It was barely dawn when Albert Maurice began his last day's march
towards Ghent; and though the distance was considerable, at the hour
of three in the afternoon, he was within a league of the city. The
number of armed men that he now overtook, both single individuals and
small bands, showed him that the force which had retreated from before
Tournay must have lately passed. And with a sort of anxious
apprehension in regard to the machinations which might have taken
place in Ghent during his absence, he spoke personally with almost all
the stragglers he saw; and, by a few kind words, easily induced a
number of the half-disciplined burghers and peasantry to join the
small force he was leading into Ghent; most of them being very willing
to pass for part of a conquering rather than part of a conquered army.
At the distance of about two miles from the city, at a point where the
town itself was hidden by a detached wood, Albert Maurice perceived a
small body of horsemen coming towards him; but as such a sight had
nothing extraordinary in it, he took but little heed of the party till
it was within a hundred yards, when, to his unutterable surprise, he
beheld the portly figure of worthy Martin Fruse leading the van on
horseback, a situation which the good burgher, as may be well
remembered, had never coveted in his most agile and enterprising age,
and which had become quite abhorrent to his feelings now that years
and bulk had weighed down all activity.
"Halt your troops! halt your troops, my dear boy!" cried the worthy
merchant, in some trepidation. "Halt your troops, and listen to me
while I tell you----"
"Had you not better speak with the honourable President apart?" said
one of the party, in whom Albert Maurice instantly recognised Maitre
Pierre, the eschevin who had been called to examine the dwelling of
the old Lord of Neufchatel; although, on glancing his eye over the
rest, he could recall the face of none other amongst the stout
men-at-arms, of which the chief part of the band was composed.
Seeing that there was something to be communicated, and judging that
no very agreeable intelligence awaited him, from the evident agitation
of his friends, he gave the command to halt his little force; and then
leading the way into the meadow, begged his uncle to explain the cause
of his perturbation.
Martin Fruse began with a violent declamation upon the evils of riding
on horseback, and the perils thereupon attending; but he ended with a
recapitulation of dangers somewhat more real, which awaited his nephew
if he ventured within the gates of Ghent. It seemed that the violent
party--as Albert Maurice had apprehended--had, under the skilful
tactics of the druggist Ganay, completely outman[oe]uvred the little
junta which the young President had left to keep them in check; and
now that it was too late, Albert Maurice perceived that he had
suffered his thirst for military renown to lead him aside from the
paths of saner policy. Ganay himself had become the supreme object of
the people's adoration; and having leagued himself by some skilful
management with the Duke of Cleves on the one hand, and the populace
on the other, he had been entirely successful in all the measures he
had proposed to the council of magistrates. The states general had not
again met, but a new party had been created in the town. The city of
Ghent, in fact, had become completely, but unequally divided; for
though a strong and influential body had attached themselves to Martin
Fruse, the multitude adhered to his opponent.
Ganay, indeed, the worthy burgher said, not daring openly to assail
one whose successes in the field were daily subject of rejoicing with
the citizens, affected to act upon the instructions and desires of
Albert Maurice himself; and the complete, or rather apparent union
between them, which had formerly existed, had aided to deceive the
people. Martin Fruse had reproached the druggist, and reasoned with
the magistrates, in vain; and all that he had gained was the certainty
that, from some cause which he could not define, Ganay had become his
nephew's most bitter enemy, though he still affected to regard him as
a friend. Private information, also, had reached Martin Fruse early in
the morning, that, as soon as it had been ascertained the young
citizen was on his march with the intention of reaching the city in
the course of the day, Ganay, supported both by the nobility under the
Duke of Cleves, and by the more violent members of the states, had
contrived a scheme for arresting the President that very night, at a
grand banquet to be given in honour of his return; and the large body
of discontented soldiery which had been pouring into the town during
the day, and who were already jealous of those who had been more
successful than themselves, seemed to offer the means of accomplishing
this purpose in security.
