maitre cornelius-第3部分

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confide　to　you　my　honor。　Besides；〃　she　added；　looking　at　him　with

dignity；　〃I　am　so　unhappy　that　you　would　never　betray　my　trust。　But

what　is　the　good　of　all　this？　Go；　let　me　die；　sooner　than　that　you

should　enter　that　house　of　Maitre　Cornelius。　Do　you　not　know　that　all

his　apprentices〃



〃Have　been　hanged；〃　said　the　young　man；　laughing。



〃Oh；　don't　go；　you　will　be　made　the　victim　of　some　sorcery。〃



〃I　cannot　pay　too　dearly　for　the　joy　of　serving　you；〃　he　said；　with　a

look　that　made　her　drop　her　eyes。



〃But　my　husband？〃　she　said。



〃Here　is　something　to　put　him　to　sleep；〃　replied　her　lover；　drawing

from　his　belt　a　little　vial。



〃Not　for　always？〃　said　the　countess；　trembling。



For　all　answer　the　young　seigneur　made　a　gesture　of　horror。



〃I　would　long　ago　have　defied　him　to　mortal　combat　if　he　were　not　so

old；〃　he　said。　〃God　preserve　me　from　ridding　you　of　him　in　any　other

way。〃



〃Forgive　me；〃　said　the　countess；　blushing。　〃I　am　cruelly　punished　for

my　sins。　In　a　moment　of　despair　I　thought　of　killing　him；　and　I　feared

you　might　have　the　same　desire。　My　sorrow　is　great　that　I　have　never

yet　been　able　to　confess　that　wicked　thought；　but　I　fear　it　would　be

repeated　to　him　and　he　would　avenge　it。　I　have　shamed　you；〃　she

continued；　distressed　by　his　silence；　〃I　deserve　your　blame。〃



And　she　broke　the　vial　by　flinging　it　on　the　floor　violently。



〃Do　not　come；〃　she　said；　〃my　husband　sleeps　lightly；　my　duty　is　to

wait　for　the　help　of　Heaventhat　will　I　do！〃



She　tried　to　leave　the　chapel。



〃Ah！〃　cried　the　young　man；　〃order　me　to　do　so　and　I　will　kill　him。　You

will　see　me　to…night。〃



〃I　was　wise　to　destroy　that　drug；〃　she　said　in　a　voice　that　was　faint

with　the　pleasure　of　finding　herself　so　loved。　〃The　fear　of　awakening

my　husband　will　save　us　from　ourselves。〃



〃I　pledge　you　my　life；〃　said　the　young　man；　pressing　her　hand。



〃If　the　king　is　willing；　the　pope　can　annul　my　marriage。　We　will　then

be　united；〃　she　said；　giving　him　a　look　that　was　full　of　delightful

hopes。



〃Monseigneur　comes！〃　cried　the　page；　rushing　in。



Instantly　the　young　nobleman；　surprised　at　the　short　time　he　had

gained　with　his　mistress　and　wondering　at　the　celerity　of　the　count；

snatched　a　kiss；　which　was　not　refused。



〃To…night！〃　he　said；　slipping　hastily　from　the　chapel。



Thanks　to　the　darkness；　he　reached　the　great　portal　safely；　gliding

from　column　to　column　in　the　long　shadows　which　they　cast　athwart　the

nave。　An　old　canon　suddenly　issued　from　the　confessional；　came　to　the

side　of　the　countess　and　closed　the　iron　railing　before　which　the　page

was　marching　gravely　up　and　down　with　the　air　of　a　watchman。



A　strong　light　now　announced　the　coming　of　the　count。　Accompanied　by

several　friends　and　by　servants　bearing　torches；　he　hurried　forward；　a

naked　sword　in　hand。　His　gloomy　eyes　seemed　to　pierce　the　shadows　and

to　rake　even　the　darkest　corners　of　the　cathedral。



〃Monseigneur；　madame　is　there；〃　said　the　page；　going　forward　to　meet

him。



The　Comte　de　Saint…Vallier　found　his　wife　kneeling　on　the　steps　of　the

alter；　the　old　priest　standing　beside　her　and　reading　his　breviary。　At

that　sight　the　count　shook　the　iron　railing　violently　as　if　to　give

vent　to　his　rage。



