ye were to
journey.

Without having any defined notions of the cause of his delight, Quentin
Durward's heart leapt for joy at the idea of approaching thus nearly
to the person of the Beauty of the Turret, and in a situation which
entitled him to her confidence, since her protection was in so great a
degree intrusted to his conduct and courage. He felt no doubt in his own
mind that he should be her successful guide through the hazards of
her pilgrimage. Youth seldom thinks of dangers, and bred up free, and
fearless, and self confiding, Quentin, in particular, only thought of
them to defy them. He longed to be exempted from the restraint of the
Royal presence, that he might indulge the secret glee with which such
unexpected tidings filled him, and which prompted him to bursts of
delight which would have been totally unfitting for that society.

But Louis had not yet done with him. That cautious monarch had to
consult a counsellor of a different stamp from Oliver le Diable, who was
supposed to derive his skill from the superior and astral intelligences,
as men, judging from their fruits, were apt to think the counsels of
Oliver sprang from the Devil himself.

Louis therefore led the way, followed by the impatient Quentin, to a
separate tower of the castle of Plessis, in which was installed, in
no small ease and splendour; the celebrated astrologer, poet, and
philosopher, Galeotti Marti, or Martius, or Martivalle, a native of
Narni, in Italy, the author of the famous Treatise De Vulgo Incognitis
[concerning things unknown to the generality of mankind. S.], and the
subject of his age's admiration, and of the panegyrics of Paulus Jovius
[an Italian historian of the sixteenth century who lived at the Pope's
court]. He had long flourished at the court of the celebrated Matthias
Corvinus, King of Hungary, from whom he was in some measure decoyed by
Louis, who grudged the Hungarian monarch the society and the counsels of
a sage accounted so skilful in reading the decrees of Heaven.

[Martius Galeotti... was secretary to Matthias Carvinus, King of
Hungary. He left Hungary in 1477, and was made prisoner at Venice on
a charge of having propagated heterodox opinions.... He might have
suffered seriously but for the protection of Sixtus IV, then Pope, who
had been one of his scholars.... He attached himself to Louis XI, and
died in his service. S.]

Martivalle was none of those ascetic, withered, pale professors of
mystic learnin