The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-02-12

hind and before, from all the windows
and roofs rose the hoarse grunting roar
of the hatred and cursing of whole
people.
But the object of all this rested calm
and unmoved, and his cruel gray eye
had no expression in it save certain
amused contempt.
"Bah," he muttered, would that I
had slain ten millions OF youi That is
my only regret, that had not time. It
is almost unworthy to die for few
score of childrenl''
During the journey to Nantes Giles
de Retz preserved the grand reserve
with which, when he came to himself,
he had treated those who had captured
him. To the duke only would he conde-
scend to reply, and to him he rather
spoke as an equal unjustly treated than
as prisoner.
For this, sire of Brittany" he said,
must you answer to your over-lord the
king of France, whose minister and
marshal 1 ami
The duke would have made some
feeble reply, but Pierre de IHopital cut
across the conversation with that stern
irony which characterized him.
Il decline to stand at your tribunal
said the marshal, hautily.
Soft" said the president, indiffer-
emily, but all the same you shall be
triedi''
Duke John, knowing well that while
his court was being held in the CAPT
tai city of his province and especially
during the trial of GILES de Retz,
Nantes was no place for young maid
ems who had suffered like Maud Linde-
say and Margaret Douglass, sent them
under escort to the castle of Anglers.
Sholto MacI<im and his father were
allowed to accompany them, that they
might not be without some of their own
country to speak with during their So
journ in France. The Lord James,
however, elected to abide with the
court. For there We're many ladies
there, and, having nobility Of address,
and desiring to perfect himself in the
niceties of fashionable speech (Which
changed daily he had great pleasure
in their society and rode in the lists by
the side of the Loire with even more
than his former gallantry and success.
For, he said. he needed some COM
pensation for the long abstinence en-
forced upon him by his habit of holy
palmer. And right amply did he make
himself amends and was accounted by
danes fair and free the lightsomest and
properest Scot who had ever come to
the land of France.
Laurence remained with him, both
because his father was still angry with
him on account of his desertion OF them
in Paris, and also because, having been
so long in the castle of Machecoul,
there were important matters concern
ing which, in the forthcoming trial, he
alone could give evidence.
Pierre de PHopital would have de-
tanned the Lady Sybilla as a possible
accomplce of the Sieur de Retz, but
the intercession of the Scottish maid
ems. as well as the sworn evidence of
Sholto and the Lord James that it was
wholly by her means that Giles de
Retz had finally been caught red
handed, she was permitted TO depart
whittier she would,
Il will go to my sister," she said to
Sholto, who came to know how he
could serve her. 1T matters little. My
work is nearly done!'
So riding, as was her custom, al
alone upon white palfrey, she passed
out of their sight toward the south.
In the city of Nantes the rumor of
the taking of Giles de Retz had spread
like wildfire, and as the cavalcade
rode through the streets, the windows
rained down curses. and the citizens
booted up from the sidewalks. But the
marshal kept his naughty and disdain-
full regard like q noble nature who per-
force companies for the nonce with
meaner men. He sat his favorite
charger like the companion of DunOis
and De Richemont, and. as more than
looked like the royal prince, and the
Duke of Brittany the prisoner.
So in the new tower of the castle of
Nantes, Giles de Retz was placed to
wait his trial. There is no need to give
d long account of it. The documents
have been printed in plain letter, and
all the world knows how Clerk Henriet
first broke down under the stern ques-
tioning of Pierre de IHopital, and how
he declared fully all these iniquities
without parallel in which he had borne
SO cruel a part
Poitou, more faithful to his master.
held out till the threat of torture and
the appeals of his friend Henriet broke
him down. But the attitude and bear
ing of the chief culprit, however de-
serve that the historian should not
wholly pass them over.
Even in his first naughty and con-
temptuous silence. Giles de Retz was
shifting his ground, and with a cool,
unheated intelligence, orienting him
self to the new conditions. 1t soon be-
came evident to his mind that the pow
ers of evil, in whom he trusted and to
whose service he had consecrated his
life and fortune, had befooled and be-
trayed him.
Well, even so would he fool them-if.
by the grace of God. there were yet any
merit or hope in the service of good
The priests said so. The scripture said
so, and they might be right after all.
At least, the thing was worth trying.
For a calculating brain lay behind
the excuses of the terrible Lord de
Retz. The religion of the cross might
not be of much final use; still, it was
all that remained, and Giles de Retz
determined to avail himself of it. So
once more he apostasiZed from Barran-
Sathanas to Jehovah.
With an effr0ntery almost too stu
pendous for belief, he arrayed himself
in the white robes of a Carmelite nov
ice, and spent his prison days in sing
ing litanies and in private confession
to his religious adviser.
When the. great day of the trial at
last arrived, the marshal, who had ex-
pected on the bench the weak, kindly
countenance of Duke John, was called
upon to confront the indomitabe Judi
cial rectitude of Pierre de PHopitaI.
president and grand seneschal of Brit
tany.
Giles de Retz appeared at his trial
dressed in white of the richest ma
terials, and with all his military decora-
tons upon him. But his judge, habited
in stern and simple black, was not in
the least intimidated.
Then came the great surprise After
the evidence Of Henriet and Poitou had
been read to him. the marshal was
asked to plead. To the surprise of all
he claimed benefit of clergy.
II have been a great sinner he said.
81 have, indeed, deserved a thousand
deaths. But now l am man of God.
1 have confessed. I have received alb
solution for all my sins God has for
given me and my soul is cleansedr
Good" answered Pierre de FHopital.
Il have nothing to do with your soul.