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diff --git a/old/50268-0.txt b/old/50268-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index bed23ed..0000000 --- a/old/50268-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,3362 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Troubadour Tales, 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/license - - -Title: Troubadour Tales - -Author: Evaleen Stein - -Illustrator: Virgina Keep - Maxfield Parrish - B. Rosenmeyer - Edward Edwards - -Release Date: October 21, 2015 [EBook #50268] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TROUBADOUR TALES *** - - - - -Produced by Giovanni Fini, David Edwards and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive) - - - - - - - - - - Troubadour Tales - -[Illustration] - - - - - Troubadour Tales - - _By_ Evaleen Stein - - [Illustration] - - With Illustrations - By Virginia Keep - Maxfield Parrish - B. Rosenmeyer & - Edward Edwards - - Indianapolis - The Bobbs-Merrill Company - Publishers - - - - - Copyright 1903 - The Bobbs-Merrill Company - - July - - _Printed in the United States of America_ - - PRESS OF - BRAUNWORTH & CO. - BOOK MANUFACTURERS - BROOKLYN, N. Y. - - - - - To My Mother - - - - - Contents - - - THE PAGE OF COUNT REYNAURD 1 - - THE LOST RUNE 27 - - COUNT HUGO’S SWORD 76 - - FELIX 132 - - - - - Troubadour Tales - - - - - THE PAGE OF COUNT REYNAURD - - HOW HE EARNED THE FAVOR OF KING RENÉ - AND WON A SILVER CUP FOR CLEVERNESS - IN THE LATIN TONGUE - - -“PIERROT! Pierrot! are thy saddle-bags well fastened? And how fare my -lutestrings? Have a care lest some of them snap with jogging over this -rough bit of road. And, Pierrot, next time we pass a fine periwinkle -thou hadst best jump down and pluck a fresh bunch for my Barbo’s ears.” - -The speaker, Count Reynaurd of Poitiers, patted the fluffy black mane -of his horse Barbo, and loosened the great nosegay of blue flowers -tucked into his harness and nodding behind his ears. Barbo was gaily -decked out; long sprays of myrtle dangled from his saddle-bow, and a -wreath of periwinkle and violets hung round his neck; for the Count -Reynaurd was not only a noble lord, but also a famous troubadour. That -is to say, he spent his time riding from castle to castle, playing on -his lute or viol, and singing beautiful songs of his own making. - -In the days when he lived, which was many hundred years ago, there -were numberless such poet-singers strolling over the sunny land of -France, and especially that part which lies to the south and is called -Provence. Many of the greatest of these kept little pages to wait -upon them and carry their musical instruments; and so it was that -Pierrot rode a little white palfrey by the side of Count Reynaurd, and -carried his lute, and gathered the periwinkle for the gay bouquets that -decorated Barbo’s ears. - -It was May-time, and they were journeying through the lovely land of -Provence, which was quite enough to make any one happy, and the count -and Pierrot were fairly brimming over with good humor as they rode -along. They were bound for the old town of Aix, where in those days -stood the palace of the good King René, whom everybody loved. - -Now, King René himself was a troubadour, although he could not wander -about over the country as did the others, but was obliged to stay in -Aix and govern his people. Yet he spent hours and hours every day -writing poetry and making up music for it; and he delighted above all -things to gather about him all who could finger a lutestring or sing a -merry song. There were always dozens of fine troubadours staying with -King René, and he was never weary of adding to their number, and of -seeking out the best in France; and so it chanced he had heard much of -the great skill of Pierrot’s master and also of another noble lord, the -Count William of Auvergne. The friends of each of these boasted that -none other in all France was worthy to be called the champion of the -troubadours. So René had sent messages to both, inviting them to come -and visit him, and to hold a contest of song, saying he would give a -beautiful collar of jewels to the one who sang the better. - -In response to this invitation, the Count William was already in Aix, -having come the day before, after a long journey from his castle in -Auvergne. He was now resting, awaiting the Count Reynaurd, and pleasing -himself in thinking of the glory of winning the jeweled collar; for he -fully expected by and by to carry it off as his prize. - -Meantime, Count Reynaurd and Pierrot trotted gaily along the road to -Aix. The almond-trees were in flower, and from one of them Pierrot had -broken a little switch covered with rosy blossoms, with which he now -and then tapped the flank of his little white palfrey, who would then -kick up her heels and frisk along at a rollicking pace. Pierrot’s own -legs looked lovely in party-colored hose, the right being a beautiful -pearl-gray and the left a delicate robin’s-egg blue; his doublet was of -pink silk embroidered in silver and slashed with white satin; and on -his head he wore a jaunty cap with a long feather. He was a handsome -little fellow, with bright eyes and dark curls, and as gay and lively -as the great black crickets that live in Provence. - -His master, Count Reynaurd, looked very stately in a suit of -plum-colored velvet, with a collar of fine lace fastened with a golden -violet, which he often felt, so as to be sure he had not lost it and -that it was still tightly clasped. For the gold violet was a prize -that the count had just won in the town of Toulouse, whither, every -May-time, all the troubadours used to go and hold great contests, -called the Games of Flowers. At these games each one sang a song, and -the most skillful received prizes, a violet of gold and a rose of -silver being the most wished for. - -So Count Reynaurd was very proud and happy thinking how finely the -violet would serve to clasp the collar of jewels he expected to win -from King René, and he smiled pleasantly when Pierrot called out to him: - -“See, my Lord! are not those the high towers of Aix?” - -Count Reynaurd looked ahead, and, sure enough, far in the distance rose -the city of Aix. They set their horses a-galloping, and in a little -while found themselves riding through its quaint, crooked streets, till -they reached the great square where stood the king’s palace. This was a -very beautiful one, strangely built, with two ancient round towers and -a wide porch with many pillars; all about it was a lovely garden full -of orange and acacia trees, and sweet roses and jasmines clambered over -everything. - -Count Reynaurd and Pierrot dismounted at the palace gate, and were -led into the great hall where sat King René, wearing a blue robe -embroidered in bright flowers. He was an old man, and his hair and -long beard were quite white, but he was gay and happy-hearted as -Pierrot himself. When he saw the Count Reynaurd enter the hall, he -arose from his throne and came down and embraced and kissed him, and -patted Pierrot kindly. For René was not like most kings, who are very -particular to have everybody about them as stiff and uncomfortable as -possible. - -Then presently the Count William, who had been walking in the garden, -hearing of the arrival of Reynaurd, came hurrying in, his own little -page Henri following close upon his heels. He greeted Count Reynaurd -very cordially, for he had often met him at the games of Toulouse, and -the little pages Henri and Pierrot soon became the best of friends also. - -As the day was now drawing to a close, the good old king invited them -all into the banquet hall, where were already gathered numbers of -troubadours, and minnesingers who were the troubadours of Germany. -Some were eating and drinking; some were telling stories or making -up poetry; while still others were playing on all sorts of musical -instruments, and were altogether having the jolliest kind of time. - -Reynaurd and Pierrot were very hungry after their long ride, and so -were glad to sit down at one of the long tables while the king’s -seneschals brought in roasted boar’s-head and venison pasties, and -large baskets of the fine white bread of Provence and of brown -marchpanes, which were nice little old-time French cookies full of -raisins and covered with nuts and poppy-seeds. - -Pierrot waited upon his master very prettily, and then feasted upon -dainties to his heart’s content, all the while listening with delight -to the gay songs of the troubadours and minnesingers. By and by his -curly head began to nod, and he fell asleep while still munching a -marchpane, and slept so soundly that he had to be shaken when it was -time to go upstairs, where a little cot was spread for him close to the -great canopied bed of the Count Reynaurd. - -So the days passed merrily on. But when, time after time, King René -fixed a day for the contest between the Counts Reynaurd and William, -they would plead that they were not ready; for they had grown so lazy -and pampered by the life they led in the palace that they dawdled away -their time in idle pleasure. - -At last the king grew impatient, and declared that he would shut them -up, each in his own room, where they must stay for ten days composing -their songs; and he commanded that then they should appear before him, -and be judged and rewarded according to their skill. - -So Count William and Count Reynaurd were escorted up the palace -stairway to their chamber doors, and each agreed, upon his knightly -honor, which was a very solemn vow indeed, that he would not set foot -beyond his threshold until the day appointed by the good king; and it -became the duty of Pierrot and Henri to bring food and wait upon their -noble masters. - -But these two masters fared differently in their song-making. In -the apartments of Henri’s lord, things went far from smoothly; for, -although Count William was really a very accomplished troubadour, -yet when he found himself shut up and obliged to make a song, not a -word could he write. Indeed, poets declare that this is often the way -with them; most beautiful verses will suddenly pop into their heads, -sometimes in the middle of the night, so that they have to jump up in -the dark to get pencil and paper to write them down before they forget; -while, many times, if they have paper and pen ready, so contrary are -their wits that very likely they can not write a word! And so it was -with the Count William. - -He fussed and fumed, but not even the least little bit of a rhyme could -he make; and the more he wished it, the more impossible it seemed to -become. He strode up and down the room; he snatched his paper and tore -it into bits; and then he scolded Henri till the poor little fellow -tiptoed out in his little pointed velvet shoes, and fled to the garden, -where he sat down under an orange tree, and consoled himself with some -fresh cookies that one of the kitchen scullions brought out to him. As -he crunched down the sugary morsels he now and then flung a crumb to -the pretty goldfishes in a fountain by his side; and then he wondered -what any one wanted to make up poetry for anyway, especially when it -was May-time and one might sit in King René’s garden, and above all, on -a day when King René’s cooks were making sweetmeats. - -Meantime, across the corridor from Henri’s master things were going -on very differently with the noble Reynaurd and Pierrot. As luck -would have it, this count was getting on famously. He had composed a -most beautiful poem, and lovely music by which to sing it, and was -altogether so pleased with himself and all the world that he snapped -his fingers joyously, and fetched Pierrot a playful slap on the -shoulder, crying, “Hey, Pierrot, just listen to this!” And then in a -loud voice he began to sing. - -Pierrot was so delighted that he clapped his hands, and declared he was -quite sure his lord would win the prize, and shame the Count William -into everlasting silence. Then he helped himself to a couple of great -golden oranges from a basket he had just brought to Reynaurd, and -strutted out to air himself, and to boast to Henri of his master’s -superior skill. - -Meantime, Count Reynaurd sang over and over his new song, each time -roaring it out louder and louder, till his lungs fairly ached. - -While all this was going on, the Count William, in a great rage, was -still striding up and down the floor of his chamber, which happened to -be across the corridor and at no great distance from that of the happy -Reynaurd. And, as it happened also, when Pierrot went out he forgot to -close the door behind him—a fact which Count Reynaurd had not noticed. -The door was very thick and heavy, and fitted badly between the stone -walls, so it was not to be wondered at that Pierrot did not manage to -latch it. - -As it was, the loud voice of Count Reynaurd came rolling forth, and -suddenly the Count William, angrily pacing the floor, stood stock-still -and pricked up his ears. - -Now, the count’s ears were famous for being extraordinarily sharp, -and he was also wonderfully apt at remembering anything to which he -had once carefully listened. He knew in a moment the voice of Count -Reynaurd, and then a broad smile crept over his face, and he listened -harder than ever. - -As Reynaurd kept singing over and over again, it was not long till -Count William had the whole song by heart, and then, seizing his own -lute, he began practising it very softly. - -“Ha, ha, ha!” he laughed to himself. “Thou great foolish Reynaurd! -Canst thou never learn how to hold thy tongue? But never mind, I will -play such a trick on thee as will teach thee a lesson thou’lt not soon -forget. Ha, ha, ha!” And then he practised longer, till he knew both -the poetry and music as well as Count Reynaurd himself. - -The next day, Pierrot, still exulting over his master’s skill, happened -to meet Henri in the garden, and asked how his noble lord was getting -on. - -“Oh!” said Henri, “finely. He has just made a lovely new song!” And -with that he hummed a snatch of the melody he had heard Count William -singing, and which he thought his master had composed. - -As Pierrot heard the music he could scarce believe his ears; first he -was speechless with astonishment, but at last he sputtered out: - -“It is not true—it is stolen! That is my dear master’s, the Count -Reynaurd’s!” - -“Pierrot,” burst in Henri, “I would have thee understand that my noble -lord, the Count William, does not steal, and is a far better singer, -anyhow, than thy great Reynaurd!” - -From this matters went from bad to worse, till the two little pages -were just on the point of coming to blows; but, fortunately, at -this point one of King René’s seneschals caught sight of them, and, -hastening up, gave each a sound cuff on the ear, crying out as he did -so: - -“Ho, ye saucy little knaves! Know ye not the good king will have no -brawlers upon these palace grounds? Take that, sirrahs! and see to it -that ye behave more seemly hereafter.” - -The pages being thus forcibly separated, Pierrot ran as fast as his -legs could carry him up the palace stairs, and burst into his master’s -chamber, panting out indignantly: - -“Dear Lord Reynaurd, the wicked Count William has stolen thy beautiful -song and will win the prize! And I tried to stop Henri, and—o-o-oh—” -Here poor Pierrot, still smarting under the cuff from the seneschal, -quite broke down, and was obliged to double his fists very hard and -bite his lips to keep back the angry tears. - -At first Count Reynaurd gasped with astonishment, and then jumped up -in a towering passion. But by and by his wits came back to him, and he -remembered that Count William had always been a good friend of his; but -then his heart misgave him as he remembered, too, that Count William -was a famous joker, and loved a jest above all things. - -The more he thought of it, the more