historic girls-第13章

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popular　liberty。　It　led　the　way　to　Magna　Charta；　and　finally　to

our　own　Declaration　of　Independence。　The　boys　and　girls　of

America；　therefore；　in　common　with　those　of　England；　can　look

back　with　interest　and　affection　upon　the　romantic　story　of　〃Good

Queen　Maud；〃　the　brave…hearted　girl　who　showed　herself　wise　and

fearless　both　in　the　perilous　mist　at　Edinburgh；　and；　later

still；　in　the　yet　greater　dangers　of　〃the　black　lists　of

Gloucester。〃







JACQUELINE　OF　HOLLAND：



THE　GIRL　OF　THE　LAND　OF　FOGS；　A。D。　1414。



Count　William　of　Hainault；　of　Zealand　and　Friesland；　Duke　of

Bavaria　and　Sovereign　Lord　of　Holland；　held　his　court　in　the

great；　straggling　castle　which　he　called　his　〃hunting　lodge；〃

near　to　the　German　Ocean；　and　since　known　by　the　name　of　〃The

Hague。〃＇1＇



＇1＇　〃The　Hague〃　is　a　contraction　of　the　Dutch's　Gravenhagethe

haag；　or　〃hunting　lodge；〃　of　the　Graf；　or　count。





Count　William　was　a　gallant　and　courtly　knight；　learned　in　all

the　ways　of　chivalry；　the　model　of　the　younger　cavaliers；

handsome　in　person；　noble　in　bearing；　the　surest　lance　in　the

tilting…yard；　and　the　stoutest　arm　in　the　foray。



Like　〃Jephtha；　Judge　of　Israel；〃　of　whom　the　mock…mad　Hamlet　sang

to　Polonius；　Count　William　had



　　　　　　　　　　〃One　fair　daughter；　and　no　more；

　　　　　　　　　　　The　which　he　loved　passing　well〃；



and；　truth　to　tell；　this　fair　young　Jacqueline；　the　little　〃Lady

of　Holland；〃　as　men　called　her；but　whom　Count　William；　because

of　her　fearless　antics　and　boyish　ways；　called　〃Dame

Jacob；〃＇1＇loved　her　knightly　father　with　equal　fervor。



＇1＇　Jaqueline　is　the　French　rendering　of　the　Dutch　Jakobinethe

feminine　of　Jakob；　or　James。





As　she　sat；　that　day；　in　the　great　Hall　of　the　Knights　in　the

massive　castle　at　The　Hague；　she　could　see；　among　all　the　knights

and　nobles　who　came　from　far　and　near　to　join　in　the　festivities

at　Count　William's　court；　not　one　that　approached　her　father　in

nobility　of　bearing　or　manly　strengthnot　even　her　husband。



Her　husband？　Yes。　For　this　little　maid　of　thirteen　had　been　for

eight　years　the　wife　of　the　Dauphin　of　France；　the　young　Prince

John　of　Touraine；　to　whom　she　had　been　married　when　she　was

scarce　five　years　old　and　he　barely　nine。　Surrounded　by　all　the

pomp　of　an　age　of　glitter　and　display；　these　royal　children　lived

in　their　beautiful　castle　of　Quesnoy；　in　Flanders；＇1＇　when　they

were　not；　as　at　the　time　of　our　story；　residents　at　the　court　of

the　powerful　Count　William　of　Holland。



＇1＇　Now　Northeastern　France。





Other　young　people　were　there；　too；nobles　and　pages　and　little

ladies…in…waiting；　and　there　was　much　of　the　stately　ceremonial

and　flowery　talk　that　in　those　days　of　knighthood　clothed　alike

the　fears　of　cowards　and　the　desires　of　heroes。　For　there　have

always　been　heroes　and　cowards　in　the　world。



And　so；　between　all　these　young　folk；　there　was　much　boastful

talk　and　much　harmless　gossip　how　the　little　Lady　of　Courtrai　had

used　the　wrong　corner　of　the　towel　yesterday；　how　the　fat　Duchess

of　Enkhuysen　had　violated　the　laws　of　all　etiquette　by　placing

the　wrong　number　of　finger…bowls　upon　her　table　on　St。　Jacob's

Day；　and　how　the　stout　young　Hubert　of　Malsen　had　scattered　the

rascal　merchants　of　Dort　at　their　Shrovetide　fair。



Then　uprose　the　young　Lord　of　Arkell。



〃Hold；　there！〃　he　cried　hotly。　〃This　Hubert　of　Malsen　is　but　a

craven；　sirs；　if　he　doth　say　the　merchants　of　Dort　are　rascal

cowards。　Had　they　been　fairly　mated；　he　had　no　more　dared　to　put

his　nose　within　the　gates　of　Dort　than　dare　one　of　you　here　to　go

