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026 - The Escape · Huguenot- A Tale of the French Protestants

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Speaker 1: Chapter twenty six of The Huguenot by George Payne Rainsford James.
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Speaker 1: The superfoxed recording is in the public domain. Chapter twenty six.
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Speaker 1: The escape the Hope Delayed, which maketh the heart sick,
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Speaker 1: had its wearying effect upon the Count de Morsel. His
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Speaker 1: countenance showed it in every line. The florid hue of
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Speaker 1: strong health was beginning to pass away. And one morning,
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Speaker 1: in taking his usual walk up and down the court
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Speaker 1: of the bastille in company with the bluff old English
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Speaker 1: officer we have mentioned his companion, after gazing at his
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Speaker 1: face for a moment, as if something therein had suddenly
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Speaker 1: struck him, said you look, ill, young gentleman. What is
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Speaker 1: the matter? How is it possible that I can be otherwise?
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Speaker 1: Said the Count, confined, as I am here and lingering
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Speaker 1: on from day to day without any knowledge of what
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Speaker 1: is passing regarding myself, or of the fate of friends
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Speaker 1: that I love, or of the condition of all those
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Speaker 1: in whose happiness I am interested, you must bear things
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Speaker 1: more likely, answered the old soldier. Why here, you a youth,
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Speaker 1: a mere boy, have plenty of time before you to
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Speaker 1: spare a year or two for imprisonment. Think of what
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Speaker 1: a difference there is between you and me. Here am
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Speaker 1: I without a day too much despair in life? While
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Speaker 1: to you neither months nor years are anything. As to
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Speaker 1: your friends without too trouble, not your brain about them.
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Speaker 1: The world would go on just as well without you
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Speaker 1: and I. If we were put out of it to
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Speaker 1: morrow friends would find new friends, sweethearts, gain new lovers, servants,
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Speaker 1: betake them to new masters, and the roses would grow,
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Speaker 1: and the birds would sing, and love and war and policy,
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Speaker 1: and the wind of heaven would have their course as
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Speaker 1: if nothing had happened. And there might be a few
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Speaker 1: drops in some eyes which would fall like a spring shower,
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Speaker 1: and be dried up again as soon. However, he said,
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Speaker 1: seeing that his philosophy was not very much to the
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Speaker 1: taste of the young Count, you must live in the
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Speaker 1: world as long as I have done ere. You can
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Speaker 1: take such hard lessons home. And if it be but
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Speaker 1: communication with your friends, without that you want, I should
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Speaker 1: think that might be obtained easily. I see not how
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Speaker 1: that is to be done, replied the Count. If they
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Speaker 1: had allowed me to have my valet here, there would
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Speaker 1: have been no difficulty. For I do not think that
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Speaker 1: even stone walls would keep in his wit. Oh we
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Speaker 1: can do without him, I dare say, replied the old man.
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Speaker 1: If you write me down a note containing a few
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Speaker 1: words and no treason, doubtless I can find means, perhaps
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Speaker 1: this very day, of sending it forth to any one
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Speaker 1: that you will in my apartment. We shall find paper
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Speaker 1: which I got not long ago. Oh, some sort of
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Speaker 1: ink we will easily manufacture for ourselves. So come that
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Speaker 1: will revive hope a little for you. Though I cannot
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Speaker 1: promise you an answer, yet perhaps one may be obtained too.
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Speaker 1: There are old friends of mine that sometimes will drop
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Speaker 1: in to see me. And what I propose to do
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Speaker 1: is to give your note to one of the prisoners
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Speaker 1: I have spoken with, who expects to be liberated to
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Speaker 1: day or tomorrow, and direct the answer to be sent
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Speaker 1: by someone who is likely to come to see me.
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Speaker 1: The young count gladly availed himself of this proposal, and
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Speaker 1: the means of writing, having by one prison resource or
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Speaker 1: another been obtained. He wrote a few brief words detailing
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Speaker 1: the anxiety and pain he suffered, and begging some immediate
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Speaker 1: information as to the probability of his obtaining his freedom,
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Speaker 1: and regarding the situation of those that he loved best.
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Speaker 1: He couched his meaning in language as vague as possible,
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Speaker 1: and addressed the note to his valet Jromriquet, fearing to
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Speaker 1: write to claiments lest he should, by any means, draw
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Speaker 1: suspicion and consequent evil upon her. The old English officer
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Speaker 1: undertook to give all the necessary directions for its delivery,
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Speaker 1: and when they met again in the evening, he assured
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Speaker 1: him that the note was gone. At an early hour
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Speaker 1: on the following morning, the Englishman was called away from
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Speaker 1: him to speak with someone admitted by an order from
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Speaker 1: the minister, and in about ten minutes after he joined
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Speaker 1: the Count and slipped a small piece of folded paper
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Speaker 1: into his hand, saying in a low voice, do not
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Speaker 1: look at it now, or leave me immediately, for there
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Speaker 1: are several of these turnkeys about, and we must not
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Speaker 1: create suspicion. After a few more turns, however, the old
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Speaker 1: man said, now, Monsieur de Morseilles, and the Count, hastening
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Speaker 1: to his chamber, opened a note which was in the
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Speaker 1: handwriting of Riquet. I have been obliged, it said, to
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Speaker 1: keep out of the way and to change my shape
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Speaker 1: a dozen times on account of the business of the exempt,
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Speaker 1: but from what the Count says, and from hearing that
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Speaker 1: Monsieur de Luvois swore last night by all the gods
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Speaker 1: that he worships, that on account of some offense just given,
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Speaker 1: he will bring the Count's head to the block within
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Speaker 1: a week, as he did that of Monsieur de Rojan,
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Speaker 1: a bold stroke will be struck. To day the Count
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Speaker 1: will be set at liberty about two o'clock, And the
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Speaker 1: moment he is at liberty, he must go neither to
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Speaker 1: King nor ministers, nor to his own house, either in
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Speaker 1: Paris or at Versailles, but to the little inn called
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Speaker 1: the Golden Cock in the Rue de Faubourg Saint Antoine.
