From this day forward, the French Ambassador hurried his journey as much as he had hitherto delayed it. The necessary rest was scarcely allowed to the horses, and they travelled night and day as if under the pressure of some political interest of weighty moment.
A grave and careworn expression had succeeded the usually gay and jovial air of the French Count; he spoke rarely, and only in answer to his daughter's questions. Although much fatigued, Richenza still assured her father that she was strong enough to go on; but, from time to time, she looked at the German noble, as if to say,--
"I bear all the annoyances of our journey, rather than be separated from you."
As they neared the French frontier, Erwin met several noblemen of his acquaintance; for Barbarossa had summoned all the spiritual and temporal princes to meet him at Laon. A great number had already arrived, and were encamped along the banks of the Saône.
Soon the towers of Laon, where Louis VII. held his court, began to stand out in bold relief upon the distant horizon. Crowds of horsemen and foot-passengers were pressing towards the city, and the road became more animated as they approached the gates. Numerous huts lined the causeway, offering refreshments at a moderate price; and citizens and soldiers were carousing gayly, under the trees.
Near the drawbridge, in a position to see all who passed, were seated, around a jug of wine, our three old acquaintances, Antonio, Pietro Nigri, and Cocco Griffi.
Pietro seemed much changed. His country's ruin had broken down his proud spirit, and he showed, in his features, the grief he so keenly felt. As to Cocco, he was always the same, and his attentions to the banquet made up for his companions' neglect.
"I came from Dôle yesterday," said Pietro; "all the houses are filled with knights, and you can see nothing anywhere but couriers and soldiers. King Louis will find out one of these days where Barbarossa will take him. If he does not intend to support the Emperor's tyranny, and become his vassal, these German savages will occupy the frontiers, and ravage the French territory with fire and sword, until Louis sues for mercy."
"You are a profound statesman, Pietro," said Antonio, with a laugh; "we are not there yet, and we will not be soon. I grant you that Barbarossa will do his best to frighten the king; but he will think twice before he attacks the allied powers of France and England."
"France and England, allied powers!" exclaimed Pietro. "I thought that the two kings had quarrelled?"
"Ask Pope Alexander if he agrees with you.
"I only know this much, that Alexander has hitherto taken great pains to bring about a reconciliation. But I also know, as every one else does, that Louis has threatened to give the Pope up to Barbarossa!"--
"Louis' threats are not serious," said Antonio. "He must yield to circumstances."
"Circumstances! To my thinking, they are not very favorable!"
"One must not tell all one knows," said Antonio, shrewdly.
"So much the better, if you know all the State secrets; as for me, I expect nothing good from the future. If France ever becomes a vassal of the Emperor, it is all over with the liberty of Italy."
"Come, friend Pietro, do not worry over these things. Think rather of the business which has brought you to France. Do you know what has become of Hermengarde? How did she receive you?"
"Very kindly; but she informed me of her betrothal."
"Count Erwin is certainly a good match; still, the affair may yet fall through.--Eh! what do I see? There he is!--Richenza is with him.--Look at the young Countess."
The brilliant retinue of the Count of Champagne was advancing through the midst of a crowd of admiring spectators. Richenza rode, at the head of the escort, between Rechberg and her father. Pietro glared at the young Count, with a muttered curse. Antonio turned his back, and only resumed his place when the clatter of the horses' hoofs had died away in the distance.
"Malediction on all whom the tyrant protects!" said Pietro, sullenly. "Shame on me, not to have killed him!" and he drank deeply.
"It is a good lesson, friend Pietro! you must profit by your chances, in future."
"I swear to revenge myself!" cried Nigri, scowling with hatred. "Let me only meet him in the plain, or elsewhere, and he will soon make the acquaintance of my sword."
"It would be much more simple to break off his marriage," sneered Antonio.
"Can you do that?" asked Pietro, eagerly. "Antonio, my life, my fortune are yours, if you can accomplish this!--But, alas! it is impossible!"
"And why so? I have my own plan, and I wish him to marry Richenza."
"Explain yourself, dear Antonio!"
"I will see Hermengarde, and tell her of the widely-spread reports of her betrothed's marriage with the beautiful and wealthy Countess of Champagne."
"Will she believe you?"
"And why not? I already see the effect which my revelation will produce on Hermengarde!"
"Excellently imagined, Antonio."
