Thirty-Fifth

                              A Prize for Honour.

 'Tis brave for Beauty when the best blade wins her.
                                                             The Count Palatine.
 
When Quentin Durward reached Peronne, a council was sitting, in the issue of
which he was interested more deeply than he could have apprehended, and which,
though held by persons of a rank with whom one of his could scarce be supposed
to have community of interest, had nevertheless the most extraordinary influence
on his fortunes.
    King Louis, who, after the interlude of De la Marck's envoy, had omitted no
opportunity to cultivate the returning interest which that circumstance had
given him in the Duke's opinion, had been engaged in consulting him, or, it
might be almost said, receiving his opinion, upon the number and quality of the
troops, by whom, as auxiliary to the Duke of Burgundy, he was to be attended in
their joint expedition against Liege. He plainly saw the wish of Charles was to
call into his camp such Frenchmen as, from their small number and high quality,
might be considered rather as hostages than as auxiliaries; but, observant of
Crèvecoeur's advice, he assented as readily to whatever the Duke proposed, as if
it had arisen from the free impulse of his own mind.
    The King failed not, however, to indemnify himself for his complaisance, by
the indulgence of his vindictive temper against Balue, whose counsels had led
him to repose such exuberant trust in the Duke of Burgundy. Tristan, who bore
the summons for moving up his auxiliary forces, had the farther commission to
carry the Cardinal to the Castle of Loches, and there shut him up in one of
those iron cages which he himself is said to have invented.
    »Let him make proof of his own devices,« said the King; »he is a man of holy
church - we may not shed his blood; but, Pasques-dieu! his bishopric, for ten
years to come, shall have an impregnable frontier to make up for its small
extent! - And see the troops are brought up instantly.«
    Perhaps by this prompt acquiescence, Louis hoped to evade the more
unpleasing condition with which the Duke had clogged their reconciliation. But
if he so hoped, he greatly mistook the temper of his cousin; for never man lived
more tenacious of his purpose than Charles of Burgundy, and least of all was he
willing to relax any stipulation which he made in resentment, or revenge of a
supposed injury.
    No sooner were the necessary expresses despatched to summon up the forces
who were selected to act as auxiliaries, than Louis was called