Chapter 35 Chapter 35 Rewards of Honor

It's a good thing for a hero to win a beautiful woman. The Count of the Palatine When Quentin.When Davelt returned to Peron, the Duke was calling a council.The outcome of the meeting was more personal to Quentin than he could have imagined.Though it was attended by aristocrats of eminent rank, whose interests a man of his humble status could scarcely conceive to have shared with them, the fact of the matter was that the meeting had a most unusual influence on his fortune. After the episode performed by Delamach's emissary, the duke's new affection for King Louis accompanied this circumstance, and King Louis lost no time in nurturing and encouraging him.He has been negotiating with the Duke on the quantity and quality of the auxiliary troops he should lead when they jointly attacked Liege, or seeking his opinion.But it was evident to him that Charles wished to attract only a few high-ranking Frenchmen into his camp, and to regard them as hostages rather than supporters.But Louis accepted Krevig's opinion, and readily agreed to any of the duke's suggestions, as if they had come up on his own whim.

However, while he had to curry favor with the Duke, he still did not forget to vent his hatred for the Bishop of Ballou, whose bad idea made him trust the Duke of Burgundy too much.Triston, who led the way to mobilize support troops, also had a side mission: to escort the cardinal to Roche Castle and put him in an iron cage that was said to have been designed and invented by himself. Let him try his own masterpiece!Said the king, he was a man of the Holy Church.We cannot kill him.But for goodness sake!I have to tell his diocese to have an unbreakable border for the next ten years to make up for its small size!You've got to make sure you get the troops up right away.

Perhaps King Louis wanted to circumvent the harsher terms of the duke's agreement to reconcile with him by an immediate obedience.However, if he cherished this hope, he would greatly misunderstand the character of his cousin, because there is no one in the world like Burgundy.Charles is more obsessed with his stated goals.He is never willing to relax any conditions he puts on the other party in venting or retaliating against what he thinks he has suffered. As soon as Louis had sent the necessary messengers to mobilize the troops chosen as reinforcements, the Duke asked him to report to the Duke of Orléans and Chroyer.Isabelle's engagement was publicly agreed to.The king sighed deeply, and had no choice but to obey; but immediately afterwards made a small reservation, on the grounds that the wishes of the Duke of Orléans himself had to be taken into account.

We have not disregarded his wishes, said the Duke of Burgundy. Crevig had already talked to M. Orleans and found him (strange to say) very uninterested in the honor of being a son-in-law, but he readily accepted the honor of being a son-in-law. The countess' proposal of marriage was considered the most gracious proposal a father could make to him. He's an ungrateful man, said Louis, but, good cousin, if you can get both parties to agree to this marriage, it's all up to you. no need to worry.said the duke.Just a few minutes after this matter was brought up, the Duke of Orléans and the Countess of Croyer, as before, were called before the two kings, supported by the Countess of Krevig and the Abbess of Ursuline. .They saw King Louis sitting in silence, and were depressed by the realization that they had been degraded.Charles personally announced to them in the absence of King Louis's noncommittal, that the two wise monarchs had set a lifelong event for them to ensure the future permanent alliance between France and Burgundy.

The Duke of Orléans could hardly contain his joy when he heard this announcement.He knew it was not proper to show such joy in the presence of King Louis.It was only in the customary awe of the king that he restrained his cheerful countenance, and merely replied that his duty bound him to accept only what his sovereign had chosen for him. My nephew of Orléans, said Louis with sullen seriousness, since I have to express myself on such an unpleasant occasion, I do not think I need to remind you that I have a high opinion of your merits, that I have I want to arrange a marriage for you within my family.But since my Burgundian cousin thinks that another arrangement for you will best secure the peace between his and mine, and I have a deep affection for both France and Burgundy, I cannot help but Sacrifice my own hopes and wills for them.

The Duke of Orleans fell to his knees at the king's knees.The king turned away and offered him his hand.For once he kissed the hand with genuine affection.In fact, like most of those present, he, through the reluctant consent of this sophisticated hypocrite, could not conceal his unwillingness to see that the king was reluctantly abandoning his favorite project for the sake of political needs. Sacrifice his affection for his children to the interests of the country and the country.Even the Grand Duke of Burgundy was quite moved.Orléans could not help being pleased at seeing himself freed from his engagement to Princess Jeanne.Perhaps he would have been more thoughtful on the occasion if he had known how in the depths of his soul the King was cursing him, and what vicious and opportunistic thoughts of vengeance he aroused.

