CHAPTER XLI.
HER ROYAL HIGHNESS.
Cicely had been living in almost as much suspense in London as hermother at Fotheringhay. For greater security Mr. Talbot had kept heron board the Mastiff till he had seen M. d'Aubepine Chateauneuf, andpresented to him Queen Mary's letter. The Ambassador, an exceedinglypolished and graceful Frenchman, was greatly astonished, and at firstincredulous; but he could not but accept the Queen's letter as genuine,and he called into his counsels his Secretary De Salmonnet, an elderlyman, whose wife, a Scotswoman by birth, preferred her husband's societyto the delights of Paris. She was a Hamilton who had been apensionnaire in the convent at Soissons, and she knew that it had beenexpected that an infant from Lochleven might be sent to the Abbess, butthat it had never come, and that after many months of waiting, tidingshad arrived that the vessel which carried the babe had been lost at sea.
M. de Chateauneuf thereupon committed the investigation to her and herhusband. Richard Talbot took them first to the rooms where Mrs.Barbara Curll had taken up her abode, so as to be near her husband, whowas still a prisoner in Walsingham's house. She fully confirmed allthat Mr. Talbot said of the Queen's complete acceptance of Cis as herdaughter, and moreover consented to come with the Salmonnets and Mr.Talbot, to visit the young lady on board the Mastiff.
Accordingly they went down the river together in Mr. Talbot's boat, andfound Cicely, well cloaked and muffled, sitting under an awning, underthe care of old Goatley, who treated her like a little queen, and wasbusy explaining to her all the different craft which filled the river.
She sprang up with the utmost delight at the sight of Mrs. Curll, andthrew herself into her arms. There was an interchange of inquiries andcomments that--unpremeditated as they were--could not but convince theauditor of the terms on which the young lady had stood with Queen Maryand her suite.
Afterwards Cicely took the two ladies to her cabin, a tiny box, but notuncomfortable according to her habits, and there, on Barbara'spersuasion, she permitted Madame de Salmonnet to see the monograms onher shoulders. The lady went home convinced of her identity, and cameagain the next day with a gentleman in slouched hat, mask, and cloak.
As Cicely rose to receive him he uttered an exclamation ofirrepressible astonishment, then added, "Your Highness will pardon me.Exactly thus did her royal mother stand when I took leave of her atCalais."
The Ambassador had thus been taken by storm, although the resemblancewas more in figure and gesture than feature, but Mrs. Curll could averthat those who had seen Bothwell were at no loss to trace thederivation of the dark brows and somewhat homely features, in which thegirl differed from the royal race of Scotland.
What was to be done? Queen Mary's letter to him begged him so far aswas possible to give her French protection, and avoid compromising"that excellent Talbot," and he thought it would be wisest for her toawait the coming of the Envoy Extraordinary, M. de Pomponne Bellievre,and be presented by him. In the meantime her remaining on board shipin this winter weather would be miserably uncomfortable, and Richmondand Greenwich were so near that any intercourse with her would bedangerous, especially if Langston was still in England. Lodgings orinns where a young lady from the country could safely be bestowed werenot easily to be procured without greater familiarity with the placethan Mr. Talbot possessed, and he could as little think of placing herwith Lady Talbot, whose gossiping tongue and shrewish temper were notfor a moment to be trusted. Therefore M de Chateauneuf's proposal thatthe young lady should become Madame de Salmonnet's guest at the embassywas not unwelcome. The lady was elderly, Scottish, and, as M. deChateauneuf with something of a shudder assured Mr. Talbot, "mostrespectable." And it was hoped that it would not be for long. So,having seen her safely made over to the lady's care, Richard venturedfor the first time to make his presence in London known to his son, andto his kindred; and he was the more glad to have her in these quartersbecause Diccon told him that there was no doubt that Langston waslurking about the town, and indeed he was convinced that he hadrecognised that spy entering Walsingham's house in the dress of ascrivener. He would not alarm Cicely, but he bade her keep all hergoods in a state ready for immediate departure, in case it should beneedful to leave London at once after seeing the Queen.
The French Ambassador's abode was an old conventual building on theriver-side, consisting of a number of sets of separate chambers, likethose of a college, opening on a quadrangle in the centre, and with oneside occupied by the state apartments and chapel. This arrangementeminently suited the French suite, every one of whom liked to have hisown little arrangements of cookery, and to look after his own marmitein his own way, all being alike horrified at the gross English diet andlack of vegetables. Many tried experiments in the way of growingsalads in little gardens of their own, with little heed to the oncebeautiful green grass-plot which they broke up.
Inside that gate it was like a new country, and as all the shrill thinintonations of the French rang in her ears, Cicely could hardly believethat she had--she said--only a brick wall between her and old England.
