K.>S'jv\:vK»s J:.ss j:x. h\A ^ LI E) RAFLY OF THE U N IVLRSITY Of ILLINOIS 8^3 PIGk v.i ♦ ♦ THE KNIGHTS TALES ILLUSTRATITE OF THE MARVELLOUS, VOL.L SrsaTian and Prt;'.a>n, 'Primers- Sireft, Londoa. THE KNIGHTS; TALES ILLUSTRATIVE OF THE MARVELLOUS. BY R. C. DALLAS, Esq. Her hufband's to Aleffpo gone— But in a lieve I'll thither iail, And like a rat without a tail, I'll do, rii CiO., and I'll do. Shakspeare. IN THREE VOLUMES. VOL. I. LONLON: fRlN-rzb fOR LONGMAN, HURST, REES, AXDORME, JAT BRNO STEP. -ROW. i8o8. To Mr. PRATT. Dear Sir, aVhen I firft took up the pen to attempt a work of Imagination for the public eye, before I had written half a volume, I laid it afide, from a perfuafion that I (hould never produce a whole one, which the world would deem worth reading. After perufing the part I had writ- ten, you gave it y our jSat ; and pre- dided that I fhould become volu- minous. Your prediftion has been verified ; I have poured a ftream of A 3 ink VI DEDICATION. ink over I knov; not how many reams of paper, and I wifh to dedi- cate a portion of that ftream to the friend who at its fpring forefaw its courfe: I hope the part that has now meandered through Fairy Gromid will not be unacceptable to him. What though your pen has never defcended to Fairies and Magicians ; what though you have ever confined the true pictures of a fine imagina- tion to Nature and the Mufes, and have even for fome time paft relin- quifhed FidJtion, to become the Gleaner of agreeable and ufeful truths ; I know you will Keverthelefs read the following pages with your ufual good-nature j and if you fhould even DEDICATION. Vll even difcover nothing in them to fatisfy your underilanding, you will at lead find In the offering a feed of gratification for your heart, by the warmth of which it will be expanded to a pleafing flower of friendihip. I am, dear Sir, Your fincere friend, and obedient Servant, R. C. DALLAS. Chdfea, Pd, 2Qth, 1808. A 4 PREFACE. XIAVING written Tales illaftrative of the Simple and the Surprifing^ I confented to try my pen on the Marvellous, I found my mind ill fuited to the attempt ; but having undertaken it I refolved to perfiil in it, and I have not fcrupled to borrow largely from foreign fources. The Marvellous being in itfelf an evi- dent dereliclion of truth, is no fit vehicle for fober fentiment or grave fatire ; it Is therefore often without moral, and, in that cafe pleafmg only to children, or to childiih minda. But it admits of the lighter X PREFACE. lighter fpecies of fatire, and may be made the vehicle of a ridicule to expofe folly, and fo far to ferve virtue. In this light, I truft, thefe volumes will appear ; and, indeed, I had utility fo much at heart, that, in one part, I infenfibly introduced a mixture of allegory, which afforded a new opening for moral leffons : it will be fe^en that the Knight Errantry of the fecond. Tale is a mere frame for the alle- gorical epifode, and fatirical Fairy Tale, it contains. There are different ways to the heart : men may be laughed into a fenfe of right, who would not be fhamed into the cor- redlion of vice ; and probably many will take up The Knights for amufement, who perhaps clafs my former Novels with tedious fermons. With all the defers, then, of thefe volumes, and they have many, I am miflaken if they find not a grea:er PREFACE. XI greater number of readers than their predeceflbrs. I own myfelf, however, to be more folicltous to reconcile the friends of Percivali Aubrey^ and Morland to thefe illuftrationsof the marvellous, than about any additional number of readers; and I therefore entreat them not only to determine upon indulgence, but to un- bend their minds to the badmagey if I may be allowed a French term, which conftitutes the greater part of the enter- tainment propofed in the following pages. This work, from various caufes, has long lain in an unfinilhed ftate, though for many months the property of Meflrs. Longman and Co., whofe kindnefs in general, and whofe patience in this par- ticular inflance, deferve my bed acknow- ledgements, which I feel great fatisfac- tion in making thus publicly. [ »« ] CONTENTS OF THE FIRST VOLUME. THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. CHAP. I. .... I CHAP, n 36 CHAP. III. - . - - 84 CHAP. IV 112 CHAP. V. .... 155 CHAP. VI. - - . - 191 CHAP. VII. - ... 218 CHAP. VIII 247 Thi THE KNIGHT OF TOURS; A TALE ILLUSTRATIVE OF THE MARVELLOUS. THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. CHAP. I. Come on, poor babe ! Some powerful fprrits infirud the kites and ravens To be thy nurfes ! Wolves and bears, they fay {Calling their favagenefs afide) have done Like offices of pity. Shakspeare. jAisiA was on fire : the Chriftian world, animated with religious zeal, was eager to deliver Palefline from the infidel na- tions that profaned it. Europe in arms covered the fea with her fliips and the land with her armies ; but of the Powers VOL. I, B who THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. who nobly yielded to the holy ardour, the mod formidable efforts were made by France. To the vexation of feeing the Holy Land opprefled^was added the refentment excited by the remembrance of the in- fulls formerly offered by the Saracens to the empire of the Lillies. Philip, who filled the French throne, burnt to humble the pride of the Crefcent, and the power- ful vaiTals of that auguft monarch united with equal ardour in the execution of his dorious defigns. o o Sigifmond, the Count of Tours, fum- moned the nobility of Touraine to arms. Never did the French nobility need ex- citement to glory ; fcarcely was the will of the prince proclaimed by his heralds, when feveral thoufand foldiers, and many knights of illuftrious birth and valour, ranged themfelves under the banner of Tours. 5 The THE KNflGHT OF TOURS. 3 The golden crofs which fparkled on their veftments announced the motive that aiTembled them, and their fpirited mein befpoke the prodigies to be per- formed by their valour. The Count of Tours put himfelf at their head. The pride and pleafure of commanding fuch a noble body of men appeared in his air and on his countenance : yet, animated as were his looks, a certain gloom ac- companied their fire ; a fecret forrow preyed upon his heart. Pkafure, pomp and plenty furround the great, obedience and refped await them, fubmifiion and devotion are at their feet ; how is it then that cruel cares, and pale folici- tudes, and confuming griefs fliil find avenues to their fouls ? The Count had but one daughter, an only child, whom nature and education had confpired to render accomplifiied. She was theprideof his heart and the idolof his B 2 fubjeds. 4 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. fubjed:s. The prejudices of birth prevent- cd any man not defcended from a fovereign branch from afpiring to her hand ; but love, who mocks thefe prejudices and the arbitrary lavi^s of pride, who ftrengthens by oppofition, and who finds nourifhment in tears, exerted his power on the heart of the princefs, and rendered it fenfible of the extraordinary merit of a fmiple knight, who had been her page: the unfortunate Hippoiita, convinced of the impoflibility of becoming the wife of Egremont, be- came the mother of his fon. About two years previous to this event, S/gifmond had efpoufed Sybillaj an avari- cious, afpiring, jealous, cruel woman. She had one fon, on whom was placed all the love fhe was capable of feeling, and fur whom (he fecretly deftined the hand of Hippolita and the fovereignty of Tours : but Niture, who had other defigns, infpired the lovely princefs with THE KNIGHT Ox^ TOURS.' ; with an invincible averfion to the fierce Dagobert, which (he had not art enough to conceal. The mother and fon, aUke enraged, turned their thoughts upon the' means of taking revenge for the unpar- donabie prejudice fo fatal to their views and fo offenfive to their pride. In order to avoid the importunities of Dagobert, Hippohta had, for a confider- able time, under pretence of ill health, confined herfelf to her own apartments : warned by her feelings of her increafing ftate,{heby degrees banillied from herpre- fence as many of her attendants as fhe pru- dently could, and Violetta her confidante, with Annette her nurfe, the only perfons cntrufted with her fecret, took every pre- caution to prevent a difcovery ; but, alas ! the fatal m^oment muft arrive, and Hippolita gave birth to the offspring of an indifcreet and haplefs love. It is the misfortune of the great to be conftantly u 3 watched. 6 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. watched, and enmity and j^aloufy are too clear-fighted : Sybilla was apprized of the Princefs's fituation j and infcantly flew to the Count with the intelligence of it. Having, with all the bitternefs of lan- guage of which Ihe was miftrcfs, revealed the niyftery of his unhappy daughter, fhe concluded with faying : *' this. Sir, this is " the reafon of the contempt with which " my fon Dagobert has been treated 5 *^ fuch is the rival to whom he was facri- " ficed,and your fondnefs for a. daughter '^ fb unworthy of your love has blinded " you to her guilty condud." Sigifmond was too much agitated to make any reply ; the fparkling of his eyes, the trembling of his lips proclaimed the rage that fired his bofom. He called in his guards : " Does the villain," ex- claimed he, " does the villain who has " difhonoured me exift ! is he in my pa- " lace ! let him be torn limb from limb, '' and THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 7 " and given as a prey to vultures ! You *' have heard my will; go, find him, " Vv'herever he is, here is my fignet for " your admittance into every room, feize *' him, drag him forth, and fee that my *' vengeance be accomplillied." The guards obeyed as far as they could, but that was little, for their fearch was fruitlefs. The anxious Egremont had remained near his beloved Mippolita till her friend Violetta, having received his fon and drefled it in clothes which the princefs had haflily made from fome of her own, depofited it in his arms. The firft confideration was how to refcue this precious charge from the danger that threatened it. A balcony of the Prin- cefs's apartment looked towards the moat of the caftle, but at fuch a diftance from the ground as to leave no hope v/hatever of efcaping that way, till it occurred to Egremont to tie fome fheets B4 together J 8 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. together ; which being faftened to the baludrade leflened the difficuhy, and facilitated the defcent of the favoured lover, v^ho, charged with the innocent pledge of unhallowed love, haflened from the fight of thofe walls within which, had he remained an inftant longer, he inuft have perifbed. While Egremont was flying, the Che- valier Tourville his friend fought the Count : *' Sir/* faid he to Sigifniond, " I Vv^as the friend of Egremont while ^* he was your fervant, and while I con- ** fidered him as a knight without re- ** proach ; but the honour of being allied *' to you by blood does not allow me to " hefitate a moment on the part I am to " take : give orders to the guards to " follow me, and leave the purfuit of the " wretch to my care." Tourville's condud furprifed the whole court ; for, was it natural that Egre- mont's THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 9 mont's bofom-friend (hould be fo vio- lent againfl: him ? Sigifmond, however, conceiving that thofe who were about him mufl participate the emotions by which he was himfelf agitated, immedi- ately conferred the command of his guard on Tourville, who without delay led them to the purfuit of the flying criminal. While the Count of Tours was thus a prey to the mod poignant grief, the trumpet was every where exciting the fubjedls of the French monarch to re- pair to his ftandards, and Fame pro- claimed that that hero, at the head of a formidable army, was ready to embark in a fleet of five hundred fail, alTembled in the Mediterranean near Aries. S'gif- mond was therefore under the necefHty of marching immediately to join the camp of the Chriftian Princes. " Madam," faid he to Sybilla, at the moment of his departure, *' were it am- B 5 '' bition JO THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. " bitlon or policy that induced me to take "up arms, knowing what a fovereign " owes to his people, to his houfe, to " himfelf, and capable of defpifing vain *' advantages, or, if necefTary, winking *' at an injury, I would relinquifh my de- *' f]gns rather than appear at the head of " the army with a dejedled countenance, '•^ and an aching heart, that can know no " comfort without you ; and I fhould '' prefer the mod forbidding folitude to " the pomp of a court or the buflle of a *- camp : but we are animated. Madam, ** by a facred intereft which leaves us not *' the choice of facrifices ; yet do not think ** that, heediefs of my glory, I mean to '^ forget au affront with v/hich it has been '' irrecoverably fullied by an ungrateful " villain. Guilt muft be intimidated by *' Rriking examples : this bafe feducer, " this mean Mlow, who has been brought '' up in my houfe, (liall fuffer death with " exemplary THE KNIGHT ®F TOURS. ii " exemplary horrors ; and the worthlefs " objed of his paffion, deprived of the pri- *' vileges of her birth, (hall be thrown into " a dark and horrible dungeon, aban- " doned for ever to remorfe and fname. " Farewell ! if I am dear to you take care " of yourfelf, and attend to my ven- *' geance." The Count was foon at a dis- tance from Tours, and the unfortunate Hippolita remained in the hands of her mortal enemy. After the departure of Sigifmond, the guard in obedience to his commands made a ftrid fearch for the lover of Hip- polita throughout Tours and the adja- cent villages : but nothing was equal to the activity of Dagobert on this occafion. Meanly jealous of ihe natural advan- tages of others, and of every fpecies of merit, he had long conceived for Egre- mont a violent hatred, which on the dif- covery of liippolita's love became im- B 6 placable : 12 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. placable : not that Dagobert loved the Princefs ; for an emotion fo noble was not fuited to a heart fo depraved : a prey to ambition, haugbry, and full of him- felf, the competition of fuch a rival hurt his pride, and the preference ob- tained threw him into the mod violent exceffes of rage. Eager to difcover Egrem.ont, that he might deliver him up to the vengeance of Sybilla, he defcend- ed in the purfuit of his purpofe to means for which the loweil of his fatellites would haveblufhed. A report was fpread that a man on horfeback had been i'tcn on the road to Orleans, riding at a great rate, and car- rying in a baikec before him an infant whofe cries had been heard by feveral people. Dagobert flew to the fource of this report, which proceeded from fome labourers who had been working in a field, and as their account was confident, there THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 13 there could be no doubt of their vera- racity ; on which, conceiving hiaifelf already mafter of his prey, he threw himfelf with the utniofl: fpeed into the road to which he was direded, followed by Tourville and the guard. After a forced march of three hours the objed purfued appeared in fight, and in a few minutes the cries of the infant were heard. The impatient Dagobert, trembling with joy, infulted in idea the enemy about to fall into his hands, fliouted to the troop, and fpurred his horfe. The father and his child were foon overtaken. Amiable Egremont ! thou paragon of lovers, and mirror of chivalry ! had chance directed thee to feek thy fafety in the road to Orleans,, thou muft have been loft. The favage enemy of the accompUflied lover of Hippolita fur- rounded with the guards a man very unlike the elegant youth whom he had devoted 14 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. devoted to deftrudion, who now owed his fecurity to an artifice of friendfhip, by which this unknown fugitive had been ftarted to miflead his mah'gnant purfuer. When Egremont left the palace of Tours he took the dired road to Britany, of which he immediately informed his friend Tourville. The young man who carried the meffage was nearly related to Hippolita's nurfe, and it happened that he had in the fuburbs of the city a little brother, who, though feme months old, was ftill in the cradle. Tourville engag- ed him to take his infant brother in a ball^et on horfeback, and ride precipi- tately towards Orleans ; and then, to infure the fuccefs of bis ftratagem, im- mediately went and offered his fervice to the Count, affuring him that he would never reft till the ftain which had been call on the family was wafhed out ; an ambiguous phrafe, which the noble Tour- ville THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 15 vllle did not difdain to ufe in the ardour of friendfhip ; for he had indeed the re- paration of Hippoliia's honour at heart, but not fuch a one as required the blood of his deareft friend. Egremont had faved his life in battle ; he was befides allied by blood to Violetta, the amiable friend of Hippolita, v;ho had infpired Tourville with an ardent pafilon which was mod tenderly returned. Egremont, noble, generous, fincere, poBefrmg man- ners frank, agreeable, prepoilefling, was formed to make friends, and he might well expect every aid from Tourville, on whofe heart he had fuch claims. Nothing could equal the mortification of Dagobert when, on lurrounding the horfeman whom he had been purfuing fo eagerly, he beheld a countryman with whofe perfon he was intirely unacquaint- ed, and was fhown a child whofe dri^ky appearance, and advanced infancy proved that i6 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. that It was not the one he was in fearch of. Mad at having loft his time in fo fruitlefs a chace,the fon of Sybilla vented a portion of his brutahty on the fhoulders of the poor peafant, indecently vociferated blafphemies againft heaven, and with his troop returned towards Tours. He did not however enter the town, but, as if in- fpired by fome evil genius, rode round the fuburbs, and took the very way on which the lover of Hippolita was travelling. Egremont, with all the new feelings of a father, anxious left a rapid motion ihould hurt his precious charge, was proceeding in a pace by no means propor- tioned to the dangers that attended his flight. He looked at every objed with fufpicion ; he liftened attentively to the llighteft noife : every thing alarmed him. He often ftopped to afcertain the caufe of the alarm, and continued his way on finding it groundlefs. At THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. iy At length towards the clofe of day, being arrived on the banks of the Loire, as his eyes followed its courfe in the hope of difcovering fome boat to aid his flight, he perceived on the top of a hill, at the didance of about a mile from the fpot where he Hood, a troop of horfe riding rapidly towards him. He was now in an open plain, where it was impofTible to conceal himfelf : un- armed as he was he could make no de- fence ; to return was to throw himfelf into hands of his enemies ; and to ef- cape from them he had no alternative but to abandon his child, and fwim acrofs a broad, deep, and dangerous river. How dreadful were his feelings, what torture did his heart endure when he perceived the threatening danger ! Again and again did he kifs his lovely boy, and bathe him with his tears. He now went tn THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. went out of the road and laid him, in his little wicker bed, under a fhrub to conceal him from the fight of his pur- fuers ; but had no fooner done it than the cruel thought of his child's perifliing for want of food agonized his foul : it was even better to expofe him, He took him up, and having returned and placed him in the middle of the path, ran to- wards the Loire to choofe the fafefl: place for croffinge On the bank he looked back and faw the favages advancing to tear his fon from him. Now he hoped that they might not know the infant, and now was convinced that the pieces of his mother's garments would betray him. He returned once more to the road, but in vain ; he had no clothes to fub- ftitute for thofe he feared. He again took him in his arms, prelTed him to his heart, and wept over him. Thus racked, he thought of attempting the rapid flream THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 19 dream with this beloved obje£l ; but one or both mufl: have inevitably perifhed. The horfemen were now on the plain advancing full gallop, he had no more time to confider, fly he muil or be loft : Egremant, at length, tore himfelf from his child, and, leaving him to the care of Providence, plunged into the river. It was indeed Dagobert himfelf who ftill goaded by brutal inftind came flying on the wings of fury, and pufhing on his horfe fo violently that his attendants could not keep up with him, Ke was within two hundred paces of the rivef when the earth gave way under him, and fwallowed him up in fight of his followers, who faw him difappear. However eafily this event may be ac- counted for, it is perhaps no lefs won- derful than any of the prodigies recorded in the following pages ; for the interpo- iition of Providence, however frequently obferved^ 20 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. obferved, mud always be wonderful r tbough Dagobert had only fallen into a fnare which fome countrymen had laid for a wild beaPr, it v/as the protedor of innocence that hd him to it. The pit was deepj and the beaft in human form, dunned by the fall which was rendered worfe by the weight of his arms, lay fenfelefs at the bottom. His attendants coming up and finding him in this fuua- tion, fome remained with him endeavour- ing to bring him to himfelf, while others rode off to the nearelt village for aflift* ance. At the fame time Egremont was buf- feting the ruffled current of the Loire, fatigued and almofi exhaufted ; but def- pair, which enfeebles the energy of com- mon fouls, feemed to have invigorated his. Night was juft drawing her veil over the earth when he reached the other bank of the river. It THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 21 It was In the beginning of the fpring. The rays of the fun at noon poflefTed that adive force which begins to awaken nature, but as yet the trembling year was unconfirmed, and winter oft at eve refumed the breeze, and chilled the morn. Our young hero, lightly clad, wet to the fkin, attacked at once by cold and hunger, went up to a lonely hut remote from the common roads : the door was open, but a dog flood at it to defend the entrance. The animal, however, fooa grew mild, and Egremont entered the houfe where 'he found only two little children, who received him with fmiles. Their tender age, their innocent looks, their beauty, reminded him of the trea- fure he had left behind him : he took them by turns into his arms, preffed them tenderly to his bofom, and kiffed them a thoufand times. His adion and the 22 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. the tears that bathed his cheeks infecled the children, who repaid his carefles, and wept becaufe he wept. In the midfl: of this afFeding fcene, their father, a poor fiiherman, and their mother, who had been to affifl him in bringing home his tackle, appeared at the door. As foon as Egremont perceived them he went up to them : " I am careffing your chil- *' dren," faid he, " becaufe they put *' me in mind of my own fon. Yes, I *' am a father, but a mod unhappy one, *' come confidently to requelt of you *' fheker for to-night, and a fhare of your *' food, what-ever it may be. Reft affured *' that my gratitude fhall be propor- " tionate to the need in which I ftand *' of your kindnefs." The good people, feeling for the ftate in which they beheld Egremont, and flruck with the beauty, noblenefs and grace of his perfon, did every thing they tould THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 23 could to comfort him. They made a nre> they dried his clothes, they fet all their pro- vifions before hi in. Brown bread, a few fifli, nuts, fome dried fruits and milk. made up the whole of the feafl: : but in the looks of the providers of it Egre- niont faw welcome, tendernefs, and pity. Affeded by their fenfibility : " Oh ! " happy, happy mortals!" thought he, as he furveyed the family, " unacquainted '' with the pompous names of mag- *' nanimity, elevation, high fpirit, you " are fwayed by humanity ; polTeffed of ^* little, you are ready to ihare it without " intereft and without fear. Senfible to " the misfortunes of others, no (how is " neceflary to excite your fympathy. *' You are not alarmed at the fight of a " flranger ; you are not afraid of your " fellow- creatures ; you have no appre- " henfion of being robbed of your trea- " fures, your only treafures, labour and " innocence. 