historic girls-第16节

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used　the　wrong　corner　of　the　towel　yesterday；　how　the　fat　Duchess

of　Enkhuysen　had　violated　the　laws　of　all　etiquette　by　placing

the　wrong　number　of　finger…bowls　upon　her　table　on　St。　Jacob's

Day；　and　how　the　stout　young　Hubert　of　Malsen　had　scattered　the

rascal　merchants　of　Dort　at　their　Shrovetide　fair。



Then　uprose　the　young　Lord　of　Arkell。



〃Hold；　there！〃　he　cried　hotly。　〃This　Hubert　of　Malsen　is　but　a

craven；　sirs；　if　he　doth　say　the　merchants　of　Dort　are　rascal

cowards。　Had　they　been　fairly　mated；　he　had　no　more　dared　to　put

his　nose　within　the　gates　of　Dort　than　dare　one　of　you　here　to　go

down　yonder　amid　Count　William's　lions！〃



〃Have　a　care；　friend　Otto；〃　said　the　little　Lady　of　Holland；　with

warning　finger；　〃there　is　one　here；　at　least；　who　dareth　to　go

amid　the　lionsmy　father；　sir。〃



〃I　said　nothing　of　him；　madam；〃　replied　Count　Otto。　〃I　did　mean

these　young　red　hats　here；　who　do　no　more　dare　to　bait　your

father's　lions　than　to　face　the　Cods　of　Dort　in　fair　and　equal

fight。〃



At　this　bold　speech　there　was　instant　commotion。　For　the　nobles

and　merchants　of　Holland；　four　centuries　and　a　half　ago；　were　at

open　strife　with　one　another。　The　nobles　saw　in　the　increasing

prosperity　of　the　merchants　the　end　of　their　own　feudal　power　and

tyranny。　The　merchants　recognized　in　the　arrogant　nobles　the　only

bar　to　the　growth　of　Holland's　commercial　enterprise。　So　each

faction　had　its　leaders；　its　partisans；　its　badges；　and　its

followers。　Many　and　bloody　were　the　feuds　and　fights　that　raged

through　all　those　low…lying　lands　of　Holland；　as　the　nobles；　or

〃Hooks；〃　as　they　were　calleddistinguishable　by　their　big　red

hats；and　the　merchants；　or　〃Cods；〃　with　their　slouch　hats　of

quiet　gray；　struggled　for　the　lead　in　the　state。　And　how　they　DID

hate　one　another！



Certain　of　the　younger　nobles；　however；　who　were　opposed　to　the

reigning　house　of　Holland；　of　which　Count　William；　young

Jacqueline's　father；　was　the　head；　had　espoused　the　cause　of　the

merchants；　seeing　in　their　success　greater　prosperity　and　wealth

for　Holland。　Among　these　had　been　the　young　Lord　of　Arkell；　now　a

sort　of　half　prisoner　at　Count　William's　court　because　of　certain

bold　attempts　to　favor　the　Cods　in　his　own　castle　of　Arkell。　His

defiant　words　therefore　raised　a　storm　of　protests。



〃Nay；　then；　Lord　of　Arkell；〃　said　the　Dauphin　John；　〃you；　who

prate　so　loudly；　would　better　prove　your　words　by　some　sign　of

your　own　valor。　You　may　have　dared　fight　your　lady　mother；　who　so

roundly　punished　you　therefor；　but　a　lion　hath　not　the　tender

ways　of　a　woman。　Face　YOU　the　lions；　lord　count；　and　I　will

warrant　me　they　will　not　prove　as　forbearing　as　did　she。〃



It　was　common　talk　at　Count　William's　court　that　the　brave　Lady

of　Arkell；　mother　of　the　Count　Otto；　had　made　her　way；　disguised；

into　we　castle　of　her　son；　had　herself　lowered　the　drawbridge；

