CHAPTER I. HOW CROQUEMITAINE WAS CHRISTENED.
IN turning over the last page, my young friends, you have grown nineyears older. You see time flies quickly when you read my writings. DoI ask too much in begging you to make a hasty flight with me, in fiveminutes, from the year 769 to the year 778?
Charlemagne, after having, as I said just now, performed his religiousduties at Duren and at Liege, returned to Worms at the beginning of theyear 770. There Miton and Mita were married, and there, subsequently,the latter gave birth to a lovely little girl, who was called Mitaine--alovely little angel, plump and soft, with large black eyes, and goldenlocks as bright as the glory of a saint. Charlemagne saw the infant oneday in its mother's arms, and believed he beheld a vision.
"Surely," said the good Emperor, "this is Our Lady with her holy babe!"
When he came nearer, he recognised the Countess of Rennes.
"You are too blest, Lady Mita. You are favoured of Heaven indeed.It is not possible but that this little angel should bring good fortuneto all who approach her; and, if she has not already been christened,I should like to be one of her sponsors. Would you wish me to be hergodfather?"
100]
Charlemagne took one of the child s tiny hands, and kissed it, thelittle arm disappearing entirely in the monarch's bushy beard andmoustache.
Then, radiant with joy at this meeting, which he looked upon as a goodomen, the Emperor hastened to an assembly of the people that he hadconvened. He was so happy and devoid of anxiety, that he yielded to theintercession of his mother, Bertha of the Big Feet, who had long beentrying in vain to bring about a reconciliation between him and hisbrother Carloman.
During this same year Himiltrude bore a son, who was charming in face,but, unfortunately, deformed in figure. Charles christened him Pepin,but the people nick-named him Hunchback; and when the populace takesupon itself to act as sponsor, the names it gives do not die out.
This son and heir was not calculated to flatter the Emperor's dignity.His father did not receive him very favourably, and determined todivorce Himiltrude.
Aude and Roland, less fortunate than Miton and Mita, were not yetmarried.
"Sire, is it not time to celebrate our nuptials?" said the Count otMans one day to Charlemagne. "For eight months I have been waiting yourpleasure, and I trust you will at last fix a day for the marriage."
The Emperor had just had a dispute with his queen about the child, sothat he did not just then regard marriage very favourably. He did notlisten with a very good grace to his nephew's entreaty.
"By my beard, I consider you're in too great a hurry:--know that!Your beard is scarce grown, and yet you want to be at the head of anestablishment. That is not what I consider proper. You have to makea name for yourself before you think of transmitting it to others.Besides, a man never fights so well if he has a wife and family; sodon't bother my head any more about it. You are, both of you, youngenough to wait--wait!"
Queen Bertha, who had no more affection for her daughter-in-lawthan Charles had for his wife set out for Lombardy to settle a freshalliance, and before long returned with Desiderade, daughter of Didier,King of Lombardy. Himiltrude, I should add, was divorced, despite thethreats of the Pope, Stephen the Third.
Charlemagne spent his Christmas this year in Burgundy, and Easter atValenciennes, in Hainault.
The reconciliation of the brothers had never been more than a formalone; so that when, about the second week in December, 771, Charles heardof Carloman's death at Samoucy, a royal palace in the old diocese ofLaon, he did not waste any time on tears. He called together a fullcourt at Valenciennes, announced to his lords the death of his brother,and led them into Neustria. He encamped on the royal farms of Carbonac,in the midst of the forest of Ardennes. The formidable appearance of theforces he commanded induced the nobles and bishops to do fealty to him.Gerberge, daughter of Didier, and widow of Carloman, endeavoured vainlyto assert her children's rights. She was compelled to fly with themand a few attendants, and seek refuge at the court of her father.Charlemagne was then proclaimed sole ruler of all the realm of theFranks.
Queen Bertha's choice had not proved a very fortunate one. Desiderade,sister of the dethroned Queen of Neustria, did not make a very sprightlyappearance at the Court of France, so Charles determined to get rid ofher.
