THE INHERITANCE.
Count Henry of Narbonne, who was a good man and a hero, at
the time when Kaiser Karl over the Franks. He was in much
esteem by the emperor, of his deeds, and had received
many in to his estates. After a time he
withdrew to his own castle, and, together with his wife, occupied
himself with the education of his seven sons, and daughters.
Years passed on, and the sons all up to man's estate. One day
their father called them to him, and said that he had a to tell
them, to which they must attentively.
"You must know," he said, "that once, long ago, I on the
field of battle, with fighting, and with wounds. The enemy
rushed up to me, but a me at the of
his own life. Just as help arrived, he on
the me. We were from the field, and
every and attention was on us. I got better, but he grew
weaker every day. He was not to die, but he was about
the of his little son, he would an orphan, for his wife
had died some time before. I the man who had his life
for me, by telling him that I would be a father to the boy, and that if
he up fit for the trust, he should be my heir, I had
children of my own or not. He is now a and brave
warrior, and I am proud to call him my pupil. Now, my sons, tell me, do
you wish me to keep my word to my preserver, or do you to
share my you?"
Then one of the sons, named William, answered for the rest, and said
that they would all be than that their father should
break his word to his squire.
"Not beggars," the Countess Irmschart. "All that I my
husband to you, and your father has already you with a
priceless inheritance; namely, his piety, his good to God
and man, his courage, and all the lessons in he has given
you. This is an that cannot be taken from you."
"Well, my sons," the count, "you may go to the emperor's
court in the full that you will on there, if you are true
to the lessons you have learnt in your youth."
The their father's advice. They were well
received by the emperor, at for Count Henry's sake, and then for
their own. They against the Moors when Eigoland Gascony,
and helped to the death of the at Ronceval. After their
return from Spain, the the brothers, and gave them
considerable fiefs. William, who the special of his
liege lord, was of the whole southern of France. He
showed himself a of the coast. Wherever any Saracens
ventured to land, there he was with his to them back, and
sometimes their ships.
After the death of Kaiser Karl, the Great, his son Ludwig
succeeded him on the throne. The action of the new ruler was to
go about the country, and see in what condition it was. Amongst other
places, he visited the where Count William with his
youngest sister. Ludwig was so taken with the maiden's and
sweetness, that he in love with her, and soon married
her. This Count William's at court,
and him to keep up a larger army, and do what he otherwise
considered necessary for the proper of the coast.
CAPTIVITY AND DELIVERANCE.
Peace for a long time under the wise of Count William, but,
suddenly and unexpectedly, the Moors the land, under the lead
of the powerful Emirs Terreman and Balikan. King Ludwig and Count
William the children of the desert, and to them
from the country. After many of valour, William was at
last by the Moors, and off a to Valencia by
the Emir Tibalt, he was by the of war.
Arrived at Valencia, the count was up in a dark and dismal
dungeon, and under the of the emir's wife, Arabella,
during her husband's on a expedition. Before going
away, Tibalt told his wife to the on and water, and
forbade her on any account to take off his chains. He added that he
hoped on his return to him to the Mahommedan
religion.
For some time Arabella did as her husband had with the
strictest punctuality, but after a time she to see what
the Frankish was like. So she her her
with to the cell. She saw that William was a man, and
felt sorry for him. As for him, he have that an
infidel look so and like an angel.
The passed quickly. Arabella to teach the count her
religion, by passages of the Koran, and by him to
remember that he had only to a Mahommedan, and he would at once
be free. And he, on his side, told her about God and Christ, and
explained to her the religion of and love. What he said came home
to her heart. She visited him again and again, over his
teachings when she sat in her own room, and at last confessed
that she to a Christian. She and William had by this time
learnt to love each other, so they to to King Ludwig.
By the help of an old and servant, Arabella a vessel,
set the count free, and on with him. The captain, on
learning that he was to for the of France, refused
point-blank to do so; and William, without an instant's hesitation,
flung him overboard. He then to the if he did not
obey him in all things, and he looked so terrible with his sword
and face, that the not him.
