Quentin Durward. Resumen

Quentin Durward es una novela histórica de Walter Scott, publicada por primera vez en 1823. Es la historia de un arquero escocés al servicio del rey de Francia: Luis XI.

Estudiamos un poco de la cuidad de Liège (Lieja) y conseguimos una foto de alemanes en la Primera Guerra Mundial haciendo cerveza.

En vocabulario encontramos prepossessing y sojourner.

 

Resumen

La historia se centra en la rivalidad entre el rey Luis XI, de Francia, y Charles, el duque de Borgoña (al este de Francia). En aquellos tiempos los grandes señores feudales complotaban entre ellos para quitarle el trono al rey.

Luis incita a los ciudadanos de Liège (una ciudad en Bélgica) a levantarse contra el duque. Los ciudadanos apresan y matan al cuñado del duque, Luis de Borbón.

En el momento del asesinato Luis está presente en el campo de Charles en Péronne (en el norte de Francia), con la esperanza de engañarlo con una falsa muestra de amistad. Charles lo acusa de instigar una revuelta y lo hace encarcelar. La entereza de Luis le permite disipar las sospechas de Charles y recuperar su libertad.

La heredera de Borgoña, Isabel de Croye, se refugia en la corte de Luis cuando Charles intenta dar su mano en matrimonio a Campo-Basso, su favorito. Luis, a su vez, resuelve darla en matrimonio al capitán Guillermo de la Marck, y la envía a Flanders (norte de Bélgica) con el pretexto de ponerla bajo la protección del obispo de Liège.

Ella es protegida en su viaje por Quentin Durward, un arquero, que ha dejado atrás la pobreza en Escocia para unirse a la guardia escocesa del rey Luis. Quentin se gana el amor de Isabel.

Charles, sin embargo, compromete a Isabel en matrimonio con el duque de Orleáns (heredero de la corona francesa) pero ella se niega, y, en su ira, el duque la promete a quien le lleve la cabeza de Guillermo de la Marck (un aventurero alemán). Quentin logra esto con la ayuda de su tío, Ludovico Lesley, y gana la mano de Isabel.

Quai de la Goffe, Liege, 1936

Paragraphs

… The age of the young traveller might be about nineteen, or betwixt that and twenty; and his face and person, which were very prepossessing, did not, however, belong to the country in which he was now a sojourner. His short gray cloak and hose were rather of Flemish than of French fashion, while the smart blue bonnet, with a single sprig of holly and an eagle's feather, was already recognized as the Scottish head gear. His dress was very neat, and arranged with the precision of a youth conscious of possessing a fine person. He had at his back a satchel, which seemed to contain a few necessaries…

Although his form had not yet attained its full strength, he was tall and active, and the lightness of the step with which he advanced, showed that his pedestrian mode of travelling was pleasure rather than pain to him. His complexion was fair, in spite of a general shade of darker hue, with which the foreign sun, or perhaps constant exposure to the atmosphere in his own country, had, in some degree, embrowned it.

His features, without being quite regular, were frank, open, and pleasing. A half smile, which seemed to arise from a happy exuberance of animal spirits, showed now and then that his teeth were well set, and as pure as ivory; whilst his bright blue eye, with a corresponding gaiety, had an appropriate glance for every object which it encountered, expressing good humour, lightness of heart, and determined resolution…

In short, there was an attraction about his whole appearance not easily escaping attention, and which was derived from the combination of fearless frankness and good humour, with sprightly looks and a handsome face and person. It seemed, too, as if his whole demeanour bespoke one who was entering on life with no apprehension of the evils with which it is beset, and small means for struggling with its hardships, except a lively spirit and a courageous disposition; and it is with such tempers that youth most readily sympathizes, and for whom chiefly age and experience feel affectionate and pitying interest… (Quentin Durward, Walter Scott. Chapter 2.)

Vocabulario

Prepossessing: attractive or appealing in appearance.

Sojourner: a temporary resident.

Para saber

Cuando los nazis entraron en Liège, en1940, la mayoría de los judíos fueron salvados por una población compasiva, que escondió a muchos judíos en los monasterios. Liège fue liberada en 1944.

Después de la guerra la Cuestión Real saltó a la palestra ya que muchos vieron al rey Leopoldo III colaborar con los alemanes durante la guerra. En 1950 una huelga general obligó a Leopoldo a abdicar.

Alemanes haciendo cerveza

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