CHAPTER XI.
The moment Helen de la Tremblade had quitted the ch?teau, Madame deChazeul entered the carriage which stood prepared for her in thecourt, and accompanied by what she considered a sufficient guard, setout upon her way towards the dwelling of her brother. Her thoughts,however, were not of the pleasantest kind. At first, they were all inconfusion; but, through the turbid mass of her angry sensations, therecame an impression, a consciousness, that she had too much given wayto the violence of a disposition, originally irritable and passionate,which all her cunning and art had not been able to bring effectuallyunder control. This perception grew stronger and more distinct as shebecame cooler; but, for a time, she attempted to justify to herselfwhat she had done, on the score of policy. "If Rose d'Albret were tohear of this," she said, "we should have new difficulties, and all mywell-laid schemes would be frustrated; so that it was necessary to getthe girl out of the ch?teau as quickly as possible. She will neverventure to go to her uncle's, surely! Oh no, she was ever timid andfrightened; she will hide away in some corner till she finds a newlover."
This reasoning did not satisfy her, however. She saw there was dangerin the course she had pursued. She asked herself, what was she to sayto Walter de la Tremblade when he inquired after his niece, whom shehad taken some two years before, as what was then called, Demoisellede compagnie? Was she to tell him what had occurred. Was she to relateher own conduct? Was she even to acknowledge that her son had seducedthe unhappy girl under her own roof, with opportunities afforded byher own negligence, and not the best example, by her own conduct? Ifsuch things came to his ears, what course would he pursue? Might henot blast all her projects; destroy, even by a word, all, the gloriousfabric which she had been building up for her son's ambition? He wasnot one who could be cajoled and cheated; he was not one who could beoverruled or thwarted. Art to art, and cunning to cunning, he was hermatch; and she felt it. No, the matter must be concealed from himentirely, at least till her schemes were all successful, and Rosed'Albret was the wife of Nicholas de Chazeul. Then, she thought, hemight do his worst; the prize would be gained, the struggleaccomplished, and his power at an end.
Next came the question how this concealment was to be secured. IfHelen did not go to him at once--which the Marchioness little believedshe would--might she not write the tale which she would be afraid tospeak. That was not at all improbable. Nay, destitute as she had beendriven forth, it seemed certain that want would compel her to do soimmediately; and then the whole must be discovered.
As these thoughts presented themselves to her mind, she formed herplan with her usual decision; and, bidding one of her women order thecoachman to stop, she called to the door of the vehicle, two of themounted men, who accompanied the carriage, and in whom she thought shecould rely, and directed them to return immediately to the ch?teau.
"Seek for the girl, Helen," she said, "you will soon find her; 'tisnot a quarter of an hour since she went. You can take some people onfoot with you, to hunt about in the neighbourhood. Carry her back homeimmediately; and tell Mathurine to lock her up in her own room andkeep her upon bread and water till I return. I have been somewhat toosevere with her, though she must undergo some punishment. Away, ashard as you can gallop, and mind you find her, or you shall repent it.Here, Theodore, speak with all the people, and tell them, on theirlives, not to utter one word at the Ch?teau de Marzay of what hastaken place this morning. I and Mademoiselle de la Tremblade will soonmake it up again."
The man to whom she last spoke promised to obey, though, understandinghis mistress well, he clearly saw that she had some other end in viewthan merely reconciling herself to her own conscience for her overseverity, and the carriage rolled on once more upon its way.