"We need skill and cunning. The only difficulty will be to procure, in proper time, the necessary proofs. But the Count of Champagne has his castle in the neighborhood of the city.--Hermengarde is not far distant.--Leave it to me."
During this conversation, Count Henry and his retinue moved towards the city. He had already dispatched a nobleman to the royal chancellor, Bishop Manasés of Orleans. On leaving the north gate, they came at once in sight of the castle, which was built upon an eminence overlooking the park which surrounded the hill.
The unhappy Duchess of Saxony gratefully accepted the Count's invitation to remain in his castle during her stay at Laon. It was there she retired with her protector, the only person who knew her secret, until he could accompany her to the papal court; for Alexander had not yet arrived at the town, but was residing in the celebrated Abbey of Cluny.
As soon as he reached his apartment, the lord of the castle hastened to change his costume. He was very uneasy, for the good understanding, reported to exist, between Alexander and king Louis, threatened to destroy the hopes held out to him by Rinaldo of increasing his possessions. Naturally he wished to be positively certain of the fact before presenting himself to his sovereign. No one could furnish more correct data than the Bishop Manasés, who, equally desirous of seeing the Count, hastened to the castle, accompanied by only two servants. Scarcely had Henry of Champagne perceived the horsemen, when he descended to the court-yard, and embracing the prelate with great cordiality, led him to his cabinet for a private interview.
Manasés, by the laxity of his conduct in ecclesiastical matters, had incurred the Pope's displeasure. Alexander did not deceive himself as to the possible consequences of his reprimands. He knew that the Bishop would endeavor to destroy the amiable relations existing between him and the feeble King of France; but the illustrious Pontiff had too exalted a regard for what he considered his duty, to allow himself to be influenced by any worldly considerations.
The exterior of the Bishop of Orleans was at once a mixture of the ecclesiastic and the man of the world. All his movements were stamped with a certain affected grace which was not at all natural to him. His dress was in no way different from that of other courtiers of rank, and the episcopal ring alone indicated his position. The cut of his hair, which he wore long and flowing in perfumed curls, did not conform to the canons, which enjoined that this luxury should be left entirely to the laity. His delicate moustache was turned up at the ends, whilst the chin and cheeks were closely shaved. A casual examination indicated that the prelate was inclined to the pleasures of the table.
"You have acted wisely," said Manasés, as soon as his host had related to him the result of his interview with Frederic; "you have acted wisely in disguising the principal point of your mission; above all, you have done well in not stating that yon were disposed to secede, with your domains, to the Emperor, in case Louis refused to ratify the contract."
"What does it matter! the contract is signed, attested, and must be observed," answered the Count. "Our King's gallantry cannot be used as a pretext to injure me. But how is it that Louis has so suddenly changed his intentions and become reconciled with Alexander?"
"I can scarcely explain it to myself. The Pope invited him to a conference, which, in spite of my remonstrances, took place at Montpeleier. It hardly lasted a half-hour, but it was sufficient to gain over the king. It seems as though he has enlightened him on the subject of Frederic's ambition; at least since then, Louis often speaks uneasily of the Emperor's warlike preparations and his hostile intentions towards France."
"Nothing is more apparent than Frederic's pretensions to universal empire," replied the Count, carelessly; "but what matters it? Great men have indisputable rights to take the lead of weaker princes."
"I see, my dear Count, that you have not lost your time at the Imperial Court," said the Archbishop, ironically; "still you will do well not to parade the result of your mediations at the Court of France. Few of the crown vassals would understand you."
"I will follow your advice. But I must avow that Frederic's views in all that concerns the Papacy do not seem right and proper. It is not so much Alexander's person that he hates, as the pontifical chair. It is not very Christian, and is very dangerous for the other States."
"You go too far, Count: Frederic hates only Alexander. He only wishes to humble the proud and inflexible prelate Roland, and we must aid him in the work. Yes," added Manasés, passionately, "this pious man has the most absurd ideas about bishops. He would like to turn them into monks and hermits, and shut them up in a cloister, that he may the more easily rule them. He has already published a bull about the length of the hair; soon, I suppose, he will give directions about the prelates' houses, their retinues, and their style of dress."
"Ah! I begin to understand: Alexander is too severe with the jovial prelates," said the Count, with a smile.
"Yes," replied Manasés, "and he will punish also the noble lords and counts who profit by every opportunity to get an award of some fragment of Church property! But enough on this subject.--As we have already agreed, the King must know nothing more than he knows already. Above all, conceal your personal arrangements with Barbarossa; that of itself would suffice to enrage him."
