Deus lo Volt!
Also by Evan S. Connell
The Anatomy Lesson and Other Stories
Mrs. Bridge
The Patriot
Notes from a Bottle Found on the Beach at Carmel
At the Crossroads
The Diary of a Rapist
Mr. Bridge
Points for a Compass Rose
The Connoisseur
Double Honeymoon
A Long Desire
The White Lantern
Saint Augustine’s Pigeon
Son of the Morning Star
The Alchymist’s Journal
Mesa Verde
The Collected Stories of Evan S. Connell
Copyright © 2000 Evan Connell
First Counterpoint paperback edition 2001
All rights reserved under international and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the Publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA
Connell, Evan S., 1924–
Deus lo volt!: chronicle of the Crusades / Evan S. Connell.
p.cm.
1. Crusades—First, 1096–1099—Fiction.
2. Knights and knighthood—France—Fiction.I. Title.
PS3553.05 D48 2000
813′.54—dc21
99-054831
Jacket and text design by Wilsted & Taylor Publishing Services
COUNTERPOINT
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Berkeley, CA 94710
www.counterpointpress.com
Distributed by Publishers Group West
10 9 8 7 6 5
e-book ISBN 978-1-61902-6933
For Naoma and Webster Schott
Contents
Deus lo Volt!
The stream of Time, inexorable, constant, removes from our sight all things that are born and carries into the night deeds of little account, deeds worthy of notice . . .
PRINCESS ANNA COMNENA
IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 1189 my father’s father, Geoffrey, died at the siege of Acre. That was before my birth. My uncles, Robert and Geoffrey, also took the cross. Robert accompanied Gautier de Brienne to Apulia, there ascending gloriously to God. King Richard of England honored my uncle Geoffrey, giving leave to quarter his arms with the Plantagenet lion. Geoffrey embraced our Savior during the battle of Kalaat al-Horn. This, too, happened before my time. My father, Simon, fought at Troyes and at Carcassonne to cleanse the earth of Albigensian heretics. Also, my father journeyed to Egypt where he fought valorously beneath the walls of Damietta. I, myself, when I returned from oversea, brought back the shield of my uncle Geoffrey to hang in the church of Saint Laurent at Joinville in order that men might pray for its owner, that his fame might not perish. There I placed a tablet upon which I had inscribed a tribute to the deeds of my illustrious family, both at home and while on pilgrimage.
Lord God, show mercy to the seigneurs of Joinville at rest in this place. Show mercy to one who, by Your grace, founded and built for You the abbey of Écurie, the abbey of Jouvillier, the house of Mathons, the priory of Le Val d’Onne, so that all descended from him may find themselves in Your presence, believing that he who builds the house of God on earth builds for himself a house in heaven.
How do such things come to pass? By the grace of providence two centuries ago Étienne Devaux, having grown wealthy on this land, espoused the Comtesse de Joigny. As her marriage portion she brought the fief so named, including various profitable manors. It was Étienne who built Joinville castle. I am myself descended from this man through my father’s second wife, Béatrice de Bourgogne. I was betrothed to Alicia, daughter of Comte Henri de Grand Pré, during the lifetime of my parents, articles of marriage being agreed to in the month of June, 1231. Also, through the marriage of my great-grandfather to Félicité de Brienne was the house of Joinville allied with the twelfth king of Jerusalem. Therefore, I, Jean, speak as the present lord of a family distinguished throughout Champagne. May that suffice.
Long ago near the village of Amiens lived a hermit called Peter, reputed to be from northern Gaul, diminutive, ill favored, with a gloomy countenance bonier than that of the donkey he rode, eyes so liquid and brilliant that some declared him lunatic. I have heard he was a soldier before assuming the cowl. Yet I have heard he was a distinguished scholar of noble lineage, mentor to Count Baldwin and Duke Godfrey. Syria, Hungary, Spain, Germany, and other countries now claim to be the land of his birth. Abbot Guibert de Nogent, who heard him preach, speaks of crowds glorifying Peter as a saint, urging gifts upon him. Whatever he was offered he refused or distributed among the poor. From village to village he wandered, homespun tunic flapping at his heels, bare feet embellished with dirt, regally crowned with a pointed hood. Neither bread nor meat did he accept, but lived on fish and wine. Those who gathered to hear him preach fought to pluck hairs from the tail of his donkey to worship as relics since the gullible covet novelties to assuage their need. Also, it is said that prostitutes who clustered around him would eschew their lewdness and, weeping, return to their husbands.
Ancient documents relate that he visited Jerusalem where he spoke with the patriarch Simon who told him of Christians held captive, holy sites dishonored. Peter wept, the blood boiled in his veins. He vowed to request audience with His Holiness Urban. Therefore the patriarch wrote a letter, sealed with his seal, which he gave to the hermit. And that evening Peter went to pray for courage at the church of the Holy Sepulcher but fell asleep on the floor. Christ appeared, telling him to rise up. Then down to the port he hastened, embarked, and sailed to Bari whence he proceeded to Rome. So much do chronicles assert. Some think he did not complete the journey since he was maltreated by infidel Turks and obliged to turn back. How much is true, God knows. Certain it is that Bishop Lietbert of Cambrai got no closer to Jerusalem than Laodicea because of abuse. There he with his entourage met Bishop Helinand who was returning and drew such a loathsome picture of what to expect that they quit the pilgrimage. And it is known that Abbot Géraud de Saint-Florent-les-Saumur fell among misbelievers who tortured him to death. Hence there can be no