About four hours after, it reached the Ch?teau de Marzay, having metwith no farther impediments by the way than such as were presented byroads naturally rough and uneven, which had become one mass of mud anddirt from the united effects of a sudden thaw and long neglect. In thecourt-yard of the mansion she was received by her brother, the Countde Liancourt, who informed her, according to his version, of all thathad taken place in the ch?teau since the arrival of De Montigni. Hetold her the truth, in fact, as he believed it; but nevertheless, hegave her a completely false view of the whole affair; for it is everto be remarked and remembered that, of all the treacherous liarsagainst whom we have to guard in our course through life, our ownheart, with its whole host of subtleties and fallacies, itsprejudices, its vanities, and its self-delusions, is the mostdangerous. Men would rarely, if ever, be deceived if they did not aidmost strenuously to deceive themselves, and what is more curiousstill, it often happens that when we are most busy in attempting toput a fraud upon others, we are most actively cheating ourselves.There is always a traitor in the council whenever we quit thestraightforward course of truth and rectitude.
Monsieur de Liancourt assured his sister, as she alighted from hercarriage, and walked up the staircase to the hall above, that the onlydifficulty was with De Montigni, and that Rose d'Albret had used herinfluence upon him to induce him to consent.
"Has she?" said the Marchioness, thoughtfully; "not very vigorously, Ishould fancy."
"Oh yes, indeed," replied Monsieur de Liancourt; "for I watched theirparting from the cavalier, which was built at the time of the siege,where I could see them, but they could not see me. It was as formal asa court ceremony. He kissed her hand, and made her a low bow, and saidsomething which I did not exactly hear, but the last words were, 'Iwill consider all you have said.'"
"So, then," said Madame de Chazeul, "Mademoiselle Rose hears reason atlast! But what is it that has done this? she always seemed as cold asice before, and barely willing."
"Oh! the fact is," replied the Count, "Rose was never withoutambition. I do not pretend to say she is in love with Chazeul; but hetook care to inform her of the high and splendid fate that would behers as his wife, and that was quite enough."
"It may be so," answered the Marchioness; "ambition is at the bottomof every woman's heart; but yet if De Montigni were as handsome aswhen he went away, I should have fancied that love and folly mighthave had a hard struggle against ambition and good sense. I would nothave suffered them to have any private conversation, if I had beenhere."
"It was the only way to get De Montigni to consent," rejoined Monsieurde Liancourt; "besides, Chazeul has no cause to fear the comparison.He is a man with knowledge of the world and of courts. The other isstill a boy, with no knowledge of anything but books and philosophy."
"Not the man to win a woman, indeed;" said Madame de Chazeul, with acurl of the lip; "but we shall see."
As the last words were on her tongue, they entered the corridor whereDe Montigni and Chazeul were walking up and down with the oldcommander; and an amusing scene took place between the Marchioness andthe rest of the party. She had made up her mind as to the part whichshe was to act towards her nephew; and the moment she saw him, sheexclaimed, with a joyous air, and holding out her open arms towardshim, "Ah, my dear Louis, welcome back to your native land! What atruant you have been! How like he is to poor Louise!" and she embracedhim, apparently with all the tenderness of a mother.
The old commander growled a savage oath or two, and, when she turnedto him, looked her full in the face, saying, "He is like Louise; andthat is why I love him."
"Ah, Michael," said the Marchioness, "you always were a bear, andalways will be one. It is lucky you do not bite as well as growl."
"I may bite some day, if I am provoked," answered the commander.
"Ha! ha! ha!" cried Madame de Chazeul, laughing as heartily as if hermind were free from all the weight of cunning schemes and violentpassions. "You see, Louis, he is just the same as ever. We have notbeen able to tame him since you were gone. It is a sad, ferociousbeast--a bear. And so you have come to grace the wedding?"
"I hope so, Madam," replied De Montigni, gravely; but his thoughtswere busy with the question, of what should be his demeanour towardsthe artful woman who was now befo
re him; and, while she said a fewwords to Chazeul, expressive of no particular affection towards him,the young Baron made up his mind, to seem won by her manner, and toattach himself as much as possible to her during the day, in order tokeep her from attacking Rose d'Albret, who, he feared, might not be sowell able to play her part against the Marchioness as himself.
Madame de Chazeul, however, was pertinacious too, and one of her firstinquiries was for Mademoiselle d'Albret.