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Speaker 1: Call himself Monsieur du sac and ask for the horse
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Speaker 1: his servant brought. Having got it, let him ride on
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Speaker 1: for Poitou as fast as he can go. He will
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Speaker 1: meet friends by the way. This was all that the
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Speaker 1: note contained, And what was the bold stroke that Riquet
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Speaker 1: alluded to. The Count could not divine. He judged, indeed,
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Speaker 1: that perhaps it was quite as well he should be
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Speaker 1: ignorant of the facts. And after having impressed all the
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Speaker 1: directions contained in the note upon his mind, he destroyed
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Speaker 1: the paper, and was preparing to go down again into
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Speaker 1: the court. It so happened, however, that he paused for
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Speaker 1: a moment and took up one of the books, which
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Speaker 1: he was still reading, when an officer, who was called
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Speaker 1: the Major of the Bastille, entered the room and summoned
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Speaker 1: him to the presence of the governor. The Count immediately followed,
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Speaker 1: and passing through the gate into the court of government,
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Speaker 1: he found Besmond waiting in the Corps de Garde with
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Speaker 1: a blithe and smiling countenance. Good morning, Monsieur de Morseilles,
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Speaker 1: he said, I have got some good news for you,
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Speaker 1: which perhaps you do not expect. He fixed his eyes
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Speaker 1: scrutinizingly upon the Count's face, but all was calm. Here
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Speaker 1: is an order for your liberation, he continued, which doubtless
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Speaker 1: you will be glad to hear. Most glad, exclaimed the Count,
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Speaker 1: for to say the truth, I am growing both sick
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Speaker 1: and weary of this imprisonment, especially as I know that
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Speaker 1: I have done nothing to deserve it. That is better
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Speaker 1: than being imprisoned knowing you have done something to deserve it,
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Speaker 1: said Besmaud. However, here is the order, and though it
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Speaker 1: is not exactly in accurate form. I must obey, I suppose,
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Speaker 1: and set you at liberty. For here is the King's
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Speaker 1: handwriting in every line, that you must judge with yourself,
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Speaker 1: Monsieur de Besmud, replied the Count. But I hope, of
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Speaker 1: course that she will not detain me any longer than
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Speaker 1: is necessary. No, no, said Besmaud. I must obey the order,
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Speaker 1: for it is in the King's hand distinctly. Here are
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Speaker 1: all the things that were upon your person, Monsieur de Morsey,
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Speaker 1: be so good as to break the sel yourself, examine
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Speaker 1: them and give me an acknowledgment, as is usual. Here
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Speaker 1: that they have been returned to you. There is the
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Speaker 1: ordinary form. You have nothing to do but sucsa in it.
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Speaker 1: The Count did as he was required to do, and
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Speaker 1: the governor then restored to him his sword, saying, there
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Speaker 1: is your sword, Monsieur le comte. It is customary to
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Speaker 1: give some little acknowledgment to the turnkeys if you think fit.
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Speaker 1: And now, Monsieur le Comte, you are free. Will you
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Speaker 1: do me the honor of supping with me again to night?
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Speaker 1: I fear not to night, Monsieur de Besmud. Some other
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Speaker 1: time I will have that pleasure. But of course, after
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Speaker 1: this unexpected and sudden enlargement, there is much to be done,
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Speaker 1: of course, replied the governor. You will have to thank
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Speaker 1: the King and Monsieur de Luvois and all that some
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Speaker 1: other time. Then. Be it it is strange they have
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Speaker 1: sent no carriage or horse for you. Perhaps you would
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Speaker 1: like to wait till they arrive. Oh no, replied the count.
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Speaker 1: Freedom before everything, Monsieur de Besmond, by your permission, I
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Speaker 1: will send for the apparel I have left in my chamber.
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Speaker 1: But now to set my foot beyond the drawbridge is
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Speaker 1: my great ambition. We will conduct you so far, replied Besmo,
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Speaker 1: and led the way towards the gate. The drawbridge was lowered,
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Speaker 1: the gates opened an account distributing the greater part of
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Speaker 1: the money which had been restored to him amongst the turnkeys,
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Speaker 1: turned and took leave of the Governor, and issued forth
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Speaker 1: from the bastille. He remarked, however, that Besmo, with the
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Speaker 1: major of the prison, and two or three others, remained
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Speaker 1: upon the bridge, as if they felt some suspicion and
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Speaker 1: were watching his father proceedings. He accordingly rendered his pace
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Speaker 1: somewhat slow, and turned towards his own hotel in Paris,
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Speaker 1: while two or three boys who hung about the gates
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Speaker 1: of the Bastilee followed importunately looking up in his face.
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Speaker 1: He passed along two streets before he could get rid
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Speaker 1: of them, and then, suddenly turning up one of the
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Speaker 1: narrow lanes of the city, he made the best of
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Speaker 1: his way to the little inn, or rather public house,
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Speaker 1: which JEROMEI cou Kay had pointed out to him in
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Speaker 1: his letter, where a bright golden cock somewhat larger than
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Speaker 1: life stood out into the street from a pole thrust
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Speaker 1: into the front of the house. Before he turned in,
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Speaker 1: he looked down the street towards the Bastille, but saw
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Speaker 1: no cause for suspicion, and entered the narrow entrance. As
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Speaker 1: was not uncommon in such houses at that time, no
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Speaker 1: door on either hand gave admission to the rooms of
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Speaker 1: the inn, till the visitor had threaded half way through
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Speaker 1: the small, ill lighted passage. At length, however, doors appeared,
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Speaker 1: and the sound of a footstep instantly called out a stout,
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Speaker 1: jovial looking personage with a considerable nose and abundance of
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Speaker 1: cheek and stomach, who, without saying anything, merely planted himself
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Speaker 1: directly in the Count's way, are you, the landlord demanded
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Speaker 1: the count. Yes, sir, replied the Cabarretier, much more laconically
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Speaker 1: than might have been expected from his appearance. Who I am,
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Speaker 1: Monsieur du Sac, replied the Count. Oh, oh, cried the host,
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Speaker 1: laying his forefinger on the side of his face. If
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Speaker 1: you are Monsieur du Sac, your horse will be ready
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Speaker 1: in a crack, but you had better come into the stable.
