character which might lead him gradually from the interests of Burgundy to those of France. But although the deep resentment which the offended courtier entertained against his master induced him at a future period to exchange the service of Charles for that of Louis, yet, at the present moment, he was contented to throw out only some general hints of his friendly inclination towards France, which he well knew the King would understand how to interpret. And indeed it would be unjust to stigmatize the memory of the excellent historian with the desertion of his master on this occasion, although he was certainly now possessed with sentiments much more favourable to Louis than when he entered the apartment.
He constrained himself to laugh at the anecdote which Louis had detailed, and then added, 'I did not think so trifling a frolic would have dwelt on the mind of the Duke so long as to make it worth telling again. Some such passage there was of drawing off boots and the like, as your Majesty knows that the Duke is fond of rude play; but it has been much exaggerated in his recollection. Let it pass on.'
'Ay, let it pass on,' said the King; 'it is indeed shame it should have detained us a minute. – And now, Sir Philip, I hope you are French so far as to afford me yor best counsel in these difficult affairs. You have, I am well aware, the clew to the labyrinth, if you would but impart it.'
'Your Majesty may command my best advice and service,' replied Des Comines, 'under reservation always of my duty to my own master.'
This was nearly what the courtier had before stated; but he now repeated it in a tone so different, that whereas Louis understood from the former declaration, that the reserved duty to Burgundy was the prime thing to be considered, so he now saw clearly that the emphasis was reversed, and that more weight was now given by the speaker to his promise of counsel, than to a restriction which seemed interposed for the sake of form and consistency. The King resumed his own seat, and compelled Des Comines to sit by him, listening at the same time to that statesman, as if the words of an oracle sounded in his ears. Des Comines spoke in that low and impressive tone, which implies at once great sincerity and some caution, and at the same time so slowly, as if he was desirous that the King should weigh and consider each individual word as having its own peculiar and determined meaning. 'The things,' he said, 'which I have suggested for your Majesty's consideration, harsh as they sound in your ear, are but substitutes for still more violent proposals brought forward in the Duke's councils, by such as are more hostile to your Majesty. And I need scarce remind your Majesty, that the more direct and more violent suggestions find readiest acceptance with our master, who loves brief and dangerous measures better than those that are safe, but at the same time circuitous.'
'I remember' – said the King, 'I have seen him swim a river at the risk of drowning, though there was a bridge to be found for riding two hundred yards round.'
'True, Sire; and he that weighs not his life against the gratification of a moment of impetuous passion, will, on the same impulse, prefer the gratification of his will to the increase of his substantial power.'
'Most true,' replied the King; 'a fool will ever grasp rather at the appearance than the reality of authority. All this I know to be true of Charles of Burgundy. But, my dear friend Des Comines, what do you infer from these premises?'
'Simply this, my lord,' answered the Burgundian, 'that as your Majesty has seen a skilful angler control a large and heavy fish, and finally draw him to land by a single hair, which fish had broke through a tackle tenfold stronger, had the fisher presumed to strain the line on him, instead of giving him head enough for all his wild flourishes; even so your Majesty, by gratifying the Duke in these particulars on which he has pitched his ideas of honour, and the gratification of his revenge, may evade many of the other unpalatable propositions at which I have hinted; and which – including, I must state openly to your Majesty, some of those through which France would be most especially weakened – will slide out of his remembrance and attention, and, being referred to subsequent conferences and future discussion, may be altogether eluded.'
'I understand you, my good Sir Philip; but to the matter,' said the King. 'To which of those happy propositions is your Duke so much wedded, that contradiction will make him unreasonable and untractable?'
'To any or to all of them, if it please your Majesty, on which you may happen to contradict him. This is precisely what your Majesty must avoid; and to take up my former parable, you must needs remain on the watch, ready to give the Duke line enough whenever he shoots away under the impulse of his rage. His fury, already considerably abated, will waste itself if he be unopposed, and you will presently find him become more friendly and more tractable.'