Martin Fruse, losing all presence of mind at the danger of his beloved
nephew, had determined to quit the city, to meet and warn the object
of this conspiracy, of his danger, ere he entered town. The eschevin,
who had been called to the hotel of the Lord of Neufchatel, conscious
that some suspicions which he had ventured to breathe concerning the
death of that nobleman had rendered him obnoxious to the party which
for the time appeared triumphant, had joined the good burgher; and the
danger that seemed to threaten all, had even overcome the objection of
Martin Fruse to the use of a horse.
This tale was soon told; and Albert Maurice, from his own private
knowledge of all the springs that were moving the dark cabals within
the walls of the city before him, saw much deeper into the dangers and
difficulties of his own situation than those who detailed the
circumstances which had occurred since his departure. He saw that the
crisis of his fate was come; and without once entertaining the vain
thought of avoiding it, he merely paused to calculate how he might
pass through it most triumphantly.
Fear, or hesitation, doubt or even anxiety, never seemed to cross his
mind for a moment. He felt, it is true, that his victory or his fall
must be now complete, and that he was marching forward to a strife
that must be final and decisive; but still he was eager to bring the
whole to a close, perhaps from that confidence in his own powers which
is ever one great step towards success. He heard his uncle to an end
with an unchanged countenance; and then, without a single observation
on the intelligence he had just received, he spoke a few words to the
eschevin, in a low tone, in regard to the inquisition he had charged
him to make in the house of the old Lord of Neufchatel. The answers
seemed to satisfy him well; for ever and anon he bowed his head with a
calm but somewhat bitter smile, saying merely, "So! Ay! Is it so?"
At length he demanded suddenly--pointing to a man-at-arms who had come
up with his uncle and the party which had accompanied him, and now sat
with his visor up, displaying a fresh and weather-beaten countenance,
well seamed with scars of ancient wounds--"Who is that? I should know
his face."
"That," whispered his uncle, riding close up to him, "that is good
Matthew Gourney, the captain of adventurers, who was with us in the
year '50, when we made a stand against the Count of Charolois. He said
you had sent for him."
"I did, I did!" replied the young burgher; "but I had forgotten all
about it, in the events that have since taken place. Where is the
prisoner I left in the town prison?"
"Ay, there is one of their bold acts," answered Martin Fruse; and, as
he spoke, the countenance of Albert Maurice turned deadly pale,
thinking they had put to death the man whom he had promised to set
free; but his uncle soon relieved him. "Ay! there is one of their bold
acts," he said; "they have moved him from the town-house to the
Prevot's prison, and threaten to do him to death to-morrow by
cock-crow. Maillotin du Bac would fain have had him tried by the
eschevins this morning; but the Duke of Cleves made so long a speech,
and brought so much other business before the council, that they
agreed to put it off till to-morrow, when he is to be interrogated at
six o'clock, and have the question at seven if he refuse to confess."
Again the President mused, without reply, though he saw that to extort
confessions, which would tend to create a charge against him, might be
the object of the Prevot in reserving the Vert Gallant for the
torture. At length, riding up to the old man-at-arms, he led him
apart, and conversed with him earnestly for near a quarter of an hour.
He then conducted him, with the dozen of troopers who accompanied him,
to the last constabulary of the horse, which had shared in his own
successful expedition, and then spoke a few words with the constable,
or leader of the troop, who, with a low reverence, dropped back
amongst his men. The followers of Matthew Gournay fell into the ranks;
the adventurer put himself at their head; and scarcely a difference
was perceivable in the order of the band.
As soon as all this was completed, Albert Maurice rode back to his
uncle and the rest of his party, and informed them calmly that it was
absolutely necessary, notwithstanding all the events which had lately
taken place, that they should return to Ghent, and re-enter the town
by one of the opposite gates; so as to leave it at least doubtful
whether they had or had not held any communication with himself.
What he required of them was, perhaps, somewhat hard, considering that
they were peaceable men, who had no small reason to fear for their
lives, and had no immediate stimulus to make them risk so much
willingly. But Martin Fruse had seen his nephew accomplish such great
things in the face of every sort of probability, and the tone in which
Albert Maurice spoke was so calm and assured, that the wishes of the
young citizen were received as commands; and the small party of
citizens, now left without an escort, rode off; while the young
President still halted on the road, to give them time to make the
circuit proposed before his entrance. As soon as he judged that this
object was accomplished, Albert Maurice again put his troops in
motion, and advanced slowly towards the city. As he emerged from the
low wood that had hitherto screened him, he despatched a trumpet to
announce his approach to the council of Ghent, and the States of
Flanders; and directed the messenger especially to speak with Signior
Ganay, one of the magistrates of the town. He then resumed a quicker
pace, and approached rapidly the walls of the city.