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Speaker 1: There are people drinking in the hall. The count followed
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Speaker 1: him without saying any more, and found three horses standing ready,
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Speaker 1: saddled and wanting only the girths tightened and the bridles
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Speaker 1: in their mouths. The center one he instantly recognized as
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Speaker 1: one of his own finest horses, famous for its great
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Speaker 1: strength and courage. The other two were powerful animals, but
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Speaker 1: of a different breed, and the Count was somewhat surprised
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Speaker 1: when the landlord ordered a stable boy, who was found waiting,
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Speaker 1: to make haste and girth them all up. The boy
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Speaker 1: began with the father horse, but the landlord then exclaimed, no, no,
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Speaker 1: the gentleman's first, The others will do after, and in
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Speaker 1: a moment the count's horse was ready to set out.
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Speaker 1: Better go by the back gate, Sir said the host,
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Speaker 1: than if you follow round by the gardens of the
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Speaker 1: convent of Saint Mary, up the little lane to the left,
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Speaker 1: you will come into the road again where all is clear.
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Speaker 1: Where's the bottle? Boy I told you to have it ready.
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Speaker 1: Monsieur du Sac will want a draft before he goes.
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Speaker 1: A large bottle was instantly produced from a nook in
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Speaker 1: the stable, and a tumbler full of excellent wine poured out.
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Speaker 1: The Count took it and drank, for excitement made him thirsty,
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Speaker 1: and he might well want that support which the juce
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Speaker 1: of the grape or any other thing could afford. When
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Speaker 1: he reflected that the dye was now cast, that he
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Speaker 1: had been liberated from prison, as he could not doubt
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Speaker 1: by some count of it order, and that he was
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Speaker 1: flying from the court of France, certainly never to return
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Speaker 1: unless it were as a captive brought back, probably to
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Speaker 1: death the blow being struck. However, he was not a
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Speaker 1: man to feel regret or hesitation, and there was something
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Speaker 1: the sensation of being at liberty, of having cast off
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Speaker 1: the dark load of imprisonment, which was in itself inspiring.
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Speaker 1: He sprang upon his horse, then with joyful speed cast
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Speaker 1: the landlord one of the few gold pieces that remained
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Speaker 1: in his purse, and while the boy held open the
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Speaker 1: back gates of the inn court, he rode out, once more,
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Speaker 1: free to turn his steps withthersoever he would. That part
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Speaker 1: of the city was not unknown to him, And passing
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Speaker 1: round the gardens and through the narrow lanes, which at
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Speaker 1: that time were intermingled with the Faubourg Saint Antoine, he
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Speaker 1: entered the high road again, just where the town ended
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Speaker 1: and the country began, and, putting his horse into a
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Speaker 1: quick pace, made the best of his way onward toward Quatu.
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Speaker 1: As he now went forth, he looked not back, and
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Speaker 1: he had gone on for five or six miles, when
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Speaker 1: the belief that he heard the feet of horses following
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Speaker 1: fast made him pause and turn. He was not mistaken
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Speaker 1: in the sub position. There were two horsemen on the
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Speaker 1: road about five or six hundred yards behind him, but
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Speaker 1: they slackened their pace as soon as he paused, And,
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Speaker 1: remembering the words written by Jerome Riquet that he would
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Speaker 1: find friends upon the road, he felt it better not
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Speaker 1: to inquire into the matter any further, but make the
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Speaker 1: most of his time and go on. He thus proceeded
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Speaker 1: without drawing a rein for about five and thirty miles,
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Speaker 1: the men who were behind him, still keeping him in
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Speaker 1: his height, but never approaching nearer than a certain distance.
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Speaker 1: The road which he had chosen was that of Leo,
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Speaker 1: though not the most direct, but by taking it he
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Speaker 1: avoided all that part of the country through which he
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Speaker 1: was most likely to be pursued if his flight were
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Speaker 1: speedily discovered. At length, in the neighborhood of the little
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Speaker 1: town of Aujeville, a man appeared on horseback at the
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Speaker 1: turning of one of the roads. He was evidently waiting
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Speaker 1: for some one, and rode up to the Count as
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Speaker 1: soon as ever he appeared, saying merely, monsieur sac The same,
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Speaker 1: replied the Count, and the man immediately said, this way, then, sir.
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Speaker 1: The Count followed without any reply, and the man rode on,
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Speaker 1: not equip for the distance of fully three miles further.
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Speaker 1: The horsemen turned as the Count had turned, but the
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Speaker 1: road had become tortuous, and they were soon lost to
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Speaker 1: his sight. At length, however, the high stone walls, over
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Speaker 1: topped with trees and partly covered with ivy, which usually
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Speaker 1: surrounded the park of an old French chateau appeared, and
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Speaker 1: making a circuit round three sides of this enclosure, the
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Speaker 1: Count and his guide came suddenly to the large iron gates,
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Speaker 1: which gave admission to a paved court, leading to another
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Speaker 1: set of gates with a green esplanade and a terrace above,
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Speaker 1: while the whole was crowned by a heavy mass of
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Speaker 1: stone work, referable to no sort of architecture but itself.
