CHAPTER VI.

It was not till we had placed several miles between us and the enemy that the good merchants felt at all satisfied of their security; and they pursued their way with a degree of eagerness which soon brought us into the midst of the sandy tracks in the neighbourhood of Cheperiers. We then came to the banks of a little stream, the name of which I forget; and, as the women and children were now evidently much tired, I assured good Master Vern that there was no farther danger, at least from those who had already attacked him; and, dismounting from our horses upon the banks of the stream, we let the beasts crop the scanty herbage, while we prepared to repose and refresh ourselves from a good store of provisions which the traders had brought with them from the inn. The faces of the women and children were still somewhat pale, both from fear and fatigue, and Martin Vern and his companion looked grave and thoughtful, as I imagined, from the risk their property had just run.

Young Martin, however, who had been as far forward in our little fray with the enemy as if he had been armed with steel from head to foot, looked not a little proud of his exploits, especially as somehow, I do not very well know how, he had got a sharp gash upon the forehead, which bled a little, and promised to leave a military mark upon him that he was not likely easily to get rid of. Seeing the two elder merchants standing apart, busily talking to each other, I advanced to the young man, and, shaking hands with him, complimented him highly upon his courage and promptitude. He grasped my hand again, but said nothing that was audible, while the colour came up bright into his cheek, and he looked confused as well as gratified.

Ere I had well concluded what I had to say, however, Master Vern and his companion came up; and the former took my hand, saying, "Permit me to touch your hand, seigneur, and to offer you my very best thanks for saving us all this day. The landlord of the inn at Cubzac informed us this morning that we might well trust to you; but we poor merchants, going on business from one part of the kingdom to another, are forced in these troublous times to be so careful, that sometimes prudence acts the part of imprudence, and, by refusing to trust when we ought, we do ourselves as much harm as by trusting when we ought not."

Not knowing very well where his harangue was about to lead him, and never having been particularly fond of thanks of any kind, I took the first opportunity of replying, that what I had done was a mere nothing, a piece of common humanity; and I added, laughing, "To-day's adventure, good sir, should teach you Catholics to treat us poor Protestants somewhat better than you do; for here you have been attacked, though unarmed, and would doubtless have been plundered by your own party, while you have been defended by Protestants only because you were unoffending people."

"Oh, sir," said both the merchants at once, "we are not the sort of Catholics you take us for. We look upon the Protestants just as much like brethren as they do each other. We see no reason why any man should be condemned for worshipping God in his own way."

"There are many sorts of Catholics in France, sir," continued Martin Vern; "and those who call us _Politics_ well deserve the name themselves, for their religion is all a matter of politics together. But, however, we are no enemies to the Protestants; for I am even now going to the camp of the Prince de Condé, to treat with him on my own part, and that of my good friend Solomon Ahar, concerning some stores and other matters that he requires."

"Indeed!" I said, with some surprise; "Then I am certainly the more glad that I have rendered you this little service."

"The Prince de Condé will be glad too, sir," replied the merchant; "and I shall take care that he knows to whom it is owing. I think the aubergiste told me your name was Monsieur Cerons. But all such professions of gratitude I know are vain; and my companion and myself have agreed to beg your acceptance of this purse of fifty crowns for the service that you have already rendered us, promising you the same sum if you will kindly conduct us in safety to the camp of the prince."

Heaven knows that I was as poor as might be; that I calculated upon my sword as my sole means of fortune, and that I could never have gained any little sum in a more honest or honourable way. But yet it went against me to take the man's money, and I had to think two or three times before I could bring myself to resolve upon so doing. The merchant saw my situation, and, not knowing how inexperienced I was in such matters, attributed it to a wrong cause.