sure he felt that William only -meant in some way to tease him, though he could not understand how -he had learned the song. Just then his eyes fell on the door, that -Pierrot in his haste had left unfastened, as usual; and then it flashed -through Count Reynaurd’s mind how Count William had found out about -the music. Reynaurd, moreover, had no doubt but that, before the king, -William would probably sing the piece as his own,—a thing which he -could easily do, as René had announced that they would be called on -in alphabetical order, according to the names of their domains; and as -Auvergne thus came before Poitiers, Reynaurd knew that Count William -would sing first, and that it would then be hard to make the people -believe that the song was his and not William’s; yet he determined, if -possible, to try in some way to get the better of him. - -He thought and thought very hard for a little while, and then suddenly -he said to Pierrot: - -“Pierrot, dost thou still remember the Latin tongue that good Father -Ambrose taught thee last winter in our castle in Poitiers?” - -The little page assured his lord that he did, for he was really a -clever scholar in the Latin tongue, which both his master and the Count -William understood but indifferently. - -Then Count Reynaurd called him close to his side, and whispered a plan -to him that seemed to please them both mightily. Pierrot at once took -the goose-quill pen that Reynaurd handed him, and after screwing up -his face and working very carefully, he wrote these lines: - - Hoc carmen non composui, - Quod cano, quod cano! - -and this he took great pains to teach his master. - -The next day Count Reynaurd sang his song over again and again, and -Pierrot purposely left the door ajar. Count William noticed that after -every stanza there were two new lines added in another tongue: - - Hoc carmen non composui, - Quod cano, quod cano! - -At first this puzzled Count William very much indeed. - -“Faugh!” he said to himself at length, “that ridiculous Reynaurd is -seeking to give a learned air to his poetry! I dare say he has picked -up those lines out of some old manuscript, and thinks to pass himself -off for a great scholar.” - -Then Count William tried to make out the meaning of the words, which -were fitted into the rhyme of the stanzas in such a way that they -could not well be left out. He studied over them till he thought he -understood them, though, as it turned out, he was quite mistaken. But -as it was a common way with the troubadours to end every stanza with -similar lines, which they called the refrain, Count William suspected -nothing, and set himself to work to learn the new words. - -The time that the king had allowed the rival noblemen was now almost -up, and in two days more the song-contest took place. - -The great banqueting-hall had been beautifully hung with garlands of -flowers and gay banners. At one end of it the king’s throne stood on a -dais, and over it swung a scarlet canopy like an enormous poppy-flower -turned upside down. In the middle of the room were placed long tables, -and in the palace kitchens the cooks were running about busying -themselves preparing the great feast that was to follow. - -By and by King René came into the hall and took his seat on the throne. -He wore a rich robe of purple velvet, embroidered all over in the -brightest silks and gold; after him came a great troupe of troubadours -and minnesingers, some carrying their own harps or viols, and some -followed by little pages who bore their masters’ belongings. - -As the good King René looked at his gay company and the brilliantly -lighted hall and the long tables, his eyes sparkled with delight, and -his heart swelled with joy when he thought of the coming contest; -for he was never so pleased as when thus surrounded by his dear -troubadours, whom he loved to make in every way as happy as possible. - -Then, when all was ready, a gaily dressed herald came into the hall, -and kneeling before the king, and bowing to the assembled company, -announced the coming of the two counts, William and Reynaurd. All the -other troubadours and minnesingers stood up, and King René smiled -graciously as the two noblemen entered, followed by their pages, -Pierrot and Henri, each of whom carried a viol bedecked with long -silken ribbons. - -When the counts had saluted the king and taken their places before him, -he commanded a seneschal to bear in the prize; and so the beautiful -collar of jewels was brought in upon a silver tray and placed on a -carved bench beside the king. Then a herald stepped out, and, lifting -the collar upon the point of a flower-wreathed lance, displayed it to -all the company and announced the terms of the contest of song about to -take place. - -This ceremony was a great deal better and prettier than the customs of -most of the other royal courts of that time. In all the lands except -where King René lived, when the people desired entertainment, they used -to gather together to see contests called tournaments, in which noble -lords tried to overthrow one another with real lances on which were no -garlands. But King René could not endure such barbarous displays, and -so in his palace no one fought another except with pretty verses, and -the best poet was champion. - -When all the usual ceremonies had been gone through, the king called -Count William to step forth first and sing his song. There was a merry -twinkle in the count’s eyes as he took his viol from Henri, hung the -silken ribbons about his neck, and then, after striking a few soft -notes with the tips of his fingers, began to sing, as his own, the song -made up by Count Reynaurd. He went through the whole piece, although -each time when he came to the Latin lines he mumbled them over so that -the words sounded indistinct, and one could not be certain just what -they were. - -When he had finished, the king was delighted, and all the listeners -clapped their hands and wondered how it would be possible for Count -Reynaurd to do better. Indeed, they looked rather pityingly on -Reynaurd, as one already defeated. - -Then, when the cheers had somewhat quieted down, King René commanded -Count Reynaurd to stand forth and take his turn for the prize. Reynaurd -quietly stepped out, and, saluting the king, said: - -“My royal liege, the song to which you have just listened was not the -work of Count William of Auvergne, but of myself, Reynaurd of Poitiers.” - -At this, as Count Reynaurd had expected, every one looked incredulous, -and Count William pretended to be very indignant, and declared that -he had not been outside of his own apartments for the ten days; that -he had not set eyes on Count Reynaurd through all that time; and -altogether he appeared to be terribly angry that Count Reynaurd should -hint that the song belonged to him. - -Count Reynaurd, however, asked but one thing of the king, who readily -granted his request. It was that Count William be commanded to sing the -song once more, and that each time he should sing the Latin lines as -plainly as possible. - -Count William looked somewhat abashed at this proposal, and began to -suspect that a trap had been laid for him. However, he could not refuse -to do the command of King René, especially when it seemed so simple a -thing; and so he was obliged to sing again, and say the Latin words -plainly, all the while very angry with himself because on the spur of -the moment he could think of no other words to put in place of the -Latin refrain, which was so cleverly woven into each stanza that it -could not be left out without spoiling the rhyme. - -The king listened attentively, for, as the Count Reynaurd knew, René -was a good Latin scholar himself; and presently, when the refrain came -into the song: - - Hoc carmen non composui, - Quod cano, quod cano! - -King René began to laugh; and he laughed and laughed till the tears -fairly ran down his cheeks; for what do you think the words really -mean? They mean: - - I did not make this song, - That I sing, that I sing! - -When the king at last managed to stop laughing for a few minutes, he -translated the lines so that every one could hear. - -At first Count William looked very blank; then, realizing how cleverly -the tables had been turned upon him and he had been caught in his -own prank, he enjoyed the joke as much as anybody, and laughed the -loudest of all. Indeed, such a “Ha, ha!” as went up through the whole -banquet-hall was never before heard, and the very rafters seemed to -shake with glee. - -The good king was so delighted with the entertainment that he called -Count Reynaurd and Count William both before him, and taking a hand -of each, he declared that the jeweled collar must be divided equally -between them. He at once ordered his goldsmiths to set to work to make -it into two collars instead of one; which they could very easily do, as -it was so wide and heavy. - -Then the king had a lovely silver cup brought in for Pierrot, because -of his cleverness in the Latin tongue; and afterward the whole company -of troubadours and minnesingers and pages sat down and feasted so -merrily that, years later, when Pierrot himself grew to be a famous -troubadour, he used often to sing, in the castles of the French nobles, -of the gaiety of that great festival. - - - - - THE LOST RUNE - - THE LEGEND OF A LOST POEM AND THE ADVENTURES - OF LITTLE ELSA IN RESTORING - IT TO HER PEOPLE - - - Eery, airy, - Elf and fairy, - Steep me deep in magic dreams! - Charm from harm of water witches, - Guide where hide the hoarded riches - Sunken in Suomi streams! - -As the strains of Elsa’s voice floated up and wandered away among -the cottage rafters, “Bravo”! cried her father; “bravo, little one! -Already thou singest like the April cuckoo!” Elsa, the little Finnish -girl thus addressed, smiled with pleasure, and nestled closer to her -father’s reindeer coat as he proudly patted her fair hair and gave her -an approving hug. - -The two were sitting on a rude bench drawn out from the cottage wall; -and here they had been all the evening, singing snatches of strange -old songs, and toasting their toes at the turf fire that blazed in the -great fireplace. - -It was barely September, but in the far North, the winter begins early -and the winds sweep with a bitter chill across the wide plains of -Suomi, the old name by which the Finnish people love best to call their -land. - -Elsa’s father and mother—the mother was now drowsing over her -knitting, on the other side of the hearth—were well-to-do peasant -farmer folk. They owned the land, called from their name the “Sveaborg -farm,” and the cottage, which was large of its kind; that is to say, it -had two rooms besides the great living-room and the loft. - -One of these extra rooms, however, was set apart for the use of -occasional travelers; for in Finland, through the country, inns of any -kind are very few, and at that time, as now, certain of the better -farm-houses were set apart as places where travelers might be sure of -entertainment for the night at least. As Elsa’s home lay on one of the -main roads, the cottage now and then sheltered one of the few strangers -who sometimes journey through the land. - -The other little chamber belonged to Elsa, who was the only child; -but the main business of living was carried on in the great room with -the hearth. It was a quaint place, broad and low; the walls were -covered with a rough plaster, and overhead the rafters showed brown -with smoke; just below these were fastened two slender poles from one -of which hung festoons of dried herbs, while on the other were strung -a great number of large flat brown rings, which were nothing less -than the family bread for the winter. For the Finnish peasants do not -trouble themselves to bake too often, and they like their bread made -into these curious ring-shaped loaves which they thus hang away until -needed; nor do they mind how hard and dry it becomes. - -On one side of the cottage walls were several large presses where -cheeses were making; and opposite these were two little doors that -seemed to open into cupboards; cupboards, however, where no Finnish -child would ever think of looking for jam or sweetmeats, for, as is the -custom of the country, behind the doors were fastened in the thick wall -two shelf-like beds, where Elsa’s father and mother slept. - -But the chief feature, the heart of all the room, was the great -fireplace; at one side of it was built a huge brick oven, in which -Elsa’s mother baked the queer flat-bread for the family, and sometimes, -when the nights were very, very cold, she would make for Elsa a little -bed on top of the warm bricks, which was always so cozy that the little -girl did not care that it was a trifle hard. - -The broad hearth in front of the oven was also of brick, and this -hearth, as in every peasant’s cottage, was the favorite gathering -place. Here through the long winter evenings, and days when the sun -barely peeped above the horizon, they loved to sit and sing over their -quaint old songs and repeat in verse the strange and beautiful stories -that have been handed down in Finland for hundreds, perhaps thousands, -of years. - -Indeed, all Finnish peasants have always been wonderfully fond of music -and poetry, and, to this day, as in Elsa’s time—which was nearly a -hundred years ago—in almost every house may be found at least one -of the curious harps of ancient shape, which the people make for -themselves out of bone or wood. There are but few peasants who can not -sing some old story to the music of this instrument which they call -“kantele.” - -Elsa’s father was an especially skilful harper, and Elsa herself seemed -to inherit a large part of his passion for music and poetry. He had -made for her a little kantele of her own, and to the soft weird music -she struck from its strings, she sang her little song, - - Eery, airy, - Elf and fairy. - -These lines, however, were but the beginning of a song intended to -charm and overpower the wicked water-witches; for, as all the world -knows, Finland is the home of all manner of fairy folk, of elves and -gnomes and wizards and witches; at least so all Finnish folk declare; -and innumerable are the charm-songs and incantations and marvelous -tales handed down from generation to generation, telling of the witches -and fairies of Suomi. - -Elsa knew a great number of these song-stories and delighted above all -things to learn a new one. But, as she sat by the fire, the warmth at -last made her drowsy; presently the harp fell from her hands, and still -leaning against her father she dropped into a sound sleep. - -The next morning was crisp and frosty, but the sun, rising in a strange -slanting ring, tempered the September chill almost to mildness. Indeed -the sun behaves very oddly in Finland; it was then circling round the -sky in its autumn course, never setting, as in our country, but staying -up a little way all night, and all the while weaving its spiral rings -lower and lower down the sky. By and by it would hide altogether and -not show itself for many weeks. So while the light lasted every one was -making the most of it. - -Elsa was astir early; breakfast had long been over; she had swept the -house with the broom of birch twigs, and was now outside the cottage -helping her mother churn. - -As she pushed the wooden dasher up and down, the wind blew the color -into her cheeks and her hair about her face. She wore a close little -woolen hood, a homespun dress and a long apron embroidered in bright -colors, and on her feet were wooden shoes. - -All at once Elsa’s quick ears caught the sound of wheels. - -“See, mother!” she exclaimed, “there is Jan of the Ohlsen farm; but -who, thinkest thou, is the stranger beside him?” - -Fru Sveaborg shaded her eyes with her hand, and sure enough, saw, -jogging up the road, a pony dragging one of the odd two-wheeled carts -of Finland. As