embraced them tenderly, commending them to the care of Heaven, and
charged them to call, on their way, at the celebrated monastery of
Cluny, to visit the Abbot, the brother of their father. This Abbot,
worthy of his high dignity, had never lost an opportunity of doing
good, setting an example of every excellence, and making virtue
attractive by his example.
He received his nephews with the greatest magnificence; and, aware how
useful his presence might be to them with Charlemagne, whose valued
counsellor he was, he took with them the road to Paris.
When Amaury learned what reception the two deputies of Charlemagne had
received at Bordeaux, and the arrangements made for the visit of the
young princes to the Emperor's court, he suggested to Charlot to give
him a troop of his guards, with which he proposed to lay wait for the
young men in the wood of Montlery, put them to death, and thereby give
the prince Charlot possession of the duchy of Guienne.
A plan of treachery and violence agreed but too well with Charlot's
disposition. He not only adopted the suggestion of Amaury, but insisted
upon taking a part in it. They went out secretly, by night, followed by
a great number of attendants, all armed in black, to lie in ambuscade
in the wood where the brothers were to pass.
Girard, the younger of the two, having amused himself as he rode by
flying his hawk at such game as presented itself, had ridden in advance
of his brother and the Abbot of Cluny. Charlot, who saw him coming,
alone and unarmed, went forth to meet him, sought a quarrel with him,
and threw him from his horse with a stroke of his lance. Girard uttered
a cry as he fell; Huon heard it, and flew to his defence, with no other
weapon than his sword. He came up with him, and saw the blood flowing
from his wound. "What has this child done to you, wretch!" he exclaimed
to Charlot. "How cowardly to attack him when unprepared to defend
himself!" "By my faith," said Charlot, "I mean to do the same by you.
Know that I am the son of Duke Thierry of Ardennes, from whom your
father, Sevinus, took three castles; I have sworn to avenge him, and I
defy you." "Coward," answered Huon, "I know well the baseness that
dwells in your race; worthy son of Thierry, use the advantage that your
armor gives you; but know that I fear you not." At these words Charlot
had the wickedness to put his lance in rest, and to run upon Huon, who
had barely time to wrap his arm in his mantle. With this feeble buckler
he received the thrust of the lance. It penetrated the mantle, but
missed his body. Then, rising upon his stirrups, Sir Huon struck
Charlot so terrible a blow with his sword that the helmet was cleft
asunder, and his head too. The dastardly prince fell dead upon the
ground.
Huon now perceived that the wood was full of armed men. He called the
men of his suite, and they hastily put themselves in order, but nobody
issued from the wood to attack him. Amaury, who saw Charlot's fall, had
no desire to compromit himself; and, feeling sure that Charlemagne
would avenge the death of his son, he saw no occasion for his doing
anything more at present. He left Huon and the Abbot of Cluny to bind
up the wound of Girard, and, having seen them depart and resume their
way to Paris, he took up the body of Charlot, and, placing it across a
horse, had it carried to Paris, where he arrived four hours after Huon.
The Abbot of Cluny presented his nephew to Charlemagne, but Huon
refrained from paying his obeisance, complaining grievously of the
ambush which had been set for him, which he said could not have been
without the Emperor's permission. Charlemagne, surprised at a charge
which his magnanimous soul was incapable of meriting, asked eagerly of
the Abbot what were the grounds of the complaints of his nephew. The
Abbot told him faithfully all that had happened, informing him that a
coward knight, who called himself the son of Thierry of Ardennes, had
wounded Girard, and run upon Huon, who was unarmed; but by his force
and valor he had overcome the traitor, and left him dead upon the plain.
Charlemagne indignantly disavowed any connection with the action of the
infamous Thierry, congratulated the young Duke upon his victory,
himself conducted the two brothers to a rich apartment, stayed to see
the first dressing applied to the wound of Girard, and left the
brothers in charge of Duke Namo of Bavaria, who, having been a
companion in arms of the Duke Sevinus, regarded the young men almost as
if they were his own sons.
Charlemagne had hardly quitted them when, returning to his chamber, he
heard cries, and saw through the window a party of armed men just
arrived. He recognized Amaury, who bore a dead knight stretched across
a horse; and the name of Charlot was heard among the exclamations of
the people assembled in the court-yard.