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Speaker 1: Round these courts were various small buildings, scarcely fitted indeed
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Speaker 1: for human habitation, but appropriate created to gardeners and gate
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Speaker 1: keepers and other personages of the kind. And from one
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Speaker 1: of these, as soon as the Count appeared, instantly rushed
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Speaker 1: forth Chermeriquey himself, kissing his master's hand with sincere joy
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Speaker 1: and affection, which was not at all decreased by a
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Speaker 1: consciousness that his liberation had been effected by the skill, genius,
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Speaker 1: and intrigue of the said Cheronrique himself dismount my lord
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Speaker 1: in all safety, he said, we have taken measures to
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Speaker 1: ensure that you should not be traced. Refreshments of every
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Speaker 1: kind are ready for you, and if you so please,
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Speaker 1: you can take a comfortable night's repose before you go
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Speaker 1: on that was scarcely prudent, Riquet replied the Count. But
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Speaker 1: I will, at all events pause for a time, and
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Speaker 1: you can tell me all that has happened. First, whose
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Speaker 1: dwelling is this the house of good Monsieur Perrault at Anjeville,
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Speaker 1: replied the Valet. He has been dead for about two months,
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Speaker 1: and his old metro d'hotel well, being a friend of
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Speaker 1: mine and still in the family, gave me the keys
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Speaker 1: of the chateau to be your first resting place. On
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Speaker 1: entering the chateau, Albert of Monseiaux found it completely thronged
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Speaker 1: with his own servants, and the joyful faces that crowded round,
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Speaker 1: some in smiles and some in tears, to see their
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Speaker 1: young lord liberated was not a little sweet to his heart.
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Speaker 1: Some balm, indeed, was necessary to heal old wounds before
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Speaker 1: new ones were inflicted. And though Riquet moved through the
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Speaker 1: assembled attendants with the conscious dignity of one who had
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Speaker 1: conferred the benefit in which they rejoiced, yet he hastened
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Speaker 1: to lead his young lord on and to have the
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Speaker 1: room cleared. Having much indeed to tell. His tale was
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Speaker 1: painful to the Count in many respects, but being given
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Speaker 1: by snatches as the various questions of his master elicited
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Speaker 1: one fact after another, we will attempt to put it
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Speaker 1: in more continuous form and somewhat shorter language. Taking up
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Speaker 1: at events which, though long past, were now first explained
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Speaker 1: from an accidental reference to the count's journey from Moselle
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Speaker 1: to Poitier, Riquet was led to declare the whole facts
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Speaker 1: in regard to the commission which had been given by
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Speaker 1: the king to Pelisson and to sainte Le. The insatiable
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Speaker 1: spirit of curiosity by which Metre Jerome was possessed never
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Speaker 1: let him rest till he had made the unhappy cure
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Speaker 1: of Guadriau declare by a maneuver before related what was
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Speaker 1: in the sheepskin bag he carried, And as soon as
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Speaker 1: the valet heard that it was a commission from the King,
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Speaker 1: his curiosity was still more strongly excited to ascertain the
18:39
Speaker 1: precise contents. For the purpose of so doing, he attached
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Speaker 1: himself firmly to the curee during the rest of the evening,
18:48
Speaker 1: made him smoke manifold pipes, induced him to eat every
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Speaker 1: promotive of drinking that he could lay his hands upon,
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Speaker 1: plied him with wine, and then, when half besotted, ventured
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Speaker 1: to insinuate a wish to peep into the bag. The cure, however,
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Speaker 1: was firm to his trust. Even in the midst of drunkenness.
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Speaker 1: He would peep into the bag with curious longings himself,
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Speaker 1: but he would allow no one else to do so.
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Speaker 1: And Viquey had no resource but to finish what he
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Speaker 1: had so well commenced by a bottle of heavy burgundy,
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Speaker 1: in addition, which left the poor priest but strength enough
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Speaker 1: to roll away to his chamber, and, conscious that he
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Speaker 1: was burthened with matters which he was incompetent to defend,
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Speaker 1: to lock the door tight behind him before he sunk
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Speaker 1: insensible on his bed. He forgot, however, one thing which
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Speaker 1: it is as well for every one to remember, namely
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Speaker 1: that chambers have windows as well as doors. And Cheronriquet,
19:47
Speaker 1: whose genius for running along house gutters was not less
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Speaker 1: than his other high qualities, found not the slightest difficulty
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Speaker 1: of effecting an entrance, and spent three or four hours
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Speaker 1: in the examination of the sheepskin bag and its contents,
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Speaker 1: with as much skill as if he had been brought
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Speaker 1: up in the French post office. Of that day, he
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Speaker 1: opened the royal packet without even breaking the seals, and
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Speaker 1: only inflicting a very slight and accidental tear in one
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Speaker 1: part of the envelope, which the keen eyes of Pelisson
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Speaker 1: had afterwards discovered. As soon as he saw the nature
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Speaker 1: of the King's commission, Riquet, who was no friend to
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Speaker 1: persecution of any kind, and who well knew that all
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Speaker 1: his master's plans would be frustrated and the whole province
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Speaker 1: of Poitou thrown into confusion if such a commission were
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Speaker 1: opened on the first assembling of the States, determined to
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Speaker 1: do away with it altogether and substitute an old pack
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Speaker 1: of cards, which he happened to have in his valise
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Speaker 1: in place of that important document. He then proceeded to
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Speaker 1: examine minutely and accurately the contents of the cure's trunk mail,
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Speaker 1: and more from a species of Joco's malice than anything else,
20:57
Speaker 1: he tore off a piece of the King's commission where
21:00
Speaker 1: which could do no harm to anyone, and folded it
21:03
Speaker 1: round the old tobacco box, which he had found wrapped
21:06
Speaker 1: up in a piece of paper very similar amongst the
21:10
Speaker 1: goods and chattels of the priest. Besides his adventure, he
21:14
Speaker 1: had various others to detail to the Count, with the
21:17
Speaker 1: most important of which namely his interview with the King
21:20
Speaker 1: and Louvois at beer Sailles. The reader is already acquainted,
21:25
Speaker 1: but he went on from that point to relate that
21:28
Speaker 1: lingering about in the neighborhood of the King's apartments, he
21:31
Speaker 1: had heard the order for his master's arrest given to
21:33
Speaker 1: Monsieur de Contale, and flew home with all speed, but
21:38
Speaker 1: on arriving at the Count's hotel, found that he had
21:40
Speaker 1: already gone to the palace, and that his arrest was certain.
