Leonora D'Orco: A Historical Romance

by G. P. R. James

  CHAPTER XIV.

  "See, De Vitry, that a force of twenty lances be sent from Pavia toour young cousin ere night," said the king; "that will be enough forhis protection, my lord regent, I presume?"

  "More than enough, sire," replied Ludovic, somewhat sternly."Himself alone, with a few of his own servants, could pass quitesafely--except, indeed, in case of some sudden tumult."

  "Which tumults are easily raised in this Italy of yours," replied theyoung monarch. "It is therefore better he should have a French pennonwith him. Methinks, after our alliance, offensive and defensive, noone will dare to attack that, my lord regent."

  Ludovic bit his lip, but then he smiled grimly, saying, "Not unless heshould chance to encounter the forces of our dear cousin Alphonso,King of Naples, coming to drive the poor Sforzas out of Milan, andgive your majesty some trouble in the plains of Lombardy. They wouldnot, methinks, show much reverence for a French pennon, nor even forthe banner of France itself."

  "'Tis strange we have no news," said Charles, with a shadow on hisbrow; "our last intelligence dates the 14th of last month, and thenthe Neapolitan fleet were under full sail."

  "It is possible that Prince Frederick, who commands his brother'sfleet, may have defeated the Duke of Orleans and landed in Tuscany,sire," observed Ludovic; "in that case we shall hear nothing of theenemy till we see him. May it not be better for me to summon all myforces, and march with your majesty till we are assured the roads areopen? I can gather twenty thousand men together, from differentgarrisons, in eight days, but I have only four thousand now in Pavia."

  The king seemed to hesitate; but just then De Vitry, who was ridinghalf a horse's length behind on the king's right, raised his voice,saying bluntly, "Better wait decision till we are in the city, myliege, and then I will tell your majesty why."

  "Better wait till then, at all events," said the king, thoughtfully;"but what is your reason, De Vitry?"

  "Simply this, my liege," said the good soldier; "in the grey of themorning there came in a courier from Bologna. He said he was bound byhis orders to stay in Pavia till your majesty arrived or sent. But hehad letters for you, sire, which he would show to no one; and someprivate letters for the camp, which I took from him. They gave notidings, however, that I could learn."

  "Did he give no intelligence himself?" asked Ludovic, eagerly.

  "He was mightily cautious of committing himself, Sir Count," answeredDe Vitry, drily; "a most discreet and silent messenger, I can assureyou."

  All parties fell into silence, and rode on for about half a mile at aslow pace, when the count regent turned to the king, saying, "Here Iwill spur on, so please you, sire. I would fain see that all isrightly prepared to receive you royally. I have been obliged to trustthat care to others hitherto; but I would fain confirm the assurancesgiven me by my people, by my own eyesight." Charles bowed his headwith a somewhat doubtful look, and Ludovic instantly forced his horseforward with great speed. Some twenty horsemen drew out from the restof the cavalcade and followed him, and Charles turned his head towardDe Vitry with an inquiring look.

  "Let him go, sire--let him go," said De Vitry, in a low voice,spurring up to the king's side; "he can do no harm. I have cared forall that. I have so posted our men that he has no more power in Paviathan an Indian has. Lucky that you sent me on as your quarter-mastersome days before; for I had time to fix on all the commanding spots;and as I passed the army this morning, I gave the leadersinstructions, and furnished them with guides to their severalquarters. But, what is more important still, if your majesty will bendyour ear for a moment, I drew from this courier, upon promise that Iwould not deprive him of his largesse, but add something on my ownpart, that the good Duke of Orleans, with his little squadron, hadcontrived to drive back the whole Neapolitan fleet into Naples. Had hehad galleys enough he would have taken half of them, and, perhaps,Prince Frederick into the bargain. As it was, he could only take onegalley and sink another. The news is certain, sire; so SignorLudovic's cunning scheme of joining his men with yours must fail."

  "Think you he meant mischief?" asked the young king, whose face hadgradually been lighted up as his gallant officer spoke.

  "He meant to have the power of doing mischief or not as he pleased,"replied De Vitry; "with twenty thousand men, sire, while you hadcertain enemies and uncertain friends before you, he might have proveda dangerous comrade on the march whenever he chose to turn traitor,which he will do, depend upon it, at the slightest reverse. A man whocan shut up his own nephew and ward, with the poor lad's wife andchild, in the castle of Pavia, and feed them all three upon slowpoison till there is no strength left in any of them, cannot be welltrusted, sire."

