet, " I owe it to the liberality of the king, who,
knowing that I had the pleasure of your acquaintance,
also commissioned me to deliver you this gold cross."
And Yvounet drew the cross from his pocket and offered
it to Gudule, who, while hesitating to take it, exclaimed :
" What are you saying, Yvonnet t Why do you make
fun of a poor girl 1 "
11 1 am not laughing at you, Gudule," replied Yvonnet ;
" and my lieutenant will witness to the truth of what I
say."
" Indeed, my pretty maid," said Theligny, " I was
present when the king commissioned Yvouuet to bring
you this gift."
" You know the king, then 1 " asked Gudule, in
wonder.
"Since yesterday, Gudule; and since yesterday also
the king knows about you and your brave uncle Jean
Pauquet, to whom my lieutenant brings a letter from
Monsieur 1'Amiral."
The lieutenant nodded assent; and Gudule, who, as
we have said, had hesitated at first, reached out through
the flowers her trembling hand, which Yvounet grasped
and kissed while placing in it the cross.
Then Theligny, approaching, said, "And now, my
dear Monsieur Yvouuet, will you ask the pretty Gudule
where we shall find her uncle, and what he is disposed
to do in this emergency 1 "
" My uncle is at the town-house, Monsieur," said the
young girl, unable to withdraw her eyes from the cross,
" and I think is determined to make a good defence of
the city."
<; Thank you, my pretty girl ! Come, Yvonnet "
Gudule, assuming a questioning look, and blushing up
300 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
to her very eyes, said, addressing Theligny, " What if my
father should ask me who gave me this cross 1 "
11 You can tell him that his Majesty sent it to you," re-
plied the young officer, smiling, who understood Gudule's
apprehension, " that the king gave it to you in recog-
nition of services already rendered him, and of those
which doubtless will yet be rendered him by your Uncle
Jean and your father Guillaume. In short, if you do not
wish to mention Maitre Yvonnet, which is possible,
you may add that it was Monsieur de Theligny, lieuten-
ant in the dauphin's company, who brought you this
cross from the king."
" Oh, thanks, thank's ! " cried Gudule, clapping her
hands together in delight ; " without having that expla-
nation, I never should have dared to wear it."
Then she whispered hurriedly to Yvonnet, " When
shall I see you again ? "
" When I was three or four leagues away from you,
Gudule, you saw me every night," replied Yvouuet ; "just
think, now that I am living in the same city "
"Hush! "said Gudule. Then in a still lower whis-
per, " Come soon," she said ; " I think that my father
will spend the night at the town-house." And she
drew in her head behind the curtain of leaves and
flowers.
The young men followed the road between the Somme
and the fountain Ferree. Midway on this road they
passed on their left the abbey and church of St. Quentin-
en-Isle, and crossed a bridge which led them to the
chapel where the relics of the holy martyr were pre-
served ; a second bridge, which brought them to the pass
of St. Peter ; and, lastly, a third, after crossing which they
found themselves opposite the two towers that flanked
the Porte d'Isle.
ST. QUENTIN. 301
The gate was guarded by a soldier of Theliguy's regi-
ment and by a citizen of the town.
This time there was no need for Theligny to give his
name ; indeed the soldier came to him to ask for news.
It was reported that the enemy was near ; and this little
band of five hundred men, under command of a second
lieutenant, felt somewhat isolated among all these citizens
who in their alarm were running about the city, or who
idled away their time in meetings at the town-house, where
they talked much and did little.
St. Quentiu appeared to be abandoned to the most fear-
ful confusion. The main thoroughfare which divides
the city through two thirds of its length, and iuto which
lead, as streams empty into a river, the streets Wager,
Cordeliers, Issenghien, Liguiers on the right, and on the
left the streets Corbeaux, Truie-qui-file, and Brebis
was thronged with people; and this multitude, denser
still in the Rue Sellerie, presented upon the public square
a wall so compact that it was almost impossible even for
the horsemen to pass through it.
It is true that when Yvonnet set his hat on the point
of his sword, and rising in his stirrups called out, " Make
way ! Make way for the messengers of Monsieur 1'Amiral ! "
the crowd, hoping that it was the announcement of re-
inforcements, fell back upon itself sufficiently to open for
the two cavaliers a path, which, starting from the church
of St. Jacques, led them to the steps of the town-house,
where the mayor, Messire Varlet de Gibercourt, awaited
them.
The two cavaliers had arrived at an opportune moment ;
there had been a meeting of the citizens, and thanks to
their patriotism, excited to a higher pitch by the eloquence
of Maitre Jean Pauquet and his brother Guillaume, it had
been unanimously decided that the city of St. Queutin,
302 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
loyal to its king and relying on its patron saint, would
defend itself to the last extremity.
The news which Theligny brought of the speedy ap-
proach of the admiral with reinforcements carried their
enthusiasm to its greatest height. Then and there the
citizens organized themselves into companies. Each
company was to consist of fifty men, and to elect its
own officers.
The mayor opened the arsenal of the town-hall. Un-
fortunately, it was poorly stocked, containing only
fifteen cannon of different kinds, some of which were in
a very bad condition, and thirty-six arquebuses ; but
there were halberds and pikes in abundance.
Jean Pauquet was made captain of one of these com-
panies, and Guillaume Pauquet, his brother, lieutenant
of another. Honors were pouring in upon the family ;
but these honors were fraught with danger.
The total muster of troops, therefore, comprised one
hundred and twenty or one hundred and thirty men
belonging to the dauphin's company, commanded by
Theligny; nearly one hundred men of the company of
Monsieur de Breuil, Governor of St. Quentin, who had
arrived eight days before from Abbeville ; and two hun-
dred citizeus organized into four companies of fifty men
each. Three of these companies were composed of men
armed with crossbows, pikes, and halberds; the fourth
was armed with arquebuses.
Suddenly a fifth company was seen approaching, which,
on account of its unexpected appearance and the
elements of which it was composed, was greeted with
enthusiasm.
It emerged from the Eue Croix-Belle-Porte, and con-
sisted of one hundred Jacobin friars, all bearing pikes or
halberds, led by a man under whose robe might be seen
ST. QUENTIN. 303
the links of a breastplate, and who carried in his hand a
drawn sword.
Attracted by the shouts of the spectators, Yvonnet
turned and looked ; observing the captain attentively, he
exclaimed, " May the devil burn me if it ia not
Lactance ! "
It was indeed Lactance. Suspecting that the cam-
paign would be a severe one, he had retired into the
Jacobin monastery in the Rue des Hosiers to do there his
penance and bring himself as far as was possible into a
state of grace. The good fathers had received him with
open arms ; and Lactance, while confessing and receiving
the sacrament, had observed the patriotism which ani-
mated them, and considered whether it could not be
utilized. Consequently he communicated to the monks,
as an inspiration from heaven, the idea which had occurred
to him of organizing them into a military company for
the defence of St. Quentin. To this they agreed. Lac-
tance had obtained from the prior permission to take one
hour from matins and a half hour from vespers for
practice, and at the end of three days considering them
sufficiently skilful in military tactics, he had taken them
from the convent, and, as we have said, had brought
them into the public square amid the loud acclamations
of the multitude.
St. Quentin could therefore rely, for the time being,
upon one hundred men belonging to the dauphin's com-
pany, one hundred men of the company commanded by
the governor of the city, two hundred citizen-soldiers,
and one hundred Jacobin monks, in all, five hundred
combatants.
Scarcely had the mayor, the governor of the city, aud
the other magistrates mustered their men, when loud
cries arose from the ramparts, and people were seen run-
304 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
uing through the streets of Orfeverie and St. Andre,
lifting their hands to heaven as if in despair.
To all questions their answer was that they had seen
a crowd of peasants flying across the plain between
Homblieres and Mesnil-St.-Laurent, trampling down the
corn and giving unmistakable signs of terror.
Immediately orders were given to close the gates and
man the ramparts.
Lactance, who in the midst of danger preserved the
calmness of a true Christian, ordered his Jacobins to har-
ness themselves to the cannon, to place eight of them
upon the wall which extends from the Isle Gate to the
Dameuse Tower, two upon the wall of the Vieux-Marche,
three between the high tower and the postern of the lit-
tle bridge, and two upon the old wall in the Faubourg
d'Isle.
Theligny and Yvonnet, who were on horseback, and
who were satisfied that in spite of their long journey
since the evening before, their horses were still in good
condition, rode out through the R micourt Gate, forded
the river, and galloped off over the plain to discover, if
possible, the cause of the flight of this multitude of
people.
The first individual whom they saw approaching was
using his right hand to keep in place as well as possible
his nose and cheek, while with the other he was making
vigorous signs to Yvonnet.
Yvonnet turned in his direction and recognized
Malemort.
" Ah ! " shouted the latter, with all the strength of his
lungs, " to arms ! to arms ! "
Yvonnet redoubled his speed, and seeing his associate
dripping with blood, leaped to the ground and examined
his wound. It was a terrible wound, which would have
ST. QUENTIN. 305
fearfully marred an uuscarred face ; but in Malemort's
case it would only have the effect of adding one more
scar to a face already seamed in every direction.
Yvonnet folded his handkerchief in four thicknesses,
made an opening in the middle for Malemort's nose j
then laying the wounded man upon the ground and plac-
ing his head on his knee, he bandaged the wounded face
as easily and dexterously as the most skilful surgeon
could have done it.
Meantime the wounded man was informing The'ligny
of what had taken place. That morning the enemy had
appeared in sight of Origny-Ste.-Benoite. Malemort
happened to be there, having with his usual instinct
foreseen that that would be the first point of attack, and
had incited the citizens to defend themselves. Conse-
quently they had withdrawn into the chateau with all
the arms and ammunition they could collect. There
they held their ground for about four hours. But at-
tacked by the whole Spanish vanguard, the chateau had
been carried by assault. Malemort bad done wonders in
the combat, but had been obliged to retreat. Pressed
close by four Spaniards, he had turned upon them, and
had killed two of them ; but just as he was attacking the
third, the fourth had with a back-handed blow cut a
terrible gash in his face just below the eyes. Then
Malemort, perceiving the impossibility of defending him-
self, blinded as he was by such a wound, had fallen over
backward with a loud cry, as if he had been killed by the
blow. The Spaniards had searched him, taken from him
the three or four sous which he possessed, and had gone
to rejoin their companions, who were engaged in a pillage
which was more profitable. Then Malemort got up, held
his nose and cheek in their proper place as well as he
could with his hand, and started for the city to give the
VOL. i. 20
306 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
alarm. This accounts for the fact that Malemort, who
was ordinarily the foremost in attack and the last in
retreat, now happened to be, contrary to his usual
practice, leading the fugitives.
Theligny and Yvonnet had obtained the intelligence
they rode out to seek. Yvonnet took Malemort up be-
hind him, and all three returned to St. Quentin, crying,
" To arms ! "
The entire city was waiting for their return. In a
moment it was known that the enemy was only Jour or
five leagues away ; but the enthusiasm of the citizens
was so great that this news increased their courage
instead of diminishing it.
Fortunately, among the hundred men of Monsieur de
Breuil, there were forty gunners; among whom the
fifteen pieces which the Jacobin friai's had drawn to the
ramparts were distributed. Three gunners were needed
for each piece ; the monks offered to complete the num-
ber, and their offer was accepted. After an hour's prac-
tice they were as proficient as the regular gunners. And
they were just in time, for in about an hour the first of
the Spanish columns came in sight.
The city council determined to send a messenger to
the admiral to inform him of the situation ; but no one
was willing to leave the city in the hour of danger.
Yvonnet suggested Malemort.
Malemort was loud in his objections ; since his wounds
had been dressed he felt, he said, much better than he
had for a long time ; it was fifteen months since he had
had an opportunity to fight ; his blood was stifling him,
and it had been a great relief to lose a little of it.
But Yvonnet pointed out to him that a horse would
be furnished him, which he could keep ; that in three or
four days he would return to the city in the train of
ST. QUENTIN. 307
Monsieur I'Amiral, and that, having a horse, he could
in the case of sallies go much farther than the men on
foot.
This last consideration decided Malemort. Besides,
Yvonnet possessed that influence over Malemort which
nervous, delicate natures always exercise over powerful
ones.
Malemort mounted his horse and galloped off in the
direction of La Fere ; and judging from the speed to
which the adventurer urged his horse, there was no dan-
ger but that in an hour and a half the admiral would be
informed.
Meanwhile the gates had been opened to admit the
poor fugitives from Origny-Ste.-Benoite, and every one
in the city had been eager to offer them hospitality.
Messengers were then despatched to the surrounding
villages Harly, Remicourt, La Chapelle, Rocourt,
L'Abbiette to bring in all the flour and grain they
could find.
The enemy advanced in a phalanx, whose length and
depth went to show that it might comprise the whole
Spanish, German, and Walloon army, that is to say,
an army of fifty or sixty thousand men.
Just as when the lava flows down from the crater of
Vesuvius or JEtna. the houses burn and the trees take
fire, even before the torrent of flame reaches them, so
could be seen in front of the black line of this advancing
host blazing houses and the village trees catching fire.
The whole city watched this spectacle from the top of
the ramparts of Remicourt, from the galleries of the
Collegiate Church, which overlooks the city, and from
the summit of the Tour St. Jean, the Tour Rouge, and
the Tour a 1'Eau ; and at every fresh breaking out of
fire a volley of imprecations arose which might be likened
308 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
to a flock of birds of ill-omen spreading their wings before
pouncing upon their prey.
But the enemy's troops advanced steadily, driving tha
population before them as the wind blew the smoke of
the fires. For some time the gates of the city had been
kept open to admit the fugitives ; but soon it became
necessary to close them, the enemy had approached so
near. Then the poor peasants of the burning villages
were obliged to pass around the city, and seek refuge in
Vermand, Pontrn, and Caulaincourt.
Soon the drum beat the signal for all non-combatants
to leave the ramparts and the towers. At last there
remained upon the whole line of ramparts only the de-
fenders, silent, as men usually are at the approach of
danger.
The vanguard could now be distinctly seen. It was
composed of soldiers armed with pistols, who, having
crossed the Somme between Rouvroy and Harly, spread
themselves about round the outside of the city, occupy-
ing the approaches to the gates of Remicourt, St. Jean,
and Ponthoille.
