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035 - The Bitter Parting · Huguenot- A Tale of the French Protestants

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Speaker 1: Chapter thirty five of the Huguenot by George paying Rainsford James.
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Speaker 1: This LibriVox according is in the public domain, Chapter thirty five,
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Speaker 1: The Bitter Parting. Just at the entrance of the village,
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Speaker 1: the Count met with his companion, Dubar. Have you heard all?
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Speaker 1: Demanded that officer. What is to be done? Get the
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Speaker 1: boats ready with all speed, replied the Count. The tide
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Speaker 1: will turn within half an hour, the ships will be
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Speaker 1: able to come farther in twenty or thirty. Persons may
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Speaker 1: get off in the first boats, which must come back
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Speaker 1: again for a second freight. I see clearly, my friend,
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Speaker 1: that there is no intention of dealing harshly with us.
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Speaker 1: All the officers wish us to escape, and there will
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Speaker 1: be no more firing from the castle. I must leave
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Speaker 1: the embarkation and all that to you, du Bar, for
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Speaker 1: I have things to go through that will try my
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Speaker 1: heart to the utmost. I must have a few minutes
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Speaker 1: to make up my mind to parting with my friends
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Speaker 1: and companions and all that I love on earth for ever,
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Speaker 1: du Bar, He continued, while the other wrung his hand affectionately.
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Speaker 1: There will be a young lady who will accompany you,
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Speaker 1: and that girl, the daughter of poor Verlais. You have
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Speaker 1: a wife and children yourself, whom you love. I know
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Speaker 1: fondly and devotedly. They are in safety, you told me
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Speaker 1: on those opposite shores, which I shall never see. But
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Speaker 1: let me beseech you by the memory of these dark
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Speaker 1: and terrible days, when the hand that now presses yours
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Speaker 1: is laid in the dust, as I know too well
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Speaker 1: must soon be the case. Let me beseech you. I say,
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Speaker 1: to give every aid and assistance to those two that
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Speaker 1: I now commit to your charge. Be to the one
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Speaker 1: as a brother, Dubar, and to the other as a father.
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Speaker 1: I know you to be honest and true, as you
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Speaker 1: are brave and wise, and I shall lay my head
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Speaker 1: upon the block with more peace at my heart, if
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Speaker 1: you promise me that which I now ask. I do
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Speaker 1: I do, replied the Marquis, with the tears standing in
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Speaker 1: his eyes. I do pro issue from my heart, and
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Speaker 1: I would fain persuade you even now to consider. But
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Speaker 1: the Count waved his hand and rode on. There was
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Speaker 1: a considerable crowd round the entrance of the little inn,
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Speaker 1: and he had some difficulty in making his way in.
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Speaker 1: At the door of the room where he had fixed
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Speaker 1: his own quarters. He found two or three of the
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Speaker 1: Royalist soldiers, but passing by them, he entered the room
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Speaker 1: when a sight met his eyes which might well chill
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Speaker 1: and wring his heart. The room was nearly empty, but
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Speaker 1: stretched upon the long table which occupied the midst was
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Speaker 1: the fine, noble form of the Chevalier Devron, now still
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Speaker 1: in death. Standing near the head of the body was
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Speaker 1: the old English officer, Sir Thomas Cecil, with an air
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Speaker 1: of deep stern grief upon his fine and striking countenance.
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Speaker 1: His hat was off, showing his white hair. His arms
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Speaker 1: were crossed upon his chest. His head was erect as ever,
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Speaker 1: and nothing like a tear was in his eye. But
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Speaker 1: there was no mistaking the expression of his countenance. It
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Speaker 1: was that of intense sorrow. But on the other side
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Speaker 1: of the table, grief was displaying itself in a different
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Speaker 1: manner and in a different form. For there knelt Cleayment
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Speaker 1: de Marlis, with her beautiful head bent down over the
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Speaker 1: dead body, her hair fallen from its bindings, scattered wildly,
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Speaker 1: partly over her shoulders, partly over the breast of the chevalier,
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Speaker 1: her left hand clasping that of the dead man, her
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Speaker 1: eyes and face buried on his bosom, while the convulsing
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Speaker 1: sobs that shook her whole frame told how bitterly she
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Speaker 1: was weeping. The Count paused with a look of deep sadness,
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Speaker 1: but there was no anger or jealousy in his countenance.
