And aye, as if for death, some lonely trumpet peal'd.
CAMPBELL.
The Varangian, his head agitated with the weighty matters which imposed
on him, stopt from time to time as he journeyed through the moonlight
streets, to arrest passing ideas as they shot through his mind, and
consider them with accuracy in all their bearings. His thoughts were
such as animated or alarmed him alternately, each followed by a
confused throng of accompaniments which it suggested, and banished
again in its turn by reflections of another description. It was one of
those conjunctures when the minds of ordinary men feel themselves
unable to support a burden which is suddenly flung upon them, and when,
on the contrary, those of uncommon fortitude, and that best of Heaven's
gifts, good sense, founded on presence of mind, feel their talents
awakened and regulated for the occasion, like a good steed under the
management of a rider of courage and experience.
As he stood in one of those fits of reverie, which repeatedly during
that night arrested his stern military march, Hereward thought that his
ear caught the note of a distant trumpet. This surprised him; a trumpet
blown at that late hour, and in the streets of Constantinople, argued
something extraordinary; for as all military movements were the subject
of special ordinance, the etiquette of the night could hardly have been
transgressed without some great cause. The question was, what that
cause could be?
Had the insurrection broken out unexpectedly, and in a different manner
from what the conspirators proposed to themselves?--If so, his meeting
with his plighted bride, after so many years' absence, was but a
delusive preface to their separating for ever. Or had the crusaders, a
race of men upon whose motions it was difficult to calculate, suddenly
taken arms and returned from the opposite shore to surprise the city?
This might very possibly be the case; so numerous had been the
different causes of complaint afforded to the crusaders, that, when
they were now for the first time assembled into one body, and had heard
the stories which they could reciprocally tell concerning the perfidy
of the Greeks, nothing was so likely, so natural, even perhaps so
justifiable, as that they should study revenge.
But the sound rather resembled a point of war regularly blown, than the
tumultuous blare of bugle-horns and trumpets, the accompaniments at
once, and the annunciation, of a taken town, in which the horrid
circumstances of storm had not yet given place to such stern peace as
the victors' weariness of slaughter and rapine allows at length to the
wretched inhabitants. Whatever it was, it was necessary that Hereward
should learn its purport, and therefore he made his way into a broad
street near the barracks, from, which the sound seemed to come, to
which point, indeed, his way was directed for other reasons.
The inhabitants of that quarter of the town did not appear violently
startled by this military signal. The moonlight slept on the street,
crossed by the gigantic shadowy towers of Sancta Sophia. No human being
appeared in the streets, and such as for an instant looked from their
doors or from their lattices, seemed to have their curiosity quickly
satisfied, for they withdrew their heads, and secured the opening
through which they had peeped.
Hereward could not help remembering the traditions which were recounted
by the fathers of his tribe, in the deep woods, of Hampshire, and which
spoke of invisible huntsmen, who were heard to follow with viewless
horses and hounds the unseen chase through the depths of the forests of
Germany. Such it seemed were the sounds with which these haunted woods
were wont to ring while the wild chase was up; and with such apparent
terror did the hearers listen to their clamour.
"Fie!" he said, as he suppressed within him a tendency to the same
superstitious fears; "do such childish fancies belong to a man trusted
with so much, and from whom so much is expected?" He paced down the
street, therefore, with his battle-axe over his shoulder, and the first
person whom he saw venturing to look out of his door, he questioned
concerning the cause of this military music at such an unaccustomed
hour.
"I cannot tell, so please you, my lord," said the citizen, unwilling,
it appeared, to remain in the open air, or to enter into conversation,
and greatly disposed to decline further questioning. This was the
political citizen of Constantinople whom we met with at the beginning
of this history, and who, hastily stepping into his habitation,
eschewed all further conversation.
The wrestler Stephanos showed himself at the next door, which was
garlanded with oak and ivy leaves, in honour of some recent victory. He
stood unshrinking, partly encouraged by the consciousness of personal
strength, and partly by a rugged surliness of temper, which is often
mistaken among persons of this kind for real courage. His admirer and
flatterer, Lysimachus, kept himself ensconced behind his ample
shoulders.
As Hereward passed, he put the same question as he did to the former
citizen,--"Know you the meaning of these trumpets sounding so late?"