she looked, it turned into the narrow lane of birch -trees leading to the cottage. - -Jan drew rein. - -“Good morrow, neighbor Sveaborg!” he called out. - -Then as the Fru left her churn and came toward them, he said: - -“This traveler is Herr Lönnrot, from Helsingfors, who is journeying -through the country. Last night he passed at our farm and to-night he -would spend at thine. He wishes much to speak with peasant Sveaborg -about certain matters he is seeking to learn.” Then catching sight of -Elsa, “Good morrow to thee, Elsa! How comes the churning? It hath made -thy cheeks red as cloud-berries!” - -Elsa shyly drew near her mother, as the latter greeted Jan, and, -courtesying to the stranger, assured him of a welcome at their home. - -Jan then jumped from the cart to help Herr Lönnrot, who was an old man. -He had a gentle face with kindly blue eyes, and his hair and beard -were gray. He was wrapped in a long traveling cloak, and walked with -a staff. As Fru Sveaborg led the way to the cottage door he coughed -slightly and drew his cloak closer about him. - -Within the living-room, the Fru hastened to set before them fresh milk -and bread, and then she and Jan gossiped a while over farm matters, -while the stranger, who seemed weary, went to rest in the little guest -chamber, which was always in readiness for travelers. - -In the afternoon, as Elsa sat by the fireplace spinning, Herr Lönnrot -came into the room, and seating himself on the bench, began to talk to -her. - -“Art very busy, little one?” he said; “canst thou not sing a song for -an old man? I trow yonder tiny kantele fits thy fingers as if fashioned -for them!” - -“Aye, sir,” answered Elsa shyly, “if thou really wishest, I will sing -the little charm-song I have just learned.” - -With this she took the kantele, and drawing a wooden stool beside the -bench began to sing. Though her voice rose somewhat timidly at first, -presently she lost herself in the music and poetry, and sang many of -the strange Finnish songs. - -As Herr Lönnrot listened to the little girl his eyes brightened and he -smiled with pleasure; and when, by and by, she ceased, he drew her to -his side and stroked her hair. - -He then questioned her carefully about the songs that she and her -father knew, and told her that he himself was even then traveling -through Finland for the express purpose of gathering together all the -songs of the peasant folk, though not so much for the music as for the -sake of the words, which he was most anxious to learn. He told her -further, how, for many years, the great scholars of Finland had been -certain that a great and wonderfully beautiful song-story, a story of -heroes and wizards and fairies, had become broken up and scattered -among the people, just as if some beautiful stained-glass window should -come to pieces, and the different fragments fall into the hands of many -different persons, and be scattered about so that no one could make -out the first picture unless all the pieces could be found and fitted -together again. - -Now the song-story, Herr Lönnrot said, was made up ages before; long -before people had paper or pens with which to write. So the story had -been handed down from parents to their children, who sang it from year -to year simply from memory; for people had wonderful memories in those -days. - -It had begun so very long ago, however, and the whole story was so -long, that the peasant folk had gradually forgotten parts of it; in -some families one part or rune, as the people called it, would be -handed down from generation to generation, and in others, some other -part. - -Now Herr Lönnrot was a physician of much learning, and aside from -his work of healing the sick, he had a great fondness for beautiful -stories. He had spent much time among the peasants especially to learn -such parts of the lost song-story as they might happen to know, and was -now devoting his old age to gathering up as many as possible of these -runes. - -And then, he told Elsa, he intended to fit them together and write them -down so that none should ever again be forgotten, and so that the -whole world might read this great Finnish story. - -“Ah,” said Herr Lönnrot, with kindling eyes, “every one who has love -for old Finland should help save this wonderful song, for ’twill be to -the glory of our nation, even as the songs of Homer have been to the -glory of the Greeks!” - -And in this Herr Lönnrot spoke what is perfectly true: for all wise -persons know that to add a beautiful poem or song or story to the -collection that every nation gradually makes up for itself, is rightly -considered a far more glorious thing than to discover a whole mountain -of gold and diamonds. And so the Herr wished greatly to find and -restore this beautiful scattered story to the poetic wealth of Finland -and of the world. - -He then went on to explain to Elsa that the scholars found these songs -to cluster about three ancient heroes, and of these, one, the mighty -wizard Wainamoinen, was the most powerful of all. - -Here Elsa, who had been listening attentively, smiled. - -“Yes,” she said, “I know many songs of Wainamoinen and the rest.” - -“Of that I am sure,” said Herr Lönnrot; “but there is one rune that -tells of the birth of the harp: how Wainamoinen fashioned the first -kantele from the bones of a magic fish, and how he sang with such -marvelous sweetness that all living things drew near to harken to him. -Of this rune I have heard many peasant-singers speak, but have sought -in vain for one who can teach me the whole of it. And I must find it -before I can complete the story!” - -Here Herr Lönnrot sighed, and dropping his head upon his breast seemed -lost in thought. Presently a fit of coughing seized him; and then he -continued: - -“Dost think, little one, that thy father knows aught of this rune?” - -[Illustration] - -Elsa thought very hard trying to recall the rune; she was obliged to -answer: - -“Nay, sir; in truth he hath taught me many runes about Wainamoinen and -the others, but I know not how the harp was born. But,” she added, -“my father will be home at supper-time; he is helping thatch neighbor -Friedvic’s new barn, and perhaps he can tell thee!” - -“Perhaps,” said Herr Lönnrot. “Thy neighbor Jan told me he thought thy -father knew something of this rune I seek.” - -Even as they talked, a whistle sounded without, and Elsa clapped her -hands joyously. - -“There is my father now!” and bounding to the door she flung it wide -open. As the peasant Sveaborg stepped within, seeing Herr Lönnrot, he -took off his cap and greeted him kindly, for strangers were always -welcome at the Sveaborg farm. - -When the Herr told him why he was journeying through the country, and -of the lost rune he was seeking, Elsa’s father grew much interested. - -“The birth of the harp! Ah, sir,” said he, “I know not the whole rune -myself, but I know of a peasant who does. I have heard him sing it, -and truly ’tis of marvelous beauty! But he is very aged, and odd, -sir”—here peasant Sveaborg tapped his forehead meaningly “and will -teach it to no one else. Even now, I have been told, he is very ill, -and like to die. I know not if thou canst learn aught from him, but if -thou wishest, I will take thee thither to-morrow.” And while they were -busy arranging the trip for the morrow, Fru Sveaborg came in, and with -Elsa’s help soon set out the evening meal. - -As they ate their bowls of _pimea_ or sour milk, which is the chief -part of every Finnish meal, Herr Lönnrot entertained them with -wonderful stories of his travels and news of the outside world, -till all were charmed; and Elsa, especially, thought him the most -delightful traveler their roof had ever sheltered. Her admiration for -him deepened as the evening wore on, for the Herr, though evidently in -feeble health and weary from his journey, yet talked so pleasantly that -all were sorry when by and by he bade them good night. - -The next morning at breakfast, Herr Lönnrot did not appear; but the -family did not think it strange, and supposing him still resting, did -not disturb him. Fru Sveaborg placed some breakfast for him in an -earthen dish, which she set in the oven to keep warm. Then she went -about her work. - -But as the morning passed on, and still he did not come from his -chamber, she became uneasy, and sent Elsa to tap upon his door. As -Elsa lightly knocked, the door swung open, for there are no locks in -Finland, and there lay Herr Lönnrot, motionless, on the floor of the -room! The aged physician had evidently arisen, and made himself ready -for the day, when, overcome by weakness, he had fallen in a swoon. - -Elsa, thoroughly frightened, ran to the living-room, crying out: - -“Mother! Mother! Herr Lönnrot is dying!” - -At this the Fru hastened in, and with Elsa’s help, raised the frail old -man and placed him on a bench; and while her mother did what she could -to make him comfortable, Elsa hurried to the fields to send her father -for the village doctor. - -As it was a long journey to the village it was almost nightfall before -the peasant Sveaborg reached home. - -Meantime Herr Lönnrot had passed from the swoon into a high fever, and -all day his mind had wandered, and he had talked strangely; sometimes -of his home and his journey, but more often of the lost rune of the -magic harp, which seemed to trouble him sorely. - -At last the doctor came, and after examining his patient, said that he -was suffering from the effects of a serious cold, and that he must be -kept quiet and well cared for. - -Then as Herr Lönnrot continued to toss and murmur, the doctor asked -Fru Sveaborg if she knew of aught that troubled him. As the Fru looked -perplexed, Elsa spoke. - -“The rune, mother! Hark! even now he is speaking of it!” - -And as they listened, the poor Herr, who had not the least notion of -what he was saying, exclaimed: - -“The harp! Ah, yes, I must go seek it! the magic harp”—and here he -broke off into low, unintelligible words. - -At this the doctor looked grave, and said that it was a pity that -anything seemed to be on the patient’s mind, as it might make the fever -harder to overcome. He then measured out some medicines, and took his -leave, after giving Fru Sveaborg directions for caring for the aged -patient. - -The next day, under the faithful nursing of Elsa’s mother, Herr Lönnrot -seemed better, though still very weak, and when the doctor again saw -him, he said that with continued good care he thought all would go -well, but that the Herr must not think of going on with his journey for -a week, at least. After this visit from the doctor, Elsa’s father, who -had been waiting at home in case he should be needed, told Fru Sveaborg -that he must go to finish the work he was doing at a neighboring farm, -and as it would take him a day or two, he would stop on the way and -send the Fru’s sister to help her care for the sick stranger. - -When her father was gone, and her mother busy about her work, Elsa drew -out her wheel, and as she sat alone spinning as hard as she could, she -yet found time to think of a great many things. She thought of the -lost rune of the birth of the harp, and of good Herr Lönnrot, lying on -his bed and chafing and worrying with every hour that his journey was -delayed. Then she thought of the peasant Ulricborg, and of what her -father had told of his reported illness. - -“Ah”, said she to herself, “what if he die before Herr Lönnrot can -travel thither! Then the rune may be lost forever, and dear Herr -Lönnrot can never, never finish the beautiful song-story!” The more she -thought about it, the more Elsa became convinced that something should -be done, and that without delay. - -She turned over in her mind a great many plans, and presently an idea -occurred to her that made her smile happily; and, jumping up, she ran -out to where Fru Sveaborg was arranging her milk-pans in the sun. - -“Mother,” said Elsa, “mother, I wish to go to the peasant Ulricborg!” - -“Why, child,” exclaimed her mother in amazement, “what dost thou wish -with the peasant Ulricborg?” - -“I wish to learn from him the lost rune, so that Herr Lönnrot can -finish the beautiful song-story! He may die before the Herr can see -him!” - -“But,” protested her mother, “thou canst not go alone, and thy father -is too busy to go with thee now.” - -“But, mother,” said Elsa, “’tis no such great journey; thou knowest I -went thither once with father in the sleigh two years ago, and truly it -seemed not far!” Elsa did not realize how swiftly a sleigh will speed -over many, many miles. “I shall meet carts on the way, and I can stop -at the Ringstrom farm to-night.” - -Now Fru Sveaborg was a simple soul who had never been far beyond her -own home, and as the child pleaded so earnestly to go, at last she -consented, although somewhat against her will. - -Elsa was overjoyed, and at once made her little preparations to start. -She got a small basket of birch bark and in it her mother placed some -black bread and cheese, a few herrings and a bottle of milk. Then -putting on her thick woolen cloak and hood, and taking her kantele in -one hand and the basket in the other, off she started. - -Fru Sveaborg bade her good by. “Be careful, child!” she said; “keep to -the highroad, and be sure to stay to-night at the Ringstrom farm!” - -“Good by, mother!” Elsa called back, “and do not fear for me; I know -the way!” - -With this she tripped down the lane of birch trees and turned into the -road to the east. By and by she was overtaken by a little Finland pony -trundling along a two-wheeled cart. As the driver of the cart happened -to be a young boy she knew, she was glad to climb in beside him. -They rode thus for a number of miles till they reached a cross-road -where Elsa’s friend told her he must turn off; so she jumped out, and -thanking him for her ride, bade him good by and trudged on along the -highway. - -Presently she began to feel hungry, for it was long past noon, and -looking about, she saw a pretty tuft of green moss under a tall birch -tree; and sitting down, she opened her basket and ate some of the -contents. She thought she would rest a little while before going on, so -she wrapped her cloak close about her and leaned back against the birch -tree,—till—by and by—her eyes began to blink and blink, and before -she knew it the little girl was sound asleep. - -She did not know how long she slept, but at length, just in the midst -of a beautiful dream about magic fishes and harps and wizards, she gave -a shiver and waked up. - -She rubbed her eyes for a minute, and involuntarily drew her cloak -closer, for it had grown chilly. - -At first, as Elsa gazed around, she thought she must still be asleep -and dreaming of cloudland! But presently she realized that she was not -in the clouds, but in the midst of a dense fog, such as often comes -up in Finland without warning, and covers up the fields and woods as -completely as any cloud might do. - -Now, being a Finnish child, Elsa’s first thought was of the hobgoblins -and prankish fairies of the fog who, as every Finlander knows, float -about in their mantles of mist seeking to do mischief to unwary -travelers. - -So Elsa at once began to sing in a high, clear voice a little -charm-song; not the one she had sung in the farm house to Herr Lönnrot, -but a song intended especially to ward off the wicked fairies of the -fog. It began like this: - - Fogs of Finland, - Floating inland, - From the fairy-haunted sea, - Have a care now, - See ye bear now - No unfriendly folk to me! - -As Elsa sang she cautiously stepped along, she knew not where; till, -faintly through the thick shrouding mist, there came the soft tinkle, -tinkle of a little bell. Listening, she knew at once that it must be -fastened to the collar of some cow, for such bells in Finland are very -sweet-toned and clear. - -Sure enough, in a little while she heard the trampling of