M. de Salmonnet was unmistakably a Scot by descent, though he had neverseen the land of his ancestors. His grandfather bad been ennobled, butonly belonged to the lesser order of the noblesse, being exempted fromimposts, but not being above employment, especially in diplomacy. Hehad acted as secretary, interpreter, and general factotum, to a wholesuccession of ambassadors, and thus his little loge, as he called it,had become something of a home. His wife had once or twice before hadto take charge of young ladies, French or English, who were confided tothe embassy, and she had a guest chamber for them, a small room, butwith an oriel window overhanging the Thames and letting in the southernsun, so as almost to compensate for the bareness of the rest, wherethere was nothing but a square box-bed, a chest, and a few toiletteessentials, to break upon the dulness of the dark wainscoted walls.Madame herself came to sleep with her guest, for lonely nights wereregarded with dread in those times, and indeed she seemed to regard itas her duty never to lose sight of her charge for a moment.
Madame de Salmonnet's proper bed-chamber was the only approach to thislittle room, but that mattered the less as it was also the parlour!The bed, likewise a box, was in the far-off recesses, and the familywere up and astir long before the November sun. Dressed Madame couldscarcely be called--the costume in which she assisted Babette and queerwizened old Pierrot in doing the morning's work, horrified Cicely, usedas she was to Mistress Susan's scrupulous neatness. Downstairs therewas a sort of office room of Monsieur's, where the family meals weretaken, and behind it an exceedingly small kitchen, where Madame andPierrot performed marvels of cookery, surpassing those of Queen Mary'sfive cooks.
Cicely longed to assist in them, and after a slight demur, she waspermitted to do so, chiefly because her duenna could not otherwisewatch her and the confections at the same time. Cis could never makeout whether it was as princess or simply as maiden that she was soclosely watched, for Madame bristled and swelled like a mother catabout to spring at a strange dog, if any gentleman of the suite showedsymptoms of accosting her. Nay, when Mr. Talbot once brought Diccon inwith him, and there was a greeting, which to Cicely's mind was dismallycold and dry, the lady was so scandalised that Cicely was obligedformally to tell her that she would answer for it to the Queen. OnSunday, Mr. Talbot always came to take her to church, and this was aterrible grievance to Madame, though it was to Cicely the onerefreshment of the week. If it had been only the being out of hearingof her hostess's incessant tongue, the walk would have been arefreshment. Madame de Salmonnet had been transported from home soyoung that she was far more French than Scottish; she was a small womanfull of activity and zeal of all kinds, though perhaps most of all forher pot au feu. She was busied about her domestic affairs morning,noon, and night, and never ceased chattering the whole time, tillCicely began to regard the sound like the clack of the mill atBridgefield. Yet, talker as she was, she was a safe woman, and neverhad been known to betray secrets. Indeed,
much more of herconversation consisted of speculations on the tenderness of thepoultry, or the freshness of the fish, than of anything that went muchdeeper. She did, however, spend much time in describing the habits andcustoms of the pensioners at Soissons; the maigre food they had to eat;their tricks upon the elder and graver nuns, and a good deal besidesthat was amusing at first, but which became rather wearisome, and madeCicely wonder what either of her mothers would have thought of it.
The excuse for all this was to enable the maiden to make her appearancebefore Queen Elizabeth as freshly brought from Soissons by her mother'sdanger. Mary herself had suggested this, as removing all danger fromthe Talbots, and as making it easier for the French Embassy to claimand protect Cis herself; and M. de Chateauneuf had so far acquiesced asto desire Madame de Salmonnet to see whether the young lady could beprepared to assume the character before eyes that would not be overqualified to judge. Cis, however, had always been passive when theproposal was made, and the more she heard from Madame de Salmonnet, themore averse she was to it. The only consideration that seemed to herin its favour was the avoidance of implicating her foster-father, but aSunday morning spent with him removed the scruple.
"I know I cannot feign," she said. "They all used to laugh at me atChartley for being too much of the downright mastiff to act a part."
"I am right glad to hear it," said Richard.
"Moreover," added Cicely, "if I did try to turn my words with theScottish or French ring, I wot that the sight of the Queen's Majestyand my anxiety would drive out from me all I should strive to remember,and I should falter and utter mere folly; and if she saw I wasdeceiving her, there would be no hope at all. Nay, how could I ask GodAlmighty to bless my doing with a lie in my mouth?"
"There spake my Susan's own maid," said Richard. "'Tis the joy of myheart that they have not been able to teach thee to lie with a goodgrace. Trust my word, my wench, truth is the only wisdom, and onewould have thought they might have learnt it by this time."
"I only doubted, lest it should be to your damage, dear father. Canthey call it treason?"
"I trow not, my child. The worst that could hap would be that I mightbe lodged in prison a while, or have to pay a fine; and liefer, farliefer, would I undergo the like than that those lips of thine shouldlearn guile. I say not that there is safety for any of us, least ofall for thee, my poor maid, but the danger is tenfold increased bytrying to deceive; and, moreover, it cannot be met with a goodconscience."
"Moreover," said Cicely, "I have pleadings and promises to make on mymother-queen's behalf that would come strangely amiss if I had to feignthat I had never seen her! May I not seek the Queen at once, withoutwaiting for this French gentleman? Then would this weary, weary timebe at an end! Each time I hear a bell, or a cannon shot, I start andthink, Oh! has she signed the warrant? Is it too late?"
