The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-08-29

for the man himself, he sat squarely
at his desk, writing rapidly with an
even motion of his pen. He was plain
ly but richly dressed, without arms of
any kind. His collar was ruff1ed in the
English fashion, but worn with
droop, over which his long beard, now
streaked with gray, fell almost to the
middle Of his breast. He was bald
and on each side of his high wrinkled
forehead there was a thin wisp of hair
brushed neatly back. His clear eyes
looked out coldly, but not unkindly,
from under the dark, arched eyebrows,
and his short mustaches were careful
ly trimmed and twisted into two points
that stuck out one on each side of his
long straight nose. The mouth itself
was small, and the lips were drawn to-
gether tightly, not, it seemed naturally,
but by a constant habit that had be-
come second nature. 1t was as if there
were two spirits in this man. One
genial influence that was held in bonds
by the other, cold calculating, intel
lectual essence. Such was Macmillan
de Bethune, Marquis de Rosny and Due
de Sully. He was not yet nominally
chief minister, but it was we'll known
that he was in the kings Utmost Sc
crets, and that there was no man who
held more real power in the state than
the master general of the ordnance.
AS I finished my survey of him, he
finished his dispatch, and, after folding
and addressing it, he turned it upside
down and said to me:
Nov for your important news, mon
sieur 1t must be very important to
have brought you here"
Il do not understand
He looked at me, keen inquiry i'll
his glance. You do not understand?'
he said.
Indeed no, monseigneur.'
Hum! you are either deeper than I
take you to be or a born fool. Look
you, are you not Alban de Breuil, Sieur
d Auriac, who was lately in arms iii
the service of Spain against France as
rebel and traitor?''
i was on the side of the league"
Monsieur, the league died at Ivry."
But not for u.s.
He made an impatient gesture. 1--WE
won't discuss that. Are you not the
man [ refer to-say yes or no."
Il am d'Auriac-there is no other of
my name; but no more a rebel or
traitor than Messieurs de Guise, de
Mayenne and others. The kings peace
has pardoned us ALL Why should 1
fear to come to you. I have come to
do you a service, or rather the king a
service
Thank you May I ask if you did
not receive warning at La Fere and
another at Bidache?''
From M. dAyen-yes, menseigneur,
refuse to believe what 1 heard
e"And yet your name heads list of
half a dozen whom the kings peace
does not touch. One of my reasons for
receiving you was to have you arrest
ed"
ut is a high honor, all this bother
about poor gentleman of Normandy,
when Guise, de Mayenne, Epernon and
others keep their skins whole
You have flown your hawk at too
high a quarry, monsieur
Then that painted ape, d'Ayen, told
a true. tale" I burst out, in uncontrol-
liable anger. "Monseigneur, do what
you will to me. Remember that YOU
help to the eternal dishonor of the
king"
The words hit him, and the blood
flushed darkly under the pale olive of
the mans cheek.
Monsieur, you forget yourself
ut is not l, but you who do So You
who forget that your name is Bethune
Yes, touch that bell 1 make no re-
sistance. presume it will be the chate-
let"
His hand, half-stretched toward the
button of the call bell before him, sud-
denly stayed itself.
Were my temper as hasty as your
tongue, monsieur, it would have been
the chatelet in half an hour
Better that" / began, but he in
terrupted me with a quick wave of his
hand.
Monsieur d'Auriac, a time will come
when you will have reason to regret the
words you have used toward me.
do not mean regret them in the place
you have mentioned, but in your heart
In this business the honor Of Bethune