CHAPTER IX.
The heart of poor Rose d'Albret beat so fast as she sat upon thebattlements, leaning her head and arm upon the stone-work of one ofthe embrasures, that she feared she would faint before De Montigniappeared. She longed eagerly to think over all that had taken placethat morning, over her own sensations, over her past, over her futureconduct. But her ideas were all in wild confusion; and she could notcommand her mind sufficiently to give them anything like order andprecision. In a few minutes, however, she heard a step; and lookinground towards the door which led across the drawbridge into thech?teau, she saw De Montigni advancing towards her with a quick pace.She trembled to meet him, but yet as she gazed there was nothing sternor harsh or cold in his countenance. It was somewhat grave, perhaps;but still there was a light in his eyes, a look of hopefulness andsatisfaction. It was more like that of the youth, who had left herfive years before, than it had appeared since his return; and, as hecame near he held out his hand towards her, saying, "Rose!--dearRose!"
She could not resist the tone and the manner; but starting up at once,she placed both her hands in his, while the warm blood of emotionmounted up into her cheeks and forehead, and made her whole face oneglow. The next moment her eyes were drowned in tears; but De Montigni,without noticing them, drew her arm through his, and led her towardsthe further part of the rampart, while good old Estoc, with a heavysword by his side, appeared upon the flying bridge, and leaned overthe chains, looking into the space below.
"Dry your tears, dearest Rose," said De Montigni; "dry your tears, andcalm your heart, and listen with your whole mind to one who has alwaysloved you, as a boy, as a youth, as a man--one who is ready at yourslightest word to make any or every sacrifice, but to procure you onemoment's happiness."
"Oh, De Montigni!" exclaimed Rose d'Albret, "do not speak to me sotenderly, do not speak to me so kindly, or any little calmness, anylittle power over my mind that I may hope to possess, will be lostaltogether."
"Nay, that must not be, Rose," replied De Montigni; "I have need ofyour full attention, dearest Rose, and I have not come here to agitateor afflict you. I have sought this interview that we may understandeach other clearly and fully, or rather, that I may know and be quitesure that, in anything I do, I am really consulting your wishes andyour happiness, and that you are not deceived, as I have been, inregard to the circumstances of your position."
"Alas, De Montigni!" answered his fair companion, "I fear noexplanation can deliver me from the terrible embarrassment in which Iam placed. Indeed, indeed, I know not which way to turn or what to do.I would give worlds, I would do anything, to restore peace to thisfamily, but I have no right to ask you to make sacrifices, I have noright to injure or to distress you."
"Talk not of sacrifices, Rose," replied De Montigni in a mournfultone; "talk not of sacrifices to me. I am ready to make any, _all_ foryour dear sake. You have nothing to do but to command, and I willobey; but it is upon the sole condition that I know it to be for yourhappiness; and first, Rose, let me beseech you to tell me, how youconceive you stand regarding this marriage."
"I do not understand you," replied Mademoiselle d'Albret; "how do youmean, De Montigni?"
"We have but an hour, Rose, for all that we have to say," answered DeMontigni, "therefore forgive me if I ask you plain and straightforwardquestions upon subjects into which I have, perhaps, no right toinquire; and answer me candidly and frankly--I know you will. First,dearest Rose, is it love, or what you consider duty, that binds you toNicholas de Chazeul?"
"Duty, duty," replied Rose d'Albret eagerly; then placing her handupon her brow, she thought for an instant, and added with a melancholyshake of the head, "Love? Ah, no! Alas, love has little to do with it,on either side!"
"Then almost all my questions are answered, Rose," replied DeMontigni, taking her hand, and pressing it in his own.
"Nay, do not, do not, Louis," said his fair companion; "you agitate,you alarm me. I must do my duty, De Montigni; I have promised toendeavour to restore peace to this household. Remember, I must obey--Imust fulfil the engagement entered into by my father."
"Then, Rose d'Albret," replied the young nobleman, "you are the brideof Louis de Montigni, and not of Nicholas de Chazeul: the bride of onewho has loved you from infancy, not of a cold and heartless villain,who loves nothing but himself."
Rose d'Albret turned, withdrew her arm, and gazed upon him for amoment in pale and speechless astonishment. The next moment her lipstoo turned white, and she would have fallen had not her lover caughther in his arms.
