Jane M. Bancroft - "Deaconesses in Europe"

George Colman - "John Bull"

Charles Goff Thomson - "Terry"

Robert W. Chambers - "The Fighting Chance"

Annual Bibliography of Commonwealth Literature 2007
This paper argues that discourses of love in Ghanaian market literature for youth offer a view into complex negotiations of agency and empowerment. Drawing on Deborah Durham's notion of youth as "social `shifters'" and Francis Nyamnjoh's conception of the "interconnectedness" of agency, I take Ghanaian market literature as one specific case of how African literature for youth foregrounds questions of continuity and change as African societies enter into increasingly complex global relations. In this literature for youth, received notions of love, often constructed out of impressions from American pop and hip hop music, carry new notions of agency that compete with existing "domesticated" forms. Authors like Ike Tandoh and Evelyn Tay employ discourses of love to offer youth alternative avenues for empowerment in a context of socio-economic disenfranchizement. In a creative process of "straddling", this writing both reveals and reproduces the contradictions that obtain in youth configurations of agency.

Saint Bartholomew\'s Eve

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"But whom have we here? Peste! This is awkward."

As he spoke, Count Darbois, the governor of Agen, with a body of
troopers, rode up. He had ridden to within a mile or two of Nerac
and, questioning persons from the town, learned that everything was
quiet there, and that no fresh body of Huguenots had arrived. He
was on his way back when, hearing the clash of swords, he had
ridden into the wood to inquire into its meaning.

"What is this?" he exclaimed.

"Why, what is this, Monsieur De Fontaine? Your cousin, Count Raoul,
dead!"

Louis, who was leaning over his cousin, looked up.

"Alas! I fear that it is so, Monsieur le Comte. My poor cousin has
fallen in a duel."

"What a misfortune, and at such a moment! Is it not scandalous
that, at a time like this, when every gentleman's sword is needed
in defence of our king and faith, they should indulge in private
quarrels?

"And is it you, Monsieur D'Estanges, who has done his majesty this
bad service?"

For by this time Philip had resumed his doublet and cloak.

"No. I only stood as second to his opponent, who has behaved fairly
and honourably in the matter, as I am sure Count Louis will
testify."

"Your word is quite sufficient, Monsieur D'Estanges. And who is
this gentleman, who has thus slain one who had no mean reputation
as a swordsman?"

"A young gentleman passing through Agen. The quarrel arose through
a rencontre in the street. Count Raoul was, as was his nature,
hasty, and put himself in the wrong. The gentleman resented his
language, and a meeting was at once arranged. Count Louis and
myself were with Raoul, and as his opponent was alone, and it was
not desirable to draw others into the matter, I offered to act as
his second; and he accepted it, at once. We came here. Count Louis
and I made a final effort to persuade Raoul to apologize for his
language. He refused to do so, and they fought, and you see the
consequence."

"But who is this stranger?" the governor asked again.

"Count Raoul did not feel it necessary to ask, count; and I think,
as he waived the point, and the affair is now terminated, it would
be well that his opponent should be permitted to withdraw without
questions."

"That is all very well for you, Monsieur D'Estanges, as a party in
a private quarrel; but as governor of Agen, it is my duty to
satisfy myself as to who this stranger, who has killed an officer
of the king, may be."

He turned his horse, and for the first time obtained a view of
Philip; who, seeing the impossibility of escape, had been standing
quietly by.

"Why, it is but a youth!" he exclaimed. "You say he slew Count
Raoul in fair fight, Monsieur D'Estanges?"

"In as fair a fight as ever I saw, Monsieur le Comte."

"Who are you, sir?" the governor asked Philip.

"I am a stranger, travelling through Agen on private business,"
Philip said quietly.

"But what is your name and family, sir?"

"I am English," Philip replied. "My name is Philip Fletcher."

"A Huguenot, I will be bound?" the governor said angrily.

"Not at all, count. I am of the religion of my nation--a
Protestant."

"It is the same thing," the governor said. "It is clear that, for
whatever purpose you may be in Agen, you are here for no good.

"This is a serious matter, Monsieur D'Estanges."

"As I have said, I know nothing of this gentleman, count. I saw him
for the first time a little over half an hour ago, and on every
account I wish that I had not seen him. He has killed my friend
Raoul, deprived his majesty of a staunch adherent, and has got
himself into trouble. But for all that, I am assured, by his
conduct and bearing in this business, that he is an honourable
gentleman; and I intreat you, as a personal favour, count, that you
allow him to go free."

