ding before the gate,
was terrified for his person--the more so that he was lodged in
the neighbourhood of a tower where a certain Count de Vermandois
had caused the death of one of his predecessors as king of
France.[13] At that time, I was still with the duke and served him
as chamberlain, and had free access to his chamber when I
would, for such was the usage in this household.

"The said duke, as soon as he saw the gates closed, ordered all to
leave his presence and said to a few of us that stayed with him
that the king had come on purpose to betray him, and that he
himself had tried to avoid his coming with all his strength, and
that the meeting had been against his taste. Then he proceeded to
recount the news from Liege, how the king had pulled all the wires
through his ambassadors, and how his people had been slain. He was
fearfully excited against the king. I veritably believe that if
at that hour he had found those to whom he could appeal ready to
sympathise with him and to advise him to work the king some
mischief, he would have done so, at the least he would have
imprisoned him in the great tower.

"None were present when the words fell from the duke but myself
and two grooms of the chamber, one of whom was named Charles de
Visen, a native of Dijon, an honest fellow, in good credit with
his master. We aggravated nothing, but sought to appease the duke
as much as in us lay. Soon he tried the same phrases on others,
and a report of them ran through the city and penetrated to the
very apartment of the king, who was greatly terrified, as was
everyone, because of the danger that they saw imminent, and
because of the great difficulty in soothing a quarrel when it
has commenced between such great princes. Assuredly they were
blameworthy in failing to notify their absent servants of this
projected meeting. Great inconveniences were bound to arise from
this negligence."

Such is Commines's narrative. Eyewitness though he was, it must be
remembered that when he wrote the account of this famous interview it
was long after the event, and when his point of view was necessarily
coloured by his service with Louis. Delightful, however, are the
historian's own reflections that he intersperses with his plain
narrative. To his mind the only period when it is safe for princes to
meet is

"in their