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023 - The Conspirators · Huguenot- A Tale of the French Protestants

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Speaker 1: Chapter twenty three of The Huguenot by George Payne Rainsford James.
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Speaker 1: This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Chapter twenty three.
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Speaker 1: The conspirators in such dark anticipations and gloomy reflections, as
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Speaker 1: we have mentioned in the end of the last chapter,
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Speaker 1: the Count de Morceaux passed the solitary hours till a
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Speaker 1: servant appeared to conduct him to the supper table of
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Speaker 1: the governor. Had he not wished to think, indeed, he
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Speaker 1: might have easily found amusement either in the court below,
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Speaker 1: where a number of the other prisoners were walking, or
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Speaker 1: in the small library of the chateau. But he did
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Speaker 1: wish to think, and however sad and somber the stream
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Speaker 1: of thought might be, at that moment, his cause only
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Speaker 1: seemed too soon interrupted. The governor was civil, and even
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Speaker 1: intended to be very affable, but Albert of Mosseaux was
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Speaker 1: not of a character to be amused with the anecdotes
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Speaker 1: of a debauched soldier's life, And the only variety which
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Speaker 1: the conversation of Besmo afforded were tales of the regency
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Speaker 1: of Anne of Austria, which, though they might at any
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Speaker 1: other moment have served to entertain an idle hour, were
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Speaker 1: too light and insignificant to take hold of a mind
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Speaker 1: agitated and writhing like that of the Count. The governor
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Speaker 1: thought his guests very dull, and after having made various
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Speaker 1: essays to enliven him, he proposed that they should sit
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Speaker 1: down to play for sums written upon pieces of paper,
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Speaker 1: which were to be accounted for after the count's liberation.
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Speaker 1: The young nobleman would have certainly lost the good opinion
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Speaker 1: of Besmo forever by declining this proposal, had it not
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Speaker 1: so occurred that two incidents intervened which prevented him from
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Speaker 1: pressing it. The first was the arrival of a large
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Speaker 1: packet of linen and other clothes for the use of
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Speaker 1: the Count, and the governor, who found a real pleasure
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Speaker 1: in the execution of the task of a jailer, proceeded
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Speaker 1: to examine with his own eyes and hands every separate
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Speaker 1: article which had been sent. It may be supposed that
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Speaker 1: after the intimation which he had received on the road,
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Speaker 1: the young count's heart felt nose like agitation and interest
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Speaker 1: during the scrutiny. But if anything was written in the
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Speaker 1: manner which Riquet had stated, no discovery thereof was made,
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Speaker 1: and having completely satisfied himself, Besmo ordered the packet to
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Speaker 1: be carried to the chamber of the Count. The little
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Speaker 1: excitement thus produced had scarcely worn away when the great
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Speaker 1: bell was heard to ring, and the officer upon guard
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Speaker 1: appeared to demand the keys according to the usual form,
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Speaker 1: the governor demanded for whose admission? For the admission, said
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Speaker 1: the officer, reading from a scrap of paper, for the
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Speaker 1: admission of Louis de Rohan, called the Chevalier de Rohan.
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Speaker 1: The governor started up in some surprise. On what charge
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Speaker 1: he demanded? For? High treason, replied the officer, and Besmo
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Speaker 1: immediately gave orders for the Chevalier to be brought to
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Speaker 1: his apartments. Monsieur de Morseilles, he said, you will be
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Speaker 1: good enough to follow the port clay, who will conduct
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Speaker 1: you back to your chamber. Do you feel it cold?