"I would do much to oblige you, Monsieur D'Estanges; but he is an
Englishman and a Protestant, by his own confession, and therefore
can only be here to aid the men who have risen in rebellion, and to
conspire with the king's enemies. He will be placed in close charge
and, when the present pressing affairs have been put out of hand, I
doubt not we shall find means of learning a good deal more about
this mysterious person, who claims to be English, but who yet
speaks our language like a Frenchman."

"As to that matter, I can satisfy you at once," Philip said. "My
mother was a French lady, a daughter of the Count de Moulins of
Poitou."

"A Huguenot family, if I mistake not," the governor said, coldly.
"Well, we have other things to think of, now.

"Captain Carton, place two troopers one on each side of this
person. I authorize you to cut him down, if he tries to escape. Let
four others dismount, and carry the body of the Count de Fontaine
into the city.

"You will, of course, take the command of his troop, Count Louis;
seeing that, if I mistake not, you are his nearest relative, and
the heir to his possessions."

As Philip was led through the streets he caught sight of Pierre,
who made no sign of recognition as he passed. He was taken to the
castle, and confined in a room in a turret, looking down upon the
river. The window was closely barred, but otherwise the room,
though small, was not uncomfortable. It contained a chair, a table,
and a couch.

[Illustration: Philip in prison.]

When the door was barred and bolted behind him, Philip walked to
the window and stood looking out at the river. The prospect seemed
dark. The governor was unfavourably disposed towards him now; and
when the news came, on the morrow, that the Queen of Navarre had
slipped through his fingers, his exasperation would no doubt be
vented on him. What was now but a mere suspicion, would then become
almost a certainty; and it would, as a matter of course, be assumed
that he was there on matters connected with her flight. That he was
a Protestant was alone sufficient to condemn him to death, but his
connection with the queen's flight would, beyond all question, seal
his fate.

Pierre, he felt sure, would do all that he could for him; but that
could amount to almost nothing. Even if he had the means of filing
through or removing the bars, it would need a long stout rope to
enable him to descend to the water's edge, a hundred feet below
him; and that he could obtain possession of either file, or rope,
seemed to him as absolutely impossible.

"Nevertheless," he said to himself, "I will let Pierre know where I
am confined. I do not see that it can do any good. But he is a
fellow of resource. I have great faith in him and, though I can see
no possible plan of escape, he, being without, may try something.

"I have no doubt that his first endeavour will be to find out where
I am confined. I warrant he will know my cap, if he sees it. He has
an eye like a hawk and, if he sees anything outside one of the
windows, he will suspect at once that it is a signal; and when he
once looks closely at it, he will make out its orange tint and
these three long cock's feathers."

So saying, he thrust one of his arms through the bars with the cap,
which he allowed to hang down against the wall below. There he
stood for two hours, closely examining every boat that came along.
At last he saw one rowed by two men, with a third sitting in the
stern; and had no difficulty in making out, as it came closer, that
this was Pierre, who was gazing at the castle.

Presently he saw him suddenly clap his hands, and speak to the
rowers. These did not look up, but continued to row on in the same
leisurely way as before; nor did Pierre again glance at the castle.

Satisfied that his signal had been observed, Philip withdrew it,
but continued to watch the boat. It went half a mile higher up,
then turned and floated quietly down the stream again. When he had
seen it pass the bridge, he threw himself down on the couch.

"There is nothing more for me to do," he said. "The matter is in
Pierre's hands, now."

He listened for a time to the tramp of a sentry, backwards and
forwards outside his door; and then fell off to sleep, from which
he did not awake until he heard the bars withdrawn, and the key
turned in the lock. Then a man accompanied by two soldiers entered,
and placed a chicken, a bottle of wine, and a loaf of bread on the
table.

"Monsieur D'Estanges sends this, with his compliments," he said;
and then Philip was again left alone.

Two hours after it became dark he thought he heard a confused
sound, as of the trampling of a number of horsemen in the courtyard
of the castle. He went to the door and, placing his ear against it,
was convinced that he was not mistaken.

"That looks as if an expedition were about to start somewhere," he
said. "If they are bound for Nerac, they will arrive there too
late; for the queen will, by this time, be setting out. They cannot
intend to scale the walls tonight, and the gates will have been
shut long ago. They are probably going into ambush, somewhere near,
so as to ride in in the morning.

"I wish I could be certain they are bound in that direction. There
was certainly no idea of an expedition this morning, but it is
possible that the messenger with the order for the arrest of the
queen and prince may have arrived this afternoon, and the governor
is losing no time.

