CHAPTER XXXII.
How blest am I by such a man led, Under whose wise and careful guardship I now despise fatigue and hardship!
As soon as they were out of reach of immediate annoyance, the knightreined in his horse, and turned to see if Shoenvelt showed anysymptoms of an inclination to follow. But all was now quiet: the gateswere shut, the drawbridge was raised, and not even an archer to beseen upon the walls. Sir Osborne's eye, however, ran over tower, andbartizan, and wall, and battlement, with so keen and searching aglance, that if any watched him in his progress, it must have beenfrom the darkest loophole in the castle, to escape the notice of hiseye.
Satisfied at length with his scrutiny, he again pursued his journeydown the steep descent into the vast plain of Flanders, and turned hishorse towards Mount Cassel, giving Longpole an account, as he went, ofthe honourable plans and purposes of the good Count of Shoenvelt.
"'Odslife! my lord," said Longpole, "let us go into that part of theworld too. If we could but get a good stout fellow or two to our back,we might disconcert them."
"I fear they are too many for us," replied the knight, "though itseems that Shoenvelt, avaricious of all he can get, and afraid thataught should slip through his hands, has divided his men into tens andtwelves, so that a few spears well led might do a great deal of harmamongst them. At all events, Longpole, we will buy a couple of lancesat Cassel; for we may yet chance to meet with some of Shoenvelt'sfollowers on our road."
Conversing of their future proceedings, they now mounted the steepascent of Mount Cassel, and approached the gate of the town, the irongrate of which, to their surprise, was slowly pushed back in theirfaces as they rode up. "Ho! soldier, why do you shut the gate?" criedSir Osborne; "don't you see we are coming in?"
"No, you are not," replied the other, who was a stiff old Hainaulter,looking as rigid and intractable as the iron jack that covered hisshoulders; "none of Shoenvelt's plunderers come in here."
"But we are neither friends nor plunderers of Shoenvelt's," said theknight: "we are his enemies, and have just made our escape from St.Hubert's."
"Ah! a fine tale! a fine tale!" replied the soldier, through thebarred gate, which he continued slowly and imperturbably to fastenagainst them. "We saw you come down the hill, but you don't step inhere to-night; so you had better ride away, before the captain sendsdown to make you. We all know that you can lie as well as rob."
"By my life! if I were in, I'd split your morion for you," said theknight, enraged at the cool _nonchalance_ of the Hainaulter.
"Doubtless," replied he, in the same sort of indifferent snufflingtone; "doubtless: you look like it, and that's one reason why I shallkeep you out."
Sir Osborne wasted no more words on the immoveable old pikeman, but,angrily turning his horse, began to descend the hill. A little waydown the steep, there was even then, as now, a small hamlet serving asa sort of suburb to the town above; and towards this the knight tookhis way, pausing to gaze, every now and then, on the vast,interminable plain that lay stretched at his feet, spread over whichhe could see a thousand cities and villages, all filled with their ownlittle interests and feelings, wherein he had no part nor sympathy,and a thousand roads leading away to them, in every direction, withoutany one to guide his choice, or to tell him on which he might expectprosperity or disaster.
"To Aire," said he, after he had thought for some time. "We will go toAire. I hear that the Count de Ligny, whom I fought at Isson, isthere, and the Chevalier Bayard, and many other gallant knights andgentlemen, who, perhaps, may welcome me amongst them. Is not that thesmoke of a forge, Longpole? Perhaps we may find an armourer. Let ussee."
As the knight had imagined, so it proved, and on their demanding twostrong lances, the armourer soon brought them forward a bundle ofstiff ash staves, bidding them choose. After some examination toascertain the soundness of the wood, their choice was made; and theFleming proceeded to adjust to the smaller end of each twohandsbreadths of pointed iron, which being fastened and clenched, theknight and his follower paid the charge, and taking possession oftheir new weapons rode away, directing their course towardsHazebrouck, in their way to Aire.