Charles's partiality for this unworthy son was one of his weaknesses.
He descended in trepidation to the court-yard, ran to Amaury, and
uttered a cry of grief on recognizing Charlot. "It is Huon of
Bordeaux," said the traitor Amaury, "who has massacred your son before
it was in my power to defend him." Charlemagne, furious at these words,
seized a sword, and flew to the apartment of the two brothers to plunge
it into the heart of the murderer of his son. Duke Namo stopped his
hand for an instant, while Charles told him the crime of which Huon was
accused. "He is a peer of the realm," said Namo, "and if he is guilty,
is he not here in your power, and are not we peers the proper judges to
condemn him to death? Let not your hand be stained with his blood." The
Emperor, calmed by the wisdom of Duke Namo, summoned Amaury to his
presence. The peers assembled to hear his testimony, and the traitor
accused Huon of Bordeaux of having struck the fatal blow without
allowing Charlot an opportunity to defend himself, and though he knew
that his opponent was the Emperor's eldest son.
The Abbot of Cluny, indignant at the false accusation of Amaury,
advanced, and said, "By Saint Benedict, sire, the traitor lies in his
throat. If my nephew has slain Charlot it was in his own defence, and
after having seen his brother wounded by him, and also in ignorance
that his adversary was the prince. Though I am a son of the Church,"
added the good Abbot, "I forget not that I am a knight by birth. I
offer to prove with my body the lie upon Amaury, if he dares sustain
it, and I shall feel that I am doing a better work to punish a disloyal
traitor, than to sing lauds and matins."
Huon to this time had kept silent, amazed at the black calumny of
Amaury; but now he stepped forth, and, addressing Amaury, said:
"Traitor! darest thou maintain in arms the lie thou hast uttered?"
Amaury, a knight of great prowess, despising the youth and slight
figure of Huon, hesitated not to offer his glove, which Huon seized;
then, turning again to the peers, he said: "I pray you let the combat
be allowed me, for never was there a more legitimate cause." The Duke
Namo and the rest, deciding that the question should be remitted to the
judgment of Heaven, the combat was ordained, to which Charlemagne
unwillingly consented. The young Duke was restored to the charge of
Duke Namo, who the next morning invested him with the honors of
knighthood, and gave him armor of proof, with a white shield. The Abbot
of Cluny, delighted to find in his nephew sentiments worthy of his
birth, embraced him, gave him his blessing, and hastened to the church
of St. Germains to pray for him, while the officers of the king
prepared the lists for the combat.
The battle was long and obstinate. The address and agility of Huon
enabled him to avoid the terrible blows which the ferocious Amaury
aimed at him. But Huon had more than once drawn blood from his
antagonist. The effect began to be perceived in the failing strength of
the traitor; at last he threw himself from his horse, and kneeling,
begged for mercy. "Spare me," he said, "and I will confess all. Aid me
to rise, and lead me to Charlemagne." The brave and loyal Huon, at
these words, put his sword under his left arm, and stretched out his
right to raise the prostrate man, who seized the opportunity to give
him a thrust in the side. The hauberk of Huon resisted the blow, and he
was wounded but slightly. Transported with rage at this act of
baseness, he forgot how necessary for his complete acquittal the
confession of Amaury was, and without delay dealt him the fatal blow.
Duke Namo and the other peers approached, had the body of Amaury
dragged forth from the lists, and conducted Huon to Charlemagne. The
Emperor, however, listening to nothing but his resentment and grief for
the death of his son, refused to be satisfied; and under the plea that
Huon had not succeeded in making his accuser retract his charge seemed
resolved to confiscate his estates and to banish him forever from
France. It was not till after long entreaties on the part of Duke Namo
and the rest that he consented to grant Huon his pardon, under
conditions which he should impose.
