The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-01-15

very first words that you speak that
you are Scot and saw me at the castle
of Thrievei"
Even yet the old Laurence might have
turned the corner. He had as we know,
been a liar ready and expert He had
daily practiced his art upon the alb
bot. He had even, though more rarely,
succeeded with his father. But now in
the day. of his necessity the power and
wit had departed from him.
At the castle of Machecoul Laurence
simply could not lie. hinged as he was
by evil his spirit became strong for
good and he testified like soul in the
place of final judgment, when the
earthly lendings of word and phrase
and covering excuse must all be cast
aside and the soul stand forth naked
and markedly answer that which is re-
quired.
81 am a Scot said Laurence, briefly
and without explanation. -.
Come with me into my chamber!
said the marshal and turned his back
upon him.
And without word of complaint or
backward glance the lad followed the
great lord to the chamber into which so
many had gone before him of the young
and beautiful of the earth, and whence
so few had come out alive.
AS he passed the threshold Laurence
which had been given him by Bla1Se
Renouf, the choirmaster's son.
The marshal threw himself upon a
chair. reclining his head with a wearied
air upon the hands which were clasped
behind his head 1t was in the action
of throwing himself back that one
could see that GILES de Retz was a
young, and not an old man, though or
dinarily his vitality had been worn to
in
in movement he was already prema-
turely aged.
What is your name?
The question came with military di-
rectness from the lips of the marshal
of France.
Laurence MacKim!" said the lad,
with equal directness.
For what purpose did you come 10
the castle of Machecoul?
81 came" said Laurence coolly, ''to
take service with you, my lord. And
because 1 was tired of monk rule and
getting only the husks of life, while L
sat dumb and watched others eat the
kernel"
s'Ha,' cried GILES de Retz,'' I am
with you there. There is after all some
harmony between our immortal parts
I would have all life-husk, kernel.
stalk-aye, and the root that grows
amid the dung!"
He paused a moment, looking at Lau-
renee with the air of connoisseur.
come hither. lad" he said with a
soft and friendly accent: sit on this
seat with your back to the wall. Turn
your head so that the lamp shines
Alright upon your face. You are not so
handsome as was reported, but there is
something wondrously taking about
your countenance, 1 do admit. There,
sit so and fear nothing.
Laurence sat dewn with the bad
grace of a manly youth who is admired
for what he privately despises, and
wishes himself well quit of it. But
notwithstanding there was something
so insinuating and pleasing about the
marshals manner that the lad almost
thought he must have dreamed the in
cident of the burned door and the sac
rifice upon the iron altar.
You came hither to search for Mar
garet of Douglass" said the marshal,
suddenly bending forward as if to take
him by surprise.
Laurence, wholly taken aback, an
swered neither yea nor nay, but held
his peace.
Then Giles de Retz nodded sagely,
with a quiet satisfaction in his own
provision which to one less bold and
reckless than the young clerk of Dulee
Cor would have proved disconcerting.
Then he propounded his next question.
How many came hither with you?"
''Onei" said Laurence, promptly. Il
came here with your servant De Sille
alonei'
The marshal smiled
Good, we will try some other method
with YOU" he said; but be advised,
and speak. None hath ever hidden
aught from Giles de Retzi'
Then, my lord said Laurence,
there is the less reason for you to put
me to the question"
Il can eXpound dark speeches. said
the marshal, and l also know my way
through the subtleties of lying tongues
Hope not to lie to me. How many were
they that came to France with you?"
Malise
The marshal smiled again and nodded
his head repeatedly with a certain gust
full appreciation.
You would make a good soldier. 1t
is pity that | have gone out of that
business. Yet L have only, as it were,
descended from wholesale to particular.
from the gross to the detail.
Laurence. who felt that the true pol
icy was to be sparing of his words, made
no answer.
You say that you are a clerk? Can
you read Latin?
Yes" said Laurence, and write it,
Read this, them said the marshal.
and handed him a book.
Laurence had been well instructed in
the humanities by FIR. Colin of St. Mi
chaers kirk by the side of Dee Water,
and he read the words which record the
cruelties of the Emperor Caligula with
eXactness and decOrum.
You read not ILL., said his auditor:
you have been well taught. though you
have a vile foreign accent and know
not the shade of meaning that lies in the
illusions
you say that you came to Machecoul
to serve me-, the marshal continued
after a pause for thought. In what
manner did you think you could serve
and why went you not into the house
of some other lord?
LAS to service said Laurence. 81
came because | was invited by your
benchman De Sille. And as to what
can do. l profess that L can sing. having
been we'll taught by q master-the best in
my country. l can play upon the viol
good at fence. and excellent as any at
singlestick l can faithfully carry a mes
sage and Loyalty serve those who trust
me- / would have some money to spend.
strange things which / have never seen.
1 would live a life worth living, wherein
is pleasure and pain. the lack of sameneSs
and the. JOY of things new And if that
1 may make proof whether there is any
thing better beyond
"A most philosophic creed.' cried the
marshal We'll. there is one thing in
which / can prove If indeed you lie not
Then Laurence stood up and sang even
rs the choir had done, the lamentatiOn OF
Rachel according to the setting of the
"A voice was heard in Ramahr'
And as he sapG the lord OF Retz took
up the strain ard with true accord and
feeling accompanied him TO the end.
..Brava. cried GILES de Retz when
Laurence had finished. THAT is truly
we'll sung. You shall sing it alone in my