Part 39 (2/2)

”'Death to the leprous wretch!--to the river with him!--drag him to the river!--he has infected our fields--the holy dew is on him yet!'

”'He has laid his infected hands on our master's goods--he has dared to touch the game!' cried one of the huntsmen, coming up.

”'Hound of ill omen!' thundered Odon d'Artiguelouve, das.h.i.+ng through all the crowd, with his lady-mother and all his mounted attendants--'has he dared to place his devilish claw on that which belongs to us?'

”'He has bewitched our woods, and blighted our harvests!' exclaimed a peasant, giving him a blow, and spitting in his face.

”'To the flames with the sorcerer!--to the fire with the broomstick-rider!--to the fire with the comrade of the infernal spirits!' cried others; and one threw at him a half-burnt log of the St.

John's fire, which, striking him on the forehead, sent the unfortunate Cagot reeling to the foot of a tree, against which he leaned for support.

This, and much more insult was lumped upon the unfortunate young man, accompanied by furious howlings and execrations, which became every moment louder: hisses, laughter, and showers of mud and stones were sent towards him as he stood, motionless and calm; his eyes half-closed; without uttering a groan or a word; but, apparently, resolved to endure without shrinking the undeserved fate which pursued him.

Every moment the crowd increased, and with it the fury of popular hatred, until, at length, fatigued with the patience of their victim, the people proposed at once to drag the Cagot to the river. He was, therefore, seized, bound, and, in spite of his resistance and his strength, they prepared to carry their threats into execution; at the same time uttering those savage cries, known in the country as _les cris Basques_, and imitating, in derision of the wretched creature they were injuring, the sharp voice of the goose, and the nasal call of the duck.

The young Ena Marie, for whose sake her deliverer was thus suffering, wept, entreated, and appealed to the senseless mult.i.tude in vain, and implored the mercy of Odon and Dame Ga.r.s.ende, who treated her prayers with indifference, and appeared to think the conduct of the mob perfectly justifiable. But, at the moment when all hope seemed lost, the interference of the young knight of the church prevented the execution of the crime about to be perpetrated.

Followed by his archers and men-at-arms, he rushed forward, and commanded that the prisoner should be released, in a tone and with gestures so commanding, that the astonished crowd was, for a time, arrested in their project, and a general silence ensued, presently broken by a voice at a distance, which exclaimed--”n.o.ble and generous child! the blessing of Heaven be on thee!” All eyes were directed towards the speaker--an old man with silver hair, clothed in a dark mantle, with the hood drawn over his head: he stood on an elevated mound above the scene of action, and on finding himself observed hurried away from the spot.

Meantime, taking advantage of the awe his appearance had excited in the public mind, the knight hastened to the poor Cagot, cut with his sword the cords which bound him, and set him at liberty. Amazement was painted on the victim's countenance, as he observed the relief which approached him: to be the object of care to a n.o.ble knight--to be defended, treated like a human creature was indeed a prodigy to him! The being, but an instant before stupified and inert, from whom insult and injury had drawn no cry nor tear, this evidence of humanity touched to the quick: he cast a long look of tenderness and grat.i.tude on his deliverer; and large tears rolled down his bleeding cheeks. But the panic of the instant soon pa.s.sed away; hoa.r.s.e murmurs arose, and threatening words, and the tumult recommenced, Odon d'Artiguelouve advanced to the knight, and demanded, in a haughty tone, by what right he interfered with the execution of the laws.

”'I am not a stranger to this country,' replied he, calmly, 'though it is some time since I quitted it; and I know its _fors_ and _customs_ probably as well as you can do, Messire.'

”'Then,' answered Odon, 'you should know that a Cagot is forbidden to appear in an a.s.sembly of citizens, and that all commerce with them is expressly denied him; that he has no right to touch any article intended for their use; and yet you defend this wretch, who has defiled, by the contact of his accursed hand, the game which belongs to a gentleman.'

”'It appears, then,' answered the knight, with bitter irony, 'that a gentleman singularly loves his game, since he attaches more value to a boar's head than to the life of a n.o.ble lady, which this poor Cagot preserved at the risk of injuring one of these precious animals.'

”'Was it for high deeds of this nature,' interposed the Lady of Artiguelouve, seeing that her son's countenance fell, 'that the knight took his vows, when he received the honour of the accolade?'

”'I swore, madam,' answered the _caver_, 'to consecrate my arms to the service of religion, and the defence of the widow, the orphan, and the _unprotected_.'

”'And by what enchantment,' rejoined Dame Ga.r.s.ende, 'does your knight-errants.h.i.+p behold in us giants or monsters?'

”'A loyal and christian knight ever sees a monster in oppression, madam.

No man can be punished before he is judged, and I see here neither jury, court of knights, or _cour majour_.'

”'If that is all,' cried Odon, 'every formality shall be gone through.

Seize this miserable wretch, my friends, and drag him to the justice-seat; we will follow.'”

An immediate movement was made to obey this order; but the knight again interfered.

”'It is well,' said he; 'but if you have a right to take him before a court, he has that of claiming sanctuary. From whence come you, friend?'

he added, turning to the Cagot.

”'From the Vallee d'Aspe, sir knight,' was the answer.

”'Then, it would suffice to reach the Pene d'Escot, at the entrance of this valley, to be in an inviolable security, and we would, if it were necessary, escort you as far; but closer still a refuge attends you; you have only to reach the _circle of sanctuary_ which yon church of Aubertin offers.'”[45]

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