historic girls-第7章

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the　grass　should　never　grow　where　the　hoofs　of　my　war…horse　trod；

Scythia　should　be　mine；　Persia　should　be　mine；　Rome　should　be

mine。　And　look　you；　sir　emperor；　the　time　shall　surely　come　when

the　king　of　the　Huns　shall　be　content　not　with　paltry　tribute　and

needless　office；　but　with　naught　but　Roman　treasure　and　Roman

slaves！〃



But　into　this　torrent　of　words　came　Pulcheria's　calm　voice　again。

〃Nay；　good　Attila；　and　nay；　my　brother　and　my　lord；〃　she　said。

〃'T　were　not　between　friends　and　allies　to　talk　of　tribute；　nor

of　slaves；　nor　yet　of　hostage。　Freely　did'st　thou　come　and　as

freely　shalt　thou　go；　and　let　this　pledge　tell　of　friendship

between　Theodosius　the　emperor　and　Ruas　the　king。〃　And；　with　a

step　forward；　she　flung　her　own　broad　chain　of　gold　around　the

stout　and　swarthy　neck　of　the　defiant　young　Attila。



So；　through　a　girl's　ready　tact　and　quiet　speech；　was　the　terror

of　barbarian　invasion　averted。　Ruas　the　Hun　rested　content　for

years　with　his　annual　salary　of　three　hundred　and　fifty　pounds　of

gold；　or　over　seventy　thousand　dollars；　and　his　title　of　General

of　the　Empire；　while　not　for　twenty　years　did　the　hot…headed

young　Attila　make　good　his　threat　against　the　Roman　power。



Anthemius　the　prefect；　like　the　wise　man　he　was；　recognized　the

worth　of　the　young　Princess　Pulcheria；　he　saw　how　great　was　her

influence　over　her　brother　the　emperor；　and　noted　with

astonishment　and　pleasure　her　words　of　wisdom　and　her　rare

common…sense。



〃Rule　thou　in　my　place；　O　Princess！〃　he　said；　soon　after　this

interview　with　the　barbarian　envoys。　〃Thou　alone；　of　all　in　this

broad　empire；　art　best　fitted　to　take　lead　and　direction　in　the

duties　of　its　governing。〃



Pulcheria；　though　a　wise　young　girl；　was　prudent　and

conscientious。



〃Such　high　authority　is　not　for　a　girl　like　me；　good　Anthemius；〃

she　replied。　〃Rather　let　me　shape　the　ways　and　the　growth　of　the

emperor　my　brother；　and　teach　him　how　best　to　maintain　himself　in

a　deportment　befitting　his　high　estate；　so　that　he　may　become　a

wise　and　just　ruler；　but　do　thou　bear　sway　for　him　until　such

time　as　he　may　take　the　guidance　on　himself。〃



〃Nay；　not　so；　Princess；〃　the　old　prefect　said。　〃She　who　can　shape

the　ways　of　a　boy　may　guide　the　will　of　an　empire。　Be　thou；　then；

Regent　and　Augusta；　and　rule　this　empire　as　becometh　the　daughter

of　Arcadius　and　the　granddaughter　of　the　great　Theodosius。〃



And　as　he　desired；　so　it　was　decided。　The　Senate　of　the　East

decreed　it　and；　in　long　procession；　over　flower…strewn　pavements

and　through　gorgeously　decorated　streets；　with　the　trumpets

sounding　their　loudest；　with　swaying　standards；　and　rank　upon

rank　of　imperial　troops；　with　great　officers　of　the　government

and　throngs　of　palace　attendants；　this　young　girl　of　sixteen；　on

the　fourth　day　of　July；　in　the　year　414；　proceeded　to　the　Church

of　the　Holy　Apostles；　and　was　there　publicly　proclaimed　Pulcheria

Augusta；　Regent　of　the　East；　solemnly　accepting　the　trust　as　a

sacred　and　patriotic　duty。



And；　not　many　days　after；　before　the　high　altar　of　this　same

Church　of　the　Holy　Apostles；　Pulcheria　the　princess　stood　with

her　younger　sisters；　Arcadia　and　Marina；　and　with　all　the

impressive　ceremonial　of　the　Eastern　Church；　made　a　solemn　vow　to

devote　their　lives　to　the　keeping　of　their　father's　heritage　and

the　assistance　of　their　only　brother；　to　forswear　the　world　and

all　its　allurements；　never　to　marry；　and　to　be　in　all　things

faithful　and　constant　to　each　other　in　this　their　promise　and

their　pledge。



And　they　were　faithful　and　constant。　The　story　of　those　three