Behind the pistol-bearers, three or four thousand men,
who by the regularity of their step could be recognized
as belonging to those old Spanish bands who were con-
sidered the best troops in the world, crossed the Somme
in their turn, and took the direction of the Faubourg
d'Isle.
" Taking everything into account, my dear Yvonnet,"
said Theligny, " I have reason to believe that it is in the
direction of your lady-love's house that the music will
begin. If you would like to see how the air is played,
come with me."
" Most willingly, Lieutenant ! " said Yvonnet, already
feeling through his whole body those nervous tremblings
ST. QUENTIX. 309
which always preceded the approach of battle. And
with lips pressed tight, and cheeks somewhat pale, he
followed TheUigny in the direction of the Porte d'Isle,
toward which the latter led nearly half of his men, leav-
ing the rest to support the citizen-soldiers, and if need be
set them an example. We shall see, later, that it was
the citizens who set the example to the regular troops,
instead of receiving it from them.
The detachment arrived at the Faubourg d'Isle.
Yvonnet preceded the company a hundred steps, which
gave him time to knock at Gudule's window, who ran to
it trembling, and to advise the young girl to descend
into the lower rooms, since in all probability the cannon-
balls would play skittles with the chimneys of the houses.
He had hardly finished when, as if to emphasize his
words, a cannon-shot whistled by and demolished the
gable of a house, the splinters of which fell like a shower
of meteors around the young man.
Yvonnet sprang from the street to the top of the
stepping-stone, clung to the sill of the window, and in
the midst of the flowers pressed his lips to the trembling
lips of the young girl in a very tender kiss, and dropping
back into the street, said, " If anything should happen to
me, Gudule, do not forget me too quickly ; and when
you do forget me, let it not be for a Spaniard, German,
or Englishman."
And without waiting to hear the young girl's protesta-
tions of everlasting love, he made his way toward the old
wall, and arrived behind the parapet at a point a few
steps from the place which he was accustomed to scale in
his nocturnal wanderings.
It was indeed in this place that the music had begun,
as had been foreseen by Theligny, who arrived on the
scene immediately after his squire. The music waa
310 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
noisy, and more than once those who listened to it
ducked their heads in fear ; but gradually the citizens,
who at first were laughed at by the soldiers, became ac-
customed to the danger, and then they were more furious
than the others.
But the Spaniards rushed on in such numbers that
the citizens were obliged to abandon the outer rampart,
which they had first attempted to defend, but which,
without parapet, and overlooked on all sides by superior
heights, was not tenable. Protected by the two pieces
of cannon, and by the arquebusiers on the old wall, they
made their retreat in good order, leaving three men
killed, but carrying away their wounded.
Yvonnet was dragging a Spaniard through whose body
he had thrust his slender blade, and whose arquebuse he
had taken ; as he had not had an opportunity to relieve
him also of the cartridge-case suspended to his belt, he
took the dead man along with him, hoping also that his
trouble would not be lost, and that the pockets would
prove to be as well filled as the belt.
This confidence was rewarded ; besides their three
months' wages, which had been paid to the Spaniards
the evening before to stimulate their zeal, each one had
stolen a little during the five or six days of the campaign.
We could not say whether Yvonnet's Spaniard had stolen
more or less than the others ; but on going through his
pockets Yvonnet seemed very well satisfied with what he
had found.
As soon as Theligny's soldiers and the armed citizens
had left the outer rampart, it was taken possession of by
the two Spanish chiefs, Julian Romero and Carondelet,
who seized upon all the houses situated on the road to
Guise, as well as on that to La Fere, throughout what
was called the upper faubourg ; but when they attempted
ST. QUENTIN. 311
to cross the intervening space between the outer boule-
vard and the old wall, they were met by a fire so well
sustained that they were obliged to fall back to the
houses, from whose windows they continued to fire until
the increasing darkness put au end to the combat.
Not until this time had Yvonnet felt free to look about
him. As he did so, scarcely ten steps behind him, al-
most on the edge of the rampart, he saw the pale face of
a charming young girl, who, under the pretext of look-
ing for her father, and in spite of the warning to non-
combatants, had ventured upon the scene of conflict.
Yvonnet glanced from the young girl to the lieutenant.
" My dear Monsieur Yvonnet," said the latter to him,
" you have been keeping the field now for two days and
nights, and must be weary ; leave to others the duty of
watching upon the ramparts, and rest yourself until to-
morrow. You will find me then wherever the battle is
raging."
Yvonnet did not wait for a second command ; he sa-
luted his lieutenant, cast a side glance at Gudule, and
without seeming to notice the young girl he set out along
the road as if to enter the city. But, doubtless on ac-
count of the darkness, he wandered off into the faubourg ;
and ten minutes later he made his appearance in that
little street, opposite that little window, with a foot upon
that stepping-stone from the top of which so many things
could be accomplished.
Yvonnet made use of it to grasp two little white hands
which immediately emerged from this window, and drew
him so quickly and dexterously into the interior of the
apartment that it was easy to see that they were not
unaccustomed to this "practice.
The foregoing events took place August 2, 1557.
312 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
CHAPTER VII.
THE ADMIRAL KEEPS HIS PROMISE.
As might have been expected, Malemort quickly made the
six leagues between St. Queiitin and La Fere, aud in less
than an hour and a half was at the admiral's door.
In this man who rode up at a mad gallop, his clothes
covered with blood, his face with the exception of eyes
and mouth concealed under the linen bandage, it was im-
possible to recognize Malemort ; but it was easy to see that
he was the bearer of important tidings. He was therefore
immediately shown into the presence of Coligny. The ad-
miral was with his uncle the constable, who had just
arrived.
Malemort gave an account of the taking of Origny-
Ste.-Benoite, the massacre of those who attempted to
defend the chateau, and the burning of the villages along
the route followed by the Spanish army, which left behind
it a wake of flame and smoke.
The lines of action to be followed by the uncle and the
nephew were immediately marked out. Coligny, with five
or six hundred men, was to set out immediately for St.
Quentin aud defend it to the last extremity. The con-
stable, with the remainder of the soldiers present in camp,
would rejoin the army of the Due de Severs, who, having
only eight or nine thousand men, and being consequently
too weak to attack the Spanish army, which numbered
more than fifty thousand men, was watching it closely and
held himself in readiness to profit by its mistakes. This
THE ADMIRAL KEEPS HIS PROMISE. 313
little band was performing its manoeuvres on the borders
of the Lyonese and La Thierache.
The admiral at once gave orders to sound " Boots and
saddles ! " and to beat the signal for departure. On Mai-
dent's advice, whom he took for a guide, the admiral de-
cided to follow the road to Ham, instead of the direct road.
From the information received, he calculated that the
Spaniards would attack St. Quentin on the sides toward
Re'inicourt, the Faubourg St. Jean, and the Faubourg d'Isle.
Consequently on those three sides Coligny would meet
with hindrance in his attempt to enter the city. Accord-
ing to Maldent, the only road which they were likely to
find open was that leading from Ham to St. Quentin,
which ran through marshes almost impassable except for
those who were acquainted with the paths.
The admiral took with him the companies of infantry
commanded severally by Captains Saint-Andre, Rauibouil-
let, and Louis Poy.
But the company of Louis Poy having arrived from
Gascony on that very day, the men were so fatigued that
they were obliged to come to a halt on the way from La
Fere to Ham. Just as the constable and admiral were
leaving La Fere, the constable accompanying the admiral
a short distance on his way to Ham, they met in the
middle of the road, sitting upon his haunches and stopping
their progress, a big black dog which began to howl with
all its might. The dog was driven away ; but after run-
ning on a hundred steps, he seated himself again in the
middle of the road and howled more dismally than before.
Driven away again, he for the third time played the same
trick, each time howling louder and more desperately.
Then the constable, turning to Monsieur de Coligny,
said, " What the devil do you think this is, Nephew 1 "
" Why," replied the admiral, " I think that it is very
314 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
disagreeable music, Monsieur, and that we are about to
furnish the comedy for it."
" Yes, and perhaps the tragedy also," replied the
constable.
Upon this, the uncle and nephew embraced, and the
admiral continued on his way to Ham ; the constable re-
turning to La Fere, which place he left again that very
evening.
But on his departure from the city, another presage
awaited him. Scarcely was he a league away on his road
to Laon when a sort of pilgrim, wearing a long robe and
having a long beard, seized the bridle of his horse, crying,
" Montniorency ! Montmorency ! I declare to you that in
three days all your glory will be in ashes ! "
"Be it so," said the constable ; " but I declare to you
that in much less time your jaw-bone will be in pieces."
And he gave him such a blow with the fist that the poor
prophet fell fainting to the ground, with his jaw-bone
dislocated.
The constable continued on his way as the admiral had
donej each of them having met his evil omen.
The admiral arrived at Ham about five o'clock in the
evening. His determination was to pursue his journey
without stopping until he should reach St. Quentin. Con-
sequently, after the soldiers had taken an hour's rest, he
resumed bis march with his mounted men-at-arms and two
companies of infantry only.
At Hani Messieurs Jarnac and Luzarches made every
effort to retain him, pointing out to him the service he
might render in the open country, and offering to go to
St. Quentin in his place ; but the admiral had answered,
" I would rather lose all that I have than fail to carry to
these brave people, so eager to defend their city, the aid I
have promised them ! " And, as we have said, he set
THE ADMIRAL KEEPS HIS PROMISE. 315
out without a moment's delay, at the hour he had
named.
At the gates of Ham he met the Abbe de St. Prix-
This was a most noble prelate, named Jacques de La
Motte ; he was canon at once of St. Quentin, Chartres,
Paris, and Le Mans ; he held, besides, two priories, and
when he died he had served as canon under five kings,
Francois I. being the first.
Coligny, thinking that the illustrious traveller had just
come from St. Quentin, approached him ; soldier and
churchman made themselves known to each other.
The abbe, as soon as the first cannon-shot was fired at
the Porte d'Isle, had left the city by the Faubourg de
Pouthoille, and was going with all speed to inform the
king of the situation of St. Quentin and to demand his
aid. Thus, as the admiral had foreseen, the only road
open was the one he had taken.
" Monsieur 1'Abbe," said the admiral to the prelate,
" since you are going to see the king, be so kind as to tell
his Majesty that you met me at the head of a good com-
pany, and hoping with the aid of God to enter St. Quentin
to-night, where I hope to do good service." And saluting
the abbe, he went on his way.
A league farther on he began to see the fugitives from
Origny-Ste.-Beuoite and the other villages in the neigh-
borhood of St. Quentin, who, unable to find refuge in the
city, had been obliged to seek it elsewhere. The unfor-
tunate fugitives were worn out with fatigue, some still
dragging themselves along,' others lying under the shade
of trees and perishing with hunger and weariness. The
admiral bestowed on them what help he could, and con-
tinued his journey.
About two leagues from St. Quentin night overtook
them but Malemort was there, and he made himself re-
316 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
sponsible for the safety of all who should follow him. In
the hope of large reward at the end of the journey, he
offered, as proof of his good faith, to walk before the admi-
ral's horse with a rope about his neck.
Captain Eambouillet's band followed the road indicated
by Maldent ; but Captain Saint-Andre pretended that he
had a good guide of his own, and preferred to follow him.
Each captain was so self-confident that the admiral did
not dare to require them to rely, as he did, upon Maldent.
Monsieur de Saint-Andre therefore went his own way,
and left the admiral to pursue his.
No obstacle presented itself on the road to St. Quentin.
The city had not been wholly surrounded : one of its
sides, that of the Faubourg de Ponthoille, had been re-
served for the English army, which might arrive at any
moment ; and it was precisely on this side that the admi-
ral had approached.
On the heights of Savy that is to say, three quarters
of a league from St. Quentin Coligny had taken a pre-
cautionary survey of the situation, and had seen the fires
of the hostile army extending from the chapel of Epargne-
maillc almost as far as Gaillard. It seemed to the admiral
as if the way had been purposely made easy for his little
troop ; and the facility offered made him not a little un-
easy, for he feared an ambuscade.
Procope, whom frequent conversations with Maldent
had rendered familiar with the patois of Picardy, offered
to go and reconnoitre ; the admiral consented, and ordered
a halt.
In three quarters of an hour the adventurer returned ;
the road was perfectly clear, and he had been able to ap-
proach so near the ramparts that he could see the sentinel
pacing between the gate of Ponthoille and the tower oppo-
site the Oisons meadows.
THE ADMIRAL KEEPS HIS PROMISE. 317
When just beyond the little arm of the river, which at
that period ran along the foot of the wall, Procope had
whistled to the sentinel, who had stopped pacing, and
strained his eyes to see through the darkness. Procope
had whistled a second time, and confident that he had
been seen, he had announced in a low voice the admiral's
approach. In consequence of this, the watch at the gate
of Ponthoille would be informed, and the admiral would
be admitted immediately upon his arrival.
Coligny praised Procope's intelligence, approved all he
had done, and easier in mind once more set out, still
under the guidance of Maiden t.
At a short distance from the gate a man sprang out of a
trench ; he held in his hand a pistol, ready to tire if the
troop should prove to be a hostile one. On the ramparts
patches of denser darkness were seen. A hundred men
had been called to this point to guard against any surprise
which might be hidden under the intelligence which Pro-
cope had confided to the sentinel.
The man with the pistol, who sprang from the trench,
was Lieutenant Theligny. He advanced, saying, " France
and The'ligny ! "
" France and Coligny ! " replied the admiral.
The recognition was complete. It was indeed the prom-
ised reinforcement ; the gates were immediately opened, and
the admiral entered with his hundred and twenty men.
The news of the arrival soon spread through the town ;
and the inhabitants, half dressed, ran out of their houses
uttering cries of joy. Many wished to illuminate ; some
had already begun to do so.
The admiral ordered them to be silent and to put out
their lights. He feared that the hostile army would be
put on the alert, and would redouble their vigilance.
Besides, Saint-Andre' and his troop had not yet arrived.
