The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1839-03-27
els of Folk, condemned to death for having
entered your dominions with the semblance


tier fortress MS a spy, and afterwards hsv-
ing in arms attacked aud slain your sub
jects IN the execution of your orders, will
bow his head to the block, and undergo the
sentence of his judges. Let this be spread
far and wide, and, my life for it, if Blanche
Of Navarro be within hearing of the tale,
she will come forth from her concealment to
save her lover from the sword"
" perhaps il may be So" replied the
king" But yet. Isabel, l fear to delay
the execution, or tO make it too public.
Many of the nobles already murmur I;
many affirm that Blanche is innocent; and
| fear that, did the French king who is even
now upon our frontier, Gfford them any en-
couragemcnt to deliver his vassal, the Count
Of Folk, they might rise in rebellion against
their monarch's authority. You know not
these proud Navarrcse, Isabel ) you know
them not so well as do"
"Out upon the king who fears his own
subjects I" replied Isabel Of Vnlois Z"
trust my husband is not such. Out upon
him, ! say Call in your troops, my lord !;
exert your courage; summon round you
those whom you know to be faithful to you /;
and fear not bat that The traitors will fall
down and lick The dust beneath your feet.
Fie on it ! the French king gives them no
encouragement. Is not Charles my own
cousin, near to the in bloom aud in affec-
ton! and, had he been willing to espouse
tine cause of this Count of Folk, would he
not have done it long ago, when all the
counts followers and vayasours were
ala 4, utt tb.,. g 81
sis,ancei Let it be proclaimed far and
near, that the count suffers the day ritter to-
morrow; and, without direct assertion, let
II be Insinnated, that the only means TO save
his life is the production of Blanche of
Navarro" r.'
Well, Isabel" replied the King,
" doubtless thou Judgest wisely. Order all
this as thou wouldst wish but, also, take
care; aud ever remember that many eyes
are fixed upon our actions, and TINT we
must not dare to stretch authority beyond
certain limit" .l .d
Dare" exclaimed Isabel of yaIois,--
(" dare. and for momept she sszod upon
him with glance in which, the Indignation
and contempt of her fiery and naughty
spIrit struggled with arful vile, and cus-
tomary seIt-commsnd, soft blandishment,
and all the subtle coquetry. with which wo-
man, weak in power, and deuicd participa-
iion of command, so often obtains unseen
the authority from which man would ex-
clude her, rules where she is supposed to be
ruled, and trampIes on the hnbitual tyrant
of her sex. Her schemes were approved
of, her wishes granted; and, when she
quilted the presence of her husband, her
whole step and figure were onimnted by the
thought of having in her power her that she
hated with undivided enmity, and him for
whom her love struggled with her wrath in
such n way as to make that wrath but the
more deadly.
Tie fatal morning arrived. The glo-
rious sunshine of that bright land spread o.
yer the whole scene, and the awful scnflold
covered with clothes of crimson and black,
was raised before the windows Of the pnl- |
ace. Guards and attendants took their pIa-
ces round about. The heralds summoned |
the Count Of Folk, in loud voice, as if he
had been free agent, TO sppenr and ans
wer for the crimes laid to his charge; and \
in u moment after he was led forward 10 the
trout of the soaffold, and The accusation aud
the sentence read before his face.
lie was very pale but stood calmly with .
his manacled arms crossed upon his broad
bosom, while the charge and the sentence
were read. When il was over, and the
harsh and dissatisfied murmur had subsi-
led, he addressed The people in a voice,
clear but loud, which penetrated to the Ut
~ al, I
heard almost by every ear in the silent null
itude.
"Ye have henrd," he said, {" charges that
are false: aud ye have listened to, aud
sanctioned by your presence, u sentence
hat is iniquitous in itself, base in its mo-
ives, weak in its pretences, AMI alike un-
worthy uf the monarch OF generous peo- ;
,le, and the Judges Of free nnd warlike ,
and. But l am here, n stranger ia the
midst of you, with none to plead my cause.
With none 10 defend my right: and, allho'
might we'll calculate upon some one from
'mongst the renowned nobility of this coun-
~ standing forth To do Justice TO the wrong /,
d and the oppressed, vet / forgive even
hose who abandon me Ia this my last hour;
nd only beseech them to believe, that not
My am | innocent Of one foul charge
rought against me, but that the sweet pfin-
ess of your native land-the pure, the '
right, the beautiful, the noble--is belied by '
he base occusalions which bnye been spo- :
en- against her, by the very lips that should $
ave maintained her honor, and have upheld
er fame. oh Blanche of Nnvnne - q
'lancl'e of Navarro that which weighs n
nos, heavily upon this heavy heart is, that
ny follies or my vices--follies which thy D
Tlsdom has shown me, vices which thy ylr- a
aes have done arsy-sbouli have furnish "
d thine enemies with pretex, fpr black
ning the auspotted purify Of thy angelic :
ame. Oh, Blanche Of Navarro Blanche q
{ Nayasre If there be one good aud no a
le soul that hears me, lac will tell thee when q
nm dead, that with my last words. with
Nv latest breath, with the ultimate effort OF /