Heroines of the French Epic
Page 15
Their captors drove them off with heavy rods and hard,
1420 And led them down to cells where light was never cast.
When Floovant heard them come, he wondered what had passed,
And when they came inside, our gallant hero asked:
”Who are you, noble lords? What brings you to this pass?
Your accents and your speech are those of royal France!”
“For so are we,” said one, “and Peers of every part!
For here’s Antelme, a count, and here’s Duke Jocerant,
And here’s Angelier, the hero of Bordal!
Here’s Chartre’s Aumeri, his brother too, Morant,
And Brittany’s Escorfan, and Normandy’s Richart.
1430 Heres Baldwin, Count of Flanders, and brave Sir Fulk of Troie.
And Burgundy’s great duke, whose provinces are vast.
This baron rules Saint-Gilles, whose lands alike are large.
And I, the twelfth one here – I am Sir Guinemant,
Who rule Château-Landon, Hérupe and rich Le Mans!
My orders are obeyed from there to Vauguyon!”
YOUNG FLOOVANT cried: “My lord, by God Who bore the Cross,
Are you indeed the lord who rules Château-Landon?
If so, you’ll find in here the brother you have lost!”
On hearing this, the Peers looked up at him in shock
1440 And asked Floovant his name, their eyes and ears agog.
“My lords, without a lie,” he cried, “I am Floovant,
King Clovis’s own son, the mighty lord of Laon,
Who banished me from France in anger at a wrong
I did my tutor there, the marshal of Dijon –
In jest I cleft his beard and sheared his whiskers off.
For this I was expelled by Clovis in his wrath
From anywhere in France for seven years with none
But Richier my squire as my companion.
Sir Guinemant! My squire’s your brother, is he not:
1450 Another gallant son of yours, Duke Jocerant?”
At this, the barons cried : “Embrace us all, by God,
For every one of us is man of yours by bond!”
Inside the cell they kissed in warm embrace and fond.
INSIDE THE CELL they kissed in glad embrace and dear,
Then Floovant hailed them all with good and gallant cheer:
“My worthy lords of France,” he said, “attend to me!
Young Richier my squire is up there with Galeen
And all his Pagan men, who love him like a peer,
Because he’s made them think he’s kin to the Emir!
1460 I’m sure it won’t be long before he reappears.”
The squire was in the room of Princess Maugalie,
Where he was playing chess with Ocidam’s emir,
When suddenly a youth rushed in upon the three
And, looking at the Maid, addressed her laughingly:
“My lady, by the gods, whose wonders never cease,
A mighty stroke of luck has landed on us here!
A dozen knights of France, the finest ones, indeed,
Are in your father’s jail below us as I speak!
The least of them, in arms, could breach a hundred shields!”
1470 On hearing this, our youth was filled with heavy grief
And left his game at once to slump upon a seat.
HE LEFT HIS GAME at once and slumped upon a bench,
Where Maugalie the fair and beautiful Princess
Sat down as well and laid her arm about his neck.
Then, kissing him three times, the lovely maiden said:
“Good cousin, speak the truth! How gallant are the French?”
“My lady,” he replied, “there are no braver men.
It takes a dozen Moors to match a Frenchman’s strength.”
“Upon my faith,” she said, “I do believe you, yet
1480 They say my father holds a dozen of their best
Inside his cells – what say we see them for ourselves?”
Said Richier: “I’m sure you’ll learn much more from them,
Though I can’t take you now, I’ve such an aching head.”
But to himself he swore: “I’ll never take you there!”
At this, she left the youth and, seeking pastime, left
To challenge one Pinar, a gallant prince, to chess.
At once, you may be sure, our youngster’s headache went,
And so did he, at once, towards the cells again!
HE LEFT THE MAIDEN playing a game of chess with Pinar,
1490 And, flying to the doorway, he flitted past it swiftly.
He didn’t pause or tarry until he reached the prison,
And called upon the jailers called Josez and Caïfas:
“What kind of men,” he asked them, “has our Emir imprisoned?”
“The finest knights,” they answered, “in all of France’s kingdom.”
“Then let me in to see them,” young Richier continued,
“For I may know some faces – and, if I do, they’ll grimace!”
And so the cell was opened and Richier went in it.
Indeed he knew their faces and ran to them and kissed them!
Then everyone was gladdened and saddened at the visit –
1500 For truly they were happy that Richier was with them,
But bitter at the bondage to which they’d fallen victim!
Let’s leave them for a moment and turn again to witness
Fair Maugalie, and ponder the cunning ways of women!
She’d stopped her game the minute she’d noticed who was missing,
And in her heart was certain he’d gone down to the prisons.
