CHAPTER II. THE KING'S WISHES
It was daybreak ere the last of them had left me, for a dozen or so hadlingered to play lansquenet after the others had departed. With thosethat remained my wager had soon faded into insignificance, as theirminds became engrossed in the fluctuations of their own fortunes.
I did not play myself; I was not in the mood, and for one night, atleast, of sufficient weight already I thought the game upon which I waslaunched.
I was out on the balcony as the first lines of dawn were scoring theeast, and in a moody, thoughtful condition I had riveted my eyes uponthe palace of the Luxembourg, which loomed a black pile against thelightening sky, when Mironsac came out to join me. A gentle, lovable ladwas Mironsac, not twenty years of age, and with the face and manners ofa woman. That he was attached to me I knew.
"Monsieur le Marquis," said he softly, "I am desolated at this wagerinto which they have forced you."
"Forced me?" I echoed. "No, no; they did not force me. And yet," Ireflected, with a sigh, "perhaps they did."
"I have been thinking, monsieur, that if the King were to hear of it theevil might be mended."
"But the King must not hear of it, Armand," I answered quickly. "Even ifhe did, matters would be no better--much worse, possibly."
"But, monsieur, this thing done in the heat of wine--"
"Is none the less done, Armand," I concluded. "And I for one do not wishit undone."
"But have you no thought for the lady?" he cried.
I laughed at him. "Were I still eighteen, boy, the thought might troubleme. Had I my illusions, I might imagine that my wife must be some womanof whom I should be enamoured. As it is, I have grown to the age oftwenty-eight unwed. Marriage becomes desirable. I must think of an heirto all the wealth of Bardelys. And so I go to Languedoc. If the lady bebut half the saint that fool Chatellerault has painted her, so much thebetter for my children; if not, so much the worse. There is the dawn,Mironsac, and it is time we were abed. Let us drive these plaguygamesters home."
When the last of them had staggered down my steps, and I had bidden adrowsy lacquey extinguish the candles, I called Ganymede to light me tobed and aid me to undress. His true name was Rodenard; but my friendLa Fosse, of mythological fancy, had named him Ganymede, after thecup-bearer of the gods, and the name had clung to him. He was a man ofsome forty years of age, born into my father's service, and since becomemy intendant, factotum, majordomo, and generalissimo of my regiment ofservants and my establishments both in Paris and at Bardelys.
We had been to the wars together ere I had cut my wisdom teeth, and thushad he come to love me. There was nothing this invaluable servant couldnot do. At baiting or shoeing a horse, at healing a wound, at roastinga capon, or at mending a doublet, he was alike a master, besidespossessing a score of other accomplishments that do not now occur to me,which in his campaigning he had acquired. Of late the easy life inParis had made him incline to corpulency, and his face was of a pale,unhealthy fullness.
To-night, as he assisted me to undress, it wore an expression of supremewoe.
"Monseigneur is going into Languedoc?" he inquired sorrowfully. Healways called me his "seigneur," as did the other of my servants born atBardelys.
"Knave, you have been listening," said I.
"But, monseigneur," he explained, "when Monsieur le Comte deChatellerault laid his wager--"
"And have I not told you, Ganymede, that when you chance to be amongmy friends you should hear nothing but the words addressed to you, seenothing but the glasses that need replenishing? But, there! We are goinginto Languedoc. What of it?"
"They say that war may break out at any moment," he groaned; "thatMonsieur le Duc de Montmorency is receiving reenforcements from Spain,and that he intends to uphold the standard of Monsieur and the rights ofthe province against the encroachments of His Eminence the Cardinal."
"So! We are becoming politicians, eh, Ganymede? And how shall all thisconcern us? Had you listened more attentively, you had learnt that we goto Languedoc to seek a wife, and not to concern ourselves with Cardinalsand Dukes. Now let me sleep ere the sun rises."
On the morrow I attended the levee, and I applied to His Majesty forleave to absent myself. But upon hearing that it was into Languedoc Iwent, he frowned inquiry. Trouble enough was his brother already makingin that province. I explained that I went to seek a wife, and deemingall subterfuge dangerous, since it might only serve to provoke him whenlater he came to learn the lady's name, I told him--withholding yet allmention of the wager--that I fostered the hope of making Mademoiselle deLavedan my marquise.
Deeper came the line between his brows at that, and blacker grew thescowl. He was not wont to bestow on me such looks as I now met in hisweary eyes, for Louis XIII had much affection for me.
"You know this lady?" he demanded sharply.
"Only by name, Your Majesty."
At that his brows went up in astonishment.
"Only by name? And you would wed her? But, Marcel, my friend, you are arich man one of the richest in France. You cannot be a fortune hunter."
"Sire," I answered, "Fame sings loudly the praises of this lady, herbeauty and her virtue--praises that lead me to opine she would make mean excellent chatelaine. I am come to an age when it is well to wed;indeed, Your Majesty has often told me so. And it seems to me that allFrance does not hold a lady more desirable. Heaven send she will agreeto my suit!"
In that tired way of his that was so pathetic: "Do you love me a little,Marcel?" he asked.
"Sire," I exclaimed, wondering whither all this was leading us, "need Iprotest it?"
"No," he answered dryly; "you can prove it. Prove it by abandoning thisLanguedoc quest. I have motives--sound motives, motives of politicalimport. I desire another wedding for Mademoiselle de Lavedan. I wish itso, Bardelys, and I look to be obeyed."
For a moment temptation had me by the throat. Here was an unlooked-forchance to shake from me a business which reflection was alreadyrendering odious. I had but to call together my friends of yesternight,and with them the Comte de Chatellerault, and inform them that by theKing was I forbidden to go awooing Roxalanne de Lavedan. So should mywager be dissolved. And then in a flash I saw how they would sneerone and all, and how they would think that I had caught avidly at thisopportunity of freeing myself from an undertaking into which a boastfulmood had lured me. The fear of that swept aside my momentary hesitation.
"Sire," I answered, bending my head contritely, "I am desolated thatmy inclinations should run counter to your wishes, but to your wontedkindness and clemency I must look for forgiveness if these sameinclinations drive me so relentlessly that I may not now turn back."
He caught me viciously by the arm and looked sharply into my face.
"You defy me, Bardelys?" he asked, in a voice of anger.
"God forbid, Sire!" I answered quickly. "I do but pursue my destiny."
He took a turn in silence, like a man who is mastering himself beforehe will speak. Many an eye, I knew, was upon us, and not a few may havebeen marvelling whether already Bardelys were about to share the fatethat yesterday had overtaken his rival Chatellerault. At last he haltedat my side again.
"Marcel," said he, but though he used that name his voice was harsh, "gohome and ponder what I have said. If you value my favour, if you desiremy love, you will abandon this journey and the suit you contemplate. If,on the other hand, you persist in going--you need not return. The Courtof France has no room for gentlemen who are but lip-servers, no placefor courtiers who disobey their King."
That was his last word. He waited for no reply, but swung round on hisheel, and an instant later I beheld him deep in conversation with theDuke of Saint-Simon. Of such a quality is the love of princes--vain,capricious, and wilful. Indulge it ever and at any cost, else youforfeit it.
I turned away with a sigh, for in spite of all his weaknesses andmeannesses I loved this cardinal-ridden king, and would have died forhim had the need occurred, as well he knew. But in this matter--wel
l, Iaccounted my honour involved, and there was now no turning back save bythe payment of my wager and the acknowledgment of defeat.