The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-02-27 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

Fabien gave her great offence. She forbade me writing
to Normandy. The day I ventured to transgress that
order, she showed me my letter intercepted."
" Poor Elizabeth ! " exclaimed Fabien ; " and I to
have accused you of unkindness ! "
" This was not all," continued the maid of honour
" Fabien mentally suffered through me, but he lived in
tranquillity and peace in his country home. The bril-
liant wor'd which would have converted the affianced
ma d into an ingrate, would have made the man she
loved a murderer. Designs the most artful—false-
hoods the most cunningly concocted—were originated;
and I—l it was, who drew the one dearest to my heart
into the snare. My name was used to induce -him to
commit a horrid crime, but which, thank Heaven, he
has scrrned as I felt he would do. lit is who will have
condemned him to captivity, should he be discovered.
Oh ! my lord, reflect but one moment. This nig,ht, see-
ing him pursued—despairing—a fugitive—could I have
abandoned him, when all the evils heaped upon him are
of my creation P Do not think that in quitting the pa-
lace I did so from a wish to elude the deserved punish-
ment the Queen has awarded me; but Fabien told me
that my presence alone would give him strength to sup.
port life. I have followed him to aid, to console him."
A silence of some minutes followed Elizabeth's touch-
ing address. •
" I believe you to be sincere, my child, replied Paul
de Gondi, with a thoughtful air; " and if the step you
have taken is blameable in itself, it is possible the mo-
tives may be praiseworthy. But, however moved I may
appear to be by your affliction, I still fail to perceive
means to assist you."
" I will go, my lord," said Elizabeth resignedly ;
will return to the palace."
" Then I will go with you," exclaimed Fabien with
determination.
The Coadjutor rose, and paced up and down the li-
brary for a moment. He suddenly stopped. " Come
what will, I will protect you. We must endeavour to
deceive ra u r enemies. will see what can be done.
Remain here, my dear children ; and I pledge you my
word that I will defend you against the world. Paul
de Gondi does not promise in vain."
" Oh, my lord ! what kindness is this ? "
" Stop," said the Coadjutor, with a sly air, as if a
sudden thought had but just flashed across his brain ;
" I shall attach certain conditions to my services."
"Oh name them, my lord," exclaimed Elizabeth
and Fabien.
" The first is, that to-morrow I must marry you in
my private chapel. I must take this precaution for cer-
tain reasons—of a personal nature. As neither of you
have relations who can claim any right to dispose of
you, the affair can be effected without difficulty."
Fabien gazed fondly upon the young Countess, who
hung down her lovely head, her face suffused with the
deepest blushes. Paul de Gondi smiled.
" Fabien," murmured Elizabeth, " am not I already
your affianced wife ? "
" The second condition is, that you will undertake to
obey me without remonstrance.
The young couple fervently promised absolute obedi-
ence.
" Well, then, as a commencement," continued the
Coadjutor, " I must tell you that you must consider
yourselves as.prisoners within these walls. Outside num-
berless dangers surround you. Moreover, as crowds of
persons every day pass through the Cloister, and as
amongst the multitude some may recognise you, you
must remain closely concealed within the apartments
allotted to you. Without you will undertake to do this,
I cannot answer for your safety."
" My lord, we will implicitly obey you."
" You will find, my dear young friends, that my hos-
pitality will prove neither agreeable nor splendid ; but,"
added he jokingly, " you will, I dare say, think it better
than what you would have met with in the Bastile or
amongst the Carmelites. Mademoiselle, for this night I
must place you under the charge of my old housekeeper,
Dame Germaine; and she will no doubt administer to
your comfort as much as our limited accommodations
for ladies will admit. For you, M. Fabien, Master
Scholar here will see you wellbestowed. Adieu
to-morrow ! "

The Coadjutor gracefully waved his hand, and bid-
ding his protegees good night, Fabien and Elizabeth
immediately retired, attended by the domestic who had
been summoned by the Scholar, and to whom instruc-
tions had been given.
Paul de Gondi and the Scholar were again alone.
The Coadjutor rested his elbow on his desk, and appeared
buried in thought, and quite unconscious that the Scholar
was gazing on his countenance with much curiosity. A
movement made by him attracted De Gondi's attention,
and dissipated the train of reflection in which he had
indulged.

•
" Ah ! my trusty lieutenant," said he, smiling, " are
you still here Well, what would you P"
" I only wish to know if I have not worthily served
you, my lord P"
" Right well, and you richly deserve reward ; and I
will fulfil my promise ; but.before I bestow on you the gift
I named as a recompense for your zeal, I have yet occa-
sion for your services for some short time. You are ad-
venturous, skilful, full of expedients, and I believe honest ;
you can yet be useful to me. Remain with me, and you
shall lose nothing by it, believe me, good Eustache."
" My dear lord," replied the Scholar, delighted to show
his zeal in his patron's service ; " I would rather remain
near you than enjoy the richest benefice in your gift ; and
if it is your wish we will together endeavour to assist our
young friends, and crown them with happiness."
" With happiness, good Scholar," repeated Gondi, with
a sigh • " then you think that they may yet be happy now
that the first danger is past."
" I do indeed, my lord; the young man is brave, frank,
and honest ; the lady is fair, gentle, and lowing."
"Ah ! she is fair, and as you say, loving," added the
Coadjutor, with something like a sigh.
" My lord, such a remark and such a sigh would become
better a gay young gallant than a grave and sage cardi-
nal."

" True, trusty Scholar ; but 1 possess a heart the least
ecclesiastical in all the world ; but since it has fallen to
my lot to wear the sacerdotal robe—black, violet, or red—
what does it matter ? hut now away, you require some
rest."
" And you, my lord."
The statesman made Eustache a sign of farewell, and
again commenced the perusal and arrangement of those
profound political calculations which occupied all his
thoughts.

How easily might we here conclude our narration. A
few dashes of the willing pen would tell how the lovers
were married, how the Queen forgave, and how all the
dramatis personas met in ith their deserts ; but we must
still continue the vein of history, and trace it out. The
events of one day have yet to be told—a day replete with
excitement, opening with the assembling of armed men,
amidst the ringing tones of trumpets, and closing with a
deed of blood.

(To be continued.)

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