Before a mirror of the most beautiful polish that it was possible to
conceive, and a toilet table covered with all the most costly essences
and perfumes which could be procured from the four quarters of the
globe, appeared the Duchess of Valentinois, seated in a large armchair
of rich velvet, towards nine o'clock in the evening of the day whereof
we have just been speaking. She was clothed in a dressing-gown of silver
tissue, and all the stately and somewhat cumbrous apparel of the day had
been put off, while, with three maids all busy about her person, she was
dressing for the assembly of the court, which was to be held that
evening. Nor did she appear in the least the less lovely that she was
without any of the additions that dress and ornament sometimes make to
beauty; nor, strange to say, did she appear less young when thus
unassisted by art, than even when dressed in the most sumptuous mode of
the court. The eye of the woman who was combing her long, rich,
luxuriant brown hair, detected not one silver thread marking the passing
of years among the rest. The teeth were as white and pearly as those of
youth. The brow and neck without a furrow ploughed by the hand of time.
On a footstool at the lady's feet sat a very lovely girl, bearing in her
countenance a slight resemblance to herself. She was already dressed
with great splendour, and sat looking up in the face of the duchess, as
if admiring and wondering at the beauty which seemed to set even the
great destroyer of all things at defiance.
The duchess, upon her part, looked down at her with pleasure and
affection, calling her "Ma belle Henriette," and, parting the hair
farther away from her brows with her own hands, she said, "You must look
your loveliest to-night, Henrietta; for you must do much in the way of
captivation."
The girl smiled playfully, and replied, "No, no! that were bad policy; I
would rather not look so lovely now as afterward. His love, at present,
I can count upon. But I must try and be more captivating hereafter, to
keep it when he is my husband."
The duchess smiled in turn: "Ah, my Henrietta," she said, "the love of
man is not so difficult to keep, if woman do but use the same efforts to
retain it that she does to win it. We often make men fickle who would be
faithful, thinking that to captivate them once is all-sufficient. How
many do I daily see, Henrietta, who take all imaginable pains to win
affection; who are gay and cheerful, courteous and kind, willing to
please and ready to be pleased; robing themselves, as it were, in small
graces and sweet allurements; and who, when the object is attained, cast
away, at once, every effort; are dull and cheerless, exacting, sullen,
and harsh, and then wonder that the won heart is lost more quickly than
it was gained! When children catch flies, my Henrietta, they put not
down a drop of honey, which the insects can eat and fly away. There must
be enough honey to keep them, my child."
"It is a lesson that I will remember," replied Henriette de la Mark.
"But, as I have always thought, dear lady, that it is happiness we seek,
and not admiration, I trust I should never have forgotten that the same
means must be taken to keep affection that are used to win it. But hark!
there are manifold sounds below. Surely the guests are not arriving
already?"
The question was soon answered; for, a moment after, one of the female
attendants was called to the door, and returned to tell the duchess that
two gentleman had arrived in haste, and anxiously desired to speak with
her. She turned towards the woman with somewhat of angry scorn in her
countenance, asking if they had been told that she was at her toilet.
The woman replied in the affirmative; but that they had, nevertheless,
urged the important nature of their business.
"Bid them send me their names," replied the duchess, after thinking for
a moment. "Meyrand's letter declared that he would soon be here. Perhaps
he has come himself."
It was as she thought. But the other name which the servant brought back
was that of the Lord of Masseran.
"Bid them wait but a moment," replied the duchess. "I will not be long.
Tie up my hair, Laurette, in a large knot. Any how, any how; but be
quick."
Then, drawing the dressing-gown more closely round her, and preceded by
one of her women bearing a light, she descended to a saloon below,
making a sign to Henriette de la Mark to remain till she returned.
Standing near a table in the room which Diana of Poitiers now entered,
appeared the tall and graceful Count de Meyrand, and the dark-looking
and subtle Marquis of Masseran. Each, to a certain degree, retained his
usual aspect, though neither could entirely banish from his countenance
the varied emotions which were busy at his heart. Graceful and dignified
in demeanour Meyrand still was. Indeed, it was so much a matter of habit
with him to act with ease and calm self-possession, that they could
never be entirely lost; but still his usual air of indifference was
gone, and there was an eager impatience in his eye which marked that
strong and busy passions were agitating him within. On the other hand,
the look of calm subtlety, which was the reigning expression of the
countenance of the Lord of Masseran, but which we have already seen, on
more than one occasion, give way to fiercer passions, had now yielded to
an expression of restless disquietude, while his eye turned sharp and
flashing at every sound.