"I will send and call her," answered Monsieur de Liancourt; "let us gointo the hall; perhaps she may be there."
They did not find her, however; and the servant he sent to summon her,soon returned with the tidings, that the young lady had gone to bedagain with a bad headache.
"I will go and see her," said Madame de Chazeul. "Poor dear Rose, allthe agitation of these preparations is too much for her;" and shemoved towards the door leading to Mademoiselle d'Albret's apartments,though the old commander exclaimed, in a surly tone, "You had betterlet her alone! Your tongue, Jacqueline, never cured a headache, I amsure."
The Marchioness, however, was stopped by the entrance of anotherperson with whom she had also to play her part; for just as she wasquitting the hall father Walter appeared, and advanced towards her.Her face immediately assumed an air of friendly regard, and giving himher hand, she said, "Good morning, father, how fares it with you? Ourdear Helen would have come with me, but she was somewhat indisposed.Nothing of consequence, however; and perhaps she will join usto-morrow, or at all events, on the day of the marriage." Thensuddenly breaking off, in order to avoid any further inquiries, onthat subject, she lowered her voice, and inquired, "How go thingshere, father? De Montigni is restive, I find. Are you sure ofRose?--quite sure, father? My brother, Anthony, continually blinds hisown eyes; but you see more clearly."
"I think there can be no doubt," replied the priest, "not that Ipretend to say that the lady loves your son; she regards the alliancebut as a family arrangement conducive to her interests, and the onlymeans of giving peace and quietness to the house. For these reasonsshe has urged De Montigni to sign the renunciation and the contract,and I think he will do it--nay, I feel certain he will. They wouldhurry on the affair before your arrival, though I thought it wouldhave been better to wait. But from the course things have taken, noharm has been done; and, perhaps it may be as well now, when you seethe lady, not to derange the impression which has been produced."
The Marchioness mused. "How comes it, good father," she asked, "thatChazeul has not made himself loved? I fear he has been playing thefool with other women; for he is not reputed to want success upon alady's heart, when he is inclined to try. I must give him somelessons; do you think that any of his love affairs have come to thisgirl's ears? That should be prevented till the marriage takes place."
"By all means," said the priest, "but I know of none from which thereis any danger."
"And I of but one," rejoined the Marchioness, "but I will take care tokeep that from her. One may be justified in using a little violencefor such an object."
"Assuredly," answered father Walter, "anything in short, but thespilling of blood."
"Oh, Heaven forbid!" cried the Marchioness, "I bear the woman no illwill for loving Chazeul; but if I were to have her carried off andshut closely up for a few days, there could be no harm in that."
"It were the best means," replied father Walter, "unless her family besufficiently powerful to make dangerous resistance."
"There is no fear of that," answered Madame de Chazeul, with a quietsmile; "but I will go and see Mademoiselle d'Albret."
Thus saying she quitted the hall, while father Walter advanced towardsthe group of gentlemen at the other end, who had been conversingtogether calmly enough during his interview with the Marchioness. Thatlady, however, returned after a very brief absence, saying that Rosed'Albret was trying to sleep; and, put upon a wrong track as she was,both by her brother and the priest, she attached herself during therest of the morning to De Montigni, endeavouring by every artfulmeans, to possess herself of his whole views and intentions, and atthe same time to convince him, that he was giving pain to Rosed'Albret by his hesitation in regard to the signature of the papers.
One of the reasons why the game of life is not unfrequently won by thesimple and the honest against all the arts of the politic and thewily, is perhaps that, in this game, as in no other, the most skilfuland calculating can never tell what cards may be in the hands of theadverse party. I say one of the reasons; for there are many, andamongst them is the belief, from which cunning people can never freethemselves, that others are dealing with them in the same way thatthey would deal, if their relative situations were reversed.
