historic girls-第17节

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

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

of　the　danger　into　which　they　had　so　thoughtlessly　and

unnecessarily　forced　themselves。



The　lions'　gate　closed　behind　them　with　a　clang；　the　shouts　of

approval　and　of　welcome　sounded　from　the　thronging　gallery；　and

over　all　they　heard　the　voice　of　the　Lord　of　Holland　mingling

commendation　and　praise　with　censure　for　the　rashness　of　their

action。



And　it　WAS　a　rash　and　foolish　act。　But　we　must　remember　that

those　were　days　when　such　feats　were　esteemed　as　brave　and

valorous。　For　the　Princess　Jaqueline　of　Holland　was　reared　in　the

school　of　so…called　chivalry　and　romance；　which　in　her　time　was

fast　approaching　its　end。　She　was；　indeed；　as　one　historian

declares；　the　last　heroine　of　knighthood。　Her　very　titles　suggest

the　days　of　chivalry。　She　was　Daughter　of　Holland；　Countess　of

Ponthieu；　Duchess　of　Berry；　Lady　of　Crevecoeur；　of　Montague　and

Arloeux。　Brought　up　in　the　midst　of　tilts　and　tournaments；　of

banquets　and　feasting；　and　all　the　lavish　display　of　the　rich

Bavarian　court；　she　was；　as　we　learn　from　her　chroniclers；　the

leader　of　adoring　knights　and　vassals；　the　idol　of　her　parents；

the　ruler　of　her　soft…hearted　boy　husband；　an　expert　falconer；　a

daring　horsewoman；　and　a　fearless　descendant　of　those　woman

warriors　of　her　race；　Margaret　the　Empress；　and　Philippa　the

Queen；　and　of　a　house　that　traced　its　descent　through　the　warlike

Hohenstaufens　back　to　Charlemagne　himself。



All　girls　admire　bravery；　even　though　not　themselves　personally

courageous。　It　is　not；　therefore；　surprising　that　this　intrepid

and　romance…reared　young　princess；　the　wife　of　a　lad　for　whom　she

never　especially　cared；　and　whose　society　had　for　political

reasons　been　forced　upon　her；　should　have　placed　as　the　hero　of

her　admiration；　next　to　her　own　fearless　father；　not　the　Dauphin

John　of　France；　but　this　brave　young　rebel　lad；　Otto；　the　Lord　of

Arkell。



But　the　joyous　days　of　fete　and　pleasure　at　Quesnoy；　at　Paris；

and　The　Hague　were　fast　drawing　to　a　close。　On　the　fourth　of

April；　1417；　the　Dauphin　John　died　by　poisoning；　in　his　father's

castle　at　Compiegnethe　victim　of　those　terrible　and　relentless

feuds　that　were　then　disgracing　and　endangering　the　feeble　throne

of　France。



The　dream　of　future　power　and　greatness　as　Queen　of　France；　in

which　the　girl　wife　of　the　Dauphin　had　often　indulged；　was　thus

rudely　dispelled；　and　Jacqueline　returned　to　her　father's　court

in　Holland；　no　longer　crown　princess　and　heiress　to　a　throne；　but

simply　〃Lady　of　Holland。〃



But　in　Holland；　too；　sorrow　was　in　store　for　her。　Swiftly

following　the　loss　of　her　husband；　the　Dauphin；　came　the　still

heavier　blow　of　her　father's　death。　On　the　thirtieth　of　May；

1417；　Count　William　died　in　his　castle　of　Bouchain；　in　Hainault；

and　his　sorrowing　daughter　Jacqueline；　now　a　beautiful　girl　of

sixteen；　succeeded　to　his　titles　and　lordship　as　Countess　and

Lady　Supreme　of　Hainault；　of　Holland；　and　of　Zealand。



For　years；　however；　there　had　been　throughout　the　Low　Countries　a

strong　objection　to　the　rule　of　a　woman。　The　death　of　Count

William　showed　the　Cods　a　way　toward　greater　liberty。　Rebellion

followed　rebellion；　and　the　rule　of　the　Countess　Jacqueline　was

by　no　means　a　restful　one。



And　chief　among　the　rebellious　spirits；　as　leader　and　counsellor

among　the　Cods；　appeared　the　brave　lad　who　had　once　been　the

companion　of　the　princess　in　danger；　the　young　Lord　of　Arkell。



It　was　he　who　lifted　the　standard　of　revolt　against　her　regency。

Placing　the　welfare　of　Holland　above　personal　friendship；　and

sinking；　in　his　desire　for　glory；　even　the　chivalry　of　that　day；

which　should　have　prompted　him　to　aid　rather　than　annoy　this

beautiful　girl；　he　raised　a　considerable　army　among　the　knights

of　the　Cods；　or　liberal　party；　and　the　warlike　merchants　of　the

cities；　took　possession　of　many　strong　positions　in　Holland；　and

occupied；　among　other　places；　the　important　town　of　Gorkum　on　the

Maas。　The　stout　citadel　of　the　town；　was；　however；　garrisoned

with　loyal　troops。　This　the　Lord　of　Arkell　beseiged；　and；

demanding　its　surrender；　sent　also　a　haughty　challenge　to　the

young　countess；　who　was　hastening　to　the　relief　of　her

beleaguered　town。



Jacqueline's　answer　was　swift　and　unmistakable。　With　three

hundred　ships　and　six　thousand　knights　and　men…at…arms；　she