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Speaker 1: For the king allows firing. I have felt it slightly cold,
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Speaker 1: the count replied, And of course the state of a
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Speaker 1: prisoner does not tend to warm the heart. Give wood
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Speaker 1: to the Count in his chamber, said Besmod to one
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Speaker 1: of the turnkeys, who had entered at the same time
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Speaker 1: with the officer on guard. And now good night. Count,
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Speaker 1: no word to the prisoner if you pass him on
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Speaker 1: the stairs. The Count rose and departed, and, as the
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Speaker 1: governor had anticipated, met the Chevalier de Rohan at the
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Speaker 1: foot of the stairs. That unfortunate gentleman was guarded by
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Speaker 1: a musketeer on either side, and a man holding a
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Speaker 1: torch preceding him. The moment that his eye fell upon
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Speaker 1: the Count de Morceur, he stopped and appeared as if
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Speaker 1: he were about to speak. But an officer who was
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Speaker 1: behind and in whom the Count de Morceux instantly recognized,
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Speaker 1: the Marquis of Brisac, major of the King's guard, exclaimed aloud,
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Speaker 1: passan monsieur de Rohan. The Count, who certainly had no
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Speaker 1: desire to hold any communications with him, merely bowed his head, and,
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Speaker 1: followed by the turnkey, passed out into the court. Though
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Speaker 1: Brisac knew him well, he took not the slightest notice
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Speaker 1: of him as he passed, and the Count was conducted
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Speaker 1: to his chamber in the Tower of Liberty, as it
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Speaker 1: was called, where firing and lights were almost immediately afterwards
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Speaker 1: brought him on, leaving him. However, the turnkey showed by
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Speaker 1: locking the heavy door without that the name of the
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Speaker 1: tower had but little real meaning, and the harsh sound
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Speaker 1: of the grating iron fell heavily and painfully upon the
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Speaker 1: Count's ear. There was, however, the hope before him of
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Speaker 1: receiving some intelligence from his friends without, and as soon
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Speaker 1: as he had made sure that the turnkey was gone
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Speaker 1: for the night, he eagerly opened the packet of clothes
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Speaker 1: that had been sent and endeavored by the means which
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Speaker 1: had been pointed out, to discover anything which might be
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Speaker 1: written on them. First, he was disappointed, and was beginning
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Speaker 1: to fear that Riquet had been prevented from executing the
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Speaker 1: purpose which he had entertained at length. However, as he
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Speaker 1: held one of the handkerchiefs before the fire, some slight
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Speaker 1: yellow lines began to appear, grew gradually darker and darker,
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Speaker 1: and assumed the form of letters, words, lines, and sentences.
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Speaker 1: The first thing that was written at the top was
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Speaker 1: in the hand of the Valet himself, and contained words
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Speaker 1: of hope and encouragement. It was to the following effect
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Speaker 1: fear not, you shall soon be free. The lady has
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Speaker 1: been told of all. The priest has gone safely back
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Speaker 1: to Poitou. No suspicion attaches to anyone, and means are
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Speaker 1: taking to do away the evil. The next sentences were
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Speaker 1: in a different handwriting, and perhaps the young count might
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Speaker 1: not have been able to recognize whose it was so different?
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Speaker 1: Did it seem upon the linen and in natink from
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Speaker 1: the usual writing of claiments. Had not the words been
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Speaker 1: sufficient to show him from whom it proceeded? Fear not,
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Speaker 1: dear Albert, The writing went, I have heard all, and grieve,
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Speaker 1: but do not despond. I have been sent for to
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Speaker 1: see one to morrow morning early, who is all powerful.
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Speaker 1: She loved me in my childhood. She promised me many
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Speaker 1: things in my youth which I was too proud to accept.