318 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
At three o'clock in the morning nothing had been heard
of them. Then, when day was about to dawn, and it
became a matter of urgent importance that they should
not encounter any detachment of the Spanish army, Lac-
tance came forward with six or eight of his Jacobins.
These good fathers, whose dress would shield them from
all suspicion, offered to spread themselves out over the
country for the distance of a league or two, and bring
back the lost troops.
Their offer was accepted ; and they departed, some
through the gate of Ponthoille and some through the
postern St. Catherine.
Between four and five o'clock in the morning a first
troop, of sixty men, appeared, led by two Jacobin fathers.
At six o'clock a second troop, of fifty-five or sixty men,
also led by a monk, arrived, accompanied by Captain
Saint- Andre himself. Their guide had lost his way, and
they had gone astray with him.
The other monks came in one after another ; and God,
who protected them, had thus far permitted no mis-
fortune to overtake them. As soon as all the men had
returned, Coligny ordered the roll to be called. He found
that his troops had all arrived, and that the garrison was
reinforced by two hundred and fifty men. This was
numerically a feeble addition ; but the presence of their
leader, by giving courage to the more timid, had produced
an immense moral effect.
Theligny, the mayor, and the governor of the city gave
the admiral an exact account of what had taken place the
day before. More than ever convinced that it was neces-
sary to defend the Faubourg d'Isle, even to the last ex-
tremity, Coligny turned his steps in that direction. On
top of the old wall, in the midst of the balls which
whistled around him, he decided that at nightfall a
THE ADMIRAL KEEPS HIS PROMISE. 319
sally should be made for the purpose of burning the
neighboring houses, from the interior of which the Span-
iards were continually annoying the soldiers who guarded
the ramparts. If they succeeded and could retake from
the enemy the boulevard they had captured the day
before, they could then dig a trench in front of the old
wall, in order to cover it with a mask and protect it
against the assaults of the besiegers.
Meantime and in order to concentrate upon this point
every means of defence possible, the admiral also ordered
them to open an embrasure in each side of the rampart,
and to place in each two pieces of cannon.
When the execution of these important measures had
been provided for, Coligny judged it expedient to ex-
amine into the quality and number of the enemy con-
fronting him. It was easy, by the banners upon their
tents, to recognize the nationality of the soldiers and of
the princes who commanded them.
From the place where he stood, that is to say, the
foremost angle of the old wall, the admiral perceived on
his right three camps perfectly distinct from one another,
each situated on a hill. The most distant camp was that
of Count Schwarzbourg. The intermediate camp was
that of Count Egmont and Count Horn, those two in-
separables who were not divided even in death. The
nearest camp was that of Emmanuel Philibert.
Directly opposite the admiral were the Spanish troops
which had made the attack the day before, and which
were commanded by Don Julian Romero and Captain
Carondelet. Finally, on his left was the extreme point
of the principal camp. This camp, which occupied
nearly half a league of ground, and in which the Duke
of Savoy later pitched his tents, was almost entirely sur-
rounded by the river Somme, which forms a semicircle
320 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
from its source to the point where it flows between St. Quen-
tin and the Faubourg d'Isle. It extended along the entire
side of the wall, from the river to the Faubourg St. Jean.
This camp contained the quarters of Field-Marshal
Binincourt, Margrave de Berg, Margrave de Valle, the
Duke of Saimona, Count Schwarzbourg, Count Mansfield,
Bernardo de Mendoza, Ferdinand de Gonzaga, the Bishop
of Arras, Count de Feria, Count Rinago, Marshal de
Carcheris, Duke Eric of Brunswick, Duke Ernest of
Brunswick, Don Juan Manrico. Messire de Bossu, Mes-
sire de Berlaimont, Comte de Megue, and Sieur Lazare
Swendy, and lastly, the quarters of the heavy cavalry,
the halberdiers, and the rebels.
Between the tower of St. Jean and the big tower
that is to say, opposite to the Faubourg d'Isle extended
the Flemish camp ; and a battery was erected which threw
such a fire that until this day the road where it stood is
called the street of Hell.
Finally, there remained that side of the city which
extends from the Faubourg de Ponthoille to Tourival,
which, as we have said, was entirely unoccupied, this
position having been reserved for the English army,
which had not yet arrived.
This preparatory inspection over, the admiral descended
to the town-house. There he asked for a list of all the
able men, and commanded a search to be made for all the
arms in the city ; he ordered a paper to be drawn up for
the signature of every man or woman who was willing to
assist at the earthworks; he commanded a collection to
be made of all the tools, baskets, shovels, and picks, and
an inventory to be drawn up of all the grain, flour, wine,
cattle, and provisions of all sorts, whether in public stores
or private houses, so that the consumption of material
might be regulated, and pillage prevented. And finally,
THE ADMIRAL KEEPS HIS PROMISE. 321
tie demanded au exact statement of the number of guns
and gunners ready for service, and of the quantity of
ammunition available.
In his tour of inspection, the admiral had seen only
two mills, a windmill situated at the end of the Rue
du Billon, near the Tour Rouge, and a water-mill upon
the Somme, in the Faubourg d'Isle. These were not
enough to grind corn sufficient for the consumption of a
city of twenty thousand souls. He gave expression to
this fear. But the aldermen reassured him by affirming
that there were in the city fifteen or sixteen hand-mills,
which could be continuously worked by the application
of horse power, and would be sufficient for the provision-
ing of the city and garrison.
Then Coligny arranged the quarters of the companies,
dividing the city into four parts, and subdividing these
into sixteen parts, to the government of which he ap-
pointed sixteen citizens and sixteen officers, so that in all
decisions there might be harmony between the two parties.
The military troop was assigned to the defence of the walls
conjointly with the citizen soldiers, each band so composed
having its own special locality to protect. The city coun-
cil remained in permanent session, so as to be ready to
answer without delay all applications addressed to it.
Finally, the admiral presented to the city government
the gentlemen who constituted what at the present time
would be called his staff, and who were to be his repre-
sentatives with the magistrates. In addition to, and inde-
pendent of these officers, Captain Languetot was appointed
superintendent of artillery, with the command of ten men-
at-arms, whose office it was to measure for the gunners the
quantity of powder used each day, and who were par-
ticularly charged with seeing that this precious powder
was protected from every danger.
VOL. I. 21
322 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
In going over the ramparts Coligny had observed near
the gate St. Jean, scarcely a hundred steps from the wall,
a great number of gardens filled with fruit-trees and sur-
rounded with tall and thick hedges ; these hedges and trees
offered the enemy a shelter under which they could ap-
proach the ramparts. As these gardens belonged to the
principal citizens, the admiral asked the council's permis-
sion to cut them down. Their consent was obtained with-
out any difficulty, and every carpenter in the city was put
into requisition to cut down the trees and hedges. Of the
brushwood fascines were to be made.
Then, seeing the assembly united and harmonious,
nobles, bourgeois, and soldiers animated if not by the
same enthusiasm, at least by an equal energy, Coligny
retired to the governor's house, where he had engaged to
meet the officers of the compaiiies.
This house was situated in the Rue de la Monnaie, be-
tween the Templerie and the Jacobins. There the officers
were made acquainted with all the admiral had done.
He informed them of the good feeling existing among the
citizens, and of the general determination to defend the
city to the last extremity, and requested them, while al-
leviating, so far as they were able, the hardships of the
situation, to maintain harmony between those two powers
ordinarily so difficult to reconcile, the army and the bour-
geoisie. Each captain was to furnish an account of his
company, so that the admiral should know exactly the
number of the men at his command, and the number of
mouths he was obliged to feed.
Then ascending with an engineer to the gallery of the
collegiate church, the admiral pointed out from this post
of observation, which overlooked the whole circumvallation
of the city, the excavations to be made and the elevations
to be levelled.
THfc ADMIRAL KEEPS HIS PROMISE. 323
When these orders had been given, and he was alone with
the officer whom he intended to send to the constable for a
reinforcement of troops, while it was still possible to re-
victual the place, he decided that the Savy road, hidden
by vines, and winding through a chain of little hills by the
chapel of Epargnemaille, was the most favorable one by
which to lead the troops to the place. Captain Saint-
Andre had indeed in open day arrived unobserved from
this direction.
All these arrangements having been completed, Coligny
was reminded at last that he was a man, and returned to
the house to take a few hours of rest.
324 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
CHAPTER VIII.
THE ADVENTURERS' TENT.
WHILE all these measures for the public safety -were being
ordered by Coligny, upon whom rested the entire responsi-
bility of the defence of the city, and who, somewhat reas-
sured, as we have said, by the ardor of the soldiers and the
courage of the bourgeois, had returned to the governor's
house to take the rest he so much needed, our adven-
turers, also ready to fight in defence of the city because
Coligny had hired them, indifferent to everything, await-
ing patiently the first signal of the trumpet and drum, had
pitched their tent about a hundred steps from the Porte
d'Isle, and established their quarters on an unoccupied piece
of ground which extended, opposite the Cordeliers, from
the extremity of the Rue Wager to the foot of the wall.
Upon the entrance of Coligny into St. Quentin, they
were once more reunited, and set about adjusting their
accounts.
Yvonnet had just turned into the treasury half of the
sum which he owed to the liberality of King Henri II. ;
Procope, half of the gratuities he had received as scribe ',
Maldent, half the wages which had been paid him as guide ;
Malemort, the reward he had earned in going, wounded as
he was, to inform Coligny of the arrival of the Spaniards ;
and lastly, Pilletrousse, half of what he had gained in
cutting up and selling the beef procured by the two
Scharfensteins.
THE ADVENTURERS' TENT. 325
As for the latter, as they had not been concerned in any
combat, they had nothing to add to the general fund, and
occupied themselves, without anxiety as to the future want
of supplies the blockade of the city might occasion, in
roasting the quarter of beef remaining after the distribu-
tion of the other three quarters by Pilletrousse.
Lactance brought two great bags of corn and a bag of
beans, which he proffered as his contribution, instead of
money ; it was a present to our adventurers from the con-
vent of the Jacobins, whose monks, having enlisted, had
chosen, as we know, Lactance for their captain.
Fracasso continued his fruitless search for a rhyme for
the verb perdre.
Under a sort of shed, hastily built, the two horses,
Yvonnet's and Malemort's, chewed their straw and enjoyed
their oats. A portable mill was set up under this shed,
not on account of the proximity of the horses, but that it
might be under cover ; the task of turning it belonged to
Heiurich and Frantz.
The pecuniary affairs of the society were thus in good
condition; forty gold crowns, carefully counted by Pro-
cope, counted again by Maldent, and laid in a pile by
Pilletrousse, were ready to be put into the society's
cash-box.
If the society should continue another year in this pros-
perity, Procope intended to purchase a notary's or attor-
ney's office ; Maldent proposed to buy a little farm situated
on the road from La Fere to Ham, of which he had knowl-
edge from good authority, being, as we have said, a native
of the country; Yvonnet expected to marry some rich
heiress, to whose hand his elegance and his fortune would
now enable him to urge a double claim ; Pilletrousse would
like to establish a large market business either in the cap-
ital or in some leading provincial town ; Fracasso's idea
326 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
was to publish his poems after the fashion of Monsieur
Ronsard and Monsieur Jodelle ; finally, Maleuiort wished
for an opportunity to fight on his own account and as long
as it should suit him ; this would save him from the re-
proaches of his comrades and fellow-soldiers, who con-
stantly admonished him upon his indifference to the
safety of his person.
As to the two Scharfensteins, they had no project,
having no forethought.
Just as Maldent had finished counting the crowns, and
Pilletrousse had placed the last of them on the pile, a
shadow was cast upon the adventurers, indicating that an
opaque body had been interposed between them and the
light. Instinctively, Procope extended his hand toward the
gold ; Maldent, still more quickly, placed his hat on it.
Yvonnet turned round. The same young man who had
wished to buy his horse was standing in the entrance of
the tent. Quickly as Maldent had covered the money
with his hat, the unknown had seen it, and with the keen
eye of a man to whom estimates of this kind are familiar,
lie had calculated that the sum which they had hastened
to conceal from his view must amount to fifty gold
crowns.
" Ah, ah ! " he said, " it seems that the harvest has
been good ! I fear that I come at a bad time for business ;
you will be as hard as the devil, my masters."
" That depends on what the business is," said Procope.
" There are different kinds of business," said Maldent.
" Is there any chance of gain outside of your proposi-
tion 1 ?" asked Pilletrousse.
" If there is any fighting to do, I might accommodate
you," said Malemort.
" If it were not an expedition against some church or
some convent, it might be arranged," said Lactance.
THE ADVENTURERS' TENT. 327
" Especially if it could be executed by moonlight," said
Fracasso. " I like night expeditions ; they are the only
ones that are poetical and picturesque."
Yvonnet said nothing, but regarded the stranger
attentively.
The two Scharfensteins were absorbed in the cooking
of their piece of beef.
These observations, each one of which was characteristic
of the individual who made it, were uttered almost simul-
taneously by the adventurers.
The young man smiled. He replied to all the questions
at the same time, looking successively at that one of the
adventurers whose question he was for the moment
answering.
"Yes, the business is serious," he said, "very serious
indeed ; and although there may be chances of gain outside
of my proposal, as there will be some fighting to do, I in-
tend to offer you a reasonable sum, which ought to satisfy
any one. And those religiously disposed may rest as-
sured," he added ; " for it concerns neither convent nor
church, and it is probable that for greater security we shall
act at night. I must say, however, that I prefer a dark
night to a bright one."
" Then," said Procope, who usually took it upon himself
to discuss the interests of the society, " unfold your scheme,
and let us see if it is acceptable."
" You must engage to follow me, whether it be to a noc-
turnal expedition or to a skirmish, a battle, or a combat
in broad day."
" And what shall we have to do in this nocturnal expe-
dition, in this skirmish, this combat, or this battle ? "
" You will have to attack the person whom I shall at-
tack ; yon will have to surround and kill him."
" And what if he surrenders ? "
328 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
" I warn you beforehand that I shall show no mercy."
" Peste ! " said Procope, " it is a mortal hatred, then 1 "
" Mortal ! you have said it, my friend."
" Good ! " muttered Malemort, rubbing his hands ; " that
is what I call talking."
"But," said Maldent, "if the ransom were good, it
seems to me it would be better to receive ransom than
to kill."
