truth, the apartment had not been in use for twenty years and rarely before that time, so far as ever he had heard, since the time of King Charles the Simple.

"King Charles the Simple!" echoed Louis; "I know 5 the history of the tower now. He was here murdered by his treacherous vassal, Herbert, Earl of Vermandois, so say our annals. I knew there was something concerning the castle of Peronne which dwelt on my mind, though I could not recall the circumstance. Here, then, my pred10 ecessor was slain?"

"Not here, not exactly here, and please your majesty," said the old seneschal, stepping with the eager haste of a cicerone who shows the curiosities of such a place; "not here, but in the side chamber a little onward, which opens 15 from your majesty's bedchamber."

He hastily opened a wicket at the upper end of the hall, which led into a bedchamber, small, as is usual in such old buildings; but, even for that reason, rather more comfortable than the waste hall through which they had 20 passed. Some hasty preparations had been here made for

25

the king's accommodation. Arras had been tacked up, a fire lighted in the rusty grate, which had been long unused, and a pallet laid down for those gentlemen who were to pass the night in his chamber, as was then usual.

"We will get beds in the hall for the rest of your attendants," said the garrulous old man; "but we have had such brief notice, if it please your majesty. And if it please your majesty to look upon this little wicket behind the arras, it opens into the little old cabinet in the thick30 ness of the wall, where Charles was slain; and there is a secret passage from below which admitted the men who

were to deal with him. And your majesty, whose eyesight I hope is better than mine, may see the blood still on the oak floor, though the thing was done five hundred years ago."

While he thus spoke, he kept fumbling to open the 5 postern of which he spoke, until the king said, "Forbear, old man, forbear but a little while, when thou mayest have a newer tale to tell, and fresher blood to show. My lord of Crèvecœur, what say you?"

"I can but answer, sire, that these two interior apart-10 ments are as much at your majesty's disposal as those in your own castle at Plessis, and that Crèvecœur, a name never blackened by treachery or assassination, has the guard of the exterior defences of it."

"But the private passage into that closet, of which the 15 old man speaks?" This King Louis said in a low and anxious tone, holding Crèvecœur's arm fast with one hand and pointing to the wicket door with the other.

"It must be some dream of Mornay's," said Crèvecœur, "or some old and absurd tradition of the place, but we 20 will examine."

He was about to open the closet door when Louis answered; "No, Crèvecœur, no. Your honor is sufficient warrant. But what will your duke do with me, Crèvecœur? He cannot hope to keep me long a prisoner; and 25 -in short, give me your opinion, Crèvecœur.”

66

My lord and sire," said the count, "how the duke of Burgundy must resent this horrible cruelty on the person of his near relative and ally, is for your majesty to judge; and what right he may have to consider it as instigated 30 by your majesty's emissaries, you only can know. But

my master is noble in his disposition, and made incapable, even by the very strength of his passions, of any underhand practices. Whatever he does will be done in the face of day and of the two nations. And I can but add 5 that it will be the wish of every counselor around him, excepting perhaps one, that he should behave in this matter with mildness and generosity as well as justice."

"Ah! Crèvecoeur," said Louis, taking his hand as if affected by some painful recollections, "how happy is the 10 prince who has counselors near him, who can guard him against the effects of his own angry passions! Their names will be read in golden letters when the history of his reign is perused. Noble Crèvecœur, had it been my lot to have such as thou art about my person !"

15 "It had in that case been your majesty's study to have got rid of them as fast as you could," said Le Glorieux.

"Aha! Sir Wisdom, art thou there?" said Louis, turning round and instantly changing the pathetic tone in which he had addressed Crèvecœur, and adopting with 20 facility one which had a turn of gayety in it, "hast thou followed us hither?"

"Aye, sir," answered Le Glorieux. "Wisdom must follow in motley where Folly leads the way in purple." "How shall I construe that, Sir Solomon?" answered 25 Louis. "Wouldst thou change conditions with me?" "Not I, by my halidom," quoth Le Glorieux, "if you would give me fifty crowns to boot."

"Why, wherefore so? Methinks I could be well enough contented, as princes go, to have thee for my king." 30 "Aye, sire," replied Le Glorieux; "but the question is, whether, judging of your majesty's wit from its having

d you here, I should not have cause to be ashamed ving so dull a fool."

eace, sirrah!" said the Count of Crèvecœur, "your e runs too fast."

et it take its course," said the king; "I know of 5 ch fair subject of raillery, as the follies of those who d know better. Here, my sagacious friend, take this of gold, and with it the advice never to be so great l as to deem yourself wiser than other people. ee, do me so much favor as to inquire after my 10 Loger, Martius Galeotti, and send him hither to me ntly."

will, without fail, my liege," answered the jester.

et me pray for free entrance for this learned person gh your guards, signior de Crèvecœur," said Louis. 15 or his entrance, unquestionably," answered the ;"but it grieves me to add that my instructions t authorize me to permit any one to quit your majapartments. I wish your majesty a good night," he ined, "and will presently make such arrangements in 20 uter hall as may put the gentlemen who are to it it more at their ease."

ive yourself no trouble for them, Sir Count," replied ing; "they are men accustomed to set hardships at ce; and, to speak truth, excepting that I wish to 25 aleotti, I would desire as little further communicaFrom without this night as may be consistent with instructions."

hese are, to leave your majesty," replied Crèvecœur, isputed possession of your own apartments. Such 30