The Man-at-Arms; or, Henry De Cerons. Volumes I and II

by G. P. R. James

"Oh Henry," cried the old man, "does not your own heart tell you why? Do not your own feelings at this moment?"

"No, indeed, my dear sir," I replied, "I have no such feelings at all, no such sensations; I know not what you allude to. It might, perhaps, be wrong to bring Louise away, and I would not have done it if there had been any choice. But she must have explained to you that it was done without my knowing it, and, once done, impossible to take her back."

"It is not that at all, it is not that at all, Henry," replied La Tour; "it is--it is," he continued, hesitating, "it is that you love Louise, Henry, and that," he paused for a moment or two, and then added, "it is useless to conceal it; you know it already; you guess it, you see it, even if she have not acknowledged it to you with her own lips; it is that you love Louise, Henry, and that she loves you."

I might have replied that it was quite natural that it should be so; I might have replied that we had always loved each other, and that he knew it; but I would not have equivocated with that straightforward, honest, kind-hearted old man for the world, and I therefore answered him. "Is that the cause, my good friend, why you are so grieved? In truth, I see not why it should so grieve you; nothing can be more natural than that it should be as it is. I affect not to deny that I love Louise to the full extent of your meaning. Whether she loves me or not--though I do believe and hope she does--I can in no degree tell, for we never have spoken to each other on such a theme; but, even taking it for granted that she does, where is the terrible evil which should make our best and oldest friend look sad, and evidently feel pained, to behold two people, to whom he has been a father indeed, love each other mutually, dearly, and well?"

"It is because I love you both," replied La Tour. "You have been frank and honest with me, Henry, and your confidence shall never be ill-rewarded, shall never be betrayed. But, oh, my son! how little do you yet know of the world's ways! You may have some small experience in arms; you may divine what other men learn of the military art; but of the world, Henry, of the world, you as yet know little, or you would at once see what it is that grieves me in your mutual love; what it is that will render it nothing but misery to you both. Say, Henry, what is it that you can expect, but that you should see the hand of Louise bestowed upon some other man when her heart is yours? What is then to be the result?"

"But, my dear friend," I replied, "let me ask you, in return, one question. Why may I not obtain that hand myself?"

"You, Henry! you!" exclaimed the good pastor; "that, indeed, is a vain imagination! Can you entertain it for a moment? Do you think her father, wealthy, powerful, proud, will wed her to one who has nothing but his sword to depend upon, however good that sword may be? Ask yourself, is such a thing probable? is it possible?"

"At present, certainly not," I replied; "but Louise is still young, quite in her youth. I have already been successful in an extraordinary degree; why may I not, step by step, advance in the same course, till a high point, both of fame and of wealth, is obtained? Why may not I, though without the birth of a Condé indeed, raise myself as high as he has done, who set out in life poorer even for a prince than I am for a gentleman! Why may not I build up a new house, like my great ancestor, the Count de Cerons, who founded the noble house to which I belong with nothing but his sword?"

"True, he did so," replied La Tour, "and you may do the same; but recollect, Henry, that your grandfather alienated the estates and barony of Blancford to a younger brother, to support the cause for which he fought; that your father did the same, and that the trade of war, like every other trade, is now great gain, and now heavy loss, but with this difference, that accident in war mingles in a tenfold proportion, and that it is a game in which there is always an important and heavy chance against the player. But, granting that fortune favours you to the utmost and to the end; that you acquire wealth, honour, and distinction; granting, too--which may well be granted--that Louise would willingly wait till all this was accomplished, think you that her father will wait? think you that he will patiently reserve his daughter for one towards whom he cannot help feeling respect and esteem, but for whom he has shown no great affection throughout the whole course of his life? Can you say, Henry, to put it in one word, can you say that he will not to-morrow promise the hand of Louise to another? can you be sure that he has not already promised it?"

There was something in the old man's manner which seemed to imply more than his words expressed; and, determined to come to the point at once, I rose and took his hand in mine. "What is it you mean, La Tour?" I said. "There is something you would warn me of; there is something upon your mind. Speak out--speak plainly. We have always been honest and true towards each other; let us be so, I beseech you, still."