of these towns being the sole recompense my father ever received
from France, when, in a happy hour for your family, he consented to
forget the murder of my grandfather, and to exchange the alliance of
England for that of your father. Saint George! if he had not so acted,
your royal self, far from having towns in the Somme, could scarce have
kept those beyond the Loire. No--I will not render a stone of them, were
I to receive for every stone so rendered its weight in gold. I thank
God, and the wisdom and valour of my ancestors, that the revenues of
Burgundy, though it be a duchy, will maintain my state, even when a King
is my guest, without obliging me to barter my heritage."

"Well, fair cousin," answered the King, with the same mild and placid
manner as before, and unperturbed by the loud tone and violent gestures
of the Duke, "I see that you are so good a friend to France that you are
unwilling to part with aught that belongs to her. But we shall need
some moderator in those affairs when we come to treat of them in
council.--What say you to Saint Paul?"

"Neither Saint Paul, nor Saint Peter, nor e'er a Saint in the Calendar,"
said the Duke of Burgundy, "shall preach me out of the possession of
Peronne."

"Nay, but you mistake me," said King Louis, smiling; "I mean Louis de
Luxembourg, our trusty constable, the Count of Saint Paul.--Ah! Saint
Mary of Embrun! we lack but his head at our conference! the best head
in France, and the most useful to the restoration of perfect harmony
betwixt us."

"By Saint George of Burgundy!" said the Duke, "I marvel to hear your
Majesty talk thus of a man, false and perjured, both to France and
Burgundy--one who hath ever endeavoured to fan into a flame our frequent
differences, and that with the purpose of giving himself the airs of a
mediator. I swear by the Order I wear that his marshes shall not be long
a resource for him!"

"Be not so warm, cousin," said the King, smiling, and speaking under his
breath; "when I wished for the head constable, as a means of ending the
settlement of our trifling differences, I had no desire for his body,
which might remain at Saint Quentin's with much convenience."

"Ho! ho! I take your meaning, my royal cousin," said Charles, with the
same dissonant laugh which some other of the King's coarse pleasantries
had extorted; and added, stamping his heel on the ground, "I allow, in
that sense, the head of the Constable might be useful at Peronne."