Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1896-03-12
fCopyright, 1885, by Stanley ]. Weymanl
PART [.

tCopyright, 1896, by Stanley ]. weyman.l
PART [.
II was about month after my NOR
riagc-and third clerk to the most
noble the bishop of l}eauvais, and even
admitted on occasions to write in his
presence and prepare his minutes, who
should marry if might not?-it was
about a month after my marriage, 1
say, monsieur, that the thunderbolt, TO
which | have referred, fell and shat
tered my fortunes. l rose one morning
they were firing guns for the victory
of Rocroy, l remember, SO that it must
have been eight weeks or more after
the death of the late king, and the
glorious rising of the sun of France
and who so happy as /? A summer
morning, monsieur, and bright, and l
had all l wished. The river as 1t
sparkled and ripplcd against the piers
of the Pont Ncuf far below, the wet
roofs that twinkled under our gerret
window, were not more brilliant than
my lords fortunes, and as is the SPUR
rel so is the tail. OF n certainty, was
happy that morning. l thought of the
little hut under the pincwood at Gabas,
and my father cobbling by the un-
glazed window, his nightcap on his
bald head, and his face plastered
where the sherd had slipped, and |
pulled out my cheeks to think that
had climbed so high. High? How
high might not II man climb who had
married the daughter of the queens
under-porter, and had sometimes the
ear of my lord, the queens minister
My lord of Beauvais. in whom all men
saw the coming master of France! My
lord whose stately presence beamed
on q world still chilled by the dead
hand of Richelieu!
But that morning, that very morn.
ing, I was to learn that who climbs
NAV fall. | went below at the usual
hour; ut the ucual hour monseigneut
left. attended, for the council; pres
emily all the house was in an uproar
NV lord had returned and called Tor
Prosper. l fancied that l caught even
then something ominous in the sound
of my name as 1t passed from lip to lip,
and fastened, scared to the chamber.
But fast as | went / did not go fast
enough; one thrust me on this side,
another on that. The steward cursed
me. the head clerk stormed at me, the
secretary waited for me at the door,
and Selling me py the neck ran me into
the room. I'm, rascal, in!" he growled
in my ear, land hope your skin may
pay for It'll"
Naturally by this time / was quall'
ing. Monseigneur's looks finished me-
He stood in the middle of the chamber:
rnawing the nails of his left hand, and
scowled at me, his handsome face pale
and sullen. Yes nc said, CURLY,
that is the fellow!"
"Wretch!" the head clerk cried,
Selling me by the ear and twisting il
until l fell on my knees. "lmbecilel
Or more likely ne did it on purpose"
"Bribed!" said the secretary.
ale should be hung up!" the stew.
ard cried truculently, "before he does
further mischief. And if my lord
will give the word--"
"Silencel' the bishop said, with q
dark glance at me. what does lie
plead?"
Lie 0cdu clerk tWlSttu llly cdi uhtll
j screamed. "lngrate!' he cried, "Do
you hear his grace speak to you? An
swer!"
my lord" cried piteously. 81 have
done nothing! Nothing"
"Nothing?" half dozen echoed
"Nothing!" the head clerk added, bru
tally. Nothing, and you added a CT
pher to the census of Parisl Nothing
and your lying pen led my lord to
state the population to be five millions
instead of five hundred thousand!
Nothing, and you sent his grace's high
ness to the council to be corrected by
low clerks and people, and made a
laughing stock for the cardinal, and
"Silencel" said the bishop, fercely
Enough! Take him away and"
"Hang him" cried the steward.
mo, rascal, but have HIM TO the
courtyard, and let the grooms fog him
through the gates. And have a care,
he continued, addressing me, that
do not see your face again, or it will be
worse for you'll"