“Minelle, promise me … promise me … I can’t lose you and Chariot. Besides, we’re going to find him. I never could do without you. Promise me. I won’t let you go until you do.”
“I won’t go without telling you, certainly.” I added weakly:
“I’ll wait a bit. I’ll see what happens.”
She was satisfied.
“Leon is going to show me the castle,” I said. I glanced at the clock.
“He will soon be waiting for me in the library.”
“It is close to the salon where we dined last night.”
“Margot,” I said, ‘what do you think of Etienne and Leon? “
“What do I think of them I Well, as brothers, I suppose. They have always been around.”
“You are fond of them, I dare say.”
“Yes … in a way. Leon was always a dreadful tease and Etienne had such a high opinion of himself. Etienne is jealous of anyone Papa takes notice of. Leon simply does not care. That amuses Papa in a way.
Once when he was angry with Leon he shouted, “You can go back to your peasant’s hovel!” And Leon prepared to go. That was when he was about fifteen. I remember it well. There was a terrible scene. My father beat him and locked him in his room. But I think he admired Leon for it. You see, when he killed Leon’s twin brother he swore he would give Leon a good education and treat him like a member of his family and if Leon went back. Papa would not have carried out his vow. So Leon had to stay. “
“But he wanted to, of course.”
“Of course he did. He would hate to go back to poverty. In fact he takes food and money to his family and they depend on him a good deal.”
“I’m glad he hasn’t turned his back on them.”
“He never would. Of course Etienne is quite different. He is delighted to be here and have Papa recognize him as his son. The only thing that irks him is his illegitimacy. I think Papa regrets that too. Etienne is always hoping that he will be legitimized.”
“Is that possible?”
“Something can be done, I believe. Etienne would love to be the future Comte and inherit everything. I think Papa would make him his heir but at the back of his mind is the;
thought that if Maman died he’d marry again. He’s not too? old. He was married to my mother when he was seventeen.
I’m sure he’s hoping to get a legitimate son one day. ” ‘< ” How awful for your mother. ” j ” She hates him and he despises her. I think she would be, afraid if it wasn’t for Nou-Nou. Nou-Nou distrusts my father,” She always has.
Naturally she wouldn’t think anyone was’ good enough for her mignon ne Ursule. Nou-Nou was her nurse when she was a baby and you know how doting nursesj get. She was my nurse too, but my mother was always the one for her, and when my mother became an invalid she didn’t really want anything to interfere with her care of her. It’s rather embarrassing for my father, for NouNou insists on cooking everything my mother eats. “
“What a dreadful implication! I wonder he doesn’t tell he to go.”
“He’s amused and he always seems to respect people who amuse him and stand up to him.”
“I wonder you don’t all do that, then.”
“We mean to, but somehow when you face him and him angry, looking like the Devil himself, your courage fails you. Mine does. So does Etienne’s. I’m not sure of Leon’sj He’s stood up to him once or twice.
Nou-Nou is determine to defend my mother and she’d die doing it if necessary. “
“But this implies that he is plotting murder.”
“He killed Leon’s brother.”
“That was an accident.”
“Yes, but he killed him nevertheless.”
I shivered. I felt more strongly than ever that Iou to go home.
It was time for me to go to the library to meet Leon so went down. It was disconcerting to find the Comte there. was seated in an armchair reading a book.
The library was impressive with its great chandelier’s the book-lined walls, the painted ceiling, the long window with their velvet drapes.
But in that moment I was aware nothing but the Comte.
“Good morning. Cousin,” he said, rising. He came to and, taking my hand, kissed it.
“You look as fresh as the morning and as beautiful. I trust you slept well.”
I hesitated.
“As well as can be expected in a strange bed, thank you.”
“Ah. I have slept in so many strange beds that such a thing would never affect me.”
“I have come to meet Leon who is showing me the castle.”
“I dismissed him and told him I would take his place.”
“Oh!” I was startled.
“I trust you are not displeased. I thought I should be the one to show you my castle. I’m rather proud of it, you know.”
“Naturally you must be.”
“It has been in my family for Ave hundred years. That is a long time, eh. Cousin?”
“A very long time. Do you think it necessary to continue this farce of cousin ship when we are alone?”
“To tell the truth I rather like to think of you as my cousin. Do you share my feelings?”
“As a matter of fact, I think the relationship is so absurd that I never consider it seriously. It was in order while Margot and I were .”
He raised a hand.
“Remember I have forbidden that matter to be mentioned.”
“It is absurd not to when it is the very reason for my being here.”
“It is merely a beginning … an opening gambit. Do you play chess.
Cousin? I am sure you do. If not, I shall teach you. “
I said that my mother and I had played together. She had learned from my father but I was sure my game would not match up to his.
“I am sure it will. I look forward to evenings when we pit our wits over the board. But let us start our tour of exploration. We will go and mount the great staircase. Then we shall enter the really ancient part of the castle.”