Their progress now became necessarily slow; for though both horseswere powerful in limb and joint, and trained to carry great burdensand endure much fatigue, yet the weight of a heavy iron bard, togetherwith that of a tall strong man armed at all points, was such that in along journey it of course made itself felt. Evidently perceiving bythe languor of his motions that the charger which bore him wasbecoming greatly wearied, Sir Osborne ceased to urge him, and proposedto stop for the evening at the very first village that could boast ofan inn. Nevertheless, it was some time before they met with such aone, most of the hamlets on the road being too poor and insignificantto require or possess anything of the kind. At length, however, asmall, neat house, with a verdant holly-bush over the door, invitedtheir steps, and entering, Sir Osborne was saluted heartily by thecivil host, who, with brandished knife and snowy bib, was busilyengaged in cooking various savoury messes for any guest thatProvidence might send him. Some specimens of his handiwork were placedbefore the knight and Longpole, as soon as their horses had been takencare of; and an excellent bottle of old wine, together with somefatigue, induced them to linger a little at the table.
The lattice, which was open, looked out across the road to the littlevillage green, where was to be seen many a schoolboy playing in thefine May evening, and mocking, in his childish sports, the sadderdoings of the grown-up children of the day. Here, horsed upon theirfellows' backs, were two that acted the part of knights, tilting ateach other with broomsticks; and there, marshalled in fair order by ayouthful captain, marched a body of young lansquenets, advancing andretreating, wheeling and charging, with no small precision. SirOsborne watched them for a while, in somewhat of a moralizing mood,till his musing was disturbed by the trotting of a horse past thewindow, and in a moment after he heard the good-humoured voice of thehost addressing the person who arrived.
"Ah! Master Frederick," he said, "what! back again so soon! I told youyou would soon be tired of soldiering."
"Nay, nay, Regnault," answered a voice that Sir Osborne thought he hadheard before, "I am not tired of soldiering, and never shall be; but Iam tired of consorting with a horde of plunderers, for such areShoenvelt and all his followers. But while I lead my horse to thestable, get me something to eat, good Regnault; for I do not want togo back to the hall till I have dented my sword at least."
"What! are you going to it again?" cried the host; "stay at home,Master Frederick! stay at home! Take care of the house your father hasleft you. If you are not so rich as the baron, you have enough, andthat is better than riches, if one knew it."
"My father was a soldier," answered the young man, "and distinguishedhimself; and so will I, before I sit down in peace."
Here the conversation ceased; and the host, entering the room in whichsat the knight and his follower, began to lay out one of the smalltables with which it was furnished. "That is as good a youth," saidhe, addressing Sir Osborne, while he proceeded with his preparations;"that is as good a youth as ever breathed, if he had not taken thisfit of soldiering. His father was a younger brother of old CountAltaman, and after many years' service came to our village, and boughta piece of ground, where he built a house: your worship may see itfrom here, over the side of the hill, with the wood behind it. He hasbeen dead now a year, and his wife near three; and so Master Frederickthere must needs go soldiering. They say it is all love for thebaron's daughter. But here he comes."
As he spoke, the young man entered the room, presenting to SirOsborne, as he had expected, the face of the youth who had been sentby Shoenvelt to welcome him on his arrival at the castle. An ingenuousblush overspread the young Hainaulter's countenance when he saw SirOsborne, and taking his seat at the table prepared for him, he turnedaway his head and began his meal in silence.
"Had you not better take off your corslet, Master Frederick?" demandedthe host.
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"No, no, Regnault," replied the youth; "I do not know that I shallstay here all night. Never mind! give me some wine, and leave me."
Thus repulsed, the innkeeper withdrew, and Sir Osborne continued towatch the young soldier, who, whether it was a feeling of shame atmeeting the knight, and degradation at having been made, even in adegree, a party to Shoenvelt's attempt to deceive him, or whether itwas bitterness of spirit at returning to his native placeunsuccessful, seemed to have his heart quite full; and it appeared tobe with pain that he ate the food which was placed before him.
Sir Osborne could feel for disappointed hopes, and after regarding himfor a moment or two in silence, he crossed the room and laid his handupon his shoulder.
The young man turned round with a flushed cheek, hardly knowingwhether from anger at the familiarity to vent the feelings of hisheart, or to take it in good part, and strive to win the esteem of aman whom he had been taught to admire.
