The Armourer's Apprentice — page 56: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

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I. . . “a > ‘ . ff - . - fe a ) ; : af bs faa & ‘ _ At that moment some men led in Algernon _ de Courcy, firmly bound, whilst two others bore in Sir Bidulph de Boischene in a chair, for in his fall off the castle walls he had _ broken his back, and his lower limbs were paralysed. _ “Look up, Biduiph de Boischene,” cried King Richard, “ and look me in the face.” “Tut! do you think I fear you—I who - stand in the presence of a greater monarch than you are, Richard of England, and yet i do not tremble.” “What greater monarch do you mean?” “King Death. A monarch whose glories are terrors, whose attributes are horrors. A grizzly old rascal, but one to whom the most powerful monarchs must bow. What would you with me ?” “TY would have you do an act of justice before you die. Tell Sir Stephen his right birth. “Why should I do so? Hath he not been my enemy— hath he not caused my death ?” “Say rather that thou hast caused thine own death through thy ill works. Hard- ened as thou art, thou canst not deny that thou hast been justly dealt with.” “T deny it not, Still revenge is sweet, ond I will not speak.” ‘‘ Algernon, falsely called Lord de Courcy,” cried the king, sternly, “hast thou any ex- cuse to make for thy conduct? Hast thou anything to urge why the sentence of death which I shall pass upon thee, should not be carried out ?” “Mercy, mercy, sire!” cried De Courcy, in the most abject terror, as he threw him- self at the king’s feet. “I do confess that i have done much wrong, but it was at the instigation of my father.” “Your father!” exclaimed the king, in Surprise. “Aye! myliege. My father, Sir Bidulph de Boischene.” “Ha!” exclaimed the king. “Now may Heaven curse thee as a coward !” cried Sir Bidulph, passionately. “Hast thouno pride? Why should I think of thee? Thou canst be no son of mine to bear so white a heart.” | ““jla! then thou must confess that this base-born coward is thy son ?” “I know not that. I know he hath no right to the title of De Courcy. My brother the Earl De Courcy, joining with Richdrd—then only s prince—against his lawful sovereign, was compelled to fly the land,@ I took the boy, my nephew, then a babe, and entrusted it to one Robert Smith, an armourer, to whom the lad was afterwards apprenticed. I placed my son in the place of my nephew, and he thereby took the title and estates of the earldom, You see, I did all I could for my child” Shame on him for having so white a heart!” “ And the Lady Alice?” Vi “Ts the daughter of my Lord Beaucle et said De Boischene, coolly. re “ Alas! sire, thatcan I prove,” exclaimed — a female voice, and the knights, standing on one side, old Dame Margery rushed for- ward and caught Alice in herarms. “Ah! my love—imy darling, do I see you ye more? ButI forget you are now a good lady, and I am only a smith’s wife.” a “My good, kind, and affectionate mother!” : cried Alice, as she folded the old woman to her breast, “thou wert always good and kind to me. Thou hast done no wrong.” — Me “Alas! IT know not that. It was in th ; . time of the fierce rebellion when the princes rose against their father—a terrible time we hadof it. My husband was then inth service of the Earl of Beauclerk, as hot tempered &@ manas ever lived. One da; my husband killed the earl’s favourite hawk, and the earl lashed him across the face with his whip. From that momen my husband swore to have revenge. Woe isme? IdidallI could totryand persuade him not to; but he was always 4 sell willed man, and powerful. Well the earl was mixed in the rebelion—for he was ever a staunch supporter of you, sire.” “Go on, go on, good woman,” said the “Well, he had to hide himself irom the wrath of King Henry, and then, in the con- fusion, my husband stole his infant daughter Alice, and there she stands. I have begged and prayed my husband to re- store her to her rank and wealth; but te was stern, and never would listen to me.” _ “Alice! my child!” cried a grim-looking — warrior, as he rushed forward and caught Alice in his arms. ‘Do I once more enfold thee in in my arms? Yes; you have your mother’s gentle eyes, and her winning grace and pleasing manners.” e a4 “ However, Sir Stephen—or, rather, I should say, my Lord de Courcy, for that is — the title you now will hold—” laughed — King Richard, “do you not think that fortune has fayoured you greatly?” “ Indeed, sire, I fear that fortune hath Ly been too great. Perchance, the lady, now that she hath wealth and rank, may think of one much higher than a youth who h been a ‘Armourer’s Apprentice.” @ “My crown against anything c~ doe not,” Jaughed the king. ‘Come, my Lo Beauclerk, you have only gained a daughtet to lose her again. If you will give her to this, my favourate knight, I promise you that his fathers estates shal oe ‘ : " : ; Ain ' " 4 Le - ly % - x ( ~ Pa J . eon - aaa) e : yy