CHAPTER XXIX.
De Montigni rode on thoughtfully, for a few minutes, not a littleembarrassed how to act. To go to the King seemed absolutely necessary;and yet he could not but feel, that every step he took was carryinghim farther and farther from the spot where he wished to be. Topresent himself at Marzay without attendants or friends, he knew well,from all the tales that had reached his ears, of the dark proceedingswhich took place from time to time in the bosom of the noblestfamilies of France, might be a most dangerous experiment. Not that hebelieved Monsieur de Liancourt would suffer him to receive injury, ifhe could help it; but he doubted that the Count would be able toprevent the schemes of others from taking effect; and he dreaded along imprisonment at that particular moment, almost as much as loss oflife. Yet every hour's delay ere he made some effort once more to freeRose d'Albret, or, at least, to assert his claim to her hand, wastedious and terrible to him. Turning at length, to the trumpeter whorode on silently by his side, he inquired, "Well, my friend, where didyou leave the King?"
"At a place called Rosni, I think," replied the man; "not far from thetown of Mantes."
"You think!" said De Montigni; "are you not sure where you left him?"
"One cannot be sure of anything, in this world," replied the trumpeterdryly; "but that was not what I meant. I intended to say, I think theplace is called Rosni, for I am a stranger in this part of the world.France is a big country, Monsieur; and I come from a good distance onthe other side of Libourne, so I may well be forgiven for not havinggot all these names by heart."
"What rumour did you hear of the King's movements?" asked De Montigni.
"The last noise I heard of his movements," answered the man, "was agreat deal of blowing of horns."
"And pray on what occasion was that?" demanded De Montigni.
"On the occasion of the King going out to hunt," was the reply. "HisMajesty having chased Mayenne, thought fit to run after a braverbeast, though it could scarcely run faster than the other."
"But was there no mention of going to Paris?" said the young nobleman.
"Why, good faith, everybody was talking of it, and nobody doing it,"replied his dry companion; "but if you must needs know all, Sir, menwhispered in one another's ears that the King's pockets were empty,and that his financiers kept them so on purpose."
"For what object?" demanded De Montigni.
"To put the money in their own pocket which they kept out of his,"answered his companion. "Try the thing with your own farmers, Sir, andyou will find the same happen. You will get no money till you go tofetch it that you may be sure of."
"I hope I shall," answered De Montigni, "for I have much need of itjust now."
"Ah, poor young gentleman," replied the trumpeter; "I am sorry foryou; for those who want money, and don't choose to go and fetch it,will soon have to ride in holey boots. However, why should a subjectbe better off than a king? I have seen our Henry before now, with ahole in the elbow of his pourpoint; and many a time he has been gladto dine off pumpkin soup and a lump of black bread."
"Poor fare, assuredly, for a Monarch," said De Montigni musing; "andyet the want of money may produce worse disasters than that, myfriend,--especially where time is almost life."
"Assuredly, Sir," answered the trumpeter; "but perseverance comes tothe aid of all. I thought I never should have got to Chartres thismorning; for there are all sorts of bands roving the country, who haveno more respect for a trumpet or a flag of truce, than they have foran old cheese, or a maid's modesty."
De Montigni remained silent for several minutes; but at length hesaid, "I wish I could meet with one of those bands you speak of."
"By my faith and honour, Sir," replied his companion with a laugh,"you may meet with one of them sooner than you would find pleasant.They are as easy to be found as cow-slips in the spring, but not quiteso fragrant."
"They might answer my purpose, however," said the young Baron. "Isuppose they would take service with any one who would pay them?"
"Ay, that they would," rejoined the trumpeter; "though you might findsome honour amongst them too, notwithstanding all that Monsieur deNemours said just now. Your furious Leaguer--unless he were agentleman--would not sell himself to the King, for any money; and yourstiff Protestant would not go over to the League for gold and roastmeat. But there are plenty of birds between those two flights, whocare not a straw on which side they appear, so that they fight,plunder, and get paid."
