A Ladder of Swords: A Tale of Love, Laughter and Tears

by Gilbert Parker

  IX

  The next day at noon, as her Majesty had advised the seigneur, De laForet was ushered into the presence. The Queen's eye quickened as shesaw him, and she remarked with secret pleasure the figure and bearingof this young captain of the Huguenots. She loved physical grace andprowess with a full heart. The day had almost passed when she wouldmeasure all men against Leicester in his favor; and he, knowing thisclearly now, saw with haughty anxiety the gradual passing of hispower, and clutched futilely at the vanishing substance. Thus it wasthat he now spent his strength in getting his way with the Queen inlittle things. She had been so long used to take his counsel--in somepart wise and skilful that when she at length did without it orfollowed her own mind, it became a fever with him to let no chancepass for serving his own will by persuading her out of hers. Thiswas why he had spent an hour the day before in sadly yetvaguely reproaching her for the slight she put upon him in thepresence-chamber by her frown, and another in urging her to come toterms with Catherine de Medici in this small affair--since theFrenchwoman had set her revengeful heart upon it--that larger mattersmight be settled to the gain of England. It was not so much that hehad reason to destroy De la Foret as that he saw that the Queen wasdisposed to deal friendly by him and protect him. He did not see thedanger of rousing in the Queen the same unreasoning tenaciousness ofwill upon just such lesser things as might well be left to heradvisers. In spite of which he almost succeeded, this very day, inregaining, for a time at least, the ground he had lost with her. Hehad never been so adroit, so brilliant, so witty, so insinuating; andhe left her with the feeling that if he had his way concerning De laForet--a mere stubborn whim, with no fair reason behind it--hisinfluence would be again securely set. The sense of crisis was onhim.

  On Michel de la Foret entering the presence the Queen's attention hadbecome riveted. She felt in him a spirit of mastery yet of unselfishpurpose. Here was one, she thought, who might well be in herhousehold or leading a regiment of her troops. The clear, fresh face,curling hair, direct look, quiet energy, and air of nobility--thissort of man could only be begotten of a great cause; he were notpossible in idle or prosperous times.

  Elizabeth looked him up and down, then affected surprise. "Monsieurde la Foret," she said, "I do not recognize you in thisattire"--glancing towards his dress.

  De la Foret bowed, and Elizabeth continued, looking at a paper in herhand: "You landed on our shores of Jersey in the robes of a priest ofFrance. The passport for a priest of France was found upon yourperson when our officers in Jersey made search of you. Which isyourself--Michel de la Foret, soldier, or a priest of France?"

  De la Foret replied, gravely, that he was a soldier and that thepriestly dress had been but a disguise.

  "In which papist attire, methinks, Michel de la Foret, soldier andHuguenot, must have been ill at ease--the eagle with the vulture'swing. What say you, monsieur?"

  "That vulture's wing hath carried me to a safe dove-cote, yourgracious Majesty," he answered, with a low obeisance.

  "I'm none so sure of that, monsieur," was Elizabeth's answer, and sheglanced quizzically at Leicester, who made a gesture of annoyance."Our cousin, France, makes you to us a dark intriguer andconspirator, a dangerous weed in our good garden of England, a'troublous, treacherous violence'--such are you called, monsieur."

  "I am in your high Majesty's power," he answered, "to do with me asit seemeth best. If your Majesty wills it that I be returned toFrance, I pray you set me upon its coast as I came from it, afugitive. Thence will I try to find my way to the army and the poor,stricken people of whom I was. I pray for that only, and not to begiven to the red hand of the Medici."

  "Red hand--by my faith, but you are bold, monsieur!"

  Leicester tapped his foot upon the floor impatiently, then caught theQueen's eye and gave her a meaning look.

  De la Foret saw the look and knew his enemy, but he did not quail."Bold only by your high Majesty's faith, indeed," he answered theQueen, with harmless guile.

  Elizabeth smiled. She loved such nattering speech from a strong man.It touched a chord in her deeper than that under Leicester's finger.Leicester's impatience only made her more self-willed on the instant.

  "You speak with the trumpet note, monsieur," she said to De la Foret."We will prove you. You shall have a company in my Lord Leicester'sarmy here, and we will send you upon some service worthy of yourfame."

  "I crave your Majesty's pardon, but I cannot do it," was De laForet's instant reply. "I have sworn that I will lift my sword inone cause only, and to that I must stand. And more--the widow of mydead chief, Gabriel de Montgomery, is set down in this landunsheltered and alone. I have sworn to one who loves her, and for mydead chief's sake, that I will serve her and be near her until betterdays be come and she may return in quietness to France. In exile wefew stricken folk must stand together, your august Majesty."

  Elizabeth's eye flashed up. She was impatient of refusal of herfavor. She was also a woman, and that De la Foret should flaunt hisdevotion to another woman was little to her liking. The woman in her,which had never been blessed with a noble love, was roused. Thesourness of a childless, uncompanionable life was stronger for themoment than her strong mind and sense.

  "Monsieur has sworn this, and monsieur has sworn that," she said,petulantly--"and to one who loveth a lady, and for a cause--tut! tut!tut!--"

  Suddenly a kind of intriguing laugh leaped into her eye, and sheturned to Leicester and whispered in his ear. Leicester frowned, thensmiled, and glanced up and down De la Foret's figure impertinently.

  "See, Monsieur de la Foret," she added, "since you will not fight,you shall preach. A priest you came into my kingdom, and a priest youshall remain; but you shall preach good English doctrine and noPopish folly."

