Mary of Burgundy; or, The Revolt of Ghent

by G. P. R. James

Seeing that there was something to be communicated, and judging that no very agreeable intelligence awaited him, from the evident agitation of his friends, he gave the command to halt his little force; and then leading the way into the meadow, begged his uncle to explain the cause of his perturbation.

Martin Fruse began with a violent declamation upon the evils of riding on horseback, and the perils thereupon attending; but he ended with a recapitulation of dangers somewhat more real, which awaited his nephew if he ventured within the gates of Ghent. It seemed that the violent party--as Albert Maurice had apprehended--had, under the skilful tactics of the druggist Ganay, completely outmanœuvred the little junta which the young President had left to keep them in check; and now that it was too late, Albert Maurice perceived that he had suffered his thirst for military renown to lead him aside from the paths of saner policy. Ganay himself had become the supreme object of the people's adoration; and having leagued himself by some skilful management with the Duke of Cleves on the one hand, and the populace on the other, he had been entirely successful in all the measures he had proposed to the council of magistrates. The states general had not again met, but a new party had been created in the town. The city of Ghent, in fact, had become completely, but unequally divided; for though a strong and influential body had attached themselves to Martin Fruse, the multitude adhered to his opponent.

Ganay, indeed, the worthy burgher said, not daring openly to assail one whose successes in the field were daily subject of rejoicing with the citizens, affected to act upon the instructions and desires of Albert Maurice himself; and the complete, or rather apparent union between them, which had formerly existed, had aided to deceive the people. Martin Fruse had reproached the druggist, and reasoned with the magistrates, in vain; and all that he had gained was the certainty that, from some cause which he could not define, Ganay had become his nephew's most bitter enemy, though he still affected to regard him as a friend. Private information, also, had reached Martin Fruse early in the morning, that, as soon as it had been ascertained the young citizen was on his march with the intention of reaching the city in the course of the day, Ganay, supported both by the nobility under the Duke of Cleves, and by the more violent members of the states, had contrived a scheme for arresting the President that very night, at a grand banquet to be given in honour of his return; and the large body of discontented soldiery which had been pouring into the town during the day, and who were already jealous of those who had been more successful than themselves, seemed to offer the means of accomplishing this purpose in security.

Martin Fruse, losing all presence of mind at the danger of his beloved nephew, had determined to quit the city, to meet and warn the object of this conspiracy, of his danger, ere he entered town. The eschevin, who had been called to the hotel of the Lord of Neufchatel, conscious that some suspicions which he had ventured to breathe concerning the death of that nobleman had rendered him obnoxious to the party which for the time appeared triumphant, had joined the good burgher; and the danger that seemed to threaten all, had even overcome the objection of Martin Fruse to the use of a horse.

This tale was soon told; and Albert Maurice, from his own private knowledge of all the springs that were moving the dark cabals within the walls of the city before him, saw much deeper into the dangers and difficulties of his own situation than those who detailed the circumstances which had occurred since his departure. He saw that the crisis of his fate was come; and without once entertaining the vain thought of avoiding it, he merely paused to calculate how he might pass through it most triumphantly.

Fear, or hesitation, doubt or even anxiety, never seemed to cross his mind for a moment. He felt, it is true, that his victory or his fall must be now complete, and that he was marching forward to a strife that must be final and decisive; but still he was eager to bring the whole to a close, perhaps from that confidence in his own powers which is ever one great step towards success. He heard his uncle to an end with an unchanged countenance; and then, without a single observation on the intelligence he had just received, he spoke a few words to the eschevin, in a low tone, in regard to the inquisition he had charged him to make in the house of the old Lord of Neufchatel. The answers seemed to satisfy him well; for ever and anon he bowed his head with a calm but somewhat bitter smile, saying merely, "So! Ay! Is it so?"

At length he demanded suddenly--pointing to a man-at-arms who had come up with his uncle and the party which had accompanied him, and now sat with his visor up, displaying a fresh and weather-beaten countenance, well seamed with scars of ancient wounds--"Who is that? I should know his face."

"That," whispered his uncle, riding close up to him, "that is good Matthew Gourney, the captain of adventurers, who was with us in the year '50, when we made a stand against the Count of Charolois. He said you had sent for him."

"I did, I did!" replied the young burgher; "but I had forgotten all about it, in the events that have since taken place. Where is the prisoner I left in the town prison?"

"Ay, there is one of their bold acts," answered Martin Fruse; and, as he spoke, the countenance of Albert Maurice turned deadly pale, thinking they had put to death the man whom he had promised to set free; but his uncle soon relieved him. "Ay! there is one of their bold acts," he said; "they have moved him from the town-house to the Prevot's prison, and threaten to do him to death to-morrow by cock-crow. Maillotin du Bac would fain have had him tried by the eschevins this morning; but the Duke of Cleves made so long a speech, and brought so much other business before the council, that they agreed to put it off till to-morrow, when he is to be interrogated at six o'clock, and have the question at seven if he refuse to confess."