admitted　her　armed　retainers；　overpowered　and　driven　out　her

rebellious　son；　and　that　then；　relenting；　she　had　appealed　to

Count　William　to　pardon　the　lad　and　to　receive　him　at　court　as

hostage　for　his　own　fealty。　So　this　fling　of　the　Dauphin's　cut

deep。



But　before　the　young　Otto　could　return　an　angry　answer；

Jacqueline　had　interfered。



〃Nay；　nay；　my　lord；〃　she　said　to　her　husband；　the　Dauphin；　〃　't

is　not　a　knightly　act　thus　to　impeach　the　honor　of　a　noble

guest。〃



But　now　the　Lord　of　Arkell　had　found　his　tongue。



〃My　lord　prince；〃　he　said；　bowing　low　with　stately　courtesy；　〃if；

as　my　lady　mother　and　good　Count　William　would　force　me；　I　am　to

be　loyal　vassal　to　you；　my　lieges　here；　I　should　but　follow　where

you　dare　to　lead。　Go　YOU　into　the　lions'　den；　lord　prince；　and　I

will　follow　you；　though　it　were　into　old　Hercules'　very　teeth。〃



It　was　a　shrewd　reply；　and　covered　as　good　a　〃double…dare〃　as

ever　one　boy　made　to　another。　Some　of　the　manlier　of　the　young

courtiers　indeed　even　dared　to　applaud。　But　the　Dauphin　John　was

stronger　in　tongue　than　in　heart。



〃Peste！〃　he　cried　contemptuously。　〃　'T　is　a　fool's　answer　and　a

fool's　will。　And　well　shall　we　see　now　how　you　will　sneak　out　of

it　all。　See；　Lord　of　Arkell；　you　who　can　prate　so　loudly　of　Cods

and　lions：　here　before　all；　I　dare　you　to　face　Count　William's

lions　yourself！〃



The　young　Lord　of　Arkell　was　in　his　rich　court　suita

tight…fitting；　great…sleeved　silk　jacket；　rich；　violet　chausses；

or　tights；　and　pointed　shoes。　But　without　a　word；　with　scarce　a

look　toward　his　challenger；　he　turned　to　his　nearest　neighbor；　a

brave　Zealand　lad；　afterward　noted　in　Dutch　historyFrancis　von

Borselen。



〃Lend　me　your　gabardine；　friend　Franz；　will　you　not？〃　he　said。



The　young　von　Borselen　took　from　the　back　of　the　settle；　over

which　it　was　flung；　his　gabardinethe　long；　loose　gray　cloak

that　was　a　sort　of　overcoat　in　those　days　of　queer　costume。



〃It　is　here；　my　Otto；〃　he　said。



The　Lord　of　Arkell　drew　the　loose　gray　cloak　over　his　rich　silk

suit；　and　turned　toward　the　door。



〃Otto　von　Arkell　lets　no　one　call　him　fool　or　coward；　lord

prince；〃　he　said。　〃What　I　have　dared　you　all　to　do；　_I_　dare　do；

if　you　do　not。　See；　now：　I　will　face　Count　William's　lions！〃



The　Princess　Jacqueline　sprang　up　in　protest。



〃No；　no；　you　shall　not！〃　she　cried。　〃My　lord　prince　did　but　jest；

as　did　we　all。　John；〃　she　said；　turning　appealingly　to　her　young

husband；　who　sat　sullen　and　unmoved；　〃tell　him　you　meant　no　such

murderous　test。　My　father！〃　she　cried；　turning　now　toward　Count

William；　whose　attention　had　been　drawn　to　the　dispute；　the　Lord

of　Arkell　is　pledged　to　face　your　lions！〃



Count　William　of　Holland　dearly　loved　pluck　and　nerve。



〃Well；　daughter　mine；〃　he　said；　〃then　will　he　keep　his　pledge。

Friend　Otto　is　a　brave　young　gallant；　else　had　he　never　dared

raised　spear　and　banner；　as　he　did；　against　his　rightful　liege。〃



〃But；　my　father；〃　persisted　the　gentle…hearted　girl；　〃spear　and

