Maugis, ye sorcerer from ye ancient French : a wonderful tale from ye writings of ye mad savant of ye Maison Maugis in ye olde citie of Mouzon, France
to the little group of his friends, powerless to utter a word, and
bade Renaud, his cousin, to be spokesman to the king, which he did as
follows:
“Sire,” said Renaud, “we are five knights of high birth and we seek to
place our courage and our swords at the service of your majesty. That
our position may justify our words, we have come with seven hundred men
and we demand no other recompense for our devotion than to receive at
all times the protection of your majesty.”
“It pleases me much,” replied the king, “to receive thy service, brave
knights, and right gladly will I accept thy offer. Grant me thy names
that I may know to whom I am so deeply indebted.”
At the mention of the name of Maugis, he was startled. He had heard of
the brilliant exploits of that brave young man, which by that time had
become known throughout France.
He expressed his satisfaction at having him near him, and assured the
four brothers and their cousin of his protection. Said he: “If you
are miserable, I myself am nearly dethroned. I am likewise miserable,
therefore we will unite our fortunes. I will count on your courage and
you may count on my protection and friendship.”
CHAPTER VIII.
Boulag Akasir had by this time come to the environs of Bordeaux and was
threatening that city. He established his camp a short distance away,
his army consisting of twenty thousand troops, and feeling sure of
victory, commenced at once to devastate the suburbs.
These exciting events, while they in a measure diverted Maugis from
his perplexity and gloom by appealing to his warlike spirit, by no
means lightened the intense depression. The coldness of Yolande and
her inexplicable aversion and avoidance of him were maddening. Do what
he would, she would not meet him and a note that he addressed to her
demanding the reason of her strange conduct was returned to him with
the seal unbroken.
Had Maugis been less absorbed by the prospect of being united to
Yolande when he first entered the court of King Yon, he would have seen
among the entourage of the king an evil face that glanced at him in no
friendly way. It was that of a monk, who had but recently arrived from
the north, and whose great learning and piety had gained him almost
instant favor and an influential position in court. This friar, Anselm
Gorieux, was the uncle of the perfidious Ganelon, who was inspired by
bitter hatred and jealousy of Maugis. This monk hated Maugis, as well
on his own account, because in a conflict at wit with Maugis, at a
banquet, the latter had turned the laugh against him and caused his
proud soul to chafe under the humiliation, and to resolve upon the
direst revenge. He had purposely come to the court of King Yon, in the
interest of his nephew, urged by him to seek the ear of Yolande and
prejudice Maugis, persistently hoping that with his rival dethroned
from her favor his own chances might improve, and that he yet might be
able to win her.
The crafty monk found little difficulty in gaining the confidence of
Yolande, to whose fervent religious nature his great piety, humility
and learning at once appealed.
Cautiously, so as not to alarm his timid prey, he held much discourse
with her upon the awful power of the evil one; how he possessed himself
of the souls of those who were willing to barter them for worldly gain.
Then he held up to her, casually, Maugis as such a one; told her that
even an emissary of Satan had abode under his father’s roof, and under
the guise of a learned man of the east had taught the young man the
worst of black arts and sorceries.
The monk told her Maugis had been won over to Satan, had become a
sorcerer, and a practicer of all the foul arts. He showed her how
the great exploits that had made him the hero of the day were simply
manifestations of the evil one to whom he had sold his soul; that his
time of glory was brief, and he, and all who loved him, would finally
rest under the curse of God.
Yolande, as she slowly comprehended these dreadful revelations, was
grief-stricken and dismayed. Her idol was shattered, and although she
concealed the anguish that consumed her heart, she nearly sobbed her
reason away in the quiet of her chamber.
The surprise of Friar Anselm was indeed great at the unexpected
presence of Maugis at the court. He had not looked for this and would
have certainly devoted himself to prejudicing the king also, only the
exciting events then occurring gave him no opportunity.
Meanwhile a force of the Saracens was devastating the suburbs of
Bordeaux, and the alarm caused by this movement spread quickly.
Maugis, to observe for himself the operations, mounted the walls, and
his trained eye saw at once it was only a small part of the main army
of the enemy who were making the attack. He then advised his brothers
and his cousin Renaud to arm and place themselves in readiness at the
head of their men. Arming himself also he hastened to the king.
He gave King Yon the assurance that the advance guard of the enemy
would be destroyed, and having accomplished that he would attack the
main army, he and his brothers, and that they would drive him from the
field. He recommended the king to hold himself in readiness to come to
their succor if it should be required. As he left the royal presence he
cast one look at Yolande, who stood there pale and proud, but who only
gazed upon him coldly. He little knew that within, and beneath that
forbidding exterior, her gentle heart was surging with love and pity
for him.
A sad heart makes some men more determined, and it was this feeling
that possessed Maugis as he hastened to place himself at the head of
the attacking party.
When he saw the forces of Maugis emerge from the gate of Bordeaux,
Boulag Akasir advanced promptly to meet him. His unvarying successes
had made him arrogant and over-confident, and when he perceived this
small army of King Yon he hoped to capture it. But he counted without
Maugis, who, cool and calm, disposed his troops skillfully and quietly
encouraged his men both by voice and gesture.
