The Fatal Helmets

It was on a (lurk evening in the 'mouth of February, 1814, that two horseniau, ciad in complete annor, and niountcd on fleet and powerful chargere, rode rapidly towards one of tho gates of tlio city of Paris. Thoy were youug and gallant kniglits, fuvorites of Charlemagne, and now bourid for the anoient pulace of TLermcs, with sealed dispatches for its seneschal, from the monarch, Loui., the brother and successor of ihe gieat emperor. " Look, llaoul I" paid one of the riders, Robert de Guercy, addressing bis companion, Ráoul Lys, " the clouds have liíted a little, and through a rent in the murky canopy of heaven, one star beams out a presago of good fortune." " Ay, Iïobert," replied his brother-inarms, "and me thinks I behold rising in the diotance, the hoary battlementa and timeworn towers of the old palace. Dearer to me thao old Roman pilo, in all its rudo eeverity, than the fairest citadel of other lands - for s it not tho bower of my lady love, Rotrude tho peer'ess ?" " Not peerless," answered Robert de Gueroy, " you forget her eister Gisla." " They are twius of beauty," said Raoul. " Worthy of tho blood tbat courses ín their veins - worthy sisters of the perial Cbarlemagne." 11 What thiuk you the new monarch will say to our attachment." " I know not. I have not learned to read his character. But I fear bis austeritv and pride. Yet a little wbile, Robert, raust our lovea be hidden. We have wooed and wod our passion in the veil of mystery. Tbe hour will come, believe me, when we can avouch it in the face of day. Whon we have carved our fortunes with our swords, aud earncd with our blood the highest honor of chivalry, each can claim the hand of an emperor'e sister as bis guerdon. But here we are at the gate." Raising his bugl to his lips, Raoul blew a vigorous and martial blast. The gate was opencd, and the knights, setting epurs to their horses, dashed under the archway, the flam-beaux of the guard tbrowing a ruby light upon their gleaming armor aud white plumes. llecognizing the compauions as royal messengerd, a few cavaliers mounted in baste, and offcred their escort as far as the palace oí Thermes. Tbe party galloped on at full speed, the irou shod feet ol the horses dashing fire from tho stones that lay scattered iu the narrow unpaved aud ill-kept streets. At length they reached tho old palaco, where the knights dismissed their escort. The seneschal, an old mau whose white beard descended half way to his girdle, received tbem with the honor due to couriers from the emperor, and gave orders that their charger should be cared for, while he himself marshaled the way uto a long vaulted hall, wainscotted with oak, upon the walls of which bung panoplies of arins and banners of all nationg, many of them wrest ed from their original posseseors by the gallantry oí Gharlemagno. Yet it was a dreary place, and the night wiud that found ita way through the loop-holes, swayed the rustling bauners to and fro with a disiual, moaning sound, like that of the voice of a i ropliet oí evil. The old seneschal, having conducted he yonng knights thus far, halted and aid : " You are from Aix la Ch-apelle ?:' " Ye," replied Eaoul, "and we have ridden all the way on the spur - securng fresh horses all along the route. I know not how my companion feels, but 'or my own part, I am as weary in limb s after a day spent in lopping off heads pon a field of battle. But a venison of lastry and a flagon of wine before rering to rest would not come amise. Vhat say you, Robert ?" " I have made no!'vow of abstinenco, r I might be temptod to break it, for ly necessitio8 are great," answered de Suercy. " But jour dispatches, noble knighl ?" aid the seneschal. " By the mass ! I had almost forgot:on," said Eaoul, producing the packct 'rom his breast. "Here is tho missive ealed with imperial arms," and he )laced it in the hands of the old man. The aged seneschal carefully broke be seal, and tdowiy unfolding the parchment, began to read its contenta. Tiie 'OUDg kniglit watchcd his countenance, nd saw surprise depicted in his feaures. When he had read every word, ie seneschal raisod his head, and adressing the bearers of the dispatcb, he aid : " You are named Raou! do Lys ?" Raoul inclincd his head. '' And you ?" the seneschal contiaued, urning to the second knight, " My name is Robert de Guercy." " Then, Robert de Guercy aud Raoul e Lys," said tho Keneschal, "I arrest ou both." " By whose authority ?" demanded aoiil liercely. " By the emperor's !" replied the ecnschal, ftriking the parchuiont with Bfa ithered hand. The two knights looked at each other iih astonishmont. " You will surrender your swords," aid the seneschal. Raoul and Robert disdainlully gave p their ueapons. "At least teil us of what crime we are ceused ?" said Raoul. " It is not. specifiud in the letter," redied the seneschal, "only that you re ! o be imprisoned, and rny orders oomnnnd your separutiou. " Our separation !" cried Raoul, '■■ irowing bimself intu the arms of bis ! frieud, "Robert ie my brolher-in-arms ' - my conipaniün in peril and j,lea-ure. Part us not.'' " Gornpel me not to uso violenoo," said the seueschal, giavely. '' Obey, - and trust to fortuno." " Good night, then, llobert," suid Riioul. " V hat may be the issue of tuis nffair ITenveu only can decido:" Thu seneschal departed with hisothcr pnsoucr, und Raoul de Lyn heard the door barred and lockfid behind him. Throwing himself upou an oaken beucli, liu reflectcd p:iufully upon the audden change whioh had fullon on his fortune. A few days since, ho was a favonio oí the greatest monarch ef tlic earlh - now, he waa a prisonor by command of his succossor. A fow momcuts beiore, hei looked forward to a rapturous meeting I with Rotrude, now ho wes separated from her and perhaps forever. As those