Year: 1875

CHAPTER XIII.


The French knights who occupied Courtrai
were fast asleep when the tidings of the ar
rival of the French, passing through the city,
and diffusing terrer every side, reused them
from their slumbers. Guy commanded the
trumpets to sound and the drums to beat and
an hour later all the soldiers lodged within the
city were assembled on the walls. As there
was reason to fear that the Castellan van Lens
would make q sortie into the city during the
battle, the men of Ypres were summoned from
the capp to watch the French garrison. At
the Steenpoort numerous guard was ap-
pointed to keep the women and children within
the town for they were SO terrified, that they
were bent on fleeing again during tho night
Inevitable death seemed to threaten them: on
the one side the CASTELAR, van Lens, with his
ruthless soldiers, might fall on them at any
moment; on the other they saw the small
number of their couutrymeu opposed to the
countless hosts of France, and they dared not
hope for victory. And truly, bat that the
heroism and iptrepidity of the Flemings
blinded them to all thought of danger, they
had done well to bethink them of last part
ing prayer; for not only did the foot-soldiers
in the French camp outnumber those in their
owp, but there were moreover the two-and-
thirty thousand hsrselnen to be dealt with.


The Flemish commanders calculated with
perfect GOODNESS the chances of the coming
battle; great as were their valor and eager
ness they could not conceal from themselves
their critical position: heroism docs not pre-
vent man from seeing the dark and threaten
ing side of things, nor does it drive ont the
Unborn dread of death; but it inspires man
with might TO vanquish and to brave oil de-
pressing and disheartening forebodings .
further than this the soul cannot push it's
empire over the body. For themselves the
Flemings had no fear but their hearts were
full of agonizing anxiety for the liberty of
their fatherland,-a liberty which was set
upon this cast. Notwithstanding, however,
the small hope which they dared to entertain,
they resolved to accept battle, and rather to
die as heroes on the bloody field than survive
70 andnEe dehaslng slavery rX=-===-z-


The youthful Matilda and the sister of Adolf,
with many other noble ladies, were sent to the
Abbey of Groeningen, where they would end 3
safe asylum, even in the event of the French
becoming masters of Courtrai. When this and
other preliminary matters had been arranged
the knights returned to the camp.


Inc BtbOiai1 NObOAS " AANoASS was -
brave and experienced soldier; but, like many
others of his fellow-countrymen, he was too
rash and self-coDfdent. He deemed it quite
unnecessary to take ordinary precautions in
his proceedings against the Flemings, so GER
tain was he that his first attack would throw
them into hopeless confusion. This rash con-
fidence was shared by all his soldiers to such
extent, shat, while the army Of Guy was pre-
pairing for battle in the twilight, the French
were sleeping on as unconcernedly aS though
they were quartered in friendly city. Trust |
ing to their numberless cavalry, they thought |
that nothing could resist them; whereas, had
they been q little less thOughtless, they would
have first inspected the field Of battle, and dis
posed their van and rear accordingly. They |
would then have found that the ground be- |
tween the two camps was not at all fitted for |
the action of cavalry but why should they |
exercise superAuous cautionf Was the
Flemish army worth iti Robert d'ArtOiS
thought notl
The Flemings were drawn mp on the Groen- |
ineen PIaoe. Behind them, TO the north, ran
the Lys, Q broad river, which Fsndesed any
attack On that SIDE iuaps ;'En frcns aowed !