BRENN--KARNAK.
Upon quitting the _drekar_ of Rolf, Shigne and Gaëlo reembarked upon
their own _holkers_ and ordered their oarsmen to ply their oars
vigorously. The two _holkers_ glided swiftly over the water and they
were steered towards the fortified point of the island where Paris was
situated. The rest of the fleet followed slowly behind.
"Gaëlo," said Simon Large-Ears, keeping in swing with the quick and
vigorous stroke of his companions, "just look at those bands of serfs
who have been following us along the river bank since yesterday. Look at
them running like a pack of wolves hungering for the abbeys that we see
strewn hither and thither."
"I fear they mean to start the pillaging without waiting for us!"
exclaimed Robin Jaws in a tone of lamentation, which was soon joined by
the voices of the other pirates, who ceased rowing for a moment in order
to cast their angry looks at the ragged rabble rout. The latter, wholly
unconcerned by the indignation that they had provoked, ran apace
brandishing their staves, their forks and their scythes, and from time
to time emitting furious yells.
"If Lodbrog had not died like a true berserker, such a sight as this
would throw the fit of frenzy upon him. What evidences of misery do we
not see on all sides!"
"To your oars, my champions! To your oars!" cried Gaëlo. "You need not
worry about your share in the pillage. Now, however, row!" saying which
Gaëlo pointed to the _holker_ of Shigne which had taken the lead of
them, and he added: "Will you allow yourselves to be beaten by the
Buckler Maidens? Fall to, champions!"
Grumbling at Gaëlo's orders the pirates bent to their oars and strove to
overtake the white _holker_. On the right bank of the Seine there rose
large clumps of trees, planted in the middle of wide meadows that
belonged to the abbey of St. Germain-des-Prés. On the left side of the
river, the bank, which rose much higher than on the opposite side, made
a sharp turn and shut off the horizon. From the foot of the slope, a
jetty constructed of stones closely set together ran out some fifty feet
into the river. It was the breakwater of the port of Grève, now
deserted, but where vessels took refuge when the current was strong.
Propelled by their oars and steered so as just to clear the jetty, the
two _holkers_ were pushing vigorously forward, when, suddenly dashing
from behind the further side of the stone structure, a Parisian vessel
manned by Eidiol, Guyrion, Rustic the Gay and several other Gallic
skippers intercepted the progress of the Northman boats. The men on
board the vessel shot a volley of arrows at the Northmans, threw a
grappling iron into the _holker_ nearer to them, which happened to be
Gaëlo's, and as quickly taking up their cutlasses, pikes and axes leaped
forward resolutely to the fray, while Eidiol cried out to them:
"Exterminate the Northmans, but seize the two chiefs alive. They shall
serve us for hostages!"
At the moment of this unexpected attack, Shigne and Gaëlo, the latter of
whom was struck by a barbed arrow just below his armlet, were, as was
their wont, standing near the helm. Both dashed forward to engage the
Gauls, but the same instant that Eidiol issued the order to exterminate
the pirates, a cry of glad surprise went up from the _holker_ of the
Buckler Maidens, and immediately after, these words reached the ear of
the aged dean of the Skippers' Guild:
"Father! Father! Do not hurt these young warrior maids. Their chief has
protected me. She was taking me to Paris, back to you! She is charged
with a pacific mission," and standing up in the middle of the _holker_,
Anne the Sweet extended her arms to Eidiol.
"Guy! Rustic! Drop your arms," the old man cried. "Anne, my dear child,
is in the vessel of the warrior maids!"
Still under the excitement of the interrupted battle, Shigne ordered her
virgins to lay down their weapons, while Anne, with her arms still
extended towards Eidiol, cried out:
"Bless this warrior maid! Oh, my father! Thanks to her I have escaped
being outraged by the pirates!"
"How sorry I am for having shot that arrow at you!" Guyrion was at the
same moment saying to Gaëlo, whom he saw endeavoring to extract the
arrow that had struck him in the arm. "I now recognize you, worthy
pirate! It was you who opened the doors of our cells in the abbey of St.
Denis!"
Still with his cutlass in his hand and contemplating Simon, who was
making wry faces while holding his hand to one side of his bleeding
head, "I also regret to have cut off half the ear of this Northman, but
it stuck out clean beyond his casque!" exclaimed Rustic the Gay.
"Another meeting," cried Simon Large-Ears, shaking his fist at Rustic,
"it is that insolent tongue of yours that I mean to cut out, by the
faith of Simon!"
"Why, you are as little of a Northman as myself, honest pirate!"
exclaimed Rustic as he recognized his countryman. "My regret is then
only all the deeper for leaving you in so ridiculous a state. I should
have clipped off both your ears. But that can still be done."
