The Honour of Savelli: A Romance
"Shut the cage door, keep your bird," he laughed brutally, "I have to
answer for you to-morrow, and I weigh the faith of a gentleman, and
the honour--God save the mark--of a Savelli, as _that_," he snapped
his fingers, "when it comes to a consideration of Braccio
Fortebraccio's head. So your knighthood must even go as you are, with
my love-knots on you. Here, two of you, take charge of this tent, and
see after Arnulf there--I never thought his skull so thin--march!"
And in this manner was I led out, two men in front of me, two behind,
one on either hand, all with their weapons ready, whilst the provost
himself brought up the rear, with his drawn sword in one hand and a
lighted torch in the other. Not that light was needed, for the moon
had risen, and was in its full. I believe, however, that Braccio held
the torch, so that the additional light might the more clearly show
who his prisoner was, and I hung down my head as, with quick steps, we
marched to the military prison.
"_Qui vive la_," the challenge rang out crisply, and on the instant
the provost replied, "France and Tremouille."
"Pass on," and the sentry, one of Bucicault's arquebusiers, looked at
us curiously as we went by. And now, to add to my shame, we met, face
to face, a group of late revellers returning to the camp.
"_Diable!_" called out a gay voice, "our respectable provost is at
work I see. What have you got there, Braccio?"
I shuddered, for I recognised Bellegarde, a young noble of the Franche
Compte, who had come to seek glory in the Italian war.
"Close up, men--another of my strayed lambs brought back to the fold,
Viscompte--pardon me--it is late, and I must hurry on."
But Bellegarde was merry with wine. "Not till you have drunk our
health," he laughed, barring the way with his drawn rapier, as he
added, "Lowenthal here has a skin of wine from the Rhineland, have a
pull at it, man, and let us see the prisoner."
"_Blitzen!_ Der brisoner first, he will hang pefore der herr brovost,"
and the half-drunk Lanzknecht thrust his wine-skin towards me.
"Gentlemen--gentlemen! have you a care! See here, Viscompte," and
Braccio whispered to Bellegarde.
"My God!" said the latter; and then hastily, "Come on, Lowenthal! Let
them go."
"Let der brisoner drink. Would you debrife a boor man of his liquor?"
replied Lowenthal, and to hide my face, I seized the skin, and raised
it to my lips. Even Braccio held the torch away, and Von Lowenthal
failed to recognise me in the half-light. My throat was red-hot with
thirst, and sick as I was with shame, I drank greedily, and handed the
wine-skin back to the German.
"_Blitzen!_" he said, giving it a shake, "you drink like an honest
man. Now, herr brovost, a health to Germany, in honest German wine.
What! No! Then drink to der halter, man, and Lowenthal will knight
you," swaying to and fro, he attempted to draw his sword.
Matters were at a crisis, for Braccio was not to be trifled with any
longer. At this juncture, Bellegarde and the others with him again
intervened, and dragged Von Lowenthal away. The provost instantly
pressed forwards with a hurried good-night. We did not go so fast,
however, as not to perceive, from the noises behind us, that the
Lanzknecht had subsided to earth, and was apparently abandoned there,
with his wine-skin, by his companions. The sound of his voice, engaged
in a drunken monologue, reached us.
"Der rascal Braccio, der knight of der noose und halter. I will gif
him der accolade. I----" But we lost the rest as we hurried on, the
guards smiling to themselves, and Braccio very ill-tempered.
In a few paces we passed D'Alegres' headquarters, and through an open
window, I saw half-a-dozen of my late companions playing at dice, and
heard Hawkwood's bass calling the mains. A few steps more brought us
to our point, a fortified wing of the Villa Accolti itself, and
Braccio, thrusting me into a strong room, turned the key of the door,
and with a gruff order, which I did not catch, walked away. Now,
indeed, was I in a distressful state, and the agony of my mind so
great, that I heeded not the pain of the cords, but paced up and down
like any caged animal. I fully recognised that I was the victim of a
deeply laid plot on the part of D'Entrangues, and saw clearly that I
was completely in his hands. It was a stroke of genius on his part,
not to interfere in any way to save his creature, the wretched Tarbes.
That hasty order of D'Alegres had removed the only danger of his
scheme being laid bare. I tried to think out some plan of action; but
to no purpose, for my mind was altogether confused and bewildered, and
I was incapable of thought. The room in which I was confined was bare
of all furniture, not even a camp-stool. There was only one window,
and that, iron-grated, was set high up, near the ceiling. The
moonlight straggled through the grating in long white ribbons, and
dimly showed up the walls around me. Hour after hour passed away. I
could hear the occasional barking of dogs, the distant cries of the
sentinels as they called to one another, and the sound of the guard
being relieved at my door. Then the moon sank and the morning came.
From sheer weariness I threw myself on the floor, and fell into a
troubled sleep, from which I was aroused by the cords biting into my
flesh. This, and the constrained position in which my arms were held,
gave me torture. I attempted by shouting to attract the attention of
the sentinel over me; but though I heard the clod tramping up and
down, I received no answer.