34 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. *' innocence. Your love is unaccom- ** panied with pain, you fee the pledges *' of it growing up about you ; they will *« one day (hare your labour and relieve *' its weight ; they will be the fupport *' of your old age, they will clofe your " eyes, and peaceably enjoy the in- *' heritance you will leave them ; your '* fimple manners/' — After thefe reflec- tions, Egremont, having fatisfied hjs hunger, and thanked the benevolent donors of the repaft, threw himfelf on a bed of rufhes in a corner of the hut, where he clofed his eyes in vain, for the thoughts of the fufFerings to which Hip- polita remained expofed, and the danger of his child, preyed too painfully upon his heart to fufFer him to fleep. *' Wretch !" faid he, reproaching himfelf, " fhe entrufled him to you, and ** could you neither defend her, nor ■♦* put him in a place of fafety ! Perhaps « he THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 25 " he has efcaped the notice of our ene- " mks, and, deferred by me, will perifh ^' this night from cold and hunger. Is " my life worth faving ? Is there any '' death equal to the remorfe I endure, " any ignominy that can add to the " fhame I feel? and do I think of <^ rell ! '^ Unable to fupport thefe reflexions the unhappy youth rofe, dole gently out of the hut, ran to the Loire, plunged in and fwam acrofs. Finding his way by the light of the (lars, he flew to the fpot where he had left his boy. Alas ! he was no longer there ; and the defpairing father, once more croiTmg the river, re- turned to his rudies in the hut, where he palTed the reft of the night in dreadful agitation. He was heard by the honefl fifherman, who went to him as foon as it was light, and made him an offer of his fervice in VOL. I. c fo $6 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. fo prefiing and natural a manner, that Egremont thought he might depend upon him. " It is not neceflary that I fliould tell '"^ you mj name,'* faid he to the hflier- man ; " but go to Tours, where you *' will find it in the mouth of every one. " Crofs the Loire at the nearefi place : ** yeflerday there came a body of horfe- *=* men to the oppofite bank, near which " a new born infant was left ; endeavour ^' to learn what became of the child. " This you may do by lillening to the '' villagers, who are always ready to *' talk of extraordinary things ; but afk *^ no queflions, as you would certainly *' be fufpeded, and I would not for my " life endanger my benefactor. When *' you arrive at Tours, inquire for a *^ perfon named Duval, who lives near *' the palace and is well known : (liewno *' eagernefs to fee him, but go to him " as THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 27 '' as upon indifFerent bufmefs ; give him " this ring, and fay that you left his " friend embarking for Nantes. Duval '• will aflv you a number of queftions, '' and you mud give him an account *• both of your meeting with me, and *• of what you may chance to learn oa «' the other fide of the river." He con- cluded with defiring his hod to fend back immediately the boat in which he was to crofs the Loire, that it might ferve him to continue his journey. The fifher- man's arrangement was foon made, he departed, and the boatmen returned : whereupon the Knight, aiTuring his hoflefs of his remembrance, placed him- felf at eafe in his little bark on the fur- face of the dream with which he had lately druggled, but which now, favour- able to his defigns, wafted him in a few days to the walls of Nantes. c 2 Steno, 28 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS, Steno, the fon of Richard, was pre- paring to fail for the Crufade, at the head of the Barons of Britany, and the port was all in motion. Egremont, by making himfelf known to fome of the inhabitants, eafily found means to pur- chafe horfes and arms, and freighting a fmall veffel, was foon ready to join the fleet with two fquires who were not pre- vioufly acquainted with him. He daily expected to Iiear from Duval, who was the father of his fquire Menon- cour, and whofe attachment he could not doubt. It was natural to fuppofe that on receiving the fifherman's intelli- gence he would find means to tranfmit to Nantes fupplies and an account of what had taken place at Tours ; but, unfortunately, at the moment of Egre- mont's fiight, Sybilla, not being able to fecure Menoncour, had feized his father. Prevented THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 29 Prevented by age, and trufting to hh innocence, the old man did not think it neceffary to make an attempt to fly : he was, however, arrefted by order of the Coimtefs, and flridly confined in prifon. While Egremont v/as in this Hate of fufpence, the Breton fleet got under weigh, and he was obliged to fail, ig- norant of the fate of all that was mod dear to him. The ihip?, after a fpeedy and profperous paifage, anchored before Aries, the general rendezvous. Sigif- mond, with the troops from Tours, in confequence of forced marches, was already arrived, and every thing an- nounced a fpeedy embarkation. The fliore was covered with military flores and provifions for fhipping ; wherries, with ftreamers of different colours every where obeyed the fummons given by the flourifhes of trumpets and other warlike inflruments ; they flew through c 3 the ^o THE KNIGUr OF TOURS. the water, which foamed before them, and echoed the flroke of the oar : vying with one another for ikill in rowing, dex- terity in (leering, and expedition in load- ing and unloading, they were feen crofT- ing and mixing without diforder, fome- times prefTed down almofi: to the water's edge by their burden, fometimes light and gaily flying for a frefh freight. The fhore was equally in motion. The iudy labourer bent beneath his load, the aflive officer gave his commands, and made endeavours to keep off the crowd that overwhelmed the plain and retarded the embarkation of the foldiers : endea- vours that were long fruitlefs. Friends ?did brothers were not eafily repulfed : dcfpairing beauties, with the tears m th(:ir eyes, forced their way into the janks to take another and another lad look of the young warriors, who, on their part, were as eager to pledge again their THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 31 their faith, and repeat new farewells : wives, difhe veiled and bewailing them- felves, rufhed forward with their chiU dren once more to embrace their huf- bands and their fathers. Old men and women were carried on by the throng, blefTing their fons, and charging theai to remember that, grown ufelefs to theni" fclves, they lived only in them. At length the troops were all em- barked, the anchors weighed, the fails unfurled, and the whole fleet got under weigh with a fair wind and fine wea^ ther, which continued to accompany the wairiors along the coafls of Sicily and Crete : but fcarcely were their hopes raifed by a diftant fight of the ramparts of Tortofa, when a fudden darknefs overfpread the fky^ the wind became tempeftuous, the fea rofe, and the fleet difperfed. The fliip in which the Count of Tours failed was completely difmafled c 4 by 32 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. by a whirlwind, refufed to obey the helm, and floating at the mercy of the waves, flruck on a rock and was dafl^ied to pieces. In this fituation every one on board was anxious to fave himfelf, and Sigif- mond, abandoned by his people, having no refource but in his ow^n efforts, en- deavoured to gain the (bore by ftruggling with the waves. In a Ihort time his itrength failed him, the briny water of the ocean flopped the paffages of his breath, a dark cloud came over the eyes of the unfortunate prince, and he gave himfelf up as lofl. At this moment, though fcarcely fenfible, he felt a hand fcize the collar of his tunic, and recover- ing by degrees, found himftlf on the beach, in the hands oi an armed fir anger, who was making every effort- to recal him to life. At firft Sigifmond could only exprefs his gratitude tor fuch a fervice THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 33 fervice by his eyes : but when, having difgorged the water he had fwallowed, and felt the re-vlvifying influence of the fun's rays, he gradually recovered a little flrength and the ufe of his tongue, he endeavoured to fpeak his fenfe of the obligation conferred upon him : *' Gene- " rous mortal '/' faid he, " or rather *• guardian angel ! why does your bea- " ver conceal from me the features of '' my benefador? Deny me no longer " the happinefs of knowing the Knight ^' to whom I owe a life which I fhould " glory in laying down for him.'* Si- gifmond flopped j the Knight hefitated long ; at length he took off his helmet, threw it on the ground, and clafping his hands fell on his knees at the Count's fide. Sigifmond gazed with aftonifhment and horror.—'' Yes, my Lord,''^ ex- claimed the Knight, " it is the wretched " Egremont, he deferves death, he begs c 5 "it 34 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. *^ it of you /'— " Wretch!" cried the Count, raifing himfelf from the ground to a fitting poflure, " after the *' cruel injury you have done me, after " the fhame you have cad upon me, "' have you alfo dared to follow and *' poifon the air I breathe ? I fwear — <( I — .^-^ Egremont did not give him. time to finifh his imprecation : fhocked, deprefTed, and awed, he took up his helmet and haftened from the beach. " Alas !" faid he, as he withdrew, ^' I *^ know the Count is by nature gentle " and generous i I, I am to blame; my *' weaknefs has ill requited his favours. " Noble Sigifmond, your refentment is " jufl: ; and were I alone unhappy, as I *' alone am guilty, far from (hunning the " effeds of your anger I would provoke " the blow, and my defperate hand " fhould aid you to complete your ven- ^' geance. Oh Hippolita ! oh my child! " dear THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 35 *' dear obje6ls of my foul ! gladly would " I die, could my death be ufcful to *^ you, Heaven grant that I may one ** day, by my adions, overcome the <' hatred of the beloved enemy whofe " prejudices I have to combat, and re- " flore that peace of which I robbed you " all in a moment of weaknefs/' c 6 CHAP, IL CHAP. II. Upon the corner of the moon There hangs a vaporous drop, profound j I'll catch ir ere it come to ground : .And that diftill'd by magic flights Shall raife fuch artificial fprights. As by the ftrength of their illufion ShaH draw him on to his confuiion. OURVILLE, after Dagobert left him, led the guards from place to place, at a hand gallop, then difperfed them under pretence of rendering the fearch more general, and quitting them took the road to Angers, through the foreft of Mont Grand, attended by a fmgle fquire. The night came on, it was dark and cold, the fquire (hivered and fpoke to himfelf through his teeth: " What's the " matter. THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 37 *' matter, Joey ?" faid the Knight, '^ you " don't feem pleafed." " Nothing, " your honour!" replied the fquire, *' only I have got a little beyond the age *' that is pleafed v/ith adventures. I *' begin to like my eafe, and the road we " have taken tells me I (Iiall have a bad " fupper and a worfe lodging. This " place has not a good name : it Is faid *^ to be haunted by fpirits and goblins ; *' they tell ftrange Itories about it."— " Who believes fuch foolifh tales? ' faid Tourville : " can you be afraid r" — " No *^ more afraid than other folks," replied Joey; "the prudent man is not a coward: " we (liall fee." As they proceeded, the thicknefs of the foreft increafmg the darknefs of the night, the travellers could not fee the path before them, and were going to dif- mount, not being able to go on, when they fuddenly faw a brilliant light at a diftance^ 38 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. difiance, towards which they dire(^ed their Heps. Approaching the light, Tourville and his fquire found themfelves in a bower formed by the branches of fome very lofty oaks, to which an airy, elegant pa- vilion was fufpended. Under the pavi- lion they faw a table laid for two perfons, with a clean damafk cloth, and a fupper as pleafing to the eye as tempting to the appetite. In the fituation of the travellers, their eyes could not have been bleffed with a more agreeable fight. The ground was covered with a rich Turkey carpet. The furniture and fideboard befpoke delicacy, tafte, and opulence; and the adven- turers judged that the p-lace in which this little feafl: was ferved mud be prepared for people of diftindion. They ad- vanced, and were furprifed to find nobody in the pavilion. They went roundi THE KMIGKT OF TOURS. 37 round it. All on the outfide was dark, filent, and folitary. They went in : the victuals appeared dreffed to a nicety: the favoury fmell proved them to be delici- ous, and the difhes fmoking hot (hewed that they were but juil ferved up. " We *' have certainly fallen into the hands of *' well-bred perfons/' faid Tourville, " who, I have no doubt, will have plea- " fure in our partaking of this repaft. *' You were rather uneafy, Joey, and " thought I had no bufinefs to run after " Egremont through this gloomy forefl. *' Is this the mifhap you prophefied? It " begins pleafantly, you mud confefs.*' *' Sir," replied Jofeph, " if it is to " end with a fupper, I don't care how " foon the ending begins. Our noble *' hods are long in coming, the nice bits " will fpoil. We are lofmg time. Sir, *' and, no offence to good manners, I " think it would not be amifs if we were. « to 40 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. " to cut this pie open. Here's enough '' to fatisfy four flomachs more ravenous " than ours; there will be a plenty left " in all confcience : and the word come " to the worfl:, you will only have to *' trump up a piteous flory, and pay a " few elegant compliments, with a few *' elegant apologies, to obtain pardon of '' thefe elegant perfonages. You know, *' Sir, how you fhine on thefe occafions. " I am certain they will be delighted " with you for ading with fuch a gen- " tleman-hke freedom. As for me,'* continued he, taking a loaf from a baf- ket and voracioufly falling to with his teeth, " I fliall make fuch a hole in thefe " pretty things, which cry come eat me, " as (hall diftance any metaphor you " may invent to illuftrate the goadings *' of our hunger.*' " You are a glutton, Joey j" faid the Knight, taking a handful of olives* « Sir," THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. ^u *' Sir,*' replied Joey, flicking his fork into a pigeon an bafilique^ " if they call " me a glutton, that's all they can do. " The wine is drawn, and iced 3 will *' you be pleafed to drink ?" Tourviile's third being increafed by the olives, he tolTed off a glafs, then took a chair, not exa£lly at the table, but a little afide, and put a ladle of cream on a plate, which he thought delicious. His fquire, going up to him, declared he could not fuffer him to eat without a napkin, and unfolding one H^r al it over his knees ; then begging him not to fit like a child, drew his chair round to the table. The Knight and Squire were now feated vis a-vis : and, yielding to ihe per- fuafions of appetite, regularly fet to and attacked the difhes one after another in order. The wine was exquifite, glafs after glafs was fwallowed, and fo engaged were 42 THE KNIGHT OF TOUI^S. were the uninvited guefls that they per- ceived not what was paffing about them. At length Joe, accidentally cafling up his eyes, flared around, darted from his feat, and running to one fide, cried, *' hollo ! what's this, Sir ? we are in a *' cage." Tourvllle rofe, examined, and found it to be true. While they were feafling, the pavilion had difappeared^ and a very handfome cage of (trong brafs wire double gilt had formed around them. As they were going to exclaim at this marvellous change, the cage was raifed from the ground by means of a pulley to the branch of a tree, where it hung. The mafter and man flared each othef in the face. " We have made a good *' fupper," faid the latter, '^ I wonder " how we fhall digeft it ; wheugh ! we *' are caught like a couple of birds. As *' yet, confidering only the feafi: and our " wires^ THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 43 *• wires, all Is but gold and good cheer; *' but I doubt. Sir, things will grow " worfe. Was I in the wrong to fuf- " pe6l this curfed wood ? " Tourville made no reply, Jofeph, fol- lowing his mafler's example, was filent, and both fat chewing the cud of re- flexion. By degrees the fumes of the wine, mounting into their head, put an end to their cogitations ; they flretched iherafelveson the Turkey carpet, and fell fad afleep. The day was far advanced, and the rays of the fun, every where piercing through the foliage of the trees, had long thrown the light of day into the cage of the fleeping Knight and Squire, when they were wakened by a noify chat- tering and hearty burfls of laughter. They fat up, opened their eyes, and rubbed them, yet thought they were flill adeep, fo much did every thing they faw look like a dream. Around the cage, which 4^ THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. v^'hich bad been lowered to the ground, flood fix females. They appeared to be of the human fpecies, yet, except their neck, face, and hands, they were co- vered with feathers from head to foot. There was nothing difgufling in their countenance. The fhort, fine, and curly down, which grew on their head inftead of hair, with a tuft like an egrette over the forehead, formed altogether an agree- able coiffure* The arms, as far as the wridsj refembled wings, and the legs wore an appearance flill more ftrange. * They fpoke all at once : " what pretty " darlings !" cried one. " How they " have eat up the bait!** faid another, looking at the remains of the fupper on the table. " A truce to your jokes 1*' faid * Thefe ladies, it mud be confeffed, are not very unlike in perfon to the Syrens of antiquity ; but the reader is requefled nor to confound them. They as truly exifted in the heart of France as the daughters of Acnelous on the coail of Sicily. a third, THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 4; a third, who appeared to pofTefs the grea • eft authority. Thenjaddrefling Toui ville ; '< Chevaher," continued (lie, " I fhall «' reflore you to liberty in the name of " Strigilhna, my miftrefs ; but on con- " dition that you give me your hand to '' the pahice, which is clofe by, and there " reft yourfelf.'' The articles of capitulation were agreed to, and Tourville, followed by his Squire, walked towards the palace. He did not open his lips ; but beginning to be ufed to his adventure, which hitherto was at- tended with nothing difagreeahle, he caft: his eyes on the objecls around him, and faw beautiful avenues, a fine country in high cultivation, purling ftreams, and elegant viftas j in (hort all that befpeaks the refidence of a perfon of tafte and fortune : but as yet he was not in fight of the palace, w^hich, when it appeared, by no means anfwered, at leaft in its form; the expedation raifed by the ap- a preaches ^6 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. pf caches to it. It was an immenfe cage, flanked by four fmall ones, not unlike a tower and its four turrets. Oa lourville's entering the faloori where StrigiHina was waiting for him, (he rofe, advanced a few fteps wiih a kind air to meet him, and faid : '' Chevalier, " I know you will forgive me the inno- '' cent trick I have played you. When " compelled like me to live in retire- " ment one is excufable in attrading *' good company, Yefterday, in your *' eagernefs to continue your journey, *' you forgot to fatisfy the imperious '* demands of hunger : I perceived your " firuation, and relinquifhed to you a " fupper at which no one was expeded. *' I thought it proper to keep out of '' light, as well to leave you entirely '' unredrained as to enjoy your furprife j " what followed was the efFe6l of me- " chanifm, with which I fometimes *' amufe myfelf: but I intend to give " you THE KNi.GiIT OF TOURS. 47 *' you your revenge, and you (hall allow " me ro convince you that I know what *' is due to men of your merit and *' quality.** Tourville only bowed, and thanked the enchantrefs, for an enchantrefs fhe wa5, and examined her perfon. Her plumage had a flight tint of yellow l:ke that of a canary-bird: (he had a hand- fome face, a fine complexion, lips like Vermillion, teeth of the mod beautiful enamel, eyes dark, lively, and well fhaped, yet fiie had fomething melan- choly in her look. Her eyebrows, finely- rounded, were hardly feparated. Her fmile had fomething arch in it, and the tout- enfembleof her features formed a coun- tenance ingenious, keen, and licentious. Tourville thought it prudent to be per- fuaded to fpend the day at the palace. He fat down with his hollefs to a dinner as delicate as it was abundant, but he 48 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. he was flill far froai being at eafe. Strigillina loaded him wiih attentfons: ' I fee," faid fhe, " your eyes find it ' difficult to accuftom themfelves to * the fingular appearances which ftrike ^ them. Your anxiety and curiofity ' are very natural. There is a myftery, ' no doubt, in the objeds around you, ' and you will make me happy if you ' will permit me to explain it freely to ' you ; but we muft wait till we are a ^ little better acquainted with each other: ' prepoffeffion is felt at firfl fight, but ' confidence mud be gained gradually.'* Embarralfment dill hung upon the Knight's replies. The dinner was fuc- ceeded by nnufic, walking, and a ball. The feathered court difplayed talents of every kind : Strigillina was gay and graceful. After dancing there was a fupper more fplendid than the dinner, and attended with greater gaiety. Stri- gillina I THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 49 gillina afked Tourville what he felt on finding himfelf encaged. " You mufl ^' compofe a little work on the fubjed,*' faid fhe. — " You look furprifed, Che- ** valier : do you think you are un- ** known, and that the fame of your ^' genius, fpread throughout Europe, " has not made its way to the forefl: of " Montgrand ? Do you imagine there " is nothing marked in your reception ** here, and that I efteem myfelf as much " honoured by any other vifit as by that *' of the noble and ingenious Tour- « ville ?" The Knight had talents for compofi- tion, and there was nothing he fo much piqued himfelf upon as his writings. The well-direded compliment had its ef- fe6l ; the Knight fmiled and bowed mo- deftly. '^ I hope," continued the beau- tiful Enchantrefs, " there is no impro- ^' priety in requefling a fight of one of VOL, I, D «* thofe 5^ THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. " thofe works fo generally admired.** After allowing himfelf to be preffed for feme time, Tourville took out his pocket- book. The company round the table were laughing and talking in parties, raillery and playful trifling amufed their fancies, when a look from Strigillina awakened attention. The eyes of the audience were fixed, their mouths com- pofed, their countenances full of ex- pedation. The Knight, opening a ma- nufcript and calling a look around the table to obferve th£ general difpofition, faid : " This, Madam, is one of the *' produdions of my leifure : it coft me *' very little labour, and indeed I con- " fider it but as a bagatelle." He then read the following Allegory. PLEASURE.