Part 23 (1/2)
Directly Tournai had surrendered, and the new outposts were occupied, the King wished todesired to see The people and the burghers, although ly watched the French ar march past, but the aristocracy scarcely showed themselves at any of the s, and the few folk who appeared here and there on the balconies abstained fro the loveliest of milk-white steeds, his Majesty proceeded upon his triumphant way, surrounded by the flower of French nobility, and scattering money as he went
Before the Town Hall the procession stopped, when the ave up to his Majesty the keys of the city in a large ena calmly contented, was about to reply, he observed a wouardset close up to him In fact, she advanced a step or two, and the epithet that crossed her lips struck the conqueror as being coarsely offensive
”Arrest that woht before him
”Why do you insult nity
”I have not insulted you,” replied the Flemish lady ”The word that escaped me was rather a ter which it conveys to us here, in these se; ”for I want everybody to bear witness that I a you for such an insult”
”Sire,” answered this young woman, ”your soldiers have destroyed my pasture-lands, my woods, and my crops Heart-broken, I came here to curse you, but your appearance at oncecloser at you, in spite of , 'So that's the handso called as witnesses, declared that such was in fact her re Flemish lady:
”Who are you? What is your nanity she replied, ”Sire, you see before you the Coonde”
”Pray, ood as to finish your toilet; I invite you to dine with onde accepted the honour, and did in fact dine with his Majesty that day She was clever, and , whose policy it was to win hearts by all concessions possible, inderanting favours to all her relatives and friends
The Sainte-Aldegonde faood services It is already a training-ground for excellent officers and persons of merit
But for that soentlemen would have remained in poverty and obscurity within the walls or in the suburbs of Tournai
So was inforerous individual, who had been caught digging below certain ancient aqueducts ”with a view to preparing a ht in, tied and bound like a criminal; they hustled him and maltreated him I noticed how he trembled and shed tears
He was a learned man--an antiquary A few days before our invasion he had commenced certain excavations, which he had been forced to discontinue, and now so great was his io on in spite of the surrounding troops Bykept by the Druids, as also by monks, this hroad, and as in the days of the Roreat were always placed alongside these broad roads, our good antiquary had beencertain researches there, which for hi , his Majesty set hiarded the execution of his enterprise
A few days afterwards he begged to have the honour of presenting to his Majesty so his researches
I was present, and the following are the funereal curiosities which he showed us:
Having broken open a toe alabaster vase, which still contained the ashes of the deceased Next this urn, carefully sealed up, there was another vase, containing three gold rings adorned with precious stones, two gold spurs, the bit of a battle-horse, very slightly rusted, and chased with silver and gold, a sort of seal with rough coat-of-are and very choice pearls, a stylet or pencil for calligraphy, and a hundred gold and silver coins bearing the effigy of Doned over Ro had a these trinkets, he turned to the antiquary and said, ”Is that all, sir? Why, where is Charon's flask of wine?”
”Here, your Majesty,” replied the olda small flask ”See, the wine has becoreat difficulty the flask was opened; the wine it contained was pale and odourless, but by those bold enough to taste it, was pronounced delicious
When overturning the urn in order to empty out the ashes and bury the instantly translated It ran thus:
”May the Gods who guard tombs punish him who breaks open this mausoleum