On arriving at Senlis it became sufficiently evident, from the state
of inactivity in which I was left, that the object of the King, or
rather of his minister, was solely to remove me from the neighbourhood
of Mademoiselle de Villardin; and that no real necessity existed for
my presence with a regiment quartered at a distance from any danger,
and employed in no service whatever. Although the rash despair to
which I had formerly yielded had now quitted my mind, I trust, for
ever, yet I fell into a state of deep despondency, from which I was
only roused for a moment on those days when I received one of the
frequent letters with which Laura endeavoured to console me. From
Father Ferdinand and the Count de Loris I heard less frequently, and
their letters, certainly, gave me less food for hope than those of
Laura. They had left the Prés Vallée about ten days after I myself had
quitted it, and had proceeded to Paris to petition the King in person.
As it was judged expedient to secure some female companion for the
young heiress during the absence of all her guardians, one of the nuns
of St. Ursula, having obtained a dispensation to that effect, remained
with Laura at the Prés Vallée; but, as she exercised no control over
her actions, this arrangement did not at all interrupt our constant
communication. The journey of Father Ferdinand and the Count, however,
produced no very rapid effects. Several weeks passed before they could
obtain a private audience; and when, at length, it was granted, the
only reply they received was, that the King acknowledged my services,
and would consider my claims.
It appeared to me that no great consideration was wanting; but while
this intentional delay continued, the month of May ushered in our
military operations. The King put himself at the head of the army
destined to cover the frontier; and Turenne led a small force, of
which my regiment formed a part, to the siege of Dunkirk. I will not
pause upon the details of a campaign which, having taken place so
lately, is too well known to need any relation. My own conduct during
the year that followed was, of course, greatly affected by the
circumstances in which I stood. Although I did not forget the
exhortations to prudence which I had received from Monsieur de
Villardin, yet it was not in my nature to calculate personal dangers;
and the eagerness which I now felt, by important services, to shame
down all opposition to my just claims, quickened every faculty, and
made me lose no opportunity. As I knew, however, that the eye of the
bravest, but most cautious, general of the age was upon me, I
endeavoured, as far as possible, to guard against even the appearance
of imprudence; and, luckily, I was in this, at least, quite
successful. Knowing that in the siege a cavalry regiment would
probably have but little opportunity of distinguishing itself, I
endeavoured, in our march upon Dunkirk, to find those occasions for
service which I might afterwards be deprived of; and as the enemy's
preparations were rapid and energetic, I was tolerably successful. The
greatest service which I was thus enabled to render was at the passage
of the Lys. Having been thrown forward to reconnoitre, I came suddenly
upon a redoubt of the enemy, placed to defend the very passage upon
which the army was marching. I was suffered to approach so near
without being noticed, that I thought I might as well push on; and,
dismounting one of the troops, I was in possession of the place, to my
own surprise, as well as that of the Spaniards, before they knew
anything of our approach.
But two men were lost in the momentary struggle which took place in
the redoubt; and instantly sending news to the Marshal of our
unexpected success, I had the satisfaction of seeing the army pass the
river without the slightest opposition. At night I was called to the
quarters of Monsieur de Turenne, with whom I had a long private
interview, in which I explained to him my precise situation, and told
him the great incentive to exertion which was now before me.
"Well, well, my son," he said, in a kindly tone, as I took my leave;
"well, well, I will do my best for you; and fear not that your
services shall have a fair report at Court."
This promise with some men might not have implied much, but it was
Turenne who spoke, and the words did not convey one half of his
intentions in my favour. The siege of Dunkirk succeeded; and no day
passed without my being furnished with some means of obtaining honour
and applause. I endeavoured to deserve such kindness; and whether
employed in covering the foraging parties, or in the more laborious
and less glorious occupation of bringing fascines, I tried, by
activity, perseverance, and care, to distinguish myself from others to
whom the same services were assigned. At length the Spanish army,
commanded by the Prince de Condo, advanced to the succour of Dunkirk,
and the famous battle of the Sand Hills took place. Under the command
of the Marquis of Castelnau, my regiment formed part of the left wing,
which, marching along the river, turned the enemy's flank; and I had
here every opportunity of displaying whatever military qualities I
might possess. My men seconded me most gallantly; and the Marquis de
Castelnau being severely wounded, the command of the two thousand
seven hundred men, of which alone that division was composed, fell
upon me for the time.