"We would offer you more, sir," he said; "but the fact is, the speculation on which we are going is a very uncertain one. We cannot gain much, but we may lose much. Otherwise--"

"Think not of that, think not of that," I said; "I was only hesitating whether I should take your money at all. Nor would I do so, but the fact is, I am but a soldier of fortune, Monsieur Vern, and am now trying to raise a troop with but small means of doing so. If I take the money at all, therefore, it is for the purpose of increasing my number as I go along, which will add to your own security. Of the fifty pieces that you offer me, I shall give ten to each of the men, and will employ the other thirty in recruiting my numbers, if I can meet with any likely men either at Jonsac or Barbezieux. The other fifty will depend upon whether we guide you well and rightly, and that I shall take without hesitation, as that to which I feel some right."

"You shall have deep thanks and gratitude into the bargain," replied the merchant; "and, although you gentlemen of the sword do not value much the good will or services of us traders, occasions do happen sometimes when, according to the old fable, the mouse can help the lion."

He held the purse in his hand, and certainly his words were calculated to make the acceptance of it palatable to me; yet I felt my cheek grow hot as I took it, and I looked round towards the women and children and the rest of the party, as if to see whether they were looking at me.

In the mean while, Andriot and Moric Endem had been aiding the merchant's wife and the women-servants to lay out the provisions on the banks of the stream and, with all the facility of an old soldier. Moric had cast down his steel cap, and was busily arranging the whole, with many a dry jest between, and merry looks and careless laughter, which made the women and the children soon forget the terror that had seized them, and prevented them from even perceiving the extraordinary ugliness of their gallant defender.

A huge cold capon, which he instantly christened "Monseigneur," was placed in the midst of the little circle; manifold eggs were arranged neatly around; various stores of salted provisions, chopped tongues, lard and sausages, were spread out by his hands, with more taste than one might have expected; and at length came two huge bottles of wine, which he called the king and queen, with various attendants, for each of which he had a name.

As we took our all places around, however, it was discovered suddenly that the eggs, which were to form no inconsiderable part of the meal, had not been cooked.

"We could soon cook them," cried Andriot, "for there's wood in the world in the neighbourhood; but where are we to find wherewithal to cook them in!"

"You get the wood, you get the wood, scapegrace," cried Moric; "run up the hill and get the wood. You show how long you have been a soldier. Don't you know that every man-at-arms carries a kettle on his head and a frying-pan on his stomach? Get ye gone, and come back speedily, and leave the cooking to me."

"Now we will put him in a fright for his polished morion," continued Moric, after the youth had gone, at the same time collecting some dry sticks and grass that lay about, and striking a light. "Susanne, my pretty one," he continued, to one of the little girls, "I see some branches lying there: go and fetch them, while I blow the fire up."

And, using his mouth for a pair of bellows, he had contrived to kindle a strong flame by the time that Andriot and the girl had returned. "Now, Andriot," he went on, "take off your morion, there's a good youth; fill it with water out of the stream, and you shall see that we will boil the eggs in a minute."

"Had I not better take yours, Master Moric?" said the young man, looking somewhat ruefully at him.

Moric burst into a loud shout of laughter, in which all the rest of the party joined. "Come, come," cried Moric, "since thou art stingy of thy morion, Andriot, we will roast the eggs, though it is a difficult task, and not to be undertaken by any but an old woman or an old soldier.

"SONG.

"There's an art in routing of eggs, there's an art in roasting of eggs; And he who would run before he can walk, must first learn to use his legs."

Thus sung Moric Endem, in a tolerably good voice, as he laid the eggs in order among the hot wood-ashes. There was something very contagious in the gay, careless merriment which my new follower displayed, and I never beheld a meal pass more cheerfully than did ours of that day, by the banks of the little stream. Moric's eggs proved to be excellent; and of the wine, which was excellent also, he was permitted, in recompense, to have his full share. It had no perceptible effect upon him, however; more cheerful it could not make him, and his head was a great deal too well seasoned to the juice of the grape for his faculties to be disturbed by it.

