Part 14 (1/2)
”Are you of King Clotaire's suite?”
”Yes, holy man.”
”Is he still at the village of Ryonne?”
”Yes; he will be there till this evening.--I am to ride ahead and prepare his lodgings on the route.”
”Is Duke Roccon among the seigneurs who accompany the King?”
”Yes, monk; Duke Roccon is with the King.”
”Is it true, as I hear, that Queen Brunhild has been taken prisoner and carried to King Clotaire, who has also captured her grandchildren?”
”That is all old news. Where do you come from that you do not know what has happened?”
”I come from Chalon.--What did the King do with his prisoner and her grandchildren?”
”The steep ascent has taken the wind out of my horse and he needs a little rest. So I shall tell you what has happened--all the more willingly, seeing that it is a good augury to meet a priest, especially a monk, at the start of a journey.”
”Do let me know, I beg you; what has been done with Brunhild and her grandchildren?”
”There were only three of the children captured on the banks of the Saone. The fourth, Childebert, could be found nowhere.--Was he killed in the melee?--Did he escape?--No one can tell.--”
”And the other three?”
”The eldest and the second one were killed.”
”In the battle?”
”No--no.--They were killed in the village--yonder. The King had them killed under his own eyes, in order to be certain of their death; he wanted to obviate having them turn up some day, and demand their kingdom back from him. But it is said that the King granted his life to the third.--I think he was wrong in that.--But what ails you, holy father; you seem to s.h.i.+ver. To be sure, the morning is rather chilly.”
”And what became of Queen Brunhild?”
”She arrived at the village with a magnificent escort! A veritable triumphal march! Dung for incense, and hootings for acclamation!”
”I suppose the King ordered her to be put to death immediately upon her arrival?”
”No; she is still alive.”
”Did Clotaire have mercy upon her?”
”Clotaire--have mercy upon Brunhild!--Holy man, you must come from far away to talk as you do! Brunhild was taken three days ago to that village that you see yonder; she was taken to the house where her grandchildren were killed. Two expert executioners and four a.s.sistants, equipped with all manner of instruments, were locked up with the old Queen; that was three days ago, and she is not yet dead. I must add that she was not tortured at night; the nights were left to her to recover strength. Moreover, seeing that she undertook to starve herself, food was forced down her throat--spiced wines and flour soaked in milk. That has kept her sufficiently alive.--But what makes you s.h.i.+ver so? It is not so chilly!”
”Yes; the morning is chilly.--And did Clotaire witness the tortures that were inflicted upon the Queen during those three days?”
”The door of the house was locked and guarded by sentinels. But there is a little window through which one can look inside. Through that opening, the King, the dukes, the leudes, the Bishop of Troyes and a few other preferred personages went from time to time to contemplate the victim in her agony. Being a connoisseur, Clotaire never took a look inside when Brunhild was screaming; at times the woman screamed loud enough to be heard clean across the village; he never went to see her at such times; but the moment she began to moan, he walked to the window and peeped in; it is said the sufferings of victims in the torture are intenser when they moan than when they scream out aloud. It was a protracted holiday for the whole village. Like the generous King that he is, Clotaire allowed a large number of people, who followed Brunhild to the village, to remain to the end of the tortures, and had provisions distributed among them. Oh, holy man, you should have heard how they kept time with their hootings to the screams of the Queen.--But I see my horse has regained his wind--adieu, holy man. If you wish to witness a spectacle that you never saw and never will see again you would better hurry. They say there are yet to be some extraordinary incidents to wind up the torture. The King has sent for one of the camels that carry his baggage. What he purposes to do with the camel is still a secret. Adieu, give me your blessing.”
”I wish you a happy journey.”
”Thank you, holy man; but you had better hurry, because as I was leaving the village they went for the camel and took him out of his stable.”
p.r.i.c.king his horse with his spurs, the rider rode off at a brisk pace.