21:45
Speaker 1: His next question to himself was how he might best
21:47
Speaker 1: serve him under such circumstances. And habituated from the very
21:52
Speaker 1: infancy of his valet hood to travesty himself in all
21:55
Speaker 1: sorts of disguises, he determined instantly on assuming the character
21:59
Speaker 1: of exempt of one of the courts of law, as
22:02
Speaker 1: affording the greatest probability of answering his purpose. He felt
22:07
Speaker 1: a degree of enjoyment and excitement in every species of
22:10
Speaker 1: trick of the kind which carried him through when the
22:14
Speaker 1: least timidity or hesitation would have frustrated his whole plans.
22:18
Speaker 1: The fact is that, although it may seem a contradiction
22:21
Speaker 1: in terms, yet madre Jaume was never so much in
22:25
Speaker 1: his own character as when he was personating somebody else.
22:29
Speaker 1: The result of his acting on this occasion we already
22:32
Speaker 1: know as far as the Count was concerned. But the
22:35
Speaker 1: moment that he had seen him lodged in the bastille,
22:38
Speaker 1: the Valet, calculating that his frolic might render Versaiah dangerous neighborhood,
22:43
Speaker 1: retired to the Count's hotel in Paris, where a part
22:46
Speaker 1: of his apparel was still to be found, compounded rapidly
22:50
Speaker 1: the sympathetic ink from one of the many receipts stored
22:53
Speaker 1: up in his brain, and then flew with a handkerchief,
22:56
Speaker 1: properly prepared to claim Mons de Marlis, whom he found
23:00
Speaker 1: alone with the Chevalier Devron. As his master had not
23:04
Speaker 1: made him acquainted with the occasional feelings of jealousy which
23:07
Speaker 1: he had experienced towards that gentleman, Jerome believed he had
23:12
Speaker 1: fallen upon the two persons from whom, out of all
23:14
Speaker 1: the world his master would be most delighted to hear
23:19
Speaker 1: the whole facts of the Count's arrest. Then were detailed
23:22
Speaker 1: and discussed, and the words written, which, as we have seen,
23:26
Speaker 1: were received by Albert of Monceaux in prison. Afraid to
23:31
Speaker 1: go back to Versailles, Riquet hastened away into Poitou, leaving
23:35
Speaker 1: to claiment de Marlis and the Chevalier devrol the task
23:38
Speaker 1: of liberating his lord, of which they seemed to entertain
23:42
Speaker 1: considerable hopes. On his return, however, he found first that
23:46
Speaker 1: all his fellow servants, having been faithful to him, the
23:49
Speaker 1: investigations regarding the appearance of the exempt had ended in
23:53
Speaker 1: nothing being discovered except that somebody had profanely personated one
23:57
Speaker 1: of those awful personages. That the Count was not only
24:02
Speaker 1: still endurance, but that little if any progress had been
24:06
Speaker 1: made towards effecting his liberation. The Duke d Roufrey, who
24:10
Speaker 1: seemed to be restored to the King's favor, was now
24:13
Speaker 1: a guest at the palace of fair Sailles with Clayments
24:16
Speaker 1: de Marlis. The Valet could not obtain an interview, though
24:20
Speaker 1: he daily saw her in company with the Chevalier Devreux,
24:23
Speaker 1: and the report began to be revived that the King
24:26
Speaker 1: intended to bestow her hand upon that gentleman who was
24:29
Speaker 1: now in exceedingly high favor with the monarch. The scheme
24:34
Speaker 1: now took possession of the mind of Riquet, which only
24:37
Speaker 1: suggested itself in utter despair of any other plan succeeding,
24:42
Speaker 1: and as to use his own expression, the very attempt,
24:45
Speaker 1: if frustrated, would bring his head under the axe. He
24:49
Speaker 1: acknowledged to his lord that he has hesitated and trembled
24:53
Speaker 1: even while he prepared everything for its execution. He went
24:57
Speaker 1: down once more into Poitou, the commune, dedicated with all
25:00
Speaker 1: the friends and most favored vassals of his master. He
25:04
Speaker 1: obtained money and means for carrying every part of his
25:06
Speaker 1: scheme into effect as soon as his lord should be
25:09
Speaker 1: liberated from the bastille, and for securing his escape into Patou,
25:15
Speaker 1: where a choice of plans remained before him, of which
25:18
Speaker 1: we shall have to speak hereafter. The great point, however,
25:22
Speaker 1: was to enable the Count to make his exit from
25:24
Speaker 1: the prison, and it was at this that the heart
25:27
Speaker 1: of Cheramerique failed. His was one of those far seeing
25:31
Speaker 1: geniuses that never forget, in any situation to obtain from
25:35
Speaker 1: the circumstances of the present anything which may be, however
25:39
Speaker 1: remotely advantageous in the future. Upon this principle he had
25:44
Speaker 1: acted in his conference with the King, and without any
25:48
Speaker 1: definite and immediate object, but that of obtaining pardon for
25:51
Speaker 1: himself for past offenses. He had induced the monarch, we
25:55
Speaker 1: must remember, to give him a document of which he
25:58
Speaker 1: now proposed to take advance. By a chemical process very
26:03
Speaker 1: easily effected, he completely took out the ink in those
26:06
Speaker 1: parts of the document where his own name was written,
26:09
Speaker 1: and then, with slow and minute labour, substituted the name
26:13
Speaker 1: of his master in the place, imitating even to the
26:16
Speaker 1: slightest stroke, the writing of the King. The date underwent
26:20
Speaker 1: the same change to suit his purpose, so that a
26:23
Speaker 1: complete pardon in what appeared the undoubted hand of the
26:26
Speaker 1: King himself was prepared for the Count Domursey. This step
26:31
Speaker 1: having been taken, the Vikaey contemplated his work with pride
26:35
Speaker 1: but fear, and the matter remained there for a whole day.
