John Burroughs - "Birds and Poets"

Sabine Baring Gould - "Castles and Cave Dwellings of Europe"

Victor Appleton - "Tom Swift and his Wireless Message"

W. S. Gilbert - "The Bab Ballads"

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

G >> G. A. Henty >> Saint Bartholomew\'s Eve




Victory was claimed by both sides, but belonged to neither. Each
party had lost about four hundred men, a matter of much greater
consequence to the Huguenots than to the Catholics, the more so as
a large proportion of the slain on their side were gentlemen of
rank. Upon the other hand the loss of the Constable, who died next
day, paralysed for a time the Catholic forces.

A staunch and even bigoted Catholic, and opposed to any terms of
toleration being granted to the Huguenots, he was opposed to the
ambition of the Guises; and was the head of the Royalist party, as
distinguished from that of Lorraine. Catharine, who was the moving
spirit of the court, hesitated to give the power he possessed, as
Constable, into hands that might use it against her; and persuaded
the king to bestow the supreme command of the army upon his
brother, Henri, Duke of Anjou. The divisions in the court, caused
by the death of the Constable and the question of his successor,
prevented any fresh movements of the army; and enabled the Prince
of Conde, after being rejoined by D'Andelot's force, to retire
unmolested three days after the battle; the advanced guard of the
Royalists having been driven back into Paris by D'Andelot on his
return when, in his disappointment at being absent from the battle,
he fell fiercely upon the enemy, and pursued them hotly to the
gates, burning several windmills close under the walls.

On the evening of the battle De la Noue had presented his cousin
and Philip to the Prince, speaking in high terms of the bravery
they displayed in the battle, and they had received Conde's thanks
for the part they had taken in his rescue from the hands of the
Catholics. The Count himself had praised them highly, but had
gently chided Francois for the rashness he had shown.

"It is well to be brave, Francois, but that is not enough. A man
who is brave without being prudent may, with fortune, escape as you
have done from a battle without serious wounds; but he cannot hope
for such fortune many times, and his life would be a very short
one. Several times today you were some lengths ahead of me in the
melee; and once or twice I thought you lost, for I was too closely
pressed, myself, to render you assistance. It was the confusion,
alone, that saved you.

"Your life is a valuable one. You are the head of an old family,
and have no right to throw your life away. Nothing could have been
more gallant than your behaviour, Francois; but you must learn to
temper bravery by prudence.

"Your cousin showed his English blood and breeding. When we charged
he was half a length behind me, and at that distance he remained
through the fight; except when I was very hotly pressed, when he at
once closed up beside me. More than once I glanced round at him,
and he was fighting with the coolness of a veteran. It was he who
called my attention to Conde's fall which, in the melee, might have
passed unnoticed by me until it was too late to save him. He kept
his pistols in his holsters throughout the fray; and it was only
when they pressed us so hotly, as we were carrying off the Prince,
that he used them; and, as I observed, with effect. I doubt if
there was a pistol save his undischarged, at that time. They were a
reserve that he maintained for the crisis of the fight.

"Master Philip, I trust that you will have but small opportunity
for winning distinction in this wretched struggle; but were it to
last, which heaven forbid, I should say that you would make a name
for yourself; as assuredly will my cousin Francois, if he were to
temper his enthusiasm with coolness."

The evening before the Huguenots retired from Saint Denis, the
Count sent for Francois and his cousin.

"As you will have heard," he said, "we retire tomorrow morning. We
have done all, and more than all, that could have been expected
from such a force. We have kept Paris shut up for ten weeks, and
have maintained our position in face of a force, commanded by the
Constable of France, of well-nigh tenfold our strength.

"We are now going to march east, to effect a junction with a force
under Duke Casimir. He is to bring us over six thousand horse,
three thousand foot, and four cannon. The march will be toilsome;
but the Admiral's skill will, I doubt not, enable us to elude the
force with which the enemy will try to bar our way.

"The Admiral is sending off the Sieur D'Arblay, whom you both know,
to the south of France, in order that he may explain to our friends
there the reason for our movement to the east; for otherwise the
news, that we have broken up from before Paris, may cause great
discouragement. I have proposed to him that you should both
accompany him. You have frequently ridden under his orders, during
our expedition to the west, and he knows your qualities.