- AN ALLEGORY, " Thefmiling God ofPleafure had hil iR'hims like the other Gods, and was not sJways THE KNiGHT OF TOURS. 51 always to be found in Olympus : he fometimes vifited the earth, whither the Immortals themfelves were conftrained to purfue him. " When he quitted the celeftial abodes, Arabrofia loft its flavour, nedar was infipid ; bloom and fprightlinefs forfook Hebe ; the Graces became lan- guid, and Venus appeared to have loft; her ceftus : the vein of Apollo froze, and Momus's hon-mots evaporated in froth upon his lips. " Once on a time, Pleafure having difappeated from heaven, Mercury haf- tened to purfue and carry him back. The Meflenger of the Gods fpread his wings, and in the twinkling of an cye^ alighted on the earth. " The fplendour of a Court, and pre- parations for a feaft worthy of fovereign magnificence firft caught his attention, D 2 The UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS LIBRARY §i THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. The name of Pleafure was in the mouth of eveiy one employed on the occafion, and it feemed to fparkle with impatience in the eyes of thofe who were waiting the moment of enjoyment, *' On entering the veftibule of the pa- lace. Mercury was met by Reftraint and Ceremony, who came to receive him in form at the door. He immediately withdrew, fatisfied that Pleafure could H-ever have taken refuge among his mor- tal enemies. " The God next perceived, at a dif- tance, the fuburbs of a magnificent city, whofe immenfe wealth had collected in profufion every fort of convenience, and where all the coveted fuperfiuities of luxury were to be found: fuperfluities unknown to nature, taught by fafiiion, and rendered neceflary by habit. " There were gardens laid out in the moft THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 53 mofl agreeable manner, delightful prof- pefls, and elegant grounds, where the frelh air was always to be enjoyed. " Innumerable objecls, agreeably di- verfified, arofe to excite life and fpirits. In the crowd a thoufand carriages vied in fplendour and tafte, while their dri- vers contended for Ikill, and the horfes foamed on their curbs with impatience. " In the multitude Mercury obferved the genii of fhow and budle covered with duft and perfpiration, but he could fee nothing of Pleafure. He fought hliii in the eyes of the beauties who graced thefe reforts : he found them vacant, or agi- tated with fuperficial and tranfient paf- fions " Perhaps," cried the God, " he <* is in their hearts ; I will follow them, I •* (hall aflfuredly find Pleafure among them, ** for they feem made to create him." " He accompanied them and entered the theatre. The houfe was full of the D 3 molt 54 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. mod elegant and fafhionable of both fexes, impatient for the drawing up of the curtain. It rofej an interelling and animated drama was performed ; deh'ght- ful mufic, adapted to the fubjed, filled ihe time between the ad^s. The mofl graceful dancing fucceeded, the decora- tions of the theatre were fuperb, and ex- ecuted with tafle ; every part of the piece was fupported by the firfl rate talents. What a hopeful combination of delight ! Mercury depended upon feeing the God he was in quefl: of appear to animate the whole; but he was maftaken. Party, prejudice, and difguft, the offspring of habitual repetition, took pofTeffion of the company. The effect of a flight emotion was juft vifible on the countenance of a girl, who was accidentally at the play for the iirft time. " Overhearing engagements made for fupper, Mercury refolved to continue his fearch THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 55 fearch in the fupper-rooms. In an ad* joining chamber he perceived a group of antiquated damfels, maidens, widows and neglected wives, with whom fat % pale, lean perfonage of the other fex% Their countenances were fo pregnant with delight that Mercury, though at firft he doubted, fufpeded it not impoflibk to find the Deity he was in purfuit of hid in this party : and his fufpicions were augmented when, on approaching, he obferved fomething moving under the folds of the drapery of a maiden lady who was fpeaking. She was differing a character. The invifible God could not believe that Pleafure would be found in company with Envy and Slander, yet there was fomething fo like him on the faces of this group, that he refolved be- fore he left them to fee if it was not the little divinity himfelf, that from beneath was gently undulating the robe of the D 4 chief 56 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. chief fpeaker. PaiTing his caduceuS^ round the pallid gentleman, he foftly raifed the gauze flounce, and faw two round fiery eyes : in an inftant a cur darted from his refling place, and with a yelp Jiearly fnapped off one of the fingers of the little male flanderer. The fcintil- lations of delight arife from the corrup- tion of the heart, as phofphoric glimmer- ings irradiate from putrifaclion, or as hyfteric laughter fometimes proceeds from forrow. Mercury flew to the fupper. ** An elegant room, delicious fare, Med: company, proclaim an excellent feaft. The company, already intoxicated, take their feats at table : and now what does Mercury fee and hear ? A frigid attempt at mirth, premeditated blunders, afFeded voices, and fl:udied phrafes. A few random witticifms ferve to keep the party alive. The diflies are almofl: all removed untouched ^ the bafis of indi- geftion THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 5^ geftion had been laid at dinner, and every one tells his neighbour in con- fidence that he is in pain from over eat- ing. Now for the niafquerade. " Here none but the gods themfelves, or a man of fafhion, could have under- gone what Mercury did. What a crowd of mafks ! What whimfical drefles ! What unmeaning queftions ! The God faw jaded votaries every where ; " but " where,'' cried he, " where is Pleafure? " I hear a grand concert, perceive bril- " liant lights, and fee fafhionable people " dancing to be admired. Here are *' a^lrefies endeavouring to attrad notice, *' loungers feeking intrigues, and bufy- ** bodies watching to deted them. I *' fee people tormenting themfelves and *' others ; but where is Pleafure ?'* " Two young lovers appeared to avoid the crpwd; they feeraed an^iable. — D 5 " They 5« THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. ** They mufl: be happy," fald Mercury ; ** I am near the end of my embafly, for *^ with thefe fhall I certainly difcover my *^ little celeftial truant.'* The lover talked of drefs, and defcanted upon the beauties of the building: his miftrefs rallied him 5 he made impudent advances, and was repelled, but without energy : an alTumed modefty yielded to real ef- frontery, a mock altar was raifcd to Love, and Virtue was facrificed. Mer- cury, though no bafhful God, was fcan- dalized, and turning away, quitted the temple of motley votaries. *' Chance now directed his fteps to a houfe well lighted up, frequented by the lower order of mortals : he entered, but was almoft in dcfpair. After a fupper. more folid than delicate, the people were getting drunk without tafte or fentiment. Pleafure, whom Mercury was purfuing, equally THE KNJGHT OF TOURS. 59 equally fhuns the afFeded manners of fafhion, and the noify merriment of the vulgar: he was not at this place- ** At length the fhades of night dif- perfed, and at the rifmg of the fun. Mercury found himfelf in a fmiling coun- try, furrounded by the beauties of na- ture. He moved thoughtfully towards a little village, where he inflindively en- tered a cottage covered with thatch, and faw Edwin and Jefle. " Edwin was turned of twenty, and Jeffe was not quite eighteen. Nature had formed their perfons in her moft perfed moulds, and the Gods had en- dowed them with fouls at once com- pletely fufceptible, and completely in- nocent. They were in love with each other, and on the point of marriage. *' They blufhed on feeing Mercury, and were perplexed with tender doubt. The fear of being parted was lifing in D 6 theii 6o THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. their hearts, which he withdrew to prevent. In their looks he had caught a glimpfe of the God he was feeking, whom it behoved him not to frighten, but to watch and furprife. *« Mercury pretended to retire, but turning fuddenly round, furprifed the God of Pleafure on a bed of mofs and rofes, and once more feeling the charm of his prefence, raifed him, bound him, and led him back to heaven. " Yet Pleafure did not wholly aban- don Edwin and Jefle : the Gods per- mitted him frequently to vifit their Am- ple cot, nor was his influence ever to- tally interrupted, but in their abfence from each other." Tourville having finifhed his allegory, Strigillina and the ladies of her Court lavifhed the mod unbounded applaufe upon him. His fpirits were raifed, he became THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 6i became good humoured, and at the con- clufion of the repaft thought it but too (hort. He handed the flattering En- chantrefs to her apartment, and thea retired to that which was prepared for him. " Really,'* faid he to his Squire, as foon as they were alone, " the feathers *' excepted, thefe women are very well " bred, and have great tafle : what think " you, Joe?"—" Why, Sir,'* replied the Squire, " I know nothing of breed- " ing or tafte ; but I think we fhan't die " of hunger in this place ; and if your " pocket-book be but tolerably (locked, " you wont die of the vapours,"— •' What ! you obferved then, Joe, eh I" cried the Knight ; " do you think they *' werepleafed, eh!'*—" Oh >es. Sir," replied Joe, " they thought your verfes " mighty fine." — '' My verfes! you " fool you I it was a profe piece I read " t0 52 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. « to them."—" Was it, Sir ? I beg " pardon ; but no wonder I took your *' profe for verfe, as I fometimes take *^ your verfe for profe ; there's no know- *^ ing the difference in the works of you *' men of quality : but, Sir, did we fet *' out in fuch a hurry on our journey to " come and liften here to the pretty *' compliments of thefe feathered ladies, ** and make them fine fp '* ** Cer- " tainly not, Joe ; it was impofTible not •' to make fome return to their civilities, " but we will be on horfeback before •' day ; nay, we would mount now if *' we knew our way.'* Here the cwi- verfation ended, and the Knight and his Squire repaired to their beds, and fell afieep. All was ftill quiet in the palace of Strigillina, when Tourville (hook his Squire by the arm without being able to wake him. At laft he pulled him out of bedj THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 63 bed, faying : " are not you afliamed, « Joe, to be lleeping ftill ?'* " Still !" cried the Squire, awakened by the fall and the cold floor, " I had *' but juft fallen into my firft fleep : *' and where would you go ? It is as " dark as pitch." " Where would I go ?'* faid Tourville : *' and pray what bufinefs have we to flay *' here any longer ? Where is Egre- ^^ mont ? His enemies cover the coun- ** try ; he can hope for no afTiftance but *^ what he may expedl from me. I have " loft a whole day, Joe, a day which ** (hould have been devoted to honour <' and to friendfhip. What would Hip- •' polita think of my remiflfnefs in ferv- " ing her lover ? What would Violetta « think?'* " Very true, Sir," faid Joe, " no- " thing on earth can be more reafonable " or better faid ^ but I don't much think « it 64 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. *^ it will be an eafy matter for us to *' grope our way out of the place we « are in." *' I muft, I mufl haden away/* cried Tourville, " to make up for the time '* loft, and to avoid civilities which I can " never return." Saying which he took up his arms, and Joe having hurried on his clorhs, they ifTued forth in the dark. Nor had they any difficulty in getting their horfes, which they mounted, and took the firfl: road that prefented itfelf in the obfcurity of the night. " All the neighbourhood hereabouts,'* faid the Knight, " mud be inhabited, *' and if we do lofe ourfelves we fhall " meet with people at day break to put *' us in our way.*' On this he puflied on, and the fquire followed, without fay- ing a vt'ord. They kept on a brifk trot for about two hours, when the twilight began to enable THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 65 enable them to difcern objeds, though confufedly. They rode along the walls of a park which appeared to be very extenfive, and paiTed by buildings that feemed to be the offices of fome large manfion. Pro- ceeding a little farther they found them- felves at the gates of a palace which they could 'not miftake. It was Strigiilina's. *' We mud certainly have turned out " of the road we firft took," faid Tour- ville, " which could never have brought ** us back here : but, thank Heaven, '^ the fun is rifing, and we Ihall not lofe ^' our way again.'* The travellers now took a road which was cut through a very thick foreft*, \vhich the rays of the fun could not pierce, nor did it appear pofiible to turn afide in it. At length, after an hour and a half's gallop, the forefl began to open, a cultivated country appeared, and the travellers 66 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. travellers found themfelves in an avenue leading to a palace. It was Strigillina*s. *' Lord ! lord !" faid the fquire, *' fhall we never lofe fight of this curfed " cage?"—" Look/* faid Tourville, *' we are now in the road by which w^ ** arrived here yefterday ; I don't know *' how it happened that 1 did not recol- " led it fooner ; let us go back, and wc *« fhall find the path leading to the pavi- *' lion where we pafled the night before *« lad. There it is.*' Confident it was the fame, the Kn'ght immediately turned into it, faying to his Squire, '• Now I *« think we fhall foon be out." — " You, " Sir," replied Joe, ** think we fhall, and *' I wilh we may." After two hours hard riding, the mafler and man found themfelves on a broad road approaching fome habita- tions. They heard the barking of dogs, the crowing of cocks, the neighing of horfes ; THE KNiGHT OF TOURS. 67 horfes ; at lad they came to a large ftable, and knew them to be thofe belonging to the palace of Strigillina. The fun had already performed half • his courfe, the Knight and Squire had exhaufted their patience, the horfes were tired. In this (late a little page, feather- ed like a flarling, went up to Tourville. " Noble Knighr," faid he, " you have *' had a long ride ; it is time for you to ** take fome reft and refrefhment : my *' miftrefs is waiting for you." Tourville and Joe ftared each other in the face with no little degree of contortion. *' What's to be done?" faid the Knight, *' Truly,'* replied the Squire, " we have ** one choice left ; to go in quietly, and *' be fully fatisfied that we never ftiall " leave this place, till it is the will and *' pleafure of the lady of it that we « fhould."— ." What !" cried Tourville, " do you pretend to fay that there is any " intention ^8 THE KNIGHT OF T0UR1S. *' intention to keep me here in fplte of ** my teeth ?" — '' I pretend to nothing/' faid Joe ; '^ but you mufl; have been " very abfent if nothing has ftruck you : *' the lady has very expreffive eyes ; then *^ the marked attentions paid you, and " fulfome praifes lavifhed on you 1" « Well then ;*' faid Tourville, '' the *' fooner an explanation takes place the *f better." He alighted, and having given his hoife to his Squire, returned to his apartment, where he left his arms, and then went to wait on Strigiilina. His manner was cold and conftrained. «^ Surely, Chevalier,'' faid the En- chantrefs, '* you muft have doubted the " abilities of my cooks : for I prefume " it was for the purpofe of getting an *^ appetite that you went out fo early to <* take the air. I thought that as you *■' flood in need of reft you would not •^ have gone out this morning, or I " fliould THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 69 *• (liould have ordered my dogs out " to afford you the diverfion of the '^ chace." Tourville returned her civilities by fome unmeaning expreflions, and dinner was foon after ferved. Strigillina exerted herfelf to render it agreeable, and in- finuated to the Knight a plan of the life he might lead, if a refidence at the pa- lace were agreeable to him. If he loved reading, he would be fupplled with rare and curious manufcripts. If he was fond of m-ufic or theatrical entertain- ments, he would find about him talents fuited to the various kinds of them, and particularly people unrivalled in decora- tions and machinery. To thefe offers, and a thoufand allure- ments which accompanied them, Tour- ville thought It incumbent upon him to reply in a ferious manner. *' Your pa- '/ lace. Madam,'* faid he, " poffeffes all 7 «' that 70 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. *' that can charm a man of tafle, dell- '* cacy, and fenfibility : heaven grant ** that I may one day have it in my *' power to come and refign myfelf to *' the tranquil and delightful life you " offer me, and teftlfy the unbounded *' gratitude I feel for a reception replete ^ with fuch goodncfs ! But at this time *' I ftiall confine myfelf to obtaining only ** one favour of you. The moft im- " portant duties, the deareft interefls *' called me into Britany at the time *' when the fortunate occurrence, to ** which I owe the happinefs of your ac- ** quaintance, took place. Permit me ** to purfue my journey : permit — — " The Knight had not time to finifli his fpeech, a moifture overfpread the eyes of Strigillina, a fudden palenefs expelled the rofes from her cheeks, and fhe flew to her room to conceal her vexation and confufion. Surprifed THE KNIGHT Ot'^ TOURS. 71 Surprifed and difconcerted, Tourvllle went into the garden to fpeak to his Squire, but had fcarcely advanced half a dozen fteps when he was overtaken by Badine, the Enchantrefs's confidante. «' Excufe me, Knight," faid fhe, " if I " break in upon your meditations ; but ** really. Sir, you feem to me to treat ** us very cavalierly. You cannot but " obferve what pleafure your company " creates here, yet you think of nothing " but leaving us." <* Madam," replied Tourvllle, " I am ** very fenfible of the value of the re- '' ception with which I have been ho- " noured, as well as of the happinefs I " forego, but duty — '* « Away with '' fuch a pretence !*' cried Badine: " I *' have a word for your ear calculated to <* banifh the remembrance of duties far ** more important than thofe you con- " ceive incumbent on you. My miflrefs *' loves 72 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. '^ loves you — ." " Indeed ! then am I " very wretched." "Wretched!" ex- claimed Badine : " am I awake ? Well ! it *' muft be owned that nothing is fo de- *' ceitful as report ; for, from what I *^ have heard of you, I never fhould " have thought that a declaration of love '^ from a pretty woman could have made *' you wretched." " It is becaufe I cannot return it, '^ Madam, that I am unhappy," faid Tourville : ^' to be wanting in my duty *' is to be wanting to myfelf; and in *^ this inflance it would be attended with *' a falfehood, and a breach of friend- « fhip.*' " I think I underfland you," replied Badine : " in the firfl place, you imagine *' that a certain perfon, whom you are *' going to look for where. he is not, •* (lands in need of you. Now, I can *' affure you that you have no caufe to « be THE KNIGHT OF TOURS, 73 ^' be uneafy on his account. In the next *^ place, you are afraid of fwearing to '^ my miflrefs what you do not exadly " feel : and pray how long have you ^* been fubjedi: to fuch fcruples ? Swear, " Chevalier, fwear boldly, and I pro- " mife you ftiall not long fv/ear before " your protedations become fincere. I *' am aware, notwithftanding your dif- " fembling it, that there is fomething " dill at your heart. You have fome ** low attachment : the young woman is " faid to be very handfome, her com- " plexion extremely fair, fet off with a " fine colour, rather lively. You blufh ! *' are you furprifed to find us fo well in- " formed of your concerns ? or are you " bafliful ? Are thefe the caufes -why " you decline the happinefs offered you ? " Come, Chevalier, be yourfelf, and do " not for fuch trifling motives flight a ^' fortune which thoufands would envy : VOL. I. E ^^ dcr 74 'IH£ KNIGHT OF TOURS. " do not abandon to the pangs of a '^ fruitlefs and rejected pafTion a charm- '^ ing woman who would facrifice all to ^* make you happy. I left her wretched ^^ and in tears, you are at liberty to go '° and wipe them away : confult your *• heart ; think of Strigillina, it mud be '- to her advantage. Write fome tender *^ verfes on her. I muft not conceal " from you, that next to the gift of " your heart, nothing could flatter her ^' fo much as the produdions of your " fancy/' Here Badine concluded, made a low curtefy, and withdrew. Tourville continued walking for fome time in filence with Joe, who had joined him almoft at the fame inllant with Badine, At length the Squire broke filence. '' Fray, Sir," faid he, " is it your opi- '^ iiion that ihl-; is the lirft eifay of the '- young lady's talents ar intrigue ? 1 own *' 1 think her in many refpe^ts rather '' too THE KNfGHr OF TOURS. 75 '' too fldlful." " Well!" replied the Knight, " what are we to do ?'' " Make *' verfes, Sir, verfes." ^'* I make verfes !'* cried the Knight pettiflily, " this is not " a lime for jeiling."* " I don't jeft,'* replied the Squire, " you have fo often " made verfes upon nothing, why not *' make fome now that you have plenty ^ of fubje6l ? fine eyes, love, fighs, " paflion, tears, upbraidlngs, and'jea« " loufy." " I make verfes !" repeated Tourville, *' I am in a fine mood for compofmg, « truly/' " Well then !" faid Joe, " don't compofe any, but look among *' your papers for fome ready riiade, and " make thefe ferve the purpofe by chan- " ging the name." " If you pleafe," faid the Knight, la the fame pettifh tone : " pray look " among my detached pieces, and if you *' find a copy of verfes that I have made E 2 «f on ^6 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. *• on any gofling, you may write them ^' out fair and carry them to your fea- '• thered lady. You are filly; and I am '^ very unfortunate to have infpired this '• ridiculous paffion.*' " Your greateO: misfortune, Sir" re- plied the iSquire, *' is not that of being ^^ loved. This great love for you, and *' all that's faid and done here, feem to iS.me to be dreams : and I can't but fay *' 1 am fomewhat apprehenfive as to how ^' we fliall wake out of them. I diftrud ^' every thing, and I mufb be con- *' foundedly afraid of dying of hunger ^rjo eat here as I do." " Come," cried Tourville, " let us *' mount our horfes again, and leave " this place immediately." " And do " you think, Sir, that you will fee any '^ clearer than you did this morning? " Dqn*t you perceive that we are in a " labyrinth of which perhaps the devii '' himfelf THE KMIGIir OF TOURS. f; " himfelf only has the clue." '' I mufi: " fpeak to this v,'oman," replie-li Tour-^ ville, " and try to make her liden to " re?.fon." — " No doubt, Sir, yi?a have " found fome women that have liilened " to reafon j" faid Joe, " but I warrant *' you that the one in queltion is only " difpofed to liflen to what her natural *^ inclinations, tade, or fancy^, may dic- ** tate : that*s the language you mufl: '^ fpeak, if you would have her llilen. " Bellow at lead fome flattering fpeeches, ** whatever it may cod your candour,' ^' and particularly take care to difcard " from your manner the appearance of *' fo much referve, which may keep the " lady on her guard againd you. While *' you are with her, I will walk round ^' the place : I fuppofe I Ihall be allowed ** the liberty, for 1 am not worth no- <' ticing, and perhaps I (hall find a way *' by which we may efcape." E 3 Tourville 78 l^HE KNIGHT OP TOURS. Tourville at length refolvcd to go to the lady's apartment, and fuffered him- kU to be led by the hand by Badine to her bedfide. Meanwhile Joe walked down the gar- den, and was juft going into the fields ; when cafting his eyes towards the palace, he was not a little furprized to meet thole of his mafter, who was walking on a narrow terrace in front of his apart- ment. The Squire inflantly ran back, and going up to the Knight, cried as he gafped for breath ; '* 1 augur ill. Sir, of " the interview ; It has been too fhort, ^' or the lady denied herfelf, or you were* ^^ not well received." ^^ I have both ken and fpoke to her, *^ Joe ;" replied Tourville. *^ She was *^ confined to her bed. Whether it was ^^ that the emotion of her mind lent new " colour to her complexion j or that the " love THE KNIGHT OF TOURS-. 