The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1885-05-28
A Tournament in the 10th Century
BY MADAME GABRIELLE D 'ARvoR.
Translated for the VIRGINIAN.
NII A prNI L

Translated for the VIRGINIAN.
CHAPTER 7.
| The second of May, 1S-, tourist en-
tered on foot the little city of Plouguer in
Bas Bretagne. 1t was only o'clock in
the morning, but already the old city was
astir with unwonted life. The narrow
and badly made streets, the old mansions
with gables, the elegant houses, were all
decorated with the arms of France and
Brittany, with trophies, bannerets and al
legorical representations of victorious
combats. Knights in warlike array, fol-
| lowed by numerous escorts, traverSed
proudly and boisterously the streets and
public places. The old, half dismantled
castle seemed endowed with new life
esquires and pages were going and COM
ing in the court of honor guards, lance
on shoulder, stood at the entrance to the
drawbridge, and the bitches were filed
with water Upon the balconies. adorned
with superb, emblasoned draperies, APP
peared young and beautiful chatelaines
they made with their hands signals of en-
enlargement to the noble warriors who
saluted them in passing on their high
mettled steeds.
! The bugle sounded, the men at arms
were gathering in the court of the castle,
| the polished steel of their cuirasses and
helmets, the gold and silver ON their uni
forms flashed in the sunlight amid the
/ clash Of lances and swords
what does all this mean ~ said the
| stranger. us it a dream ? Am I not the
sport of hallucination =? In the year of
grace, lS-. find myself all at once trans
| planted midway into the middle ages. In
centuries past the knights of chivalry have
| slept in their stone sepulchres the noble
castfe-ladies live only in the forgotten bal
lads of the troubadours and, 10 this
dead world world, as it were BY enchant-
ment, presents itself to my sight. Has
that old castle just succumbed to for
midable assault. or are the defenders of
the place just awakening from sleep
| through centuries to avenge their defeat
! What means this warlike blast Of trum-
pet, these caparisoned steeds and these
men at arms -? Has magician evoked be-
fore me vision Of the past upon this scene
! of olden memories ~
"Onmy faith - cried out joyous voice,
Here's strange character for this sol
emn day. What costume and what Ian
guagel Whence comes he? What coun-
try saw his birth? Sir, you are, doubtless
seeking a lodging place, are you not? l
forewarn YOU there isn't place in the
humblest hostelry. =
Thanks for your information, sir but
tell me, what does this preparation for a
warlike fete mean ~
| AS he said this. the stranger looked at
tentively at his interlocutor.
He was small young man with nut
cracker shaped figure, q look full Of mis-
chief and a hooking mouth. He wore
parti-colored jacket with large sleeves
pulled and ornamented with little bells
and on his head cap, set off with long
white feather; at his side hung wooder
sword with gilt guard and in his left
hand he was waving fool s cap.
''Sir stranger said he, as he made him
self known, ''our illustrious master, Ives,
the Magnificent, celebrates to-day the an
niyersary of accession presently, the
bravest knights of Brittany and France
will dispute the prize of valor and combat
for the love Of their ladies'
You are playing then the part of fool ??
replied the tourist.
80 people call it, resumed the young
man. philosophically, but l have noted
that reason is not always the portion OF
those who think themselves wise
The stranger shook his head and with
drew more and more astonished.
"Who will furnish me the key of thi.
riddle ~
1T is there as told you, = said the new
Triboulet, shaking his FOOLS cap. ''Yo,
don't believe me. sir. Seek then thu
counsel of the wise since you disd ain thai
of the fools. One bit of advice, however
Don't present yourself in that costume
before Count Ives, the Magnificent. HI
will take you for an English spy. But, hi
has taken an oath not to grant mercy tt
these perfidious islanders. He might have
you hung at the postern of the castle.
The tourist shrugged his shoulders
smiling. He found himself quite near
hotel Of unpretentious appearance ant
went in. A stout woman wearing tn,
Breton head dress was in the centre of
large kitchen and surrounded by troul
Of scullery servants. AT the huge fire
place chickens and ducks were roasting OF
splits before an immense fire, while from
numerous stew pans on the stove exhale,
the odor of appetising sauces.
''What do you wish, sir 2" asked tn
hostess, turning to the stranger a face al
allame with the heat.
A room, madam.
There isn't one left, sir.''
"At least then tell me the cause of wha
| see Is yours a city of the medava