"He has gladly consented to receive you as his companions. It will
be pleasant for him to have two gentlemen with him. He takes with
him his own following, of eight men; six of his band fell in the
battle. The Admiral is of opinion that this is somewhat too small a
force for safety; but if you each take the four men-at-arms who
ride behind you, it will double his force. Two of yours fell in the
fight, I believe, Francois."

"I have taken two others from the troop to fill their places."

"Your men all came out of it, Philip, did they not?"

"Yes, sir. They were all wounded, but none of them seriously, and
are all fit to ride."

"You will understand, Francois, that in separating you from myself
I am doing so for your sakes, alone. It will be the Admiral's
policy to avoid fighting. Winter is close upon us, and the work
will be hard and toilsome; and doubtless, ere we effect a junction
with the Germans, very many will succumb to cold and hardship. You
are not as yet inured to this work, and I would rather not run the
risk of your careers ending from such causes.

"If I thought there was a prospect of fighting I should keep you
with me but, being as it is, I think it better you should accompany
the Sieur D'Arblay. The mission is a dangerous one, and will demand
activity, energy, and courage, all of which you possess; but in the
south you will have neither cold nor famine to contend with, and
far greater opportunities, maybe, of gaining credit than you would
in an army like this where, as they have proved to the enemy, every
man is brave.

"Another reason, I may own, is that in this case I consider your
youth to be an advantage. We could hardly have sent one gentleman
on such a mission, alone; and with two of equal rank and age, each
with eight followers, difficulties and dissensions might have
arisen; while you would both be content to accept the orders of the
Sieur D'Arblay without discussion, and to look up to him as the
leader of your party."

Although they would rather have remained with the army, the lads at
once thanked the Count; and stated their willingness to accompany
the Sieur D'Arblay, whom they both knew and liked--being, like De
la Noue, cheerful and of good spirits; not deeming it necessary to
maintain at all times a stern and grave aspect, or a ruggedness of
manner, as well as sombre garments.

De la Noue at once took them across to D'Arblay's tent.

"My cousin and his kinsman will gladly ride with you, and place
themselves under your orders, D'Arblay. I can warmly commend them
to you. Though they are young I can guarantee that you will find
them, if it comes to blows, as useful as most men ten years their
senior; and on any mission that you may intrust to them, I think
that you can rely upon their discretion; but of that you will judge
for yourself, when you know somewhat more of them. They will take
with them eight men-at-arms, all of whom will be stout fellows; so
that, with your own men, you can traverse the country without fear
of any party you are likely to fall in with."

"I shall be glad to have your cousin and his kinsman with me,"
D'Arblay said courteously. "Between you and I, De la Noue, I would
infinitely rather have two bright young fellows of spirit than one
of our tough old warriors, who deem it sinful to smile, and have
got a text handy for every occasion. It is not a very bright world
for us, at present; and I see not the use of making it sadder, by
always wearing a gloomy countenance."

The next morning the party started, and rode south. Avoiding the
places held by the Catholics, they visited many of the chateaux of
Huguenot gentlemen, to whom D'Arblay communicated the instructions
he had received, from the Admiral, as to the assemblage of troops,
and the necessity for raising such a force as would compel the
Royalists to keep a considerable army in the south, and so lessen
the number who would gather to oppose his march eastward.

After stopping for a short time in Navarre, and communicating with
some of the principal leaders in that little kingdom, they turned
eastward. They were now passing through a part of the country where
party spirit was extremely bitter, and were obliged to use some
caution, as they were charged to communicate with men who were
secretly well affected to the cause; but who, living within reach
of the bigoted parliament of Toulouse, dared not openly avow their
faith.

Toulouse had, from the time the troubles first began, distinguished
itself for the ferocity with which it had persecuted the Huguenots;
yielding obedience to the various royal edicts of toleration most
reluctantly, and sometimes openly disobeying them. Thus, for many
miles round the city, those of the Reformed faith lived in
continual dread; conducting their worship with extreme secrecy,
when some pastor in disguise visited the neighbourhood, and
outwardly conforming to the rites of the Catholic church. Many,
however, only needed the approach of a Huguenot army to throw off
the mask and take up arms; and it was with these that D'Arblay was
specially charged to communicate. Great caution was needed in doing
this, as the visit of a party of Huguenots would, if denounced,
have called down upon them the vengeance of the parliament; who
were animated not only by hatred of the Huguenots, but by the
desire of enriching themselves by the confiscation of the estates
and goods of those they persecuted.