On the appearance of Madame de Valentinois, the count advanced with
signs of low and humble homage, and raised the hand which she proffered
him respectfully to his lips. The Lord of Masseran came a step behind,
and then a momentary pause took place. It was broken, however, by the
duchess herself, who was much too impatient to learn the cause of their
sudden arrival to wait till it was explained in the course of
conversation.
"Welcome to Paris, Monsieur de Meyrand!" she said. "But say, what is it
that brings you here at this hour? It must be business of importance, I
am sure."
"Nothing but business of immediate moment, madam, would have induced me
thus to trespass upon you," replied the count; "but I have myself
arrived within this half hour in the capital. I came, I confess, with
some wrongful suspicions of my good friend the Marquis of Masseran here,
in regard to the lady of whom I wrote to you. I fancied that he had been
instrumental in preventing me from executing my purpose of bringing her
with all speed to the presence of the king. His manner, and his solemn
assurances, however, madam, both show me that I was mistaken; and it
would appear--"
"But stay, stay, Monsieur de Meyrand," said the duchess; "first tell me
exactly what is the case, and how you and Monsieur de Masseran are
interested in the business. I remember well Mademoiselle de Brienne, of
whom you speak, and a sweet girl she was, well fitted to set any
cavalier's heart on fire, so that I can easily conceive that yours was
touched, Monsieur de Meyrand, with that same flame of love. But, if all
friends agree, the lady surely can never have such great objections to
yourself as not to be won by less forcible means than those you seem to
have been using. I will speak with her: I will see what can be done. Let
me thank you, my good lord, for the tidings you sent me concerning the
edict: I have turned them this day to good advantage. But still the king
is not easily won in this matter."
"By Heaven! madam," replied Meyrand, vehemently, "he must be won, and
that right soon, or all will go wrong with us. But hear me, dearest
lady! hear me out. You have a faint and very wrong idea of all this
affair. We are all deeply concerned; and, pardon me for saying it, but
your own wishes and excellent views are closely and intimately connected
with our objects and purposes. You ask for a frank and candid
explanation: you shall have it in a very few words. The Lord of Masseran
and I are equally, but somewhat differently, interested in this matter.
I am moved in some degree, as you are pleased to say, by love. Yes!" he
added, "it is so! by love the most strong and passionate; and yet, I
know not why or how, but something very like hatred mingles with it:
deep and bitter indignation at having been made the sport of a mere
girl, and determination to force her to be mine or die--"
He paused and bit his lip, and a shade of dissatisfaction came over the
brow of Diana of Poitiers as she listened; but the next moment the count
went on, with a slight sneer.
"The Lord of Masseran is affected otherwise. He, madam, as you know,
married the mother of this fair dame; and to this bright Isabel descend,
at that mother's death, certain fair estates close to the frontier line
of France and Savoy."
"I understand, I understand," replied Diana of Poitiers, interrupting
him. "The Count of Meyrand may be easy in his dealings about those
estates, if he but obtain the hand of the fair lady. Is it not so, my
good lords?"
"Something of the kind, madam," replied the count.
"A treaty of partition! ha?" continued the lady. "Now for the obstacle,
and for the manner in which this affects me?"
"The obstacles are somewhat difficult to be encountered, madam," joined
in the Lord of Masseran, "especially as this noble count is somewhat of
a suspicious nature. But, to make a long tale short, madam, there was,
it seems, in years long past, a promise made by the old Count of Brienne
that his daughter should marry a certain young nobleman named Bernard de
Rohan. That promise was foolishly committed to writing; but I hold that
it was of course conditional, and requires to be confirmed by the
consent of the mother. The young gentleman we speak of has been long
warring with the armies in Italy; but, called thence, as I believe, by
the young lady herself, who has a marvellous love for her own way, he
appeared in Savoy some short time ago. I absented myself for a few days
from my own home, making a pretence of coming to Paris, in order to see
what would take place. But, although I had good information of all that
passed, what between the young lady's wit and the youth's impudence,
they had very nearly won the race. Myself and Monsieur de Meyrand, here,
surprised them in the very celebration of a clandestine marriage."