  "Has he done that," exclaimed the young king, with his cheek flushingand his eyes all in a blaze; "has he done that?"

  "I have it from the very best authority," replied the other. "I cannotspeak from my own knowledge; for they would not let me into thecastle; but I have been told so by those who know; and if he were notafraid of letting you see what is going on in that dark old fortress,why should he not assign you the magnificent rooms, where so manyLombard kings and Roman emperors have sat, and put the gates inpossession of your troops? The house he has had prepared for yourmajesty is fine enough; but it is but a citizen's house, after all;and, depend upon it, there are things within the walls of the castlehe would not have you see with your own eyes."

  "He shall find himself mistaken," said the young king--"he shall findhimself mistaken. I will see, and that at once. How many men have wewith us now, De Vitry?"

  "Some four hundred, I should guess, sire," replied the officer; "butthere are a thousand more in the little guard-house square at thegates, ready to escort your majesty to your dwelling."

  "That is right! that is right!" said Charles, with a smile; "let usput our horses to a quicker pace, good friend. We will be upon theworthy regent's heels before he expects us."

  In three-quarters of an hour, Charles and his escort had reached thegates of Pavia. There was bustle and some disarray among the Lombardsoldiers on guard; for the monarch had appeared before he wasexpected; but they hurried forth from the guard-houses to salute himas he passed, and the French men-at-arms and soldiers in the littlesquare were up and arrayed in a minute. At the entrance of the streetleading from the Milan gate into the heart of the city--a street whichthe reader may well remember, from its gloomy aspect, specially if hehave entered Pavia on a rainy day--a gallant party of horsemen,dressed in the robes of peace, advanced to meet the King of France,and, after due salutation, told him they had been sent by the regentto conduct him to his dwelling.

  "Good! We will follow you speedily," said the monarch; "but there isone visit we have to pay first, which cannot be omitted. In kinglycourtesy and in kindred kindness we are bound to set foot to theground in Pavia, for the first time, at the dwelling of our youngcousin, the Duke Giovan Galeazzo. Lead on to the castle, De Vitry, andlet the whole train follow. We will then accompany these goodgentlemen to the dwelling prepared for us by the regent's kindness."

  Some consternation was apparent among the retainers of the CountLudovic; they spoke together in whispers; but the young king showed noinclination to wait for the conclusion of their deliberation, and rodeon, guided by De Vitry, merely saying to the Lombard nobles, with asomewhat stern look, "Gentlemen, we hope for your escort to thecastle."

  They did not dare to disobey an invitation which was so like acommand; and the whole cavalcade moved onward toward the citadel, withthe exception of one small page, who slunk away at the first corner ofa street they came to, and was no further seen. It was not long erethe frowning barbican, with its drawbridge and portcullis, appearedbefore the royal party; and Charles, turning to the retainers, said,with a somewhat bitter smile, "Will you request the warders to openthe gates for the King of France, to visit his fair cousin the duke?We must not summon them ourselves, having so many armed men with us;for that might seem too peremptory."

  There was a moment of doubt and hesitation, evident
ly, on the part ofthe envoys. The men-at-arms nearest the king, who, with the quick witof Frenchmen, seemed to comprehend the whole situation in a moment,grasped their lances more firmly; and the king's brow began to darkenat finding his orders disobeyed. Upon that moment hung the fate ofPavia, and perhaps of Lombardy; but it ended by one of the Lombardnobles riding forward and speaking to the officer at the gates.Whether he heard or not the sound of horses' feet at a gallop, Icannot tell, but certain it is that while he seemed to parley with thesoldiers, who were apparently unwilling to open the gates even at hiscommand, Ludovic the Moor, with two or three attendants, dashed intothe open space before the barbican, and rode quickly to the front. Hehad had notice of the young monarch's movements, and his part wasdecided in a moment.

  "How now, sirrah!" he exclaimed, addressing the soldiers beneath thegateway in a loud and angry tone, "do you keep the King of Francewaiting before the gates like a lackey? Throw open the gates! Downwith the drawbridge! My lord king," he continued, with bated breath,"I regret exceedingly that these men should have detained you; butthey are faithful fools, and take no orders but from me or my dearnephew. Had your majesty hinted your intention, orders to admit youinstantly would have been long since given. I proposed to introduceyou to-morrow to the duke, with due ceremony; but you are alwaysdetermined to take your servants by surprise."