Determined to discover the purpose of his mission,
She lit a flaming lantern and, through a passage hidden
Behind a wall, she followed a slope that led her thither.
Concealed behind a column, she peered inside the prison
1510 And saw him with the Frenchmen, embracing them and kissing.
She looked again, in wonder, and all her body shivered.
So nobody could hear her, between her teeth she whispered:
“Emir! There’s trouble brewing, with treachery a-brimming!
Unless you hang these barons, it’s you who’ll do the drinking!
By all I owe Mahomet, I cannot hide this vision!”
She ran back to her chamber, and once she was within it,
She sent a man to summon her cousin from the prisons.
When Richier received him, he didn’t wait or linger,
But left his fellow Frenchmen the moment he had given
1520 His plighted word to free them as soon as chance permitted.
He leapt the stony staircase to Maugalie the Princess,
And raced inside her chamber to find the maiden sitting.
As soon as she beheld him, she beckoned with her finger
And led him to a corner where no one else could listen.
“Alas! Who would have thought it,” she wailed, “supposed kinsman?
You’ve led my noble father to think from the beginning
That you were born in Persia and proud of our religion –
Instead you are a Christian of Clovis’s own kingdom!
What’s more, I know I’ve met you – you pitied my affliction
1530 When Avenant the fortress was captured by the Christians.
Your courteous behaviour may save you yet, Sir Richier!”
On saying this, she halted, and, sighing deeply, whimpered:
“Alas, Emir of Persia, a web of treason’s spinning!
<
br /> By all I owe Mahomet, I fear you’ll founder in it!”
Young Richier was near her, and hearing her, he shivered,
And, falling down, implored her for mercy and forgiveness:
“Our very lives, my lady, are in your hands this minute!”
On seeing him so woeful, the maiden wept for pity.
“SIR RICHIER,” she said, “most brave and noble knight!
1540 Don’t trick me anymore, but truly speak your mind!
You want me to assist – but tell me how, and why!”
“For God Almighty’s sake, forgive me,” he replied,
“But since you know so much, I’ll tell no further lies.
The Frenchman caught before the rest of them arrived,
Was him at Avenant whose deeds you so admired:
The heir to all of France, King Clovis’s own child!
He ventured forth, with me, to help King Flores fight.
But Flores’s own sons betrayed us in their guile
To the Emir; so now the Lights of France abide
1550 With Clovis’s own son in cells as black as night!
This sun of France will fade till all his skin is white,
Without the help of God, Who dwells above the skies,
And yours as well, Princess – for you are brave and wise.”
“SIR RICHIER,” she said, “most noble knight and bold!
If you can pledge to me that Floovant hence will hold
And have me for his wife, when we have been betrothed,
For love of him I’ll leave my heathen gods of old
And never stray again within Mahomet’s fold.
I would endeavour then to serve you, heart and soul,
1560 And him, and any friend or venture you proposed.”
Said Richier: “Princess, I swear it shall be so.
Let’s visit him at once and you shall hear the oaths
You seek concerning this from me and all below.”
When this was said the Maid re-lit her lantern’s glow,
Then Richier and she removed a paving stone
Beside a column’s base that opened to expose
A vault she’d used before to come and go unknown.
To start with she held back, and Richier alone
Appeared before the French, who, at his entrance, froze!
1570 “Alas, we are betrayed!” he hailed them, with a groan:
“The daughter of Galeen heard every word we spoke:
Tomorrow, at the dawn, we’re headed for the rope!”
“Alas!” our hero cried, “How grim and dim a road
We’ll tread ahead, so far from any help or hope.”
When Richier heard this, he spoke in braver tones:
“My noble lords, there is another way to go!
The princess Maugalie, whose face with beauty glows,
For love of Floovant here is ready to revoke
Her Pagan life and leave her Pagan gods of stone –
1580 If she can be his wife and make his faith her own!”
The Frenchmen said: “My lord, you surely won’t say ‘no’!”
To which young Floovant cried: “Go, bring her here below!”
Young Richier replied: “I will, and nothing loath!”
And so he ran, and raised the stone beside its post,
Then, taking by the hand fair Maugalie, he strode
Beside her to the cell, where all the Frenchmen rose.
When Floovant met her gaze, she loved him at a stroke,
And in a sweet embrace she hugged and held him close.
Again, and still again, she kissed his eyes and nose:
1590 “Too long, my gallant Prince, have you forgone your throne!
For love of you, I swear I’m ready to revolt
Against my Pagan ways and Pagan gods of old
And strive so you may thrive and let your honour show!
But first, I’ll free its light from this benighted hole!”
Said Floovant: “Fair Princess, God bless what you propose!
Whatever pledge you seek these barons will bestow.”
And so they did – each one, they plighted her their troth,
To do her will as well as anyone could hope!