"Were they married? Were they married?" demanded the duchess, eagerly;
for, whatever be her own views, woman's heart is rarely without interest
in a tale of love.
"There was a ring upon the young lady's finger," replied the Marquis of
Masseran, while the Count de Meyrand stood silent and bit his lip;
"farther we know not."
"What did you do next?" exclaimed the lady, with an impatient look,
which neither of her two companions thought very favourable to their
cause.
"Why," replied the Lord of Masseran, "we separated them, of course; and
I carried the young lady some way through the mountains, arranging, in
fact, a little sort of drama or mystery with my good friend the count,
wherein he played the part of deliverer, rescued the young lady from my
hands, and, according to our agreement, was bringing her here to Paris,
in the trust that you, from wise motives which the count knew you to
possess, would support the right of the mother to dispose of her
daughter's hand to whom she pleased."
The marquis, in delivering this account, had paused and hesitated
several times, and Diana of Poitiers had remarked that he avoided
carefully all mention of the after-fate of Bernard de Rohan.
"What has become," she asked at length, interrupting him, and fixing her
eye full upon his face, "what has become of the young Baron de Rohan,
sir?"
The Lord of Masseran turned his look to the Count de Meyrand without
answering; but the duchess went on sternly and impetuously, "I insist
upon knowing, sir, what was done in regard to Monsieur de Rohan? You
surprised him at the very altar, you say! You have gone too far not to
say more!"
"Why, of course, madam, it was necessary to separate them," replied the
Count de Meyrand. "Monsieur de Rohan was carried into the chateau of my
friend, Monsieur de Masseran, who kindly and liberally undertakes to
provide the young gentleman with board and lodging for a certain time.
No evil was done him, though the very act that he was performing might
well have justified more violence than was used."
"In short, sir," said the duchess, addressing the Lord of Masseran
sternly, "in short, sir, you have imprisoned one of the king's very best
officers and most faithful subjects--the right hand of the Marechal de
Brissac--and one who has rendered himself famous in the wars of Italy,
and without whose assistance the difficulties which surround the marshal
in Piedmont would be terribly augmented."
"Madam," replied the Count de Meyrand, with a slight sneer, which no
prudence could repress, at the reputed tenderness of the duchess towards
Brissac, "had we known that Monsieur de Rohan was so absolutely
necessary to your graceful friend, we would have sent him under a strong
escort across the mountains, for time was all that we wanted."
"He must speedily be set at liberty," answered the duchess; "for I cannot
have it said that anything in which I take a share is connected with a
transaction so detrimental to the service of the king; and now, Monsieur
de Meyrand, show me in what way you think I am interested in this
affair."
"Why, madam, you must clearly see--" said the count.
"It matters not what I clearly see, my lord," exclaimed the duchess,
interrupting him. "Give me your own showing of the matter."
"Why thus it is," replied the count. "Since I had the honour of bearing
to Rome the copy of an edict proposed by the king, you have three or
four times done me the great favour of writing to me, and consulting
with me in regard to the opposition made to that edict, and to the best
means of inducing the king to promulgate it. Now, madam, one clause in
that edict annuls all existing marriages which have been contracted
without the consent of parents or guardians; and you did me the honour
to reveal to me that such a clause was absolutely necessary to the
proposed marriage of the Duke of Montmorency and the king's daughter,
Madame de Farnese, and to that between the constable's second son, the
Duc Damville, and your fair relation, Mademoiselle de la Mark. That
clause is equally necessary to me and to Monsieur de Masseran, in order
that, the clandestine marriage of Mademoiselle de Brienne with the Baron
de Rohan being annulled, she may, with her mother's consent, give her
hand to me. Thus, madam, what I pray and beseech you to do is, as the
views of both tend absolutely to the same point, to give us the most
zealous aid and co-operation in persuading the king to promulgate this
edict at once."
Diana of Poitiers paused for a moment in intense thought ere she
answered, while the two noblemen stood gazing upon her in silence. "I
will do so," she replied at length; "but, in the first place, Monsieur
de Rohan must be set at liberty."