Before he reached the gates, however, it became evident that his
harbinger had not spared the spur, and had already executed his
commission. A large body of horsemen were seen to issue forth,
accompanied by a crowd on foot; and loud shouts of joy and gratulation
met the ear of Albert Maurice, showing that the populace, at least, to
whom Ganay had first made his court by affecting friendship for their
victorious President, had not yet become aware of the designs of his
enemies. But such demonstrations of the popular joy on his return,
were received by Albert Maurice as no sign that the purpose of
destroying him did not exist, nor as any reason for expecting that his
overthrow would not be attempted, nor as any proof that the people
would oppose or resent it; for no one knew better than himself how
slight a charge will condemn the most innocent before the fierce
tribunal of the multitude, or felt more bitterly how readily those who
now greeted his return would shout at his execution.
He was surprised, however, as the two parties drew near each other, to
find that the body which had issued forth to receive him was headed by
Ganay himself, and was composed of all those whom he had the greatest
reason to look upon as his political enemies. But Albert Maurice was
not to be deceived; and though he received the compliments and
gratulations of the citizens on his return, and their thanks for his
great services, with a smiling countenance, and bland untroubled brow,
yet his mind clearly divined the motives of so much courtesy, and he
internally scoffed at the grossness of the deceit they attempted to
play off upon him. He bowed, and smiled, and doffed his cap and plume
to every one who affected to congratulate him; but he well understood
that he was surrounded by doubtful friends or concealed enemies, and
watched carefully every changing expression of the faces round him.
The populace on foot, who crowded round, with loud and vehement shouts
of "Long live the noble President! Long live the conqueror of Le
Lude!" he clearly saw were sincere enough. But in the set speeches and
formal courtesy of the different members of the states, he beheld much
to distrust, and calmly prepared for those great measures which were
alone fitted to meet the exigency of the moment.
Albert Maurice was a reader of the human countenance--a book, every
volume of which is easy to comprehend, when we know the language in
which it is written, or, in other words, when we understand the
general character of the individual. Ganay was a master in the art of
dissimulation; but the young citizen was so intimately acquainted with
every turn of his dark mind, that even the slight traces which he
suffered to appear, were as legible to Albert Maurice, as if he had
seen into his heart. He marked a transient and scarcely perceptible
shade come over the brow of the druggist, whenever the people
vociferated their noisy welcome. He saw, too, that on each shout,
Ganay redoubled his attention to himself; and he perceived that, from
the moment they met, his former friend attached himself to his side,
and strove anxiously to prevent his holding any private communication
with the leaders of his troops. From all this, he judged that the
tidings received from Martin Fruse were substantially correct; and
that the honours shown him on his return, were only to deceive the
people, while any act that was meditated against him was to be
executed at night, after the lower orders had retired to rest.
Albert Maurice affected to be entirely deceived, and rode on with the
party who had come to welcome him, with every appearance of friendship
and confidence. He spoke freely and calmly with those around him;
addressed Ganay frequently in a low and confidential tone; and at the
same time, assumed all that state and dignity, which he knew that his
enemies expected him to display. He marked, too, with a feeling of
suppressed scorn, the significant glances which passed between his
foes, as--taking on himself the principal place, and with an air and
demeanour, which might have suited the most potent monarch in
Christendom--he rode through the gates of Ghent amidst the
acclamations of the people.