The visits, consequently, were generally made after nightfall; the
men-at-arms being left a mile or two away. D'Arblay found
everywhere a fierce desire to join in the struggle, restrained only
by the fear of the consequences to wives and families, during
absence.

"Send an army capable of besieging and capturing Toulouse, and
there is not one of us who will not rise and give his blood for the
cause, putting into the field every man he can raise, and spending
his last crown; but unless such a force approaches, we dare not
move. We know that we are strictly watched and that, on the
smallest pretext, we and our families would be dragged to prison.
Tell the Admiral that our hearts and our prayers are with him, and
that nothing in the world would please us so much as to be fighting
under his banner; but until there is a hope of capturing Toulouse,
we dare not move."

Such was the answer at every castle, chateau, and farmhouse where
they called. Many of the Huguenots contributed not only the money
they had in their houses, but their plate and jewels; for money
was, above all things, needed to fulfil the engagements the Admiral
had made with the German mercenaries who were on their march to
join him.

Sometimes Philip and Francois both accompanied their leader on his
visits. Sometimes they went separately, for they were always able
to obtain, from the leading men, the names of neighbours who were
favourable to the cause. In the way of money they succeeded beyond
their expectations for, as the gentlemen in the district had not,
like those where the parties were more equally divided,
impoverished themselves by placing their retainers in the field,
they were able to contribute comparatively large sums to the cause
they had at heart.



Chapter 7: A Rescue.


D'Arblay and his two companions had been engaged, for ten days, in
visiting the Huguenots within a circuit of four or five leagues
round Toulouse, when they learned that their movements had been
reported to the authorities there. They had one day halted as usual
in a wood, when the soldier on the lookout ran in and reported that
a body of horsemen, some forty or fifty strong, were approaching at
a gallop by the road from the city.

"They may not be after us," D'Arblay said, "but at any rate, they
shall not catch us napping."

Girths were hastily tightened, armour buckled on, and all took
their places in their saddles. It was too late to retreat, for the
wood was a small one, and the country around open. As the horsemen
approached the wood they slackened speed; and presently halted,
facing it.

"Some spy has tracked us here," D'Arblay said; "but it is one thing
to track the game, another to capture it. Let us see what these
gentlemen of Toulouse are going to do. I have no doubt that they
know our number accurately enough, and if they divide, as I hope
they will, we shall be able to give them a lesson."

This was evidently the intention of the Catholics. After a short
pause an officer trotted off with half the troop, making a circuit
to come down behind the wood and cut off all retreat. As they moved
off, the Huguenots could count that there were twenty-five men in
each section.

"The odds are only great enough to be agreeable," D'Arblay laughed.
"It is not as it was outside Paris, where they were ten to one
against us. Counting our servants we muster twenty-two, while that
party in front are only four stronger; for that gentleman with the
long robe is probably an official of their parliament, or a city
councillor, and need not be counted. We will wait a couple of
minutes longer, until the other party is fairly out of sight; and
then we will begin the dance."

A minute or two later he gave the word, and the little troop moved
through the trees until nearly at the edge of the wood.

"Now, gentlemen, forward," D'Arblay said, "and God aid the right!"

As in a compact body, headed by the three gentlemen, they burst
suddenly from the wood, there was a shout of dismay; and then loud
orders from the officer of the troop, halted a hundred and fifty
yards away. The men were sitting carelessly on their horses. They
had confidently anticipated taking the Huguenots alive, and thought
of nothing less than that the latter should take the offensive.

Scarcely had they got their horses into motion before the Huguenots
were upon them. The conflict lasted but a minute. Half the
Catholics were cut down; the rest, turning their horses, rode off
at full speed. The Huguenots would have followed them, but D'Arblay
shouted to them to halt.

"You have only done half your work yet," he said. "We have the
other party to deal with."

Only one of his Huguenots had fallen, shot through the head by a
pistol discharged by the officer; who had himself been, a moment
later, run through by D'Arblay, at whom the shot had been aimed.
Gathering his men together, the Huguenot leader rode back and, when
halfway through the wood, they encountered the other party; whose
officer had at once ridden to join the party he had left, when he
heard the pistol shot that told him they were engaged with the
Huguenots. Although not expecting an attack from an enemy they
deemed overmatched by their comrades, the troop, encouraged by
their officer, met the Huguenots stoutly.

