The King's Esquires; Or, The Jewel of France

  CHAPTER FORTY FIVE.

  THE BALAS RUBY.

  "Who's this?" cried Francis sharply, and in a much firmer voice. "Hah!You, Leoni?"

  "I, M. le Comte."

  "Bah! The Comte! But what is it? Have I been asleep and dreaming?Where are we? What are we doing here?"

  "Making for Fontainebleau, sir."

  "Yes, Fontainebleau!" cried the King eagerly. "But like this--in aboat?"

  "Yes, sir--" began Leoni.

  "Say Sire, man! I have done with this masquerading folly. Speak outplainly. That mummery is at an end. Why are we in this boat?"

  "Escaping from King Henry's vengeance, Sire."

  "Hah!" cried the King. "I do not understand. Yes, I remember now. Itall comes back. There was some question of that--oh yes, I remember--the fit of madness. But was I not wounded?"

  "Yes, Sire; but your injury is healing fast."

  "To be sure. I feel better, after long weeks of horrid dreams. Well,that is all over. It was while escaping. But tell me--I am growingconfused again--what mean you? That we are escaping now?"

  "Yes, Sire; soon to be in safety and on your way to your own greatland."

  "Ah!" cried the King, in a tone full of satisfaction. "That is good. Iwould that I had never left it upon this quest. But how dark it isgetting!"

  "Yes, Sire; but it will soon be lighter," said Leoni quietly.

  "Make it lighter in my dark brain, man, if you have it in your power,"cried the King impetuously; "for one moment I see clearly; the next, Iam confused again. Yes--that is what I wanted to think of. Is SaintSimon there? But where is my young esquire? On your life, man, don'ttell me he is dead!--Hah! Is that the truth?"

  "No, Sire," said Leoni sadly. "I pray that he may be alive and well."

  "May be alive! What do you mean, man?"

  "That it was his and our duty, Sire, to save you from King Henry'sanger. You were his prisoner, and at all costs had to be saved."

  "Yes, yes; I had to escape. I have a dream-like memory of something ofthe kind, though it is all confused."

  "Yes, Sire; from your wound."

  "Hah!" cried the King. "But what is that to do with young Denis? Washe cut down too?"

  "No, Sire; quite uninjured when we saw him last."

  "When you saw him last? Then where is he now?"

  "A prisoner at the castle, Sire. The brave lad volunteered to take yourplace while we endeavoured to save our King."

  "To take my place! Do you mean to say, then, that he personated me?"

  "Yes, Sire; to lie as if wounded on your bed."

  "He did that?" cried the King; and Leoni slowly bent his head.

  "Then he has the making of a king within his breast. Brave boy!" criedFrancis; and he was silent for a few moments, while bending over theside of the boat he scooped up the clear cold water in his hand anddrank again and again.

  "Hah!" he cried. "That gives me power to think. Did I understand youaright that I am escaping and have left that boy to bear the brunt of myfolly, to suffer for my madness imprisonment and maybe death?"

  The doctor bent his head.

  "Leoni," cried the King passionately, "is this acting like a king?"

  "Sire, it is not for you to ask, nor yet for you to judge of this. Yourbrave young esquire felt it to be his task, and he volunteered to playhis part, as either of us would have done. It was to save your life,your servant's duty at a time like that."

  "And you tell me that it is my duty as a king to sacrifice that boy justentering the dawn of his young manhood so that I might live?"

  "Yes, Sire; for your subjects' sake."

  "I am the King, and judge of this. A thousand times no! It shall notbe."

  "Sire, it must. What is one young life compared with yours?"

  "Everything," cried the King, "if I am to live in peace."

  "But, your Majesty, it is too late to think of that."

  "Never too late while there is life," cried the King. "Loose the boatand take those oars."

  "What would your Majesty do?" cried Leoni.

  "Go back to Henry and meet him face to face. Let him work his will onme if he dares. But he shall not injure a hair of that brave boy'shead. Bah! He would not have dared."

  "You are mistaken, Sire."

  "In what?"

  "In King Henry's intentions. He meant your death."

  "What! In cold blood to slay a brother king?"

  "Not a brother king, Sire, but the Comte de la Seine, who had enteredhis Court in disguise."

  "Impossible, Leoni! I repeat, he would not dare."

  "Sire, your death warrant was made out."

  "What!"

  "I saw it, Sire, in Lord Hurst's hands; and he told me indirectly whatwas to take place."

  "Leoni!" cried the King.

  "Those are the simple words of truth, Sire. That death warrant, signedby the King's own hand, was the mainspring of my action. Was I notjustified in doing anything to save your life?"

  The King was silent.

  "Leoni!" he exclaimed at length. "I am faint with hunger. Is there noplace near where we can get food?"

  "There is a farm we passed a little lower down, Sire," replied Leoni;"but we dared not stay for fear the pursuers might be searching eitherbank."

  "Let them search and find if they will," cried the King. "I must haverefreshment before I do more."

  "Your Majesty wishes us to row there and take our chance of beingdiscovered?"

  "Yes," said the King, "and at once. But stay. You are certain that theCount's death warrant was signed?"

  "Yes, Sire; sure."

  "Bah! If I declared myself there would be an end to that?"

  "No, Sire."

  "What!" cried the King.

  "Henry doubtless has his ends and would gladly have you dead. If youdeclared yourself now he would laugh you to scorn and call you impostor,cheat."

  "Hah!" cried the King, grinding his teeth. "Let him if he dare! But Iwill not believe it of him, going as I shall now, for nothing shall stayme from hurrying back to save that poor lad's life."

  "But, your Majesty, let me implore you!" cried Leoni.

  "Implore, then, but you will find me deaf."

  "For your own sake, Sire!"

  "It is for my sake I go--mine honour as a king."

  "For the sake of your servants, then, who have risked so much!"

  "I cannot! I will not," he cried. "I will go."

  "For the sake of France, the country you so dearly love!"

  "It is for the sake of France I go, to prove myself worthy the name ofher King. You urge me to perform a dastardly act in fleeing at a timelike this."

  "Remember, Sire, the reason why you came."

  "I do," said the King, standing up proudly in the boat, as the edge ofthe moon began to lift above the low mist that lay upon the river andadjacent meads, lighting up the King's face, animated now into sternbeauty by the spirit within which spoke, "and think of it with shame.Listening to your words, I blinded myself into the belief that it wasright, that it was a brave and a gallant act to wrest that Crown jewelfrom King Henry's hand; but I see more clearly now that my madenterprise has met with its merited fate, and go back I will as achivalrous knight, ask my brother King's forgiveness, and save thatbrave boy from his cruel fate."

  "But, Sire, remember! Remember Fontainebleau and France."

  "I do; and I remember too that your plot has failed."

  "But it has not failed, Sire," cried Leoni, rising now; and as he stooderect there was a look of triumph in his face which gave him, as itwere, a reflection of the kingly majesty before which he stood. "It hasnot failed, but ended in triumph and success."

  "What!" cried the King fiercely. "You speak in riddles. Tell me whatyou mean."

  He seemed to tower over his follower, who, apparently humbled, crouchedbefore him with lowered head and outstretched deprecating hands, withwhich he covered his face as if asking mercy. But the next mom
ent hesprang up once more, just as the King angrily repeated himself:

  "Not failed!" he cried. "Tell me what you mean?"

  For answer Leoni threw back his head and held one hand on high full inthe light of the moon, which flashed and scintillated from the manyfacets of a brilliant gem.

  "Hah!" cried the King excitedly. "What have you there?"

  "That which we came to seek, Sire. The Balas ruby--the fateful gem ofFrance!"