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Speaker 1: But I will now cast all pride away for the
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Speaker 1: sake of him I love. A few lines more were written,
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Speaker 1: still further down, but as the Count was turning eagerly
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Speaker 1: to read them, numerous sounds were heard from the court below,
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Speaker 1: the clang of soldiers grounding their arms and voices speaking,
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Speaker 1: and the moment after various footsteps might be distinguished ascending
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Speaker 1: the staircase, which came towards the room. Fearful that he
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Speaker 1: should be discovered, the Count concealed the handkerchiefs in his bosom,
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Speaker 1: but the steps passed by the door of his apartment,
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Speaker 1: and immediately after heavy footfalls were heard in the room above,
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Speaker 1: with voices speaking in sharp and angry tones. Those sounds
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Speaker 1: soon ceased. Above, however, four or five persons were heard
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Speaker 1: to descend the stairs, and then all became quiet, except
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Speaker 1: that a quick footstep was still heard, pacing backwards and
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Speaker 1: forwards in the apartment overhead. That is, the Chevalier de Rohan,
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Speaker 1: thought the Count, what crime, I wonder, can that weak
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Speaker 1: Libertine have committed to deserve the rigorous imprisonment to which
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Speaker 1: it seems he is to be subjected. With such brief thought, however,
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Speaker 1: he dismissed the subject from his mind and turned once
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Speaker 1: more to the writing. By this time it had nearly vanished,
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Speaker 1: but being again exposed to the fire, it reappeared, though
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Speaker 1: more faintly than before. Fearful of interruption, the Count turned
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Speaker 1: to the last lines, which he had not read. They
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Speaker 1: seemed to him, as far as he could judge, to
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Speaker 1: be written in the hand of the Chevalier de Fran, whom,
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Speaker 1: to say sooth in the joys and fears and agitations
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Speaker 1: of the few preceding days, he had nearly forgotten. I
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Speaker 1: have just returned to Paris, dear Albert, it said, having
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Speaker 1: gone down to Poteau to secure evidence which they would
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Speaker 1: never have suffered to transpire if some friend of yours
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Speaker 1: had not been upon the spot. I have secured it.
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Speaker 1: Fear not therefore, for I and your belle claiments are
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Speaker 1: laboring together to set you free O human nature, strange
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Speaker 1: and extraordinary state of existence. How many contradictions dost thou contain,
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Speaker 1: although filled with such good hopes, although containing such proofs
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Speaker 1: of friendship, although conveying such important intelligence. The lines written
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Speaker 1: by the Chevalier Devron were not altogether pleasing to the
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Speaker 1: Count of Morseu, and he felt sensations that he was
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Speaker 1: angry with himself for feeling, but which all his schooling
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Speaker 1: of his own heart could scarcely banish. I shall hate myself,
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Speaker 1: he continued, If I feel thus, must there ever be
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Speaker 1: some counterbalancing thing in life and in feeling, to poise
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Speaker 1: the bad against the good, and to make us less happy,
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Speaker 1: less wise, less generous than we otherwise might be. Here
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Speaker 1: new sensations have sprung up in my bosom of a
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Speaker 1: deeper and a finer kind than I ever knew before,
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Speaker 1: and must there come some petty jealousy, some small, low
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Speaker 1: mean want of confidence, even in those I esteem and
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Speaker 1: love to debase me as much as those other feelings
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Speaker 1: might elevate me. I will think of such things no more,
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Speaker 1: and will only think of Louis with gratitude and affection.
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Speaker 1: Thus saying, or rather thus thinking, he re read the
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Speaker 1: lines that had been written by Claiment's and found therein
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Speaker 1: a balm and a consolation which healed all the evil
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Speaker 1: of the other. Having done so, his next care was
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Speaker 1: to efface the writing, but that he found by no
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Speaker 1: means difficult, damping the handkerchief in the crews of water
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Speaker 1: which had been left for him, and which in a
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Speaker 1: few minutes left not a vestige of the lines which
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Speaker 1: had been traced for his eye alone. He sat up
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Speaker 1: for some time after this examination, soothed and calmed by
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Speaker 1: the tidings he had received, and certainly far more tranquil
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Speaker 1: in every respect than during the first few hours of
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Speaker 1: his confinement. The waning of the lights, however, which had
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Speaker 1: been given to him, warned him at length that it
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Speaker 1: was time to retire to rest, and, after some brief
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Speaker 1: prayers to the Almighty for guidance, protection and deliverance. He
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Speaker 1: undressed himself, extinguished the lights, and laid down to seek repose.