7^ *' love that reigns in her heart gavcr *' more expreffion to her eyes ; or that* ^^ the foft light aJmitteil into the chani- *^ ber fliewed her complexion and iWii '^ to advantage; or in fhort that the' " fheets by which the phimage was con- '' cealed permitted me to fee only what '^ was natural and amiable, Strtgilliri?, *' appeared to n.e truly beantiful ; but » c6 Let us on, my Lord," faid the Knight without anfwering the Count, " let us make hade : fee the flames are " fpreading around, hear what cries ! I " know not the extent of our danger, '* the number of our enemy. I had lain " down to fleep without putting off my *' arms : awakened by a fearful noife, I " rofe, ran out, fawyour tent entered by " alTaffins — '* " Come to my arms, my " preferver, my avenger, my fellow- " foldier,'* cried Sigifmond : worthy ^^ Knight, let me embrace you ; I fwear to communicate to 136 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS, *^ one another their mod common events, ^* w?s much too confined for a nation '^ that had attained a high degree of " civilization, and three-fourths of the *^ ideas they had acquired were necefla- *' rily left without a medium of ex- " predion. '* A ph-hfopher having reflected on ^^ the almc/fl univerfal tafte of his coun- *f try men for ir.ufic ; their readinefs in 'f acquiring it, and the knowledge of it ^* already fpread throughout the ifland, " conceived the idea of taking advan- " tage of it to fupply the deficiency of " fpeech ; and you will be foon con- <* vinced. Madam, that the projed is " by no means fo odd as it appears at « fird. " But fome defeds in the method <^ of teaching, fome difputes that *' have arifen among the critics, the " ideas formed refpefting the real " purity THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 137 '^ purity of the mufical language, re- " tarded the progrefs of it, and ftill re- " tards it lo much th^f I am far from *^ thinking the dialed: arrived at a full " flate of perfection. *' Scarcely had the learned fucceeded '' in reprefenting the letters, by the *' medium of founds, and in forming '^ them into words, when they began " to differ on the modes which it would *^ be mofl convenient to employ : there *^ was a long controverfy on the diatonic, " and harmonic ; and it was, moreover, *^ argued, that it was not always the mod '' fenfible difcourfe that had a title to '* pleafe, a title which ought to be re- *' feived for that, which, confined to ^^ one meafure, forming one melody, ^^ and having an appropriate flyle, fhould ^^ prefent nearly to the mind the ideas *' intended to be imparted. In confe- " quence of a decifion in favour of this ^^ opinion. 138 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. *' opinion, the brains of the fludents *^ have been terribly racked, and good " fenfe has fQifered extremely. " The common people, who have not *' time to attend to fuch refinement, *' grate one's ears, and follovt^ their feel- *^ ings without much rule, yet they play *^ more direcliy to the point ; for they " exprefs exactly what they want ta *' fay. *' Having given you thefe general *' notions. Madam, let us, if you pleafe, " defcend to particulars, and enter more *' into detail. You have, no doubt, " fome knowledge of mufic ; the noble- ^' nefs of your exterior declares that of 'Vyour birth, and makes me prefume *^ that no part of your education has " been negleded. You probably play *' fome indrument ; but the king, who " has a great defire to pleafe you, wilhes " that you would have the goodnefs to " begia THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 139 " begin pradifing on the lute. Permit *' me to give you your firO. leflon. " In the lirft place, then, you will ^^ find your alphabet in the various po- " fitions of the notes. Sometimes a '^ fmgle note Vk'ill prefent you a com- *^ plete idea ; for example, llrike 2i Ji ; *' you now fay yes : ft r ike a fol, and you *• fay ?io» You will allow that we have '^ here a confent and a refufal exprefled " with all defirable rapidity. *' But we do not ftop here : refine- " ment of expreflion may be united with ^* rapidity. With the help of a JJat or ^' a JiMirpj of one of thofe inter miflions '^ called refisj here equivalent to fighs, ^^ and by introducing a foft cadence ^' feafonably, a yes is made to fignify no- '^ thing, and a no not to mean 710. " I fear. Madam, to exhauft your '^ patience ; and befides, I feel I ought ' to give thefe ideas time to make their " imprefTion. 14» THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. *^ impreffion. My orders being to be ^^ careful of you as well as to inftrufl *^ you ; and being impelled both by duty *' and inclination to confult your plea- ** fure, I (hall now fufpend the tafk I " have undertaken, to refume it wiiea *' agreeable to you." As he finiPned bis compliment the mufician, interpreter, and teacher of languages maae his bow, and withdrew. Violetta remained alone, pondering on what fhe had heard, not knowing what to think of her fuuation, and inatten- tively Itrking on the lute left la her hands ^ and /ol, fol and fu Kg<^ had not abated the fire of the paf- fions in the heart of Demetrius, H vereign of the ifle of Melologues, the name of the nation amongft whom Tourville'5 niiftrefs now was. The prince was flill fubjcd to the power and to the caprices of love \ but being defcended from one of THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 141 of thofe Saracen branches, which had brought the flower of gallantry into Eu- rope, he was unacquainted with the ufage of the handkerchief; a cuftom worthy only of the pride of theOttoman race, and min* gled fentiment and delicacy with his love. Grouvelle, his interpreter, went and re- ported to him the happy qualities he had difcovered in the beautiful ftranger, her docility in taking leiTons, and the natural and acquired endowments by means of which {hs would in a (hort time become an excellent Melologue fcholar. On this report Demetrius felt the lively inclination he had conceived for Violetta doubly increafed. "Go5"faid he to Grouvelle, flriking his inflrument, " go " and inform the lady that I hope to fee " her to-day, and tell her how impatient '' lam/; In obedience to his Majefty's com- mand, Grouvelle waited on his fcholar with 142 THIE KNIGHT OF TOURS. with the meflage. " I am fenfible. Ma- " dam," faid he to her, '^ of the em- ** barraflment you will experience, and *^ I know nothing fo difagreeable as a *' converfation between perfons who can *' neither exprefs themfelves, nor under>- ** (land without an interpreter; but if you *^ will condefcend to pradife a little arti- *' fice, you will render the King highly *' pleafed with himfelf, and give him a *' great idea of your abilities. Pretend to *' underfland what he fays to you. As he *' exprefles himfelf freely and at largey, if *^ you introduce a yes or a 720 apropos, *' it will be enough to convince him that *' you underfland, and that nothing has *' been loft in his difplay of eloquence. *< I will place myfelf behind him, a little *' on one fide, and every queflion he puts *' I will mak« a fign with my hand, ** which will enable you to ftrike on *' your lute the reply it will be proper to " make. THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 143 *^ make. It will only be, as you already <' know, a 7/ or a fcl^ according to cir- " cumftances. Farther, obferve atten- *' tively the motions of my face, and " appear fad, joyful, or embarrafled, as «* I mark the different emotions by the *' expreflion I (hall throw into my own *^ countenance." Violetta felt no objec- tion to give her mafter, and the Prince who employed him, this mark of com- plaifance. At the time appointed Demetrius came, having provided himfelf with a german. flute, an inftrurnent w^ell adapted to the fentiment he meant to infpire. He ac- cofled the lady with an air fomething like a faraband, which he overcharged with trills and cadences, accompanying them with various contortions of his eyes. The good monarch wanted breath, and was deficient in fingering and tonguing ; he played neither diftinclly nor clearly j fo 144- THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. fo that his compliment, which was in it- felf nothing more than a feries of com- mon-places, might pafs, as to the mufic and the execution, for a very infipid fym phony. Grouvelle alTumed a fmiling coun« tenance, and made a fign with his head, which his pupil expreffed by a foU as much as to fay no^ accompanying it with a fmile. She was graceful in every thing, and the fmile was kind. Demetrius appeared enchanted ; the trills, the cadences, were redoubled : on this the mafter made the fign of yes with his head, and the fi was immediately ftruck by Violetta. Demetrius now changed his mo- dulation, and was fearcely heard but in broken, low, and tremulous founds. Grouvelle afTumed a look of indigna- tion, giving his fcholar to underftand that THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 145 that the occafion required a very dry no ; Soi hid the lute dryly. The King continued playing in the fame tremulous and broken (train. Grou- velle changed his countenance, and made a fign to anfwer by a feeble and equivocal confenf. The pupil, both in her man- ner and according to the leffon (he had taken, endeavoured to exprefs on the lute the reply fuggefted. Here Demetrius could contain himfelf no longer,but,flying tov/ards the beautiful flranger, feized her hand with tranfport, and rapturoufly killed it, then drawing a very valuable diamond ring from his fin- ger, gave it to Grouvelle, and after making a thoufand bows, left the apart- ment playing a fiourifh. He was fcarcely gone when Grouvelle throwing himfelf on his knee before Violetta, exclaimed: "= Ah, Madam! " your talents are unrivalled. You VOL, I. H " played 146 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. *' played like an angel j the King is en- *' chanted." " I am entirely in the dark/' replied Violetta : ** pray, what did the King fay «' to me, and what did I anfwer ?" " You faid, Madam, what it was *' right you fhould, confidering your " fituation ; but I cannot too much ap« «*^ plaud the wonderful talents I find you *' poiTefTedof; in your adion and in the ^' expreflion of your countenance, there " is an exaclnefs, an admirable energy, ic a '» " But,'' cried Violetta, " may not I *' be more particularly informed of the " reafons I have to be fo fatisfied with " myfelf?" " Mod undoubtedly ;" replied Grou- velle. " The King's firft compliment *' was expreffing his happinefs in having *' you in his dominions ; he then dwelled on the praifes fo much your due in every ti THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. J47 *'^ every refped, and on the tumult into ^^ which his heart was thrown at the very *^ firft interview ; adding that he feared *' his age might in your eyes be an im- <* pediment to the defign he had formed '^ of meriting the boon of your heart." " And what was my reply ?'* faid Violetta impatiently. " K foU Madam, which you flruck *« at a proper moment, removed the « Monarch's fears/' " So much the worfe, Sir ; fo much *' the worfe," replied Violetta atigrily. " Nay, Madam, would you offend the «' Monarch ?'* " I fhould have been entirely filent ; ** and according to the feelings of my " heart, it would have been the lead " offenfive ftep I could have taken : but, " pray,*' continued fhe, " what faid the ^^ the King to an avowal as infincere as <^ mifplaced?'* H 2 « He 1,8 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. " He exprefled his delight. Madam, " adding the ftrongeft proteftations : and ^* then he aiked you if you would with- *^ out reludance fix your abode at his « court." '' You (hould have made me anfwer *^ no." '' On the contrary, Madam." *^ Sir, you have made me ad a foolifli " part ; but go on ; I now fee that I mufi: «* have faid many foolifh things." " The King," continued Grouvelle, ^' expreifed his apprehenfion that your '^ heart might be engaged ; on which " you had the goodnefs to make him '^ eafy ; and even the ti^rn of your coun- " tenance very clearly (howed that you *^ felt hurt at the fufpicion." " Go on. Sir ; I have no fault to find " w > this anfwer j it is a point on *^ which no woman is required to be '' fcrupuloufly candid," '^ On THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 149 " On this, the King, after fome.apo- " logics, afked in an embarrafTed and ^' tremulous tone, if he might afpire to '* vour hand." '' And did I affent, Sir."—-'' Yes, *^ Madam," replied Grouvelle timidly, '^ and that was the caufe of the excefTive *^ joy to which you faw his Majefly '' yield himfelf/'— ^' Go out of my *' fight, Sir," faid Violetta, raifmg her voice ; " go and inform Demetrius that ^' we have been impofed upon, and that '* unlefs compelled by force I will never *^ fee him more." Ay Violetta faid this Grouvelle threw himfelf at her feet. She fpurned him from her, faying, " rife, *' Sir, or I will call for help. Give '^ over acting a chaiacler, the bafenefs " and blacknefs of which fhock me. *^ For Heaven's fake! Madam, take ^' care," cried Grouvelle, embracing her feet, and holding her back in fpite of H 3 . herfelf J 1^0 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. herfelf; "for Heaven's fake! take care^ *^ or you will ruin yourfelf. To what ** purpofe would you make a noife ?" ** That 1 may be better known/' re. plied Violetta. *' I am taken for fome *' adventurer. My birth, which my ** appearance fufficiently tedifies, fhould ** fecure me from a proje£l fo deteftable* '^ But if indeed the people here are in- *' fenfible to honour and humanity j if " I am puflied to extremity, I have cou» *' rage enough to die.'* *' Have patience, Madam, I befeech ** you by your lovely felf : I have not " the leaft doubt of all you can fay to *' your advantage ; my refped has an- ** ticipated your communication ; but ** why will you brave death or ilavery, '♦ when fentiments lefs violent, when a •* little diffimulation may render your " fituation fupportable, and afford to ** Heaven^ whofe protedion you merit, 3.Bd THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 151 •-' and to my zeal, which is unbounded, ** time to refcue you ? Whoever you ** are> reflc Grou- velle fuccefsfully executed his defigns j Violetta, drefled as a page, left her room, and quitting the palace, haftened to the fea fide under the protedion of the Inter- preter. They immediately embarked, the fails of their veflel were unfurled, and a fair wind fpeedily wafted the fugitives from the land of the Melologues* CHAP. V. CHAP; v; With new-fall*n dew. From church-yard yew, I will but *noint, and then Pll mount. Over woods, high rocks and mountains | : Gver hills and mifty fountains; Over Steeples, tow'rs, and turrets. We fly by night *inong troops of Spirits* ToURVlLLE and his Squire were left fenfelefs in their- apartment in Strigillina s palace, among the pieces of their tatter* ed garments and the feathers plucked from their enemies, where they remained fometime in a dead fleep. They fuddenly ftartedup in confequence of a movement entirely out of nature ; their eyes were open and their arms moved as if on fprings, but their bodies feemed deprived of fenfibility and their intelledls of adi?- 3 vity. rsS THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. ▼ity. It was midnight, they were en- veloped by a thick darknefs, and a vio* lent wind rofe by which the palace feem- ed (hook to its foundation. The windows of the Knight's apart- ment were blown open. Tourville and- Joe, hurried out and borne aloft, found thenifelves failing through the tracklefs regions of the air. At laft, before they had time to form an idea of the kind of machine that conveyed them, or of the toad they took, or of the diftance they had travelled, they found themfelves in the middle of the mod aftonifhing aflem- bly that ever mortal eyes could bear to look at, and perceived that they rode on broomflicks. The fovereign of the evil Genii prefided at this afiembly ; which was partly form- ed of the fpirits of his category, enchan- ters, magicians, forcerers, and witches ; t)ut alfo appeared full of figures ftill retain- ing THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 159 ing fomething human, phantoms, chime- raes, centaurs, griffins, hyppogriffins, dragons, ogres, cyclops, goblins, furies, lamaes, the monftrous offspring of imagi- nation, poetic frenzy, fpleen, idlenefs, fuperftition, roguery, weaknefs, ignorance, and fear. Diforder and malice mark- ed in the ranks of the affembly. A feign- ed, tumultuous joy appeared outwardly ; but under their difmayed countenances it was eafy to read perturbation, forrow^ and remorfe. Tourville, overpowered by the light of a thoufand torches burning round him^ and amazed at the frightful variety of monftrous obje6ls that appeared before him, faw all too confufedly to diftinguifh any thing clearly. Loud burfts of laugh- ter now dunned his ears 5 he was furround- cd, and prefently felt his nofe twitched in fuch a manner as to give him pain, while at the fame time a general hooting began, all y6o THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. all crying out to him at once; " hool hoo ! hoo ! Chenafo brutto ! The prefident raifed his voice to com* mand attention, but the burfts of laugh- ter were but the more violent, accompa- nied by the fame chorus:, hoo! hoo I hoo ! Che nafo brutto ! Tourville now perceived that he was covered with feathers like a turkey-cock, and that at the point of his nofe there was one of an unreafonable length, A fami- liar fpirit had feized him by this feather and led him round the hall, attended >«ith conftant burfts of laughter and cries oinafo brutto. The prefident, bellowing impatiently and defpairing to make himfelf heard, ftruck the ground with his dreadful fceptre. At this terrible blow one would have thought that the earth trembled on iis axis, and that the moon had flown from its orbit. . The affrighted goblins proff... tHe knight of tours. i6i proflrated themfeves in fifence before the footftool oi' the throne. " If I—'* faid he in a hoarfe voice and threatening mien, then reilraining himfelf — " but I (hall pardon this inde- " cency : be more refpetlful in future. '' Here then," continued he, pointing to the feathered Knight and his trufly Squire, " here have we another prank of " my lady StrigiHina's. It is to compofe " fuch fantaftical mafquerades that fhe " abfents herfelffrom our aflemblies, af- '' feding eontempt for our flatutes, and " independence of our orders. Should " I longer fufferher to continue pradifmg " her art with this levity, (he, no doubr, " would foon have for vafTals thofe whom " a power I abhor would fain withdraw " from my fway ; but it is time that I " fhould purge the earth of this race of *^ harpieSjand fend back Strigillina and' her '' mates to their mother, dame Celeno r " an i6z THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. *' an opportunity and the means have " been afForded me by a blunder of her " confidante's. In executing her mif- *' trefs's orders, Badine, in compofing " the drug that was to have the double *' efFed of transformhig this worthy gen* *' tleman into a kind of parrot and de- ** priving him of the ufe of reafon, mif* *' took a vial> and mixed with the drug ^« that mak^s the feathers grow that " which confers a participation of our *' myfteries, and fhe wantonly rubbed ♦' the point of his nofe to produce the *< enormous quil you fee there — "• What do I hear ?" exclaimed the Pre* fident in a paOion, '* Are you going to ^' laugh again ? Hah ! by Jingo ! if I *' hear a word more of na/o brntto " «' Knight !" continued he, when he had again recovered himfclf,, " return thanks " to tie miliake by which you were ^' brought before me, as you would " oiher- THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. i63 " otherwife have encreafed Strlgilli- *' na's court ; but to you I now com- *' mit your revenge. Return whence *' you came, and proceed fearlefsly to ** the apartment where the lady is afleep : " pluck from her forehead the tuft of ** feathers which ferves her as an egret, •* and you will have reafon to be pleafed : ** but before you go take the advice of ** a friend. You fee, whatever maybe ** faidj that I do not always do fvil j for " you will allow that you are under fome ** little obligation to me, and you muft *' not be ungrateful. Accident and my " forbearance have here made you ac- ** quainted with many things. I know *' your weaknefs ; you will be tempted ** to write on what you have feen : at all *' events try to fpare us In your epigrams^ " or by Jingo 1 here's the pay for " your fongs." As he fppke thefe words, the Prefident fliowed i64 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. fhowed his fceptre. It was a hazl^e branch, moie than two inches thick, and a foot longer than the conjuring wand. Scarcely was the fceptre held out when the Knight and Squire, without knowing by what means, found thenr- felves again in Strigillina's palace, awake,, and the morning light appearing. " Am I dreaming r" faid Tourville to his Squire. " That can't be. Sir,'* replied Joe ^ " it lads too long : befides, *' can we both dream the fame dream ?•— Hey ! look, at yourfelf in the glafs : look, " there's the nafo brutto. Come, Sir, " let us lofe no time; if it is a dream, " let us put an end to it, and fee " the conclufion of the adventure. Pray, " Sir, go to the lady's room before ftie *' wakes : whomever it comes from, I '' think we had very good advice " yonder.'