The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1894-01-26

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the place by assault, at length resolved
to make overtures Of peace, hoping thus
to gain the end which it seemed useless
to expect from force of arms.
He whose custom it was to deliver
every conquered city to be plundered
and burned; he who, after a successful
siege, invariably wreaked his bitterest
vengeance on the inhabitants and de-
Tenders, now proposed to the governor
and inhabitants of Nancy that they
should surrender and open to him the
gates of the city, pledging himself to
protect their dwellings and property
from all plundering, and to take care
that no one should suffer the least harm
either in life or possessions. The pro
posals caused many to waver, but the
noble governor, who had grown gray in
the service of his prince, stepped for
ward and declared that he would rath
er be buried under the ruins of the ram
parts than deliver up the city to the en-.
envy, so long as there were means to
defend it. He encouraged soldiers and
citizens to bravery and perseverance
/
their sovereign, the Duke of Lorraine,
and he succeeded so well by his enthu-
siastic eloquence that all swore to sacri.
flee their lives rather than surrender.
While the brave governor thus reani.
mated the courage of the men, his
daughter on her SIDE raised the wom-
ems fainting spirits and cheered them
by her presence and inspiriting' words,
and by her own conduct gave the exam
pie to maids and matrons to share in
the hardships and dangers of the de-
tense. She reminded them how,
short time before, when the Duke of
Burgundy besieged the town of Beau
vais, the women had taken up arms and
fought beside the men ON the ramparts
and how they had succeeded in driving
back the besiegers.
These brave women were far fewer
than we are, continued Telesila,
while the enemy was the same in num-
Der and strength. Why should we be
afraid, when we have before us such an
example Of devoted patriotism2"
This speech made the greatest impress
sion on the minds of her listeners.
Fresh courage was instilled into men
and women, and No one spoke of sur
render.
Meanwhile, Charles had recourse to
every stratagem that ingenuity could
devise to endeavor to render himself
mNFter Of the town. During the night
! watches he kept the besieged in a state
of alarm by continual feints of attack,
and then, as morning advanced, when
they were quite wearied and worn out,
he would rush with tenfold violence to
the assault.
He caused large stones to be hurled
by the machines at the walls wherever
they were weakest, in the hope of max
ing a breach, which at last, by the
greatest efforts, he succeeded in doing,
and after two hours desperate fighting
he forced a entrance into the city,
breathing vengeance against its defend
ers, whose obstinate resistance, COM
bined with the loss he had sustained Of
his bravest warriors, had enraged him
beyond measure. But it was especially
against the governor that all his anger
and hatred were directed, as he knew
that the latter had steadfastly refused
the terms Of capitulation and had in
duced the inhabitants to offer such pro-
longed resistance.
He swore that the governor should be
the first on whom his relentless ven
geance would fall, but his intended vic
tim, to escape recognition, had disguis-
ed himself in an ordinary citizen s
dress, and now stood, unknown, among
the assembled inhabitants, who were
awaiting their fate at the hands of the
enraged duke.
Charles demanded that the governor
should be instantly delivered up to him,
but the people would rather die them
selves than betray their beloved chief
into the hands of the bloody conqueror.
Duke Charles threatened to destroy
Ill with fire and sword if his demands
were not instantly complied with, while
at the same time he promised large
reward to Whomsoever would point out
the governor s hiding place.
His threats and promises were equal
ly vain. All remained silent.
Then stepped forth an old man--it
was the governor himself in his disguise
and said that he would reveal the Sc
cret if the duke would swear on his
word to pardon all the inhabitants and
protect their property.
'Never" roared the Infatuated duke.
In town taken by assault the victor
allows no terms to be dictated to him,
and will take such measures to dis
cover your governor as shall strike ter
ror into your hearts" Whereupon he
declared that every tenth person should
die and ordered his heralds to proceed
to the work of numbering the people.
Then the men and women, boys and
girls, old and young, were placed in
one long rank, which reached from the
spot where Charles was holding his
court to the uttermost fortifcation of
the city.
All grew pale, and deadly fear was
in every countenance as they listened
to the terrible sentence. AS father,
mother, daughter and son stood side by
side, each trembled for the others life.
The air resounded with the weeping
and wailing of women who had short