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diff --git a/27916-h/27916-h.htm b/27916-h/27916-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..067f8e8 --- /dev/null +++ b/27916-h/27916-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,4557 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of Gabriel and the Hour Book, by Evaleen Stein. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + p {margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + text-indent: 1.25em; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + img {border: 0;} + .tnote {border: dashed 1px; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; padding-bottom: .5em; padding-top: .5em; + padding-left: .5em; padding-right: .5em;} + ins {text-decoration:none; border-bottom: thin dotted gray;} + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; + } + hr { width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; + } + + table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;} + + body{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + + .pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; + } /* page numbers */ + .copyright {text-align: center; font-size: 70%;} + .blockquot{margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 10%; text-align: justify;} + + .bbox {border: solid 2px; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; padding-bottom: .5em; padding-top: .5em; + padding-left: .5em; padding-right: .5em;} + + .center {text-align: center;} + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + + .caption {font-weight: bold; font-size: 90%;} + + .figcenter {margin: auto; text-align: center;} + + .figleft {float: left; clear: left; margin-left: 0; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: + 1em; margin-right: 0; padding: 0; text-align: center;} + + .figright {float: right; clear: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; + margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 0; padding: 0; text-align: center;} + + .unindent {margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + .right {text-align: right;} + .poem {margin-left: 30%; margin-right: 10%; text-align: left;} + .poem2 {margin-left: 15%; margin-right: 10%; text-align: left;} + .sig {margin-right: 10%; text-align: right;} + .u {text-decoration: underline;} + .hang1 {text-indent: -3em; margin-left: 3em;} + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Gabriel and the Hour Book, by Evaleen Stein + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Gabriel and the Hour Book + +Author: Evaleen Stein + +Illustrator: Adelaide Everhart + +Release Date: January 28, 2009 [EBook #27916] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK GABRIEL AND THE HOUR BOOK *** + + + + +Produced by David Edwards, Emmy and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive) + + + + + + +</pre> + + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 373px;"> +<img src="images/cover.jpg" width="373" height="500" alt="Cover" title="" /> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/inside_cover.jpg" width="600" height="413" alt="End papers" title="" /> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<img src="images/title.jpg" width="400" height="651" alt="Title page" title="" /> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h1>GABRIEL AND<br /> +THE HOUR BOOK</h1> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<h2>Roses of<br /> +St. Elizabeth Series</h2> + +<div class='center'> +Each 1 vol., small quarto, illustrated and decorated in colour. <b>$1.00</b><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<big><b>The Roses of Saint Elizabeth</b></big><br /> +<small><span class="smcap">By</span> JANE SCOTT WOODRUFF</small><br /> +<br /> +<b><big>Gabriel and the Hour Book</big></b><br /> +<small><span class="smcap">By</span> EVALEEN STEIN</small><br /> +<br /> +<big><b>The Enchanted Automobile</b></big><br /> +<small><i>Translated from the French by</i></small><br /> +<small>MARY J. SAFFORD</small><br /> +<br /> +<b><big>Pussy-Cat Town</big></b><br /> +<small><span class="smcap">By</span> MARION AMES TAGGART</small><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +L. C. PAGE & COMPANY<br /> +New England Building<br /> +BOSTON, MASS.<br /> +</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 330px;"><a name="front" id="front"></a> +<img src="images/i004.jpg" width="330" height="400" alt="Gabriel" title="" /> +<span class="caption"><i>Gabriel</i></span> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><span class='u'>Roses of St. Elizabeth Series</span></h3> + +<h1>Gabriel and the<br /> +Hour Book</h1> + +<h3>BY</h3> +<h2>Evaleen Stein</h2> + + +<h4><i>ILLUSTRATED IN COLOURS BY</i></h4> + +<h3>Adelaide Everhart</h3> + +<div class='center'> +L. C. Page & Company<br /> +Boston Mcmvi<br /> +</div> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="Series"> +<tr><td align='center' colspan='3'><img src="images/copybox_top.png" width="354" height="51" alt="Border top" title="" /> +</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><img src="images/copybox_left.png" width="33" height="269" alt="Border left" title="" /> +</td><td align='center'><div class='copyright'> +<i>Copyright, 1906, by<br /> +L. C. PAGE & COMPANY<br /> +(Incorporated)<br /> +<br /> +All rights reserved<br /> +<br /> +First Impression, July, 1906</i><br /></div></td> +<td align='right'><img src="images/copybox_right.png" width="33" height="269" alt="Border right" title="" /> +</td></tr> +<tr><td align='center' colspan='3'><img src="images/copybox_bottom.png" width="354" height="51" alt="Border bottom" title="" /> +</td></tr> +</table></div> + +<p> +<br /> +<br /></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 352px;"> +<img src="images/copypage_bottom.png" width="352" height="31" alt="decoration" title="" /> +</div> +<div class='copyright'> +<i>COLONIAL PRESS<br /> +<br /> +Electrotyped and Printed by C.H. Simonds & Co.<br /> +Boston, U.S.A.</i><br /> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class='center'>TO<br /> + +<b>My friend</b><br /> + +<big><span class="smcap">Caroline H. Griffiths</span></big></div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="Contents and decoration"> +<tr><td align='center' colspan='3'><img src="images/contents_top.png" width="568" height="92" alt="Decoration" title="" /> +</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><img src="images/contents_left.png" width="38" height="563" alt="Decoration" title="" /> +</td><td align='left'><h2>CONTENTS</h2> +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" summary="Contents"> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><small>CHAPTER</small></td><td align='right'><small>PAGE</small></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>I.</td><td align='left'> The Little Colour Grinder</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_1">1</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>II.</td><td align='left'> Brother Stephen's Inspiration</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_19">19</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>III.</td><td align='left'> Gabriel Interviews the Abbot</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_35">35</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>IV.</td><td align='left'> The Hour Book</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_49">49</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>V.</td><td align='left'> The Count's Tax</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_65">65</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>VI.</td><td align='left'> Gabriel's Prayer</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_74">74</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>VII.</td><td align='left'> The Book Goes to Lady Anne</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_89">89</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>VIII.</td><td align='left'> Lady Anne Writes to the King </td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_99">99</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>IX.</td><td align='left'> The King's Messenger</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_116">116</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>X.</td><td align='left'> Gabriel's Christmas</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_136">136</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XI.</td><td align='left'> The King's Illuminator</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_162">162</a></td></tr> +</table></div> +</td><td align='right'><img src="images/contents_right.png" width="38" height="563" alt="Decoration" title="" /> +</td></tr> +<tr><td align='center' colspan='3'><img src="images/contents_bottom.png" width="568" height="92" alt="Decoration" title="" /> +</td></tr> +</table></div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> +<img src="images/illus.png" width="500" height="286" alt="Decoration" title="" /> +</div> + +<h2>LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS</h2> + + + + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="List of Illustrations"> +<tr><td align='left'>Gabriel</td><td align='right'><a href="#front"><i>Frontispiece</i></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>"He saw the Abbot walking up and down"</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_38">38</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>"Dreaming of all the beautiful things he meant to paint"</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_59">59</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>"Taking down the book . . . he unwrapped and unclasped it" </td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_95">95</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>"Began slowly to turn over the pages"</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_105">105</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>"He passed a little peasant boy"</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_142">142</a></td></tr> +</table></div> + + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[1]</a></span></p> + + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="Title"> +<tr><td align='left'><img src="images/titleborder_left.png" width="43" height="100" alt="decoration" title="" /> +</td><td align='left'><h2>Gabriel and the Hour Book</h2> +</td><td align='right'><img src="images/titleborder_right.png" width="43" height="100" alt="Decoration" title="" /> +</td></tr> +</table></div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>CHAPTER I.</h2> + +<h3>THE LITTLE COLOUR GRINDER</h3> + + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 81px;"> +<img src="images/drop_i.png" width="81" height="125" alt="I" title="" /> +</div><div class='unindent'><br /><br />T was a bright morning +of early April, many +hundred years ago; and +through all the fields and +meadows of Normandy the violets +and cuckoo-buds were just +beginning to peep through the +tender green of the young grass. +The rows of tall poplar-trees that +everywhere, instead of fences, +served to mark off the farms of +the country folk, waved in the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[2]</a></span> +spring wind like great, pale green +plumes; and among their branches +the earliest robins and field-fares +were gaily singing as a little boy +stepped out from a small thatched +cottage standing among the fields, +and took his way along the highroad.</div> + +<p>That Gabriel Viaud was a +peasant lad, any one could have +told from the blouse of blue +homespun, and the wooden shoes +which he wore; and that he felt +the gladness of the April time +could easily be known by the +happy little song he began to sing +to himself, and by the eager delight +with which he now and then +stooped to pluck a blue violet or +to gather a handful of golden +cuckoo-buds.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[3]</a></span></p> + +<p>A mile or two behind him, and +hidden by a bend in the road, lay +the little village of St. Martin-de-Bouchage; +while in the soft +blue distance ahead of him rose +the gray walls of St. Martin's +Abbey, whither he was going.</p> + +<p>Indeed, for almost a year now +the little boy had been trudging +every day to the Abbey, where +he earned a small sum by waiting +upon the good brothers who +dwelt there, and who made the +beautiful painted books for which +the Abbey had become famous. +Gabriel could grind and mix their +colours for them, and prepare the +parchment on which they did +their writing, and could do many +other little things that helped +them in their work.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[4]</a></span></p> + +<p>The lad enjoyed his tasks at +the Abbey, and, above all, delighted +in seeing the beautiful +things at which the brothers were +always busy; yet, as he now drew +near the gateway, he could not +help but give a little sigh, for it +was so bright and sunny out-of-doors. +He smiled, though, as he +looked at the gay bunches of +blossoms with which he had quite +filled his hands, and felt that at +least he was taking a bit of the +April in with him, as he crossed +the threshold and entered a large +room.</p> + +<p>"Good morrow, Gabriel," called +out several voices as he came in, +for the lad was a general favourite +with the brothers; and Gabriel, +respectfully taking off his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[5]</a></span> +blue peasant cap, gave a pleasant +"good morrow" to each.</p> + +<p>The room in which he stood +had plain stone walls and a floor +of paved stone, and little furniture, +except a number of solidly +made benches and tables. These +were placed beneath a row of high +windows, and the tables were covered +with writing and painting +materials and pieces of parchment; +for the brotherhood of St. +Martin's was very industrious.</p> + +<p>In those days,—it was four +hundred years ago,—printed +books were very few, and almost +unknown to most people; for +printing-presses had been invented +only a few years, and so by far +the greater number of books in +the world were still made by the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[6]</a></span> +patient labour of skilful hands; +the work usually being done by +the monks, of whom there were +very many at that time.</p> + +<p>These monks, or brothers, as +they were often called, lived in +monasteries and abbeys, and were +men who banded themselves together +in brotherhoods, taking +solemn vows never to have homes +of their own or to mingle in the +daily life of others, but to devote +their lives to religion; for they +believed that they could serve +God better by thus shutting themselves +off from the world.</p> + +<p>And so it came about that +the brothers, having more time +and more learning than most +other people of those days, made +it their chief work to preserve<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[7]</a></span> +and multiply all the books that +were worth keeping. These they +wrote out on parchment (for paper +was very scarce so long ago), and +then ornamented the pages with +such beautiful painted borders of +flowers and birds and saints and +angels, and such lovely initial +letters, all in bright colours and +gold, that to this day large numbers +of the beautiful books made +by the monks are still kept among +the choicest treasures of the museums +and great libraries of the +world.</p> + +<p>And few of all those wonderful +old illuminations (for so the +painted ornaments were called) +were lovelier than the work of the +brotherhood of St. Martin's. Gabriel +felt very proud even to grind<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[8]</a></span> +the colours for them. But as he +passed over to one of the tables +and began to make ready his +paint mortar, the monk who had +charge of the writing-room called +to him, saying:</p> + +<p>"Gabriel, do not get out thy +work here, for the Abbot hath +just ordered that some one must +help Brother Stephen, who is +alone in the old chapter-house. +He hath a special book to make, +and his colour-grinder is fallen +ill; so go thou at once and take +Jacques's place."</p> + +<p>So Gabriel left the writing-room +and passed down the long +corridor that led to the chapter-house. +This was a room the +brothers had kept for years as a +meeting-place, when they and the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span> +Abbot, who governed them all, +wished to talk over the affairs of +the Abbey; but as it had at last +grown too small for them, they +had built a new and larger one; +and so the old chapter-house was +seldom used any more.</p> + +<p>Gabriel knew this, and he wondered +much why Brother Stephen +chose to work there rather +than in the regular writing-room +with the others. He supposed, +however, that, for some reason of +his own, Brother Stephen preferred +to be alone.