* Tourville in this thought as his Squire did^ THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 165 did, and made his way without oppofition to Strigillina's bedfide, where, encouraged by fuccefs and incited by the defire of of vengeance, he darted his hand on her forehead and tore off with violence the fatal plume of feathers. The enchantrefs gave a fhrill and pier- cing cry, which a thoufand echoes in the palace, gardens, and fields, repeated, en- creafing in loudnefs. The palace va- ntfhed, ^hile Strigillina and her compa- nions, dripped of their feathers, and tranf- formed into loathfome harpies, rofe into the air on bats wings. As thofe light dreams that play upon the brain at the dawn of morn are borne away with the fhades of night, on the golden v;ings of the harbinger of day, and difperfe as the fun's rays are felt upon our eyelids : As thofe fleecy clouds that take fuch pleafing variegated forms, on the rifing of i(^ THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. of a gale feparate diflblve and difap- pear : As the wandering, tranfparent globe blown by an infant from the end of a pipe, fuddenly yielding to the preflure of the ambient air, refolves itfelf into an almoft imperceptible drop of water : As fulminating gold on being heated takes fire, burfts, and evaporates ; fo vanifhed Strigillina's magical palace from the fight of Tourville and Joe, as foon as the Knight by tearing off the myflerious plume of feathers had broken the fatal charm of her enchantments. The immenfe gilt cage, the buildings around it, the gardens and cultivated fields, all vanifhed ; and in their place, in the midft of a frightful defer t, and fur- rounded by an almoft impenetrable thick- et of brambles and bufhes, rofe an anti- que tov/er in ruins, whofe blackened walls, declining, tottering, and rent iu every THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 167 every part, threatened its final deflruc tion. The deer feared to (belter near it ; the alFrighted owls deferted unwillingly the perilous abode fo fuited to their moping mood. However prepared for this change of fcene, the Knight and Squire flood mo- tionlefs with aftonifiiment, till a piercing cold, which they felt in every limb, roufed them from their furprife, and compelled them to think of the means of fencing themfelves againfl: it. They were naked ; for the feathers with which they had been clothed had vanifhed like the reft of the illufions in which they had been involved. The clothes which they had on when they firft went to the palace, and even their horfes ready faddled, were at their hand. • Tourville drefled himfelf, though with fome difBculty, as he had to put together the i68 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. the parts of a doublet that had been torn to pieces. Joe, having foon put on his clothes, climbed to the top of a tre-e to look for fome paflfage by which they might get out of this frightful defert. He perceived about a hundred yards off, on a more open fpot, a number of people who appeared greatly agitated. He haftened down, apprized Tourville of the difcovery he had made, and pufhing through the buflies went forward to gain intelligence. Approaching the fpot he had obferved, he faw a number of men, feparate, here and there, all engaged in the fame employment in which he had left his mailer ; that is to fay, fome were try- ing to put on their coat, and others their armour. Joe accofted them, and put fome quef- tlons } but they only flared at him, and anfwered THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 169 anfvvered in monofyllables the meaning of which he could not comprehend. The honeft Squire was not verfed in foreign tongues. The different perfons fpoke to him in Breton, Provencal, and various other dialecls, but not a word of French or of the patois of Tours, the only dialects with which he had the llightefl acquaintance. He began to defpair,when he perceived a young man whofe eyes were fixed upon him : Joe gazed in his turn, and they no fooner came up to each other than the Gentleman taking him by the hand, ex- claimed ; " What ! is it you, my poor " Joey r" — " Is it really you yourfelf « Count Florizel?" cried Joe. " Which " is the way to Tours ? Where are we ? *' How are we to get out of this place ? " Have you been here long ? Are you *^ acquainted with the lady Strigillina? VOL, r. I 'f Were 170 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. ' " Were you bewitched ? Did you fee " the curfed cage ? What is become of " it ? Who are the people about you ? Are '' they in your company ? Do you *' know that the Chevalier Tourville is «^ clofeby?'* Joe's queflions came fo rapidly one upon another that it was impoflible for Flori- zel to anfwer them. '' Your mafler " here !'^ laid h€, " lead me to him " direaiy." The Squire obeyed and conduced the Count to the fpot where the Knight was drefling himfelf. They recognized each other, and after the firft compliments, the curiofity of both being very great, they defired to know each other's adventures, and the young Count began the relation of his in the following manner : " Some leagues hence our family have *^ a feat which you know. I went to refide <* there THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 171 *' there in order to enjoy the fports of the " field, which this part of the country *' affords in perfedion. I had feve- '' ral times followed the game, and a " good way towards this quarter, with- *' out meeting any thing extraordinary, " and from experience I confidered as '' fabulous all the marvellous ftories told " of this forefl. " About nine months ago, having fe- " parated from my party, about eleven *' o'clock in the morning, I came to the '' banks of a river, which cannot be very « far off. " It was exceflively hot, and being very " dry I alighted from my horfe to quench ^' my thirft. '* The river though pretty deep was " rapid. The water of it was as clear as " chryflal, and delightfully cool. " The verdant banks, enamelled with *' flowers, and Ihaded from the rays of I 2 " the 172 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS, *' the fun by groves of alder, and pop- *' lars, feemed by the union of conveni- •* ence and pleafantnefs to invite me to « reft. " I tied my horfe to a tree, and fitting *^ down, fell into a reverie. By de- •' grees, as fatigue, the coolnefs and *' lonelinefs of the place, and reft, pro- *' duced their combined effedls upon my ** fenfes, I became drowfy, and foon fell '* afleep. *' I was fuddenly awakened by a noife *^ which proceeded from the middle of •* the river. I opened my eyes and *^ looking towards the place thought I •^ faw a woman carried along by the *• ftream : fhe feemed to be almoft " drowned -, but her head from time to ** timeappeared above thewater. I flew to *' her afliftance, dreffed as I was — I ** knew nothing of what happened after- *' wards, till I opened my eyes as if reviv- « ing THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 273 " ing from a deep trance without feel-^ *' ing any inconvenience. *• i found myfelf in an apartment in " the palace of Strigillina, who, you " may fuppofe, was till then entirely un- *' known to me. That Princefs and *' tke ladies of her court flood in a circle *' round my bed. " You may guefs how ftrange fuch a ** fight was to me J I fhould not find it "^ eafy to defcribe what I thought and " fuffered. " I feveral times felt myfelf to be con- " vinced of the reality of my exiftence. '' In feeling I foon perceived that I was '' covered with feathers that grew in my " flefh. " Attempting to pull one out I fufFered '• acute pain that made me roar again, " and I fprang up into a fitting pofture " by a kind of convulfive motion. " The ladies burft into fits of laughter. 13 * He 174- THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. * He is free:' faid Strlgilllna, wh'om by " the tone (lie took I found to be the *' miftrefs. ' Madam/ replied an atten- " dant, * this young gentleman feems to * fuit you : he has a handfome perfon * and an eafy air; I fufpedl him to be * giddy, but giddinefs is'^no defeat in a * page ; befides time corrc6ls it/ " Here the enchantrefs rofe and left ** the apartment followed by her women, " except one, who remained at my bed- « fide. ** 1 flared with aflonifhment about me, *' and mechanically touched, one after •* another, the feathers with which I was " covered from head to foot. * Don't be childifh,' faid the atten« ** dant, taking me by the hand, * you * are well houfed. Though you may be * furprifed, there is nothing to grieve * you here. You have always heard * the foreft of Montgrand fpoken ill of. * It THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 175 * It is true, we keep off bufy bodies by * little pranks, bur we heap favours on * thofe who pleafe us, and you fortu- ' nately are of this number. ' In the fervtce for which you are in- * tended there is nothing but what is * honourable ; it places you near a per- * fon with whom, neither in dignity nor * power, are even monarchs to be com* * pared. Pleafe your new miilrefs : her ' favours will have no other bounds * than that power, of which fhe herfelf * knows not the extent. * Though we are very retired, you * will find in our demefnes all theamufe- * ments and pleafures fuitable to your * age. You will fee no perfon of your * own fex here, but you fhould be but * the more flattered by the diftindion * that admits you. * For a few days your new clothing ^ will appear odd to you : but there is I 4 * nothing r/o THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. * nothing inconvenient in It ; one foon ^ gets ufed to it ; and after a little ufe * it will be found preferable to all the * faihions of your courts which would ' not be fo changeable if they had any * thing really and intrinfically pleafmg * in them. * Take fome of thefe preferves and * liqueurs, and make hade to recover * yourfelf : then come and enter into * your place of Page and pay your ' court.' *' Saying thefe words, the lady '^ attendant fhowed me, on a ftand near ** my bed, a collation which had been " prepared for me, and retired. " I eat but little : to make amends *' my imagination was not idle. My fi- *^ tuation was a lingular one to be fure, '' but the marvellous I found in it only *-^ gave it the greater zeii. I therefore '' made my mind up to my adventure^ *^ flattering myfelf that I fhould foon *^ have THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 177 *' have It in my power to take a lefs " fubaltern part than that for which it " appeared I was intended. *' I rofe and went to the glafs to ex- " amine my drefs. It was the plum- *' age of a cock, enamelled with the *' mod lively, agreeable, and variega- *^ ted colours. A comb fhaped like a «* rofebud, of a brilliant carnation, and a *^ creft elegantly fet on at the top com- " pofed my head-drefs. Tiie feathers of " my tail which fprouted from my loins " rofe in a tuft to my fhoulders where " they rounded beautifully and then fell " down again fo low as completely to " conceal their root. Thefe feathers *' were of a dazzling white. " I was by no means difpleafed with " my appearance : but on the con- *' trary thought myfelf a very elegant « mafk. 15 "I then 178 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. '' I then went to the room where the " enchantrefs was amufing herfelf in fee- *' ing her women dance. I was thought to * have a bafhful air, though I certainly ** was not fo according to our notion ** of bafhfulnefs : indeed I immediately *' began the ogling and leers which Stri- ** gillina and the ladies of her court di- *' verted themfelves withpra(flifing onme. ** A collation being brought in, I en- *' tered upon the exercife of my office in " attendance on the enchantrefs, and *' was thought to acquit myfelf with to- " lerable eafe. ** At night I joined in the dances. " I took up a theorbo, played upon it, " and fung. In all I came off trium- " phantly, and thinking that I read in •^ the eyes of my new miftrefs that I ** fhould have reafon to be fatisfiedj 1 *' was readily infpired with confidence. « At THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 179 " At lafl the company broke up, and *' I went to bed very eager for the con- '' clufion of a romance which had begun *' in fo amufmg a manner. " Three days pafTed without any al- " teration taking place in my fituation : *' during which time my leifure, of *' which I had abundance, allowed *' me to examine the plan of our re- '* fidence. The inhabitants feemed oc- '^ cupied in amufements, in which I ** was led to think there was a great deal '^ of innocence. *^ Excepting fome young people, hardly <^ more than infants, who were employed " in mean and mechanical occupations, " I was in fad, as I had been told, the *' only perfon of my fex with whom the " inhabitants of the palace had any fort *' of connexion It was not my inten- '* lion to reftrain myfelf to a fimple fa- " miliarity : I formed defigns on the I 6 «* Princefs, i8o THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. *' Princefs, as well as on her attendants^ " but I was not quite determined in my *' obje£l, when in the evening of the " third day the enchantrefs's confidante *' came up to me^ and told me that her «' miftrefs wifhed to fpeak with me in pri- " vate. I obeyed, and the enigma was *' foon refolved. *^ You, Chevalier,'* continued Count Florize), with a complimentary fmile to the eloquence on which he knew Tourville piqued himfelf. " You " cannot but know the kind of en- " tertainment in which Strigillina mod *' delights. She tried my talents, and " I mufl: fay appeared pleafed with " my fluency : but as one cannot fay *' every thing in one night, it was necef- " fary to poftpone the fequel of our con- " verfation to the next day. *' We had feveral of thefe kind of con- *' verfations, and apparently wirhout any a ^ weari- THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. i8i " wearinefs: however, Strigilllna was not '^ the only one who defired to chat with *' me. You probably knew one of her *' attendants called Gloriana : She had *' the bloom of youth, a fly look, and a *' forward air. This Gloriana requefled *' in her turn a private converfation : I " wifhed it as much as fhe did, and we " were foon agreed. " But however fluent and talkative ^' one may be, by conftantly chattering " night and day the lungs are exhaufted: " and at lad it happened that I could not •* open my lips to the enchantrefs. '* She thought me ill and was ex- " tremely alTiduous in her care for my " recovery ; but I did not regain my " tongue. I was conftantly filent, and *' it was eafy to read in my heavy eyes " that I thought as little as I fpoke. ** I foon became the objed: of four " looks ; but not being one of thofe who *' anticipate i82 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. ** anticipate trouble, I was not at ail *• alarmed, till Gloriana, with a melan- ** choly look, roufed me from my fecu- " rity and apprized me of the trick that ** was preparing for me. ** Our attachment was not fufpe6led, *' but throughout the palace I was become *^ a troublefome objecl, and the matter *^ was to get rid of me. *' To-nignt,' faid Gloriana, * you are ** to have a julep given to you, pleafant " to the tafte, but of which the effed is *' an irretrievable lofs of reafon. You " muft (how no diflruft, for if you do, ** I know not what will be the confe- ** quence ; but as foon as you have ** drunk the potion eat this lozenge ; it " is an antidote and will prevent the ** charm from operating. " When the potion is fuppofed to have *' produced its effeft, you will be car- ♦* ried to a large menagerie, wkere you '' will THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 183 ** will find many birds of your kind, " whofe reafon has not been preferved " from the power of the mifchievous *^ julep. Brought by chance, or allured *' by artifice, to this palace, their adven- '* tures were at firfl much the fame as ** yours ; but in the fequel they found *' no one to do for them what I am *' going to ri(k for you. <' Whenever you are in fight of the «' enchantrefs or of her keepers, copy *' exa^lly ,the manner of the fad com- " panlons of your misfortune. To con- '* elude, if you love me, fupport your *^ llavery with patience, and I will take «* care to foften its rigour?, till I find an <* opportunity of giving you your ii- " berty.' '' Every thing happened as Gloriana '^ predicted. I diflembled to perfedion : " I was thought fully as (lupid as it was *' intended I Ihould be, and was put " among i84 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. *' among a crowd of human birds of *' every kind who had not a fmgle fpark *' of reafon left. *' I had ample fubje£l for very melan- ** choly meditation ; but night came on, ** and with it the faithful Gloriana, who *' difpelled all gloomy reflexions. " From that time flie was pundlual in *' her vifits, and I pafled delightful *' nights. With the affiilance of my *' benefadrefs I efcaped from the walls *^ of my prifon ; and we went by moon- ** light to try our wings in the fields. *^ When we were tired of too much ex- *^ ercife, Gloriana only threw fome ef- *^ fences into the canals that ornamented " the gardens of the enchantrefs, which *' inftantly furniflied us with tepid and " perfumed baths. *' On quitting our baths we rambled " through the thickeft groves, from ** which darknefs was entirely expelled « by THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 185 by phofphoric lights. The birds de- ceived, meaning to hail the morn, re- fumed their warbling, which the quiet and fliades of night had interrupted. Exquifite refrefliments were offered to us by invifible hands, and when we had partaken of them, the phofphorl difappeared, leaving us to purfue our fancies in rambling through the plea- fmg obfcurity of the groves, or re- turning to the lawns and moonlight. " I took care to go back to my prifon before day, the whole of which I fpent in recovering from my nodurnal excurfions, content with the prefent, carelefs of the future, and indifferent to every thing paffing about me. " Not a month elapfed that our winged troop was not augmented with fome recruit, nor a day that Strigillina or her companions did not take out fome *' of ins THE KNIGHT OP TOURS. " of ourprifonersfof their diverfion, and *' then return them to their captivity. " The languor I affected, my conftant ** fleepinefs, and the little nourifhment I *' was oblerved to take raifcd an idea *' that, I was in ill health, and, no doubt, " fpared me attentions for which I (hould *' have had norelifh. I wifhed tobeno- ** ticed by none but Gloriana ; (he was ** all fufficient for me : young, lively, " unaffected, fhe loved me pafTionately, ** and I have no doubt loves me dill. I ** was charmed with the turn of her *^ mind. I wlfh I had more time to re- *' late to you all the excellent (tories fhe i' told me of Strigillina and her compa- " nions, all their little profligate traits : ** ah ! how well was fhe acquainted with •* her fex ! " It was but this very night we were •^ talking on the fubjed, when about '' day- THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 187 *' day-light, my miftrefs gave a fhriek, *^ ran from me, and difappeared. At *' the fame moment, a dreadful noife " was heard, the walls about us fell *' in, vanifhed in fmoke, and I found *' myfelf naked by my clothes, among the *' people with whom Joe faw me. They ** are apparently the feathered gentry of " the m.enagerie. " I rofe and looking around me faw no *' veftige of palace or gardens remaining. *' Was it all but an illufion ? but how is " it diffipated ? What is become of Glo- " riana ? I dread the enchantrefs's ven- *' geance, if fhe is doomed to be her vic- " tim : if I am to lofe Gloriana, I (hall " be for ever inconfolable." Florizel having concluded the reci- tal of his adventure, Tourville in turn related his, omitting no circumftance from the moment of his entering the fo- reft till the inftant that Strigillina and her compa- 188 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. companions, after the dlflblution of the enchantment, flew away under the form of mod hideous harpies. Walking for- ward as they fpoke, the gentlemen were foon on the road leading to the country feat belonging to the youth's father, and after many civilities on both fides they took leave of each other. Tourville and Joe being now alone, the latter broke filence which he had long unwillingly kept. " This young gentleman," fald he, " fhould not have been fo tempted to " run after his Gloriana ; he was a little ^' crefl fallen at your pidlure of her, and *' and it is a pity that our fafhionable ^' young gentlemen are not made to fee ^' in a fimilar defliabille the mJdrefies " they are proud of. This youth feems ^' to me to be a downright libertine. I *' was not pleafed with the ftory he told *r us f I had a great mind to tell him *^ my I THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 189 '•'' my opinion of it ; for I have a very ^' great refpedt for his father the Marquis " of Thorifmond." *^ Joe/' replied Tourville, " you would ^f have made an excellent pedagogue ; " you are ready in preaching reform, *' and you are very liberal in the gift of *' your advice " " Sometimes, Sir," cried Joe, " I *' can give very tolerable/* '' And pray," faid his mafter, inter- rupting him, " v.'hat did you mean by "• thofe motions of the head and fhrugs *' of the fhoulders while I was relating *' my adventure ?" '' I thought/* replied the Squire, " that you might as well have faid no- ** thing of many things, on which you '* had been cautioned ; or at lead not " have taken a hairbralned youth for «' your confidant." " I fee,'* faid the Knight, « that you <« think 190 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. *^ think I fhould pay great attention to *^ the Prefident of the ftrange aflembly *^ into which we were introduced lafl « night." " He has long arms, Sir," replied Joe, '^ and I think that there are claws ** at the ends of them. But what is it to " me ! Write all you have feen in verfe '^ and prcfe ; neither good nor ill will *^ happen to me for it." As Joe faid this, they arrived at the door of a folitary inn in the country, which they entered, being very much fatigued. CHAP. VL CHAP. VI. The devil himfeHcould not pronounce a nams More hateful to naine ear. S.4AKSPEARE* OlGISMOND having entered alone the city of Damafcus, pell-mell, with the flying enemy, had foon a hoft of aflailants upon him : the affrighted Saracens be- came bold on finding they had to oppofe only a fingle combatant ; but the Count of Tours whom danger rendered the more formidable, redoubled his blows and dealt carnage and death where- ever his fword fell. His foes dreading to approach him, feemed waiting till he had exhaufled his (trength to take him, when Gone ran 192 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. Gonoran the fon-in-law of Saladin ap- peared. This warrior iffued from the palace at the head of the Sultanas guard in order to favour the retreat of his troops. Sigif- mond feemed to gain new flrength at fight of an adverfary nobler than thofe with whom he had previoufly engaged, and ran to meet the Saracen, who, young, ardent, prefumptuous and greedy of fame, was enraged that a warrior, al- ready fatigued with the many battles he had fought fhould dare flatter himfelf that he might difpute with him the vidlory, gave way to his paflion, and received his death blow from the arm of Sigifmond who fell wounded at the fame time. They were both conveyed into the pa« lace. The Count of Tours as foon as his wound was drefled, was taken to the fort of THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. i()3 of Elima, where he found himfelf tre?.ted more as ^ hortage than as an enemy, and where.he received every affiflance to pro- mote his recovery. The Sultan's minif- ters were at a lofs to account for the re- laxation of their mafter's ferocity ; he who till that day had fignalized himfelf by un- paralleled cruelty on the ChrifUani whom the fortune of war had thr9wa into his hands ; he who raved whenever he heard their name pronounced. At length he opened himfelf to the principal members of his council, " I *' now,*' faid he, " have in my power, '' that formidable Chriflian, whofe arm ^* and counfels have, from the com- " mencement of the war, given the mofl ^* dreadful blows to my dominion ; that *' Chriftian who before my eyes has jufi: " forced one of the llrongeil: entrench. * rnents of my capital, and bathed his *^ hands in the blood of ft fon whofe wif- VOL. I. K *^ dom 1^^ THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. ^* dom and bravery were my greateft fe* " curicy. Were I to yield to the impulfe *' of mypaflion, this rafli warrior fhould '* inftantly atone for the tears he has **' drawn from me ; my trembling hand ^' fhould plunge this dagger into his " heart : but I owe to my religion and *' the (late a more political vengeance. " Either heaven has thrown into my '^ hands the means of repairing my pafl ** misfortunes, or the prifoner whom it '' has delivered to me (hall ferve, by the ^* manner in which I (hall treat him, to '^ intimidate in future even fuch men as «^ he. He is in the prime of life, born ^* to fovereign power, and of an illuftri- '^ cus houfe. I will endeavour to attach <^ him to me by the ties of blood, and if ^^ the expeclancy of my crown be not a *^ fufficient excitement of his ambition ^^ to induce him to abjure his errors and ^' abandon his country, why fhould I '' delay THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 19; ** delay putting into his hands a fceptre, " which I am too old and feeble to de- ^^ fend, and of which death mud foon de- " prive me ? Happy if my eyes^ already ** half clofed by the angel of death, be " yet permitted to fee the llandard of ** our holy prophet, in the hands of this " new profelite, driving back to the ex- " tremities of the Weft, whence they " were vomited, this deluge of barbari- *' ans whom fanaticifm and avarice have ** armed againlt us. But if my brilliant •* offers cannot vanquifh his proud heart; '* if he refufe to reftore me in his own " perfon a fon and a champion, of which " his arm has deprived me, nothing fliall *' fave him from death : and that death " (hall be ignominious and exemplary, *' that the army of the Franks may be *' convinced how much I rely on " my own (Irength, and defpife their *' arms, as well as how dreadful it is to K 2 " expofe xg6 THE KNIGHT OP TOURS. *' expofe themfelves to my ven- ^' geance.'