Before we rose to go on our way, however, I produced the purse which I had received from the merchant, and bestowed ten crowns from it upon the old soldier, with the like sum upon Andriot. The eyes of both glistened not a little at the treasure they had so rapidly acquired; and the old soldier, starting up, drew me on one side, saying,

"That puts me in mind of something. Now, monseigneurs, I have got some plunder, you know, to divide, which came out of that fellow's saddle. We have said nothing yet about the way we intend to divide what we get; but I will tell you what I saw tried in the last war, and which is the best plan; namely, this, that everything which is brought in is given up to the captain. Every week it is divided among the whole band, the number of lots being just one more than the band, including the captain. He has two lots, and every other man one. That makes each man do his best for the whole, and see that others do the best too; and the captain, who has a great many things to pay, and to do for us all, has something to do it with, and a little more. Ransoms, however, and compositions, and such things, are, of course, regulated differently, according to the laws of arms, and each man keeps his own. Also, of any plunder taken in a general battle, you know, a part goes to the leader whose cornet we fight under; but only be sure, in making terms with the general, that you get his authority for dealing with your own men according to your own way, and bind yourself as little as you can to the laws and regulations of other people."

"Somewhat freebooting advice, Master Moric," I replied, "though not bad in some respects. But, nevertheless, you must remember that I have honour and glory to gain, and to make a name for my band too, as well as to gain money and plunder."

"The one's the way to do the other," replied Moric. "Your way to get honour and renown for yourself and your band is to fight like a lion, and make your men fight; and, depend upon it, every one fights ten times as well when he thinks he is to get something for it, as when he thinks that everything he takes is to be shared with the whole army."

There was some reason in what the man said, and I then proceeded to consult him in regard to obtaining some new recruits as speedily as possible.

"Oh! we shall find some at Jonsac," he said, "No doubt of it! The people are arming all over the country, and few have yet taken service with any one. All the daring fellows that are ready to eat fire and brimstone served up hot out of a cannon's mouth, will choose some free band such as ours, depend upon it, and we shall have our share, though it's a pity you are not better known among the old soldiers. However, my face will do you some good. People don't forget it when once they have seen it; and the task of guarding these merchants will have its effect too, for the men will think that there's something to be gained at least, which is true too."

"Why, for that matter," I said, "you may give each known man that you can meet with a couple of crowns as earnest, and promise them two more at the end of our journey."

"Then we are safe enough, then we are safe enough!" cried Moric. "We shall have plenty of men, depend upon it, and good men, too. There's nothing like a bird in the hand--one of these yellow birds, I mean. Why four crowns certain, to begin with! Four golden crowns! That is enough to buy a Protestant count or a Catholic archbishop at any time. But we had better not increase the band too much at first, sir; for if you go with too many, you will either not save room for many of the best men that we find straying about the camp, or else you'll have the troop so large that some one of the leaders will be for having you under his command altogether."

"Why, from your account, Moric," I said, "it seems to me that every one does very much what he likes in the camp, whether he be under command or not."

"There's some truth in that, sir," replied the man. "There's much truth in that. Every man in the Protestant army does what he likes; for, receiving no pay from any one but such as some of the lords give their own men, no one has a right to say to another, do this or do that, and it only happens every now and then that this sweet prince or that charming general hangs one or two of his beloved volunteers, just to prove that his authority is what it is not, and that he has some power, when, in reality, he has none. Then among the Catholics it is even worse; for, though they have the right, and the power too, if they choose to exert it, yet every lord has his own will and his own way; and from the king down to the valet, every one is afraid of offending the man below him, and driving him to sing psalms in French instead of Latin. But, at the same time, it is just as well to have good authority for what one does; and a man who comes fresh to offer his services, with ten or a dozen stout troopers at his back, may make what bargain he likes, and the best bargain is the freest."

While this conversation and some more of a similar nature passed between myself and Moric Endem, the merchants and their train were preparing to pursue their journey, saddling their beasts, gathering together various portions of their goods and chattels, which had been unpacked to arrive at the provisions, and placing the women and children on the horses destined to carry them.

I and my two followers mounted speedily to accompany them; and, when everything was ready, we set out together, I entering now into my first employ in arms as the guard and protector of a party of rich merchants. I believe I fulfilled the task pretty well, and did not suffer my inexperience to appear, at least to the eyes of any one but Moric Endem. He, however, in the presence of our new companions, showed the utmost deference to his leader; and a little incident which happened at Jonsac tended, perhaps, to increase his respect fully as much as the promptitude with which I had turned upon the enemy in the morning.

