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

by Gilbert Parker

  XVII

  At Angele's entrance a form slowly raised itself on a couch, and avoice, not Michel's, said: "Mademoiselle--by our Lady, 'tis she!"

  It was the voice of the Seigneur of Rozel, and Angele started back,amazed.

  "You, monsieur--you!" she gasped. "It was you that sent for me?"

  "Send? Not I--I have not lost my manners yet. Rozel at court is nogreater fool than Lempriere in Jersey."

  Angele wrung her hands. "I thought it De la Foret who was ill. Thesurgeon said to come quickly."

  Lempriere braced himself against the wall, for he was weak and hisfever still high. "Ill?--not he! As sound in body and soul as anyman in England. That is a friend, that De la Foret lover of yours, orI'm no butler to the Queen. He gets leave and brings me here, andcoaxes me back to life again--with not a wink of sleep for him thesefive days past till now."

  Angele had drawn nearer, and now stood beside the couch, tremblingand fearful, for it came to her mind that she had been made thevictim of some foul device. The letter had read: "_Your friend isill._" True, the seigneur was her friend, but he had not sent forher.

  "Where is De la Foret?" she asked, quickly.

  "Yonder, asleep," said the seigneur, pointing to a curtain whichdivided the room from one adjoining.

  Angele ran quickly towards the door, then stopped short. No, shewould not waken him. She would go back at once. She would leave thepalace by the way she came. Without a word she turned and wenttowards the door opening into the hallway. With her hand upon thelatch she stopped short again, for she realized that she did notknow her way through the passages and corridors, and that she mustmake herself known to the servants of the palace to obtain guidanceand exit. As she stood helpless and confused, the seigneur called,hoarsely, "De la Foret! De la Foret!"

  Before Angele could decide upon her course the curtain of the otherroom was thrust aside and De la Foret entered. He was scarce awake,and he yawned contentedly. He did not see Angele, but turned towardsLempriere. For once the seigneur had a burst of inspiration. He sawthat Angele was in the shadow, and that De la Foret had not observedher. He determined that the lovers should meet alone.

  "Your arm, De la Foret," he grunted. "I'll get me to the bed inyonder room--'tis easier than this couch."

  "Two hours ago you could not bear the bed, and must get you to thecouch--and now! Seigneur, do you know the weight you are?" he added,laughing, as he stooped, and, helping Lempriere gently to his feet,raised him slowly in his arms and went heavily with him to thebedroom. Angele watched him with a strange thrill of timid admirationand delight. Surely it could not be that Michel--her Michel--could bebought from his allegiance by any influence on earth. There was thesame old simple laugh on his lips as, with chaffing words, he carriedthe huge seigneur to the other room. Her heart acquitted him then andthere of all blame, past or to come.

  "Michel!" she said aloud, involuntarily--the call of her spirit whichspoke on her lips against her will.

  De la Foret had helped Lempriere to the bed again as he heard hisname called, and he stood suddenly still, looking straight before himinto space. Angele's voice seemed ghostly and unreal.

  "Michel!" he heard again, and he came forward into the room where shewas. Yet once again she said the word scarcely above a whisper, forthe look of rapt wonder and apprehension in his manner overcame her.Now he turned towards her, where she stood in the shadow by thedoor. He saw her, but even yet he did not stir, for she seemed to himstill an apparition.

  With a little cry she came forward to him. "Michel--help me!" shemurmured, and stretched out her hands.

  With a cry of joy he took her in his arms, and pressed her to hisheart. Then a realization of danger came to him.

  "Why did you come?" he asked.

  She told him hastily. He heard with astonishment, and then said:"There is some foul trick here. Have you the message?" She handed itto him. "It is the surgeon's writing, verily," he said; "but it isstill a trick, for the sick man here is Rozel. I see it all. You andI forbidden to meet--it was a trick to bring you here!"

  "Oh, let me go!" she cried. "Michel, Michel, take me hence!" Sheturned towards the door.

  "The gates are closed," he said, as a cannon boomed on the eveningair.

  Angele trembled violently. "Oh, what will come of this?" she cried,in tearful despair.

  "Be patient, sweet, and let me think," he answered.