At a given signal the troops of Maugis charged upon the enemy with
great vigor, and they being accustomed to conduct just the reverse
from their opponents, stopped, struck with stupor. Boulag Akasir, who
saw at once that it was their chief who had infused that small army
with so much ardor, rushed upon Maugis to fell him, but the latter
skillfully parried the awful blow, which instead laid low a knight of
Bordeaux. Alard, in his turn, attacked the Saracen, but that celebrated
warrior seemed to bear a charmed life and evaded with amazing dexterity
the furious blows aimed at him.
The battle then became general all along the line. The brothers Aymon
were everywhere, and each performed prodigious deeds of valor.
Yolande, breathless with anxiety and almost fainting, witnessed the
bravery of Maugis from the walls, and in her inmost heart could not
believe that such great actions could be inspired by the evil one.
It was now King Yon, who, until this time had remained a spectator,
could no longer resist action, and giving his war-cry, rushed at the
head of his troops to the side of Maugis, and hurled himself upon
the Saracens, taking them completely by surprise. But they resisted
desperately, as Saracens always do, because their religion would never
permit them to fly, and who would stand and even submit to have their
throats cut rather than retreat.
Boulag, seeing his army diminishing every minute, and wishing to
preserve his soldiers for another battle under more favorable auspices,
gave the signal to retreat. But that order was contrary to the law of
Mohammed and his troops executed it very unwillingly.
During this period of hesitation, Maugis, supported by his Cousin
Renaud and his brothers, were creating havoc in the ranks of the
confused enemy, until, finally, becoming panic-stricken, the Saracens
took to flight.
Boulag himself turned his back and fled, with Maugis in pursuit.
The chief of the Saracens was mounted on an Arab horse of great speed,
and Bayard, the magnificent horse of Maugis, had great difficulty in
keeping up with him. But he persistently followed until the chase had
kept up for three hours, and fully thirty miles had been covered at
this terrific pace. The blood of Maugis was up and it was a pursuit of
life and death.
In the meantime every one thought that Maugis was lost. They searched
for him everywhere, but he could not be found. They gave him up for
dead and the whole army uttered cries of sorrow and despair. The three
brothers of Maugis were inconsolable. Supported by her maidens, Yolande
was removed, half-fainting to her chamber. It was in vain King Yon
tried to reassure the brothers.
Renaud, however, who never despaired, assembled two hundred soldiers,
and accompanied by the king and the three brothers, followed in the
tracks of the pursuer and pursued.
Meanwhile, Maugis had caught up with Boulag Akasir, who, trembling at
the persistence of the pursuit, and infuriated withal, saw that he
could not escape defending himself, and suddenly turned and struck at
Maugis with his lance. Quick as the movement was, Maugis luckily saw
it and with consummate skill parried the blow with such force that the
weapon of Boulag was shivered in pieces over his shield. Profiting
by the momentary stupefaction of his enemy, Maugis felled the horse
of the Saracen to the ground, stunned by a blow of his sword. Boulag
was himself stunned, but quickly arose to his feet and faced Maugis.
He, however, with true chivalry, would not take advantage of his
position, but descended from his own horse to do battle with him on
equal footing, even courteously waiting for his opponent to recover his
breath.
Then there commenced a terrible conflict, a duel to the death, in which
the furious strokes and parryings followed each other with lightning
rapidity. But the brave Boulag finally fell to the earth sore wounded.
In an instant Maugis was upon him and was about to give him a finishing
stroke, when Boulag cried: “Grace! I pray thee!”
“Dog of an infidel,” replied Maugis, “thou doest well to crave mercy,
thou who hast never given!”
“Sir knight,” pleaded Boulag, “I will give thee anything thou mayst ask
of me, so long as my life be spared.”
“No!” answered Maugis, “I will take nothing from thee, but thou art
brave and I will accord thee life only on one condition. That is that
you abjure thy religion of Mohammed and become converted to mine.”
“I accept thy terms,” cried Boulag, “the more willing because I never
have been a firm believer in Mohammed.”
Then regaining his feet he tendered his sword to Maugis, but Maugis
generously refused to take it from him.
They then mounted horse and set out for Bordeaux. Maugis, with his
prisoner, giving thanks that he had been able to exterminate the army
of the Saracens.
Thus the conqueror and the conquered were quietly pursuing their way
to the city, whiling the time in conversation on religion and other
topics, when they were met unexpectedly by King Yon and his suite.
Thereupon there was a most happy meeting between Maugis, his three
brothers and his Cousin Renaud.
“Sire,” then said Maugis, “I deliver up to thee Boulag Akasir, who
has delivered himself into my hands and hath abjured his religion to
be henceforth a Christian. I pray thee grant him all the regard due a
brave knight.”
“Brave knight!” exclaimed the king to Maugis, “I should ill, indeed,
requite thee, savior of my kingdom, did I other than thou desirest
with this mighty warrior. So be it. He shall be presented to our court
with a dignity becoming his rank, and the past shall be forgotten.”