"Must he then not be informed of the determination which has been taken to bring Alexander before the Council, whether he will or not?"
"That must depend on circumstances. Let me act first; I will give you notice in due time. I will go to work at once. Come to the Court to-morrow."
"Why not to-day?" the Count asked.
"Because I must first prepare the King's mind. But be perfectly easy; you are wearied by this long journey and need rest.--Louis, you know, is very sympathetic in all bodily ailments."
"Very well, we understand each other perfectly. Farewell."
The Count accompanied the Chancellor to the courtyard, where the latter mounted his horse and rode over to meet the King.
At sunrise, Antonio was prowling about the vicinity of the Count of Champagne's castle. He passed the park-gates, and, cautious as a fox in search of his prey, concealed himself behind a clump of bushes near the court-yard, whence he could perceive what was going on in the building.
"Rechberg likes early walks," he said to himself. "I shall not have long to wait. If he only knew that Bonello's daughter is at an hour's distance from here, nothing could prevent him going to her at once. But as this interview would upset all my calculations, I must be prudent.--Good, there he is at last, with his head down, as if he were counting the pebbles on the road.--He is coming towards me as though I had called him!--Oh! your servant, my lord Count."
"Ah! is that you, Antonio? I imagined you were still in Pavia."
"It is my duty to be wherever the master of the world is."
"I do not understand your meaning."
"You have not heard then that Barbarossa, with all his troops, entered Dôle yesterday?"
"Indeed!"
"Your looks and your surprise rather indicate that you do not desire to join him there."
"I wish, Antonio, that it were possible to avoid this interview.--My troubles will begin--"
"I bring news of your betrothed.--I regret extremely that they are not more agreeable ones.--But who could imagine her capable of such a thing?--I would have suspected myself sooner."
"What do you mean to say?"
"You will need all your courage, but I must tell you the truth."
"Explain yourself!"
"Yesterday I met Pietro, who was once betrothed to Hermengarde."
"I beg your pardon, sir; Pietro never was her betrothed."
"Well, at any rate, he is now."
"Villain!" said Erwin, growing pale, and grasping his sword-hilt.
"Is this your idea of gratitude, my lord? Through interest for you, I communicate something of importance, and by way of thanks you seize your sword!--Farewell, Count!"
"Stop a moment!--Ah! what is this you tell me? Pardon my violence, but my heart is broken."
"Pietro himself has assured me that Hermengarde regrets her engagement to one who is related to the tyrant, the scourge of her country, the persecutor of the Church."
Rechberg was thunderstruck; he was unable to speak.
"Compose yourself, Count, and be a man! Perhaps Pietro has exaggerated."
"Oh! if I could only know the truth."
"I have some business to attend to, to-morrow, at La Flèche. Hermengarde is there, and I will announce to her your arrival at Laon. From her manner of receiving the news, her looks and actions, I can judge whether Pietro's assertions are true or false."
"Thanks, dear Antonio; I shall be greatly indebted to you for the service."
"Make yourself perfectly easy on this point, and trust to me."
"Where shall I hear from you?"
"Here; do not leave the castle until I see you again."
"The time will seem very long. Farewell."
Antonio hurriedly crossed the park in the direction of Laon. Pietro was waiting for him at the gate.
"Well, Antonio, what have you done?" he asked.
"He believed everything I told him.--He is so guileless. To-morrow you and I must go to La Flèche.--He sends me to see his betrothed."
"We will not speak of his arrival!"
"I shall simply state that Rechberg and the French Countess have come here together, and that report says they are to be married soon, as the Emperor urges the alliance, and Rechberg himself makes little opposition."
"She will never believe you."
"Perhaps not, at first; but she will begin to doubt, and I know how to change doubts into certainty."
"In what way?"
"You shall know in due time. Now you had better leave me, for we are near the palace-yard; but do not forget to-morrow at daybreak."
Antonio entered the court-yard, where he met the Count of Champagne on his way to see the Bishop, who was awaiting him in the King's antechamber.
"I have had a hard battle to fight, Count," said the prelate. "His Majesty is very uneasy about Barbarossa's military organizations. I warn you to be prepared for everything."
The Count seemed unconcerned.
"I have not acted without proper authority," he said; "your own letter gave me full powers."