  Charles coloured a little, and felt himself rebuked; but when theregent sprang to the ground and would have held his stirrup, he wouldnot permit him, taking the arm of De Vitry, and bowing his headcourteously, but without reply. At the gates, De Vitry drew back,suffering the king and Ludovic to pass on; but they had hardly reachedthe second gates, when the archway of the barbican and the drawbridgewere taken possession of by the French soldiers, who began gailytalking to the Italians, though the latter understood not a word theysaid. The Lombard nobles looked sullen and discontented; but they satstill on their horses, little accustomed to the dashing impudence ofthe French, and not knowing well what demeanour to assume toward menwho came as their friends and allies, but who so soon showed that theyconsidered themselves their masters.

  In the mean time, each followed only by a page, the king and the countregent walked on through several dim passages and lofty, ill-lightedhalls. Few attendants were observed about, and Ludovic took notice ofnone of them till he reached a large and apparently more modernsaloon, where an old man, somewhat richly dressed, stood at a door onthe other side. Him he beckoned up, saying, "Tell my dear nephew,Franconi, that I am bringing his Majesty the King of France to visithim. This royal lord, considering the duke's ill health, dispenseswith the first visit. Will your majesty take a cup of wine after yourlong ride? It will just give the old seneschal time to announce yourcoming, lest such an unexpected honour should agitate the poor boy toomuch."

  "I thank you, my lord, I am not thirsty," answered the king, drily,"and, for certain reasons given by my physicians, I drink but littlewine."

  A slight and somewhat mocking smile passed over the hard features ofLudovic, as if he suspected some fear in the mind of Charles, andgloried, rather than felt shame, in an evil reputation. Both remainedsilent; and in a few minutes the old man returned to usher them intothe presence of the young duke.

  Oh! what a sad sight it was when the seneschal, now joined by twoinferior officers, threw open the door of a chamber at the end of theadjacent corridor, and displayed to the eyes of Charles the faded formof Giovan Galeazzo, the young Duke of Milan, stretched upon arichly-ornamented bed, and covered with a dressing gown of cloth ofgold. The corpse of Inez de Castro seemed only the more ghastly fromthe regal garments which decked her mouldering frame; and thesplendour of the apartment, the decoration of the bed, and theglistening bedgown only gave additional wanness to the face of theunhappy Duke of Milan. Once pre-eminently handsome, and with featuresfinely chiselled still, tall and perfectly formed, not yet twentyyears of age, he lay there a living skeleton. His cheek was pale asashes; his brow of marble whiteness; the thin but curling locks of jetblack hair falling wildly round his forehead; his lips hardly tintedwith red; and a preternatural light in his dark eyes, which gave moreterrible effect to the deathly pallor of his countenance.

  A sweet, a wonderfully sweet smile played round his mouth when he sawthe young King of France; and he raised himself feebly on his elbow togreet him as he approached.

  "Welcome, my most noble lord, the king," he said in a weak voice;"this is indeed most kind of your majesty to visit your poor cousin,whom duty would have called to your feet long ago, had not soresickness kept him prisoner. But, alas! from this bed I cannotmove--never shall again, I fear."

  Charles seated himself by the unhappy young man's side, and kindlytook his hand. They were first cousins; their age was nearly the same,and well might the young monarch's bosom thrill with compassion andsympathy for the unhappy duke.

  "I grieve," said the king, "to see you so very ill, fair cousin; but Itrust you will be better soon, the heats of summer have probablyexhausted you, and----"

  Giovan Galeazzo shook his head almost impatiently, and turned ameaning look upon his uncle.

  "Has this continued long?" asked the king.

  "It began with my entrance into this accursed fortress," replied theyouth, "now some two years ago. It has been slow, but very, verycertain. Day by day, hour by hour, it has preyed upon me, till thereis not a sound part left."

  "He fancies that the air disagrees with him," said Ludovic the Moor,"but the physicians say it is not so; and we have had so many tumultsand insurrections in the land, that, for his own safety, it is needfulhe should make his residence in some strong place."

  "For my safety!" murmured the unhappy duke; "for my destruction.Tumults, ay, tumults--would I could strike the instigator of them!'Tis not alone the air, good uncle; 'tis the water also. 'Tiseverything I eat and drink in this hateful place."

  "The caprice of sickness, believe me, nephew," answered Ludovic,bending his heavy brows upon him. "You are too ill to have appetite."