Roland, who was ever lamenting the indefinite postponement of hismarriage, once more addressed his uncle on the subject.
"You do not intend, I am sure, sire, to do me a wrong, but you inflictmore suffering on me than I can express by thus perpetually adjourningmy union with Aude."
101]
Charlemagne, who had just been having high words with the queen, was notfavourably disposed to marriages. He replied, in an ill humour--? "Doyou want to drive me crazy, my fine nephew? Marriage is a folly, takemy word for it. Resides, I have a fancy to ravage the land of Saxony. Ihear that in a town they call Eresburg--I don't know why--they worshipan idol named Irminsul, and I have set myself the task of burning thisimpudent divinity. I count on your assistance. On my return we will talkabout your marriage."
102]
Roland went away sadly to find his Aude.
In the year 771, the Emperor spent Easter at Herstall, and Christmas atAttigny. About the beginning of the year 772 he convened his noblesat Worms, placed himself at their head, and invaded Saxony. This land,subdivided into numerous petty states, was inhabited by Westphalians,Osterlindsi, Sclaves, Hungarians. All these tribes were driven backto the Baltic, their idols were destroyed, and their lands devastated.Compelled to sue for peace, they came in and did homage 011 the banks ofthe Weser.
Charlemagne, who was no less terrible to his wives than to his enemies,got rid of Desiderade, his second queen, and determined to marry athird. He was of this mind when Roland once more sought him.
"Sire, since you have given me encouragement to hope, I come to remindyou that I love Aude, the niece of Gerard of Vienna, your friend, andthat you have promised her to me in marriage as a reward for conqueringAngoulaffre. You desired me to follow you to Saxony, and I did so; noone can say, surely, that I was sparing of my person in the campaign.You have often spoken severely against marriage, but I understand youhave changed your views, since you are, for a third time, going to doyourself what you used to say was bad for others. I am your sister'sson. I have served you to the best of my ability, and every one agreesthat the ability of Roland is no trifle. Will you not please to fix aday for my nuptials?"
Charlemagne was in a particularly good humour that day. He burst outlaughing at his nephew, and said--
"By my beard? and sceptre, I believe this youngster is going to set meto school. My friend Ganelon was right when he had me beware lest thisrogue should lead me by the nose. So-ho! my warrior, have I not made youCount of Mans and peer of the realm? Have not I granted you the Marchesof Brittany? And must I now reward you for the blows you have struck indefence of your own precious hide? No, my fine nephew; I don't approveof people who try to force my game. Besides, I have a notion, after mymarriage, of making an excursion in the direction of Lombardy. You willaccompany me. When we come back we will see what is to be done."
103]
This year (772) Charles kept the festivals of Easter and Christmas atHerstall, on the Meuse. About this period Didier, King of Lombardy,invaded the states of St. Peter. Coming at the head of ten thousandstout lances, he laid siege to Rome. Pope Adrian did not lose heart fora trifle like that. He closed the gates of the Eternal City, carefullyinspected the walls, and manned them with troops, determined to perishamid the ruins of his capital rather than surrender.
Then he sent a deputation of bishops and men of distinction toCharlemagne, to remind the son of King Pepin that he was a Roman noble,and that it was his duty to defend the Church in the person ofits supreme head. The Emperor was not desperately fond of hisex-father-in-law, at whose court all his enemies found refuse. He hadlone meditated an expedition in his direction, and so, accepting withjoy this providential cha
nce, he convened a full court at Paderborn. Theexpedition was resolved on enthusiastically, and Geneva was chosen asthe rendezvous of the forces. The army was divided into two sections.Bernard, Charlemagne's uncle, had command of one column, with ordersto cross Mount Joux (St. Bernard), and open a campaign in the plains ofMilan, while the Emperor led his half of the army over Mount Cenis.