"Certainly! shield yourself behind the instructions received from me; it will induce Louis to reflect on the past. Perhaps he is already ashamed of his conduct."
At this moment the King entered. The courtiers were interrupted, for Manasés had still much to tell the Count; but there was nothing to be done but to wait for a more favorable opportunity. Henry advanced towards his sovereign and then knelt and kissed his hand respectfully. The French prince, though naturally kind and generous, often allowed himself to be led away by evil counsellors. His frivolous and vacillating character made him the tool of parties who profited by their influence, to allure him to the commission of bad actions. But as soon as his spirit had regained its wonted calm, he at once rejected the advice and the decisions which had been suggested to him. This explains the continued series of weaknesses which marked his reign. His conduct towards Alexander III. was an exact reflex of his character, and at one time he was for, at another against him. A powerful faction had sprung up since His Holiness had declared the necessity of resisting the encroachments of the clergy, and of defending the Church against the disloyal nobility. At the head of this faction was Queen Adèle, the sister of the Count of Champagne, and a relative of the Antipope Victor, and every means was employed to picture to the king, in the most gloomy colors, the dangers which his kindness towards Alexander might entail upon the French monarchy. A strong argument was the inevitable peril of a war with Germany, and the prospect of an alliance between Frederic and Henry of England, the sworn enemy of France.
Louis understood the position, but the Pope was there, and he could not make up his mind to leave the Head of the Church without protection, or to give him up to his enemy Barbarossa.
On the other hand, Alexander's friends, comprising, with few exceptions, all the Episcopacy of France, were opposed to Frederic's plans, and proved to Louis that the Emperor only sought to humble the Pope, and to subjugate all the other sovereigns. The king was sufficiently clear-sighted to understand the truth of the statement, but he made a grave mistake in supposing that he could deceive his rival by diplomatic negotiations. The German troops, encamped on the very borders of France, revealed unmistakably the intentions of their leader, which greatly disturbed and annoyed the King; and as soon as the formalities of the reception were finished, his discontent became manifest.
"What is the meaning of this?" said he to the Count of Champagne; "what contract is this you have made with the Emperor? Who gave you unrestricted powers in this matter?"
"Your Majesty himself, by directing me, through your Chancellor, to conclude a treaty of alliance. Deign to assure yourself of the truth of my assertion, by examining this document."
"We regret our Chancellor's precipitation," replied the King, after a cursory glance at the letter. "He should not have countenanced, so hastily, an alliance hostile to the Holy Father."
"Allow me to remind your Majesty of what happened," said Manasés. "When Alexander, by his gross discourtesy, so gravely insulted the royal envoys, and when, in consequence, it was determined to break off all intercourse with him, I could not foresee that your generosity would so soon forget the outrage. My instructions to the Count contain nothing more nor less than the expression of your own will."
"You know perfectly well how to excuse yourself, my lord Bishop; the fault is entirely our own.--Let it be so! but this fault, the result of an unfortunate misunderstanding, must have no further consequences!"
Manasés bowed deprecatingly before his sovereign's displeasure, but an attentive spectator might have noticed the courtier's suppressed anger.
"But, Sire!" remarked the astonished Count of Champagne, "this treaty in no way affects your own royal prerogatives."
"Indeed!" said the King; "we are then free? We are not tied down to anything?"
"You are merely pledged to a personal interview with the Emperor, and to make Alexander be present."
"What is that you say?" cried the King, furiously. "Force Alexander to be present at an assembly which is to condemn him?--And I am to aid in this!--Is that in the treaty?"
"Yes, Sire," answered Henry.
"No! by all the saints, it shall not be!" exclaimed the monarch, with increased passion. "Shame on you, Count, for signing an agreement which dishonors us! The Head of the Church has sought refuge within our territory, and we are to act against him so disloyally?--We are to use violence to force him before a tribunal composed of the Emperor's creatures! No! by Saint Denis! we would sooner lose our crown and our life!"
The courtier waited until the storm had passed, and when the King had become more calm, he said,--
"Allow me, Sire; you make a grave mistake in this interpretation of the treaty. There is nothing said about violence. You are merely to use your influence to persuade Alexander to be present at the plenary council. If he be innocent, if he be the lawful Pope, he will be charmed with this opportunity of asserting his rights."
"Very good!--You have exceeded your powers, and the treaty is invalid. Alexander can do what he pleases; and we, whatever appears to us to be just and proper. Are we then nothing but the Emperor's vassals? Have we no longer liberty to act in accordance with our own ideas?"
