The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-12-23
THE RIDERS OF THE GREEN BALDRIC.
A ROMANCE or rEUpAL TIMES.

i A ROMANCE OF FEUDAL TIMES.
| The traveller Of to-day would find the country OF
| which write vastly different in appearance and III
condition from what it in those times long ago.
/ Louis XI King of France. but king only IN
name The great feuda lords Of the provinces were
sovereign princes. holding government in their own
| right.
The kings of Christendom themselves were little
| else than robbers on a large scale.
| 1t was duh. lowery day. the 18th of August, in
the Of Lord 145s. at Asdorf, which then
| within the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, and the
| summer residence of the grand duke.
On this dismal August day the Grand Duke John
stood in the outer of his CASTLE the gates of
| which thrown wide open, looking upon a num-
| Der Of children who at play upon the velvety
| sward Three of them children of his own
two boys and girl-and three others children
| Of Of his foresters, Galen Picard by name. OF
| the dnkes children Isabella the oldest, having
seen eight years Leon the next, aged six years;
and the youngest was Alfred. aged four. The chill
dren of the forester two girls and boy. and
very nearly Of the same ages respectively. as their
titled mates. The boys Ind been foster brothers. the
| wife of the forester having nursed them both.
On the present occasion the children were engaged
1 in sport. and the dukes face frightened their
| glecsomc shouts and laughter reached him. BY and
| by the two foster brothers. seeing him. ran toward
| him.
"Ha, my little heroes!" he cried. as the boys came
up, "where are your quarter slaves? haven't seen
| you exercise for long time"
| With whoop and bound the lads dashed away
| and very returned with the staves--two sticks
of tough ash. wrought very nearly into the form of
broadswords, and at a signal from the Duke they
took position and went at the sword exercise, show
ing very plainly. ere dozen passes had been made.
that they had eagerly pursued the sport, and that
they had been blessed with the teaching Of thorough
master.
| John Of Luxembourg was not the only witness of
| the boyish passage at arms. In the doorway of
lodge close at hand stood woman. the mother Of
Leon Picard, and she called companion to witness.
Tell me, Mignon," the mother said. "are they not
| brave boysy'
Indeed they are Barbara. and were it not for the
| clothes who could tell which was the lords SOM
! 'Who, indeed.' exclaimed Barbara Picard. IF
/ my own Leon had the fine velvet and the gold
which the other Leon he would be every bit
| grand"
| Foolish woman" said a voice behind her, ''out-
| ward apparel cannot make hero. Look. See your
Icons weapon flying through the air."
She turned, and behed the dukes secretary. Zeta
Bethton Who besides attending to his masters lit
/ erary wants. acted as tutor to the children.
As might be gathered from the exclamation Of tho
i
resulted in perchng victory upon the banner of Lux
| embourg. The Duke regarded his proudly,
1 and then turned with smiling face to the forester's
/ son.
my little hero" he said "your effort just put
| forth shows to tina you worthy to own
sword and You shall have one and you shall go to
Bittburg tomorrow and select one for yourself and
| my own Leon and good Bethtoni shall go with
| you. All! here Bethtoni. Mistress
Picard yonder and the other children running
| ward her. Do you two join them?
Suddenly the tramp Of horses heard. and Beth
| toni rushed forward to close the main barbican.
Ibid you not see the advancing troop. my lords'
| he asked Of the duke.
"Isaw few horsemen ride out from the wood"
"And marked you not who led them?"
~ saw q knight in black armor."
"Oh John Of Luxembourg. il you knew all that
| know you would be arming. Those the Black
Riders of Gravelot and he at their head il Mailon
du Bac!"
"Du Bacl" cried John. with convulsive start
1.-THE Black Riders. They have joined the Count de
| Charolais."
"Aye.-and for that reason they are here! Can you
| not understand? Tho count means, If possible, to
| possess himself of Luxembourg. received hint to
| that effect from wayfarng monk not hour since
and was on my way you with the intelligence but
now, little thinking the enemy near.
| The duke his danger. and fastened into the
| keep TO himself.
The Black Riders Of Gravelot Castle had long been
the terror Of the whole country. Originally mar
| shalled by Bohemian knighterrant, Sir Raoul de
Iangwolf they had grown from a to q troop Of
full 200, and not only did they attack castles and
| lagos for purposes of plumber, but they had more
than successfully turned their arms against in
| corporated cities Lately this lawess force had &C.
1 ,,4al ,rpIar tho la
| John Of Luxembourg knew very well that they would
| not thus appear upon his d OMAN without direction
| from their lord and master.
| By the time the leader OF the Black Riders had
reached the outer gate the approaches to the castle
| had been secured. and its forces mustered to the
| number Of hvc-and-sxty. OF the encmy-if enemies
they werc-there were full 300, all strong and
well armed. and when they had drawn up before the
outer barbican their herald sounded blast upon his
| trumpet, which call the Grand Duke answered in
| person. His secretary and the chief Of his officers
| sought to dssuadc him from exposing himself, but
| he would not listen.
| He mounted one OF the smaller towers in advance
of the main tower Of the barbican in of the most
exposed positions he could have selected. and de-
| manded to know upon what errand the troop had
1--WE hold not conference with your castle walls be-
tween us, answered the black knight, whose voice
and whose whole bearing and stalwart presence John
| recognized belonging to Raon de Langwolf.
| Throw open your gates and You shall quickly know
our pleasure. II you put to the labor Of forcing
way it shall be worse for those who else may not
| suffer-
At this iuncture second knight rode mp and spoke
| with the Bohemian. He cased in plate armor
with his visor closed but zcta Bethton who had
come to his masters side, recognized him.
| "Har' the secretary cried. clutching the dukes
| arm. that liz the fond ncarnatc II is Burgundys
| butcher Malotin du Bac He would not be here IL
| Charles had not planned bloody work. fear my
Touchdown, down."
But the note of alarm came too late. tall, broad
shouldercd archer had advanced with Maillotin du
Bac who, at sign from the latter. raised his heavy
bow with long, ccbarbed. finely fcathered arrow
adjusted to the string and drew to the very arrows
| head. John of Luxembourg stood with his visor
| raised and his whole face exposed. He heard Beth
| toni's cry, and the stout archer OF the black
| baldric, but he too late to avoid the fatal
shaft. Az an echo to the warning came the vengeful
twang Of the bowstring and the steel point with its
following barbs entered the dukes right eye crash
ing through the bone of the orbit and burying itself
deep in the brain He fell back dead into Bethtons
| arms
| The secretary bore the body down TO the pavement
below, where he Just in to meet of
| the Black Riders who had gained entrance
Il I rua mt ihe Lc ahnuld liz