CHAPTER XXVIII.
We left Louis de Montigni on horseback, in a field near Chartres,ready to exchange the deadly shot with one well practised in the useof every weapon; and though we have given some indications of hisfate, we must, nevertheless now return to tell how that morningpassed. The Duke of Nemours was, as the reader is well aware, one ofthe most distinguished members of the League, an enemy of the King,and armed against the life of the young nobleman, who now faced him.The customs of the day, too, rendered the death of an opponent in sucha combat, honourable rather than discreditable to the survivor. But,notwithstanding all this, De Montigni had, from the first, felt greatreluctance, even to attempt to take the life of his antagonist, and inthe terms of duel which he had fixed, he had limited the number ofshots, not with any view to his own personal safety; for he was one ofthose who do not easily apply the thought of danger to their ownheart; but in order not to be compelled to injure the Duke.
As soon as Nemours saw that he had placed himself, and had wheeled hishorse, he raised his hat and bowed, and then replacing it on his head,took the large pistol with which he was armed, in his right hand, hisreins in the left, and striking his spurs into the horse's flank,galloped forward to meet his adversary. He had no hesitation on hispart, he had no remorse; but De Montigni was equally calm and cool,for his mind was also made up as to what he should do; and keeping awary eye upon the Duke, he likewise rode on, though at a slower pace.Nearer and more near they came to each other, with the muzzles oftheir pistols raised, till--at the distance of about twentypaces--Nemours levelled his weapon straight at his opponent's head.The next moment De Montigni followed his example, but reserved hisfire.
The Duke, in truth, did not intend to discharge his pistol at so greata distance; but just at that spot, there was a narrow cut in thefield, made for the purposes of irrigation; and, seeing that he mustleap it, and thereby shake his hand, Nemours pulled the trigger atonce. At that very moment, however, the horse, seeing the littleditch, was rising to the leap, and the Duke's aim was consequentlyunsteady.
It was more just than might have been expected, indeed, for the ballgrazed De Montigni's cheek, and passed through his hat, which wassomewhat cast back from his brow. His face was covered with blood inan instant, and he felt himself wounded; but the injury was too slightto move him in any degree, and, without checking his speed, he rode onupon the Duke with his pistol, levelled, producing it must beacknowledged, no very pleasant sensations in his antagonist's bosom.When, within three yards, he slightly turned his hand to the right,and fired.
The ball flew at a considerable distance from Nemours; and the twohorses, carried on by their speed, passed each other before they couldbe reined up. As they went by, however, the Duke exclaimed, "Ah! thatis not fair, Monsieur de Montigni."
The young nobleman pulled in the bridle as soon as possible, andreturned, inquiring, "What is not fair, my lord?"
"Come, come," said Nemours, as they met, "own you did not fire at me."
"Nay, my lord," replied De Montigni with a slight smile, "You have noright to blame me for my bungling. I fired my pistol; that is enough,though I will own, I am glad to see you uninjured."
"Well, Monsieur de Montigni," rejoined the Duke, "all I know is, thatif my horse had not risen to the leap before there was any need, youwould now be lying on that grass; and I am very sure that I saw youturn your pistol to the right, or I might have been lying thereinstead. Confess the fact; is it not so?"
"You must excuse me, Sir," replied De Montigni gravely. "I fired tothe best of my judgment; but whatever be your feelings towards me, Iam well satisfied that France will not have to reproach me with thedeath of one of her most gallant Princes, nor the King for havingdeprived him of one who, I trust, will one day be one of his mostfaithful subjects. But I must stop this blood, for it is staining allmy collar. Had your shot been but two inches to the right, there wouldhave been no need of surgeons."
"I am glad it was not," said Nemours frankly; and, both havingdismounted, De Montigni took some of the water from the little cut inthe meadow, and washed away the gore from his face.
"Stay, stay," cried the Duke, producing some lint. "I have always someof this about me when I go to the field; and it will soon staunch theblood."
