CHAPTER IV
BROKEN PROMISES
After meeting "little Mademoiselle of Austria," as Marguerite was calledin the court of Brittany, both Le Glorieux and Antoine felt that theywould like to be in her service, and that it was to her, the daughter oftheir own Mary of Burgundy, to whom they owed their loyalty.
The morning after her arrival the princess sent for Le Glorieux andAntoine to come to her. The Duchess Anne had seen to it that her guestshould be clad in a costume befitting her rank, and the coarse gown ofthe peasant child had been discarded for ever.
Marguerite asked the two comrades a great many questions about theprovince of Burgundy, and the jester told her many incidents of hermother's girlhood. She listened to Antoine's Burgundian songs with greatdelight, and she expressed a wish that both jester and musician mightaccompany her to Amboise, though she said she would not be so selfish asto deprive the Duchess of Brittany of two such merrymakers.
Cunegunda, however, was not happy at the court of Brittany. "I wish thatwe had been permitted to continue our journey as we began it," shesaid. "I am convinced that it would have been far better for both ofus."
"I am not afraid," replied her mistress calmly. "The Lady Anne haspromised that we shall return in safety, and she will not break herword." But Cunegunda's round rosy face remained thoughtful and sad.
"Something tells me that things are not right," said she. "I seem tofeel it in the air. Everything is going too well for us. Here is yourlittle Highness treated like a very queen with everything done to amuseyou, and both of us so comfortable in this beautiful palace that I feelthat it is all too good to be true."
The next afternoon Le Glorieux, who, as has been said, being a jesterwas privileged to go where he liked, rushed into the apartments of theprincess with the remark, "Our Duchess of Brittany soon to be married islistening to a strange man by the oriel window in the grand corridor."
"A jest upon such a subject does not amuse me in the least," replied theLady Marguerite reprovingly.
"By the mass! nor does it amuse me, for from the few words I caught I amsure it means something quite serious for you, little Cousin."
"Please explain your meaning."
The jester replied, "I was looking at those suits of armor, in thecorridor, worn by the ancient Dukes of Brittany. I was counting thedents made in the helmets and corselets by mace and battle-ax, andwondering if it paid to fight so fiercely, since, after all, the timewould come when the bravest would be as dead as anybody else, when Iheard the tinkle of ladies' voices, and who should come into thecorridor but Cousin Anne and Clotilde."
"I slipped behind the armor of a giant duke"]
"I slipped behind the armor of a giant duke and stood waiting to seewhat was going to happen, for the duchess was as white as DameCunegunda's cap and the countenance of Clotilde was screwed into anexpression I never had seen it wear in all the years I have reveled inthe joy of her acquaintance. They waited for a few moments, then thedoor at the other end of the corridor was opened and two gentlemenentered."
"And who were they?" asked Cunegunda breathlessly.
"I have not the pleasure of the acquaintance of all the gentlemen ofEurope," replied the fool, "and I did not recognize them; but I knew atonce that they were Frenchmen. As soon as they had greeted the ladiesthe taller of the two retired to the other end of the corridor, andClotilde, as if not to be outdone in politeness, withdrew to the otherdoor; but I remained quietly in my place, for I wanted to hear what wasgoing on. Why is it that people always talk in such low mumbling voiceswhen one is trying to hear what they are saying? I have good largeears, and I strained them to their utmost capacity, but I could onlycatch a word now and then.
"I know that the gentleman was urging Cousin Anne to do something shedid not want to do, and that it was a plot against Mademoiselle ofAustria, for I heard Anne say, 'Dishonorable both to the King of theRomans and to the Lady Marguerite.' I wanted to hear more, but Clotilde,who I verily believe was created on purpose to make me uncomfortable,seemed to suspect that there was somebody in the place who had not beeninvited and began to peer about pop-eyed, like a cat in search of amouse."
"Well, continue!" said Cunegunda impatiently, as the fool paused.
"Let a man reach for his breath, can't you? That was a long sentence. Ifelt that I was not safe with Clotilde on the hunt for me, so, keepingwell in the shadows, I managed to slip to the nearest archway, and I amhere with a whole skin, which might not have been the case if Clotildehad spied me out."