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Speaker 1: The old English officer, however, as soon as he perceived him,
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Speaker 1: hurried forward and took both his hands, saying, in a
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Speaker 1: low and solemn voice, you must let her weep, Count,
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Speaker 1: you must let her weep. It is her brother. I
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Speaker 1: have been sure of it for several days, replied the Count.
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Speaker 1: She told me not, but I knew it from what
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Speaker 1: she did tell me. This day of agony, however, Sir,
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Speaker 1: is not yet over. I must disturb her grief, but
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Speaker 1: to waken her to more. You know the short time
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Speaker 1: that is allowed for flight. You know the fate that
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Speaker 1: would await her here if she were to remain in
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Speaker 1: this country as what is called a relapsed heretic by
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Speaker 1: the cruel persecutors of this land. Within two hours from
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Speaker 1: this time, my good sir, she must take her departure
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Speaker 1: for ever. The boats will be ready, and not a
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Speaker 1: moment must be lost, And in those two short hours
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Speaker 1: she must part with one who loves her as well
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Speaker 1: as ever woman yet twas loved, and one who truly
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Speaker 1: believes that she loves him as well as woman's heart
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Speaker 1: can love. And who shall say where is the boundary
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Speaker 1: of that boundless affection? She must part with him, sir,
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Speaker 1: for ever, and with her native land. This is not
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Speaker 1: her native land, replied the old officer. The lady Clement's cecil, Sir,
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Speaker 1: is an englishwoman. But in one respect you say, true,
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Speaker 1: my poor niece must go. For I have experienced in
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Speaker 1: my own person, as you know, how daring is the
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Speaker 1: injustice of arbitrary power in this land, in the prisons
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Speaker 1: of which I, an English subject, have been detained for
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Speaker 1: more than a year and a half till our own
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Speaker 1: papistical and despotic king chose to apply to your despot
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Speaker 1: for my liberation and for the restoration of my brother's children.
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Speaker 1: She must leave this land, indeed, but your words imply
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Speaker 1: that you must stay behind. Tell me, tell me, my
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Speaker 1: noble friend, is this absolutely necessary in honor and in conscience?
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Speaker 1: The Count grasped his hand and pointed to the dead
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Speaker 1: body I promised him, he said, who lies there? That
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Speaker 1: I would surrender myself to the King's pleasure. I have
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Speaker 1: every reason to believe that in consideration of that promise,
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Speaker 1: he dealt as favorably with us as he was permitted,
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Speaker 1: that he even went beyond the strict line of his
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Speaker 1: duty to give us some facilities of escape. And I
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Speaker 1: must hold my promise to the dead as well as
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Speaker 1: if he were here to claim. God forbid, said Sir
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Speaker 1: Thomas Cecil, that I should say one word against it.
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Speaker 1: Terrible as is your determination, for you must well know
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Speaker 1: the fate that awaits you. It seems to me that
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Speaker 1: there was only that one act, wanting to make you
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Speaker 1: all that our poor Clement ought to love on earth,
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Speaker 1: at the very moment she is to lose you for ever.
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Speaker 1: See she is raising her head. Speak to her, my friend,
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Speaker 1: Speak to her. The Count advanced and threw his arms
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Speaker 1: round her. He knew that the grief which she felt
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Speaker 1: was one that words could do nothing to mitigate, and
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Speaker 1: the only consolation that he offered was thus by pressing
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Speaker 1: her fondly to his heart, as if to express that
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Speaker 1: there was love and tenderness yet left for her on earth.
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Speaker 1: Clament rose and wiped away her tears, for she felt
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Speaker 1: he might think that some doubt of his affection mingled
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Speaker 1: with her grief for her brother, if she suffered it
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Speaker 1: to fall into excess. Oh, Albert, she said, this is
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Speaker 1: very terrible I have but you now. A hesitation came
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Speaker 1: over the Count de Morse as she spoke those words,
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Speaker 1: gazing tenderly and confidingly upon him, A hesitation as to
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Speaker 1: whether he should at once tell her his determination or
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Speaker 1: not let her know that he was about to remain
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Speaker 1: behind till she was absolutely in the boat destined to
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Speaker 1: bear her away. It was a terrible question that he
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Speaker 1: thus put to his own heart, but he thought it
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Speaker 1: would be cruel not to tell her. However, dreadful might
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Speaker 1: be the struggle to witness and to share alas claimant's.
