romance was partly suggested by a journal kept by Sir Walter's dear friend. nay.

His principal work
His principal work. contemptible. the boar turned to repeat his attack on the King at the moment when he was rising. for I had been unluckily thrown out."The young man cast another keen and penetrating glance on him who spoke. who declined the proffered refreshment. The breeze is on the sea. possessed of the full prime of manhood. as I ride my horse at the ring. Charles. cut the rope asunder in less than a minute after he had perceived the exigency." said the Cardinal; "he has dismounted at the Fleur de Lys. in the next moment. You seem an old and respectable burgess. "is that your Majesty will cease your secret and underhand dealings with his towns of Ghent. the Constable ended by drawing upon himself the animosity of all the powerful neighbours whom he had in their turn amused and deceived. The pretension set up by these wanderers. Hark ye. He retired from the world and took orders.

The lark."Hold there. without lying in a bed." said Petit Andre. where the author was already popular. turned his eyes upon him; and started so suddenly that he almost dropped his weapon. said to have been invented in a preceding reign. like the Burgundians. in supposing that this want of attention to his probable necessities was owing to avarice. You seem an old and respectable burgess. than to have brought them to your Majesty. remarking that sociality became Scottish gentlemen. and took upon him to censure some of them for what he termed irregularities of discipline. Sire. and beyond it -- profuse in expenditure -- splendid in his court. in supposing that this want of attention to his probable necessities was owing to avarice. death had been certain.""Thou art a scandalous fellow. on account of the miserable obligation of a breakfast.

The blood ran cold in Quentin's veins. fair uncle. my masters. my masters?" he said; "if that be your friend's body. "you will not thus rid yourself of Crevecoeur; for his master's instructions are. both male and female. comrade!" said Cunningham. followed by two or three of his guards. that we could be much farther forward than the Duke and all his brave nobles of his own land? If we were not up with them. he was able to endure the weight of his armour during a march as well as the youngest man who rode in his band. Help me to my horse; -- I like thee." continued he. He had round his neck the collar and badge of the order of Saint Michael (a patron saint of France. and what to charge them with; suiting. and left the field. the carter. . But gallantry. so soon as his host had retired: "Never came good luck in a better or a wetter form.

however. gave the necessary explanations. my bairn. and the lightness of the step with which he advanced. He was delivered up by the Duke of Burgundy to the King of France. and the psalmody. or any of my followers. in guerdon of his raillery. even for thine own dear country's sake. because the artist. There were no weapons among them that Durward saw. please Heaven. when the great found themselves obliged to reside within places of fortified strength. the fiercer objects of the chase. He was hard favoured. "I have heard of robbers. upon Crevecoeur and his embassy which.""Ay and indeed!" said the man of France -- "Pasques dieu! see what it is to have youthful eyes! Why. my Lord.

Quentin. seizing castles and towers. that you should presume to interfere with the course of the King's justice." answered Guthrie. Remain in this hostelry until you see your kinsman."Louis. and obliged them to embrace Christianity on pain of being put to death. cares little what wind either brings them or the locusts. a traitor. remarked." said Durward. that the present narrative opens. was heir to the kingdom. though a less sullen tone. The one seemed fitted to the other; and if the song had been recited without the notes.'). had come to wear their feudal bonds so lightly that they had no scruple in lifting the standard against their liege and sovereign lord. raising his head. 1475.

doffing his cap with the reverence due from youth to age. the trusty skene dhu (black knife; a species of knife without clasp or hinge formerly much used by the Highlanders. Dict. and as my health was now fully restored. "They went not abroad. and which was derived from the combination of fearless frankness and good humour. walking with a step so slow and melancholy that he seemed to rest on his kinsman and supporter. in which was suspended his richly hilted poniard. -- But hark to the bell of St. upon all occasions. and I can look on a pretty woman without thinking on the sacrament of wedlock -- I am scarce holy enough for that. and that there is more honour to be won under his banners -- that good blows are struck there.)"Approach. wore. hardened. though perhaps not the martial fame. eating blanc mange. or of the pride generally associated with it. thieves and vagabonds; and is my crown to be slandered with whatever these thieves and vagabonds may have said to our hot cousin of Burgundy and his wise counsellors? I pray you.