“I should like that,” I said.
I shall be a better guide than Leon. After all, it has not been in his family for centuries, has it? And although his present affluence appears to sit lightly in him, he never forgets where it came from.
Etienne is the same. There are things in life which should be forgotten and those which should be remembered.
It is a wise man who can sort out which, for then he will be happy, and is not happiness the goal of us all? The wisest man is the happiest man. Do you agree, Cousin? “
“Yes, I think I do.”
“How delighted I am. At last we have found a matter on which we can agree. I hope it won’t happen too often, though. I shall enjoy crossing swords with you.”
We had come to a great courtyard where, he told me, as Margot already had, that the jousts and tilting used to be held.
“Look at these steps. They are impressive, are they not? See how the stones have worn away with the tread of thousands of feet over the centuries. Guests of the household used to promenade up and down the staircase. It was a way of taking the air and when the tournaments were in progress they would use the steps as seats to watch the show.
Here on the platform at the top of the staircase my family would sit surrounded by important guests and watch from here. On this very platform they would hold court like kings and mete out justice to malefactors who would be brought to them and maybe sentenced to a spell in the dungeons from which many of them never emerged. Those were cruel days, Cousin. “
“Let us hope there is less cruelty in the world today,” I said.
He put a hand on my shoulders and answered: “I am not sure of that.
Let us hope the holocaust will be avoided, for God knows what could happen to us if it should come. “
He was silent for a while and then he told me how the beggars used to take up their stand by the vaults which supported the great staircase and they reaped rich rewards on those days when the Comtes of Silvaine gave their t
ournaments.
“From the platform one reaches the principal apartments of the castle.
Come, Cousin, here is the hall. “
“It’s vast,” I said.
“It needed to be. Here they used to live their public lives. Here the lord of the castle received his messengers, judged those who had misbehaved, summoned his serfs and gathered together his fiefs when he was going to war. ” ‘
I shuddered.
“You are cold. Cousin?” He touched my arm lightly and as I tried to move away as unobtrusively as I could, he noticed and smiled faintly.
“No thanks,” I said.
“I was just thinking of all the events which must have taken place over the centuries. It is almost as though they have left something behind.”
“You are imaginative. I am glad. You will find plenty to catch your fancy here in the castle.”
“It will be interesting …” Something made me add, . during my brief stay. “
“Your stay, dear Cousin, I hope will not be brief.”
“I have decided I must go as soon as Marguerite has recovered.”
“Perhaps we shall find another reason for holding you here.”
“I very much doubt that. I have come to the conclusion that my place is in England … teaching school. It is what I was trained for.”
“If I may say so, you don’t fit the part.”
“You may certainly say it but your opinion will make no difference to my intentions.”
“I think you are’ too wise to act rashly. The school did not pay. Did you not leave it for that reason? That lily-livered creature Joel had put you out of favour with his family and departed. can only despise such an act.”p>
“It was not like that at all.”
He raised his eyebrows.
“I know he was attracted by you and that is something I can fully understand, but when Papa cracked the whip and said Go, he went.”
“Sir John, like other parents, expected obedience from his offspring, I suppose.”
“Your gallant Joel was not a child. One would have expected him to make a stand. But no. I cannot admire a laggard in love.”
“There was no question of love. We were good friends. And this is a subject which I find distasteful. Do you mind if we continue exploring the castle?”
He bowed his head.
“It is my great wish to please you,” he said.
“Through the hall here, is the chamber which is a sort of salon. This and the bedchamber were the chief apartments of the lord and his lady.
It was built as a fortress you see.
Creature comforts were not as important as the fortifications The chamber is as large as the hall. “
“Yes, here they entertained their guests. They set up table on trestles and on the dais there was another tablet he high table. At this sat the lord, his lady and the chief guests. After feasting the tables were removed and the guests sat round thi great fire … here in the centre of the room … an open fire.”
“I can picture them, sitting round telling stories …”
“And singing their songs. The minstrels were constant visitors. They used to roam the countryside, calling at castle and great houses where they would sing for their supple. They worked hard, poor devils, and often were badly served for they would sometimes be refused payment after the had performed. “
“I trust never in this castle.”
I trust not. My ancestors were wild and lawless but al though I have heard stories of their wickedness it did no include meanness. We were lavish spenders, reckless in all things, but I never heard of a refusal to pay those who serve us well. The high table you see over there looked over th low tables, so that we could keep an eye on our lesse gaests. We have kept this part of the chateau as it was and wi only use it on ceremonial occasions. I like to be rem inde of how my ancestors lived. We don’t cover the floor wit! rushes, of course. What an unsavoury custom that was Empimenter was often necessary. Ah, Cousin, you are puzzled You do not know empimenter? Confess. At last I have triumphed. “
“Triumphed?” I said.