We had arrived towards nightfall, and, sitting down in the public room of the inn as usual, found at the other end of the table a somewhat noisy and excited party of soldiery, that little town being then entirely in the hands of the Protestants, and the inhabitants being very generally arming to support the Admiral and the Prince de Condé. Those who were at the end of the table were evidently raw to the service, and of the very useful class of _pedescaux_ or foot soldiers. One or two of them, also, seemed to have drunk a sufficient quantity of wine to make them insolent. Taking upon myself the place that my rank, both as a gentleman and as the leader of the whole party, entitled me to, I advanced at once to the top of the table, and, placing myself there, arranged the merchants and their families on either side; and, to guard as well as possible against any annoyance, I told Moric Endem to place himself at the end of the line on one side, and Andriot on the other.

My precaution proved not in vain; for, after eying us for a few moments, the conversation of the soldiery at the other end of the table evidently turned upon us, and a great deal of laughter and jesting took place, which made the colour come and go in the merchants' cheeks. We had fallen well upon the hour of supper, so that the last meal of the day was speedily set before us; but the laughing of the others continued more loudly than before, and it seemed that some of the elder and more experienced were busily engaged in instigating a heavy looking burly youth of twenty or one-and-twenty to do something to insult or annoy us.

At length I distinctly heard the words, "You dare not!" and the reply, "I dare!" And, at the same time, the young man pushed the settle from behind him, and walked up to the part of the table where we were sitting. The women looked terrified over their shoulders; but the man, without saying a word to any one, stooped over and lifted a dish, as yet untouched, from before Martin Vern. Moric Endem, who was on the other side, was instantly starting up, but I exclaimed in a tone of authority, "Sit down, Moric Endem!"

"As you please, monseigneur," replied the man.

"Put down that dish instantly!" I said to the young man, who looked somewhat aghast, either at his own daring, or at the monseigneur which Moric Endem had given me. I was rising as I spoke, but the man hesitated, while a loud laugh, evidently at his expense, burst from his fellows below.

"Put down that dish!" I exclaimed again, in a voice that made the hall echo; and, as he did not instantly obey, I struck him a single blow on the head, which, coming from an arm well practised and not particularly weak, stretched him at full length upon the floor, with sauces and condiments floating round him. It luckily so happened that the aubergiste himself was in the room at the moment, and, taking instant advantage of the dead silence that ensued, I said, in as calm a tone as possible, "Landlord, bring in another dish, and charge that which is on the floor to those persons who are at the other end of the table."

"Certainly, monseigneur! certainly!" replied the aubergiste, impressed as much as I could desire by what had taken place; while I quietly returned to my place and proceeded in carving the boiled beef, in which I had been interrupted.

In the mean while my fallen friend raised himself up, glanced at me for a moment with uncertain rage, of which I took not the slightest notice, and then returning to his companions, spoke a word or two sullenly to them. They laughed, but in a much lower tone than before; and a brief and muttered consultation seemed to be held, while the landlord brought in a new dish and deposited it before Martin Vern. As the landlord passed them, however, one of them beckoned him up and asked him something in a whisper, and I could then hear my own name passing from mouth to mouth, with various additions and improvements at the fancy of the retailers, as, "The Seigneur de Cerons!" "The Count de Cerons!" "The celebrated Count de Cerons!" "The Seigneur de Cerons, colonel-general of the infantry!"

It was clear, however, that the whole party--whether these additions had been made by the magnifying powers of Moric Endem when he announced my name to the host or not--it was clear that the whole party were now determined to look upon me as a very great man, and to make that an excuse to themselves for sneaking away without taking any farther notice of the chastisement inflicted on their companion. Accordingly, after hesitating and looking doubtful, and whispering for several minutes more, one by one disappeared through the doorway, and we were left in possession of the hall to discuss our supper in tranquillity.

