'Le Coup de Jarnac'

Southland Times, Issue 11671, 27 February 1891, Page 3

'Le Coup de Jarnac'

Macmillan's Magnzne. It was the summer of 1547, aod a great nuiliiimifl of Decide had assembled in the forest of St. Germain, to wUdms a sp"ctoo»e that W'ifl never again to be seen on French •oil. For tbe King was there ; it wa« in fact ft FOy»l quarrel that was to be settled ob the green ewuri in presence of tbot-e eager spectators. And with him was Diane de Poitierß, tbe pale womaD, twen'y years older than tbe yonug sovereign about whom she had woven her mysterious epells. It was for Diane's gratification that the chivalry of France bad gathered under tbe great oaks and chestnuts to atsist at a due] between two combatants so untqoaliy matched that the reault was ft foregone concla*ion. The coor iere of Francii 1., beaded by the Dachcpse d'E*Uropes, had considered a woman of forty captivating a prince of twenty, a fair mark for tbeir wit. Tbtyba-1 flung their insults at Dune lightly for nouie years, forgetting that kings do not live for ever. But the funeral cere monies of Francis were scarcely over before Diane took measures to prove to these imprudent people that La Vieille, as they called bar, was not to be ridiculed with impunity. Tbe Ducbesee d'Betempta was banished to Brittany.with a twofold churge of heresy and trtaeon banging over her. A. worse fate might have befallen her if it bad not t*eu for one of ber agenta, who was intelligent enough to bribe tbe Guises. This moderate measure did not, however, satisfy ber enemy, who had planned a more elaborate revenge. Among the warmest friends of the Duchess was a certain M. de J&rnac, wbo had long been destined to «• ceive tbe blow aimed uctually at Diane's rival. Everything bad been io train for a long time. A year or more ago the docile Henry bad put into circulation an odioun ■lander about D> J*rnac woicb came of coarse in doe lime to ibe victim* ears ; when he exclaimed hotly tbst it was an infamous lie, whoever had uttertd i«. Then it apprareci tbfti the highest p«reonage bo* ca» w |bt kingdom ««> rwpootiblt tw tk*