In such conversation De Montigni and his companion rode on for aboutan hour and a half, the young nobleman every now and then falling intoa fit of thought, and revolving, with doubt and hesitation, the coursehe had to pursue. Lose Rose d'Albret, he was resolved he would not,without using every effort in his power; and yet he feared that, inthe lawless state to which France had been reduced by long years ofcivil contention, she might be driven, if not to wed Chazeul--for thathe believed nothing would induce her to do--at least to take thosemonastic vows which would place as impassable a barrier between them.To his just claims, he knew a deaf ear would be turned by those whohad her in their hands; and no means seemed feasible to deliver herbut force; and yet his heart revolted at the idea of taking armsagainst him by whom he had been nurtured and protected in his earlyyears, and of attacking the dwelling where all his young and happydays had been passed. Yet "desperate evils," he thought, "require adesperate remedy; and that which is refused to justice, must beobtained by force." His mind then again reverted to the means; and, atlength, he settled upon the plan of endeavouring to join the band ofthe Commander de Liancourt, of whose death it must be remembered hewas ignorant. He knew that his uncle had been upon the way to join theKing; and though he had not seen him in the fight of Ivry, the oldsoldier might well have been there, he thought; for, in the hurry andconfusion of the field, and the disguise which the arms then wornafforded, two brothers might stand within a few yards of each other,without the slightest recognition taking place. As he thus meditated,he turned to his companion and inquired, if he had been at the fieldof Ivry.
"To be sure I was," replied the man; "and blew till I thought I shouldhave burst my cheeks. The first thing that made Mayenne's standardbegin to flap backwards and forwards, was the wind of my trumpet."
"Did you chance to hear of or see the old Commander de Liancourt?"asked the young nobleman; "and if you did, can you tell me what hasbecome of him?"
"See him, I did not," said the man, "for he was boxed up in his armslike a crab in his shell. But when he came up behind the CornetteBlanche, I asked who he was, and they told me. As to what became ofhim, I do not know, for I lost him in the battle."
"Did you hear anything, then, of one Monsieur de Chasseron?" asked DeMontigni.
"No," replied the man; "was he there? I knew his brother very well, ifthat will do; he who was killed at Contras."
"No, that will not do," said De Montigni. "It was of a gentleman, whowas with the King the night before this last battle, I spoke."
"I did not see him," answered the trumpeter; and there theconversation dropped; but scarcely had five minutes passed, beforethree horsemen were seen riding towards them at a quick pace. "Now,"cried the trumpeter, "you may have a chance of beginning your band.Here come some folks who seem as if they were seeking employment."
"I think I have a chance, indeed," replied the young nobleman with asmile, as he recognized one of his own servants, at the head of theparty. "If I mistake not, these men will join us at a word."
The next moment the horsemen rode up, and great was their joy to seethe young Baron again; for, besides the man who had been long with himin Italy, were two of those who had accompanied him and Rose d'Albretin their flight from Marzay. He now learned that, having heard of hiscapture by the Duke of Nemours, and that he had been carried aprisoner to Chartres, they were riding with all speed towards thatcity, in order to offer him their services during his captivity.
But though De Montigni was certainly rejoiced at their coming, hissatisfaction was sadly clouded by the intelligence
they brought of hisgood uncle's death. Many a question did he ask, and many a long detaildid they give, of the scene which closed the preceding night at thefarm-house on the banks of the Eure; and amongst other facts whichwere now communicated to him, was the intention of Estoc, as soon ashe could make his preparations, to carry the body of his dead leaderto the chapel at Marzay.
"He must wait some time before he can set out," added the servant,"and, if we make haste, we may join him on the way; for I am sure,Sir, you would like to be present at the good old knight's funeral."
"Undoubtedly," replied De Montigni, "on every account I should wish tobe there. Do you know what road Estoc will take?"
"I cannot tell, Sir," replied the man, "but I should think he wouldnot be able to march from St. Andr?, before to-morrow morning."
"Then let us direct our course thither, with all speed," said DeMontigni. "Which road ought we to take?"