hoofs, and -the whole herd, drawn by the sound of her voice, was thronging about -her. - -But Elsa was used to the herds on her father’s farm, and was really -glad to feel the warm breath of the gentle little Finnish cows. As the -leader came close to her she put up her hand and patted its nose; then -slipping her fingers through the narrow leathern strap from which the -bell hung, she walked along beside the cow. - -This proved to be the very best thing she could have done; for the herd -was going home, and the cows seemed to know their way instinctively, -even in spite of the white fog. - -They walked thus a long way, till after a while the fog began to lift -somewhat; and though it was growing dusk Elsa could distinguish the -outline of a comfortable-looking farmhouse. It was not the Ringstrom -farm, where she had expected to pass the night, but a strange place -that she had never before seen. The usual lane of birch trees led up to -the house, and behind it was a long, low barn, whither the cows seemed -to be directing their way. - -As she walked along beside them she was thinking of what she had best -do, and she found herself very much perplexed. In truth she had set -out upon a very difficult errand for a little girl, and had good Fru -Sveaborg had the least idea of the distance or possible dangers of the -journey she never would have given her consent; while had Elsa’s father -been at home,—but then it is useless thinking things might have been -managed differently. Meanwhile there was Elsa trudging along in the -midst of the herd, wondering much who were the dwellers at the farm, -and, on the whole, not a little frightened. - -By this time she had a pretty definite idea that she had started on a -rather reckless undertaking, and she fancied that perhaps the people at -the farm might think so too, and would not allow her to go farther; and -as she was determined at any risk to reach the peasant Ulricborg and -save the rune, she decided at last that she would not go to the house. - -So she kept with the herd, and when the cows reached the door of -the great barn, she slipped in between them, unseen in the fog and -gathering dusk; for though the sun would not quite disappear, it hung -low and dim on the horizon and shed but faint light through the misty -air. Within, the barn was arranged much like the one at her home, -though on a far larger scale. In one corner was a large pile of soft -sweet-smelling hay, and going to this Elsa set down her basket and -kantele, and curled herself up for the night. - -As she looked about through half-shut, sleepy eyes, she saw in the -center of the wide earthen floor a stone fireplace, and there -over some blazing fagots stood a great iron kettle; beside it two -ruddy-faced girls were hard at work stirring the long marsh grass that -was boiling for the cows’ supper. Elsa would have very much liked to -make herself known to these girls, for she was used to doing things -openly and did not at all enjoy hiding there in the corner; but then -she thought of the precious rune and the possibility that they might -stop her journey, and so she remained quiet. As she nestled down in the -soft, warm hay, however, she thought to herself that they could not -possibly mind having a little girl sleep in it for just one night, and -so reasoning she kept on drowsily watching the movements of the two -girls. - -After a while they dipped out the soft food and fed the cows; and then, -when they had milked them, one of the girls poured out a bowlful of new -milk and set it beside the stone hearth, and then they both went off -singing toward the house. - -Now Elsa knew, as every little Finnish farm girl knows, that the fresh -milk was set there for the fairies; for should any roving band of elfin -people chance to wander thither, they might be vexed and do mischief -if they did not find a fresh, sweet draft awaiting them. So Elsa felt -quite safe, sure that the fairies would not trouble her; and, by and -by, lulled by the soft breathing of the cows, she fell asleep. - -Very early in the morning she awoke, and though at first much -bewildered, she soon remembered everything, and determined to slip away -before any one should find her. - -So fastening her cloak and taking her little belongings, she again set -forth. As she stepped out in the early morning light, a white frost -glittered over the fields; and as she gazed around seeking the road, -she saw a faintly-marked path that seemed to lead to the highway. She -made a little breakfast from the things she found in her basket, and -then walked on; but the path, instead of leading to the highroad, -took her farther and farther from it, for she did not know that the -farm whither the cows had led her was a long distance from the way she -wished to follow. - -Indeed Elsa was lost; and as she went on the country grew wilder and -more rugged. Before she knew it the path had disappeared altogether and -she could find no trace of it; and as far as she could see, there was -no living being near. - -All the while she was becoming more and more frightened, yet still -bravely she went on, vainly seeking the road. Before long she came to a -dense wood of firs, and thinking that perhaps the way lay just beyond, -she slowly entered the forest, stepping timidly between the dark -resinous trees. Once or twice she trembled as a fox crossed her path, -but, by and by, as she looked ahead, her heart fairly stood still with -terror. For there in the distance, where a great ledge of rocks cropped -out of the ground, she saw a large brown something; and the more she -looked the more certain she felt that it was a bear. - -And true enough, it was a bear, “honey-paw,” as Elsa would have said, -for so the Finlanders call the brown bear, because of his great liking -for wild honey. Now, as it happened, this particular honey-paw was for -the time so intent upon his own affairs that at first he did not see -Elsa. He was walking carefully round and round the great mass of rock, -hunting a good spot where he might curl up, bear fashion, and sleep -through the coming winter. He had been looking at these rocks for many -days, as is the custom of bears, trying to decide which of the little -caves they offered would suit him best for his long sleep; and he was -still perplexed about it when he happened to look in Elsa’s direction. - -The little girl was standing still, frozen with terror, when he saw -her. Perhaps he would not have noticed her had it not been for the red -hood she wore, which, of course, could be seen for a long distance. -When honey-paw realized, however, that some one was looking at him, -he was greatly displeased; for when bears are selecting their winter -hiding places they like to keep the matter as secret as possible. So -with a little growl of resentment he started toward her. At this Elsa -uttered a scream and, dropping her basket, took to her heels, running -as fast as she could, she knew not whither. The bear followed, at an -awkward pace, but when he came up and sniffed at her basket she was -already far in the distance. - -As good fortune would have it, in her wild flight Elsa had come to the -edge of one of the great bogs that cover so large a part of Finland, -and her light steps had taken her some distance over its uncertain -surface. On she went, springing lightly from tussock to tussock of the -coarse grass, till at last she reached a little space of firmer ground, -and sank down, exhausted, upon the fallen trunk of a willow tree. - -Meantime honey-paw also had come to the edge of the bog, but after -a few cautious steps had found himself too heavy to gain a foothold -on the soft ground, so with another sniff or two he turned about and -trotted off. - -When Elsa saw him going away, she was so worn out with fright, and so -very tired, that she did just what any other little girl would have -done: she began to cry, and cried and cried as if her heart would -break. She sat there sobbing a long time, and was quite sure she would -have to stay in that little spot the rest of her life, till the wicked -bog witches found her or the bears ate her up; for she did not think -she could ever venture on alone. - -Indeed she cried so hard that she did not notice that she was quite -near the bank of a good-sized river that flowed to the east, nor did -she know that after a while a large flat-boat drifted in sight. It was -laden with a great number of bark-bound barrels, and on the deck a man -stood guiding the boat with a long pole. As it floated slowly along, -the boatman saw Elsa, and called out in surprise. - -“Ho, little one! what dost thou in yonder bog? Art lost?” When Elsa -heard him, she quickly looked up, and begged piteously that he take her -away from that dangerous spot! - -“That will I do right gladly,” said he; and directing her how to reach -the bank in safety, he guided his boat to land and then helped Elsa -aboard. - -He gave her a little box on which to sit, and told her that the heavy -barrels arranged in rows in the boat were filled with turpentine which -he was floating down the river from the pine woods farther inland. Then -looking curiously at Elsa, who sat there still tightly holding her -little kantele, which she had unconsciously kept through her flight -from honey-paw, he said: - -“But who art thou, little one?” - -The man had a good face and a kindly manner that quite reassured -Elsa, who, now that her fear of the bear was relieved, had begun to -wonder who her companion might be. When she told him her name, “Ah,” he -exclaimed, “I know thy father well! But whither art thou going all by -thyself?” - -When Elsa told him of her journey to the peasant Ulricborg, he looked -astonished, but told her to have no fear, as he would see her safely to -the Ulricborg home, which was down the very river on which they were -floating, and at no great distance from the bank. - -As the boat glided along Elsa’s new friend beguiled the time by telling -her of the great pine forests whence he had come, and explaining how -the pitch and turpentine were harvested. After a while when he asked -if she would sing him a little song, she gladly assented; and striking -the strings of her little harp, she sang a Finnish boat-song, her voice -ringing out clear and sweet on the frosty air, through which some big -snowflakes were beginning to fall. She had scarcely finished her song -when she noticed that they were no longer in the center of the stream, -but that the boatman was deftly turning his craft sidewise and guiding -it toward the bank. - -In a few minutes he had made it fast to a stout oak tree that grew -near the water’s edge, and then helping Elsa out, he took her hand and -led her up a narrow path between tall grasses and yellowing willows; -then turning into a lane they came toward a small weather-beaten house -standing in the midst of a little group of fir trees. The door stood -open, and a short distance from the house they spied a bent old woman -gathering pine cones in the forest close by. She had her apron filled, -and presently, turning around and seeing her visitors, she straightened -herself as best she could and came toward them with greetings. As she -drew near, Elsa saw that her face was withered and wrinkled, and her -hands brown with toil. - -“Good morrow, Dame Ulricborg!” said the boatman, “and how fares thy -goodman to-day?” - -“Ah,” answered the dame, “he is very weak and grows more feeble every -day. This twelve-month past he hath scarce left his bed, and ’tis weary -work for an old woman to keep the kettle boiling and the thatch mended -over our heads.” - -“True,” said the boatman, sympathetically, “thou hast done well, Dame -Ulricborg!” Then looking down at Elsa, he added: “Here is a little girl -come to see thee.” - -The old dame looked curiously at Elsa; then, as the latter held up her -little skirt and asked the dame if she might not help carry the cones, -she grew more kindly and led the way to the house. But the boatman, -seeing Elsa thus safe at her journey’s end, bade them good by and -hastened back to his boat. - -Now, Dame Ulricborg very much wondered what the little girl could -possibly wish with her; but as it is considered unkind to question a -guest as to his coming, she said nothing, but waited for Elsa to make -known her errand. - -[Illustration] - -As they drew near the door of the house, Elsa hastened to explain to -her how she had come, and how she hoped to learn the rune from the lips -of the aged peasant Ulricborg. At this the old woman, who had listened -attentively, shook her head. - -“Ah, little one,” said she, “thou little knowest how feeble he hath -grown! He hath strange fancies, too, and I doubt if he will wish to let -thee learn it. He hath never been willing to teach it to any one. But,” -she added, “thou canst at least ask, if thou wishest.” - -By this time they had reached the threshold of Dame Ulricborg’s home, -and stepped within. The house was bare, but not uncomfortable; some -rings of flat-bread hung from the ceiling; there was a spinning-wheel, -two or three benches, and, on the wall over the fireplace, a kantele. - -The dame told Elsa to draw one of the benches near the fire and warm -herself, while she went into the next room to see how her sick husband -fared, as she had been obliged to leave him all alone when she went to -gather the cones. - -By and by the dame came back, and shaking her head sadly, said to Elsa: - -“Nay, to-day ’tis useless; his thoughts are wandering and he will -notice nothing. ’Tis often so when he grows overweary. But thou must -bide the night with us, and it may be in the morning he will be better.” - -So Elsa helped Dame Ulricborg build up the fire till it blazed brightly -with the crackling resinous cones, and then as the afternoon waned, she -made herself useful in many little ways as they set out their simple -evening meal. - -Elsa thought no _pimea_ and black bread had ever tasted quite so good, -for she was very hungry after her long day, and Dame Ulricborg smiled -at her enjoyment. Indeed by the time Elsa crept into the queer little -cupboard bed that the dame spread for her, she had so won the latter’s -heart that she bent over and kissed the little girl with a pathetic -tenderness; for it had been a long, long time since poor old Dame -Ulricborg had had any young life about her. Her own little girl had -slept in the village churchyard for many years. - -The next morning, after they had breakfasted together, the dame told -Elsa that she might see peasant Ulricborg, who seemed somewhat brighter -with the new day. So taking Elsa by the hand she led her into the room -where lay the sick peasant. - -He looked very old and feeble; his hair was white as snow, and his thin -cheeks drawn into innumerable wrinkles. Elsa went timidly over and -stood by his bedside, and in a low quivering voice she made known her -request. She told him of Herr Lönnrot’s labors to save the beautiful -song-story of Wainamoinen, and of his great desire to learn the lost -rune that peasant Ulricborg alone knew; how he wished to write it down, -so that it might never again be forgotten and that all the world might -enjoy its beauty. - -As she spoke, the old man looked at her with dim blue eyes, and seemed -to listen as one in a dream. When she ceased, he appeared for a moment -lost in thought; then he said slowly and dreamily: - -“Yes, thou shalt learn it, Aino; thou shalt hear of the birth of the -harp, of the magic fish and of the mighty hero Wainamoinen, little -Aino.” - -“’Tis our own little maid, Aino, that we lost so long ago!” whispered -the old dame to Elsa, as the tears streamed down her face; “thou art so -like her!” - -But she hushed her whisper, as suddenly the old peasant began to sing -in a weak, quavering voice that seemed to grow stronger as he sang, -the beautiful lines telling how the ancient Wainamoinen fashioned the -first harp, and how he sang till all the birds forsook their nests, the -fishes their deep sea homes, and all the creatures of the woods, nay, -the very trees themselves, trooped forth from the forests that they -might listen to his enchanting music. - -As Elsa heard, the tears came into her own eyes, for she was a poetic -little soul and quickly touched by anything beautiful. When the peasant -Ulricborg had almost finished the rune, he suddenly broke off and lay -back on his pillow exhausted. He lay for so long a while with closed -eyes, that both the dame and Elsa grew frightened; but presently -he again looked at them, his vision becoming brighter; in a little -while all seemed to grow clear to him. He gazed kindly at Elsa, for -something about the little girl seemed strangely to soften the old man. -He noticed her little kantele, and it seemed to interest him, as he -motioned her to lay it beside him. He looked at it a while, and tried -once or twice to touch its strings to music, but his strength failed -him. - -Presently, he said feebly: - -“Ah, I thought thou wert Aino come back for me!