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Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-03-05 00:00:00

so ; but it would seem to me that some prudence and pre-
caution —"

" Come, come, throw over your shoulders your cloak,
and you will perhaps e.:cape all notice.. But, in the name
of the saints, be quick, Mon•=i.nir tie Croissi ; I h-ar the
:rumpets sounding to horse is the great court-yard, and
the hour of audience is already past."
Fabien placed a fervent kiss ou the fair brow of his
young wife.

" Courage, courage, dear Elizabeth," said he, smiling,
" I hope our benefactor will make some effort for our
deliverance. I shall, I know, bring you back good
news."
" Heaven protect you," said the young wife, who at
the moment of separation burst into tears.
" Quick, quick," cried the impatient Scholar.
Eustace accompanied Fabien to his chamber, and as-
sisted him in a speedy change of dress. According to the
wish of De Gondi he clad himself in the costume he wore
on the night of his visit to the palace, buckled on a good
sword, and wrapped his mantle round him, so as to con-
ceal his face, an act not unusual at the time, as it was
customary for masks to be worn in the publi:: streets by
both sexes, when they wished to pass along unknown.
The two young men descended the grand staircase, and
entered the court-yard already described.
Fabie,i, at the first sight of the spectacle before him,
was blinded by the brilliancy of the costumes of the gen-
tlemen and domestics who composed the escort. Nothing
was to be seen but rich embroideries, gold lace, and arms
glittering in the sunlight. Plumes of feathers of all co-
lours waved over the silken scarfs, which ornamented the
persons of those present. De Croissi and the Scholar
could hardly force a passage through this compact mass.
They at length arrived at the door of a coach, which a
valet who seemed to act as a master of the ceremonies,
was endeavouring to close against the entry of three mus-
tached cavaliers who attempted to enter it. No sooner,
however, did the valet perceive the two young men ap-
proach than he allowed them to take possession of the
empty places, to the great annoyance of the cavaliers ;
and after having made a mysterious sign to Eustace,
was lost in the crowd.
At length the Coadjutor appeared on the steps of the
palace, and his presence was saluted by a thousand
cheers. He had not yet assumed his Cardinal's cos-
tume : he wore lawn sleeves and a square cap, and his
golden cross glittered on his violet camail. Around him
was a magnificently-clad assemblage of gentlemen,
amongst whom were MM. Chateaubriand, de Noirmon-
tier, de Fosseuse, de Montahrne, d'Argenteuil, de Se-
vigne, and many other illustrious men who adorned the
time.
" Vive le Coadjutor ! Vice La Fronde ! " cried the
assembled multitude.
The prelate graciously saluted his partisans, and
thanked them by a smile. He then stepped into the
first coach ; the gentlemen filled the others; and the
cortege slowly left the court
The train was of immense length. The whole of the
way from Notre Dame to the Palais de Justice—the
bridges, the quays, the streets—was crowded with the
population, to witness the procession of the Coadjutor.
N-ac might be heard the loudest cries of applause—now
th hootiags and hissings of a knot of the other faction ;
while numbers remained silent, or deplored in whispers
to each other, the evils that could not but result from
such a proud party demonstration.
But it was in the neighbourhood of, and around the
Palais de Justice—the very sanctuary of the laws—that
the most novel, and at the same time painful, spectacle
was presented. All the approaches were guarded by
soldiers under the orders of the Coadjutor. The armed
citizens filled the taverns in the vicinity, while in the
court was a dirty, ragged mob, armed with bludgeons
and sabres. It consisted of the very scum and off-gather-
ings of the thieves and vagabonds of Paris, who would
have received pay to shout for any one or any thing, by
the hour or day.
The Coadjutor descended from his carriage in front of
the great staircase i❑ the Rue de la Barillerie, which he
had no sooner mounted than he was saluted afresh with
cries of " Vice La Fronde ! " " Vice le Coadjutor ! "
Nevertheless, amidst all these enthusiastic acclama-
tions, the quick ear of the chief could distinguish several
voices c,ying " To Mazarin ! To Mazarin !
In the meantime he advanced towards the Great
Chamber of Parliament, which is now the " Salle de la
Cour de Cassation." The Scholar took care to place
himself with Fabien in his way. The Coadjutor stopped
opposite to them, and said quickly, but in a low
voice, " So, so, trusty lieutenant ; I see you forge
nothing."
Nothing, my lord."

. .
" It is well ; and you, young sir," continued he, ad-
dressing Fabien, " put your trust in Master Eustache as
you would in me ; he will provide for your safety. Cou-
rage. cheer up ! all will—all shall go well."
Gondi immediately passed on, and joined his noble
companions who were awaiting him a few steps apart;
quietly resuming conversation with them, he entered the
spacious hall.