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Speaker 1: He replied, I must soon trust you for a time
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Speaker 1: at least, to other guidance, to other protection than my own.
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Speaker 1: The boats are preparing to carry off a certain number
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Speaker 1: of our friends to England. You must go in one
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Speaker 1: of them, Clayment's, and that immediately. Your noble uncle here,
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Speaker 1: for such I understand he is, Sir Thomas Cecil will
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Speaker 1: protect you, I know, and be a father to you.
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Speaker 1: The Marquis du Bard, too, one of the noblest men,
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Speaker 1: will be to you as a brother. Claimance replied not,
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Speaker 1: but gazed with a look of deep earnest, imploring inquiry
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Speaker 1: in the countenance of her lover, And after a moment
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Speaker 1: he answered thy look by adding I have given my promise, Claimence,
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Speaker 1: to remain behind to death. To death, cried Claimance, casting
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Speaker 1: herself upon his bosom and weeping bitterly. You are remaining
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Speaker 1: to die. I know it, I know it, and I
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Speaker 1: will never quit you. The count kissed her tenderly and
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Speaker 1: pressed her to his heart, but he suffered not, his
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Speaker 1: resolution to be shaken. Listen to me, my clamence, he said,
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Speaker 1: what may be my fate? I know not, but I
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Speaker 1: trust in God's mercy and in my own uprightness of intentions.
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Speaker 1: But think, Claimance, only think, dear Clement, how terrible would
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Speaker 1: be my feelings, How tenfold deep and agonizing would be
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Speaker 1: all that I may have to suffer? If I knew
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Speaker 1: that not only I myself was in danger, but that
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Speaker 1: you also in still greater peril. If I knew that
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Speaker 1: you were in imprisonment, that the having followed the dictates
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Speaker 1: of your conscience was imputed to you as a crime,
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Speaker 1: that you were to be tormented by the agony of
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Speaker 1: trial before a tyrannical tribunal, and doomed to torture, to
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Speaker 1: cruel death, or to eternal imprisonment. Conceive, Claimant's, Conceive how
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Speaker 1: my heart would be wrung under such circumstances. Conceive how
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Speaker 1: to every pang that I may otherwise suffer would be
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Speaker 1: added the infinite weight of grief and indignation and suspense
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Speaker 1: on your account. Conceive all this, and then, oh claimants,
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Speaker 1: be merciful, be kind, and give me the blessing of
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Speaker 1: seeing you depart in safety, as a consolation and a
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Speaker 1: support under all that I may have myself to suffer.
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Speaker 1: Claiman swept bitterly upon his bosom, and the Count soothed
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Speaker 1: her by every endearing and tender word. At length, she
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Speaker 1: suddenly raised her head, as if some new idea had
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Speaker 1: struck her, and she exclaimed, I will go, Albert. I
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Speaker 1: will go upon one condition, without torturing you more by opposition.
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Speaker 1: What is that condition, dear Clement's demanded the Count, gazing
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Speaker 1: in her face, which was glowing warmly even through her tears.
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Speaker 1: What is that condition, dearest Clement's. Clement hid her face
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Speaker 1: again upon his breast and answered it is that I
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Speaker 1: may become your wife before I quit this shore. We
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Speaker 1: have Protestant ministers here. The ceremony can be easily performed.
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Speaker 1: My uncle, I know, will offer no opposition, and I
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Speaker 1: would fain bear the name of one so noble and
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Speaker 1: so beloved to another land and to the grave, which
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Speaker 1: may perhaps soon reunite us. The Count's heart was wrung
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Speaker 1: as he replied, Oh, beloved, Clament's, why why propose that
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Speaker 1: which must not, which cannot be? I propose that, which,
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Speaker 1: though so tempting to every feeling of my heart, would
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Speaker 1: cover me with well deserved shame if I yielded to it.
