historic girls- 第15部分

The　Lord　of　Arkell　drew　the　loose　gray　cloak　over　his　rich　silk

suit；　and　turned　toward　the　door。



〃Otto　von　Arkell　lets　no　one　call　him　fool　or　coward；　lord

prince；〃　he　said。　〃What　I　have　dared　you　all　to　do；　_I_　dare　do；

if　you　do　not。　See；　now：　I　will　face　Count　William's　lions！〃



The　Princess　Jacqueline　sprang　up　in　protest。



〃No；　no；　you　shall　not！〃　she　cried。　〃My　lord　prince　did　but　jest；

as　did　we　all。　John；〃　she　said；　turning　appealingly　to　her　young

husband；　who　sat　sullen　and　unmoved；　〃tell　him　you　meant　no　such

murderous　test。　My　father！〃　she　cried；　turning　now　toward　Count

William；　whose　attention　had　been　drawn　to　the　dispute；　the　Lord

of　Arkell　is　pledged　to　face　your　lions！〃



Count　William　of　Holland　dearly　loved　pluck　and　nerve。



〃Well；　daughter　mine；〃　he　said；　〃then　will　he　keep　his　pledge。

Friend　Otto　is　a　brave　young　gallant；　else　had　he　never　dared

raised　spear　and　banner；　as　he　did；　against　his　rightful　liege。〃



〃But；　my　father；〃　persisted　the　gentle…hearted　girl；　〃spear　and

banner　are　not　lions'　jaws。　And　surely　you　may　not　in　honor

permit　the　wilful　murder　of　a　hostage。〃



〃Nay；　madam；　have　no　fear；〃　the　Lord　of　Arkell　said；　bending　in

courteous　recognition　of　her　interest；　〃that　which　I　do　of　mine

own　free　will　is　no　murder；　even　should　it　fail。〃



And　he　hastened　from　the　hall。



A　raised　gallery　looked　down　into　the　spacious　inclosure　in　which

Count　William　kept　the　living　specimens　of　his　own　princely　badge

of　the　lion。　And　here　the　company　gathered　to　see　the　sport。



With　the　gray　gabardine　drawn　but　loosely　over　his　silken　suit；

so　that　he　might；　if　need　be；　easily　slip　from　it；　Otto　von

Arkell　boldly　entered　the　inclosure。



〃Soho；　Juno！　up；　Hercules；　hollo；　up；　Ajax！〃　cried　Count　William；

from　the　balcony。　〃Here　cometh　a　right　royal　playfellowup；　up；

my　beauties！〃　and　the　great　brutes；　roused　by　the　voice　of　their

master；　pulled　themselves　up；　shook　themselves　awake；　and　stared

at　the　intruder。



Boldly　and　without　hesitation；　while　all　the　watchers　had　eyes

but　for　him　alone；　the　young　Lord　of　Arkell　walked　straight　up　to

Hercules；　the　largest　of　the　three；　and　laid　his　hand　caressingly

upon　the　shaggy　mane。　Close　to　his　side　pressed　Juno；　the

lioness；　and；　so　says　the　record　of　the　old　Dutch　chronicler；　von

Hildegaersberch；　〃the　lions　did　him　no　harm；　he　played　with　them

as　if　they　had　been　dogs。〃



But　Ajax；　fiercest　of　the　three；　took　no　notice　of　the　lad。

Straight　across　his　comrades　he　looked　to　where；　scarce　a　rod

behind　the　daring　lad；　came　another　figure；　a　light　and　graceful

form　in　clinging　robes　of　blue　and　undergown　of　cloth　of

goldthe　Princess　Jacqueline　herself！



The　watchers　in　the　gallery　followed　the　lion's　stare；　and　saw；

with　horror；　the　advancing　figure　of　this　fair　young　girl。　A　cry

of　terror　broke　from　every　lip。　The　Dauphin　John　turned　pale　with

fright；　and　Count　William　of　Holland；　calling　out；　〃Down；　Ajax！

back；　girl；　back！〃　sprang　to　his　feet　as　if　he　would　have　vaulted

over　the　gallery　rail。



But　before　he　could　act；　Ajax　himself　had　acted。　With　a　bound　he

cleared　the　intervening　space　and　crouched　at　the　feet　of　the

fair　young　Princess　Jacqueline！



The　lions　must　have　been　in　remarkably　good　humor　on　that　day；

