CHAPTER LXXXIV.
WHERE CHICOT WAKES.
"Your majesty," said Quelus, "knows only half the business, andthat the least interesting half. Assuredly, we have all dinedwith M. de Bussy, and to the honor of his cook, be it said, dinedwell. There was, above all, a certain wine from Austria or Hungary,which really appeared to me marvelous. But during the repast,or rather after it, we had the most serious and interestingconversation concerning your majesty's affairs."
"You make the exordium very long."
"How talkative you are, Valois!" cried Chicot.
"Oh! oh! M. Gascon," said Henri, "if you do not sleep, you mustleave the room."
"Pardieu, it is you who keep me from sleeping, your tongue clacksso fast."
Quelus, seeing it was impossible to speak seriously, shruggedhis shoulders, and rose in anger.
"We were speaking of grave matters," said he.
"Grave matters?"
"Yes," said D'Epernon, "if the lives of eight brave gentlemenare worth the trouble of your majesty's attention."
"What does it mean, my son?" said Henri, placing his hand on Quelus'sshoulder.
"Well, sire, the result of our conversation was, that royaltyis menaced--weakened, that is to say, that all the world isconspiring against you. Sire, you are a great king, but you haveno horizon before you; the nobility have raised so many barriersbefore your eyes, that you can see nothing, if it be not thestill higher barriers that the people have raised. When, sire,in battle one battalion places itself like a menacing wall beforeanother, what happens? Cowards look behind them, and seeing anopen space, they fly; the brave lower their heads and rush on."
"Well, then forward!" cried the king, "mordieu! am I not thefirst gentleman in my kingdom? Were they not great battles thatI fought in my youth? Forward, then, gentlemen, and I will takethe lead; it is my custom in the melee."
"Oh! yes, sire," cried the young men, with one voice.
"And," said Quelus, "against these ramparts which are closinground your majesty, four men will march, sure to be applaudedby you, and glorified by posterity."
"What do you mean, Quelus?" cried the king, with eyes in whichjoy was tempered by solicitude; "who are these four men?"
"I, and these other gentlemen," replied Quelus, with pride; "wedevote ourselves, sire."
"To what?"
"To your safety."
"Against whom?"
"Against your enemies."
"Private enmities of young men?"
"Oh! sire, that is the expression of vulgar prejudice; speak likea king, sire, not like a bourgeois. Do not profess to believethat Maugiron detests Antragues, that Schomberg dislikes Livarot,that D'Epernon is jealous of Bussy, and that I hate Ribeirac.Oh! no. They are all young, and agreeable, and might love eachother like brothers: it is not, therefore, a rivalry betweenman and man, which places the swords in our hands; it is thequarrel of France with Anjou, the dispute as to the rights ofthe populace against the prerogatives of the king. We presentourselves as champions of royalty in those lists, where we shallbe met by the champions of the League, and we came to say, 'Blessus, sire, smile on those who are going to die for you.' Yourblessing will, perhaps, give us the victory, your smile will makeus die happy."
Henri, overcome with emotion, opened his arms to Quelus and theothers. He united them in his heart; and it was not a spectaclewithout interest, a picture without expression, but a scene inwhich manly courage was allied to softer emotions, sanctified bydevotion. Chicot looked on, and his face, ordinarily indifferentor sarcastic, was not the least noble and eloquent of the six.
"Ah!" cried the king, "I am proud to-day, not of being King ofFrance, but of being your friend; at the same time, as I knowmy own interests best, I will not accept a sacrifice, of whichthe result will deliver me up, if you fall, into the hands ofmy enemies. France is enough to make war on Anjou; I know mybrother, the Guises, and the League, and have often conqueredmore dangerous foes."
"But, sire, soldiers do not reason thus, they never take ill luckinto their calculations."
"Pardon me, Maugiron; a soldier may act blindly, but the captainreflects."
"Reflect, then, sire, and let us act, who are only soldiers,"said Schomberg: "besides, I know no ill luck; I am alwayssuccessful."
"Friend, friend," said the king, sadly, "I wish I could say asmuch. It is true, you are but twenty."
"Sire," said Quelus, "on what day shall we meet MM. Bussy, Livarot,Antragues and Ribeirac?"
"Never; I forbid it absolutely."
"Sire, excuse us, the rendezvous was arranged before the dinner,words were said which cannot be retracted."
"Excuse me, monsieur," said Henri, "the king absolves from oathsand promises by saying, 'I will, or I will not,' for the kingis all-powerful. Tell these gentlemen, therefore, that I havemenaced you with all my anger it you come to blows; and thatyou may not doubt it yourselves, I swear to exile you, if----"
"Stop! sire; do not swear; because, if for such a cause we havemerited your anger, and this anger shows itself by exiling us,we will go into exile with joy, because, being no longer on yourmajesty's territories, we can then keep our promises, and meetour adversaries."
"If these gentlemen approach you within range of an arquebuse,I will throw them all into the Bastile."
"Sire, if you do so we will all go barefooted, and with cordsround our necks, to M. Testu, the governor, and pray to beincarcerate with them."
"I will have them beheaded, then; I am king, I hope."
"We will cut our throats at the foot of their scaffold."
Henri kept silent for a long time; then, raising his eyes, said,"God will surely bless a cause defended by such noble hearts."
"Yes, they are noble hearts," said Chicot, rising; "do what theywish, and fix a day for their meeting. It is your duty, my son."
"Oh I mon Dieu! mon Dieu!" murmured Henri.
"Sire, we pray you," cried all the four gentlemen, bending theirknees.
"Well! so be it. Let us trust that God will give us the victory.But let us prepare for the conflict in a Christian manner. If Ihad time, I would send all your swords to Rome, that the Popemight bless them. But we have the shrine of St. Genevieve, whichcontains most precious relics: let us fast, and do penance, andkeep holy the great day of the Fete Dieu, and then the next day----"
"Ah! sire, thanks; that is in eight days!" cried the young men.
And they seized the hands of the king, who embraced them all oncemore, and, going into his oratory, melted into tears.
"Our cartel is ready," said Quelus, "we have but to add the dayand hour. Write, Maugiron, the day after the Fete Dieu. Hereis a table."
"It is done," said Maugiron, "now who will carry the letter?"
"I will, if you please," said Chicot, approaching, "but I wishto give you a piece of advice. His majesty speaks of fasts andmacerations. That is all very well after the combat, but before,I prefer good nourishment, generous wine, and eight hours' sleepevery night."
"Bravo, Chicot!"
"Adieu, my little lions," replied the Gascon, "I go to the HotelBussy." He went three steps and returned, and said, "Apropos, donot quit the king during the Fete Dieu; do not go to the country,any of you, but stay by the Louvre. Now, I will do your commission."