But there was a frankness in the knight's manner, and a noble kindnessof intent in his look, that soon removed all doubt. "So, younggentleman," said he, "you have left Count Shoenvelt's company. Ithought you were not made to stay long amongst them; but say, was itwith his will?"
"I staid not to ask, my lord," replied the young man. "I was bound toShoenvelt in no way, and the moment the gates were opened after youwere gone, I rode out and came away."
Sir Osborne shook his head. "When a soldier engages with a commander,"said he, "his own will and pleasure must not be the terms of hisservice. But of all things, he ought not to quit his leader's bannerwithout giving notice that he intends to do so."
"But, thank God," cried the young Hainaulter, "I had not yet takenservice with Shoenvelt. He wanted to swear me to it, as he does therest; but I would not do so till I saw more of him and of his plans;and so I told him."
"That makes the matter very different," replied the knight with asmile. "I am heartily glad to hear it, for I dare pronounce him atraitorous ruffian, and no true knight. But one more question, youngsir, if I urge not your patience. How came you to seek Shoenvelt atfirst, who never bore a high renown but as a marauder?"
The youth hesitated. "It matters not, sir knight," replied he, after amoment's pause, "to you or to any one, what reasons I might have toseek renown as speedily as possible, and why the long, tedious road toknighthood and to fame, first as page, and then as squire, and then asman-at-arms, was such as I could not bear; but so it was: and asShoenvelt gave out that he had high commissions from the emperor, andwas to do great deeds, I hoped that with him I might find speedy meansof signalizing myself. After being two days in the castle, Idiscovered that his whole design was plunder, which was not the way tofame; and this morning he made me deliver you a message, which I knewto be a falsehood, which was not the road to honour: so I determinedto leave him; and as the spearmen are always dropping out of thecastle by five or six at a time, to go down to the frontier, I soonfound the means of getting away."
"Yours is an error, my good youth," said Sir Osborne, "which I amafraid we are all wont to entertain in the first heat of our earlydays; but we soon find that the road to fame is hard and difficult ofaccess, and that it requires time, and perseverance, and labour, andstrength, even to make a small progress therein. Those who, with a gayimagination, fancy they have made themselves wings to fly up to thetop, soon, like the Cretan of old, sear their pinions in the sun, anddrop into the sea of oblivion. However, are you willing to follow apoor knight, who, though he cannot promise either fame or riches, willlead you, at least, in the path of honour?"
The enthusiastic youth caught the knight's hand, and kissed it withinexpressible delight. "What! follow you?" cried he; "follow the LordDarnley, the Knight of Burgundy, whose single arm maintained thebridge at Bovines against the bravest of the Duke of Alen?on's horse!Ay, that I will, follow him through the world. Do you hear that,Regnault?" he cried to the innkeeper, who now entered; "do you hearthat? Instead of the base Shoenvelt, I am going to follow the nobleLord of Darnley, who was armed a knight by the emperor himself."
The honest innkeeper congratulated Master Frederick heartily upon theexchange; for the knight was now in that part of the country where hisname, if not his person, was well known; and in that age, the fame ofgallant actions and of noble bearing spread rapidly through all ranks,and gained the meed of applause from men whom we might suppose littlecapable of appreciating it.
All preliminaries were speedily arranged, and the next morning SirOsborne set out by dawn for the small town of Hazebrouck, which lay atabout two leagues' distance, where he took care to furnish his newfollower with a lance, and several pieces of defensive armour thatwere wanting to his equipment; and then, to ascertain what reliancemight be placed on his support in case of emergency, he excited him topractise various military exercises with himself, as they rode alongtowards Aire. To his no small surprise and pleasure, he found that theyoung Hainaulter, though somewhat rash and hasty, was far more skilfulin the use of his weapons and the management of his horse than hecould have conceived; and with such an addition to his party, he nolonger scrupled to cast himself in the way of some of Shoenvelt'sbodies of marauders, to keep his hand in, as Longpole quaintlyexpressed it, when he heard his lord's determination.
