If any one tried to meddle with the house, we might say we
were friends of M. Darpent, and we should be secure. If the account
of the soldiers outside were true, the people were determined not to
yield to such perfidy; but he did not greatly credit it, only it was
well to be prepared.
'Alas! my friend,' said Eustace, 'this has all too much the air of
rebellion.'
'We stand on our rights and privileges,' said Darpent. 'We uphold
them in the King's name against the treachery of a Spanish woman and
an Italian priest.'
'You have been sorely tried,' said Eustace; 'but I doubt me whether
anything justifies taking arms against the Crown.'
'Ah! I am talking to a Cavalier,' said Clement. 'But I must not
argue the point. I must to my barricade.'
Nan here came forward, and desired him to carry her commendations and
thanks to Madame sa mere, and he bowed, evidently much gratified.
She durst not go the length of offering her good wishes, and she told
me I ought to have been thankful to her for the forbearance, when,
under a strong sense of duty, I reproved her. Technically he was
only Maitre Darpent, and his mother only would have been called
Mademoiselle. Monsieur and Madame were much more jealously limited
to nobility than they are now becoming, and the Darpents would not
purchase a patent of nobility to shelter themselves from taxation.
For, as Eustace said, the bourgeoisie had its own chivalry of ideas.
Pages:
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200