ALOYS (with a kindly voice)--"Welcome in our country, good father!"
GOOSE-SKIN (aside to himself)--"This brat is surely a little Perfect himself. I shall have to keep guard over my tongue. (Aloud to Aloys in a grave and sententious tone) May G.o.d preserve you, my young master, and always keep you in the path of virtue. Because virtue--affords more true and merry contentment than the most charming grace--What do I say!--Virtue is a man"s lady-love. Well now, virtue excels love-making."
(Unable to understand the last words of Goose-Skin, Aloys looks upon the juggler with wondering eyes and returns to his mother, while Goose-Skin proceeds apart to himself) "I am satisfied with my first trial. I have given the youngster a high opinion of my wisdom and of my powers of speech."
KARVEL (leading Mylio to Aimery and his sister)--"Dame Giraude, I solicit from you for Mylio a little of the good will that you entertain toward us."
THE LADY OF LAVAUR--"You well know, Karvel, that Aimery and myself have long shared your tender affection for your brother."
MYLIO (respectfully and sincerely)--"Madam, Karvel has just been telling me of the debt of grat.i.tude that I owe you. (Pointing to Florette) This dear child dropped on the road exhausted with fatigue--and you, your worthy brother and your son brought her help--you carried her to my brother--"
THE LADY OF LAVAUR (interrupting Mylio)--"If the filling of a duty deserves reward, we shall find it in the happiness of having been helpful to this charming girl, who will soon belong to the brother of one of our best friends."
MYLIO (to Aimery, smiling)--"Will you, at least, sir, allow me to thank you for your kindness towards me and my traveling companion? Karvel tells me that you were on the point of taking horse to deliver us from the clutches of our enemies."
AIMERY--"Very naturally. Raoul of Montjoire is a friend of mine. Like all of us inhabitants of Languedoc, he has only aversion for the monastic fraternity. I was sure that he would set you free at my request, both you and your merry companion, yonder bulky customer, whose droll songs caused the disturbance."
GOOSE-SKIN (hearing himself referred to as a droll and merry customer, and considering himself in the midst of people who are all more or less Perfects, redoubles his efforts to look dignified)--"I request the n.o.ble lady, the n.o.ble sir and the other members of this company kindly not to take me for a droll customer. My song, which provoked the ire of the tonsured gentry at the inn, was simply a cry of indignation uttered by a man who might have been virtuous--but who, ripened by experience, knows that the gown does not make the monk, that the bowl does not make the wine, that the gorget does not make the throat, that the skirt does not make the legs--"
Mylio interrupts the flow of Goose-Skin"s eloquence with an angry look.
The juggler holds his tongue, steps back penitently, and in order to keep himself in countenance proceeds to examine the copper vessels that are placed on the distilling furnace.
MYLIO (turning to Aimery, who, together with Karvel could not suppress a smile at the words of the juggler)--"Overpowered, disarmed, pinioned by the men who escorted the two monks, myself and my companion were taken to Raoul of Montjoire. One of the monks said to him: "These two heretics have had the audacity, one of them of singing a song that was insulting to the priests of the Lord, the other of defending the singer. I call upon you, in the name of the Church, to punish the two criminals." "By G.o.d, monk, I thank you" answered Raoul, "you could bring no more acceptable guests to me," and addressing his men he proceeded: "Here, friends! Untie the bonds of these brave contemners of the Church of Rome, the modern Babylon that is smirched with rapine and blood!""
AIMERY--"That language is the only one that Raoul could hold!"
MYLIO--"As soon done as said. We were freed from our bonds and the Sire of Montjoire added, showing the monk the door: "Get you gone, and quick as possible, you agent of Rome, vile Romanist, wicked Roman creeper! You are not here in France where the tonsured lackeys of Rome rule the roost!" "Detestable miscreant! d.a.m.ned heretic!" cried the monk, furious, and he left the room shaking his fists at Raoul and saying: "Tremble!
The day of the wrath of heaven is near! You will soon be all crushed in your nests, vile viperous heretics!""
THE LADY OF LAVAUR--"The audacity of these monks should arouse our indignation, were it not that we are aware of the impotence of their hatred."
MYLIO--"Oh, madam, the day is unhappily at hand when the hatred of the priests is a thing to be feared. I have hastened hither to let you know it."
KARVEL--"What do you mean?"
MYLIO--"I have traveled almost day and night to be ahead of tidings that I can plainly see have not yet reached you, and that explain the insolence of the monk and the threats that he hurled at Raoul."
AIMERY--"What has happened?"
MYLIO--"Pope Innocent III has issued orders to all the bishops to preach a Crusade against the heretics of Languedoc."
AIMERY (laughing)--"A Crusade? Do these tonsured folks take our country for the Holy land? We are not Saracens!"
MYLIO--"At this very hour he is unchaining against your provinces the same fanatic hatred and savage cupidity that at one time the Papacy unchained against the Saracens. The Pope has already bestowed your lands and other property upon the future Crusaders. He has promised them pardon for all their crimes, the past, the present and the future--earthly riches, heavenly treasures."
THE LADY OF LAVAUR--"What you tell us, Mylio, seems incredible. Whence can all that hatred against us "heretics," as they call us, proceed?