"I repeat that the treaty in no way interferes with your supremacy," replied the Count of Champagne; "but what was I to do? The Emperor was on the point of concluding an alliance with England against you; ought I to have permitted such a contract to be signed?"
The King made no answer to this crafty observation of his courtier; but it was not without its effect, for it was the fear of this very alliance between Frederic and the English monarch, which had made him, in the first instance, open the negotiations.
"And how is Barbarossa preparing for our alliance?" asked Louis, who was seeking a new pretext for his ill-humor. "Is he not on our very frontiers, at the head of a powerful army? Is not that, of itself, a threat?"
As if in answer to the question, a loud flourish of trumpets rang out in the palace-yard.
"What is that?" said the King.
He approached the window. A troop of knights had halted before the palace, and a chamberlain came up to announce the arrival of Frederic's envoys.
The Chancellor Rinaldo and the Count Palatine Otho de Wittelsbach were at the head of the embassy which had been sent by Frederic to congratulate the French King. Whilst their retinue dispersed through the town, the marshal of the palace introduced the two German nobles into the royal apartments.
The reception-hall took up the entire length of the palace, and resembled a market-house, rather than a room, for the accommodation of persons of distinction. The bare walls were destitute of hangings, and ornamented only with trophies of arms, among which was a collection dating back to the time of the Franks. The sunlight dimly penetrated through the narrow loopholes; the ground was coarsely floored, and stone benches along the walls were the only furniture. The Count Palatine examined, with some curiosity, the armor, and particularly an ancient shield, which, it was said, had once be longed to Charlemagne. Rinaldo placed himself in the recess of a window where he could converse freely with the Count of Champagne. At last Louis appeared; he was richly dressed and followed by a numerous retinue of French nobles, among whom could be remarked his brother Henry, Archbishop of Rheims and primate of France,--a prelate of great distinction and a devoted adherent of Alexander III.
The monarch proceeded to the upper end of the hall, where he mounted a throne of carved oak, whose only value consisted in having once been used by the Emperor Charlemagne.
While the Count Palatine boldly approached the King, Rinaldo advanced with a profound obeisance, (his eye eagerly scanning the faces of the royal suite,) and remarked with uneasiness the presence of the venerable prelate. Louis acknowledged the Chancellor's obsequious homage by a simple wave of his hand, but his face wore a look of stern determination, which gradually gave way to one of attentive curiosity, as the Count of Champagne named the different persons composing the embassy.
Dassel noticed the surprise with which the King looked at him, and was flattered by it, while the Count Palatine Otho, cased in armor from head to foot, stared with utter unconcern at the monarch and his court.
Dassel at once brought into play all his crafty diplomatic science, and met the cold expression and indifferent manner of the sovereign with a coldness and indifference, if possible, more strongly marked. After a brief compliment, he broached the subject of the treaty.
"We bear to your Majesty," he said, "the friendship and best wishes of our sovereign lord and master, the Emperor. Your Majesty is aware of the grave concern which the important affair of the election of a Pope has caused him; and he is rejoiced at being able to come to some understanding with you, by which the schism may be arrested before it can spread itself through all Christendom. From all that can be learned up to the present moment, the only means of securing the peace of the world is by the assembling of a general council. The princes of Europe will be present, together with all the bishops of the Empire; and it is hoped that your Majesty will call to it the French prelates. The two Popes should appear, and each present his respective claims for the consideration of the solemn conclave. The wisdom of the council can then definitely settle the question. The Emperor trusts that you are as anxious as himself to give peace to the Church, and that you will aid him to the utmost of your ability."
"We thank the Emperor for his kind wishes," replied the King, "and our desires are the same, but we do not agree upon the means to be used. The right to assemble a plenary council does not belong to temporal princes, but to the Pope alone. We will never allow ourself to encroach upon the privileges of the Head of the Church; the French prelates are very strict in their observance of the canonical rules, and would scarcely notice our invitation. Besides, the ecclesiastical statutes forbid any layman, even though he be a sovereign prince, to have a vote in a plenary council. The bishops only can take part in their proceedings and deliberations."
"Allow me to observe," answered Dassel, "that the Roman Emperor is the born protector of the Church, and has always had the right of convoking a plenary council; consequently, Frederic's pretensions are not original with him. His intention is, by no means, to take part in the deliberations, but simply to be present as a spectator. Besides, my mission now is only to congratulate your Majesty, and inquire when and where an interview can take place with the Emperor."