determined　young　maidens；　yet　scarcely　〃in　their　teens；〃　reads

almost　like　a　page　from　Tennyson's　beautiful　poem；　〃The

Princess；〃　with　which　many　of　my　girl　readers　are　doubtless

familiar。　The　young　regent　and　her　sisters；　with　their　train　of

attendant　maidens；　renounced　the　vanity　of　dresswearing　only

plain　and　simple　robes；　they　spent　their　time　in　making　garments

for　the　poor；　and　embroidered　work　for　church　decorations；　and

with　song　and　prayer　and　frugal　meals；　interspersed　with　frequent

fasts；　they　kept　their　vow　to　〃forswear　the　world　and　its

allurements；〃　in　an　altogether　strict　and　monotonous　manner。　Of

course　this　style　of　living　is　no　more　to　be　recommended　to

healthy；　hearty；　fun…loving　girls　of　fifteen　than　is　its　extreme

of　gayety　and　indulgence；　but　it　had　its　effect　in　those　bad　old

days　of　dissipation　and　excess；　and　the　simplicity　and　soberness

of　this　wise　young　girl's　life　in　the　very　midst　of　so　much　power

and　luxury；　made　even　the　worst　elements　in　the　empire　respect

and　honor　her。



It　would　be　interesting；　did　space　permit；　to　sketch　at　length

some　of　the　devisings　and　doings　of　this　girl　regent　of　sixteen。

〃She　superintended　with　extraordinary　wisdom；〃　says　the　old

chronicler　Sozemon；　〃the　transactions　of　the　Roman　government；〃

and　〃afforded　the　spectacle；〃　says　Ozanam；　a　later　historian；　〃of

a　girlish　princess　of　sixteen；　granddaughter　and　sole　inheritor

of　the　genius　and　courage　of　Theodosius　the　Great；　governing　the

empires　of　the　east　and　west；　and　being　proclaimed　on　the　death

of　her　brother；　Augusta；　Imperatrix；　and　mistress　of　the　world！〃



This　last　eventthe　death　of　Theodosius　the　Youngeroccurred　in

the　year　449；　and　Pulcheria　ascended　the　golden　throne　of

Constantinoplethe　first　woman　that　ever　ruled　as　sole　empress

of　the　Roman　world。



She　died　July　18；　453。　That　same　year　saw　the　death　of　her

youthful　acquaintance；　Attila　the　Hun；　that　fierce　barbarian　whom

men　had　called　the　〃Scourge　of　God。〃　His　mighty　empire　stretched

from　the　great　wall　of　China　to　the　Western　Alps；　but；　though　he

ravaged　the　lands　of　both　eastern　and　western　Rome；　he　seems　to

have　been　so　managed　or　controlled　by　the　wise　and　peaceful

measures　of　the　girl　regent；　that　his　destroying　hordes　never

troubled　the　splendid　city　by　the　Golden　Horn　which　offered　so

rare　and　tempting　a　booty。



It　is　not　given　to　the　girls　of　to…day　to　have　any　thing　like　the

magnificent　opportunities　of　the　young　Pulcheria。　But　duty　in

many　a　form　faces　them　again　and　again；　while　not　unfrequently

the　occasion　comes　for　sacrifice　of　comfort　or　for　devotion　to　a

trust。　To　all　such　the　example　of　this　fair　young　princess　of　old

Constantinople；　who；　fifteen　centuries　ago；　saw　her　duty　plainly

and　undertook　it　simply　and　without　hesitation；　comes　to

strengthen　and　incite；　and　the　girl　who　feels　herself　overwhelmed

by　responsibility；　or　who　is　fearful　of　her　own　untried　powers；

may　gather　strength；　courage；　wisdom；　and　will　from　the　story　of

this　historic　girl　of　the　long　agothe　wise　young　Regent　of　the

East；　Pulcheria　of　Constantinople。







CLOTILDA　OF　BURGANDY：



THE　GIRL　OF　THE　FRENCH　VINYARDS



＇Afterward　known　as　〃St。　Clotilda；〃　the　first　Queen　of　France。＇

A。D。　485。



It　was　little　more　than　fourteen　hundred　years　ago；　in　the　year

of　our　Lord　485；　that　a　little　girl　crouched　trembling　and

terrified；　at　the　feet　of　a　pitying　priest　in　the　palace　of　the

kings　of　Burgundy。　There　has　been　many　a　sad　little　maid　of　ten；

before　and　since　the　days　of　the　fair…haired　Princess　Clotilda；

but　surely　none　had　greater　cause　for　terror　and　tears　than　she。