"There is no fear of that," said Richard; "I shall know from WillCavendish the instant aught is done, and through Diccon I could getthee brought to the Queen's very chamber in time to plead. Meantime,the Queen is in many minds. She cannot bear to give up her kinswoman;she sits apart and mutters, 'Aut fer aut feri,' and 'Ne feriare feri.'Her ladies say she tosses and sighs all night, and hath once or twiceawoke shrieking that she was covered with blood. It is Burghley andWalsingham who are forcing this on, and not her free will. Strengthenbut her better will, and let her feel herself secure, and she willspare, and gladly."
"That do I hope to do," said Cicely, encouraged. The poor girl had toendure many a vicissitude and heart-sinking before M. de Bellievreappeared; and when he did come, he was a disappointment.
He was a most magnificent specimen of the mignons of Henri's court. TheEmbassy rang with stories of the number of mails he had brought, of themilk baths he sent for, the gloves he slept in, the valets who tweakedout superfluous hairs from his eyebrows, the delicacies required forhis little dogs.
M. de Salmonnet reported that on hearing the story of "Mademoiselle,"as Cicely was called in the Embassy, he had twirled the waxed ends ofhis moustaches into a satirical twist, and observed, "That is wellfound, and may serve as a last resource."
He never would say that he disbelieved what he was told of her; andwhen presented to her, he behaved with an exaggerated deference whichangered her intensely, for it seemed to her mockery of her pretensions.No doubt his desire was that Mary's life should be granted to theintercession of his king rather than to any other consideration; andtherefore once, twice, thrice, he had interviews with Elizabeth, andstill he would not take the anxious suppliant, who was in an agony ateach disappointment, as she watched the gay barge float down the river,and who began to devise setting forth alone, to seek the Queen atRichmond and end it all! She would have done so, but that Diccon toldher that since the alarm caused by Barnwell, it had become so much moredifficult to approach the Queen that she would have no hope.
But she was in a restless state that made Madame de Salmonnet's chatteralmost distracting, when at last, far on in January, M. de Salmonnetcame in.
"Well, mademoiselle, the moment is come. The passports are granted,but Monsieur the Ambassador Extraordinary has asked for a last privateaudience, and he prays your Highness to be ready to accompany him atnine of the clock to-morrow morning."
Cicely's first thought was to send tidings to Mr. Talbot, and in thisM. de Salmonnet assisted her, though his wife thought it verysuperfluous to drag in the great, dull, heavy, English sailor. Thegirl longed for a sight and speech of him all that evening in vain,though she was sure she saw the Mastiff's boat pass down the river, andmost earnestly did she wish she could have had her chamber to herselffor the prayers and preparations, on which Madame's tongue broke sointolerably that she felt as if she should ere long be wild andsenseless, and unable to recollect anything.
She had only a little peace when Madame rose early in the morning andleft her, thinking her asleep, for a brief interval, which gave hertime to rally her thoughts and commend herself to her only Guide.
She let Madame dress her, as had been determined, in perfectly plainblack, with a cap that would have suited "a novice out of conventshade." It was certainly the most suitable garb for a petitioner forher mother's life. In her hand she took the Queen's letter, and themost essential proofs of her birth. She was cloaked and hooded overall as warmly as possible to encounter the cold of the river: andMadame de Salmonnet, sighing deeply at the cold, arranged herself tochaperon her, and tried to make her fortify herself with food, but shewas too tremulous to swallow anything but a little bread and wine.Poor child! She felt frightfully alone amongst all those foreigntongues, above all when the two ambassadors crossed the court to M. deSalmonnet's little door. Bellievre, rolled up in splendid sables fromhead to foot, bowed down to the ground before her, almost sweeping thepavement with his plume, and asked in his deferential voice of mockeryif her Royal Highness would do him the honour of accepting his escort.
Cicely bent her head and said in French, "I thank you, sir," giving himher hand; and there was a grave dignity in the action that repressedhim, so that he did not speak again as he led her to the barge, whichwas covered in at the stern so as to afford a shelter from the wind.
Her quick eye detected the Mastiff's boat as she was handed down thestairs, and this was some relief, while she was placed in the seat ofhonour, with an ambassador on each side of her.
"May I ask," demanded Bellievre, waving a scented handkerchief, "whather Highness is prepared to say, in case I have to confirm it?"
"I thank your Excellency," replied Cicely, "but I mean to tell thesimple truth; and as your Excellency has had no previous knowledge ofme, I do not see how you can confirm it."
The two gentlemen looked at one another, and Chateauneuf said, "Do Iunderstand her Royal Highness that she does not come as thepensionnaire from Soissons, as the Queen had recommended?"
"No, sir," said Cicely; "I have considered the matter, and I could notsupport the character. All that I ask of your Excellencies is to bringme into the p
resence of Queen Elizabeth. I will do the rest myself,with the help of God."
"Perhaps she is right," said the one ambassador to the other. "TheseEnglish are incomprehensible!"