Poor De Montigni knew little of woman's heart, and could illdistinguish between the effects of mere emotion and distress. Hecarried rather than led her to the side of the wall, and seating herin one of the embrasures, hastened to reassure her, as he thought."Listen to me, Rose, listen to me, dearest girl," he said; "DeMontigni is not about to take advantage of any circumstances of hissituation. It is for you, as I said just now, to command, and for meto obey. I am ready at a word to renounce my inheritance, my rights,my hopes--yes, Rose, even you yourself--if it be necessary for yourhappiness--I forgive you for having deceived me but now. If you nowanswer that you love this man, I am willing, ready to renounce all,even my newly awakened joy, that you may be at peace. I shall soonfind repose on some field of battle."
"I have promised nothing," murmured Rose d'Albret to herself; "ThankGod, I have promised nothing! I have acquiesced in what they told mewas a duty--nothing more--Oh no, no, thank God, I have done no more;"and she burst into a passionate flood of tears.
After a moment, however, she dried them suddenly and looked up. "Whatwas it you said, De Montigni?" she cried; "tell it me again! It seemslike a dream. Tell it me again. Surely you said I was not doomed towed Chazeul!"
Louis de Montigni gazed upon her with a look in which surprise, andjoy, and thankfulness gradually rose up like the increasing flame uponan altar. "Oh, Rose," he said, "your words give me life. I did say youwere not doomed to wed Chazeul. Your fate depends upon your owndecision, and upon my actions, which your decision will rule. Listento me, dear one, and I will in a few short words explain all. We shallhave much to speak of afterwards, so mark well every point. My uncle,the commander, will confirm all I say, if you doubt me."
"Doubt you, De Montigni? Doubt _you?_" asked Rose d'Albret, extendingher hand to him. "I'd sooner doubt myself. But speak, Louis, speak.What have you to tell?"
"A brief tale, but a sad one," answered De Montigni. "In years longgone, your guardian, the Count, being then married to your aunt, andchildless, the good old commander made a renunciation, on my father'smarriage, of all his claims to the estates of Liancourt in my mother'sfavour. I became, therefore, the presumptive heir; and your goodfather entered into a contract with my uncle, the Count, by which, incase of his death, you were to become the ward of Monsieur deLiancourt, and to wed the nephew to whom his estates naturallydescended. Since then, I find, the Count has been persuaded by somepersons--my aunt Jacqueline de Chazeul, I believe, and I fear thepriest also--to favour a scheme for substituting Chazeul in place ofmyself. The particulars of the contract have been kept secret from youand me. I have been sent afar till the whole plot was mature; you havebeen taught to consider yourself as the promised bride of another. Myrenunciation, however, was necessary, in order that, by renderingChazeul the heir of the estates of Liancourt, it might give validityto your marriage with him, in the face of which stands my uncle'scontract with your father so long as the estates are entailed upon me.For this purpose was I sent for from Italy, still kept in ignorance.But I had never forgotten Rose d'Albret. I shrunk from signing away mybirthright without inquiry. Forgive me, Rose, forgive me, if I say Iwould have done anything to obstruct--ay, even to delay for a day orhour your marriage with another. Then came the priest to talk with me;and from him--by a slip of the tongue I believe--I learned my claim tothe estates. In a private interview with my uncle, the commander, Ilearned my whole rights, and the contract signed by your father. Thewhole villanous scheme was in sh
ort exposed; and from others ratherthan my own presumption, I learned to hope--what shall I say?--thatRose d'Albret might as willingly unite her fate with the companion ofher girlhood, as with a man whom she must, when his fraud is alldiscovered, in some degree condemn. Yet still, Rose, still, if yourheart leads you towards him, speak but the word! De Montigni is yours:without you I am nothing--fortune, rank, hope, life itself, is anempty bubble. All shall be resigned at your first bidding; and to knowI have made you happy by my own wretchedness, shall be the consolationof my remaining days, the one sole light of a dark existence, thefriendly hand that closes my willing eyes in death. But if not--if youhave been but constrained by a cold sense of duty--if you can findhappiness with one who has always loved you--if you can give yourheart in return for passion such as you deserve--oh Rose, oh, mybeloved!"
He held out his arms to her as he spoke; the wall shaded them fromobservation: he drew nearer, more near; and Rose d'Albret with a cheekof crimson, and overflowing eyes, bent forward her head and sobbedupon his bosom.
"Thou art mine! thou art mine! Thou dearest and best beloved," criedDe Montigni, clasping her to his heart. "But hark!" he exclaimed,"there is the clock striking ten. We have but half an hour, Rose, tosettle all our plans. Thou art mine, however; and it shall be a stronghand that tears thee from me."
"But, oh, De Montigni," exclaimed Rose d'Albret, withdrawing herselffrom his arms and looking up with apprehension in her face, "How willall this end? There will be strife--there may be bloodshed!"