Huon approached, and knelt before the Emperor, rendered his homage, and
cried him mercy for the involuntary killing of his son. Charlemagne
would not receive the hands of Huon in his own, but touched him with
his sceptre, saying, "I receive thy homage, and pardon thee the death
of my son, but only on one condition. You shall go immediately to the
court of the Sultan Gaudisso; you shall present yourself before him as
he sits at meat; you shall cut off the head of the most illustrious
guest whom you shall find sitting nearest to him; you shall kiss three
times on the mouth the fair princess, his daughter, and you shall
demand of the Sultan, as token of tribute to me, a handful of the white
hair of his beard, and four grinders from his mouth."
These conditions caused a murmur from all the assembly. "What!" said
the Abbot of Cluny; "slaughter a Saracen prince without first offering
him baptism?" "The second condition is not so hard," said the young
peers, "but the demand that Huon is bound to make of the old Sultan is
very uncivil, and will be hard to obtain."
The Emperor's obstinacy when he had once resolved upon a thing is well
known. To the courage of Huon nothing seemed impossible. "I accept the
conditions," said he, silencing the intercessions of the old Duke of
Bavaria; "my liege, I accept my pardon at this price. I go to execute
your commands, as your vassal and a peer of France."
The Duke Namo and Abbot of Cluny, being unable to obtain any relaxation
of the sentence passed by Charlemagne, led forth the young Duke, who
determined to set out at once on his expedition. All that the good
Abbot could obtain of him was, that he should prepare for this perilous
undertaking by going first to Rome, to pay his homage to the Pope, who
was the brother of the Duchess Alice, Huon's mother, and from him
demand absolution and his blessing. Huon promised it, and forthwith set
out on his way to Rome.
HUON OF BORDEAUX (Continued)
HUON, having traversed the Apennines and Italy, arrived at the environs
of Rome, where, laying aside his armor, he assumed the dress of a
pilgrim. In this attire he presented himself before the Pope, and not
till after he had made a full confession of his sins did he announce
himself as his nephew. "Ah! my dear nephew," exclaimed the Holy Father,
"what harder penance could I impose than the Emperor has already done?
Go in peace, my son," he added, absolving him, "I go to intercede for
you with the Most High." Then he led his nephew into his palace, and
introduced him to all the Cardinals and Princes of Rome as the Duke of
Guienne, son of the Duchess Alice, his sister.
Huon, at setting out, had made a vow not to stop more than three days
in a place. The Holy Father took advantage of this time to inspire him
with zeal for the glory of Christianity, and with confidence in the
protection of the Most High. He advised him to embark for Palestine, to
visit the Holy Sepulchre, and to depart thence for the interior of Asia.
Loaded with the blessings of the Holy Father, Huon, obeying his
counsels, embarked for Palestine, arrived, and visited with the
greatest reverence the holy places. He then departed, and took his way
toward the east.
But, ignorant of the country and of the language, he lost himself in a
forest, and remained three days without seeing a human creature, living
on honey and wild fruits which he found on the trees. The third day,
seeking a passage through a rocky defile, he beheld a man in tattered
clothing, whose beard and hair covered his breast and shoulders. This
man stopped on seeing him, observed him, and recognized the arms and
bearing of a French knight. He immediately approached, and exclaimed,
in the language of the South of France, "God be praised! Do I indeed
behold a chevalier of my own country, after fifteen years passed in
this desert without seeing the face of a fellow-countryman?"
Huon, to gratify him still more, unlaced his helmet, and came towards
him with a smiling countenance. The other regarded him with more
surprise than at first. "Good Heaven!" he exclaimed, "was there ever
such a resemblance? Ah, noble sir," he added, "tell me, I beseech you,
of what country and race you come?" "I require," replied Huon, "before
telling you mine, that you first reveal your own; let it suffice you at
present to know that I am a Christian, and that in Guienne I was born."
"Ah! Heaven grant that my eyes and my heart do not deceive me,"
exclaimed the unknown; "my name is Sherasmin; I am brother to Guire,
the Mayor of Bordeaux. I was taken prisoner in the battle where my dear
and illustrious master, Sevinus, lost his life. For three years I
endured the miseries of slavery; at length I broke my chains and
escaped to this desert, where I have sustained myself in solitude ever
since. Your features recall to me my beloved sovereign, in whose
service I was from my infancy till his death." Huon made no reply but
by embracing the old man, with tears in his eyes. Then Sherasmin
learned that his arms enfolded the son of the Duke Sevinus. He led him
to his cabin, and spread before him the dry fruits and honey which
formed his only aliment.
