The Devil on Horseback (18 page)

Here on the platform at the top of the staircase my family would sit surrounded by important guests and watch from here. On this very platform they would hold court like kings and mete out justice to malefactors who would be brought to them and maybe sentenced to a spell in the dungeons from which many of them never emerged. Those were cruel days, Cousin. “

“Let us hope there is less cruelty in the world today,” I said.

He put a hand on my shoulders and answered: “I am not sure of that.

Let us hope the holocaust will be avoided, for God knows what could happen to us if it should come. “

He was silent for a while and then he told me how the beggars used to take up their stand by the vaults which supported the great staircase and they reaped rich rewards on those days when the Comtes of Silvaine gave their tournaments.

“From the platform one reaches the principal apartments of the castle.

Come, Cousin, here is the hall. “

“It’s vast,” I said. ;

“It needed to be. Here they used to live their public lives. Here the lord of the castle received his messengers, judged;

those who had misbehaved, summoned his serfs and gathered;

together his fiefs when he was going to war. ” ‘|

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I shuddered.

“You are cold. Cousin?” He touched my arm lightly and as I tried to move away as unobtrusively as I could, he noticed and smiled faintly.

“No thanks,” I said.

“I was just thinking of all the events which must have taken place over the centuries. It is almost as though they have left something behind.”

“You are imaginative. I am glad. You will find plenty to catch your fancy here in the castle.”

“It will be interesting …” Something made me add, . during my brief stay. “

“Your stay, dear Cousin, I hope will not be brief.”

“I have decided I must go as soon as Marguerite has recovered.”

“Perhaps we shall find another reason for holding you here.”

“I very much doubt that. I have come to the conclusion that my place is in England … teaching school. It is what I was trained for.”

“If I may say so, you don’t fit the part.”

“You may certainly say it but your opinion will make no difference to my intentions.”

“I think you are’ too wise to act rashly. The school did not pay. Did you not leave it for that reason? That lily-livered creature Joel had put you out of favour with his family and departed.
can only despise such an act.”p>

“It was not like that at all.”

He raised his eyebrows.

“I know he was attracted by you and that is something I can fully understand, but when Papa cracked the whip and said Go, he went.”

“Sir John, like other parents, expected obedience from his offspring, I suppose.”

“Your gallant Joel was not a child. One would have expected him to make a stand. But no. I cannot admire a laggard in love.”

“There was no question of love. We were good friends. And this is a subject which I find distasteful. Do you mind if we continue exploring the castle?”

He bowed his head.

“It is my great wish to please you,” he said.

“Through the hall here, is the chamber which is a sort of salon. This and the bedchamber were the chief apartments of the lord and his lady.

It was built as a fortress you see.

Creature comforts were not as important as the fortifications The chamber is as large as the hall. “

“Yes, here they entertained their guests. They set up table on trestles and on the dais there was another tablet he higl table. At this sat the lord, his lady and the chief guests. Afte feasting the tables were removed and the guests sat round thi great fire … here in the centre of the room … an opei fire.”

“I can picture them, sitting round telling stories …”

“And singing their songs. The minstrels were con stan visitors. They used to roam the countryside, calling at castle and great houses where they would sing for their suppci They worked hard, poor devils, and often were badly served for they would sometimes be refused payment after the:

had performed. “

“I trust never in this castle.”

I trust not. My ancestors were wild and lawless but al though I have heard stories of their wickedness it did no include meanness. We were lavish spenders, reckless in al things, but I never heard of a refusal to pay those who serve us well. The high table you see over there looked over th low tables, so that we could keep an eye on our lesse gaests. We have kept this part of the chateau as it was and wi only use it on ceremonial occasions. I like to be rem inde of how my ancestors lived. We don’t cover the floor wit! rushes, of course. What an unsavoury custom that was Empimenter was often necessary. Ah, Cousin, you are puzzled You do not know empimenter? Confess. At last I have triumphed. “

“Triumphed?” I said.

“I cannot understand why you shouli think I am under the impression that I know everything ” It is because you are so knowledgeable that I constant! feel that every challenge ends in victory for you. “

“Why should there be this … unarmed combat?” I ds manded with asperity.

“It seems the nature of our relationship.”

“Our relationship is that of employer and employed. It i my duty to give satisfaction, not to joust, tilt or …”

“Only once have I disconcerted you. Cousin. That was l the days before our cousin ship when you crept into my be

Then you looked like a naught child and I will confess that from that moment you enchanted me. “

“I think you should understand …”

“Oh, I do understand. I understand perfectly. I know I must tread with care. I know that you are poised for flight. What a tragedy that would be … for me … and perhaps for you. Don’t be afraid, little Cousin.

I told you that I come from a line of reckless men but I am only rash when the occasion demands it. “

“This seems an unusual conversation to have grown out of my ignorance regarding the word … was it empimenter?”

“It is hardly likely that you would know this word, for fortunately it is little used now. It means to perfume by burning juniper wood or Eastern perfumes, and this had to be done when the stench of the rushes was unendurable.”

“Surely it would have been simpler to remove the rushes.”

“They were replaced now and then but so odoriferous were they that they left their aroma behind. See these coffers. In them our treasures were kept … gold and silver vessels and furs of course … sables, ermines, vair and miniver. Then when shut, you see, they could be used as seats, for there was not enough seating space for our guests in these seats cut out of the walls. Many of them would have squatted on the floor, round the fires in winter most likely. Through the chamber we pass into the bedchamber. Here many of my ancestors were born.”

Our footsteps clattered over the stone floor. There was no bed in the room, only a few pieces of heavy furniture which I imagined had been used before the rest of the castle had been built.

From this room we passed into several smaller rooms all sparsely furnished, stone walled and stone floored.

