The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-03-19 00:00:00

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POETRY.

THE FIRESIDE.

Airt.—" The days we went a gipsying."

I have tasted all life's pleasures—l have stptched at all its joys—
The dance's merry measures, and the revel's festive noise ;
Though wit flash'd bright the livelong night, and flbw•ed the
ruby tide,
I sighed for thee—l sighed for thee, my own fire side !

hi boyhood's dreams I wandered far, across the o'cean's breast,
In search of some bright earthy star--some happy isle of rest;
I little thought the bliss I sought in roaming far and wide,
Was sweetly centured all in thee—my own fireside!

how sweet to turn at evening's close from all our cares away,
And end in calm, serene repose, the swiftly passing day !
The pleasant books, the smiling looks of sister or of bride,
All fairy ground cloth make around one's own fireside!

The poet sings his deathless songs, the sage his lore repeats,
The patriot tells his country's wrongs, the chief his warlike
feats :
Each godlike mind in books enshrined still haunts my fireside.

Oh let me glance a moment through the coming crowd of
years—
Their triumphs or their failures—their sunshine or their tears—
now poor or great may be my fate, I care not what betide,
So peace and love but hallow thee, my own fireside.

Still let me hold the vision close, and closer to my sight :
Still—still in hopes elysian, let my spirit wing its Ilizht ;
Still let me dream, life's shadowy stream may yield from out
its tide,
.A mind at rest—a tranquil breast—a quiet fireside !

CARDINAL DE RETZ,
0R
THE COURTIER'S PLOT.

BY PETER POPJ or, Esq.

(For the Liverpool Standard.)

CHAPTER XVI.
Which, being; the last, it is left to speak for itself.

FABIEN felt, as may be naturally expected, the utmost
eagerness and anxiety to communicate to Elizabeth the
happy results of this memorahle meeting. The young
wife was greatly surprised that the Queen should wish
to see them that evening at the palace. The knowledge
of the Queen's forgiveness caused her to shed abundant
tears of tenderness.

" The Queen can then pardon me," she exclaimed.
" Oh ! Fahien, you cannot conceive what I have suf-
fered in the thought that my royal mistress should des-
piseme."

The remainder of the day was passed by the now
happy young couple in forming plans for the future.
Nevertheless the delight of Fabien was somewhat clouded
by the recollection of the cruel manner in which his bro-
ther had been treated that day in the hail of the Palais
de Justice. Nor did he forget that in the evening the
meeting was to take place between him and the captain
of the guards of the Prince de Conti. Whatever might
have been the wrongs his brother had done him, he could
not but experience the utmost apprehension as to the
possible result of the combat. Elizabeth noticed his pen-
sive air, but she could not control her feelings of de-
light at her approaching reconciliation and meeting with
the Queen.
Fabien saw no more of Paul de Gondi for the rest
of the day. He remained in his cabinet surrounded by
his chief partisans, and a crowd of persons of distincti,,n,
who thronged to the cloister to hear the events of the
morning. At the close of the day the number of visitors
began to abate, and Fabien and Elizabeth were about to
retire for the purpose of preparing for their visit to the
palace, when the Scholar, gaily dressed, entered their
chamber. He was followed by two servants, who brought
with them most sumptuous dresses.
" What," said the Scholar, smiling, " not yet ready ;
" have you forgotten that in an hour's time you will be
presented to the Queen. I know how it is ; Monsieur
cannot tied a dress plain enough for so mournful and so-
lemn an occasion. However, here is one which you are
entreated to accept; and I hope you will lose no time
in getting ready."
The servants having laid down the dress, left the
charn her.

" What," said Fabien, " is this splendid dress for me:
It does not become m 1• humble state."

" Oh ! this is not a 11," continued the Scholar, enjoy-
ing the astonishment of the pair before him ; " Madame
will find in her apartment a happy match to this."
" But--tell us—pray—"

" I shall tell yOu no more," continued the Scholar,
" than this, that a carriage will shortly be ready to con-
vey you to the palace. You ivill have Footmen and pages,
bearing torches ; in fact you will go in right royal state."

" But in the name of all the saints, good Eustace, to
whom are we indebted for these delicate attentions and
rich presents ?"

" And to whom should you be indebted if not to the
brave and gallant Paul de Gondi, coadjutor of the Arch-
bishop of Paris, and who soon will be Cardinal de
Retz !"