paioful thoughts passed his mind, the iron tonque of the bel'ry of St. James struck twelve, a secret door swung open on its hingea, acd Robort de Gnercy, holding a lamp in his hand, and followed by a leniale figure, entered the hall. Racul sturted to his (eet. "llaoul ! brother! friend!" cried the knight, " we must up and net. The omperor has doomed us to perpetual imprisonraent." " How know you this ?" llobert de Guerey pointed to the shrinking figuro of G-isla. " It is truo," replied Gisla. " And ero many hours, my brothcr will be hitaself in Paris to enforeo bis orders." " Why did we givo up our swords ?" cried Rnoul, furiously, fí it would havo been better to have died fighting like knights aud gentlemen, than perish like rats ic a dungeoD. But whero is llotrude ?" " Hero, Raoul," answered the soft voioe of a glorious, dark-eyed creuture, who glided Dto the hall and threw her self inio the arma of her lover. Gisla vvruDg her hands and wept. " Fie ! sister," said Rotrude turning froin the embrace of liaoul. ''These tears aro unworthy of a sister of Charlemagne, the mistress of a gallant knight. AH 3 not desperate. The seneschul is sound asleep. I have corrupted the guards. Four fleet horses are saddled in the court yard, Let us fly while yet we have the time." 11 And wherefore fly ?" sked a deep voie. Rotrude turned ia terror, and Louis himself issuing from the secret passage, stood before them. "Thou here?" cried Rolrude. " Ay - sister mine," cried the monarch. " Why, you fly before me, maidens, like etartled doves. I fouud your nest warm ; I knew you could not be far off." ' But how could you win your way hither?" Louia smiled. " Dear girl," said bo; "the secret passnges of tho palace are as well known to mo as to tho architect himself. I could find my way thro' their labyrinthine windings blindfolded. So," he added, turniug to the two knights, "you are here ?" " Yes, my liego," answered Raoul, " and unarmed aud prisoners by your order." " Valor may be a prisoner, when beauty ia his jailor," said the monarch, smiling. " Am I to understaud you, noble kru'ahts, that you love these damsels fair T' " Moro than life !" replied Robert and Raoul simultaneously. "And you aro rot disposed to be cruel ?" asked Louis, turning fo the sisters. Their blushes answered in tho negative. " Ah !" cried Louis, reproachfully, why did you not make a confidant of me, and treat me as a friend and brothbr ? You should have been wedded royally. Now, since it seems to me that the ceremooy must immediatoly tako place, there is no room for splendor. I have a priest in waiting. Go, doarest sisters, and put on your bravest attiro, and return to me at once." The sisters obeyed. Raoul was astonished. " (Jan I have hoard anght ?" he exclaimed. Doos your majesty really intend to bestow on poor knights the i siBters of your majesty ?" uIfioti live," replied the monarch, " you símil wed them ere the morning duwn. Poor knights say you? Those whoenjoy a sovereign's favor can never be terreed poor. And as token of my countenancc, I present two costly helmets with the aecompanying annor, which I aray you to put on immediatoly. A warrior should wed in mail." At a signal from the monarch, four attendauts appeared from the seoret papsage, bringing two complete suils of armar. " These are curious," eaid the monnrch ; " yon will valuó thfim as once belonging to my illustrious brother - may his soul rest in peace. They wero made in Italy, and scut him from Ravonna, in return for a huge goblet filled with precious stones." As he spoke Ihus tho attendanta disnrmed tho knights, and ciad them in their new armor. This chango accompliehed, Louis bade them be seated, and await in the hall the return oí himself and their brides. Whcn after the lapse of eomo timo, the two ïifcte-rs, appareled from head to foot in virgin white, and holding eaeh other by tho hand, re-cntereil tho hall, j and found the two knights sitting motionlesg in the two oakon chairs whero Louis liad left them. Eush lady distinguishing her lover by his stature, for tho visors of their helmets wef-e closet, rep:iired to his side. The warriors did uot rise to weloom& tLoir biides. "Ruoul I" suid Rotrudo, placing her white hand on thü shouldor of hi-r lover. Kaoul replied not - and the cold fteol Bont a strango sliudder through the irame of the bcautiful girl. ' Spoak to me, Roburt ! ' cried the other sister. " It is I - it is Gisla, beloved oue." Robert de Guercy neither spoke nor ! moved. I Rotrudo raised the hond of Raoul ; wlion sho relicquishod it, it feil like load. A wild shriek bur.-t frora the lips of tbc heart-broken sisters. At the same moment both had mude the dis covery that their lovers vvere dead. A tneehanical apparatus, the contrivance of soine tualevolent genius, was contained in cach heimet, the operation of which excluded the air, while the throat of the wearer ivfis grasped as in an ron viee, and life was speedily extinguished. Louis had probably decided that the mere fact of two hnrable knights aspiring to . wed the sisters of their 8overeign was sufficient to merit death - but whatever his motive bis vengeance wus ppeedy and efectivo. Of the two sisters, Gisla died on the spot on discovering her lover's death. Rotrude, removed to a convent by order of the emperor, soon lost her reason, and died also, in the course of a few weeks, a raving maniac Many - many years afterwards, when the old palaco was crümblinar away, two suits of armor wera bronght to light, enclosed in a secret chamber. On examination, a skeleton was found in one. Uut tho visor of each htlmet, on boing raised by inechnnical ngency, discovered a ghastly head iu a statu of extrordiiiary preserva'.ion. 'JMiewe were the fata) helmets, aud the heads those of the ill-starrod lovers of Gisla and Rotrude.