26:40
Speaker 1: But by the next morning he had become habituated to
26:42
Speaker 1: daring and resolved to make the document complete. He spent
26:47
Speaker 1: eight hours in forging underneath an order in due form
26:51
Speaker 1: for the Count's liberation, and the most practiced eye could
26:55
Speaker 1: have scarcely found any difference between the lines there written,
26:58
Speaker 1: and those of the King himself. In all probability, if
27:02
Speaker 1: Riquet could have obtained a scrap of Louvois's writing, he
27:05
Speaker 1: would have added the countersign of the minister, But as
27:09
Speaker 1: that was not to be had, he again laid the
27:11
Speaker 1: paper by and was seized with some degree of panic
27:14
Speaker 1: at what he had done. He had brought up, however,
27:18
Speaker 1: from Poitou, his lord's intendant, and several others of his
27:22
Speaker 1: confidential servants and attendants, promising them with the utmost conceit
27:27
Speaker 1: and self confidence to set the Count at liberty. They
27:31
Speaker 1: now pressed him to fulfill his design, and while he
27:34
Speaker 1: hesitated with some degree of tremoor, the note which the
27:37
Speaker 1: old English officer had conveyed to him was put into
27:40
Speaker 1: his hands, and he decided him at once. He entrusted
27:45
Speaker 1: the forged order to a person whom he could fully
27:47
Speaker 1: rely upon to deliver it at the gates of the bastille,
27:51
Speaker 1: stationed his relays upon the road, and prepared everything for
27:55
Speaker 1: his master's escape. Such was the account which he gave
27:58
Speaker 1: to his young lord as he sat at the chateau
28:01
Speaker 1: of Aunchaffille, And though he did not exactly express all
28:05
Speaker 1: that he had heard, in regard to claym Mons de
28:07
Speaker 1: Marlis and the Chevalier de Fron, He told quite enough
28:11
Speaker 1: to renew feelings in the bosom of the count which
28:13
Speaker 1: he had struggled against. Lung and eagerly, who are the men?
28:17
Speaker 1: Demanded the Count that followed me on horseback? Both of them, Sir, replied,
28:22
Speaker 1: the man, were persons who would have delayed any pursuit
28:25
Speaker 1: of you at the peril of their own lives. One
28:29
Speaker 1: of them was your own man Martin, whom you saved
28:32
Speaker 1: from being hung for a spy by the night attack
28:35
Speaker 1: you made upon the Prince of Orange's quarters. The other, Sir,
28:38
Speaker 1: was poor Paul Verlat, who came up with the Intendant
28:42
Speaker 1: of his own accord, with his heart well nigh broken,
28:45
Speaker 1: and with all the courage of despair about him. Poor
28:49
Speaker 1: Paul Verlet exclaimed the Count, his heart well nigh broken.
28:54
Speaker 1: Why what has happened to him? Jerome I left him
28:57
Speaker 1: in health and unhappiness, ay, Sir, replied the man, But
29:02
Speaker 1: things have changed since then. Two Hellish priests, who have
29:06
Speaker 1: a great mind to become a Huguenot myself got hold
29:09
Speaker 1: of his little girl and got her to say, or
29:11
Speaker 1: at least swore that she said she would renounce her
29:14
Speaker 1: father's religion. He was furious, and her mother, who had
29:18
Speaker 1: been ill for some days, grew worse and took to
29:21
Speaker 1: her bed. The girl said she had never said so.
29:24
Speaker 1: The priest said she had, and brought a witness, and
29:27
Speaker 1: they seized her in her father's own house and carried
29:30
Speaker 1: her away to a convent. He was out when it happened,
29:33
Speaker 1: but when he came back he found his wife dying
29:36
Speaker 1: and his child gone. The mother died two days after,
29:40
Speaker 1: and Paul poor Fellow, whose brain was quite turned, was
29:43
Speaker 1: away for three days with his large sledge hammer with him,
29:47
Speaker 1: which nobody but himself could wield. Everybody said that he
29:51
Speaker 1: was gone to seek after the priest to dash their
29:54
Speaker 1: brains out with the hammer, but they heard of it
29:57
Speaker 1: and escaped out of the province. And at the end
29:59
Speaker 1: of three days he came back, quite calm and cool,
30:03
Speaker 1: but everybody saw that his heart was broken. I saw
30:07
Speaker 1: him at Morseilles, poor fellow, and I have seldom seen
30:10
Speaker 1: so terrible a sight. The mayor, who has turned Catholic,
30:14
Speaker 1: you know, Sir, asked him if he had gone after
30:17
Speaker 1: the priest, to which he said no. But everyone thinks
30:21
Speaker 1: that he did. While Riquet was telling this tale, the
30:25
Speaker 1: Count had placed his hands before his eyes, and it
30:27
Speaker 1: was evident that he trembled, violently, moved by terrible and
30:31
Speaker 1: strongly conflicting feelings, the fiery struggle of which might well
30:36
Speaker 1: have such an influence on his corporeal frame. He rose
30:40
Speaker 1: from his seat slowly, however, when the man had done,
30:43
Speaker 1: and walked up and down the room more than once
30:45
Speaker 1: with a stern, heavy step. At length, turning to Riquet again,
30:50
Speaker 1: he demanded, and in what state is the province? Why?
