questioned Quentin still more closely, whether he did not
understand, from these men's private conversation, that the plots which
they meditated had King Louis's sanction?

"I repeat that I heard nothing which could authorize me to say so,"
answered the young man, who, though internally convinced of the King's
accession to the treachery of Hayraddin, yet held it contrary to his
allegiance to bring forward his own suspicions on the subject; "and if I
had heard such men make such an assertion, I again say that I would not
have given their testimony weight against the instructions of the King
himself."

"Thou art a faithful messenger," said the Duke, with a sneer, "and
I venture to say that, in obeying the King's instructions, thou hast
disappointed his expectations in a manner that thou mightst have smarted
for, but that subsequent events have made thy bull headed fidelity seem
like good service."

"I understand you not, my lord," said Quentin Durward, "all I know is
that my master King Louis sent me to protect these ladies, and that I
did so accordingly, to the extent of my ability, both in the journey
to Schonwaldt, and through the subsequent scenes which took place. I
understood the instructions of the King to be honourable, and I executed
them honourably; had they been of a different tenor, they would not have
suited one of my name or nation."

"Fier comme an Ecossois," said Charles, who, however disappointed at
the tenor of Durward's reply, was not unjust enough to blame him for
his boldness. "But hark thee, Archer, what instructions were those
which made thee, as some sad fugitives from Schonwaldt have informed
us, parade the streets of Liege, at the head of those mutineers, who
afterwards cruelly murdered their temporal Prince and spiritual Father?
And what harangue was it which thou didst make after that murder was
committed, in which you took upon you, as agent for Louis, to assume
authority among the villains who had just perpetrated so great a crime?"

"My lord," said Quentin, "there are many who could testify that I
assumed not the character of an envoy of France in the town of Liege,
but had it fixed upon me by the obstinate clamours of the people
themselves, who refused to give credit to any disclamation which I could
make. This I told to those in the service of the Bishop when I had made
my escape from the city, and recommended their attention to the security
of the Castle, which might have prevented