"The Golden Fleece" by Amédée Achard, summary Automatic translate

This book is a classic historical adventure novel, published in 1875. The action unfolds against the backdrop of the Austro-Turkish War of 1664. The characters experience major historical cataclysms, including the real-life Battle of St. Gotthard, through the lens of court intrigue and personal exploits. It is part of the mini-series "The Adventures of the Count de Montestruc" and is its second and final book. The first novel in this series is "Cloak and Sword."

Conspiracy in Metz and ambush in Tyrol

The story begins in spring on the road to Lorraine. The protagonist, Hugues de Montestruc, rides to Metz with his faithful companions: Coquelicot, Cadour, and the young Eel. They are soon overtaken by the Marquis of Saint-Ellis. The cream of the French nobility, led by Count Coligny, has gathered in Metz. The commander-in-chief entrusts Hugues with a secret mission. The Gascon is to outstrip the army, arrive in Hungary, and discover the dispositions of the Turkish invaders.

There, Huguet accidentally encounters his greatest enemy. Former captain Briquetaille, hiding under the pompous Spanish name of Don Manrique, harbors a deep grudge. Briquetaille is tracking the Italian Pasqualino, the messenger of Princess Leonora Mamiani. The Italian has long been in love with Montestruc. She warns Huguet of the impending danger to his beloved, Orphise de Montluçon. Briquetaille wounds the messenger and steals the letter, but the messenger manages to convey the princess’s words aloud.

Meanwhile, Count César de Chivru and the Chevalier de Loudéac are plotting. They are conspiring with Briquetaille to eliminate Montestruc. César plans to stage a fake attack on Orphise en route to Salzburg. He wants to heroically rescue her from bandits and force her to marry him for the title of Duke of Avranches. Briquetaille hires bandits led by Penprenelle, and they set an ambush in a dark gorge in Tyrol.

The attack is almost successful. César feigns resistance and defeat. At this critical moment, Huguet appears with his men, warned in time by Leonora and St. Ellis. A real battle ensues. The bandits flee in panic. Montestruc rescues Orphisa, completely thwarting Chivru’s wicked plans.

In the enemy camp

Having secured Orfiza’s safe passage in Vienna, Hugues turns his attention to his duty to France. He disguises himself as the Italian merchant Matteo Bordino. Together with the nimble Eel, the hero infiltrates the colossal Turkish camp of Grand Vizier Ahmet Kupperli on the banks of the Danube.

Huguet estimates the size of the hundred-thousand-strong army, including the Janissaries and heavy artillery. But Briquetaille, disguised as a Dalmatian merchant, is also among the Turks. He betrays Montestruc to the cruel Hussein Pasha. Huguet is arrested and brought before the Grand Vizier. The Gascon flatly refuses to reveal the allies’ secrets. Then Briquetaille subjects Huguet to a sophisticated torture. Water drips monotonously onto the shaved part of his head. The prisoner goes mad with pain and loses consciousness, but remains silent. The eel manages to escape the camp unnoticed and gallops to the Christians for help.

The next morning, the Arab Kadour and a young slave arrive at the vizier’s tent. The slave is Princess Leonora Mamiani in disguise. Kadour masterfully feigns traitorism. He tells the vizier that he hates his master, Huguet, out of jealousy for a woman. The Arab offers to reveal the precise location of the French troops in exchange for Montestruc’s life. Ahmet Kupperli tests Kadour with the threat of death by the executioner’s sword. The Arab does not flinch. The vizier believes him and hands over the prisoner.

That same night, Leonora secretly visits Hussein Pasha. It turns out that many years ago, on the banks of the Brenta in Italy, as a girl, she nursed him back to health and saved his life after he was captured. Recognizing his kind savior, the stern Turk agrees to repay the debt. Under cover of darkness, Huguet, Leonora, and Kadour escape the camp unhindered. They are pursued by mercenaries of Carpillo, Briquetaille’s assistant. Kadour creates a diversion, kills several of their pursuers, and safely returns to the French.

Battle of St. Gotthard

In the allied camp, Huguet immediately confesses to Coligny that Kadour has betrayed their dispositions to the Turks. Commander-in-Chief Montecücülly decides to exploit this strategically. He completely changes the troop disposition overnight. The secrets passed on to the vizier become fatal disinformation.

