historic girls-第11章

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And　on　the　journey；　the　good　Ugo　had　made　the　road　seem　less

weary；　and　the　lumbering　ox…wagons　less　jolty　and　painful；　by

telling　his　bright　young　charge　of　all　the　wonders　and　relics　he

had　seen　in　his　journeyings　in　the　East；　but　especially　did　the

girl　love　to　hear　him　tell　of　the　boy　king　of　the　Franks；

Hlodo…wig；　or　Clovis；　who　lived　in　the　priest's　own　boyhood　home

of　Tournay；　in　far…off　Belgium；　and　who；　though　so　brave　and

daring；　was　still　a　pagan；　when　all　the　world　was　fast　becoming

Christian。　And　as　Clotilda　listened；　she　wished　that　she　could

turn　this　brave　young　chief　away　from　his　heathen　deities；　Thor

and　Odin；　to　the　worship　of　the　Christians'　God；　and；　revolving

strange　fancies　in　her　mind；　she　determined　what　she　would　do

when　she　〃grew　up；〃as　many　a　girl　since　her　day　has　determined。

But　even　as　they　reached　the　fair　city　of　Genevathen　half

Roman；　half　Gallic；　in　its　buildings　and　its　lifethe　wonderful

news　met　them　how　this　boy…king　Clovis；　sending　a　challenge　to

combat　to　the　prefect　Syagrius；　the　last　of　the　Roman　governors；

had　defeated　him　in　a　battle　at　Soissons；　and　broken　forever　the

power　of　Rome　in　Gaul。



War；　which　is　never　any　thing　but　terrible；　was　doubly　so　in

those　savage　days；　and　the　plunder　of　the　captured　cities　and

homesteads　was　the　chief　return　for　which　the　barbarian　soldiers

followed　their　leaders。　But　when　the　Princess　Clotilda　heard　how；

even　in　the　midst　of　his　burning　and　plundering；　the　young

Frankish　chief　spared　some　of　the　fairest　Christian　churches；　he

became　still　more　her　hero；　and　again　the　desire　to　convert　him

from　paganism　and　to　revenge　her　father's　murder　took　shape　in

her　mind。　For；　devout　and　good　though　she　was；　this　excellent

little　maiden　of　the　year　485　was　by　no　means　the　gentle…hearted

girl　of　1888；　and；　like　most　of　the　world　about　her；　had　but　two

desires：　to　become　a　good　church…helper；　and　to　be　revenged　on

her　enemies。　Certainly；　fourteen　centuries　of　progress　and

education　have　made　us　more　loving　and　less　vindictive。



But　now　that　the　good　priest　Ugo　of　Rheims　saw　that　his　own　home

land　was　in　trouble；　he　felt　that　there　lay　his　duty。　And

Godegesil；　the　under…king　of　Geneva；　feeling　uneasy　alike　from

the　nearness　of　this　boy　conqueror　and　the　possible　displeasure

of　his　brother　and　over…lord；　King　Gundebald；　declined　longer　to

shelter　his　niece　in　his　palace　at　Geneva。



〃And　why　may　I　not　go　with　you？〃　the　girl　asked　of　Ugo；　but　the

old　priest　knew　that　a　conquered　and　plundered　land　was　no　place

to　which　to　convey　a　young　maid　for　safety；　and　the　princess；

therefore；　found　refuge　among　the　sisters　of　the　church　of　St。

Peter　in　Geneva。　And　here　she　passed　her　girlhood；　as　the　record

says；　〃in　works　of　piety　and　charity。〃



So　four　more　years　went　by。　In　the　north；　the　boy　chieftain；

reaching　manhood；　had　been　raised　aloft　on　the　shields　of　his

fair…haired　and　long…limbed　followers；　and　with　many　a　〃hael！〃

and　shout　had　been　proclaimed　〃King　of　the　Franks。〃　In　the　south；

the　young　Princess　Clotilda；　now　nearly　sixteen；　had　washed　the

feet　of　pilgrims；　ministered　to　the　poor；　and；　after　the　manner

of　her　day；　had　proved　herself　a　zealous　church…worker　in　that

low…roofed　convent　near　the　old　church　of　St。　Peter；　high　on　that

same　hill　in　Geneva　where　to…day；　hemmed　in　by　narrow　streets　and

tall　houses；　the　cathedral　of　St。　Peter；　twice　rebuilded　since

Clotilda's　time；　overlooks　the　quaint　city；　the　beautiful　lake　of

Geneva；　and　the　rushing　Rhone；　and　sees　across　the　valley　of　the

Arve　the　gray　and　barren　rocks　of　the　Petit　Seleve　and　the

distant　snows　of　Mont　Blanc。



One　bright　summer　day；　as　the　young　princess　passed　into　the

hospitium；　or　guest…room　for　poor　pilgrims；　attached　to　the

convent；　she　saw　there　a　stranger；　dressed　in　rags。　He　had　the

wallet　and　staff　of　a　mendicant；　or　begging　pilgrim；　and；　coming