I, J The D<uphin conld not, of course, take 0 np his own quarrel; buthe h«<i no .iiffijul'y 1 \n finding a obampmn. Francois de V.- --» vonne, Seigneur de la Cbataigneraie.hegge.d ■* eagerly to be allowed to act for the Prince. ' The King was applied to for leave to settle \ (he mutter according to anciont custom, by ' r Wiger of Battle. Francis refold th» re ; quired pfrajis.sioo, and for some months the subject W6* dropped. Francis died in » the spring of 1547, and H> nry bad been I king exactly three *eeks when tho Secrr F tary of State signed an Order of Council summoning D > Jarnan to meet Chatsig- ' neraie in judicial combat io three munths' ' time. Chataigneraie was a m*n of seven . or eight and twenty, of middle height, square set, strongly built, aa athlete renowned for his nurprising feats of armp. Tbeyonnger eon of a Poiton fsniily, he bad ooms to Court almost penniless; bnt Henry, like onr own Eliz ibeth,lovt d a proper man, and the vigorous Poitevio was soon on the road to fortune. Fie was f-oaietbing of A bully, but no one ca'ed to qnarrel with him, for bi« reputa'ion both as a wrestler and a \ swordsman whs «el established, and be stood tiigbjn'tbe Kiog's good graces. De Jaroac was older than bis opponent, a tall, slender, delicate man, a little wanting ia n^rve, certainly with no passion for fighting. They had oace been comrades in srms, and no one knew better than he Cbatargneraie's immense superiority. He found himself therefore forced inte * position from which it seemed impossible to extricate himself with honour. He made one melancholy attempt to arrange matters with Madame de Poitiers, who informed him coldly that the wine was draws and mutt be drunk; adding that the King was interested in the matter and would never yield. De Jarnac then began to attend to bis son!, in preparation for death. The challenged had the right of cbooaiog the weapons to be used in the duel, and accordiog to a curious and highly inconvenient custom, he was not obliged to announce his choice till the day came. The challenger bad therefore to provide himself with a large miscellaneous collection of arms in order not to rnn the risk of finding himself without the appointed weapons at the last moment. De, Jarnac's professional friecd had given him some fencing lessons. What proved to be of more importance, was his discovery of the fact that the redoubtable Obataigoeraie had, like other people,a weak point. An old wound received at tb» siege of Corns, in Piedmont, had left a slight Btiffcess in his right arm. The quick witted Italian saw at once that this was a chance for his man, and he did not hesitate to take advantage of it. He counselled him accordingly to fight on foot, snd to demand the h avy armour of the past century, long since discarded in favor of ltss cumbrous defences. The heralds proclaimed silence. The people were enjoined on pain of death to make no souud while the trial lasted, not even to coagb. The two figures in tbeir grots* quo panoply appeared at opposite sides, Chataigneraie terribly hampered by (be ii flexible iron on his right arm, and the heavy fchield on bis left. They curt in tbe centre of the listp, and tbe Poitevin longed fiercely »t his foe. De Jarnac evaded the stroke, and flinging his lately acquired science to the winds, seized his long sword with both hande and strack blindly one desperate blow tor fame aod life. Ohataig neraie was not quick enough to parry tbe attack. The blade caught him on .ho knee and beetag.erd scd looked half-dazed for amo me at. Before be conld reoover himself D-> Jirnac struck again ia the same place, almost severing the limb. Without a word Chetaignerais dropped heavily to the grou'.d. The combat was ended without a third blow. 'Yield 1 cried De Junao scarcely believing bis good fortune. But Caataigneraie did not reply. D) J.irnac narried to the side of the lists and fell on his knerp before the K ; ng ' I give him to \oo, Bire,' be Bain. 'Ojlv admit that my hotour v cleared.' Thj K.ng was silent. Tbo victor, anxicua and perplexed, returned io his prostrate opponent and kneit down beside bim. Chataigneraie struggled to his fea' c, and snatching up his sword, which .ay within reach, aimed a furious blow at his bu-ziuy . 'If you move,' said Da Jarnac, I will kill you.' ' Kill me then,' said the other, falling back. De Jarnac turned again to tbe King, and appealed to him i-aasionau-ly io «pe«k. ' Hi- id yout ru.iD, Sire,' be cried. * I give hiiu to you fr^e'j. S*y tiiai I iitn an honourable maa and uk«j him f>r th^ iove of Heaven. Bu Jthe Kirg wou.'d not answer. It was d serious predicament for Dt> Juruac. To kill the King's champion in the K ng's pretence was too bod «n action to iecocnmend itself to bim. Wl at career would bo open to bim atterwrfrds ? Oa tbe o. her hand, if Chataigneraio lived to recovi r, his first thought would naturally be revenge. L)e Jarnac made one more attempt. 'Ch»tligneraie, old comrade,' he eaiif, bendiDg over tbe wounded niao, who lay in a pool of blood, ' for «he cake of our old couipaniocship, commend yourseif to Grod and let us bb reconciled ' Rut Chataigneraie r- ccained perfectly mute,ae mute as Henry. Toe patieDce of tbe crowd wan nearly exhausted. Toe victory bad been gained ; bow long would the King r«fuee to recognise the victor ? Do Jarnac'e patience was exhausted too. He stepped across the arent* and looked up inte the gallery where Diane sat enthroned. 'Ah, madame,' be cried, 'you told me bow it would be. It is as you said.' The people caught the mean ing of the bitter eigDitic-mt words, and a ♦•'Till of anger ran through the geat crowd* No one venture.! to speak ; tt<e place was profoundly still ; but the Kmg, lo< kirg do«n on that eea of gloomy m^ntic ng faces, was startled out of bin Hulleu silence. 1 Dj you »ive him to oue ?' he «*k d at last, id a dry, hoarse voice. 'Yep, S're, yep,' replied Da Jirnac. * On:y say that I urn an honourable m in. and when you o< xt co to war, yoa will find me tiio most faithful soldier in your army.' 'You have done yat duty,' BAid Henry reluctaotly. 'Your honour is saved.' j Tbe ©oußtabfe went down into Jhe lists and annouoced briefly that Chataignerie ought to be rem >ved, be was fast bleeding to death. The dying maa was carried away nod tL©p, according to castom, the victor stiouid have been led in a triumphal pro-Cf-Bsion roaDd the lists, Tbe crowd whs expecting the c-reiuony, acd tbe Constable prjposed_ii, bnt De Jaroac was wis.^r thun bis friends. H ■ had no wish to add a stiog to the ro_>al mortification, or to se^m to exuit openly over the royal defeut. He declared that ho would rather omit tLe doling triumph. 'I desire no other glory, Sire,' said be prudently, 'than to serve my king.' Henry by this time had recovered his composure. D« Jarnac was conducted to the platform on which he eat, and the King congratulated the man he had hopsd to murder io a manner that must have bern extremely giatifying to tbe soul of the courtier. ' You have fought like Cfßdar, and spoken like Aristotln,' wob the vt ry remark«b'e compliment with which he received him. Henry appears to have forgiven D) Jimac bis dangerous successHjb own defeated champion he cou d not br ng himself to forgive. The dying man looked io vain for some crumb of cod so la. tion, some word of compassion; none was sect. His royal patron bad flung away the poor tool that bad failed to serve his purpose.