And she agreed alike to ward off any blow
1600 Or woe Galeen had planned for them to undergo.
Returning to her rooms, she made them tasty roasts
Of venison and bear and forest-boar, and bowls
Of clear and spicy wine to slake their thirsty throats!
WITHIN THEIR lowly cell the Frenchmen feasted grandly
Upon the noble fruits of Richier’s great valour –
And with their stomachs full, their hearts were high and happy:
“That Maiden has no peer!” exclaimed the merry barons:
“I’ve never seen her like!” said Floovant, and he added:
“There can’t be one as brave from Paris to Port Apre!”
1610 WITHIN THEIR lowly cell the Frenchmen feasted high,
And with their stomachs full, their heavy hearts grew light.
Maudaranz and Maudare were not so glad of mind,
And said to the Emir: “You’ve failed your promise, Sire!
You swore a hasty end to every captured knight,
But now you’re like Daluz, who spared the haughty life
Of Aubrey, duke of France, for fourteen years, inside
His Pagan cell, until the day at last arrived
When Aubrey slipped his chain and with a slitting knife
Slew King Daluz himself and then his son Dalize!
1620 Beware of this, my friend, or you may end alike!”
No sooner was this said than Maugalie arrived,
And, with a kiss, the king received her at his side,
Then asked her fair: “And where have you been, lovely child?
And cousin Maudras too? He’s vanished from our sight!”
“My lord, inside his room your gallant nephew pines
And frets about the French you’ve captured and confined:
Two days ago you swore that all of them would die!”
“He has no need to fret,” the great Emir replied:
“Tomorrow, at the dawn, I’ll hang them from the pines!
1630 And you, my dear, shall wed Maudaranz, prince of knights!”
“I beg you, no, my lord!” the lovely maiden cried:
“A heart that has betrayed is renegade for life!”
On hearing this, Galeen was almost driven wild:
“How dare you, wicked jade, defy his will and mine?”
He had her led at once inside his Pagan shrine
And wed to Maudaranz with every heathen rite.
The wedding-feast was set with noble food and wine.
The lovely Maid herself was filled with bitter spite
And sent for Richier to meet with her aside.
1640 No sooner was he told, than boldly he complied,
And she began to speak as soon as he arrived:
“Bestir yourself, my lord, most valiant of squires!
Your comrades in the cells must act this very night –
If not, they will be hung as soon as it is light!
Galeen has made me wed Prince Maudaranz the vile:
He led me to the mosque before Mahomet’s shrine,
And now the knave will want to bed his bidden wife!
It’s up to you, my lord, to think and do what’s right!”
Said Richier: “Princess! Be strong of heart and mind,
1650 And I shall do my part, so help me Jesus Christ!”
He turned at once to search for helms and hauberks brig
ht,
Then took them to the French, who donned them with delight.
And then, throughout the town he had a message cried
That King Galeen himself had ordered him to hire
The fastest steeds he could within the shortest time
And pay one hundred pounds to those who first arrived.
It wasn’t long before some thirty steeds were lined
By mounting-blocks of stone, beneath the shady pines:
The finest steeds in town for Mahom’s finest knights!
1660 They weren’t to know their foe, the French, would leap astride!
Inside the cell they armed, and when they all had tied
Their mail and shining shields, they made the Cross’s sign,
And surging up the steps set all their hope in Christ.
Until they reached the rooms they never halted stride,
And when they found the hall, they burst their way inside.
Galeen and all his lords were just about to dine –
Though very soon their meat would all be cold and sliced!
Duke Jocerant advanced and, with his weapon high,
He smote one Josuez, the king of Pisceni.
1670 He hit his skull so hard he split it to his spine,
While Guinemant his son struck Russia’s king alike
And slit him, brain to breast, and watched the rest subside
Upon the marbled floor in slivers left and right.
Duke Aumeri of Chartres assailed a Magyar knight
As Duke Morant, his brother, attacked a Tabarite:
They hewed them down and slew them, whoever laughed or cried.
Angelier struck Pinel and wrenched his head awry,
As Normandy’s Richart struck royal Boqueri
And flung him dead before three thousand Pagan eyes.
1680 Then Floovant sallied forth, his gallant eyes alight,
And in Maudaranz’ face with ringing voice he cried:
“You harlot’s son, you cur! Prepare yourself to die!”
On saying this, he swung his sword with such a spite
It split the wicked fiend from brain to breast and sliced
His withers to his waist and took the traitor’s life!
And Richier came next, most valiant of squires,
To strike Maudare the same and end his shame alike.
“Mountjoy!” the Frenchmen cried, in unified delight.
Galeen, the great Emir, saw little cause to smile –