Then Charles, turning to the young countess, announced to her roughly the marriage which had been arranged for her, and affirmed that she would allow neither delay nor postponement.He added that it was a very lenient disposition to her previous conviction. My duke and lord, said Isabel courageously, I obey and accept your orders. Come, come, interrupted the Duke, we will arrange the rest.Your Majesty, he continued, turning to King Louis, you hunted wild boars this morning, how about hunting wolves this afternoon? The young Countess saw that it was necessary to make a desperate effort.Your Highness misunderstood me, she said aloud, timidly but firmly, to compel the Duke to pay attention to her, for she realized that otherwise the Duke would disdain her, and my obedience, she said, was only directed at His Highness In terms of the inheritance granted to my ancestors by my ancestors.If my sovereign considers my disobedience in this matter unworthy of these estates, I now return them to the House of Burgundy.

well!St. George up!The Duke stomped his feet fiercely and said, you fool, do you know who you are so presumptuous in front of?Who are you talking to? My lord, she said still calmly, I speak to my lord, and I trust him to be just.If you take away my land, you take away from our family the generosity of your grandparents, and you break the only bond that binds us together.You did not give me my wretched, persecuted body, let alone the spirit and soul that inspired me.As for my body and soul, I am ready to give to God.I intend to spend the rest of my life in the Ursullin Monastery under the direction of this Abbess.

The prince was astonished and irritated beyond imagination at this.We can only compare it with the astonishment felt by an eagle when a young dove openly dares to shake its wings before it.You have no property, will the abbot accept you?he said in a contemptuous tone. If the abbot should fail the purpose of the monastery because of this, Miss Isabel said, then I believe that the noble relatives and friends of our family will also show enough kindness to provide some kind of help to the orphans of Chroyer. This is posturing!It was, said the duke, a base excuse to conceal some shady passion.Duke of Orleans, she is yours, even if I have to drag her to the altar with my own hands to worship God with you!

Countess Krevig was a brave woman, confident of her husband's merits and of the duke's reliance on him.Then she felt that she could no longer be silent.My lord, said she, your wrath has made you impudent.Ladies of noble families cannot be forced into marriage. A prince who walks the way of Christ, echoed the abbess, should not thwart a pious girl who suffers from troubles and persecutions to make herself a daughter of God. Besides, said Dunois, my cousin from Orleans could not have accepted a marriage so openly opposed by the lady, who wanted to preserve his decency. If I had been given a little time, said Orleans, I would be better able to explain to the Countess why I was worthy of her acceptance.