sailed　from　the　old　harbor　of　Rotterdam；　and　the　lion…flag　of　her

house　soon　floated　above　the　loyal　citadel　of　Gorkum。



Her　doughty　Dutch　general；　von　Brederode；　counselled　immediate

attack；　but　the　girl　countess；　though　full　of　enthusiasm　and

determination；　hesitated。



From　her　station　in　the　citadel　she　looked　over　the　scene　before

her。　Here；　along　the　low　bank　of　the　river　Maas；　stretched　the

camp　of　her　own　followers；　and　the　little　gayly　colored　boats

that　had　brought　her　army　up　the　river　from　the　red　roofs　of

Rotterdam。　There；　stretching　out　into　the　flat　country　beyond　the

straggling　streets　of　Gorkum；　lay　the　tents　of　the　rebels。　And

yet　they　were　all　her　countrymenrebels　and　retainers　alike。

Hollanders　all；　they　were　ever　ready　to　combine　for　the　defence

of　their　homeland　when　threatened　by　foreign　foes　or　by　the

destroying　ocean　floods。



Jacqueline's　eye　caught　the　flutter　of　the　broad　banner　of　the

house　of　Arkell　that　waved　over　the　rebel　camp。



Again　she　saw　the　brave　lad　who　alone　of　all　her　father's　court；

save　she；　had　dared　to　face　Count　William's　lions；　again　the

remembrance　of　how　his　daring　had　made　him　one　of　her　heroes；

filled　her　heart；　and　a　dream　of　what　might　be　possessed　her。　Her

boy　husband；　the　French　Dauphin；　was　dead；　and　she　was　pledged　by

her　dying　father's　command　to　marry　her　cousin；　whom　she

detested；　Duke　John　of　Brabant。　But　how　much　better；　so　she

reasoned；　that　the　name　and　might　of　her　house　as　rulers　of

Holland　should　be　upheld　by　a　brave　and　fearless　knight。　On　the

impulse　of　this　thought　she　summoned　a　loyal　and　trusted　vassal

to　her　aid。



〃Von　Leyenburg；〃　she　said；　〃go　you　in　haste　and　in　secret　to　the

Lord　of　Arkell；　and　bear　from　me　this　message　for　his　ear　alone。

Thus　says　the　Lady　of　Holland：　'Were　it　not　better；　Otto　of

Arkell；　that　we　join　hands　in　marriage　before　the　altar；　than

that　we　spill　the　blood　of　faithful　followers　and　vassals　in　a

cruel　fight？'〃



It　was　a　singular；　and　perhaps；　to　our　modern　ears；　a　most

unladylike　proposal；　but　it　shows　how；　even　in　the　heart　of　a

sovereign　countess　and　a　girl　general；　warlike　desires　may　give

place　to　gentler　thoughts。



To　the　Lord　Arkell；　however；　this　unexpected　proposition　came　as

an　indication　of　weakness。



〃My　lady　countess　fears　to　face　my　determined　followers；〃　he

thought。　〃Let　me　but　force　this　fight　and　the　victory　is　mine。　In

that　is　greater　glory　and　more　of　power　than　being　husband　to　the

Lady　of　Holland。〃



And　so　he　returned　a　most　ungracious　answer：



〃Tell　the　Countess　Jacqueline；〃　he　said　to　the　knight　of

Leyenburg；　〃that　the　honor　of　her　hand　I　cannot　accept。　I　am　her

foe；　and　would　rather　die　than　marry　her。〃



All　the　hot　blood　of　her　ancestors　flamed　in　wrath　as　young

Jacqueline　heard　this　reply　of　the　rebel　lord。



〃Crush　we　these　rebel　curs；　von　Brederode；〃　she　cried；　pointing

to　the　banner　of　Arkell；　〃for　by　my　father's　memory；　they　shall

have　neither　mercy　nor　life　from　me。〃



Fast　upon　the　curt　refusal　of　the　Lord　of　Arkell　came　his　message

of　defiance。



〃Hear　ye；　Countess　of　Holland；〃　rang　out　the　challenge　of　the

herald　of　Arkell；　as　his　trumpet…blast　sounded　before　the　gate　of

the　citadel；　〃the　free　Lord　of　Arkell　here　giveth　you　word　and

warning　that　he　will　fight　against　you　on　the　morrow！〃



And　from　the　citadel　came　back　this　ringing　reply；　as　the　knight

of　Leyenburg　made　answer　for　his　sovereign　lady：



〃Hear　ye；　sir　Herald；　and　answer　thus　to　the　rebel　Lord　of

Arkell：　'For　the　purpose　of　fighting　him　came　we　here；　and　fight

him　we　will；　until　he　and　his　rebels　are　beaten　and　dead。'　Long

live　our　Sovereign　Lady　of　Holland！〃



On　the　morrow；　a　murky　December　day；　in　the　year　1417；　the　battle

was　joined；　as　announced。　On　the　low　plain　beyond　the　city；

knights　and　men…at…arms；　archers　and　spearmen；　closed　in　the

shock　of　battle；　and　a　stubborn　and　bloody　fight　it　was。



Seven　times　did　the　knights　of　Jacqueline；　glittering　in　their

steel　armor；　clash　into　the　rebel　ranks；　seven　times　were　they

driven　back；　until；　at　last；　the　Lord　of　Arkell；　with　a　fiery

charge；　forced　them　against　the　very　gates　of　the　citadel。　The

brave　von　Brederode　fell　pierced　with　wounds；　and　the　day　seemed

lost；　indeed；　to　the　Lady　of　Holland。



Then　Jacqueline　the　Countess；　seeing　her　cause　in　dangerlike

another　Joan　of　Arc；　though　she　was　indeed　a　younger　and　much

more　beautiful　girl　general；seized　the　lion…ba