"Come, Frederick," said the knight, "I will not go on to Aire, as Ihad determined; but, in order to gratify your wish for renown, we willlie about on the frontier, like true errant knights of old, at anyvillage or other place where we may find shelter; and if we meet withShoenvelt, or any of his, mind you do honour to your arms. We shallalways have the odds of eight or nine against us."
"No, no, sir knight!" cried the young soldier; "do not believe that.It is one of his falsehoods; there are not above ten in any of thebands, and most of them are five or six. I know where most of themlie."
"Hush, hush!" cried Sir Osborne, raising his finger; "you must tell menothing; so that, if you should chance to break a lance with him, yourhand may not tremble at thinking you have betrayed his counsel. Nay,do not blush, Frederick. A man who aspires to chivalry must guidehimself by stricter rules than other men. It was for this I spoke.Here is the fair river Lys, if I remember right."
"It is so, sir knight," replied the other; "there is a bridge about amile lower down."
"What! for a brook like this?" cried Sir Osborne, spurring his horsein. "Oh, no; we will swim it. Follow!"
The young Hainaulter's horse did not like the plunge, and shied awayfrom the brink. "Spur him in, spur him in!" cried Longpole. "If ourlord reaches the other bank first, he will never forgive us. He swimslike an otter himself, and fancies that his squires ought to bewater-rats by birthright."
"Down with the left rein!" cried the knight, turning as his horseswam, and seeing the situation of his young follower. "Give him thespur, bring him to a demivolte, and he must in."
As the knight said, at the second movement of the demivolte, thehorse's feet were brought to the very brink of the river, and a slighttouch of the mullet made him plunge over; so that, though somewhatembarrassed with his lance in the water, Frederick soon reached theother bank in safety.
One of the beautiful Flemish meadows, which still in many parts skirtthe banks of the Lys, presented itself on the other side; and beyondthat, a forest that has long since known the rude touch of the heavyaxe, which, like some fell enchanter's wand, has made so many of theloveliest woods in Europe disappear, without leaving a trace behind.The one we speak of was then in its full glory, sweeping along with arich undulating outline by the side of the soft green plain thatbordered the river, sometimes advancing close to the very brink, as ifthe giant trees of which it was composed sought to contemplate theirgrandeur in the watery mirror, sometimes falling far away, and leavinga wide open space between itself and the stream, covered with thickshort grass, and strewed with the thousand flowers wherewith Nature'sliberal hand has fondly decorated her favourite spring. Every here andthere, too, the wood itself would break away, discovering a long gladepenetrating into the deepest recesses
of its bosom, filled with therich, mellow forest light, that, streaming between every aperture,chequered the green, mossy path below, and showed a long perspectiveof vivid light and shade as far as the eye could reach.
It was up one of these that Sir Osborne took his way, willing to trythe mettle of his new follower, and to initiate him into the trade ofwar, by a few of its first hardships and dangers, doubting not thatShoenvelt had taken advantage of that forest, situated as it wasbetween Lillers and Aire, to post at least one party of his mentherein. From what the youth had let drop, as well as from what he hadhimself observed, the knight was led to believe that the adventurerhad greatly magnified the number of his forces; and he also concludedthat, to avoid suspicion, he had divided his men into very smalltroops, except on such points as he expected the King of Francehimself to pass; and even there, Sir Osborne did not doubt that thirtymen would be the extent of any one body, Francis's habit of ridingalmost unattended, with the fearless confidence natural to hischaracter, being but too well known on the frontier.
To meet with Shoenvelt himself, and if possible to disappoint hisschemes of plunder, was now the knight's castle in the air; and thoughthe numbers of his own party were so scanty, he felt the sort ofconfident assurance in his own courage, his own strength, and his ownskill, which is ever worth a host in moments of danger. Longpole, hewas also sure, would be no inefficient aid; and though the youngHainaulter might not be their equal in experience or skill, SirOsborne did not fear that, in time of need, his enthusiastic courageand desire to distinguish himself would make him more than a match forone of Shoenvelt's company.
Under these circumstances, the knight would never have hesitated toattack a body of double, or perhaps treble, his own number; and yet heresolved to proceed cautiously, endeavouring in the first place toinform himself of the situation of Shoenvelt's various bands, and toascertain which that marauder was likely to join himself.
