Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1906-09-27
"rhe night Is cold,

While he ran to and fro with my
cloak and bag, little Gil, to whom
had stood at st. Sulpice's-borrowing
ten crowns the same day, / remem-
ber-came shyly to play with my
sword-hilt. $50 you expected me
back when you heard the news, Fris-
on, did your" l said, taking the lad
on my knee.
ITO be sure, your e~xcellency," he
answered, peeping into the black pot
before he lifted it to the hook.
very good. Then, now, let us hear
what the news was" / said dryly.
"Of the cardinal, M. de Berault."
"Ah? And what?"
He looked at me holding the heavy
pot suspended in his arms. "You have
not heard?" he exclaimed, his jaw
falling.
mot a title. Tell 1t me, my good
fellow"
"You have not heard that His
Eminence is ~disgraced?"
I stared at him. Not a word" J.
said.
He set down the pot. "Your excel
lency must have made a very long
journey indeed, then" he said, with
conviction. For it has been in the air
a week or more and ] thought it had
brought you back. A week? A month,
I dare say. They whisper that it is tho
old Queens doing. AT any rate, it is
certain that they have cancelled his
commissions and displaced his officers.
There are rumors of immediate peace
with Spain. His enemies are lifting
up their heads and | hear that he has
relays Of horses set all the way to the
coast, that he may fly at any moment.
For what l know he may be gone al
ready"
"But, man." I said-"the king! You
forget the king. Let the cardinal once
pipe to him and he will dance. And
they will dance, tool" I added grimly.
eyes," Prison answered eagerly.
"True, your excellency, but the king
will not see him. Three times to-day
as l am told, the cardinal has driven
to the Luxembourg and stood like any
common man in the ante-chGmber, so
that l hear it was pitiful to see him.
But His Majesty would not admit him.
And when he went away the last time,
I am told that his face was like death!
Well, he was a great man and we
may be worse ruled, M. de Berault,
saving your presence. If the mobiles
did not like him, he was good to the
traders and the bourgeoisie and equal
to ALL"
"Silence, man! Silence and let me
think" l said, much excited. And
while he hustled to and fro, getting my
supper, and the freight played about
the snug, sorry little Dom and the
child toyed with his plaything, I fell
to digesting this great news and pom
dering how I stood now and what I
ought to do. At first sight I know
it seemed that | had nothing to do but
sit still. In a few hours the man who
held my bond would be powerless and
I should be free. In a few hours l
might smile at him. To all appear
ance, the dice had fallen we'll for me.
I had done a great thing, run a great
risk, won a woman's love and after
all was not to pay the penalty!
But a word which fell from Prison
as he iuttered round me, pouring out
the broth and cutting the bread, drop
ped into my mind and spoiled my sat
isfaction. Eyes, your e~xcellency," he
exclaimed, confirming something he
had said before, and which I had
missed, "and l am told that the last
time he came into the gallery there
was not a man of all the scores who
attended his levee last Monday would
speak to him. They fell off like rats
just like %rats-until he vas left stand
ing all alone. And I have seen him!'
Prison lifted up his eyes and his hands
and drew in his breath. "Ah, l have
seen the king look shabby beside him!
And his eye! I would not like to meet
it now."/
"Pish!" I growled. "Some one has
fooled you. Men are wiser than that.
80? Well, your excellency under
stands. But-there are NO cats on Q
cold hearth"
told him again that he was a fool
But withal l felt uncomfortable. This
was a great man II ever a great mar
lived and they were all leaving him;
and well, l had no cause to love
him. But I had taken his money,
had accepted his commission and I hat
betrayed him. Those three things be
ing so, II he fell before I could-witf
the best will in the world-set myself
right with him, so much the better
for me. That was my gain, the fortune
Of war. But If l lay hid and took time
for my ally, and being here while HI
stood still-though tottering-waitet
until he fell, what Of my honor then
What Of the grand words l had sal
to mademoiselle at Agen? | should b.
like the recreant in the old romance
who, lying in the ditch while the BATH
ragged, came out afterwards and boast
ed of his courage.
! And yet the flesh was weak. A day
! "a hours, two days, might make tn,
difference between life and death. A
5 last l settled what I would do. A
t noon the next day, the time at which
I should have presented myself, If
had not heard this news, at that TIM
! I would still present myself. No
earlier; I owed myself the chance
2 Not later; that was due to him.
Having so settled 1t, I thought Il
rest in peace. But with the frs
light l was awake; and it was all
; could do to keep myself quiet until
. heard Prison stirring. l called t
! him then to know II there was an
Q news, and lay waiting and listening