" I will negotiate for the ransom and the death at the
same time, in order that these two cases may be provided
for."
" That is to say," replied Procope, " that you buy him
of us, living or dead 1 "
" Living or dead, that is it."
" How much for the dead, and how much for the
living 1 "
" The same price."
"And yet," said Maldent, "it seems to me that a living
man is worth much more than a dead one."
" No ; for I shall buy the living man that he may be-
come a dead one."
""Well," said Procope, "how much will you give?"
" One moment, Procope," said Yvonnet ; " let Monsieur
de "Waldeck tell us who this person is 1 "
The young man started back. " You spoke a name ! "
he said.
"Your name, Monsieur," replied Yvonnet, while the
adventurers looked at one another, beginning to compre-
hend that it was the lover of Mademoiselle Gudule to
whom they might best leave the defence of their
interests.
The young man knit his thick red brow. "And how
do you happen to know me 1 " he asked.
" Do you wish me to tell you 1 " replied Yvonnet.
THE ADVENTURERS' TENT. 329
Waldeck hesitated.
" Recall the Chateau du Parcq," continued the
adventurer.
Waldeck turned pale.
" Recall the forest of St. Pol-sur-Ternoise."
" It is just because I do recall it that I am here, and
that I make this proposal which you are discussing."
" Then it is the Duke Emmanuel Philibert whom you
wish us to kill ? " said Yvonnet, quietly.
" Peste ! " cried Procope, " the Duke of Savoy ! "
" You see that it is best to be explicit," said Yvonnet
to his companions, casting at them a side glance.
" And why should we not kill the Duke of Savoy 1 "
cried Malemort.
" I do not say we should not kill the Duke of Savoy,"
replied Procope.
" All right ! " said Malemort ; " the Duke of Savoy is
our enemy, since we are engaged to Monsieur 1'Amiral, and
I do not see why we should not kill the Duke of Savoy as
well as another."
" You are perfectly right, Malemort," replied Procope ;
" we can kill the Duke of Savoy as well as another, only
he would be dearer than another."
Maldent made a sign of assent. " Much dearer," he
said.
"To say nothing," said Lactance, "of risking one's
soul."
" Bah ! " said Waldeck, with his sinister smile ; " do
you think that if there were no other reason for his going
to hell, Benvenuto Cellini would have been damned for
killing the Constable de Bourbon ] "
" The Constable de Bourbon was a rebel ; that makes a
difference," said Procope.
M And then, for fighting against Pope Clement VII., he
330 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
was excommunicated," added Lactance, ' and it was a
pious deed to kill him."
" As far as that is concerned, your Duke of Savoy is a
friend of Pope Paul IV.," replied Waldeck.
" Oh, never mind all that," said Pilletrousse ; " what is
the price 1 "
" Yes," said Waldeck, " that is the point. Well, what
do you say to five hundred gold crowns, one hundred
crowns down to bind the bargain, and four hundred when
the thing is done ? "
Procope shook his head. " I say that we are far from
coming to an agreement."
" I am sorry for that/' replied Waldeck ; " for, to lose
no time, I have made my final offer. I have five hundred
gold crowns, and not a carolus more ; if you refuse it, I
shall be obliged to negotiate elsewhere."
The adventurers looked at one another ; five out of seven
shook their heads. Malemort alone was in favor of ac-
cepting, because there would be fighting. Fracasso had
relapsed into his poetic reveries.
" Well," said Waldeck, " there is no hurry. Take time
to consider. I know you, and you know me ; we live in
the same city, and can easily find one another." And
bowing slightly, he turned upon his heels and left them.
" Shall we call him back 1 " said Procope.
" Five hundred gold crowns are not found every day,
forsooth," said Maldent.
" And then, if it is really all that he has, of course he
can give nothing more."
" My brothers," said Lactance, " the lives of princes are
under the special guardianship of Heaven, and we risk our
souls by attacking them. We should not therefore do it
except for a sum sufficient to pay for indulgences for all of
us, which we shall need whether we succeed or not. The
THE ADVENTURERS' TENT. 331
intention, brothers, the worthy prior of the Jacobins told
ine so yesterday, must be taken for the deed."
" It is true," said Pilletrousse, " that it is worth much
more than is offered us. But suppose we do it on our own
account."
" Yes," said Malemort, " let us do it."
" Gentlemen," interrupted Procope, " the idea belongs
to Monsieur de Waldeck ; it would be robbery to take his
idea which he has confided to us. You know my prin-
ciples in matters of right."
" Well," replied Yvonnet, " if the idea, as you say, is
his own property, I think we had better accept the five
hundred gold crowns."
" Yes, let us accept and fight ! " cried Malemort.
" Oh, there is no hurry," said Maldent.
" What if he should negotiate with others ? " said
Yvonnet.
" Yes, what if he should negotiate with others ? " re-
peated Procope.
" Let us accept and fight ! " howled Malemort.
" Yes, yes, let us accept ! " cried every voice.
" Accept ! " said the two Scharfensteins, who just at this
moment entered bearing upon a board their piece of roasted
beef, and who, without knowing what was the subject in
question, decided with the majority, showing as always
their good sense.
"Then one of us must run after him and call him
back," said Procope.
" I will," said Malemort. And he sprang up to do so ;
but just at that moment he heard in the direction of the
Faubourg d'Isle a few shots, which were immediately fol-
lowed by a brisk fusillade.
" Oh, battle, battle ! " cried Malemort, drawing his
sword and running in the direction of the sound of the
332 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
firing, which was exactly contrary to that taken by Wai-
deck, who was going toward the Tour a 1'Eau.
" Oh, oh ! they are fighting in the Faubourg d'Isle I I
must go and look after Gudule," cried Yvonnet.
" But the business ? " cried Procope, in his turn.
" I leave it to you to settle," said Yvonnet ; " what you
decide upon will be satisfactory. I give you power of at-
torney." And he darted after Malemort, who had already
crossed the first bridge and had reached the island forming
the pass St. Pierre.
Let us follow Malemort and Yvonnet, and see what is
going on in the Faubourg d'Isle.
BATTLE. 333
CHAPTER IX.
BATTLE.
THE reader will remember that before entering the gover-
nor's house, the admiral had given orders that a sally
should be made at nightfall, for the purpose of burning
the houses situated along the outer boulevard, under cover
of which the Spaniards discharged their guns at the de-
fenders of the city, who, occupying an inner elevation,
were exposed to the full force of the enemy's fire.
This order had been given to Messieurs de Theligny, de
Jarnac, and de Luzarches. Consequently, at six o'clock
in the evening the three officers had assembled a hundred
men from their respective companies, and a hundred and
twenty volunteer citizens, led by Guillaume and Jean Pau-
quet. These two hundred and twenty men were to attack
two thousand.
Scarcely thirty feet from the old wall, the road divided,
as we have already said. One branch led to Guise and the
other to La Fere. Upon both sides of this road and upon
each one of its branches were situated the houses which
were to be destroyed.
The little band, after leaving the old wall, would have
to divide, one attacking on the right, the other on the
left, all setting fire at the same time. Guillaume and
Jean Pauquet, who were acquainted with the locality,
served as guides, each conducting one of the bands.
At half-past six o'clock in the evening the gate of the
Faubourg d'Isle was opened, and the little troop set out at
334 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
a double-quick step. But secretly and rapidly as the
movement had been executed, it had been signalled by the
sentinels, and the sally had been anticipated by Caronde-
let and Don Julian Romero. Consequently at the corner
of each street the French found a body of Spaniards
double their own number, and from every window death
fell upon them.
Such, however, was the impetuosity of the attack that
the ranks of the Spaniards who were defending the two
streets were broken, and in spite of the firing from the
windows five or six houses were entered.
It need not be said that Malemort, screaming, yelling,
swearing, and above all, striking, had managed to steal up
to the head of one of the columns, and to be the first to
enter a house. Once in the house, he forgot that the pur-
pose of the entrance was to set fire, and springing up the
stairs, he gained the upper story. Those who entered
after him forgot that he had gone in first, and mindful
only of their instructions, they piled up fagots in the lower
rooms, and particularly at the foot of the staircase. Then
they set fire to them. The same thing was done in two
or three houses along the boulevard.
The Spaniards had taken the attack for an ordinary
sally ; but from the clouds of smoke which issued from
the windows on the ground-floor they soon divined the
object of the French. Then they rallied with all their
strength, and fell with their tenfold superiority of num-
bers upon the little troop, which was driven back. But
the latter had not wholly failed in its purpose, for the
flames were coming through the roofs of several houses.
The reader doubtless remembers that Yvonnet, not hav-
ing been ordered to the sally, had conceived the idea of
utilizing his time by going to see Gudule, whose fears he
did his best to quiet. Her fears were indeed very great ;
BATTLE. 335
for, as we have said, the young girl's father and uncle had
gone as guides with the two columns which had made the
sally.
For a moment the cries, the shouts, the noise of the
fusillade reached such a degree of violence that Yvonnet
himself was curious to know what was taking place ; he
climbed into the garret, followed by the young girl, who
remained as close to him as his shadow, partly through
fear, but more through love. By looking from the garret-
window Yvonnet could see all that was going on.
The rumble of the firing still continued, and at the same
time the clash of arms indicated that the hand-to-hand
struggle was sustained in the streets. But this was not
all. As we have said, the smoke was issuing from the
windows of four or five houses, and in the midst of the
smoke human beings were seen running as if in fright.
These were the Spaniards overtaken by the fire, and who,
now that the stairways were in flames, could not leave the
upper stories of the houses.
In all these houses movements indicating alarm were to
be seen ; but in one of them especially the alarm seemed to
rise even to terror. It was that in which Malemort was at
work, who, indifferent to the flames, attacked, struck, and
fought in the midst of the smoke.
At the moment when Yvonnet began looking out of the
window, the scene of combat was the second story. The
most prudent of the Spaniards who defended this second
story, having to struggle at once against fire and a man
who seemed to be the devil himself, leaped through the
windows. The others instinctively fled to the third story.
Malemort no longer concerned himself with those who
had jumped from the windows, but pursued the fugitives
to the third story, thundering out his favorite cry,
" Battle ! "
336 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
All this time the fire was performing its work of de-
struction; Malemort pursued the Spaniards, the fire pur-
sued Malemort. Doubtless the adventurer owed at this
time his exceptional invulnerability to the powerful ally
which came on behind him, and to which he seemed to
pay no attention.
Soon the smoke obscured the third story as it had done
the second, and the fire darted its tongues of flame through
the flooring. One or two Spaniards, braving the danger
of the fall, leaped from the windows of the third story, as
their comrades had done from those of the second story.
Others tried to escape over the roof. Two could be seen
going out by an upper window, and one half of a third ;
but the latter seemed suddenly arrested in his exit, and
indicated by movements the meaning of which was unmis-
takable that the part of his body left in the house was un-
dergoing something very disagreeable. Indeed Malemort
was inflicting heavy strokes of the sword upon this too
tardy part.
The Spaniard, after making vain attempts to rejoin his
companions climbing over the ridge of the roof, fell back-
ward, and in spite of a last effort to grasp the ledge of the
window, went out of sight.
Five seconds later it was Malemort's face recognizable
by the linen bandage which appeared at the garret-
window in the place of the Spaniard's. He saw his two
enemies flying, and set out in pursuit of them. He might
have been a slater or a rope-dancer, with so firm a step
did he walk upon the narrow path. If he had been a
Mussulman, his shade could have certainly crossed at
death, without the aid of a balancing-pole, that bridge to
the Mahometan paradise which leads from earth to heaven
and which is no wider than the edge of a razor.
The two fugitives soon discovered the danger with
BATTLE. 337
which they were threatened. One of them, at the risk of
breaking his back, slid down the declivity of the roof, and
clung to the ledge of the garret-window, through which he
disappeared into the house. This house standing between
two burning ones had so far escaped the flames.
Malemort did not trouble himself about the Spaniard
who had just accomplished so successfully the perilous
slide, and continued his pursuit of the one who
remained.
From their observatory, Yvonnet and Gudule watched
this aerial feat of gymnastics, Yvonnet with the pleasure
which such a spectacle inspires in a man ; Gudule with the
terror with which it would naturally affect a woman.
The two acrobats reached, by passing from roof to roof,
the last house, which seemed, after the fashion of some of
our old houses, to bend over to look into the river. The
house was of wood, and was burning on every side.
Having reached the edge of the roof, and perceiving that
he could fly no farther, unless Saint James, the patron
saint of Spain, lent him wings, the fugitive, who prob-
ably could not swim, turned around, resolved to sell his
life dearly. The struggle began ; but just as it reached its
highest degree of fury, the smoke and flame began to
burst through the roof upon which the combatants were
standing ; then the roof trembled, then fell in, drawing
the two men into the frightful crater.
One of them disappeared entirely. The other clung to
a beam, burning but still solid, regained his feet, made his
way all on fire toward the extremity of the beam, and
springing from the height of the third story, extinguished
the fire on his person by plunging into the Somme.
Gudule uttered a loud cry ; Yvonnet almost jumped out
of the window ; both held their breath for a moment.
Would the bold diver be swallowed up forever or would
VOL. i. 22
338 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
he reappear 1 Then, again, was this the Spaniard or was
it Malemort 1
Soon the surface of the river was agitated and a head
appeared, then arms, then a body swimming with the cur-
rent toward a point on the shore behind the old wall.
"When they saw the swimmer taking that direction, they
were very sure that it was Malemort.
Yvonnet and Gudule ran quickly down to the place
where in all probability the swimmer would land. They
arrived just in time to draw from the water, half burned
and nearly drowned, the fierce fighter, who at the
end of his strength fainted in their arms while waving
his sword and crying out in a stifled voice, " Battle !
battle ! "
Serious as was Malemort's condition, others had not
escaped so fortunately as he. Repulsed, as we have said,
by the veteran troops of Carondelet and .Don Julian, the
soldiers and the bourgeois, after succeeding in burning two
or three houses, being forced to retreat in disorder, became
massed at the gate of the old wall in such a way as to
afford the Spaniards every facility for taking their revenge.