"We could not do better than follow the one we are upon," answered theman who had served him as a guide towards Dreux. "A high road isalways better than a by-one, when we have nothing to fear; and thecountry between this and Nogent Le Roy, is quite clear of the enemy."
"By my faith, I do not know that," replied the trumpeter. "I know Iwas obliged to go round two miles, to get out of the way of a partyall decked out with crosses of Lorraine."
"Nonsense, nonsense," cried the servant; "if we did meet twenty orthirty of them, they would run at the very sight of us. Every villagethat we passed, was mounting the white scarf; and a flood of loyaltyhas overflowed the land, which threatens to wash the League out ofFrance."
Without farther debate, De Montigni led the way on upon the road theywere travelling, anxious, if possible, to reach Aunet that night. Butmortal man is destined to meet with impediments in whatever course hemay pursue, and many were those which delayed the young nobleman inhis progress. The roads were heavy, his horse, and the horses of hisfollowers, wearied by marching during several preceding days; and itwas found necessary to halt for an hour at Nogent, in order to refreshthem.
It was a beautiful evening in the spring, however, when they once moreresumed their way; and the interval of their halt was not ill employedby De Montigni, in writing a letter to the King, expressing hisgratitude for the monarch's condescension and kindness, informing himof the motives which led him to Marzay, and promising to rejoin him,accompanied by all the force he could muster, with as little delay aspossible. This epistle he placed in the hands of the trumpeter, whowas to quit them when they turned towards Annet; but, in the meantime,the good man rode on by the young gentleman's side, entertaining him,or at least striving to do so, by his quaint observations on all thecircumstances of the time.
Thus proceeding, they had advanced to a spot three or four miles fromNogent, where they paused to consider of their further course on thebrow of a little eminence, from which two cross roads were seenbranching to the right and left. Although, as the servant had stated,they had found the whole country rapidly resuming its loyalty, as aconsequence of the King's success, yet they had learned at Nogent,that the town of Dreux still held out stiffly for the League; and thatto attempt the passage under its walls, might be dangerous.
The hill, on which they stood, commanded a wide view over theundulating plain below; and clothing the side of the descent, was athick low wood already beginning to grow red with the first promise ofthe spring. About a mile in advance, rose the tower of an old ch?teau,even then partially decayed, and of which nothing is now to be found,but one ruined wall rising on the top of a tree-covered mound, whichthe reader, if he ever travels from Versailles to Dreux, towards thehour of sunset, may see on his left hand, with the light streaming ina long bright ray through the solitary window which time has spared.When I saw it, all the building and the wood below were in deepshadow, except where that solitary beam fell, lighting up oneparticular track, like some sweet memory in the shady expanse ofpast-by years.
A little way down the road, when the young Royalist and his followersreached the brow of the hill, from behind a clump of trees whichprojected somewhat further than the rest, rose a thin column of palebluish smoke; and the trumpeter, touching De Montigni's arm, pointedit out to him, saying, "Now, Sir, if you wish to increase your band,here's the opportunity. I will wager my trumpet against a cow-herd'shorn, that under those trees there is a party of good gentlemenboiling their pot, and not knowing how to fill it to-morrow."
"The more I can gain, the better," replied De Montigni; "but I havelittle time to spare. How many men had Monsieur Estoc with him?" hecontinued, turning to his servant.
"Fifteen or twenty, I think," replied the man. "I did not count them,but there could not well be less."
"We must have more," said De Montigni; "many more, if it be possibleto find them. Let us try what we can do here;" and, somewhat rashlyand inconsiderately, he rode down the hill, without furtherexamination. At the first sound of his horse's feet, the figure of aman armed in cuirass and steel cap, came out from behind the trees, asif on the watch; and the young nobleman could see him turn round andspeak to some persons behind; and when De Montigni had reached thespot itself, he found four others seated round a fire, apparentlyengaged in the very peaceable occupation of eating their soup out of alarge earthen pot, which stood amongst the ashes. The two parties wereequal in number; and the strangers showed no hostile colours, nor,indeed, any alarm; so that De Montigni imagined there could be no riskin pausing for a few moments to talk with them.