Turenne himself thanked me the next morning, at the head of my
regiment, for the services I had rendered; and Dunkirk having
surrendered shortly after, I heard, with no small satisfaction, that
the young King himself, with all his Court, was about to visit the
camp. Unfortunately, the smallness of our force, and the great want of
cavalry, caused the regiments of horse to be in continual requisition;
and two days before the arrival of the King, I was detached towards
Bergues, in order, as far as possible, to prevent the enemy from
taking measures to retard our progress in the siege of that town,
which was now determined. I saw that Turenne was grieved when he gave
the order; but, of course, he could suffer no private consideration to
interfere with the service of the King.
Bergues was soon taken, and a number of other places followed, the
most important of which was Gravelines. At length the siege of Ypres
was determined; but ere the trenches were opened, an event occurred
which prevented my witnessing the rest of the campaign. In the course
of our march upon Menin, a report reached head-quarters, that the
Prince de Lignes, with a small force, was posted at the distance of a
league and a half, and Turenne immediately detached the Comte de Roye
in order to dislodge the enemy. My regiment formed part of the force
under that officer's command; and the position of the Prince de Lignes
was soon forced, his infantry nearly cut to pieces, and his cavalry in
full retreat. The pursuit was entrusted to myself, and I followed the
enemy almost to the gates of Ypres. There, however, they rallied, made
a gallant charge, and in the melee I received a severe cut on the
head, which passed through my helmet and even wounded the skull. I was
under the horse's feet in an instant, but luckily I received no
further injury; and when I recovered from the stunning effect of the
blow, I found myself a prisoner in the town of Ypres.
Surgeons were busy dressing my wounds, and one or two officers of some
rank were standing round the table on which I had been laid. As I
opened my eyes, one of the lookers-on bade another tell the Prince; and
in a moment after, the Prince de Lignes was standing by my side. After
asking the surgeon whether he might speak with me, with due regard to
ray safety, and hearing his opinion that I was not seriously injured,
he addressed me by my name.
"Monsieur de Juvigny," he said, "we are happy in having taken an
officer of your merit and distinction, as probably you can give us
some information which the other prisoners are either not able or not
willing to afford. What we wish to know is, whether Monsieur de
Turenne does or does not really intend to sit down before this place?"
I felt some difficulty in articulating; but I replied as well as I
could, "You must be aware, sir, that it is my duty to refuse answers
to all such questions."
"Certainly," he rejoined, "if by so doing you contributed to put us on
our guard, or to afford any facility for opposing the enemy; but I
give you my honour that we have neither means nor inclination to make
any farther preparations than we have done for the defence of the
place, and my sole purpose in asking the question is, to send away,
out of pure compassion, a number of the poor and needy citizens, who
must die of starvation if Monsieur de Turenne attempts to reduce the
place by famine; which must be his plan if he have any design against
Ypres, as I find he has no battering train with his army. As a good
soldier, and a worthy gentleman, you will see at once that every
principle of humanity requires me to clear the town of all unnecessary
mouths. You yourself, and all the other wounded and prisoners, must be
sent off to Brussels, at all risks, if such should be the intention of
the French general: so answer me candidly, I entreat you."
"Sir," I replied, "you must judge of what _your_ duty requires of
_you_--mine is straightforward. If it be the intention of Monsieur de
Turenne to starve you out, the more persons you have to feed, the
better for his purpose; and although, I confess, I would fain escape
being sent to Brussels in my present state, yet I can give you no
information."
