CHAPTER XXVI.
MEDITATIONS.
Either the small respect I had paid M. de Bruhl, or the words I hadlet fall respecting the possible disappearance of M. Villequier, hadhad so admirable an effect on the Provost-Marshal's mind that from themoment of leaving my lodgings he treated me with the utmost civility;permitting me even to retain my sword, and assigning me asleeping-place for the night in his own apartments at the Gate-house.
Late as it was, I could not allow so much politeness to passunacknowledged. I begged leave, therefore, to distribute a smallgratuity among his attendants, and requested him to do me the honourof drinking a bottle of wine with me. This being speedily procured, atsuch an expense as is usual in these places, where prisoners pay,according as they are rich or poor, in purse or person, kept ussitting for an hour, and finally sent us to our pallets perfectlysatisfied with one another.
The events of the day, however, and particularly one matter, on whichI have not dwelt at length, proved as effectual to prevent my sleepingas if I had been placed in the dampest cell below the castle. So muchhad been crowded into a time so short that it seemed as if I had haduntil now no opportunity of considering whither I was being hurried,or what fortune awaited me at the end of this turmoil. From the firstappearance of M. d'Agen in the morning, with the startling news thatthe Provost-Marshal was seeking me, to my final surrender andencounter with Bruhl on the stairs, the chain of events had run out soswiftly that I had scarcely had time at any particular period toconsider how I stood, or the full import of the latest check orvictory. Now that I had leisure I lived the day over again, and,recalling its dangers and disappointments, felt thankful that all hadended so fairly.
I had the most perfect confidence in Maignan, and did not doubt thatBruhl would soon weary, if he had not already wearied, of a profitlesssiege. In an hour at most--and it was not yet midnight--the king wouldbe free to go home; and with that would end, as far as he wasconcerned, the mission with which M. de Rosny had honoured me. Thetask of communicating his Majesty's decision to the King of Navarrewould doubtless be entrusted to M. de Rambouillet, or some person ofsimilar position and influence; and in the same hands would rest thehonour and responsibility of the treaty which, as we all know now,gave after a brief interval and some bloodshed, and one greatprovidence, a lasting peace to France. But it must ever be--and Irecognised this that night with a bounding heart, which told of somestore of youth yet unexhausted--a matter of lasting pride to me thatI, whose career but now seemed closed in failure, had proved the meansof conferring so especial a benefit on my country and religion.
Remembering, however, the King of Navarre's warning that I must notlook to him for reward, I felt greatly doubtful in what direction thescene would next open to me; my main dependence being upon M. deRosny's promise that he would make my fortune his own care. Tired ofthe Court at Blois, and the atmosphere of intrigue and treachery whichpervaded it, and with which I hoped I had now done, I was still at aloss to see how I could recross the Loire in face of the Vicomte deTurenne's enmity. I might have troubled myself much more withspeculating upon this point had I not found--in close connection withit--other and more engrossing food for thought in the capriciousbehaviour of Mademoiselle de la Vire.
To that behaviour it seemed to me that I now held the clue. Isuspected with as much surprise as pleasure that only one constructioncould be placed upon it--a construction which had strongly occurred tome on catching sight of her face when she intervened between me andthe king.
Tracing the matter back to the moment of our meeting in theantechamber at St. Jean d'Angely, I remembered the jest whichMathurine had uttered at our joint expense. Doubtless it had dwelt inmademoiselle's mind, and exciting her animosity against me hadprepared her to treat me with contumely when, contrary to allprobability, we met again, and she found herself placed in a manner inmy hands. It had inspired her harsh words and harsher looks on ourjourney northwards, and contributed with her native pride to the lowopinion I had formed of her when I contrasted her with my honouredmother.
But I began to think it possible that the jest had worked in anotherway as well, by keeping me before her mind and impressing upon her theidea--after my re-appearance at Chize more particularly--that ourfates were in some way linked. Assuming this, it was not hard tounderstand her manner at Rosny when, apprised that I was no impostor,and regretting her former treatment of me, she still recoiled from thefeelings which she began to recognise in her own breast. From thattime, and with this clue, I had no difficulty in tracing her motives,always supposing that this suspicion, upon which I dwelt with feelingsof wonder and delight, were well founded.
Middle-aged and grizzled, with the best of my life behind me, I hadnever dared to think of her in this way before. Poor and comparativelyobscure, I had never raised my eyes to the wide possessions said to behers. Even now I felt myself dazzled and bewildered by the prospect sosuddenly unveiled. I could scarcely, without vertigo, recall her as Ihad last seen her, with her hand wounded in my defence; nor, withoutemotions painful in their intensity, fancy myself restored to theyouth of which I had taken leave, and to the rosy hopes and planningswhich visit most men once only, and then in early years. Hitherto Ihad deemed such things the lot of others.
Daylight found me--and no wonder--still diverting myself with thesecharming speculations; which had for me, be it remembered, all theforce of novelty. The sun chanced to rise that morning in a clear sky,and brilliantly for the time of year; and words fail me when I lookback, and try to describe how delicately this simple fact enhanced mypleasure! I sunned myself in the beams, which penetrated my barredwindow; and tasting the early freshness with a keen and insatiableappetite, I experienced to the full that peculiar aspiration aftergoodness which Providence allows such moments to awaken in us inyouth; but rarely when time and the camp have blunted thesensibilities.