"You should know best yourself," answered Stephanos, doggedly; "for, to
judge by your axe and helmet, they are your trumpets, and not ours,
which disturb honest men in their first sleep."
"Varlet!" answered the Varangian, with an emphasis which made the
prizer start,--"but--when that trumpet sounds, it is no time for a
soldier to punish insolence as it deserves."
The Greek started back and bolted into his house, nearly overthrowing
in the speed of his retreat the artist Lysimachus, who was listening to
what passed.
Hereward passed on to the barracks, where the military music had seemed
to halt; but on the Varangian crossing the threshold of the ample
courtyard, it broke forth again with a tremendous burst, whose clangour
almost stunned him, though well accustomed to the sounds. "What is the
meaning of this, Engelbrecht?" he said to the Varangian sentinel, who
paced axe in hand before the entrance.
"The proclamation of a challenge and combat," answered Engelbrecht.
"Strange things towards, comrade; the frantic crusaders have bit the
Grecians, and infected them with their humour of tilting, as they say
dogs do each other with madness."
Hereward made no reply to the sentinel's speech, but pressed forward
into a knot of his fellow-soldiers who were assembled in the court,
half-armed, or, more properly, in total disarray, as just arisen from
their beds, and huddled around the trumpets of their corps, which were
drawn out in full pomp. He of the gigantic instrument, whose duty it
was to intimate the express commands of the Emperor, was not wanting in
his place, and the musicians were supported by a band of the Varangians
in arms, headed by Achilles Tatius himself. Hereward could also notice,
on approaching nearer, as his comrades made way for him, that six of
the Imperial heralds were on duty on this occasion; four of these (two
acting at the same time) had already made proclamation, which was to be
repeated for the third time by the two last, as was the usual fashion
in Constantinople with Imperial mandates of great consequence. Achilles
Tatius, the moment he saw his confidant, made him a sign, which
Hereward understood as conveying a desire to speak with him after the
proclamation was over. The herald, after the flourish of trumpets was
finished, commenced in. these words:
"By the authority of the resplendent and divine Prince Alexius
Comnenus, Emperor of the most holy Roman Empire, his Imperial Majesty
desires it to be made known to all and sundry the subjects of his
empire, whatever their race of blood may be, or at whatever shrine of
divinity they happen, to bend--Know ye, therefore, that upon the second
day after this is dated, our beloved son-in-law, the much esteemed
Caesar, hath taken upon, him to do battle with our sworn enemy, Robert,
Count of Paris, on account of his insolent conduct, by presuming
publicly to occupy our royal seat, and no less by breaking, in our
Imperial presence, those curious specimens of art, ornamenting our
throne, called by tradition the Lions of Solomon. And that there may
not remain a man in Europe who shall dare to say that the Grecians are
behind other parts of the world in any of the manly exercises which
Christian nations use, the said noble enemies, renouncing all
assistance from falsehood, from spells, or from magic, shall debate
this quarrel in three courses with grinded spears, and three passages
of arms with sharpened swords; the field to be at the judgment of the
honourable Emperor, and to be decided at his most gracious and unerring
pleasure. And so God show the right!"
Another formidable flourish of the trumpets concluded the ceremony.
Achilles then dismissed the attendant troops, as well as the heralds
and musicians, to their respective quarters; and having got Hereward
close to his side, enquired of him whether he had learned any thing of
the prisoner, Robert, Count of Paris.
"Nothing," said the Varangian, "save the tidings your proclamation
contains."
"You think, then," said Achilles, "that the Count has been a party to
it."
"He ought to have been so," answered the Varangian. "I know no one but
himself entitled to take burden for his appearance in the lists."
"Why, look you," said the Acolyte, "my most excellent, though
blunt-witted Hereward, this Caesar of ours hath had the extravagance to
venture his tender wit in comparison to that of Achilles Tatius. He
stands upon his honour, too, this ineffable fool, and is displeased
with the idea of being supposed either to challenge a woman, or to
receive a challenge at her hand. He has substituted, therefore, the
name of the lord instead of the lady. If the Count fail to appear, the
Caesar walks forward challenger and successful combatant at a cheap
rate, since no one has encountered him, and claims that the lady should
be delivered up to him as a captive of his dreaded bow and spear. This
will be the signal for a general tumult, in which, if the Emperor be
not slain on the spot, he will be conveyed to the dungeon of his own
Blacquernal, there to endure the doom which his cruelty has inflicted
upon so many others."
