“Torches! quick!” cried the King. “I shall go and see him.” And without waiting for guards or suite, he threw a houppelande round him, and rushed out, arriving at the shop just as the Constable was beginning to recover his senses. He opened his eyes and they fell upon the young King leaning anxiously over him. “Ah, Constable, how do you feel?”
“Cher sire, bien faiblement et petitement.”
“Et qui vous a mis en ce parti?”
“Sire, Pierre de Craon et ses complices, trâitreusement et sans défense.”[139]
Charles turned to the doctor who had been hastily called in and said, “Look at my Constable, and tell me what there is to fear.”[140] Delighted to hear that although Clisson was covered with wounds, his life was in no danger, and swearing that never had a crime been punished and avenged as this should be; Charles sent in pursuit of Craon and his companions, of whom some were taken and executed, but most of them escaped.
The King confiscated his dominions, took possession of his treasures, and divided his lands between the Duc d’Orléans and some of his friends. The wife and daughter of Craon fled, and the King ordered the Duc de Bretagne to give up the traitor who had attacked his Constable.
The Duke pretended not to know where he was, so Charles assembled his troops to go to war with him, ordering his uncles of Berry and Burgundy to join him with their vassals. They both hated this project as the Duke of Burgundy was a great friend of the Duc de Bretagne, and the Duc de Berry, who was in Paris at the time, had been told of the conspiracy the very day it was carried out, but as he could not bear the Constable he said nothing about it to the King on pretence of not wishing to disturb the festivities going on at the palace. However, they were forced to obey the King, who would not listen to their assurances that Craon was not there at all, but in Spain. He threw himself into a violent passion whenever the matter was discussed, and seemed to be growing so violent and so unreasonable that all who approached him were filled with alarm.[141]
The weather was very hot, and Charles was in a perfectly unfit state to bear the fatigue and excitement of a campaign. During the whole summer it had been so dry that the large rivers, the chief roads for merchandise, had been so low that boats could not go on them, wells and springs were dried up, the parched earth cracked; there was great distress, for no rain fell.
One broiling day he insisted, in spite of the advice of his uncles, on leaving Le Mans with the troops. He was dressed in black velvet, and almost suffocated with the heat.
As they were entering a wood a tall figure rushed out and caught his horse by the bridle, crying out that he was betrayed (which by the by is the typical exclamation of the modern Frenchman). This particular man, however, appears to have been mad, and while he was raving and warning the King not to go further he was seized by the guards.