The Casque's Lark; or, Victoria, the Mother of the Camps

by Eugène Sue

  CHAPTER X.

  TETRIK.

  The personage who now entered the apartment was an undersized man ofmiddle age. His face was refined and gentle; an affable smile playedpermanently around his lips. In short, his exterior bespoke so fully theman of honor that, seeing him enter, Victoria could not refrain fromcasting at me a look that still seemed to reproach me for my suspicions.

  Tetrik walked straight to Victoria, kissed her on the forehead withpaternal familiarity and said:

  "Greeting to you, Victoria!"

  And approaching the cradle in which the grandson of the Mother of theCamps still slept, the Governor of Gascony contemplated the child withtenderness, and added, in a low voice, as if afraid to awaken him:

  "Sleep, poor little one! You are smiling in your infantine dreams, andyou know not that, perhaps, the future of our beloved Gaul may rest uponyour head. Sleep, little fellow, predestined, no doubt, to carry out thetask that your glorious father has undertaken! A noble task that willengage his efforts for many long years under the inspiration of youraugust grandmother! Sleep, poor little one," Tetrik added, with eyesdimmed with tears of tenderness, "the gods that are propitious to Gaulwill watch over you--you will grow up for the welfare of your country!"

  While her relative wiped his moist eyes, Victoria again interrogated mewith her looks, as if asking me whether such was the language and thephysiognomy of a traitor, of a cowardly hypocrite, of a man who was aperfidious enemy of the child's father.

  Turning then to me, Tetrik said affectionately:

  "Greeting to the best, the most faithful friend of the woman whom I mostlove and venerate in the world; greeting to Victoria's foster-brother."

  "Your speech is true. I am the obscurest but also the most devotedfriend of Victoria," I answered looking fixedly at Tetrik, "and it isthe duty of a friend to unmask scamps and traitors."

  "I am of your opinion, friend Schanvoch," Tetrik answered withsimplicity. "A friend's first duty is to unmask scamps and traitors. Ifear the roaring lion with its jaws wide open less than the serpent thatcreeps in the dark."

  "Now, then, I, Schanvoch, have this to say to you, Tetrik. You are oneof the dangerous reptile that you have just mentioned. I consider you atraitor! And I purpose to unmask your treason!"

  "Schanvoch!" cried Victoria interrupting me in a reproachful tone.

  "I perceive that the old Gallic love for raillery, one of ourfranchises, has returned with our gods and our freedom," replied thegovernor smiling.

  And turning to Victoria he added:

  "Our friend Schanvoch possesses the art of dry humor--the most amusingof all--"

  "My brother speaks seriously and out of an honorable impulse," theMother of the Camps broke in saying. "And I grieve thereat, since Iknow that he is mistaken; but he is sincere in his error--"

  Tetrik let his eyes wander alternately from Victoria to me with nolittle amazement; for a moment he was silent; thereupon he said in aserious and penetrating voice:

  "All faithful friends are quick to suspect. Good Schanvoch, yourdistrust is inexplicable to me; but it must have its reason. The attackwas frank, frank shall be the answer. Let us settle the question. Whatis your charge against me?"

  "About a month ago you came to Mayence. A man of your retinue, yoursecretary, Morix by name and well supplied with money, gave the soldiersto drink and at the same time endeavored to irritate them againstVictorin, saying to them that it was disgraceful that their general, oneof the two chiefs of regenerated Gaul, should be a drunkard and aprofligate. Did your secretary hold such language, yes or no? I wait foryour answer."

  "Proceed, friend Schanvoch, proceed--"

  "Your secretary told a story that, being subsequently spread through thecamp, has greatly irritated the soldiers against Victorin. This was thestory: A few months ago, Victorin and several officers went to a tavernon one of the isles in the Rhine; after having drunk copiously,Victorin, excited by the wine, violated the innkeeper's wife, and shethereupon killed herself in despair--"

  "Calumny!" cried Victoria. "I know and condemn my son's faults--but heis incapable of such an infamous act!"

  The governor listened to me without betraying the slightest emotion.Presently he said with a smile and his habitual placidity ofcountenance:

  "So, then, good Schanvoch, it is your opinion that, obedient to ordersreceived from me, my secretary spread unworthy calumnies in the camp?"

  "Yes. It is all done with your knowledge and consent."

  "And what could be my motive?"

  "You are ambitious--"

  "And in what manner could such calumnies subserve my ambition?"

  "If the dissatisfaction of the soldiers with Victorin, whom theyelected, continues, you would then use your influence with Victoria tothe end of inducing her to propose you to the soldiers as Victorin'ssuccessor in the government of Gaul."

