United States or Venezuela ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !


I set out to track it to its source, and having found its first appearance to be in connection with Charles the Bold's German captain Rhynsault, I attempted to reconstruct the event as it might have happened, setting it at least in surroundings of solid fact. My most flagrant speculation occurs in "The Night of Hate."

Lastly the story is one which, long before Kirke was born, had been told of many other oppressors, and had become a favourite theme of novelists and dramatists. Two politicians of the fifteenth century, Rhynsault, the favourite of Charles the Bold of Burgundy, and Oliver le Dain, the favourite of Lewis the Eleventh of France, had been accused of the same crime.

That evening, a messenger rode out to Middelburg to summon von Rhynsault to Bruges, and the arrogant German came promptly and confidently, knowing nothing of the reason, but conceiving naturally that fresh honours were to be conferred upon him by a master who loved stout-hearted servants.

And to the waiting men-at-arms: "Take him back to his dungeon," he commanded, "that in its quiet he may study a proper carriage before he is next brought before us." Danvelt was haled away to gaol again, to repent him of his pertness and to reflect that, under the governorship of Claudius von Rhynsault, it was not only the guilty who had need to go warily.

Darker and darker grew his brow as she proceeded with it. But it was the gloom of doubt rather than of anger. "Rhynsault?" he cried when she had done. "Rhynsault did this?" There was incredulity in his voice and nothing else. The youth behind him laughed softly, and shifted his attitude. "You are surprised. Yet what else was to be looked for in that Teuton swine?

The letter, of a date immediately preceding the late rising, promised assistance in the shape of arms and money. Brought before Rhynsault for examination, in a cheerless hall of the Gravenhof, Danvelt's defence was a denial upon oath that he had ever taken or offered to take any part in the rebellion. Told of the letter found, and of the date it bore, he laughed.

"There is no such intent " began Rhynsault, who misliked this homily. The Duke waved him into silence. "You are interrupting me," he said sharply. "You are a wealthy man, Rhynsault, thanks to the favours I have heaped upon you ever since the day when I picked you from your German kennel to set you where you stand. Here you will find a deed prepared.

The Governor sat back in his chair with a grunt. His secretary, on his immediate right, leaned towards him. "It were easy to test the truth of the man's assertion," said he. "Let his servants and his wife attend and be questioned as to when he was in Flushing and when married." "Aye," growled von Rhynsault. "Let it be done. I don't doubt we shall discover that the dog was lying."

"He was hanged at daybreak, mistress," said the gaoler gently. She rocked a moment, moaning, then fell suddenly forward across her husband's body in a swoon. That evening she was again at the Gravenhof to see Rhynsault, and again she was admitted a haggard faced woman now, in whom there was no trace of beauty left.

One of these was Claudius von Rhynsault, who had followed the Duke's fortunes for some years now, a born leader of men, a fellow of infinite address at arms and resource in battle, and of a bold, reckless courage that nothing could ever daunt.