Simon made no answer to the renewed joke. He was kept busy stanching the
flow of blood from his wound, which he washed with fresh water that he
dipped up from the river with his casque, while his friend Robin Jaws
tried to console him saying:
"If we only had here some fire; I would heat the point of my sword red,
and would quickly burn your wound dry."
Shortly after the boarding that was stopped so happily, the grappling
irons of the Parisian vessel were removed. Jumping from the _holker_ of
the Buckler Maiden on board her own father's vessel, Anne the Sweet
related to him, to Guyrion and to Rustic how she had recovered her
senses in the midst of the pirates who took her to Rolf just at the
moment when the warrior maid stepped into the apartment; how she threw
herself at Shigne's feet; how Shigne, touched with pity, obtained from
Rolf the freedom of his prisoner and took her to her own _holker_, where
she remained in safety until the unexpected encounter with her father.
Eidiol, in turn, informed Anne that, enraged at seeing her in the hands
of the Northmans, and knowing from experience that they were in the
habit of expediting some light craft ahead of the main fleet, he placed
himself in ambush behind the breakwater of the port of Grève, determined
to wreak vengeance for the death of Martha upon all the pirates whom he
could seize, and to keep their chiefs alive in order to exchange them
for Anne.
The two _holkers_, as well as the Parisian vessel, thereupon proceeded
jointly towards Paris, and disembarked all their crews upon the river
bank at a little distance from the ramparts. There the Northmans were to
await the return of Shigne and Gaëlo, who were charged with carrying the
will of Rolf to the Count of Paris.
At a point of the river bank whence the road led inland toward the city,
which could not be entered save by one of the bridges, both of which
were defended by towers, Eidiol said to Gaëlo:
"In order to reach the palace of the Count of Paris in safety both you
and your female companion should throw over your armor the hooded
great-coats of two of our skippers. Your quality of messengers from Rolf
might not be respected by the count's soldiers. You are both brave. But
what will bravery boot if you find yourselves two against a hundred? I
shall lead you as far as the palace. Once arrived there, you can demand
to see one of Rothbert's officers and he will enable you to carry out
your mission."
"I accept your offer, brave skipper," answered Gaëlo after exchanging a
few words in a low voice with Shigne. "I am anxious to succeed in the
mission that I am charged with. We wish to arrive as promptly as
possible before the count."
"Moreover," added Guyrion addressing the pirate, "I see by the way you
carry your arm that you suffer greatly from the wound I gave you. The
iron head of my arrow has remained in the wound. Step into our house
before you proceed to the palace. We shall dress your wound. Although my
mother's death is due to the Northmans, I may not forget that it was you
who delivered me, together with my companions and my father, from the
prison of the abbey, and that it is your friend who saved my sister
from the pollution of Rolf. Our gratitude is due you."
"I accept your proposal," answered the young man.
The Beautiful Shigne and Gaëlo threw over themselves the great-coats of
two of the skippers, left the river bank behind them, climbed the bluff
and took the road to the bridge. Towards the north the bright glare of a
fire struggled on the horizon with the light of the sinking sun. As they
drew nearer to the city, an ever louder tumult struck their ears, until
presently they found themselves in the midst of a mob of slaves that was
hurrying under the leadership of several clericals towards the gate of
the tower over the bridge, and taking to the city for safe-keeping the
treasures of sanctuaries that had been set on fire by bands of revolted
serfs. The docile serfs, whom the priests had in charge, bore on their
backs big cases filled with corn, altar ornaments of gold and silver,
statues of precious metals, massive shrines that glistened with precious
stones and some of which required seven serfs to carry. The priests
marched near the reliquaries, either moaning with grief, or frantically
ejaculating maledictions on the invaders and their seconders, the
revolted serfs. Among the serfs themselves, some joined in the
lamentations of the priests, but less anxious to mount the ramparts and
do battle with the Northmans, they answered the pressing urgings of the
clericals with the submissive exclamation: "The will of God be done!"
Within the city the emissaries of the Count of Paris were no more
successful in evoking the martial ardor of the people. In vain did the
count's men gallop through the city and call out: "To arms, villeins! To
arms, towns-folk! To the ramparts!" But villeins and towns-folk hurried
into their own frame houses and barricaded the doors.
After traversing several tortuous streets, Eidiol and his suite arrived
at the door of the skipper's house. Guyrion opened it, and Gaëlo,
Shigne, Rustic, Anne and her father were speedily gathered together in
the apartment on the lower floor, whose shutters they prudently closed.