  "Ay, but I have thirst enough," replied the young man; "one must eatand drink, you know, my lord the king. Would it were not so."

  "It often happens, I have heard," said Charles, addressing himself tothe regent, "that what a sick man fancies will cure him, is of ahigher virtue than all medicines--what he believes destructive, willdestroy him. He says, I think, he was quite well till he came here."

  "Oh, how well!" exclaimed the dying prince; "life was then a blessingindeed, and now a curse. Each breath of air, each pleasant sight orsound, went thrilling through my veins with the wild revelry of joy.The song birds and the flowers were full of calm delight, and agallop over the breezy hill was like a madness of enjoyment. Butnow--now--now---how is it all changed now! Verily, as the wise mansaid, 'The song of the grasshopper is a burden.'"

  "We must change all this," said Charles, greatly moved; "we must haveyou forth from Pavia to some purer air. My own physician shall seeyou."

  The unfortunate young man shook his head, and again turned his eyesupon his uncle with a meaning look.

  "It is vain, my lord the king," he said, "or rather it is too late. Mysickness has obtained too great a mastery. The subtle enemy has got mecompletely in his toils--the sickness I mean; he has got me in everylimb, in every vein; a little more and a little more each day--do youunderstand me, sire?--and he will never loose his hold while I have abreath or a pulsation left. But I have a wife, you know, and achild--a fine boy--who is to be Duke of Milan. For them I crave yourroyal protection. Let them be as your wards--indeed, I will make themso. If--if," he continued, hesitating, and turning a furtive glancetowards his uncle; "if I could see your majesty alone, I wouldcommunicate my last wishes."

  "You shall--you shall see me," said Charles, with a gush of feelingwhich brought the tears to his eyes. But those feelings were destinedto be still more excited.

  While he yet spoke there was a noise without, and a woman's voice washeard speaking in high and excited tones.

  "I _will_ pass," she said,
"who dares to oppose me? I will speak withthe noble King of France; he is my cousin--he will be my protector."

  The moment after the door burst open, and a beautiful young girl--forshe was no more--entered, and threw herself at Charles's feet. Herhair had fallen from its bandages, and flowed in beautiful profusionover her neck and shoulders. Her dress, though rich, was torn, as ifmain force had been employed to detain her, and her eyes were full ofthe eagerness and fire of a late struggle. Ludovic the Moor turnedpale, and two men, who appeared at the door by which she entered, madehim a gesture of inquiry, as if asking him whether they should tearher from the king's feet. Ludovic answered not but by a frown; and inthe meantime the princess poured forth her tale and her petitions in avoice that trembled with anxiety, and hope, and terror.

  "Protect us, oh, my lord the king," she cried, "protect us! Do notraise me; I cannot rise, I will not rise, till you have promised toprotect us. Protect us from that man--from that base relative, falseguardian, traitor, subject. Look upon my husband, my lord; see himlying there withered, feeble, powerless; and yet but two yearsago--oh, how beautiful and strong and active he was! What has donethis? What can have done it but drugs mixed with his daily food? Whocan have done it but he who seeks to open for himself a way to theducal seat of Milan? Why is he here confined, a captive in his owndukedom, in his own city, in his own house? Why is he not suffered tobreathe the free air, to control his own actions, to name his ownofficers and servants? Tumults! who instigates the tumults? The peoplelove their prince--have always loved him; cheers and applause wentwherever he trod; he passed fearlessly among them as among hisbrethren, till his kind uncle there, in his tender care for hissafety, first stirred up a tumult by one of his own edicts, and thenshut his sovereign up in a prison in everything but name. Deliver us,my lord king, from this captivity! Have compassion upon my lord, havecompassion upon me, have compassion upon our poor helpless child! Ifever your noble heart has burned at a tale of long and unredressedwrong--if ever it has melted at a story of unmerited suffering--ifever your eyes have overflowed at the thought of cruelty shown to awoman and a child--as you are mighty, as you are noble, as you are aChristian, deliver us from the heavy yoke we bear! As king, asChristian, as knight, deliver us!"

  "I will--I will," answered Charles, raising her and seating her byhim; "by every title you have given me, you have a right to demand myaid, and I am bound to give it. My good cousin the count, this must beseen to at once. I will tarry in Pavia for the purpose of inquiringinto these matters, and seeing them rightly regulated before I gohence."

