u, Sire, you seem as if
you had lost a battle; and yet I, who was near your Majesty during this
whole day, never knew you fight a field so gallantly."

"A field!" said King Louis, looking up, and assuming his wonted
causticity of tone and manner. "Pasques dieu, my friend Oliver, say I
have kept the arena in a bullfight; for a blinder, and more stubborn,
untameable, uncontrollable brute than our cousin of Burgundy never
existed, save in the shape of a Murcian bull, trained for the bull
feasts.--Well, let it pass--I dodged him bravely. But, Oliver, rejoice
with me that my plans in Flanders have not taken effect, whether as
concerning those two rambling Princesses of Croye, or in Liege--you
understand me?"

"In faith, I do not, Sire," replied Oliver; "it is impossible for me
to congratulate your Majesty on the failure of your favourite schemes,
unless you tell me some reason for the change in your own wishes and
views."

"Nay," answered the King, "there is no change in either, in a general
view. But, Pasques dieu, my friend, I have this day learned more of Duke
Charles than I before knew. When he was Count de Charalois, in the time
of the old Duke Philip and the banished Dauphin of France, we drank, and
hunted, and rambled together--and many a wild adventure we have had.
And in those days I had a decided advantage over him--like that which
a strong spirit naturally assumes over a weak one. But he has since
changed--has become a dogged, daring, assuming, disputatious dogmatist,
who nourishes an obvious wish to drive matters to extremities, while
he thinks he has the game in his own hands. I was compelled to glide as
gently away from each offensive topic, as if I touched red hot iron. I
did but hint at the possibility of those erratic Countesses of Croye,
ere they attained Liege (for thither I frankly confessed that, to the
best of my belief, they were gone), falling into the hands of some wild
snapper upon the frontiers, and, Pasques dieu! you would have thought
I had spoken of sacrilege. It is needless to tell you what he said,
and quite enough to say that I would have held my head's safety very
insecure, if, in that moment, accounts had been brought of the success
of thy friend, William with the Beard, in his and thy honest scheme of
bettering himself by marriage."

"No friend of mine, if it please your Majesty," said Oliver, "neither
friend nor plan of mine."

"True, Oliver," answered the King; "thy plan had not be