The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1899-10-27

Raiiu was Colu tpaC Delaare, ane page, sFzGs
waiting to see me. gave orders for his In
slant admission, and, on coming in, he in
formed me that his eminence desired my i'm
mediate attendance Telling JacoDo to have
Castor saddled, for l smelt work afoot,
flung myself into my clothes and FASTENED
to D'Amboise
He had evidently not slept all night, and
was pacing the room in agitation.
'St. Dennis!" he burst out, as l entered,
edo you know what they have done? The
king holds a tourney at Arezzo instead of
marching on at once. What is worse, he has
granted an extension of the truce to Spain,
and TremOuille and the rest of them are off
to the junkets. They are making May-day
with those ducats you captured. By C.!
they would dance away kingdom
Your eminence has no doubt sent news
of the capture of Cesare?"
That was only yesterday, man." he
snapped, land De Briconnet is riding for
his life to the king But it is about this
sent for you," he went on, rapidly. "De
BricOnnet may come to harm Here are
other dispatches. Take them and follow
him; overtake him if you can. When can
you start?"
''NOw."
"Good-here are the papers. And this is
for Trcmouille. Adieu!' he held out
his hand-"Monsieur lie Compile"
| started little at the last words which
he uttered in French, but had not time to
ask for explanation or make inquiry. hur-
ried to my apartments and found Castor
ready. Bidding Jacopo to follow me to
AreZzo with my men as soon as possible, |
gave Castor the rein and rode out of Rome
At Citta del Pieve | got my first news of De
BrlcOnnet. At CartOna he was but two
hours ahead Of me, and when on the after
noon of the second day | refined in the stag
gering Castor at the gates of the Villa Ac-
colt, where the king was, | saw in the
courtyard dead horse his sides still bleed
ing from the spur marks, and Judged that De
Briconnet had barely beaten me by head
for all his II hours start. So once again l
had entered the Villa Accolti And as |
sprang to the ground, loosed the girths over
Castor's heaving TANKS, and resigned the
reins to a willing groom who led the poor
beast to rest, all the past came back to me
with vivid force, and looked around, al
most expecting to meet again the chances of
scorn and contempt, to hear once more the
Kisses, the mockery, and the foul reproach
of that day.
The cardinal was right enough when he
said that high junkets were to be held. And
the day seemed to be one of merry making
Flags were flying from all parts of the villa,
and the wide grounds were full of the fol-
lowers of the court, and the townspeople
either watching or engaged in sports of
wrestling, archery and other games.
For the great ones, however, the out-of-
door amusement of the day came to an end
with the dinner hour, and they were now
disporting themselves within From the
open windows strains of music fioated out
into the sunlight and gay figures passed and
repassed, or moved in and out of the bal
cony overhanging the grand entrance, which
seemed, from the constant movement and
the brilliant dresses of those who crowded
thereon, to be like bed of flowers stirring
in the wind. As l came below the balcony,
l did not dare to look up, byt with my sword
III the loop of my arm and my dispatches
clenched in my right hand walked up the
marble steps.
'Post from Rome! Post from the Lord
CARDINAL"
The sonorous voice of the ushers pealed
this out, and l found myself at the entrance
to the gallery leading to the great hall where
had been tried.
Not here, sir-to the left" My way was
barred by an equerry in violet and gold.
Not so, De Brienne the king receives
these dispatches in person, and Bayard had
linked his arm in mine.
But, my lord!"
Il take the blame" and Bayard, blazing in
full mail, led me through the gallery, whose
sides were lined with the archers' of the
Scottish Guard. Archers in name only now,
and, little as my time was, | could not for
bear glancing at these fine troops, who, al
though few in number, bore an unequaled
reputation for service in the field. The
doors at the entrance to the hall, which were
guarded by two gigantic men-at-arms, were
opened only at fixed intervals to let people
in and out, and by this means an attempt
was made to avoid overcrowding. There
were a considerable number of us, and, hav-
ing to go slowly, we had time to exchange a
few words
q suppose De Briconnet has passed in?"
l asked; 'he could only have just arrived,
for his horse lies dead at the gates"
Il doubt it. All posts are received by De
Vesci, whose wrath we are going to brave.
If De Briconnet came in here direct, he was
probably stopped and sent to the seneschaTs
apartments"
eff so, as he was the first comer he should
present the dispatches I urged; 81 bear
but duplicates?"
There is no time to think of that now,"
replied Bayard, and as he spoke the doors
unfolded, and in a crash of music and the
murmur of voices, above which now and
again trilled a peal of clear feminine laugh
ter, we entered the hall. At first we were
unobserved, for the interest of everyone was
gathered to the center of the room, where
to the strains of music game of chess was
being played with living figures. The king
himself took part in it, and l had good OPP
portunity of observing him. Time had not
changed Louis much, although his reckless
life had enfeebled his constitution. He had
the features of his house, the wide forehead,
the oval face, the pointed chin, below which
his short brown beard was neatly trimmed.
His gray eyes were set somewhat wide
apart, and his hair, which was naturally
straight, he wore carefully curled, in
length that all but touched his shoulders.
l., IL 81 81 e