—but never mind—the -rune thou wishest, I can not show thee its music now,”—here he looked -sadly at his stiffened fingers, “but the rune itself, yes, thou shalt -have it, little one!” Then he added slowly, as he gazed dreamily into -Elsa’s shining eyes: - -“For thou, too, wilt love it truly!” - -Here, as he paused a while, Dame Ulricborg could scarcely hide her -amazement, knowing how often before he had wilfully refused the same -request from others. Indeed, the peasant Ulricborg had all his life -loved poetry with a singular passion; and this particular rune, which -had come down in his family, he seemed to set apart as something almost -sacred; he treasured its verses as misers hoard gold pieces. Whether he -thought it too beautiful to be made overcommon, or for what reason, no -one knew; that was his oddity. So, while he sang it sometimes to those -he considered worthy, he would teach it to none. - -And now at last, as he promised it to Elsa, Dame Ulricborg thought -sadly that the promise came too late; for how could he teach it to the -little girl, when every breath was such weary effort? And she knew he -was unable to write readily even if he had the strength. - -But having rested a little, he motioned her to bend down, and then he -whispered something to her. She listened with a look of surprise, and -then hastened into the living room, and opening a little cupboard, -searched, till in the farthest corner she found a small box, and this -she brought to the bedside. As she opened it, out fluttered some thin -old sheets of paper, closely written over and yellow with age. - -The old man’s eyes kindled as he saw these, and as he marked the utter -surprise of his wife. - -“Ah, dear heart,” he said, “thou didst not know—the priest wrote down -the words for me—long ago—I loved it—and wished to keep it—and I -hid it away”—but here the dying peasant, too exhausted for further -speech, paused, and then, turning to Elsa the blue eyes from which the -light was swiftly fading, murmured to her: - -“Take it, little one; ’tis the rune—do with it as thou wilt.” - -Elsa was so overcome that she fell to crying bitterly, and neither she -nor Dame Ulricborg noticed the sound of sleighbells, for the ground -was covered with a light snow. In a few minutes, however, the cottage -door opened, and in came Elsa’s father, all anxiety for the safety of -his little girl. When Elsa, hearing him, came into the living room, he -caught her in his arms and kissed her passionately, for he had been -greatly alarmed on learning of her journey, and had set off in hot -haste to find her. - -Herr Lönnrot, too, who had grown much better, had insisted on coming -with him, and was even then slowly walking toward the cottage door, -for he was still feeble from his illness. He, too, was delighted to -find Elsa safely cared for; but both he and Elsa’s father hushed their -voices when she told them of the peasant Ulricborg. They stepped -softly into the other room, and Herr Lönnrot’s practised eye, for -you remember he was a physician, at once saw that his skill could do -nothing to help the old man. As the Herr gently smoothed the coverlid -the sick peasant gave a faint smile to the faithful old wife who still -bent over him, and then, as Elsa stood reverently holding the yellow -papers between her little palms, he turned to her a long lingering look -that seemed to say: - -“Farewell, little one! and farewell to the beloved song, that I have -cherished so jealously all these years. I must leave thee now, but I -leave thee in loving hands—farewell.” And then peacefully, as the wife -laid her withered cheek close to his, his spirit passed away to find -their little Aino. - -Afterward, when Elsa gave to Herr Lönnrot the precious papers on which -the rune was written, at first he looked at them in amazement; but his -heart filled with delight when he learned what the papers contained. He -drew Elsa to him, and kissing her forehead declared that she had not -only pleased him beyond measure, but had done honor to old Finland in -helping complete the immortal poem he was striving to save. - -When, some weeks later, Herr Lönnrot went away, after providing for -the comfort of Dame Ulricborg, he journeyed back to Helsingfors, the -capital city of Finland; and told the scholars who were studying the -poetry of the land how the little girl had been the means of bringing -to light one of the most beautiful of the runes. Then the scholars -had a little silver medal made which they sent to Elsa, and which she -took great pride in keeping through all her life; and no doubt her -great-grandchildren still keep it to this day. - -As for Herr Lönnrot, he lived to put together the runes he had -collected, and when he had finished he called the poem “Kalevala,” -which in our language means “Land of Heroes,” because it tells the -wonderful story of the heroes of that ancient land. - -And some day, perhaps, you will read this “Kalevala,” for it is one of -the noblest and most beautiful poems in all the world. And then when -you come to the rune which tells of the birth of the harp, you too will -be glad that the little Finnish girl was the means of saving it from -being lost forever. - - - - - COUNT HUGO’S SWORD - - HOW THE PEASANT BOY GEOFFREY BY HIS - BRAVERY AND DEVOTION PREVENTED - A DUEL OF GREAT NOBLES AND - BECAME PAGE TO THE - GOOD KING LOUIS - - -“Tee dee, deedle de de!” shrieked the cockatoo, from his perch high up -in the gabled window of the old inn. “Tee de!” He was a pink and white -cockatoo, with a beautiful tuft on top of his head; one of his legs was -chained to a carved wooden perch that projected from the window-sill, -while with his free claw he carefully balanced a large silver spoon, of -antique pattern, from the contents of which he was very deliberately -dining. For he was no common bird. Monsieur Jean the landlord of -this “Guillaume-le-Conquérant” inn, of the ancient town of Dives, -being something of a bird fancier, had but lately bought him, and for -fear he might fly away, was thus keeping him chained to the window of -monsieur’s own apartment until he should grow used to his new home. As -he now slowly picked from his spoon the last morsel, and swallowed it -with a great ruffling of feathers all the way down his throat, again he -shrilled out in a high-pitched mimicking tone, “Tee deedle!” and this -time a little boy looked up quickly from the courtyard below. - -The boy was seated on a bench under a plane-tree, and held in his hands -a sheet of yellow parchment on which was written a musical score, whose -large black notes he was trying to hum over. - -“Fie, Cockie!” he cried, as he looked up, “dost thou not know ’tis a -wicked sin to mock me when I am learning the holy mass music?” - -But Cockie only screwed his head to one side, shook his empty spoon, -and peered down with an impudent stare, as with a sigh the little boy -once more applied himself to his task. In a few moments, however, he -was again interrupted, this time by a call from beyond the kitchen: - -“Geoffrey! Geoffrey! come hither and help catch this fowl for the Count -Hugo’s soup to-morrow!” - -After a hot chase, Geoffrey succeeded in catching the fat hen and -handing her over to the white-capped cook of the inn kitchen, and then -he once more sat down and took up his parchment; for though a serving -boy through the week, on Sunday he took his place with the little -choristers of the Dives cathedral, and Father Anselm had allowed him to -take the score home with him, so that he might practise in his leisure -moments. - -But as he now tried to go over the black notes, there was a mournful -cadence to every tone, for Geoffrey was very unhappy. Usually he was -gay as a bird, and indeed sang very like one; but to-day he had a -weight on his mind, as he sat there in the courtyard of the quaint old -inn. - -It was long, long ago that Geoffrey lived—nearly six hundred years. -The inn in which he served had been built in the Norman town of Dives -nearly three centuries earlier by the great Duke of Normandy, William -the Conqueror, whose name, which in French (for Normandy is a part of -France) is Guillaume-le-Conquérant, the inn still bore in Geoffrey’s -time as it bears to this day. The Duke William had built the house -because he wished to have some safe and pleasant stopping place during -the time he was overseeing the finishing and freighting of the fleet of -boats which lay near by in the river Dives, and in which he meant to -sail to the conquest of England. - -And so, with such illustrious beginning, the inn had become very -famous among the nobles of Normandy, and grown larger and larger, till, -in the days when Geoffrey lived, it was a very beautiful place indeed. -The courtyard, which one entered through an arched gateway covered with -guelder roses, was surrounded by ancient wooden buildings; their dark -mossy beams were put together with white plaster, and their innumerable -picturesque peaks and gables and wooden galleries and winding stairways -were richly overhung with masses of the most lovely vines; for roses, -wistarias, clematis, and jasmines clambered everywhere. There were two -gardens also; one for the kitchen, the other full of lilies and clove -pinks and French daisies, and numberless sweet old-fashioned flowers; -for Monsieur Jean, the innkeeper, had much taste and loved both flowers -and birds. Indeed, besides several cockatoos, he always kept dozens of -peacocks that trailed about the courtyard squawking and spreading their -gorgeous tails every time a new guest entered the gateway. There were -fine pigeons, too, and rabbits and chickens, and no end of interesting -things. - -Geoffrey thought it a charming place to live, and he did not in the -least mind the work he had to do; for all were kind to him, and -moreover, he was happy in being able to give some of his earnings to -his family at home, who were very poor. His father was a peasant living -on the estate of the young Count Boni, of Château Beauvais, and had it -not been for the kind-heartedness of this count, the poor peasant would -have had hard shift to keep his little children in bread; for in those -days the country had been so wasted by wars that the peasant folk had -almost nothing left on which to live. But the Count Boni had always -been most generous and considerate to the people on his estate, and -especially to Geoffrey’s father, who was honest, and intelligent above -his class. The count it was who had secured for Geoffrey the place at -the inn, and it was he also who had spoken to the monks of Dives of -the boy’s sweet voice, so that the good Fathers had become interested, -and were taking much pains in teaching him music. - -And now we come to the reason that Geoffrey was so unhappy as he sat -under the plane-tree, vainly trying to practise his lesson; for he was -thinking all the while of a deadly peril that threatened this good -Count Boni, to whom he was deeply grateful for so many things, and whom -he truly loved next to his own father. - -His knowledge of the count’s danger had come about in this way. It had -happened that, the day before, Geoffrey had been sent to the Château -Beauvais, which was not far distant from Dives, to carry some rabbits -which Monsieur Jean had promised to Isabeau, the little daughter of -the count. When Geoffrey reached the château and inquired for the -little Lady Isabeau, he had been sent into the garden, and there he -found her crying as if her heart would break! Now this grieved Geoffrey -very much indeed; as he quite worshiped the gracious little girl who -used often to visit their cottage when he lived at home, and who had -sometimes gaily carried him back with her for a day’s happy romp in the -beautiful château grounds. - -When he asked her the reason of her tears, she had told him between her -sobs: - -“O, Geoffrey! my dear father, the count, is to fight a dreadful duel -with the wicked Count Hugo, who will surely kill him with his evil -sword! I heard nurse Marie talking with the gardener, and they say he -will surely kill him! Oh! Oh! Oh!” and here poor little Isabeau fairly -shook with the violence of her sobbing. - -Geoffrey tried as best he could to comfort her, but to no avail; she -could not be induced even to look at the rabbits she had so much -wanted; so at last he was obliged to set them down quietly, and -sorrowfully take his leave, though not until he had questioned some -of the château pages for more particulars of that which the little -girl had told him. He thus learned that Count Boni had indeed been -challenged to a duel by the old Count Hugo, who lived in a castle -beyond the city of Meaux. - -Now in those days, when people got into disputes about things, even -a bit of property, instead of settling the matter in courts of law -as we do, it was quite customary to fight a “judicial duel,” as it -was called; that is, the two men disputing appointed a meeting-place -where they tried to wound each other, generally with swords, and the -one who succeeded in disabling, or as sometimes happened, killing his -adversary, was adjudged the better man and the winner of his case. -This was certainly a strange and cruel way of doing, but six hundred -years ago people did many strange and cruel things. Had young Count -Boni merely engaged to fight an ordinary duel, that would have been bad -enough, though it would not perhaps have been a matter of such concern; -for the count was brave and a good swordsman,—and, ah, well! one must -expect a duel now and then. - -But that which caused Isabeau, and Geoffrey, too, when he learned of -it, such grief, was that her father was to fight the Count Hugo; for -this nobleman was known to be most wicked and unscrupulous. It was his -custom to pick an unjust quarrel with some noble whose lands he coveted -and falsely claimed; then he would challenge his victim to a “judicial -duel,” which always resulted in the noble being slain, and his estates -being seized by Hugo. For no one had ever been able to stand against -the wicked count, who fought not merely to wound, but to kill, and who -had the reputation of being the most skilful and merciless swordsman -in all France. Indeed, his cruel sword had slain so many noble lords -that people declared it was bewitched; that Count Hugo, who had been -a crusader, had obtained it from the heathen Saracens, who had forged -it under some evil spell. They insisted the more on the unholy power -of this sword, as Count Hugo himself seemed to regard it with great -superstition and always preferred it to any other weapon; though, -indeed, many people even went further in their talk, and asserted also -that the count had got his unhallowed skill from some heathen wizard, -and that any sword would, in his hands, be certain to deal a fatal -thrust. - -And so it was that when