New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-06-18
THE KNIGHTS SECRET.
By CHARLES READE.

By CHARLES READE.
Thomas birmingham was knighten U.
H.nIyIv. for good and valiant service.
This Sir Thorn as Erpinghsm. Knight 0
. the Garter, afterward fought by the SIDE
Henry v. 10 his French wars. and was mad'
wsrlen of the C,nque Ports. but retired q
|Norwieb, his native place. de Malreu
, beau,iful. pious lady, and at or tufOuieh
caraer and The horrors OF war, desired t.
end his dave in charity. Being wealthy
and of one mind, be and Lady Erpinghan
bailt a qoodly church in the city, and also
| erected and endowed religious house 1o'
twelve monks and prior close to tne
Knights house, and parted only oy nlgn
wall. j..
Bat though the retired soldier wished to
ha M neace with I'll men. two Of his f:isre
we're Of another mind; Friar john and
Friar Richard hated each other, ana could
bv no means be recOncileC; neither had
ever good word for t'other; and at last
Friar John gave Friar Richard fair excuse
for his invectives. Lady Erpingham came
over to mathis in the convent, anu Fra!
John would always await her coming, and
attend her through the clolsser. with aucs
aud cringes and open adulatlon; Whereat
| che smiled, being in truth, Q most innocent
ladv. affAbie to all, and slow to think i'll OF
But Richard denounced John - . licen.
| tious monk; and some watched end whisper
ed: Others rebuked Richard; for it was
against the monastic rule to put an i'll con-
struction where the matter might be inno-
| cent
But Richard stood his ground; and, uu-
| fortunately, Richard was right. Misunder-
| standing the lady's courtesy aud charity,
| Brother John thought his ia awning advances
we're encouraged, aud Ibis bred in him such
| impotence that one day he sent her tul-
some love letter, and had the hardihoOd to
| beg for . private interview.
The lady, when sbe opened this letter,
| could hardly believe her senses, and at last,
a. n n lewOGen will be both unsuspiciOus
aud suspicious in the wrong place, she
made up her mind that the poor. good,
ridiculous friar could never have been 90
wicked as to write this; nay, but it was her
husband's doiPgs, and q trial Of her virtue;
he was older than herself, and great love
is oft tainted with jealousy.
This brought tears into her eyes, to think
che should be doubted; but coon anger
dried them, and che took occasion to put
the letter suddenly into SIR Thomas hand,
and fixed her eyes on him SO keenly that ii
there had been tlsw in his conf lgal armor
no doubt those eyes had pierced it.
The knight read the letter, and turned
black and white with rage; his eyes
sparkled with fury. and he looked 60 fear.
full that the lady wac very sorry che had
shown him the letter, and begged him no:
to take madmans folly to heart.
mot take il to hearth said he. "What!
these beggarly shavelings that 1 have
housed and fed, and go lessened my estate
and thine-they would corrupt thee, aud
rob me of my one earthly treasure Sit
thou down and write"
"Write-Thomas-wha whom''
m I Il Il
~. land no more words"
Friar John, at the appointed tune, took
care to be in the town, for he knew the lay
brother who kept the gate of the priory
would not let him out go late. He came to
the side door, and was admitted by q ser
want of the knight, reckless old soldier,
who cared for neither man nor devil, az the
saying j., but only for his master. This
man took him into room and left him.
then went for the knight; he was not far off.
Now the urlucky monk, being come to the
conquest of beautiful lady, 40 he vainlv
thought, had tine linen on, and perfumed
like civet. The knight smeiled these per
fumes. and rushed in upon him with his
man, like dogs upon the odoriferous fox.
and, in fury, without giving him time to
call for help or say one PRAYER. straneled
him, ana left him dead.
But death breeds calm; the knights rage
abated that moment, aud he saw he had
done fOul and remorseless deed. BE
would have given half his estate to bring
the offender back to life. Halt his estates
His whole estate. aye, and his life, were
now gone from him; they were forfeited to
the law. The rough soldier. seeing him co
ger of discovery. Come, noble air." said
ne, Jet us bestir ourselves and take him ]
back to the priOry, and there bestOw him:
80 shall we meier be known in it.'
Thus urged, the knight reused himself !
ana he and his man brought the body out.
and got it as far as the wall that did bart
tne mouse from the monastery. Here they
were puzzled while. but the man remem-
oered short ladder in the back yard that !
was tigh enough for this job. So thew sat |
sne LADDER. aud. with much ado. got the |
BODY up 1t, and then drew the ladder mn
ana set 1t again on the other side, and sO.
with Infinite trouble, the soldier got him
into the priory. ''''A
The next thing was to make it appear
srlaI john had died natural death. Ac.
cordingIy, he set him up on q ricketv char
ne found in the yard, balanced him and
ieit MN; mounted the wall again, let him
sell down. and then dropped into The
knights premises. 'o 'no
de found the knight WALKING In ora..
perturbation, and they went into ths house.
NOW, good master" said this stout soi.
oIe1, go you to bed, and think NO more
ITO bed" groaned the knight in .oor
,.,Why should ! go there? l can not sIee1
~s e.M shall never sleep again"
.,,, lnen give me the cellar kew. ooo1 Al,
III draw stoup of Canary" '''
,Ay. wine" said the knight: "for INV
BLOOD runs cold in nv veins" The serv.n,s
hgnted rousing FIRE in the dininr hail
and warmed and spiced some rsnarons
W .na, after the fashion of the dsv. and
i 4 au1;u ~ tnese Two over the fire awaiting
, DuI. meantme, the night was fruitfn, in
s svS,s Inc prior. informed of Frisr Rich
1emned him to vigil and praver an tna S Hon.
2eoDies OF the yard. from midnirht n mail
,ntse OF the clock. But the sly Richara ~
~ n nag conveyed chair into the vsr :"
~ Aeep ms knees off the cold hard storss
AZ mldnight, when he came to his %:
vIoeu oevotlons, 10, there at n fomr> ~
s ,as cnair: He started. and took it for tha
'IvI' seated there to lecture him for In
2ut Peeping, he soon discovered II VAS ny.
!. he CIV walked round and round him. t.lh;,,
s,ch LIN rs It Brother John or Broths.
NOW INV wn 10 y to keep vigil tonight. I
~ ssar-gazing in bis brother's cha;. " wS
Br0ther John voucbaafai ~ oeS.
ms etnng Brother Richard. and hlp Ey, . anu
oI revenge. 80 be it, them s.;% IIeu
since my place 10 taken. 7 v;n e e"u ne;
, h;o sno Keep vigil some other n;uht = WIS :ue
n.s Nc retired and slammed q So". .a
s.c,Sk '9Gs disarmed, as he oonca;vsS
.o ~.nos 0onne suspicion, he tool ~
oe and SIs .p ps9ole' and slipped back on tin.