Huon recounted his adventures to Sherasmin, who was moved to tears at
the recital. He then consulted him on means of conducting his
enterprise. Sherasmin hesitated not to confess that success seemed
impossible; nevertheless he swore a solemn oath never to abandon him.
The Saracen language, which he was master of, would be serviceable to
them when they should leave the desert, and mingle with men.
They took the route of the Red Sea, and entered Arabia. Their way lay
through a region which Sherasmin described as full of terrors. It was
inhabited by Oberon, King of the Fairies, who made captive such knights
as were rash enough to penetrate into it, and transformed them into
Hobgoblins. It was possible to avoid this district at the expense of
somewhat lengthening their route; but no dangers could deter Huon of
Bordeaux; and the brave Sherasmin, who had now resumed the armor of a
knight, reluctantly consented to share with him the dangers of the
shorter route.
They entered a wood, and arrived at a spot whence alleys branched off
in various directions. One of them seemed to be terminated by a superb
palace, whose gilded roofs were adorned with brilliant weathercocks
covered with diamonds. A superb chariot issued from the gate of the
palace, and drove toward Huon and his companion, as if to meet them
half-way. The prince saw no one in the chariot but a child apparently
about five years old, very beautiful, and clad in a robe which
glittered with precious stones. At the sight of him, Sherasmin's terror
was extreme. He seized the reins of Huon's horse, and turned him about,
hurrying the prince away, and assuring him that they were lost if they
stopped to parley with the mischievous dwarf, who, though he appeared a
child, was full of years and of treachery. Huon was sorry to lose sight
of the beautiful dwarf, whose aspect had nothing in it to alarm; yet he
followed his friend, who urged on his horse with all possible speed.
Presently a storm began to roar through the forest, the daylight grew
dim, and they found their way with difficulty. From time to time they
seemed to hear an infantine voice, which said, "Stop, Duke Huon; listen
to me: it is in vain you fly me!"
Sherasmin only fled the faster, and stopped not until he had reached
the gate of a monastery of monks and nuns, the two communities of which
were assembled at that time in a religious procession. Sherasmin,
feeling safe from the malice of the dwarf in the presence of so many
holy persons and the sacred banners, stopped to ask an asylum, and made
Huon dismount also. But at that moment they were joined by the dwarf,
who blew a blast upon an ivory horn which hung from his neck.
Immediately the good Sherasmin, in spite of himself, began to dance
like a young collegian, and seizing the hand of an aged nun, who felt
as if it would be her death, they footed it briskly over the grass, and
were imitated by all the other monks and nuns, mingled together,
forming the strangest dancing-party ever beheld. Huron alone felt no
disposition to dance; but he came near dying of laughter at seeing the
ridiculous postures and leaps of the others.
The dwarf, approaching Huon, said, in a sweet voice, and in Huon's own
language, "Duke of Guienne, why do you shun me? I conjure you, in
Heaven's name, speak to me." Huon, hearing himself addressed in this
serious manner, and knowing that no evil spirit would dare to use the
holy name in aid of his schemes, replied, "Sir, whoever you are, I am
ready to hear and answer you." "Huon, my friend," continued the dwarf,
"I always loved your race, and you have been dear to me ever since your
birth. The gracious state of conscience in which you were when you
entered my wood has protected you from all enchantments, even if I had
intended to practise any upon you. If these monks, these nuns, and even
your friend Sherasmin, had had a conscience as pure as yours, my horn
would not have set them dancing; but where is the monk or the nun who
can always be deaf to the voice of the tempter, and Sherasmin in the
desert has often doubted the power of Providence."
At these words Huon saw the dancers overcome with exertion. He begged
mercy for them, the dwarf granted it, and the effect of the horn ceased
at once; the nuns got rid of their partners, smoothed their dresses,
and hastened to resume their places in the procession. Sherasmin,
overcome with heat, panting, and unable to stand on his legs, threw
himself upon the grass, and began, "Did not I tell you"--He was going
on in an angry tone, but the dwarf, approaching, said, "Sherasmin, why
have you murmured against Providence? Why have you thought evil of me?