"Madam, that is impossible," exclaimed the Lord of Masseran. "Were he
set at liberty, all our plans and prospects are at an end together. His
very first act would be to seek this rash, imprudent girl, who thinks
herself fully justified by her father's written consent; and, depend
upon it, he would soon find means of discovering her, though we cannot."
"Why, in the name of Heaven, where is she?" demanded the duchess. "Why,
you said but now, Monsieur de Masseran, that you left her in the count's
hands, that he might bring her to Paris."
"Ay, but she escaped from his hands, madam," replied the Lord of
Masseran. "Whether the count is quite innocent of all knowledge of
female wiles, or whether he had been somewhat harsh and importunate with
her, I cannot tell; but at the end of the very first day's journey she
contrived to escape from him, how or when no one can discover. I had
come on to Paris in order to justify the detention of Bernard de Rohan,
and, in fact, to give an account of my whole conduct to the king; but
the good count, thinking that I must have some hand in the lady's
flight, followed me hither as rapidly as possible, without taking
sufficient time to inquire after her on the spot."
The duchess heard him to an end, but her mind had run on far before her;
and she was gazing thoughtfully upon the ground, with various feelings
contending more strongly in her bosom than her two companions imagined.
Bernard de Rohan, she well knew, was the dearest friend of one who
certainly possessed her highest esteem--perhaps her highest
affection--the Marechal de Brissac, and she loved not to take any share
in injuring or grieving him. We must say even more. Not being naturally
of a harsh or unkindly disposition, she was anything but disposed to
abet such machinations against two people who loved each other; and she
could not but feel at her heart that there existed between the Lord of
Masseran and the Count de Meyrand a dark and shameless conspiracy for
frustrating the intentions of the Count de Brienne, and thwarting the
affections of his daughter. All these considerations opposed themselves
to the very thought of aiding them in their purposes; but yet her own
views, her own dearest objects, were to be obtained by the same means
which tended to promote theirs; and she clearly saw that, if without
exposing, as she might do, the real views and purposes of the parties
concerned, she were to bring this case before the king as a new instance
of a marriage in opposition to the parent's consent, she would instantly
obtain the promulgation of the edict which was so necessary to her own
designs. She paused, then, and thought, considering, in the first place,
the opposing motives which led her this way and that, and afterward
asking herself whether she could not combine the two; whether it was not
possible to use the fact of this clandestine marriage in order to obtain
the king's signature to the edict, without ultimately separating the
hands of Bernard de Rohan and Isabel de Brienne. A few moments convinced
her that she could do so. The edict would, of course, annul their
marriage; but then she thought, "the great services of this young
cavalier, the friendship of Brissac, the support of Montmorency, the
father's written consent, will surely be enough to obtain for him
afterward the hand of this fair girl from the king himself; at least, my
management shall render these things sufficient;" and, trusting that it
would be so, she resolved upon that evil policy of employing bad means
in the hope of directing them to good results; a policy which has
seldom, if ever, yet failed to end in misery and ruin.
"What says the mother?" demanded the duchess, after this long pause.
"Oh, she says the same as myself, of course," replied the Lord of
Masseran.
"Of course!" replied the lady, her lip curling slightly as she spoke. "I
had forgotten! Is she in Paris?"
"She is here," replied the Lord of Masseran; "and not only ready, but
eager, to declare that this marriage has been against her will."
"Indeed!" said the duchess: "and the brother? There is a youth I have
seen about the court, a gay, thoughtless, high-spirited lad, who gained
some renown under this very Baron de Rohan: what says he to the
marriage?"
"Oh! he is too young and thoughtless," replied the Count de Meyrand. "He
has been asked nothing on the subject, though there is reason to fear,
we must not deny, that he would give his voice in favour of his old
companion."
"But one thing is clear and certain," added the Lord of Masseran. "His
consent was not asked to the marriage; therefore it was without his
approbation and against the mother's."
"So far so good," replied Diana of Poitiers. "Now mark me, gentlemen,
you must leave the whole conduct of this business to me; and if you
pledge yourselves to act exactly as I am about to dictate, I, on my
part, will pledge myself to obtain the promulgation of an edict
annulling this marriage within twelve hours from this time."
A glad smile lighted up the face of the Count de Meyrand. But the Lord
of Masseran asked in a low, sweet tone, "Pray what are the conditions,
madam?"