toward　her；　he　asked　for　〃charity　in　the　name　of　the　blessed　St。

Peter；　whose　church　thou　servest。〃



The　young　girl　brought　the　pilgrim　food；　and　then；　according　to

the　custom　of　the　day；　kneeling　on　the　earthen　floor；　she　began

to　bathe　his　feet。　But　as　she　did　so；　the　pilgrim；　bending

forward；　said　in　a　low　voice：



〃Lady；　I　have　great　matters　to　announce　to　thee；　if　thou　deign　to

permit　me　to　reveal　them。〃



Pilgrims　in　those　days　were　frequently　made　the　bearers　of

special　messages　between　distant　friends；　but　this　poor　young

orphan　princess　could　think　of　no　one　from　whom　a　message　to　her

might　come；　Nevertheless；　she　simply　said：　〃Say　on。〃　In　the　same

low　tone　the　beggar　continued；　〃Clovis；　King　of　the　Franks；　sends

thee　greeting。〃



The　girl　looked　up　now；　thoroughly　surprised。　This　beggar　must　be

a　madman；　she　thought。　But　the　eyes　of　the　pilgrim　looked　at　her

reassuringly；　and　he　said：　〃In　token　whereof；　he　sendeth　thee

this　ring　by　me；　his　confidant　and　comitatus；＇1＇　Aurelian　of

Soissons。〃



＇1＇　One　of　the　king's　special　body…guard；　from　which　comes　the

title　comp；　count。





The　Princess　Clotilda　took；　as　if　in　a　dream；　the　ring　of

transparent　jacinth　set　in　solid　gold；　and　asked　quietly：



〃What　would　the　king　of　the　Franks　with　me？〃



〃The　king；　my　master；　hath　heard　from　the　holy　Bishop　Remi　and

the　good　priest　Ugo　of　thy　beauty　and　discreetness；〃　replied

Aurelian；　〃and　likewise　of　the　sad　condition　of　one　who　is　the

daughter　of　a　royal　line。　He　bade　me　use　all　my　wit　to　come　nigh

to　thee；　and　to　say　that；　if　it　be　the　will　of　the　gods；　he　would

fain　raise　thee　to　his　rank　by　marriage。〃



Those　were　days　of　swift　and　sudden　surprises；　when　kings　made　up

their　minds　in　royal　haste；　and　princesses　were　not　expected　to

be　surprised　at　whatever　they　might　hear。　And　so　we　must　not　feel

surprised　to　learn　that　all　the　dreams　of　her　younger　days　came

into　the　girl's　mind；　and　that；　as　the　record　states；　〃she

accepted　the　ring　with　great　joy。〃



〃Return　promptly　to　thy　lord；〃　she　said　to　the　messenger；　〃and

bid　him；　if　he　would　fain　unite　me　to　him　in　marriage；　to　send

messengers　without　delay　to　demand　me　of　my　uncle；　King

Gundebald；　and　let　those　same　messengers　take　me　away　in　haste；

so　soon　as　they　shall　have　obtained　permission。〃



For　this　wise　young　princess　knew　that　her　uncle's　word　was　not

to　be　long　depended　upon；　and　she　feared；　too；　that　certain

advisers　at　her　uncle's　court　might　counsel　him　to　do　her　harm

before　the　messengers　of　King　Clovis　could　have　conducted　her

beyond　the　borders　of　Burgundy。



Aurelian；　still　in　his　pilgrim's　disguise；　for　he　feared

discovery　in　a　hostile　country；　hastened　back　to　King　Clovis；

who；　the　record　says；　was　〃pleased　with　his　success　and　with

Clotilda's　notion；　and　at　once　sent　a　deputation　to　Gundebald　to

demand　his　niece　in　marriage。〃



As　Clotilda　foresaw；　her　uncle　stood　in　too　much　dread　of　this

fierce　young　conqueror　of　the　north　to　say　him　nay。　And　soon　in

the　palace　at　Lyons；　so　full　of　terrible　memories　to　this　orphan

girl；　the　courteous　Aurelian；　now　no　longer　in　beggar's　rags；　but

gorgeous　in　white　silk　and　a　flowing　sagum；　or　mantle　of

vermilion；　publicly　engaged　himself；　as　the　representative　of

King　Clovis；　to　the　Princess　Clotilda；　and；　according　to　the

curious　custom　of　the　time；　cemented　the　engagement　by　giving　to

the　young　girl　a　sou　and　a　denier。＇1＇



＇1＇　Two　pieces　of　old　French　coin；　equalling　about　a　cent　and　a

mill　in　American　money。





〃Now　deliver　the　princess　into　our　hand；　O　king；〃　said　the

messenger；　〃that　we　may　take　her　to　King　Clovis；　who　waiteth　for

us　even　now　at　Chalons　to　conclude　these　nuptials。〃



So；　almost　before　he　knew　what　he　was　doing；　King　Gundebald　had

bidden　his　niece　farewell；　and　the　princess；　with　her　escort　of

Frankish　spears；　was　rumbling　away　in　a　clumsy　basterne；　or

covered　ox…wagon；　toward　the　frontier　of　Burgundy。



But　the　slow…moving　ox…wagon　by　no　means　suited　the　impatience　of

this　shrewd　y