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Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-03-12 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

ease, now casting her glances on the hail, now rivetting
them on Fabien, who understanding the allusions of De
Gondi, coloured as if all eyes were resting upon him, in-
stead of those only of his unknown neighbour.
" A witness !" repeated the Prince, with an air of de-
fiance : " a witness ! who could only furnish evidence
that you have but lately conspii ed against my life. Bring
him here, M. le Coadjutor —bring him here ; and if you
can prove what you assert, I will hold out to you the hand
of friendship. Bring here that person, if he is not already
here, and I swear to you, if he can give me a clear ex-
planation of your designs, he shall receive marks of my
regard. Would to Heaven, my lord, I could believe you
innocent of all the foul acts that are laid to your charge.
If your witness be really here, let him show himself--let
him speak. I promise him my protection and my sup-
port."
_ _

So saying, the Prince cast a rapid glance around him,
and the masked lady could scarcely hide her emotion.
Seeing his eye rest upon Fabien, whose person was now
plainly visible to all the assembly, she half rose, as if to
give him a sign or word. Fabien did not stir. Paul de
Gondi appeared as if he took delight in keeping the ge-
neral attention in suspense.
" Your highness deceives yourself," said he at length,
in a cold tone of voice, " and you do not rightly understand
my words. The witness to which I allude is God, who
sees all, who understands all, and who knows that I have
never joined in any plot against your highness's life."
This explanation caused some murmuring. A disap-
pointment was experienced by many; but the masked
lady evidently showed her satisfaction, and the Scholar
noticed that she spoke for some tune in a whisper to one
of the unknown persons near her.
The meeting, after this violent discussion, presented
nothing remarkable, except a quarrel between the Due
de la Rochefoucault and the Duc de Brissac ; but these
incidents need not be particularized in this veritable his-
tory. Ten o'clock at length sounded, which was the
usual hour for the separation of the chamber, and the
President announced that the sitting was over. A gene-
ral movement followed this announcement, and the mem-
bers of the Parliament commenced leaving the grand-
chamber in groups. Fabien and the Scholar arose to
join the Coadjutor in the hall, and they had now no dif-
ficulty in obtaining egress, as the guard had returned to
his post on finding the alarm had ceased. Nevertheless
Vireton glanced with an uneasy look into the adjoining
partition of the lantern, and appeared to quit the spot
with reluctance. When they had arrived in the passage,
they found the door of the next compartment guarded by
several persons enveloped in mantles. The young men
were about to pass, when one of the gentlemen laid his
hand on Fabien's shoulder, and said, in a rough but still
kindly tone—
" One moment, Monsieur de Croissi ; there are some
persons here who claim your acquaintance."
Fabien recognised at once the stout Marechale D'Hoc-
quncourt, and through the opening of his mantle he per-
ceived that he was well armed, his belt being stuck full
of pistols.

A Indeed, Marechale," said Fabien, eagerly seizing
the proffered hand ; " I am very glad to meet a man who
does not shrink from defending a friend in a moment of
peril."
" Well, well, my young friend," replied the Mare-
chale, in a suppressed voice, " if you have preserved a
kindly remembrance of me, believe me, upon my part, I
have not forgotten your courageous and chivalrous bear-
ing on Pont Neuf, as well as elsewhere. But on this
point we will be silent. " There is within a person who
desires to sec you, and who believes that she has to re-
pair some wrongs that she admits she has entailed upon
you."
" What, the masked lady ?"
" Do you not know her ?"
Fabien was now informed, what the reader has no
doubt shrewdly suspected, that the masked lady was
Anne of Austria.

D'Hocquinconrt, without giving Fabien time to reply,
introduced him into the closet. The Queen was wrapped
up closely in her mantle, and she seemed to be expe-
riencing strong emotion. Fabien de Croissi was about to
drop on his knee before her.
.._

Remain standing," said the Regent, making a sign
to him with her hand. I can give you but a minute's
interview. Young sir, what I have this day seen has
shewn me who are my true friends. Tell M. le Coadju-
tor that his sovereign is but too happy to have a subject
as faithful as himself. I have read his thoughts in what
concerns you. He knew that you would find me here,
and he wished to prove to me your fidelity was as unim-
peachable as his own. I avow to you, sir, that if you
had pronounced one word in presence of Parliament of
what you are so well acquainted with, the greatest evils
might have accrued to myself and to France. From this
moment, sir, you need not hide yourself. You are free.
Now that my anger is calmed down, I can appreciate the
motives of your conduct, and I freely confess that I ad-
mire them greatly, and perhaps I shall find means yet of
proving how highly I estimate your character."
"Madame," said Fabien, gratefully, "your Majesty's
mercy and forgiveness I deeply feel,but may I yet implot e
that your good graces be extended towards a young
lady in whom you once—may I be allowed to say—took
some interest."

