The Prince and the Page: A Story of the Last Crusade, Charlotte M. Yonge [top e book reader .txt] 📗

lodge, John.  If there be aught to hear of the House of Montfort, it concerns him and you likewise.  I was on my way thither.”

In a short time the woodland lodge, in one of the most beautiful glades of Windsor Forest, beheld the King seated on a bench placed beneath a magnificent oak, standing alone in its own glade, and beside him the Blind Beggar in his russet suit; far less changed than his royal cousin during these years.  Since Edward’s great sorrow, Henry de Montfort had held less apart from him; and whenever the King was at leisure to snatch a short retirement at one of his hunting lodges, he always sent an intimation to the beggar, who would journey down on a sober ass, and under the care of De Gourdon, now the chief of the hunting staff, would meet the King in some sylvan glade.  Why it was a comfort to Edward to be with him, it would be hard to say; probably from the habit of old fellowship, for Henry’s humour had not grown more courtly or less caustic.

From under the trees came John de Mohun, now a brave, stout, hearty-looking English baron; and with him, wrapped in a battered and soiled scarlet mantle, a war-worn soldier, his complexion tanned to deep brown, his hair bleached with toil and sun, a scar on his cheek, a halt on his step—altogether a man in whom none would have recognized the bright, graceful, high-spirited young Hospitalier of twenty years since.  Only when he spoke, and the smiling light beamed in his eye, could he be known for Sir Reginald Ferrers.

He would have bent his knee, but Edward took his hand, and bowing his own bared head said, “It is we who should crave a blessing from you, holy Father, last defender of the sacred land.”

“Alas, my Lord,” said Sir Raynald, as he made the gesture of blessing; “Heaven’s will he done!  Had we but been worthier!  Sir,” he added, “I am in no guise for a royal presence, but I have been sent home from Cyprus to recover from my wounds; and I had a message for you which I deemed you would gladly hear before I had joined mine Order.”

“A message?” said Edward.

“A message from a dying penitent, craving pardon,” replied Sir Raynald.

“If it concerns the House of Montfort, speak on,” said Edward.  “None are so near to it as those present with me!”

“Thou hast guessed right, my Lord King!” replied Sir Raynald.  “It does concern that House.  Have I your license to tell my tale at some length?”

Edward gave permission; and a seat having been brought, Sir Raynald proceeded to speak of that last Siege of Acre, when, amid the multitudinous tribunals of mixed races, and the many sanctuaries which sheltered crime, the unhappy city had become a disgrace to the Christian name.  The Sultan Malek Seraf was concentrating his forces on it; all the unwarlike inhabitants had been sent away; and the Knights of the two Orders, with the King of Cyprus and his troops, had shut themselves up for their last resistance—when among the mercenaries, who enrolled themselves in the pay of the Hospitaliers, came a sunburnt warrior, who had evidently had long experience of Eastern warfare, though his speech was English, French, or Provençal, according to the person who addressed him.  Fierce and dreadful was the daily strife; the new soldier fought well, but he was not noticed, till one night.  “Ah, Sir!” said the Hospitalier, “even then our holy and beautiful house was in dire confusion, our garden trodden down and desolate!  One night, I heard strange choking sobs as of one in anguish.  I deemed that one of our wounded had in delirium wandered into the garden, and was dying there.  But I found—at the foot of the stone cross we set beside the fountain, where the attempt on you, Sir, was made—this warrior lying, so writhing with anguish, that I could scarce believe it was grief, not pain, that thus wrought with him!  I lifted him up, and spake of repentance and pardon.  No pardon for him, he said; it was here that he had slain his brother!  I spake long and earnestly with him, but he called himself sacrilegious murderer again and again.  Nay, he had even—when after that wretched night you wot of, Sir, he left our House—in his despair and hope to leave remorse behind, he had become a Moslem, and fought in the Saracen ranks.  All hope he spurned.  No mercy for him, was his cry!  I would have deemed so—but oh! I thought of Richard’s parting hope; I remembered our German brethren’s tale, how the Holy Father, the Pope, said there was as little hope of pardon as that his staff should bud and blossom; and lo, in one night it bore bud and flower.  I besought him for Richard’s sake to let me strive in prayer for him.  All day we fought on the walls—all night, beside Richard’s cross, did he lie and weep and groan, and I would pray till strength failed both of us.  Day after day, night after night, and still the miserable man looked gray with despair, and still he told me that he knew Absolution would but mock his doom.  He could fear, but could not sorrow.  And still I spoke of the Saviour’s love of man—and still I prayed, and all our house prayed with me, though they knew not who the sinner was for whom I besought their prayers.  At last—it was the day when the towers on the walls had been won—I came back from the breach, and scarce rested to eat bread, ere I went on to the Cedar and the Cross.  Beside it knelt Sir Simon.  ‘Father,’ he said, ‘I trust that the pardon that takes away the sin of the world, will take away mine.  Grant me Absolution.’  He was with us when, ere dawn, such of us as still lived met for our last mass in our beautiful chapel.  He went forth with us to the wall.  By and by, the command was given that we should make a sally upon the enemy’s camp.  We went back for the last time to our house to fetch our horses; I knew there could be no return, and went for one last look into our chapel, and at Richard’s tomb.  Upon it lay the knight, horribly scathed with Greek fire—he had dragged him there to die.  He was dead, but his looks were upward; his face was as calm as Richard’s was, my Lord, when we laid him down by the fountain.  And now his message, my Lord.  He bade me say, if I survived the siege, that he had often cursed you for the worse revenge of letting him live to his remorse—now he blessed you for sparing him to repent.”

“And Richard’s grave has passed to the Infidels!” said Edward, after a long silence.

“Even as the graves of our brethren—the holiest Grave of all,” said the Knight Hospitalier.

“Cheer up and hope, Father,” said the King.  “Let me see peace and order at home, and we will win back Acre, ay and Jerusalem, from the Infidels.  Alas! our young hopes and joys may never return; but, home purified, then may God bless our arms beneath the Cross.”