"I must even send you thither, then," replied the Prince; and in a
brief conversation with the other officers present, I heard him say,
"Oh! depend upon it, if they were not determined to attack the place,
he would say so, to avoid the journey."
"No, indeed, Monsieur le Prince!" I exclaimed. "You are mistaken. I
would not give you one tittle of intelligence if I knew that Monsieur
de Turenne was going to retread his steps to-morrow."
The Prince smiled, and left the room; and after having been tended
carefully during the rest of that evening and the following night, I
was put into a carriage early the next morning, and, with a number of
other wounded persons, as well as prisoners, and all those who were
desirous of quitting the town, was sent on, not indeed to Brussels,
but to Tournay.
Fearful that a report of my being killed might reach Laura, I sat up
at the first halting-place, and--in spite of all remonstrances from a
surgeon who accompanied us--wrote a letter to the Prés Vallée,
assuring her, that though a prisoner, and slightly wounded, I was in
no danger. Of this letter the commander of our little escort, a
gallant young Spaniard, who spoke French very tolerably, took charge,
promising to despatch it to France by the very first opportunity.
Whether it was the heat of the weather, the fatigue of the journey,
or, as the surgeon predicted, the exertion of writing which irritated
my wound, I cannot tell, but, ere I reached the end of our second
day's march, I was in all the raving delirium of a high fever. For
nearly three weeks the days passed over my head without leaving any
remembrance behind them; and when I recovered my senses, I found
myself reduced to infant weakness, and lying in a chamber which was
evidently not the ward of an hospital, as my last recollections
induced me to believe would be the case. It was a small neat room,
cool and shady; and I found a nurse constantly by my bedside, while a
surgeon visited me three times each day.--At first I was much too
feeble to ask any questions; but, on the second or third morning after
I began to recover, I begged the nurse to toll me where I was, when,
to my surprise, I was told that I was in Tournay, and in the quarters
of the Prince de Condé. The next day I was visited by several French
officers, who had accompanied his Highness into exile; and when I was
well enough to sit up for a short time, the Prince himself
condescended to visit me, and remained with me alone for a full
hour, making me tell him my whole history. The fate of Monsieur de
Villardin, of which he had not yet heard, seemed to grieve him
much; and when he left me he said, with one of those frank,
brilliant smiles, which sometimes illuminated a countenance that
usually was more striking than prepossessing, "Well, well, De
Juvigny, I will think of what I can do to serve you; and as
hostilities are suspended, and a treaty of peace is under negotiation,
I may have it more in my power to show you that I have not forgot
Vincennes, than I have yet had since we met there."
I trusted that it might be so, especially as I had candidly told the
Prince my situation in regard to Mademoiselle de Villardin, only
hoping when I did so, to obtain my liberty more speedily. The news,
however, that hostilities were suspended, and that peace was likely to
be concluded, gave me the hope of soon holding my beloved Laura to my
heart once more, as no pretext for separating us again would then
exist. Having now shown my obedience to the monarch I served, and
fully done my duty as a soldier, I determined to yield no more; and
resolved, as a last resource, if any attempt should be made to reject
my claim to Laura's hand, to beg her to unite her fate to mine,
without the consent of any monarch on the earth, and try our fate in
my native land, where the prospects were now brightened by the death
of the usurper.
From that day till I had completely recovered my health, I did not
again see the Prince de Condé; and, on inquiring for him when I was
well enough to go out, I found that he was absent from Tournay, and not
likely to come back for more than a week. These tidings vexed me a
good deal, as I was now most anxious to return to France. No
opposition, however, was made to my going out into the town, or even
beyond the gates; and I found every facility of obtaining money
amongst the merchants of the place. Thus I might at any time have
effected my escape, had I been so inclined. But although my parole had
never been even asked, the kindness which had been shown me by the
Prince was a surer bond than links of iron; and I lingered on in
Tournay with some degree of fretful impatience, but still gaining
additional strength and health every hour. Had I known where to
address a letter to his Highness, I certainly would have written to
him; but he was moving from place to place, and even the French
officers who remained in Tournay could not give me the necessary
information. Thus passed nearly four weeks; and the world again began
to assume the aspect of spring. It was now more than a year since I
had seen Laura, and fully four months since I had heard from her or
from Father Ferdinand; and there was a sort of dim uncertainty about
the events which might have taken place in the interim that made my
heart sometimes feel sick with apprehension.