I had not yet arrived at the stage at which difficulties have to bereckoned up, and the chief drawback to the tumult of joy I felt tookthe shape of regret that my mother no longer lived to feel theemotions proper to the time, and to share in the prosperity which shehad so often and so fondly imagined. Nevertheless, I felt myself drawncloser to her. I recalled with the most tender feelings, and atgreater leisure than had before been the case, her last days andwords, and particularly the appeal she had uttered on mademoiselle'sbehalf. And I vowed, if it were possible, to pay a visit to her gravebefore leaving the neighbourhood, that I might there devote a fewmoments to the thought of the affection which had consecrated allwomen in my eyes.
I was presently interrupted in these reflections by a circumstancewhich proved in the end diverting enough, though far from reassuringat the first blush. It began in a dismal rattling of chains in thepassage below and on the stairs outside my room; which were paved,like the rest of the building, with stone. I waited with impatienceand some uneasiness to see what would come of this; and my surprisemay be imagined when, the door being unlocked, gave entrance to a manin whom I recognised on the instant deaf Matthew--the villain whom Ihad last seen with Fresnoy in the house in the Rue Valois. Amazed atseeing him here, I sprang to my feet in fear of some treachery, andfor a moment apprehended that the Provost-Marshal had basely given meover to Bruhl's custody. But a second glance informing me that the manwas in irons--hence the noise I had heard--I sat down again to seewhat would happen.
It then appeared that he merely brought me my breakfast, and was aprisoner in less fortunate circumstances than myself; but as hepretended not to recognise me, and placed the things before me inobdurate silence, and I had no power to make him hear, I failed tolearn how he came to be in durance. The Provost-Marshal, however,came presently to visit me, and brought me in token that thegood-fellowship of the evening still existed a pouch of the Queen'sherb; which I accepted for politeness' sake rather than from anyvirtue I found in it. And from him I learned how the rascal came to bein his charge.
It appeared that Fresnoy, having no m
ind to be hampered with a woundedman, had deposited him on the night of our _melee_ at the door of ahospital attached to a religious house in that part or the town. TheFathers had opened to him, but before taking him in put, according totheir custom, certain questions. Matthew had been primed with theright answers to these questions, which were commonly a form; but,unhappily for him, the Superior by chance or mistake began with thewrong one.
'You are not a Huguenot, my son?' he said.
'In God's name, I am!' Matthew replied with simplicity, believing hewas asked if he was a Catholic.
'What?' the scandalised Prior ejaculated, crossing himself in doubt,'are you not a true son of the Church?'
'Never!' quoth our deaf friend--thinking all went well.
'A heretic!' cried the monk.
'Amen to that!' replied Matthew innocently; never doubting but that hewas asked the third question, which was, commonly, whether he neededaid.
Naturally after this there was a very pretty commotion, and Matthew,vainly protesting that he was deaf, was hurried off to theProvost-Marshal's custody. Asked how he communicated with him, theProvost answered that he could not, but that his little godchild, agirl only eight years old, had taken a strange fancy to the rogue, andwas never so happy as when talking to him by means of signs, of whichshe had invented a great number. I thought this strange at the time,but I had proof before the morning was out that it was true enough,and that the two were seldom apart, the little child governing thisgrim cut-throat with unquestioned authority.
After the Provost was gone I heard the man's fetters clanking again.This time he entered to remove my cup and plate, and surprised me byspeaking to me. Maintaining his former sullenness, and scarcelylooking at me, he said abruptly: 'You are going out again?'
I nodded assent.
'Do you remember a bald-faced bay horse that fell with you?' hemuttered, keeping his dogged glance on the floor.
I nodded again.
'I want to sell the horse,' he said. 'There is not such another inBlois, no, nor in Paris! Touch it on the near hip with the whip and itwill go down as if shot. At other times a child might ride it. It isin a stable, the third from the Three Pigeons, in the Ruelle Amancy.Fresnoy does not know where it is. He sent to ask yesterday, but Iwould not tell him.'
Some spark of human feeling which appeared in his lowering, brutalvisage as he spoke of the horse led me to desire further information.Fortunately the little girl appeared at that moment at the door insearch of her playfellow; and through her I learned that the man'smotive for seeking to sell the horse was fear lest the dealer in whosecharge it stood should dispose of it to repay himself for its keep,and he, Matthew, lose it without return.
Still I did not understand why he applied to me, but I was wellpleased when I learned the truth. Base as the knave was, he had anaffection for the bay, which had been his only property for six years.Having this in his mind, he had conceived the idea that I should treatit well, and should not, because he was in prison and powerless, cheathim of the price.
In the end I agreed to buy the horse for ten crowns, paying as wellwhat was due at the stable. I had it in my head to do something alsofor the man, being moved to this partly by an idea that there was goodin him, and partly by the confidence he had seen fit to place in me,which seemed to deserve some return. But a noise below stairs divertedmy attention. I heard myself named, and for the moment forgot thematter.
Historical Romances: Under the Red Robe, Count Hannibal, A Gentleman of France Page 78