New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1857-10-26
The Kings Word.

+ All III, s sire.'
/" WE'LL Giac, that is a good joke" said the king,
laughing and turning to his favorite.
=" Yes, sre," answered Giac !; and the misfortune
could not have beallen your majesty at Tucker mo-
ment."
"Whyso?"
The men, sire, had arrears of pay owing to them,
and the treasury is empty" At this moment a page
France and the countenance of the Marquis, which
had hitherto borne expression of careless gaety,
instantly changed to one of extreme seriousness, and
his face turned deadly pale.
q My cousin is welcomed cried the King, at the
same time looking towards the officer who still
waiting, and giving him to understand, by motion
of the hand, that he was dismissed.
Well, Giac,' said Charles in a tone of wonder
ment his favorite, whilst expecting the entrance
of the constable left the dcebox standing untouched
before him 3" the throw is with YOU"
Sire ~ stammered Gac, as he arose in embar-
rasslnent from the table.
What is the matter - 7's
Your majesty is aware that the constable is not
friendly towards As your treasurer, sire, he may
think it my fault that the deserving troops had not
received their arrears of pay and fear he may wish
to be revenged.
Nonsense, Giac Do not give yourself any con-
cern on that account. your king, will protect you"
"But circumstances might occur, your majesty
said the Marquis, trembling
I, I, ]" here is nothing to fear. You have my royal
word ~
Here the conversation was interrupted by the en-
trance of the constable. EeE .T.e
Welcome good cousin to Bourges ~ cried Charles.
81 have already heard what has taken place at st.
Jacques de Beuvron. The wicked traitors! But what
brings you to me, worthy cousin?' 5.s.9
ss" am come SIRE, answered the Count to return
to you my sword Of office, as it is no longer able to
restore the lost condition Of France"
!" Not SO hasty, cousin!H cried Charles knitting
his brows. /" 1T is not my fault that the cowardly
mercenaries have left usn
" It is not mine sr,'' answered the constable,
proudly and with emphasis
~ know, knows said the king. " You are
faithful servant The Count bowed coldly.
When received the Constable's sword from
your majesty" said he, and assembled an army to
protect your throne, did so upon one condition
promised to support the troops at my cost during
period of four weeks at the end of which time they
were to be paid by your majesty, and you promised
to send me hundred thousand dollars for that pur-
pose.n
g Very true, cousin"
"Four months have elapsed since then I kept my
promise, but the money did not arrive. The troops
refused to serve any longer without pay entreated
and threatened, but without avail the traitors de-
serted secretly 1t would not have happened sire, if
you had kept your word as well as kept mine, and
had sent the money as you promised"
''What p cried Charles rising from his seat, and
pale with rage, II did not send the money!"
r. emo, sire.i' $3.50 -lrss-5---1 l'Ff
"No! And the money has been collected from the
country for the purpose! What has become of it 2"
"Ask the Marquis de Giac your majesty perhaps
he knows" answered the constable, coldly.
The Marquis, who had hitherto listened to the
versaton in state OF the greatest anxiety replied to
the Kings question:
"Sire,' said he "out of the hundred thousand dol
lars, the Chevalier Ange was paid the bet he laid
with your majesty and the rest took in part pay
ment for the three horses had brought from Bur-
gundy," se.5 IT,
80 the money has gone for bet and three horses'
cried the constable angry turning to the Marquis
''you ale truly an excellent treasurer"
''Whether am so or not,h answered the Marquis
scornfuly ait is not your business to decide" The
Constable bit his lip without making any reply, and
then fell on one knee before the King, and presented
his sword:
"Here, sire,n said he, s'is my sword back again"
'No, my cousin, we will not accept il, )" cried
Charles, "for we know none more worthy to whom
we can confde it." ..-
The Constable appeared to consider for minute,
and then, with side-glance at the Marquis
"Since you command it, sire, said he, ~ will re-
tain my sword hoping long to wear it to the honor of
my King and France but must make one cond
ton, which hope you will grant me-"
Most willingly, cousin" 81
GAS Constable of France continued the Count,
II exercise the highest jurisdiction within the prov
inces conded to me, as well as within the district
of the town of Bourges"
"Allow me then sire, to make use of this power; ;
and permit that the same obedience may be shown
to me that would be shown to yourselfi'
Charles appeared for moment embarrassed, and
then. with sdelook at his visiby anxious favorite
1t shall be SO, cousin" said he but with one stp-
ulation; you must answer to with your honor for
the safety of the head of the Marquis de Giac."
Ianswer for his life" SIRE said the constable.
Then turning to the Marquis:
oner." '-F,s -a, no .t-
few hours after the visit of the Constable to King
Charles, the Marquis de Giac was a prisoner in
Bourges, on the charge of having squandered the
money belonging to the royal treasury. This at
fDrn nh tha hin bod
proposed to himself to retaliate upon the Marquis,
for long list of ofenses he had been for some time
committing with impunity, feeling himself safe under
the especial protection of the King. The prisoner
was fully aware of the danger of the position in
which he was placed although the word Of the King
well that of the Constable was undoubted secu-
rity for his e But are there not punishments inf
nitely more painful than death? Are there not tor
lures insufficient to destroy the thread of life yet
in comparison with which, death itself would be a
boon? And what was there to hope from the protec.
tion of weak and frivolous King at the time when
the will Of the Constable was of greater weight than
| that of his master? =
Giving himself up to these reflections, his head
resting on his two hands, the Marquis sat in corner
Of his dark and dismal prison. awaiting the arrival Of
the messenger who was to make known to him his
fate for in those days no heightened process was
necessary for the condemnation of one who had fallen
under the dispeasure of the Constable 1t was there
FORE that same evening that the door of the prison
opened and the Mayor Of Bonrges, attended by two
sherifs appeared before the Marquis. A long roll of
paper in the hand Of the former announced to him
| that his fate was decided.
"My Lord Marquis de Giac, said the mayor, after
clearing his throat, and unrong the paper, draw
near and hear the sentence which the good city OF
Bonrges, according to right and conscience, passes
upon you."
The prisoner, by nature not tmid, and endowed
witha certain strength of soul which enabled hint
meet with ortitude inevitable evils arose courageous
~, and walking up to the Mayor almost with an air
of pride, ,..;.,
| many words"
| " As you command replied the Mayor, bowling
low as he spoke and then he proceeded to read with
all the pomposity of his Office, as follows: The
| supreme administrator of the laws of the good and
true city of Bourges decrees according to right and
| conscience, that Arthur Pheebus Charles, MARQUIS
de Giac, be held guilty of having improperly and
fraudulenty squandered the royal treasure and that
he lie accordingly atainted of high treason and con
| demned to suffer death by the sword.'
How Death?" cried the prisoner, more in an ger
| than in terror.
Allow me to proceed, my lord MARQUIS, have no,
yet done said the Mayor, and he read on: In con
sideraton, however, ofits having pleased his Majesty
onr most gracious King and master, to pardon will
4 his own royal word the said Marquis de Giac and tt
grant him his life, so shall the sentence pronounced
upon him be committed and changed to penance
which Communication, however, can only be obtained b,
4 the condemned declaring in his own handwriting tha
he is willing to undergo the sentence of DEATH and
renounce the favor of the royal pardon offered him.
" And what is the penance which am to prefer t,
death-in what does it consist " asked the prisoner