* While Saladln tbus explained himfelf to his confidential minifters, Sigifmond, deceived by appearances, confidered as marks of humanity the attentions which were bellowed upon him through policy. Having recovered his ftrength fuffi- ciently to walk about his room, he was meditating on the means of negotiating for his liberty, when the Drogoman appointed to attend him came and ap- prized him that a minifter of religion de- fired to fpeak to him on the part of the Sultan. The Iman was introduced. He enter- ed with an air in which genilenefs and gravity were mixed, laid a book, which he brought under his arm, on a table and feated himfelf crofs legged on a fopha at the Count's bed fide, rofe a moment after, per- ..;?:m THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 197 performed the falem, and then in the French tongue, faid : '' Praifed be God and his holy PrO- ^ phet who have permitted you, Seig- ** neur, for your good to become the *' captive of the invincible and generous " Saladin!' After this opening, at which the Count was not a little fuiprifed, the learned Do<5lor paufed ; but finding that he re- ceived no anfwer, continued to unfold the fubjed of his embaify in thefe terms : " Seigneur, the ways by which the " Mod High conduds the affairs of " mankind are often incomprehenfible. *f When the cedar of Lebanus falls be- *^ neath the ftroke of the ax, a(k it if << it knows that it is dedined to fhare the <' empire of the feas. Saladin being de- " prived by you of his fon-in-law, the '* beautiful Sejame widowed by your " arm, and you yourfelf. Seigneur, re- K 3 '^ duced i^B THE KN^GKT OF TOURS. * duced as you are to the unfortunate *• ftate of captivityj what fhould you ex- ** pedl from the ilorms that rage around *' you, but that the thunder that threat- *^ ens you (houid fall upon your head ? '* It belongs alone to the fun of divine *' goodnefs to ripen delicious fruits on " trees whofe fap is full of bitternefs, " The fultan Saladiv, by heaven infpired, *' and charmed with your heroic quali- " ties, offers you, Seigneur, the hand of *' the princefs his daughter with the *' fceptre of the two Syrias." Sigifmond, aflonifhed at the preamble, and dill more at the conclufion of this harangue, was fome time filent before he replied. At length he faid : '^ The Sul- " tan ought to know that I am by birth *^ a fovereign, and belong to my fubjeds; *' that I am not at liberty to difpofe ^' either of my heart or my hand, both «* being engaged, Befides, neither rea- " fon, THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. i^p " Ton, duty, nor my age permits me to " yield to the impulfes of ambition, and " fliil lefs to form a new attachment ; " however, you may alTure the Suhan " that I am grateful for the kind and flat- *' tering offers he has made me through ** you/* '< Seigneur," replied thelman, '*your ^* wifdom may confider at leifure the im* " ponance of the crown offered to you ; *' but with refped to the engagements " by which you confider yourfelf bound, ^' the beautiful eyes of rhe fultana Se- '* jame will free you from them, with *' the aiiiftance of our holy Iflamifm." Sigifmond fuddenly fitting up, ex- claimed : '^ What do you mean to make " a Turk of me?'* '' 1 have brought with me," the Doc- tor modefly replied, " the book of •'' light: allow me, Seigneur '* *' I allow?" cried the Count: *' I K A " read zco THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. "read your book of blafphemy I I '* never learned to read, thank God ! The ** hie Count my father, of glorious me- "• mory, could never either read or write. '* He would always rather fight than ^' argue ; he lived a worthy knight and ** died a good Chridian, and left me his ^•' example and his faith for an inheri- *' tance. " But, Seigneur," continued the Iman, *' would you brave the anger of " Saladin ? My duty compels me to *' make known to you the fevere extre- *' miry to which you are reduced ; there *' Is but this alternative for you ; to ** reign over the Syrians or fuffer an ig- *' nominious death.'* '^ With all my heart ! replied the " Count with the fame fire, '' I fiiall '' give glory to God, who will revenge «' my caufe^ '' " But, Seigneur, *' why fet fuch little value on life or '^ greatnefsi THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 201 " greatnefs ? Why facrlfice them to a ** prejudice fo eafily removed by Hflen- *^ ing to the light of reafcn ? Let us *' read only one chapter j fuffer me to *' explain to you — " " 'Sdeath! Monfieur TAbbc," cried the Count to the Iman, darting from his bed and fhowing him the handle of his cimetar, " behold the crofs of my fword, '' the only badge of my faith I can find *' here, I will flretch you on the ground " with it if you perfifl: in attempting to ** pervert me to herefy. Go to the *' devil with your Sultana, her Syria, and ^* her Mahomet. Tell the invincible ** Saladin, that I defpife his offers even <^ more than his threats ; that God is in *' heaven, and Philip at the gates of Da» *^ mafcus/' The countenance, look, and tone of voice of Sigifmond terrified the Iman. He withdrew, and went to impart his J. J fuccefs* 202 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. fuccefslefs negotiation to him who had fent him. Saladin breathed nothing but ven- geance, and the fate of Sigifmond was pronounced. Me chofe for the fcene of execution an advanced baflion of the works of fort Elima, the platform of which was vifible from the camp of the Chriftians. The fpot appeared fecurc : in the affault it had been negleded ; the affailants treating with contempt a fort which muft neceffarily follow the fate of Damafcus. In order to make the greater impref- fion on the mind of his people, the Ty- rant refolved, in the bloody facrifice he was about to make, to mingle the cere- monies of religion with military (how. On the day appointed for the Count's execution, he was taken from his apart- ment and conducted to the platform of the baftion : rfie garrifon of Elima were turned THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 203 turned out as guards on the occafion ; the body of the minlfters of rhe Muflelman reh'gion, belonging to the principal Mofque at Damafcus, walked in proceflion before him, and flood round him ; the people whofe curiofity had been excited by the preparations went in crowds to fee the tragical fcene. Every thing was now ready for the facrifice ; Sigifmond bound, (landing near the (take on which he was to perifh, had already rejeded with contempt the Alco- ran, which an Iman would have had him place on his heart and on his head ; al- ready drawn down upon himfelf the in- dignation of thofe around him, by repeat- ing with firmnefs the profefiion of his faith : at length the fignal of execution was made. On a fudden a warrior armej, cap-a- pee, appeared on the parapet, whence he darted to the middle of the platform, K 6 over- 204 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. overturning all that flood in his way. The affrighted Imans precipitately retired, and the warrior, approaching the Count, cut the bafe cords with which that prince was bound. The guards advanced to prevent it, but the cries of alarm that arofe on every fide called them to the defence of the walls which the enemy were fcaling. The Chriftians had made their way into the ditches of the baftion through a fub- terranean paffage, which had been com- pleted without the befieged being ap- prized of it. At the time that the ladders were applied to the walls, the fentinels, kaving their eyes fixed on the Count of Tours, and abforbed by what was paf- fing on the platform, did not perceive what was doing round their pofls. The guards were furrounded before they could defend themfelves : a part of them were put to the fword by the aflailants, while THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 205 while the reft fled, fpreading terror by their cries. The garrifon was thrown into confufion, the officers did not know where to poft themfelves : the orders given were confufed and indecifive, and the execution of them tumuhuous, em- barraffed, and timid ; the conteft was every where in favour of the Chriftians. Meanwhile the Count of Tours, feeing but one man, at fight of whom all the Saracens feemed to be panic-ftruck, fixed his eyes on the intrepid warrior whom terror preceded, accompanied, and follow- ed, and who feemed come, as by a miracle, to reftore him to life, liberty, and his crown, and unable to refift the impulfe of his gratitude, threw his arms around his neck, and prelled him warmly to his bofom. At this rapture the unfortunate youth, for it was Egremont, flattering him- felf that he had now obtained his pardon, 2o6 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. pardon, took ofF his helmet and falling on his knee prefented his uncovered head to the embraces of his mafter, whom he thought he had at length difarmed. " Lightnings blaft thee 1 Wretch !'* cried the Count drawing back with hor- ror at fight of features dill hateful to his eyes. Egrcmont, in confternation and opprefled with grief, left his prefence : and fortunately, for had he ftaid a moment longer the hand of Sigifmond would have been difhonoured by the murder of his preferver. The fovereign of Touraine, torn from the hands of the executioners by a fingle warrior, in a fortified place, in the midfl of a hoflile people, and where the afTailunt appeared on the ramparts without having been feen in the ditch or on the walls, are doubtlefs very extraordinary fa6ls : but it fhould be remembered that uncommon courage, and fuperior views had prepared the THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 207 the way for this fuccefs ; and circum- flances happily feized had removed the difficulties. Egremont in determining to deliver the father of his beloved Hippolita followed the dictates of nature, and at the fame time ferved Religion, the State, and his Sove- lelgn. He perhaps flattered himfelf too, that he fhould at length foften the heart of the unforgiving Sigifmond : no fooner therefore was he informed of that Prince's misfortune than he tried all that themofl; defperate valour could undertake to de- liver him from captivity. Foremoft in every affault, foremoft in repelling every fortie, forever feeking by challenges to draw the Saracens into fmgle combats in the hope of fecuring fome illuftrious hof- tage, and ever returning covered with glory even from enterprizes in which fortune did not favour him. The innumerable inftances of fuch 6 aftonifhing 2o8 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. aftonifiiing valour, fixed the attention of the Chrlftian army, and all theilluftrious adventurers in it had taken Egremont as a leader and a model : Philip beheld them with pleafure repair to a (tandard which was always accompanied with terror and victory. Egremont, who by this command was enabled to proje£t the greateft enter- prizes, knew that fort Elima was the Count of Tour's prifon, conceived the de- fign of entering it fecretly by means of a fubterranean pafTage. The tunnel was opened at fuch a dif- tance from the fort that the enemy could have no knowledge of the works i and they had proceeded with fuch fpirit and fkilf , that they had reached the ditch, when intelligence arrived which difconcerted the pioneers. The Sultan enraged by the refufal of the Count of Tours, had iflued orders for prepa- THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 209 preparations for his execution. Egremonr, prfeffed by the circumflance, changed his defign of digging a way into Elima, to that of taking advantage of the pafTage already dug as far as the ditch, to (lorm the fort at the very moment chofen by the Sultan for the murder of the Count. At the appointed time the troop of daring adventurers opened the way into the ditches of Elima, and feparating into three divifions, fcaled the fort, when Egre- mont pufhing on alone into the midd of the Saracens where there appeared the lead chance of his opening a paflage, over- turned all that oppofed him, and iiew to the fcaffolJ. Alas ! what was his re- ward ? A petrifying look from the man for whofe prefervation he had toiled and fought, words capable of throwing the firmed mind into defpair. At this lad droke of fortune reafon forfook the unhappy Egremont : he re- folved 210 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. folved to feek his death, but at the fame time in the mod obfcure manner. He threw oil his arms> now become a ufelefs load, endeavouring to avoid the tumul- tuous and joyous congratulations of his heroic followers, who would have encir- cled his brow with a new laurel. He leaped into the ditch of the fort which he had carried, and jQed acrofs the country, without any determined projed or de- cided road. Nothing could flop him ; neither the excefTivc heats of the day, the darknefs of the night, the impediments in the paths he opened through bufhes, rocks, and fands, nor the rivers that lay in his way. The de- prefTion of his mind prevented his feeling that his flrength, exhaufted by laborious toils, would foon be unable to fupport a body that had been fo long without reft or food. He at laft arrived at the entrance of a fore ft 5 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. an forefl, from which the h'ght of day was excluded by the muhitude of branches that intertwined with one another, and by the thicknefs of their foliage. Brambles full of prickles, ivy twifted over roots left bare by deluges, and a rocky uneven foil feemed to prohibit the approach of a place frightful to all but the mifchievous animals, the venemous reptiles, and the monflers that made it their abode. A torrent rufhing from the fummit of a fcorched mountain fell dafhing with a tre* mendous noife upon enormous rocks; the water, bubbling and foaming, fpouted to a great diftance, and by its uncertain and impetuous courfe completed ths horrors of this frightful folitude. Here, overcome with hunger, third, fatigue, and grief, the unhappy Knight, at length, funk under the weight of fo many united evils ; his knees bent, his head reclined, and his whole frame borne down 2!2 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. down fell fenfelefs on the ground : the coolnefs of the place, however^ in a little time brought him to himfelf, and the idea of Hippollta, that dear yet painful image, returned, and reflored to his foul its wonted fenfibility. Tears dreamed from his eyes : " Alas 1" exclaimed he, in broken accents accompanied with- fjghs, <' I lived but for her; I fliall ** never fee her more ; I mufl die.'* Then apoftrophizing himfelf in a kind of ago- nizing tranfport ; *^ Thou livefl but for *< her ? Thou haft lived only to her «' forrow 1 It is for thee, for thee, that *^ the moft am'able Princefs, fo vi^orthy " of the advantages to which fhe was *^ born, deprived of her profpeds, be- ** come the talk of the world, perhaps a *^ prey to remorfe, and detefling the " fatal day fhe faw thee, is now fuffering *^ difgrace and captivity, unlefs death has " put an end to her forrows ; and thou " liveft THE KNrGHT OF TOURS. «ij " Hveft but for her 1 Die ! die ! die a *' thoufand deaths, wretch that thou art, '* and may the remembrance of thy " crime die with thee 1" The unfortunate deliverer of the Count of Tours mufl have perifhed, had not Providence fent to his afll (lance a hermit whom hatred of the world and love of wif- dom had brought to this hideous defert. He was finijfhing his career with bodily labour, meditation, ftudy, and penitence. Having been working in the little field from the produce of which he derived his fubfiflence, he was returning to the grotto where heufually repofed, and as he walked by the fide of the torrent difcovered Egremont (Iretched on the ground. He approached him with that compaffion which noble minds fed at the fight of the unfortunate, conceiving at firft that the fad rites of burial was all the kindnefs he could now ever render him. He foon, however, ST4 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. however, perceived that he was miftaken, and that the appearances he had obferved were only thofe of a dangerous fwoon. He eagerly exerted himfelf to recover the flranger, trying water, and then fhaking him violently: but finding his endeavours inefFe£lual, and that the dif- eafe refifted fuch feeble remedies, he haftened to his cell and brought a vial full of the juices of herbs, the virtue of which he had been taught by experience. Th€ potion operated ; life returned, Egremont opened his eyes, and recovered his fenfes and his fpeech. Again the woes which had reduced him to this deplorable ftate crowding on his memory called forth a deep figh, and bathed his cheeks with tears. The kind hermit, unable to refill the tendernefs infpired by the amiable ftranger, wept with him. *' Alas 1 " young man!" faid he, <^ of what na- ♦* ture are the troubles which have " plunged THB KNIGHT OF TOURS. 21^ *• plunged you into fo deplorable a (late? *^ What defign has brought you to this " retired fpot through grounds unknown, *^ untrod ? Heaven, that protedls you, has " no doubt led me hither to fnatch you " from the gates of a death which was *' not in the order of its providence. ** Speak, open your heart ; perhaps it is *' intended that I fhould fecond its views *' in refloring tranquillity to your foul, as " I have been the means of refloring life " to your body. If you have loft *' worldly goods or vain honours, tell me, <* and my tongue, infpiied, fhall imprefs ** upon your heart all the contempt I feel " for thofe imaginary treafures. If the " paflions have mifled your youth and " plunged you into exceffes for which " you have reafon to blufh, let me " know, I am a man acquainted with " our weaknefs. I fpeak to you in the " name of him whofe hand humbleth « and ti6 THK KNIGHT OF TOURS. *^ and exalteth, who chaflizes with re- *' gret, and feeks but to pardon. In *' fhort, my fon, open yourfelf to me with *' confidence : of whatever nature be the " confolation you require, I do not think *' I prefume too much on the ardent zeal *^ that animates me, in venturing to pro- *^ mife to renew completely the tranquil- ** lity of your foul^ to reftore you to the *' world, if neceflary, to heaven, and « to yourfelf." *' O my father !*' replied Egremont^ *' the afTiftance I have received from you, " the kindnefs you bellow upon me, and *' the offers you make me, are, doubtlefs, *' the effects of a fpecial grace, which *' wills that I fhall not perilh. I refign *^ myfelf to it : I will fpeak, though I *' have great caufe to bluQi at the con- " feffions I muft make. I am very un- *' happy, but I am alfo very culpable* *• Alas ! I loved and was beloved. The " excefs THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 217 " excefs of a mutual pailion was the caufe " of my crime; It has brought upon me ** misfortunes beneath the weight of '' which you fee me ready to fmk." After thefe words, which were often interrupted by his fighs, Egremont paufed a while before he proceeded in tiiC detail of his adventures. VOL- I. L CHAP. VIL 2iS THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. CHAP. VII. Thus confclence does make cowards ofus all. Shakisferb, X HE fair Violetta, who left the pa. jace of Demetrius trembh'ng, began to refume her courage as foon as (he faw the veffel with a fair wind leaving the ifland of the Melologues. Her mind now be- came cahn : agitation and apprehenfion having for feveral days banifhed reft, her eyes by degrees became heavy, clofed, and in fpite of the inconveniences of the place, and the awkwardnefs of the fituation, our traveller fell into a fweet and gentle fleep. Mean- THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 219 Meanwhile her guide fell into a moft agreeable waking dream, and yielded himfelf to the illufions of a very flattering hope. He confidered himfelf as the pof- feffor of a moft: beautiful creature, made her the miftirers of his heart, and with the avarice natural to low minds, meditated on the means of making her ufeful to his fortune. The vifionary reafoning of the mufi- cian ran thus : " This beauty has a de- " meanour that commands refped: — Sh.c *^ pretends to high birth, but fays no- " thing on any other point — this looks " like adventure. Her education feems to " have been attended to — has it not been «' too much fo in certain refpeds ? I was '' ftruck with the exaclnefs and facility " with which (he a6led the different *^ parts I made figns to her to afTume be- " fore the fovereign of the Melologues — *'' Is (he fome city quality ? Is (he a thca- L 2 *" trica 223 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. '' trical princefs? — What (hould I lofc '' by the change ? — I have a prcje6l, in " which I require to be feconded. I " hr.ve fome excellent pieces which we '' may play off — they are known ; I will " be the author of them — I mud take a ^' name^ — Count Jalien Yes! Julien «' Count of Hauterive — good. WeTiiall *' frequent the courts of princes — we *^ will infinuate ourfelves. To exift with *' decency at a didance from hoaie it is " abfolutely necefTary to frame a hiitory: *'' I will not be one of your uncommonly ** unfortunate people — the world hate *' unfortunate people. No ; let me have " embarrafiments that interefl, that af- ** fed ; but which leave hope behind *' them — Some jealoufy, rivalry, or am- ^' bitious elder brother— A rich uncle " from whom fupplies are expected, but *' who happened to be out of the way— ^' A fliade more or lefs ; we have time ^^ to arrange all this-^Figure, fpirit, ta- ^' lents, THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. an *' lents, birth, temporary difficulties ; *' what better introduction could we " have ! The king receives us favour- ** ably : the queen cannot bear that the " countefs fhould refide out of the pa- " lace — wc mufl prepare for little jea- " loufies : they always attend on merit. " Then follow two intrigues— I *' Grouvelle would have gone on build- ing his caflle had not a lurch of the vellel, occafioned by the change of the fails, awakr ened the lleeping beauty. Her guide ap- proached her, took her hand and kiffed it. This WaS a very equivocal mark of re- fpecl, and furprifed Violetta, who fliowed fome difpleafure: but Grouvelle taking no notice of it, proceeded to fpeak with great freedom. " Thank heaven ! Madam ;" faid he, ^* I think you may congratulate yourfelf '^ on a happy efcape. As for me, I have " expofcd my life, 1 have abandoned a L 2 " fair 222 THE KNlGElT OF TOURS. " fair profped of fortune ; but thefe '^ facrlfices will be overpaid, if you will ** permit me to live and die your Have." While Grouvelle fpoke thus, a cloud pafilrig over the moon prevented his ob- lerving on the countenance of theindignant maid, the extraordinary effect produced by his fpeech. Grouvelle, interpreting her filence la his favour, again feized her hand and preffed it ardently. She flruggled to dlf- engage it, cried out, and attempted to fly; but no one attended to her cries ; the failors continued to fmoke, fing, and coolly hand their fails. Flight was im- polTible, and the mufician, though with a fubmiflive air^ kept his hold unmerci- fully, Violetta again fat down ; tears, fobs, vapours and fwoons fucceeded with fcarce- ly any intermiffion. Grouvelle paid her every attention, applied a fmelling bottle and THE K:nIGIIT of tours. a 13 and took fuch pains that in the end the lady revived, and in broken accents ad- d re fled him thus : " L-^ave me, monfler ! or I will throw " myfelf into the fea : I (hall never for- " give myfelf the familiarities you have " dared to take with me. Think not to '' take advantage of the misfortune that " has thrown me into your hands; dearh " is lefs dreadful to me than the fhame *' of admitting for a moment fuch an ob- *' je£l into my thoughts, and it (hall be ." my refource againfl