" You heard what my lord said, did you not ? You
must, you see, trust implicitly to me. Your part will
be easily played. Nothing is wanted but for you to
appear before the parliament : your friends will do the
rest."

" Before the parliament !" repeated Fabien. " But
neither you nor I have any right to enter there."
" Well, we shall see that sir," said the Scholar
• .1 it • t

nt-us um] seat ourselves
amongst the members ; but there are in the hall far
more quiet places, and the Coadjutor has taken care to
provide us with accommodation. Follow me, and before
you speak, look well around you."
While the Scholar thus spake, he conduct d Fabien
towards the door of the Great Chamber; but at the
moment they were passin,; through, a voice was heard
which predominated over the buzzing of the crowd as-
sembted in the hall. At the same time the ushers pushed
back the crowd with their silver staffs, and cried aloud,
" Make way for his Highness the Prince de Cor.cle !
Make way for his Highness the Prince de Conti ! '

The two young men immediately crept between two
pilasters, and saw the two princes mounting the stair-
case. attended by a retinue as numerous as that of the
Coadjutor, and perhaps still more bri.liant. The gen-
tlemen, the p iges, arid the attendants, all wearing the
yellow scarf, were covered with gems, feathers, and rib-
bons, producing • a splendid effect. Their manners
and conduct aneared more turbulent and insolent than
the Frondeurs who recognised Gondi as their chief, and
at the sight of several grotesque citizens of the opposite
faction they laughed loudly and rudely at the objects of
their mirth.

As soon as the Princes appeared, the Frondeurs re-
tired rapidly to that half of the Chamber next to the
Rue de la Barillerie, leaving the other half unoceup ed
for the new arrivals. In ordinary times the two fac-
tions mingled until the chiefs entered the parliament;
but on this occasion the.re seemed such a probability of
a conflict, that the two parties would not be seen together
an instant.

The Prince de Conde stopped in the midst of the
Chamber, and leisurely examined his enemies. Conde
was still young, and his figure, although not tall, pos-
sessed much masculine grace, and a boldness of cart iage
which, while it was remarkable, was still majestic. His
costume was magnificent. He wore beneath his peer's
mantle a yellow dress, the colour of his livery, decorated
with pearls and rubies. An immense diamond sustained
his hat, in the style of Henry IV. All the orders of
knighthood of his native land, and many of other coun-
tries, glittered round his neck and at his breast. His
examination was not long. He spoke a few words to
his brother Conti, a little hunchback, clad nearly like
bithself, and who appeared to be his caricature, for while
entering the Great Chamber he elevated his shoulders
with disdain.

" Now, now !" 'murmured Eostache, perceiving at
length that the entree was free, and that several of the
members passed through without difficulty. But, to the
astonishment of the Scholar, Fabien remained motion-
less, his eyes fixed -towards a group who were talking
loudly at some distance. Vireton followed the direction
of his eyes, when his pre-occupation was at once ex-
plaine I. The two parties had traced a sort of line of
demarcation in the Chamber between them by a tacit
agreement, nor dreamt of passing over it till the mo-
ment for action occurred. Some few persons only of the
different sides had advanced upon the limits of their re-
spective ground, exchanging between them gay pleasan-
tries, or at least politenesses. They recognised each
other ; they called each other to them, without either
bitterness or anger ; although perhaps the next moment
they would cut each other's throats. Such were the
manners of the times.

Suddenly a great tumult arose on the side of the par-
tisans of Conde. A gentleman bearing a yellow scarf
attempted to enter the Chamber, and was about to mix
without ceremony amongst the nobles of his party ; but
as soon as he was recognised, bursts of disgust and dis-
approbation were raised against him. Ills scarf of the
colours of Conde was torn from him, and a thousand
voices loaded him with reproof.
" What do you here, traitor ? " cried one. "Do you
come to spy again into our secrets to betray them ?—to
sell them to the Coadjutor and the Court ?" "Turn
out the traitor ! " " Turn out the spy " "He is
unworthy of approaching his highness."
He who was thus addressed with such bitter invec-
tives, who, pale and with disordered vestments,
struck down the hands raised against him, was the
Baron Albert de Croissi !
" Hear me ! hear me, gentlemen," said he, in a sup-
pliant tone. " You—you—mistake me. I have always
been faithful to the Prince ; and the proof is, that I
have now an important secret to reveal to him. You
have heard that a plot bas been concocted against the
life of his highness. I know the whole of the details.
I will make him fully acquainted with them. He can
then take vengeance against his enemies."
Fabien shrunk back with horror. He had not thought
his brother capable of so base and cowardly an act as
that he meditated.
" Still tricking," said a gentleman bearing the uniform
of a captain of the guards of the Prince Conti. " Gen-
tlemen, let us turn out this spy of the Cardinal's, or at
least let us send him back to his friends the Mazarins
below."
" Yes, yes ! let us send them back this double traitor,"