rendered her many
services on the road."

"Ha!" said the King--"an Archer of my Guards, by name Quentin Durward?"

"The same, as I think," said De Comines; "he was made prisoner along
with the Countess, travelling almost alone together."

"Now, our Lord and our Lady, and Monseigneur Saint Martin, and
Monseigneur Saint Julian, be praised every one of them!" said the King,
"and all laud and honour to the learned Galeotti; who read in the stars
that this youth's destiny was connected with mine! If the maiden be so
attached to him as to make her refractory to the will of Burgundy, this
Quentin hath indeed been rarely useful to me."

"I believe, my lord," answered the Burgundian, "according to
Crevecoeur's report, that there is some chance of her being sufficiently
obstinate; besides, doubtless, the noble Duke himself, notwithstanding
what your Majesty was pleased to hint in way of supposition, will not
willingly renounce his fair cousin, to whom he has been long engaged."

"Umph!" answered the King--"but you have never seen my daughter Joan.--A
howlet, man!--an absolute owl, whom I am ashamed of! But let him be only
a wise man, and marry her, I will give him leave to be mad par amours
for the fairest lady in France.--And now, Philip, have you given me the
full map of your master's mind?"

"I have possessed you, Sire, of those particulars on which he is at
present most disposed to insist. But your Majesty well knows that
the Duke's disposition is like a sweeping torrent, which only passes
smoothly forward when its waves encounter no opposition; and what may be
presented to chafe him info fury, it is impossible even to guess. Were
more distinct evidence of your Majesty's practices (pardon the phrase,
when there is so little time for selection) with the Liegeois
and William de la Marck to occur unexpectedly, the issue might be
terrible.--There are strange news from that country--they say La Marck
hath married Hameline, the elder Countess of Croye."

"That old fool was so mad on marriage that she would have accepted
the hand of Satan," said the King; "but that La Marck, beast as he is,
should have married her, rather more surprises me."

"There is a report also," continued De Comines, "that an envoy, or
herald, on La Marck's part, is approaching Peronne; this is like to
drive the Duke frantic with rage--I trust that he has no letters or the
like to show on your Majesty's part?"

"Letters to a Wild Boar!" answered the