Thirty soldiers and twenty citizens were left dead, and the
enemy very nearly succeeded in entering the faubourg with
those whom they pursued. Yvonnet heard the cries of the
Spaniards, who were already shouting, "The city is
taken ! " He ran to the adventurers' tent, calling them to
arms, and returned with a reinforcement of a hundred
men, a part of whom spread themselves about over the
ramparts, while the rest met the enemy, already trying to
force their way into the faubourg.
But at the head of those who came to the assistance of
the faubourg were the two Scharfen steins, armed one with
his sledge and the other with his two-edged sword. Blows
fell upon the Spaniards as rapid as those of the flail upon
BATTLE. 339
the threshing-floor, and they were obliged to retire before
the two giants.
When the Spaniards were driven back from the arch it
was necessary to close the gates. This was a difficult task,
for the assailants opposed it with all their strength, some
pushing on the gates with their hands, others with
the but-ends of their muskets, others still with beams ;
but the two Scharfensteins succeeded in slipping in be-
tween the opposed forces and the wall, and bracing them-
selves against the gates with feet and hands, began moving
them with a slow but regular and irresistible progress
until they were completely closed, and the iron cross-bar
was put in its place.
This work accomplished, they breathed heavily, and so
in unison that they might have been said to have but one
breast for their two bodies. Scarcely had they heaved
this heavy sigh of relief when a cry of terror arose, " To
the walls ! to the walls ! "
Two breaches indeed had been made in the wall, one
on each side of the gate, for the purpose of transporting
earth to the artillery platforms. These breaches had been
filled with Jiurdles and bales of wool. The besiegers,
driven from the gate, had noticed the breaches, and at-
tempted, by making use of them, to carry the town in a
sudden assault.
The two Scharfensteins, in springing back from the
gateway, needed only to cast a glance around them to ap-
preciate the imminence of the danger. In spite of their
custom of fighting together, the separation of their forces
was at this time so necessary that after exchanging a few
words, with that moderation of speech which characterized
them, they hastened, the uncle to the breach on the right
and the nephew to that on the left.
The attacking party, provided with those long pikes
340 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
which were at that period the weapons used by the Spanish
infantry, made their assault on both sides of the gate at
the same time, and drove before it citizens and soldiers,
forced to retreat before that harvest of steel which the wind
of war bent against them.
Heinrich Scharfenstein, armed for the time with the
sledge, saw that he could not do much with that short
and heavy weapon against the Spanish pikes, which were
about ten feet long : and therefore, as he ran forward, he
hung his sledge to his belt, picked up from the wall a
block of stone, and not at all impeded by the enormous
weight he was carrying, arrived at the breach, crying out,
" Take care ! take care ! "
It was the very breach at which Yvonnet was fighting.
The latter saw Scharfenstein, perceived his intention, and
opened with a movement of his sword a sort of path to-
ward the Spaniards, who had begun to make the ascent.
Just as they had climbed about half-way up the wall, the
giant appeared on the top of the breach, raised above his
head the stone which until then he had carried on his
shoulders, and adding the impetus of his own strength
to the natural weight of the projectile, hurled it down
upon the front rank of the Spanish with a force equal to
that of the most powerful catapult.
The rock fell, bounding through the serried column,
breaking, crushing, grinding as it went. Then through
that open way Heinrich sprang, and striking right and left,
finished with his terrible club those whom the gigantic
rock had spared or had only half killed. On this side in
less than ten minutes the breach was cleared.
Frantz had been equally successful. He also had cried,
" Take care ! " and at the sound of his voice the ranks of
the soldiers and citizens had opened ; then with his great
two-handed sword he began to mow down this harvest of
BATTLE. 341
lances, cutting down at each blow five or six, as easily as
Tarquin in the gardens of Gabies cut off the poppy-heads
in the presence of his son's messenger. Then, when he
had before him men armed only with sticks, he threw
himself into the Spanish ranks, and set himself to cutting
down the men as furiously as he had attacked the lances.
At this point also the Spaniards retreated.
But an unforeseen incident came near depriving the
brave Frantz of all the profit to be gained by the glorious
assistance he had brought to the defenders of St. Quentin.
A man fiercer even than he for human quarry glided under
his arm, crying, " Battle ! battle ! " and started in pur-
suit of the Spaniards, This was Malemort, who, hav-
ing recovered consciousness, had swallowed a bottle of
wine given him by Gudule, and had returned to the
charge.
Unfortunately, two or three of those whom our adven-
turer was pursuing, seeing that they were pursued by only
one man, turned around, and although their broken lances
left them no weapon but a stick, one of them with a blow
of his stick knocked Malemort senseless.
Citizens and soldiers uttered a cry of lamentation. For-
tunately, Frantz had some idea of the thickness of his
companion's skull. He ran up to him, cleft in two with
one blow of his formidable sword the Spaniard who was
about to put an end to Malemort's life with a dagger, took
Malemort by the feet, and supposing that he had no time
to lose, returned on the run to the breach, where he threw
Malemort who was beginning to open his eyes and mur-
mur " Battle ! " into the arms of Lactance, who was
coming up with his Jacobins.
Behind the monks came the admiral, leading a little
troop of selected arquebusiers, who opened so well sus-
tained a fire upon the outward boulevard and upon the
342 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
houses situated upon it that the Spaniards remained quiet
under shelter.
The admiral found upon inquiry that the loss had been
great, and that the Faubourg d'Isle had hardly escaped
being taken by assault. Many captains entreated the ad-
miral to abandon this point, which had already cost the
garrison sixty men. But Coligny persisted ; he saw that
the prolongation of the siege, if not the safety of the c\iy t
depended on the occupation of this faubourg. He there-
fore ordered that they should take advantage of the night,
which was coming on, to repair the two breaches and put
everything in order. The Jacobins, whose dark dress ren-
dered them less conspicuous, were appointed to this work,
which they undertook with the quiet devotion of monastic
courage. As a nocturnal attack was feared, the arque-
busiers watched upon the ramparts, Avhile, in order to give
the alarm in case the enemy should couceive the idea of
going around by the old wall, sentinels were placed
twenty steps apart along the edge of the marshes of the
Somme.
It was a terrible night for the city of St. Quentin, that
night of the 3d and 4th of August, when it mourned its
first killed !
Each one watched over his house and his neighborhood
as the sentinels watched over the Faubourg d'Isle.
The poor inhabitants of the faubourg, who knew that it
would be the point of the fiercest attack and defence, left
their houses, dragging after them in carts or carrying upon
hand-barrows their most precious possessions. Among the
emigrants who abandoned the faubourg to seek refuge in
the city was Guillauuie Pauquet, to whom his brother
Jean offered the hospitality of his house, which stood on
the corner of the Rue du Vieux-Marche and the Rue des
Arbaletriers.
BATTLE. 343
Leaning on his arm, his daughter Gudule, still quite
stunned by the events of the day, entered the city, turn-
ing round from time to time on pretence of great grief at
leaving to certain destruction that house where she was
born, but in reality to assure herself that the handsome
Yvonnet did not lose sight of her.
Yvonnet followed indeed at a reasonable distance the
citizen, his daughter, and the weavers whom Jean Pau-
quet had offered to his brother to help in transporting
his household goods, and who discharged this duty
conscientiously.
It was a great consolation to the poor Gudule to see
that the young man traversed St. Quentin through its
whole length, crossed the public square before the town-
house from one corner to the other, followed along the
Rue St. Marguerite and the Rue du Vieux-Marche, and
liually entered his uncle's house at the corner of the Rue
aux Pourceaux.
Under pretext of great fatigue (and the pretext was
a plausible one after such a day), Gudule asked to be
shown to her room, a request which was immediately
granted.
Gudule began to think that there was really a guardian
spirit watching over lovers when she saw that the apart-
ments her uncle had assigned to her father and herself
were in a sort of pavilion in the corner of the garden,
and looked upon the road which ran round the ramparts.
When she was alone in her new domicile, her first care
was to extinguish her light, as if she had gone to bed,
and open her window to examine the surroundings, and
see what facilities this window offered for an escalade.
She found that the window was easy of access; that
portion of the rampart which extended between the gate
of the Vieux-Marche and the Dameuse Tower was cer-
344 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
tainly the most deserted in the city. A ladder eight or
ten feet long placed against the window could perform
the same service in the Kue des Arbaletriers as the step-
ping-stone at the house in the Faubourg d'Isle.
It is true that only a thin partition separated her room
from that of her father, and that the least sound in this
chamber might move the susceptibility of the paternal
ear ; but this difficulty could be avoided if Gudule should
descend by the ladder to meet Yvonnet upon the ram-
parts. In that way, unless the lovers were unfortunate,
the chamber might be left unoccupied, and, by necessity,
to silence.
Gudule was deep in these strategic combinations, which
for the moment made of her almost as skilful a tactician
35 the admiral, when she saw a shadow gliding along the
garden wall.
Yvonuet was engaged in the same exploration, and was
reconnoitring the ground which was to be the scene of
his manoeuvres.
The siege of this house of Maitre Pauquet would not be
a difficult one, especially for a man who, like our adven-
turer, had the advantage of co-operation from within.
In a few words everything was arranged for the follow-
ing night. Then, as she heard on the stairs the step of
Guillaume Pauquet, somewhat heavy from the fatigue of
the day, Gudule closed her window, and Yvonnet dis-
appeared down the Eue St. Jean.
MONSIEUR DE THELIGNY. 345
CHAPTER X.
MONSIEUR DE THELIGNY.
MORNING found the admiral again upon the rampart. Far
from being cast down by the failure of the day before,
Gaspard de Coligny had determined to make another
attempt.
In his opinion the enemy knew that a reinforcement
had entered the city, but were ignorant of its importance ;
it was necessary for them to believe that this reinforce-
ment was more powerful than it was in reality.
In that case Duke Emmanuel Philibert would be in-
duced to undertake a regular siege, since he would despair
of carrying the city by storm. Now a regular siege meant
a respite of ten days, fifteen days, perhaps a month,
during which the constable might make some attempt,
and the king have time to take measures.
The admiral therefore sent for the young lieutenant of
the dauphin's company, Monsieur de Theligny.
The latter hastened to obey. He had fought valiantly
the night before in the Faubourg d'Isle, and yet he had
come safe and sound out. of the battle ; so that the sol-
diers who had seen him in the midst of the fusillade, the
swords, and the lances, on finding that he had not received
a scratch, had called him the Invulnerable.
He approached the admiral bright and smiling, like a
man who had just done his duty and was ready to do it
again. The admiral took him behind the parapet of a
tower.
346 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
"Monsieur de Theligny," he said, "you can see from
here the position of the Spaniards ] "
Theliguy signified that he could see perfectly.
" Well, it appears to me easy to make a surprise with
thirty or forty cavaliers. Select thirty or forty men from
your company ; put at their head a reliable man, and
attack that position."
" But, Monsieur PAiniral," asked Theligny, laughing,
" why should not I myself be that reliable man who shall
command the sally ? I admit that I have confidence in
my officers, but I have still greater confidence in myself."
The admiral laid his hand upon his shoulder. " My
dear Theligny," he said, " men of your stamp are rare ;
that is the reason why we must not risk them in skir-
mishes, and expose them to unexpected encounters. Give
me your word of honor that you will not command the
sally, or, dying with fatigue as I am, I shall remain upon
the ramparts."
"If that is the case, Monsieur 1'Amiral," said Theligny,
bowing, " retire, take your rest, and leave to me the care
of the enterprise ; I promise not to go beyond the gate of
the city."
" I rely upon your promise, Monsieur," the admiral
said gravely.
Then, as if he wished it understood that the gravity of
his face and voice applied only to this request that he
would not leave the city, he added, " As for myself, my
dear Theligny, I shall not return to the governor's house,
which is too far off; I shall go to Monsieur de Jarnac's,
throw myself on a bed, and sleep for an hour or two.
You will find me there."
" Sleep in peace, Monsieur 1'Amiral ! " replied Theligny.
" I will watch."
The admiral descended from the rampart opposite the
MONSIEUR DE THELIGNY. 347
tower of Guise, and entered the second house in the Rue
de Remicourt, in which Monsieur de Jarnac lived.
Theligny looked after him for a while ; then turning to
an officer he said, " Thirty or forty volunteers from the
dauphin's company ! "
" You shall have them immediately, Lieutenant," replied
the officer.
" How is that ? I have given no order."
" That is true ; but Monsieur 1'Amiral's words were
seized upon by one of the hearers, who signified that he
understood, and who has gone running in every direction
through the barracks crying, ' Dauphins, dauphins, to
battle ! ' "
" And who is the man who has so well executed orders
before they were issued 1 "
" Upon my word, Lieutenant," replied the officer, laugh-
ing, " he looked more like a devil than a man ; half of his
face is covered with a bloody bandage, his hair is burned
close to his head, his cuirass is dented behind and before,
and his clothes are in rags."
" Ah, very well," said Theligny, " I know whom you
mean. You are right ; he is not a man, but a devil ! "
" Stay, here he is, Lieutenant ! " said the officer ; and
he pointed out to Theligny a horseman who was approach-
ing on the gallop from the Isle Gate.
It was Malemort, half burned, half drowned, half killed,
in the sally of the day before, and who, feeling only the
better on account of it, was eager for another fray.
At the same time, from the opposite direction, that is
to say, through the Rue du Billon, at the end of which
were some barracks, advanced a little band of forty
horsemen.
With the activity which characterized him when there
was any chance of fighting, Malemort had had time to
348 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
run to the barracks, transmit the admiral's order, go to
the Isle Gate, saddle his horse, and return to the Re mi-
court Gate, where he arrived at the same time as the
horsemen of the dauphin's company. The only recompense
he asked for his zeal and activity was permission to join
the expedition, which was granted him. He had declared
that if he were not allowed to join in the sally, he
would make one of his own ; and if the gates were not
opened for him, he would leap from the top of the
ramparts.
But Theligny, who judged him by his work the day
before, requested him not to separate from the main body,
and to charge in the ranks. Malemort agreed to do as he
was requested.