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Speaker 1: Think Think, Claimant's, what would deservedly be said of me
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Speaker 1: if I were to consent, if I were to allow
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Speaker 1: you to become my wife, to part with you the altar,
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Speaker 1: and perhaps by my death as a condemned criminal, to
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Speaker 1: leave you an unprotected widow within a few days. Claimant's
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Speaker 1: clasped her hands vehemently, exclaiming, so help me Heaven, as
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Speaker 1: I would rather be the widow of Albert of Monseux
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Speaker 1: than the wife of any other man that ever lived
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Speaker 1: on earth. Sir Thomas Cecil, however, interposed Clement's he said,
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Speaker 1: your lover is right, but he will not use arguments
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Speaker 1: to persuade you that I may use. This is a
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Speaker 1: severe and bitter trial. The Almighty only knows how it
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Speaker 1: will terminate. But my dear child, remember that this is
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Speaker 1: no ordinary man you love. Let his character be complete
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Speaker 1: to the last. Do not do not, by any solicitation
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Speaker 1: of yours, claimants, take the least brightness from his writing example.
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Speaker 1: Let him go, on, my child, to do what he
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Speaker 1: believes his duty, at all risks and through all sacrifices.
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Speaker 1: Let there not be one selfish spot from the beginning
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Speaker 1: to the end for a man to point at. And
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Speaker 1: the Almighty will protect and reward him to whom he
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Speaker 1: has given power to act uprightly to the last, If
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Speaker 1: not in this world, in another he will be blessed,
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Speaker 1: Claimant's and to that other we must turn our hopes
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Speaker 1: of happiness, for here it is God's will that we
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Speaker 1: should have tribulation. Claimance clapped her hands and bent down
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Speaker 1: her eyes to the ground. For several minutes, she remained
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Speaker 1: as if in deep thought, and then said, in a
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Speaker 1: low but a firmer voice, Albert, I yield, and, knowing
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Speaker 1: from what is in my heart. How dreadful this moment
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Speaker 1: must be to you. I will not render it more
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Speaker 1: dreadful by asking you anything more that you must refuse.
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Speaker 1: I will endeavor to be as calm as I can. Albert,
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Speaker 1: but weep I must, perhaps, she added, with a faint,
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Speaker 1: faint smile upon her lips. I may weep less if
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Speaker 1: there were no hope, if it were all despair. But
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Speaker 1: I see it glimmering for exertion on my part, if
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Speaker 1: not exactly for hope. And that exertion may certainly be
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Speaker 1: better made in another land than if I were to
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Speaker 1: remain here and now for the pain of departure that
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Speaker 1: must be undergone, and I am ready to undergo it
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Speaker 1: rather at once than when I have forgotten my faint resolution.
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Speaker 1: Do you go with me? She continued, turning to her uncle,
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Speaker 1: if it be needful that you stay, I fear not
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Speaker 1: to go alone. Sir Thomas Settle, however, replied that he
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Speaker 1: was ready to accompany her. Her maid Maria was warned
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Speaker 1: to prepare with all speed, and ere a few more
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Speaker 1: sentences were spoken on either part. The Marquis du bar
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Speaker 1: came to inform the Count that the boats were afloat,
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Speaker 1: and the vessels, standing in as far as they could
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Speaker 1: into the bay. The Huguenot gentlemen mentioned in the list
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Speaker 1: of prescription were already on the shore and not a
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Speaker 1: little eager to be in the first boats to put off.
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Speaker 1: The soldiery were drawn up under arms to await the
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Speaker 1: expiration of the truce, and as the Count and Sir
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Speaker 1: Thomas Cecil led down Clement's weeping bitterly to the sands,
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Speaker 1: a murmur of sympathy and compassion ran through the crowd
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Speaker 1: and through the ranks of the soldiery, and the gentlemen
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Speaker 1: drew back to give her the first place in the boats.