"Well, my men," he said, "you seem to be out of employ."
"No, Monsieur," replied one of them, "I think we are very wellemployed. I wish we were sure of such good occupation to-morrow;" andhe laughed as he carried a spoonful of soup to his mouth.
"Perhaps I may be able to furnish it to you," rejoined De Montigni,"if you are willing to take service with me."
The man gazed at him for a moment, and then ran his eye over the younggentleman's companions, pausing for a little, at the figure of thetrumpeter, and the royal arms which hung upon his instrument of music.
"We are no way scrupulous, Sir," he said, "all that we require, isgood pay down on the day, and a gallant leader, not too particular."
"Good pay you shall have," replied De Montigni, "and that exactlydischarged. But I must have obedience to my commands, and no grumblingat plenty of work."
"I see no reason why it should not be a bargain," rejoined the other;"I suppose you are raising a band, Sir?"
"I am," answered De Montigni, "or rather I am seeking to add to a bandalready raised, but somewhat scanty."
"How many have you got; and how many do you want?" was the nextquestion.
"I have about twenty at command," said the young nobleman, "and wishto treble that number at the least."
"For whose service?" demanded another of the soldiers, rising, inwhich action he was followed by the rest.
De Montigni paused for a moment, ere he replied, and then said, "Formy own in the first place, and then for the King's. But I should thinkto you, my men, it would not make much difference on whose side youfought, so that you exercise your calling."
"Perhaps not," answered the other; and, turning to his companions,they all spoke together in a low tone for a minute or two. The one whohad taken the principal part in the conversation, then advanced closerto De Montigni, inquiring what pay he would give them, if they agreedto do as he wished. But his eye was upon their movements, for therehad been something in the tone in which the last few questions hadbeen asked, which seemed to him suspicious; and now perceiving thatthe other four sauntered leisurely towards a tree, against which theirshort lances or pikes had been resting, he turned towards hisfollowers, he exclaiming aloud, "Your hands upon your pistols!"
"Why, what are you afraid of?" asked the soldier, in a scoffing tone;but at the same instant, De Montigni's servant shouted, "There arehorse upon the hill, Sir! Ride on, ride on!"
The young nobleman turned his rein; but the soldier who was beforehim, made a sudden spring towards him, and
endeavoured to seize hisbridle; while the four others cast themselves across the road withtheir pikes levelled.
The young gentleman, however, was quicker than his antagonist. Hissword was out of the sheath in an instant; and before the man, crying"Yield to the Holy League," could grasp his bridle, he dealt him ablow upon the steel cap that made him stagger. A second brought him tohis knee; and a third would most likely have dispatched him; but therewas no time to be lost; a considerable body of cavalry were comingdown at a quick pace; and, heading his men, De Montigni charged thepikemen on the road, who wavered a little at the sight of themaltreatment their comrade had received. Had they stood firm, theymight have detained their opponents, till the horse from above hadjoined them; but a pistol shot from one of the young Baron'sfollowers, stretched the foremost on the ground; and the others gaveway at once.
"Quick, Sir, quick!" cried the man who had guided De Montigni fromMarzay. "They have green scarfs! We must gallop for our lives!" and,setting spurs to their horses, the whole party rode down the hill atfull speed.
It was now a complete flight and pursuit; for the cavalry from abovehurried on their horses, with voice and spur; and the royal trumpeterput his instrument to his mouth, and blew a long loud blast, butwithout ever pausing in his headlong speed. On, on the Royalist partywent riding for life and liberty; but the others came quicker stillbehind them; and near the foot of the hill, the trumpeter's horse madea false step, stumbled, and rolled over with his rider.
"Spur, Sir, spur!" cried the guide, seeing his leader inclined topause. "This way, this way! We shall distance them among the narrowroads. They are too many to follow fast."
But De Montigni's horse was still fatigued; and the bad state of theby-ways to the right, into which they now struck, made the beastlabour and stumble continually. As the man had supposed, a number ofthe pursuers were quickly left behind; but still some ten or twelvefollowed; and it soon became evident to the young Baron's party thatthey must ere long be overtaken.
