The Lily and the Totem; or, The Huguenots in Florida
Page 47
II.
BLAIZE DE MONTLUC.
This sublime purpose--sublime by reason of the intense individualitywhich it betrayed--the proud, strong and defiant will, which took nocounsel from the natural fears of the subject, and was totally unrebukedby the placid indifference of the sovereign to his own duties--wasnot, however, to be indulged openly; but was compelled, by force ofcircumstances; the better to effect its object--to subdue itself tothe eye, to cloak its real purposes, to suffer not the nearest or bestfriend to conceive the intense design which was working in the soul ofthe hero. We have seen that the Marechal, Blaize de Montluc, a verycelebrated warrior, a very brave fellow, an accomplished leader and agood man, though a monstrous braggart--the very embodiment of Gasconself-esteem, had long been a personal friend of the Chevalier deGourgues. Montluc was the king's lieutenant in Guyenne, and to him DeGourgues proceeded to obtain his commission for sailing upon the highseas. Montluc, like himself, was a Catholic; but, unlike de Gourgues,was a bitter hater of the Huguenots. Our chevalier had been too long aprisoner with Spaniard and Turk--too long a cruiser upon lonely oceans,confined to a little world which knew and cared nothing for sects andparties, to feel very acutely as a politician in matters of religion.Such a life as that which he had so long led, was well calculated toconduce to toleration. "Vengeance is mine:" saith the Lord; and he wasvery willing to believe that in his own good time, the Lord will dohimself justice upon the offender. He was no hater of Calvin or theProtestants--was quite willing that they should pray and preach afterthe desires of their own hearts; and did by no means sympathise with hisfriend, Montluc, in regard to the heretics whom he denounced. But hesaid nothing of this to the Marechal. He knew that nothing could be saidsafely, in relation to this vexing struggle, which tore the bowels ofthe nation with perpetual strifes. He had been taught policy by painfulexperience; and, though boiling with intense excitement, could concealthe secret flame with an exterior of snow, such as shrouds the top ofthe burning Orizaba. He found the old knight in the enjoyment of adegree of repose, which was no ways desirable to one of his character.The man of whom the epitaph records--written by himself:--
"Cy dessous reposent les os De Montluc, qui n'eut onc repos."
was not the person to feel grateful in the possession of an office whichgave no exercise to his restless and martial propensities.
"We are shelved, _mon ami_," he said with a grim smile to De Gourgues,as they sat together in the warm chamber of the speaker:--"We areshelved. We are under petticoat government. Lords and rulers are nowmade by the pretty women of the Court, and an old soldier like myself,who has saved the monarchy, as you know, a dozen times, has nothing nowto do but to hang up his armor, and watch it while it falls to pieceswith the rust. But I have made myself a name which is famous throughoutEurope, and for the opportunity to do this, I must needs be grateful tomy king. I have the lieutenancy of Guyenne, but how long I am to have itis the question. There are others who hunger after the shoes I wear; butwhether they will fit so well upon the feet of Monsieur, the Marquis deVillars, must be for other eyes to determine. All I know, is, that I amlaid up forever. Strength fails, and favor fails, and I chafe at my ownlack of strength. I shall never be happy so long as my knees refuseto bend as I would mount horse, yet bend even too freely when I wouldspeed on foot. But what is this expedition for which you desire theroyal seal? Certainly, we Gascons are the most restless of all God'screatures. Here now are you but just arrived at home, and beginning tomake merry with your friends, and here you are, all at once, impatientto be upon the seas again. Well, you have won a great fame upon theocean, and naturally desire to win still more. I' faith, I feel a greatdesire to keep you company. I would be at work to the last, still doing,still conquering, and dying in the greatest of my victories. What saysthe Italian--'_Un bel mourir, tutta la vita onora!_' Did this adventureof yours, Monsieur, but promise a great battle, verily, I should like toshare it with you."
"Ah! Monsieur, my friend, your passion is no longer mine, though I amtoo much of the Gascon still, to fail, at the sound of the trumpet, toprick mine ears. But this adventure tells for fortune rather than fame.I find no fame a specific against famine. I would seek now after thoseworldly goods which neither of us looked to find in the wars with theSpaniard. And for which reason, failing to find, we are in danger now ofbeing put aside by ladies' minions, and the feathered creatures of theCourt. There is great gain now to be won by a visit to the Coast ofBenin, in Africa, whence we carry the negro cannibal, that he may bemade a Christian by proper labor under Christian rule."
And De Gourgues proceeded to unfold the history of the traffic inslaves, as it was carried on by all nations at that period; itsmarvellous profit and no less marvellous benefits to the untutored andmiserable heathen. The Marechal listened with great edification.
"Ah! Monsieur, were I now what you knew me when we fought in Tuscany,now nearly thirty years ago! But it is too late. I must ever remain whatI am, a poor Gascon, as my sovereign hath ever known me; too heedful ofhis fortune ever to give proper tendance to my own!"