〃What　do　you　want　here；　with　a　drawn　sword　in　a　church？〃　asked　the

priest。



〃Father；　that　is　my　husband；〃　said　the　countess。



The　priest　took　a　key　from　his　sleeve；　and　unlocked　the　railed　door　of

the　chapel。　The　count；　almost　in　spite　of　himself；　cast　a　look　into

the　confessional；　then　he　entered　the　chapel；　and　seemed　to　be

listening　attentively　to　the　sounds　in　the　cathedral。



〃Monsieur；〃　said　his　wife；　〃you　owe　many　thanks　to　this　venerable

canon；　who　gave　me　a　refuge　here。〃



The　count　turned　pale　with　anger；　he　dared　not　look　at　his　friends；

who　had　come　there　more　to　laugh　at　him　than　to　help　him。　Then　he

answered　curtly：



〃Thank　God；　father；　I　shall　find　some　way　to　repay　you。〃



He　took　his　wife　by　the　arm　and；　without　allowing　her　to　finish　her

curtsey　to　the　canon；　he　signed　to　his　servants　and　left　the　church

without　a　word　to　the　others　who　had　accompanied　him。　His　silence　had

something　savage　and　sullen　about　it。　Impatient　to　reach　his　home　and

preoccupied　in　searching　for　means　to　discover　the　truth；　he　took　his

way　through　the　tortuous　streets　which　at　that　time　separated　the

cathedral　from　the　Chancellerie；　a　fine　building　recently　erected　by

the　Chancellor　Juvenal　des　Ursins；　on　the　site　of　an　old　fortification

given　by　Charles　VII。　to　that　faithful　servant　as　a　reward　for　his

glorious　labors。



The　count　reached　at　last　the　rue　du　Murier；　in　which　his　dwelling；

called　the　hotel　de　Poitiers；　was　situated。　When　his　escort　of

servants　had　entered　the　courtyard　and　the　heavy　gates　were　closed；　a

deep　silence　fell　on　the　narrow　street；　where　other　great　seigneurs

had　their　houses；　for　this　new　quarter　of　the　town　was　near　to

Plessis；　the　usual　residence　of　the　king；　to　whom　the　courtiers；　if

sent　for；　could　go　in　a　moment。　The　last　house　in　this　street　was　also

the　last　in　the　town。　It　belonged　to　Maitre　Cornelius　Hoogworst；　an

old　Brabantian　merchant；　to　whom　King　Louis　XI。　gave　his　utmost

confidence　in　those　financial　transactions　which　his　crafty　policy

induced　him　to　undertake　outside　of　his　own　kingdom。



Observing　the　outline　of　the　houses　occupied　respectively　by　Maitre

Cornelius　and　by　the　Comte　de　Poitiers；　it　was　easy　to　believe　that

the　same　architect　had　built　them　both　and　destined　them　for　the　use

of　tyrants。　Each　was　sinister　in　aspect；　resembling　a　small　fortress；

and　both　could　be　well　defended　against　an　angry　populace。　Their

corners　were　upheld　by　towers　like　those　which　lovers　of　antiquities

remark　in　towns　where　the　hammer　of　the　iconoclast　has　not　yet

prevailed。　The　bays；　which　had　little　depth；　gave　a　great　power　of

resistance　to　the　iron　shutters　of　the　windows　and　doors。　The　riots

and　the　civil　wars　so　frequent　in　those　tumultuous　times　were　ample

justification　for　these　precautions。



As　six　o'clock　was　striking　from　the　great　tower　of　the　Abbey　Saint…

Martin；　the　lover　of　the　hapless　countess　passed　in　front　of　the　hotel

de　Poitiers　and　paused　for　a　moment　to　listen　to　the　sounds　made　in

the　lower　hall　by　the　servants　of　the　count；　who　were　supping。　Casting

a　glance　at　the　window　of　the　room　where　he　supposed　his　love　to　be；

he　continued　his　way　to　the　adjoining　house。　All　along　his　way；　the

young　man　had　heard　the　joyous　uproar　of　many　feasts　given　throughout