"Fear not, dear one," answered her lover. "It is that which I wouldfain avoid; and if Rose d'Albret will deign for the sake of DeMontigni, to overstep some cold proprieties, to trust herself entirelyto one in whom she has acknowledged she can confide, to fly to thecourt of the King with her promised, her contracted husband, alldifficulties, all dangers will be at an end; and in our sovereign'spresence, with all the nobility of France to witness, we will pledgeour vows at the altar, let who will gainsay it."
"To fly!--Oh, Louis," cried Rose d'Albret; but the next moment shebent down her eyes, placed her hand in his, and added in a low tone,"But I am yours. Do with me what you will. I know you would not wrongme."
"Not for the joy of heaven," answered De Montigni. "But it is the onlyway, dear Rose, to avoid evils innumerable, strife, contention, and athousand black and terrible things hidden from us by the dark curtainof the future. You must fly with me, dear Rose. You must fly with methis very night."
"To-night!" said the young lady; "to-night, Louis?" but after amoment's thought, she continued, "Yet it must be so, I believe.To-morrow might be too late; and perhaps, they may not let me speakwith you again, Louis."
"If they discover the nature of our conversation most certainly theywill not," replied De Montigni; "but that we must conceal from them. Iam not one to teach you deceit, dear Rose. God forbid that you shouldlose that bright candour which, to the mind, is what the hue of warmhealth is to the face. But these people have dealt wrongfully with youand me; to deliver you from their hands without long contention, thereis but one way open; and we are not bound to reveal our plans andpurposes, our views and feelings, to those who would misuse theirknowledge."
"But if they ask me?" said Rose d'Albret; "what can I do?--what can Isay?"
"Say as little as possible, my beloved," answered De Montigni. "Enterinto no particulars; merely tell them that you found me very resolute;but add, that my decision must rest with myself, after what you havesaid, and that you believe, upon due consideration of all thecircumstances, I will do what is right. Be sure too, dear Rose, thatyou may safely say so; for I will do what is right to the utmost. Thenif they try to investigate more closely, boldly refuse to answer. Saythat, to tell them all the words which passed between us would be tobetray my confidence, and you will not do it. Let them not lead you onfrom one thing to another, but keep your reply to as simple astatement as possible."
"I will! I will!" replied Rose d'Albret; "I know the danger ofsuffering them to entangle me in explanations or discussion."
"And particularly beware of the priest," added her lover. "He is nothonest, Rose, and has made himself their tool."
"I fear it is so," answered the young lady. "Even now he tried todeceive me, and partly succeeded."
"Let him not do so again, dear one," said De Montigni; "but there isanother person of whom you must likewise have a care. I mean Madame deChazeul. She will be here soon, and though, perhaps, I judged harshlyof her while I was a boy, I find my good uncle, the commander, her ownbrother, is but little more merciful to her character."
"If she be coming, I will hide myself," answered Rose. "Oh, she is ahorrible woman! I always avoid her; I always abhor her company. Iremember well things she has said that froze my blood. She scoffs atthe very thought of goodness and honour; and with her serpent-tonguewould have one believe, that no one is virtuous but in appearance; andyet I have heard her as bitter against others for light faults, as ifshe had none herself."
"She is treacherous too, as well malevolent, I find," replied DeMontigni; "therefore avoid her to-day as much as possible, dearest."
"I have a bad head-ach, Louis, with all this agitation," said Rose;"but I am glad of it; for it will give me a fair excuse for lying downagain. Burdened with the secret now in my bosom, I would not spend aday with that woman for the world. She would try all means, to make metell her everything that has passed or force me to a lie to concealit."
"Perhaps your plan may be the best," rejoined De Montigni; "butremember, dear Rose, you will have to wake and rise an hour aftermidnight, to fly with him who loves you."
"But how, Louis? how?" asked Mademoiselle d'Albret. "Remember in thesetimes the gates are guarded."
"All that is settled and laid out," replied her lover. "Only be ready,dear one, to come with me at the hour I name. Bring little with you;leave jewels, and clothes, and all behind. All I seek, all I desire,is Rose herself; and though, perhaps, amidst these contentions, yourguardian may keep us long from our rights in your inheritance, yet DeMontigni has enough for himself and her he loves; and I do not thinkthat Rose will murmur at the want of splendour and high estate, if herheart be satisfied with its choice."