In the morning, a bloody battle unfolds on the Raab River near St. Gotthard Monastery. The Turkish army swiftly breaks through the Christian center. The Janissaries capture the village of Grossdorf and turn it into a fortress. The situation seems catastrophic. Yuge fights heroically in the front ranks. He kills a noble Turkish warrior in a cavalry duel. During this battle, Kadur shields Montestruc from a treacherous shot and is mortally wounded. The Arab dies in the arms of Orphisa, who has arrived just in time. He kisses her hand and passes away, his conscience completely cleared.

Huguet suggests Coligny attack the overexcited Janissaries from the flanks. Coquelicot sets fire to the dry grass in the coastal marshes. The fire and thick smoke mask the allied advance. Lafoyade’s French cavalry and German reiters descend upon the disoriented Turks. The Grand Vizier’s army flees in panic, drowning in the turbulent waters of the Raab River by the thousands. The battle ends in triumph for the Europeans. For his outstanding heroism, Huguet is awarded the honor of personally carrying news of the victory to the king in Paris.

Intrigues in Paris

While Huguet fought valiantly, César de Chivru and Loudéac hastily departed for France. Chivru brought Orphise and Leonora to the capital. He joined forces with the Queen’s chamberlain, Olympe Mancini, Countess de Soissons. Olympe fiercely hated Montestruc and was openly hostile to the King’s new mistress, the Duchess de La Vallière.

Chivru asks Louis XIV for permission to marry Orphise in exchange for loyal service. The girl categorically refuses. The monarch, enraged, sends his rebellious goddaughter to the Abbey of Chelles. Soon, Huguet arrives in Paris. Loudéac and Carpillo plot a vile provocation. Carpillo secretly enters Montestruc’s room at the Three Pigeons Inn and hides forged letters there. The mercenaries then attack Huguet right under the monastery walls. Montestruc is arrested and thrown into the Châtelet prison. He faces the scaffold on false charges of treason.

Montestruc’s loyal friends selflessly rush to the rescue. The actress Brisquette, who once served Huguet and is secretly in love with him, coordinates the efforts. Coquelicot, Eel, and their new ally, Penprenelle, break into Chivru’s mansion in the dead of night. They crack open an ingenious secret safe and steal confidential documents. These documents completely expose the double dealing and betrayal of Chivru and the Countess de Soissons.

Briscetta bribes a convent servant and infiltrates the Abbey of Chelles. She swaps dresses with Orphisa and remains in her locked cell. Orphisa rushes to court. She appears in the courtroom, interrupts the prosecutor’s speech, and publicly announces Hugues as her fiancé. The trial is halted, the judges are utterly confused and await the monarch’s decision.

Victims and retribution

The King orders Loudéac to temporarily transport Huguet to the secure fortress of Amboise. Princess Léonore intercepts the convoy at the Beaugency inn. She begs Loudéac to release the prisoner. The Chevalier issues an ultimatum: he demands her reciprocity. Léonore vows to give herself to him, alive or dead, if Huguet is released. As soon as Montestruc rides away, the princess stabs herself with a poisoned gold pin. Saint-Ellis, rushing in, sees his beloved dead. The Marquis engages in a furious duel with Loudéac. The combatants stab each other to death and die instantly.

Meanwhile, Brisquette, disguised as a page in royal livery, sneaks into the Château de Chambord. She hands over the stolen documents to the Duchess de La Vallière, who immediately shows the incriminating papers to Louis XIV. The king learns the bitter truth about the Chivru-Soissons conspiracy. The monarch orders Montestruc’s full vindication and Orphise’s release.

Having learned of his utter failure, Chivru decides to go all in. Accompanied by his faithful Briquetaille, Carpillo, and Sanguinetti, he tricks Orphisa out of the castle, intending to kidnap her on a barge. En route, the conspirators deliberately sabotage the carriage and stop at a coastal inn. Chivru attempts to drag the girl away by force. The local Marquis de Frenoise tries to stop him, but is shot by Carpillo. Carpillo is immediately killed by the Marquis’s hunting dogs.

At that very moment, Huguet bursts into the inn courtyard. Gascon, Coquelicot, Eel, and Penprenelle attack the villains. The final, most brutal battle rages. Huguet pierces Chivrya with a precise blow. Little Eel mortally wounds the enormous Briquetaille. The villains are finally defeated, justice triumphs.

Orphise de Montluçon is saved forever. Huguet embraces her with boundless tenderness. The novel concludes with a heartfelt letter from the young Count to his mother. He respectfully asks for her blessing to marry Orphise, proudly announcing that he has finally won his Golden Fleece.