down　yonder　amid　Count　William's　lions！〃



〃Have　a　care；　friend　Otto；〃　said　the　little　Lady　of　Holland；　with

warning　finger；　〃there　is　one　here；　at　least；　who　dareth　to　go

amid　the　lionsmy　father；　sir。〃



〃I　said　nothing　of　him；　madam；〃　replied　Count　Otto。　〃I　did　mean

these　young　red　hats　here；　who　do　no　more　dare　to　bait　your

father's　lions　than　to　face　the　Cods　of　Dort　in　fair　and　equal

fight。〃



At　this　bold　speech　there　was　instant　commotion。　For　the　nobles

and　merchants　of　Holland；　four　centuries　and　a　half　ago；　were　at

open　strife　with　one　another。　The　nobles　saw　in　the　increasing

prosperity　of　the　merchants　the　end　of　their　own　feudal　power　and

tyranny。　The　merchants　recognized　in　the　arrogant　nobles　the　only

bar　to　the　growth　of　Holland's　commercial　enterprise。　So　each

faction　had　its　leaders；　its　partisans；　its　badges；　and　its

followers。　Many　and　bloody　were　the　feuds　and　fights　that　raged

through　all　those　low…lying　lands　of　Holland；　as　the　nobles；　or

〃Hooks；〃　as　they　were　calleddistinguishable　by　their　big　red

hats；and　the　merchants；　or　〃Cods；〃　with　their　slouch　hats　of

quiet　gray；　struggled　for　the　lead　in　the　state。　And　how　they　DID

hate　one　another！



Certain　of　the　younger　nobles；　however；　who　were　opposed　to　the

reigning　house　of　Holland；　of　which　Count　William；　young

Jacqueline's　father；　was　the　head；　had　espoused　the　cause　of　the

merchants；　seeing　in　their　success　greater　prosperity　and　wealth

for　Holland。　Among　these　had　been　the　young　Lord　of　Arkell；　now　a

sort　of　half　prisoner　at　Count　William's　court　because　of　certain

bold　attempts　to　favor　the　Cods　in　his　own　castle　of　Arkell。　His

defiant　words　therefore　raised　a　storm　of　protests。



〃Nay；　then；　Lord　of　Arkell；〃　said　the　Dauphin　John；　〃you；　who

prate　so　loudly；　would　better　prove　your　words　by　some　sign　of

your　own　valor。　You　may　have　dared　fight　your　lady　mother；　who　so

roundly　punished　you　therefor；　but　a　lion　hath　not　the　tender

ways　of　a　woman。　Face　YOU　the　lions；　lord　count；　and　I　will

warrant　me　they　will　not　prove　as　forbearing　as　did　she。〃



It　was　common　talk　at　Count　William's　court　that　the　brave　Lady

of　Arkell；　mother　of　the　Count　Otto；　had　made　her　way；　disguised；

into　we　castle　of　her　son；　had　herself　lowered　the　drawbridge；

admitted　her　armed　retainers；　overpowered　and　driven　out　her

rebellious　son；　and　that　then；　relenting；　she　had　appealed　to

Count　William　to　pardon　the　lad　and　to　receive　him　at　court　as

hostage　for　his　own　fealty。　So　this　fling　of　the　Dauphin's　cut

deep。



But　before　the　young　Otto　could　return　an　angry　answer；

Jacqueline　had　interfered。



〃Nay；　nay；　my　lord；〃　she　said　to　her　husband；　the　Dauphin；　〃　't

is　not　a　knightly　act　thus　to　impeach　the　honor　of　a　noble

guest。〃



But　now　the　Lord　of　Arkell　had　found　his　tongue。



〃My　lord　prince；〃　he　said；　bowing　low　with　stately　courtesy；　〃if；

as　my　lady　mother　and　good　Count　William　would　force　me；　I　am　to

be　loyal　vassal　to　you；　my　lieges　here；　I　should　but　follow　where

you　dare　to　lead。　Go　YOU　into　the　lions'　den；　lord　prince；　and　I

will　follow　you；　though　it　were　into　old　Hercules'　very　teeth。〃



It　was　a　shrewd　reply；　and　covered　as　good　a　〃double…dare〃　as

ever　one　boy　made　to　another。　Some　of　the　manlier　of　the　young

courtiers　indeed　even　dared　to　applaud。　But　the　Dauphin　John　was

stronger　in　tongue　than　in　heart。



〃Peste！〃　he　cried　contemptuously。　〃　'T　is　a　fool's　answer　and　a

fool's　will。　And　well　shall　we　see　now　how　you　will　sneak　out　of

it　all。　See；　Lord　of　Arkell；　you　who　can　prate　so　loudly　of　Cods

and　lions：　here　before　all；　I　dare　you　to　face　Count　William's