</p> + +<p>He did not know that the +monk, at that moment, was sitting +moodily by his work-table, his +eyes staring aimlessly ahead of +him, and his hands dropped idly +in his lap. For Brother Stephen<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span> +was feeling very cross and unhappy +and out of sorts with all +the world. And this was the reason: +poor Brother Stephen had +entered the Abbey when a lad +scarcely older than Gabriel. He +had come of good family, but had +been left an orphan with no one +to care for him, and for want of +other home had been sent to +the Abbey, to be trained for +the brotherhood; for in those +days there were few places +where fatherless and motherless +children could be taken care +of.</p> + +<p>As little Jean (for this was his +name before he joined the monks, +when one's own name was always +changed) grew up, he took the +solemn vows which bound him to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span> +the rules of the brotherhood without +realizing what it all would +mean to him; for Brother Stephen +was a born artist; and, by +and by, he began to feel that +while life in the Abbey was well +for most of the brothers, for him +it was not well. He wanted to +be free to wander about the world; +to paint pictures of many things; +and to go from city to city, and +see and study the work of the +world's great artists.</p> + +<p>It is true he spent the greater +part of his time in the Abbey +working on the illuminated books, +and this he loved; yet it did not +wholly satisfy him. He longed +to paint other things, and, above +all, his artist nature longed for +freedom from all the little rules<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span> +of daily life that governed the +days of the brotherhood.</p> + +<p>Brother Stephen had brooded +much over this desire for freedom, +and only the day before had +sought out the Abbot of St. +Martin's and asked to be released +from the vows of obedience which +he had taken years before, but +which now he found so hard to +live up to. But, to his great disappointment, +the Abbot had refused +to grant his request.</p> + +<p>The Abbot had several reasons +for this refusal; one of them was +that he himself dearly loved all +the little daily ceremonies of the +Abbey, and he could not understand +why any one who had once +lived there could prefer a life in +the world. He really thought it<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span> +was for Brother Stephen's own +good that he should stay in the +brotherhood.</p> + +<p>And then, too, perhaps there +was another reason less to the +Abbot's credit; and this reason +was that of all the beautiful illuminated +books for which the +Abbey of St. Martin's had become +so famous, none were quite +so exquisitely done as those made +by Brother Stephen. So perhaps +the Abbot did not wish to +lose so skilful an artist from +the work-room of the Abbey, +and especially at this particular +time. For just before Brother +Stephen had had his talk with +the Abbot, a messenger from the +city of Paris had come to the +Abbey, bearing an order from<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span> +the king, Louis XII., who +reigned over France, and Normandy +also, which was a part +of France.</p> + +<p>Now the following winter, the +king was to wed the Lady Anne +of Bretagne; and as Lady Anne +was a great admirer and collector +of beautiful painted books, +the king thought no gift would +please his bride quite so much as +a piece of fine illumination; and +he decided that it should be an +hour book. These books were +so called because in them were +written different parts of the +Bible, intended to be read at certain +hours of the day; for most +people at that time were very +devout, and the great ladies especially +were very fond of having<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span> +their hour books made as beautiful +as possible.</p> + +<p>As King Louis thought over +the best places where he might +have his bride's gift painted, at +last he made up his mind to send +to the monks of St. Martin's. He +commanded that the hour book be +done in the most beautiful style, +and that it must be finished by +the following December.</p> + +<p>The Abbot was delighted with +the honour the king had shown +the Abbey in sending this order; +and he determined that Brother +Stephen should stay and make +the entire book, as no one else +wrote so evenly, or made quite +such lovely initials and borders as +did he.</p> + +<p>When the Abbot told this to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span> +Brother Stephen, however, it was +a pity that he did so in such a +cold and haughty way that altogether +Brother Stephen's anger +was aroused, for he had a rather +unruly temper; and so, smarting +under the disappointment of not +receiving his liberty, and feeling +that the book for Lady Anne +was one cause of this, he had +spoken angrily and disrespectfully +to the Abbot, and refused point-blank +to touch the king's order.</p> + +<p>At this the Abbot in his turn +became angry, and declared that +Brother Stephen should be compelled +to paint the hour book +whether he wished to or not; that +he must do it as punishment for +his unruly conduct; and the +Abbot threatened, moreover, that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span> +if he did not obey, he would be +placed under the ban of the +Church, which was considered by +all the brotherhood as a dreadful +misfortune.</p> + +<p>And so with this threat hanging +over him, that very morning, +just before Gabriel reached the +Abbey, Brother Stephen had been +sent to the old chapter-house, +where he was ordered to work by +himself, and to begin the book at +once. And to complete his humiliation, +and for fear he might +try to run away, the Abbot caused +him to be chained to one of the +legs of the heavy work-table; and +this chain he was to wear every +day during working hours.</p> + +<p>Now all this made Brother +Stephen very angry and unhappy,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span> +and his heart was full of bitterness +toward the Abbot and all of +the brotherhood and the world in +general, when all at once he heard +Gabriel's knock at the door; and +then, in another moment, the door +was softly pushed open, and there, +on the threshold, stood the little +boy.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER II.</h2> + +<h3>BROTHER STEPHEN'S INSPIRATION</h3> + + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 86px;"> +<img src="images/drop_g.png" width="86" height="125" alt="G" title="" /> +</div><div class='unindent'><br /><br />ABRIEL knew nothing +of Brother Stephen's +troubles, and so was +smiling happily as he +stepped into the room, holding +his cap in one hand, while with +his other arm he hugged to him +his large bunch of violets and +cuckoo-buds. Indeed he looked +so bright and full of life that even +Brother Stephen felt the effect of +it, and his frown began to smooth +out a little as he said:</div> + +<p>"Well, my lad, who art thou?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I am Gabriel Viaud, Brother +Stephen," answered the boy, +"and I have come to help you; +for they told me Jacques is fallen +ill. What would you like me to +do first?"</p> + +<p>To this Brother Stephen +scarcely knew what to reply. +He was certainly in no mood for +work. He was still very, very +angry, and thought himself terribly +misused by the Abbot; and +though he greatly dreaded the +latter's threats, he had almost +reached the point of defying him +and the king and everybody else, +no matter what dreadful thing +happened to him afterward.</p> + +<p>But then as he looked again at +the bright-faced little boy standing +there, and seeming so eager<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span> +to help, he began to relent more +and more; and besides, he found +it decidedly embarrassing to try +to explain things to Gabriel.</p> + +<p>So after a little pause, he said +to him: "Gabriel, I am not ready +for thee at this moment; go sit +on yonder bench. I wish to +think out a matter which is perplexing +me." Then as Gabriel +obediently went over to the bench +and seated himself, he added: +"Thou canst pass the time looking +at the books on the shelf +above thee."</p> + +<p>So while Brother Stephen was +trying to make up his mind as to +what he would do, Gabriel took +down one of the books, and was +soon absorbed in its pages. Presently, +as he turned a new one, he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span> +gave a little involuntary exclamation +of delight. At this Brother +Stephen noticed him, and—</p> + +<p>"Ah!" he said, "what hast thou +found that seems to please thee?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, sir," answered Gabriel, +"this is the most beautiful initial +letter I have ever seen!"</p> + +<p>Now Gabriel did not know that +the book had been made a few +years before by Brother Stephen +himself, and so he had no idea +how much it pleased the brother +to have his work admired.</p> + +<p>Indeed, most people who do +good work of any kind oftentimes +feel the need of praise; not flattery, +but the real approval of some +one who understands what they +are trying to do. It makes the +workman or artist feel that if his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span> +work is liked by somebody, it is +worth while to try to do more and +better.</p> + +<p>Poor Brother Stephen did not +get much of this needed praise, +for many of the other monks at +the Abbey were envious of him, +and so were unwilling really to +admire his work; while the Abbot +was so cold and haughty and so +taken up with his own affairs, that +he seldom took the trouble to say +what he liked or disliked.</p> + +<p>So when Brother Stephen saw +Gabriel's eager admiration, he felt +pleased indeed; for Gabriel had +a nice taste in artistic things, and +seemed instinctively to pick out +the best points of anything he +looked at. And when, in his enthusiasm, +he carried the book over<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span> +and began to tell Brother Stephen +why he so much admired the painting, +without knowing it, he really +made the latter feel happier than +he had felt for many a day. He +began to have a decided notion +that he would paint King Louis's +book after all. And just then, as +if to settle the matter, he happened +to glance at the corner of the table +where Gabriel had laid down his +bunch of flowers as he came +in.</p> + +<p>It chanced that some of the +violets had fallen from the cluster +and dropped upon a broad ruler of +brass that lay beside the painting +materials. And even as Brother +Stephen looked, it chanced also +that a little white butterfly drifted +into the room through the bars of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span> +the high, open window; after +vaguely fluttering about for a +while, at last, attracted by the +blossoms, it came, and, poising +lightly over the violets on the +ruler, began to sip the honey from +the heart of one of them.</p> + +<p>As Brother Stephen's artistic +eye took in the beauty of effect +made by the few flowers on the +brass ruler with the butterfly hovering +over them, he, too, gave a +little exclamation, and his eyes +brightened and he smiled; for he +had just got a new idea for an +illuminated border.</p> + +<p>"Yes," he said to himself, "this +would be different from any I +have yet seen! I will decorate +King Louis's book with borders +of gold; and on the gold I will<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span> +paint the meadow wildflowers, and +the bees and butterflies, and all +the little flying creatures."</p> + +<p>Now before this, all the borders +of the Abbey books had +been painted, in the usual manner +of the time, with scrolls and birds +and flowers more or less conventionalized; +that is, the artists did +not try to make them look exactly +like the real ones, but twisted +them about in all sorts of fantastic +ways. Sometimes the stem +of a flower would end in the +curled-up folds of a winged +dragon, or a bird would have +strange blossoms growing out of +his beak, or perhaps the tips of +his wings.</p> + +<p>These borders were indeed exquisitely +beautiful, but Brother<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span> +Stephen was just tired of it all, +and wanted to do something quite +different; so he was delighted +with his new idea of painting the +field-flowers exactly like nature, +only placing them on a background +of gold.</p> + +<p>As he pictured in his mind one +page after another thus adorned, +he became more and more interested +and impatient to begin at +once. He forgot all about his +anger at the Abbot; he forgot +everything else, except that he +wanted to begin King Louis's +book as quickly as possible!</p> + +<p>And so he called briskly to +Gabriel, who meantime had reseated +himself on his bench:</p> + +<p>"Gabriel, come hither! Canst +thou rule lines without blotting?<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span> +Canst thou make ink and grind +colours and prepare gold size?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir," said Gabriel, surprised +at the monk's eager manner, +"I have worked at all these +things."</p> + +<p>"Good!" replied Brother Stephen. +"Here is a piece of parchment +thou canst cut and prepare, +and then rule it, thus" (and here +he showed him how he wished it +done), "with scarlet ink. But do +not take yonder brass ruler! Here +is one of ivory thou canst use +instead."</p> + +<p>And then as Gabriel went to +work, Brother Stephen, taking a +goose-quill pen and some black +ink, began skilfully and carefully +to make drawings of the violets +as they lay on the ruler, not forgetting<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span> +the white butterfly which +still hovered about. The harder +he worked the happier he grew; +hour after hour passed, till at last +the dinner time came, and Gabriel, +who was growing very hungry, +could hear the footsteps of the +brothers, as they marched into +the large dining-room where they +all ate together.</p> + +<p>Brother Stephen, however, was +so absorbed that he did not notice +anything; till, by and by, the door +opened, and in came two monks, +one carrying some soup and bread +and a flagon of wine. As they +entered, Brother Stephen turned +quickly, and was about to rise, +when all at once he felt the tug +of the chain still fastened about +the leg of the table; at this his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span> +face grew scarlet with shame, and +he sank back in his chair.</p> + +<p>Gabriel started with surprise, +for he had not before seen the +chain, partly hidden as it was by +the folds of the brother's robe. +As he looked, one of the two +monks went to the table, and, with +a key which he carried, unlocked +the chain so Brother Stephen +might have a half-hour's liberty +while he ate. The monks, however, +stayed with him to keep an +eye on his movements; and meantime +they told Gabriel to go out +to the Abbey kitchen and find +something for his own dinner.</p> + +<p>As Gabriel went out along the +corridor to the kitchen, his heart +swelled with pity! Why was +Brother Stephen chained? He<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span> +tried to think, and remembered +that once before he had seen one +of the brothers chained to a table +in the writing-room because he was +not diligent enough with his work,—but +Brother Stephen! Was he +not working so hard? And how +beautiful, too, were his drawings! +The more Gabriel thought of it +the more indignant he grew. Indeed, +he did not half-enjoy the +bread and savoury soup made of +black beans, that the cook dished +out for him; he took his wooden +bowl, and sitting on a bench, ate +absently, thinking all the while of +Brother Stephen.</p> + +<p>When he had finished he went +back to the chapter-house and +found the other monks gone and +Brother Stephen again chained.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span> +Gabriel felt much embarrassed to +have been obliged to see it; and +when Brother Stephen, pointing +to the chain, said bitterly, "Thou +seest they were afraid I would run +away from my work," the lad was +so much at a loss to know what +to say, that he very wisely said +nothing.</p> + +<p>Now Brother Stephen, though +he had begun the book as the +Abbot wished, yet he had by no +means the meek and penitent spirit +which also the Abbot desired of +him, and which it was proper for +a monk to have.</p> + +<p>And so if the truth must be +told, each time the other monks +came in to chain him, he felt more +than anything else like seizing +both of them, and thrusting them<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span> +bodily out of the door, or at least +trying to do so. But then he could +not forget the Abbot's threat if he +showed disobedience; and he had +been brought up to dread the ban +of the Church more than anything +else that could possibly happen +to him, because he believed that +this would make him unhappy, not +only in this life, but in the life to +come. And so he smothered his +feelings and tried to bear the humiliation +as patiently as he could.