Madame de Chazeul, however, had studied De Montigni's character fromyouth, and knew that he was generous and kindhearted. She, therefore,like father Walter, endeavoured to work upon him, in the firstinstance, through his affection for Rose d'Albret. She spoke of hergently and tenderly, called her "poor Rose," and represented theslight indisposition under which she was suffering, as entirelyproceeding from some agitation and vexation she had undergone in themorning, affecting at the same time to be ignorant of the nature ofthat agitation, but leaving him to draw his own conclusions.
De Montigni, as the reader knows, had the secret in his own keeping,and internally mocked at all the policy which the Marchionessdisplayed; for there is nothing so contemptible as discovered cunning.He resolved, however, to turn back Madame de Chazeul's art uponherself, and found even a pleasure in foiling her with her ownweapons.
"Well, my dear Madam," he answered, "I trust that, by this timeto-morrow, Rose will have no farther cause for anxiety on my account."
"Indeed, how so?" asked the Marchioness.
"Because by that time," replied De Montigni, "all will be positivelysettled."
"And of course as Rose would wish," added the Marchioness,
"As far as I understand her wishes, it shall be so," said De Montigni;"but I do not desire, Madam, what I say to you to be repeated; and nowwill you tell me frankly, for I know you are well aware, what is thevalue of these benefices which my uncle offers me?"
"At least equal to the value of the estates," replied Madame deChazeul: "more, indeed, if you take in the Abbey of Chizay in Poitou;but that I believe was promised to good Monsieur de la Tremblade--notexactly promised, perhaps; but I know he was led to expect it."
"No one shall break a promise for me," replied De Montigni with someemphasis on the words. "They can be all held, I believe, withouttaking the vows."
"Your uncle holds them," answered Madame de Chazeul, "and he has takenno vows that I know of--unless it be, never to drink thin piquettewhen he can get strong Burgundy, or to eat pork when he can findvenison."
De Montigni smiled, and was going on to stop the questions of theMarchioness by inquiries of his own, when the summons to dinner washeard, and the whole party descended to the hall below.
When the meal was over, father Walter put the young Baron in mind,that they had to read over together the papers, in regard to whichthere had been so much discussion. Although De Montigni much wished tooccupy Madame de Chazeul as far as possible during the day, he couldnot well put off the engagement; and whispering to the old commander,to watch her closely, he retired with the priest to his own chamber.There, several long documents were spread out before him; and heproceeded, with pen and ink at hand, to peruse the whole, clause byclause, demanding minute and lengthened explanations as he went on,and taking notes of every point of importance. Father Walter wassomewhat surprised at the calm and steady good sense he displayed;and, though De Montigni expressed neither consent to nor dissent fromany of the items, was more and more convinced every moment, that theyoung Baron had made up his mind, to accept the benefices and renouncethe estates.
In the meanwhile the Marchioness de Chazeul had drawn her son awayfrom the rest of the party below, and walking with him on the rampart,was giving him those lessons of which she had spoken to the priest.Not a word did she say of Helen
de la Tremblade; nor a word ofreproach or reproof did she utter; but her conversation turnedentirely upon his demeanour towards Rose d'Albret.
"Ah Chazeul!" she said, after taking a turn backward and forward, inthe tone of one jesting with a friend, "thou art a silly lad, I fear,and little knowest how to push thy fortune with womankind."
"Nay, my good mother, it is not thought so," replied Chazeul, drawingup his head and smoothing his ruff; "I am no seeker after the fame ofsuch conquests, but I have some reason to believe they are not sodifficult as they are supposed to be."
"True," answered his mother, "doubtless with the light Parisian dame,the gay lady who has known a thousand lovers, thou art a potentassailant; but she is like a city which has been besieged and taken athousand times, till all the outworks and ramparts have been battereddown, and the place is right willing to surrender at the first sightof artillery. With a maiden fortress, however, such as this fair Rosed'Albret, thou art but a poor general, otherwise you would have gainedthe citadel long ago."