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Speaker 1: But it was in vain that he did so, for
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Speaker 1: as he lay on the small prison bed which was
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Speaker 1: allotted to him, and gazed rowned upon the massy walls
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Speaker 1: of the chamber in which he was confined, with the
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Speaker 1: flickering light of the half extinguished fire flashing from time
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Speaker 1: to time on all the various objects round about. The
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Speaker 1: sensation of imprisonment, of the utter loss of liberty, of
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Speaker 1: being cut off from all correspondents or communication with his
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Speaker 1: fellow men, being in the power and at the mercy
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Speaker 1: of others, without any appeal against their will or any
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Speaker 1: means of deliverance from their hands, came upon him more strongly,
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Speaker 1: more forcibly than ever, and made a heart not easily
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Speaker 1: bent or affected by any apprehensions, sink with a cold
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Speaker 1: feeling of deep and utter despondency. Thus passed several hours
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Speaker 1: till at length weariness overcame thought, and he obtained sleep.
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Speaker 1: Towards the morning, he was awakened by the entrance of
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Speaker 1: one of the turnkeys, accompanied by the major of the bastille.
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Speaker 1: But the tidings which the latter officer brought to the
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Speaker 1: Count de Moseur were by no means pleasant or calculated
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Speaker 1: to confirm the hopes that the words of Clament's and
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Speaker 1: the Chevalier de Frand had held out to him. I
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Speaker 1: am sorry to tell you, Monsieur de Morseux. He said
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Speaker 1: that the governor last night received orders from Monsieur de
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Speaker 1: Luvois to place you in strict a confinement, and he
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Speaker 1: is therefore obliged to say that you can no longer
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Speaker 1: be permit to quit your chamber. Anything that can be
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Speaker 1: done consistent with his duty to render your confinement less
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Speaker 1: painful to you, shall be done, depend upon it. The
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Speaker 1: officer was then bowing as if to retire, but the
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Speaker 1: Count stopped him by asking, is there any objection to
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Speaker 1: my inquiring, sir, whether there is a cause assigned for
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Speaker 1: this new order? In regard to that, I am as
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Speaker 1: ignorant as yourself, replied the Major. All I can tell
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Speaker 1: is that the order was brought by Monsieur de Brisac
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Speaker 1: at the same time that he conveyed hither the Chevalier
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Speaker 1: de Roha, and without waiting for any further questions, he
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Speaker 1: quitted the room in haste, and the turnkey, having brought
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Speaker 1: the Count his breakfast, and as far as possible, arranged
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Speaker 1: the room with some degree of neatness, followed the major
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Speaker 1: and locked the door. The full horrors of imprisonment now
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Speaker 1: fell upon the Count de Monseur, and the day wore
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Speaker 1: away without his holding any further intercourse with any human being,
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Speaker 1: except when his dinner and his supper were brought to
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Speaker 1: him by one of the turnkeys. We need not pause
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Speaker 1: upon his sensations, nor describe minutely or the dark and
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Speaker 1: horrible anticipations which rose like phantoms to people his solitary chamber.
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Speaker 1: Night came at length, and this night, at least he slept,
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Speaker 1: for the exhaustion of his corporeal frame by the intense
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Speaker 1: emotions of his mind was far greater than that which
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Speaker 1: could have been produced by a day of the most
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Speaker 1: unusual exercise. Day had scarcely dawned on the following morning, however,
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Speaker 1: when he was roused by two of the officers of
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Speaker 1: the prison, entering his chamber and desiring him to rise,
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Speaker 1: as an officer from the King was waiting to convey
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Speaker 1: him to the royal chamber at the Arsenal, where a
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Speaker 1: commission was sitting for the purpose of interrogating him and
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Speaker 1: his accomplices. The count made no observation, but hastened to
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Speaker 1: do as he was directed, and as soon as he
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Speaker 1: was dressed, he descended the narrow and torturous staircase into
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Speaker 1: the great court of the Bastille, where he found the
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Speaker 1: soldiers of the garrison drawn up in arms on either side,
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Speaker 1: together with a number of officers belonging to the staff of
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Speaker 1: the garrison, various turnkeys and other jailers, and in their hands,
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Speaker 1: evidently as prisoners, the unfortunate Chevalier de Rohan, and an old,
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Speaker 1: white headed man apparently of seventy years of age, with
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Speaker 1: a shrewd and cunning countenance more strongly expressive of acuteness
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Speaker 1: than vigor of mind. Without suffering him to speak with anyone,
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Speaker 1: the officers of the prison placed him in file immediately
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Speaker 1: after the Chevalier de Rohan. A jailer, however, interposing between
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Speaker 1: each of the prisoners and the one that followed, and
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Speaker 1: thus between a double row of soldiery. They marched on
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Speaker 1: into the Cours du gou rel Mont as if they
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Speaker 1: were about to be conducted to the house of the Governor.