“I cannot understand why you should think I am under the impression that I know everything ” It is because you are so knowledgeable that I constant! feel that every challenge ends in victory for you. “
“Why should there be this … unarmed combat?” I demanded with asperity.
“It seems the nature of our relationship.”
“Our relationship is that of employer and employed. It i my duty to give satisfaction, not to joust, tilt or …”
“Only once have I disconcerted you. Cousin. That was l the days before our cousin ship when you crept into my be
Then you looked like a naught child and I will confess that from that moment you enchanted me. “
“I think you should understand …”
“Oh, I do understand. I understand perfectly. I know I must tread with care. I know that you are poised for flight. What a tragedy that would be … for me … and perhaps for you. Don’t be afraid, little Cousin.
I told you that I come from a line of reckless men but I am only rash when the occasion demands it. “
“This seems an unusual conversation to have grown out of my ignorance regarding the word … was it empimenter?”
“It is hardly likely that you would know this word, for fortunately it is little used now. It means to perfume by burning juniper wood or Eastern perfumes, and this had to be done when the stench of the rushes was unendurable.”
“Surely it would have been simpler to remove the rushes.”
“They were replaced now and then but so odoriferous were they that they left their aroma behind. See these coffers. In them our treasures were kept … gold and silver vessels and furs of course … sables, ermines, vair and miniver. Then when shut, you see, they could be used as seats, for there was not enough seating space for our guests in these seats cut out of the walls. Many of them would have squatted on the floor, round the fires in winter most likely. Through the chamber we pass into the bedchamber. Here many of my ancestors were born.”
Our footsteps clattered over the stone floor. There was no bed in the room, only a few pieces of heavy furniture which I imagined had been used before the rest of the castle had been built.
From this room we passed into several smaller rooms all sparsely furnished, stone walled and stone floored.
“The home of a medieval nobleman,” said the Comte.
“It is small wonder that as time passed we had to build ourselves more elegant living quarters. We were very proud of our castles, I can tell you. In the reign of Francois Premier building flourished. We followed the King, you see. He was a great lover of the arts. He once remarked that men could make a king, but only God could make an artist. He was interested m architecture, so it was fashionable for his friends to be interested too and we vied with each other to build beautiful mansions. We built partly to flaunt our wealth and partly to indulge in secret pursuits. Thus we had hidden rooms, secret passages, and we were determined that none but ourselves should know of them, but perhaps I will show you ours one day. One great lady had her architect’s head cut off so that she could be sure that he never passed on the secret plans of her house.”
“It seems a drastic measure.”
“But you must admit foolproof. Oh dear Cousin, how I enjoy shocking you!”
“I’m afraid I shall have to mar your pleasure by telling you I don’t believe the story.”
“Why should you not? The lord of the castle-and that means his entire estate which is vast is supreme. His actions cannot be questioned by his underlings.”
“Then I hope you do not contemplate using your powers in such a manner.”
“It might depend on how tempted I was.”
“I suppose a great many people lived in the castle,” I said, changing the subject, which I believed was something which was frowned on, as only the Comte decided whether a topic was exhausted.
&
nbsp; He raised his eyebrows and I thought he was about to remind me of this but he changed his mind.
“A great many,” he said. There were the squires, as they were called. They were in charge of various household departments. There was the squire of the table, of the chamber, of the wine cellar and i so on. Many of them came from noble families and were being prepared to take the order of chivalry. So it was a large household. Of course the stables were an important part of if the castle. There were no carriages in those days but there? were horses of all kinds draught horses, palfreys and the finest steeds for the use of the lord of the castle. In exchange for the services he received the lord of the castle would educate his squires, and his riches and importance would be judged- by the number of squires he supported. ” ” A custom which no longer exists, though I suppose Etienne and Leon are in some measure the squires of today.”
“You could call them that. They receive the education of’ noblemen and the training that goes to make up breeding.;! And they are here because I owe a debt to their parents. Yes, you could say it is similar. Ah, here is one other chamber which I must show you. The Chambre des Pucelles the Maidens’ chamber. “
I looked into the large room. A spinning-wheel stood in one corner and the walls were hung with tapestry.
“Worked by the maidens,” said the Comte.
“You see it is a light room.
Imagine them all, heads bent over their work, plying their needles.
The maidens were received at the castle too. They must be of good birth and excel at their needle. To excel at the needle was considered necessary to good breeding. And you. Cousin, how are you with the needle? “
“Completely lacking in breeding, I fear. I sew only when necessary.”
“I’m glad of that. Too much bending over embroidery is bad for the eyes and the posture. I can think of many occupations in which a woman can be better employed.”
“What do the tapestries represent?”
“Some war between the French and an enemy… the English I suppose.
It usually was. “
“And the French, I presume, are victorious?”
The Devil on Horseback Page 14