This request was embarrassing; Louis scarcely ventured to refuse, and yet he dreaded the results of the meeting.
"Certainly, my lord Chancellor," he said, "we ardently desire an interview with your noble sovereign in order to renew our ancient friendship; but we fear lest it be interpreted in a manner entirely opposed to our present intentions."
"And in what might this erroneous interpretation consist?" asked Dassel, in his most submissive tone.
"I might be supposed to agree with the Emperor in his intention to depose Pope Alexander."
"But I scarcely think that judgment would be a false one," replied the Chancellor, smiling.
"What! you think, my lord, that we are capable of such an impious crime?" exclaimed Louis, who was astonished at Rinaldo's assurance.
"To keep one's solemn promise is not a crime, but a duty."
"Yes, when our envoys have not exceeded their powers," replied Louis, quickly. "The Count of Champagne had no authority whatever to pledge himself for us to take part against the Head of the Church."
The blood rushed to the Count of Champagne's face, and his lips moved convulsively, but he said nothing.
"Your Majesty is pledged only to a personal interview with the Emperor. The non-fulfilment of this promise would be a grave outrage. If you refuse, the Emperor will keep his engagements, and come in person with all his retinue."
This threat produced a marked effect upon the French nobles. The King hesitated a moment, but before he could reply, the Duke of Burgundy exclaimed,--
"If this be a menace, my lord Chancellor, you may tell your master that we will receive him and his followers as they deserve!"
"Let us have no violence, my dear Duke," said Louis. "We have already told you that we are ready to accept the Emperor's invitation, and have never had any intention of insulting him. Let him appoint the place and time for our meeting; we will be there."
If this were a trick to gain time, Dassel was prepared for it, and answered immediately,--
"Since your Majesty leaves everything to the Emperor's discretion, Frederic will expect you at the bridge over the Saône, on the 29th of this month."
Louis had no further excuse, and the Count of Dassel having terminated his mission, left the city after partaking of a banquet. The King's indecision, or rather his unexpected determination, amazed the Imperial faction. The Count of Champagne went to his sister's apartments, while Bishop Manasés paced the room in great agitation.
"Cluny reconciled to Alexander!" he exclaimed; "the primate at the Court and Louis more undecided than ever! All that is wanting to assure our defeat, is an arrangement between the King and Henry of England. If Alexander succeed, there will be nothing for us to do, but bow down and submit to severe ecclesiastical penances. There is no time to lose. I must act at once, and see that the news of the divorce of Henry the Lion reaches the Pope's ear;--this repudiated princess must be sent to Cluny. Alexander will be exasperated, and our nobles will learn what is to be feared from the Pope's severity. The spirit of opposition once aroused, court hatred will do the rest. Send my spy to me immediately!" he cried, opening the door.
The order had scarcely been given, when Antonio appeared.
"I have not yet had time to reward your services. For the present, take this;" and the Bishop handed Antonio a purse, which the latter put in his pocket, with a smile.
"Thank you, my lord; can my limited intelligence be again useful to your policy?"
"We shall see, Antonio; you promised to bring about Richenza's marriage with this cousin of the Emperor, and so far I can see very slight progress in the affair, although it appears that the young man is still an inmate of her father's castle. If Louis were even to suspect this project, it would be all over with the Count of Champagne, for the alliance is inimical to the interests of France."
"I confess, my lord, that so far I have been unsuccessful. But it is not my fault. The Count of Champagne himself----"
"You do not understand me; the Count desires to remain neutral; it is your business to arrange it. Rechberg is already betrothed, you tell me, and his future wife is in the neighborhood.--Come, Antonio, you should be able by some clever piece of rascality, to destroy all their projects; I trust that you will succeed."
Manasés paused, and then after making a few steps in the room, resumed,--
"The Duchess Clemence is secretly staying at the castle."
"Yes."
"She must go to Cluny to-morrow; you will accompany her."
The order disconcerted Antonio, who had proposed visiting Hermengarde on the ensuing day, in company with Pietro.
"I am ready to obey you, my lord," he replied, after a moment's reflection.
"When you are at Cluny," continued Manasés, "keep your ears and eyes open; let nothing escape you. Watch, above all, the prelates who reside there, and see upon what terms Henry and Alexander appear to be. Mingle with the servants of the house, for you must know every nook and corner in it, and the vassals will suspect nothing."