" Ah ! Montglat," replied the Queen, with slight irri-
tation of manner, "that is another affair."
The Queen seemed to reflect for a moment.
" Well, well, forget and forgive ; I pardon her also ; I
suppose you have the means of telling her this."
" Madame, the lady of whom you speak is my wife."
" Indeed t" said the Queen, with surprise ; " but," she
continued, smiling, " t see through all this the skill
and address of the Coadjutor exemplified. He would not
have one pardoned vrithout the other. Well, well ! tell
your patron that I have shewn kindness to you both far his
sake. As for you, come to-night to the Palace with your
—your wife. We will see what can he done for your fu-
ture fortune. The Ma rechale here, who is your friend,
will introduce ♦ou. Adieu."

The delighted young man would have spoken some
words of gratitude ; hut the Regent interrupted him, and
turned to the Marechale. saying—
" Come, Marechal-, your arm."
The Queen immediately left the closet, followed by the
gentlemen who formed her guard of honour, and the little
party turned into a dark passage, leaving the Palais-de-
Justice by a private way.
This unlooked-for, unhoped-for event, almost struck
Fabien speechless with surprise. The next moment the
Scholar, who had concealed himself behind the partition
of the adjoining "lantern," and had heard all that passed,
immediately on the Queen's departure, jumped from his
hiding-place, and besought Fabien to follow him to the
hall. They quickly found the Coadjutor, who stood in
the midst of his friends. As soon as he perceived the
young men, he approached them.
"Well P" said he, inquiringly.
" All has succeeded, my lord, even beyond our wishes,"
exclaimed the Scholar, gaily ; " pardon for both ; and
they are to appear at court to-night ; M. Fabien has per-
formed his part throughout as well as if he knew all our
projects."
" Bravo !" exclaimed the prelate, rubbing his hands.
" And it is entirely through you, my lord, that the
Queen has pardoned us, and as some little token of kind-
ness for the devotedness you have shewn in her cause to-
day."
" Ah, ha! she is then satisfied with my devotion," said
the Coadjutor, maliciously putt:l'lg his hand up to his
neck, which was still swelled from the effects of Laroche-
foucault's attack ! but I should be sorry to give her every
day such proofs of my adherence. But it is time to se-
parate. Come, let us return to ttie Cloister."
So saying, he commenced descending the steps to the
Rue de la Barillerie, with his adherents, while Conde,
with his, retired by the staircase of La Sainte Chapelle."
" And so terminated," says the Coadjutor, in his Me-
moirs, " the morning that was nearly destroying Paris."

(To be concluded in our next.)

NOTICES.'

Fraser's Magazine. London : G.. W. Nickisson, 215,
Regent-street.

The present number of Fraser, we must say it, exhibits
a falling off from its usual standard of excellence, which
we are sorry to see. It contains, however, a few articles
of great merit, which redeem the mediocre character of
the remainder. " A Summer Hour in Pope's Garden at
Twickenham" is a lively gossiping communication, and
the " Parallel between the Collections of Science in Paris
and London" is interesting. The Reminiscences of
Prince Metternich, by " one who has a good memory,"
are concluded in this number, and are fully equal to the
preceding sketches by the same writer. " The Luck of
Barry Lyndon" is continued in a graphic style, and is
very amusing. The Burning of Moscow, by Captain
Sabertash, is boldly written, and, whether the fact be so
or not, bears evidence of the writer's having mingled in
the tragedy which he delineates. " Fanny Elssler at the
Havana," " A walk across Bohemia," " The Monk
Campanella and his Works," a Germanic extravaganza,
called " The Turret Clock," a paper on the chemists of
the past century, and some amusing verses by Mr. M. A.
Titmarsh, make up the remainder of the literary contents.
The political article, " the Country versus the League,"
contains some excellent remarks upon the unconstitu-
tional character of this and other associations, and the
growing indisposition on the part of the public to attempt
the attainment of tavorite measures by means other than
those which the con-titution has pointed out as the
legitimate ones. The article starts some serious points
for reflection.

Dublin University Magazine. W. Curry. jun., and Co.,
Dublin ; W. S. Orr and Co., London.

The number for this month is a very able one, full of
amusing, interesting, and valuable matter. " The Mis-
haps of Mr. Latitat Nabhirn" are very rich, and promise
further fond for laughter; whilst the romance reader will
find a store of interest in the fortunes of the beautiful
" Arrah Neil." Of a more serious description, we have
a second article upon the mysterious agency of Mesmer-
ism ; a review of Lord John Russell's newly-published
" Correspondence of John fourth Duke of Bedford " ; a
notice of the quarrel now pending between the Jesuits of
France and the University of Paris, as described by M.
Lamartine; and a lecture delivered by Mr. Butt on be-
half of the Zoological Society of Dublin. The poetical
portion of the contents comprises a notice of and extracts
from Miss Swanwick's translation of Goethe's Iphigenia,