"But"---said the Varangian.
"But---but--but," said his officer; "but thou art a fool. Canst thou
not see that this gallant Caesar is willing to avoid the risk of
encountering with this lady, while he earnestly desires to be supposed
willing to meet her husband? It is our business to fix the combat in
such a shape as to bring all who are prepared for insurrection together
in arms to play their parts. Do thou only see that our trusty friends
are placed near to the Emperor's person, and in such a manner as to
keep from him the officious and meddling portion of guards, who may be
disposed to assist him; and whether the Caesar fights a combat with
lord or lady, or whether there be any combat at all or not, the
revolution shall be accomplished, and the Tatii shall replace the
Comneni upon the Imperial throne of Constantinople. Go, my trusty
Hereward. Thou wilt not forget that the signal word of the insurrection
is Ursel, who lives in the affections of the people, although his body,
it is said, has long lain a corpse in the dungeons of the Blacquernal."
"What was this Ursel," said Hereward, "of whom I hear men talk so
variously?"
"A competitor for the crown with Alexius Comnenus--good, brave, and
honest; but overpowered by the cunning, rather than the skill or
bravery of his foe. He died, as I believe, in the Blacquernal; though
when, or how, there are few that can say. But, up and be doing, my
Hereward! Speak encouragement to the Varangians--Interest whomsoever
thou canst to join us. Of the Immortals, as they are called, and of the
discontented citizens, enough are prepared to fill up the cry, and
follow in the wake of those on whom we must rely as the beginners of
the enterprise. No longer shall Alexius's cunning, in avoiding popular
assemblies, avail to protect him; he cannot, with regard to his honour,
avoid being present at a combat to be fought beneath his own eye; and
Mercury be praised for the eloquence which inspired him, after some
hesitation, to determine for the proclamation!"
"You have seen him, then, this evening?" said the Varangian.
"Seen him! Unquestionably," answered the Acolyte. "Had I ordered these
trumpets to be sounded without his knowledge, the blast had blown the
head from my shoulders."
"I had wellnigh met you at the palace," said Hereward; while his heart
throbbed almost as high as if he had actually had such a dangerous
encounter.
"I heard something of it," said Achilles; "that you came to take the
parting orders of him who now acts the sovereign. Surely, had I seen
you there, with that steadfast, open, seemingly honest countenance,
cheating the wily Greek by very dint of bluntness, I had not forborne
laughing at the contrast between that and the thoughts of thy heart."
"God alone," said Hereward, "knows the thoughts of our hearts; but I
take him to witness, that I am faithful to my promise, and will
discharge the task intrusted to me."
"Bravo! mine honest Anglo-Saxon," said Achilles. "I pray thee to call
my slaves to unarm me; and when thou thyself doffest those weapons of
an ordinary life-guardsman, tell them they never shall above twice more
enclose the limbs of one for whom fate has much more fitting garments
in store."
Hereward dared not intrust his voice with an answer to so critical a
speech; he bowed profoundly, and retired to his own quarters in the
building.
Upon entering the apartment, he was immediately saluted by the voice of
Count Robert, in joyful accents, not suppressed by the fear of making
himself heard, though prudence should have made that uppermost in his
mind.
"Hast thou heard it, my dear Hereward," he said--"hast thou heard the
proclamation, by which this Greek antelope hath defied me to tilting
with grinded spears, and fighting three passages of arms with sharpened
swords? Yet there is something strange, too, that he should not think
it safer to hold my lady to the encounter! He may think, perhaps, that
the crusaders would not permit such a battle to be fought. But, by our
Lady of the Broken Lances! he little knows that the men of the West
hold their ladies' character for courage as jealously as they do their
own. This whole night have I been considering in what armour I shall
clothe me; what shift I shall make for a steed; and whether I shall not
honour him sufficiently by using Tranchefer, as my only weapon, against
his whole armour, offensive and defensive."
"I shall take care, however," said Hereward, "that, thou art better
provided in case of need.--Thou knowest not the Greeks."