The Suitors of Yvonne

n half an hour. So that as the twilight was deepening into night we drew rein before the hostelry of the Connétable, in the only square the

ng his boots in the centre of the floor, his hat, sword, and baldrick on the table, his cloak on one chair, and his doublet on another.

s me with a look of pleasure on his handso

cried, putting forth his hand. "I d

de, and his Eminence proposing to make me a Marshal of France and create me Duke. As you say, you had scant grounds for hoping that

s told him what had passed 'twixt his Eminence and me that afternoon. Then as the waiter entered to spread our supper, the

t, Andrea, what takes yo

g adventures with this journey of mine. To begin with, I go to Blois to pay

describing this as a mis

hink-I have neve

ou go a-wooing a woman

ria or Hortensia upon the throne of France as the wife of Louis XIV., as soon as his Majesty shall have reached a marriageable age. You may laugh, De Luynes, nevertheless all this may come to pass, for my uncle has great ambitions for his family, and it is even possible that should that poor, wandering youth, Charles II. of England, ever return to the

" I sh

smi

siring to prevent the duel at St. Germain. It appears that the old Chevalier de Canaples is as eager as the Cardinal to see his daughter wed to me, for his Eminence has promised to create me D

learn all this

me and told me what I have told you, adding that I had best seize the opportunity, whilst my presence at Court was undesirable, to repair to Blois and get my wooing done.

other will

e him, which I am told is in the region of the lung and passing d

e do you reserve for me, that yo

bly sound reasons why you should desire to quit it, meseemed that perhaps you would consent to bear me company. Who knows, my knight errant, what adventures may await you and w

arried in my bosom too large a heart, and one that was the property o

eton, the landlord's daughter, and remarked that she was winsome and shapely, with a complexion that would not have dishonoured a ro

-done! I did but pinch your cheek as one may pinch a sweet-smel

t slap yours as one may slap a misbehaving ur

urtliest fashion of cows and pullets and such other matters as interesting to her as they were mysterious to me. I questioned her in a breath touching her father's pigs and the swain she loved best in that little township, to all of which she answered me with a charming wit, which would greatly divert you did I but recal

not likely to return till noon, demanding relays of horses. The other-probably the hostler-answered him that the Connétable

it said. "We will await

r!" cried Jeanneton

o I obeyed her, but not quickly enough; for already a shadow lay athwart the threshold, and in the doorway stood a woman, whose eye took in the situation before we had altered it sufficie

hen they passed from me to the vanishing Jeanneton, and methought that she was about to

landlord, and bid him provide me with an apartment

a poor inn, seldom honoured as it was at that moment, possessed but one suite of private apartments, and that was now occupied by a most noble gentleman. The lady tapped her foot, and as at that

e inquired, "lend me one

ut two, a bedroom and an ante-

rable! 'T is your fault, Guilbert, you fool. Am I

r an hour, or less, perhaps, until this very noble lord is risen, when assuredly-

was suddenly drawn elsewhere. Michelot burs

uis de St. Auban is riding down the street with

got scent of Andrea's whereabouts, and we

he only occupant of the inn is your master, a gentleman from Normandy, or Picardy, or where you will.

ely in time to escape by the door leading to the staircase,

," he said. "I am told that he has journeyed hither, a

here I was, and hear tha

wered the host, "but I am ignora

Michelot interposed. "That is not th

pause, then came Vi

ou are M. de Luynes's lackey, and where t

ni's sword-blade of a friend, is it not? Well, why does he

hrowing wide the door, and appearing,

could not have looked less pleased than they did when their eyes l

d so loudly called to know where I hid myself-a frail little fellow,

and retired corner of the apartment, stood

ok a step towards them. "Have you naught to say to me, now

t with you," said

en, did you inqu

usual to it in moments of peril, "meseems we have been misinfor

, gentlemen," I commen

icer, turning purple, "it occurs

an who has been tied to so huge a sword as y

e broke in. "You shall

as he rushed forward. "Have a care,

Malpertuis, lieutenant of his Majesty's guards," he announced, "and I shall

beyond measure

," he correct

honoured beyond words, but I

! Don't you underst

am honoured; but, Monsieur

, have the goodness to wait until one affair is concluded before you create a seco

f he sh

to withdraw-we sha

together; at best he is but a woman in man's clothes. As for your other friend, unless his height misleads me, he is but a boy

imself betwixt me and the bellicose Malpertuis, "will you cea

g the while what curb it was that he was setting upon his temper, and

a man of about my own age, that is to say, between thirty-two and thirty-three, and of my own frame, tall, spare, and active. On his florid, débonnair countenance was stamped his character of bon-viveur. In dress he was courtly in the extreme. His doublet and haut-de-chausses were of wine-coloured velvet, richly laced, and he still affected the hanging sleeves of a fast-disappearing fashion. Valuable lace fille

you appear to find entertainment in ma

de to instruct me in the

out intending an offence, permit

t I do not

crop of hatred. If you doubt my words, perhaps you will recall my attitude towards you in the horse-market yesterday, and let that speak. Without wishing to remind you of a service done, I may yet mention that I stood betwixt you and the mob that sought to

t, pardon me, if I confess that to me it proves no more than that you acted as a generous en

foreigner, miserly, mean-souled, and Jesuitical, springs up, wins himself into the graces of a foolish, impetuous, wilful queen, and climbs the ladder which she holds for him to the

ieu, Mo

bring hither. His nieces, the Mancinis and Martinozzis, he is marrying to Dukes and Princes. 'T is not nice to witness, but 't is the affair of the men who wed them. In seeking, however, to marry his nephew Andrea to one of the greatest heiresses in France, he goes too far. Yvonne de Canaples is for some

I inquired coldly, betraying none of th

ause Canaples failed am I here to-day. I had not counted upon meeting you, but since I have met you, I have set the truth before you

from under his brows, as he awaited my r

asted time,

You pe

rvice unjustly and unpaid. He has forbidden me his nephew's company. In fact, did he know

o two parties, cardinalists and anti-cardinalists. You, sir, without belong

mies. I am growing fond of him, Monsieur, and I will stand by him, while my arm can wield a s

of a sudden, and his tone full of menace and acidity-"do not for

and in danger of being crushed by the falling stones,"

y ways of stri

eing struck," I ret

t moment to admit Andrea himself. He came, elegant in dress and figure, with a smile upon his handsome young face, whose noble feat

grew visibly ill at ease. In coming to Choisy, the Vicomte had clearly expected to do no more than second St. Auban in the duel which he thought to see forced upon Andrea. He now realised that if a fight th

me the honour of occupying my apartments for an hour or so. Ha, there they are," he added, as the two girls came suddenly forwa

before us, I shot a glance at the Marquis, and, from the start he

ly to Andrea, St. Aub

did not earlier discover your presence and offer you my services. I d

ne de Canaples herself-"but, since this gentleman so gallantly cedes his apartments to us, all

ontrast were the pretty words of thanks she addressed to Andrea, who stood by, blushing like a girl, and a damnable scowl

was about to provoke a fight after all. Not so, however, for, after staring at us like a clown whilst on

" he said significantly a

o Malpertuis, coming close up to me

you would die in your bed,"