At length, one night when I had returned _home_--as I called my little
room in the Prince's quarters--more gloomy than ever, and was sitting
by lamp-light, consoling myself in the only way I could devise, by
writing to Laura for the third or fourth time since my recovery, I
heard a good deal of bustle in the courts, and in about an hour
afterwards, I was summoned to attend the Prince de Condé. Overjoyed at
his return, I hurried to his presence, and found him quite alone. I
believe the gladness of my heart sparkled out upon my countenance; for
though there was a good deal of vexation and chagrin in his own face,
yet he smiled when he saw me.
"You seem glad of my return, De Juvigny," he said, "but I am going to
send you away from me directly. When I offered to set you free in
Paris, in recompence for former services, or to reserve the
consideration of them till another moment and put you to ransom, I did
not think I should be so long ere I could do anything for you. Even
now, all I can do is to make a messenger of you. However, the letter
with which I am about to charge you may be worth the pains of
carrying, if you know how to take advantage of it. The fact is, Spain
and France are negotiating. Spain holds out on my account. The whole
business annoys me. I fear not to be left to stand or fall by my own
strength; and I do not wish to delay the arrangement of peace, so
necessary to both countries, for any private interests of my own. I
have consequently written this letter to Don Louis de Haro, the
minister of his Catholic Majesty, beseeching him to put my personal
affairs entirely on one side, while considering the far more important
business of peace. No one more eagerly desires the conclusion of the
negotiations than my royal cousin Louis of France; and to him I now
send you, begging you to put this letter for Don Louis into the King's
own hands, and request him, on my part, to make what use of it he
will. The man who brings it to him, De Juvigny," he added with a gay
smile, "may well command the hand of the first heiress in France; and
if I obtain for you, by this means, the woman that you love, I shall
conceive that I have acquitted myself well towards you."
I need hardly say that my gratitude was deep and sincere, and after
expressing it as well as I could, I received the Prince's farther
directions; and the next morning mounted a horse I had bought in the
city, and, followed by four of the troopers of my own regiment--who
had been taken in attempting to rescue me, and whom I had since found
in Tournay--I set out for Paris, furnished with all the necessary
passports. The poor fellows who accompanied me were delighted to find
that the Prince had agreed to liberate them without exchange; and I
need hardly say, that although I doubted not that difficulties and
annoyances were still before me, my heart, too, beat more lightly than
it had done for many a day. Thus we lost no time on the road; and as
fast as our beasts would carry us, made our way to Paris. It was after
nightfall when we arrived, but without pause or hesitation I proceeded
direct to the palace, and giving my name and quality to the
attendants, I begged them to inform his Majesty and the Cardinal that
I had intelligence of the utmost importance to communicate. The
Cardinal, one of the pages informed me, had set out for the Spanish
frontier some days before; but my message having been sent through all
the proper channels to the King, I received, in reply, an order to
present myself the next morning an hour before grand mass.
This was a disappointment; for I had fully calculated upon the news
which I bore procuring me an immediate reception; but kings are so
much accustomed to hear that their subjects have intelligence of
importance to communicate, and to find that it refers to some petty
interest or some private suit, that his Majesty fully believed my
tidings to refer to my own affairs. The next morning I was at the
Tuilleries at the exact moment; but, much to my annoyance and disgust,
I was kept in an antechamber till the bells for mass sounded all over
the town, and remained there alone till the service of the church was
over. More than a quarter of an hour passed, after I had learned that
mass was done, seeing from the windows the people trotting home
through the dirty streets, ere an attendant summoned me to the
presence of the King. I was too much accustomed to various scenes, and
had too frequently looked a sterner monarch in the face, to feel any
agitation upon approaching any king upon earth; but in the interview
that was about to take place, dearer interests than life itself were
concerned; and when I thought of Laura, my heart certainly beat with a
quicker pulse as I moved towards the royal presence.