</p> + +<p>Gabriel could not help but see, +however, that it took him some +time to regain the interest he had +felt in his work, and it was not until +the afternoon was half-gone that +he seemed to forget his troubles +enough really to have heart in the +pages he was making.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span></p> + +<p>When dusk fell, Gabriel picked +up and arranged his things in +order, and bidding Brother Stephen +good night, trudged off +home.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER III.</h2> + +<h3>GABRIEL INTERVIEWS THE ABBOT</h3> + + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 101px;"> +<img src="images/drop_t.png" width="101" height="150" alt="T" title="" /> +</div><div class='unindent'><br /><br />HE next day of Gabriel's +service passed off much +the same as the first, and +so it went for almost a +week; but the boy saw day by +day that Brother Stephen's chain +became more and more unbearable +to him, and that he had long +fits of brooding, when he looked +so miserable and unhappy that +Gabriel's heart fairly ached for +him.</div> + +<p>At last the lad, who was a sympathetic +little fellow, felt that he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span> +could stand it no longer, but must +try and help him in some way.</p> + +<p>"If I could only speak to the +Abbot himself," thought Gabriel, +"surely he would see that Brother +Stephen is set free!"</p> + +<p>The Abbot, however, was a +very stately and dignified person; +and Gabriel did not quite see how +a little peasant boy like himself +could find an opportunity to speak +to him, or how he would dare to +say anything even if he had a +chance.</p> + +<p>Now it happened the very +morning that Gabriel was thinking +about all this, he was out in +the Abbey kitchen beating up the +white of a nice fresh egg which +he had brought with him from +home that day. He had the egg<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span> +in an earthen bowl, and was working +away with a curious wooden +beater, for few people had forks +in those days. And as he beat +up the white froth, the Abbey +cooks also were very busy making +pasties, and roasting huge pieces +of meat before the great open fireplace, +and baking loaves of sweet +Normandy bread for the monks' +dinner.</p> + +<p>But Gabriel was not helping +them; no, he was beating the egg +for Brother Stephen to use in putting +on the gold in the border he +was painting. For the brothers +did not have the imitation gold +powders of which we see so much +to-day; but instead, they used real +gold, which they ground up very +fine in earthen mortars, and took<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span> +much trouble to properly prepare. +And when they wanted to lay it +on, they commonly used the white +of a fresh egg to fasten it to the +parchment.</p> + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 313px;"> +<img src="images/i012.jpg" width="313" height="400" alt=""He saw the Abbot walking up and down"" title="" /> +<span class="caption">"<i>He saw the Abbot walking up and down</i>"</span> +</div> + +<p>So Gabriel was working as fast +as he could, for Brother Stephen +was waiting; when all at once he +happened to look out the kitchen +door, which opened on a courtyard +where there was a pretty garden, +and he saw the Abbot walking up +and down the gravel paths, and +now and then stopping to see how +the tulips and daffodils were coming +on.</p> + +<p>As Gabriel looked, the Abbot +seated himself on a stone bench; +and then the little boy, forgetting +his awe of him, and thinking only +of Brother Stephen and his chain<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span> +ran out as fast as he could, still +holding his bowl in one hand and +the wooden beater in the other.</p> + +<p>As he came up to where the +Abbot was sitting, he courtesied +in such haste that he spilled out +half his egg as he eagerly burst +out:</p> + +<p>"O reverend Father! will you +not command Brother Stephen to +be set free from his chain?"</p> + +<p>The Abbot at first had smiled +at the droll figure made by the +little boy, whom he supposed to +be one of the kitchen scullions, +but at this speech he stiffened up +and looked very stern as Gabriel +went on breathlessly:</p> + +<p>"He is making such a beautiful +book, and he works so hard; but +the chain is so dreadful to him,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span> +and I was sure that if you knew +they had put it on him, you would +not allow it!"</p> + +<p>Here the Abbot began to feel +a trifle uncomfortable, for he saw +that Gabriel did not know that he +himself had ordered Brother Stephen +to wear the chain. But he +mentioned nothing of this as he +spoke to Gabriel.</p> + +<p>"Boy," he said, severely, "what +affair of thine is this matter about +Brother Stephen? Doubtless if +he is chained, it is a punishment +he hath merited. 'Tis scarcely +becoming in a lad like thee to +question these things." And then, +as he looked sharply at Gabriel, +he added, "Did Brother Stephen +send thee hither? Who art +thou?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span></p> + +<p>At this Gabriel hung his head, +and, "Nay, sir," he answered, +simply, "he does not know, and +perhaps he will be angry with me! +I am his colour-grinder, and I was +in the kitchen getting the egg for +his gold,"—here suddenly Gabriel +remembered his bowl, and looking +down in dismay, "Oh, sir," he +exclaimed, "I have spilled the egg, +and it was fresh-laid this morning +by my white hen!" Here the +boy looked so honestly distressed +that the Abbot could not but believe +that he spoke the truth, and +so he smiled a little as he said, +not unkindly:</p> + +<p>"Well, never mind about thy +hen,—go on; thou wast in the +kitchen, and then what?"</p> + +<p>"I saw you in the garden,"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span> +answered Gabriel, "and—and—I +thought that if you knew about +the chain, you would not like it;" +(here the Abbot began to look +very stern again); "and," Gabriel +added, "I could not bear to +see Brother Stephen so unhappy. +I know he is unhappy, for whenever +he notices the chain, he +frowns and his hand trembles so +he can hardly paint!"</p> + +<p>"Ah," said the Abbot to himself, +"if his hand trembles, that is +another matter." For the Abbot +knew perfectly well that in order +to do successfully anything so delicate +as a piece of illumination, +one must have a steady hand and +untroubled nerves; and he began +to think that perhaps he had gone a +little too far in punishing Brother<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span> +Stephen. So he thought a minute, +and then to Gabriel, who was +still standing before him, not quite +knowing what to do, he merely +said:</p> + +<p>"Go back to thy work, lad, and +mind thy colours; and," he added +with haughty dignity, "I will do +as I think best about Brother Stephen's +chain."</p> + +<p>So Gabriel went back to the +kitchen feeling very uncomfortable, +for he was afraid he had displeased +the Abbot, and so, perhaps, +done more harm than good +to Brother Stephen. While he +was quite sure he had displeased +Brother Stephen, for he had kept +him waiting a long while, and +worse still, had spilled the best +egg there was in the kitchen!<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span> +However, the lad begged one of +the cooks to let him have another +egg, and, whisking it up as quickly +as he could, made haste to carry it +to the chapter-house.</p> + +<p>As he pushed open the door, +Brother Stephen said, sharply, +"How now! I thought they had +chained thee to one of the tables +of the kitchen!"</p> + +<p>"I am so sorry," said Gabriel, +his face very red,—"but—I—I +spilled the first egg and had to +make ready another."</p> + +<p>He hoped Brother Stephen +would not ask him how he happened +to spill it; for by this time +he began to realize that the high-spirited +monk probably had reasons +of his own for submitting to +the punishment of the chain, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span> +that very likely he would be displeased +if he knew that his little +colour-grinder had asked the +Abbot to free him. So Gabriel +felt much relieved when, without +further questions, Brother Stephen +went on with his work, in which +for the moment he was greatly +absorbed.</p> + +<p>And thus the day went quietly +on, till early in the afternoon; +when, to the great surprise of +both of them, the door slowly +opened, and in walked the Abbot +himself.</p> + +<p>The Abbot was haughty, as +usual, and, as Brother Stephen +saw him come in, he raised his +head with an involuntary look of +pride and resentment; but neither +spoke as the Abbot stepped over<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</a></span> +to the table, and examined the +page on which the monk was +working.</p> + +<p>This particular page happened +to be ornamented with a wide +border of purple flag-flowers, +copied from some Gabriel had +gathered the day before in a +swampy corner of one of the wayside +meadows. Their fresh green +leaves and rich purple petals shone +with royal effect against the background +of gold; while hovering +over them, and clinging to their +stems, were painted honey-bees, +with gauzy wings, and soft, furry-looking +bodies of black and gold.</p> + +<p>As the Abbot saw how beautiful +it all was, and how different +from any other of the Abbey illuminations, +he smiled to himself<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span> +with pleasure. For the Abbot, +though he never said a great deal, +yet very well knew a good piece +of artistic work when he saw it. +Instead of merely smiling to himself, +however, it would have made +Brother Stephen much happier if +he had taken the trouble to say +aloud some of the nice things he +was thinking about the work.</p> + +<p>For Brother Stephen felt very +bitter as he thought over all he +had been made to bear; and even +as the Abbot looked, he saw, sure +enough, that his hand trembled +as Gabriel had said; for the poor +monk had hard work to control +his feelings.</p> + +<p>Now the Abbot really did not +mean to be unkind. It was only +that he did not quite know how<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span> +to unbend; and perhaps feeling +this, he soon went out.</p> + +<p>Gabriel, who had been very +much afraid he might say something +to him about their conversation +of the morning, felt greatly +relieved when the door closed behind +him; and the rest of the +afternoon he and Brother Stephen +worked on in silence.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER IV.</h2> + +<h3>THE HOUR BOOK</h3> + + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 77px;"> +<img src="images/drop_b.png" width="77" height="125" alt="B" title="" /> +</div><div class='unindent'><br /><br />UT the next morning +when Gabriel reached the +Abbey, to his great joy +he found the chain gone +(for the Abbot had so ordered +after his visit to the chapter-house), +and Brother Stephen already hard +at work, and happy as a bird. +For like many other artist souls, +when things went wrong, Brother +Stephen suffered dreadful unhappiness; +while, on the other hand, +when pleased, he was full of +boundless delight; and so, being<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span> +relieved from the chain, he was in +one of his most joyous moods.</div> + +<p>He smiled brightly as Gabriel +entered; and the April sunlight +streaming in through the high +narrow windows sparkled so radiantly, +and so filled them with +the life and energy and gladness +of the spring-time, that each of +them felt as though he could do +no end of work, and that King +Louis's book should be one of +the most beautiful things in all +the world!</p> + +<p>And that morning was but the +beginning of a long series of +happy days that Brother Stephen +and Gabriel were to spend together. +At first the monk knew +nothing of how it happened that +he was freed from the humiliation<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span> +of the chain; but one day he +heard about Gabriel's talk with +the Abbot from one of the brotherhood +who had chanced to be in +the garden that morning, and +had overheard them.</p> + +<p>At first Brother Stephen was +rather displeased; for he did not +like it that the little boy had +begged of the Abbot something +which he himself was too proud +to ask. But when he thought it +over, and reflected that it was out +of sheer kindness that Gabriel +had made the request, his heart +strangely warmed toward the lad. +Indeed, through all his life in the +Abbey, no one had ever really +cared whether he was happy or +unhappy; and so poor Brother +Stephen had had no idea how<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span> +very pleasant it would be to have +even a little peasant boy take an +interest in him. And as day +after day went by, he began to +love Gabriel, as he had never +before loved any one.</p> + +<p>Yes, those were very happy +days for both of them, and very +busy ones, too. Every morning +Gabriel would come to the Abbey +with his hands filled with the +prettiest wild flowers he could +find on the way; and from these +Brother Stephen would select the +ones that pleased him best to +paint. Sometimes it would be +the sweet wild hyacinths of pale +blue, sometimes the yellow marsh-marigolds, +and again the little +deep pink field-roses, or some +other of the innumerable lovely<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a></span> +blossoms that every season +brought. And with them all, as +he had said, he put in the small +flying creatures; butterflies and +bees, scarlet ladybugs and pale +green beetles, whose wings looked +like scraps of rainbows; and +sometimes, in his zeal, he even +painted the little snails with their +curled-up shells, and the fuzzy +caterpillars that happened to come +in on Gabriel's bouquets, and you +really would never believe how +very handsome even these looked +in the gold borders, when Brother +Stephen got through with them.</p> + +<p>And so, day by day, the book +grew in perfect beauty. And as +Brother Stephen worked, there +was much for Gabriel to do also. +For in those days artists could<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span> +not buy their ink and paints all +ready for use as they do to-day, +but were obliged to prepare by +hand almost all their materials; +and a little assistant such as Gabriel +had to keep his hands busy, +and his eyes open, too.</p> + +<p>For instance, the matter of the +ink alone, Gabriel had to have on +his mind for weeks; for one could +not then buy it ready made, in a +bottle, as we do now without the +least trouble, but the monks or +their colour-grinders had to make +it themselves.</p> + +<p>And this is the way Gabriel +had been taught to do it: morning +after morning of those early +spring days, as he trudged along +on his way to the Abbey, he kept +sharp watch on the young hawthorn-trees<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span> +by the roadside; and +when their first buds showed, and +while they were still tiny, he gathered +armfuls of the boughs, and +carried them to the Abbey, where +he spread them out in a sunny +corner of the courtyard to stay +until quite dry. Then he had to +put them in a stone mortar and +pound off all the bark; and this +he put to steep in great earthen +jars of water, until the water +might draw all the sap from out +the bark. All this took several +weeks to do.</p> + +<p>And then Gabriel spent a +number of busy days in the great +kitchen. There he had a large +saucepan, and in it he placed, a +little at a time, the water in which +the bark was steeping; and then<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span> +raking out some coals from the +blazing fire of logs, he set his +saucepan over them, and watched +the barky water until it had boiled +down very thick, much as one +boils down syrup for preserves.</p> + +<p>Then he dipped out the thick +liquid into little bags of parchment, +which he had spent days +stitching up very tightly, so that +nothing could leak out. After +the little bags were filled, he hung +them out-of-doors in the bright +sunlight; and as the days grew +warmer and warmer, the sun soon +dried their contents, so that if +one of the little bags were opened +it would be found filled with a +dark powder.</p> + +<p>And then, last of all, when +Brother Stephen wished some<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span> +fresh ink for his writing, or for +the delicate lines about his initial +letters or borders, Gabriel would +take a little of the dry powder +from one of the bags, and, putting +it in a small saucepan over the +fire, would melt it with a little +wine. And so at last it would +be ready for use; a fine, beautiful +black ink that hundreds of +years have found hard work to +fade.</p> + + +<p>Then there was the gold to +grind and prepare; that was the +hardest of all, and fairly made +his arms ache. Many of the +paints, too, had to be worked over +very carefully; and the blue especially, +and other brilliant colours +made from vegetable dyes, must +be kept in a very curious way.