Quentin Durward
Sir Walter Scott
CHAPTER XXX: UNCERTAINTY Page 2
"To abuse it, by no means," answered the historian, "but most certainly to use it."
"How, and in what degree?" said Louis. "I am not ass enough to expect that I shall escape without some ransom -- but let it be a reasonable one -- reason I am ever Willing to listen to at Paris or at Plessis, equally as at Peronne."
"Ah, but if it like your Majesty," replied De Comines, "Reason at Paris or Plessis was used to speak in so low and soft a tone of voice, that she could not always gain an audience of your Majesty -- at Peronne she borrows the speaking trumpet of Necessity, and her voice becomes lordly and imperative."
"You are figurative," said Louis, unable to restrain an emotion of peevishness; "I am a dull, blunt man, Sir of Comines. I pray you leave your tropes, and come to plain ground. What does your Duke expect of me?"
"I am the bearer of no propositions, my lord," said De Comines; "the Duke will soon explain his own pleasure; but some things occur to me as proposals, for which your Majesty- ought to hold yourself prepared. As, for example, the final cession of these towns here upon the Somme."
"I expected so much," said Louis.
"That you should disown the Liegeois, and William de la Marck."
"As willingly as I disclaim Hell and Satan," said Louis.
"Ample security will be required, by hostages, or occupation of fortresses, or otherwise, that France shall in future abstain from stirring up rebellion among the Flemings."
"It is something new," answered the King, "that a vassal should demand pledges from his Sovereign; but let that pass too."
"A suitable and independent appanage for your illustrious brother, the ally and friend of my master -- Normandy or Champagne. The Duke loves your father's house, my Liege."
"So well," answered Louis, "that, mort Dieu! he's about to make them all kings. -- Is your budget of hints yet emptied?"
"Not entirely," answered the counsellor: "it will certainly be required that your Majesty will forbear molesting, as you have done of late, the Duke de Bretagne, and that you will no longer contest the right which he and other grand feudatories have, to strike money, to term themselves dukes and princes by the grace of God --"
"We will diminish your Majesty's concern on that score, by giving you a companion in that solitary exaltation," said Philip de Comines. "The Duke of Burgundy, though he claims not at present the title of an independent king, desires nevertheless to be freed in future from the abject marks of subjection required of him to the crown of France -- it is his purpose to close his ducal coronet with an imperial arch, and surmount it with a globe, in emblem that his dominions are independent."
"And how dares the Duke of Burgundy, the sworn vassal of France," exclaimed Louis, starting up, and showing an unwonted degree of emotion, "how dares he propose such terms to his Sovereign, as, by every law of Europe, should infer a forfeiture of his fief?"
"The doom of forfeiture it would in this case be difficult to enforce," answered De Comines calmly. "Your Majesty is aware that the strict interpretation of the feudal law is becoming obsolete even in the Empire, and that superior and vassal endeavour to mend their situation in regard to each other, as they have power and. opportunity.
"Your Majesty's interferences with the Duke's vassals in Flanders will prove an exculpation of my master's conduct, supposing him to insist that, by enlarging his independence, France should in future be debarred from any pretext of doing so."
"Comines, Comines!" said Louis, arising again, and pacing the room in a pensive manner, "this is a dreadful lesson on the text Vae victis! (woe to the vanquished!) -- You cannot mean that the Duke will insist on all these hard conditions?"
"At least I would have your Majesty be in a condition to discuss them all."
"So please your Majesty, the merit of moderation is, I have observed, most apt to be extolled by the losing party. The winner holds in more esteem the prudence which calls on him not to leave an opportunity unimproved."
"My lord," said De Comines, "what remains to be mentioned, is a thing partly -- indeed in a great measure within the Duke's own power, though he means to invite your Majesty's accession to it, for in truth it touches you nearly."
"Pasques Dieu!" exclaimed the King impatiently, "what is it? -- Speak out, Sir Philip -- am I to send him my daughter for a concubine, or what other dishonour is he to put on me?"
"No dishonour, my Liege; but your Majesty's cousin, the illustrious Duke of Orleans --"
"Ha!" exclaimed the King; but De Comines proceeded without heeding the interruption.
"-- having conferred his affections on the young Countess Isabelle de Croye, the Duke expects your Majesty will, on your part, as he on his, yield your assent to the marriage, and unite with him in endowing the right noble couple with such an appanage, as, joined to the Countess's estates, may form a fit establishment for a Child of France."
"Never, never!" said the King, bursting out into that emotion which he had of late suppressed with much difficulty, and striding about in a disordered haste, which formed the strongest contrast to the self command which he usually exhibited.
"Never, never! -- let them bring scissors, and shear my hair like that of the parish fool, whom I have so richly resembled -- let them bid the monastery or the grave yawn for me, let them bring red hot basins to sear my eyes -- axe or aconite -- whatever they will, but Orleans shall not break his plighted faith to my daughter, or marry another while she lives!"
"Your Majesty," said De Comines, "ere you set your mind so keenly against what is proposed, will consider your own want of power to prevent it. Every wise man, when he sees a rock giving way, withdraws from the bootless attempt of preventing the fall."
