Part 5 (1/2)
”The nonsense, Father!” exclaimed Elaine.
”Of a surety, my child. Dost suppose that Holy Church were so unjust as to visit the sins of thy knightly relatives upon the head of any weak woman, who is not in the order of creation designed for personal conflict with men, let alone dragons?”
”Bravo, Dragon!” thought Hubert, as he listened to this wily talk of his chief.
But the words ”weak woman” had touched the pride of Miss Elaine. ”I know nothing of weak women,” she said, very stately; ”but I do know that I am strong enough to meet this Dragon, and, moreover, firmly intend to do so this very night.”
”Peace, my daughter,” said the monk; ”and listen to the voice of thy mother the Church speaking through the humblest of her servants. This legend of thine holds not a single grain of truth. 'Tis a conceit of the common herd, set afoot by some ingenious fellow who may have thought he was doing a great thing in devising such fantastic mixture.
True it is that the Monster is a visitation to punish the impiety of certain members of thy family. True it is that he will not depart till a member of that family perform a certain act. But it is to be a male descendant.”
Now Sir G.o.dfrey's boy Roland was being instructed in knightly arts and conduct away from home.
”Who told you that?” inquired the Baron, as the thought of his precious wine-cellar came into his head.
”On last Christmas Eve I had a vision,” replied Father Anselm. ”Thy grandfather, the brave youth who by journeying to the Holy War averted this curse until thine own conduct caused it to descend upon us, appeared to me in s.h.i.+ning armour. 'Anselm,' he said, and raised his right arm, 'the Dragon is a grievous burden on the people. I can see that from where I am. Now, Anselm, when the fitting hour shall come, and my great-grandson's years be mature enough to have made a man of him, let him go to the next Holy War that is proclaimed, and on the very night of his departure the curse will be removed and our family forgiven. More than this, Anselm, if any male descendant from me direct shall at any time attend a Crusade when it is declared, the country will be free forever.' So saying, he dissolved out of my sight in a silver gleaming mist.” Here Father Anselm paused, and from under his hood watched with a trifle of anxiety the effect of his speech.
There was a short silence, and then Sir G.o.dfrey said, ”Am I to understand this thing hangs on the event of another Crusade?”
The Abbot bowed.
”Meanwhile, till that event happen, the Dragon can rage unchecked?”
The Abbot bowed again.
”Will there be another Crusade along pretty soon?” Sir G.o.dfrey pursued.
”These things lie not in human knowledge,” replied Father Anselm. He little dreamed what news the morrow's sun would see.
”Oh, my sheep!” groaned many a poor farmer.
”Oh, my Burgundy!” groaned Sir G.o.dfrey.
”In that case,” exclaimed Elaine, her cheeks pink with excitement, ”I shall try the virtue of the legend, at any rate.”
”Most impious, my daughter, most impious will such conduct be in the sight of Mother Church,” said Father Anselm.
”Hear me, all people!” shouted Sir G.o.dfrey, foreseeing that before the next Crusade came every drop of wine in his cellar would be swallowed by the Dragon; ”hear me proclaim and solemnly promise: legend true or legend false, my daughter shall not face this risk. But if her heart go with it, her hand shall be given to that man who by night or light brings me this Dragon, alive or dead!”
[Ill.u.s.tration: Geoffrey replyeth with deplorable Flippancy to Father Anselm.]
”A useless promise, Sir G.o.dfrey!” said Father Anselm, shrugging his shoulders. ”We dare not discredit the word of thy respected grandsire.”
”My respected grandsire be----”
”_What?_” said the Abbot.
”Became a credit to his family,” said the Baron, quite mildly; ”and I slight no word of his. But he did not contradict this legend in the vision, I think.”
”No, he did not, papa,” Miss Elaine put in. ”He only mentioned another way of getting rid of this horrible Dragon. Now, papa, whatever you may say about--about my heart and hand,” she continued firmly, ”I am going to meet the Monster alone myself, to-night.”
”That you shall not,” said Sir G.o.dfrey.