the path of the king-第22节
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Battista stared at him with open mouth； and then plucked feverishly at his doublet。 From an inner pocket he produced a packet rolled in fine leather； and shook papers on the table。 One of these was a soiled and worn slip of parchment； covered with an odd design。 〃Look；〃 he said hoarsely。 〃Tortorel's map！〃
It showed a stretch of country； apparently a broad valley running east to a seashore。 Through it twined a river and on both sides were hills dotted with trees。 The centre seemed to be meadows； sown with villages and gardens。 In one crook of the stream lay a little coppice on which many roads converged； and above it was written the words 〃Sylva Vitae。〃
〃It is the finger of God；〃 said Battista。 〃Will you join me and search out this Wood of Life？〃
At that moment there was a bustle at the door giving on the main room of the tavern。 Lights were being brought in and a new company were entering。 They talked in high…pitched affected voices and giggled like bona…robas。 There were young men with them； dressed in the height of the fashion； a woman or two； and a man who from the richness of his dress seemed to be one of the princely merchants who played Maecenas to the New Learning。 But what caught Philip's sight was a little group of Byzantines who were the guests of honour。 They wore fantastic headdresses and long female robes； above which their flowing dyed beards and their painted eyebrows looked like masks of Carnival time。 After Battista's gravity their vain eyes and simpering tones seemed an indecent folly。 These were the folk he had called friends； this the life he had once cherished。 Assuredly he was well rid of it。
He grasped Battista's hand。
〃I will go with you；〃 he said； 〃over the edge of the world。〃
。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。
As it happened Philip de Laval did not sail with Columbus in that first voyage which brought him to San Salvador in the Bahamas。 But he and Battista were in the second expedition； when the ship under the command of the latter was separated by a storm from her consorts； and driven on a westerly course when the others had turned south。 It was believed to be lost； and for two years nothing was heard of its fate。 At the end of that time a tattered little vessel reached Bordeaux； and Philip landed on the soil of Franc。 He had a strange story to tell。 The ship had been caught up by a current which had borne it north for the space of fifteen days till landfall was made on the coast of what we now call South Carolina。 There it had been beached in an estuary； while the crew adventured inland。 The land was rich enough； but the tribes were not the gentle race of Battista's imagining。 There had been a savage struggle for mastery； till the strangers made alliances and were granted territory between the mountains and the sea。 But they were only a handful and Philip was sent back for further colonists and for a cargo of arms and seeds and implements。
The French court was in no humour for his tale； being much involved in its own wars。 It may be that he was not believed； anyhow he got no help from his king。 At his own cost and with the aid of friends he fitted out his ship for the return。 After that the curtain falls。 It would appear that the colony did not prosper； for it is on record that Philip in the year 1521 was living at his house at Eaucourt； a married man； occupied with books and the affairs of his little seigneury。 A portrait of him still extant by an Italian artist shows a deeply furrowed face and stern brows； as of one who had endured much； but the eyes are happy。 It is believed that in his last years he was one of the first of the gentlemen of Picardy to adhere to the Reformed faith。
CHAPTER 7。 EAUCOURT BY THE WATERS
The horseman rode down the narrow vennel which led to the St。 Denis gate of Paris； holding his nose like a fine lady。 Behind him the city reeked in a close August twilight。 From every entry came the smell of coarse cooking and unclean humanity； and the heaps of garbage in the gutters sent up a fog of malodorous dust when they were stirred by prowling dogs or hasty passengers。
〃Another week of heat and they will have the plague here； he muttered。 Oh for EaucourtEaucourt by the waters！ I have too delicate a stomach for this Paris。〃
His thoughts ran on to the country beyond the gates； the fields about St。 Denis； the Clermont downs。 Soon he would be stretching his bay on good turf。
But the gates were closed； though it was not yet the hour of curfew。 The lieutenant of the watch stood squarely before him with a forbidding air； while a file of arquebusiers lounged in the archway。
