The Works of Honoré de Balzac: About Catherine de' Medici, Seraphita, and Other StoriesBalzac, Honoré de
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The Works of Honoré de Balzac: About Catherine de' Medici, Seraphita, and Other Stories
Balzac, Honoré de
French fiction -- Translations into English
"How can we be reconciled to the Queen?" said the Cardinal.
"Wait till she quarrels with the Huguenots," said the Duchess.
The clashing interests of the House of Bourbon, of Catherine, of the
Guises, and of the Reformers produced such confusion in Orleans, that it
was not till three days after that the King's body, quite forgotten where
it lay, was placed in a coffin by obscure serving men, and carried to
Saint-Denis in a covered vehicle, followed only by the Bishop of Senlis and
two gentlemen. When this dismal little procession arrived at the town of
Etampes, a follower of the Chancellor de l'Hôpital attached to the hearse
this bitter inscription, which history has recorded: "Tanneguy du Chastel,
where are you? Yet you too were French!" A stinging innuendo, striking at
Catherine, Mary Stuart, and the Guises. For what Frenchman does not know
that Tanneguy du Chastel spent thirty thousand crowns (a million of francs
in these days) on the obsequies of Charles VII., the benefactor of his
family?
* * * * *
As soon as the tolling bells announced the death of Francis II., and the
Connétable de Montmorency had thrown open the gates of the town, Tourillon
went up to his hayloft and made his way to a hiding-place.
"What, can he be dead?" exclaimed the glover.
On hearing the voice, a man rose and replied, "_Prêt à servir_" ("Ready to
serve," or "Ready, aye ready"), the watchword of the Reformers of Calvin's
sect.
This man was Chaudieu, to whom Tourillon related the events of the last
week, during which he had left the preacher alone in his hiding-place, with
a twelve-ounce loaf for his sole sustenance.
"Be off to the Prince de Condé, brother, ask him for a safe-conduct for me,
and find me a horse," cried the preacher. "I must set out this moment."
"Write him a line then, that I may be admitted."
"Here," said Chaudieu, after writing a few lines, "ask for a pass from the
King of Navarre, for under existing circumstances I must hasten to Geneva."
Within two hours all was ready, and the zealous minister was on his way to
Geneva, escorted by one of the King of Navarre's gentlemen, whose secretary
Chaudieu was supposed to be, and who was the bearer of instructions to the
Reformed party in Dauphiné.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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