"Meaning her heart; but how would you have had me conduct the siege,dear mother?" asked her son, pursuing the simile she had used.
"By assault, Nicholas!" replied the Marchioness; "prayers, tears,vows, daring, anything. Here neither wall, nor bastion, nor redoubt,is to be gained but by vigorous attack. Women, who by experience havenot gained a knowledge of their own weakness, are always more resolutein resistance than those who have learned that they cannot long holdout when closely pressed. Storm and escalade are the only ways withsuch castles, Chazeul; and if you were to pursue till doomsday yourcold and formal rules of siege, you would make no way, but finddefences grow up in proportion to the feebleness of the attack."
"Why, you would not surely have me treat Rose d'Albret as any commonwoman of but light fame?" said Chazeul. "You are much mistaken,mother, if you think that is the way to win her."
"Nay, I would have you treat her very differently, foolish boy,"replied the Marchioness. "With a woman of light fame, as you call heryou may well trust to her to make at least half the advances. With ayoung ignorant girl you must make them all yourself; for, be sure, shewill not. One or the other must be bold and daring; and the onlyquestion is, on whose part it shall be. The practised dame will takeher share on herself, the inexperienced girl expects it all from you.We all know in our hearts, Chazeul, that we do not dislike animpetuous lover. Though we may chide, we easily forgive even verygrave offences, so that love be the excuse. The story of the Romansand the Sabines was a good allegory of women's hearts; men must takethem by force if they would have them."
"Oh, her heart is mine sufficiently for all the purposes of weddedlife," replied her son. "I know her better than you, my good mother,and am well aware that more things enter into the calculations of thatlittle brain than you imagine.--I would not spoil her," he continued,"with too much devotion. You women grow exacting as you imagine youhave power; and I would have her think the tie she has upon me is nottoo strong, lest she should one day think fit to use it strongly. Itis enough for me to know, that she sees clearly her own interest in amarriage with myself. She will not expect, in a wedding ofconvenience, all that court and exclusive attention which some bridesdemand; and every little loverlike act will come with tenfold force."
"All very wise and very prudent, good youth," replied his mother, "ifyou had no rival, no competitor in the game that you are playing; ifthere were no obstacles, no difficulties in the way. But here ourgreat object is time and secure possession; and had you, by bold andardent eagerness, advanced your suit so that she had no escape frommarriage with you, we should have found both herself and De Montignimore tractable, depend upon it."
"She is tractable enough," replied Chazeul, "it is De Montigni alonethat holds out; and she has done her best to persuade him, I am sure.A rival, do you call him? but a pitiful rival to me! and as toobstacles and difficulties, whatever have existed are swept awayalready. She has done her best to persuade De Montigni to sign; and Iam sure he will do so."
"Well," said the Marchioness, "we shall see. I think he will, but donot feel so sure. He was somewhat too smooth and courteous just now;and I thought I saw a somewhat double meaning in his words, as if hehoped still that Rose might raise up some impediment.--We must sufferhim to have no farther speech with her alone. It is a dangerous plan."
"There is no fear of Rose," replied Nicholas de Chazeul, peevishly."If it be anything like love on his part for her that you dread, it isa vain fancy. Had you seen him meet her last night, you would havebeen cured of such dreams. He was as cold as if we had imported astatue from Italy, fresh cut in the stone; and not all Rose could dowould warm him."
"Ay, before others," rejoined the Marchioness, "but perhaps when aloneit might be different."
"No, no," said Chazeul, "my uncle watched them; and it was just thesame: all formal bows and stiff courtesies.--But who is this, comesriding here?" he continued, gazing from the battlements. "A trumpet atfull speed, with a green scarf! News from Mayenne, upon my life! Imust go down and see."