Rose d'Albret gazed at him with a bright smile, for she could not butcontrast with pleasure, his thoughts with those of Chazeul. "I will beready, Louis," she said, "and I will own, a crust of bread, with onewho feels as you do, will be better to me than splendour and feastingwith another. But there is one difficulty, Louis," she added,suddenly, while the smile passed away, and a look of apprehension tookits place. "What can I do with my maid Blanchette? I thought the girlwas honest and true, but these people have corrupted her. Every onewho approaches me seems to have been gained by some means; and, withthose who have not been so gained, they have long suffered me to haveno private conversation. Even with the good old commander himself,since he returned hither from Paris, about two months ago, they havenot allowed me to speak for a moment without some one being present.But Blanchette, what is to be done about Blanchette? She owned thismorning that she had received bribes from Chazeul to a considerableextent."
De Montigni mused. "We must find some remedy, dear Rose," he repliedat length: "a person who has received one bribe will generally notrefuse another, and I must try to outbid Chazeul. But why should shehave any part in the affair? Why should she know it at all?"
"She sleeps in my ante-room," answered Rose d'Albret. "I cannot passout without her hearing me."
"There is the window, dearest Rose," said her lover; "it is but a fewfeet above the wall; and we must try that, if other resources fail. Atall events, be at the window at one. I will come to speak to youthere, and tell you what is arranged. You must be quite ready,however, dearest Rose; for our safety may depend upon a moment."
"My heart sinks when I think of it," replied Rose d'Albret. "But yet,Louis--but yet, Louis," she answered, "I will not hesitate; for it isthe only way to escape from a fate, of which I now feel, for the firstlime, all the wretchedness:--but
how shall I know when you are beneaththe window?"
"I will reach up and knock with the point of my sword," answeredDe Montigni, "and then we must speak low, lest any one shouldhear.--Hark! there are voices; the time, I suppose, is at an end.Adieu! dearest Rose, adieu! Be ready--pray be ready; for I feel surethat happiness will attend us. Nevertheless, let us now have grave andserious countenances; for we must not let them see, that there are anywarmer feelings in our hearts."
"I shall not find it difficult to look grave, Louis," replied thelady; "for it is a hard necessity that drives me to do that which Ido.--But, hark! they are surely quarreling there!"
"'Tis Estoc will not suffer Chazeul to pass, I dare say, answered DeMontigni.
"Go, Louis, go," cried Mademoiselle d'Albret; "for heaven's sake, donot let them dispute.--Adieu! adieu!"
They were at this moment on a part of the walls which, running roundfrom the drawbridge we have mentioned, passed under a defence whichwas called _the cavalier_, and was concealed by it from the windows ofthe building, as well as from the bridge and the rest of the rampart.De Montigni felt strongly inclined to press his fair companion to hisheart before he left her; but he wisely refrained, and looking up tothe top of _the cavalier_, he had cause to be satisfied with his ownself-command; for just above the parapet, he caught sight of part of aman's head, evidently watching them.
Taking Rose's hand, then, he bent his head over it, whispering, "Weare watched, Rose;" adding aloud, "Farewell, then, Mademoiselled'Albret, I will consider all you have said," he took a step back,bowed low, and retired along the wall.
When he came within sight of the bridge, he found that, as he hadsupposed, the good old soldier had thrust himself right in the way ofChazeul, and holding his sheathed sword in his left hand, seemed readyto draw it if the other attempted to pass him. Chazeul was in the actof turning to speak to some person behind; and De Montigni heard himexclaim aloud, "Call Monsieur de Liancourt!"
The moment, however, that Estoc caught sight of the young Baronadvancing rapidly along the wall, he dropped the sword back into itsplace, and suffered Chazeul to come forward. The cheek and brow of thelatter were fiery red, and his eye flashing with anger, as heexclaimed,
"This is very modest and proper indeed, Monsieur de Montigni! Do youforget that you are in your uncle's ch?teau, that you thus set a guardupon his walls to prevent his family from passing?"
"To ensure, Sir, that they keep their word with me," said De Montigni."I am quite well aware that I have but little more right than yourselfto command in this place; however, do not let us quarrel, Chazeul," headded with a serious air; "we have things of more serious consequenceto think of--at least I have."
"I dare say you have," replied Chazeul with a triumphant smile,judging from his cousin's countenance that all things had goneaccording to his own wishes. "Well, what is the result of yourconference?"
"Of that hereafter," answered De Montigni, passing on. "Nay, no wordsat present, good Estoc," he continued; seeing the old soldier eyingChazeul with an angry glance, "let the past be forgotten, if you wouldnot grieve me."
"But one warning first to this young gentleman," said Estoc; "Do notuse such words again to a French gentleman, Monsieur de Chazeul; for Igive you fair notice, that, if I be the one on whom you spend them, Iwill send my sword through your body, as I have done to many a betterman than yourself before now."
