incensed duke were certainly threatening. The
gates of the town and castle were closed and guarded by archers. Louis
was to all intents and purposes a prisoner, though the duke, a little
ashamed, perhaps, of his action, affirmed that his purpose was to
recover a box of gold and jewels that had been stolen from him.

The den of the lion had closed on the fox. Now was the time for the fox
to show his boasted wit, for his position was one of danger. That
rash-headed Duke of Burgundy was never the man to be played with, and in
his rage was as perilous as dynamite. It was, in truth, an occasion
fitted to draw out all the quickness and shrewdness of mind of Louis,
those faculties on which he prided himself! To gain friends in the
castle he bribed the household of the duke. As for himself he remained
quiet and apparently easy and unsuspicious, while alertly watchful to
avail himself of any opportunity to escape from the trap into which he
had brought himself. During the two days that succeeded, the rage of
Charles cooled somewhat. Louis had offered to swear a peace, to aid
Charles in punishing the Liegoise for their rebellion, and to leave
hostages for his good faith. This the angry duke at first would not
listen to. He talked of keeping Louis a prisoner, and sending for Prince
Charles, his brother, to take on himself the government of France. The
messenger was ready for this errand; his horse in the court-yard; the
letters written. But the duke's councillors begged him to reflect. Louis
had come under his safe-conduct. His honor was involved. Such an act
would be an eternal reproach to Burgundy. Charles did reflect, and
slowly began to relent. He had heard again from Liege. The affair was
not so bad as he had been told. The bishop and lord had been set free.
The violent storm in the duke's mind began to subside.

Early in the next day the irate duke entered the chamber of the castle
in which he held his royal guest a prisoner. The storm had fallen, but
the waves still ran high. There was courtesy in his looks, but his voice
trembled with anger. The words that came from his lips were brief and
bitter; there was threat in his manner; Louis looked at him with more
confidence than he felt.

"Brother," he said, "I am safe, am I not, in your house and your
country?"

"Yes," answered the duke, with an effort at self-repression; "so safe
that if I saw an arrow from a bow coming towards you I would throw
myself in the way to prote