  "A mother! Did you stop to consider that, good Schanvoch?" Tetrikanswered looking at Victoria. "A mother sacrifice a son to a friend!"

  "In the greatness of her love for her country, Victoria would certainlysacrifice her son to your elevation if the measure became necessary tothe welfare of Gaul. Am I mistaken, sister?"

  "No," Victoria answered me evidently grieved at my accusations againsther relative; "in that you say the truth, but as to the inferences thatyou draw therefrom, I reject them."

  "And that heroic sacrifice, good Schanvoch," resumed the governor,"Victoria is expected to make knowing that it was through my undergroundcalumnies that her son's reputation was blasted with the soldiers?"

  "My sister would not have been aware of your intrigues had I notunmasked them. Besides, more than once did I hear her say, and justlysay, that in case peace was established, it would be better for thecountry if its chief, instead of being ever prone to battle, gaveserious thought to the healing of the wounds inflicted by the pastwars. She often mentioned you as one of the men who wisely prefer peaceto war."

  "It is true, I hold that the sword, good to destroy, is impotent toreconstruct," remarked Victoria; "and the freedom of Gaul once firmlyestablished, I would prefer to see my son give more thought to peacethan to war. It was, therefore, Schanvoch, that I commissioned you withone last attempt with the Franks, looking to the restoration of peace."

  "Allow that I interrupt you, Victoria," put in Tetrik, "and that I askour friend Schanvoch whether he has any other charges against me."

  "I charge you with being either the secret agent of the Roman EmperorGalien, or the agent of the chief of the new creed, Roman Catholicism."

  "I!" cried the governor. "I the agent of the Christians!"

  "I said the agent of the chief of the new creed. I refer to the Bishopof Rome, who entitles himself 'Sovereign Pontiff.'"

  "I the agent of Etienne, the Bishop of Rome, and fourteenth Pope of thenew church?--of that Pope, of whom Firmilien, the Bishop of Caesarea,wrote to Cyprian, the presiding officer of the Spanish council, composedof twenty-eight bishops: 'Would one believe that that man (Pope Etienne)had a soul in his body? Evidently his body is but ill conducted, and hissoul is in a disordered condition. Etienne does not stick at calling hisbrother Cyprian a false Christ, a false apostle, a fraudulent artisan;in order to forestall having these things said of himself, he has theaudacity to make the accusation against others.' And can I be the agentof that ambitious pontiff! Of that simoniacal bishop, who is given overto all manner of vices!"

  "Yes--unless that, deceiving at once both the Roman Emperor and the Popeof Rome, you are serving both, ready to sacrifice the one or the other,according as your ambition may require."

  "That I serve the Romans is a thing that I am ready to admit," Tetrikanswered with his unalterable placidity. "However unjust your suspiciontowards me, it may be understood, as an instance of extreme patriotism.We are well aware that, although we have succeeded, by force of arms, toreconquer during nearly three centuries, inch by inch the full freedomonce enjoyed by old Gaul, the Roman Emperors have seen with sorrow ourcountry slip from their
dominion. Accordingly, I can understand,Schanvoch, how you might accuse me of desiring to arrive at power inGaul, with the end in view of sooner or later restoring the country tothe Romans, although in doing so I would be betraying it mostinfamously. But is it imaginable that I act in the interest of the Popeof the Christians, of those unhappy people who are everywhere persecutedand martyrized? It is not a sane thought! What could I do for them? Whatcould they do for me?"

  Schanvoch was about to answer. Victoria interrupted him with a gestureand said to Tetrik while she pointed to the cross of black wood, theemblem of the death of Jesus, that was placed near the brass vase withthe seven twigs of mistletoe, a druid symbol much in use among theGauls:

  "Look at that cross, Tetrik, it tells you that, without infidelity toour own gods, I nevertheless venerate him who said that no man has theright to oppress his fellows; that the guilty merit pity andconsolation, not contempt and severity; and that the irons of the slaveshould be stricken off. Blessed be these maxims, Tetrik; the wisest ofour druids have accepted them as holy; accordingly, you may judge howdearly I love the gentle and pure morality of that young man ofNazareth. But listen, Tetrik," Victoria added pensively, "there issomething unexplainable, strange and mysterious that makes me shudder.Yes, many a time and oft, during my long watches beside the cradle of mygrandson, and when I pondered the present and the past, tormentingthoughts crowded upon my mind concerning the future of our well-belovedGaul."

