The Princess of Ponthieu - (in) The New-York Weekly Magazine or Miscellaneous Repository

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• Publié par: ipsie
• Publié le: 08 décembre 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 41
• Langue: English

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Title: The Princess of Ponthieu  (in) The New-York Weekly Magazine or Miscellaneous Repository Author: Unknown Translator: Unknown Release Date: December 29, 2009 [EBook #30794] Language: English Character set encoding: UTF-8 *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE PRINCESS OF PONTHIEU ***

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This story was published in theNew-York Weekly Magazinein eight weekly installments from July to September 1796. For more about the story and its origins, see theend of the text.

INTERESTING HISTORY OF THE PRINCESS DE PONTHIEU. Translated from the French. A  families which flourished in France in the rei reat of Phili nMONG all the

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               the First, the Count de St. Paul and the Count de Ponthieu were the most distinguished; but especially the Count de Ponthieu, who, possessing a great extent of dominion, maintained the title of sovereign with inconceiveable magnificence. He was a widower, and had an only daughter, whose wit and beauty, supported by the shining qualities of her father, made his court polite and sumptuous, and had attracted to it the bravest Cavaliers of that age. The Count de St. Paul had no children but a nephew, son of his sister, by the Sieur la Domar, who was the only heir of his title and possessions. This expectation was for the present his only fortune; but Heaven having formed him to please, he might be said to be one of those whose intrinsic worth is sufficient to render them superior to the rest of mankind: courage, wit, and a good mien, together with a high birth, made ample atonement for his want of riches. This young Cavalier having engaged the notice of the Count de Ponthieu in a tournament, where he had all the honour; he conceived so great an esteem for him, that he invited him to his court. The considerable advantages he offered him were so much above what the Count de St. Paul’s nephew could for the present expect, that he embraced the proposals he made him with pleasure, and the Count thought himself happy in having prevailed on him to stay with him. Thibault, for so history calls this young Cavalier, was no sooner come to court, than the beauty of the princess inspired him with admiration, which soon ripened into love; and it was but in vain that reason opposed his passion, by representing how little he was in a condition to make any such pretensions. Love is not to be controuled, it is not to be repelled.—But in some measure to punish his temerity, he condemned himself to an eternal silence; yet, though his tongue was mute, the princess, who had as great a share of sensibility as beauty, soon perceived the effect of her charms written in his eyes, and imprinted in all his motions, and, in secret, rejoiced at the conquest she had gained. But the same reasons which obliged Thibault to conceal his sentiments, prevented her from making any discovery of her’s, and it was only by the language of their glances, they told each other that they burned with a mutual flame. As at that time there were great numbers of sovereign princes, there were very often wars between them; and as the Count de Ponthieu had the greatest extent of land, so he was the most exposed: But Thibault, by his courage and prudence, rendered him so formidable to his neighbours, that he both enlarged his dominions and made the possession of them secure. These important services added to that esteem the Count and Princess had for him before; but at last, a signal victory which he gained, and which was of the utmost consequence to the Count, carried the gratitude of that prince to such a height, that in the middle of his court, and among the joyful acclamations of the people, he embraced the young hero, and begged him to demand a reward for his great services; assuring him, that did he ask the half of his dominions, he should think himself happy in being able to give a mark of his tenderness and gratitude. Thibault, who had done nothing but with a view of rendering himself worthy of owning the passion he so long and painfully had concealed, encouraged by such generous offers, threw himself at the feet of the Count, telling him, that his ambition was entirely satisfied in having been able to do him any service; but that he had another passion more difficult to be pleased, which induced him to beg a favour, on which depended the whole felicity of his life. The Count pressed him to an explanation of these words, and swore to him by the faith of a knight, an oath inviolably sacred in those times, that there was nothing in his power he would refuse him. This promise entirely recovering the trembling lover from that confusion which the fears that accompany that passion had involved him in, “I resume then, m lord,” said he, “to be , I ma have

