The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-02-24
THE GOVERNOR OF GUERET. /

By Stanley ]. Yerman.
kcopyright. 1885. by Stanley }. wey-


KING at the Assembly or Ckatelher-
ault had carried me in the month of
July, 1905, into Poltou- Being there. and
DESTROYS OF learning for myself whether
the arrest of Auvergne had paci1ed
his country to the extent described by
the kings agents, [ determined to take
advantage of q vacation CT the assem-
bly, and venture as far in that direc-
ton as Bueret; though Henry. fearing
lest the n.alcontents should make an
attempt on nay person in revenge for
The death Of Biron, had strictly charg-
ed me not to approach within twenty
leagues of the Llmousin.
] had with me for escort at Chatel-
herault q hundred horse; but these
seeming to be either too many or too
few for the purpose, toola with me
only tCn picked men With Colet their
captain, five servants heavily armed,
and OF my gentlemen Boisruen and La
Font Parabere. to whom 1 opened my
mind, consented to be my companion.
1 gave out that [ was going TO spend
three days at Proudly. to examine an
estate there which I thought of buy
ing that I might have residence in
my government; and. having amused
the curious with this statement, I got
away at daybreak. and by an hour be-
fore noon was at Touron, where I
staid for dinner. That night we lay
at village. and the next day dined at
Marcel. The second afternoon we
reached Crozant.
Here began to observe those signs
of neglect and disorder which, at the
close of the war, had been common in
all parts of France, but in the more ia
vored districts had been erased by q
decade of peace. Briars and thornS
choked the roads, which ran through
soil nj n11 he
husbandman had resigned TO tares and
underground. Ruined hamlets we're
common, wolves and foxes and all
kinds OF game abounded. But that
which reused my ire TO the hottest
was the state Of the bridges, which in
this country where the fordS are in
winter impossible, had been allowed
TO fall into utter decay. On all sides l
found the peasants oppressed. disheart-
ened. and primed with tales of the
kings severity, which those who had
Just cause to dread him had inStilled
into them. Bands of robbers commit
ted daily excuses, and, in g word, no
one thing was wanting to give the lie
to the rose-colored reports with which
Bareilles, the governor of Gueret, had
amused the council.
I confess that, at sight and thought
of these thingg-of this country SO de-
voured, the kings authority 50 con-
denned, all evils laid at his door, all
his profits dfVerted-Iny anger burned
within me. and ! said more to Para
here then was perhaps prudent. telling
him, in particular. what designed
against Bareiiies, of whose double
dealing needed no further proof; by
what means L proposed TO luH his sus-
DiciOn5 for the moment, since we must
lie at Gueret, and how 1 would after
wards. on the first occasion, have him
seized and punished
forgot. while aVoWed these things,
that one weakness of Parabere's char
eacter. which rendered him unable TO
believe evil of anyone. Even of Bar
sjlles. though the two were the mereSt
Eacouafntanees, he could only think in
diligently, because, forsooth, he too
was a, Protestant He began to defend
kim therefore. and, seeing how the
ground lay, after a time l let the mat
ter drop.
Still I did not think that he had
been serious in his plea, and that Whlch
happened on the following mornlnG
took me completely by surprise we
had left Crozant an hour, and Was
considering whether, the road pelnS
bad. we should even now reach <Tueret
before NIGHT, when Parabere. who had
raada some excuse to ride forward, re-
II ned to me with signs Oh eihpdI-
S~assment in his manner.
NV friend.'' he said, "here is mes
sage from Bareilles-"
@How2'' [ exclaimed. "a message
For You" he said: Fthe man is
here"
But how did BareiIles know thar ]
was conaing?" [ asked
Parabere's confusion furnished me
with the answer before he spoke DC
not be angry, my friend" he said
ST uarted IN do BareiIIes a good turn
saw that you were enraged with MIN
aud [ thought that 1 could not nell
him better than by suggesting TO mn
to come and meet you Ia d pI rope,
euirit. ana make the eHpianauons
which am sure that he has II IN ms
mower 10 make Yesterday morning
therefore 1 sent to him.
.sAnd he is hereY' / said drily.
Para here admitted with blush thai
ne was not. His messenger n2c
found Bareilies on the point Of start
ing against band OF pinnderers wh'
had raVaged the country tor Twelve
month. He had sent me the most CiVi
MESA ges therefore-but he had no
come ts9owever, he will be at GueT'e
tomorrow Parabere added cheerfully
win he?" I said.
II viii answer for it, he answered
I'm the meantime. he has done VIVA
l1o can Tor our OSIDAoiNr
GLOW 2" I said.
"Ve bids us not to attempt the las
three leagues to Gueret tonight; tn
road Is too bad But to stay at Saury
xVhare there is a good inn, and tonor
ROW r1ofning he will meet US there
asIf The brigands have not proved to-
much for him" I said.
eyes" Parabere answered. With !;
simplicity almost supernatural. II
After this It was no use to say any
4bing 20 him, though his ofiiciousnes
sro111d have justified the keenest re
soroaches- I swallowed my resentment
therefore. and we went on arnieaol'
ono,,gn. though the valley OF tn
S-rense. in its upper and wilder part
through which our road now wouno
,7frere6 no objects of kind 10 Softel
nv anger against the governor, ! say
anonol1 of ruins, Of blocked denies
ana oyergrown roads; but OF retuTnlni
,orosnerity and growing crops and tn
Kings peace, saw no sigh-nol
mnch as one dead robber:
About noon we aliShted TO eat a - li
az o+ = zvretched tavern by one OF tn
eI-.,-,,,era HE fords A solitary travel
~. xSIio was here before us, and for
4i,,,a Eent aIoof, wearing grand an
--s+e1;o,ls manner with a shabby coad
.a,.sasentlv moved; edging himseltAup {
70 where I sat a little apart, ealln
.l-;+b Para here and my gentlemen
s.Sir ne said, on sudden ana with
-o,-eeace 81 see that You arc tn
Ieade.. Of this party:
hrJ was more plainly dressed tnal
-,aTabere and had been giving no or
5a =. I wondered how he knew; but