The fight was, for a short time, obstinate. Broken up by the trees,
it resolved itself into a series of single combats. The Huguenot
men-at-arms, however, were all tried soldiers; while their
opponents were, rather, accustomed to the slaughter of defenceless
men and women than to a combat with men-at-arms. Coolness and
discipline soon asserted themselves.

Francois and Philip both held their ground, abreast of their
leader; and Philip, by cutting down the lieutenant, brought the
combat to a close. His followers, on seeing their officer fall, at
once lost heart; and those who could do so turned their horses, and
rode off. They were hotly pursued, and six were overtaken and cut
down. Eight had fallen in the conflict in the wood.

"That has been a pretty sharp lesson," D'Arblay said as, leaving
the pursuit to his followers, he reined in his horse at the edge of
the wood. "You both did right gallantly, young sirs. It is no
slight advantage, in a melee of that kind, to be strong in
officers. The fellows fought stoutly, for a short time.

"Had it not been for your despatching their officer, Monsieur
Fletcher, we should not have finished with them so quickly. It was
a right down blow, and heartily given, and fell just at the joint
of the gorget."

"I am sorry that I killed him," Philip replied. "He seemed a brave
gentleman, and was not very many years older than I am, myself."

"He drew it upon himself," D'Arblay said. "If he had not come out
to take us, he would be alive now.

"Well, as soon as our fellows return we will move round to
Merlincourt, on the other side of the town. There are several of
our friends there, and it is the last place we have to visit. After
this skirmish, we shall find the neighbourhood too hot for us. It
is sure to make a great noise and, at the first gleam of the sun on
helm or breast plate, some Catholic or other will hurry off to
Toulouse with the news. In future we had best take some of the
men-at-arms with us, when we pay our visits, or we may be caught
like rats in a trap."

Making a circuit of twenty miles, they approached Merlincourt that
evening and, establishing themselves as usual in a wood, remained
quiet there next day. After nightfall D'Arblay rode off, taking
with him Francois and five of his own men, and leaving Philip in
command of the rest. The gold and jewels they had gathered had been
divided into three portions, and the bags placed in the holsters of
the saddles of the three lackeys; as these were less likely to be
taken than their masters and, if one were captured, a portion only
of the contributions would be lost. D'Arblay had arranged that he
would not return that night, but would sleep at the chateau of the
gentleman he was going to visit.

"I will get him to send around to our other friends, in the
morning. The men will return when they see that all is clear. Send
them back to meet us at the chateau, tomorrow night."

The five men returned an hour after they set out, and reported that
all was quiet at Merlincourt; and that the Sieur D'Arblay had sent
a message, to Philip, to move a few miles farther away before
morning, and to return to the wood soon after nightfall.

Philip gave the men six hours to rest themselves and their horses.
They then mounted and rode eight miles farther from Toulouse,
halting before daybreak in a thick copse standing on high ground,
commanding a view of a wide tract of country. Two of the troopers
were sent off to buy provisions in a village, half a mile away. Two
were placed on watch. Some of the others lay down for another
sleep, while Pierre redressed the wounds that five of the men had
received in the fight.

At twelve o'clock one of the lookouts reported that he could see,
away out on the plain, a body of horsemen. Philip at once went to
examine them for himself.

"There must be some two hundred of them, I should say, by the size
of the clump," he remarked to the soldier.

"About that, I should say, sir."

"I expect they are hunting for us," Philip said. "They must have
heard from some villager that we were seen to ride round this way,
the day before yesterday, or they would hardly be hunting in this
neighbourhood for us. It is well we moved in the night.

"I wish the Sieur D'Arblay and the Count de Laville were with us.
No doubt they were hidden away, as soon as the troop was seen, but
one is never secure against treachery."

Philip was restless and uncomfortable all day, and walked about the
wood, impatiently longing for night to come. As soon as it was dark
they mounted, and rode back to the wood near Merlincourt. The five
men were at once sent off to the chateau where they had left their
leaders.

"That is a pistol shot!" Pierre exclaimed, some twenty minutes
after they left.