〃There's no going out to…night；〃 was the answer to the impatient rider。
〃Tut； man； I am the Sieur de Laval； riding north on urgent affairs。 My servants left at noon。 Be quick。 Open！〃
〃Who ordered this folly？〃
〃The Marshal Tavannes。 Go argue with him； if your mightiness has the courage。〃
The horseman was too old a campaigner to waste time in wrangling。 He turned his horse's head and retraced his path up the vennel。 〃Now what in God's name is afoot to…night？〃 he asked himself； and the bay tossed his dainty head； as if in the same perplexity。 He was a fine animal with the deep barrel and great shoulders of the Norman breed； and no more than his master did he love this place of alarums and stenches。
Gaspard de Laval was a figure conspicuous enough even in that city of motley。 For one thing he was well over two yards high； and； though somewhat lean for perfect proportions； his long arms and deep chest told of no common strength。 He looked more than his thirty years； for his face was burned the colour of teak by hot suns； and a scar just under the hair wrinkled a broad low forehead。 His small pointed beard was bleached by weather to the hue of pale honey。 He wore a steel back and front over a doublet of dark taffeta； and his riding cloak was blue velvet lined with cherry satin。 The man's habit was sombre except for the shine of steel and the occasional flutter of the gay lining。 In his velvet bonnet he wore a white plume。 The rich clothing became him well； and had just a hint of foreignness； as if commonly he were more roughly garbed。 Which was indeed the case； for he was new back from the Western Seas； and had celebrated his home…coming with a brave suit。
As a youth he had fought under Conde in the religious wars； but had followed Jean Ribaut to Florida； and had been one of the few survivors when the Spaniards sacked St。 Caroline。 With de Gourgues he had sailed west again for vengeance； and had got it。 Thereafter he had been with the privateers of Brest and La Rochelle； a hornet to search out and sting the weak places of Spain on the Main and among the islands。 But he was not born to live continually in outland parts； loving rather to intercalate fierce adventures between spells of home…keeping。 The love of his green Picardy manor drew him back with gentle hands。 He had now returned like a child to his playthings； and the chief thoughts in his head were his gardens and fishponds； the spinneys he had planted and the new German dogs he had got for boar…hunting in the forest。 He looked forward to days of busy idleness in his modest kingdom。
But first he must see his kinsman the Admiral about certain affairs of the New World which lay near to that great man's heart。 Coligny was his godfather； from whom he was named； he was also his kinsman； for the Admiral's wife； Charlotte de Laval； was a cousin once removed。 So to Chatillon Gaspard journeyed； and thence to Paris； whither the Huguenot leader had gone for the marriage fetes of the King of Navarre。 Reaching the city on the Friday evening； he was met by ill news。 That morning the Admiral's life had been attempted on his way back from watching the King at tennis。 Happily the wounds were slight； a broken right forefinger and a bullet through the left forearm； but the outrage had taken away men's breath。 That the Admiral of France； brought to Paris for those nuptials which were to be a pledge of a new peace； should be the target of assassins shocked the decent and alarmed the timid。 The commonwealth was built on the side of a volcano； and the infernal fires were muttering。 Friend and foe alike set the thing down to the Guises' credit； and the door of Coligny's lodging in the Rue de Bethisy was thronged by angry Huguenot gentry； clamouring to be permitted to take order with the Italianate murderers。
On the Saturday morning Gaspard was admitted to audience with his kinsman； but found him so weak from Monsieur Ambrose Pare's drastic surgery that he was compelled to postpone his business。 〃Get you back to Eaucourt；〃 said Coligny； 〃and cultivate your garden till I send for you。 France is too crooked just now for a forthright fellow like you to do her service； and I do not think that the air of Paris is healthy for our house。〃 Gaspard was fain to obey； judging that the Admiral spoke of some delicate state business for which he was aware he had no talent。 A word with M。 de Teligny reassured him as to the Admiral's safety； for according to him the King now leaned heavily against the Guises。
But lo and behold！ the gates of Paris were locked to him； and he found himself interned in the sweltering ci