"But a brave man," said Louis, "will at least find his grave beneath it. De Comines, consider the great loss, the utter destruction, such a marriage will bring upon my kingdom. Recollect, I have but one feeble boy, and this Orleans is the next heir -- consider that the Church hath consented to his union Joan, which unites so happily the interests of both branches of my family, think on all this, and think too that this union has been the favourite scheme of my whole life -- that I have schemed for it, fought for it, watched for it, prayed for it -- and sinned for it. Philip de Comines, I will not forego it! Think man, think! -- pity me in this extremity, thy quick brain can speedily find some substitute for this sacrifice -- some ram to be offered up instead of that project which is dear to me as the Patriarch's only son was to him. (Isaac, whose father Abraham, in obedience to the command of God, was about to sacrifice him upon the altar when a ram appeared, which Abraham offered in his stead.) Philip, pity me! -- you at least should know that, to men of judgment and foresight, the destruction of the scheme on which they have long dwelt, and for which they have long toiled, is more inexpressibly bitter than the transient grief of ordinary men, whose pursuits are but the gratification of some temporary passion -- you, who know how to sympathize with the deeper, the more genuine distress of baffled prudence and disappointed sagacity -- will you not feel for me?"
"My Lord and King," replied De Comines, "I do sympathize with your distress in so far as duty to my master --"
"Do not mention him!" said Louis, acting, or at least appearing to act, under an irresistible and headlong impulse, which withdrew the usual guard which he maintained over his language. "Charles of Burgundy is unworthy of your attachment. He who can insult and strike his councillors -- he who can distinguish the wisest and most faithful among them by the opprobrious name of Booted Head!"
Louis instantly saw the impression he had made, and avoiding alike a tone of condolence, which might have seemed insulting, and one of sympathy, which might have savoured of affectation; he said, simplicity, and at the same time dignity, "My misfortunes make me forget my courtesy, else I had not spoken to you of what it must be unpleasant for you to hear. But you have in reply taxed me with having uttered impossibilities -- this touches my honour; yet I must submit to the charge, if I tell you not the circumstances which the Duke, laughing until his eyes ran over, assigned for the origin of that opprobrious name, which I will not offend your ears by repeating. Thus, then, it chanced. You, Sir Philip de Comines, were at a hunting match with the Duke of Burgundy, your master; and when he alighted after the chase, he required your services in drawing off his boots. Reading in your looks, perhaps, some natural resentment of this disparaging treatment, he ordered you to sit down in turn, and rendered you the same office he had just received from you. But offended at your understanding him literally, he no sooner plucked one of your boots off than he brutally beat it about your head till the blood flowed, exclaiming against the insolence of a subject had the presumption to accept of such a service at the hand of his Sovereign; and hence he, or his privileged fool, Le Glorieux, is in the current habit of distinguishing you by the absurd and ridiculous name of Tete botte, which makes one of the Duke's most ordinary subjects of pleasantry."
While Louis thus spoke, he had the double pleasure of galling to the quick the person whom he addressed -- an exercise which it was in his nature to enjoy, even where he had not, as in the present case, the apology that he did so in pure retaliation -- and that of observing he had at length been able to find a point in De Comines's character which might lead him gradually from the interests of Burgundy to those of France. But although the deep resentment which the offended courtier entertained against his master induced him at a future period to exchange the service of Charles for that of Louis, yet, at the present moment, he was contented to throw out only some general hints of his friendly inclination towards France, which he well knew the King would understand how to interpret. And indeed it would be unjust to stigmatize the memory of the excellent historian with the desertion of his master on this occasion, although he was certainly now possessed with sentiments much more favourable to Louis than when he entered the apartment.
He constrained himself to laugh at the anecdote which Louis had detailed, and then added, "I did not think so trifling a frolic would have dwelt on the mind of the Duke so long as to make it worth telling again. Some such passage there was of drawing off boots and the like, as your Majesty knows that the Duke is fond of rude play; but it has been much exaggerated in his recollection. Let it pass on."
"Ay, let it pass on," said the King; "it is indeed shame it should have detained us a minute. -- And now, Sir Philip, I hope you are French so far as to afford me your best counsel in these difficult affairs. You have, I am well aware, the clew to the labyrinth, if you would but impart it."
"Your Majesty may command my best advice and service," replied De Comines, "under reservation always of my duty to my own master."
This was nearly what the courtier had before stated; but he now repeated it in a tone so different that, whereas Louis understood from the former declaration that the reserved duty to Burgundy was the prime thing to be considered, so he now saw clearly that the emphasis was reversed, and that more weight was now given by the speaker to his promise of counsel than to a restriction which seemed interposed for the sake of form and consistency. The King resumed his own seat, and compelled De Comines to sit by him, listening at the same time to that statesman as if the words of an oracle sounded in his ears. De Comines spoke in that low and impressive tone which implies at once great sincerity and some caution, and at the same time so slowly as if he was desirous that the King should weigh and consider each individual word as having its own peculiar and determined meaning.
"The things," he said, "which I have suggested for your Majesty's consideration, harsh as they sound in your ear, are but substitutes for still more violent proposals brought forward in the Duke's counsels, by such as are more hostile to your Majesty. And I need scarce remind your Majesty, that the more direct and more violent suggestions find readiest acceptance with our master, who loves brief and dangerous measures better than those that are safe, but at the same time circuitous."