  "And whence does your terror proceed?" Tetrik asked. "What is itscause?"

  "That for three successive centuries Rome was the implacable foe ofGaul," Victoria answered; "that for so many centuries Rome was themerciless scourge of the world!"

  "Rome?" replied the governor. "Pagan Rome?"

  "Yes. The tyranny that weighed down upon the world had its seat inRome," rejoined Victoria. "Now, then, I ask myself, by what strangefatality have the bishops, the Popes of the new creed, who aspire toreign over the universe by ruling the sovereigns of the world, been ledto establish the seat of their empire in Rome? Jesus of Nazareth brandedthe high priests as liars and hypocrites. He preached above all,humility, forgiveness, equality, fraternity among men, and lo! in hisapotheosized name, we now see a new hierarchy of high priests arising,pretending to be the rulers of the world, and already, as Pope Etienne,meriting the charges of ambition, deception and intolerance, even fromtheir fellow Christian bishops!"

  "Is it you, Victoria, who hold such language?" Tetrik interrupted hersaying: "You so wise, so enlightened--can you fear the future of Gaulto be endangered by those unhappy people who bear witness to their faithby their martyrdom?"

  "Oh!" cried the Mother of the Camps with exaltation. "I love, I admirethose poor Christians who die in torture while proclaiming the equalityof man before God, the liberation of the slaves, the community of goods,love and forgiveness for the guilty! I love, I admire those poorChristians who die on the scaffold and proclaim in the name of Jesus:'Those are monsters of iniquity who hold their brothers in bondage, wholeave them to suffer in cold and hunger, instead of sharing with themtheir bread and their cloak.' Oh! pity and veneration for those heroicmartyrs! But I stand in dread of those people who call themselves thechiefs, the Popes of the Christians. Yes, I stand in dread of those highpriests who have fixed upon Rome as the seat of their mysteriousempire!--in that city, the center of the most frightful tyranny that hasever crushed down the human race! I fear for the future of Gaul fromthat quarter."

  "Victoria," again Tetrik interrupted, saying: "You exaggerate the powerof those Christian pontiffs. Have not large numbers of them, persecutedby the Roman Emperors, undergone martyrdom, like any other neophytes?"

  "Every battle has its dead, and the Popes struggle with the Emperors inorder to wrench from these the dominion over the world! Among thosebishops there have been many who have spoken and died like Jesus. But ifthere are some worthy pontiffs among them, and they are few, thedomination of the priests is not, for that, any the less dread avisitation upon the people. Has not the government of our own priestsbeen despotic and merciless? Did not the druids leave the people forover ten centuries steeped in crassest ignorance, governing them withthe instruments of barbarism--superstition and terror? Did not thosedays of oppression and debasement last until the glorious and prosperousepoch when, merged in the body of the nation as citizens, fathers andsoldiers, our druids took part in the common life of the people, in thejoys of the family, and in the national wars against the foreigner? WhatI apprehend for the future of the nations is that some day there may beestablished in Rome a murky alliance between the Pope and the mostpowerful Emperors and Kings of the world! Unhappy will that day be forthe peoples! From such an alliance a frightful political and religioustyranny will be born, and it will be watered with the blood of freshmartyrs! Woe, then, to the peoples! They will once more be made to bendunder a pitiless theocratic yoke!"

  As she uttered these words, Victoria seemed inspired by the propheticgenius of the female druids of olden times. Tetrik listened to her insilence, but instead of answering, he resumed with a smile:

  "See how far we have wandered from the charges that our friend Schanvochhas preferred against me--and yet, Victoria, your words, regarding theapprehension that the Christian high priests, as you style them, fillyou with for the future, in a manner bring us back to the charges. So,then, Schanvoch, the purpose of the perfidies that you charge me with isto arrive at power in Gaul, to the end of betraying the country to paganor to Catholic Rome?"

  "Yes, that is my opinion."

  "Schanvoch, I shall not need many words for my defense. One of mysecretaries did seek to arouse the hostility of our soldiers againstVictorin. Your revelation comes rather late--"

  "I learned the facts only yesterday."

  "That is of no consequence," he replied, "that secretary was dismissedby me just because I learned that, irritated at Victorin for havingrailed at him several times, he sought to revenge himself by spreadingagainst the general calumnies that were even more ridiculous and odious.But let us drop these petty matters. I am ambitious, you say, friendSchanvoch! I aim at the government of Gaul, even if, in order toaccomplish my purpose, I should have to resort to unworthy intrigues!Now, ask Victoria what errand brings me back to Mayence."