The gate was opened and the little troop went out. But
when they were hardly outside the gate, Malemort, car-
ried away by his rage, could not constrain himself to fol-
low the path taken by the little troop, a path which,
sheltered by trees and protected by certain inequalities of
ground, would lead the forty horsemen very near the
Spanish camp ; he crossed the plain in a straight line,
urging his horse to his greatest speed, and crying, " Battle !
battle ! "
Meanwhile the admiral, as we have said, had retired to
Monsieur de Jarnac's house, and thrown himself down
upon a bed ; but disturbed by a sort of presentiment, and
in spite of his fatigue not able to sleep, in about half an
hour he arose, and as he thought he heard cries from the
direction of the rampart, he put his hand to his sword and
hastened out. He had scarcely taken twenty steps in the
Rue de Remicourt, when he saw Messieurs de Luzarches
and de Jarnac coming rapidly toward him. From their
air of terror, it might easily be divined that something
serious had happened.
MONSIEUR DE THELIGNY. 349
" Ah," said Monsieur de Jarnac, coming up to the
admiral, " you know already, then 1 "
" What 1 " asked Coligny.
The two officers looked at each other.
"If you do not know," said Monsieur de Luzarches,
" why have you come out 1 "
" I could not sleep, I felt something like a presentiment
Hearing cries, I arose, and here I am."
" Come with us, then."
And the two officers again quickly ascended the ram-
parts, accompanying the admiral. The ramparts were
crowded with spectators.
The following is what had taken place : Malemort's
premature attack had given the alarm. The Spaniards
were more numerous than had been supposed ; the soldiers
and the officer of the dauphin's company, who intended
to surprise the enemy, found the enemy already mounted
and twice as numerous as their own party. At this sight
they faltered ; some of the horsemen turned about, the
most cowardly abandoning the bravest, who were engaged
with numbers so numerous that they must soon yield un-
less they received help immediately. Theligny forgot his
promise to the admiral ; with no other weapon but his
sword he mounted the first horse he found within reach,
and darted off beyond the walls, calling loudly to the aid
of their companions those who had turned to fly. A few
of them therefore rallied about him, and with eight or ten
men, hoping to make a diversion, with bowed head he
charged into the midst of the Spaniards.
A moment later those who remained of the forty cava-
liers of the dauphin's company could be seen retreating
rapidly. Their number was diminished by a third, and
Monsieur de Theligny was not among them.
It was then that Messieurs de Jaruac and de Luzarches,
350 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
thinking it important to inform the admiral of this new
defeat, had turned their steps toward the house where he
was taking an hour's rest, and had met him half-way.
Then, as we have said, all three had hurried to the ram-
part which overlooked the scene of the catastrophe.
There Coligny had questioned the fugitives, who had
related to him the facts we have given.
With regard to Monsieur de Theligny, they could affirm
nothing ; they had seen him come like lightning and
strike the Spanish officer a blow in the face with his sword j
but he had been immediately surrounded, and, unarmed
as he was, at the end of some seconds he had fallen pierced
with wounds. One soldier alone affirmed that, though
robbed and wounded, Monsieur de Theligny had not been
killed, because he had seen him move as he was galloping
by the place where he had fallen.
Although this hope was a very slight one, the admiral
gave orders for the officers of the dauphin's company to
mount, and at all costs to bring back Monsieur de The"liguy
dead or alive.
The officers who asked nothing better than to avenge
their comrade, had already started for the barracks, when
a sort of Goliath emerged from the crowd, and touching
his helmet said, "Pardon, Monsieur 1'Amiral, there is no
need of a company to go and get that poor devil of a lieu-
tenant. If you wish, Monsieur 1'Amiral, I will go with my
nephew Frantz, and we will bring him back alive or dead ! "
The admiral turned to the man who made this generous
proposition ; it was one of the adventurers whom he had
taken into his service without counting much on them,
and who, as we have seen, in the few encounters that had
taken place thus far, had fully repaid him. He recognized
Heinrich Scharfenstein ; about four steps behind his uncle,
in the same attitude, as if he were his shadow, stood Frantz.
MONSIEUR DE THELIGNY. 351
The day before the admiral had seen them at work, each
defending one of the breaches in the Faubourg d'Isle ; one
glance had been sufficient to show him their worth.
" Yes, my brave fellow," said the admiral, " I accept
your offer. What do you want for doing it 1 "
" I want a horse for myself and one for my nephew
Frantz."
" But that is not what I mean."
" Well, then, I want two men to ride behind us."
" Yes, but what else 1 "
*' What else ? That is all. We only want two strong
horses and two thin men."
" Well, choose your horses and your men."
" Good," said Heinrich.
" But I mean that for the money "
" Oh, the money, that is Procope's affair."
" We do not need Procope for that," said the admiral.
"" I promise fifty crowns' reward for Theligny living, and
twenty-five for Theligny dead."
" Oh, oh," said Heinrich, with his loud laugh, " I will
do whatever you want for that price."
" Well, then, go," said the admiral, " without loss of
time."
" Immediately, Monsieur 1'Amiral, immediately." And
Heinrich at once set about choosing his horses. Those
which he selected were two cavalry horses, vigorous,
broad-backed, firm on their legs.
Then he began his search for men. Suddenly he uttered
a cry of joy ; he saw in one direction Lactance, and in
another Fracasso. A penitent and a poet, the good Hein-
rich thought, were the thinnest persons he could find.
The admiral did not know what to think of all these
preparations ; but he trusted, if not to the intelligence, at
least to the instincts of the two giants.
352 THL DUKE'S PAGE.
The four adventurers descended the slope of the ram-
part, and disappeared under the arch of the Remicourt
Gate ; a moment later, the gate having been opened for
them, they reappeared, two upon each horse, cautiously
availing themselves of all those advantages of shadow and
covert which had been neglected by Malemort. Then
they disappeared behind a little eminence which rose on
the right of the mill of La Couture.
It would be impossible to express the interest which
attached to the expedition of these four men, who were
going to dispute with a whole army their claim to a dead
body, for it was the opinion of those least given to fore-
boding that Theligny must be dead ; so that the silence
which had ensued among the three or four hundred per-
sons collected upon the rampart, while the four adven-
turers had remained in sight, continued after they had
disappeared behind the hill.
It seemed as if this crowd were afraid to rouse by a
breath or a movement the attention of the enemy.
In a short time the discharge of eight or ten arquebuses
was heard. Every heart thrilled ; but almost immediately
Frantz Scharfenstein reappeared on foot, bearing in his
arms not one man only, but two. Behind him the cav-
alry and infantry of the expedition covered the retreat.
The cavalry consisted of one man on one horse ; doubt-
less one of the two horses had been killed by the dis-
charge which had been heard. Fracasso and Lactance
comprised the infantry, each carrying an arquebuse in his
hand.
Eight or ten Spanish cavaliers harassed the retreat.
But when the infantry was too closely pressed, Heinrich
would make a charge, and relieve it by heavy blows with
his sledge ; and when the cavalry in its turn was crowded
too hard, two arquebuse shots fired at the same time, with
MONSIEUR DE THELIGNY. 353
remarkable unity and precision of aim, laid low two
Spaniards and gave Heinrich time to breathe.
Frantz meanwhile gained ground, and in a few seconds,
thanks to his gigantic strides, was beyond pursuit. A
cry of joy and admiration burst forth from the spectators
when they saw him climbing up the embankment, carry-
ing in his arms these two bodies, men or corpses, as a
nurse would have borne two infants.
He laid down his burden at the admiral's feet. " There
is your man," he said ; " he is not quite dead."
" And the other 1 " demanded Coligny, pointing to the
second wounded man.
" Oh, that one," said Frantz, "he is of no conse-
quence ; that is Malemort. He will soon be all right !
He is the devil, he can't be killed." And he began to
laugh in a way that was peculiar to the uncle and
nephew ; it might be called the Scharfenstein laugh.
At this moment, amid the acclamations of the lookers
on, the three other adventurers, cavalry and infantry, re-
entered the city.
It was true, as Frantz Scharfenstein had said, that
Theligny was not dead, although he had received seven
sword-thrusts and three balls ; these wounds were almost
exposed to view, for the Spaniards had stripped from him
everything but his shirt, and left him on the place where
he fell, convinced that he would not revive.
He was carried to Monsieur de Jarnac's house, and
placed on the same bed where the admiral an hour before
had been unable to sleep, disturbed by the presentiment
of the coming event. Then, as if he had waited for
this moment, the wounded man opened his eyes, looked
around him, and recognized the admiral.
" A doctor ! a doctor ! " cried Coligny eagerly, the hope
which he had utterly lost reviving.
VOL. i. 23
354 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
But Theligny, reaching out his hand, said, "Thanks,
Monsieur 1'Amiral. God permits me to see and speak
again, that I may be able humbly to ask your pardon for
having disobeyed you."
The admiral stopped him. "Ah, my dear Monsieur
Theligny," he said, " it is not of me that you should ask
pardon, for if you disobeyed me, it was from excess of zeal
in the king's service ; but if you are as near death as you
think, and you have anything to ask, ask it of God."
" Oh, Monsieur," said Theligny, " fortunately I have to
ask God to pardon only those faults which it is permitted
a good gentleman to confess, while in disobeying you I
have committed against discipline a grave offence. Par-
don me, therefore, Monsieur 1'Amiral, that I may die in
peace."
Monsieur de Coligny, who appreciated so well all true
courage, felt the tears welling up into his- eyes as he lis-
tened to this young officer, whose only regret on leaving a
life so full of promise was his neglect to obey his general's
orders.
" Since you really wish it," he said, " I pardon you a
fault of which a brave soldier should be proud ; and if this
is all that troubles you in your last moments, yon may
die in peace, as did Chevalier Bayard, the model for us
all." And he stooped to press his lips upon the pale
brow of the dying man.
The latter made an effort and raised himself up. The
admiral's lips touched the young officer's brow, who mur-
mured this single word, " Thanks," and fell back with a
sigh. It was the last.
" Gentlemen," said Coliguy, wiping away a tear and ad-
dressing those who were standing around him, " there is
one brave gentleman less in the world. God grant us all
such a death ! "
A MESSAGE TO THE CONSTABLE. 355
CHAPTER XL
A MESSAGE TO THE CONSTABLE.
HOWEVER brilliant had been tbe action in these two re-
pulses which the admiral had met, they were no less
defeats, and showed the admiral the need of prompt
assistance, surrounded as they were by a numerous and
vigilant army. He therefore resolved to send, before the
English army should arrive and hem them in, messengers
to his uncle the constable, to ask for as large a reinforce-
ment as possible. With this intent he sent for Maldent
and Yvonnet, who had been, one the guide of the poor
Theligny, and the other his own.
The constable should be either at Ham or La Fere 5
one of these two messengers therefore must go to Ham,
the other to La Fere, to carry the news, and inform the
constable of the best course by which assistance could
be brought to St. Quentin. This course, which the ab-
sence of the English army rendered feasible, consisted in
sending a strong column through the Savy road, which
led to the Faubourg de Ponthoille, while at the same
moment that it arrived in sight of the city, Coligny
from the opposite direction should feign a sally, which,
attracting the attention of the hostile army to the pre-
tended point of attack, would permit the French army to
reach the city safely.
The two messengers departed the same night, each the
bearer of an urgent request, one on the part of poor
Malemort, aud the other on the part of the desolate Gudule.
356 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
Malemort, who had received a sword-thrust in his side
which fortunately had cut into an old wound, a thing
which almost always happened, to be sure, he was so cut
up, Malemort commissioned Maldent to bring him cer-
tain herbs which were necessary to renew that famous
balm of Ferragus of which he used so much.
Gudule, who had received in her heart a wound more
grievous and more dangerous than that of Malemort, begged
Yvonnet to watch with the greatest care over a life to
which her own was bound. While waiting for her dear
Yvonnet, she would pass all her nights at her window,
which overlooked the rampart of the Vieux-Marche'.
Our two adventurers went out by the Ponthoille Gate ;
then, about a half-league away on the road to Ham,
Yvonnet crossed the plain to reach the road to La Fere,
while Maldent continued on the road to Ham.
Yvonnet crossed the Somme between Gauchy and
Gruois, and regained at Cerisy the road to La Fere.
We will follow Yvonnet rather than Maldent, since it
was at La Fere that the constable was found.
At three o'clock in the morning Yvonnet knocked at
the gate of the city, which the guard at first obstinately
refused to open ; but when he learned that the nocturnal
visitor had come from St. Quentin, he half opened it to
let him pass.
The order had been given by the constable to admit
without delay any messenger coming from his nephew,
and bring the messenger to him, whatever the hour
might be.
At half-past three in the morning the constable was
awakened. The old soldier was lying in a bed, a luxury
he rarely allowed himself in time of war ; but he had his
constable's sword under the pillow, and upon a chair near
the bed, his armor and helmet ; at the slightest alarm he
A MESSAGE TO THE CONSTABLE. 357
would be ready to attack or defend himself. Those who
served under him also were accustomed to be called at any
hour of the day or night, either to give counsel or to re-
ceive orders.
Yvonnet was conducted to the chamber of the indefati-
gable old man, who, knowing that a messenger had arrived,
was awaiting this messenger, raised on his elbow.
Scarcely had he heard Yvonnet's step when with his usual
brutality he said, " Well, fellow, come here."
It was no time to stand on dignity ; Yvounet advanced.
" Nearer," said the constable, " nearer, that I may look
you in the face, rascal ! I like to see those with whom I
am talking."
Yvonnet came close to the bed. " Here I am, Mon-
seigneur," he said.
" Ah, here you are, very good ! "
He took his lamp and looked at the adventurer with a
movement of the head which did not indicate that the
result of inspection was favorable to the messenger.
" I have seen that fellow somewhere," said the constable
to himself. Then to Yvonnet, " You are not going to give
me the trouble of trying to think where I have seen you?
Come, tell me immediately ; you must remember."
" And why should I remember better than you, Mon-
seigneur ] " said Yvonnet, unable to resist the desire to
address in his turn a question to the constable.
" Because," replied the old soldier, " you see once in
your life, perhaps, a Constable of France, while I see every
day numbers of fellows like you."
" That is true, Monseigneur," replied Yvonnet. " Well,
you saw me at court."
" What ! " said the constable, " at court t Do you go
to court?"