For　her　cruel　uncle；　Gundebald；　waging　war　against　his　brother

Chilperic；　the　rightful　king　of　Burgundy；　had　with　a　band　of

savage　followers　burst　into　his　brother's　palace　and；　after　the

fierce　and　relentless　fashion　of　those　cruel　days；　had　murdered

King　Chilperic；　the　father　of　little　Clotilda；　the　queen；　her

mother；　and　the　young　princes；　her　brothers；　and　was　now

searching　for　her　and　her　sister　Sedelenda；　to　kill　them　also。



Poor　Sedelenda　had　hidden　away　in　some　other　far…off　corner；　but

even　as　Clotilda　hung　for　protection　to　the　robe　of　the　good

stranger…priest　Ugo　of　Rheims　（whom　the　king；　her　father；　had

lodged　in　the　palace；　on　his　homeward　journey　from　Jerusalem）；

the　clash　of　steel　drew　nearer　and　nearer。　Through　the　corridor

came　the　rush　of　feet；　the　arras　in　the　doorway　was　rudely　flung

aside；　and　the　poor　child's　fierce　pursuers；　with　her　cruel　uncle

at　their　head；　rushed　into　the　room。



〃Hollo！　Here　hides　the　game！〃　he　cried　in　savage　exultation。

〃Thrust　her　away；　Sir　Priest；　or　thou　diest　in　her　stead。　Not　one

of　the　tyrant's　brood　shall　live。　I　say　it！〃



〃And　who　art　thou　to　judge　of　life　or　death？〃　demanded　the　priest

sternly；　as　he　still　shielded　the　trembling　child。



〃I　am　Gundebald；　King　of　Burgundy　by　the　grace　of　mine　own　good

sword　and　the　right　of　succession；〃　was　the　reply。　〃Trifle　not

with　me；　Sir　Priest；　but　thrust　away　the　child。　She　is　my　lawful

prize　to　do　with　as　I　will。　Ho；　Sigebert；　drag　her　forth！〃



Quick　as　a　flash　the　brave　priest　stepped　before；　the　cowering

child；　and；　with　one　hand　still　resting　protectingly　on　the

girl's　fair　hair；　he　raised　the　other　in　stern　and　fearless

protest；　and　boldly　faced　the　murderous　throng。



〃Back；　men　of　blood！〃　he　cried。　〃Back！　Nor　dare　to　lay　hand　on

this　young　maid　who　hath　here　sought　sanctuary！〃＇1＇



＇1＇　Under　the　Goths　and　Franks　the　protection　of　churches　and

priests；　when　extended　to　persons　in　peril；　was　called　the　〃right

of　sanctuary；〃　and　was　respected　even　by　the　fiercest　of

pursuers。





Fierce　and　savage　men　always　respect　bravery　in　others。　There　was

something　so　courageous　and　heroic　in　the　act　of　that　single

priest　in　thus　facing　a　ferocious　and　determined　band；　in　defence

of　a　little　girl；for　girls　were　but　slightingly　regarded　in

those　far…off　days；that　it　caught　the　savage　fancy　of　the　cruel

king。　And　this；　joined　with　his　respect　for　the　Church's　right　of

sanctuary；　and　with　the　lessening　of　his　thirst　for　blood；　now

that　he　had　satisfied　his　first　desire　for　revenge。　led　him　to

desist。



〃So　be　it　then；〃　he　said；　lowering　his　threatening　sword。　〃I

yield　her　to　thee；　Sir　Priest。　Look　to　her　welfare　and　thine　own。

Surely　a　girl　can　do　no　harm。〃



But　King　Gundebald　and　his　house　lived　to　learn　how　far　wrong　was

that　unguarded　statement。　For　the　very　lowering　of　the　murderous

sword　that　thus　brought　life　to　the　little　Princess　Clotilda

meant　the　downfall　of　the　kingdom　of　Burgundy　and　the　rise　of　the

great　and　victorious　nation　of　France。　The　memories　of　even　a

little　maid　of　ten　are　not　easily　blotted　out。



Her　sister；　Sedelenda；　had　found　refuge　and　safety　in　the　convent

of　Ainay；　near　at　hand；　and　there；　too；　Clotilda　would　have　gone；

but　her　uncle；　the　new　king；　said：　〃No；　the　maidens　must　be

forever　separated。〃　He　expressed　a　willingness；　however；　to　have

the　Princess　Clotilda　brought　up　in　his　palace；　which　had　been

her　father's；　and　requested　the　priest　Ugo　of　Rheims　to　remain

awhile；　and　look　after　the　girl's　education。　In　those　days　a

king's　request　was　a　command；　and　the　good　Ugo；　though　stern　and

brave　in　the　face　of　r