"Light a lamp, sister," said Guyrion, "and let me have a cup with water,
some lint and oil;" and addressing Gaëlo, while Anne fetched the
materials required for dressing the Northman's wound, "roll up your
armlet; I shall extract the arrowhead; after the wound is washed with
cold water and covered with lint saturated in aromatic oil, you will
feel relieved."
Gaëlo removed his armor, rolled up the sleeve of his reindeer jacket,
and left his bleeding arm bare. In himself trying to extract the arrow
from his wound, the pirate had broken the shaft, leaving the sharp
arrowhead imbedded under the flesh. The operation of extraction was
thereby rendered more difficult. Nevertheless, Eidiol succeeded in
taking hold of a portion of the shaft that still obtruded above the
flesh, and by dint of no little dexterity finally drew out the arrowhead
itself. Greatly pained during the operation, Gaëlo felt relieved when
the missile was at last extracted. Before placing the lint on the wound,
the old skipper moistened a piece of cloth in water and was about to
wash away the clotted blood that covered almost all the upper arm, when
he uttered a cry of surprise, took a step back, gazed anxiously upon
Gaëlo and exclaimed with intense curiosity:
"Who burnt into your arm these two Gallic words:
'_Brenn_--_Karnak_'--that I see here? Speak, young man!"
"My father; he burnt the inscription into my arm shortly after my
birth."
"Where is your father?"
"He, as well as my mother, are dead."
"He surely was not of the Northman race?"
"No, although he was born in their country, and always went to battle
with them. He was of the Gallic race--"
"In what year did your father's father go to live among the Northmans?"
"Towards the middle of the last century."
"Was that not after a fresh and violent insurrection broke out in
Brittany, when the Bretons, in order to make a head against the Franks,
applied for aid from the Northmans, who happened to have their camp at
the mouth of the Loire?"
"Yes," answered Gaëlo. "But how come you to know all that? Who told you
of it?"
"What were the circumstances that induced your grandfather to join the
Northmans?"
"After the fresh insurrection of Armorica, which at first bade fair to
succeed, dissensions broke out among the Breton chiefs. Even my
grandfather's family was divided. In the course of a violent altercation
with one of his brothers, the two drew their swords. Wounded in that
fratricidal duel, my grandfather left Brittany forever, and embarked
with a troop of Northmans who were just then setting sail at the mouth
of the Loire to return to Denmark, where my father and myself were
born."
"Your grandfather's name was Ewrag," Eidiol proceeded with increasing
emotion; "he was the son of Vortigern,[5] one of the most valiant
companions-in-arms of Morvan, who heroically resisted the arms of Louis
the Pious on the moor of Kennor, the marsh of Peulven and across the
defiles of Armorica. Vortigern's grandfather was Amael, who lived to be
more than a hundred years, declined to be the jailor of the last
descendant of Clovis, and was one of the chiefs of the bands of Charles
Martel, the ancestor of Charles the Great, whose descendant reigns
to-day under the name of Charles the Simple."
"Old man!" cried Gaëlo, "who could have informed you so accurately on
the history of my family?"
"Your family is mine," answered Eidiol, over whose eyes the film of a
tear was gathering. "I am a descendant of Joel, the brenn of the tribe
of Karnak.[6] My grandfather was your grandfather's brother. That is our
kinship."
"What say you?" cried Gaëlo. "Are you really of Joel's stock, like
myself? Are we of the same family?"
"These words, which your father traced on your arm as a sign of
identification, are carried by me also, as well as by my son and my
daughter, obedient to the recommendation of Ronan the Vagre,[7] one of
our joint ancestors who lived in the days of Queen Brunhild."
"We are relatives!" cried Anne and Guyrion in chorus, drawing near to
Gaëlo, while Shigne and Rustic listened with redoubled interest to the
conversation between the old skipper and Gaëlo.
"We are relatives!" repeated Gaëlo looking alternately from Eidiol to
Anne and Guyrion, and turning to the warrior maid he proceeded: "Shigne,
I am doubly grateful to you; the young girl so magnanimously saved by
you happens to be my own relative."
"She shall be like a sister to me," answered the Buckler Maiden in her
grave and sonorous voice. "My sword will ever be ready in her defense."
"And in default of your sword, fair heroine," put in Rustic, "my two
arms joined to those of Master Eidiol and of my friend Guyrion will ever
protect Anne the Sweet, although it unfortunately happened that all our
three pairs of arms proved insufficient to defend the poor child from
Rolf."
"Good father," Gaëlo said to Eidiol, "please tell me for what reason you
left Brittany."