  De la Foret started, then composed himself, and before he had time toreply Elizabeth continued:

  "Partly for your own sake am I thus gracious, for as a preacher ofthe Word I have not need to give you up, according to agreement withour brother of France. As a rebel and conspirator I were bound to doso, unless you were an officer of my army. The Seigneur of Rozel hasspoken for you, and the Comtesse de Montgomery has written a pleadingletter. Also I have from another source a tearful prayer--the ink isscare dry upon it--which has been of service to you. But I myselfhave chosen this way of escape for you. Prove yourself worthy andall may be well--but prove yourself you shall. You have prepared yourown brine, monsieur; in it you shall pickle."

  She smiled a sour smile, for she was piqued, and added: "Do you thinkI will have you here squiring of distressed dames save as a priest?You shall hence to Madame of Montgomery as her faithful chaplain,once I have heard you preach and know your doctrine."

  Leicester almost laughed outright in the young man's face now, for hehad no thought that De la Foret would accept, and refusal meant theexile's doom.

  It seemed fantastic that this noble gentleman, this very type of theperfect soldier, with the brown face of a Romany and an athleticvalor of body, should become a preacher even in necessity.

  Elizabeth, seeing De la Foret's dumb amazement and anxiety, spoke upsharply: "Do this, or get you hence to the Medici, and Madame ofMontgomery shall mourn her protector, and mademoiselle, your mistressof the vermilion cheek, shall have one lover the less, which,methinks, our Seigneur of Rozel would thank me for."

  De la Foret started, his lips pressed firmly together in effort ofrestraint. There seemed little the Queen did not know concerning him,and reference to Angele roused him to sharp solicitude.

  "Well, well?" asked Elizabeth, impatiently, then made a motion toLeicester, and he, going to the door, bade some one to enter.

  There stepped inside the Seigneur of Rozel, who made a lumberingobeisance, then got to his knees before the Queen.

  "You have brought the lady safely--with her father?" she asked.

  Lempriere, puzzled, looked inquiringly at the Queen, then replied,"Both are safe without, your infinite Majesty."

  De la Foret's face grew pale. He
knew now for the first time thatAngele and her father were in England, and he looked Lemprieresuspiciously in the eyes; but the swaggering seigneur met his lookfrankly, and bowed with ponderous and genial gravity.

  Now De la Foret spoke. "Your high Majesty," said he, "if I may askMademoiselle Aubert one question in your presence--"

  "Your answer now; the lady in due season," interposed the Queen.

  "She was betrothed to a soldier, she may resent a priest," said De laForet, with a touch of humor, for he saw the better way was to takethe matter with some outward ease.

  Elizabeth smiled. "It is the custom of her sex to have a fondness forboth," she answered, with an acid smile. "But your answer?"

  De la Foret's face became exceeding grave. Bowing his head, he said:"My sword has spoken freely for the cause; God forbid that my tongueshould not speak also. I will do your Majesty's behest."

  The jesting word that was upon the royal lips came not forth, for Dela Foret's face was that of a man who had determined a great thing,and Elizabeth was one who had a heart for high deeds. "The man isbrave indeed," she said, under her breath, and, turning to thedumfounded seigneur, bade him bring in Mademoiselle Aubert.

  A moment later, Angele entered, came a few steps forward, madeobeisance, and stood still. She showed no trepidation, but lookedbefore her steadily. She knew not what was to be required of her--shewas a stranger in a strange land; but persecution and exile had gonefar to strengthen her spirit and greaten her composure.

  Elizabeth gazed at the girl coldly and critically. To women she wasnot over-amiable; but as she looked at the young Huguenot maid, ofthis calm bearing, warm of color, clear of eye, and purposeful offace, something kindled in her. Most like it was that love for acause which was more to be encouraged by her than any woman's lovefor a man, which, as she grew older, inspired her with aversion, astalk of marriage brought cynical allusions to her lips.

  "I have your letter and its protests and its pleadings. There werefine words and adjurations--are you so religious, then?" she asked,brusquely.

  "I am a Huguenot, your noble Majesty," answered the girl, as thoughthat answered all.

  "How is it, then, you are betrothed to a roistering soldier?" askedthe Queen.

  "Some must pray for Christ's sake, and some must fight, your mostChristian Majesty," answered the girl.

  "Some must do both," rejoined the Queen, in a kinder voice, for thepure spirit of the girl worked upon her. "I am told that Monsieur dela Foret fights fairly. If he can pray as well, methinks he shallhave safety in our kingdom, and ye shall all have peace. On TrinitySunday you shall preach in my chapel, Monsieur de la Foret, andthereafter you shall know your fate."

  She rose. "My lord," she said to Leicester, on whose face gloom hadsettled, "you will tell the Lord Chamberlain that Monsieur de laForet's durance must be made comfortable in the west tower of mypalace till chapel-going of Trinity Day. I will send him for hiscomfort and instruction some sermons of Latimer's."

  She stepped down from the dais. "You will come with me, mistress,"she said to Angele, and reached out her hand.

  Angele fell on her knees and kissed it, tears falling down her cheek,then rose and followed the Queen from the chamber. She greatlydesired to look backward towards De la Foret, but some good angelbade her not; she realized that to offend the Queen at this momentmight ruin all; and Elizabeth herself was little like to offer chancefor farewell and love-tokens.

  So it was that, with bowed head, Angele left the room with the Queenof England, leaving Lempriere and De la Foret gazing at each other,the one bewildered, the other lost in painful reverie, and Leicestersmiling maliciously at them both.