Lord Geoffrey's Fancy by Alfred Duggan

Author:Alfred Duggan [Duggan, Alfred]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Historical Fiction
Publisher: PANTHEON BOOKS
Published: 1962-01-01T05:00:00+00:00

9. THE PARLIAMENT OF LADIES

In the early autumn Sir Geoffrey and I rode out from the Golden Gate of Constantinople. Before us stretched the paved road built by the mighty men of old, running straight as an arrow from Constantinople to Salonique, throughout its length within the dominions of the Emperor Michael, We carried an imperial pass which entitled us to impress post horses at every stage; in addition my lord carried a heavy bag of gold, for our travelling expenses when we reached the Frankish castles bordering on Satines.

We made good time, bearing in mind that our comrades must remain in prison until our return; but on that wonderful road it was easy to travel fast. There are fine stone bridges over every stream, comfortable inns in every village, and little forts garrisoned by Pecheneg mercenaries wherever the country is wild enough to shelter robbers. But few stretches are waste. For most of the way good farmland lies on either side, farmland as carefully cultivated as any garden; at this season they were ploughing after a fruitful harvest.

Every few miles we came to a little town, its ancient walls neatly repaired with gleaming freestone; the road led straight through, from one gate to another. The churches glowed with coloured mosaic inside and out, and the markets were thronged with orderly crowds. The whole land was most wonderfully peaceful and prosperous.

"This is Romanie without the Franks," said Sir Geoffrey as we gazed about us. "It seems a pity to spoil it I suppose the Marquis of Montferrat came this way, when our fathers were setting up the Empire which has just vanished. But these Grifons have been quick to repair the damage. Would you like to end your days in a civilised land such as this?"

"No, my lord," I answered, "and neither would you. It's no place for a good knight, or indeed for any free man. These people have plenty to eat and some of them wear silk. But they are all slaves to an Emperor who won his throne by blinding a child. Even now their next Emperor may be scratching himself on a dunghill, or cutting throats on a mountain. They will obey him, whoever he may be. No self-respecting Frank could be happy among Grifons."

"Very forcefully put, cousin William. I suppose there are two ways of living in the world, and we may choose between them. You can be safe and clean, with a fine church to worship in and a strong stone wall round you. But then you must pay taxes to some lord who has appointed himself your guardian, and he will fix the amount you pay to him. Or you can carry a sword and guard your own head night and day. Then you may choose your own lord and overthrow him if he breaks the ancient custom. But you can't have safety and freedom together. We have chosen the second way."

We rode through Salonique, a great city almost as splendid as Constantinople,

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