30:54
Speaker 1: Almost in a state of revolt, Sir, replied Riquey. As
30:57
Speaker 1: far as I can hear, there are as many as
31:00
Speaker 1: a couple of thousand men in arms in different places.
31:03
Speaker 1: It is true they are doing no great things that
31:06
Speaker 1: the intendant of the province, sometimes with the bishop, sometimes
31:09
Speaker 1: with the Abbe Sainte l, marches hither and thither with
31:13
Speaker 1: a large body of troops, and puts down the revolt here,
31:16
Speaker 1: or puts down the revolt there, till he hears that
31:19
Speaker 1: it is broken out in another place. He remains where
31:22
Speaker 1: it last happened, quartering his soldiers upon the inhabitants, and
31:27
Speaker 1: in the order of the day, allowing them to do
31:30
Speaker 1: everything but kill. Then he drives the people by thousands
31:34
Speaker 1: at a time to the churches of our religion, makes
31:36
Speaker 1: them take the mass, and breaks a few of them
31:39
Speaker 1: on the wheel when they spit the host out of
31:41
Speaker 1: their mouths. He then writes up to the King that
31:44
Speaker 1: he has made wonderful conversions. But before his letter can
31:48
Speaker 1: well reach Paris, he is obliged to march to another
31:51
Speaker 1: part of the province, to put down the insurrection there,
31:54
Speaker 1: and to make converts and break on the wheel as before.
31:58
Speaker 1: Say no more, cried the Count. Oh God, wilt thou
32:03
Speaker 1: suffer this to go on again? He paced the room
32:06
Speaker 1: for several minutes, and then, turning suddenly to Riquet, he said, Rique,
32:10
Speaker 1: you have shown yourself at once devoted, courageous, and resolute
32:14
Speaker 1: in the highest degree. Oh sir, interrupted the man, you mistake,
32:19
Speaker 1: I am the most desperate coward that ever breathed. No
32:23
Speaker 1: jesting now, Riquet, said the Count, in a sorrowful tone.
32:27
Speaker 1: No jesting now. My spirits are too much crushed, my
32:31
Speaker 1: heart too much torn to suffer me to hear one
32:33
Speaker 1: like word. After all that you have done for me,
32:36
Speaker 1: will you do one act more? Have you the courage
32:39
Speaker 1: to return to Paris this night and carry a letter
32:42
Speaker 1: for me to Mademoiselle de Marlis and bring me back
32:45
Speaker 1: her reply. Well, sir, well, said the Riquet, rubbing his
32:51
Speaker 1: hands and then putting his forefinger under his collar and
32:54
Speaker 1: running it round his neck with a significant gesture. A
32:57
Speaker 1: man can be hanged but once in his life, at
33:00
Speaker 1: least as far as I know of, and as Caesar said,
33:03
Speaker 1: a brave man is but hanged once. A coward is
33:06
Speaker 1: hand every day. Therefore, as I see no other object
33:10
Speaker 1: that my father or mother could have in bringing me
33:13
Speaker 1: into the world, but that I should be hanged in
33:15
Speaker 1: your service, I will go to Paris at the risk
33:18
Speaker 1: of accomplishing my destiny with all my heart. Hark you, Riquet,
33:24
Speaker 1: replied the Count. I will give you a means of security.
33:27
Speaker 1: If by any means you should be taken and likely
33:30
Speaker 1: to be put to death for what you have done,
33:33
Speaker 1: tell those who take you that upon a distinct promise
33:36
Speaker 1: of pardon to you under the King's own hand, the
33:38
Speaker 1: Count of Moseau will surrender himself in your place. I
33:42
Speaker 1: will give you that promise under my hand if you like.
33:45
Speaker 1: That is not necessary, sir replied Riquet. Everybody in all
33:49
Speaker 1: France knows that you keep your word, But pray write
33:53
Speaker 1: the letter quickly, for ride as hard as I will,
33:56
Speaker 1: I shall have scarce time to reach Paris before bedtime.
34:00
Speaker 1: And I suppose you would not have the young lady wakened.
34:03
Speaker 1: There was a degree of cold bitterness in Riquet's manner
34:07
Speaker 1: when he spoke thus of Claiment's, which made the Count
34:10
Speaker 1: of Bouset feel that the man thought he was deceived.
34:13
Speaker 1: But still, after what had passed before, he found that
34:16
Speaker 1: he was bound to be more upon his guard against
34:19
Speaker 1: himself than against others. And he resolved that he would
34:23
Speaker 1: not be suspicious, that he would drive from his bosom
34:26
Speaker 1: every such feeling that he would remember the indubitable proofs
34:30
Speaker 1: of affection that she had given him, and that he
34:33
Speaker 1: would act toward her as if her whole conduct had
34:36
Speaker 1: been under his eye and had been such as he
34:39
Speaker 1: could most approve. The materials of writing were instantly procured,
34:44
Speaker 1: and while Riquet caused a fresh horse to be saddled
34:47
Speaker 1: and prepared for his journey, the Count sat down and wrote,
34:50
Speaker 1: as follows, my beloved clements. Thank God, I am once
34:56
Speaker 1: more at liberty. But the brightness of that blessing, great
34:59
Speaker 1: as it is, under any circumstances, would be nearly all
35:02
Speaker 1: tarnished and lost if I had not the hope that
35:05
Speaker 1: you would share it with me. I am now some
35:08
Speaker 1: way on the road to Poitou, where I hear that
35:11
Speaker 1: the most horrible and aggravated barbarities are daily being committed
35:15
Speaker 1: upon my fellow Protestants. My conduct there must be determined
35:19
Speaker 1: by circumstances, but I will own that my blood boils
35:23
Speaker 1: at the butchery and persecution I hear of. I remember
35:27
Speaker 1: the dear and cheering promises you have made. I remember
35:30
Speaker 1: the willingness and the joyfulness with which those promises were made.