"You will be satisfied with me, my lord."
"But, take care, the Italian roads are infested with banditti, and Clemence cannot travel without an escort."
"You need have no apprehension on that score; the best sword in Germany will accompany her."
"Who will it be?"
"Erwin of Rechberg."
"Very good; he will then leave the castle. But are you sure of him?"
"Perfectly. Rechberg is a valiant knight: if it be necessary, I will tell him her name, and that will be sufficient for him to consider it a duty not to leave her until she is at her journey's end."
"Antonio, be active, faithful, and discreet, and you will lose nothing. Now go; invent some pretext to hasten your departure."
Antonio found the Duchess ready, but Erwin was not to be found; he had gone, early in the morning, to the Imperial camp, and thither the spy went to look for him.
The Count of Champagne had secured the cooperation of a more powerful ally than the Bishop of Orleans. His sister Adèle, as we have already stated, was Queen of France. The indecent haste with which this marriage had been consummated--within a fortnight after the death of Queen Constance--joined to the general absence of affection that he had shown for his deceased wife, had excited the indignation of the people against the King, while the new alliance had created for him many new enemies, not the least formidable of whom was the King of England.
Adèle exercised an immense influence over her husband. She was a relative of the Antipope Victor, whose cause she warmly espoused, and, consequently, did all in her power to further an alliance between Louis and Barbarossa. Pope Alexander, on the contrary, was odious to her, on account of his opposition to her marriage, and his threats of excommunication. After a long interview with her brother, she repaired to the King's apartments. Louis was seated in a high-backed chair, his head resting upon his hands, his eyes cast down, and his whole face bearing an expression of anger and uneasiness.
"Adèle," said the monarch, perceiving his young wife, "since Alexander is in France, I have not had an hour of repose."
This remark (à propos to the very subject which interested the Queen most) gave Adèle the opportunity of exerting her influence for her relatives, and to gratify her revenge towards Alexander; and she said,--
"You have the power, Sire, to send the cause of your uneasiness out of France."
"The wish certainly, but not the power."
"Are you then no longer master in your own kingdom?"
"Circumstances are stronger than my will. I cannot show myself hostile to Alexander, without alienating from me the majority of the prelates. Besides, he is our guest, and the supreme chief of Christendom."
"You cannot be forced to observe the laws of hospitality towards one who has brought trouble under your roof."
"Oh, my dear!" said the King; "we are scarcely at that point yet."
"I know it; but matters are still in a very unfortunate position," said Adèle, with an expression of discouragement. "If the support which you give to Alexander satisfies the prelates, it displeases the great vassals of the crown."--This observation was just.
"The Emperor at the head of a powerful army, is already on our frontiers; Henry of England is mustering his troops in the North. Who, except your vassals, can extricate France from her peril? Can Alexander help you in any way against the dangers which you incur on his account?"
"Honor and duty enjoin on our vassals to answer our summons; do you think they would hesitate to obey?" said Louis.
"The situation is perhaps more critical than you imagine, Sire. If you destroy the contract made with the Emperor, if you protect Alexander, Barbarossa will cross the frontier at once. All will desert your cause, even my brother."
She hid her face in her hands, and wept bitterly.
"What is that you say, Adèle?" exclaimed the King. "Is it, as we hope, merely anxiety which makes you speak thus, or have you really any knowledge of such treachery?"
"My dear husband, be prepared for the worst! Yes, the Count Henry of Champagne and Troyes, the most powerful of your vassals, has promised to go over to the Emperor, if you violate a single article of the treaty which he signed."
"What do you say, madam?" cried Louis, angrily.
"He confessed it to me secretly. In spite of my prayers and my tears, he has sworn to keep his oath."
"Ah! the villain, the caitiff!" he cried, pacing the room. "By Saint Denis! we will arrest and imprison the traitor."
"It is too late, dear husband. The Count has left the Court."
"What! has the wretch retired to his castle?"
The last question was dictated less by anger than by anxiety.
"No; he has gone to the Court of the Emperor."
"Doubtless to receive there the price of his perfidy! Oh, the villain!"
"He has even intimated," continued Adèle, who was endeavoring to alarm the King,--"that other vassals of the crown were inclined to follow his example. 'We prefer,' said he to me, 'to bear allegiance to a free and independent Emperor, than to obey a vassal of the Pope."