he chose a victim for one of his duels, it was -considered equal to a death warrant; though he always took care to make -the nobles he challenged so angry that they would not listen to reason, -and would fight him regardless of the fate of all who had crossed -swords with him before. This, too, it was whispered, was a part of his -sorcery—though perhaps really it was because the high-spirited Norman -noblemen were no cowards, and would let no one assail their honor or -seize their property if they could possibly help it. - -The more Geoffrey thought of these things, and of the many kindnesses -of Count Boni, and then as he saw in memory the sweet, tear-stained -face of little Isabeau, his singing became more and more melancholy, -till at last he stopped altogether, and gave himself up to thinking. He -knew from the inn servants that the Count Hugo was expected there the -next day, and that the duel was fixed for the following morning just -outside the walls of Dives. - -“Oh,” he thought, “if it only, only could in some way be prevented!” -Now Count Boni himself would have been very indignant had he known that -anybody was thinking it should be prevented; for, just as Count Hugo -had desired, he was very angry with his adversary, and had no wish to -avoid the encounter. But that could not prevent Geoffrey from wishing -it might be avoided for him. - -Indeed, Geoffrey had learned many things. He had a quick intelligence, -and was very observant, and many travelers came to the inn; so he was -by no means so ignorant of affairs as many little boys of his age. He -had heard it said that the Norman nobles had long sought in vain for -some pretext to rid themselves of the wicked Hugo, who was a rich and -powerful lord and seemed to lead a life charmed against all attack, for -he had been many times openly assailed. As to his shameless dueling, -since that was then within bounds of the law, they could do nothing. So -how, thought Geoffrey sadly, how could he, a poor little peasant boy, -hope to do anything where the great nobles seemed powerless! - -But, by and by, he was aroused from his reverie by Monsieur Jean, who -wished his help in the many preparations demanded of the inn folk by -the important guest of the morrow, this hateful Hugo who was coming -to kill his dear Count Boni! Ugh! had it not been bad enough to have -to catch the chicken for his soup? How he wished it might strangle -him! And how poor Geoffrey hated himself now because he was compelled -to assist in this and that arrangement for the entertainment of the -murderous nobleman and his many followers. How he wished they were all -at the bottom of the Red Sea! - -But at last, after much labor, that disagreeable day wore to an end -for the little boy, though when he went to bed and tried to forget -his troubles, he dreamed all night of poor little Isabeau, and seemed -to hear her piteous sobs and to see the hot tears streaming down her -pretty pink cheeks. - -Early the next morning the inn was astir, and busy with more -preparations for the expected guests. And, sure enough, just before -midday, in through the rose-covered gateway galloped four outriders, -wearing the crimson livery of Count Hugo, and insolently jingling their -bridle reins and clanking their great gilded spurs. - -Shortly after their arrival the coach itself dashed into the middle of -the courtyard with a great clatter of hoofs and wheels, followed by a -long train of mounted and liveried servants, and lackeys, and pages, -and men-at-arms; for traveling in those days was none too safe without -a guard of spearmen and lancers. The coach was painted a bright yellow -and richly gilded; on the panels of its doors the count’s crest and -coat of arms were blazoned in blue and crimson; and no sooner had its -wheels stopped than the lackeys jumped from their horses and, running -to its side, flung open the doors, which they respectfully held back as -still others assisted the nobleman to alight. - -Count Hugo was a heavily-built man of middle age, with cold, cruel -eyes, and mustachios of grisly gray; he was richly dressed in a green -velvet suit with crimson satin facings and ruffles of the finest lace; -his shoe buckles sparkled with diamonds. Geoffrey, who from a quiet -corner was watching everything, involuntarily clenched his fists as he -saw the evil-omened sword, encased in an elaborately-wrought scabbard, -poking hatefully out from under the tail of the count’s beautiful -velvet coat. - -As Hugo, followed by his retinue, crossed the courtyard, there was a -great bowing and scraping from Monsieur Jean and all the inn servants; -the peacocks spread their gorgeous tails and screamed at the tops of -their voices; the pigeons puffed and pouted and strutted about; the -cockatoo shrieked loudly and flourished his silver spoon; and the -rabbits ran away with their ears flat to their heads with fright, and -hid under the cabbage leaves in the garden until the commotion of the -count’s arrival had somewhat subsided. - -But at last the great man had been ushered into his rooms, where he had -breakfasted on the most elaborate products of the cooks’ skill; while -on the spits in the great inn kitchen huge haunches of venison and -beef were turning and browning in front of the blazing fire, and the -white-capped and aproned scullions were running about with big ladles -and spoons in their hands making ready the dinner for the large company -of guests. - -Geoffrey had, at their bidding, done many errands, and last of all had -brought up from the garden a great basket of vegetables. He had wished, -as he tragically jerked them out of the ground and brandished them in -the air, that each separate carrot, leek and radish might stick in -Count Hugo’s wicked throat, and stay there forever! Now at length tired -out, he sat down to rest on his bench under the plane-tree. - -As he sat there, presently through the arched gateway there entered -a man dressed in a frayed waistcoat of ragged satin, knee breeches -of blue plush much the worse for wear, and leather leggings from -which half the buckles were gone. Slung around his neck by a gay -green ribbon hung a viol, and in one hand he grasped a slender little -chain that held in leash a small monkey wearing a tiny red cap. This -motley figure was one of the strolling jongleurs, half juggler, -half troubadour, who flourished at that time in all parts of France, -and managed to eke out a living from the pranks of their monkeys and -the practice of the “gay science,” as it was called; that is, by the -singing of songs which they themselves usually made up and set to music. - -As this particular jongleur entered the courtyard, he spied Geoffrey, -and strolling over to the bench amiably seated himself beside the boy -with a friendly “Good morrow, my lad!” - -“Good morrow, sir,” answered Geoffrey, rather absently. - -The jongleur then caught sight of the coach drawn up by the inn wall. - -“Ah,” he said, “small wonder none came forth to welcome us. Other -guests are ahead of me, I perceive.” And, as the monkey climbed upon -his knee, he added: “Had thou and I fared hither in yonder yellow cart, -Pippo, we should have had the whole inn at our feet. And monsieur, the -landlord, would have been down on his knees humbly beseeching to know -when my Lord Pippo would be pleased to dine! Hey! Pippo! is’t not true?” - -But Pippo, paying no attention to him, began mischievously to finger -the strings of the viol with his little brown claws, and the jongleur, -with a gay laugh, turning to Geoffrey, inquired: - -“To whom does yonder gaud belong?” - -“It is the coach of Count Hugo,” said Geoffrey; “he came to-day, and -is to fight a duel with Count Boni, of Château Beauvias, to-morrow -morning.” - -“So!” said the jongleur with a short whistle; “well, then, their -countships had better let no grass grow under their noble feet, for the -king hath but just issued an edict forbidding all such dueling from now -on, henceforth and forever.” - -“What, sir?” said Geoffrey, suddenly rousing up excitedly; “what is -that thou sayest?” - -“Well, well, little man! thou seemest to take this matter somewhat to -heart! I was merely mentioning the new edict of our blessed King Louis -Ninth, God save his soul, which forbids dueling! It seems our sovereign -lord hath grown weary of the foolish practice whereby he hath lost so -many noble subjects, and moreover, being a wise monarch, hath become -convinced that all disputes should be settled in the courts of law, -which he hath been studying much since his return from Constantinople, -where the law is held in high esteem—in short, he will have no more -‘judicial duels’; and yesterday when I and Pippo were in Rouen, we -heard the king’s heralds as they solemnly proclaimed the new edict to -the people.” - -“Oh!” exclaimed Geoffrey delightedly, “thank the blessed saints, then, -the duel can not be fought to-morrow!” - -“Hold, hold,” said the jongleur, “not so fast, my lad—” - -“Nay,” cried Geoffrey, “but how dare they when the king forbids?” and, -dragging the jongleur up by the hand, he added: “Come with me now and -we will seek the wicked Count Hugo, and tell him the news! Come!” - -“Nay, nay,” the jongleur replied, “not I!” - -“Why, is it not true?” demanded Geoffrey. - -“True as gospel,” said the jongleur, “but thou art but a child; dost -thou fancy two noble lords, bent on the sword play, would for one -moment be stayed by the word of a poor strolling jongleur? Nay, I -should but receive a drubbing for my pains if I sought to inform that -cruel Hugo. I prefer, thank you, to keep my bones whole; especially -as I could do no good. Moreover, let them spit each other, if they so -desire! I do not care, youngster, how many duels they fight!” - -But when he looked down and saw the grief in Geoffrey’s eyes, he -softened, and added: “But since thou seemest to care so much, little -one, I would risk the drubbing, by my faith, I would! if ’twere to any -purpose. But I am older than thou, and somewhat a man of the world,” -here the jongleur straightened himself up; “and I swear to thee, -’twould work naught but mischief were I to seek out yonder count and -strive to prevent his encounter to-morrow. He would simply be angered, -and would not believe me, or would pretend not to, because he does not -wish to be stopped till he hath killed this Count Boni you tell me -of, and got his lands. Naught but the king’s heralds themselves could -hinder that affair.” And then, as he meditated, he added: “’Tis a -monstrous pity, though! When didst thou say they fight, little one? In -the morning? A monstrous pity! For the heralds will no doubt arrive in -Dives to-morrow afternoon; they were to come hither on leaving Rouen. -Thou knowest they must proclaim the edict through all the cities of the -realm!” - -Six hundred years ago printing and newspapers and the telegraph were -unknown; and so when a war was to be undertaken, or peace settled -upon, or a new law made, the king sent his heralds about through all -his dominions, and they made proclamation to the people, with a great -flourish of trumpets and much quaint ceremony. - -But here Pippo became engaged in a squabble with a fat peacock, and the -jongleur rising, separated them, and then strolled off toward the inn -kitchen; for he had journeyed far, and the savory smells wafted out -into the courtyard suddenly reminded him that he was very hungry. - -Geoffrey, thus left alone, fell to thinking, and he thought and thought -as never before in all his life. So the heralds were on their way to -Dives, if what the jongleur told was true, and he believed it was; and -the jongleur had said, moreover, that these heralds could stop even the -wicked Hugo from carrying out his designs. Geoffrey felt that this was -true also, for he knew that not even noblemen dared openly defy the -king. And then he reasoned, perhaps more wisely than he knew, that -Hugo stirred up and fought these “judicial duels” merely to increase -his property and not to satisfy his personal honor; and that if nothing -were to be gained, Hugo would surely not fight. The king had forbidden -his subjects to acquire property that way; the great thing, therefore, -was to prevent the encounter in the morning, so that the heralds might -have time to come to Dives and make their proclamation, which would -certainly put an end to the whole affair. But how, how could he, -Geoffrey, do this? - -At last, however, an idea occurred to him that made his eyes brighten -and his cheeks flush. If he could only get hold of that bewitched -Saracen sword of Count Hugo’s, and hide it, why, probably, as the count -was known superstitiously to prefer it to any other weapon, he might be -delayed hunting for it till the heralds came. - -As Geoffrey thought over this plan, he reflected that if he got -possession of the sword it must be that night, as the count wore it -constantly all day long; and though he felt like a highwayman and a -robber even to plan it, for he was an honest little lad, yet he said to -himself there was no other way to save Isabeau’s father. - -And so, full of his project, as a preliminary, he got up and sauntered -past that part of the inn where he knew was the count’s sleeping -chamber, and noticed that it had one window opening upon one of the -little wooden galleries which was approached from the outside by a -winding stair. The window was barred with heavy wooden rounds; but as -Geoffrey measured with his eye the distance between these bars, he felt -sure that if he made himself as flat as possible, he could squeeze in -through them. It would not be so easy to get the sword out, but perhaps -he could manage it somehow; he _must_ manage it! - -Having thus made up his mind as to what he would do, Geoffrey passed -the rest of the afternoon and evening in a fever of impatience. After -supper was over he hid himself in the garden behind a rose bush, and as -he watched the inn it seemed as if the last of the clatter would never -die away, and people would never settle down and go to sleep! But at -length—after weeks, it seemed to Geoffrey—the last candle flickered -out and the inn became quiet. - -He waited, however, an hour or two longer, knowing the habit of the -maids to lie awake and gossip in the dark. But when he heard the Dives -watchman passing the inn gateway and calling out, “Midnight! and all’s -well!” he crept out, and keeping close in the shadow of the wall, -reached the stairway to the gallery by the count’s sleeping room. -The moon had risen and might have betrayed him as he mounted it, but -fortunately the stair was overhung by vines. He made his way along the -gallery to the count’s window. There was no glass in it, and, as it was -summer time, the heavy wooden shutter that guarded it was wide open, -the bars seeming quite enough protection from ordinary intruders. But -they could not keep out this little boy, who drew in his breath and -made his little stomach as flat as possible as he cautiously wriggled -in between them. At last he stood on tiptoe in the count’s chamber. - -As he gazed about, here and there the moonlight touched some object of -its quaint furnishings, and although Geoffrey, on the inn errands, had -been in the room before, everything now looked strange and unfamiliar -to his wide-open, excited eyes. To his dismay he had not considered -how he should find the sword; but as he stood wondering and groping -about in the dim light, a beam of moonlight fell at the foot of the -high-posted, carved and canopied bed where the count lay asleep, and -showed the scabbard with the sword in it, hanging by its chased metal -hook to a projecting ornament in the heavy carving of the bed. Geoffrey -tiptoed over toward it, all the while listening, with his heart in his -mouth, to the count’s breathing. He seemed to be sound asleep, for -now and then he gave a little snore; but, as with trembling fingers -Geoffrey