CHAPTER XXIII.
The young King of France sat in a small room dressed in a gown ofblack velvet, with a bonnet or toque upon his head, for the winterswere now cold, and, to tell the truth, Roman houses were then, as now,better fitted for the summer than the winter months of the year.Beside him stood Lorenzo Visconti, listening rather than speaking; foralthough, when he craved through the chamberlain a private audience,he had said that he had matters of great moment to communicate to themonarch, Charles, as was not unusual with him, had begun theconversation with tales of his own griefs and annoyances.
"Upon my life, Visconti," he said, "I am of the mind to trust old menno more, for what they have in wisdom and experience is drowned inselfishness and ambition. A very young man may be a fool, but he israrely a scoundrel; and it is a sad thing, cousin, to be alwaysdoubting whether a man in a grey beard is advising you for yourinterest or his own. Look you now! they promised me that if I butentered Rome, the pope would be brought to terms at once; and nowthere he sits up in the castle there, looking down upon us like aneagle from his eyrie, without showing one sign of a desire to treat. Ihave ordered ten bombards to be brought to the bridge and pointed atthe gates, and, on my life, they shall fire unless he shows signs oflife before noon."
"I think, sire," replied Lorenzo, "you will not have to give theorder. His Holiness may have shown no open signs of a desire to treat,but he seems of your Majesty's opinion, that young men are the bestcounsellors. In a word, sire, I have had a long interview, unsoughtand unexpected, with Cardinal Borgia this morning, and it is on thataccount I have intruded on you thus early."
Charles's attention was now fully aroused. "What!" he exclaimed, "haveyou been admitted to the castle?"
"No, sire," answered Lorenzo; "I last night received a note fromSignor Ramiro d'Orco, appointing a place of meeting, and, judging thathis object had reference solely to his daughter, I went. We had notconversed five minutes when we were joined by the Cardinal Don C?sarBorgia, and he gave me, expressly for your Majesty's hearing, hisviews of the state of affairs in Italy, and hinted very distinctlywhat are the terms which his Holiness is inclined to concede."
"Speak! speak! tell me all!" cried the king. "By heaven, I hope weshall not be interrupted. Call in the chamberlain or his page. Thatbishop comes here about this hour; he should, indeed, be here now; buthe is somewhat negligent and unpunctual. He shall have to wait,however, for I will not admit him till your tale is done."
The chamberlain was called in, the king's orders given not to admiteven his council, and Lorenzo went on to tell his tale. His memory wasgood, the words of C?sar Borgia had impressed themselves deeply on hismind, and Charles lost hardly anything by hearing from another mouth.
The monarch was evidently much struck with the new view of his ownsituation now presented to him. The old adage that "one story is goodtill another is told," is constantly applicable to every view we takeof ourselves, our fate, our circumstances. Whoever told the otherstory, it would always be found very different from our own. Charlespaused long and meditated in silence. His was neither a quick nor acomprehensive mind: and when the golden visions of glory and ambitionhave once entered into the brain, it is difficult to displace them;but yet he saw obstacles he had never dreamed of, impediments whichhad been suggested neither by his own judgment nor by the sagacity ofhis counsellors, dangers which were more than probable, imminent andmenacing. His courage was too great, his ambition too deeply engaged,his honour too much implicated for him to recede from his enterpriseagainst Naples. But he saw strong good sense in the plan suggested andthe advice given by Cardinal Borgia, and he concluded that they wouldnot be furnished by an enemy, or that if they were, they could not befurnished in an inimical spirit.
He pondered these matters more at length, and perhaps more profoundlythan he had ever considered anything before. Steps were heard in theadjoining chamber, a hand was placed upon the latch, words werespoken, some in a tone of remonstrance, and some almost in that ofanger, but they did not rouse the young king from his reverie.
At length the king woke, as if he had suddenly come to someresolution. "I will demand only what must absolutely be granted," hesaid, looking up--"only what is absolutely needful. We must not, byasking too much, risk the loss of all. Now tell me, cousin--youalluded to certain conditions to which the cardinal said his uncle, orrather his father, would agree. Let me know them distinctly, and besure that you remember them aright."
Lorenzo repeated as closely as possible the words of C?sar Borgia,giving something even of his manner and intonation. The king listenedwith fixed attention; but when Lorenzo came to that part of the offerby which it was promised that Zizim should be given into Charles'shands, the words did not produce the effect which the young knight hadexpected. The monarch remained almost entirely unmoved; the vision ofConstantinople had passed away. In showing him his real situation atthat actual moment, Borgia had taught the young king the vanity of hisschemes for the future.
