Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-03-22


Indeed. there were no regular mails.
One afternoon Nine. de Blonay. who
was ignorant of the tournament, was
sitting on her castle terrace with her
baby on her lap, looking out on the
placid waters of Lake Leman. A mail
ed horseman assembled the hill and.
dismounting below where the lady sat.
came up on to the terrace and, bending
the knee, said:
Mime. de Blonay, I cry you mercy"
You cry me mercy" exclaimed the
astonished woman. You. an armed
knight. cry mercy Of me, not only with
out weapons. but incumbered with my
baby"
Eyes. madam. l am Corsant de
Bresse. have met your husband in
battle. he the champion of the married
knights of Turin. l representing the
single knights. / have been conquered
by him. and by the terms of the tour
nament have come to cry mercy from
his wife"
As soon as Mime. de Blonay under
stood the situation. recognizing the
fact that her husband had won a vic
idea of winning a second victory, not
with lance or battleax, but with wo-
mans own weapons.
arise, Sir Knight" she said. 81
grant you mercy on one condition"
Name 1t, good lady"
THAT you be my guest at q feast
which shall give in your honor with
the mobiles living around about"
Thanks. madame, that you accom-
pany your mercy with q boon instead
of a penance. 1 will be your guest
most willingly"
Immediately Nine. de Blonay dis
patched messengers to those to be in
vited to the feast. including her young
and beautiful cousin, Yolande de VII
lette. When all were assembled Nine.
de Blonay placed Yolande beside her,
seating Corsant de Bresse where he
could feast his eyes on her beauty.
| There was a clinking of glasses and
many a word of good natured derision
fred at the bachelor cause in the re-
cent contest.
"Alasr' he said Would that had
a wife to defend me against this rail-
leryv'
He accompanied the words with
look of appeal at Yolande. who blush
ed and lowered her eyes.
Cries of "Deserter!' Renegade"
and the like were hurled at him from
the bachelors present, while Come
overm "Welcome to our ranks!' and
similar badinage came from the mar
ried persons.
After the guests were gone De
Bresse declared to Nine. de Blonay
that he had had enough of the unmar-
ried side and, since he had become
smitten with her niece. begged that
she would intercede for him with Yo-
lande.
How, now, Sir Knight" said the
lady. Having been beaten at feats
of arms by a married man, do you
now beg the assistance of a married
: womanY'
by my spurs. madame! / am more
afraid of the girl than of either you
or your husband"
well. then. you must either win
: your matrimonial spurs as you have
already won those of knighthood or
remain a craven"
With that she opened door and
ushered him into q room with Yo-
lande. What took place there has not
been handed down, except that after
awhile De Bresse came out, strutting
like a peacock. and informed his host
ess that he had won this fight far
more easily than her husband had
vanQuished him In the tourney.
After brief courtship the young
fiance rode back TO Turin. He bore Il
scrap of paper from Nine Blonay to
her husband. on which she had writ
ten: You have conquered with mans.
have gained victory for the same,
cause with woman's weapons. You
fenced with an insensible lance, I with
: a beautiful girl
CorSant de BreSse, returning an af-
fianced husband. excited a great deal
Of merriment In Turin. The married
knights welcomed him among their
number. and the single knights talked
of another tournament in which the
renegade should defend his newly
chosen side against one of their num-
!. ber who should punish him for his de-
L sertion. But the Count of Savoy for
babe any further fighting. and. there
being demoraliza ton among the bach
elors both on account of their defeat
and De Dresses joining the enemys
ranks. many more deserted. and many
u maidens gained noble husbands.
y And you who visit northern Italy
: take little steamer plying around the
lake and among other sights viewed
!, from the boat look at Castle Blonay.
= You can fancy a good woman sitting
on the terrace 700 years ago with a
baby on her lap and a plumed knight
riding up the slope to cry her mercy.
And, remembering how he rode again
down that same slope an engaged man.
having turned his back ingloriously on
!. the side for which be had so recently
. |. fought. you will say TO yourself. 'ver-
!. lily. woman's wit is mightier than the
= sword"
i March 22 in American