for；　as　the　records　tell　us；　they　did　no　harm　to　their　visitors。

Ajax　slowly　rose　and　looked　up　into　the　girl's　calm　face。　Then

the　voice　of　Jacqueline　rang　out　fresh　and　clear　as；　standing

with　her　hand　buried　in　the　lion's　tawny　mane；　she　raised　her

face　to　the　startled　galleries。



〃You　who　could　dare　and　yet　dared　not　to　do！〃　she　cried；　〃it

shall　not　be　said　that　in　all　Count　William's　court　none　save　the

rebel　Lord　of　Arkell　dared　to　face　Count　William's　lions！〃



The　Lord　of　Arkell　sprang　to　his　comrade's　side。　With　a　hurried

word　of　praise　he　flung　the　gabardine　about　her；　grasped　her　arm；

and　bade　her　keep　her　eyes　firmly　fixed　upon　the　lions；　then；

step　by　step；　those　two　foolhardy　young　persons　backed　slowly　out

of　the　danger　into　which　they　had　so　thoughtlessly　and

unnecessarily　forced　themselves。



The　lions'　gate　closed　behind　them　with　a　clang；　the　shouts　of

approval　and　of　welcome　sounded　from　the　thronging　gallery；　and

over　all　they　heard　the　voice　of　the　Lord　of　Holland　mingling

commendation　and　praise　with　censure　for　the　rashness　of　their

action。



And　it　WAS　a　rash　and　foolish　act。　But　we　must　remember　that

those　were　days　when　such　feats　were　esteemed　as　brave　and

valorous。　For　the　Princess　Jaqueline　of　Holland　was　reared　in　the

school　of　so…called　chivalry　and　romance；　which　in　her　time　was

fast　approaching　its　end。　She　was；　indeed；　as　one　historian

declares；　the　last　heroine　of　knighthood。　Her　very　titles　suggest

the　days　of　chivalry。　She　was　Daughter　of　Holland；　Countess　of

Ponthieu；　Duchess　of　Berry；　Lady　of　Crevecoeur；　of　Montague　and

Arloeux。　Brought　up　in　the　midst　of　tilts　and　tournaments；　of

banquets　and　feasting；　and　all　the　lavish　display　of　the　rich

Bavarian　court；　she　was；　as　we　learn　from　her　chroniclers；　the

leader　of　adoring　knights　and　vassals；　the　idol　of　her　parents；

the　ruler　of　her　soft…hearted　boy　husband；　an　expert　falconer；　a

daring　horsewoman；　and　a　fearless　descendant　of　those　woman

warriors　of　her　race；　Margaret　the　Empress；　and　Philippa　the

Queen；　and　of　a　house　that　traced　its　descent　through　the　warlike

Hohenstaufens　back　to　Charlemagne　himself。



All　girls　admire　bravery；　even　though　not　themselves　personally

courageous。　It　is　not；　therefore；　surprising　that　this　intrepid

and　romance…reared　young　princess；　the　wife　of　a　lad　for　whom　she

never　especially　cared；　and　whose　society　had　for　political

reasons　been　forced　upon　her；　should　have　placed　as　the　hero　of

her　admiration；　next　to　her　own　fearless　father；　not　the　Dauphin

John　of　France；　but　this　brave　young　rebel　lad；　Otto；　the　Lord　of

Arkell。



But　the　joyous　days　of　fete　and　pleasure　at　Quesnoy；　at　Paris；

and　The　Hague　were　fast　drawing　to　a　close。　On　the　fourth　of

April；　1417；　the　Dauphin　John　died　by　poisoning；　in　his　father's

castle　at　Compiegnethe　victim　of　those　terrible　and　relentless

feuds　that　were　then　disgracing　and　endangering　the　feeble　throne

of　France。



The　dream　of　future　power　and　greatness　as　Queen　of　France；　in

which　the　girl　wife　of　the　Dauphin　had　often　indulged；　was　thus

rudely　dispelled；　and　Jacqueline　returned　to　her　father's　court

in　Holland；　no　longer　crown　princess　and　heiress　to　a　throne；　but

simply　〃Lady　of　Holland。〃



But　in　Holland；　too；　sorrow　was　in　store　for　her。　Swiftly