You deserved this light punishment; but I know you to be good and
loyal; I mean to show myself your friend, as you shall soon see." At
these words he presented him a rich goblet. "Make the sign of the cross
on this cup," said he, "and then believe that I hold my power from the
God you adore, whose faithful servant I am, as well as you." Sherasmin
obeyed, and on the instant the cup was filled with delicious wine, a
draught of which restored vigor to his limbs, and made him feel young
again. Overcome with gratitude, he threw himself on his knees, but the
dwarf raised him, and bade him sit beside him, and thus commenced his
history:
"Julius Caesar, going by sea to join his army, was driven by a storm to
take shelter in the island of Celea, where dwelt the fairy Glorianda.
From this renowned pair I draw my birth. I am the inheritor of that
which was most admirable in each of my parents: my father's heroic
qualities, and my mother's beauty and magic art. But a malicious sister
of my mother's, in revenge for some slight offence, touched me with her
wand when I was only five years old, and forbade me to grow any bigger;
and my mother, with all her power, was unable to annul the sentence. I
have thus continued infantile in appearance, though full of years and
experience. The power which I derive from my mother I use sometimes for
my own diversion, but always to promote justice and to reward virtue. I
am able and willing to assist you, Duke of Guienne, for I know the
errand on which you come hither. I presage for you, if you follow my
counsels, complete success; and the beautiful Clarimunda for a wife."
When he had thus spoken he presented to Huon the precious and useful
cup, which had the faculty of filling itself when a good man took it in
his hand. He gave him also his beautiful horn of ivory, saying to him,
"Huon, when you sound this gently, you will make the hearers dance, as
you have seen; but if you sound it forcibly, fear not that I shall hear
it, though at a hundred leagues' distance, and will fly to your relief;
but be careful not to sound it in that way, unless upon the most urgent
occasion."
Oberon directed Huon what course he should take to reach the country of
the Sultan Gaudisso. "You will encounter great perils," said he,
"before arriving there, and I fear me," he added, with tears in his
eyes, "that you will not in everything obey my directions, and in that
case you will suffer much calamity." Then he embraced Huon and
Sherasmin, and left them.
Huon and his follower travelled many days through the desert before
they reached any inhabited place, and all this while the wonderful cup
sustained them, furnishing them not only wine, but food also. At last
they came to a great city. As day was declining, they entered its
suburbs, and Sherasmin, who spoke the Saracen language perfectly,
inquired for an inn where they could pass the night. A person who
appeared to be one of the principal inhabitants, seeing two strangers
of respectable appearance making this inquiry, stepped forward and
begged them to accept the shelter of his mansion. They entered, and
their host did the honors of his abode with a politeness which they
were astonished to see in a Saracen. He had them served with coffee and
sherbet, and all was conducted with great decorum, till one of the
servants awkwardly overturned a cup of hot coffee on the host's legs,
when he started up, exclaiming in very good Gascon, "Blood and thunder!
you blockhead, you deserve to be thrown over the mosque!"
Huon could not help laughing to see the vivacity and the language of
his country thus break out unawares. The host, who had no idea that his
guests understood his words, was astonished when Huon addressed him in
the dialect of his country. Immediately confidence was established
between them; especially when the domestics had retired. The host,
seeing that he was discovered, and that the two pretended Saracens were
from the borders of the Garonne, embraced them, and disclosed that he
was a Christian. Huon, who had learned prudence from the advice of
Oberon, to test his host's sincerity, drew from his robe the cup which
the Fairy-king had given him, and presented it empty to the host. "A
fair cup," said he, "but I should like it better if it was full."
Immediately it was so. The host, astonished, dared not put it to his
lips. "Drink boldly, my dear fellow-countryman," said Huon; "your truth
is proved by this cup, which only fills itself in the hands of an
honest man." The host did not hesitate longer; the cup passed freely
from hand to hand; their mutual cordiality increased as it passed, and
each recounted his adventures. Those of Huon redoubled his host's
respect; for he recognized in him his legitimate sovereign: while the
host's narrative was in these words: