A Modern Telemachus

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thin sat Madame de Bourke, her brother-in-law, the two children, Arthur Hope, and Mademoiselle Julienne, an elderly woman of the artisan class, femme de chambre to the Countess. Victorine, who was attendant on the children, would travel under the hood with two more maids; and the front seat would be occupied by the coachman, Laurence Callaghan-otherwise La Jeunesse, and Ma?tre Hébert, the ma?tre d'h?tel. Fain would Arthur have shared their elevation, so far as ease and

ke was taking with her all the paraphernalia of an ambassador-a service of plate, in a huge chest stowed under the seat, a portrait of Philip V., in a gold frame

, and her daughter had not only to part with her, but with the baby Jacques, for an unknown space of time; but the self-command and restraint of grief for the sake of each other was absolutely unknown. It was a po

in the background, Honor Callaghan was uttering Irish wails over the Abbé and Laurence, and the lamentable sound set the little lap-dog and the big watch-dog howling in chorus. Arthur Hope, probably as miserable as any of them in parting with his friend and hero, was only standing like a sta

d a huge silk pocket-handkerchief in the other, did not forget his manners, but waved to Arthur to ascend the steps first. 'Secretary, not guest. You

im, and saw, opposite to him, Madame de Bourke lying back in the corner in a transport of grief, one arm round her daughter, and her little son lying across her lap, both sobbing and crying; and on one side of him the Abbé, sunk in his corner, his yellow silk handkerchief over his face; on the other, Mademoiselle Julienne, who was crying too, but with more moderation, perhaps more out of propriety or from infection than from actual grief: at any rate she had more of her senses abou

nfessed; but whenever there was a movement, and some familiar object in the streets of Paris struck

yet he was wrong: Madame de Bourke was capable of as much resolute self-devotion as any of the ladies on the other side of the Channel, but tea

he sword case appropriated to weapons. He longed to take out the little pocket Virgil, which Lord Nithsdale had given him, so as to have some occupation for his eyes, but he durst not, lest he should be thought rud

m her brother and sister-in-law were to take leave. They, with the children, were se

e through a grating. However, the family were admitted to dine in the refectory; but poor Madame de Bourke

that I have the most horrible presentiments I shall never see her again, nor my poor

and you will be with him,

fearful Pyrenees, and the bandits that infes

Marshal Berwick had o

greater force. O sister, sister, my heart sinks at the thought of my p

an ambassado

or that, the robbers? I know

You always were brave, and trusted h

t, which tells me I shall be torn from

, and did her utmost to reassure and comfort her, promising

he poor Countess. 'I know

elle and Ulysse had been much petted by the nuns, and when all met again, to the great relief of Arthur, he found continuous weeping was not d

peeches, and when the weapon was put into the sword case, she observed

so nearly poking out his uncle's eye that the article was relegated to the same hiding-pl

on the way, which were all quite new to the little Parisian boy. Fortunately he spoke French well, with scarcely any foreign accent, and his answers to the little fellow's eager questions interspersed with observations on 'What they do in my country,'

ers could disport themselves. From the days of Sully to those of the Revolution, this was by far the most convenient and secure mode of transport, especially in the south of France. It was very convenient to the Bourke party; who were soon established on the deck. The lady's dress was better adapted to travelling than the full costume of Paris. It was what she called en Amazone-namely, a clo

weary party to the meeting-place-a picturesque water-side inn with a high roof, and a trell

men-servants in like manner, on the floor. Such was the privacy of the eighteenth century, and Arthur, used to waiting on himself, looked on with wonder to see the Abbé like a baby in the hands of his faithful

ey glided slowly, almost dreamily along, borne chiefly by the current, although a couple of horses towed the barge by a rope on the ba

ourke and the children landed for the night. And in the fine days of early autumn the deck was deligh

Harvest first, a perfectly new spectacle to the children and then, as they went farther

picturesque costumes, were filling huge baskets with the clusters, and snatches of their merry songs came pealing down to the coche d'eau, as it quietly crept along. Towards evening groups were seen with piled b

ise, the lovely heights, surmounted with tall towers, extinguisher-capped, of castle, convent, or church, the clear reaches of river, the beautiful turns, the little villages and towns gleam

she heard wolves howling in the woods, and that every peasant was 'ce barbare;' while Babette, who in conjunction with Ma?tre Hébert acted cook in case of need, plied him with dainty morsels, which he was only too apt to bestow on the beggars, or the lean and hungry lad who attended on the horses. Victorine, on the other hand, by far the prettiest and most sprightly of th

his line for an hour together. Estelle would have liked to do the same, but her mother and Mademoiselle Julienne considered the sport not convenable for a demoiselle. Arthur was once or twice induced to try the Abbé's rod, but he found it as mere a t

counter unacknowledged deficiency. The perpetual coaxing chatter, and undisguised familiarity of La Jeunesse with the young ecclesiastic did not seem to the somew

n. He played quiet games with them, and told them stories-conversed on Télémaque with Estelle, or read to her from his one book, which was Robinson Crusoe-a l