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span> +Brother Stephen would prepare +the dyes, as he preferred to do +this himself; and then Gabriel +would take little pieces of linen +cloth and dip a few in each of +the colours until the linen would +be soaked; and afterward, when +they had dried in the sun, he +would arrange these bits in a little +booklet of cotton paper, which +every night Brother Stephen, as +was the custom with many of the +monks, put under his pillow so +that it might keep very dry and +warm; for this preserved the +colours in all their brightness. +And then when he wanted to +use some of them, he would tell +Gabriel to cut off a bit of the +linen of whatever colour he +wished, and soak it in water, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span> +in this way he would get a fine +liquid paint.</p> +<div class="figright" style="width: 319px;"> +<img src="images/i014.jpg" width="319" height="400" alt=""Dreaming of all the beautiful things he meant to paint"" title="" /> +<span class="caption">"<i>Dreaming of all the beautiful things he meant to paint</i>"</span> +</div> + +<p>For holding this paint, as +dishes were none too plenty in +those days, mussel shells were +generally used; and one of Gabriel's +tasks was to gather numbers +of these from the banks of +the little river that ran through +one of the Abbey meadows. That +was very pleasant work, though, +and sometimes, late in the afternoons +of those lovely summer +days, Brother Stephen and Gabriel +would walk out together to +the edge of this little river; the +monk to sit on the grassy bank +dreaming of all the beautiful +things he meant to paint, while +Gabriel hunted for the pretty +purple shells.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span></p> + +<p>And oftentimes the lad would +bring along a fishing-pole and +try his luck at catching an eel; for +even this, too, had to do with the +making of the book. For Brother +Stephen in putting on the gold +of his borders, while he generally +used white of egg, yet for certain +parts preferred a glue made from +the skin of an eel; and this Gabriel +could make very finely.</p> + +<p>So you see there were a great +many things for a little colour-grinder +to do; yet Gabriel was +very industrious, and it often happened +that he would finish his +tasks for the day, and still have +several hours to himself. And +this was the best of all; for at +such times Brother Stephen, who +was getting along finely, would<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[61]</a></span> +take great pleasure in teaching +him to illuminate. He would let +the boy take a piece of parchment, +and then giving him beautiful +letters and bits of borders, would +show him how to copy them. +Indeed, he took so much pains in +his teaching, that very soon Gabriel, +who loved the work, and +who had a real talent for it, began +to be quite skilful, and to +make very good designs of his +own.</p> + +<p>Whenever he did anything +especially nice, Brother Stephen +would seem almost as much +pleased as if Gabriel were his +own boy; and hugging him affectionately, +he would exclaim:</p> + +<p>"Ah, little one, thou hast indeed +the artist soul! And, please<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</a></span> +God, I will train thy hand so that +when thou art a man it shall +never know the hard toil of the +peasant. Thy pen and brush +shall earn a livelihood for thee!" +And then he would take more +pains than ever to teach Gabriel +all the best knowledge of his art.</p> + +<p>Nor did Brother Stephen content +himself with teaching the boy +only to paint; but in his love for +him, he desired to do still more. +He had no wealth some day to +bestow upon him, but he had +something that was a very great +deal better; for Brother Stephen, +like many of the monks of the +time, had a good education; and +this he determined to share with +Gabriel.</p> + +<p>He arranged to have him stay<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span> +at the Abbey for his supper as +often as he could be spared from +home; and hour after hour of the +long summer evenings he spent +teaching the lad to read and write, +which was really quite a distinction; +for it was an accomplishment +that none of the peasants, +and very few of the lords and +ladies of that time possessed. Gabriel +was quick and eager to learn, +and Brother Stephen gradually +added other things to his list of +studies, and both of them took +the greatest pleasure in the hours +thus passed together.</p> + +<p>Sometimes they would go out +into the garden, and, sitting on +one of the quaint stone benches, +Brother Stephen would point out +to Gabriel the different stars, or<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</a></span> +tell him about the fragrant growing +plants around them; or, perhaps, +repeat to him some dreamy +legend of old, old Normandy.</p> + +<p>And then, by and by, Gabriel +would go home through the perfumed +dark, feeling vaguely happy; +for all the while, through those +pleasant evenings with Brother +Stephen, his mind and heart were +opening brightly as the yellow +primroses, that blossomed by moonlight +over all the Abbey meadows.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[65]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER V.</h2> + +<h3>THE COUNT'S TAX</h3> + + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 83px;"> +<img src="images/drop_a.png" width="83" height="125" alt="A" title="" /> +</div><div class='unindent'><br /><br />ND in this happy manner +the spring and summer +wore away and the autumn +came. Brother +Stephen felt very cheerful, for the +beautiful book grew more beautiful +week by week; and he was +very proud and happy, because he +knew it was the loveliest thing +he had ever made.</div> + +<p>Indeed, he himself was so cheerful, +that as the autumn days, one +after another, melted away, it was +some little time before he noticed<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[66]</a></span> +that Gabriel was losing his merriness, +and that he had begun to +look sad and distressed. And +finally, one morning, he came looking +so very unhappy, that Brother +Stephen asked, with much concern:</p> + +<p>"Why, lad, whither have all +thy gay spirits taken flight? Art +thou ill?"</p> + +<p>"Nay, sir," answered Gabriel, +sadly; "but oh, Brother Stephen, +we are in so much trouble at +home!"</p> + +<p>At this the monk at once began +to question him, and learned that +Gabriel's family were indeed in +great misfortune.</p> + +<p>And this is how it came about: +in those days the peasant folk +had a very hard time indeed.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[67]</a></span> +All of the land through the country +was owned by the great nobles; +and the poor peasants, who lived +on the little farms into which the +land was divided, had few rights. +They could not even move to +another place if they so wished, +but were obliged to spend all +their lives under the control of +whatever nobleman happened to +own the estate on which they +were born.</p> + +<p>They lived in little thatched +cottages, and cultivated their bits +of land; and as rent for this, each +peasant was obliged to help support +the great lord who owned +everything, and who always lived +in a strong castle, with armed +men under his command.</p> + +<p>The peasants had to raise<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[68]</a></span> +wheat and vegetables and sheep +and cows, so that the people of +the castles might eat nice, white +bread, and nut cookies and roast +meat; though the poor peasants +themselves had to be content, day +after day, with little more than +hard, black bread, and perhaps a +single bowl of cabbage or potato +soup, from which the whole family +would dip with their wooden +spoons.</p> + +<p>Then, too, the peasants oftentimes +had to pay taxes when their +noble lord wished to raise money, +and even to follow him to war if +he so commanded, though this +did not often happen.</p> + +<p>And now we come to the reason +for Gabriel's troubles. It +seems that the Count Pierre de<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[69]</a></span> +Bouchage, to whose estate Gabriel's +family belonged, had got +into a quarrel with a certain baron +who lived near the town of Evreux, +and Count Pierre was determined +to take his followers +and attack the baron's castle; for +these private wars were very common +in those days.</p> + +<p>But Count Pierre needed money +to carry on his little war, and so +had laid a very heavy tax on the +peasants of his estate; and Gabriel's +father had been unable to +raise the sum of money demanded. +For besides Gabriel, there were +several little brothers and sisters +in the family, Jean and Margot +and little Guillaume, who must be +clothed and fed; and though the +father was honest and hard-working,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[70]</a></span> +yet the land of their little +farm was poor, and it was all the +family could do to find themselves +enough on which to live.</p> + +<p>When peasant Viaud had +begged Count Pierre to release +him from the tax, the count, who +was hard and unsympathetic, had +become angry, and given orders +that the greater part of their little +farm should be taken from them, +and he had seized also their little +flock of sheep. This was a grievous +loss, for out of the wool that +grew on the sheeps' backs, Gabriel's +mother every winter made +the warm, homespun clothes for +all the family.</p> + +<p>Indeed, Count Pierre had no +real right to do all this; but in +those times, when a noble lord<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[71]</a></span> +chose to be cruel and unjust, the +poor peasants had no way to help +matters.</p> + +<p>And this was not all of Gabriel's +woes; for only a few days +after he had told these things to +Brother Stephen, when he went +home at night, he found his +mother crying bitterly, and learned +that Count Pierre, who was having +some trouble in raising his +money, and so had become more +merciless than ever, had that day +imprisoned his father at the castle, +and refused to release him unless +some of the tax were paid.</p> + +<p>This was the hardest blow of +all; and though the other children +were too young to understand all +that had befallen them, poor Gabriel +and his mother were so distressed<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[72]</a></span> +that neither slept that +night; and the next morning when +the little boy arose, tired out instead +of rested by the long night, +he had scarcely the heart to go +away to the Abbey, and leave +things so miserable at home. +But his mother thought it best for +him to keep on with his work +with Brother Stephen, because of +the little sum he earned; and then, +too, he felt that he must do his +part to help until King Louis's +book was finished. After that, +he did not know what he could +do! He did not know how he +could best try to take his father's +place and help the family; for, +after all, he knew he was only a +little boy, and so things seemed +very hopeless!<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[73]</a></span></p> + +<p>Indeed the grief and poverty +that had come upon them at home +made Gabriel so sad that Brother +Stephen was quite heart-broken, +too, for he deeply loved the lad. +As he worked, he kept trying all +the while to think of some way +to help them; but as the monk +had passed all his life within +the walls of the Abbey, he knew +but little of the ways of the outside +world; and he had no money +of his own, or he would gladly +have paid the tax himself.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[74]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER VI.</h2> + +<h3>GABRIEL'S PRAYER</h3> + + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 80px;"> +<img src="images/drop_m.png" width="80" height="125" alt="M" title="" /> +</div><div class='unindent'><br /><br />EANTIME, though they +worked quietly, they were +both very industrious; +and at last one day, late +in October, when the first snow +was beginning to fall, Brother +Stephen finished the last page of +the beautiful book. He gave a +sigh as he laid down his paintbrush; +not because he was tired, +but because in his heart he was +really sorry to finish his work, for +he knew that then it would soon +be taken away, and he hated to +part with it.</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[75]</a></span></p> + +<p>As he and Gabriel laid all the +pages together in the order in +which they were to go, brother +Stephen's heart swelled with pride, +and Gabriel thought he had never +seen anything half so lovely!</p> + +<p>The text was written in beautiful +letters of the lustrous black ink +which Gabriel had made; and at +the beginnings of new chapters, +wonderful initial letters glittered +in gold and colours till they +looked like little mosaics of precious +stones.</p> + +<p>Here and there through the +text were scattered exquisite miniature +pictures of saints and +angels; while as for the borders +that enclosed every page, they +wreathed around the written +words such lovely garlands of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[76]</a></span> +painted blossoms, that to Gabriel +the whole book seemed a marvellous +bouquet of all the sweet +flowers he had daily gathered +from the Norman fields, and that +Brother Stephen, by the magic of +his art, had made immortal.</p> + +<p>Indeed the little boy fairly +blinked as he looked at the sparkling +beauty of those pages where +the blossoms were to live on, +through the centuries, bright and +beautiful and unharmed by wind +or rain or the driving snow, that +even then was covering up all the +bare frost-smitten meadows without.</p> + +<p>And so Gabriel turned over +page after page shining with gold +and purple and rose-colour, till +he came to the very last of the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[77]</a></span> +text; and then he saw that there +was yet one page more, and on +turning over this he read these +words:</p> + +<p>"I, Brother Stephen, of the +Abbey of St. Martin-de-Bouchage, +made this book; and for +every initial letter and picture and +border of flowers that I have +herein wrought, I pray the Lord +God to have compassion upon +some one of my grievous sins!"</p> + +<p>This was written in beautifully, +and all around it was painted a +graceful border like braided ribbons +of blue.</p> + +<p>Now in Brother Stephen's time, +when any one finished an especially +beautiful illumination of +any part of the Bible, it was +quite customary for the artist to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[78]</a></span> +add, at the end, a little prayer. +Indeed, no one can make a really +beautiful thing without loving the +work; and those old-time artist-monks +took such delight in the +flowery pages they painted, that +they felt sure the dear Lord himself +could not help but be pleased +to have his words made so beautiful, +and that he would so grant +the little prayer at the end of the +book, because of the loving labour +that had gone before.</p> + +<p>As Gabriel again read over +Brother Stephen's last page, it +set him to thinking; and a little +later, as he walked home in the +frosty dusk, he thought of it again.</p> + +<p>It was true, he said to himself, +that all the beautiful written and +painted work on King Louis's<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[79]</a></span> +book had been done by Brother +Stephen's hands,—and yet,—and +yet,—had not he, too, helped? +Had he not gathered the thorny +hawthorn, and pricked his fingers, +and spent days and days +making the ink? Had he not, +week after week, ground the colours +and the gold till his arms +ached, and his hands were blistered? +Had he not made the +glue, and prepared the parchment, +and ruled the lines (and one had +to be <i>so</i> careful not to blot them!), +and brought all the flowers for +the borders?</p> + +<p>Surely, he thought, though he +had not painted any of its lovely +pages, yet he had done his little +part to help make the book, and +so, perhaps—perhaps—might<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[80]</a></span> +not the Lord God feel kindly +toward him, too, and be willing to +grant a little prayer to him also?</p> + +<p>Now of course Gabriel could +have prayed any time and anywhere, +and simply asked for what +he wanted. But he had a strong +feeling that God would be much +more apt to notice it, if the +prayer were beautifully written +out, like Brother Stephen's, and +placed in the book itself, on the +making of which he had worked +so long and so hard.