Does not the Catholic Church preserve in Languedoc its churches, its domains, its bishoprics, its monks and its priests? Have they ever been disturbed in the exercise of their cult? Why should they make a Crusade against us? Simply because we practice the evangelical morality of Jesus according to our own faith? Simply because our heart and our reason reject the myth of original sin which smites with its anathema even the child in its mother"s womb? Simply because we smile at the pretension of the priests to claim to be the infallible representatives of G.o.d on earth, and declare that the newly born child will be d.a.m.ned if it dies unbaptized? Can they mean to punish us because we prefer our own Perfects, worthy pastors like you, Karvel, who, industrious and austere, practice and preach in the midst of the sacred joys of family life the sublime doctrine of Christ, the friend of the poor and the sorrowing, the enemy of the hypocrites and of the rich? But, moreover, why resort to violence? Are the Catholic priests the only repositories of the true faith? Are they the only inspired ones of G.o.d? Let them convert us by reason, by gentleness, by persuasion. Why appeal to violence--to fire and sword! No, no! It would be the height of blindness and of human perversity!"
MYLIO--"The Crusades against the Saracens were preached by the Church, and the same Church is now stirring up anew the same execrable pa.s.sions against the provinces that have withdrawn themselves from the tyranny of Rome. Great dangers are threatening Languedoc. While pa.s.sing Cahors I learned that a man of rare military valor, but fanatical and merciless, Simon, Count of Montfort-L"Amaury, one of the most famous heroes of the last Crusade in the Holy Land, was placed in the chief command of the Catholic army that is about to invade this country."
KARVEL--"Simon of Montfort is well known by us! The choice of such a chief is, indeed, the signal for a war of extermination, a war without mercy or pity. Helas! What disasters are in store for us!"
AIMERY--"If the Catholics attack us we shall know how to defend ourselves. I swear to G.o.d, this war will be a terrible one!"
THE LADY OF LAVAUR (anxiously)--"But what harm do we do the Catholics?
Do we force our belief upon them? By what right should they want to impose theirs upon us with war and violence? In battle the children of the poor mothers are killed. (Saying this in a trembling voice and her eyes wet with tears, Giraude presses her son with anxiety and tenderness to her heart, and takes Aimery"s hand.) War is the terror of mothers, sisters and wives! War is an execrable affair!"
AIMERY--"Sister dear, calm your fears!"
THE LADY OF LAVAUR--"Alas! I am no heroine. I live on my love for my son and for you, and when I think that you, together with so many friends dear to my heart, may perish in this terrible war! (Again embraces her son pa.s.sionately and murmurs:) Oh! I am afraid! Good G.o.d, have mercy upon us!"
ALOYS--"Good mother, do not fear; we shall defend you."
THE LADY OF LAVAUR--"We shall flee this very evening with my brother. We shall take ship at Aigues-Mortes--"
AIMERY--"And who will defend the city and the Castle of Lavaur, of which your son is the seigneur?"
THE LADY OF LAVAUR--"Let the priests seize our castle, our lands and all, provided only my son and you are left to me!"
AIMERY--"The capture of the city and the castle fatedly draws in its wake the ruin and death of all the inhabitants and men of the field who will take refuge in them at the first tidings of the Crusade. Would you leave them without a guide?"
THE LADY OF LAVAUR--"Pardon me, brother; pardon me, friends. What I said was cowardly--"
A FARMER (enters)--"Seigneur Aimery, one of your servants has just come from the castle, where your friends have gone in haste to consider matters of grave importance with you and with Dame Giraude. Your presence is requested."
AIMERY--"The tidings brought by Mylio are confirmed!"
KARVEL (to the Lady of Lavaur)--"Courage, Giraude! Friendly hearts and firm devotion will never be wanting to you."
THE LADY OF LAVAUR (drying her tears)--"Adieu, good Karvel! Pity my weakness! I am ashamed of it! Pardon a moment of debility!"
KARVEL--"No; you have not been weak. The mother spoke--the sister--the cry of nature leaped from your soul; I honor you all the more therefore.
I well know that you never fall short of any duty when the moment comes to fill it."
THE LADY OF LAVAUR--"Alas! I hope so--Oh! What a horrible thing war is!
We were happy! (She contemplates her son, embraces and weeps over him.) What wrong have we done to those priests? What wrong have we done them, my poor child!"
AIMERY (to Mylio)--"Your presence in these perilous days is a welcome a.s.sistance. We know you to be a resolute man, Mylio. So long, Karvel. I shall let you know this evening the result of our conversation with our friends at the castle, and the decision that we may have adopted."
Before leaving the Perfect"s house the Lady of Lavaur approaches Florette who all this while has been seated near Morise. After keeping himself aside for a while, Goose-Skin sat down on a bench and is now sound asleep. He is exhausted with the rough handling that he received at the inn. The Lady of Lavaur takes Florette"s hand and says with a sad smile on her lips:
"Poor little one, good and devoted as you are, you arrive in our country at an unhappy season. May we weather the dangers that threaten us without having to lose any head that is dear to us! Whatever may happen, count in it on my friendship." Moved into tears, Florette raises to her lips the hands of the Lady of Lavaur with br.i.m.m.i.n.g emotion. After a last adieu to Morise and the Perfect, the Lady of Lavaur leaves, accompanied by her son and Aimery.
CHAPTER IV.
ROBIN LOVES ME, ROBIN HAS ME!