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Speaker 1: When they reached that court, however, they turned at once
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Speaker 1: to the left, mounted a flight of steps leading to
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Speaker 1: a raised terrace which overlooked the water, and then, passing onward,
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Speaker 1: approached the grating which separated that court from the gardens
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Speaker 1: of the Arsenal. At the grating appeared a large body
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Speaker 1: of musketeers, commanded by an officer of the name of Juval,
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Speaker 1: who had served under the Count de Morselles himself, and
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Speaker 1: into his hands the officers of the Bastille delivered their prisoners,
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Speaker 1: who were then marched under a strong escort to the Arsenal,
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Speaker 1: where the Commission was sitting. All the gates of the
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Speaker 1: gardens and of the building itself, the Count remarked, were
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Speaker 1: in the hands of the musketeers of the King, and
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Speaker 1: not another individual was to be seen besides the soldiery
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Speaker 1: in the gardens, usually so thronged with the good citizens
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Speaker 1: of Paris. Passing through several of the narrow and intricate
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Speaker 1: passages of the building, the three prisoners were placed in
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Speaker 1: a room which seemed to have been destined for a
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Speaker 1: military mess room, and while they were kept separate by
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Speaker 1: their guards, an inferior officer was sent out to see
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Speaker 1: whether the commission was ready to proceed, and in a
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Speaker 1: few minutes he returned with two officers of the court,
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Speaker 1: who demanded the presence of Louis Chevalier de Rohan. The
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Speaker 1: interrogation of this prisoner lasted for a great length of time,
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Speaker 1: but at the end of about an hour and a
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Speaker 1: half the same officers reappeared, demanding the presence of Affinius
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Speaker 1: van den Enden, upon which the old man whom we
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Speaker 1: have mentioned rose and followed them out of the room.
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Speaker 1: The Chevalier, however, had not returned with the officers, and
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Speaker 1: during the space of half an hour longer, the Count
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Speaker 1: de Morseux remained in suspense in regard to what was proceeding.
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Speaker 1: At length, the officers once more appeared, and with them
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Speaker 1: the captain of the musketeers, de Jouvel, who, while the
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Speaker 1: ushers pronounced the name of Albert, Count of Morseu, passed
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Speaker 1: by the prisoner as if to speak to one of
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Speaker 1: the soldiers, saying, in a low voice, as he did so,
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Speaker 1: be of good cheer, Count, they have said nothing to
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Speaker 1: criminate you. The count passed on without reply, and followed
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Speaker 1: the ushers into another chamber at the farther end of
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Speaker 1: the passage, where he found a number of lawyer and
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Speaker 1: counselors of state assembled as a royal commission and presided
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Speaker 1: by the well known Larragni. The aspect of the room
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Speaker 1: was not that of a court of justice, and it
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Speaker 1: was evident that the commissioners met simply for the purpose
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Speaker 1: of carrying on the preliminary interrogatories. The Count was furnished
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Speaker 1: with a seat, and after a whispering consultation for a
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Speaker 1: moment between Larraignie and one of his brethren, the former
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Speaker 1: commenced the interrogation of the Count by assuring him of
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Speaker 1: the clemency and mercy of the King's disposition, and adjuring
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Speaker 1: him to tell frankly and straightforwardly the whole truth, as
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Speaker 1: the only means of clearing his reputation and re establishing
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Speaker 1: himself in the royal favor. To this exordium, the Count
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Speaker 1: de Moiseeu merely replied by the inclination of the head,
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Speaker 1: very well, knowing that with some of the gentlemen whom
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Speaker 1: he saw before him, it was advisable to be as
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Speaker 1: niggardly of speech as possible. Larraignie then proceeded to ask
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Speaker 1: how long he had been acquainted with the Chevalier de Rohan,
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Speaker 1: and the Count replied that he had known him for
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Speaker 1: many years. When did you last see him, demanded the judge,
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Speaker 1: And where in the gardens of Versailles, answered the Count calmly,
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Speaker 1: not five minutes before I was myself arrested. And upon
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Speaker 1: what occasion, demanded the judge. Did you see him previously?