" I was there at least on the day when I had the honor
358 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
of seeing you, Mousieur le Connetable," replied Yvonnet
with the most exquisite politeness.
" Hum ! " said the constable. " Yes, I remember ; you
were with a young officer who had been sent to the king
by my nephew."
" With Monsieur de Theliguy."
" Exactly," said the constable. " Is all going well at
St. Quentin ? "
" On the contrary, Monseigneur, everything is going
wrong."
" What ! everything is going wrong 1 Be careful what
you tell me, fellow."
" I will tell you the truth, Monseigneur. Day before
yesterday in a sally made in the Faubourg d'Isle, sixty men
were disabled. Yesterday, in trying to surprise a detach-
ment of Spaniards who had taken their position before
the Eemicourt Gate, we lost fifteen cavaliers of the dauphin's
company, and their lieutenant, Monsieur de Theligny "
" Theliguy ! " interrupted the constable, who believed
himself invulnerable, having survived so many battles, so
many combats, so many skirmishes ; " Theligny let him-
self be killed ? The idiot ! Well "
" Well, Monsieur le Connetable, here is a letter from
Monsieur 1'Amiral, demanding immediate aid."
" You ought to have given it to me before, you rascal ! "
said the constable, snatching the letter from the adven-
turer's hands. And he read it, as usual, stopping occasion-
ally to give orders.
" ' I shall hold the Faubourg d'Isle as long as possible '
"And he will do well, mordieu! Send me Monsieur
Dandelot.
" ' For from its heights a battery of artillery can sweep the
whole length of the rampart of Eemicourt, from the Tour a
1'Eau to the Tour Rouge '
A MESSAGE TO THE CONSTABLE. 359
" Let the Mare'chal de Saint- Andre be called.
" ' But in order to defend the Faubourg d'Isle and other
threatened points, I need a reinforcement of at least two
thousand men, having in fact but five or six hundred men
under my command '
" Corbleu ! I will send him four thousand ! Let them
send Monsieur le Due d'Enghien to me. What right have
these gentlemen to sleep while I am awake ? Monsieur
le Due d'Enghien, immediately ! Well, what else does
Monsieur my nephew say ]
" ' I have only sixteen pieces of cannon ; I have only fifty
or sixty arquebuses ; lastly, I have ammunition sufficient for
only fifteen days, and provisions for only three weeks.'
" What ! can all this be true 1 " cried the constable.
" It is the exact truth, Monseigneur ! " replied Yvonnet,
respectfully.
"Indeed, I would like to see a scoundrel like you giv-
ing the lie to my nephew. Hum ! " And the constable
glared at Yvonnet.
Yvonnet bowed, and retired a few steps.
" Why do you draw back 1 " asked the constable.
" Because I think that Monseigneur has nothing more
to say to me."
" You are mistaken. Come here."
Yvonnet resumed his former position.
" And the citizens, how do they behave 1 " demanded
the constable.
" Wonderfully well, Monseigneur ! "
" The rascals ! I would like to see them do otherwise."
" Even the monks have taken up arms."
" Hypocrites ! And you say that they fight ? "
" Like lions ! As to the women, Monseigneur "
" They moan and weep and tremble 1 That is all the
hussies can do."
360 THE DUKE'S PAGE
" On the contrary, Monseigneur, they encourage the
combatants, they nurse the wounded, they bury the dead."
" The jades ! "
At that moment the door opened, and a gentleman fully
armed, except that he had upon his head a velvet cap,
appeared upon the threshold.
"Ah, come here, Monsieur Dandelot," said the con-
stable ; " here is your brother raising an outcry in his
city of St. Quentin, because he thinks he is going to be
murdered."
"Monseigneur," replied Monsieur Dandelot, laughing,
" if my brother your nephew raises an outcry, you know I
presume that it is not through fear."
" Yes, morbleu ! I know that there is reason for it, and
that is what troubles me. Therefore I have sent for you
and Monsieur le Marechal de Saint-Andre "
" Here I am, Monseigneur," interrupted the marshal, at
the same time entering the room.
" Good, Marechal ! And Monsieur d'Enghien has not
yet come ! "
" Pardon, Monseigneur," said the duke, as he also en-
tered the chamber, " here I am."
" Tripes et boycutx, gentlemen ! " said the constable,
launching his great oath with all the more violence since,
as every one had done his duty, he did not know on whom
to vent that bad temper which formed the basis of his
character. " Tripes et boyaux, gentlemen ! we are not at
Capua, that we can sleep so soundly as you seem to have
slept!"
" That cannot be meant for me," said the marshal, " for
I had already risen."
" And I," said the Due d'Enghien, " had not gone to
bed."
" No ; I mean it for Monsieur Dandelot."
A MESSAGE TO THE CONSTABLE. 361
" Me ! " said Daudelot. " Monseigneur will pardon me,
but I was 011 patrol duty , and if I arrived here before
these gentlemen, it was because I was already mounted and
hastened hither on horseback."
" Then it was meant for myself," said Montmorency.
" I appear to be old and good for nothing, since I was the
only one who had gone to bed Tete et sang ! "
" But, Constable," said Dandelot, laughing, " who the
devil says that 1 "
" No one, I hope ; for if any one should say that, I would
break his jawbone, as I did that of the prophet of evil
omen whom I met the other day upon the road. But I
sent for you for something else. The question is how to
carry aid to this poor devil of a Coligny, who has fifty
thousand men against him. Fifty thousand men ! what
do you say to that 1 It is my opinion that my nephew is
frightened and sees double."
The three officers smiled at the same time and with the
same expression.
" If my brother says fifty thousand men," replied Dan-
delot, " it is fifty thousand men, Monseigneur."
" And sixty thousand rather than fifty thousand," said
the Marechal de Saint- Andre*.
" And you, Monsieur d'Enghien, what do you think]"
"Why, Monsieur le Connetable, I agree with these
gentlemen."
" Then you, as usual, differ from me ? "
" No, Monsieur le Connetable," replied Dandelot ; *' but
we think that the admiral tells the truth."
" Well, are you ready to risk anything to help the
admiral 1 "
" I am ready to risk my life," replied Dandelot.
" And we also," said at once the Marechal de Saint-
Andre and the Due d'Enghien.
362 ' THE DUKE'S PAGE.
" Then all is well ! " said the constable
Then looking round in the direction of f he antechamber
where a great noise could be heard, " Corbleu ! " he said,
" what is all this hubbub ?"
" Monseigneur," said one of the officers of the guard,
" a man has just been arrested at the Ham Gate."
" Let him be taken to prison."
" We think he is a soldier disguised as a peasant."
" Let him be hanged ! "
" But he claims to be a messenger from the admiral."
" Has he a letter of safe-conduct 1 "
" No ; and that is our reason for thinking him a spy."
" Let him be put to the rack ! "
" One moment ! " cried a voice in the antechamber.
" Men must n't be treated like that, even by Monsieur le
Connetable." And after the sound of a noisy struggle, a
man precipitated himself into the chamber..
"Ah, take care what you do, Monseigneur; it is
Maldent ! "
" And who is Maldent ? " demanded the constable.
" He is the second messenger sent you by the admiral,
and who having left St. Quentin at the same time as my-
self, naturally arrives two hours later because he first went
to Ham."
It was indeed Maldent, who, not having found the con-
stable at Ham, had taken a horse and ridden with all
speed from Ham to La Fere, for fear that something might
have happened to Yvonnet on the way.
Now, how was it that Maldent, who had set out in
military costume and with a letter from the admiral, ar-
rived dressed as a peasant and without a letter 1 This,
with their usual perspicacity, our readers will divine in
one of the following chapters.
THE ASSAULT. * 363
CHAPTER XII.
THE ASSAULT.
OUR readers must not be surprised if we follow, with a
precision that belongs rather to the historian than to the
novelist, all the details of attack and defence of that
glorious siege of St. Quentiu ; a siege equally glorious for
the assailants and for the defenders. In our opinion the
grandeur of a nation consists as much in its defeats as in
its victories ; the glory of its triumphs is enhanced by that
of its reverses.
What people, indeed, would not have succumbed after
Cr^cy, after Poitiers, after Agincourt, after St. Quentin, at
Waterloo ? But the hand of God was over France, and
after each defeat France rose again grander than before.
It was only after falling seven times under the weight
of the cross that Jesus saved the world. France, under
this analogy, if it be permitted us, may be no other than
the Christ among the nations. And St. Quentin was one
of the stations of France bearing the cross. The cross was
the monarchy.
Fortunately, behind the monarchy was the people ; and
now at last behind a fallen monarchy we are about to see
a people standing upright.
During the night after the departure of Yvonnet and
Maldent the admiral was notified that the sentinels guard-
ing the Faubourg d'Isle thought they heard noises that
indicated mining operations. Coligny rose and hastened
to the place that seemed to be threatened.
364 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
The admiral was an experienced captain. He dis-
mounted from his horse, lay down on the rampart, applied
his ear to the ground, .and listened. Then rising, " It is
not the sound of mining," he said ; " it is the sound of
moving cannon. The enemy is bringing up his pieces to
form a battery."
The officers looked at one another ; and Jarnac, coming
forward, said, " Monsieur 1'Amiral, do you know that,
according to the general opinion, this place is not
tenable?"
The admiral smiled. "It is my opinion also, gentle-
men," he said ; " and yet you see we have held it for five
days. If I had retired when you urged me to do so, the
Faubourg d'Isle would have been during these five days
in the hands of the Spaniards, and the task which remains
to them of assaulting the city would have been achieved. "
Now, bear this in mind, gentlemen, every- day that we
gain is as important to us as are the last gasps of her fail-
ing breath to the deer pursued in the chase."
" Your opinion, then, Monseigneur 1 "
" My opinion is that we have done on this side all that
it was possible to do, and that we must apply elsewhere
our strength, our devotion, and our vigilance."
The officers bowed, in sign of acquiescence,
" At daybreak," continued Coligny, " the Spanish guns
will be in position, and the cannonade will begin. By
daybreak, therefore, all the artillery we have at this point,
the munitions, the balls of wool, the wheelbarrows, the
litters, the pikes, the tools of all kinds, must be carried
into the city. A portion of our men will be engaged in
that task ; another portion will pile up fagots in the houses,
and the fascines which I have had prepared, and will
set fire to them. I will myself superintend the retreat,
and will see that the bridges are destroyed behind us."
THE ASSAULT. 365
Then, as he saw around him the poor unfortunates to
whom those houses belonged, and who listened to these
orders with an appearance of sorrow, " My friends," said
he, " your houses, spared by us, would be destroyed by
the Spaniards, who would use their material against us ;
make the sacrifice yourselves to your king and your
country; I give you the task of applying the torch."
The residents in the Faubourg d'Isle looked at one
another, exchanged a few words in a low tone ; and one
of them coming forward, said,
" Monsieur 1'Amiral, I am Guillaume Pauquet ; you
can see my house from here, it is the largest in the
quarter. I assume the task of setting fire to my house ;
and my neighbors and friends here will do the same by
theirs."
" Is that true, my children 1 " asked the admiral, with
tears in his eyes.
u Is it for the good of the king and of the nation that
you require it, Monsieur 1'Amiral 1 "
" Only hold out with me fifteen days, my friends, and
we shall save France," said Coligny.
" And that you may hold out ten days longer it is
necessary that we burn our houses 1 "
" I think, my friends, that it is necessary."
" Then, if we burn our houses you are sure to hold
out?"
" I am sure, my friends, to do all that a gentleman de-
voted to the king and to the country is able to do," said
the admiral. " If any one talks of surrendering the city,
I will throw him from the top of the wall ; if I talk of
surrendering, let me be served in the same way."
"Very well, Monsieur 1'Amiral, whenever you give
the order for burning the houses the torch will be
applied."
366 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
"But," said a voice, "I sincerely hope that the abbey
of St. Quentin will be spared."
The admiral turned toward the speaker and recognized
Lactance. " St. Quentin least of all," he said. " The
platform of St. Quentin overlooks the rampart of Remi-
court, and a battery placed on that platform would render
the defence of the rampart impossible."
Lactance raised his eyes to heaven and uttered a deep
sigh.
" Besides," continued the admiral, smiling, " St. Quen-
tin is, above all things, the protector of the city, and
he will not take it ill of us if we prevent his abbey being
made use of to ruin those whom he protects."
Then, taking advantage of the devotedness inspiring in
every mind the same zeal, the admiral gave orders that
they should begin drawing the cannon toAvard the city,
and should transport in carts the several objects which he
indicated, everything to be done in the greatest possible
silence.
The citizens applied themselves to their appointed tasks,
and it must be said that those who carried fascines into
the houses displayed as much zeal as those who harnessed
themselves to cannon and carts to draw them to the city.
At two o'clock in the morning everything had been
brought in, and there remained behind the old wall only
a sufficient number of arquebusiers to make a show of de-
fence, and those who, torch in hand, held themselves in
readiness to set fire to the houses.
At daybreak, as the admiral had foreseen, the Spaniards
fired their first volley. A breaching battery had been
planted during the night, and it was in fact the noise
made in that undertaking which the admiral had heard.
That first volley was the signal agreed upon for setting
fire to the faubourg. Not one of the inhabitants hesi-
THE ASSAULT. 367
tated ; each heroically applied his torch to the fascines,
and immediately a curtain of smoke ascended toward the
sky, soon to give place to a curtain of flame.
The faubourg was on fire from the church of St. Eloi
to that of St. Pierre-au-Canal ; but in the midst of
that vast furnace, as if a superhuman power warded off
the flame, the abbey of St. Quentin 'remained un-
harmed. Three times through the fire and crossing by
flying bridges, the others having been cut away, the
citizens first, then the soldiers, and finally the firemen,
went to renew the attempt ; and three times the attempt
was unsuccessful.
The admiral, from the summit of the Porte d'Isle, was
following the progress of destruction when Jean Pauquet,
leaving a group of fellow-citizens, drew near to the admiral,
hat in hand, and said,
" Monseigneur, there is an old man in the city who says
he has heard his father say that there is a deposit of powder
in one or the other of the two towers on either side the
Porte d'Isle, and perhaps in both."