"Where do I stand?" cried Louis, sadly, and giving way to all the indecision of his character; "rebellion against the throne, rebellion against the Church, surrounded by traitors in my own palace!"
"The danger is near and threatening. But you have the power to ward off the blow," said Adèle.
"I have the power: I? Has not your brother already left the Court? will not the other traitors follow him? Will they not, perhaps to-morrow, rise in rebellion against their sovereign? Oh! I perceive their treasonable plan; it is skilfully organized."
"You exaggerate, Sire," hastily added the wily princess. "It is possible that my brother may return to-morrow. In that case, you will do well to dissemble your anger.--He must not suppose that you suspect his hostile designs."
"My dearest friends, my own family rebel against me!" said Louis, with emotion. "I see in it the finger of God. For years past, I have trampled underfoot the commandments of the holy Church,--the wrath of Heaven is let loose against me!"
"Do not despair," resumed Adèle; "seek rather to avoid the storm; but lose no time, for events are urgent. Only observe the treaty which he has signed in your name, and my brother will be faithful to you, against all the world."
"But I have agreed to the interview, and yet the traitor has gone!"
"You refused to influence Alexander to appear before the council."
"Am I the Pope's sovereign? Is it my place to give orders to the Head of the Church?"
"You can invite him, you can act on him by friendly representations; in a word, you can fulfil the letter of the treaty without in any way violating your conscientious scruples."
Adèle easily reassured her husband. The Archbishop Peter of Tarantasia, a well-known prelate, whose reputation for sanctity extended beyond the frontiers of France, was at that moment present at the Court, and it was determined to select him as the most suitable person to influence the Pope.
He was at once summoned to the royal presence, and soon afterwards made his appearance. The calmness of the noble old man was in striking contrast with Louis' emotion, and his whole person the most severe rebuke to the prelates of the Court. The Archbishop wore a cassock of coarse cloth, without embroidery, fastened at the waist with a belt. His bald head had merely a crown of curly white hair, and his long beard falling upon his breast gave him a venerable mien. Extreme age and the practice of austerity, had bent his body, but his eyes still glowed with a divine light, and his face was a happy mingling of sweetness and Christian charity.
"Welcome, holy prelate!" cried Louis, advancing hastily to meet him.
He explained his situation, and continued,--
"And now tell me, father, am I not as wretched as King David when he was pursued by Absalom? The Count of Champagne is my own wife's brother."
"I have long known the crafty arts of the Imperial Court, and the skill with which it has led away others in its train," replied Peter. "The Count Henry has been tricked. He swore to execute a treaty whose results he could not foresee. We must seek a way by which his oath to Barbarossa may not be violated."
"Can you conceive of any other means of escape from this difficulty than that of inviting the Pope to attend the council?"
"I perceive none other at present; I must reflect."
"But there is not a moment to be lost; who can tell whether my refusal is not really what Frederic desired; if he will not gladly profit by this opportunity of allying himself with Henry of England against France? He is on our very frontiers, ready for the struggle."
"Unfortunately we must dread everything from one who persecutes the Church."
"It is on this account, worthy prelate, that I implore you to go, as my ambassador, to His Holiness; assure him of my respect, of my fidelity; tell him that circumstances over which I have no control, and not my own free will, have obliged me to invite him to the council."
"There is nothing in this invitation which can be blamed if it be suitably presented," said the Archbishop, after a moment's reflection. "There is no doubt of your Majesty's sentiments towards the Holy Father, and I will gladly undertake to deliver your message.
"God be praised!" answered Louis, joyfully; "you have relieved my heart of the heavy weight which oppressed it."
"Well," said the aged prelate, "inform the Emperor immediately, that, in execution of the treaty, you have invited His Holiness to be present at the council. I feel almost positive that Alexander cannot consistently go there; but you have saved appearances; the Count of Champagne will see that his promise has been complied with, and your enemies will have no further pretext to seek your ruin."
"God speaks by your mouth, father, and I will follow your advice."
"I go to prepare for my journey; may God preserve your Majesty."
"Do not leave me thus; give me your blessing, father," said the King, kneeling as he spoke.
The Archbishop, without manifesting the least emotion, raised his eyes and hands to Heaven, prayed for a few moments in a low tone, then stretching out his right hand, he said with a loud voice, "Benedictio Dei omnipotentis descendat super te et maneat semper."
"Amen!" responded the King, who rose and accompanied the prelate to the door of the apartment.