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Speaker 1: I saw him, replied the Count, when I visited the
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Speaker 1: Duc de Rouvre at Poitier, and once also upon the
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Speaker 1: road between Paris and Versailles, about three or four days ago.
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Speaker 1: Are you sure that these are the only days that
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Speaker 1: you have seen him, demanded the judge. Recollect yourself, Monsieur
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Speaker 1: le comte. I think you must have forgotten. No, I
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Speaker 1: have not, replied the Count. I have only seen him
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Speaker 1: on these two occasions since I arrived in Paris, and
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Speaker 1: two or three times during my stay at Poitier. Aye
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Speaker 1: there is the fact, said Larni, you saw him frequently
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Speaker 1: at Poitier. I also saw various blacksmiths and lackeys and horseboys,
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Speaker 1: said the Count, Unable to conceive what connection there could
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Speaker 1: exist between any charges against him and those of the
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Speaker 1: Chevalier de Rohan, who was known to be a zealous Catholic.
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Speaker 1: And with them the blacksmiths, lackeys and horseboys, I had
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Speaker 1: as much to do as I had with the Chevalier
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Speaker 1: de Rohan, and no more and pray, continued Larni in
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Speaker 1: the same tone, What private conversations took place between you
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Speaker 1: and the Chevalier a Poitier, to the best of your recollection,
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Speaker 1: Repeat the substance thereof the count smiled, to the best
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Speaker 1: of my recollection. Then he said the substance was as follows,
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Speaker 1: Good day, Count de Morseilles, Good morning, Monsieur de Rohan.
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Speaker 1: What a beautiful deay it is, Monsieur de Morseies. It
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Speaker 1: is the most charming weather. I remember there is a
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Speaker 1: sad want of rain, Monsieur le Chevalier, and I fear
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Speaker 1: the poor peasantry will suffer. Do you go out with
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Speaker 1: the Duke to hunt to day? I think not for
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Speaker 1: my horses at twe Such, sir, is the substance of
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Speaker 1: the only private conversation that took place between myself and
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Speaker 1: the chevalierer Poitier, was that all Monsieur de Morselle, demandedl Reni,
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Speaker 1: with tolerable good humor, are you sure you have forgot
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Speaker 1: nothing of equal importance. I believe I have not forgot
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Speaker 1: one word, replied the Count, except that, on one occasion
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Speaker 1: Monsieur de Rohand said to me, your hat is unlooped, Count,
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Speaker 1: when I am afraid I looped it without thanking him. Well, then,
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Speaker 1: now to somewhat longer and more important conversations. My good gentlemen, said, lo, Renie,
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Speaker 1: what has passed between you and the Chevalier de Rohan
20:40
Speaker 1: when you have met him since your arrival at the court, Why, sir,
20:44
Speaker 1: replied the Count with a grave and somewhat grieved air.
20:48
Speaker 1: I give you my word that nothing passed between the
20:50
Speaker 1: Chevalier de Rohan and myself which at all affected his
20:53
Speaker 1: Majesty's service. And I would feign, if it were possible,
20:57
Speaker 1: avoid entering into particulars which, if I told you to anybody,
21:01
Speaker 1: might be painful to a gentleman of my acquaintance, who
21:04
Speaker 1: I trust may yet clear himself of any serious charge.