lions　yourself！〃



The　young　Lord　of　Arkell　was　in　his　rich　court　suita

tight…fitting；　great…sleeved　silk　jacket；　rich；　violet　chausses；

or　tights；　and　pointed　shoes。　But　without　a　word；　with　scarce　a

look　toward　his　challenger；　he　turned　to　his　nearest　neighbor；　a

brave　Zealand　lad；　afterward　noted　in　Dutch　historyFrancis　von

Borselen。



〃Lend　me　your　gabardine；　friend　Franz；　will　you　not？〃　he　said。



The　young　von　Borselen　took　from　the　back　of　the　settle；　over

which　it　was　flung；　his　gabardinethe　long；　loose　gray　cloak

that　was　a　sort　of　overcoat　in　those　days　of　queer　costume。



〃It　is　here；　my　Otto；〃　he　said。



The　Lord　of　Arkell　drew　the　loose　gray　cloak　over　his　rich　silk

suit；　and　turned　toward　the　door。



〃Otto　von　Arkell　lets　no　one　call　him　fool　or　coward；　lord

prince；〃　he　said。　〃What　I　have　dared　you　all　to　do；　_I_　dare　do；

if　you　do　not。　See；　now：　I　will　face　Count　William's　lions！〃



The　Princess　Jacqueline　sprang　up　in　protest。



〃No；　no；　you　shall　not！〃　she　cried。　〃My　lord　prince　did　but　jest；

as　did　we　all。　John；〃　she　said；　turning　appealingly　to　her　young

husband；　who　sat　sullen　and　unmoved；　〃tell　him　you　meant　no　such

murderous　test。　My　father！〃　she　cried；　turning　now　toward　Count

William；　whose　attention　had　been　drawn　to　the　dispute；　the　Lord

of　Arkell　is　pledged　to　face　your　lions！〃



Count　William　of　Holland　dearly　loved　pluck　and　nerve。



〃Well；　daughter　mine；〃　he　said；　〃then　will　he　keep　his　pledge。

Friend　Otto　is　a　brave　young　gallant；　else　had　he　never　dared

raised　spear　and　banner；　as　he　did；　against　his　rightful　liege。〃



〃But；　my　father；〃　persisted　the　gentle…hearted　girl；　〃spear　and

banner　are　not　lions'　jaws。　And　surely　you　may　not　in　honor

permit　the　wilful　murder　of　a　hostage。〃



〃Nay；　madam；　have　no　fear；〃　the　Lord　of　Arkell　said；　bending　in

courteous　recognition　of　her　interest；　〃that　which　I　do　of　mine

own　free　will　is　no　murder；　even　should　it　fail。〃



And　he　hastened　from　the　hall。



A　raised　gallery　looked　down　into　the　spacious　inclosure　in　which

Count　William　kept　the　living　specimens　of　his　own　princely　badge

of　the　lion。　And　here　the　company　gathered　to　see　the　sport。



With　the　gray　gabardine　drawn　but　loosely　over　his　silken　suit；

so　that　he　might；　if　need　be；　easily　slip　from　it；　Otto　von

Arkell　boldly　entered　the　inclosure。



〃Soho；　Juno！　up；　Hercules；　hollo；　up；　Ajax！〃　cried　Count　William；

from　the　balcony。　〃Here　cometh　a　right　royal　playfellowup；　up；

my　beauties！〃　and　the　great　brutes；　roused　by　the　voice　of　their

master；　pulled　themselves　up；　shook　themselves　awake；　and　stared

at　the　intruder。



Boldly　and　without　hesitation；　while　all　the　watchers　had　eyes

but　for　him　alone；　the　young　Lord　of　Arkell　walked　straight　up　to

Hercules；　the　largest　of　the　three；　and　laid　his　hand　caressingly

upon　the　shaggy　mane。　Close　to　his　side　pressed　Juno；　the

lioness；　and；　so　says　the　record　of　the　old　Dutch　chronicler；　von

Hildegaersberch；　〃the　lions　did　him　no　harm；　he　played　with　them

as　if　they　had　been　dogs。〃



But　Ajax；　fiercest　of　the　three；　took　no　notice　of　the　lad。

Straight　across　his　comrades　he　looked　to　where；　scarce　a　rod

behind　the　daring　lad；　came　another　figure；　a　light　and　graceful

form　in　clinging　robes　of　blue　and　undergown　of　cloth　of

goldthe　Princess　Jacqueline　herself！



The　watchers　in　the　gallery　followed　the　lion's　stare；　and　saw；

with　horror；　the　advancing　figure　of　this　fair　young　girl。　A　cry

of　terror　broke　from　every　lip。　The　Dauphin　John　turned　pale　with

fright；　and　Count　William　of　Holland；　calling　out；　〃Down；　Ajax！

back；　girl；　back！〃　sprang　to　his　feet　as