" What, does he still think of us, overwhelmed as he
"He has thought of your dress, of Madame de
Croissi's jewels, of your expenses, of your carriage, of
the number and quality of those who will accompany
you. He has thought of every thing, seen to every
ihing. This has all been done in a few words which he
whispered to me in the presence of the great lords, the
princes, and dukes. He gave me his orders; I ordered
his confidential servants; and his wishes have been
obeyed, as they always are, like enchantment. But be
quick, you must not keep the great personage you are
about to visit in waiting ; you know she does not like
that."

Elizabeth laughed heartily at the rapid chatter of the
delighted Scholar, and quitted the room to attire herself.
Fabien immediately arranged his dress. Elizabeth
quickly returned, apparelled in a costly and elegant court
dress. We need not tell the reader how lovely she
looked in the picturesque costume of the time. Eustace
could not but give vent to his admiration at the elegant
appearance of both, and he did not scruple to felicitate
Fabien especially on the loveliness of his bride.
The Scholar left the room, promising to return quickly;
and Elizabeth, in her happiness, could not refrain from
shedding tears cf happiness. Eustace soon made his ap-
pearance, intimating that the coach was in waiting to
convey them to court.
Fabien took Elizabeth's hand, and led her to the
court-yard, where a rich coach was drawn up. As Vire-
ton had stated, there were many pages in gay liveries,
men on horseback, and attendants bearing flambeaux,
ready to accompany the young pair to court. They
quickly took their seats, and were passing slowly out of
the court-yard, when a sudden disturbance at the gate
somewhat arrested their further progress. A number of
soldiers in the pay of the Coadjutor were assembled
about the entrance, and the lacqueys and grooms ap-
peared to be listening to a vivid discussion which was
taking place between the chief of the Coadjutor's guards
and a strange gentleman who bore the uniform of an
officer of rank. As the crowd only opened to allow the
carriage to pass, Fabien caught several words of the al-
tercation.
" I tell you, sir, that you cannot see my lord if you
have not an order expressly signed by him," exclaimed the
chief of the guards of Gondi ; " I know all important per-
sonages who come here, and your face is not familiar to
me. Retire, sir, I beg ; we cannot allow anybody to
have an audience with his eminence ; his enemies have
no doubt too great an inclination to get rid of him."
" I swear to you, sir, that I am well known to the
Coadjutor, although not of his party. If Ido not tell
you my name I have good reason for concealing it at
present, but I must speak to the Coadjutor of an affair
of honour which admits of no delay."
At this moment Fabien looked through the window,
and cast upon the stranger an earnest gaze, and turned
pale, on recognising the Marquis de Crenan, the captain
of the guards, his brother's antagonist.
As soon as the coach was outside the gate Fabien 0!-
dered it to be stopped, and leaped out, bidding Eliza-
beth not to be alarmed at his ahseuce. He touched the
officer on the shoulder, whose discussion with De Gondi's
captain was becoming still more animated.
" Mons. de Crenan," said he, in a low voice, " one
- word if you please."
On hearing his name mentioned the Marquis turned
quickly round, but seeing a gentleman in a court dress, he
followed him instantly.
" Mons. le Marquis," said Fabien, " excuse my in-
trusion ; hut may I ask if the interview you desire with
the Coadjutor has any reference to a certain duel ?"
" Who the deuce told you that," interrupted the (liar-
quis, with surprise ; " hut you were perhaps in the ante-
chamber to-day, and know as much about the affair as
any other person. It is about this duel that I wish to
- see the Coadjutor."
" The Coadjutor himself ?"
Crenan kept silent for a moment, as if he hesitated
whether he ought to reveal his secrets to a stranger.
" Faith," replied he, " you may perhaps help me out
•of this embarrassing situation. I confess that it is not
the Coadjutor that I so much wish to see as a gentleman
who is residing in this vicinity."
" Monsieur Fabien de Croissi P"
" Just so. Do you know him*?
" I am the person."
" In that case," said the Marquis, in a grave voice
" I have a melancholy duty to perfbrm towards you.
Will you fellow me ?"
" Where ?"
" To see your brother ; he is dying."
" My brother—Albert ; where is he P"
" There," said the gentleman, pointing to a coach
which stood in " La Place du Parvis," in the deep shade
of the towers of Notre Dame."
Fabien, in great excitement, quickly followed his guide.
At that moment he forgot all his brother's crimes, and
his only desire was to see him again.
The Marquis mounted the step, and said softly,—
" I have fulfilled your wish, Monsieur de Croissi, and
I have brought the brother you spoke of to see you."
" Iy brother," replied a feeble voice from the car-
riage ; " has Fabien then come to soothe my dying mo-
ments P"