CHAPTER VII. THE TRAP.
MITAINE had followed Charlemagne into Spain. She was now so skilful inthe use of her sword that her want of strength was not noticeable.She rode well, and easily bore the weight of hauberk and suit of mail,casque and greaves of steel. She only needed wings to be so like, asto deceive the spectator, one of the armed cherubs who accompany theArchangel Michael.
Charlemagne, who had not forgotten the attacks of which Mitaine hadmore than once been the object, gave her a command of twenty men, underpretence of rewarding her for her good services. It was, in reality, abody-guard which he established about her.
From this moment, then, please to picture to yourselves our fair youngfriend marching proudly at the head of her twenty veterans.
The precaution was a wise one. It happened, however, that Mitaine oneday wandered forth beyond the bounds of the camp. Night overtook herin a forest, which, however lovely by daylight, was not at all aninspiriting spot at night. She dismounted in the midst of a glade, whereshe resolved to await the return of day rather than venture further.It was so dark that the Old Gentleman himself--sharp-sighted as heis--could not have seen his tail before him or behind him.
Mitaine stretched herself on the sward, sleeping with one eye and wakingwith the other. Before lone the moon showed herself above the horizon,but her light could scarcely penetrate the thick foliage, and onlylighted imperfectly some portions of the thicket.
Mitaine heard approaching footsteps, and was instantly on the alert."What a fool I am!" she said to herself, after listening for a fewseconds; "it is my horse trampling on the broken branches." Again sheheard it: it was impossible for her to close her eyes. All was nowsilent, but the silence alarmed her more than the noise. Three times shecalled her steed--"Vaillant, Vaillant, Vaillant!" A distant neigh wasthe only response. She rose and went on tiptoe to inspect the spot whereshe had tied up her horse, but her horse was gone. Then she fancied shecould make out under one of the trees a human form--a little further offanother,--a third--in short, she counted eight. She saw them move, andcome towards her in a circle, which narrowed every moment. She drew hersword, and rushed on them; but soon found herself seized by powerfulhands, which grasped her like a vice. Nevertheless she did not loseheart, but began to fight and struggle, to bite and hit out to sucheffect that, if the night had been less dark, one might have seen awrithing mass of human forms struggling fearfully. Every time when theythought they held her prisoner she contrived to break loose. It was noeasy work for the attackers or the attacked, for none of them could seea bit. One would have declared it was blind men quarrelling over theirbooty.
"Why don't you use your weapons?" said a sinister voice. The speaker wasmerely a spectator of the combat.
"It is easier to say use your weapons than to do it," answered one ofthe ruffians. "One can't see a bit, and the young demon goes on so thatwe don't know how to get hold of her."
Mitaine continued to lay about her on all sides until one of heropponents cried out, with a fierce oath, "Curse the girl! she hasstabbed me in the eye!" And the wounded man in his fury, listening onlyto the voice of rage, struck out wildly and hit one of his comrades,whereupon ensued a general _melee_, of which the young girl availedherself to escape.
"Farewell, Croquemitaine!" she cried; "he will have to be swift offoot who overtakes me in running." But instead of making her escape sheclimbed into a tree, and hid herself among the branches.
"Follow her! I swear by the Evil One that I'll hang every one of you ifshe escapes!"
Mitaine now heard her enemies groping among the underwood, trying theholly and juniper bushes with the points of their swords, until at lastthe sound died away, and she heard no more. However, she determined onremaining in her place of concealment until dawn.
"I shall know how to recognise you this time, Master Croquemitaine! Oneof your fellows has lost an eye, and I have noticed that they have aWestphalian accent," said the brave girl, as she reached the ground. "IfHeaven conducts me safely to the camp of my royal sponsor, you shall beuncloaked, I will promise you on my faith!"
She knelt down, breathed her matin prayer, and resumed her way, trustingto Providence to recover her right path. When she had walked for aboutan hour she heard distant shouts, and the blast of a horn.
