Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: May 3, 2025
"Beltane," she whispered, "an thou wed this lonely maid within the forest, then will I be beggar with thee; but, an thou take to wife the Duchess, then shalt thou be my Duke, lord of me and of Mortain, with her ten thousand lances in thy train." "Thou would'st give me so much," he sighed at last, "so much, my Helen?"
Henry reports the number of common soldiers whom he had taken as ten thousand, too large a figure, no doubt, but implying the capture of Robert's whole force. His prisoners of name comprised all the leaders of his brother's side except Robert of Belleme, including the duke himself, Edgar the English atheling, who was soon released, and William of Mortain.
Down sprang Fidelis to look anxiously on Beltane's face, pale and haggard in the light of a great moon. Says Beltane, looking round about with knitted brow: "Fidelis O Fidelis, methinks I know this place these rocks the pool yonder there should be a road hereabout, the great road that leadeth to Mortain. Climb now the steep and tell me an you can see a road, running north and south."
How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley Trenchemer, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.
So God keep me from all women henceforth and as for thee, speak me no more the name of this light wanton." "My lord," quoth Sir Fidelis, leaning near, "my lord whom mean you?" "Whom should I mean but Mortain Helen Helen the Beautiful " Now cried Sir Fidelis as one that feels a blow, and, in the dark, he seized Beltane in sudden griping fingers, and shook him fiercely.
We are nearly as much alone as in a Swiss pass; the scenery might be part of the Tête Noire, and the Hôtel de la Poste, at Mortain, which is built on the side of a hill over a ravine, and at which our diligence makes a dead stop, might, for many reasons, be a posada on the Italian Alps.
Thus my Beltane forgot his loves the flowers, and sang no more the wonders of the forest-lands. And oft-times the Duchess, seated in state within her great hall of Mortain looking down upon her knights and nobles, would sigh, for none was there so noble of form nor so comely as Beltane the Smith.
"Lady, she is the proud Helen, Duchess of Mortain!" quoth Beltane, frowning at the encompassing shadows. Now was the nun hushed awhile, and when at last she spake her voice was low and wondrous gentle. "And is it indeed the wilful Helen that ye love, messire?" "Even she, unto my sorrow." "Thy sorrow? Why then, messire forget her."
So here to-day stand I and divers other gentles of Mortain in especial this right noble lord to tell thee that so long as we be men ne'er shalt set foot across our marches. Lastly, we are hither come to demand the safe conduct from Belsaye of our lady Duchess Helen, and such of the citizens as may choose to follow her."
"But I have no warranty, thou cunning boy, and " "Shalt have my bond, my ducal ring, nay, the very crown itself, howbeit this day " "Wilt ride for Mortain, O lover?" said Sir Benedict, smiling his wry smile. "Aye, verily, dear Benedict, nor shall aught under heaven let or stay me yet how knew ye this, Benedict?"
Word Of The Day
Others Looking