The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1874-10-18
heart against heart beating high with mutual


40 my valiant brother I" cried Deconinck
20 great and generous soul! Hard, see, in
deed, has been the struggle; but the victory
| is yours; the greatest of victories, even that
| over yourselff
| At the sight of this moving spectacle, a cry
of joy ran through the ranks and the last
spark of angry feeling was extipguished in the
bosoms of the valiant Flemings. At Decon-
incks command, the trumpetor of the Cloth
woi ikers called aloud to the French herald
/ Does your general grant to our spokesman
his ssfe-conduct to come and to return?'
- Ro gives full and free safe-condnct, upon
his faith and honor, according to the custom of
war;" was the reply.
| Upon this assurance the portcnlis was
raised, the drawbrdge lowered and two of the
citizens issued from the gate. Quo of them
was Deconinck tho other the herald of the
guilds On reaching the French lines, they
were immediately introduced into the tent of
De Chatillon, when the Dean of the Cloth
| workers advanced towards the general, and
with e arm countenance thus addressed him :
"Messire de Chaiillon, the citizens of Bruges
| give you to know, by me their delegate and
spokesman, that, in order to avoid useless
bloodshed, they have resolved to surrender to
you the city. Nevertheless, since it is noble
and honorable feeling that leads them to prof
fer their submission, they can make it only on
the following conditions first, that the costs
of his majesty's late entry be not levied by a
new impost upon the commons secondly that
the present magistrates be displaced from
their offices and lastly, that no one be prose-
cnted or disturbed on account of any part he
may have taken in these present troubles by
what name soever the same may be called Be
pleased to inform me whether YOU assent to
these TERMS"
"What w exclaimed the governor, bis coun-
tenance overcast with displessure, "wbat man.
ner of talk is thisf How dare you speak to
me of conditions, when I have only to bring
up my engines to your walls and batter them
down, without hindrance or delays"
That is very possible" replied Deconinck
firmly; but tell you, nevertheless-and do
you give heed to my words-that our city
ditch shall be filled with the dead bodies of
your people, before single Frenchman shall
plant his foot upon our walls. We too, are
not unprovided with implements of war; and
they that have read our chronicles have not
now to learn that the men of Bruges know
how to die for their country"
"Yes, yes, know we'll that stiff. pecked OBJ
stinacy which is the characteristic of all your
race; but what care for that's The courage
of my men knows no obstacles your city must
surrender at discretion"
To say the TRUTH the sight of that warlike
multitude in armed array upon the walls bad
filled De Chatillon with serious apprehensons
as to the issue of the coming fight. Knowing
as he did the indomitable spirit of the
men of Bruges, and the probability of
desperate resistance, pradence strongly die
tated to him the desirableness of gaining pos
session of the city, if possible, without q
struggle. He was not little rejoiced, there
fore, when the arrival of Deconiuck gave him
hopes of the peaceful accomplishment of his
wishes. On the other hand, the conditions
proposed were by no means to his taste. He
might, to be sure, at once accept them under a
mental reservation, and afterwards invent
some pretext for evadipg them but lie had a
supreme mistrust of the Dean of the Clsth-
workers, Deconinck, and greatly doubted
whether he could safely rely upon what he h ad
said. He resolved, therefore, to put his words
70 the test, and see whether it really was true,
as be asserted, that the men of Bruges were
determined to resist to the death, rather than
surrender at discretion; accordingly, in loud
voice, he gave the signal for advancing the
engines to the assault.
But Deconinck, like skilful player, had
closely watched the countenance of his ad YER.
sary. 1t had not escaped his penetration that
the resolute air of the French general was
merely assumed, and that in reality he would
gladly avoid the necessity of putting his
threats into execution. Once convinced of this,
he adhered firmly to the conditions he had
proposed; while he regarded with apparent
Indifference the hostile preparations which |
were being made around him.
Tho cool self-possession of the Fleming was
too much for De Chatillon. He was now con-
vinced that the men of Bruses stood in no fear |
of him, and that they would defend their city |
to the very last extremity. Unwilling, there
fore, to stake all upon this isolated point of !
the game, he at last condescended to enter into |
a negotiation; and, after some discussion, it |
was finally agreed that the magistrates should |