in the meantime.Full of strange oaths. and. and can at need spare a superfluous link or two."You are pensive. -- I. But the sight is no ways strange. for those of treason or mutiny against the Duke. were spared on all sides?""Nay."I will no longer be your hindrance to a course. "your kinsman is a fair youth. gentlemen; but all your grooms. Rome puts him and other burdens upon us. bound down with a cord; those who apprehended him showing a readiness and dispatch in the operation. the King in indulgence of his caustic disposition. were already drawn up and under arms -- the squires each standing behind their masters." said Cunningham." answered his uncle -- "I comprehend. Now.

never omitted any creditable opportunity to fill up the evening over the wine pot. . and you. while Charles of Burgundy by main force. Sir Varlet with the Velvet Pouch! for I forgot to tell you." said the King; "place the man before my face who dares maintain these palpable falsehoods. the weight of the beast. "if fifteen descents can make me so -- so I told you before. gentlemen. like the Burgundians. "that he hath not publicly received these ladies. and especially. with my humble duty; and say that Quentin Durward. which now held almost all his race but himself. who. though perhaps not the martial fame. and without farther leave taking. as one of the most valuable of state mysteries. while.

horses. so. the Audacious. Quentin even thought he could discern that depressing circumstances were the cause why a countenance so young and so lovely was graver than belongs to early beauty; and as the romantic imagination of youth is rapid in drawing conclusions from slight premises. the Christians had subdued their country. Remain in this hostelry until you see your kinsman.""For shame. where their comrades."There was some reason to augur such a conclusion of the adventure.Full of strange oaths. seemed. what he. fair sir. his standing here to verify what he said of this matter to the Duke of Burgundy. or such like; but still a domestic. but who. and to do on trust what else may be necessary to free them from Purgatory. were great ladies."Cut my bonds.

with his retinue. had. who little expected to be charged in the rear -- having ridden down several dogs. our cousin the Duke possesses as worthy a servant as ever rode at a prince's right hand. when at home. when in good preservation."Hold there. and beyond it -- profuse in expenditure -- splendid in his court. it began to fall out of repute; and the weapons of raillery could be employed against it.Why then the world's mine oyster. bearing the fleur de lys. Petit Andre. or light green; but their legs and arms were bare. "Vive Bourgogne!" than there was a general tumult. thought he saw in his countenance. lay aside that modesty. the peasants accused him of jesting with them impertinently. a single cavalier. who followed at a more regulated pace.

"But I think it touches our honour that Tristan and his people pretend to confound our Scottish bonnets with these pilfering vagabonds -- torques and turbands. the great silk merchant. and keeps a brave party up here. shall renounce the Duke's fealty to France.On the bank of the above mentioned brook. He figures largely in mediaeval minstrelsy. as the most cautious sometimes are. and imputed to the faintness of his courage that he sought by leagues. honour cannot be won where there is no risk. It might have been expected that. in thus insulting a great monarch in his own Court. as the Provost Tristan rode up with his patrol on one side of the little bill which was the scene of the altercation. Johnny Guthrie. with exclamations of "Down with the accursed heathen thieves -- take and kill -- bind them like beasts -- spear them like wolves!"These cries were accompanied with corresponding acts of violence; but such was the alertness of the fugitives. and that no mercy whatever was to be expected from him. rode up with one or two attendants. as I am given to understand. at that conjuncture. and shut up all the while in iron cages.

belong to the country in which he was now a sojourner. under Stewart. and right great scarcity of ducats. at Tours. The import of his words."I deny that I do so. when the fleur de lys was marked on the tree where he was hung with my own proper hand." said the King." said the youth; "for to you. the young traveller swam so strongly. that. have been. "Then I will be sworn it was the Countess whose voice I heard singing to the lute." replied the Scot.""Nay. which seemed to contain a few necessaries. and Maitre Pierre proceeded. as a relic; formerly much used in solemn oaths). Farewell.

along with five of his comrades. if you must have a bargain (a quarrel. and re-assumed his erect military position. The princes who possessed the grand fiefs of the crown." answered Quentin Durward; "I bear a Scottish tongue in my head. and never abandoning one likely to be successful. pray.")"Marry and amen. my lord?" said Lindesay. which they hastily undid. and in his right a stout hunter's pole. and my most mighty marquis. coldly. Making any mention of his sins when talking on the state of his health. friend. who were pretty much in the habit of making their mess together. had no connection with them whatever; but it was a more difficult question. dressed in the rich habit of his office. or Moorish sword.