At length, about the sixth hour, I made another effort to get some one
to hear me. I fortunately chose a moment when the guards were being
visited. After a short discussion outside, an under-officer entered
the cell. I begged him to free me from the cords, pointing out that
escape was impossible, swearing that I would not attempt it, and ended
by offering him five crowns for the good office. He hesitated at
first, but either pity for my condition, or the bait of the crowns
moved the man, for he freed me with a touch of his dagger, and for
another five crowns I obtained from him the promise of procuring for
me a change of attire from my tent. I had, hidden in a belt, worn
under my shirt, thirty crowns, and this I reached with some
difficulty, owing to the stiffness of my arms, and paid him the money.
I specially begged he would get for me a pair of Spanish leather
boots, that were lying in my quarters, for the sole of one of my
_contigie_ had come off during the struggle of last night. The honest
fellow promised to do his best, and shortly returned with the articles
I wanted, and in addition brought me some food and a cup of wine, for
which he refused all payment, saying that I had treated him generously
enough. To eat was out of the question, but the wine was grateful,
and, after drinking it, I devoted myself to putting my attire in
order. And here I may mention an odd circumstance, to wit, that my
gold cross of St. Lazare, which I wore pinned to my breast at the
supper, had by some chance remained intact, despite the struggle I had
gone through, and was still hanging in its place by a shred of the
ribbon. I carefully unfastened it, and placed it for security in my
belt. To me it seemed an omen of fortune, this lost little tag of
honour which clung to me. I succeeded indifferently well in arranging
my dress, and so passed a full hour. Heavens! when I recall that
night, although more was to befall me, I do not think I ever endured
such misery; nor has the noiseless file of time ever been able to
eradicate the memory of those hours.
At about noon Braccio entered the cell. He raged beyond measure at
finding me loosed of my bonds, and insisted at first on securing me
again. I shrewdly suspected, however, that Messer Braccio was a trifle
afraid of the consequences of his violence the night before, and that
his furious language was in this case but bluster. I showed a bold
front therefore, and the under-officer putting in a word for me, the
provost gave in with apparent reluctance. He informed me that my
affair was to be dealt with by the duke in person, and that I should
make ready to go with him. I replied that I was prepared to go at
once, and without more ado was escorted to the main building of the
villa. I could see that a considerable crowd was collected, and from
the litters and riding-horses that were being led to and fro,
perceived that some ladies had heard the news, and were come to
gratify their curiosity at my expense, and see such trial as I was to
undergo. I was led into the great hall, which was full of people, and
in the gallery above the dais saw, amongst other ladies, the Duchesse
de la Tremouille, and by her side Madame d'Entrangues. The latter kept
her eyes down, and fanned herself with a fan of peacock feathers,
which, even at that moment, I was able to recognise as my gift. On the
dais was a table with seats set about it, which were as yet empty. At
the steps of the dais stood D'Entrangues, and beside him a small man
cloaked in a sad-coloured mantle, with a keen, cleanly-shaven face,
and watchful eyes. He held in his hand a small packet, and surveyed me
with no little interest. D'Entrangues did not meet my look, and his
hang-dog face was turned towards the doorway immediately opposite to
him. In a moment or so that door was opened, and the duke entered,
talking earnestly with a cavalier of a most gracious and distinguished
presence. Tremouille himself was a small, slightly-built man, of
features in no way remarkable; but redeemed in some part by the alert
intelligence of his glance. In early life he had met with an accident
which left him lame ever after. Yet he was a good horseman and of a
constitution that nothing could tire. As for his companion, his face
was then strange to me; but in after times when I was admitted to his
intimacy and honoured with his friendship, I came to know him as great
beyond all men; and this I do not say in gratitude for the debt I owe
him; but simply to add my humble testimony to that of others, his
companions-in-arms, and equals in station, who with one consent allow
him to be the glory of his age, and of knighthood. Immediately behind
Tremouille came D'Alegres and Trevulzio, who had raised himself to his
present high position, and was a most capable soldier. These four took
their seats at the table, and the numerous and brilliant staff of
officers who accompanied them ranged themselves behind. From the
manner in which the stranger took his seat, I gathered, and I was not
mistaken, that he was there as one of my judges, and for the moment I
wondered who he was. That he was of the highest rank was clear from
his aspect and bearing, and from the fact that he wore round his
neck the collar of the Holy Ghost. The proceedings of this public
court-martial began at once. It is needless to set them down in full
detail. D'Entrangues stated his case, D'Alegres briefly set forth the
action taken by him, and Visconti and Hawkwood testified to having
found their property in my possession, under the circumstances already
explained. I will do them the justice to say that they did so with
evident and genuine reluctance. Tremouille, who had doubtless heard
all this before, listened patiently to the end, and then asked me what
I had to say. What could I say? I looked at the faces around me and
saw no sympathy. I looked up at the gallery where the ladies sat, and
caught a whisper:
"I do not care--I know it is false; he is not guilty."
The words gave me courage. The charge was false. As false as hell.
Then I found tongue. I asked if it were possible that I, a noble,
whose career had hitherto been blameless, could have suddenly become
so vile as to sink to common theft? I pointed out my long years of