"We had better turn and fight it out," said De Montigni; "my horse isfailing. They cannot force us in this lane."
"No, no, Sir!" cried the guide, "let us on to the old ch?teau, atleast. If we find the gate open, we can make it good against them; andthey dare not stay long before it.--'Tis close at hand!"
"On, then!" cried De Montigni; and touching his charger with the spuronce more, they were soon at the foot of the little rise, not morethan a hundred yards in length, which led to the building.
Seeing their intention, the pursuers took to their fire-arms, and apistol-ball or two whizzed amongst them. One struck the guide upon theshoulder; but he was covered with a good buff coat, and the distancewas too great for the shot to have any serious effect. The gates stoodwide open; the court-yard was covered with grass--the windows closed;and, in a few minutes, the whole of the fugitives were in the court.
De Montigni sprang to the ground, and endeavoured to close the gates;but a pile of rubbish had accumulated against them, and only one valvewould swing upon its hinges. Those who followed, were within fiftyyards when one of the men, who had ridden on up to the house,exclaimed, "Here, Sir, here, this door is open;" and, casting loosehis rein, the young nobleman sprang across the court, up the steps,and into the vacant and desolate hall, just as the enemy poured inthrough the gates. Two of De Montigni's men led their horses up, andinto the building; but the third was so closely pursued, that he wasobliged to abandon his beast; and the heavy door was only just closedwhen the Leaguers were on the steps.
"Quick! run round and see that every door and window is fast!"exclaimed the young Baron to his little party: "On that depends oursafety;" and he himself setting the example, hurried from room toroom, and from passage to passage, while those without seemed to holda consultation together; and some hammered violently against thewood-work with the but-end of their large pistols, and strove to forcethe staples, by their united strength. Two doors at the back werefound open, but were soon secured; and though some of the windows werenot closed, and indeed, were without either their glass or frames, yetthey were too high from the ground to be reached from without, withoutthe aid of ladders.
In about five minutes, De Montigni and his men were once moreassembled in the hall, and their little council was soon held.
"They will never venture to stay long," cried one.
"And they cannot force us here without axes or hammers," exclaimedanother.
"We must not let them try," answered De Montigni, "who has got powderand ball? My pistol is unloaded."
"I have," said one, "but it is a scanty stock;" and he approached hishorse, which stood panting with a drooping head and heavy eye in themidst of the hall.
"I have a good supply," cried the servant. "Thanks to Monsieur Estoc.He said I might want it;" and taking his master's pistol he charged itwith powder and ball.
"Now follow to the windows above," said De Montigni; "you Ralph, andyou Martin. Let the other stay here, and watch through that key-hole."
Thus saying, he led the way up the stairs--which entered, at the otherend of the hall--to the rooms above the doorway; the windows of whichwere wide open and without any defence. The sill, however, was itselfbreast high; and creeping, with his loaded pistol in his hand, towardsthe casement which, he calculated, was immediately above the steps, DeMontigni looked out into the court. A greater number of the Leaguershad by this time come up; and the open space contained at least twentymen. In the centre of the court, was a group of five or six,surrounding the poor trumpeter, who was remonstrating loudly againstthe stopping of a flag of truce, but apparently in vain; for they hadstripped him of the pouch he carried under his arm, and one of themwas busily reading the very letter to the King, which De Montigni hadwritten at Nogent. Closer to the ch?teau, were several others; andone, wearing a gay green scarf, was standing behind a man who, bendingdown his head, was looking through the large key-hole of the door. Theyoung nobleman beckoned to his men, who had remained a step or twobehind, to come quietly up; and as they advanced, bending low to avoidbeing seen, he whispered to them to follow his example; and thensingling out the Leaguer of the green scarf, he levelled his pistoland fired.
The man instantly fell back, and rolled down the steps into the court,and the two servants discharging their weapons at the same time, castthe group in the centre into marvellous confusion, severely woundingtwo of those who composed it.
