Henry of Guise; or, The States of Blois (Vol. 3 of 3)James, G. P. R. (George Payne Rainsford)
General
Henry of Guise; or, The States of Blois (Vol. 3 of 3)
James, G. P. R. (George Payne Rainsford)
Guise, Henri, duc de, 1550-1588 -- Fiction
"He is to be found," said Orbi, "in the great house by the church of
St. Sauveur. I remember him well, for when your mother fled out of
Rome before you were born, and was glad to get what assistance she
could, she sent me three times back into the city to speak with the
Abbé of Laurans, as he was then called."
"And what is he called now?" exclaimed Ignati eagerly. "What is he
called now?"
"He is called the Abbé de Boisguerin," replied the man, "or the
Seigneur de Boisguerin, as it now is."
"Then I have seen him," cried Ignati. "Then I have seen him; and he
called her----" But the boy suddenly checked himself, "And now, what
is it you want here?" he said.
"No harm, Master Ignati," replied the man, with a look half sneering,
half dogged. "You seem as grateful as any one else, and as soon as you
get all you want, you turn upon one. I suppose you are waiting for
your young master coming back from some gay revel, for the whole place
seems as silent as if every body were gone to bed but you."
"Oh, no," answered Ignati. "There are six of the Duke's men sitting up
in the next room; and all I fear is, that the gentlemen who are with
the Duke himself should come out and find you here."
"Then, I suppose, your master is with them," said the Italian.
The boy smiled. "My master is with them," he said, "for my master is
the Duke of Guise; but if you mean the young Count who took me from
you, he has been gone to bed an hour ago. Ay, Master Orbi, and has two
stout men sleeping across his door. I hav'n't forgot that he struck
you a blow one day; nor you either, it seems."
"You are out there, Sharp-wits," said the Italian. "I bear the boy no
grudge. I got his money, if he gave me a blow into the bargain; so we
are quits."
"I doubt you," muttered Ignati to himself; but the man went on without
attending to him, saying, "No, no; what I came for really, if you want
to know, was to give a letter to a young lady here, from an old
gentleman at the other side of the castle. Here it is! Ma'mselle de
Clairvaut is the name."
"Ay, she is gone to bed long ago too," replied the page. "Let me look
at the letter."
"It is of no great consequence, I believe," replied the Italian, who
fancied the letter a mere pretext. "It is of no great consequence; all
about a Persian cat, I believe. So you may take it and give it her
to-morrow, if she is gone to bed now. There it is. But how is it you
are not with the young Count now? The Duke of Guise!--Page to the Duke
of Guise! Why, that is a step, indeed!"
"Hush!" cried Ignati, hearing the door of the Duke's cabinet open
behind the arras. "Hush! get you gone with all speed! They are coming
out; and if they find you here, I would not answer for your ears, or
my own either."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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