"He is right," exclaimed Hugo van Arckel, with loud and angry voice; "we are fighting like the very Moors. The very proposal is a disgrace to us; let us recollect, Messires, that we have to do with Christian men. Besides, Flemish blood flows in my veins, and I will not suffer my brethren to be dealt with like dogs; they offer us battle in open and fair field, and we must fight with them according to the laws of honorable warfare."
"Is it possible," replied d'Artois, "that you can defend these base boors? Our good prince has made trial of all other nieans to reclaim them; but all have been in vain. Are we to allow our soldiers to be butchered, our king to be set at naught and put to shame, and then spare the lives of these dastard rebels? No, that shall never be! I know the commands which I have received, and I will both obey them and cause them to be obeyed."
"Messire d'Artois," interposed Raoul de Nesle with angry Impetuosity, "I know not what commands you have received, but I declare to you that I will not obey them unless they accord with the honor of knighthood; the king himself has no right to stain my sword with dishonor. And hearken, Messires, whether I am right or not: this morning early I went out of the camp, and found everywhere the tokens of the most revolting rapine and devastation. The churches are burnt to the ground, and the altars desecrated; the dead bodies of young children and of women were lying exposed in the fields to be devoured by ravens. I ask you, is this the work of honorable warriors?"
Having uttered these words, he rose from the table, raised a portion of the hangings of the tent, and continued, pointing to the country: "Look you, Messires, turn your eyes in all directions; everywhere you behold the flames of this atrocious devastation; the sky is blackened with smoke; the whole country is in a conflagration. What does such a war as this betoken? It is worse than if the ruthless Northmen had come again, and turned the world into a den of robbers."
Robert d'Artois became livid with anger; he moved himself impatiently in his chair, and cried:
"This has lasted too long; I can no longer permit any man to speak thus in my presence. I know well enough what I have to do; Flanders must be swept clean, and it is out of my power to prevent it. This strife of words discomposes me much, and I beseech Messire the Constable to speak no more in this tone. Let him keep his sword unstained; we will all do the same; for no disgrace can redound to us from the excesses of our soldiers. Let us now end this angry dispute; and each man see that he does his duty."
Then raising his golden goblet, he cried:
"To the honor of France and the extermination of the rebels!"
Raoul de Nesle repeated, "To the honor of France," and laid a significant emphasis on the words, so that every one might see that he would not drink to the extermination of the Flemings. Hugo van Arckel placed his hand on the goblet which stood before him; but he neither raised it from the table nor spoke a word. All the others repeated the words of the general exactly, and followed his example.
For some little time the countenance of Hugo van Arckel had assumed a peculiar expression; disapprobation and displeasure were depicted on it. At length he looked fixedly at the general, as though he had made up his mind to brave him, and exclaimed:
"I should do myself dishonor were I now to drink to the honor of France."
At these words the face of Robert d'Artois glowed with wrath; he struck the table so violently with his goblet, that he made all the drinkingvessels ring, and shouted:
"Messire van Arckel, you shall drink to the honor of France; it is my will."
"Messire," replied Hugo with imperturbable coolness, *'I drink not to the devastation of a Christian land. Long have I warred, and in many lands; yet never have I found a knight who would defile his conscience with such base atrocities."
"You shall do my behest; I will it; I bid you."
"And I will not," answered Hugo. "Hearken, Messire d'Artois, you have already said that my soldiers demanded too high pay, and that they cost you too much; well then, you shall pay them no longer, for I will no longer serve in your camp, and so our contention is at an end."
These words caused an unpleasant sensation in all the knights, and even in the general himself; for the departure of Hugo would be no light loss.
The Zeelander meanwhile drew back his chair, threw one of his gloves on the table, and exclaimed with increasing anger:
"Messires, I aver that you are all liars! I scorn you all to your faces! There lies my glove; take it up who lists, I challenge him to mortal combat."
Almost all the knights, and among them even Raoul de Nesle, snatched eagerly at the glove; but Robert d'Artois threw himself so eagerly upon it, that he seized it before the others. "I accept your challenge," said he; "come, let us go."
But at this moment the old King Sigis von Melinde arose, and waved his hand in token that he wished to speak. The great veneration with which both the combatants regarded him restrained them, and they stood still in silence to hear him. The old man spoke thus:
''Messires, let your angry passions subside a while, and give heed to my counsel. You, Count Robert, are not