'Still,' said the King, musing, 'there must be some particular demands which lie deeper at my cousin's heart than the other proposals. Were I but aware of these, Sir Philip' –
'Your Majesty may make the lightest of his demands the most important, simply by opposing it,' said Des Comines; 'nevertheless, my lord, thus far I can say, that every shadow of treaty will be broken off, if your Majesty renounce not William de la Marck and the Liegeois.'
'I have already said that I will disown them,' said the King, 'and well they deserve it at my hand; the villains have commenced their uproar at a moment that might have cost me my life.'
'He that fires a train of powder,' replied the historian, 'must expect a speedy explosion of the mine. – But more than mere disavowal of their cause will be expected of your Majesty by Duke Charles; for know, that he will demand your Majesty's assistance to put the insurrection down, and your royal presence to witness the punishment which he destines for the rebels.'
'That may scarce consist with our honour, Des Comines,' said the King.
'To refuse it will scarcely consist with your Majesty's safety,' replied Des Comines. 'Charles is determined to show the people of Flanders, that no hope, nay no promise, of assistance from France, will save them in their mutinies from the wrath and vengeance of Burgundy.'
'But, Sir Philip, I will speak plainly,' answered the King – 'Could we but procrastinate the matter, might not these rogues of Liege make their own part good against Duke Charles? The knaves are numerous and steady – Can they not hold out their town against him?'
'With the help of the thousand archers of France whom your Majesty promised them, they might have done something; but' –
'Whom I promised them!' said the King – 'Alas! good Sir Philip! you much wrong me in saying so.'
' – But without whom,' continued Des Comines, not heeding the interruption, – 'as your Majesty will not now likely find it convenient to supply them, – what chance will the burghers have of making good their town, in whose walls the large breaches made by Charles after the battle of St Tron are still unrepaired; so that the lances of Hainault, Brabant, and Burgundy, may advance to the attack twenty men in front?'
'The improvident idiots!' said the King – 'If they have thus neglected their own safety, they deserve not my protection. – Pass on – I will make no quarrel for their sake.'
'The next point, I fear, will sit closer to your Majesty's heart,' said Des Comines.
'Ah!' replied the King, 'you mean that infernal marriage! I will not consent to the breach of the contract betwixt my daughter Joan and my cousin of Orleans – it would be wresting the sceptre of France from me and my posterity; for that feeble boy the Dauphin is a blighted blossom, which will wither without fruit. This match between Joan and Orleans has been my thought by day, my dream by night – I tell thee, Sir Philip, I cannot give it up! – Besides, it is inhuman to require me, with my own hand, to destroy at once my own scheme of policy, and the happiness of a pair brought up for each other.'
'Are they then so much attached?' said Des Comines.
'One of them at least is,' said the King, 'and the one for whom I am bound to be most anxious. But you smile, Sir Philip, – you are no believer in the force of love.'
'Nay,' said Des Comines, 'if it please you, Sire, I am so little an infidel in that particular, that I was about to ask whether it would reconcile you in any degree to your acquiescing in the proposed marriage betwixt the Duke of Orleans and Isabelle de Croye, were I to satisfy you that the Countess's inclinations are so much fixed on another, that it is likely it will never be a match?'
King Louis sighed. – 'Alas!' he said, 'my good and dear friend, from what sepulchre have you drawn such dead man's comfort? Her inclination, indeed! – Why, to speak truth, supposing that Orleans detested my daughter Joan, yet, but for this ill-ravelled web of mischance, he must needs have married her; so you may conjecture how little chance there is of this damsel being able to refuse him under a similar compulsion, and he a Child of France besides. – Ah, no, Philip! – little fear of her standing obstinate against the suit of such a lover. – Varium et mutabile, Philip.'
'Your Majesty may, in the present instance, undervalue the obstinate courage of this young lady. She