"You might not find me quite tranquil under such an honour, MasterEstoc," replied Chazeul; "but I will take care that you shall bechastised for your insolence, by those whom it may better become tomeddle with you:" and thus saying, he followed De Montigni over thebridge and through the passage into the hall.
To say the truth, the heart of Louis de Montigni was not quite atease: for, how long he had been watched from _the cavalier_, and howmuch of what he had said had been overheard, he could not tell. Thesmall part of the man's head which he had observed, did not enable himto judge who it was that had been playing the eaves-dropper; and hemore feared the priest than any one else. But when he entered the hallhe found father Walter there, and his uncle absent; and, the momentafter, Monsieur de Liancourt himself appeared with an air of so muchsatisfaction, that De Montigni's apprehensions of discovery were at anend.
"Well, Louis," said the Count, "I trust you are satisfied, and thatyou have made up your mind to yield all this idle resistance, and signthe papers at last with a good grace."
"I have promised my reply before noon to-morrow," replied De Montigniwith a frown upon his brow; for he was not well pleased with thepitiful art which had been used towards him. "Before I sign anything,however, I must read the papers, and consider them well; it is butfair to know, what I am asked to do."
"You are mightily long and deliberate, Monsieur de Montigni," saidChazeul; "I understood that you were to make up your mind by whatMademoiselle d'Albret thought fit to say. Now I will take it uponmyself to affirm, that she did ask you to sign them."
"You are wrong, Monsieur de Chazeul," replied his cousin, turning uponhim sternly, "she did not."
"You are too frank and noble, my son, I am sure," observed fatherWalter, "to have recourse to an evasion; and we have every reason tosuppose that, if the young lady did not actually ask you to put yourhand to these documents, she did what was tantamount, and expressedsome wish that it should be so."
"I have every reason to think so too," said Monsieur de Liancourt;"nay, indeed, I am sure of it. Come, Louis, be frank, and tell us whatshe did say upon the subject."
De Montigni mused for a moment, and then replied, "Our conversationwas long, Sir, and I have neither will nor power to repeat it all; butthe only words which she used, that could at all bear theinterpretation you would give to them, were, as far as I can rememberthem, these; that she would give worlds, she would do anything torestore peace to the family, but that she had no right to ask me tomake sacrifices, or to injure or to distress me."
"I think nothing could be more plain," said father Walter; "surely, myson, you cannot pretend to misunderstand her meaning?"
"I do not pretend to misunderstand her at all, good father," answeredthe young nobleman; "and I am in no degree disposed to cavil or toevade. I will not be hurried, however, in any of my proceedings. Bywhat Mademoiselle d'Albret judges best for her own happiness, I willbe guided; and, as I said before, ere noon to-morrow I shall beprepared to act decidedly. In the meantime I require to see thesepapers; and as, perhaps, it may be needful that I should have some onewith me to explain to me, while reading them, anything I do notunderstand, I should wish uncle Michael, or father Walter here, orboth, to be present with me while I look over them."
"Oh, father Walter by all means!" cried Monsieur de Liancourt; "youknow my brother Michael, though as good a soldier as ever lived, isnothing but a soldier. He does not understand these things at all."
"And I but little," rejoined the priest. "However, if Monsieur deMontigni is content that I should be his fellow-student, I am mostwilling to give him any explanation in my power."
"Madame de Chazeul is just coming into the court-yard, my lord," saida servant, hurrying up the hall and addressing Monsieur de Liancourt.
"I must go down to receive her," exclaimed the Count. "Then it isunderstood, De Montigni, that you will read the papers with fatherWalter? Fix the hour yourself, and you shall have them."
Thus saying he hastened away; and, after a few minutes' moreconversation with the priest, De Montigni went in search of his uncle,the commander, whom he found walking up and down the corridor. FatherWalter remained for an instant talking to Chazeul, but the oldcommander had scarcely time to say to his nephew, "Well, boy, well, isall settled?" and De Montigni to answer, "To my heart's content, mydear uncle," when the step of Chazeul was heard approaching.
"Devil fly away with the fellow," said the old soldier: "when I foundthat you were with our dear little Rose, I got out of his way, forfear I should betray myself; and now here he comes again. Keep itclose, Louis, keep it close! No stratagem ever succeeded but
with ashut mouth.--Ah, Chazeul! are not you going to see your mother? She isin the court they tell me."
"She will be here directly, Sir," replied Chazeul, "then I shall seeher;" and, attaching himself to their party, he remained for theevident purpose of preventing any private communication between them.