21:09
Speaker 1: Monsieur le Comte de Masseaux, said the councilor Omesson. We
21:13
Speaker 1: respect your motives and have regard to the manner in
21:16
Speaker 1: which you have expressed them. But the Chevalier de Rohan
21:19
Speaker 1: I am sorry to inform you stands charged with high
21:22
Speaker 1: treason upon very strong presumptive evidence. There are particular circumstances
21:27
Speaker 1: which induce a belief that you may have had something
21:30
Speaker 1: to do with his schemes. We trust that such is
21:33
Speaker 1: not the case, but it is absolutely necessary that you
21:36
Speaker 1: should clearly and explicitly state the nature of any transactions
21:40
Speaker 1: which may have taken place between you and him, both
21:43
Speaker 1: for your own safety, for his, and out of respect
21:47
Speaker 1: and duty to the King. Then, Sir, I have no
21:50
Speaker 1: other choice, replied the Count, but to yield to your
21:54
Speaker 1: reasons and to beg that you would put your questions
21:56
Speaker 1: in such a shape that I may answer them distinctly
21:59
Speaker 1: and easily. Very well, Monsieur de Monseur, said LARRANI, we
22:04
Speaker 1: have always heard that you are a gentleman of honor
22:07
Speaker 1: who would not prevaricate even to save his own life.
22:10
Speaker 1: Pray inform us what was the nature of the conversation
22:14
Speaker 1: between you and the Chevalier de Rohan on the morning
22:17
Speaker 1: of the twenty third of this month. It was a
22:20
Speaker 1: very short one, replied the Count, somewhat surprised to see
22:23
Speaker 1: what accurate information of his proceedings had been obtained. The
22:28
Speaker 1: chevalier overtook me as I was going to Versailles, and
22:31
Speaker 1: on that occasion Monsieur de Rohan informed me that he
22:34
Speaker 1: had lost a large sum at the gaming table on
22:37
Speaker 1: the night before, and begged me to lend him a
22:39
Speaker 1: hundred louis in the hopes of recovering it by the
22:42
Speaker 1: same means. I advised him strongly to abstain from such proceedings,
22:47
Speaker 1: but of course did not refuse to lend him what
22:49
Speaker 1: he asked. Then did you lend him the hundred louis
22:53
Speaker 1: on the spot? Demanded Lorani. No, replied the Count. I
22:57
Speaker 1: told him that I had not such a sum with me,
23:00
Speaker 1: but promised to send it to him at his lodgings
23:02
Speaker 1: in the course of the afternoon, which I did as
23:05
Speaker 1: soon as ever I arrived at fair Sailles. Pray how
23:09
Speaker 1: it happened, Monsieur de Morseilles, demanded Ormisson, that as you
23:13
Speaker 1: were going to Versailles, the chevalier overtook you going thither.
23:16
Speaker 1: Also you did not ride on together, as would seem
23:19
Speaker 1: natural for two gentlemen like yourselves. Nay, replied the Count, smiling,
23:26
Speaker 1: that I think it pressing the matter rather too far.
23:28
Speaker 1: Monsieur my society might not be pleasant to the Chevalier,
23:32
Speaker 1: or the reverse might not be the case, or we
23:35
Speaker 1: might have other business. By the way, a thousand circumstances
23:38
Speaker 1: of the same kind might occur. Well, then I will
23:42
Speaker 1: put the question straightforwardly and at once, said Ormisson. Had you,
23:46
Speaker 1: or had you not any reason to believe that the
23:49
Speaker 1: Chevalier de Rohan was at that time engaged in schemes
23:52
Speaker 1: dangerous to the state. None in the world, replied the Count,
23:56
Speaker 1: And no such feelings or ideas whatsoever had any share
23:59
Speaker 1: in preventing my riding on with the Chevalier de Rohan.