"Who can tell what I may have to encounter now? Prudence is notcowardice; so I had better conceal myself, and reconnoitre."
Again Mitaine climbed into a tree, and watched. Before long she saw aparty of soldiers approaching, exploring the forest, beating the bushes,and shouting to the full extent of their lungs. She then heard herown name, and recognised her father, who, in great alarm, headed thesearchers in person. She was not long in descending from her perch, Iassure you. How delighted she was to fling herself into Miton's arms!
For a minute they occupied themselves in exchanging embraces and brokensentences, to which neither thought of listening, and which had to bebegun afresh as soon as the first outbreak of joy was over. The Count ofRennes related his fears at not seeing his beloved child return on theprevious evening, his alarm when Vaillant returned home alone, and howhe had spent the night in searching the forest. Having said thus much,he allowed his words to give place to renewed caresses.
139]
When they were once more on the move, Mitaine informed her father of thedangers she had escaped. She also recited her adventures to Charles.
The Emperor listened attentively, and then said to Miton--
"Count of Rennes, send out in every direction, and bid them bring beforeme, dead or alive, all the one-eyed men within ten leagues round."Bodies of cavalry were dispatched in every quarter, and acted withsuch vigour, that by the next morning early forty blind men awaitedHis Majesty's inspection. They were of all races--Franks, Jews, andSaracens. Charles examined them carefully; and when he had rejectedthose who seemed to him to have been blind for a long period, orthose whose presence in camp for two days past was established on goodevidence, he remarked, with great astonishment, that there only remainedten men in the livery of the Count of Mayence, and that they were allrecently wounded in the right eye. The emperor knit his brows, and sentfor Ganelon.
"Prithee, friend, can you explain to me how it is that all your men herehave become blind since yesterday, and all of the same eye, too?"
"Nothing can be more simple. Because I am short-sighted."
"You dare jest with me!" shouted the Emperor, with a voice of thunder.
"Heaven preserve me if I should!" said the count, with a low reverence."Your Majesty will perceive that there is nothing in this at allunnatural. Having very weak sight, I am always seeking for anythingthat will strengthen it. I have tried all remedies, and have found onlyquacks in France. One physicked me; another bled me; a third invoked thedevil; a fourth sent me to take the waters at Aix-la-Chapelle----"
"Speak no evil against those waters!" interposed Charlemagne, whofrequently had recourse to them, and believed in them firmly.
"Some put the bones of St. Ursula on my eyes; others wished me to remainfor five years in complete darkness. I had quite given up all hope ofany good results, when chance flung in my way a Saracen more learnedthan Esculapius, or even Hermes Trismegistus himself. This wise personexplained to me that in all things it was necessary to make the most ofyour powers; that I had only a certain strength of vision to disposeof, and that in dividing it between my two eyes I employed it withoutprofit. It would be better for me to have one eye that saw as well astwo, than two eyes which only saw as well as one; and he recommended meto have one eye put out. His discourse appeared to me so full of logicand common sense, that I gave him his freedom."
"But that does not explain----"
"One moment's patience, sire. The remedy appeared to me good, butextreme; and I confess I hesitated, for fear of committing a mistakewhich would be irreparable. It was then that I sent for these objectsthat you observe: they all complained of being short-sighted. I deprivedthem of their right eyes----"
"And--?"
/> "They can't see any better now than you and I!"
"Speak for yourself, count. If you are short-sighted, I have a tolerablykeen vision. It would serve you right, by St. James! if I were to haveboth your eyes put out for telling me such absurd nonsense. Now, Iam neither an Esculapius nor a Hermes Trismegistus; but I am going toprescribe a remedy which will do you a very great deal of good. You willstart, with your one-eyed warriors, for Aquitaine, where the air is saidto be very beneficial to the sight, and you will take a letter for me toyour friend Wolf, and bring me back an answer."
Charlemagne thereupon turned his back on the count, who set out the samenight for Toulouse.
The meeting of Miton and Milaiue
140]