" Good ! " said the admiral ; " we must find out about
that ; where are the keys ? "
' Ah, the keys," said Jean Pauquet ; " who knows
where they are ? It is perhaps a hundred years since the
doors were opened."
" Very well ; bring levers and crowbars to open them."
" There is no need of levers and crowbars," said a voice,
with a strong German accent; "let me push the door,
and the door will open."
It was Heinrich Scharfenstein, who, followed by his
nephew Frantz, approached Coligny.
" Ah, it is you, my brave giant 1 ? " said the admiral.
" Yes, I and my nephew Frantz."
" Well, push, my friend, push 1 "
368 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
Each of the two Scharfensteins went to a door, ap-
plied his back to it, and acting like a double mechanism
obedient each to the same impulse, having braced them-
selves they counted, " One, two, three," and at the word
" three," each made a supreme effort against the fold of the
door which he had attacked, and so victoriously that both
men fell at the same time with the doors. Only, since
the doors offered different degrees of resistance, Frantz
Scharfenstein fell at full length, while Heinrich, more
favored, simply sat down.
Both, however, rose with their customary coolness, say-
ing, " Done ! "
An entrance was made into the towers. One of them,
as Jean Pauquet had said, contained two or three thousand
pounds of powder ; but, as he had also said, that powder
had been there through so long a period that when an at-
tempt was made to lift the casks they fell to .pieces. Then
the admiral ordered that cloths should be brought, in
which the powder might be conveyed to the arsenal.
After seeing that this last order was in the way of ful-
filment, the admiral returned to his lodgings to take break-
fast and to snatch if possible a little rest ; for he had been
on his feet since midnight, and had eaten nothing since
the evening before. He had just sat down at the table
when word was brought to him that one of the messengers
whom he had sent to the constable had returned, and
wished to speak with him without delay.
The messenger was Yvonnet, who came to inform the
admiral that the reinforcements which he had asked
would arrive on the following day, commanded by his
brother, Monsieur Dandelot, the Mare'chal de Saint- Andre",
and the Due d'Enghien.
These reinforcements would comprise four thousand
infantry, who, following the directions given by the ad-
THE ASSAULT. 369
miral, would approacli by the Savy road, and would enter
the city by way of the Faubourg de Ponthoille.
Maldent had remained at La Fere to serve as a guide
to Monsieur Dandelot.
Yvonnet had reached this point in his report, and taken
up a glass of wine in which to drink the admiral's health,
when simultaneously the earth trembled, the walls shook,
the window-glasses were shivered in fragments, and a
noise was heard as of a hundred pieces of cannon thunder-
ing at once.
The admiral arose ; Yvonnet, seized with a nervous
trembling, replaced his glass of wine untasted upon the
table.
At the same time a cloud passed over the city carried
by the east wind, and a strong odor of sulphur filled the
apartment through the broken window-panes.
"Oh, the rascals!" said the admiral; "they have
not taken necessary precautions, and the powder has
exploded."
Immediately, and without waiting for intelligence, he
went out of the house and hastened to the Isle Gate.
The whole population were hurrying in the same direc-
tion. The admiral could obtain no information ; everybody
was rushing in the direction of the sound, but was igno.
rant of its cause.
Coligny was not mistaken ; he saw the tower in ruins
and smoking like the crater of a volcano. A spark from
the conflagration which surrounded it had entered one of
the loopholes, and had set fire to the terrific combustible.
Forty or fifty persons had perished; five officers who
were directing the operation had disappeared.
The tower offered to the enemy a breach through which
twenty-five men could climb abreast.
Fortunately, the fire and smoke which extended from
VOL. i. 24
370 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
the faubourg to the city, concealed this breach from the
Spaniards ; in this way the devotion of the inhabitants in
setting fire to their houses had saved the city.
Coligny comprehended the danger ; he called upon all
to assist in repairing the breach, but the citizens alone
responded. The soldiers, who had been recalled from the
faubourg, had gone to procure food and rest.
Among those who had gone to get food and rest were
the two Scharfensteins ; but as their tent was only about
fifty steps from the scene of events, they were among the
first to respond to the admiral's appeal.
Heinrich and Frantz were important auxiliaries in such
a case ; their herculean strength and their gigantic stature
rendered them invaluable. They took off their doublets,
rolled up their sleeves, and made masons of themselves.
Three hours later, whether because the enemy knew
nothing of the catastrophe or because they were engaged
in preparations for some othsr attack, the repairs had been
completed without any hindrance, and the tower was almost
as solid as before.
All this day the 7th of August passed without
any demonstration from the enemy j they seemed to be
confining themselves simply to a blockade. Doubtless
they were awaiting the arrival of the English army.
That night the sentinels observed a commotion in the di-
rection of the Faubourg d'Isle. The Spaniards of Caron-
delet and those of Julian Romero, taking advantage of the
decline of the fire, began to enter the faubourg and approach
the city. All surveillance, therefore, was concentrated in
that direction.
At ten o'clock the admiral called together at his house
the principal officers of the garrison ; he announced to
them that in all probability reinforcements would arrive
that night. Therefore it was necessary to man secretly
THE ASSAULT. 371
the walls from Tourival to the Ponthoille Gate, so as to
be ready to give aid if necessary to Daudelot and his
men.
Yvonnet, who in his capacity of messenger had been
informed of these arrangements, had rejoiced to see them
adopted, and as far as was in his power for from his
very precise knowledge of localities he was not without a
certain influence he had caused the night watchmen to
be put forward toward the Retuicourt Gate, the Isle Gate,
and the Ponthoille Gate.
This arrangement indeed left entirely uncovered, except
for the presence of a. few sentinels, the rampart of the
Vieux-Marche, where was situated, as will be remembered,
Jean Pauijuet's house, and especially the little pavilion
occupied by Mademoiselle Gudule.
Therefore about eleven o'clock on one of those dark
nights so valued and blessed by lovers who are going to
see their mistresses, and by soldiers who are preparing a
surprise, our adventurer, followed by Heinrich and Frantz,
all armed to the teeth, advanced with precaution through
the streets of Les Hosiers, La Fosse, and St. Jean, and
regained, about a hundred steps from the Dameuse Tower,
the rampart of the Vieux-Marche.
The three adventurers followed this path, because they
were aware that the whole space extending from the
Damense Tower to the gate of the Vieux-Marche was
not provided with sentinels, the enemy having made no
demonstration on that side. The boulevard was therefore
dark and deserted.
Why did this little band, which in spite of its for-
midable appearance had no hostile intention, consist of
Heinrich and Frantz on one side and Yvonnet on the
other ?
Because of that law of nature by which in this world
372 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
weakness seeks strength, and strength attaches itself to
weakness.
With whom of his eight companions had Yvonnet formed
the most intimate friendship? With Heinrich and with
Frantz. Why 1 Because they were the strongest and he
was the weakest.
When the two Scharfenstcins had a moment's lei-
sure, in whose company were they eager to spend it ?
Yvonnet's.
So when Yvonnet had need of any assistance, of whom
did he ask it 1 Of the two Scharfensteins.
In his costume always neat, always smart, always ele-
gant, contrasting with the rude and soldierlike costume
of the two giants, Yvonnet followed by them appeared like
a child holding in leash two immense hounds.
It was on account of this attraction of weakness toward
strength and this sympathy of strength for weakness that
on this evening again Yvonnet had asked the two Schar-
fensteins if they would go with him, and that, as usual,
they had immediately risen and armed themselves, saying,
" Very willingly, Monsieur Yvonnet."
For the two Scharfensteins called Yvonnet " Monsieur,"
a distinction they accorded no other of their com-
panions. This was because their friendship for Yvonnet
was mingled with a profound respect. Keither the uncle
nor the nephew ever permitted himself to address the
young adventurer ; no, they heard him talk of beautiful
women, splendid weapons, fine clothes, and confined
themselves to nodding approval and occasionally respond-
ing to his sallies of wit with the Scharfenstein laugh.
Where Yvonnet was going when he said to them,
" Come with me," did not concern them ; he had said,
"Come," that was sufficient, and they followed him as
satellites follow a planet. That evening Yvonnet was
THE ASSAULT. 373
going to his mistress ; he had said to the two Scharfen-
steins, " Come," and, as we have seen, they had come.
But with what purpose, since the rendezvous was to be
one of those in which the presence of a third person is
always annoying, had Yvonnet invited the attendance of
the two giants'?
In the first place, we hasten to say that the brave Ger-
mans were by no means troublesome spectators ; they
would close one eye, or two, or three, or four, upon a
word or a sign from their companion, and keep them
religiously closed until a word or a sign from him should
permit them to open them again.
Yvonnet had brought them with him because, as may
be remembered, to reach the window of Gudule's pavilion
it was necessary to use a ladder ; instead of bringing a
ladder, he had thought it more simple to bring the
Scharfensteins, which amounted to precisely the same
thing.
The young man had, as may easily be imagined, a col-
lection of signals, noises, cries, by which he announced his
presence to his mistress ; but on this evening there was no
occasion for cry, noise, or signal, Gudule was waiting at
her window.
Nevertheless, when she saw three men coming instead
of one, she prudently withdrew.
Then Yvonnet detached himself from the group and
was recognized ; and the young girl, trembling still, but no
longer afraid, appeared again at the window.
In a few words Yvonnet explained to his mistress the
danger that a soldier in a besieged city would incur by
going about with a ladder on his back ; the patrol might
think that he was carrying a ladder for the purpose of
communicating with the enemy. If he were once sus-
pected by the patrol, he would have to follow the chief of
374 THE DUKE'S PAGE.
the patrol to an officer, a captain, the governor perhaps,
and explain the purpose of the ladder, an explanation
which, however delicately made, would compromise
Mademoiselle's honor. It was better, therefore, to rely
upon two friends in whose discretion he could trust as
could Yvonnet in that of his two companions.
But how two friends could take the place of a ladder,
Mademoiselle Gudule could not easily understand ; so
Yvonnet lost no time in unfolding the theory and giving
a practical demonstration of it. For this purpose he-
called the two Scharfensteins, who, separating the immense
pair of compasses which served them as legs, reached him
in three strides. Then he set the uncle up back to the
wall, and beckoned to the nephew.
In less time than is required to describe it Frantz placed
one foot upon his uncle's clasped hands, another upon his
shoulder ; then, on reaching the level of tire window, he
took Mademoiselle Gndule by the waist, who was curiously
watching, and who, before she could make a movement of
defence, which, however, perhaps she would not have
made in any case, found herself lifted from her
chamber and deposited on the boulevard by the side of
Yvonnet.
"There!" said Frantz, laughing; " there is the young
girl called for."
"Thanks," said Yvonnet; and taking Gudule's arm
under his own, he led her toward the most obscure place
on the rampart. That place was the circular summit of
one of the towers, protected by a parapet three feet
high.
The two Scharfensteins went apart and sat on a sort of
stone bench placed against the wall.
It is not our purpose to record here the conversation
that ensued between Yvonnet and Mademoiselle Gudule.
THE ASSAULT. 375
They were young, and they were in love; it was three
days and three nights since they had met, and they had
so many things to talk about that this chapter certainly
could not contain all that they said to each other in
a quarter of an hour.
We say " in a quarter of an hour," for at the end of that
time Yvonnet broke off the conversation, placed his hand
on the pretty mouth of his companion, leaned his head
forward, and listened. As he listened, he thought he heard
a noise like that of the rustling of grass under numerous
feet. He looked, and thought he saw something like
a huge black serpent crawling at the foot of the
wall.
But the night was so dark, and the noise so slight, that
all this might easily be an illusion instead of a reality ;
which was the more probable since both movement and
noise suddenly ceased. Yvonnet looked and listened, but
could neither hear nor see anything. Nevertheless, while
still holding the .young girl enfolded in his arms, he con-
tinued to watch, with his head bent forward. In a short
time he thought he saw the gigantic serpent lift its head
against the gray wall and climb toward the parapet. Then,
like a many-headed hydra, the serpent threw out a second
head near the first, and a third near the second.
Yvonnet understood the situation. Without loss of a
moment he passed Gudule, urging her to silence, into the
hands of Frantz, who with his uncle's help immediately
restored her to her chamber by the same process by which
he had taken her from it.
Meanwhile Yvonnet, running to the nearest ladder, ar-
rived at the moment when the first Spaniard placed his
foot on the parapet. There was a flash in the darkness,
then a cry ; and the Spaniard, pierced through by Yvonnet's
thin blade, fell headlong from the wall.
376 THE DUKF/S PAGE.
The noise of his fall was lost in that arising from the
second ladder, which loaded with men, and pushed by
Heinrich's vigorous arms, scraped along the wall with a
hoarse groaning.
Nor had Frantz been idle. Finding in his way an
abandoned beam, he had raised it above his head and
dropped it, crosswise, on the third ladder. The ladder
had broken at about two thirds of its height ; and
beam, ladder, and men had fallen together into the
ditch.
Yvonnet, still striking his best blows, called loudly for
help. The Scharfensteins hastened to his assistance, and
reached him at a moment when three Spaniards, who had
gained a footing on the rampart, were pressing him closely.
One of the assailants fell cloven in two by Heinrich's enor-
mous sword ; another rolled over, knocked on the head
by Frantz's sledge; the third, in the act- of striking
Yvonnet, Avas seized by the belt by one of the two giants,
and sent flying from the wall.
Just then Jean and Guillaume Pauquet, bearing torches
and axes, appeared at the end of the Rue Vieux-Marche,
drawn thither by the cries of the three adventurers.
The failure of the surprise was from that moment com-
plete ; and when the citizens and the adventurers joined
their outcries a double reinforcement arrived, from the
Tour St. Jean, and from the big tower in the Faubourg
de Ponthoille.
And then as if all these attacks had been prearranged
to be made at the same time the detonation of a thou-
sand arquebuses could be heard, at a distance of about
half a league, in the direction of Savy, beyond the chapel
of Fjpargnemaille ; and between earth and sky could
be seen that reddish smoke which hovers over the place
where there are heavy discharges of musketry.
THE ASSAULT. 377
The two enterprises that of the Spaniards to surprise
the city and that of Dandelot to succor it had been dis-
covered. We have seen how chance defeated that of the
Spaniards ; we will show how chance also defeated that of
the French.
END OF VOL. I.
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