following　the　loss　of　her　husband；　the　Dauphin；　came　the　still

heavier　blow　of　her　father's　death。　On　the　thirtieth　of　May；

1417；　Count　William　died　in　his　castle　of　Bouchain；　in　Hainault；

and　his　sorrowing　daughter　Jacqueline；　now　a　beautiful　girl　of

sixteen；　succeeded　to　his　titles　and　lordship　as　Countess　and

Lady　Supreme　of　Hainault；　of　Holland；　and　of　Zealand。



For　years；　however；　there　had　been　throughout　the　Low　Countries　a

strong　objection　to　the　rule　of　a　woman。　The　death　of　Count

William　showed　the　Cods　a　way　toward　greater　liberty。　Rebellion

followed　rebellion；　and　the　rule　of　the　Countess　Jacqueline　was

by　no　means　a　restful　one。



And　chief　among　the　rebellious　spirits；　as　leader　and　counsellor

among　the　Cods；　appeared　the　brave　lad　who　had　once　been　the

companion　of　the　princess　in　danger；　the　young　Lord　of　Arkell。



It　was　he　who　lifted　the　standard　of　revolt　against　her　regency。

Placing　the　welfare　of　Holland　above　personal　friendship；　and

sinking；　in　his　desire　for　glory；　even　the　chivalry　of　that　day；

which　should　have　prompted　him　to　aid　rather　than　annoy　this

beautiful　girl；　he　raised　a　considerable　army　among　the　knights

of　the　Cods；　or　liberal　party；　and　the　warlike　merchants　of　the

cities；　took　possession　of　many　strong　positions　in　Holland；　and

occupied；　among　other　places；　the　important　town　of　Gorkum　on　the

Maas。　The　stout　citadel　of　the　town；　was；　however；　garrisoned

with　loyal　troops。　This　the　Lord　of　Arkell　beseiged；　and；

demanding　its　surrender；　sent　also　a　haughty　challenge　to　the

young　countess；　who　was　hastening　to　the　relief　of　her

beleaguered　town。



Jacqueline's　answer　was　swift　and　unmistakable。　With　three

hundred　ships　and　six　thousand　knights　and　men…at…arms；　she

sailed　from　the　old　harbor　of　Rotterdam；　and　the　lion…flag　of　her

house　soon　floated　above　the　loyal　citadel　of　Gorkum。



Her　doughty　Dutch　general；　von　Brederode；　counselled　immediate

attack；　but　the　girl　countess；　though　full　of　enthusiasm　and

determination；　hesitated。



From　her　station　in　the　citadel　she　looked　over　the　scene　before

her。　Here；　along　the　low　bank　of　the　river　Maas；　stretched　the

camp　of　her　own　followers；　and　the　little　gayly　colored　boats

that　had　brought　her　army　up　the　river　from　the　red　roofs　of

Rotterdam。　There；　stretching　out　into　the　flat　country　beyond　the

straggling　streets　of　Gorkum；　lay　the　tents　of　the　rebels。　And

yet　they　were　all　her　countrymenrebels　and　retainers　alike。

Hollanders　all；　they　were　ever　ready　to　combine　for　the　defence

of　their　homeland　when　threatened　by　foreign　foes　or　by　the

destroying　ocean　floods。



Jacqueline's　eye　caught　the　flutter　of　the　broad　banner　of　the

house　of　Arkell　that　waved　over　the　rebel　camp。



Again　she　saw　the　brave　lad　who　alone　of　all　her　father's　court；

save　she；　had　dared　to　face　Count　William's　lions；　again　the

remembrance　of　how　his　daring　had　made　him　one　of　her　heroes；

filled　her　heart；　and　a　dream　of　what　might　be　possessed　her。　Her

boy　husband；　the　French　Dauphin；　was　dead；　and　she　was　pledged　by

her　dying　father's　command　to　marry　her　cousin；　whom　she

detested；　Duke　John　of　Brabant。　But　how　much　better；　so　she

reasoned；　that　the　name　and　might　of　her　house　as　rulers　of

Holland　should　be　upheld　by　a　brave　and　fearless　knight。　On