  "Tetrik believes that the peace and prosperity of Gaul require that thesoldiers be induced to proclaim my son's son the heir of his father'soffice. Tetrik believes he can count upon the consent of EmperorGalien."

  "Tetrik must, then, anticipate the speedy death of Victorin," I answeredlooking fixedly at the governor.

  He, however, whose eyes were rarely met, seeing he kept them habituallylowered, answered:

  "The Franks are on the other side of the Rhine--and Victorin is oftemerarious bravery. My ardent wish is that he may live many more years;but death has no respect even for the most valuable life. It is myopinion that Gaul would find a pledge of security for the future if itknew that after Victorin the power would remain with the son of him whomthe army acclaimed its chief, especially seeing that the child wouldhave for his instructress Victoria, the Mother of the Camps."

  "But in case Victoria were to die, who tells me, Tetrik, that you wouldnot have yourself appointed the child's tutor, exercise the power in hisname, and in that manner arrive at the government of Gaul?"

  "Are you speaking seriously, Schanvoch?" Tetrik replied. "Ask Victoriawhether she needs my help in order to render her grandson worthy of herand of the country? Do you imagine she is one of those weak women whofeel forced to share a glorious task with others? Is not the idolatrythat the soldiers entertain for her a sufficient guarantee that, in theevent of Victorin's premature death, she could preserve alone thewardship of her grandson and govern in his name?"

  Victoria shook her head thoughtfully and sadly, and said:

  "I do not like your project of transmitting the office by inheritance,Tetrik. What! Shall a child, still in his cradle, be designated to thesoldiers for their choice! Who knows what may become of this child?"
>
  "Has he not you for his teacher?" asked Tetrik.

  "Have I not been the teacher and instructress of Victorin also?" theMother of the Camps answered sadly. "And yet, despite all my vigilantcares, my son has defects that serve as the basis for frightfulcalumnies. But of these, I sincerely assure you, Tetrik, I hold youguiltless; and I now hope that my brother Schanvoch will join me indoing justice to your loyalty."

  "I said so before, I repeat it now--I suspect this man!" I answeredVictoria.

  She replied with impatience: "And I said so before and repeat itnow--you are a head of iron, a genuine Breton head, rebellious to allreason, the moment a notion takes root in your brain."

  Instinctively convinced of Tetrik's perfidy, but having no more proofsagainst him, I said nothing more.

  But Tetrik resumed with a smile, and without betraying the slightestperturbation:

  "Neither you nor I, Victoria, could convince our good Schanvoch of hiserror. Let us leave that to an irresistible seductress--Truth. It willwith time furnish the evidence of my loyalty. We shall return later,Victoria, to your repugnance in the matter of causing the army toacclaim your grandson the heir of his father's office. I still expect toovercome your scruples. But as I came in I saw one of your officers whoseemed to await his turn for an audience. Do you not think it well tolet him come in? It is Captain Marion, the old blacksmith, whom youintroduced to me at my first trip to the camp as one of the bravest menin the army."

  "His valor matches his disposition and good judgment," replied theMother of the Camps. "The man has a noble heart and is a faithfulfriend. Despite his promotion, he has continued to love as a brother oneof the old companions of his trade, who remained a simple soldier."

  "Even at the risk of being again taken for an iron head, I am of theopinion that in the matter of this affection the good heart of CaptainMarion misleads his judgment. I can only hope, Victoria, that yourblindness may not be as complete as Captain Marion's."

  "Do you mean that the faithful companion of Captain Marion is hisenemy?" queried Victoria. "You are singularly mistrustful to-day,brother!"

  When I alluded to Captain Marion and his friend I again sought to catchthe eyes of the Governor of Gascony, but in vain. Nevertheless it waswith no slight surprise that I noticed him slightly start with joy whenI asserted that Captain Marion had a secret foe in his camp companion.Ever master over himself, Tetrik doubtlessly feared that slight as washis manifestation of joy it might not have escaped me. He said:

  "Envy is so revolting a feeling that I can never hear it mentionedwithout it makes a painful impression upon me. I feel positively grievedat what Schanvoch, who in this respect also, I hope, may be mistaken,tells us of the comrade of Captain Marion. But, should my presenceprevent you from receiving the captain, Victoria, I shall withdraw."

  "On the contrary, I wish you to be present at the interview that I am tohave with Marion and my brother Schanvoch. They were given importantcommissions by my son, and yet," she added with a sigh, "the morning ispassing, and my son is not yet home!"

  At that very moment the door of the room was thrown open, and Victorinentered accompanied by Captain Marion.