He did not exactly dislike the old Chevalier de Ribaumont. The
system on which he had been brought up had not been indulgent, so
that compliments and admiration were an agreeable surprise to him;
and rebuffs and rebukes from his elders had been so common, that
hints, in the delicate dressing of the old knight, came on him
almost like gracious civilities. There was no love lost between
the Chevalier and the chaplain, that was plain; but how could there
be between an ancient French courtier and a sober English divine?
However, to Mr. Adderley's great relief, no attempts were made on
Berenger's faith, his kinsman even was disposed to promote his
attendance at such Calvinist places of worship as they passed on
the road, and treated him in all things as a mere guest, to be
patronized indeed, but as much an alien as if he had been born in
England. And yet there was a certain deference to him as head of
the family, and a friendliness of manner that made the boy feel him
a real relation, and all through the journey it came naturally that
he should be the entire manager, and Berenger the paymaster on a
liberal scale.
Thus had the travellers reached the neighbourhood of Paris, when a
jingling of chains and a trampling of horses announced the advance
of riders, and several gentlemen with a troop of servants came in
sight.
All were gaily dressed, with feathered hats, and short Spanish
cloaks jauntily disposed over one shoulder; and their horses were
trapped with bright silvered ornaments. As they advanced, the
Chevalier exclaimed: 'Ah! It is my son! I knew he would come to
meet me.' And, simultaneously, father and son leapt from their
horses, and rushed into each other's arms. Berenger felt it only
courteous to dismount and exchange embraces with his cousin, but
with a certain sense of repulsion at the cloud of perfume that
seemed to surround the younger Chevalier de Ribaumont; the ear-
rings in his ears; the general air of delicate research about his
riding-dress, and the elaborate attention paid to a small, dark,
sallow face and figure, in which the only tolerable feature was an
intensely black and piercing pair of eyes.
'Cousin, I am enchanted to welcome you.'
'Cousin, I thank you.'
'Allow me to present you.' And Berenger bowed low in succession
several times in reply to salutations, as his cousin Narcisse named
M. d'O, M. de la Valette, M. de Pibrac, M. l'Abbe de Mericour, who
had done him the honour to accompany him in coming out to meet his
father and M. le Baron. Then the two cousins remounted, something
was said to the Chevalier of the devoirs of the demoiselles, and
they rode on together bandying news and repartee so fast, that
Berenger felt that his ears had become too much accustomed to the
more deliberate English speech to enter at once into what caused so
much excitement, gesture, and wit. The royal marriage seemed
doubtful--the Pope refused his sanction; nay, but means would be
found--the King would not be impeded by the Pope; Spanish
influence--nay, the King had thrown himself at the head of the
Reformed--he was bewitched with the grim old Coligny--if order were
not soon taken, the Louvre itself would become a temple.