But now the hand of fate is on the curtain,
And brings the scene to light.
DON SEBASTIAN.
The gigantic trumpet of the Varangians sounded its loudest note of
march, and the squadrons of the faithful guards, sheathed in complete
mail, and enclosing in their centre the person of their Imperial
master, set forth upon their procession through the streets of
Constantinople. The form of Alexius, glittering in his splendid armour,
seemed no unmeet central point for the force of an empire; and while
the citizens crowded in the train of him and his escort, there might be
seen a visible difference between those who came with the premeditated
intention of tumult, and the greater part, who, like the multitude of
every great city, thrust each other and shout for rapture on account of
any cause for which a crowd may be collected together. The hope of the
conspirators was lodged chiefly in the Immortal Guards, who were levied
principally for the defence of Constantinople, partook of the general
prejudices of the citizens, and had been particularly influenced by
those in favour of Ursel, by whom, previous to his imprisonment, they
had themselves been commanded. The conspirators had determined that
those of this body who were considered as most discontented, should
early in the morning take possession of the posts in the lists most
favourable for their purpose of assaulting the Emperor's person. But,
in spite of all efforts short of actual violence, for which the time
did not seem to be come, they found themselves disappointed in this
purpose, by parties of the Varangian guards, planted with apparent
carelessness, but in fact, with perfect skill, for the prevention of
their enterprise. Somewhat confounded at perceiving that a design,
which they could not suppose to be suspected, was, nevertheless, on
every part controlled and counter-checked, the conspirators began to
look for the principal persons of their own party, on whom they
depended for orders in this emergency; but neither the Caesar nor
Agelastes was to be seen, whether in the lists or on the military march
from Constantinople: and though Achilles Tatius rode in the latter
assembly, yet it might be clearly observed that he was rather attending
upon the Protospathaire, than, assuming that independence as an officer
which he loved to affect.
In this manner, as the Emperor with his glittering bands approached the
phalanx of Tancred and his followers, who were drawn up, it will be
remembered, upon a rising cape between the city and the lists, the main
body of the Imperial procession deflected in some degree from the
straight road, in order to march past them without interruption; while
the Protospathaire and the Acolyte passed under the escort of a band of
Varangians, to bear the Emperor's inquiries to Prince Tancred,
concerning the purpose of his being there with his band. The short
march was soon performed--the large trumpet which attended the two
officers sounded a parley, and Tancred himself, remarkable for that
personal beauty which Tasso has preferred to any of the crusaders,
except Rinaldo d'Este, the creatures of his own poetical imagination,
advanced to parley with them.
"The Emperor of Greece," said the Protospathaire to Tancred, "requires
the Prince of Otranto to show, by the two high officers who shall
deliver him this message, with what purpose he has returned, contrary
to his oath, to the right side of these straits; assuring Prince
Tancred at the same time, that nothing will so much please the Emperor,
as to receive an answer not at variance with his treaty with the Duke
of Bouillon, and the oath which was taken by the crusading nobles and
their soldiers; since that would enable the Emperor, in conformity to
his own wishes, by his kind reception of Prince Tancred and his troop,
to show how high is his estimation of the dignity of the one, and the
bravery of both--We wait an answer."
The tone of the message had nothing in it very alarming, and its
substance cost Prince Tancred very little trouble to answer. "The
cause," he said, "of the Prince of Otranto appearing here with fifty
lances, is this cartel, in which a combat is appointed betwixt
Nicephorus Briennius, called the Caesar, a high member of this empire,
and a worthy knight of great fame, the partner of the Pilgrims who have
taken the Cross, in their high vow to rescue Palestine from the
infidels. The name of the said Knight is the redoubted Robert of Paris.
It becomes, therefore, an obligation, indispensable upon the Holy
Pilgrims of the Crusade, to send one chief of their number, with a body
of men-at-arms, sufficient to see, as is usual, fair play between the
combatants. That such is their intention, may be seen from, their
sending no more than fifty lances, with their furniture and following;
whereas it would have cost them no trouble to have detached ten times
the number, had they nourished any purpose of interfering by force, or
disturbing the fair combat which is about to take place. The Prince of
Otranto, therefore, and his followers, will place themselves at the
disposal of the Imperial Court, and witness the proceedings of the
combat, with the most perfect confidence that the rules of fair battle
will be punctually observed."
The two Grecian officers transmitted this reply to the Emperor, who
heard it with pleasure, and immediately proceeding to act upon the
principle which he had laid down, of maintaining peace, if possible,
with the crusaders, named Prince Tancred with the Protospathaire as
Field Marshals of the lists, fully empowered, under the Emperor, to
decide all the terms of the combat, and to have recourse to Alexius
himself where their opinions disagreed. This was made known to the
assistants, who were thus prepared for the entry into the lists of the
Grecian officer and the Italian Prince in full armour, while a
proclamation announced to all the spectators their solemn office. The
same annunciation commanded the assistants of every kind to clear a
convenient part of the seats which surrounded the lists on one side,
that it might serve for the accommodation of Prince Tancred's followers.