  At that moment there came a knocking at the door, then it was thrownopen, and there stepped inside the Earl of Leicester, preceded by apage bearing a torch.

  "Is Michel de la Foret within?" he called; then stopped short, asthough astonished, seeing Angele.

  "So! so!" he said, with a contemptuous laugh.

  Michel de la Foret's fingers twitched. He quickly stepped in front ofAngele, and answered: "What is your business here, my lord?"

  Leicester languorously took off a glove, and seemed to stifle a yawnin it; then said: "I came to take you into my service, to urge uponyou for your own sake to join my troops, going upon duty in theNorth; for I fear that if you stay here the Queen Mother of Francewill have her way. But I fear I am too late. A man who has swornhimself into service d'amour has no time for service de la guerre."

  "I will gladly give an hour from any service I may follow to teachthe Earl of Leicester that he is less a swordsman than a trickster."

  Leicester flushed, but answered coolly: "I can understand yourchagrin. You should have locked your door. It is the safer custom."He bowed slightly towards Angele. "You have not learned our Englishhabits of discretion, Monsieur de la Foret. I would only do youservice. I appreciate your choler. I should be no less indignant. So,in the circumstances, I will see that the gates are opened--of courseyou did not realize the flight of time--and I will take mademoiselleto her lodgings. You may rely on my discretion. I am wholly at yourservice--tout a vous, as who should say in your charming language."

  The insolence was so veiled in perfect outward courtesy that it musthave seemed impossible for De la Foret to reply in terms equal to themoment. He had, however, no need to reply, for the door of the roomsuddenly opened, and two pages stepped inside with torches. Theywere followed by a gentleman in scarlet and gold, who said, "TheQueen!" and stepped aside.

  An instant afterwards Elizabeth, with the Duke's Daughter, entered.

  The three dropped upon their knees, and Elizabeth waved without thepages and the gentleman-in-waiting.

  When the doors closed, the Queen eyed the three kneeling figures, andas her glance fell on Leicester a strange glitter came into her eyes.She motioned all to rise, and, with a hand upon the arm of the Duke'sDaughter, said to Leicester:

  "What brings the Earl of Leicester here?"

  "I came to urge upon monsieur the wisdom of holding to the Sword, andleaving the Book to the butter-fingered religious. Your Majesty needsgood soldiers."

  He bowed, but not low, and it was clear he was bent upon a struggle.He was confounded by the Queen's presence--he could not guess why sheshould have come; and that she was prepared for what she saw wasclear.

  "And brought an eloquent pleader with you?" She made a scornfulgesture towards Angele.

  "Nay, your Majesty; the lady's zeal outran my own, and crossed thethreshold first."

  The Queen's face wore a look that Leicester had never seen on itbefore, and he had observed it in many moods.

  "You found the lady here, then?"

  "With monsieur, alone. Seeing she was placed unfortunately, I offeredto escort her hence to her father. But your Majesty came upon themoment."

  There was a ring of triumph in Leicester's voice. No doubt, by somechance, the Queen had become aware of Angele's presence, he thought.Fate had forestalled the letter he had already written on thismatter, and meant to send her within the hour. Chance had played intohis hands with perfect suavity. The Queen, less woman now than queen,enraged by the information got he knew not how, had come at once topunish the gross breach of her orders and a dark misconduct--so hethought.


  The Queen's look, as she turned it on Angele, apparently had in itwhat must have struck terror to even a braver soul than that of thehelpless Huguenot girl.

  "And it is thus you spend the hours of night? God's faith, but youare young to be so wanton!" she cried, in a sharp voice. "Get youfrom my sight, and out of my kingdom as fast as horse and ship maycarry you, as feet may bear you." Leicester's face lighted to hear.

  "Your high Majesty," pleaded the girl, dropping on her knees, "I aminnocent. As God lives, I am innocent."

  "The man, then, only is guilty?" the Queen rejoined, with scorn. "Isit innocent to be here at night, my palace gates shut, with yourlover--alone?" Leicester laughed at the words.