any violence you " may dare to attempt." Grouvelle was bold, but the determined tone of this fpeech difconcerted him : not being a man, however, to relinquifh his hopes eafily. and piqued at the con- tempt with which he was treated, he thought proper to aflume a lofty tone in his attack and defence. " Hitherto, Madam," faid he, '' I have L 4 «' to 211 THE KNiGHT OF TOU'RS. * to reproach myfelfwitha paiTion which ^ has been very ferviceable to you, and ' I did not think I fliould appear a ^ mender in your eyes : perhaps I do ' myfelf too much honour in paying my ' addreffes to you ; but in prizing you ' as much as you deferve, that is to fay, ^ infmitely, 1 fee nothing in my conduit ^ to difgufl you. Had I the vanity na- ' tural to fome of my profefTion who ^ liave had their head turned by fome * adventure, I might, as an excufe for ' m}delf, tell you of feveral inftances of ' raihnefs on my part much lefs autho- * rized than this, and which were not fo * unfuccefsful. I fnould fay that a heart ^ tenderly devoted is entitled to pity ; ' and farther that talents enoble their ' poffcffors, and put them upon a par ' with all the world." Violetta during this fpeech had come a little to herfelf : it was no flight matter for TifE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 22; for her that an affair which was begun by fo fmart an adlion had been turned into a parley. " Sit," replied flie, " I know not " whether any perfons of my rank in life " have refpedled themfelves lefs than they *^ ought to do : if fo I pity them, but " cannot think their example a precedent " for me. In refpefl to the fervices you *^ have rendered me, forget the motive *' of them, and you may expect all the " gratitude in my power." " Madam," faid Grouvelle, with a timid, abaflied, but tender air, *' load me ** with contempt and anger ; 1 have *^ doubtlefs merited both, but do not ** deprive me of the hope of dying in *' your fervice ; I will no longer afpire ** to any other reward. I have been ** impelled by an emotion too flrong for '* my reafon : the humiliation is all my *' own J and yet fuch are the prejudices L s " both 226 THE KNIGHT OF TC15RS. ** both of your fex and mine, that a great- *' er reflraint on my part might hav$ *' been confidered as an unpardonable *' offence : but banifli all apprehenfion, *' Madam ; whatever in future be my " feelings and fenfations ; though you " reign in my heart, you fliali know it *' only by the excefs of my devotion to " your flighteft wifhes." This modeft: fpeech of Grouvelle's was not heard without fome degree of em- baraffment. To be loved without hope, and refpedled by a man in whofe power one is, mud be an awkward fituation for a lady : it is dangerous to liften, and difficult to impofe filence. Meanv/hile the fun beginning to ap- pear upon the horizon, the crew, who were now ready for their breakfaft laid out on the deck fome of the provifions they had brought with them. Grou- velle picked out the lead coarfe, and of- fered THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 127 fered them to the fair wanderer, to whom the abftinence of the preceding days made them appear lefs difagreeable. Violetta and her deliverer eat in filence. The crew intent on the profped of completing their efcape, converfed on topics natural on the occafion ; while Grouvelle, flill keeping his original plan in view, propofed to the lady after break- faft to amufe their time in reciting a dialogue of his compofition. No harm feemed likely to arife ft^m this, and Violetta confenting, Grouvelle recited a poem as one who knew his powers and how to make the mod of them. Ob- ferving that he had engaged the lady's attention, and tbar fhe had a little relaxed from her Itatelinefs, he ventured to jefl; on the virtues of courtiers, and told her the following (lory : L 6 THE 328 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. THE pilgrim's ADVENTURE. A King of Naples, whofe name was Roger, being out hunting, feparated from his fuite and loft his way in the ibreft, where he met a pilgrim, a good looking man, who not knowing who he was, accofted him freely, and afked the way to Naples. " Friend," faid the king, " you muft " have come a great way, for your (hoes *^ are very dufty." " Yet," replied the pilgrim, " they " have not all the duft that they have " kicked up." *' You muft have feen and learned *^ many things," faid Roger, " in your *^ travels?" *' I have feen," anfwered the pilgrim, " many people who fretted for trifles ; '* andl have learned not to be difcouraged '^ by a iirft refufal : fo; I pray you again " to THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 22^ *' to dired me the road I mud take, for ^^ the night is coming on, and I muft " think of a lodging." " Do you know any body at Naples ?'* faid the King. " No," quoth the Pil- grim. " You are not fure then/' con- tinued the King, ^^ of being well received " there." — " I am fure at lead/* replied the pilgrim, " of forgiving thofe who " receive me badly without knowing me : '' but the night is coming on ; which is " the way to Naples ?" " But fuppofe I have loll: my way as " well as you," replied Roger, '^ how <* can I diredl you ? The bed we can do *' is to try and find it together." ** That would be very comfortable," faid the pilgrim, *^ if you were not on " horfeback, but I (hould go too flow for '* you, or you too fad for me." " You are right," faid Roger, ^' every ^* thing fhould be equal between us, as 330 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. " we are in the fame predicament ^* Say- ing which he difmounted, and walked with the pilgrim " Can you guefs *' whom you are in company with ?'*faid he to his companion. *' Pretty nearly : "quoth the pilgrim : *' if I am not very much miftaken, I am *^ in company with a man/* " But,'* continued Roger, '' do you " think yourlelf fafe in my com- « pany ?" " I exped civility from honeft folks," faid the pilgrim, *' and I am not afraid *« of robbers." " Can you believe,'* added Roger, ^' that you are in company with the " King of Naples ?" " I am rejoiced to hear it," replied the pilgrim ; " I am not afraid of Kings ; *' it is not they that hurt us : but as you are the King, I give you joy that you have met me. lam perhaps the firft man " who (( THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 23I *^ who has appeared before you with his *' own face." '' Well !" faid the King, " I muft not ** be the only one to profit by our meet- *^ ing : come with me, and I will make ** your fortune.*' *^ It is already made, Sire," replied the pilgrim : " I carry it with me. I have *' here," added he, (hewing hisftafFand fcrip, '* two good friends that will never *' let me want any thing, I wifh with " all my heart that you enjoyed, in the '' polTeflion of your crown, as much fatif- " fadion as I have in them." *' Arc you happy then ?" faid Roger. " If man can be fo ;" replied the pil- grim ; " at all events I have fworn to *' go and hang myfelf, if I find a happier " man." '' But," faid the King, " how is it *' that you are content with your lot, de- " pending^s you do on every body ?'* " Should tS2 THE KNUGHT OF TOURS, '^ Should I be happier," faid the pil- grim, "if every body depended upon me ?" *^ You may now go and hang yourfelf,'* faid Roger, '^ for I think I am happier «' than you." " If this mifhap mufl befal me/* quoth the pilgrim, *' I (hould think foirre fel- •^ low more idle than myfelf would (Irike " the blow.. I (hould notexpe(Stit from " the quarter it comes from : but as it is *' no very pleafant ftep to take, I think *« we (hould filft of all caft up our ac- " counts together." '' That will be foon done," faid Roger. <^ I have the c- mforts of lite in great <* abundance. When I travel, it is at *^ my eafe, as ycu may fee ; for I am *^ well mounted, and have in my (tables *' three hundred horfes as good as this . '^ when 1 return to Naples I am certain ** of being perfec'ly well received.'* '* I ihall alk but one queftion/' faid the THE KMIGIIT OF TOURS. 233 the pilgrim. " Do you enjoy thefe com- *' forts with a zed ? Do you manage *' your affairs without ambition, and " without anxiety ?" " That's requiring too much pil- *' grim," replied Roger. " Your Majefty will pardon me/' faid the pilgrim, " but as the decifion is to " be attended with confequences of a " very ferious nature to me, I mud add " all I can to the account. My fide of " it is as follows : " I follow an honefl calling. I have *' a good appetite, can make a good fup- " per on Vi^hatever is put before me, and *' I Deep foundly all night long. I rife *' frefh and adive ; I go wherever curi- " cfity, devotion, or fancy leads me. If *' I tire of Naples to-morrow, next day " the reft of the world is at my choice. *' You will allow, Sire, that if I lofe *^ againft you, I lofe with a fair game." " Pii- ?34 THE KNIGHT O? TOURS. '' Pilgrim," faid the Monarch, " I " perceive that you are not tired of life, *' and with reafon. I own that I have *^ lofl ; but In return for the confeiTion I " make, I defire you will be my gucfl *^ while you flay at Naples." " Not I indeed. Sire;" replied the pilgrim : ^' not that I think myfelf un- *^ worthy of the honour you would do ** me ; but you would expofe both '^ yourfelf and me to the fatirical remarks *' of your courtiers. "While they openly ** extolled your charity, and afFe6led to " treat me civilly, they would alk in *' 'whifpers where you had picked up *' this unknown fellow, this vagabond ; '^ what you meant to do with him ; *^ what talent?, what merit you found in *' me. You would be charged with ere- " dulity, with levity, or worfe.'' *' And where," cried Roger, " has *^ my pilgrim become acquainted with " courts?* THE KNIGHT OF TOVIS, 235 ** courts ?" — " I was born a courtier,'* replied the pilgrim, *' and facceeded to ** my father's office, who was a purveyor of " the palace : but though I might have " lived at my eafe, I foon grew tired of " hearing an excellent mafler abufed in ** private by thofe who flattered him in *' public, and of feeing that he was con- *• (lantly deceived ; infhort, of living v.'ith " people who had nothing elevated but " their exterior : after a while, I left them *^ to go and look elfewhere for nature, *^ fentiment, candour, and liberty. Since ** that time I have been running about « the world." ^' And do you think," faid the Mo- narch, '^ that all courts are alike? " '* They are all governed by the fame *' fpirit :" replied the pilgrim. " You have a very bad opinion then," added the King, *^ of courtiers." *^ You would be of my opinion. Sire,'* faid 236 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. laid the pilgrim, '^ if they would fhovy " themfelves to you in their real charac- '^ ter : but they tske care not to do thar> " and would be finely alarmed if they '' imagined you could read their hearts. *^ If you have no objedion^ I will fur- " niih you with the means of amufnig *' yourfelf at their expence. There is *^ nothing very extraordinary in the means *^ I would propofe ; it requires only a <' little myftery." The pilgrim was ex- plaining his plan, when the noife of horns and of dogs was heard approach- ing, on which the ftranger feparated from the King that he might not be obferved by the royal attendants, while Roger, mounting and clapping fpurs to his horfe, galloped to meet the hounds. On the next day the pilgrim found an opportunity of prefenting a petition to the monarch, who received it indifferent- ly, andj as if he had never before feen the THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 257 the man, appeared at firft a little fur- prifed. He then ordered him to be con- du£led to the palace, where he gave him a private audience, which lafted two hours : he afterwards aiTumed a thought- ful and embarrafled air, enough to perplex all the fpeculators at court. Thofe courtiers who only ferved to compofe the train or augment the crowd dared not exprefs their curiofiiy ; but his Majefty's ininifter, miftrefs, and favourite, and all who fhared his confidence, foon ventured to make fome enquiry on the fubjed that feemed to engrofs his at- tention. '' 1 have been converling with a very *^ extraordinary man," faid the King to his miniffer, who was the firft that fpoke to him on the fubjefl : '^ he is ac- ^^ quainted with fupernatural fecrets. " He has told and fhown me very ftrange " things. See what a prefent he has '' made ajS THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. *' made me. This mirror, which feems *^ but a common looking-glafs at firft, ^' reprefents objefts as they appear be- ** fore it ; but by pronouncing two ** Chaldean words, the perfon looking *^ in it is exhibited according to his fe- '^ cret fancies. In a word thofe wifhes^ *^ imaginations and waking dreams crca- *' ted by the paflions are all difplayed in *' their real colours. I have tried it, and *' would you believe, that I faw myfelf *' feated on the throne of Conftantinople, *' my enemies at my feet, and rival kings ** my courtiers? But words can give ** but a very imperfed idea of the thing : *f you mud look in it yourfelf, and you " will be furprifcd beyond expreffion." " Excufe me, Sire,'^ replied the mi- nifter coolly and gravely, who managed to conceal his embaraffment ; '* This «< pilgrim may turn out to be a danger- *' ous magician : I confider his mirror '* as THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 239 *' as a diabolical invention, and the " words he has taught you are certainly " facrilegious. I wonder, knowing your *' majefly's piety, that you did not fhud- *' der at fo damnable an invention.** Roger did not think it neceflary to urge his minifter, but tried to hold the mirror firfl: to his miftrefs, and then to his favourite. The former pretended to fwoon with terror ; the latter replied : " pofTefTing your Majefty's favour, I am " fuch as I defire to be, and wi(h to fee ** nothing beyond it.'^ Roger attempted in vain to make others try his mirror : he conftantly met with a refufal. The courtiers were all Ihocked at this admiffion of the occult fcience, and foon determined as a matter of con- fcience that the pilgrim and his mirror ought to be burnt. The King finding that the affair took io ferious a turn, that perfons of authority 5 ' ^^^ 240 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. had been engaged to reprefent it to him, he ordered the pilgrim to be fummoned to a public audience. The courtiers being all aflembled, and the culprit (land- ing before his Majefly, Roger thus ad- drefled him : *' Pilgrim 1 You are no " conjurer; but you know the world. *' You laid a wager that i fliould find *' no pevfon at my court willing to appear *' to me fuch as he really is : you have ^^ won your wager. Here is your mirror *' again : I know that you bought it at a ^^ fliop in Naples, and confidering that ^< it cod only two Carolufes, it has an- ^* fwered our purpofe very well.'* Scarcely had Grouvelle finifhed his {lory when a cry of land from a failor at the mart- head fpread joy throughour. the ved'el. It was at a diflance, hardly to be feen: doubts arofe^and "where, where?" was THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 241 was ihe queflion. A dark fpeck upon the horizon was pointed out to the anxi- ous eye. The voyagers trembled left a fatal wind (hould rife, and diflipate the ob- jedl on which their hopes were founded, like the ever varying clouds which it re- fembled. In a little time this almoft im- perceptible fpeck began to fpread : then fome bright rays of the fun firiking di« redlly upon it, the mixture of (hades and lights gave it a fparkling appearance of gold and azure. Prefeatly after^ the vari- ous objeds were feen in their natural form and colours. The plains funk before the cloud-capped hills. The enamelled mea- dows every where broke upon the fight. Forefts were diftinguifhed fkirting the valleys and protecting the verdure with their fhade. The palm, cyprefs, and lofty pine Ihooting high their llender ftems bore to the ikies their waving tops. The corroborating report of the other fenfes vou I. M con- 242 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. confirmed in fucceflion the quick ap- proach to the objedl on which the wifhes of the voyagers were bent ; the myrtle and the citron-tree, flowering, were recog- nized by their fragrance, while the air, gently moved, bore to the delighted ear the mumur of the waves, which fpreading, advancing, retreating, broke in curls upon the beach, and fpent themfelves among the little fhells that bordered the fhore. At length the veflel failed into a little bay proteded from the Southern and Ly- bian winds by two fmall promontories : it was calm, deep, and every where fur- rounded by a filver coloured fand. As the bark was not provided with a boat to land them, the voyagers were obliged to fwim a few yards and wade lo the (bore. Violetta would have been at a lofs had it not been for her expert fquire. She accepted his afliftance and they were foon on the beach, without any luggage THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 243 luggage except Grouvelle's lute, in which his whole fortune confided. They now fought for a tree or fome over hanging rock to flielter themfelves from the heat of the fun, while the failors {trolled into the country to difcover the nature of the land to which chance had brought them. There was, however, no appearance of the country being inhabit- ed. On every fide were plains and groves, w^hich owed their richnefs to nature alone ; no where appeared the laborious traces of the plough, or the edge of the bill and fhears. The deer that paftured on the plain, and the bird that (kipped from branch to branch, fuffered itfelf to be approached without fear : apparently the only inhabitants of thefe peaceful re- treats, they had never yet known an enemy ; they were ignorant of the dan- ger of nets and fnar.e&/of the mortal ef- fed of the arrow and the fpear. M 2 At 24+ THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. At length it was neceflary to feek a flicker for the night, Tourville's mif- irefs, leaning on the arm of her dehverer, walked to a grove about half a mile from the fea-llde. It was thick enough to Shelter her from the dews : within it they found a carpet of flowery turf on the margin of a cool and cryflaline rivulet, and on the return of hunger they had but to (Iretch forth their hand and ga- ther around them. Branches bending under the weight of oranges, pomgra- nates, and fweet lemons, feemed feeking a hand to relieve them. The comforts of fuch an afylum may be eafily imagined. The lady feated herfelf, and a repaft v/orthy of the fimplicity of the golden age was prepared and foon dif- patched. Hunger v/as allayed, but the fruits, delicious as they were, created a thirft. To quench hers Violetta (looped to.take up fom^ water in the palm of her hand. THE KxMIGHT OF TOURS. 245 hand. The channel of the brook lay too low and under a hollow bank, io that her efTorrs to reach it were in vain, and (lie could not raanage to moillen her parched lips. On this Grouvelle (for love and wit turn all things to ufe) took his lute, that late which he efteemed unique of its kind, broke off the table, cleaned it, and filling it with water prefented it to the thirfting beauty, who drank and found the pleafure of her draught improved by the new invented cup. Towards the conclufion of the repaft night came on, and a fenfible change took place in the temperature of the air. The wind rofe higher and became more chil- ly : the tree at the foot of which Vio- let ta had feated herfelf, was but a poor ddcnce again ft it, and (he complained. Grouvelle approached her, timidly no doubtj but clofe, and ev6n daring to M 3 throw 34^ THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. throw his arm over her. She was aflo- nifhed at it, but this aftonifhmeiit gave way to one of a very different nature ; Ihe was lurprifed to difcover that (he was not angry. She was not perhaps at the end of her difcoveries when an unexpected accident {uddenly extricated her* CHAP. VUL THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 247 CHAP. viir. I had rather be a kitten, and cry, mew ! Than one ofthefe fame me:re-ballad mo gers : I*d rather hear a brazen candleftick turr/d. Or a dry wheej grace on the axle tree, A'^d {hat woold nothing fet my t'-ech an edg?, Noihing fo much as mincing pocry ; 'lis like the forc'd gait of a fhuffimg nag. W E left Tourvllle and Joe entering a folitary inn. Violetta's lover with his vifor up had returned to a private room, while his fquire going into the common hall fat himfelf down at the round tabic where the landlord, a man who had a very good opinion of himfelf, monopo- lized all the talk. «' Devil take the Saracens," faid he, ** for carrying away our nobility — fave ** and except, however, our Countefs's M 4 *^ fon ^ 248 THE KNIGHf OF TC^^RS. " fon ; who may go beyond Tea if ht " will — 1 am fure nobody will go after ^' him. " He came here lafl: year fliooting over " our farm and killed our dog. Jack, *' my boy, on feeing it, began to cry, for " Jack has a good heart. Seigneur Da- *' gobert gave him a blow on the fac^: that " fwelled the poor child^s cheek as big *' my head. They fay that he went and *' earthed himfelf I don't know where> " and that he was dug out like a we- *' ther. He was galloping like a mad- *' man after Madam Hippolita's gallant, *' and bar urn fcarum in he plunged ; but ** he had not fenfe enough to break his *' neck. By-the-by, our man, who is jolt " come from town, brings word that flie *' is dead in confequence of her lying-in : '' ay, ay, they mud have fretted her to " death. It is a great pity ; we loved ^ her as our own bowds y that we did* " V/ho THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 24^ '« Who would have thought that (he " could have forgot herfelf fo ? Yet the " gallant was worth the while too : " Lord ! they Ihould have given her to " him ; that's my opinion. We have " but one daughter, thank God 1 She <' is no higher than a quart mug, and '* (he chatters already like a magpie : ^' fhe'il have plenty of fvveethearts by- ^' and-by, you may fee it in her face ; " but let any one cozen her that dares, '* he fhall fee who's the fool. " To be fure, Margaret and I did the ^' fame thing, but then the pried did his " duty afterwards, and do you fee any " difference now ? There (he is, jufl as " fweet a faint as any other, and though '^ the pear was very ripe hollo ! ** hufley ! do you grin ? Come foldier/' continued he, addrefiing Joe, " don't ** (tare at her fo, you will make her im- '' pudentv It cofts us country folks dear M 5 *' to 250 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. -** to plant plumes in your caps, and where " you plant our heads you pay nothing at " all for it : the trick is not chriftian-like ; *^ and yet you have a fine crofs there on *^ your ftomach. If taking the crofs was ** all, we might have done it with the reft " of them, and look at that there rapier *' hanging up, it would have cleft you zzi ** infidel in two like a turnip ; but thea " we muft have left our Margaret be- " hind, and I believe file's a crofs likely " enough to find a road to heaven for *' me. What fay to it Mr. Soldier .^ *^ You look to be a recruit to this fine " warrior who has fhown us only his •* iron cafe. Don't you be foolife " enough to go for nothing. Gome,^ " let^s drink to King Philip. They fay '« that in that there country we fplit the^ •* fculls of infidels down to the very <* gizzard, to (how them what it is- ta •* deny God. A devililh good argument, *» aad THE KNfGHT OF TOURS. 