"I trust it is so, and not that news has come, from some spy at
Nerac, that she will leave the place tonight. If it is so, this
party may be setting out to strengthen the guards on the river; or
to occupy the roads by which she would travel, were her purpose to
join the seneschal.

"I trust that Pierre and the others are on the alert, and not
wasting their time in thinking about me; and that, if this troop
make along the river, they will ride to warn the queen in time.
Hearing nothing, she will assume that the road is clear, and that
she can go on fearlessly.

"It is enough to drive one mad, being cooped up here when the whole
success of the cause is at stake."

The character of the sentry's walk had changed. He had been
relieved some four hours before, and his walk at times ceased, as
if he were leaning against the wall to rest himself, while at times
he gave an impatient stamp with his feet.

"I expect they have forgotten to relieve him," Philip said to
himself. "If a strong body has gone out, that might very well be."

Another half hour passed, and then he heard steps ascending the
stone staircase, and the sentry exclaimed angrily:

"Sapristie, comrade, I began to think I was going to be kept all
night at my post, and that everyone had ridden out with that party
that started, half an hour ago.

"Now, then, the orders are: 'Permit no one to approach. Refuse even
to allow officers to visit the prisoner, without a special order of
the governor.' That is all.

"Now I am off for a tankard of spiced wine, which I think I have
earned well, for it is a good hour after my time of relief."

Then Philip heard his footsteps descending the stairs, while the
man who had relieved him walked briskly up and down in front of the
door. In a minute or two he stopped, then Philip turned with a
start from the window at which he was standing, as he heard through
the keyhole a loud whisper:

"Monsieur Philip, are you asleep? It is I!"

"Why, Pierre!" he exclaimed, running to the door and putting his
mouth to the keyhole; "how did you come here?"

"I will tell you that later, master. The thing is now to get you
out. The bolts here are easy enough to draw, but this lock puzzles
me. I have brought up two thin saws and an auger, and thought to
cut round it; but there is a plate of iron outside."

"And there is one inside too, Pierre. How about the hinges,
Pierre?"

"There is no doing anything with them, master. The ironwork goes
right across the door. There is nothing for it, but to cut right
round the iron plate."

"That won't take very long, if the saws are good, Pierre."

Philip heard a rasping sound and, in a short time, the auger passed
through the woodwork. Two other holes adjoining the first were soon
made, and then the end of a saw was pushed through.

"If you can make a hole large enough at the bottom of the plate,
Pierre, and pass me the other saw through, I can work that way to
meet you."

"It would take too long to make, sir. I have plenty of oil, and it
won't take me long to saw round the plate. I only brought the
second saw in case the first should break. But this oak is pretty
nearly as hard as iron."

It took over an hour's work before the cut was complete. When it
was nearly finished, Pierre said:

"Be ready to seize the piece that is cut out, as soon as I am
through with it, master; otherwise it may fall down, as the door
opens, and make a clatter that will be heard all over the castle."

As the last piece was sawn through Philip pressed the door and, as
it opened, seized the portion cut out, drew it backward, and laid
it gently on the stone floor. Then he rose, and grasped Pierre's
hand.

"My brave Pierre, you have accomplished what I thought was an
impossibility. Now, what is the next thing to be done?"

"The next thing is to unwind this rope from my body. It is lucky I
am so lean that it did not make me look bulky. It is not very
thick, but it is new and strong, and there are knots every two
feet. Roger is waiting for us below, in a boat."

"Where is Jacques?"

"Jacques has ridden off. He learned, before sunset, that orders had
been issued for the troops to assemble. He and Roger had taken the
four horses beyond the walls, an hour after you were arrested; and
had left them at a farmer's, a mile away. So he arranged with me
that he should follow the troop on foot; which he could do, as
there are footmen as well as horse in the party that has gone out.
Then, as soon as he discovered which way they were going, he would
slip off and make for the farmhouse and mount. If they were bound
for Nerac, he will wait for us at the point on the other side of
the river. If they follow the river down, he will ride at full
speed, make a circuit, and warn the queen of the danger. He will
have plenty of time to do that, as the column will have to move at
the pace of the infantry."

"That is a load off my mind, Pierre."

While they were speaking they had unwound the rope, fastened one
end to the battlement, and lowered the other down.

"I will go first, master. I am the lightest, and will steady the
rope for you, from below."

In two or three minutes Philip felt that the rope was no longer
tight, and at once swung himself over and lowered himself down. The
water washed the foot of the wall, and he stepped directly into the
boat; which Roger was keeping in its place with a pole, while
Pierre held the rope. An exclamation of thankfulness broke from the
two men, as his feet touched the gunwale of the boat; and then,
without a word, Roger began to pole the boat along against the
tide, keeping close to the foot of the wall.