"I did not hear it. Are you sure, Pierre?"

"Quite sure, sir. At least, I will not swear that it was a
pistol--it might have been an arquebus--but I will swear it was a
shot."

"To your saddle, men," Philip said. "A pistol shot has been heard,
and it may be that your comrades have fallen into an ambush.
Advance to the edge of the wood, and be ready to dash out to
support them, should they come."

But a quarter of an hour passed, and there was no sound to break
the stillness of the evening.

"Shall I go into the village and find out what has taken place,
Monsieur Fletcher? I will leave my iron cap and breast and back
pieces here. I shall not want to fight but to run, and a hare could
not run in these iron pots."

"Do, Pierre. We shall be ready to support you, if you are chased."

"If I am chased by half a dozen men, I may run here, sir; if by a
strong force, I shall strike across the country. Trust me to double
and throw them off the scent. If I am not back here in an hour, it
will be that I am taken, or have had to trust to my heels; and you
will find me, in the last case, tomorrow morning at the wood where
we halted today. If I do not come soon after daybreak, you will
know that I am either captured or killed. Do not delay for me
longer, but act as seems best to you."

Pierre took off his armour and sped away in the darkness, going at
a trot that would speedily take him to the village.

"Dismount and stand by your horses," Philip ordered. "We may want
all their strength."

Half an hour later Pierre returned, panting.

"I have bad news, sir. I have prowled about the village, which is
full of soldiers, and listened to their talk through open windows.
The Sieur D'Arblay, Monsieur Francois, and the owner of the chateau
and his wife were seized, and carried off to Toulouse this morning,
soon after daybreak. By what I heard, one of the servants of the
chateau was a spy, set by the council of Toulouse to watch the
doings of its owner; and as soon as Monsieur D'Arblay arrived there
last night, he stole out and sent a messenger to Toulouse. At
daybreak the chateau was surrounded, and they were seized before
they had time to offer resistance. The troop of horse we saw have
all day been searching for us, and went back before nightfall to
Merlincourt; thinking that we should be sure to be going there,
sometime or other, to inquire after our captain. The five men you
sent were taken completely by surprise, and all were killed, though
not without a tough fight. A strong party are lying in ambush with
arquebuses, making sure that the rest of the troop will follow the
five they surprised."

"You were not noticed, Pierre, or pursued?"

"No, sir. There were so many men about in the village that one more
stranger attracted no attention."

"Then we can remain here safely for half an hour," Philip said.

The conversation had taken place a few paces from the troop. Philip
now joined his men.

"The Sieur D'Arblay and Count Francois have been taken prisoners.
Your comrades fell into an ambush, and have, I fear, all lost their
lives. Dismount for half an hour, men, while I think over what is
best to be done. Keep close to your horses, so as to be in
readiness to mount instantly, if necessary. One of you take my
horse.

"Do you come with me, Pierre.

"This is a terrible business, lad," he went on, as they walked away
from the others. "We know what will be the fate of my cousin and
Monsieur D'Arblay. They will be burnt or hung, as heretics. The
first thing is, how are we to get them out; and also, if possible,
the gentleman and his wife who were taken with them?"

"We have but ten of the men-at-arms left, sir; and four of them are
so wounded that they would not count for much, in a fight. There
are the two other lackeys and myself, so we are but fourteen, in
all. If we had arrived in time we might have done something but,
now they are firmly lodged in the prison at Toulouse, I see not
that we can accomplish anything."

Philip fell into silence for some minutes, then he said:

"Many of the councillors and members of parliament live, I think,
in villas outside the walls. If we seize a dozen of them, appear
before the city, and threaten to hang or shoot the whole of them,
if the four captives are not released, we might succeed in getting
our friends into our hands, Pierre."

"That is so, sir. There really seems a hope for us, in that way."

"Then we will lose no time. We will ride at once for Toulouse. When
we get near the suburbs we will seize some countryman, and force
him to point out to us the houses of the principal councillors and
the members of their parliament. These we will pounce upon and
carry off, and at daybreak will appear with them before the walls.
We will make one of them signify, to their friends, that if any
armed party sallies out through the gates, or approaches us from
behind, it will be the signal for the instant death of all of our
captives.

Copyright (c) 2007. topboookz.com. All rights reserved.