The Huguenot: A Tale of the French Protestants. Volumes I-IIIJames, G. P. R. (George Payne Rainsford)
General
The Huguenot: A Tale of the French Protestants. Volumes I-III
James, G. P. R. (George Payne Rainsford)
Huguenots -- Fiction
The carriage drew up just opposite the drawbridge, and the officer
getting out, left his prisoner in charge of the two musketeers, and
went forward to speak to the officer on guard at the gates. To him he
notified, in due form, that he had brought a prisoner, with orders
from the King for his incarceration; and the carriage, was kept for
some time standing there, while the officer on guard proceeded to the
dwelling of the governor, to demand the keys of the great gates. When
he had obtained them and returned, the doors were opened; the guard
was turned out under arms; the great drawbridge let down; the bell
which communicated with the interior of the building rung; and the
vehicle containing the Count, slowly rolled on into the outer court,
called the Cour du Gouvernement.
There the carriage paused, the governor of the prison having expressed
his intention of coming down to receive the prisoner from the hands of
the officer who brought him: otherwise, the carriage would have gone
on into the inner court. A short pause ensued, and at length the
well-known Besmaux was seen approaching, presenting exactly that
appearance which might be expected from his character; for the traits
of debauchery, levity, and ferocity, which distinguished his actual
life, had stamped themselves upon his countenance in ineffacable
characters.
"Ah, good day, Monsieur de Morseiul," he said, as the door of the
carriage opened, and the Count descended. "Monsieur de Cantal, your
very humble servant. Gentlemen, both, you had better step into the
Corps de Garde, where I will receive your prisoner, Monsieur de
Cantal, and read the letters for his detention."
Thus saying, with a slow and important step he walked into the
building, seated himself, called for pen and ink, and a light, and
then read the King's letter for the arrest and imprisonment of the
Count de Morseiul.
"Monsieur de Louvois is varying these letters every day," he said;
"one never knows what one is doing. However, there stands the King's
name, and that is quite enough; so, Monsieur de Morseiul, you are
welcome to the Bastille. You are to have our great liberties, I
suppose. I must beg you to give me your sword, however, and also every
thing you have about your person, if you please; letters, papers,
money, jewels, and every thing else, in short, except your seal, or
your signet ring, which you keep for the purposes about to be
explained to you."
With very painful feelings the Count unbuckled his sword, and laid it
down upon the table. He then gave up all the money that he possessed,
one or two ordinary papers of no import, and the other usual articles
of the same kind, which are borne about the person. The note which he
had received from Clémence in the morning, he had luckily destroyed.
While this was doing, the governor continued to write, examining the
different things that he put down before him, and he then said, "Is
this all, Sir?"
"It is," replied the Count, "upon my word."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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