In vain did Adalgisus, son of Didier, attempt to defend the passes ofthe Alps. He was everywhere repulsed, and was hemmed in at Pavia, wherehis father joined him (October, 773). Pavia was then a castle, whichwould well have deserved the reputation of being impregnable if it hadnot (as is the case with all impregnable places) been taken severaltimes. Nevertheless, it displayed some coquettishness in the matter,never permitting itself to be captured till after a wearisome war; forit required no less than a whole winter to scale its walls, which wereseventy feet high, to carry its seventeen gates, and make oneself masterof its sixty-two towers.
104]
Charlemagne went to Rome to spend the Holy Week. He entered it intriumph on the 2nd of April, 774. A grand procession of bishops andnobles went out to meet him at Novi, and accompanied him to St. John atthe Lateran, where Adrian waited to receive him. The crowd hailed himas a preserver. He was surrounded by banners and crosses; people ofdistinction vied for the honour of carrying his victorious arms; andlittle children, dressed in ancient costume, strewed flowers in hishorse's path. The Pope and the Emperor embraced, and the latter, afterhaving taken the sacrament, visited, attended by his suite, all thesacred spots in the great capital of the Christian world.
A council was called, at which one hundred and fifty-three bishops andpriests assembled to assist the Pope in conferring on Charlemagne themost extensive powers and privileges.
During this time famine was making fearful havoc in Pavia. Every daypeople died of starvation in hundreds, but the town did not surrender.Charlemagne was not one who liked to see work long about. He quittedRome and assumed the command of the army, and a few days after Didierwas forced to surrender. Neither his courage nor his submission couldappease the Emperor, and the conquered prince, his head sprinkled withashes, had to kneel to his new lord. The last of the Lombard kingsbecame a monk, and finished his days, under the name of BrotherDesiderat, in the monastery of Corbie. Ansa, his wife, the two sons ofCarloman, and Gerberge their mother, with Desiderade, the divorcedwife of the King of the Franks, all fell into Charles's hands, and hecondemned them to the cloister. Lombardy was thus made the property ofthe crown of France.
105]
Aude and Mita had retired to Paris, where they awaited mournfully thereturn of Roland and Miton. Here the Countess of Rennes gave birth to amarvellously beautiful boy, who was christened Mitis. Never was a babymade so much of. Nothing was good enough for him. The two women, leftto themselves, formed endless projects, and counted with impatience thehours which seemed to pass so slowly. But one day the weeping attendantsmade their appearance, bearing the dead body of the little cherub. Theyrelated that a knight, with his visor closed, had attacked them andsnatched the child from his nurse; that, without regarding their criesor supplications, he had made his way at full galop to a neighboringstream, where he had dismounted, and, thrusting the child into thewater, had held it down with his foot for some minutes. Despite thethreats he uttered they came up with him, but too late. The monster,having lifted the corpse ashore with his foot, remounted his horse andfled.
106]
The two sisters were for a long time like a couple of mad women. Soexcessive was the grief of each that one might fairly have asked whichwas the mother of the murdered babe.
Now it happened that on the day of the murder Ganelon had passed throughParis on his way to Brittany.
The Saxons, taking advantage of Charlemagne's absence, had invaded theterritory lying between the Rhine and the Weser. The Emperor, but justreturned from Lombardy, sent against them four formidable armies; then,having held an assembly at Duren, he placed himself at the head of afifth column and crossed the Rhine (775). He made himself master ofEresburg, and left a garrison there to hold it, and next defeated atBrunsberg the masses of Saxons that endeavoured to stop his passageof the Weser. He advanced as far as the Oder, cutting the Westphalianforces into pieces on his route, and then marched back after havingreinforced the garrison of Eresburg, which was to serve as a prison forhis Saxon captives.
This year Hildegarde presented Charlemagne with a daughter, who waschristened Rotrude. The Emperor was so delighted with her that Rolandventured to renew his request.
"Sire, you bade me share the campaigns in Saxony and Lombardy, and I didmy duty to the best of my power. Is it not time----"
"My dear nephew, spare your eloquence. I see you coming, and begin toknow your petition by heart. Well, by St. Nazaire! I will grant you therequest you press so warmly. In one month you shall be wed."
