They therefore suggested
to the King a horrible scheme for rendering Arthur incapable of being
any longer a source of danger. The increasing boldness of the Bretons
at last provoked John into consenting to this project, and he
despatched three of his servants to Falaise to put out the eyes of the
captive. Two of these men chose to leave the King's service rather
than obey him; the third went to Falaise as he was bidden, but found
it impossible to fulfil his errand. Arthur's struggles were backed by
the very soldiers who guarded him, and the fear of a mutiny drove
their commander, Hubert de Burgh, to prevent the execution of an order
which he felt that the King would soon have cause to regret. He gave
out, however, that the order had been fulfilled, and that Arthur had
died in consequence.
The effect of this announcement proved at once the wisdom of Hubert
and the folly of those to whose counsel John had yielded. The fury of
the Bretons became boundless; they vowed never to leave a moment's
peace to the tyrant who had committed such a ghastly crime upon their
Duke, his own nephew, and Hubert soon found it necessary, for John's
own sake, to confess his fraud and demonstrate to friends and foes
alike that Arthur was still alive and uninjured.
Pages:
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207