The Dog of Montargis.
Thereis in France a castle by the name of Montargis. In the hall of this castle there is a sculpture which represents a dog fighting with a champion. The story connected with this sculpture is asfollows:—
Aubri de Mondidier, a gentleman of family and fortune, travelling alone through the Forest of Bondi, was murdered, and buried under a tree. His dog, an English blood-hound, would not quit his master’s grave for several days; till, at length, compelled by hunger, he proceeded to the house of an intimate friend of the unfortunate Aubri’s, at Paris, and by his melancholy howling, seemed desirous of expressing the loss they had both sustained. He repeated his cries, ran to the door, looked back to see if any one followed him, returned to his master’s friend, pulled him by the sleeve, and with dumb eloquence entreated him to go with him.
The singularity of all these actions ofthe dog, added to the circumstance of his coming there without his master, whose faithful companion he had always been, prompted the company to follow the animal, who conducted them to a tree, where he renewed his howl, scratching the earth with his feet, and significantly entreating them to search that particular spot. Accordingly, on digging, the body of the unfortunate Aubri was found.
Some time after, the dog accidentally met the assassin, who is styled, by the historians, Chevalier Macaire; when, instantly seizing him by the throat, he was with great difficulty compelled to quit his prey. In short, whenever the dog saw the Chevalier, he continued to pursue and attack him with equal fury. Such obstinate virulence in the animal, confined only to Macaire, appeared very extraordinary; especially to those who at once recollected the dog’s remarkable attachment to his master, and several instances in which Macaire’s envy and hatred to Aubri de Mondidier had been conspicuous.
Additional circumstances created suspicion; and at length the affair reached the royal ear. The king, LouisVIII., accordingly sent for the dog, who appeared extremely gentle, till he perceived Macaire in the midst of several noblemen, when he ran fiercely towards him, growling, and attacking him as usual.
The king, struck with these circumstantial evidences against Macaire, determined to refer the decision to the chance of battle; in other words, he gave orders for a combat between the Chevalier and the dog. The lists were appointed in the Isle of Notre Dame, then an unenclosed, uninhabited place, and Macaire was allowed for his weapon a great cudgel.
An empty cask was given to the dog as a place of retreat, to enable him to recover breath. Everything being prepared, the dog no sooner found himself at liberty, than he ran round his adversary, avoiding his blows, and menacing him on every side, till his strength was exhausted; then, springing forward, he griped him by the throat, threw him on the ground, and obliged him to confess his guilt, in the presence of the king and the whole court. In consequence of this, the Chevalier, after a few days, was convicted upon his own acknowledgment, and beheaded on a scaffold in the Isle of Notre Dame.