</p> + +<p>Gabriel was very pleased with +his idea, and by the time he +reached home, he had planned +out just what he wanted to say. +He ate his supper of hard black +bread very happily, and when, +soon after, he crept into bed and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[81]</a></span> +pulled up his cover of ragged +sheepskin, he went to sleep with +his head so full of the work of +the past few months, that he +dreamed that the whole world was +full of painted books and angels +with rose-coloured wings; that all +the meadows of Normandy were +covered with gold, and the flowers +fastened on with white of egg +and eel-skins; and then, just as +he was getting out his ruler to +rule lines over the blue sky, he +rubbed his eyes and woke up; +and, finding it was morning, he +jumped out of bed, and hastened +to make himself ready for his +day's work.</p> + +<p>When he reached the Abbey, +Brother Stephen was busy binding +together the finished leaves<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[82]</a></span> +of the book; for the monks had +to do not only the painting, but +also the putting together of their +books themselves.</p> + +<p>After Gabriel had waited on +Brother Stephen for awhile, the +latter told him he could have +some time to himself, and so he +hurried to get out the little jars +of scarlet and blue and black ink, +and the bits of parchment that +Brother Stephen had given him. +He looked over the parchment +carefully, and at last found one +piece from which he could cut a +page that was almost as large as +the pages of the book. It was an +old piece, and had some writing +on one side, but he knew how to +scrape it off clean; and then taking +some of the scarlet ink, he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[83]</a></span> +ruled some lines in the centre of +the page, and between these, in +the nicest black letters he knew +how to make, he wrote his little +prayer. And this is the way it +read:</p> + +<p>"I, Gabriel Viaud, am Brother +Stephen's colour-grinder; and I +have made the ink for this book, +and the glue, and caught the eels, +and ground the gold and colours, +and ruled the lines and gathered +the flowers for the borders, and +so I pray the Lord God will be +kind and let my father out of +prison in Count Pierre's castle, +and tell Count Pierre to give +us back our meadow and sheep, +for we cannot pay the tax, and +mother says we will starve."</p> + +<p>Now in the little prayers that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[84]</a></span> +the monks added at the end of a +book, it was the custom to ask +only that their sins might be forgiven. +But Gabriel, though he +knew he had plenty of sins,—for +so the parish priest of St. Martin's +village told all the peasant folk +every Sunday,—yet somehow +could not feel nearly so anxious +to have them forgiven, as he was +to have his father freed from +prison in the castle, and their +little farm and flock restored to +them; and so he had decided to +word his prayer the way he did.</p> + +<p>It took him some time to write +it out, for he took great pains to +shape every letter as perfectly as +possible. Nor did he forget that +Brother Stephen had taught him +always to make the word God<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[85]</a></span> +more beautiful than the others; +so he wrote that in scarlet ink, +and edged it with scallops and +loops and little dots of blue; and +then all around the whole prayer +he made graceful flourishes of +the coloured inks. He very +much wished for a bit of gold +with which to enrich his work, +but gold was too precious for +little boys to practise with, and +so Brother Stephen had not given +him any for his own. Nevertheless, +when the page was finished, +the artistic effect was very pleasing, +and it really was a remarkably +clever piece of work for a +little boy to have made.</p> + +<p>He did not tell Brother Stephen +what he was doing, for he +was afraid that perhaps he might<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[86]</a></span> +not quite approve of his plan. +Not that Gabriel wished for a +moment to do anything that +Brother Stephen would not like +him to do, but only that he thought +their affairs at home so desperate +that he could not afford to risk +losing this means of help;—and +then, too, he felt that the prayer +was his own little secret, and he +did not want to tell any one about +it anyway.</p> + +<p>And so he was greatly relieved +that Brother Stephen, who was +very much absorbed in his own +work, did not ask him any questions. +The monk was always +very kind about helping him in +every way possible, but never insisted +on Gabriel's showing him +everything, wisely thinking that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[87]</a></span> +many times it was best to let the +boy work out his own ideas. So +Gabriel said nothing about his +page, but put it carefully away, +until he could find some opportunity +to place it in the book +itself.</p> + +<p>Meantime Brother Stephen +worked industriously, and in a +few days more he had quite finished +the book. He had strongly +bound all his painted pages together, +and put on a cover of +violet velvet, which the nuns of a +near-by convent had exquisitely +embroidered in pearls and gold. +And, last of all, the cover was +fastened with clasps of wrought +gold, set with amethysts. Altogether +it was a royal gift, and one +worthy of any queen. Even the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[88]</a></span> +Abbot, cold and stately though +he usually was, exclaimed with +pleasure when he saw it, and +warmly praised Brother Stephen +upon the loveliness of his work.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[89]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER VII.</h2> + +<h3>THE BOOK GOES TO LADY ANNE</h3> + + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 83px;"> +<img src="images/drop_a.png" width="83" height="125" alt="A" title="" /> +</div><div class='unindent'><br /><br />ND it was well that the +beautiful book was finished, +for the very next +afternoon a nobleman, +with several attendants, arrived +at the Abbey to see if the work +were done. The nobleman was +Count Henri of Lisieux, who had +been sent by King Louis to bear +to Lady Anne a precious casket +of jewels as part of his bridal +gifts to her; and the count had +also received orders from the +king to go to St. Martin's Abbey<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[90]</a></span> +on his way, and if the book of +hours were finished, to take it +along to the Lady Anne.</div> + +<p>Count Henri was greatly +pleased when they showed the +work to him, and he said that he +knew both King Louis and his +bride could not help but be delighted +with it. And then, after +it had been duly looked at and +admired, the book was wrapped up +in a piece of soft, rich silk and laid +on a shelf in the chapter-house to +wait until the next morning, when +Count Henri would take it away. +For he had come far, and the +Abbot had invited him to stay +overnight in the Abbey before +going on with his journey.</p> + +<p>While all this was taking place, +and the book was being examined,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[91]</a></span> +Gabriel had been quietly at work +in one corner of the chapter-house, +grinding some gold; and when he +heard that Count Henri was going +away the next morning, he +knew that if he expected to put +his own little page in the book, +he must do so some time before +he went home that evening; and +he did not quite see how he could +manage it.</p> + +<p>Late in the afternoon, however, +a little before dusk, all the others +left the chapter-house, Brother +Stephen to go to his own cell, +while the Abbot took Count +Henri out to show him over the +Abbey. And just as soon as +they were gone, Gabriel hastily +put down the stone mortar in +which he was grinding the gold,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[92]</a></span> +and, going over to the work-table, +opened the drawer in which he +kept his own things, and took out +the page on which he had written +his little prayer.</p> + +<p>He then went to the shelf and +took down the book. He felt +guilty as he unfolded the silk +wrappings, and his hands trembled +as he loosened the golden +clasps, and hurriedly slipped in +his piece of parchment. He put +it in at the very back of the book, +after Brother Stephen's last page. +Then carefully refastening the +clasps, and again folding it up in +its silken cover, he replaced the +book on the shelf.</p> + +<p>Poor Gabriel did not know +whether he had done very wrong +or not in taking this liberty with<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[93]</a></span> +the painted book. He only knew +that he could not bear to have it +go away without his little prayer +between its covers; and he thought +that now God would surely notice +it, as he had written it as nicely as +he knew how, and had placed it +next to Brother Stephen's.</p> + +<p>By this time it was growing +dark, and so Gabriel left the +Abbey and took his way home. +When he reached their forlorn +little cottage, he found only a +scanty supper awaiting him, and +very early he went to bed; for +they had but little fire and were +too poor to afford even a single +candle to burn through the long +winter evening.</p> + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 305px;"> +<img src="images/i018.jpg" width="305" height="400" alt=""Taking down the book . . . he unwrapped and unclasped it"" title="" /> +<span class="caption">"<i>Taking down the book . . . he unwrapped and unclasped it</i>"</span> +</div> + +<p>As Gabriel lay shivering in his +cold little bed, he wondered how<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[94]</a></span> +long it would be before God +would grant his prayer for help. +And then he wondered if God +would be displeased because he +had dared to put it in the beautiful +book without asking permission +from Brother Stephen or the +Abbot. And the more he thought +of the possibility of this, and of +all their other troubles, the more +miserable he felt, till at last he +sobbed himself to sleep.</p> + +<p>The poor little boy did not +know that after he himself had +been sleeping for several hours, +Brother Stephen, who had not +slept, came out of his cell in the +Abbey, and, carrying in his hand +a small lamp, passed softly down +the corridor and into the chapter-house. +For Brother Stephen,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[95]</a></span> +like many another true artist who +has worked long and lovingly +upon some exquisite thing, found +it very hard to part with that +which he had made. He did not +expect ever again to see the beautiful +book after it left the Abbey, +and so he felt that he must take +a farewell look at it all by himself.</p> + +<p>As he entered the chapter-house, +he set the lamp on the +table; and then taking down the +book and placing it also on +the table, he unwrapped and unclasped +it, and seating himself in +front of it, looked long and earnestly +at each page as he slowly +turned them over, one by one.</p> + +<p>When at last he came to the +end, and found a loose leaf, he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[96]</a></span> +picked it up in dismay, wondering +if his binding could have been so +badly done that one of the pages +had already become unfastened. +But his look of dismay changed +to bewilderment as he examined +the page more closely, and saw +Gabriel's little prayer. He read +this over twice, very slowly; and +then, still holding the page in his +hand, he sat for a long time with +his head bowed; and once or +twice something that looked very +like a tear fell on the stone floor +at his feet.</p> + +<p>After awhile the lamp began +to burn low; and Brother Stephen +rising, gave a tender look to the +loose page he had been holding, +and then carefully put it back in +the book, taking pains to place<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[97]</a></span> +it, as nearly as he could, exactly +as Gabriel had done. Then, with +a sigh, he shut the velvet covers, +once more fastened the golden +clasps, and, replacing the silken +wrappings, laid the book on the +shelf, and went back to his cell.</p> + +<p>The next morning Count Henri +and his escort made ready for +their journey to Bretagne. Count +Henri himself placed the precious +book in the same velvet bag which +held the casket of jewels for the +Lady Anne, and this bag he hung +over his saddle-bow directly in +front of him, so that he could +keep close watch and see that +no harm befell King Louis's +gifts.</p> + +<p>And then he and his soldiers +mounted their horses, and, taking<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[98]</a></span> +a courteous leave of the Abbot +and the brotherhood of St. Martin's, +they trotted off along the +frosty road.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[99]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER VIII.</h2> + +<h3>LADY ANNE WRITES TO THE KING</h3> + + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 83px;"> +<img src="images/drop_a.png" width="83" height="125" alt="A" title="" /> +</div><div class='unindent'><br /><br />FTER several days' journey +they entered Bretagne, +and before long +drew near to the city of +Nantes and the castle of Lady +Anne. This castle was very +large, and had many towers and +gables and little turrets with sharp-pointed, +conical roofs. There +was a high wall and a moat all +around it, and as Count Henri +approached, he displayed a little +banner given him by King Louis,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[100]</a></span> +and made of blue silk embroidered +with three golden lilies.</div> + +<p>At the sight of this, the keepers +of the drawbridge (who in +those days always had to be very +watchful not to admit enemies to +their lord's castle) instantly lowered +the bridge, and Count Henri +and his guard rode over and were +respectfully received within the +gate.</p> + +<p>They dismounted in the courtyard, +and then, after resting awhile +in one of the rooms of the castle, +Count Henri was escorted into +the great hall of state, where +Lady Anne was ready to receive +him.</p> + +<p>This hall was very large and +handsome, with a high, arched +ceiling, and walls hung with wonderful<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[101]</a></span> +old tapestries. Standing +about in groups were numbers of +picturesquely dressed pages, ladies-in-waiting, +richly clad, and Breton +gentlemen gorgeous in velvets and +lace ruffles, for a hundred of these +always attended Lady Anne wherever +she went. At one end of +the hall was a dais spread with +cloth of gold, and there, in a +carved chair, sat the Lady Anne +herself. She wore a beautiful +robe of brocaded crimson velvet, +and over her dark hair was a +curious, pointed head-dress of +white silk embroidered with pearls +and gold thread.</p> + +<p>As Count Henri approached, +she greeted him very cordially; +and then, kneeling before her, +he said:<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[102]</a></span></p> + +<p>"My Lady, I have the happiness +to deliver to your hands these +bridal gifts which our gracious +sovereign, King Louis, did me +the honour to entrust to my +care."</p> + +<p>And then, as he handed to her +the casket of jewels and the silken +package containing the hour book, +she replied:</p> + +<p>"Sir Count, I thank you for +your courtesy in bearing these +gifts to me, and I am well pleased +to receive them."</p> + +<p>Then summoning a little page, +she told him to carry the presents +up to her own chamber, where she +might examine them at her leisure.</p> + +<p>By and by, Count Henri withdrew, +after asking permission to +start the next morning on his return<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[103]</a></span> +to Paris; for he wished to +report to the king that he had +safely accomplished his errand.</p> + +<p>And then Lady Anne, having +given orders that he and his followers +be hospitably entertained +during their stay in the castle, +mounted the great stone staircase, +and went to her own room, for +she very much wanted to look at +the gifts from King Louis.</p> + +<p>These she found on a table +where the little page had placed +them. The casket was uncovered, +while the book was still +wrapped up in the piece of silk, +so that one could not tell just +what it was.</p> + +<div class="figright" style="width: 316px;"> +<img src="images/i020.jpg" width="316" height="400" alt=""Began slowly to turn over the pages"" title="" /> +<span class="caption">"<i>Began slowly to turn over the pages</i>"</span> +</div> + +<p>Lady Anne opened the casket +first, as it happened to be nearest +to her; and she drew in her breath,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[104]</a></span> +and her eyes sparkled with pleasure, +as she lifted out a magnificent +necklace, and other rich +jewels that gleamed and glittered +in the light like blue and crimson +fires. She tried on all the ornaments, +and then, after awhile, +when she had admired them to +her heart's content, she took up +the silk-covered package, and +curiously unwrapped it. When +she saw what it contained, however, +her face grew radiant with +delight, and—</p> + +<p>"Ah!" she exclaimed to herself, +"King Louis's gifts are indeed +princely, and this one is the +most royal of all!"