The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-11-01
of white-faced town sfolk; Il am a great
man. Every five minutes he despatched

Of white-faced town sfolk; Il am a great
man. Every five minutes he despatched
trooper. who went Gathering away amid
shower OF sparks struck from the rough
pavement by his horses hoofs. to tell the
nsws at Montauban or Cahors, and each
time that this picturesque aud noisy thing
occurred the Captain, astride his paving
charger, sweIled with a new access Of Joy
and pride.
All at once he heard the beat of horses
hoofs, not going, but approaching. A
wasted horseman spurred into the market
place. His face was pale, his eyes were
blood-ho,. His right arm WAS bound up
in blood-stained cloths With an oath Of
amazement the Captain recognized the
officer whom he had left in charge of Gre
ance. and he Numbered What il this?
What is this?' They have got Crancde"
the man gasp"d. rceling az he spoke. They
have got Crdancer 'Who?' the Captain
shrieked. his face purple with rage. The
little man Of Bearn. The King of Navarrc!"
True it was. and to this day. says our
historian. among the stories which the
southern French love TO tell of their great
Henry. there is no tradition more frequently
told, more frequently made the subject Of
mirth. than that Of the famous exchange of
Creance for Lusigny: Of the move by which
between dawn and sunrise. without warn
| ing, without a word, he gave his opponents
mate"
There IL a story. too. of the great Crillon.
One rainy night in the spring of 1887 young
Claude de Bazan -'aked his life in he course
| Of play AT the low resort known a. Simon's
and lost. As an alternative to killing him
self it was permitted to him o go forth and
assas,inate Crillon Bazan accostet1 'rillon
In a dark street near the Louvre. II come
10 warn YOU, sir he said. that your life
II in danger. Do not go alone, NJ. de Grill
lon. or pass this way at night. And. what
ever you do. walk for he future in the mid
die of the street. Crillon with some irony
| thanked the young man and remarked
that it WAS not his way To be frightened
| 10y lighted turnip. Bazan then told his
| story. whereupon nothing would do for
| Crlllon but that he must go instantly to
| Simon's and recover this generous young
| life from pawn. Il will redeem you. he
said. Il have taken fancy to you. | have"
| He swore a grisly oath. And will make
| you
At Simon's he stsked his own life for
Bazan's and won with deuce-ace. than
| which there could be only one throw smaller.
Il waste nothing he said, whereupon
the company broke into cheers. He found
work for Bazan the next day. At din
ner To the King Bazan stood behind Grill
Ions chair. which was next TO the kng's
The King emptied his cup on sitting down
and held it out to be ietiled. The villainous
Berthaud. who had made the play against
Bazan and Crillon the night before. and
who was a follower of the Duke Of Guise,
reflled il. No sooner was it filed than
Bazan seized it and drank the entire con-
tents. This had been arranged by Crilon.
In two minutes Bazan was in commissions.
| Il told him to drink only half said Crillon.
'but he is young and strong, and no will
| come out of it." Herewith he admins
| tered an antidote and Bazan did indeed
recover from the poison. Berthaud escaped
and got "a far "a twenty PAGES from the
| house. when he was slain. Mort do
| Dieu'" said Crillon, how clever they are"
and IL was impossible to prove anything
| against the Duke Of Guise.
There are twelve of the stories. II is
| good to have Mr.. Weyman with US again.
There has been for some time plenty of
historical fiction, but this is more robust
and entertaining than much that we have
lately been accustomed TO.