36b

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INTERESTING HISTORY OF THE PRINCESS DE PONTHIEU. Translated from the French. (Continued from page 36.) T away without any other interruption of their joy, than theWO years passed want of heirs; and though that no way diminished their love, yet it gave Thibault some uneasiness, which made him resolve on a progress to St. James of Gallicia; that age was not so corrupted as this is, the heroes fought as much to shew their piety as their courage; and what would now be thought a weakness, at that time gave a greater lustre to their virtue. It was not surprising therefore to see the valiant Thibault taking a resolution of going to Compostella; but the Princess not being able to bear a separation from so dear a husband, would needs accompany him, and join her vows with his; his unabated affection for her, made him receive the proposal with joy, and the Count de Ponthieu, always ready to oblige him, ordered an equipage to be got ready, worthy of those illustrious pilgrims, being willing that they should be well enough accompanied, to prevent any accident during their journey. They set out, and the hope of seeing them again in a little time, lessened the Count’s affliction at the separation. The ot safe to a little villa e within a da ’s ourne of Com ostella; there

yam res a eva dnhtigan, thd  Iat uqlati.yI a  mon dore her in that  l          ot evae          ircnehP  snkse’sare decllf tmyse  “My soning him, ,e“ of r ”,s ia h d andingaulba at,me ycarbnet lred ispoto dven  hearet guth yadesm I h rtfoceen hsoyarp I ,uoy llac paepradei  nht eface of the Coun hw o hcisa Ierip T.” jhe wh oy h ic eotislb seneerrpe rat: h Thiised iht ta tdnamed sd ulwo, osmp ibe ,seiyam  ruomeneovl  yerceucfussrlaeyds wsro,da at this  e hope th t yrolg eht fo ythor wnetuor fmyka e,em l vo dyborce , enf  day one is y ws,heut bf  i t ehreme ytim fotinued he, “of t tgionartn”,c no lfsemyr thh it wm tel ,rettalf eo deng te heservwo n arcnaitebw  e av hldou w Iw. mih eviecer uoyand.husbour as yss lb niec erP ”hT t aswndohius cngb ;sb tureh eye manded teing coms ehc no oerlp,y oy siht rraw gnuhe—Tr.ioctpees rah f sh  e uo ,roy s himakesirem delno ot y eb etneairtd ne yasr ounkgith ;ub t Iocme to let you kno h ,easdi re”,guth “Daent;artms ap m ot raed os gnithnoe av h Ias “c na eroc uoa olenrself, ye as you vah ot eoitaI sn oheigblenmp tse s faws aablyvourieevr o ce rovy uoemthy sftoe  H.”hs I sa itas lla d with these wor koh mib  yht h e na tto Phencris’es ,sd dna del mih n, iHymereemn agiwhtne t,eo l vo nccefinioce the  ed noisac  .devres r it was celebraet diwhtt ehm ga eppratarnsio nd , af a d we syaetfa srf roedta eemidage arrihe mor tdevloser dah eh g ime av gut bn; o xeeptctaiuhsi  n blessinion of aeffu derehsis ,so  tnglaemthot n rieht gn w lautum t unCoe vieircpearsnfot  .hToptr hisfiedess  excmretht st taitseco nd esnconsin  i  thtnaek dht eik’s will. Thibaulerthfar heo  tedttimbus ehs eruspleaith as w  it w httana dsn ,taoiinr incl tleheo rga baeereh saw made for he had  ehcioec efssde ht o ,rethguad nwo s To . ( aw-linn-sor  .d)nieuoctnb  e aetrc uodls accr them, and his hom el tsdevoih ,dee decihi w hch  shc taw diwraemem. d thCounThe  was eh no neewteb   hhe tthni upyap at it sethem, thiuhsni g mxeitgn kih lendh rcicwh t eb ot ehdeme ot  re la s molameir ft ehredeerdnln y ro far fsos wan oissessop ;gnits