Thus ended a conversation which has been repeated here withreluctance; but it is as needful, in painting nature, to show the mindand character of the bad as of the good, to display the thoughts andreasonings of the wicked as of the virtuous. Neither does the portraitof Madame de Chazeul serve little to exemplify the times in which shelived. France was then full of such. Intrigue of every kind, amorousand political, was then at its height, and most of the infamous anddaring deeds that were done, either for the gratification of privatepassions, or for the attainment of great public objects, weresuggested by women.
The man who had been seen riding so sharply towards the ch?teau,proved to be a trumpeter sent by the Duke of Nemours with letters toChazeul, notifying the march of the army of the League to relieve thetown of Dreux, closely besieged by the King, and calling upon him tojoin it, with all his retainers, as a battle seemed inevitable. Thedespatches spoke in glowing terms of the force under Mayenne. It wasnearly double in number, they said, to that which Henry of Bourboncould bring to oppose it, and a glorious victory would soon beachieved, in which all honourable men would long to take part.Chazeul, however, sent an ambiguous answer; for he was not one tosacrifice his private interests even to the triumph of his faction,and he was resolved to possess the hand of Rose d'Albret, and to seethe estates of Liancourt and Marennes secured to himself, before hequitted the Ch?teau of Marzay.
More than one hour elapsed before Louis de Montigni had terminated hisexamination of the papers with the priest; and even then, with allfather Walter's skill, he could not extract from him any promise,either direct or indirect, to sign them. To the eager questions ofMadame de Chazeul the priest could but reply, "I cannot tell what hewill do. I believe his mind is made up, to act as we could wish; buthis demeanour is certainly somewhat strange. He has taken notes ofeverything, and remains pondering over them. Our only plan is to watchthe commander, and to cut them off from any private communication witheach other. Noon to-morrow will show us what we are to expect; and inthe mean time we must guide things as we can. Have you seenMademoiselle d'Albret?"
The Marchioness replied in the negative, and it was not till one hourbefore sunset that Rose came forth from her chamber to breathe, for afew minutes, the fresh air. She was pale, and evidently suffering; andwhenever Madame de Chazeul attempted to question her, she pleadedindisposition as an excuse for talking little. She gazed forth fromthe ramparts over the wide country which the ch?teau commanded, with afeeling of dread, mingling strangely with hope and joy. The brightsunshine of the first day of spring was glittering over the whole; buton the verge of the southern sky was hanging a dark and heavy mass ofclouds, rising up in all sorts of fantastic forms; and Rose could nothelp associating her own fate with the aspect of the day, and thinkingthat the bright gleam of summer, which had come to her heart after along and chilling winter, might, perhaps, be soon blackened by storms,the clouds of which were already within sight.
Soon after the party was joined by D
e Montigni; and the two loversstrove hard to conceal their feelings under the appearance of coldindifference; but Rose found the task so difficult that she remainedonly a few moments after the young Baron's appearance, and then oncemore retired to bed.
Madame de Chazeul remarked the whole; and suspicion rose up in hermind. But the field of probability is wide and dim, so that her doubtsfound no fixed point to rest upon; and she contented herself withwhispering to De Montigni, "Were I a man, I would not long give a ladycause to fly me thus."
The young nobleman made no answer, but turned away, as if somewhatoffended; and this slight indication of temper was used by Madame deChazeul to deceive herself. "Were he not acting contrary to the girl'swishes," she said to herself, "he would not take offence at mysupposing it."
The rest of the day passed without any occurrence of importance; andthe only points which Madame de Chazeul thought worthy of notice atsupper, were the absence of Estoc from the table, and that Louis deMontigni confined his conversation almost altogether to father Walter,with whom he talked a good deal in a low tone. She herself was tiredwith early rising and a journey. The commander soon retired to rest;and she followed without delay, as soon as she was certified byprivate information, from one whom she had set to watch, that the goodold soldier was actually in his bed. Satisfied that all communicationbetween De Montigni and himself was at an end for the night, she laidherself down to seek that repose which is unfortunately, but notunnaturally, as often the portion of the hardened in vice, as of thevirtuous and the good.