With his own hands he aided to dress the wound which he had made; andthey were still thus employed, when a man, dressed in peaceful attireas it was considered in that day--though his apparel consisted of astout buff coat, a slouched hat, wide crimson breeches, a pair ofenormous jack boots, a sword and dagger--rode up, mounted on a stronggrey charger. Over his shoulders, suspended by a leathern strap, hunga trumpet ornamented with a banner of the arms of France; and drawingin his rein at the distance of about twenty yards from the twogentlemen, as he was passing on towards the high road, he exclaimed,"Ha, ha, Messieurs, it is a pity, I think, that I was not here someten minutes earlier. I could have sounded the charge."
"We have done very well without you, my good friend," replied theDuke; "but you seem a trumpet from Henry of Bourbon. What is yourerrand?"
"That I shall tell to those whom I am sent to," answered thetrumpeter.
"Pray who may they be?" demanded Nemours.
"Monsieur de la Bourdasi?re, and his Highness, the Duke of Nemours,"answered the trumpeter. "I shall find them both in Chartres, Isuppose?"
"You won't find his Highness of Nemours," said the Duke, laughing;"unless you wait till I come, my friend. But go on, I will soon followyou."
"If you are the Duke," replied the trumpeter, "I may as well give youmy letter here, and you can con it over and make up your mind by theway, for I must get back with all speed."
Thus saying, he dismounted from his horse, and led it forward by thebridle towards the Duke, drawing forth a letter, at the same time,from a pouch under his left arm. Nemours took it, cut the silk betweenthe two seals with his dagger, and read the contents.
"This is strange, enough, De Montigni," he said. "This epistle is allabout you, except, indeed, a few words which your King has beenpleased to add, regarding the advantages which I might obtain byreturning, as he terms it, to my allegiance."
"What is his Majesty pleased to say concerning me?" asked De Montigni."I should scarcely think he knew that I was a prisoner."
"Oh, good faith," exclaimed Nemours. "You are a man of much greaterconsequence than you imagine. Here, he offers in exchange for yourhumble self, our good friend, the Marquis de Megnelai, requiring,however, at the same time, the liberty of the fair lady we sent offthis morning for Marzay."
"I will beseech you, my lord," replied De Montigni gravely, "not tospeak upon that subject, for it is a matter that I cannot easilyforgive."
"On my life," cried Nemours, holding out his hand to him frankly, "Iam sorry for it, De Montigni; but if it were to be done over again, Ishould be obliged to do it, for I had pledged my word; and that cannotbe broken. I had letters from your cousin Chazeul, the day before thebattle, and assured him in return, that if Mademoiselle d'Albret fellinto my hands, she should be restored to her guardian. Otherwise, Iwould not have done it; and now believe me, I love you all the better,for having fought with you. Thus, as before, you are at full libertyto go whithersoever you will; and I leave it to you and the King tosettle, whether you will take the exchange of Megnelai, or pay ransomas before agreed. I would prefer the former, as the Marquis must notsay that I have neglected any opportunity to set him free; but perhapsthe King may not think fit to agree, as the lady cannot be restoredaccording to his demand."
"I should prefer paying my own ransom," replied De Montigni. "TheKing's goodness is very great; and I can only attribute it to theservices of my good uncle, the Commander; but still I would not takeadvantage of it, if it can be avoided."
"That as you please," replied Nemours; "but the best thing for you nowto do, is to return with me to Chartres, and then accompany this goodtrumpeter back to the Bearnois' head-quarters. We shall not have todetain him long."
De Montigni paused thoughtful
ly for a moment; but, before he couldreply, the King's trumpeter interposed, saying, "I have nothing totake me on to Chartres, Monsieur de Nemours. I was commanded, if I didnot find you in the place, to give the letter to Monsieur de laBourdasi?re, and tell him to open it; but I have no letter absolutelyfor him; and if you have settled matters with Monsieur here, I do notsee why I should not turn my bridle, and ride back."