              Thibault stopped, to rest the Princess; and the next day, finding themselves somewhat fatigued, he sent his attendants before him to provide for their coming, that they might lose no time, retaining only his chamberlain. When they thought themselves sufficiently reposed, they set forward; but having learned there was a dangerous place in the forest, through which they were obliged to pass, the Prince sent his chamberlain to recal some of his people. Nevertheless they still went on, and their ill fortune engaged them in a road, which had so many cross ways to it, that they knew not which to take. The robbers had made an easy plain path, which led travellers into the most intricate part of the forest, getting numbers by this means into their power: it was this fatal one; the unhappy Thibault and his lady imagined to be in the right; but they soon perceived their error. When not having gone above two bow-shots into it they found it terminated in a thicket: out of which, before they could avoid them, rushed eight men completely armed, and surrounded them, commanding them to alight. Thibault had no arms, but his courage disdaining to yield obedience to these ruffians, made him answer in terms which let them see it must be to their number they must be obliged to force him: one of them thinking to do so, quitting his rank, made at him with his lance; but Thibault with an admirable dexterity avoided the blow, and seized the lance as it passed him, with the vigour of an arm accustomed to victory; then seeing himself in a state of defence, he set on them with an heroic fierceness, killing one immediately, and facing them all, pierced a second; but in attacking a third, the lance flew into a thousand shivers, and disabled him from resisting farther. The remaining five encompassing him, and killing his horse, seized him; and notwithstanding his efforts, and the piercing cries of the Princess, stripped him, and tied him fast to a tree, not being willing to steep their hands in the blood of so brave a man. The heat of the combat, and their eagerness in tearing off his rich habit, had hindered them from casting their eyes on the Princess; but she being now left alone, she appeared a more precious booty than what they had just taken. Love inspires virtuous minds with a desire of doing only great and noble actions, and in the hearts of any others than these barbarians, would have endeavoured to have insinuated itself by pity: but that virtue being unknown to them, the charms of this unfortunate lady only redoubled their cruelty. Their fury and brutality inflamed them; and no intreaty could deter such hardened wretches from being guilty of the most shameful crimes!---What a spectacle was this for a husband!-- -The soul of the wretched Thibault was torn with the most poignant anguish--- distracted at not being able either to succour, or revenge her, who was a thousand times dearer to him than his life---he conjured heaven to strike him dead that moment---all that can be conceived of horror, of misery, without a name, was his.---But if his despair was more than words can represent, how much more was that of the afflicted Princess?---she tore her hair and face, begged, threatened, struggled, till her delicate limbs had lost the power of motion; filled all the forest with her piercing cries, without making those relentless monsters recede from their design. Never woman so ardently wished to be beautiful, as she did to become deformed, she would have rejoiced so have had her lovely face that moment changed into the likeness of Medusa; but all her prayers and tears were ineffectual; victim of force and rage.---The cruel leader of these fiends had just effected his diabolical intentions, when a sudden noise of the trampling of horses and the distant voices of men, forced them to fly. Fear, the companion of villainous actions, made them abandon their prey, and make off with incredible swiftness, so that the wretched Princess soon lost sight of them; but her irremediable misfortune, too present to her mind, to vanish with the authors of it, disordered her senses so cruell , that abhorrin herself,

42b

 a jwithhat oy tw rehtye tba eon ar pto le .keta

(To be continued.)

43a

INTERESTING HISTORY OF THE PRINCESS DE PONTHIEU. Translated from the French. (Continued from page 43.) D URING their journey, and on their arrival, Thibault omitted no act of tenderness, to convince the Princess she was still as dear to him as ever; but finding all his protestations in vain, and that she concealed a dagger in the bed one night with an intent to assassinate him, he took a separate apartment, still endeavourin b his behaviour to her, to revent the ublic from findin out the

50a

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