France -- History -- Capetians, 987-1328 -- Fiction; Knights and knighthood -- Fiction
The Princess of Roche-de-Frêne awaited in Angoulême the earliest fruit
of this faring. She waited at first at the Abbey of the Fountain, but
presently in the town as Duke Richard’s guest. A great house was given
her, with all comfort and service. Ladies came to wait upon her; she
had seneschal, chamberlain and page. If she would go abroad she had
palfreys with their grooms; in her hall waited knights to attend her.
Angoulême and its castle and the court about Duke Richard buzzed of
her presence in this place, of what adventure had been hers to reach
it, and of the attitude now of Richard Lion-Heart. They did not know
detail of her adventure, but they knew that it had taken courage. They
knew that Richard had in him power to turn squarely. They did not know
all the whys and wherefores, depths and reasons of the right angle
that made in Angoulême a whirling cloud of speculation, but as a fact
they accepted it and proceeded with their own adaptation. The party
that, for reasons personal to itself, had backed Montmaure, wagering
in effect upon the permanency of his influence with Richard, took
its discomforture as enforced surgery and found it wisdom’s part to
profess healing. The party that had been hostile to Montmaure found
a clearing day and walked with satisfaction in the sun. Those—not
many—who had stood between the two, found usual cautious pleasure in
changing scenery and event. The most in Angoulême could give nine days
to wonder. The Princess Audiart stayed with them no greatly longer time.
Duke Richard came to her house in state. In state she returned the
visit, was met by him at the castle gate. He would give a joust in her
honour, and afterward a contest of troubadours. She sat beside him on
the dais, and watched all with a gentle face, a still and inscrutable
look. Beauvoisin was of those who tourneyed, and among the knights whom
he brought into the lists rode Garin of the Black Castle, who did most
well and was given great observance. The next day, when there was song,
Richard called for Garin of the Golden Island, naming him famed knight,
famed poet, famed bird of song, bird that sang from itself. Garin came
before the dais, took from a jongleur his lute.
“Sir Garin of the Golden Island,” said Richard, “sing _Within its heart
the nightingale_—”
He sang—a golden song sung greatly.
“Ah!” sighed Richard Lion-Heart, and bade him sing _When in my dreams
thou risest like a star_. “Ah God!” said Richard. “Some are kings one
way, and some another! Sing now and lastly to-day, _Fair Goal_.”
Garin sang. All Angoulême that might gather in the great hall, in the
galleries, in the court and passages without, listened with parted
lips. Richard listened, and in some sort he may have felt what the
singer felt of goals beyond goals, of glories beyond the loveliness
and glories of symbols, of immortal union behind, beneath, above the
sweetness of an earthly fact.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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