"How did the gentleman appear?" asked Cunegunda.
"He appeared to be pretty well, though somewhat anxious," replied thejester.
"She meant to ask you to describe him," said the princess.
"He was not beautiful," was the reply. "I could show you a handsomerman among her Grace's falconers and could pick a better-looking one froma good many other crowds. Put into the suit of armor behind which Istood he would have rattled about like a nut on the inside of a drum.His head was large and his nose, instead of coming straight down, as asensible nose should do, made a curve over the top. His eyes were bigand bright, and Nature, as if to make an apology for giving him such anose, had stuck a dimple in his chin, which was poor taste on her part,for a dimple looks queer with that kind of a nose. But his manner was sogracious that I fancy one would soon forget his ugliness and think onlyof the real man shut inside that unprepossessing shell.
"That was a clever sentence, was it not?" asked the fool, stoppingsuddenly. "I did not know that I could do it. I wish I could always talklike that."
"Did he have a fashion of smoothing his hair from his brow as hetalked?" asked the princess.
"Yes, I noticed that. He held his cap in his hand, as a gentlemanshould. It was black, with a long black plume clasped in place by agreat jewel that seemed to wink at me as he talked."
"It was Charles of France!"
"It was the King!" exclaimed Marguerite and her woman in the samebreath.
"Because he wore a jewel in his cap?" asked the jester. "Oh, fie! thatis a common fashion."
"You have described the King's face and figure exactly," said Cunegunda.
"Since you mention it, I think it must have been the King," said thefool, "for I now recall the fact that the lady addressed him as'Monseigneur,' a title not given to common mortals."
"Oh, what is going to happen to us now?" cried Cunegunda, in an agony ofdistress. "I have known all along that something dreadful was in storefor us in this place."
"Then it must be a mournful satisfaction to you to know that you werenot mistaken," remarked Le Glorieux.
"Do not stand there making senseless speeches," cried the Austrian womanangrily, "but try to help us out of our troubles. But why do I appeal toyou? You do not care for us; you are in the service of our enemies."
The jester instantly became serious. "If danger threatens I will servebut one. I shall know no allegiance but to the princess of my owncountry, the daughter of my beloved mistress."
Marguerite smiled brightly as she said, "I have no fear that you willnot defend me if it should become necessary, Le Glorieux. But I do notthink the time has yet come for you to fight for me.
"Your Highness talks like a baby," cried Cunegunda, "and as if you werea person of no consequence! Is it a matter of small moment that thegranddaughter of the emperor should be in the clutches of Anne ofBrittany, who is plotting against her with the King of France?"
"But why should the King of France plot against me, since I am to be thequeen and my provinces will one day belong to him?" replied her littlemistress.
"Who can account for the strange schemes of great nations?" askedCunegunda. "Perhaps your marriage with the King of France is about to bebroken off and he and the Duchess of Brittany will hold you as a hostageto extract a large sum from the emperor, your grandfather."
"It would be cruel to demand a large sum from that old and stingy man,"remarked Le Glorieux. "The gold of Frederick is as hard to dig out ofhis coffers as if it wer
e a thousand feet under ground."
"We shall not need his money for that purpose," said the princess. "Mydear Duchess of Brittany will never betray me, nor will Charles ofFrance, who is too good and kind to seek to injure me."
"The King is under the influence of his sister, who has no thought butfor her own schemes," replied the woman firmly. "We must leave here atonce! We can escape to-night unseen and remain in some quiet villageuntil we shall be able to communicate with Austria."
Le Glorieux sat down on the floor and pressed his hands to his head."This matter is enough to puzzle a wise man, to say nothing of a fool,"said he dolefully. "Now, let us look at it as it really is and try tostraighten it all out." Holding his left hand out in front of him andgesticulating with his right, he went on. "This thumb is Mademoiselle ofAustria; this forefinger is the Duchess Anne; the second finger is theKing of France, and the third is the King of the Romans. Now, Anne isgoing to marry the King of the Romans, whose daughter is going to marrythe King of France. But what must Anne be at but engaged in a plotagainst the daughter of the man she is going to marry in order to makethings fine and pleasant for her by the time she arrives in Austria.This plot, so far as I can see, is one which the King of France has noreason in this world to have a finger in, but which he takes all thetrouble to come in secret to help carry out!"