"These," replied the duchess at once. "And remember, gentlemen, that I
am one who will not be trifled with; so that, if you fail to perform
exactly your part, you shall find your whole schemes fall about your
heads, and perhaps crush you in the ruins thereof. The very moment that
I have obtained that edict, Monsieur de Masseran, without the loss of a
single hour, you shall depart from Paris, and set this young cavalier,
Bernard de Rohan, at liberty. Do not interrupt me! This is
indispensable. You can leave the marchioness behind. In the next place,
to guard against the evil consequences which I see you anticipate, you
shall engage the young Count of Brienne to set off instantly in search
of his sister, in order to bring her at once to Paris to the presence of
the king. You, Monsieur de Meyrand, shall not make the slightest attempt
to seek for her yourself, nor shall you at present quit Paris. But this
young gentleman, instructed that this edict annuls the clandestine
marriage, and is upon the very point of being signed, shall go as the
guardian of his sister's honour, and, at the same time, as the friend of
Monsieur de Rohan, to bring her safely back to the protection of her
mother and of his majesty. His own sense of what is right, under such
circumstances, will be a sufficient guarantee that he do not suffer his
sister to remain an hour with a man who is not her husband; and now--"
"But, madam," said the Count de Meyrand, "if you will pardon me for thus
rudely interrupting you, I would point out one slight obstacle to the
arrangement you propose, which renders it absolutely impossible, and may
make it expedient that I should go myself. Henry of Brienne is at
Grenoble, I understand."
"Well, then, sir," said the duchess, imperiously, "some one else must
go. _You_ must not! Were the other the lowest valet in my household, he
is more fit than you are to bring this lady to Paris."
The Lord of Masseran had remained silent till the duchess's answer was
made, but he then joined in the conversation again, in one of his
sweetest tones, saying, "The count is mistaken, dear madam; Henry of
Brienne is in Paris. He thought of going to Grenoble, but did not go. He
was with his sweet mother not an hour ago."
"Well, then, hear me!" said the duchess. "Do you undertake, Monsieur de
Meyrand, not to set out upon this search at all?" The count laid his
hand upon his heart, bowed with mock humility, and replied, "Who ever
yet resisted your commands? Nay, I am not jesting! I give you my
promise, madam."
"Then, my Lord of Masseran," continued the duchess, "all I have to say
is this: Wait here for five minutes till I write a note above. Give it
to Henry of Brienne: afford him every direction and hint for finding his
sister, and bringing her at once to Paris. As soon as he has set out,
come with your fair lady to the palace to offer your complaint regarding
this clandestine marriage to his majesty. I will take care that you
shall have an immediate hearing, and I pledge myself that the edict
shall be signed this night. To-morrow morning, at daybreak, you depart
alone, posthaste, to liberate Bernard de Rohan. Is it not so?" and she
fixed her keen eye firm upon him.
"It is, madam," replied the Lord of Masseran, better pleased at the
arrangement than she knew.
"As for you, Meyrand," she added, with a smile, "take my advice: come
also to the court, appear totally unconcerned in this whole business,
and press your suit upon the king, if you so please, when the edict is
signed."
"A woman's policy is always the best, madam," replied the count, "and in
this instance I shall follow it to the letter."
"I must now leave you," said the lady, "for I am already late. Wait here
for the note, and then let us to our several parts with all speed."
In less than the time that she had specified, a servant brought in an
open note, which contained these words:
"Diana, duchess of Valentinois, to Henry, count of Brienne,
greeting:
"These are to inform you that your sister Isabel de Brienne has
contracted a clandestine marriage with Bernard, baron de Rohan;
and that, inasmuch as this night an edict will be signed
annulling all marriages of the sort, it is absolutely necessary
to your own honour and to that of your sister that you should
immediately proceed to find and bring her to Paris till the
farther pleasure of the king be known. The Baron de Rohan
having been arrested the moment that the marriage was
celebrated, will be set at liberty immediately; but it is
requisite that you should prevent all communication between him
and your sister until it be authorized by his majesty."
The Lord of Masseran made no scruple of reading the contents and showing
them to the Count de Meyrand, who marked them with a smile, and adding,
"We must make quite sure of the youth, however," led the way from the
apartments of the duchess.