'No, my Lord; his father. He comes on my business. He is an old

man, and can ill bear the cost, and I could scarce throw him over.'

Berenger spoke with such earnest, bright, open simplicity, and look

so boyish and confiding, that Sir Francis's heart was won, and he

smiled as he said, 'Right, lad, you are a considerate youth. It

were not well to cast off your kinsman; but when you have read your

letters, you may well plead your grandfather's desires, to say

nothing of a hint from her Grace to have an eye to you. And for

the rest, you can acquit yourself gracefully to the gentleman, by

asking him to occupy the lodging that you had taken.'

Berenger's face brightened up in a manner that spoke for his

sincerity; and Sir Francis added, 'And where be these lodgings?'

'At the Croix de Lorraine.'

'Ha! Your kinsman has taken you into a nest of Guisards. But come,

let me present you to my wife and my other guests, then will I give

you your letters, and you shall return and make your excuses to

Monsieur le Chevalier.'

Berenger seemed to himself to be on familiar ground again as his

host thus assumed the direction of him and ushered him into a large

dining-hall, where the table had been forsaken in favour of a

lesser table placed in the ample window, round which sat assembled

some six or eight persons, with fruit, wine, and conserves before

them, a few little dogs at their feet or on their laps, and a lute

lying on the knee of one of the young gentlemen. Sir Francis

presented the young Lord de Ribaumont, their expected guest, to

Lady Walsingham, from whom he received a cordial welcome, and her

two little daughter, Frances and Elizabeth, and likewise to the

gentleman with the lute, a youth about a year older than Berenger,

and of very striking and prepossessing countenance, who was named

as Mr. Sidney, the son of the Lord Deputy of Ireland. A couple of

gentlemen who would in these times have been termed attaches, a

couple of lady attendants upon Lady Walsingham, and the chaplain

made up the party, which on this day chanced only to include,

besides the household, the young traveller, Sidney. Berenger was

at once seated, and accepted a welcoming-cup of wine (i.e. a long

slender glass with a beautifully twisted stem), responded to

friendly inquiries about his relatives at home, and acknowledged

the healths that were drunk in honour of their names; after which

Lady Walsingham begged that Mr. Sidney would sing the madrigal he

had before promised: afterwards a glee was sung by Sidney, one of

the gentlemen, and Lady Walsingham; and it was discovered that Mr.

de Ribaumont had a trained ear, and the very voice that was wanting

to the Italian song they were practising. And so sped a happy

hour, till a booted and spurred messenger came in with letters for

his Excellency, who being thus roused from his dreamy enjoyment of

the music, carried young Ribaumont off with him to his cabinet, and

there made over to him a packet, with good news from home, and

orders that made it clear that he could do no other than accept the

hospitality of the Embassy. Thus armed with authority, he returned

to the Croix de Lorraine, where Mr. Adderley could not contain his

joy at the change to quarters not only so much more congenial, buts

so much safer; and the Chevalier, after some polite demur,

consented to remain in possession of the rooms, being in fact well

satisfied with the arrangement.




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