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Speaker 1: Before they reached the edge, however, the Count, whose eye
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Speaker 1: had been raised for a moment to the vessels, pointed
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Speaker 1: towards them with a smile of satisfaction. Gentlemen, he said,
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Speaker 1: looking round, I am happy to see that you will
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Speaker 1: all be able to get off without risk. Do you
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Speaker 1: not perceive they are sending off their boats for you, Clements,
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Speaker 1: He said, in a lower voice. Will you go at once,
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Speaker 1: or will you wait till the other boats arrive and
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Speaker 1: all go together? Let me wait. Let me wait, said Clement,
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Speaker 1: in the same low tone. Every moment that my hand
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Speaker 1: touches yours is a treasure. The boats came in rapidly
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Speaker 1: with the returning tide, and as soon as their keels
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Speaker 1: touched the sand, and a few words had been spoken
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Speaker 1: to ascertain that all was right and understood, the Count
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Speaker 1: turned and said, now, gentlemen, there were some twenty or
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Speaker 1: thirty yards of shallow water between the sands and the boats,
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Speaker 1: and Albert of Mooseau raised Clements in his arms and
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Speaker 1: carried her to the edge of the first Neither of
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Speaker 1: them spoke a word, but as leaning over it he
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Speaker 1: placed her in the boat. She felt his arms clasp
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Speaker 1: more tightly round her, and his lips were pressed upon hers.
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Speaker 1: The Almighty bless Thee, and God protect and deliver you
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Speaker 1: was all that was said on either side, and the
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Speaker 1: Count turned back to the shore. One by one, the
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Speaker 1: different officers advanced to him in silence and grasped his
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Speaker 1: hand before they proceeded to the boats. When they were
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Speaker 1: all in and the boats began to push off, the
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Speaker 1: Count pulled off his hat and stood bareheaded, looking up
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Speaker 1: to Heaven. But at that moment a loud shout burst
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Speaker 1: from the soldiery of the Count. The Count they had
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Speaker 1: forgotten the Count but the Count of Mousseau turned round
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Speaker 1: towards them and said aloud, in his usual calm, firm tone,
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Speaker 1: they have not forgotten me, my friends. It was you
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Speaker 1: that were mistaken when you thought that I had forgotten you.
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Speaker 1: I remained to meet my fate, whatever it may be.
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Speaker 1: A number of men in the ranks instantly threw down
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Speaker 1: their muskets, and, rushing forward, clasped his knees, beseeching him
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Speaker 1: to go. But he waved his hand, saying gently, it
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Speaker 1: is in vain, my friends. My determination has been taken
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Speaker 1: for many days. Go back to your ranks, My good fellows,
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Speaker 1: go back to your ranks. I will but see the
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Speaker 1: boats safe and then join you to surrender the village
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Speaker 1: and lay down our arms. The Count then turned again
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Speaker 1: to the sea and watched the four boats row onward
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Speaker 1: from the shore. They reached the vessels in safety in
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Speaker 1: a few minutes. In a few minutes more, the boats
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Speaker 1: belonging to the village began to row back empty. After
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Speaker 1: a little pause, some more canvas was seen displayed upon
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Speaker 1: the yards of the vessel. They began to move. They
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Speaker 1: sailed out of the harbor, and, after gazing down upon
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Speaker 1: the sand, fixedly and intently, while one might count a hundred.
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Speaker 1: The Count of Morseaux, feeling himself solitary, turned gave the
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Speaker 1: word of command and marched the men back into the village.
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Speaker 1: He entered immediately into the room where the Chevalier Devron lay, and,
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Speaker 1: although by this time all the principal officers of the
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Speaker 1: royalist force were there, with several other persons, amongst whom
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Speaker 1: was his own servant Riquet, he walked silently up to
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Speaker 1: the head of the corpse and gazed for several minutes
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Speaker 1: on the dead man's face. Then, lifting the cold hand,
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Speaker 1: he pressed it affectionately in his God received thee. Lewis
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Speaker 1: God receive thee, he said, and his eyes filled with
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Speaker 1: the first tears that they had shed that day. I
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Speaker 1: see no use now, sir, he continued, turning to the
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Speaker 1: officer who had taken the command of the royal forces.