Once fairly beyond the castle, the pole was laid in and the two men
took the oars, and the boat shot across the river. Then they rowed
up under the opposite bank, until a voice from above them said:

"Is all well--is Monsieur Philip with you?"

"All is well, Jacques," Philip exclaimed, delighted; for the fact
that his follower was there showed that the troops had gone in the
direction that did not threaten the safety of the queen.

They leapt ashore and pushed the boat off, to allow it to float
down with the stream.

It was a mile to the spot where the horses had been left. On the
way, Philip heard how his escape had been effected.

"I saw you go out from the town, monsieur; and could not, for the
life of me, make out what was going to happen. I did not know the
gentleman you were walking with, but I recognized the two in front
of you as the officers of the troop that had questioned us, near
Bazas. One of them was talking angrily to the other. As it seemed
to me that you were going willingly, and not as a prisoner; and
especially as you were going out of the town, I thought that it was
my business to wait until you returned.

"I saw, half an hour, later some horsemen coming up the street, and
someone said that it was the governor, who had been out with a
party. It gave me a bad turn, when I saw you walking as a prisoner
in the middle of them. I saw you glance at me, but of course made
no sign; and I followed until you entered the castle.

"When I was walking away, I saw a crowd. Pushing forward, I found
they were surrounding four soldiers who were carrying a body on
their shoulders, and made out at once it was the officer who had
been talking so angrily to his companion. Then I understood what
had puzzled me before, and what you had gone outside the walls for.

"The rest was easy to guess. The governor had come along, you had
been questioned, and had been arrested as a Huguenot. It was
evident that no time was to be lost and that, if you were to be got
out, it must be done quickly.

"I hurried away to the cabaret where Jacques and Roger were
drinking. We talked the matter over, and agreed that the first
thing was to get the four horses out of the town. So I went to the
inn where you had put up, said I was your servant, paid the
reckoning, and took away the horse. Then I got my own and joined
the other two, who were mounted and ready. They each took a horse
and rode off, settling to leave them at some farmhouse a short
distance away, explaining there that the town was so full they
could find no room for them.

"Directly they had started, I set off to have a look round the
castle. The great thing was to know where they had lodged you. If
it was in a cell looking outward, I thought that, knowing I should
be searching for you, you would make a signal. If I could see
nothing, I determined to accost some servant coming out from the
castle; to make acquaintance with him and, over a bottle of wine,
to find out in what part of the castle you were lodged.

"On the land side I could see nothing, and then went back and
waited till Jacques and Roger returned. Then we took a boat and, as
you know, rowed up; and I soon made out your cap outside the wall.

"Then, as we rowed back, we arranged matters. Jacques was to carry
out your former orders: find out about the movement of troops, and
warn the queen if danger threatened. Roger was to be at the foot of
the wall with a boat, as soon as it became dark. I was to undertake
to get you out.

"The first thing to do was to get a rope. This I carried to a quiet
place on the wall, knotted it, and put it round me under my
doublet. Then there was nothing to do but to wait. I went several
times to hear if Jacques had any news, and was glad when he told me
that most of the troops were ordered to be under arms, at eight
o'clock. This would make matters simpler for me for, with numbers
of people going in and coming out of the castle, it would be easy
to slip in unnoticed.

"As soon as it was dark, Jacques and I went down a lane; and he
gave me his steel cap and breast piece, and took my cap in
exchange. Then I went up towards the castle. The gates were open,
and I was told that they would not be closed until midnight; as so
many were coming out and going in, and there was no hostile force
anywhere in these parts. Presently, numbers of gentlemen began to
arrive with their retainers, and I soon went in with a party of
footmen.

"The courtyard was full of men, and I was not long before I found
the staircase leading up to the top of the wall, on the river side.
I went boldly up and, halfway, found a door partly open. Looking
in, I saw that it was evidently used by some gentlemen who had gone
down, in haste, to join the party below; so I shut the door and
waited. I heard the troops start and guessed, from the quiet that
followed, that the greater portion of the garrison had left.

"I felt pretty sure that there would be a sentry at your door, and
waited until the time I thought he would be expecting a relief.
Then I went up. He was in a mighty hurry to get down, and did not
stop to see who I was, or to ask any questions; which was well for
him, for I had my knife in my hand, and should have stabbed him
before he could utter a cry. Everything went off well, and you know
the rest, sir."

