He did not exactly dislike the old Chevalier de Ribaumont. The

system on which he had been brought up had not been indulgent, so

that compliments and admiration were an agreeable surprise to him;

and rebuffs and rebukes from his elders had been so common, that

hints, in the delicate dressing of the old knight, came on him

almost like gracious civilities. There was no love lost between

the Chevalier and the chaplain, that was plain; but how could there

be between an ancient French courtier and a sober English divine?

However, to Mr. Adderley's great relief, no attempts were made on

Berenger's faith, his kinsman even was disposed to promote his

attendance at such Calvinist places of worship as they passed on

the road, and treated him in all things as a mere guest, to be

patronized indeed, but as much an alien as if he had been born in

England. And yet there was a certain deference to him as head of

the family, and a friendliness of manner that made the boy feel him

a real relation, and all through the journey it came naturally that

he should be the entire manager, and Berenger the paymaster on a

liberal scale.

Thus had the travellers reached the neighbourhood of Paris, when a

jingling of chains and a trampling of horses announced the advance

of riders, and several gentlemen with a troop of servants came in

sight.

All were gaily dressed, with feathered hats, and short Spanish

cloaks jauntily disposed over one shoulder; and their horses were

trapped with bright silvered ornaments. As they advanced, the

Chevalier exclaimed: 'Ah! It is my son! I knew he would come to

meet me.' And, simultaneously, father and son leapt from their

horses, and rushed into each other's arms. Berenger felt it only

courteous to dismount and exchange embraces with his cousin, but

with a certain sense of repulsion at the cloud of perfume that

seemed to surround the younger Chevalier de Ribaumont; the ear-

rings in his ears; the general air of delicate research about his

riding-dress, and the elaborate attention paid to a small, dark,

sallow face and figure, in which the only tolerable feature was an

intensely black and piercing pair of eyes.

'Cousin, I am enchanted to welcome you.'

'Cousin, I thank you.'

'Allow me to present you.' And Berenger bowed low in succession

several times in reply to salutations, as his cousin Narcisse named

M. d'O, M. de la Valette, M. de Pibrac, M. l'Abbe de Mericour, who

had done him the honour to accompany him in coming out to meet his

father and M. le Baron. Then the two cousins remounted, something

was said to the Chevalier of the devoirs of the demoiselles, and

they rode on together bandying news and repartee so fast, that

Berenger felt that his ears had become too much accustomed to the

more deliberate English speech to enter at once into what caused so

much excitement, gesture, and wit. The royal marriage seemed

doubtful--the Pope refused his sanction; nay, but means would be

found--the King would not be impeded by the Pope; Spanish

influence--nay, the King had thrown himself at the head of the

Reformed--he was bewitched with the grim old Coligny--if order were

not soon taken, the Louvre itself would become a temple.




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