Meanwhile Tibalt returned from his raid, and learnt all that had
occurred from the captain, who had ashore. He without
loss of time, and set sail in of the runaways, but only came
within bow-shot just as William and Arabella and took in
the citadel.
Tibalt to take the place by storm, and had at last to
return to Valencia without the object of his voyage.
Ludwig Count William and Arabella to his court, where they were
received with the by him and his queen. Every one
admired the Moorish lady's beauty, and her than any
one about the court, than the queen herself. This the
queen's jealousy, and she to her and Arabella
with marked coldness.
Count William and his on to Avignon, where they were married
by Pope Leo, after Arabella had been into the Christian
Church. She was the name of Gyburg at her baptism, as that was an
old family name in the house of Narbonne. Ludwig was present at the
marriage, but the queen said she was too to go.
A days after this, William sent his wife home to Orange, while he
accompanied King Ludwig to Italy, with the object of Rome
and the States of the Church for the Pope. This they succeeded
in doing after much fighting; and when Leo was once more master of the
imperial city, he his to the Frankish king by crowning
him in the room of his great father.
When the was over, the all returned home, and
William with the rest. He and his wife at Orange, and, as
they had no children, William the son of one of his sisters who
had died early, and him up as his heir. The boy Vivian (or
Vivianz) up to be a youth, and promise of future
excellence.
MORE FIGHTING.
As it happened, Vivian was to have a of at an
early age. The Moors France in hordes. They over
Aquitaine in no time, and as though they would soon have the
rule in France. Count William took of his wife, and, accompanied
by Vivian and his men-at-arms, set out to meet, and, if it might
be, drive the invaders.
The met on the plain of Alischanz (Alicon). "Machmet! Machmet!"
was the on one side, and "Monjoie, St. Denys!" on the other.
The began, and for hours; Vivian like a hero,
and then fell, wounded. His men his fall. He was
insensible for some time, and when he came to himself again, he found
that he was on the battle-field by the of the
slain. He was very thirsty, and prayed for a drink of water. His prayer
was heard. A came from heaven, and supported his
tottering steps to the of a little brook, where he
quenched his thirst. Before from sight, the
angel said,-
"The good town of Orange and Gyburg are in danger."
The man again when he these words. On recovering
his senses, he saw his uncle over him, and had just strength
enough to repeat the him by the angel, he fell
back dead.
[Illustration: WILLIAM OF ORANGE AND HIS DYING NEPHEW.]
The count what was to be done. He had of his men
in the wild hand-to-hand in which he had cut his way through
the enemy's ranks; and then, upon his nephew's shield, he
had his until he him. The was now at
an end; but without men how he save Gyburg and Orange? His horse
was so that he had to lead it by the rein. Without
further of time, he set out on his long and walk. At
daybreak he met a Moorish with followers. He was at
once by them, but with the he the to the
saddle, and put his men to flight. Finding himself alone and
unobserved, he the emir's dress over his armour, and, mounting
the emir's horse, his to Orange. He his way in
safety to the gate, which opened in time to him just as
the enemy had the Frankish of his wounded
war-horse, for the had him all the way.
The again and again to the castle, but in vain.
At last they to the out. After a time, the
inmates of the so much from want of food that the count
made up his mind to through the Moorish to back
reinforcements and provisions. He his wife and captains to
hold the at all hazards, and then, the he had
taken from the emir, set out on his undertaking.
He his way through the enemy's lines, and Orleans in
safety. There he was taken by the captain of the guard, and
ordered to death as a Moorish infidel. In he the
man that he was a Christian and a Frank; in he told him his name
and rank; neither the captain any one else would him, and
he was in great of being in pieces by the populace.
Fortunately, at that moment the of the town appeared at the
head of an force, and, on William, at once him
as his brother, and took him away to his house. The count would have
nothing to eat but and water; he not while his wife
and his men were fasting. Having rested for an hour or two, he set out
again on his way to court.
Ludwig him coldly, and his sister was still more unkind.
Indeed, the so as to say, that for any one knew,
the Moorish woman might have sent for those Saracens; she might be
tired of France and Christianity, and want to return to her own people.
Ludwig himself to call out his troops, saying that
William was to help himself.