</p> + +<p>For King Louis had been entirely +right in thinking nothing +would please the Lady Anne<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[105]</a></span> +quite so much as a piece of fine +illumination.</p> + +<p>Still holding the book carefully +in her hands, she at once +seated herself in a deep, cushioned +chair, and began slowly to +turn over the pages, taking the +keenest pleasure, as she did so, in +every fresh beauty on which her +eyes fell. When she had gone +about half through the book, she +lifted it up to look more closely +at an especially beautiful initial +letter, and then, all at once, out +fluttered the loose leaf which Gabriel +had put in.</p> + +<p>As it fell to the floor, a little +page near by hastened to pick it +up, and, bending on one knee, presented +it to Lady Anne. At first +she frowned a little, for she thought,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[106]</a></span> +as had Brother Stephen, that the +book must have been badly bound. +But when she took the leaf in +her hand, to her surprise, she saw +that it was different from the +others, and that it had not been +bound in with them; and then +she read over the writing very +carefully. When she had finished, +she sat for some time, just +as Brother Stephen had done, +holding the page in her hand, +while her face wore a very tender +expression.</p> + +<p>Lady Anne was really deeply +touched by Gabriel's little prayer, +and she wished greatly that she +herself might find a way to help +him and his family out of their +trouble.</p> + +<p>But the more she thought about<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[107]</a></span> +it, she realized that she had no +authority over a Norman nobleman, +and that no one in France, +except the king, was powerful +enough to compel Count Pierre +to release the peasant Viaud from +imprisonment.</p> + +<p>So going over to a little writing-table, +she took out a thin +sheet of parchment, a quaint goose-quill +pen, and a small horn full +of ink, and wrote a letter which +she addressed to King Louis. +Then she took the loose leaf on +which Gabriel's prayer was written, +and, folding it in with her letter, +tied the little packet with a thread +of scarlet silk (for no one used +envelopes then), and sealed it with +some red wax. And on the wax +she pressed a carved ring which<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[108]</a></span> +she wore, and which left a print +that looked like a tiny tuft of +ermine fur encircled by a bit of +knotted cord; for this was Lady +Anne's emblem, as it was called, +and King Louis, seeing it, would +know at once that the packet came +from her.</p> + +<p>Then she went down into the +great hall of the castle, and sent +one of her Breton gentlemen to +bring Count Henri. When the +latter entered, she said to him:</p> + +<p>"Sir Count, it would give me +great pleasure to keep you longer +as my guest, but if you must return +to Paris tomorrow, I will +ask you to be my bearer for a +little packet which I am anxious +to send to King Louis."</p> + +<p>Then, as she handed it to him,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[109]</a></span> +she added with a smile, "I give it +to you now, for if you ride early +in the morning, I must leave my +Breton gentlemen to do the honours +of your stirrup-cup."</p> + +<p>(This last was the cup of wine +which it was considered polite to +offer a departing guest as he +mounted his horse, and was a +little ceremony over which Lady +Anne liked to preside herself; +that is, when her guests went away +at agreeable hours.)</p> + +<p>As Count Henri received the +packet from her, he made a very +deep bow, and replied that he +would be most happy to serve the +Lady Anne in any way he could, +and that he only awaited her command +to start at once on his +journey.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[110]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Nay," said Lady Anne, with +another little smile, "'tis no affair +of state importance! Only a +matter of my own on which +I have set my heart. But I +will not hear to your setting +forth, until you have sat at my +table and rested overnight in the +castle."</p> + +<p>To this Count Henri again +gallantly bowed his obedience; +and then, before long, Lady Anne +led all the company into the great +banquet-hall, where a number of +long tables were set out with +roasted game, and bread and wine +and the many different cakes and +sweetmeats of Bretagne.</p> + +<p>The Lady Anne took her place +at the head of the longest table +of all, and she placed Count<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[111]</a></span> +Henri at her right hand. Near +them sat many of the ladies-in-waiting, +and Breton gentlemen of +the highest rank; while at the +farther end, beyond a great silver +saltcellar standing in the middle +of the table, were seated those of +less degree.</p> + +<p>The dishes were of gold and +silver, and Lady Anne herself +was waited upon by two +noblemen of Bretagne, for she +lived very magnificently, as was +fitting for the bride of King +Louis.</p> + +<p>When the supper was over, +they all went back into the great +castle hall, where bright fires of +logs were blazing in the huge +fireplaces; and as they sat in the +firelight, they listened to the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[112]</a></span> +beautiful songs and music of two +troubadours who had that day +chanced to come to the castle, and +who sang so sweetly that it was +very late before the company +broke up for the night.</p> + +<p>All through the evening, however, +in spite of the pleasant entertainment, +Lady Anne, who was +very sympathetic, could not help +but think many times of poor little +Gabriel, and how cold and hungry +and miserable he must be! She +had been much struck, too, with +the beautiful way in which he had +written out and ornamented his +little prayer, for she was a good +judge of such things; and, as she +thought about it, she determined +some day to see the lad herself. +Meantime she was very anxious<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[113]</a></span> +to help him as soon as possible. +Indeed, she felt much happier +when the next morning came, and +Count Henri set out for Paris; +for then she knew that her letter +and Gabriel's little written page +were on their way to King +Louis.</p> + +<p>In due time, Count Henri arrived +safely at the king's palace, +and delivered the packet from +Lady Anne. And when King +Louis broke the wax seal, and +read the letter and Gabriel's little +prayer, he, too, was deeply touched. +Lady Anne's letter explained to +him about finding the loose page +in the beautiful book he had +sent her, and asked that he would +see to it that Count Pierre set the +boy's father free.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[114]</a></span></p> + +<p>This King Louis at once determined +to do, for he was a just +and kind-hearted monarch, and +during his reign did much to +lighten the taxes and oppression +of the peasant-folk; and, moreover, +in this trouble of Gabriel's +father, he now took an especial +interest, as it gave him great +pleasure to grant any wish of +the Lady Anne, whom he loved +deeply.</p> + +<p>So that very day he sent for a +trusty messenger, and after explaining +things to him, directed +him to set out as soon as possible +for St. Martin's Abbey, and +there to seek out Brother Stephen +and inquire about the little peasant +boy, Gabriel Viaud. And +then, if he found everything to be<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[115]</a></span> +true that Gabriel had said in his +prayer, he was to act according to +further orders which King Louis +gave him.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[116]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER IX.</h2> + +<h3>THE KING'S MESSENGER</h3> + + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 82px;"> +<img src="images/drop_n.png" width="82" height="125" alt="N" title="" /> +</div><div class='unindent'><br /><br />OW while all these things +had been going on, poor +Gabriel had been growing +more wretchedly unhappy +day by day. His people +had become poorer and poorer, +and the long, cold winter was +upon them. They had almost +given up hope of the release of +peasant Viaud from prison, and +did not know where they could +get bread or fire to keep them +alive through the bitter cold.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[117]</a></span> +Sometimes Gabriel thought with +despair of how much he had +hoped from his little prayer! For +he was sure, by this time, that +God was angry with him for daring +to put it in the beautiful book.</div> + +<p>And to add the last touch to +his distress, he had been obliged +to give up his work and lessons +at the Abbey; for Brother Stephen +had been ill for a time, and unable +to paint, and all the other monks +had colour-grinders of their own. +So Gabriel, who could not afford +to be idle even for a few days, +had been forced to seek employment +elsewhere.</p> + +<p>The only work he could find +was with a leather dresser in the +village of St. Martin's, and +though it was very hard and distasteful<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[118]</a></span> +to him, he felt that he +must keep at it, as he could thus +earn a few pennies more each day +than he could as colour-grinder +at the Abbey. And yet, with all +his hard toil, the little sum he +brought home at night was far +from enough to keep them all +from want, to say nothing of paying +the tax which still hung over +them; and so every day they became +more hopeless and discouraged.</p> + +<p>Indeed, in those times, when a +peasant family fell under the displeasure +of their noble lord, it +was a bitter misfortune, for there +were few places to which they +might turn for help.</p> + +<p>And it seemed to Gabriel especially +hard to bear all their troubles<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[119]</a></span> +in the gracious Christmas season; +for it was now past the middle of +December. Always before they +had had enough for their happy +little Christmas feast, and some +to spare. They had always had +their sheaf of wheat put by for +the birds; and for two seasons +past Gabriel's father had let him +climb up the tall ladder and fasten +the holiday sheaf, bound with its +garland of greens, to the roof of +the little peaked and gabled dovecote +that stood on top of a carved +pole in the centre of the farmyard. +For every Norman peasant +always wishes the birds, too, +to be happy at the joyous Christmas-tide.</p> + +<p>And always, every Christmas +eve, when Gabriel and his little<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[120]</a></span> +brothers and sister had gone to +bed, they had set their wooden +shoes in a row on the hearthstone; +and then in the morning when +they wakened up, they always +found that the blessed Christ-child +had been there in the night, +and filled all the little shoes with +red apples and nuts.</p> + +<p>But this Christmas-time everything +was so sad and changed, +they were sure even the Christ-child +would forget them. And, +day by day, the little supply of +coarse meal for their black bread +grew smaller and smaller, and the +snow became deeper, and the wintry +winds blew more cold and +cruelly.</p> + +<p>Meantime, King Louis's messenger +was travelling as fast as<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[121]</a></span> +he could, and three days before +Christmas he arrived at St. Martin's +Abbey. The Abbot was +greatly surprised to see him, and +still more so when he asked if he +might speak privately with Brother +Stephen. This the Abbot granted, +though he was very anxious to +know the messenger's errand; for +he could think of no reason for it, +unless there had been something +wrong with King Louis's book. +So he was quite uneasy as he saw +the messenger enter Brother Stephen's +cell and close the door.</p> + +<p>Brother Stephen, too, was at +first much surprised when his visitor +told him he had come from +King Louis to inquire about a +peasant boy by the name of Gabriel +Viaud; though in a moment<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[122]</a></span> +it flashed through his mind that +Gabriel's prayer had found its +way to the palace, and that the +answer was coming.</p> + +<p>He said nothing of this, however, +but when the messenger +asked if he had had such a boy +for colour-grinder, he eagerly answered:</p> + +<p>"Yes, and there lives no manlier +and sweeter-spirited lad in all +France!"</p> + +<p>"Is it true," continued the messenger, +"that Count Pierre de +Bouchage hath imprisoned his +father for failure to pay a tax, +and that the family are now in +sore distress?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, that also is true," replied +the monk very sadly. And then +he said beseechingly: "But surely<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[123]</a></span> +King Louis will help them? +Surely our gracious sovereign +will not allow such injustice and +cruelty?"</p> + +<p>Here the messenger answered:</p> + +<p>"Nay, our sovereign is indeed +a generous monarch! Else had +he not been touched by the little +prayer which the peasant lad +placed in the book thou madest +for the Lady Anne. Though I +dare say thou knewest naught of +it" (here Brother Stephen smiled +gently, but said nothing), "yet so +the lad did. And 'twas because +of that scrap of parchment falling +under the eyes of King Louis, +that I have journeyed all the way +from Paris. And," he added, as +he remembered the heavy snow +through which he had ridden, "it<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[124]</a></span> +takes a stout heart and a stouter +horse to brave thy Norman roads +in December!"</p> + +<p>Then he asked Brother Stephen +a great many more questions, +and inquired what road to take in +order to find Count Pierre's castle, +and also the Viaud cottage. And +then when he had satisfied himself +about all these matters, he +went back to the great hall of the +Abbey, where the Abbot was +slowly pacing the floor, telling +his beads as he walked.</p> + +<p>The Abbot, though very curious +as to the reason of the +messenger's visit, asked him no +questions other than if the book +for Lady Anne had been entirely +satisfactory; and he felt relieved +when the messenger assured him<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[125]</a></span> +that so far as he knew both the +king and Lady Anne had been +greatly delighted with it. Then, +after talking a little while about +Brother Stephen's artistic work, +the messenger briefly explained +to the Abbot his errand, and told +him that King Louis had ordered +him to make his inquiries about +Gabriel as quietly as possible.</p> + +<p>As he heard, the Abbot raised +his eyebrows and looked somewhat +disapproving, when he realized +that the peasant lad who had +dared to put his page into the +beautiful book was the same +little colour-grinder who had had +the boldness to speak to him, one +day in the garden, and ask him +to take off Brother Stephen's +chain. However, whatever he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[126]</a></span> +may have thought, he kept it to +himself; he treated the messenger +with much courtesy, and, on +bidding him good night, invited +him to stay as a guest of the +Abbey so long as he chose.</p> + +<p>The next morning the messenger +rode to the Viaud farm, and, +though he did not go into the +cottage, he looked it over carefully +and the land about it; and +then he took the highway that led +to the castle of Count Pierre de +Bouchage.</p> + +<p>When he reached the castle, +he asked to see Count Pierre, and +so was taken into the great hall, +where the count received him in +a very haughty manner. He became +somewhat more polite, however, +when he learned that King<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[127]</a></span> +Louis had sent the messenger to +him; though he looked decidedly +blank when the latter presented +to him a letter written on parchment +and fastened with a wax +seal stamped with the king's +emblem, which was the print +of a little porcupine with the +quills on his back standing up +straight, and a crown on top of +them.</p> + +<p>On seeing this letter, Count +Pierre looked blank because the +truth was, that, like many other +noble lords at that time, he could +read only with great difficulty. +But then the messenger rather +expected this, and so he asked +permission to read the parchment +to him, and Count Pierre frowningly +assented.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[128]</a></span></p> + +<p>Indeed, though the messenger +pretended not to notice his angry +looks, he frowned blacker and +blacker as the reading went on. +For King Louis requested in the +letter that Count Pierre at once +release from prison in his castle +one Jacques Viaud, peasant on +his estate. And the king further +said that he himself wished +to buy the Viaud cottage and +farm, together with a good-sized +piece of ground that adjoined it +(the messenger, in looking it over +that morning, had selected a piece +of land which was much better soil +than the most of the Viaud farm), +and he stated that for this purpose +he had sent by his messenger +a certain sum in gold pieces.