On receiving this confirmation of my suspicions, my vanity as well as my
sense of justice led me to act with the promptitude which I have exhibited
in greater emergencies. I rated La Trape for his carelessness of my
interests in permitting this deception to be practiced on me; and the main
body of my attendants being now in sight, I ordered him to take two Swiss
and arrest both brothers without delay. It wanted yet three hours of
sunset, and I judged that, by hard riding, they might reach Rosny with
their prisoners before bedtime.
I spent some time while still on the road in considering what punishment I
should inflict on the culprits; and finally laid aside the purpose I had
at first conceived of putting them to death--an infliction they had richly
deserved--in favor of a plan which I thought might offer me some
amusement. For the execution of this I depended upon Maignan, my equerry,
who was a man of lively imagination, being the same who had of his own
motion arranged and carried out the triumphal procession, in which I was
borne to Rosny after the battle of Ivry. Before I sat down to supper I
gave him his directions; and as I had expected, news was brought to me
while I was at table that the prisoners had arrived.
Thereupon I informed the duchess and the company generally, for, as was
usual, a number of my country neighbors had come to compliment me on my
return, that there was some sport of a rare kind on foot; and we
adjourned, Maignan, followed by four pages bearing lights, leading the way
to that end of the terrace which abuts on the linden avenue.
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