24:05
Speaker 1: The commissioners looked at each other for a moment with
24:07
Speaker 1: an inquiring glance, and then Larni placed before the Count
24:11
Speaker 1: a note which was to the following effect. My dear Count,
24:15
Speaker 1: I have received what you sent me, for which I
24:18
Speaker 1: return you many thanks, and I have not the slightest
24:21
Speaker 1: doubt by your assistance to be able to accomplish the
24:24
Speaker 1: purpose I have in view. You are devoted the Chevalier
24:28
Speaker 1: de Rohan. Pray, Monsieur de Morselles, said the Councilor do
24:32
Speaker 1: you recognize that note? Most assuredly, replied the Count. I
24:36
Speaker 1: received that note from the Chevalier de Rohan on the
24:39
Speaker 1: very evening of the day we have just mentioned, And pray,
24:43
Speaker 1: what is the interpretation you put upon it? Demanded lar
24:45
Speaker 1: Renie simply replied the Count that he had received the
24:49
Speaker 1: hundred louis which I sent him, and hoped, by employing
24:52
Speaker 1: them at the gaming table, to be enabled to whim
24:55
Speaker 1: back for some that he had lost. It seems to me,
24:59
Speaker 1: said the judge, that the note will very well bear
25:02
Speaker 1: two interpretations, Count, and that supposing a gentleman unfortunate enough
25:06
Speaker 1: to have laid schemes for introducing a foreign enemy into
25:09
Speaker 1: the country, or for causing any of the provinces of
25:12
Speaker 1: the Kingdom to revolt, and supposing him at the same
25:15
Speaker 1: time to be greatly straightened for money and assistance, it
25:19
Speaker 1: seems to me I say that the note before us
25:22
Speaker 1: is just such a one as he would write to
25:24
Speaker 1: a friend who had come to his aid at the
25:26
Speaker 1: moment of need, either by giving him aid of a
25:29
Speaker 1: pecuniary or of any other kind. All I can say, sir,
25:34
Speaker 1: replied the Count, is that the note before you I
25:37
Speaker 1: received from the Chevalier de Rohan, and that no other
25:41
Speaker 1: interpretation than the one I have given was or could
25:44
Speaker 1: be put upon it by me. I knew of no
25:47
Speaker 1: schemes whatsoever against the state, and the Chevalier himself had
25:51
Speaker 1: certainly no other meaning than the one I have assigned.
25:54
Speaker 1: It will be very easy for you, however, gentlemen, to
25:58
Speaker 1: place the note before the Chevalier, and make him explain
26:00
Speaker 1: it himself. Though an unfortunate gentleman, he is still a
26:04
Speaker 1: gentleman of honor, and will tell you the truth. We
26:08
Speaker 1: have had no conversation together upon the subject. We have
26:11
Speaker 1: not even interchanged a word as we came hither, and
26:15
Speaker 1: you can compare his statement with mine. Perhaps that may
26:19
Speaker 1: have been done already, Monsieur de Morsell, said Ormisson. But
26:22
Speaker 1: at all events, we think we may close your examination
26:25
Speaker 1: for to day. The interrogation may be resumed at a
26:28
Speaker 1: future period when other things have become manifest, And we
26:32
Speaker 1: have only at present to exhort you, on all occasions
26:36
Speaker 1: to deal frankly and openly with the court. Such is
26:39
Speaker 1: always my custom to do, Sir, replied the count. I
26:43
Speaker 1: stand before you, conscious of my innocence of any crime whatsoever,
26:47
Speaker 1: and having nothing to conceal, am always ready to state
26:49
Speaker 1: frankly and truly what I know, except when by so
26:53
Speaker 1: doing I may wound or injure others. Thus saying, he
26:58
Speaker 1: bowed to the commissioners and retire. At the door of
27:01
Speaker 1: the chamber, he found two musketeers waiting for his coming out, and,
27:05
Speaker 1: being placed between them, he was once more conducted back
27:08
Speaker 1: to the Bastille by the same way he had come.
27:11
Speaker 1: He was then led by the turnkeys, who were in
27:14
Speaker 1: waiting to receive him to the same apartment which he
27:17
Speaker 1: had previously occupied. But before nightfall it was notified to
27:21
Speaker 1: him that the liberties of the bastille were restored to him,
27:25
Speaker 1: and he received some slight solace by knowing that he
27:28
Speaker 1: should not, for some time at least be confined to
27:31
Speaker 1: the solitary discomfort of his own apartment, with no occupation
27:36
Speaker 1: but destride from one side to the other, or gazing
27:39
Speaker 1: out of the narrow window endeavored to gain a sight
27:42
Speaker 1: of what was passing in the Rue s ant Antoine.
27:46
Speaker 1: End of Chapter twenty three