I should not have mentioned the subject at all in conversation with my companions, but both Martin Vern and his nephew talked of it, laughing as soon as the others were gone, and, while they loaded me with thanks and praises, made many a shrewd and jesting comment upon the pusillanimity of the departed. It had another effect, however, for the landlord's voice was heard several times without, talking loud to different persons; and, from two or three words that could be distinguished, I found that he was thus loud in my praise. When, at length, he was putting some dessert upon the table before us, he spoke to me in a whisper, saying that there were without two or three gentlemen who had served in the last war, who had taken arms again, and were very anxious to know whether I could and would receive them into my company.

I replied, "That I could not leave the party I was escorting, but that I would send my lieutenant," by which sonorous name I dignified good Moric Endem, to speak with them at once; choosing, in such a case, to trust to his judgment much sooner than to my own. The result was, that he engaged for me five stout fellows as ever were seen, of whom he had known something in the preceding wars, and who also had the advantage of coming to me with horses, arms, and accoutrements complete. The whole of this was settled during that evening, and the joy and satisfaction which I myself might feel at my growing importance was far outdone by that of good Martin Vern and his companions, who now thought themselves perfectly competent to encounter any Catholic force in the neighbourhood. Two more, but not exactly of such good stuff, were added to our number at Barbezieux, and, thus forming a troop of ten men, we advanced on the road to Angoulême, as far, or perhaps farther, than it was prudent so to do.

We had heard that the Prince de Condé and the rest were at that time at the town of Sainctes; but a few miles on the other side of Barbezieux we learned that the army had marched in a different direction, and had apparently quitted the Charente. News, too, was heard, that the Catholic garrison of St. Jean d'Angely had sent out considerable detachments into the country on the side of Pons, while light-armed troops from Angoulême were scouring the fields in every direction, for the purpose, it was supposed, of supplying the city in case of siege.

In conversing over these affairs, which certainly bore a somewhat menacing aspect, with Martin Vern, I found that he was determined to proceed with his nephew and his partner to the camp of the Prince de Condé, but was in a state of very considerable alarm on account of his wife and children. Under these circumstances, I advised him strongly to despatch messengers to the Duke of Montpensier, who was at that time, we understood, at St. Junien, in order to demand a safe conduct for his family, which would immediately be given on his declaring them to be all Catholics. He seized at the proposal eagerly; a messenger was easily found, and set out with directions to pass on the other side of Angoulême on his return, and to meet us at Cognac, whither we now bent our steps with slow and cautious journeys. Cognac we found in the hands of a small Protestant force, and we then first learned that the siege of Angoulême by the Prince de Condé had actually begun.

The rest of our journey, then, would have been easily completed, even without the safe conduct; but, as Martin Vern was aware he should have to return to Bordeaux himself at all events, he judged it best to wait for the safe conduct in the suburb of Cognac, and to send the women of his party on at once to Paris, as it was impossible to say what turn the war might take.

Though the Protestant force would not admit the soldiery within the limits of their little garrison, I there made the acquaintance of several officers and gentlemen attached to the Protestant cause, and became still farther acquainted practically with the habits of a camp and an army. Though I had now under my command several good and experienced soldiers, yet Moric Endem was my chief adviser, and I was glad to find myself justified to the full in having trusted him so far by the opinions and commendation of all the military men with whom I was brought in contact. Every one laughed when his name was mentioned, but every one also declared that he was as brave as a lion, and might with safety be fully trusted by those who chose to trust him fully. Those who chose to show him, on the contrary, either unkindness or want of confidence, would need, they said, the eyes of Argus to prevent the old soldier from finding some means of retribution. He was now fully and completely established as my lieutenant; but he was as jealous of his leader's reputation and authority as his own, and presumed in no degree upon his new station. The short time we spent at Cognac gave me an opportunity of becoming more thoroughly acquainted with my men, and of making them generally aware of my views and purposes.

At length, with the interval of one day, the safe conduct arrived, and, with many embraces and some tears, good Martin Vern saw his wife and children depart for Paris. An hour or two after they were gone, we ourselves commenced our march; and, just as evening was setting in, saw the high hill of Angoulême rising above the lesser slopes that border the Charente.