Wilsten having let drop that he and the count, as the two leaders oftheir whole force, were to set out the next morning, Sir Osborne sawthat no time was to be lost in reconnoitring the ground, in order toascertain the real strength of the adventurers. He resolved,therefore, to take every means to learn their numbers; and if he foundthe amount more formidable than he imagined, to risk nothing with sofew, but to provide for the king's safety, by giving notice to thegarrison of Aire that the monarch was menaced by danger; and then toaid with his own hand in ridding the frontier of such dangerousvisitors, though he felt a great degree of reluctance to share withany one an enterprise full of honourable danger. It was likewisenecessary to ascertain where Francis I. was; for Shoenvelt might havebeen deceived, or the king might have already quitted the frontier, orhe might be accompanied by a sufficient escort to place his person insecurity; or, in short, a thousand circumstances might have happened,which would render the enterprise of the adventurers abortive, and hisown interference unnecessary, if not impertinent.
Revolving all these considerations in his mind, sometimes proceedingin silence, sometimes calling upon his companions for their opinion,Sir Osborne took his way up one of the deep glades of the forest,still keeping a watchful ear to every sound that stirred in the wood,so that not a note of the thrush or the blackbird, nor the screamingof a jay, nor the rustle of a rabbit, escaped him; and yet nothing methis ear which might denote that there were other beings hid beneaththose green boughs besides themselves and the savage tenants of theplace: the stag, the wild boar, and the wolf.
The deep ruts, formed by heavy wood-carts in the soft, mossy carpet ofthe glade, told that the route they were pursuing was one which mostprobably communicated with some village, or some other road of greaterthoroughfare; and after following it for about a mile, they perceivedthat, now joined to another exactly similar to itself, it wound awayto the left, leaving nothing but a small bridle-way before them, whichSir Osborne judged must lead to some spot where the wood had beencleared.
As their horses were now rather fatigued, and the full sun shiningupon the forest rendered its airless paths very oppressive, the knightchose the little path before him, hoping it would lead to a more openspace where they might repose for a while, and at the same time keep awatch upon the roads they had just quitted. His expectations were notdeceitful; for after having proceeded about two hundred yards, theycame to a little grassy mound in the wood, which in former times mighthave monumented the field of some Gallic or Roman victory, piled upabove the bones of the mighty dead. Even now, though the forest hadgrown round and girt it in on every side, the trees themselves seemedto hold it in reverence, leaving it, and even some space round it,free from their grasping roots; except, indeed, where a group of idlehawthorns had gathered impudently on its very summit, flaunting theirlight blossoms to the sun, and spreading their perfume on the wind.
It was the very spot suited to Sir Osborne's purpose; and,dismounting, the three travellers leaned their lances against thetrees, and letting their horses pick a meal from the forest grass,prepared to repose themselves under the shadow of the thorns. Previousto casting himself down upon the bank, however, the knight took careto examine the wood around them; and seeing a sort of yellow lightshining between the trees beyond, he pursued his way along what seemeda continuation of the little path which had brought them thither.Proceeding in a slanting direction, apparently to avoid the bolls ofsome enormous beeches, it did not lead on for above ten or twelveyards, and then opened out upon a high road cut through the verywildest part of the forest, at a spot where an old stone cross andfountain of clear water commemorated the philanthropy of some one longdead, and offered the best of Nature's gifts to the lip of the wearytraveller. Sir Osborne profited by the occasion, and communicated hisdiscovery to his companions, who took advantage of it to satisfy theirthirst also. They then lay down in the shade of the hawthorns on themound; and, after some brief conversation, the heat of the day sooverpowered the young Hainaulter that he fell asleep. Such an examplewas never lost upon Longpole, who soon resigned himself to the drowsygod; and Sir Osborne was left the only watcher of the party.
Whether from his greater bodily powers, on which fatigue made butslight impression, or from deeper feelings and thoughts that would notrest, sleep came not near his eyelids; and, lying at his ease in thefragrant air, a thousand busy memories came thronging through hisbrain, recalling love, and hope, and joy, and teaching to believe thatall might yet be his.