"Do not sit there tapping first one finger and then the other like agreat booby, but help us to get away from here," said Cunegunda angrily."Here is money to bribe the groom to keep silent. See that our mules arebrought out----"
"Stop!" said Marguerite, in a tone of calm authority. "I have told theDuchess of Brittany that I would trust her, and intend to do so. I shallremain here until she goes."
"Remain here with your life in danger?" cried Cunegunda, aghast.
"My life is not in danger. I know not of what she was speaking to theKing of France, nor how Le Glorieux may have misunderstood her, butwhatever it is, my life is not in peril while I am beneath the roof ofAnne of Brittany. Therefore I will not steal away in the night like acriminal. She has said that not one hair of my head shall be touched,and she will not be faithless to her promise. There is nothing for us todo but to keep silent and wait."
"And those two are the hardest things in this world to do," said thefool. "To wait is worse than the toothache, to keep silent is worse thanthe plague, but put the two together and they are enough to destroy lifeand reason."
At supper the question of the significance of dreams came up, alldiscussing it in an animated manner save the Lady Anne, who toyed withher wineglass, often gazing down into it as if trying to read her futurein its ruby depths. Le Glorieux sat on a low stool at her side, making aremark when he felt so inclined, and studying her face when he was nottalking.
"There are dreams which always come true for _me_," said the LadyClotilde in the tone of one whose word can not be disputed. "A dream ofthe dead is one of great importance, as every one knows. When I dream ofmy father something of moment always happens. He always addresses me as'My sweet and amiable child.'"
"All kinds of love are blind," remarked the jester. "I had a dreammyself last night that is of great importance," he went on with hiseyes fixed on the Lady Anne's face. "I thought the affairs of Brittany,Austria, and France were a pack of cards, all arranged smoothly, withthe proper kings and queens together and the knaves at the bottom of thepack. Then I could see the knaves grow restless and begin to flutter,and lo! the whole pack went spinning in the air, whirling about likedead leaves in the mistral. And when they came together again the wrongkings and queens were mated; for instance, the Queen of Diamonds waspaired with the King of Clubs!"
A wave of color swept over the fair face of the duchess, but she saidcalmly, "It is said that dreams go by contraries, Fool; therefore yourssignifies that the kings will find their proper queens."
But the Lady Clotilde, as the jester afterward said, "pinned him withher eye," and later she said in his ear, "I heard a 'fluttering' behindthe armor this afternoon that was not cards, for with it was a faintjingle of bells."
"It must have been a dream, Cousin Clotilde," he returned boldly, but hegnashed his teeth as he thought, "Those wretched bells have betrayed me,though I put up my hands and muffled them."
It was late on the following morning when the watchman blew his horn,and when the Lady Marguerite woke it seemed to her that the palace wasunusually quiet. She threw her arms over her head and smiled happily asone who has pleasant anticipations, for a new game in the courtyard hadbeen promised and it was of that she had thought upon wakening.
The Lady Clotilde entered, followed by a tiring woman. "Her Grace, theDuchess of Brittany, bade me tell your Highness that she was obliged todepart early this morning for reasons which she can not at presentexplain," said Lady Clotilde. "A proper escort has been provided foryou. I shall take charge of you, and in two days we shall start forAmboise."
"The Duchess of Brittany has gone to join my father without a word offarewell to me?" cried the princess, in astonishment. "And she promisedso faithfully that I should accompany her as far as possible on herjourney!"
"A change of circumstances sometimes necessitates a change of plans, andone is often compelled to break a promise made in good faith. Her Gracebade me assure you upon her honor that no harm shall come to you, andthat you shall return to Amboise in safety, and also that neither younor your nurse shall be reproached for your escapade. And now the mindof your Highness should be at rest. Moreover, she bade me say that sincethe jester, Le Glorieux, is so devoted to your Highness she has givenhim to you. And permit me to say upon my own account, that as thesinging of the page Antoine la Fitte affords your Highness so muchpleasure I shall feel highly honored if you will deign to accept hisservices and keep him as your own."