"Your grandfather, Ewrag, had two brothers, like himself, the sons of
Vortigern. When, on the occasion of the fatal dissension that you spoke
of, Ewrag quitted Brittany to settle down in the country of the
Northmans, his two brothers, Rosneven and Gomer, the latter of whom was
my grandfather, continued to live at the cradle of our family, near the
sacred stones of Karnak. Nominoë, Judicaël, Allan Strong-Beard were
successively elected the chiefs of Armorica. More than once during that
time did the Franks invade and ravage our country, but they never were
able to establish their conquest as firmly as they succeeded in doing in
the other regions of Gaul. The druid influence long kept alive among our
people an inveterate hatred for the foreigner. Unhappily, the perfidious
counsels of the Christian priests, coupled with the example set by the
Frankish seigneurs, who had gradually become by the right of conquest
the hereditary masters of both the land and the peoples of Gaul, at last
had their fatal effect upon the Breton chiefs themselves. Originally
elected by the free suffrage of the people, as was the ancient Gallic
custom, and chosen by reason of their bravery, wisdom and patriotism,
these chiefs sought to render their office hereditary in their own
families, in imitation of the seigneurs all over Gaul. The Christian
priests joined the Breton chiefs in their iniquitous scheme, and ordered
the people to submit to these new masters, as they had ordered them to
submit to Clovis and his leudes. By little and little Brittany lost her
old franchises. The chiefs, one time elective and temporary, now having
become hereditary and autocratic with the assistance of the clergy,
stripped the Breton people of almost all their rights. Nevertheless,
until now they have not degraded them to the point of treating them as
slaves or serfs. Of the two brothers of your grandfather, one, Gomer, my
own grandfather, saw the gradual debasement of Brittany with grief and
indignation. Gomer was a mariner. His home being in Vannes, like
Albinik's,[8] one of our ancestors, he often made trips to England and
also carried cargoes as far south as the mouths of the Somme and the
Seine. On one occasion he ascended the river as far as Paris. His trade
of mariner brought him in contact with the dean of the Skippers' Guild
of Paris, who had a pretty and bright daughter. My grandfather married
her. My father was born of that union. He also became a skipper. His
life was spent amidst the ordinary trials of our people, good and evil
successively alternating. I followed the same trade. My life has until
now been as happy as it is possible to be in these disturbed times. Only
two misfortunes have so far befallen me: the death of Martha, whom I
lost yesterday, and, about thirty years ago, the disappearance of a
daughter, the first born of all my children. Her name was Jeanike."
"And how did she come to disappear?"
"My wife, being sick at the time, confided the child to one of our
neighbors for a walk outside of the city. We never saw her again,
neither her nor the neighbor."
"Fortunately the children that are left to you must have alleviated your
grief," remarked Gaëlo. "But tell me, good father, did you ever have any
tidings from the branch of our family that remained in Brittany?"
"I learned from a traveler that the tyranny of the Breton seigneurs
rested ever heavier upon the people of Armorica, and that they are now
wholly ridden by the priests."
"Eidiol," said Gaëlo picking up the iron arrowhead which the old man
dropped on the floor after it was extracted from the arm of the young
pirate, "preserve this iron arrowhead. It will increase the number of
the relics of our family. Should you ever meet again those of our
relatives, who, perhaps, still live in Brittany, and who may have
preserved the legends left by our ancestors, add this relic to the
others together with the legend of our own times--"
Gaëlo was interrupted by a great noise on the street that seemed to be
drawing nearer and nearer. Presently the tramp of horses and clanking of
arms were distinguished. Rustic ran to open the upper panel of the door,
looked out, and turning to those within announced in a low voice:
"It is Count Rothbert passing with his men, accompanied by the
Archbishop of Rouen. He is no doubt coming back from the ramparts and is
returning to his castle."
"Good father," said Gaëlo gravely, and rolling down his armlet, "you
promised to accompany me and my companion to the palace of the Count of
Paris. Come; time presses. I am in a hurry to fulfil the singular
mission that has brought me to the city."
"What mission is that?"
"The Beautiful Shigne is to notify the count that Rolf, the Northman
pirate chieftain, demands Ghisèle, the daughter of Charles the Simple,
King of the French, for his wife; and I am to notify him that Rolf
demands Neustria for his dower."
Eidiol remained for a moment mute with stupor, and then cried out: "Such
is the termination of royal stocks! One of the descendants of Joel
declined to be the jailor of the last descendant of Clovis, and now
another descendant of Joel is commissioned to notify the successor of
Charles the Great that his daughter is demanded from him by an old
pirate, soiled with all manner of crimes, and to boot, one of the most
beautiful of the few provinces still left to the King!"
A few minutes later the Beautiful Shigne and Gaëlo, having again thrown
the hooded great-coats of two of the Parisian mariners over their own
casques and armor, marched under the guidance of Eidiol to the castle of
Count Rothbert, in order to carry to him the message of old Rolf.