After passing through several other apartments, the door of a cabinet
was thrown open by the page, and immediately after I found myself
before the young king, and in the midst of a circle which clearly
showed me that my application for an audience had been supposed to
refer to my personal concerns. On the King's right hand stood Monsieur
de Turenne, and on his left the secretary, Le Tellier. The Queen-mother
also was present, together with several ladies, and one or two nuns,
whose garb was certainly more harmonious with the cloister than the
court; but on the Monarch's left appeared Father Ferdinand, the Count
de Loris, and the ancient friend of both my father and myself, the
good old Earl of Norwich. One of Monsieur de Villardin's first cousins
was there also, and his presence did not seem to augur well for my
suit. A few of the officers of the Court made up the group, and as I
ran my eye over it in advancing, I was glad to find that the majority
of those present were certainly inclined to support my pretensions. As
the feelings of the King himself, however, were of far greater
importance, I tried to gather from his countenance what was passing in
his heart; and, accustomed as I had been from my early years to scan
the faces of my fellow-men, I saw enough to give me some confidence.
His brow was strongly contracted, it is true; and he fixed his eye
upon me, as I entered, with an air of stern majesty which spoke
anything but favour. At the same time, however, there was the least
possible inclination towards a smile lurking about the corner of his
mouth; and with this key to the rest, as I knew that I had done
nothing to deserve severity, I judged that the stern frown upon his
brow was too bitter to be entirely natural.
I advanced and kissed the hand he held out to me, and then drew a step
back while he said, "Monsieur le Baron, you have desired an audience;
and we are, in some degree, prepared for the business you have to
speak of. Explain yourself, therefore, and doubt not that we shall do
you justice."
I again advanced; and, well knowing that to forget the communication
of the Prince de Condé, even for a moment, in my own hopes and fears,
would be a subject of deep offence to the King, as well as the very
worst policy in my own affairs, I bent my knee, and at once tendered
his Highness's letter, saying, "Having had the good fortune, sire, to
be wounded and taken prisoner in your----"
"The good fortune, sir!" exclaimed the King. "Do you call being
wounded and imprisoned good fortune?"
"It certainly is so, sire," I answered, "when it is in the service of
a prince who rewards all his servants far more than they deserve, and
compensates, tenfold, everything that is suffered in his cause."
The King smiled, and bade me go on.--"Having, then, the good fortune,
sire," I continued, "to be wounded and taken prisoner in your
Majesty's service, I fell into the power of his Highness the Prince de
Condé, who, on setting me at liberty, charged me to deliver into your
royal hand this letter, begging that you would be graciously pleased
to make what use of it you, in your wisdom, shall think fit, to remove
all difficulties from your gracious purpose of restoring peace to
Europe."
The Queen-mother half rose from her chair, and Le Tellier took a step
forward to receive, according to custom, the paper which I tendered to
the King; but Louis took it himself at once, and opening the letter,
which was not sealed, read the contents eagerly. "Indeed!" he cried,
when he had concluded. "Indeed! Is he so generous? Then we must not
suffer him to out-do us in generosity! Monsieur de Juvigny, the
bringing us that letter from our noble cousin adds weight to your
other services. Read, madam," he added, giving the paper to the
Queen-mother; "read, and after having settled this other affair, we
will take your Majesty's counsel as to what is to be done."
Anne of Austria read the letter attentively; and as the conclusion of
a final peace with Spain was now her first desire, I could see her
countenance beam with satisfaction as she saw that the only obstacle
to the accomplishment of that wish was removed by the voluntary act of
the Prince de Condé. When she had done, she gave the letter to the
secretary, and at the same time bent a gracious smile upon me,
saying, "You have indeed brought us news, young gentleman, well worthy
of honour and reward!"
The King himself immediately proceeded, again assuming the somewhat
stern air with which he had at first received me. "Monsieur le Baron
de Juvigny," he said, "you have at different times highly
distinguished yourself in our service; and Monsieur de Turenne here
present gives the most favourable report of your military skill and
qualities. All services rendered to ourselves we are certainly willing
to recompense even more liberally than bare justice might require; but
we understand that you aim at the hand of the first heiress in
France--a match for a prince--an alliance which we should not scruple
to seek for a member of our own family. This is estimating your claims
somewhat too highly."
"Sire!" I replied, "it is not upon any small services I may have
rendered to your Majesty, nor upon my long and undeviating attachment
to the royal cause, before genius and wisdom had swept away the
difficulties that surrounded it, nor upon some sufferings which I have
endured in the course of my career, that I found my claim to the hand
of Mademoiselle de Villardin. I found it upon her father's promise and
her own; I found it upon her father's will, and upon his express
application to your Majesty; and, more than all, I found it upon the
deep attachment that exists between us. Both her guardians, one of
whom is her nearest relative, consent to our union; and, indeed, they
are bound to do so by the will of her father."
"But here, sir," said the King, "is her father's next of kin, who
positively objects to her marriage with one, whose birth, for aught we
know, may be very inferior."
"I appeal to that English nobleman, sire," I replied, pointing to the
Earl of Norwich, "who has known me from my birth, and who will answer
for it, that the blood of my father and my mother was as pure as any
in the realm of France, however poor we all might have become by the
changes of this uncertain world."
"Ay, there is the fact!" answered Louis. "Ought I to bestow the hand
of this great heiress upon one who may have much merit and even noble
blood, but who sought these shores an absolute adventurer?"
The colour mounted into my face; and although I had hitherto been as
cautious as possible, some of my ancient abruptness broke forth, and I
replied, "I have known princes begin their career as much adventurers
as I was----!" From the King's eye I saw that all was lost if I did
not mend my speech, and I added:--"I have seen princes begin their
career as much adventurers as I was, who were destined to become the
greatest monarchs on the earth."
The cloud was done away instantly, and a smile succeeded upon the
countenance of the young King, while Monsieur de Turenne, who had bit
his lip nearly through at the first part of my reply, drew a long
breath, as if relieved by its conclusion.
"We do not doubt your merit, sir," answered his Majesty; "and as far
as we ourselves are concerned, can, of course, have no objection to
your union to this young lady, not designing her for any one else. But
the vast inequality of your fortunes, and the opposition of her
father's nearest kinsman----"
"Which I beg most strenuously to urge," cried the cousin.
"Do not interrupt me, sir," said the King, sternly. "These two
circumstances offer invincible obstacles to your immediate marriage,
unless you can show some motive for my disregarding the objection of
this gentleman, and for believing that you are influenced by no
interested motive whatever, in the attachment you declare yourself to
feel towards this young lady."
I paused, in order to be sure that the King had completely finished;
but ere I could reply myself, Father Ferdinand advanced a little, and
addressed the King.--"I believe, sire," he said, "that the first and
strongest objection is, that a gentleman calling himself the nearest
male relative of the late Duke de Villardin refuses his consent to the
marriage of Monsieur de Juvigny with our ward Laura. That objection I
can remove, by telling this gentleman that he is not the nearest male
relative of the late Duke."
"Who, then, is?" demanded the other, fiercely.
"I am!" answered the priest, gazing sternly upon him. "I am Ferdinand
de Villardin, the elder brother of the late Duke--he who, more than
forty years ago, as you may have heard, young Sir, abjured the
world--resigned his possessions and his rank--and, spreading abroad his
own death, for twenty years buried himself in an Italian cloister. Of
these facts, sire," he added, turning to the King, "I have already
given you satisfactory proof; and I now declare, that the full consent
of her father's nearest of kin is given to Laura de Villardin's union
with him who was more than a son to her late parent."