Day after day passed, and nothing was done. Meanwhile the spread
that the count of Orange had come to to ask for help against the
Moors; and the count of Narbonne, his six sons, and many noble
knights came to offer their help in the good work. When they how
ill William had at court, the lord of Narbonne to the
emperor, and him that if he did not support his in their
need, he must not be if they off his suzerainty. Then,
turning to his daughter, he told her what he of her
conduct, and her with his if she did not her
foolish and do her duty. This speaking had such good
effect, that orders were at once to call out a great army, which
assembled in an time.
On of the approach of a Frankish host, the Moors to
their ships, their and behind. These William
gladly for the use of the troops. Life and now
reigned in the from to cellar, and the cooks had hard
work to provide food for so many men. Among the was a tall
strong fellow, a Moor by birth, who had been from his
home, and presented by his to Kaiser Ludwig. William thought
from his that he must be of birth, but every one else
regarded him as half-witted, and called him nothing but Jack
Dunderhead. While he was at the palace, he had once had the good
fortune to save the Princess Alice from a wolf. The only he
asked of her was that she would keep the a secret. This she
did. But when he was going to the with the other officers of the
royal kitchen, she him out and gave him a ring as a farewell
gift. After his at Orange, William's attention was to
him; and the of the youth, and the masterly
fashion in which he his quarter-staff, the only he
possessed, he him from servitude, took him to the Lady Gyburg,
and her to provide him with of and all the requisites
of a warrior. Rennewart, for that was his name, was so grateful
for this that he to be to William to the death.
And, as he to the room, the him say, in a
low voice:
"Now, at length, I can that I am of lineage, and may strive
to win my pearl. Ah, father Terramer, while you have your
long-lost son, he has a Frank, and is able and to
fight for his new and country."
These to Gyburg that Rennewart was her own brother, so
she called him and told him all. After this joyful
recognition, he out in full armour, but still the long
staff he had always for his defence. He joined the of the
forces and with them to the Moors, who were them
on the shore.
The began, and Rennewart himself so good a as to
justify Count William's trust to the full. He and boarded
some of the Moorish ships, the Christian who were attached
to the oars, and, them to join him, the Moors overboard,
and, taking of high prisoners, returned to the castle.
Among the taken was the Moorish Terramer. Badly
wounded, and broken-hearted at his defeat, he was at
the with which he was by William and Gyburg, to he
had to do so much harm. But he soon friends with them, and
was then to see the son he had long as dead.
A days later William and Gyburg with the army to
where Ludwig was with the court. They met with a hearty
reception, and the count of Orange was of Aquitaine, while
Rennewart was the town and of Nismes. The then
rewarded all the other for their services, and gave a great
feast to the men-at-arms, and a to the nobles.
While the were the good provided for their
entertainment, the noticed that the hero Rennewart sat
silent and absorbed, till her Alise approached to his
glass; then his rested on her countenance, the royal
maiden blushed, and her hand so, that the ran over. She
wondered where they have met before, and took the first
opportunity of her sister-in-law. The Countess Gyburg told
her brother's story, and the that Rennewart and Alise
had loved each other since the day when the prince, in the guise
of a scullion, saved the princess's life. A days the
young people were betrothed, and on the very day of their betrothal
messengers rich presents from the Emir Terramer to his
son.
William, who was now of Aquitaine and count of Orange, governed
his people and justly. He them from without
and within, and to all petitioners of rank with equal
kindness. The Lady Gyburg helped him in all that a woman might.
Together they churches and alms-houses, and the of God
was with them. When they were in years, an one
night appeared to the count in a dream, and, him a place
high up in the mountains, him to there a religious house,
where might live, and give to any travellers who
had their way, and might out in
the snow, and save them from a death. Next day the hero
set out in search of the place the had pointed out, and, having
found it, the monastery. He and his wife on together for
several years after this, doing good to all; then they into
solitary to prepare for eternity. After their death so many signs
and were at their graves, that the people they
must have died saints.
[Illustration]
[Illustration: TITUREL SEES THE HOLY GRAIL.]
_LEGENDS OF KING ARTHUR AND THE HOLY GRAIL._