the　town　in　honor　of　the　day。　The　ill…joined　shutters　sent　out　streaks

of　light；　the　chimneys　smoked；　and　the　comforting　odor　of　roasted

meats　pervaded　the　town。　After　the　conclusion　of　the　church　services；

the　inhabitants　were　regaling　themselves；　with　murmurs　of　satisfaction

which　fancy　can　picture　better　than　words　can　paint。　But　at　this

particular　spot　a　deep　silence　reigned；　because　in　these　two　houses

lived　two　passions　which　never　rejoiced。　Beyond　them　stretched　the

silent　country。　Beneath　the　shadow　of　the　steeples　of　Saint…Martin；

these　two　mute　dwellings；　separated　from　the　others　in　the　same　street

and　standing　at　the　crooked　end　of　it；　seemed　afflicted　with　leprosy。

The　building　opposite　to　them；　the　home　of　the　criminals　of　the　State；

was　also　under　a　ban。　A　young　man　would　be　readily　impressed　by　this

sudden　contrast。　About　to　fling　himself　into　an　enterprise　that　was

horribly　hazardous；　it　is　no　wonder　that　the　daring　young　seigneur

stopped　short　before　the　house　of　the　silversmith；　and　called　to　mind

the　many　tales　furnished　by　the　life　of　Maitre　Cornelius；tales　which

caused　such　singular　horror　to　the　countess。　At　this　period　a　man　of

war；　and　even　a　lover；　trembled　at　the　mere　word　〃magic。〃　Few　indeed

were　the　minds　and　the　imaginations　which　disbelieved　in　occult　facts

and　tales　of　the　marvellous。　The　lover　of　the　Comtesse　de　Saint…

Vallier；　one　of　the　daughters　whom　Louis　XI。　had　in　Dauphine　by　Madame

de　Sassenage；　however　bold　he　might　be　in　other　respects；　was　likely

to　think　twice　before　he　finally　entered　the　house　of　a　so…called

sorcerer。



The　history　of　Maitre　Cornelius　Hoogworst　will　fully　explain　the

security　which　the　silversmith　inspired　in　the　Comte　de　Saint…Vallier；

the　terror　of　the　countess；　and　the　hesitation　that　now　took

possession　of　the　lover。　But；　in　order　to　make　the　readers　of　this

nineteenth　century　understand　how　such　commonplace　events　could　be

turned　into　anything　supernatural；　and　to　make　them　share　the　alarms

of　that　olden　time；　it　is　necessary　to　interrupt　the　course　of　this

narrative　and　cast　a　rapid　glance　on　the　preceding　life　and　adventures

of　Maitre　Cornelius。







CHAPTER　II



THE　TORCONNIER



Cornelius　Hoogworst；　one　of　the　richest　merchants　in　Ghent；　having

drawn　upon　himself　the　enmity　of　Charles；　Duke　of　Burgundy；　found

refuge　and　protection　at　the　court　of　Louis　XI。　The　king　was　conscious

of　the　advantages　he　could　gain　from　a　man　connected　with　all　the

principal　commercial　houses　of　Flanders；　Venice；　and　the　Levant；　he

naturalized；　ennobled；　and　flattered　Maitre　Cornelius；　all　of　which

was　rarely　done　by　Louis　XI。　The　monarch　pleased　the　Fleming　as　much

as　the　Fleming　pleased　the　monarch。　Wily；　distrustful；　and　miserly；

equally　politic；　equally　learned；　superior；　both　of　them；　to　their

epoch；　understanding　each　other　marvellously；　they　discarded　and

resumed　with　equal　facility；　the　one　his　conscience；　the　other　his

religion；　they　loved　the　same　Virgin；　one　by　conviction；　the　other　by

policy；　in　short；　if　we　may　believe　the　jealous　tales　of　Olivier　de

Daim　and　Tristan；　the　king　went　to　the　house　of　the　Fleming　for　those

diversions　with　which　King　Louis　XI。　diverted　himself。　History　has

taken　care　to　transmit　to　our　knowledge　the　licentious　tastes　of　a

monarch　who　was　not　averse　to　debauchery。　The