With a curse at himself for his failure, the Governor sprang from the men who rushed up, and plunged the sword into his own heart.
CHAPTER XXX
THE TROOPS MARCH
THE week that followed was a wild one indeed for Morvaix, and the citizens, freed suddenly from the blighting curse of the Tiger’s rule, gave themselves up, all classes alike, to a carnival of revelry and rejoicing.
The news of the strange occurrences which had culminated in the Governor’s death was carried far and wide through the city the same night by the liberated prisoners, who streamed out of the Castle in a gay throng, laughing and jesting, straining their throats with shouts and cheers for Gerard and Gabrielle, Bourbon and Malincourt, and jostling and shouldering one another in the mad race to be first to tell the glad tidings.
A garbled and distorted tale it was they told in describing the scene, the true meaning of which, although they had witnessed it, they could but imperfectly understand. But the main fact spoke for itself. The Tyrant was dead—had died by his own hand, rather than face the anger of the Great Bourbon who had brought an army to punish him and save the city.
They had seen this with their own eyes, and with their own ears had heard the words with which Gerard had afterwards dismissed them, promising solemnly good government for the future, relief from the grinding taxation and redress for their long suffered wrongs. And the whole livelong night was spent in rejoicing.
The morrow found the great news confirmed. A proclamation was issued from the Castle announcing that the Duc de Rochelle was dead, and that Gerard de Bourbon would act for the time as Governor, and this was followed by Gerard’s first decree as Governor, repealing some of the Tyrant’s ordinances, and detailing a number of measures to be taken immediately for the relief of the poorer citizens.
Nor was this all. The leading burghers were summoned to the Castle and informed of the forthcoming alliance between the Houses of Bourbon and Malincourt through the marriage of Gerard and Gabrielle; and told that Gerard hoped to remain permanently in Morvaix as the Governor of the Province. The burghers were also requested to take urgent counsel together as to the best means to be adopted to restore the impaired trade and fortunes of the city; and were thus sent on their way rejoicing with lighter hearts than they had known for many a long year.
A few days wrought wonders in changing the look of the little city and the demeanour of the people, who had many a substantial proof of the spirit of the new rule; and before the week was out it was known that couriers had passed between Morvaix and the Duke de Bourbon and that they had brought back from the Suzerain confirmation of Gerard’s appointment as the new Governor.
A crowd of smiling men and women were gathered in the market place cheering and rejoicing over this fresh good news, when two horsemen came riding from the Castle toward the south gate. They were de Proballe and Jacques Dauban; and of all the great throng their faces alone were dark and gloomy. Gerard had held de Proballe a close prisoner, intending to punish him severely; but at Gabrielle’s intercession had released him, on condition that he and Dauban left the city never to return to it.