banner　are　not　lions'　jaws。　And　surely　you　may　not　in　honor

permit　the　wilful　murder　of　a　hostage。〃



〃Nay；　madam；　have　no　fear；〃　the　Lord　of　Arkell　said；　bending　in

courteous　recognition　of　her　interest；　〃that　which　I　do　of　mine

own　free　will　is　no　murder；　even　should　it　fail。〃



And　he　hastened　from　the　hall。



A　raised　gallery　looked　down　into　the　spacious　inclosure　in　which

Count　William　kept　the　living　specimens　of　his　own　princely　badge

of　the　lion。　And　here　the　company　gathered　to　see　the　sport。



With　the　gray　gabardine　drawn　but　loosely　over　his　silken　suit；

so　that　he　might；　if　need　be；　easily　slip　from　it；　Otto　von

Arkell　boldly　entered　the　inclosure。



〃Soho；　Juno！　up；　Hercules；　hollo；　up；　Ajax！〃　cried　Count　William；

from　the　balcony。　〃Here　cometh　a　right　royal　playfellowup；　up；

my　beauties！〃　and　the　great　brutes；　roused　by　the　voice　of　their

master；　pulled　themselves　up；　shook　themselves　awake；　and　stared

at　the　intruder。



Boldly　and　without　hesitation；　while　all　the　watchers　had　eyes

but　for　him　alone；　the　young　Lord　of　Arkell　walked　straight　up　to

Hercules；　the　largest　of　the　three；　and　laid　his　hand　caressingly

upon　the　shaggy　mane。　Close　to　his　side　pressed　Juno；　the

lioness；　and；　so　says　the　record　of　the　old　Dutch　chronicler；　von

Hildegaersberch；　〃the　lions　did　him　no　harm；　he　played　with　them

as　if　they　had　been　dogs。〃



But　Ajax；　fiercest　of　the　three；　took　no　notice　of　the　lad。

Straight　across　his　comrades　he　looked　to　where；　scarce　a　rod

behind　the　daring　lad；　came　another　figure；　a　light　and　graceful

form　in　clinging　robes　of　blue　and　undergown　of　cloth　of

goldthe　Princess　Jacqueline　herself！



The　watchers　in　the　gallery　followed　the　lion's　stare；　and　saw；

with　horror；　the　advancing　figure　of　this　fair　young　girl。　A　cry

of　terror　broke　from　every　lip。　The　Dauphin　John　turned　pale　with

fright；　and　Count　William　of　Holland；　calling　out；　〃Down；　Ajax！

back；　girl；　back！〃　sprang　to　his　feet　as　if　he　would　have　vaulted

over　the　gallery　rail。



But　before　he　could　act；　Ajax　himself　had　acted。　With　a　bound　he

cleared　the　intervening　space　and　crouched　at　the　feet　of　the

fair　young　Princess　Jacqueline！



The　lions　must　have　been　in　remarkably　good　humor　on　that　day；

for；　as　the　records　tell　us；　they　did　no　harm　to　their　visitors。

Ajax　slowly　rose　and　looked　up　into　the　girl's　calm　face。　Then

the　voice　of　Jacqueline　rang　out　fresh　and　clear　as；　standing

with　her　hand　buried　in　the　lion's　tawny　mane；　she　raised　her

face　to　the　startled　galleries。



〃You　who　could　dare　and　yet　dared　not　to　do！〃　she　cried；　〃it

shall　not　be　said　that　in　all　Count　William's　court　none　save　the

rebel　Lord　of　Arkell　dared　to　face　Count　William's　lions！〃



The　Lord　of　Arkell　sprang　to　his　comrade's　side。　With　a　hurried

word　of　praise　he　flung　the　gabardine　about　her；　grasped　her　arm；

and　bade　her　keep　her　eyes　firmly　fixed　upon　the　lions；　then；

step　by　step；　those　two　foolhardy　young　persons　backed　slowly　out