While thus Albert Maurice proceeded, surrounded by a great number of
the high citizens, the troops he commanded followed in a long line,
now swelled to the amount of nearly fifteen hundred men. The whole
cavalcade moved on towards the market-place; but some persons, who
remained near the drawbridge, remarked that the last band of soldiers
did not follow the rest; but, halting at the gate, relieved the guard
that was there on duty, and then passed on, in a different direction,
by the low streets which ran under the walls. At the same time,
however, three of the troopers were detached, and, at once, repassing
the gates, galloped off at full speed, in the direction of Heusden and
Melle. It was farther observed, that in about two hours afterwards,
three bands of men-at-arms came up from the same quarter, at a quick
pace, and entered the city, without even being questioned by the
guard. To what spot they went in the city was not very clearly
ascertained, but it was generally reported that they made their way in
small parties to the town-house.
In the meanwhile, Albert Maurice and the rest pursued their march
towards that building, the crowds increasing every moment as they
passed, and rending the air with their acclamations. With his helmet,
lance, and shield, carried by pages behind him, as if he had been the
most distinguished knight in the land--with his cap and plume in his
hand, and bowing his fine head low at every shout of the multitude,
the young citizen advanced towards what was called the Perron of the
Hotel de Ville, on which he found collected, to do him honour, the
Duke of Cleves and a number of the other nobles of the town and
neighbourhood. Knowing their league against him, and what a mockery
they considered this public reception of a simple burgher, Albert
Maurice could scarcely prevent the scorn he felt in his heart from
curling his proud lip. But he did prevent it, and merely thinking,
like Hamlet--"They fool me to the top of my bent," he dismounted from
his horse at the steps, and played exactly the part which he well knew
they expected from him. After receiving, with a degree both of
haughtiness and humility, the gratulations of the nobles upon his
successful expedition, he turned and addressed the lower orders of
Ghent in a long and flattering harangue, throughout which, the close
of every period was drowned in the enthusiastic cheers of the
populace.
"It were hard, my friends," he added, in conclusion, "that you should
all come out hither to welcome my return, and I should give you no
sign of my good will. Fain would I have you all to sup with me; but,
in good faith, there are so many here--some twenty thousand, as I
guess--that no house could hold the multitude I see around me.
However, it is a fair and beautiful evening, and there is no better
roof than the sky. Now, as these noble lords and worthy merchants have
invited me to banquet with them within, I invite you all to sup here
in the market-place, and by seven of the clock you shall find good ale
and beef enough to satisfy you, if I give the last stiver of my
private fortune to entertain the worthy artisans of Ghent."
A loud shout burst from the people, but Ganay and his friends
exchanged glances not of the most pleasant kind. Nor were their looks
rendered more placid, when they heard an order given by the young
President to his troops, purporting that they were to stable their
horses in whatever sheds they could find round the marketplace, and to
quarter themselves in the wide halls and vacant chambers of the Hotel
de Ville. Ganay even ventured to remonstrate against turning the
town-house into a barrack, but he was instantly silenced by Albert
Maurice.
"I have heard, my excellent, good friend," he replied, "since my
return to Ghent, that the fifteen thousand men, who were driven like
sheep from before Tournay, have been received in this city, and
quartered in the different barracks. I know, therefore, that there can
be no room to spare, and what you urge with regard to the illegality
of bringing troops into the town-house, you must well know does not
apply in the present case. The troops which I have resolved to station
there are the troops of the city of Ghent, not those of either a
foreign or a native prince."
"But for the informality of the thing," urged Ganay, seeing that by
the very measures which he had taken to secure the safe execution of
his purpose against the young citizen, he had, in fact, over-reached
himself--"but for the informality of the thing, would it not be
better, as there is no room for them in the town, to march them into
any of the pleasant little villages in the neighbourhood?"
"What!" exclaimed Albert Maurice, ass tuning an air of
indignation--"what! make the victorious troops, that have so well
served the city, give place to those who have brought nothing but
disgrace upon us! No, no, Master Ganay, let us hear no more of this.
My orders must be obeyed;" and so saying, he turned and advanced
towards the door of the town-house.
A short and rapid conversation was now carried on, in a low tone,
between the druggist and the Duke of Cleves, as they ascended the
steps towards the hall. "It will be impossible to-night," whispered
the noble.
"If he live over to-morrow," replied Ganay, "no earthly power will
overthrow him."
A few words succeeded, in so low a tone, that even, by the parties who
spoke, their meaning was probably gathered more completely by their
mutual looks, than by any distinct sounds. A white-haired old soldier,
however, who was pushing up the steps after the President, just heard
Ganay add, "If I do, will you justify and defend me?"
"Anything to get rid of him!" replied the duke, emphatically; and they
both passed on.
The sun was, by this time, beginning to descend in the western sky;
and on entering the town-house, the young citizen retired to the
apartments which had been assigned him in that building, and remained
long in consultation with various persons, who were admitted to him
one after another. The individuals who thus visited him were all
marked by the opposite faction, which remained in the other parts of
the town-house; and it was seen that, besides Martin Fruse, and a
number of the burghers adhering to the party of that good citizen,
almost all the leaders of the bands which had accompanied the young
President in his expedition to Lille and Douai were admitted, and
remained with him long.
All this, however, appeared natural enough; and though his troops, in
quartering themselves in different parts of the building, according to
his orders, seemed to take upon themselves a tone of authority and
power not very pleasing to his adversaries, yet this also might pass
for the swagger and insolence of military success; nor did it excite
any very great surprise. As the evening went on, however, a number of
persons were observed ascending to his apartments, whose faces no one
recognised. Some stayed and some returned; but it was evident that
they were not citizens of Ghent, and great was the anxiety and
discussion which these appearances caused amongst the enemies of the
young President. Every means was taken to discover whence they came
and what was their errand, but it was all in vain. The Duke of Cleves
retired to his own hotel, to prepare for the scenes that were about to
take place; and Ganay waited eagerly the coming of the hour appointed
for the banquet, which would put an end, he believed, for ever, to
transactions which, from many causes, he both doubted and feared.
Nevertheless, his sensations were of a mixed, and even painful nature,
and his conclusions in regard to the conduct of Albert Maurice were
less clear and decided than they had ever been before. He did not and
would not believe that the President suspected the precise design of
those who had contrived his overthrow; but he saw evidently that he
was not deceived by all the fair appearances which had welcomed him
back to Ghent; and he felt that the moment was come when, as the young
citizen had long before foreseen, the immediate destruction of the one
was necessary to the safety of the other. That conviction in his own
bosom of course made him believe that Albert Maurice was equally alive
to the same fact; and as the means which he had so carefully prepared
during the absence of the other had been, in some degree, rendered
vain by the measures that the President had taken, the druggist now
stood resolved to snatch the first opportunity of executing his
purpose by any means, however great the risk, well knowing that the
peril of delay was still greater.
And yet, strange to say, there was within the bosom of that
man--hardened as he was by crimes, and still more hardened by the
struggle of passions concealed within his breast through a long
life--strange to say, there was a feeling of deep regret, of bitter
repugnance, when he thought of the very act he planned for his own
security. If ever there had been, in the course of all his existence,
a being that he had sincerely loved, besides his own unhappy son, that
being had been Albert Maurice; and though in the scenes of civil
faction and the strife of contending interests and desires which they
had lately passed through, that affection had been apparently
smothered, it is wonderful how freshly it rose up in his heart, when
he thought that Albert Maurice must die by his means--possibly by his
own hand.
The fatal creed he held of man's entire mortality, made him fearless
of death himself, and careless of inflicting it on others; but,
perhaps, by teaching him that the loves and affections of this life
were all, it made them take a deeper hold upon his heart, when once
they could grasp it by any means; and for a moment, as he thought of
cutting off the noble being whose powers he had so often admired--of
extinguishing for ever all those fiery energies and bright aspirations
he had watched from their first breaking forth to their full
expansion--he shuddered at the task.
The people without, witnessing the preparations for the banquet to
which the young citizen had invited them, from time to time shouted
forth his name with loud applause, and there was a voice within the
bosom of Ganay that echoed their praises. "He is, indeed, a splendid
creature," he thought; "and if ever there was one calculated to win
all hearts, and lead men and nations on to scenes and glories such as
the world has never yet seen, he is the man. Yet after all, he must
die! and 'tis but like the slaughter of a mighty stag or a noble boar;
and death--which ends all things--perhaps, when the pain and the
pleasure of life are fairly balanced, is the crowning good that
renders the whole equal at last; but I must speed to see all
prepared!"