“The home of a medieval nobleman,” said the Comte.

“It is small wonder that as time passed we had to build ourselves more elegant living quarters. We were very proud of our castles, I can tell you. In the reign of Fran9ois Premier building flourished. We followed the King, you see. He was a great lover of the arts. He once remarked that men could make a king, but only God could make an artist. He was interested m architecture, so it was fashionable for his friends to be interested too and we vied with each other to build beautiful mansions. We built partly to flaunt our wealth and partly to indulge in secret pursuits. Thus we had hidden rooms, secret passages, and we were determined that none but ourselves should know of them, but perhaps I will show you ours one day. One great lady had her architect’s head cut off so that she could be sure that he never passed on the secret plans of her house.”

“It seems a drastic measure.”

“But you must admit foolproof. Oh dear Cousin, how I enjoy shocking you!”

“I’m afraid I shall have to mar your pleasure by telling you I don’t believe the story.”

“Why should you not? The lord of the castle-and that means his entire estate which is vast is supreme. His actions cannot be questioned by his underlings.”

“Then I hope you do not contemplate using your powers in such a manner.”

“It might depend on how tempted I was.”

“I suppose a great many people lived in the castle,” I said, changing the subject, which I believed was something which was frowned on, as only the Comte decided whether a topic was exhausted.

He raised his eyebrows and I thought he was about to remind me of this but he changed his mind.

“A great many,” he said. There were the squires, as they were called. They were in charge of various household departments. There was the squire of the table, of the chamber, of the wine cellar and i so on. Many of them came from noble families and were being prepared to take the order of chivalry. So it was a large household. Of course the stables were an important part of if the castle. There were no carriages in those days but there? were horses of all kinds draught horses, palfreys and the finest steeds for the use of the lord of the castle. In exchange;

for the services he received the lord of the castle would educate | his squires, and his riches and importance would be judged-| by the number of squires he supported. ” | ” A custom which no longer exists, though I suppose Etienne^ and Leon are in some measure the squires of today.

”

“You could call them that. They receive the education of’| noblemen and the training that goes to make up breeding.;! And they are here because I owe a debt to their parents. Yes,;|

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you could say it is similar. Ah, here is one other chamber which I must show you. The Chambre des Pucelles the Maidens’ chamber. “

I looked into the large room. A spinning-wheel stood in one corner and the walls were hung with tapestry.

“Worked by the maidens,” said the Comte.

“You see it is a light room.

Imagine them all, heads bent over their work, plying their needles.

The maidens were received at the castle too. They must be of good birth and excel at their needle. To excel at the needle was considered necessary to good breeding. And you. Cousin, how are you with the needle? “

“Completely lacking in breeding, I fear. I sew only when necessary.”

“I’m glad of that. Too much bending over embroidery is bad for the eyes and the posture. I can think of many occupations in which a woman can be better employed.”

“What do the tapestries represent?”

“Some war between the French and an enemy… the English I suppose.

It usually was. “

“And the French, I presume, are victorious?”

“Naturally. This was made by Frenchwomen. Countries make their tapestries as they make their history books. It is amazing how the right words-or pictures-can change defeat into victory.”

“I have never been taught to believe that the English were not driven out of France, nor did my mother and I attempt to teach it to others.”

“You are a very wise teacher. Cousin,” I believed he was mocking me but I was enjoying this. I so much liked to listen to his voice, to watch the emotions play across his face, the lift of those finely-drawn brows, the quirk of the lips. I enjoyed showing him that, although he might command the rest of the household, he would not command me. I felt alive, as I rarely had before, and all the time I knew that I was being reckless and that according to everything I had been taught I should be making plans to get away.

The governess would sit with the maidens in their chamber,” he went on.

“I could see you in that role. That golden hair falling loose, perhaps plaited though, and one plait falling over your shoulder. You would look very se-vere when they made a bad stitch or talked too much and too frivolously but you would have liked their gossip, which would be al about the misdeeds which took place in the castle … i high places, perhaps. You would reprimand them but yo would be hoping they would go on, for you can be deceitful Cousin, I believe.”

Why should you believe that? “

“Because I have discovered it. You are planning to go back you say, when all the time you know you are going to stay You look at me with disapproval, but I wonder how mud you disapprove.”

He had shaken me. Could it be true that I was deceiving myself? Since I had known him I seemed to have become un sure of everything and most of all myself. Every instinct wai telling me that I would be wise to get away before I becamf more involved; and yet . Perhaps he was right. I was deceitful I was telling myself I was planning to leave when ;

knew I wanted to stay.

I said sharply: “It is not for me to approve or disapprove.

“I have a notion that you enjoy my company. You sparkle you bristle, you like to banter … in fact I have the effect 01 you that you have on me, and that is something we shouh rejoice in… not fight against’ ” Monsieur Ie Comte, you are quite wrong. “

“And you are wrong to deny the truth and call me Monsieui Ie Comte when I have clearly commanded you to call mi Charles.”

“I did not think that was an order I must necessarily obey.

“All orders are for obeying.”

“But I am not one of your squires. I can leave tomorrow There is nothing to hold me here.”

There is your affection for my daughter. That girl is in i sad state.

I did not like that fit of hysteria yesterday. It make me very uneasy.

You can calm my daughter. You can maki her see reason. Soon she will have to marry. On that I an determined. I want you to stay with her . until she i:

safely married. If you will do that, then you could con side leaving us. During that time I will pay sums of money into an account so that you will have enough to start a sehoo . perhaps in Paris where you can teach English. I could send many people to you as Sir John did in England. It wil not be long before this marriage takes place. Marguerite has proved that she is ready for marriage. I know you are a very reasonable young woman-This is not much to ask, is it? “