My lord, said Isabelle, with all the support and encouragement she has received from all sides, she has strengthened her resolution, and there is no need for it. I have resolved to decline this marriage, although it is to me. I don't have time to wait till the next full moon to change your whims, Mr. Orleans, and in an hour's time she'll understand that obedience to the king's orders is her only way out. It should not be for my sake, my lord, replied the Prince of Orleans, feeling that he could not honorably continue to use the duke's obstinate character to his own advantage, as an heir to the throne of France, to be publicly and unequivocally One rejection is enough.I can no longer continue to propose to her. The Duke cast an angry look at Orléans and Louis.He saw that although Louis was trying his best to restrain himself, there was still a secret smug expression on his face, and he was suddenly furious. You write, he said to the secretary, I will dispossess this disobedient and impertinent slave, and sentence her to life imprisonment!I need to send her to correctional school, reformatory, and lock her up with people who are as insolent as she is! At this time, there was a murmur among the people present. Lord Duke, Earl Krevig said on behalf of everyone, this matter needs to be reconsidered.As your faithful servants, we cannot accept this humiliating treatment of the noble and knightly classes of Burgundy.If the Countess is at fault, she may be punished, but in a manner suitable to her position, and that of us who are related by blood and marriage to her family. The duke thought for a moment, staring straight at the counselor, looking like a bull being forced to be driven from its path by a cowherd boy, and considering whether to obey or rush at the driver, Knock him upside down. In the end, however, prudence prevailed over exasperation, which he saw widespread among those present, and feared that Louis would find his subjects discontented and would benefit from it.In the end, it may also be that he was ashamed of his dishonorable conduct, since after all he was not by nature vicious, but merely brutal. You're right, Krevig, he said, I said it carelessly.Her fate should be determined by the order's laws.Her flight to Liege was the trigger for the murder of the bishop.Whoever can make the first-class meritorious service for the bishop's revenge and capture the head of the boar of Ardennes has the right to ask me to betroth her to him.If she doesn't recognize him this right, I can at least give him her fiefs, and it's up to him to be generous enough to leave her a little money to go to a convent. no!Consider, said the Countess, that I am the daughter of Count Reynolds, your father's brave and faithful old servant.Would you like me to be a prize for the best warrior? Your grandmother was won by your grandfather in a joust, said the duke, and to win you must be won by a real fight.However, for Count Reynolds's sake, I stipulate that the recipient must be a gentleman of justifiable birth and breeding.But as long as this condition is met, even a poor warrior is qualified to be your husband.By St. George, by the duke's diadem and knighthood I wear, I swear this promise will be kept!Hey!Gentlemen, he added, turning to the nobles present, I suppose it is always in accordance with the law of the Order? Isabel's voice of opposition was drowned out by the crowd's cheers of approval.It was overshadowed by the voice of the old Grand Duke Crawford, who regretted that he was too old to fight for such a beautiful woman.The Duke was pleased with the general approbation.Like a swollen river returning to its former level and flowing between its natural banks, his temper began to soften. Should those of us who are destined to have wives and concubines sit on the sidelines in this contest?As far as I am concerned, said Krevig, it would be very inconsistent with my sense of honour, because I personally made a wish, which I had to pay with Dramach, a wild boar with tusks and quills. Do it bravely, Krevig, said the duke, and win her over.Although you can't marry her, you can give her to whomever you like.You may present her to your nephew, Count Stephen, if you like. Well, my lord!"I'm going to do my best in the fight," Krevig said.If I am lucky enough to be the winner, Stephen will have to compete with the Abbess for eloquence. I suppose, said Dunois, that the French knights are not excluded from this fair competition? Be assured, brave Dunois, replied the duke, that it will not be tolerated, even if it is to ensure the best use of your strength!However, he added, there was nothing wrong with Mademoiselle Isabelle marrying a Frenchman, but the Count of Croiers would have to become a vassal of Burgundy. Come, come, said Dunois, I shall never be crowned with a crown of Croix on the left side of my coat of arms I shall be born a Frenchman and die a French ghost.However, although I will lose this fief, I will still fight for this lady. Le Balafrey did not dare to speak loudly in front of these nobles, but he muttered to himself: Sanders.Sublejo, you should keep what you said!You used to say that our family would rise through marriage.Now is the time for you to fulfill your prophecy to us. No one thinks of me, said Leglorier, and I have the best chance of taking this prize from you. You are quite right, wise friend, said Louis, that in a woman it is indeed always the greatest fool who wins her favor first. The two kings and their nobles were joking about Isabel's fate in such a way that the Abbess and Countess Krevig had no choice but to try to comfort her after they withdrew from the meeting room.The Mother Superior assured her that Our Lady would condemn any attempt to isolate the faithful from the Sanctuary of St. Ursula.And Countess Krevig whispered more worldly comforts into her ears.No true knight, she said, would take advantage of the duke's rewards against her will by winning a contest.Besides, the winner might also gain her favor, making obedience less of a chore.Love, like a dying man, clings to even the slightest hope.Although the hope brought to her by this insinuation was hazy and weak, when Miss Isabel thought about it more, the tears subsided, instead of falling down like before. (Original Note: In the fourteenth century, the practice of determining the marriage of a woman's fief heir by the victory or defeat in war was certainly not as likely as in those days when the laws of chivalry were more generally observed. However, in our country In the circumstances pointed out, such a decision is likely to be taken by such an arbitrary monarch as the Duke of Charles.)