Five days after they had to mount, and march for Italy again. Rotgause,Duke of Friuli, and Adalgisus, son of Didier, had resolved to attackRome and Italy by sea and land (776).
Charles once more crossed the Alps, took Rotgause a prisoner, and,having cut his head off, handed over the government of Friuli to one ofhis French nobles, the Count Markaire. Then he set out for Worms.
One day the Emperor was riding at the head of his army, with Rolandbeside him. They were marching alongside of a splendid corn land. Thereapers, terrified at the sight of the soldiers, had flung down theirsickles, and fled; but, their curiosity restoring them their courage tosome o o degree, they ventured to watch the column from a safe distance.
"Have you never, sire, envied the lot of these peasants?" asked theCount of Mans.
Charles looked at his nephew in wonderment, thinking he was gone mad.
"When once their work is over," continued Roland, "they return to theirhomes to find a wife waiting on the threshold to embrace them, and abevy of children who storm them for kisses; while we----"
"I understand you, nephew mine. This is a new way of putting it that youare trying, and if I let you have your talk out, it would infalliblyend in the old question, 'When is the marriage to be?' I am not morehard-hearted than most people; and, by the mass! on my return---"
The Emperor paused. He had just caught sight of a whirlwind of dust along way off. By degrees the whirlwind lessened to a cloud--the cloudturned into a horseman--the horseman proved to be Hugo of Cotentin.
107]
The Count Palatine had spurred fast to tell Charles that the Saxons wereagain in revolt, and were ravaging the banks of the Rhine.
Roland sighed. "Aude--dearest Aude!" said he, "shall we never be unitedexcept in Paradise? If I thought so, I would hasten the period, and getmyself killed in the very next fight."
But I should never finish my story if I were to relate to you all theexpeditions of Charlemagne against the Saxons. He was always crossingthe Rhine, sweeping away whole nations, receiving their submission, andtaking hostages; but scarcely had he turned his back before he heard thegrowlings of a fresh eruption. You will learn all this from pages moreserious than mine. I will only add, that in 777 Charlemagne assembledthe Saxons and their rulers at Paderborn, and that a great many came,and were baptised.
I must now resume my story.
Charlemagne is at Paderborn, surrounded by his Court. Hildegarde hadborne him a son, who received the name of Carloman. Aude was more lovelythan ever. Miton was now thirty-two, Mita twenty-seven, and Mitaineeight. Oghris was growing old now. His coat was turning silvery. He nowrequired a long ten minutes to quarter an ox, but his claws were stillgood. He had taken a mighty fancy to Mitaine; and often, when they hadtried to separate them, the lion had grown so thin, and the child somelancholy, that they were compelled to abandon the idea.
The god-child of Charlemagne had often been made the aim of assassins,and, without doubt, the same fate was intended for her that had befallenher brother. But Oghris was always at hand, and the murderers had totake to flight. On one occasion, however, one of them had not got offquickly enough, a
nd so paid the penalty for the others.
"Now, at last," said Miton, "I shall understand the meaning of allthis!"
Unfortunately, the lion had not thought of this, and his victim wasreduced to such small fragments that nothing could be discovered fromthem.
109]
Charles flew into a great rage on hearing of the attempts to which hisgod-child had, more than once, nearly fallen a victim.
"By Joyeuse! he who touches my god-child is a bold man. Tell me,Mitaine, have you no indication to give me which might put us on thetrack of this devourer of babes?"
"None, my lord; the monster appears and disappears as if by magic."
"Well, be he fay, ogre, or vampire, I swear to Heaven I will deliver himinto your hands. But until it is in our power to hang, draw, and quarterhim, how shall we distinguish this monster, who wishes to devour you, byname?"
"Let us call him Croquemitaine!"
"So be it. Well, then, Croquemitaine shall be hanged: take my word forit."
In the year 777 Charlemagne celebrated Easter at Nimegue.
110]