"Well then, God speed you both," cried Nemours. "Offer my humble dutyto the King of Navarre; tell him, I will write myself in the course ofthe day, but that, in the meantime, I only regret, my conscience willnot let me serve a monarch who has placed himself out of the pale ofthe church; for a braver man, or a better general, does not live."
Thus saying, he put his foot in the stirrup, and sprang upon hishorse's back. Then turning to the young nobleman he continued, "Come,shake hands, Monsieur de Montigni. We will part friends, though we metenemies; and if you would take my advice, you would lose no time inbeing under the walls of Marzay with a strong hand; for there is noknowing what Ma?tre Chazeul may do. He is playing a fine game with mygood kinsman Mayenne. We see it well enough; for, unless he had beenlooking for his own advantage more than for the good of the League, hewould have been upon the field of Ivry, with all his forces, insteadof sending forty men under his bailli, which was but a mockery; and sowe should not object to see him humbled a little."
"I will take your advice, my lord," replied De Montigni; "but to saytruth, I am somewhat puzzled as to my movements. I have not been bredup amongst all these scenes of strife, as you have, and know not howor where to raise a body of men in a few hours, though I hear it isdone in France daily."
Nemours laughed. "Gold, gold! Monsieur de Montigni," he replied."Sides have been so frequently changed, and fortune, the ficklegoddess, has spun her wheel round so often, that half France knows notwhat the other side is fighting for; and thus, I believe, there are atleast a hundred thousand men in this good country, who might beenlisted by beat of drum for any cause under heaven, so that it boreupon its banner the significant emblem of a crown piece. Every villageis full of them, and you have nothing to do, but to stuff your pocketswith testons, ride into the market place, and shout, 'Who will serveDe Montigni?' and you will have a score at least after your heels, inhalf an hour, even if your first command should be, that they all turnTurk!"
He spoke somewhat bitterly; but, though the young nobleman himself wasin no very gay mood, he could not help smiling at the picture--tootrue a one--of the state of France.
"I will try what can be done," he replied; and, mounting his ownhorse, he rode off with the trumpeter, in one direction, while Nemourspursued his way back to Chartres.
At the gate of that city, a number of the gentlemen who had comethither in attendance upon his own person, and several of the officersof the garrison, were looking anxiously for his return; and, wellaware of the object for which he had gone forth, had horses readysaddled to seek him in case he did not soon make his appearance.
"Well, my lord Duke, Well, Sir?" cried half a dozen voices as he rodein amongst them, "you have killed him, I suppose?"
Nemours made no reply; but la Bourdasi?re, who was at their head,pointed to the stains upon the Duke's hand and sleeve, and, with asmuch quiet satisfaction as if they were talking of a boar-hunt,exclaimed, "Ay, ay, he has had enough; that is clear. Your arm is allover blood."
Nemours bent down his head to the governor, saying in a low voice, "Heis wounded, but not killed. However, the less we talk about it thebetter, la Bourdasi?re; for he had my life in his hands, and did nottake it. If all that faction would but act as Henry of Navarre andLouis de Montigni, we should soon have France turning heretic fortheir sake. But, hark you; I have met with a trumpet from the King,demanding this lad's exchange for De Megnelai. There are a few wordsin the end of the letter, which make me suspect that Henry will notmarch on at once to Paris, but that we may have him upon our handshere, before many days be over. You must call in all your parties asfast as possible, and send a messenger at once to Marzay after thepeople who have gone with De Mottraye. Tell them to make no halt, butto return immediately."
"I have got tidings of the same kind too," replied la Bourdasi?re,"and I only waited your return to send; for I knew not if you had anymessage for Monsieur de Chazeul."
"No," answered the Duke thoughtfully. "No: he is not to be dependedon; but dispatch your man as quickly as possible."
This whispered conversation, the blood upon Nemours' hand and sleeve,and the fact of his having returned alone from the field, was quitesufficient to give rise to the rumour of De Montigni's death, whichsoon became current in Chartres. The truth was known indeed, beforenightfall; but long ere the report was corrected, the messenger was onhis way to Marzay, bearing the tidings as he had first heard them.