Achilles Tatius, who was a heedful observer of all these passages, saw
with alarm, that by the last collocation the armed Latins were
interposed between the Immortal Guards and the discontented citizens,
which made it most probable that the conspiracy was discovered, and
that Alexius found he had a good right to reckon upon the assistance of
Tancred and his forces in the task of suppressing it. This, added to
the cold and caustic manner in which the Emperor communicated his
commands to him, made the Acolyte of opinion, that his best chance of
escape from the danger in which he was now placed, was, that the whole
conspiracy should fall to the ground, and that the day should pass
without the least attempt to shake the throne of Alexius Comnenus. Even
then it continued highly doubtful, whether a despot, so wily and so
suspicious as the Emperor, would think it sufficient to rest satisfied
with the private knowledge of the undertaking, and its failure, with
which he appeared to be possessed, without putting into exercise the
bow-strings and the blinding-irons of the mutes of the interior. There
was, however, little possibility either of flight or of resistance. The
least attempt to withdraw himself from the neighbourhood of those
faithful followers of the Emperor, personal foes of his own, by whom he
was gradually and more closely surrounded, became each moment more
perilous, and more certain to provoke a rupture, which it was the
interest of the weaker party to delay, with whatever difficulty. And
while the soldiers under Achilles's immediate authority seemed still to
treat him as their superior officer, and appeal to him for the word of
command, it became more and more evident that the slightest degree of
suspicion which should be excited, would be the instant signal for his
being placed under arrest. With a trembling heart, therefore, and eyes
dimmed by the powerful idea of soon parting with the light of day, and
all that it made visible, the Acolyte saw himself condemned to watch
the turn of circumstances over which he could have no influence, and to
content himself with waiting the result of a drama, in which his own
life was concerned, although the piece was played by others. Indeed, it
seemed as if through the whole assembly some signal was waited for,
which no one was in readiness to give.
The discontented citizens and soldiers looked in vain for Agelastes and
the Caesar, and when they observed the condition of Achilles Tatius, it
seemed such as rather to express doubt and consternation, than to give
encouragement to the hopes they had entertained. Many of the lower
classes, however, felt too secure in their own insignificance to fear
the personal consequences of a tumult, and were desirous, therefore, to
provoke the disturbance, which seemed hushing itself to sleep.
A hoarse murmur, which attained almost the importance of a shout,
exclaimed,--"Justice, justice!--Ursel, Ursel!--The rights of the
Immortal Guards!" &c. At this the trumpet of the Varangians awoke, and
its tremendous tones were heard to peal loudly over the whole assembly,
as the voice of its presiding deity. A dead silence prevailed in the
multitude, and the voice of a herald announced, in the name of Alexius
Comnenus, his sovereign will and pleasure.
"Citizens of the Roman Empire, your complaints, stirred up by factious
men, have reached the ear of your Emperor; you shall yourselves be
witness to his power of gratifying his people. At your request, and
before your own sight, the visual ray which hath been quenched shall be
re-illumined--the mind whose efforts were restricted to the imperfect
supply of individual wants shall be again extended, if such is the
owner's will, to the charge of an ample Theme or division of the
empire. Political jealousy, more hard to receive conviction than the
blind to receive sight, shall yield itself conquered, by the Emperor's
paternal love of his people, and his desire to give them satisfaction.
Ursel, the darling of your wishes, supposed to be long dead, or at
least believed to exist in blinded seclusion, is restored to you well
in health, clear in eyesight, and possessed of every faculty necessary
to adorn the Emperor's favour, or merit the affection of the people."
As the herald thus spoke, a figure, which had hitherto stood shrouded
behind some officers of the interior, now stepped forth, and flinging
from him a dusky veil, in which he was wrapt, appeared in a dazzling
scarlet garment, of which the sleeves and buskins displayed those
ornaments which expressed a rank nearly adjacent to that of the Emperor
himself. He held in his hand a silver truncheon, the badge of delegated
command over the Immortal Guards, and kneeling before the Emperor,
presented it to his hands, intimating a virtual resignation of the
command which it implied. The whole assembly were electrified at the
appearance of a person long supposed either dead, or by cruel means
rendered incapable of public trust. Some recognised the man, whose
appearance and features were not easily forgot, and gratulated him upon
his most unexpected return to the service of his country. Others stood
suspended in amazement, not knowing whether to trust their eyes, while
a few determined malecontents eagerly pressed upon the assembly an
allegation that the person presented as Ursel was only a counterfeit,
and the whole a trick of the Emperor.
"Speak to them, noble Ursel," said the Emperor. "Tell them, that if I
have sinned against thee, it has been because I was deceived, and that
my disposition to make thee amends is as ample as ever was my purpose
of doing thee wrong."
"Friends and countrymen," said Ursel, turning himself to the assembly,
"his Imperial Majesty permits me to offer my assurance, that if in any
former part of my life I have suffered at his hand, it is more than
wiped out by the feelings of a moment so glorious as this; and that I
am well satisfied, from the present instant, to spend what remains of
my life in the service of the most generous and beneficent of
sovereigns, or, with his permission, to bestow it in preparing, by
devotional exercises, for an infinite immortality to be spent in the
society of saints and angels. Whichever choice I shall make, I reckon
that you, my beloved countrymen, who have remembered me so kindly
during years of darkness and captivity, will not fail to afford me the
advantage of your prayers."
This sudden apparition of the long-lost Ursel had too much of that
which elevates and surprises not to captivate the multitude, and they
sealed their reconciliation with three tremendous shouts, which are
said to have shaken the air, that birds, incapable of sustaining
themselves, sunk down exhausted out of their native element.