"And in regard to my attachment to her being disinterested, sire," I
added, "take from her all her possessions, and give me but herself--I
ask no more."
"You think that it is impossible such a thing should happen, Monsieur
de Juvigny," answered the monarch, gravely; "and, certainly, it is
impossible that we should strip our subjects of their property; but it
is not at all impossible that another claimant to this young lady's
lands may appear, and we tell you fairly that such is the case. Not
four days ago, it was clearly proved to us that Mademoiselle de
Villardin has no claim whatever to one acre of her father's lands.
What say you now?"
"They come not to me, my son," said Father Ferdinand, seeing my eyes
turn toward* him. "My claim upon them has been null for years."
"What say you now?" repeated the King, gazing upon me with an
expectant smile.
"That most thankfully--as the greatest boon that your Majesty can
bestow," I answered, "as a reward for all my services, and as a tie of
gratitude towards you for ever--I claim the hand of Laura de
Villardin; and only thank Heaven, that no inequality of fortune can
now make any one believe I seek her from aught but love."
A smile of majestic satisfaction beamed upon the countenance of the
young monarch; but for several moments he continued to gaze upon me
without uttering a word; and, of course, the same silence was
preserved by every one in the presence. "You have stood every trial
well, Monsieur de Juvigny," said the King, at length. "You have obeyed
our commands at a moment when they were most difficult to obey. You
have proved that your loyalty as a lover is no less perfect than your
gallantly as a soldier; and all I shall regret, in signing your
marriage contract, is, that your bride will not bring you as noble a
fortune as you once expected. My consent to your marriage is fully
given; there is only the approbation of one other person to be asked.
Monsieur de. Loris, be good enough to open that door. What say you,
madam? Do you consent likewise?"
As he spoke, the King turned towards one of the nuns, who stood behind
the Queen's chair, covered with the Ursuline veil. At the same moment,
Monsieur de Loris opened a door which communicated with the great
audience hall, and two more persons were instantly added to our party.
They were Laura de Villardin, and, hand in hand, my little page
Clement de la Marke, dressed in all the splendour of a high noble of
those days, and entering with a step that seemed familiar with courtly
halls.
Another sight, however, had rivetted all my attention, and, I may say,
had struck me dumb, for I actually stood in the midst of the circle
like a statue, without life or motion, as the nun, to whom the King
had spoken, raising her veil, exposed to my sight features deeply
engraved on the tablet of memory, and connected with many a sweet and
many a terrible remembrance in the past. Pale and worn, but still
beautiful, though more than twelve long years, loaded with grief, had
passed over her head--it was Madame de Villardin herself that gazed
upon me; and as I stood thunderstruck before her, she advanced and
embraced me as her son. Clement de la Marke clung to me too--the whole
truth flashed upon my mind; and, forgetful of all else but that Laura
was mine, and the dead alive again, I embraced them all in turn; while
Anne of Austria wiped away a tear, and Louis turned with a smile of
generous feeling to Turenne.
"Monsieur de Juvigny," said the King, as soon as my first joy was
somewhat moderated, "forgive me for my _coup de théatre_; but I wished
to have my full share in your joy and your surprise. Though your fair
bride has lost the rich lauds of Villardin and Dumont, which go, of
course, to my young Lord Duke here, yet she is still the heiress of
Vermont and De Loris; and her soft hand is worth a lordship in itself.
Every detail has been already given to me; and as there are some
painful points in the history of every family, these good lords here
present must even smother their curiosity as best they may; for, by my
command, the many explanations which you may require will be afforded
to you by your dear friends in private. You had better now retire to
the hotel de Villardin; and hereafter you will find, that, as by your
high qualities you have won yourself a beautiful bride, your services
have not been rendered to an ungrateful master."