  "As your majesty pleases," answered Ludovic, bowing his head with alook of humility. "You will find, upon full inquiry, that I have actedfor my nephew's best interests. The lady, poor thing, is somewhatprejudiced, if not distraught; but all these matters can be madeperfectly clear when you have time to listen."

  The young duke gave him a look of disdain, and she answered, "Ay,perfectly clear, count, if the king will but hear both parties."

  "I will, dear lady, doubt it not," answered Charles, tenderly. "Becomforted. No time shall be lost. My cousin here shall be removed to apurer air; my own physician shall visit him. Be comforted."

  A smile--the first smile of hope that had visited her lip for many aday--came upon the poor girl's face. "Thank you--oh, thank you, sire,"she said.

  Well had she stopped there! But she was very young, had no experienceof the omnipotence of selfishness with man. Her fate had been a verysad one. She never sang to her child but with tears; and yet all hadnot taught her that oceans of blood would not bar man from an objectof great desire.

  "I cannot be comforted, my lord," she answered, "notwithstanding allyour generous promises--nay, notwithstanding even their fulfilment,while my poor father, against whom your mighty power is bent--I speakof Alphonso, King of Naples--is in such a case of peril."

  Charles's brow darkened; the compassionate look passed away; but stillthe unhappy girl went on, crushing out in the bosom of the young kingthe spark of pity which her melancholy situation had lighted. "My poorfather, my lord," she continued, "has done nothing to call down yourindignation upon him. Let me entreat your mercy on him; let me beseechyou to pause and consider ere you ruin a man--a king who has neverinjured you--nay, who is ready to submit to any terms you are pleasedto dictate. Oh, my noble lord, hear me; let me plead not only for myhusband and myself, and my child, but for my father and my brotheralso."

  Ludovic the Moor, one of the most subtle readers of the human heartthat the world has ever produced, heard her first reference to herfather with delight; and his eyes were instantly turned towards theyoung king's face. He traced but too easily the change of feelingsgoing on. He saw the first spark of irritation produced by theunwelcome topic: he saw her gradually fanning it into a flame by herefforts to change the settled and selfish purpose of the king. He sawthe struggle between the sense of justice and a favourite scheme; hesaw the anger which a consciousness of wrong, together with aresolution to persevere in wrong invariably produces, growing up inCharles's bosom; and he let her go on without a word, till heperceived that the effect was complete. Then suddenly interposing, hesaid, "May it please your majesty, such exciting scenes are too muchfor the feeble health of my poor nephew; I must care for it, if thislady does not. You have heard all she has to say, and if you will markthe duke's countenance, you will perceive, from the change which hastaken place, that further discussion now would be dangerous if notfatal. I will therefore beseech your majesty to give this matterfurther consideration at a future day, and to visit the poor dwellingI have prepared for you."

  The king rose; and the poor duchess, perceiving too late the error shehad committed, bent down her head upon her hands and wept. Charlestook a kindly leave of the young duke, removing the furtherconsideration of his case to that "more convenient season" which nevercomes, and merely saying to the poor helpless girl, who had pleadedfor her father as well as for her husband, "Be comforted, madam. Wewill see to your protection and future fate."

  She raised not her eyes, but shook her head sadly, and the kingdeparted. We all know that when we are dissatisfied with ourselves weare dissatisfied with others; and the young King of France felt as ifthe duchess had injured him in seeking a justice that he would notgrant.

  He walked hastily onward, then, somewhat in advance of the countregent. Ludovic followed more slowly, with a slight smile upon hiscountenance; and the door closed upon the young Duke of Milan and hisfate for ever.

  Through the long corridor, into the great reception-room, and acrossit, sped the King of France, displeased with himself and every one.The door was held open by the seneschal till Ludovic had passed it;but the Moor lingered a moment upon the threshold, gave a quick glancearound, and whispered in the ear of the seneschal, "Give him a doubleportion in his wine tonight. We must have no more conferences." Thenfollowing the monarch, with a thoughtful look, he aided him to mounthis horse, and took his place by his side. Rumours spread through theCity of Pavia on the following day that Giovan Galeazzo was in a dyingstate, and Ludovic confirmed them to the King of France, saying, "Ifeared the excitement would be too much for his weakened frame."

  That night, in the midst of a joyous banquet, the heavy bell of thegreat church was heard tolling slowly, announcing that another Duke ofMilan had gone to his tomb.