251 " and will convert them better than all the ** fermons in the world. I wifh all their ^^ bones were dry already ; for I have " made a vow to go a pilgrimage to the *' holy fepulchre when there are no more ** of thofe dirty dogs in the way. But " to go back to our own mafter ; Sigif- " mond fhould have let thofe go firfl: '* who were In the greateft hurry ; he *' would always have found enough for " thofe to do who remained. The " Countefs Sybilla feems determined ta " take her fwing while (he has elbow- *' room. They fay that (he has had all '' who knew any thing of the Prin- *' cefs*s amour arreted, and that fiie *' means to hang them whhout dif- " tin6tion, men and women. On i^^ther *^ hand, the Princefs Hippolita's coufin. •^ has raifed a party. He was thebofom* *^ friend of her gallant ; they called them- *' felves brothers ; but when honour is m6 " in 252- THE SNIGHT OF TOURS. " m quefllon every thing gives way ^ *^ they met near Blois, drew their fwords,. " and I would not for the world have ^* betn in the place of either of them.. *' When fwordfmen offuch fkill drive at *^ one another ; it muft be a miracle if ^^ either of them efcape. Pegs ! its a *' Tilty ; they were fme fellows. No " pride : the one would fhake your hand '* as if he was neither more nor lefs than- *' yourfelf, and the other would leave a " crown in your palm. This one was *^ a pretty poet too — ah ! he'll v/rite no *' more ballads. Margaret, you fliall " fing us the one you know of his that's fo *' pretty. I don't underdand any thing ** of it, yet it makes me cry like a calf. " But I am dill forrier for the other. He *' was as ftright as a rufli. What a look *' he had ! When he fpoke you would " have thought yourfelf bewitched, and *« yet it was only kind words , but then he *' was THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 253 " was fo good I Laft autumn, as I was ^' going to the fair at Marmontier, he " was pairing me with his company, in a " confounded road, jufl: as my cartover- ^' turned. Didn't he flop and have it *^ fet up ! I faw him put his hand to it *' himfelf. I hardly knew whether I flood ^^ on my head or my heels, I was fa ^^ afhamed ; yet he faid to me, me who " am but a ploughman, that he was very *' happy to be of ufe to me. Oddfbud ! " if he was not dead^. I would fpill every " drop of my blood for him. Mind fol- ^* dier, we have our heart in our hand:j *' let the Countefs hang us with the reft <^ if (he pleafe, but we will always love '^ our mafter who is a good prince, his " dead daughter who took after him, in *' fpite of her fault, ay, and him too who ^' Vv^as the caufe of itj for he would not <^ have deceived her; he would have ^* made it all up, if they would have let « him. 25-4 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. *f him. Thefe are the people for u^> " and the devil take the reft." Here ended the hiflorical and jocofe colloquy which the innkeeper held uiil'i himfeif. Joe's heart beat;, his feet burnt, and off he ran to his mafter. '' 'Oh !' '' Sir," cried he with tears in his eyeSj, *' fhe is dead : It is all over the «' town.'* *' Dead !'* faid Tourviile, " whom *• do you mean ?" "Hippolita/* replied Joe, " the Frincefs Ilippolira." He then gave an account of all be had heard from the innkeeper. " This unfortunate mtelligence/'' fatd Tourville, *' has but too great an appear- *' ance of truth. Of Dagoberi's adven* '* ture I know nothing, but it is clear *' that the public are uncertain of the fate ** of Egremont, and thatthemotives of my «* pretended purfuit are not fufpe^ed : I " fear every thing, however, as to Vio- '' letta. THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 2]S •* letta anl myfelf. I know how vln- *' di(wcive and hypocritical the Countefs " is, and how far hatred and refentment " can carry her. You mult go without «' delay to Tours and fee her from me :. *^ fay that a fall from my horfe the con- ^^ fequences of which I flill feel, prevents *' me from waiting upon her immediately* " At the fame time prepare every thing *^ at home for my return i try too to ** find and fee the friend of HIppolita, if " poflible, and procure intelligence of all ^^ that concerns either of them,. Make *' your obfervations on the looks of ** Sybilla's confidents, and return to me *' with a Squire aad another of my befl *' faddle horfes/* Joe made his bow> and loft no time in obeying his mafter's orders. Time pafled on, Tourville feigned In- difpofition and eat little. On the fourth day after his fquire*s departure^ anxious and 25^ THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. and weary as be lay in bed, be betbought himfelfj thougb rather late, to relieve bis mind by having recourfe to his talent for compofition, and he brgan to write a ballad. The fubjei^ was arranged in a momenfy. and the firft line made ofF hand :; it is to be obferved that he compofed both tune and words at the fame time. Tourville therefore fung his line :. Swains, have you feen fair Theudelinda ? After this effort he paufed to think. Perhaps there was fome difficulty in find- ing a rhyme ; perhaps he was puzzled in the arrangement of the fyllables. He repeated :. Swains, have you feen fair Theudelirda?- Then paufed again : he accufed his ima- gination of duUnefs, and to warm it he fung again his firft line in a higher pitch. He THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 257 He fung it a fourth and a fifth time, again paufed, and again fung it above twenty times, with fhort paufes at each effort. The man of the houfe being in the yard heard indiftindly the found of his voice : " Margaret," cried he to his vife, ^' go to the chamber of that gentle- " man upftairs ; I think he calls.'^ Margaret v;ent up, and Hftening at the door heard at different times enquiries made for fair Theudelinda* The tone of voice was not abfolutelyacry, nar was it exadly iinging. Margaret ventured to open the door and fay ; ^' Do you want any thing, " Sir ?'*—" No, no, no," replied the Knight, enclofed by curtains, ^' I wi(h «' to be left quiet." Margaret went away, and going to her hulband ; "John," faid /he, " the gen- ^' tleman is ficker than we think for: *' the fmith is coming to day to drefs *' the one-eyed mare, we had better " make 258 THE TCNIGHT OF TOURS. " make him kill two birds with one '' ftone/' She had fcarcely faid this when Joe re- turned, and file told him what Ihe had heard, but with fome degree of caution, for fear of alarming him. On which he went up to his mafler, and aher paying: his refpects '' Pray, Sir,*' faid he, " who " h the lady Thtudelinda r" — '^ She was " an ancient queen of the Goths," replied Tourville. *' The landlord and landlady " fay you have done nothing but cry for *' her :" faid the Squire. " They are «' idiots i" cried the Knight j " but *' what have you done i and what has '^ kept you fo long ?" " You will not be pleafed, Sir/* re- plied Joe : " I am come back alone, and " have very little to tell you, though 1 " did every thing I could to make the " befl of my time. <' The Countefs fays fhe is forry for " yoMS THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. z^g " your accident, and would have fent *« you a furgeon, but that all the faculty " are attending the Count Dagobert, " who has broke his neck, I don't know *' how, nor where. Not a word could *' I learn of Hippolita or Egremont. *' Duval and fome do medics areinprifon, " but what is meant to be dene with chera *' h not known. It was thought that you " might have fet out foon to join my *^ lord the Count who was travelling in " hafle towards Provence, and baggage " was fent after you. Bat what will '^ furprife and afflid you perhaps is that «^ Madam Violetta difappeared foon after " you left Tours. She told one of her ^^ people privately that (he fhould retire '^ to a convent at Poitiers. '' Ohl Heaven!** faid the Knight, fitting up and clafping his hands, " to ^^ lofe at once a beloved relation, a bofom <^ friend^ and a miftrefs ! He 26o THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. He (laid no longer, but {hutting up his tablets leaped out of bed, drefied himfelF, and put on his armour, then fallying from the inn took the road to Poitiers, where he foon arrived. He ran from nunnery to nunnery hop- ing, but in vain, to difcover the convent that contained the objed of his heart j till at laft it occurred to him that Violetta>. to prevent her being molefted on the road, might have given a different report from her real plan ; that the fteps he was taking were fruitlefs, and that it was time for him to repair to the ftandard of Sigifmond, as any other conduct might be liable to mifreprefentation : he there- fore mounted his horfe and puflied on towards Provence. One day about noon paffing through a hamlet in Limoufin, he ftopped to ad- mire the beauties of its fituation. It was. built in the form of an amphitheatre on the THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 261 the fide of a hill. The eye, caught by difFerent curtains formed by fcattered groves and hills at unequal diftances, wandered agreeably over pidurefque points of view, of which the charming variety furpaifed all the mafter pieces of art. On one fide a fmall dream falling in a cafcade from the top of a rock which over- hung a little hermitage ran whitening over pebbles and was loft to the fighc among willows^ at the end of which it re- appeared and after meandering in a nar- row channel through the meadow, ex- panded by means of a fluice, into a fine (lieet of water, in the middle of which, thrown up by the power of art, it was feen fparkling in the air aud falUng back in cryilal globes. On the other fide a noble road after fome way ikirting entered an immenfe foreft ; at a diftance were k^n bridges and 262 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. and aqueducts, "on which the hand oF Time was vifible, but the antiquity of which was dill far more clearly marked by their exquifite boldnefs than by their ruins. Delighted with the fmiling appear- ance of the fpor, the Knight refolved to flop and reft bimfelf here awhile. Hav- ing taken fome flight refrefhment at a houfeofoneof the villagers, he walked out with Joe to take the air and amufe him- felf. He ftrolled to a large open fquare where a holiday fufpending the daily la- bours of the peafant had brought toge- ther the whole parifh round a fpreading beech, beneath whofe fhade the innocent aflembly were enjoying their fimple plea- fures. At a table raifed on two flools flood a droll with a merry countenance, who, making the four ftrings of a bad violin fwear to his bow, was finging away as loud THE KNIGHT OK TOURS. 263 loud as he could in a hoarfe voice, but full of gaiety and fire. Joy fparkled in the eyes and on the countenances of all prefentjand broke out in the attitudes and acclamations of the audience intoxicated with pleafure. Big and little, fat and lean, old and young, took hands, and formed themfelves into dancing groups : nothing was feen on every fide but capering, leaping, gam- bols and tumbles : the old people fitting in the fhade laughing and prattling at their eafe, feemed to live again in the de- light of their children. They encou- raged, they enlivened them by their re- marks and looks, and danced thofe who were too young and too little to mingle in the crowd, in their arms and on their knees. Every now and then was heard a chorus that awakened diftant echoes. Mean* 2e4- THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. Meanwhile ruftic but delicious prefents^ cheefe, fruit, milk, and vegetables poured from every quarter to enrich the fideboard of the happy droll, who fquinting on the little profufion in which he was going to fwim, encteafed his jollity, and gave him- felf up with all his heart to the raptures he had infpired. Tourville and Joe looked on apparent- ly very quietly. " What gaiety Joe !" faid the Knight : " fee how the populace enjoy themfelves !'^ " Thefe people have but little/* re- plied the Squire, ^^ and are eafily amufed: ^^ it would be a v/retched world if there " was no pleafure but for the rich and ^' powerful — " " And does not that rogue that fings ^' at fuch a rate," faid the Knight, ^* feeni ^^ very much fatisfied v/ith himfelf ?" *' He has reafon to be fo/' replied the Squire, THE KNIGHT Ox^ TOURS. 265 Squire, ^' for every body feems to be ^'^ fatisfied with him : and in the occupa- '^ tion he follows, to pleafe is every thing, ** no matter for the means.'* ^^ I really envy him," faid the Knight : ^^ the crowd around him are vulgar to ** be fure, but he makes a ftrong impref- *' fion on them ; and in fhort he fhines' " in his little circle ; he has neither ri- " vals nor critics ; he hears nothing but *' applaufe.'* ^^ And of courfe," replied the Squire, ^'' can have no glory : his fuccefs is of " prefent ufe to him, but it paffes- *' away. " I have taken a fancy into my head," faid Tourville ; " for a long time I have *' been only embarrafled and plagued " with my own affairs and thofe of my " friends. I may now relax a little, and *^ enter into fome amufement. I am en- " tirely unknown in this place, and as I VOL. I. N " (hall iOj the knight of tours. *' fliall remain here the reft of the day, I *« fhould get tired. I will put on a dif- " guife proper for the part I mean to *^ play, while you go to the finger and *^ give him fome money from me to let " me take his place for a little while. " I wifh to let thefe folks hear fome airs ^' a little better turned than thofe with " which they have been regaled ; and, <* as they appear to have feeling, it will *' amufe me to obferve the effedl I pro- «^ duce upon them.*' At his mafter's propofal Joe retreated two fteps. Aftonifliment was painted in his attitude and on his countenance. « You ! Sir ?" cried he. " Yes, I :" replied the Knight ; " is « there in my intention any thing to *« fliockyou?" <^ Every thing to fhock me," exclaim- ed the Squire : " you are a nobleman «< of diftindlion ; I am a perfon of little ** note. THE KMGHT OF TOURS. 267 ^' note, your vaflal, receiving from you ^' the wages of fervice, yet would I not, ^* for any money, make a fhow of my- " felf in this way." " You are too fcrupulous," rejoined the Knight : '^ however, though un- «' known I do not mean to appear en- '' tirely unmafked, but only to amufe, ^^ without committing, myfelf." Joe was more and more furprifed as he became fully convinced that his mafter was ferious in making this extraordinary propofal. At lad he thought himfelf bound in duty to expoftulate with him againft it. ^' No, Sir, no," faid he, *^ I cannot " carry fuch a meflage from you to that " man> and if you want a fecond in this " adventure, pray find fome one who is " lefs folicitous for your fame. You " have always had a tafte for appearing " in public : I never could think it very N 2 " becoming 26« THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. *^ becoming. But that, fituated as you *^ are, you (hould think of entering into ^^ competition with a wretched ballad- *' fmger for the honour of amufmg fome *' hundred peafants, is what I can never *^ be infmcere enough to approve. Nay, ** refle(^ that you are not fure of the *^ fuccefs of this ridiculous undertaking, *' in which you would have to contend *^ againft a man born no doubt in the *^ profeffion he follows, and perfedly ac- *^ quainted with the flage on which he is *^ mounted. His audience are fuited to ** his finging and his voice, and you will " have no advantage over him on his " boards, for though you may be the ** twentieth Knight of your family, you ** are but the firfl ballad-finger of the *^ name.*' *' Joe !** replied Tourville, fharply, and in a manner to fliow his difrelifli to being ledured, *' I have often told you, '' but THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 2O9 ** but never more apropos^ that you are a *' mere pedant, and foolifh prater/' This was all the anfwer the good Squire received from his mafter, who returned to the cottage at which he had put up, where he regularly prepared himfelf for the new part which. he was determined to play. He threw over his fhoulders fome of the torn clothes which he had brought away from Strigellina's palace, and which were (till among his travelling things; He put a large patch over one of his eyes, difguifed the reft of his face with fome of his hair, which he put into dis- order ; to look clownifh he put on a coarfe hat which he found at hand, and, making his way through the crowd, went up to the ftage occupied by Poinciron, which was the name of the buffoon, who was entertaining the ruftics. Joe follow- ed his mafter, but at a diftance for fear of difcovering him. The faithful fellow N 3 was 270 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. was thoughtful and vexed* He flamped, twifted his arms, bit his lips, and turned up his eyes ; but the Knight faw none of thefe different motions, and being obfti- nately bent on his project, thus addrefled Poinciron. " Why, brother, you mud be tired, ** for you have been long at work I un- *' derftand. I am but juft come, am of *' the profeffion, and frefh ; I will, if you *' like, entertain thefe good folks with *' fomething in our way while you reft a ** little. I am not interefted and have " no notion of fharing any of your « profits.'' *^ Comrade," replied Poinciron, '' you *' come exceedingly apropos, for my " ftomach is as empty as my fiddle. *^ Come up, I don't care for intereft more *^ than you, if you have not an inftru- " ment, take mine, and don't be afraid « of it." Saying tHE KNIGT OF TOURS. 271 Saying thisj Poinciron gave up his place, and going down feated himfelf on the grafs where he fell at once on a loaf, an onion, and a leg of mutton, with an appetite that might have done credit to two ploughmen. Tourville's firft effort was to put the violin in tune, and he fucceeded at length, it being perhaps the firft and the laft time it ever was fo. He could both bow and finger well. He played a charming prelude, in the courfe of which he now and then harmonized with his voice : this was feeble and fomething worn, but airy and fcientific. The dancers quitted their places, and the crowd preffed round the new per- former impatient for his fong, which he thus began : H 4 When 372 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. When hope endears the lover's pain, Aysd foothes the enamour'd heart ; When beauty fmiles to hear the drain, How pleafing is the fmart ! The Knight here flopped a moment to examine in the looks of his audience the efFed produced by his opening. There was nothing yet decifive : they opened their mouths and eyes wide, and looked at one another^ but faid not a word : Tcurville continued : But if defpair the fling encreafe, And every hope remove — The affembly did not appear to be much delighted. Some fhook their heads, others ihrugged their fhoulders, and made figns not very favourable to the new performer, who not perceiving thefe tokens of difguft, or interpreting them in his THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 273 his favour, went on with all the ardour of a firfl rate amateur : If beauty beam no ray of peace> How dreadful 'tis to love ! Here the ruftics interrupted the mu- fician with their hooting. A fturdy well-built peafant, the cock of the parifh, jumped upon the boards, and feizing the fmger by the arm ; *^ Get away," cries Joe, '^ you know nothing about it. We *^ don't like you — We will have Poind- " ron — Come up Poinciron." " Odfzookers ! my good fellow,'^ faid Poinciron, with his mouth full, " give *' one time to eat; every body mud live*" " Right ! right 1" cried the people, one and all, *' eat away, but fend that *^ fqueaking pig about his bufmefs, and *' in the mean time we will go and play " at prifoner's bafs or blindman's buff/* What 274 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. What fhame, confufion, vexation, rage> and fury took poffefTion of the Knight ! he was within an ace of breaking the fiddle he had in his hand on the head of his rude antagonifl:, at the rifk of being mauled to death, and of abufing all the audience, but Joe who gueffed his maf- ter's intentions by the agitation he faw him in, went up to him and pulling him forcibly by the fleeve of his doublet led him away. *^ Come," faid he, ^' come '' away, don*t you fee that you are not *^ fit for the bufmefs you undertake ?'* Joe's voice and adlion brought Tour- ville to himfelf ; he went down from the boards aftiamed, and quietly followed his fquire. The crowd opened to make a paflagefor them, applauding Joe's remark, and bidding the difgraced finger to go along. " The gentleman is right, you *^ are only fit for a funeral, go along/* Here was abundance of fubjed for con.* THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 275 confufion, and yet, as if it had not been complete enough, the very children and dogs mingled in the noife, following and harafling t^ne poor poet, till he got to an orchard al fome diftance from the fcene "bf his difgrace : there he went up to a hedge, and threw himfelf down on the turf behind il . The faithful Joe, keeping aloof that the Knight's real charadler might run na rifle of being known, followed his mafter with his eyes, and going round about foon joined him. He found him ftretched along motionlefs, with his face to the ground, and approaching fpoke to him and compelled him to look up, ^' What, fir," cried he, '* will you " fufFer yourfelf to be dejeded by this *' ridiculous affair ? Your triumph could '^ have been but trifling, and there is no- *^ thing vexatious in your failure. I fee *^ nothing in your adventure but what is ^^ laugh- 276 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. *^ laughable, and as the ridicule of it falls *^ on one who is not known to any body, *' and whom nobody will feek to know, " pray rife, and refolve to laugh at it '' yourfelf/' Joe fpoke in a gay man- ner, but without the leafl: mixture of raillery. Tourville, expedling to be blamed and rallied> was charmed with his fquire^s ftyle, and was prefently at his eafe: '^ You will allow, Joe/' faid he, " that " I had to do wich a pack of dolts. A " fong that has given fuch delight !" — " And what could put it into your " head, fir," faid Joe, " to go and fing '^ your dying (trains to a parcel of coun- " try boobies ? Are thefe the people to ^' underftand or feel fuch notes ? Your " fong may be excellent in a lady's dref- *' fmg room, or in the' fafliionable circles " of Tours : here, it is good for nothing* " Joking apart, if I may be allowed to " fpeak THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 277 *' fpeak my fentinient, your opening " feemed to me fad and fweet : you ^' know, fir, I am no pretender." '' And that rogue of a buffoon ;" faid Tourville, " Til be bound for it he was *^ very well pleafed at the bottom of his ** heart, to fee me difmiffed fo fhame- « fully.'* '^ If he knew you, fir," replied Joe, '* that might have been the cafe ; for ^* there is a great deal ofpleafure in laugh- *^ ing at the follies of the great ; efpecially ^[ at thofe which depend entirely upon *^ themfelves. In other refpects, your *f competitor feemed to me a good fellow, " fure of what he was about. I obferved *' him in the courfe of the fcene ; his •* jaws never ceafed working for a mo- *^ ment ; I even thought I faw on his *^ countenance that, as much as his ap- *' petite would allow, he honoured your *^ misfortune with a degree of pity." " Joe," 278 THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. " Joe," faid Tourville, pulling off the patch that flill covered his eye, *' this is " a good leflbn. It is better to receive it *^ from this public than in any other way." '^ It is clear," replied the Squire, '^ that there has been no party bufinefs " here. It is hazardous, Sir, to have to *' do with the public of every fort and *^ place : now as there are people who ** have no other employment than that '^ of expofing themfelves to this hazard, *' for the purpofe of amufing or of in- ^' flruding the public, let us leave them " to their bufinefs and mind our own, ** which is good and honourable. Be *' advifed by me, fir ; we have but one ^' evidence of our own adventure, which " we mud dexteroufly get rid of to *' prevent its depofing its teftimony *^ againfl: us. Off with thatcurfed doub- *' let, and let us bury it ten feet under " ground : Til go and bring you proper " clothes. THE KNIGHT OF TOURS. 279 " clothes, and as the day begins to (hut 'J in, let us quietly betake ourfelves to bed " and go to fleep, that we may be ready " to dart on our journey by day-break/' Joe's plan was approved by his mafter, and was accordingly executed in every particular. END OF THE FIRST VOLUME, Strahan and Preftonj Prmteis-Street. London: UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS-URBANA 3 0112 078623540