  "Your Majesty, oh, your gracious Majesty, hear me. We were notalone--not alone--"

  There was a rustle of curtains, a heavy footstep, and Lempriere ofRozel staggered into the room. De la Foret ran to help him, and,throwing an arm around him, almost carried him towards the couch.Lempriere, however, slipped from De la Foret's grasp to his knees onthe floor before the Queen.

  "Not alone, your high and sacred Majesty--I am here--I have been herethrough all. I was here when mademoiselle came, brought hither bytrick of some knave not fit to be your immortal Majesty's subject. Ispeak the truth, for I am butler to your Majesty, and no liar. I amLempriere of Rozel."

  No man's self-control could meet such a surprise without wavering.Leicester was confounded, for he had not known that Lempriere washoused with De la Foret. For a moment he could do naught but gaze atLempriere. Then, as the seigneur suddenly swayed, and would havefallen, the instinct of effective courtesy, strong in him, sent himwith arms outstretched to lift him up. Together, without a word, heand De la Foret carried him to the couch and laid him down.

  That single act saved Leicester's life. There was something sonaturally (though, in truth, it was so hypocritically) kind in theway he sprang to his enemy's assistance that an old spirit offondness stirred in the Queen's breast, and she looked strangely athim. When, however, they had disposed of Lempriere, and Leicester hadturned again towards her, she said:

  "Did you think I had no loyal and true gentlemen at my court, mylord? Did you think my leech would not serve me as fair as he wouldserve the Earl of Leicester? Ye have not bought us all, RobertDudley, who have bought and sold so long. The good leech did yourbidding and sent your note to the lady; but there your bad play endedand Fate's began. A rabbit's brains, Leicester--and a rabbit's end.Fate has the brains you need."

  Leicester's anger burst forth now under the lash of ridicule. "Icannot hope to win when your Majesty plays Fate in caricature."

  With a little gasp of rage Elizabeth leaned over and slapped his facewith her long glove. "Death of my life! but I who made you do unmakeyou," she cried.

  He dropped his hand on his sword. "If you were but a man--and not--"he said, then stopped short, for there was that in the Queen's facewhich changed his purpose.

  Anger was shaking her, but there were tears in her eyes. The woman inher was stronger than the queen. It was nothing to her at this momentthat she might have his life as easily as she had struck his facewith her glove; this man had once shown the better part of himself toher, and the memory of it shamed her for his own sake now. She made astep towards the door, then turned and spoke:

  "My lord, I have no palace and no ground wherein your footstep willnot be trespass. Pray you, remember."

  She turned towards Lempriere, who lay on his couch faint and panting."For you, my Lord of Rozel, I wish you better health, though you havelost it somewhat in a good cause."

  Her glance fell on De la Foret. Her look softened. "I will hear youpreach next Sunday, sir."

  There was an instant's pause, and then she said to Angele, withgracious look and in a low voice: "You have heard from me thatcalumny which the innocent never escape. To try you, I neglected youthese many days; to see your nature even more truly than I knew it, Iaccused you but now. You might have been challenged first by one whocould do you more harm than Elizabeth of England, whose office is todo good, not evil. Nets are spread for those whose hearts are simple,and your feet have been caught. Be thankful that we understand; andknow that Elizabeth is your loving friend. You have had trials--Ihave kept you in suspense--there has been trouble for us all; but weare better now; our minds are more content; so all may be well,please God! You will rest this night with our lady-dove here, andto-morrow early you shall return in peace to your father. You have agood friend in our cousin." She made a gentle motion towards theDuke's Daughter. "She has proved it so. In my leech she has a slave.To her you owe this help in time of need. She hath wisdom, too, andwe must listen to her, even as I have done this day."

  She inclined her head towards the door. Leicester opened it, and asshe passed out she gave him one look which told him that his game waslost, if not forever, yet for time uncertain and remote. "You mustnot blame the leech, my lord," she said, suddenly turning back. "TheQueen of England has first claim on the duty of her subjects. Theyserve me for love; you they help at need as time-servers."

  She stepped on, then paused again and looked back. "And I forbidfighting betwixt you," she said, in a loud voice, looking at De laForet and Leicester.

  Without further sign or look, she moved on. Close behind came Angeleand the Duke's Daughter, and Leicester followed at some distance.