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Speaker 1: I see no use of delaying any longer the surrender
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Speaker 1: of the village. I am ready in person to give
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Speaker 1: it up to you this moment, and also to surrender
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Speaker 1: my sword. The only favor I have to ask is
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Speaker 1: that you will make it known to His Majesty that
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Speaker 1: I had no share in the event by which my
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Speaker 1: unhappy friend here fell. The shot which slew him was
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Speaker 1: intended for me, as you are doubtless aware, perfectly, replied
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Speaker 1: the commander. And I have already sent off a despatch
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Speaker 1: to the King giving him an account of the events
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Speaker 1: of this morning. And I, myself, joined with all the
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Speaker 1: officers here present, have not failed to testify our sense
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Speaker 1: of the noble, upright and disinterested conduct of the Count
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Speaker 1: of Morseilles. I would fain speak with him a word alone, however,
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Speaker 1: and he drew him aside to the window. Count he said,
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Speaker 1: I shall not demand your sword, nor in any way
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Speaker 1: affect your liberty if you will promise to go to
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Speaker 1: Paris immediately and surrender yourself there. If you would take
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Speaker 1: my advice, you would go at once to the King
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Speaker 1: and cast yourself at his feet, ask for no audience,
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Speaker 1: but seek admission to him at some public moment. If
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Speaker 1: fortune favors you, which I trust it will, you may
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Speaker 1: have an opportunity of explaining to his Majesty many things
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Speaker 1: that have probably been misrepresented. I shall certainly follow your advice,
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Speaker 1: said the Count, since you put it in my power
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Speaker 1: to do so. Ah, gentlemen, cried Rauquet, who had been
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Speaker 1: listening unperceived to all they said. If the poor Chevalier
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Speaker 1: had lived, the Count would have been quite safe, for
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Speaker 1: he had the means of proving that the Count saved
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Speaker 1: the King's life not long ago, of which his Majesty
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Speaker 1: knows nothing. I heard the man er vow make his
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Speaker 1: confession to the Chevalier with my own ears, but he
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Speaker 1: could not take it down, for the man died before
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Speaker 1: pen and ink could do the work. That is unfortunate, indeed,
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Speaker 1: said the Commander. But still you can give your testimony
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Speaker 1: of the facts, my good friend, bless you, sir, replied Duquet.
19:55
Speaker 1: They will never believe anything I can say. I fear not, indeed,
19:59
Speaker 1: replied the Count. Besides, Sir, my good friend Vique, if
20:02
Speaker 1: he went to Paris, would have so much to confess
20:04
Speaker 1: on his own account that they would not mind what
20:07
Speaker 1: he said in regard to the confessions of others. Unfortunately, too,
20:12
Speaker 1: said the Commander, All the papers of Athreimon, if I
20:15
Speaker 1: remember right, were ordered to be burnt by the common hangman.
20:20
Speaker 1: Such was the sentence of the court I know, and
20:22
Speaker 1: it must have been executed long ago. However, Count, the
20:26
Speaker 1: plan that I have proposed is still the best speed
20:29
Speaker 1: you to Paris. With what haste you may cast yourself
20:32
Speaker 1: upon the King's mercy, tell him all and everything, if
20:36
Speaker 1: he will permit you to do so, and engage all
20:39
Speaker 1: your friends to support your cause. At the same moment,
20:42
Speaker 1: take your way at once into Brittany, he added, dropping
20:45
Speaker 1: his voice, and from thence to Paris. For I very
20:48
Speaker 1: much fear that the result would be fatal if you
20:51
Speaker 1: were to fall into the hands of the Intendant of Partu.
20:54
Speaker 1: He is exasperated to the highest degree. You have surrendered
20:58
Speaker 1: at discretion, taken with arms in your hand. He has
21:01
Speaker 1: already broken on the wheel two or three under the
21:04
Speaker 1: same circumstances, and I dare not deal with him in
21:08
Speaker 1: the same way that the Chevalier Devron did, for I
21:10
Speaker 1: have not sufficient power. The Count thanked him for his
21:14
Speaker 1: advice and followed it. And as we must not pause
21:17
Speaker 1: upon such circumstances as the surrender of the village, we
21:20
Speaker 1: shall let that event be supposed to have taken place,
21:23
Speaker 1: and in our next chapter shall, if possible, pursue this
21:27
Speaker 1: sad history to its conclusion. End of chapter thirty five