THE IRON PINCERS

: : : : OR : : : :

MYLIO AND KARVEL

A Tale of the Albigensian Crusades

By EUGENE SUE

TRANSLATED FROM THE ORIGINAL FRENCH BY

DANIEL DE LEON

NEW YORK LABOR NEWS COMPANY, 1909

Copyright, 1909, by the New York Labor News Company

INDEX

TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE vi

PART I. THE COURT OF LOVE.

INTRODUCTION 1

CHAPTER

I.THE ORCHARD OF MARPHISE5

II.GOOSE-SKIN THE JUGGLER20

III.FLORETTE35

IV.THE GARDEN OF EGLANTINE45

V.THE CRUSADERS62

VI.ON TO LANGUEDOC80

PART II. THE ALBIGENSIAN HERETICS.

I.THE PERFECT'S HOME87

II.GIRAUDE OF LAVAUR93

III.THE SHADOW OF WAR99

IV.ROBIN LOVES ME, ROBIN HAS ME109

V.SONG ON THE CRUSADE AGAINST THE ALBIGENSIANS 122

VI.SONG ON THE BUTCHERY OF CHASSENEUIL125

VII.SONG ON THE BUTCHERY OF BEZIERS128

VIII.SONG ON THE BURNING OF CARCASSONNE132

IX.THE HERETICS' WAR SONG141

X.BEFORE THE CASTLE OF LAVAUR144

XI.MONTFORT AND THE PERFECT150

XII.GOOSE-SKIN'S CONVERSION165

XIII.THE ESPLANADE AT LAVAUR176

EPILOGUE 191

TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE.

A new breath blows through this story, the thirteenth of the Eugene Sue series, The Mysteries of the People; or, History of a Proletarian Family Across the Ages. The epoch is the Thirteenth Century. The rudeness and coarseness of the period described in the preceding story—The Pilgrim's Shell; or, Fergan the Quarryman—now lies two centuries behind. Religious bigotry still reigns supreme, but it now is no more of the coarse nature typified by a Cuckoo Peter, it now partakes of the flavor of a Duke of Montfort; amours are no longer of the vulgar type of a Duke of Aquitaine, they now partake of the mental refinement of "Courts of Love." Music and poetry chasten the harsh lines of the Thirteenth Century and the season is prepared for the epoch described in the following novel—The Iron Trevet; or, Jocelyn the Champion—the age of chivalry. Nevertheless it was at this epoch that the religious persecutions of the Albigensians happened. The fell fanaticism of Montfort, the lawlessness of the clergy, and the dissoluteness of the nobility are woven into a narrative with Mylio the Trouvere and his brother Karvel, the type of religious purity, as the center figures of a story that has all the fascination of drama, in which tears and laughter, freedom and oppression alternate in rapid succession—a true picture of its times.

DANIEL DE LEON.

Milford, Conn., September, 1909.

INTRODUCTION.

I, Mylio the Trouvere[1]—the great-great-grandson of Colombaik, whose father, Fergan the Quarryman, was killed on the ramparts of Laon in the defense of the franchise of the commune—have written this "play," or narrative in dialogue, as is the vogue in these days.[2] The events herein narrated transpired in the course of the year 1208, at the period when the war of King Philip Augustus against King John of England and against Germany raged at its worst. The description of the "Court of Love," however much I may tone it down, reflects truthfully the unbridled license of the morals that are prevalent in these times, and the description of the persecutions of the Albigensian heretics, however much I may tone down that, truthfully reflects the ferocity of the religious bigotry of this self-same epoch. On the one subject and on the other the facts are revolting. Nevertheless, I am of the opinion that the morals and principles of the noble dames, the seigneurs and the clergy should not be concealed from you, children of Joel. Your knowledge of the facts will strengthen your aversion for these elements of our oppression.