k the right way." He liked to owe success to himself
alone, and had an inordinate opinion of his power both of convincing and
of deceiving people. In consequence, during one of his periods of
strained relations with Charles of Burgundy, which his agents found it
impossible to settle, this royal schemer determined to visit Charles in
person, and try the effect on his opponent of the powers of persuasion
of which he was so proud.

It was as rash a project as Charles himself could have been guilty of.
The fox was about to trust himself in the den of the angry lion. But
Louis persisted, despite the persuasions of his councillors, sent to
Charles for a letter of safe-conduct, and under its assurance sought
the Duke of Burgundy in his fortified town of Peronne, having with him
as escort only fourscore of his Scotch guard and sixty men-at-arms.

It was a mad movement, and led to consequences of which Louis had not
dreamed. Charles received him civily enough. Between rash duke and
politic king there was every show of amity. But the negotiations went on
no more rapidly now than they had done before. And soon came news which
proved that Louis the schemer had, for once at least, played the fool,
and put himself in a position of the utmost danger.

The policy of the royal spider had been stretched too far. His webs of
plot had unluckily crossed. In truth, shortly before coming to Peronne,
he had sent two secret agents to the town of Liege, to stir the unruly
citizens up to rebellion against the duke. Quite forgetting this trifle
of treachery, the too-hasty plotter had sought the duke's stronghold
with the hope of placating him with well-concocted lies and a smooth
tongue. Unluckily for him, his agents did not forget their orders.

The Liegoise broke out into rebellion, under the insidious advice of the
French king's agents, advanced and took the town of Tongres, killed some
few people, and made prisoner there the bishop of Liege and the lord of
Humbercourt. The fugitives who brought this news to Peronne made the
matter even worse than this, reporting that the bishop and lord had
probably been killed. Charles believed them, and broke into a fury that
augured badly for his guest.

"So the king came here only to deceive me!" he burst out. "It is he who
by his ambassadors excited these bad folks of Liege! By St. George, they
shall be severely punished for it, and he himself shall have cause to
repent."

The measures taken by the