e old Lord,
laughing; "mountains, it is said, may meet, and why not mortal creatures
that have legs, and life and love to put those legs in motion? Yon kiss,
Crevecoeur, came tenderly off--methinks it was ominous."

"You are striving again to disturb my patience," said Crevecoeur, "but I
will not give you that advantage over me.---Hark! they toll the summons
to the Castle--an awful meeting, of which God only can foretell the
issue."

"This issue I can foretell," said the old Scottish lord, "that if
violence is to be offered to the person of the King, few as his friends
are, and surrounded by his shall neither fall alone nor unavenged;
and grieved I am that his own positive orders have prevented my taking
measures to prepare for such an issue."

"My Lord of Crawford," said the Burgundian, "to anticipate such evil
is the sure way to give occasion to it. Obey the orders of your royal
master, and give no pretext for violence by taking hasty offence, and
you will find that the day will pass over more smoothly than you now
conjecture."

CHAPTER XXXII: THE INVESTIGATION

Me rather had my heart might feel your love,
Than my displeased eye see your courtesy.
Up, cousin, up--your heart is up, I know,
Thus high at least--although your knee--

KING RICHARD II

At the first toll of the bell which was to summon the great nobles of
Burgundy together in council, with the very few French peers who could
be present on the occasion, Duke Charles, followed by a part of his
train, armed with partisans and battle axes, entered the Hall of
Herbert's Tower, in the Castle of Peronne. King Louis, who had expected
the visit, arose and made two steps towards the Duke, and then remained
standing with an air of dignity, which, in spite of the meanness of his
dress, and the familiarity of his ordinary manners, he knew very well
how to assume when he judged it necessary. Upon the present important
crisis, the composure of his demeanour had an evident effect upon his
rival, who changed the abrupt and hasty step with which he entered the
apartment into one more becoming a great vassal entering the presence
of his Lord Paramount. Apparently the Duke had formed the internal
resolution to treat Louis, in the outset at least, with the formalities
due to his high station; but at the same time it was evident, that, in
doing so, he put no small constraint upon the fiery impatience of
his own disposition, and was scarce