count, to attempt the slightest deed of revenge in return; for when a child looses respect for its parent, its own degradation invariably follows; the laws of Heaven are pointed against filial disrespect, and never fail of punishing with severity all such who disobey the command. To this Louis, with tears in his eyes, promised an implicit obedience, stating also, that he loved his father as much as a son could, and ever should, whatever he might do against him. Though it hurt his sensitive mind, to observe that Charles shared all his father's caresses, still it never interfered with the love he entertained for his unconscious rival; in fact, he played and gambolled with him at all times when he thought he might intrude into the nursery. CHAPTER VI. I wish I could Quit all offences with as clear excuse, FIRST PART HENRY FOURTH. Louis, now arrived at his fourteenth year, made an extraordinary progress in his studies; his mind was gifted with a quick perception that soon enabled him to master the exercises given him by his tutor, who even felt jealous of the power Louis shewed in treating all classical subjects. The tutor had, upon the presumption of Sir Andrew's non-interference, assumed a few airs towards his pupil, which the latter by no means liked, nor, as it proved on trial, would he endure. Louis judged correctly, that he suffered sufficient ill-treatment from his father, without meeting with additional annoyance from a quarter where it should least spring; and he therefore considered his tutor's behaviour as being an arbitary seizure of a right that belonged not to him. In fact, the tutor had now and then exercised some severity towards him, and particularly in such cases where Louis was found guilty of committing some misdemeanor in the village. Gifted with a firm heart, Louis disdained to cry whenever he was hauled up terrorum; but he vowed that whenever the time came that would give him sufficient strength, nothing should prevent him from repaying the blows he received, which he promised to himself should be done with interest. He had now arrived at an age when the body beginning to shake off its dormitory stillness, feels. the youthful blood rising in all the veins, in and occasions the first grand change of human life. Louis was stronger than the youths of his age; he was an expert runner; in short, the gymnastics of the village had imparted their seasoning to his frame, and he was consequently enabled to put his promised threat against the tutor into execution. It was not long before our young hero was reported to have broken the windows of a tradesman in the village. Though this was a falsehood, and which might have been detected had the slighest enquiry been instituted, yet still the tutor thought proper to haul up our hero to receive condign punishment. A struggle immediately ensued between the master and scholar. Though the former had more strength, yet the latter had more agility. This consequently enabled him to treat his antagonist with a yorkshire fall, upon receiving which, the unlucky tutor measured his entire length upon the floor. The noise made in the execution of this manual feat alarmed the whole house; and the servants rushed in, with timely speed, to rescue the prostrate foe from the further vengeance of our hero, who was then, with his fingers compressed tightly round the other's collar, proceeding to dictate such terms and conditions of capitulation as suited the nature of his angry feelings. Louis was obliged to surrender himself to the unexpected change of affairs, and content his mind with the consoling reflection that, if he could achieve as much in future, as he had just now performed, he had little to care from the vengeance of his master. Little did he think of the stormy fate that awaited him! his thoughts, whatever range they took, never reached the most distant idea of the doom he was to experience in a few minutes after the affray; the whole particulars of which had been laid before Sir Andrew by the discomfited tutor. |