A Ladder of Swords: A Tale of Love, Laughter and Tears

  V

  The Seigneur of Rozel found De la Foret at the house of M. Aubert.His face was flushed with hard riding, and perhaps the lovingattitude of Michel and Angele deepened it, for at the garden gate thelovers were saying adieu.

  "You have come for Monsieur de la Foret?" asked Angele, anxiously.Her quick look at the seigneur's face had told her there were thingsamiss.

  "There's commands from the Queen. They're for the ears of De laForet," said the seigneur.

  "I will hear them, too," said Angele, her color going, her bearingdetermined.

  The seigneur looked down at her with boyish appreciation, then saidto De la Foret: "Two queens make claim for you. The wolfishCatherine writes to England for her lost Camisard, with much fool'stalk about 'dark figures,' and 'conspirators,' 'churls,' and foes of'soft peace,' and England takes the bait and sends to Sir HughPawlett yonder. And, in brief, monsieur, the governor is to have youunder arrest and send you to England. God knows why two queens makesuch a pother over a fellow with naught but a sword and a lass tolove him--though, come to think, 'a man's a man if he have but a hoseon his head,' as the proverb runs."

  De la Foret smiled, then looked grave as he caught sight of Angele'sface. "'Tis arrest, then?" he asked.

  "'Tis come willy-nilly," answered the seigneur. "And once they'veforced you from my doors, I'm for England to speak my mind to theQueen. I can make interest for her presence--I hold court office!" headded, with puffing confidence.

  Angele looked up at him with quick tears, yet with a smile on herlips.

  "You are going to England for Michel's sake?" she said, in a lowvoice.

  "For Michel, or for you, or for mine honor,--what matter, so that Igo?" he answered, then added, "There must be haste to Rozel, friend,lest the governor take Lempriere's guest like a potato-digger in thefields."

  Putting spurs to his horse, he cantered heavily away, not forgettingto wave a pompous farewell to Angele.

  De la Foret was smiling as he turned to Angele. She lookedwonderingly at him, for she had felt that she must comfort him, andshe looked not for this sudden change in his manner.

  "Is prison-going so blithe, then?" she asked, with a little uneasylaugh which was half a sob.

  "It will bring things to a head," he answered. "After danger and busydays, to be merely safe, it is scarce the life for Michel de laForet. I have my duty to the comtesse; I have my love for you; but Iseem of little use by contrast with my past. And yet, and yet," headded, half sadly, "how futile has been all our fighting, so far ashuman eye can see!"

  "Nothing is futile that is right, Michel," the girl replied. "Thouhast done as thy soul answered to God's messages: thou hast foughtwhen thou couldst, and thou hast sheathed thy blade when there wasnaught else to do. Are not both right?"

  He clasped her to his breast, then, holding her from him a little,looked into her eyes steadily a moment.

  "God hath given thee a true heart, and the true heart hath wisdom,"he answered.

  "You will not seek escape? Nor resist the governor?" she asked,eagerly.

  "Whither should I go? My place is here by you, by the Comtesse deMontgomery. One day it may be I shall return to France and to ourcause--"

  "If it be God's will."

  "If it be God's will."

  "Whatever comes, you will love me, Michel?"

  "I will love you whatever comes."

  "Listen." She drew his head down. "I am no drag-weight to thy life?Thou wouldst not do otherwise if there were no foolish Angele?"

  He did not hesitate. "What is best is. I might do otherwise if therewere no Angele in my life to pilot my heart, but that were worse forme."

  "Thou art the best lover in all the world."

  "I hope to make a better husband. To-morrow is carmine-lettered in mycalendar, if thou sayest thou wilt still have me under the sword ofthe Medici."

  Her hand pressed her heart suddenly. "Under the sword, if it be God'swill," she answered. Then, with a faint smile, "But no, I will notbelieve the Queen of England will send thee, one of her ownProtestant faith, to the Medici."

  "And thou wilt marry me?"

  "When the Queen of England approves thee," she answered, and buriedher face in the hollow of his arm.

  * * * * *

  An hour later Sir Hugh Pawlett came to the manor-house of Rozel withtwoscore men-at-arms. The seigneur himself answered the governor'sknocking, and showed himself in the doorway with a dozen halberdiersbehind him.

  "I have come seeking Michel de la Foret," said the governor.

  "He is my guest."

  "I have the Queen's command to take him."

  "He is my cherished guest."

  "Must I force my way?"

  "Is it the Queen's will that blood be shed?"

  "The Queen's commands must be obeyed."

  "The Queen is a miracle of the world, God save her! What is thecharge against him?"

  "Summon Michel de la Foret, 'gainst whom it lies."

  "He is my guest; ye shall have him only by force."

  The governor turned to his men. "Force the passage and search thehouse," he commanded.

  The company advanced with levelled pikes, but at a motion from theseigneur his men fell back before them, and, making a lane,disclosed Michel de la Foret at the end of it. Michel had notapproved of Lempriere's mummery of defence, but he understood fromwhat good spirit it sprang, and how it flattered the seigneur'svanity to make show of resistance.

  The governor greeted De la Foret with a sour smile, read to him theQueen's writ, and politely begged his company towards Mont OrgueilCastle.

  "I'll fetch other commands from her Majesty, or write me down apeddler of St. Ouen's follies," the seigneur said from his doorway,as the governor and De la Foret bade him good-bye and took the roadto the castle.