“But you are going, are you not, sir?”
Ronald asked Colonel Macdonald.
“No, I do not accompany the prince; but I hope
to follow shortly. As soon as the prince has
sailed it is my mission to see all his friends and
followers in France, and urge them to join him in Scotland;
while we bring all the influence we have to bear upon
Louis, to induce him to furnish arms and assistance
for the expedition.”
Upon arriving at the prince’s lodgings Macdonald
remained without, the Duke of Athole entering, accompanied
only by Ronald.
“The prince is in disguise,” he said,
“and but one or two of us visit him here in
order that no suspicion may be incited among the people
of the house that he is anything beyond what he appears
to be — a young student of the Scotch college
at Paris.”
They ascended the stairs to the upper story, and on
the marquis knocking, a door was opened. The
duke entered, followed by Ronald.
“Well, duke, what is the news?”
The question was asked by a young man, who was pacing
restlessly up and down the room, of which he was,
with the exception of his valet de chambre, an Italian
named Michel, the person who had opened the door, the
only occupant.
“Ah! whom have you here?”
“Allow me to present to your royal highness
Lieutenant Leslie. He is the son of Leslie of
Glenlyon, who fought by my side in your father’s
cause in ’15, and has, like myself, been an
exile ever since. This is the young gentleman
who, two years since, saved Macdonald from arrest in
Glasgow.”
“Ah! I remember the adventure,” the
prince said courteously, “and right gallant
action it was; but how did you hear that I was here,
sir?”
“I was told by my good friend and commanding
officer, Colonel Hume of the 2nd Scottish Dragoons,
your royal highness.”
“I revealed it to Hume before leaving Paris,”
the duke said, “he being a great friend of mine
and as staunch as steel, and I knew that he could be
trusted to keep a secret.”
“It seems that in the last particular you were
wrong,” the prince remarked with a slight smile.
“Colonel Hume only revealed it to me, sir,”
Ronald said, anxious to save his friend from the suspicion
of having betrayed a secret confided to him, “for
very special reasons. I had the misfortune to
kill in a duel the Duke of Chateaurouge, and as we
fought just outside the park of Versailles, and the
duke was a favourite of the king’s, I had to
ride for it; then Colonel Hume, knowing my devotion
to the cause of your highness, whispered to me the
secret of your intention, and gave me a message to
his friend the Duke of Athole.”
“Do you say that you have killed the Duke of
Chateaurouge in a duel?” the duke exclaimed
in astonishment. “Why, he has the reputation
of being one of the best swordsmen in France, and
has a most evil name as a dangerous and unscrupulous
man. I met him constantly at court, and his arrogance
and haughtiness were well nigh insufferable. And
you have killed him?”
