Woman's Choice —The Story Of A Hero.

silence appeared to have been cast on camp and castle , for no noise of clashing arms , of loud and cheerful voices , or trumpet- calls , Avere heard in either . The only sound that broke the hot stillness of the

summer air Avas the distant music of the lark as it soared into the depths of the blue sky . The brave defenders of the fortress Avere gloomy and desponding , for the day had dawned on Avhich their gallant leader had pledged his honour ( if by that time no succour came from tardy England )

to surrender the keys of the toAvn to the renowned Constable of France . But a heaver grief than that of the English was in the camp of the fleur-de-dis . On a pallet facing the door of the tent distinguished by the royal bannerlay a

, Avhite-haired j aged warrior ; a sable coverlet was cast over his motionless form , and as the daylight stole through the canvass hangings and fell on the pale features , it showed that the repose in which he seemed hushed would be broken only by the

judgment trumpet—the Constable of France Avas dead . Beside his couch stood a group of the flower of French chivalry , his pupils in the art of Avar , Avho gazed mournfully in each other ' s faces , and spoke in low tones , as if they feared to break that still repose , or , perchance ,

because they reverenced the grief of an old warrior who kneeled near the head of the corpse , and sobbed so heavily that the struggles of his grief convulsed his stalwart form ; and he had cause to Aveep , for there lay the companion of his youth , his comrade in many a well-fought field

, in captivity and in victory—and knoAving this , his younger brethren in arms reverenced the tears of the strong man , the weakness of Oliver de Clisson . Their murmured converse Avas hoAvever nterupted by a pagewho entered softli

, y and whispered to the chief personage of the standing group , Sir Walter de Villaret . He started , and replying instantly , " surely Ave may not refuse her , " left the tent Avith the boy , and in a IBAV moments returned , supporting and leading in

an aged lady , clad in deep widow ' s Aveeds , and folloAved by two attendants . * Time bad passed lightly over the lad y ' s head , and the traces of the rare beauty of her youth were not yet all effaced . With instinctive delicacy the knights withdrew , leaving her Avith only Sir Oliver de Clisson ,

and her maidens . Her deep convulsive sobs roused the old warrior from his trance of Avoe , and he rose and gazed earnestly and pityingly upon her . She raised her head , and he rcognised immediatl y the theme of many a troubadour ' s lay in t ] le days of yore- —the once beautiful Claire du Val .

" Lady , ' said the old warrior mournfull y but kindly , " you may Avell weep ! He Avho lies there in his last glorious sleep loved you Avith a rare constancy . For your sake he assumed the Red Cross of the Temple , and made Glory the sole mistress of his life . "

" Alas ! brave De Clisson , " said the lad y , " if you kneAV the heavy hours and harsh constraint that have been my penance for the Avoman ' s choice of my youth , you Avould confess I amply atoned for the violation of my troth . But he is at peace

now , and I have long been and am forgiven . " Bending down , Du Guesclin ' s first and only loA'e pressed her lips on the cold forehead of the dead . And Avhat a rush of recollections came over the mind of the

ancient lady , as she gazed sorrowfully on the companion of her childhood . She thought of the green woods of Brittany , were they had played together as children ; of the halls of the old chateau , that had so often echoed to his gay laugh ; of the lists of Ploermelwhere he had given

, the first promise of his future glory ; and , by an inevitable association , of her husband , of the gallant and handsome youth AVIIO had proved so false to his oft-repeated and honeyed flatteries . Ee Clisson did not interrupt her reverie ,

for his OAvn grief could find no comfort in words , and the silence was first broken by a trumpet-call Avithout the camp , and the confused noise of eager footsteps and voices . The old knight , who by the death of the constable had succeeded to the chief

command of the army , hurried forth to learn the cause of the disturbance . " 'Tis a flag of truce , beau sire , from the castle , " said a knight who met him on the threshold ; " the governor is come to surrender the keysaccording to agreement

, . The procession of the vanquished and diminished garrison Avas indeedapproachmg . The governor of the fortress held in one hand his draAvn sword , in the other the keys of the town he had bravely and