eron along the banks of
a long canal, and came galloping towards him.

"News, news, Count of Crevecoeur," they cried both together, "will you
give news, or take news? or will you barter fairly?"

"I would barter fairly, Messires," said Crevecoeur, after saluting them
courteously, "did I conceive you had any news of importance sufficient
to make an equivalent for mine."

The two sportsmen smiled on each other, and the elder of the two, a
fine baronial figure, with a dark countenance, marked with that sort of
sadness which some physiognomists ascribe to a melancholy temperament,
and some, as the Italian statuary augured of the visage of Charles I,
consider as predicting an unhappy death, turning to his companion, said,
"Crevecoeur has been in Brabant, the country of commerce, and he has
learned all its artifices--he will be too hard for us if we drive a
bargain."

"Messires," said Crevecoeur, "the Duke ought in justice to have the
first of my wares, as the Seigneur takes his toll before open market
begins. But tell me, are your news of a sad or a pleasant complexion?"

The person whom he particularly addressed was a lively looking man,
with an eye of great vivacity, which was corrected by an expression
of reflection and gravity about the mouth and upper lip--the whole
physiognomy marking a man who saw and judged rapidly, but was sage and
slow in forming resolutions or in expressing opinions. This was the
famous Knight of Hainault, son of Collara, or Nicolas de l'Elite, known
in history, and amongst historians, by the venerable name of Philip de
Comines, at this time close to the person of Duke Charles the Bold, and
one of his most esteemed counsellors. He answered Crevecoeur's question
concerning the complexion of the news of which he and his companion, the
Baron D'Hymbercourt, were the depositaries.

[Philip de Comines was described in the former editions of this work
as a little man, fitted rather for counsel than action. This was a
description made at a venture, to vary the military portraits with which
the age and work abound. Sleidan the historian, upon the authority of
Matthieu d'Arves, who knew Philip de Comines, and had served in his
household, says he was a man of tall stature, and a noble presence.
The learned Monsieur Petitot... intimates that Philip de Comines made a
figure at the games of chivalry and pageants exhibited on the wedding of
Charles of Burgundy with Margaret of England in 1468.... He is the