"Abusing the King, and forming schemes against the Government, are
called treason. It was not long before the treasonable practices of the
Marquis, and the bad company he kept, were made known to the King, who,
one night, without giving notice to anyone, sent certain persons with a
guard to seize the Marquis, and convey him to a strong castle in a very
distant part of France, where he was to be confined for life; at the
same time the King gave orders to seize all the Marquis's property for
his own use. It was one night in the spring, just after the Marquis's
wicked companions had taken their leave, that the persons sent by the
King rushed into the Marquis's house, and making him a prisoner in the
name of the King, forced him into a carriage, with his wife and son,
scarcely giving them time to gather together a little linen, and a few
other necessary things, to take with them: amongst these, Henri did not
forget his little Bible, and an old Book of Martyrs, which he had
bought at a bookstall a few days before.
"The Marquis and his family, well guarded, were hurried away so fast
that before the dawn of morning they were some miles from Paris. The
Marquis then asked the person who rode by the carriage where they were
taking him: they answered that his plots against the King had been
found out, and that he was going to be put into a place where it would
be out of his power to execute any of his mischievous purposes. On
hearing this, the Marquis broke out into a violent rage, abusing the
King, and calling him every vile name he could think of; after which he
became sullen, and continued so to the end of his journey. The
Marchioness cried almost without ceasing, calling herself the most
miserable of women, and wishing she had never seen the Marquis.
"At the end of several days, towards the evening, they entered into a
deep road between two high hills, which were so near each other that
from one hill the cottages and little gardens and sheepfolds, with the
cows and sheep feeding, might be plainly seen on the other. As they
went on farther, they saw a little village on the right hand among some
trees; and, above the village, a large old castle, with high walls and
towers, and an immense gateway with an iron gate.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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