"You managed wonderfully, Pierre. I thought over every plan by
which you might aid me to escape, but I never thought of anything
so simple as this. Nor, indeed, did I see any possible way of your
freeing me.

"How are we going to get our horses? The farmer will think that we
are a party of thieves."

"They are in an open shed," Jacques said. "I told the farmer that
our reason for bringing them out of the town was that you might
have to start with orders, any time in the night; and that it would
be troublesome getting them out from town stables, and having the
gates opened for them to pass out; while, on foot, you could issue
from the postern without trouble. I paid him for the corn when I
left them."

The horses, indeed, were got out without any stir in the house
indicating that its occupants were awakened.

"Give me your sword, Pierre," Philip said, as he mounted. "I trust
that we shall meet with no enemies on the road; still we may do so,
and I should not like to be unarmed. You have your arquebus."

This had been brought in the boat by Roger, and on landing Pierre
had exchanged the steel cap and breast piece for his own cap.

The road to Villeneuve D'Agenois was a cross-country one, and would
be impossible to follow in the dark. Consequently, after keeping on
the main road for half an hour, they turned off a road to the
right, rode until they came to a wood, and there alighted.

"Shall I light a fire, sir?" Pierre asked.

"It is not worth while, Pierre. It must be getting on for midnight
now, and we must be in the saddle again, at daybreak. By this time
they have, no doubt, found that I have escaped. The first time they
send up a man to relieve you, the open door will be noticed. They
will certainly make no search tonight, and tomorrow they will have
something else to think about; for doubtless some spy at Nerac
will, as soon as the gates are open, take the news to the
governor's party that the queen has left."

Two hours' brisk ride, in the morning, took them within sight of
Villeneuve D'Agenois. Riding across the bridge over the river Lot,
he entered the town. The street was full of troops; and three
gentlemen, standing at the door of an inn, looked with suspicion on
the gay colouring of Philip's costume and, as he alighted, they
stepped forward to accost him.

"May I ask who you are, sir?" one said advancing; "and what is your
business here?"

"Certainly you may," Philip said, as he dismounted. "My name is
Philip Fletcher. I am here at the order of her majesty, the Queen
of Navarre; who, I trust, has arrived here safely."

"The queen arrived here three hours since, Monsieur Fletcher; and I
may say that she did you the honour to inquire, at once, if a
gentleman of your name had arrived."

"I should have met her at the river near Tonneins, but the governor
of Agen laid an embargo on me. Yet, thanks to these three faithful
fellows, I got safely out of his clutches."

"We shall march in an hour, Monsieur Fletcher and, as soon as the
queen is up, I will see that she is acquainted with your coming.

"Allow me to introduce myself, first--Gaston de Rebers. Breakfast
is ready in this cottage, and we were about to sit down when we saw
you riding up. I shall be glad if you will share it with us. These
are my comrades, Messieurs Duvivier, Harcourt, and Parolles."

He then called a sergeant.

"Sergeant, see that Monsieur Fletcher's servant and men-at-arms
have a good meal."

"I think they must want it," Philip said. "They have been so busy,
in my service, that I doubt if they have eaten since breakfast
yesterday. I myself supped well, thanks to the courtesy of Monsieur
D'Estanges, who was good enough to send up an excellent capon, and
a bottle of wine to my cell."

"You know Monsieur D'Estanges?" Gaston de Rebers asked courteously.
"He is a gentleman of high repute and, though connected with the
Guises, he is said to be opposed to them in their crusade against
us."

"I had only the honour of meeting him yesterday," Philip said, as
they sat down to table; "but he behaved like a true gentleman, and
did me the honour of being my second, in an unfortunate affair into
which I was forced."

"Who was your opponent, may I ask, sir?"

"Count Raoul de Fontaine."

"A doughty swordsman!" Gaston de Rebers exclaimed; "but one of our
bitterest opponents in this province. You are fortunate, indeed, to
have escaped without a serious wound; for he has been engaged in
many duels, and but few of his opponents have escaped with their
lives."

"He will neither persecute you, nor fight more duels," Philip said
quietly; "for I had the misfortune to kill him."

The others looked at him with astonishment.

"Do I understand rightly, Monsieur Fletcher, that you have slain
Raoul de Fontaine in a duel?"

"That is the case," Philip replied. "Monsieur D'Estanges, as I have
said, acted as my second. Count Louis de Fontaine acted for his
cousin."

"You will pardon my having asked you the question again," De Rebers
said; "but really, it seemed well-nigh impossible that a gentleman
who, as I take it, can yet be scarcely of age, should have slain
Raoul de Fontaine."

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