United States or United Kingdom ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
"I kept my eyes upon you and Loysik from a distance, as you were carried towards the bridge by our Vagres who shouted: 'Room there, room for the wounded leudes whom we have saved from the ruins. Mixing in, together with three other of our men, among the distracted crowd of leudes and loyal slaves, who were running about helter skelter, I suddenly saw the count running all alone at a distance, and carrying in his arms with great difficulty two heavy skin bags, probably filled with gold and silver; he was running towards a dry well.
I thought of my father Jocelyn, of my mother Madalen both no doubt dead in the country that I ran away from more than forty years ago, and where my brother Kervan and my dear sweet sister Roselyk still live. At these thoughts tears came to my eyes despite myself. Oh, my sons! Ronan! Loysik! here I am near to you, but shall I manage your delivery! Hesus! Hesus! inspire me."
Blood and massacre! I shall free at one blow both my friend and my sweetheart!" "Come, come! O, Ronan! O, Loysik! I shall save you both or we shall die together! Come, forward, my brave companion." When, more than five hundred years ago, the Romans conquered and owned, though they could not subjugate, Gaul they constructed their ergastulas slave pens of solid, lasting material.
All the time we drew nearer and nearer to the frontiers of Burgundy as requested by Loysik." "And what of little Odille, Ronan? What became of her, poor, dear victim of Frankish brutality?" "I took her to wife; the dear girl never leaves me; she is as sweet as she is brave, as devoted as she is tender." "Dear girl and the bishopess, who interested us all, despite her errors?"
As soon as the two slaves disappeared from sight, the bear raised himself on his legs, pulled off his head, dashed it on the road, and cried: "Blood and massacre! They are to burn my beautiful bishopess to-morrow! And Ronan, our brave Ronan, he also is to be executed! Shall we allow that, Karadeucq?" "I shall avenge my sons or shall die beside them! O Loysik! O, Ronan! Tortured! Tortured!
"Ronan, I ask no vengeance for myself; in our prison I often said to the good hermit-laborer: 'If ever I should be free again, I shall not return evil for evil." "Yes, sweet child as sweet as pardon. But you need not fear, our father will not kill that man unarmed," answered Loysik. "Will he not kill him, brother? Aye, by the devil!
The struggle that took place in front of the ergastula and which was crowned with triumph for the Vagres consumed less time than it takes to describe it; but there was still much to be done in order to leave the fortified enclosure of the burg. It was necessary to reach the bridge, the only practicable issue, by reason of Ronan, Loysik and Odille, all of whom were unable to walk.
"You are right, Loysik; you are right." "And do you forget the prophetic vision of that august woman the vision that our ancestor Schanvoch transmitted to us in the narrative of his days, and that our father so often told us of?"
What is time to us to us, who at this supreme moment have but the last few hours of our life to count! Oh, my brother, I have a profound faith, an invincible faith, in the final rejuvenation and enfranchisement of Gaul! centuries are centuries to man; they are but instants in the eternal progress of mankind!" "Loysik, you reassure me, you confirm my confidence.
We forbid all our leudes, bishops, dukes, counts and all others to exact, either for themselves or their suites, whether moneys, presents, quarter or rents from the said monk Loysik, or from those who may settle down upon the territory that we have ceded to him, they being held and recognized by us as free men. Let no one be audacious enough to violate our commandments.
Word Of The Day