"I thank you," replied the princess. "I shall be delighted to have in myservice two servitors who amuse me so much, and who will be as faithfulto me as I am sure the Burgundians will be. And I feel that I can safelytrust in the promise of the Lady Anne."
"I begin to think that my dream about the cards is likely to come true,"said Le Glorieux later to the Lady Clotilde.
"And I think that for you a tongue well behind the teeth is the safestattitude to assume in this case," she returned with a frown.
"That is a strange piece of advice to give, Cousin Clotilde," hereplied. "Do you usually talk with your tongue in front of your teeth? Inever do."
"You know quite well what I mean," snapped the lady.
* * * * *
The journey from Rennes to Amboise was not a pleasant one, for the fineweather had been succeeded by chill winds, but the litter ofMademoiselle of Austria was furnished with rich furs to protect her fromthe cold, and with her train of guards and attendants she traveled in astyle befitting a princess.
News traveled very slowly in the fifteenth century, and it was not untilthey had reached Amboise that the mystery which had so puzzledMarguerite and her friends was explained.
The little Lady Marguerite was received in great state at the palace ofAmboise by Anne of Beaujeu, Duchess of Bourbon. This princess was atall, handsome, and resolute woman. Louis the Eleventh said of her whenhe named her Regent of France, "She is the least foolish of women," for,being crabbed and disagreeable, he thought all women more or lessfoolish, but that this stately daughter was the most sensible of hersex.
The clandestine journey of the little princess and her woman was notalluded to by the Duchess of Bourbon, and one would have thought thatthe escapade of a princess disguised as a peasant was an event of commonoccurrence.
"And now, Madame," said Marguerite, "perhaps you can tell me why thecity of Amboise is draped in cloth of gorgeous colors, and whyeverywhere is the air of a festival which I can not think is caused bymy return."
"Madame," replied Anne of Beaujeu in even tones, "a matter has been keptfrom you for some days, for to me was assigned the duty of acquaintingyou with a certain piece of news. It has been deemed best that themar
riages between the houses of Austria and France and Austria andBrittany should be broken off, although both France and Brittany haveappreciated the honor of the alliance. Therefore, a marriage has takenplace between the King of France and the Duchess of Brittany."
"The King of France and the Duchess of Brittany!" exclaimed Marguerite,with flashing eyes. "The King of France was solemnly betrothed to _me_!Has the treaty of Arras been forgotten? And the King of the Romans, myfather, too, has been insulted! Oh, I _hate_ France, I hate every inchof it! And the Lady Anne! Why, she told me that she was to marry myfather, that she had accepted safe conduct to Austria! And her eyes wereso truthful when she said it. Why should she have deceived me when Itrusted her, when I--I--loved her so!"
The wound to her heart was greater than that to her pride, and, coveringher face with her hands, the little princess wept.
"The Duchess of Brittany expected to be married to Maximilian of Austriawhen she talked of the matter to you," said Anne of Beaujeu. "It was buta few days before the marriage that she agreed to accept the King ofFrance, an alliance which she was convinced was for the best interestsof her people."
"And what is to become of me?" asked Marguerite.
"You shall be sent in the state suited to your rank back to Austria. Ibeg your Highness to take the matter more philosophically. I greatlydeplore the fact that you should have been thus wounded, but in thegreat affairs of nations personal concerns must take a second place."
The little Princess continued to sob]
The little princess continued to sob, and all withdrew save the jester,who, kneeling at her feet, said gently, "Little Cousin, when thedaughter of Austria is ready to wed, the prince of a greater nation thanFrance may be found for her." Then, assuming a lighter tone, he went on,"And a handsomer husband can be easily found than this stunted king. Andthink of it, little lady, you will shortly see your father!"
"Ah!" cried Marguerite, dashing away her tears and springing to herfeet, while a smile dimpled the corners of her mouth, "I had not thoughtof that! At last I shall see my father! Happy as a peasant child I shalllive under his roof! After all, the good God has been gracious to me andhas granted my wish."
"And Antoine and I will go with you, leaving the Lady Clotilde carefullybehind," cried Le Glorieux. "The Lady Anne has give me to you, and yousee I am still, in another way, the Lady Anne's present!"