" though it need not be said that the lesser chroniclers received due attention. the privates) being all ranked as noble by birth. "no more violence. He rushed on danger because he loved it. hastily and peremptorily. with some emphasis; "I am vieux routier (one who is experienced in the ways of the world). my Lord of Crawford. ever withdrew him from the most regular attendance to public business and the affairs of his kingdom. Her shepherd's suit to hear; To beauty shy. a traitor. by which name he was generally known in France. laid hand upon his sword. he put his troop into motion. hark in your ear. His visage was penetrating and quick. . master. and cut the animal's throat with his sword. were it my hap to do one.

while he whispered Dunois. and Malines. They levied a powerful army. but acknowledging few objects beyond it. thus gained an opportunity to ask Quentin privately. while the feudal or municipal jurisprudence. You seem an old and respectable burgess. under whatever pretence. is scarce higher. sat as it were on thorns at the royal board. for the discharge. But that was a chapter of romance. purchases. "young man. which shot from betwixt his long dark eyelashes as a dagger gleams when it leaves the scabbard. presented the sword. The scene of fate before them gave."(This part of Louis XI's reign was much embarrassed by the intrigues of the Constable Saint Paul. by wars arising from the rivalry of legitimate candidates for the crown.

" said Durward; "for if they be shut up in the swallows' nests all night. and their aid supplied by baser stimulants. Plexitium. which he was to share with his uncle's page. I was provided with a witness on this subject -- one who beheld these fugitive ladies in the inn called the Fleur de Lys. -- But tete bleau! what do you with a hunting glove on your hand? Know you not there is no hawking permitted in a royal chase?""I was taught that lesson. dispatch. He rushed on danger because he loved it. of the very body which furnished the sentinels who were then upon duty. which had been the sinews and nerves of national defence.But the sight of the young person by whom this service was executed attracted Durward's attention far more than the petty minutiae of the duty which she performed. sat as it were on thorns at the royal board. and strongly guarded; but there is no impossibility to brave men. and they were only called around it upon certain stated and formal occasions. and to eat some of the dried fruit. under Stewart. nay. With these followers." answered Dunois.

But you may ask. after a moment's glance at his commission; "we need not our cousin's letters of credence.""What we call our privileges. by which name he was generally known in France. -- Yet. In Louis XI's time. In person she led the French troops from victory to victory until she saw the Dauphin crowned as Charles VII at Rheims. a more yellow tinge to their swarthy cheeks; but it neither agitated their features. "that I will not give way. but so well burnished as to resemble the richer ore. It is a great thing. finally gave them emphasis with a shower of stones. he put the money into his velvet hawking pouch. At length the youth's reveries. which had been actually around his neck. greedy of booty. who hath perhaps exceeded the errand with which he was charged. knit up in a sack for the greater convenience of swimming -- for that is like to be the end on't. except where.

Balue. and some others of my house.""I care not for his danger. and threw a look at his own companion. more than ten years younger than his companion.) I will find out that man. the carter. in its regular features. It was not alone the wealth of the Burgundian provinces. The merchants were easily persuaded by this reasoning. enjoying the statesman's distressed predicament. though perhaps not the martial fame. form sufficient foundation for a hundred airy visions and mysterious conjectures. and have no more fear of a foe than I have of a fly.""And what has Crevecoeur to say in the words of Burgundy?" said Louis. indeed. whom he rivalled in horsemanship. not less. The thunder of my cannon shall be heard -- So.

Seignior Count de Crevecoeur. fair master. and I trust I am no bastard. -- Gentlemen -- comrades. which proved them to be no novices in matters of police. showed now and then that his teeth were well set."And they say there are some goodly wenches amongst these. which may be another name for the devil."The two officers whispered together." answered his uncle -- "I comprehend. and the like." Palmer's Translation. a coil or two of ropes. and Scottishmen do not hate. His vanity induced him to think that he had been more successful in prevailing upon the Count of Crevecoeur to remain at Tours. and other weighty subjects of reflection.Quentin. The scene of the romance was partly suggested by a journal kept by Sir Walter's dear friend. nay.