</p> + +<p>The king mentioned also that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[129]</a></span> +he would like to have the flock of +sheep, with the addition of fifty +more than had been taken from +them, restored to the Viaud family. +And, finally, he said that he desired +Count Pierre to do these +things in honour of his king's approaching +marriage with the Lady +Anne. For when kings and +queens marry, it is generally customary +for them, and for many +of the loyal noblemen who are +their subjects, to bestow gifts and +benefits upon the poor people, so +that every one may be as happy +as possible on the royal wedding-day.</p> + +<p>Now Count Pierre really did +not care a fig to do honour to +King Louis's marriage, and he +was very angry to be asked to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[130]</a></span> +release a peasant whom he had +imprisoned, and to restore flocks +which he had seized; and especially +was he furious at the request +to buy the land, for he did +not wish to sell it, and so to lose +control over the peasant-folk who +lived there.</p> + +<p>But, nevertheless, in spite of +his wrath, the count knew well +enough that he had no real right +to do as he had done, and that +King Louis knew it also; and +that therefore the very best thing +he could do was to obey the +king's wishes at once.</p> + +<p>King Louis had made his +letter a polite request rather than +a command, because some of his +unruly subjects, like Count Pierre, +were proud and difficult to manage,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[131]</a></span> +and he wished to settle matters +pleasantly and peaceably, if +possible. And so, in asking him +to honour the royal wedding, +he gave the count an excuse to +yield to his king's wishes, without +hurting his pride so much as +if he were obliged to obey a +command.</p> + +<p>Count Pierre began to see this, +too; and, moreover, he knew that, +notwithstanding the politeness of +his letter, the king had plenty +of soldiers, and that he would not +hesitate to send them to the Castle +de Bouchage, if necessary, to bring +its lord to terms. And he very +wisely reflected that to fight King +Louis would be a much more +dangerous and expensive undertaking +than the private war with<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[132]</a></span> +the Baron of Evreux, which he +already had on his hands.</p> + +<p>Before yielding to the requests +in the letter, however, Count +Pierre wished to satisfy himself +that the messenger had correctly +read it to him. And so, haughtily +demanding it for a few minutes, +he hurried out of the hall, and +sent a page scampering off to +bring to him a troubadour; for +one or more of these wandering +singers were always to be found +in every nobleman's castle, and +the count knew that most of them +could read.</p> + +<p>When in a few minutes the +page came back, followed, close +at his heels, by a man in motley +dress, with a viol hung over his +shoulders, Count Pierre, without<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[133]</a></span> +waiting to greet the latter, thrust +the parchment into his hands with +the gruff command:</p> + +<p>"There, fellow! read this letter +for me instantly! and if thou +makest a single mistake, I will +have thee strangled with the +strings of thine own viol, and +tumbled off the highest turret +of this castle before set of +sun!"</p> + +<p>At this fierce threat, the troubadour +began at once to read, +taking care to make no mistakes. +Count Pierre listened attentively +to every word, and when the troubadour +came to the end, having +read it exactly as the messenger +had done, the count angrily +snatched it from his hands, and, +swallowing his rage as best he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[134]</a></span> +could, went slowly back to the +castle hall.</p> + +<p>Then, after a few moments' +silence, he very ungraciously and +ill-naturedly gave orders that peasant +Viaud be released from prison, +and the sheep sent back. He +made a very wry face over the +fifty extra ones, and did not look +at all anxious to celebrate King +Louis's approaching wedding.</p> + +<p>And then he took the gold +pieces which the messenger offered +him, and reluctantly scrawled his +name (it was all he could write, +and that very badly) to a piece of +parchment which the messenger +had ready, and which, when +Count Pierre had signed it, +proved that he had sold to King +Louis the land and cottage, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[135]</a></span> +no longer held control over peasant +Viaud or any of his family.</p> + +<p>When this was done, the messenger, +bidding the nobleman a +courteous farewell, left the latter +still very angry and scowling, and, +above all, lost in amazement that +King Louis should take all this +trouble on account of a poor, unknown +peasant, who had lived all +his life on a tiny farm in Normandy! +And as no one ever +explained things to him, Count +Pierre never did know how it had +all come about, and that, however +much against his will, he was doing +his part toward helping answer +Gabriel's little prayer.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[136]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER X.</h2> + +<h3>GABRIEL'S CHRISTMAS</h3> + + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 89px;"> +<img src="images/drop_w.png" width="89" height="125" alt="W" title="" /> +</div><div class='unindent'><br /><br />HEN the messenger +reached the courtyard of +the castle, he found peasant +Viaud awaiting him +there. The poor man looked very +pale and wan from his imprisonment, +and his face pitifully showed +what anxiety he had suffered in +thinking about his family left with +no one to help them. His clothes, +too, were thin and worn, and he +shivered in the cold December +wind. Noticing this, the messenger<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[137]</a></span> +at once sent word to Count +Pierre that he was sure King +Louis would be highly gratified, +if, in further honour of his coming +marriage, the count would supply +peasant Viaud with a warm suit +of clothes before leaving the +castle.</div> + +<p>This message was almost too +much for Count Pierre to bear, +but he did not dare to refuse. +And the messenger smiled to +himself when, by and by, a page +came and called Gabriel's father +into the castle, from which, in a +little while, he came out, warmly +clad, and quite bewildered at all +that was happening to him.</p> + +<p>As they set out together for +the Viaud cottage, peasant Viaud +walking, and the messenger riding<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[138]</a></span> +very slowly, the latter explained +to him all about Gabriel's little +prayer in the beautiful book, and +how Lady Anne had sent it to +King Louis, to whom he owed his +release from prison. But the messenger +added that, aside from the +lad's father and mother, the king +did not wish any one, not even +Gabriel himself, to know how it +had all come about.</p> + +<p>For King Louis declared that +he himself did not deserve any +thanks, but that the good God +had only chosen the Lady Anne +and himself and Count Pierre +(though the latter did not know +it) as the means of answering +Gabriel's prayer, and of helping +the Christ-child bring happiness +at the blessed Christmas-time.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[139]</a></span> +For King Louis had not forgotten +that the great day was +near at hand.</p> + +<p>Of the promised return of the +sheep, and the buying of the farm +by the king, the messenger said +nothing then; and when they had +nearly reached the cottage, he took +leave of peasant Viaud and rode +back to the Abbey. For, having +finished the king's errand, before +going away, he wanted to say +good-bye to the Abbot and +brothers of St. Martin's, and also +to get some of his belongings +which he had left at the Abbey.</p> + +<p>A few minutes after the messenger +had left him, peasant Viaud +reached the cottage and raised the +latch,—but then it is no use trying +to tell how surprised and happy<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[140]</a></span> +they all were! how they hugged +and kissed each other, and laughed +and cried!</p> + +<p>And then, when the first excitement +was over, they began soberly +to wonder what they would do +next; for they still feared the displeasure +of Count Pierre, and still +did not know where to turn to +raise the tax, or to help their +poverty.</p> + +<p>"If only he had not taken the +sheep," said Gabriel's mother, +sadly, "at least I could have spun +warm clothes for all of us!"</p> + +<p>But even as she spoke, a loud +"Baa! Baa!" sounded from up +the road, and presently along came +a large flock of sheep followed by +one of Count Pierre's shepherds, +who, without saying a word to any<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[141]</a></span> +one, skilfully guided them into the +Viaud sheepfold, and there safely +penned them in; then, still without +a word, he turned about and +went off in the direction of the +castle.</p> + +<p>Gabriel's father and mother, +who from the cottage window had +watched all this in silent amazement, +looked at each other, too +bewildered to speak. Then they +went out together to the sheepfold, +and peasant Viaud, who +began to realize that this, too, +must be part of King Louis's +orders, explained to his wife that +which the messenger had told him. +When he had finished, they went +back, hand in hand, to the house, +their eyes filled with happy tears, +and in their hearts a great tenderness<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[142]</a></span> +for the little son who had +brought help to them.</p> + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 315px;"> +<img src="images/i023.jpg" width="315" height="400" alt=""He passed a little peasant boy"" title="" /> +<span class="caption">"<i>He passed a little peasant boy</i>"</span> +</div> + +<p>Just before dark, that same +afternoon, the king's messenger, +having taken leave of the Abbey +folk, once more passed along the +highroad. On his way, he was +particular to stop at the Viaud +cottage, where he contrived to +have a few minutes' talk alone +with Gabriel's mother, and then +wishing her a merry Christmas, +he spurred his horse, and rode +along on his journey back to +Paris.</p> + +<p>As he neared St. Martin's village, +he passed a little peasant +boy, in a worn blouse, walking +toward the country; and had he +known that this same lad was the +Gabriel because of whom, at King<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[143]</a></span> +Louis's order, he had ridden all +the way from Paris, he would certainly +have looked at the boy with +keen interest.</p> + +<p>While for his part, had Gabriel +known that the strange horseman +was a messenger from the +king, and that he had that day +played a very important part in +the affairs of the Viaud family,—had +he known this,—he surely +would have stood stock-still and +opened his eyes wide with amazement!</p> + +<p>But the messenger was absorbed +in his own thoughts, and +so rode swiftly on; while poor +Gabriel was too sad and wretched +to pay much attention to any one.</p> + +<p>As the lad drew near home, +however, all at once he fancied he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[144]</a></span> +heard the bleating of sheep. At +this he pricked up his ears and +began to run, his heart suddenly +beating very fast with excitement!</p> + +<p>When he reached the sheepfold, +sure enough, there was no +mistaking the sounds within. He +opened the door and hurried +through the thatched shed, noting +with delight the rows of woolly +backs glistening in the twilight, +and then, bursting into the cottage, +rushed up to his father and +kissed and hugged him with all +his might!</p> + +<p>Indeed, Gabriel was so happy +and excited that he did not realize +that he was not at all surprised +with their good fortune. +For miserable as he had been for +weeks, and though he had thought<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[145]</a></span> +that he had quite despaired of his +prayer being answered, yet deep +down in his heart, without knowing +it, all the while he had cherished a +strong hope that it would be.</p> + +<p>Nor was Brother Stephen surprised +either, when, at barely daybreak +the next morning, before +going to his work, Gabriel hurried +up to the Abbey and told +him all about it. His face beamed +with delight, however, and he +seemed almost as happy over it +all as Gabriel himself. He smiled, +too, but said nothing, as the lad +wondered over and over what +God had done to Count Pierre, +to make him willing to free his +father and restore the sheep! He +only said, as he gently patted Gabriel's +hair:<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[146]</a></span></p> + +<p>"There, there, little one! the +good God hath many ways of +softening men's hearts, and never +thou mind in what manner he +hath chosen to manage the Count +Pierre!"</p> + +<p>Just then one of the monks +went past the open door, his arms +full of evergreens, and carrying in +his hand a pot of the pretty white +flowers that the Norman peasant +folk call Christmas roses. Seeing +him, Brother Stephen told Gabriel +that he must go and help the +brothers trim the Abbey church +for the joyous service of the morrow; +and so with another affectionate +little pat, he went out to +do his part in arranging the holiday +greens and garlands and tall +wax candles, while Gabriel hurried<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[147]</a></span> +off to his work in the village.</p> + +<p>The little boy was so happy, +though, over the things that had +happened at home, that he went +about all day in a sort of wondering +dream. And that evening as +he went home from his work, very +tired, but still dreaming, the early +Christmas-eve stars shone and +twinkled so radiantly over his +head and the snow sparkled so +brightly under his feet, that he +fairly tingled through and through +with the nameless, magic happiness +of the blessed season!</p> + +<p>And when he reached home, +and sat down next to his father +while they ate their scanty supper, +they all felt so glad to be together +again that nobody minded that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[148]</a></span> +the pieces of black bread were +smaller than ever, and that when +the cold wind blew through the +crevices of the cottage walls, there +was not enough fire on the hearth +to keep them from shivering.</p> + +<p>Indeed, they were all so much +happier than they had been for +many weeks, that when Gabriel +and the younger children went to +bed, the latter, with many little +gurgles of laughter, arranged their +little wooden shoes on the hearth, +just as they had always done on +Christmas eve.</p> + +<p>For they said to each other, +Jean, and Margot, and little Guillaume, +that surely the good God +had not forgotten them after all! +Had he not brought back their +father and the sheep? And surely<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[149]</a></span> +he would tell the little Christ-child +to bring them a few Christmas +apples and nuts!</p> + +<p>Gabriel, however, took no part +in their talk, and he did not set +his shoes on the hearth with the +others; not that he feared they +would be forgotten, but rather +because he thought that he had +already asked for so much and +been so generously answered, that +he had had his share of Christmas +happiness.</p> + +<p>His father was freed from +prison, and the flock of sheep, +with fifty more than they had had +before, were back in the fold; +and though they were not yet relieved +from the tax, nor was their +land restored to them, as he had +prayed, yet he felt sure that these,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[150]</a></span> +too, would come about in some +way.</p> + +<p>And so, considering all these +things, he did not quite like to set +out his wooden shoes, and thus +invite the Christ-child to give him +more; for he knew the Christ-child +had a great many shoes to +attend to that night. So Gabriel, +as he made himself ready for bed, +pretended not to hear the chatter of +his little brothers and sister, nor +to notice what they were doing.</p> + +<p>When peasant Viaud, however, +saw them standing their little +empty shoes in front of the +meagre fire, he bowed his head on +his hands, and the tears trickled +through his fingers. But the +mother smiled softly to herself, as +she kissed each of the children<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[151]</a></span> +and tucked them into their worn +sheepskin covers.</p> + +<p>Next morning, at the first peep +of day, every one in the cottage +was wide awake; and as soon as +they opened their eyes, the children +all jumped out of bed and +ran to the hearth with little +screams of delight. For there +stood the little wooden shoes,—Gabriel's, +too, though he had not +put them there,—and even a +larger one apiece for the father +and mother, and the blessed +Christ-child had not forgotten one!