While thus indulging waking visions, he thought he heard a distanthorn, and listening, the same sound was again borne upon the wind fromsome part of the forest. It was, however, no warlike note, butevidently proceeded from the horn of some huntsman, who, as SirOsborne concluded from the time of the year, was chasing the wolf, towhom no season gives repose.
Falling back into the position from which he had risen to listen, SirOsborne had again given himself up to thought, when he was once moreroused by the sound of voices and the trampling of horses' feet on theroad hard by. Rising silently, without disturbing his companions, heglided part of the way down the path leading to the fountain, andpaused amidst some oaks and shrubs, through the leaves of which hecould observe what passed on the highway, without being seen himself.
Nearly opposite to the cross already mentioned appeared two horsemen,one of whom allowed his beast to drink where the water, gurgling overthe basin of the fountain, formed a little streamlet across the road,while the other held in his rein about a pace behind, as if waitingwith some degree of respect for his companion. As soon as the horseraised its head, the first cavalier turned round, and presented to SirOsborne's view a fine and princely countenance, whose every feature,whose every glance, bespoke a generous and noble spirit.
In complexion the stranger was of a deep tanned brown, with his eyes,his hair, and his mustachio nearly black; his brow was broad andclear; his eyes were large and full, though shaded by the darkeyelashes that overhung them; his nose was straight, and perhapssomewhat too long; while his mouth was small, and would have beenalmost too delicate, had it not been for a ce
rtain marked curl of theupper lip, which gave it an expression, not of haughtiness nor ofsternness, but of grave, condescending dignity. His dress was a richhunting suit, which might well become a nobleman of the day,consisting of a green pourpoint laced with gold and slashed on thebreast, long white hose half covered by his boots, and a short greencloak not descending to his horse's back. His hat was of velvet, withthe broad brim slightly turned up round it, and cut in various placesso as somewhat to resemble a moral crown, while from the front, thrownover to the back, fell a splendid plume of ostrich feathers whichalmost reached his shoulder. His only arms appeared to be a dagger inhis girdle, and a long heavy sword, which hung from his shoulder in abaldrick of cloth of gold. The other stranger was habited nearly likethe first, very little difference existing either in the fashion orthe richness of their apparel. Both also were tall and vigorous men,and both were in the prime of their days; but the countenance of thesecond was very different from that of his companion. In complexion hewas fair, with small blue eyes and rather sandy hair; nor would hehave been otherwise than handsome, had it not been for a certainnarrowness of brow and wideness of mouth, which gave a gaunt and eagerexpression to his face, totally opposed to the grand and opencountenance of the other.
As we have said, when his horse had done drinking, the first travellerturned towards the spot where Sir Osborne stood, and seemed to listenfor a moment. At length he said, "Hear you the hunt now, CountWilliam?"
"No, your highness," replied the other; "it has swept away towardsAire."
"Then, sir," rejoined the first, "we are alone!" and drawing his swordfrom the scabbard, he laid it level before his companion's eyes,continuing abruptly, "what think you of that blade? is it not a goodone?" At the same time he fixed his eye upon him with a firm,remarking glance, as if he would have read into his very soul. Theother turned as pale as death, and faltered something about its beinga most excellent weapon.
"Then," continued the first, "I will ask you, sir count, should it notbe a bold man, who, knowing the goodness of this sword, and thestrength of this arm, and the stoutness of this heart, would yetattempt anything against my life? However, Count William ofFirstenberg, let me tell you, that should there be such a man in thiskingdom, and should he find himself alone with me in a wild forestlike this, and fail to make the attempt he meditated, I should lookupon him as coward as well as traitor, and fool as well as villain."And his dark eye flashed as if it would have struck him to the ground.
Count William[16] faltered, trembled, and attempted to reply, but hisspeech failed him; and, striking his hand against his forehead, heshook his bridle-rein, dug his spurs into his horse's sides, anddarted down the road like lightning.
"Slave!" cried the other, as he marked him go; "cowardly slave!" and,turning his horse, without further comment he rode slowly on the otherway.