De Montigni instantly retreated from the room to charge again; but, assoon as he had reached the passage beyond, the man who had accompaniedhim from Marzay, whispered in his ear, "Do you know who they are?Pardi, that was a good shot of yours, Sir!--you knocked over theBailli de Chazeul. We shall have to fight for our lives, however, ifthey know who you are; for doubtless orders have been sent to bringyou in, dead or alive."
"The Bailli de Chazeul!" repeated De Montigni in surprise. "Ay, Iremember Monsieur de Nemours mentioned he had been sent to Mayenne'sforce. But we must act, not talk. I should be sorry to believe mycousin would give any commands contrary to the rights of blood; but ifhe have done so, the more need of gallant defence; and here we cansurely maintain ourselves till help arrives."
"Oh, yes!" answered the man in a confident tone; "they can neitherforce nor starve us, while we have these good doors for our defence,and two horses to eat."
Without further consultation, De Montigni returned to the window withthe same precautions as before; but he found that the whole party ofLeaguers had retired to the other side of the court, and were gatheredtogether round the wounded men. The air was now growing grey withtwilight; and even if he could have seen to take a just aim, thedistance was too great to afford a chance of doing any damage to theenemy. The eyes of several of those below were turned towards thewindows; and, catching a glance of a man's head, raised somewhat abovethe stone work, one of them exclaimed, "There! there!" loud enough forthe sound to reach his ears. The next thing he expected was a volley;but the moment after a man advanced waving a white handkerchief, andcrying "Truce! truce!"
r /> De Montigni was silent, till the Leaguer coming nearer demanded, "Isthe Baron de Montigni amongst you?--nay, we know he is!"
"Well," answered the young nobleman, raising his head, "what if hebe!"
"Then let him surrender to the Holy Catholic League," replied the man,"and take quarter."
"If you be really of the Roman Catholic League," replied the youngnobleman, "you have nought to do but to retire; for Monsieur deMontigni is furnished with a pass from the Duke of Nemours. But if yoube plunderers and marauders, as I strongly suspect, keep yourdistance, for you cannot force us here, and the attempt will cost youdear, as you must have learned by this time."
The man retired a step or two, and after consulting for a minute withthose behind, he again came forward, saying, "If you have got a pass,Monsieur de Montigni, come down and show it."
"Will any three amongst you, being gentlemen, be hostages that thepass shall be respected?" demanded De Montigni, "otherwise I open notthe doors."
"Mark you, Monsieur le Baron," cried another who seemed to be of asuperior rank, advancing from behind, and speaking in an angry tone."You had better surrender, for we are resolved to have you; and thoughwe have not tools to-night, we will watch you well, and force yourgates to-morrow morning. We will give you till day-break to consider;but if you yield not with the first ray of the sun, we will pile upthe doors with faggots and burn you out."
"Long ere to-morrow morning our friends will be here," replied DeMontigni; "and you will be caught in your own trap. So do as you listgentlemen, but think not to deceive us, for we will keep good watchtoo."
"We know better, we know better," answered the last speaker. "TheBearnois is at Mantes, his forces dispersing, and he himself going onto Meulan. So we shall rest quiet enough, and to-morrow will see youour prisoner, or roasted like an egg in the ashes. You have woundedone of our best men, I fear, to death; and you shall not escape us;but if you surrender to-night you shall have good quarter."
"That I will never," cried De Montigni; "and if one of you be woundedto death, many another shall fall before you place the faggots thatyou talk of; and so no more; for if you come nearer I will fire."
The spokesman of the Leaguers retiring slowly, seemed to consult for afew minutes with the rest; and then, carrying away two in their arms,while another walked supported by one of his companions, the wholebody retreated from the court; but by the remaining light they mightbe seen to halt just beyond the walls; and one small party wasobserved to detach itself to the right and a second to the left, as ifto guard the other sides of the building. A single horseman, too, rodeoff in the direction of the hill from which they had come down inpursuit; and it was evident that their present intention was to keeptheir word of remaining before the ch?teau all night.