'No, my Lord; his father. He comes on my business. He is an old
man, and can ill bear the cost, and I could scarce throw him over.'
Berenger spoke with such earnest, bright, open simplicity, and look
so boyish and confiding, that Sir Francis's heart was won, and he
smiled as he said, 'Right, lad, you are a considerate youth. It
were not well to cast off your kinsman; but when you have read your
letters, you may well plead your grandfather's desires, to say
nothing of a hint from her Grace to have an eye to you. And for
the rest, you can acquit yourself gracefully to the gentleman, by
asking him to occupy the lodging that you had taken.'
Berenger's face brightened up in a manner that spoke for his
sincerity; and Sir Francis added, 'And where be these lodgings?'
'At the Croix de Lorraine.'
'Ha! Your kinsman has taken you into a nest of Guisards. But come,
let me present you to my wife and my other guests, then will I give
you your letters, and you shall return and make your excuses to
Monsieur le Chevalier.'
Berenger seemed to himself to be on familiar ground again as his
host thus assumed the direction of him and ushered him into a large
dining-hall, where the table had been forsaken in favour of a
lesser table placed in the ample window, round which sat assembled
some six or eight persons, with fruit, wine, and conserves before
them, a few little dogs at their feet or on their laps, and a lute
lying on the knee of one of the young gentlemen. Sir Francis
presented the young Lord de Ribaumont, their expected guest, to
Lady Walsingham, from whom he received a cordial welcome, and her
two little daughter, Frances and Elizabeth, and likewise to the
gentleman with the lute, a youth about a year older than Berenger,
and of very striking and prepossessing countenance, who was named
as Mr. Sidney, the son of the Lord Deputy of Ireland. A couple of
gentlemen who would in these times have been termed attaches, a
couple of lady attendants upon Lady Walsingham, and the chaplain
made up the party, which on this day chanced only to include,
besides the household, the young traveller, Sidney. Berenger was
at once seated, and accepted a welcoming-cup of wine (i.e. a long
slender glass with a beautifully twisted stem), responded to
friendly inquiries about his relatives at home, and acknowledged
the healths that were drunk in honour of their names; after which
Lady Walsingham begged that Mr. Sidney would sing the madrigal he
had before promised: afterwards a glee was sung by Sidney, one of
the gentlemen, and Lady Walsingham; and it was discovered that Mr.
de Ribaumont had a trained ear, and the very voice that was wanting
to the Italian song they were practising. And so sped a happy
hour, till a booted and spurred messenger came in with letters for
his Excellency, who being thus roused from his dreamy enjoyment of
the music, carried young Ribaumont off with him to his cabinet, and
there made over to him a packet, with good news from home, and
orders that made it clear that he could do no other than accept the
hospitality of the Embassy. Thus armed with authority, he returned
to the Croix de Lorraine, where Mr. Adderley could not contain his
joy at the change to quarters not only so much more congenial, buts
so much safer; and the Chevalier, after some polite demur,
consented to remain in possession of the rooms, being in fact well
satisfied with the arrangement.