s cousin.[4] His one great preoccupation, however, was
to return to his own realm.

After dinner the duke and he made good cheer together. "If the king
had praised his works behind his back, still more loud was he in
his open admiration. And the duke was pleased." No telling sign of
friendship for Charles had Louis spared that day, so terrified was he
lest some testimony from his ancient proteges might prove his ruin.
"Let the word be Burgundy," he had cried to his followers when the
attack began. "_Tuez, tuez, vive Bourgogne_."

There is another contemporaneous historian who somewhat apologetically
relates the following incident of this interview.[5] In this friendly
Sabbath day chat, Charles asked Louis how he ought to treat Liege when
his soldiers had finished their work. No trace of kindliness towards
his old friends was there in the king's answer.

"Once my father had a high tree near his house, inhabited by crows
who had built their nests thereon and disturbed his repose by their
chatter. He had the nests removed but the crows returned and built
anew. Several times was this repeated. Then he had the tree cut down
at the roots. After that my father slept quietly."

Four or five days passed before Louis dared press the question of his
return home. The following note written in Italian, dated on the day
of the assault, is significant of his state of mind:

LOUIS XI. TO THE COUNT DE FOIX

"Monseigneur the Prince:

"To-day my brother of Burgundy and I entered in great multitude
and with force into this city of Liege, and because I have great
desire to return, I advise you that on next Tuesday morning I will
depart hence, and I will not cease riding without making any stops
until I reach there.[6] I pray you to let me know what is to be
done.

"Writ at Liege, October 30th.

"LOYS

"DE LA LOERE."

Punctilious was Louis in his assurances to his host that if he could
be of any further aid he hoped his cousin would command him. If there
were, indeed, nothing, he thought his best plan would be to go to
Paris and have the late treaty duly recorded and published to insure
its validity. Charles grumbled a little, but finally agreed to speed
his parting guest after the treaty had been again read aloud to the
king so that he might dissent from any one of its articles or ever
after hold his peace.

Quite ready was Louis to re-confirm everything sworn to at Peronne.
J