"Well, then," said Charles, when Lorenzo had concluded, "almost all isoffered which I could reasonably demand. There is only one thing leftvague, and that is the security to be given that the Roman territoryshall be kept open when it either suits me to return or when I see fitto bring reinforcements from France; but the details of that questioncan be settled by negotiators on both parts. It may give my ministersan opportunity of making something for themselves, and when it can bedone with honour, my good cousin, I do not object to advance theinterests of those who serve me well."
"Perhaps this little packet, sire, may serve to smooth the way withyour Majesty's ministers," said Lorenzo; "I promised to give it to myreverend lord the Bishop of St. Malo some time when he was alone if Icould, but I did not engage not to ask your Majesty's permission."
"Oh, give it to him, give it to him," said the good-humoured king;"but he should have been here long ere this. He is becoming sadlytardy."
"I think, sire, he has already come, but your Majesty ordered no oneto be admitted."
"True! true!" replied Charles. "Well, then, go, good cousin, take himaside, and give him the packet; then send him in to speak with me."
Lorenzo, as he expected, found the king's minister in the antechamber;but the good bishop was in no very placable mood. He eyed the youngcavalier, as he came forth from the king's closet, with a glance thatcan only be given by a courtier who sees another receive high honourfrom his sovereign, and he had almost turned on his heel when Lorenzoapproached him.
"I wish to speak with you alone for a moment, my lord bishop," saidthe young man, respectfully.
"I cannot imagine what you can have to say to me, Signor Visconti, norwith the king either," said the minister, tartly; "but, as I have beenkept long enough among pages, I may as well gratify you. This way,sir."
Lorenzo followed him with a smile, and the bishop led him to a vacantchamber, saying, as soon as they entered, "Now, sir?"
"I have the honour, my lord," said Lorenzo, "of delivering this intoyour hands from Cardinal Borgia--"
"Who! what!" exclaimed the prelate, interrupting him, in a tonegreatly altered.
"He directed me, reverend sir," continued the young man, not noticinghis exclamations, "to place the packet in your hands when you werealone. This must plead my excuse for so venturing to occupy your timeand detaining you from the king."
But before Lorenzo had finished the sentence the bishop had torn openthe packet, and was gazing in admiration at what it contained. Lorenzodid not wonder at the surprise and satisfaction which had shownthemselves on the prelate's face when he saw in his hands the largestand most beautiful diamond he had ever beheld, except among the jewelsof the King of France. But there was something more; for the bishopgazed at some words written in the cover, and he murmured, loud enoughto be heard, "And a cardinal's hat!" Apparently that was all that waswritten, for he repeated the words again, "And a cardinal's hat! Iunderstand."
Those few words were quite sufficient, however, for C?sar Borgia knewhis man, and was aware
that no long explanations were needed.
Lorenzo was then about to retire, but the bishop stopped him with avery gracious look, saying, "Stay, Signor Visconti, stay! Then youknow his Eminence, and have seen him lately."
"My lord, I must not detain you with explanations," said Lorenzo, "forI know his Majesty wishes to consult you on matters of deepimportance."
"At all events, I trust, from your bringing me this little token,"said the bishop, moving toward the door, "that, notwithstanding yourintimacy with the Cardinal of St. Peter's, you are not one of thosewho will counsel the king to deal hardly with the Holy See."
"My counsel will never be asked, my lord bishop," replied the youngnobleman, walking by his side; "but if it were, I should undoubtedlyadvise his Majesty to come to an accommodation with his Holiness asspeedily as possible, and upon as generous terms as may be compatiblewith his own dignity and security."
"That is well! that is well!" said the bishop, with a gratified smile."My son, you have my benediction. Blessed be the peace-makers!"
Thus ended their interview; but the following day, to his greatsurprise, Lorenzo found that the bishop had requested to have hispresence at a conference with some negotiators on the part of thepope, alleging that it would be better to have the assistance of someItalian gentleman.
In truth, several military men had been joined with him in thecommission, and the good prelate feared that counsels opposite to hisown wishes might prevail unless he had the support of some one ofwhose opinions he had made sure.
The negotiations were not so soon or so easily terminated as eitherLorenzo or the king had expected. Though C?sar Borgia for once actedin good faith, the pope vacillated and delayed, and the subject of themilitary guarantees was attended with great difficulties.
At length, however, it was agreed that Civita Vecchia, Terracina, andSpoleto, together with Ostia, which would seem to have been already inhis possession, should be placed in Charles's hands as security; thatthe solemn investiture of the kingdom of Naples should be given; thatZizim should be delivered to him; and that Cardinal Borgia shouldaccompany the royal army as a hostage.
On his part, Charles promised to show every outward sign of obedienceand submission to the Holy See; and Alexander returned to the Vaticanto receive the homage of the King of France for the kingdom of Naples,and to enjoy an apparent triumph over him who had invaded hisdominions, set at nought his authority, and driven him from hispalace.
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