35:34
Speaker 1: And the recollection renders it not madness, renders it, not
35:38
Speaker 1: selfishness to say to you, Come to me my claimants,
35:42
Speaker 1: Come to me as speedily as possible. Come and decide
35:45
Speaker 1: for me, when perhaps I may not have calmness to
35:48
Speaker 1: decide for myself. Come and let us unite our fate
35:51
Speaker 1: forever and so far acquire the power of setting the
35:55
Speaker 1: will of the world at defiance. Were it possible, I
35:58
Speaker 1: would trust entirely to your love and your promises, in
36:01
Speaker 1: the hope that you would suffer the bearer of this
36:04
Speaker 1: most faithful and devoted as he has shown himself to be,
36:07
Speaker 1: to guide you to me. But I fear that the
36:10
Speaker 1: little time he dare stay in Paris would render it
36:13
Speaker 1: impossible for you to make your escape with him. Should this,
36:17
Speaker 1: as I feared, be the case, write to me, if
36:20
Speaker 1: it be but a few lines to tell me how
36:22
Speaker 1: I can assist or aid you in your escape, and
36:25
Speaker 1: when it can be made, adieu, Heaven bless and guard you.
36:30
Speaker 1: Before he had concluded, Luquay had again appeared, telling him
36:34
Speaker 1: that he was ready to set out, and taking the
36:36
Speaker 1: somewhat useless precaution to seal his letter, the Count gave
36:40
Speaker 1: it into his hands and saw him depart. It was
36:44
Speaker 1: now about five o'clock in the evening, and as he
36:46
Speaker 1: knew that many a weary and expecting hour must passed
36:50
Speaker 1: before the man could return, the Count conferred with all
36:53
Speaker 1: the various attendants who had been collected at Anjeville, and
36:57
Speaker 1: found that the account which Riquet had given him of
37:00
Speaker 1: the state of Poitou was confirmed in every respect. Each
37:04
Speaker 1: had some tale of horror or of cruelty. Paul Verlat, however,
37:09
Speaker 1: whom he had asked for more than once, did not appear,
37:13
Speaker 1: and it was discovered on inquiry that he had not
37:15
Speaker 1: even remained at on Jeville, but with the cold and
37:18
Speaker 1: sullen sort of despair that had fallen upon him, had
37:21
Speaker 1: ridden on. Now that he judged, the Count was in safety.
37:26
Speaker 1: After a time, the young nobleman, anxious for some repose
37:29
Speaker 1: both of mind and of body, cast himself upon a
37:32
Speaker 1: bed in the hope of obtaining sleep. But it visited
37:35
Speaker 1: not his eyelids. Dark and horrible and agitating visions peopled
37:40
Speaker 1: the hours of darkness, though slumber had no share in
37:43
Speaker 1: calling them up at length for two hours before he
37:47
Speaker 1: had expected that Riquet should return. The sound of a
37:50
Speaker 1: horse's feet coming at a rapid pace struck the Count's
37:54
Speaker 1: ear as he lay and listened to the howling of
37:56
Speaker 1: the November wind, And starting up, he went to the
38:00
Speaker 1: window of the room and gaze out. It was a
38:03
Speaker 1: clear night with the moon up, though there were some
38:06
Speaker 1: occasional clouds floating quickly over the sky, and he clearly
38:10
Speaker 1: saw that the horseman was Riquet and alone. Proceeding into
38:14
Speaker 1: the other room where he had left alight, he hastened
38:17
Speaker 1: down to meet him, asking whether he had obtained an answer,
38:22
Speaker 1: I have, sir, replied the man, though I saw not
38:25
Speaker 1: the fair lady herself. Yet Maria, the waiting woman, brought
38:28
Speaker 1: it in no long time, there it is, and drawing
38:32
Speaker 1: it from his pocket, he gave it into the Count's hand.
38:36
Speaker 1: Albert of Morseux hastened back with a letter and tore
38:39
Speaker 1: it eagerly open. But what would the words that his
38:42
Speaker 1: eyes saw cruel and unkind? It began, alas must I
38:47
Speaker 1: not add even to the man that I love ungenerous
38:50
Speaker 1: and ungrateful? What would I have not sacrificed? That would
38:54
Speaker 1: I have not done? Rather than that this should have occurred,
38:58
Speaker 1: and that the first use she made of your liberty
39:00
Speaker 1: should be to fly to wage actual war against the crown?
39:04
Speaker 1: How shall I dare look up, I, who for weeks
39:07
Speaker 1: have been pleading that no such thought would ever enter
39:10
Speaker 1: into your noble and loyal nature. No, Albert, I cannot
39:14
Speaker 1: follow the messenger you send, or to use the more
39:17
Speaker 1: true and straightforward word, I will not, and never by
39:22
Speaker 1: my presence with you, however much I may still love you,
39:25
Speaker 1: will I countenance the acts to which you are now hurrying.
39:29
Speaker 1: It was signed Clement's, but it fell from the Count's
39:32
Speaker 1: hand ere His eye had reached that word, and he
39:35
Speaker 1: gazed at it fixedly as it lay upon the ground
39:38
Speaker 1: for several moments, without attempting to raise it, then turning
39:42
Speaker 1: with a sudden start to Riquet and another servant, who
39:45
Speaker 1: stood by as if for orders, he exclaimed to horse.
39:52
Speaker 1: End of Chapter twenty six