's island or Crusoe's, which she took for as much matter of fact as did, a century later, Ma

k she should prefer

folk to fash one,' said Arthur, who ha

us over the rock like Mentor. I think you are our Mentor,

cross old man,

to the travellers as the shrine of the martyrdoms. All went to pray at the Cathedral except Arthur. The time was not come for heeding church architecture or primitive history; and he only wandered about the narrow crooked streets, gazing at the toy piles of market produce, and lookin

, but looked more peaceful than he had yet seen her, and Estelle was much excited. She had bought a lit

le, 'but you are

ly, Madem

he was sure that whatever happened, the good God can make us strong, as He made the young girl who sa

imitive narrative of the death of martyrs struggling for Christian truth, long e

le to be a mar

than to be thrown off a rock! But there are no martyrs in these da

' said Arthur, thinking of Lord Derwent

uld tell how soon we might be tried, and that I was to pray that He would make us as brave a

nding. 'Arrah then, nothing at all, Mademoiselle. Nothing in the four corners of the wor

' said Estelle gravely; 'you can

not that I meant, but only that poor Lanty would die ten thousand deaths-worse than them as w

Arthur's heart, though not

ngs where the massive houses, built round courts, with few external windows, recalled that these had once b

Varennes was soon on board, embracing his sister and her children, and conducting them to one of the great palaces, where he had rooms, being then in garrison. Arthur foll

e introduction with one of those graceful bows that Arthur hated, because they made him doubly feel the stiff

te he must have had; I wonder now if there would be vartue in a bit of a st

rong popes that lived h

o accept a heretic suggestion, but the education rece

the true and which is the false. By the same token, little is the difference it would make to her, u

agon of Provence with the sign of the cross. Madame de Bourke and her children made a devout pilgrimage thereto; but when Arthur found that it was the actual Martha of Bethany to whom

. de Varennes. 'Their shrines are equa

her to be gratified at being treated as a man, or to be

as Montpelier, was amused at her two followers, Scotch an

er Germany, sister,' he said, 'or the King of Prussia will

angers: I see quite enough before me e

th side on the Pyrenees, and was probably by this time in the county of Rousillon, intending to besiege Rosas. Once with them all w

ght only too possibly be on the way to encounter Berwick. The expense and difficulty of the journey on the mountain roads would likewise be great, and it seemed advisable to avoid these dangers by going by sea. Madame de B

ould only go with his sister as far as Montpelier. Then he took leave of her, and the party proceeded along the shores of the lagoons, in the carriage to the seaport of Cette, one of the old Greek towns of the Gulf of Lyon, and with a fine harbour full of ships. Ma?tre Hébert was sent to take a passage on board of one, while his lady and h

lready paid their respects to Madame l'Ambassadrice, and they concurred in the advice, unless she would prefer wa

o far as to have her passports renewed, as was needful, since they were to be

ove with her at first sight. Estelle was quite sure that she was just such a ship as Mentor borrowed for Télémachus; but the poor maids were horribly fright

e Bourke. 'I compel no one to s

ate her from Madame! She was a good creature, but she could not deny herself the lu

e captain, who spoke French, resigned to her use. It would only, however, be for a short time, and though it was near the end of October, the blue expa

e, looking fairer the farther it was left behind. The children were put to bed as soon as they could be pers

should change rapidly, they would wake in sight of the Spanish coast the next morning. If the sea were not almost too calm, they would be there already. The evening was again so delightful that the children were glad to hear that they would have again to return by sea, and Arthur

at it was early morning, the sun rising above the sea, and the sailors all gazing eagerly in that direction. He eagerly made his way to

' in tones of horror and consternation, and almost at the same momen

e Madame! It's the accursed Moors. Let me

he could only watch that to which their eyes were directed, a white sail, bright in the morning light, coming up with a rapidity stran

t to the Italian sailors, who were throwing themselves with gestures of despair, screaming out vows to the Madonna and saints, and shouting imprecations. The skipper came to speak to

it be with yo

esture of d

ake shelter in the cabin, yourself and all yours. None can answer for what the first rush of these fiends may be! D

moned the captain. 'They are putting out the

of you, shut yourse

uietly, for after all her previous depressions and alarms, her spirit rose to endurance in the actual stress of danger. 'Come with us, I entreat of you,' she said. 'You are named in our p

life,' declared Arthur, drawing his s

do but lose your own?' cried the

ntly into the cabin. Estelle dragged hard at Arthur's hand, with entreaties that he would come, but

,' said Lanty, who had seized on a hand-spike and was waving it about his head, true shillelagh fashion, by

man, and shouted in a confused mixture of

re armed to the teeth-would fi

res were leaping on board. The Genoese still lay flat offering no resistance, but Lanty and Arthur stood on either side of the ladder, and hurled back the two who first approached; but four or five more rushed upon them, and they would have been instantly cut down, had it not been for a shout from the Genoese, 'Franchi! Franchi!' At that magic word, which was evidently understood, the pirates only held the two youths tightly, vituperating them no doubt in bad Arabic,-Lanty grinding his te

to the eager words, poured out with many gesticulations by the Genoese captain, in a language

peril of their lives. A Tuck was placed at the helm, and the tartane's head turned towards the pirate captor; and all the others, who were not employed otherwise, began to ransack the vessel and feast on the provisions. Some h