</p> + +<p>Only instead of apples and +nuts, they were filled with the +most wonderful bonbons; strange +sugar birds, and animals, and candied +fruits such as no peasant +child in Normandy had ever before<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[152]</a></span> +seen; for they were sweetmeats +that no one but the cooks of +old Paris knew just how to make.</p> + +<p>And then, as with eager fingers +the children drew out these marvels, +down in the toe of each shoe +they found a little porcupine of +white sugar with pink quills tipped +with a tiny, gilded, candy crown; +and last of all, after each little +porcupine, out tumbled a shining +yellow gold piece stamped with +the likeness of King Louis.</p> + +<p>Even the larger shoes were filled +with bonbons, too, and from the +toe of the mother's out dropped a +gold piece, like the others, only +larger. But when the father, with +clumsy hands, emptied his shoe, +instead of a gold piece, there fell +out a small parchment roll fastened<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[153]</a></span> +with a silken cord, and showing +at one corner a wax seal bearing +the print of the little royal porcupine +and crown.</p> + +<p>Peasant Viaud gazed at it for +a few minutes, in utter bewilderment, +and then handing it to Gabriel, +who was standing by, he said:</p> + +<p>"Here, child, 'tis a bit of writing, +and thou art the only one of +us who can read. See if Brother +Stephen's lessons have taken thee +far enough to make out the meaning +of this!"</p> + +<p>Gabriel took the roll and eagerly +untied the cord, and then he carefully +spelled out every word of +the writing, which was signed by +Count Pierre de Bouchage.</p> + +<p>For it was the very same parchment +which King Louis's messenger<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[154]</a></span> +had made Count Pierre +sign to prove that he had sold +to the king, for a certain sum of +gold, the old Viaud farm, together +with a piece of good land adjoining +it; and then, at the end of the +deed, as the writing was called, +there were a few lines from King +Louis himself, which said that in +honour of the blessed Christmas-time +the king took pleasure in +presenting to peasant Viaud, and +his heirs for ever, everything that +he had bought from Count Pierre.</p> + +<p>When Gabriel had finished +reading, no one spoke for a little +while; it was so hard to realize +the crowning good fortune that +had befallen them. Peasant Viaud +looked fairly dazed, and the mother +laughed and cried as she snatched<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[155]</a></span> +Gabriel to her and kissed him +again and again. The younger +children did not understand what +it all meant, and so went on +munching their sweetmeats without +paying much attention to the +little piece of parchment which +Gabriel still held in his hand.</p> + +<p>As for Gabriel, he really had +had no idea that any one could +possibly be so happy as he himself +was at that moment! He had +not the least notion of how it had +all come about; he only knew +that his heart was fairly bursting +with gratitude to the dear God +who had answered his little prayer +so much more joyously and wonderfully +than he had ever dared +to dream of!</p> + +<p>In his excitement he ran out of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[156]</a></span> +the house and hurried into the +sheepfold, where he patted the soft +woolly backs of each of the sheep, +and then he raced around the +snowy meadows trying to realize +that all these belonged to his +family for ever! And that Count +Pierre could never again imprison +his father or worry him with +heavy taxes!</p> + +<p>But the wonders of this wonderful +day were not yet over; for +presently, as Gabriel raised his +eyes, he saw a strange horseman +coming down the road and looking +inquiringly in the direction of the +Viaud cottage. Then seeing the boy +standing in the meadow, the horseman +called out:</p> + +<p>"Ho, lad! Is this the farm of +the peasant Viaud?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[157]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Yes, sir," answered Gabriel, +coming up to the road; and then,</p> + +<p>"Art thou Gabriel?" asked the +rider, stopping and looking curiously +at the little boy.</p> + +<p>When again Gabriel wonderingly +answered, "Yes, sir," the +stranger dismounted, and, after +tying his horse, began deliberately +unfastening the two fat saddle-bags +hanging over the back of the +latter; and loading himself with +as much as he could carry, he +gave Gabriel an armful, too, and +walked toward the cottage.</p> + +<p>To the surprised looks and +questions of Gabriel's father and +mother, he only said that the +Christ-child had been in the castle +of the Lady Anne of Bretagne, +and had ordered him to bring<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[158]</a></span> +certain things to the family of a +Norman peasant boy named Gabriel +Viaud.</p> + +<p>And such delightful things as +they were! There was a great +roll of thick, soft blue cloth, so +that they could all be warmly clad +without waiting for the mother to +spin the wool from the sheeps' +backs. There were nice little +squirrel-fur caps for all the children; +there were more yellow +gold pieces; and then there was +a large package of the most enchanting +sweetmeats, such as the +Bretons make at Christmas-time; +little "magi-cakes," as they were +called, each cut in the shape of +a star and covered with spices and +sugar; curious old-fashioned candies +and sugared chestnuts; and a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[159]</a></span> +pretty basket filled with small +round loaves of the fine, white +bread of Bretagne; only instead of +the ordinary baking, these loaves +were of a special holiday kind, +with raisins, and nuts, and dried +sweet-locust blossoms sprinkled +over the top.</p> + +<p>Indeed, perhaps never before +had so marvellous a feast been +spread under a peasant roof in +Normandy! All were beside +themselves with delight; and while +the younger children were dancing +round and round in happy bewilderment, +Gabriel snatched up a +basket, and hurriedly filling it +with some of the choicest of +the sweetmeats, started off at a +brisk run for the Abbey; for he +wanted to share some of his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[160]</a></span> +Christmas happiness with Brother +Stephen.</p> + +<p>When he reached the Abbey, +his eyes bright with excitement, +and his cheeks rosy from the crisp +cold air, and poured out to Brother +Stephen the story of their fresh +good fortune, the monk laughed +with delight, and felt that he, too, +was having the happiest Christmas +he had ever known.</p> + +<p>And then, by and by, when he +took Gabriel by the hand and led +him into the Abbey church for the +beautiful Christmas service, as the +little boy knelt on the stone floor +and gazed around at the lovely garlands +of green, and the twinkling +candles and white Christmas roses +on the altar, half-hidden by the +clouds of fragrant incense that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[161]</a></span> +floated up from the censers the +little acolytes were swinging to +and fro,—as he listened to the +glorious music from the choir, and +above all, as he thought of how +the dear God had answered his +prayer, the tears sprang to his +eyes from very joy and gratitude! +And perhaps that Christmas +morning no one in all France, +not even King Louis himself, was +quite so happy as the little peasant +boy, Gabriel Viaud.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[162]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XI.</h2> + +<h3>THE KING'S ILLUMINATOR</h3> + + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 83px;"> +<img src="images/drop_a.png" width="83" height="125" alt="A" title="" /> +</div><div class='unindent'><br /><br />ND to say that he was +happier than even King +Louis, is saying a very +great deal; for King +Louis spent the day most delightfully +in Bretagne, in the castle of +his bride to be, the Lady Anne. +And then, just after the holiday +season had passed, early in January, +he and Lady Anne were +married with great ceremony and +splendour.</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[163]</a></span></p> + +<p>After the wedding, for three +months, the king and queen lingered +in Bretagne; enjoying themselves +by night with magnificent +entertainments in the castle, and +by day in riding over the frosty +fields and in hunting, of which +both of them were very fond. +And then in April, when the first +hawthorn buds were beginning +to break, they journeyed down +to Paris to live in the king's +palace.</p> + +<p>Before long, King Louis and +Queen Anne decided to make a +number of improvements in this +palace; and as they both were +great lovers of beautiful books, +they determined, among other +things, to build a large writing-room +where they could have skilful<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[164]</a></span> +illuminators always at work +making lovely books for them.</p> + +<p>When this room was finished, +and they began to think of whom +they would employ, the first one +they spoke of was Brother Stephen, +whose exquisite work on the book +of hours had so delighted them. +But then, much as they wished to +have him in the palace, they did +not think it possible to do so, as +they knew he belonged to the +brotherhood of St. Martin's Abbey, +and so of course had taken +vows to spend his whole life there.</p> + +<p>It chanced, however, soon after +this, that King Louis happened +to have a little talk with the messenger +he had sent to the Abbey +at Christmas time to see about Gabriel. +And this messenger told the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[165]</a></span> +king that while there the Abbot, +in speaking to him of Brother +Stephen's work, had said that the +latter really wished to leave the +brotherhood and go into the world +to paint; and that, though he had +refused his request to be freed +from his vows, yet the monk had +worked so faithfully at King +Louis's book that he thought he +had earned his freedom, and that +perhaps he, the Abbot, had done +wrong in forcing him to stay at +the Abbey if he wished to study +his art elsewhere.</p> + +<p>In short, he had as much as +said that if Brother Stephen ever +again asked for his freedom, he +would grant it; and this showed +that the Abbot had relented and +unbent a great deal more than any<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[166]</a></span> +one could ever have believed possible.</p> + +<p>When King Louis heard what +the messenger told him, he was +greatly pleased; and after talking +it over with the queen, he decided +to send the same messenger +post-haste back to the Abbey to +ask for the services of Brother +Stephen before the Abbot might +again change his mind.</p> + +<p>Now King Louis was a very +liberal monarch, and both he and +Queen Anne liked nothing better +than to encourage and help along +real artists. And so they thought +that they would supply Brother +Stephen with money so that he +could travel about and study and +paint as he chose, even if he preferred +always to paint larger pictures<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[167]</a></span> +rather than to illuminate +books; though they hoped that +once in awhile he might spend a +little time in their fine new writing-room.</p> + +<p>When the messenger started, +they told him to explain all this +to Brother Stephen, and let the +latter plan his work in whatever +way best pleased him.</p> + +<p>But the queen gave particular +orders that, if possible, the messenger +was to bring the peasant +boy, Gabriel Viaud, back to the +palace with him; for she thought +the lad's work on the page where +he had written his little prayer +showed such promise that she +wished to see him, and to have +him continue his training in the +beautiful art of illumination.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[168]</a></span></p> + +<p>The messenger, having thus +received his orders, at once set +out again for Normandy; and he +found this second journey much +more pleasant than the one he had +made before, through the winter +snows. For this time he rode +under tall poplar-trees and between +green hedgerows, where the +cuckoos and fieldfares sang all +day long. And when, after several +days' travelling, he drew near +St. Martin's Abbey, the country +on either side of the road was +pink with wild roses and meadowsweet, +just as it had been a year +before, when Gabriel used to +gather the clusters of field-flowers +for Brother Stephen to paint in +the beautiful book.</p> + +<p>Indeed, Gabriel still gathered<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[169]</a></span> +the wild flowers every day, but +only because he loved them; for +though, since their better fortunes, +he was again studying and working +with Brother Stephen, the +latter was then busy on a long +book of monastery rules, with only +here and there a coloured initial +letter, and which altogether was +not nearly so interesting as had +been the book of hours with its +lovely painted borders.</p> + +<p>And so when the messenger +reached the Abbey, and made +known his errand, they were both +overjoyed at the prospect King +Louis offered them.</p> + +<p>After talking with the messenger, +the Abbot, true to his +word, in a solemn ceremony, freed +Brother Stephen from his vows<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[170]</a></span> +of obedience to the rules of St. +Martin's brotherhood; and then +he gave both him and Gabriel +his blessing.</p> + +<p>Brother Stephen, who had been +too proud to ask a second time +for his freedom, was now delighted +that it had all come about in the +way it did, and that he could +devote his time to painting anything +he chose.</p> + +<p>Gabriel, too, was enchanted at +the thought of all that he could +do and learn in the king's palace; +and though he felt it hard to leave +his home, Queen Anne had kindly +made it easier for him by promising +that sometimes he might come +back for a little visit.</p> + +<p>So in a few days he and Brother +Stephen had made all their preparations<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[171]</a></span> +to leave; and they set +out, Gabriel going with the messenger +directly to King Louis's +palace in Paris; while Brother +Stephen, taking the bag of gold +pieces which the king and queen +had sent for him, travelled to +many of the great cities of Europe, +where he studied the wonderful +paintings of the world's most +famous masters, and where he +himself made many beautiful pictures. +In this way he spent a +number of happy months.</p> + +<p>And then, just as a great many +other people do, who find out that +as soon as they are not compelled +to do a certain kind of work, they +really like it very much better than +they thought, so, Brother Stephen, +being no longer obliged to illuminate<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[172]</a></span> +books, all at once discovered +that he really enjoyed painting +them more than anything else +in the world.</p> + +<p>And so it was that, by and by, +to the gratification of the king and +queen, and above all to the great +delight of Gabriel, he made his +way to the great writing-room of +the palace in Paris. And there, +in the doing of his exquisite artistic +work, he passed the rest of his +long and happy life.</p> + +<p>And through all the years the +warm love and friendship between +himself and Gabriel was as sweet +and beautiful and as unchanging +as any of the white and golden +lilies that they painted in their +rarest books. For Gabriel, too, +became one of the finest illuminators<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[173]</a></span> +of the time, and his work +was much sought for by the great +nobles of the land.</p> + +<p>Indeed, to this day, many of +the wonderful illuminations that +were made in that writing-room +are still carefully kept in the great +libraries and museums of France +and of Europe. And some time, +if ever you have the happiness +to visit one of these, and are there +shown some of the painted books +from the palace of King Louis +XII. and Queen Anne, if the +work is especially lovely, you may +be quite certain that either Brother +Stephen, or Gabriel, or perhaps +both of them together, had a hand +in its making.</p> + +<h3> +THE END.<br /> +</h3> + + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Gabriel and the Hour Book, by Evaleen Stein + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK GABRIEL AND THE HOUR BOOK *** + +***** This file should be named 27916-h.htm or 27916-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/7/9/1/27916/ + +Produced by David Edwards, Emmy and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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