took down the sword, its tip end struck lightly against a tall -chest of drawers near by, and the count started slightly. Geoffrey -crouched down hopelessly in the shadow of a chair, expecting the count -to pounce upon him at any moment. - -But in a few minutes Hugo’s regular breathing told that he was again -deep asleep. - -Geoffrey then hastened to make his way back to the window, though he -found the sword in its heavy scabbard rather an awkward burden for a -little boy, and it became still more awkward as he prepared to climb -between the bars. He first thought he would take the sword out of its -sheath; but then how could he drop it to the gallery below without -making a noise? He could not climb out with it in his arms. So, on -second thought, he decided to leave it in the scabbard, whose metal -hook he saw might be useful; then lifting this, which took all his -strength, he carefully thrust it outside between the bars, on one of -which he hung the hook, thus keeping both sword and sheath from falling. - -He next turned his attention to getting himself out, and climbing up, -and squeezing and squirming, legs first, at last managed once more to -stand outside on the gallery floor. But it had happened that just as he -was making the last twist through the bars, his foot had accidentally -touched the scabbard, hanging from the window, and it clanked against -the wall. This time the sound seemed to penetrate the ears of the -sleeping Count Hugo, for he started up in earnest, though not entirely -awake; he drowsily arose, however, and crossed over to the window. - -Geoffrey, meantime, hearing him coming, drew back into the shadow, -tightly clutching the sword, and was hidden by the curtain of vines. - -As the count peered through the bars, he caught sight of the cockatoo, -whose perch was in one of the gable windows near by. Now, as good luck -had it, the cockatoo also had been half aroused from his sleep, and -giving a faint screech, began to shift uneasily in his dreams, from one -leg to the other, his chain clanking against his perch as he did so. -Count Hugo hearing him, at once supposed the cockatoo responsible for -that other clanking sound which had aroused him; he swore a round oath, -and turned from the window, muttering to himself, “A plague on that -jabbering popinjay! What with their everlasting peacocks and monkeys, -and heaven only knows what, a man can not get a wink of sleep in this -accursed tavern!” He then went back to bed and, angrily flinging -himself down, was soon snoring soundly. - -After a while, Geoffrey, outside on the gallery, began creeping -cautiously along, and at last managing to get down the stairway, stood -hesitating a moment at its foot; for he had not fully decided what to -do with the sword, now that he had it. He wished as soon as possible to -be rid of the wicked thing; for everybody was superstitious in those -days, and he felt that some fearful evil threatened him so long as he -had hold of the fatal weapon. He would really have very much liked to -take it out and throw it in the river Dives, so it could never kill -any one else; but as he remembered that to do this he would have to -climb over the high wall of the courtyard, for the gate was locked and -the portcullis down, and that then he would have to run the risk of -meeting the town watchman, he concluded the chances for being caught -were too many, and that he must hide the sword elsewhere. Moreover, he -thought that to drop it in the river would be too much like stealing, -anyway, which he did not wish to be guilty of; he merely wished to keep -the count from finding the sword until the heralds came, when he was -willing to restore it. - -So quickly making up his mind, he sped down into the garden, where he -carefully hid it, scabbard and all, under a thick tangle of vines and -shrubbery which grew in a secluded corner where the inn people seldom -went. This done, he made his way back to his own little chamber under -one of the gables, and crept into bed, although he was so excited with -his night’s doings that he could not go to sleep. - -The next day, as was his custom, Count Hugo lay abed till the sun was -well up, for the duel was not to take place until beyond the middle of -the morning. When at last he arose, and his serving men came in to wait -on him as he made his toilet, they adjusted all his ruffles and laces -with the greatest nicety, freshly curled his wig, tied up his queue -with a crimson ribbon, and smoothed out his velvets and satins; then -everything being ready, they looked about for the sword, without which -Hugo never budged an inch. But when they turned to where he told them -he had left it the night before, to their great consternation, it was -not there! When they timidly ventured to tell the count that he must -have put it somewhere else, Hugo, who was busy arranging a heavy gold -chain about his lace collar, curtly replied, without turning his head: -“Ye blind moles of the earth! I tell you it _is_ there!” - -But when again they were obliged to contradict him, the count flew into -a temper, and rushing over to the foot of the bed, put out his hand to -seize the sword and give them a wrathful prick or two all round—but -lo! sure enough, it was _not_ there! - -There then followed a tremendous uproar. They searched the room from -end to end; they tore down all the old tapestries; they peered under -all the chairs; they climbed up and crawled all over the high canopy -of the ancient bed; they shook the mattresses; and in their zeal, even -looked in the count’s shaving mug and under the brass candlesticks. - -Meantime, Hugo himself, in a towering passion, was striding up and -down the room, cuffing his pages, accusing everybody of robbery, and -threatening right and left to hang every man of them if the sword were -not instantly found! - -At last, however, neither threats nor rage proving of the least avail -in bringing to light the lost sword, he descended, followed by his -terrified retinue, to the inn courtyard, and calling out Monsieur -Jean, he stirred up another terrible commotion. He accused everybody -of everything, and finally wound up by insisting that the craven Count -Boni had hired some robber to steal the sword in hopes that the duel -might not be fought. He swore that he would none the less kill poor -Boni, sword or no sword, and meantime ordered the man-at-arms, who had -slept outside his door, to be mercilessly beaten; for Hugo declared the -thief must have entered through the door, as no man could possibly have -come in between the bars of the window. - -At this Geoffrey, who had been up for a long while, and had witnessed -all this uproar in the courtyard, felt himself in a very unhappy -position; he had not expected all this. Indeed, he had given very -little thought as to what might happen to himself or anybody else, -when once he had hidden the sword. He knew now that fearful punishment -awaited him if he were found out; but he could not bear to have the -good Count Boni’s honor blackened, or that the poor man-at-arms, who -was entirely innocent of blame, should suffer, because of what he, -Geoffrey, had done. - -So biting his lips hard to keep up his courage and tightly clenching -his hands behind him, Geoffrey, who was a brave, manly little fellow, -straightway strode out and, standing in front of the raging Count Hugo, -said: - -“Sir, neither Count Boni nor yonder man-at-arms had aught to do with -the loss of your evil sword. I took it away myself!” - -[Illustration] - -At this Count Hugo stared at the little boy for a moment in speechless -surprise. Then, roaring out a terrible oath in a voice like thunder, he -pounced like a wildcat upon poor Geoffrey, and shook him till his teeth -chattered. - -“Thou—thou—miserable varlet!” roared and sputtered the count. -“Thou base-born knave! So thy monkey fingers have dared to meddle -with my precious sword! Faugh! Where hast thou put it? Tell me -instantly,—_parbleu!_—or I will crack every bone in thy worthless -body!” - -And here he fell so viciously to shaking and cuffing him again, that -poor Geoffrey could hardly open his mouth to answer; but at length he -managed to gasp out resolutely: - -“I will not tell thee till to-morrow. Then I will restore it to thee! I -do not wish to keep the heathenish thing!” - -At this the rage of the count knew no bounds, and he doubtless would -have killed the poor little boy then and there, had not Monsieur Jean -and others among the terrified spectators rushed between them and -besought Hugo to be merciful, and give the boy at least till the morrow -to fulfil his word. - -Hereupon, the count, who even in his wrath saw reason in what they -said, savagely flung Geoffrey over to one of his men-at-arms, -commanding him to chastise him, chain him, and keep close watch over -him till the morrow. For the count reflected that if he should hang -the boy then, as he fully intended to do by and by, he would cut off -the only possible means of finding out where his sword was hidden. For -while the lad was stubborn as a rock, Hugo had to admit that he seemed -honest, and so perhaps would keep his promise to restore his prized -weapon. - -But the more the count thought of Geoffrey’s act, the more it puzzled -him to account for it. As he recalled the disturbance of his sleep -the night before, he began to understand that Geoffrey was the real -cockatoo of the affair. - -“Faugh!” he said to himself, “to think ’twas the clanking of my -own good sword that I mistook for the rattling of that chattering -popinjay’s chain!” But he could not account for the boy’s curious -promise to restore the weapon on the morrow. If he meant to return it, -why did he take it at all? And why did he confess and get himself into -trouble, when no one thought of accusing him? The first part of this -question Count Hugo could not answer, because he knew nothing of the -coming of the heralds and Geoffrey’s wish to put off the duel; while -the last part was equally puzzling to him, because he had no sense of -honor, and could not see why one should suffer if an innocent man would -do just as well. - -At any rate, he soon tired trying to understand the matter. Having -placed the boy in safe keeping till the morrow, the next thing was to -have his “second”—(for so the friends were called who arranged the -details of duels for those who were to do the fighting)—see Count -Boni’s second, who had arrived some time before, and have the duel -fixed for the following morning, when Count Hugo vowed he would fight -to the death with somebody’s sword,—whether his own or another’s. - -These matters settled, he remembered that it was fully noon, and he had -not yet breakfasted; so he haughtily withdrew to the inn parlor, and -commanded Monsieur Jean to have him served instantly. - -Meanwhile poor Geoffrey went off with the man-at-arms, who was secretly -sorry for the little boy, and so did not chastise him so cruelly as -the count would have wished; although he was obliged to give him a few -bloody cuts with the lash across his face and hands, for the sake of -appearances, in case Hugo should happen to inspect him. - -Poor little boy! Ah! how eagerly he longed for the arrival of the -heralds, as the jongleur had predicted. But then the dreadful thought -would come, what if something should delay their journey! Or worst -of all, what if the jongleur had not spoken the truth, and there were -no heralds anyway! These doubts and fears tormented Geoffrey more and -more as the hours wore on, and still no sign of the longed-for king’s -messengers. - -He began to wish dismally that he had set farther off the time for -restoring the sword; though he felt sure that unless prevented by the -king’s edict, Count Hugo would fight on the morrow anyhow, despite the -loss of that particular weapon. It then suddenly occurred to him, that -even if the heralds came and stopped the duel as he wished, how was he -himself to escape from the clutches of Count Hugo? This thought sent -a cold chill through him; but when he thought of his dear Count Boni -and the grief of poor little Isabeau, he was not a whit sorry for what -he had done, and with childish hopefulness looked forward to some good -chance to free him. - -Surely, surely, he said to himself, the king’s heralds were persons -in authority, and would not see him killed by the cruel Hugo, even if -he had taken and hidden the heathenish old sword. Did he not mean to -give it back, and had he not done it because of the very law they were -coming to proclaim? Surely they would help him in some way! - -And so the afternoon wore wearily on. Count Hugo came once or twice -to see that the man-at-arms had properly beaten him, and even -meditated putting him to some torture to make him disclose at once -the whereabouts of the sword. But he scarcely dared, as he feared an -uprising of the people of the inn, who, he saw, were very fond of -Geoffrey; so he contented himself with cruelly striking the lad once or -twice, and determining to deal summarily with him when he should take -him away from Dives. - -For at that time powerful noblemen did very much as they pleased. The -good King Louis had been away fighting in the Holy Land for so long -that affairs in France had for the most part taken care of themselves; -and though since his return the king was striving hard to correct many -abuses, there were many things yet to be looked after. So Count Hugo -thought he should have no trouble in carrying Geoffrey away as his -private prisoner because of the taking of his sword. - -After the count’s last visit, when he had informed Geoffrey of some -of the punishments he meant to visit upon him when he got him off in -his own castle, the poor boy began really to despair! It was growing -late, and the sun was almost to its setting, and still not a sound to -tell of any unusual arrival in Dives. The little boy lay back, and -shut his eyes tight, trying to forget his miseries, and the dreadful -things ahead of him; but try as he might, now and then a big tear would -force itself through his closed lids, and trickle down his poor little -blood-stained cheeks. - -And so another hour wore on, Geoffrey growing all the while more -despairing and miserable in his gloomy prospects. But at last, just as -he had given up all hope of the heralds, and concluded that the plight -he had got himself into had been all useless after all,—he suddenly -started up, and clutching the sleeve of the man-at-arms, exclaimed, -“Hark! what is that?” - -“Hush, hush, little one! ’tis nothing,” said the man, who was a stupid -fellow, half dozing, and merely thought the lad crazed by his fright. - -“Nay!” cried Geoffrey, “but listen!” - -Here the guard somewhat pricked up his ears. - -“By my faith!” he answered, “I believe ’tis a blare of trumpets! Some -noble must be coming to Dives!” - -But Geoffrey, with eyes shining, held his breath, and listened to the -sounds, which seemed to be coming nearer. First there was a great -fanfare of trumpets; then a blare of horns; and then he could hear the -clatter as the inn folk hastened across the paved courtyard to the -gateway to see what was going on in the street without. In a little -while some of them seemed to return, and Geoffrey, who was burning to -know, but could not stir for his chains, besought the man-at-arms to -ask some one the cause of the commotion; so going over to the window of -the room, he called out to a passer-by. - -“Ho, comrade! what is the meaning of yonder uproar?” - -“’Tis the king’s heralds,” answered the voice from without; “he hath -sent them to proclaim a new law forbidding duels!” - -Then, before long, the heralds, having made the tour of the Dives -streets, came riding toward the inn, escorted by a train of Dives -people. Geoffrey heard their horses’ hoofs as they pricked in through -the gateway, and also had the great joy of hearing them make the -proclamation itself; for having heard that at that very moment a -nobleman was lodging in the inn, come there for the purpose of a now -unlawful duel, they halted in the middle of the courtyard, and rising -in their stirrups, blew their trumpets, and again elaborately announced -the royal edict,—this time for the express benefit of their two -countships, Hugo and Boni. - -Hearing this, Geoffrey was wild with delight; it was all working out -just as he had counted on! That is, all but one fact, which he all -at once ruefully remembered; he himself was at that moment still a -prisoner of the cruel Count Hugo. He had not counted on that at all! - -O, he thought, if he could only get out and throw himself on the -mercy of the heralds! They were his only hope; for Count Boni as yet -knew not why he had taken the sword, and was perhaps angry with him -and would not come at once to help him. So he piteously begged and -besought the man-at-arms to take off his chains and let him go only so -far as the courtyard. But the man, though he felt sorry for the boy, -had too hearty a terror of the consequences to himself if he let him -out against Hugo’s orders; so he turned a deaf ear to all Geoffrey’s -entreaties, and gruffly told him he could do nothing for him. - -At this the poor little boy fell to sobbing, and sobbed and sobbed most -of the night; for the dark had now fallen, and the little fellow was -quite hopeless for the morrow, when he knew Count Hugo meant to take -him away. - -Meantime, that nobleman had passed into another terrible rage when he -heard the edict of the heralds. He was furious! Furious at the king, -the heralds, at Geoffrey and the world in general; because he saw -himself thwarted in his plans to kill Boni,—as he felt confident he -could do, with his unholy skill with the sword,—and to seize Boni’s -rich estate. All this put him in a frightful temper; although he was -wise enough to know that he dare not defy the king. So he scolded and -swore at everybody in sight, and then sulkily withdrew to his own -apartments, after giving orders to have his coach made ready to leave -early in the morning; for he wished to get off with Geoffrey at least, -before any one could prevent _that_! And on the boy he meant to wreak -full vengeance. - -So the next morning Hugo, contrary to his custom, was astir early; he -had breakfasted in his room, and then hastening down to the courtyard, -got into his yellow coach and sent instant orders for the man-at-arms -to bring Geoffrey and mount the coach also; for he wished to keep an -eye on his victim and also to demand fulfilment of his promise to -restore the sword. But just as the man-at-arms was on his way to the -count, with his miserable little prisoner, he was intercepted by the -two heralds, who had been astir earlier even than Hugo. - -Indeed, they were up because they had had a word or two put into their -ears the night before by the jongleur, who had sought them out and had -a bit of a talk with them. Now the jongleur was a shrewd fellow, and -recalling his conversation under the plane-tree with Geoffrey, had put -two and two together, and had pretty well understood the boy’s reasons -for carrying off the sword; and admiring him, he had determined to do -the best he could to save him, if explaining things to the heralds -could effect this. And it seemed it could; for now the heralds, laying -hold of the boy, first asked him if he had restored the stolen sword. - -“Nay, sirs,” he answered, “but I will right gladly do as I promised, if -ye will let me go and get it!” - -So one of the heralds went with him down into the garden, and stood -over Geoffrey as he uncovered the weapon and gathered it up still safe -in its scabbard. Then conducting him back to the courtyard, and to the -door of the count’s coach, the two king’s messengers stood, one on -each side, as the boy, making an obeisance, presented the sword to the -glowering count. - -The heralds then solemnly announced to all,—for everyone in the inn -had gathered about by this time,—that they bore witness that the -lad had duly restored the stolen property to its rightful owner; and -that punishment for his taking it must be meted out by his rightful -suzerain, the noble Count Boni, to whose estate the boy’s family -belonged. They demanded this right for Geoffrey, in the name of the -king. - -Now Count Hugo knew well enough that every peasant had a right to be -tried for a crime by the nobleman of his own home; but he had trusted -to carry things off with a high hand, thinking no one at the inn would -dare oppose him; as was undoubtedly the case. But with the king’s -heralds it was different; they did not fear him, and so he was obliged -to give up the boy. - -This last thwarting of his plans, however, was almost too much for -Hugo! White with rage, he thundered to his driver to whip up the -horses, and off he clattered, disdainfully turning his back on the -Guillaume-le-Conquérant inn and all that it contained; and his swarm -of retainers followed him, all quaking in their boots from fear of -their master’s violent temper. - -After the count’s departure, Geoffrey, still in charge of the heralds, -was taken into the great kitchen of the inn, where everybody gathered -about, delighted at the little boy’s escape from Hugo’s clutches. The -cook gave him some nice little cakes fresh from the oven; the peacocks -trailed past the open door proudly spreading their beautiful tails; and -the pink and white cockatoo overhead screamed his “Tee deedle!” and -seemed as pleased as anybody. - -After a while the heralds gave Geoffrey over into the charge of Count -Boni’s second, who had meantime arrived to say that the count was -outside the walls of Dives, at the appointed place, and ready to meet -Hugo in the proposed duel. The second was greatly surprised when he -heard how matters had turned out; for he had spent the day before with -Count Boni at the Château Beauvais, and neither he nor his master had -yet heard of the proclamation or the subsequent departure of Count -Hugo. However, he took the little boy with him back to Count Boni, to -whom he delivered the message the heralds had sent: that he, Boni, was -to decide on what punishment Geoffrey was to receive for the taking of -Hugo’s sword; though it really seemed that the child had had punishment -enough already, at the hands of the cruel count himself! - -When Count Boni was told all these things, at first he was greatly -displeased; for he was young and high-spirited, and very angry with -Hugo, whom he wished to fight regardless of the danger he ran from -such an unscrupulous antagonist, and he did not like it that a little -peasant boy had interfered. - -Though when he understood how much the boy had risked and suffered for -love of himself and little Isabeau, he could not find it in his heart -to wish Geoffrey punished. And indeed, in after years he came heartily -to thank the warm-hearted, devoted little lad, whose impulsive act had -no doubt kept him from losing both life and property to a wicked and -dishonorable man. - -Meantime Count Boni felt himself in a very delicate position. As -Geoffrey’s overlord, it was his duty to punish him for taking the -sword, even though it had been restored to its rightful owner; but as -the sword had been taken because the little boy wished to keep Count -Boni himself from the chance of being killed, how could he inflict -severe punishment upon him? Indeed, this question was so difficult that -the count concluded he must take time to think it over, and meantime -he held Geoffrey prisoner at the château. This did not prevent the boy -from having the kindest treatment and the freedom of the grounds, where -he enjoyed many a merry romp with little Isabeau, who was happy as a -bird, and thought Geoffrey the nicest and most wonderful boy in all -the world because he had succeeded in preventing the duel. Nor was -the least cloud cast over their glee when one day they heard that the -wicked Hugo had died in a fit of apoplexy, brought on by one of his -terrible rages. In fact, if the truth must be told, they went off by -themselves and had a shamelessly gay extra romp in celebration of the -news. - -Thus several weeks had passed, when one day there arrived at the -château a messenger from the king, demanding the custody of a peasant -boy by the name of Geoffrey. - -Poor Geoffrey was again badly frightened, thinking that this time -surely he would receive punishment! But his fears were turned to -delight when Count Boni told him that the king had sent, not to -imprison him, but to have him live in the royal household. The -messenger explained to Boni that when the heralds returned to Paris, -they told King Louis the story of the little boy, and that he was -greatly pleased with the lad’s bravery and devotion, and wished to have -him brought to the palace. - -[Illustration] - -So Geoffrey became a page of King Louis, and was very, very happy. He -was happy, too, because he could now send back to those he loved at -home much more for their comfort than he could as a little serving boy -at the Guillaume-le-Conquérant inn. And then, sometimes, when one of -his messengers had an errand to Dives, the good king would let Geoffrey -go along, and he would then make a little visit to his family, and -would see his dear Count Boni and little Isabeau, who never ceased to -take the greatest pride and interest in him. - -By and by, King Louis discovered how sweet a voice he possessed, and -that it had been well-trained for church music. This pleased the king -much, as he was very devout in his worship, and did a great deal -during his reign to improve the music in the cathedrals of France. So -Geoffrey was at once placed under masters, and he sang for a number -of years in the king’s own chapel, becoming one of the most famous -little choristers of the realm. Later on, as he grew to manhood, he -passed from being a page, to a squire; and after that, he was appointed -man-at-arms in the bodyguard of the king, who grew to love and trust -him greatly. - -Some years later still, when King Louis again set forth for the East, -on the crusade from which he was never to return, Geoffrey was among -the most faithful of the followers who took ship with him. And when the -poor king lay dying, before the walls of the far-away city of Tunis, it -was Geoffrey whose tenderness and devotion helped to comfort the last -days of the stricken monarch. - -When all was over, and the little band of crusaders once more returned -to their homes in France, none among them was more loved and respected -than the Viscount Geoffrey; for shortly before his death the good King -Louis had, with his own hand, bestowed knighthood upon the little -peasant boy, declaring that he had won the distinction, not only -because of his great bravery and his honorable life, but also because -of the exceeding sweetness and gentleness of his character. - - - - - FELIX - - WHO SOUGHT HIS LOST SHEEP AT CHRISTMASTIDE - BY A WAY THAT LED TO HIS - HEART’S DESIRE AND MADE - HIM A FAMOUS CARVER - OF OLD PROVENCE - - -A very long while ago, perhaps as many as two hundred years, the little -Provençal village of Sur Varne was all bustle and stir, for it was the -week before Christmas; and in all the world, no one has known better -how to keep the joyous holiday than have the happy-hearted people of -Provence. - -Everybody was busy, hurrying to and fro, gathering garlands of myrtle -and laurel, bringing home Yule logs with pretty old songs and -ceremonies, and in various ways making ready for the all-important -festival. - -Not a house in Sur Varne but in some manner told the coming of the -blessed birthday, and especially were there great preparations in -the cottage of the shepherd, Père Michaud. This cottage, covered -with white stucco, and thatched with long marsh-grass, stood at the -edge of the village; olive and mulberry trees clustered about it, -and a wild jasmine vine clambered over the doorway, while on this -particular morning all around the low projecting eaves hung a row of -tiny wheat-sheaves, swinging in the crisp December air, and twinkling -in the sunlight like a golden fringe. For the Père Michaud had been -up betimes, making ready the Christmas feast for the birds, which no -Provençal peasant ever forgets at this gracious season; and the birds -knew it, for already dozens of saucy robins and linnets and fieldfares -were gathering in the Père’s mulberry-trees, their mouths fairly -watering with anticipation. - -Within the cottage the good dame, the Misè Michaud, with wide sleeves -rolled up and kirtle tucked back, was hard at work making all manner of -holiday sweetmeats; while in the huge oven beside the blazing hearth -the great Christmas cakes were baking, the famous _pompou_ and almond -pâtés, dear to the hearts of the children of old Provence. - -Now and then, as the cottage door swung open on the dame’s various -errands, one might hear a faint “Baa, baa!” from the sheepfold, where -little Félix Michaud was very busy also. - -Through the crevices of its weather-beaten boards came the sound of -vigorous scrubbing of wool, and sometimes an impatient “Ninette! -Ninette!—thou silly sheep! Wilt thou never stand still?” Or else, in -a softer tone, an eager “Beppo, my little Beppo, dost thou know? Dost -thou know?” To all of which there would come no answer save the lamb’s -weak little “Baa, baa!” - -For Ninette, Beppo’s mother, was a silly old sheep, and Beppo was a -very little lamb; and so they could not possibly be expected to know -what a great honor had suddenly befallen them. They did not dream that, -the night before, Père Michaud had told Félix that his Beppo (for Beppo -was Félix’s very own) had been chosen by the shepherds for the “offered -lamb” of the Christmas Eve procession when the holy midnight mass would -be celebrated in all its festival splendor in the great church of the -village. - -Of the importance of this procession in the eyes of the peasant folk -it is difficult to say enough. To be the offered lamb, or indeed the -offered lamb’s mother, for both always went together, was the greatest -honor and glory that could possibly happen to a Provençal sheep, and -so little Félix was fairly bursting with pride and delight. And so it -was, too, that he was now busying himself washing their wool, which he -determined should shine like spun silver on the great night. - -He tugged away, scrubbing and brushing and combing the thick fleeces, -now and then stopping to stroke Beppo’s nose, or to box Ninette’s -ears when she became too impatient, and at last, after much labor, -considered their toilets done for the day; then, giving each a handful -of fresh hay to nibble, he left the fold and trudged into the cottage. - -“Well, little one,” said the Misè, “hast thou finished thy work?” - -“Yes, mother,” answered Félix; “and I shall scrub them so each day till -the Holy Night! Even now Ninette is white as milk, and Beppo shines -like an angel! Ah, but I shall be proud when he rides up to the altar -in his little cart! And, mother, dost thou not really think him far -handsomer than was Jean’s lamb, that stupid Nano, in the procession -last year?” - -“There, there,” said the Misè, “never thou mind about Jean’s lamb, but -run along now and finish thy crèche.” - -[Illustration] - -Now, in Provence, at the time when Félix lived, no one had ever heard -of such a thing as a Christmas tree; but in its stead every cottage had -a “crèche”; that is, in one corner of the great living-room, the room -of the fireplace, the peasant children and their fathers and mothers -built upon a table a mimic village of Bethlehem, with houses and people -and animals, and, above all, with the manger, where the Christ Child -lay. Every one took the greatest pains to make the crèche as perfect -as possible, and some even went so far as to fasten tiny angels to -the rafters, so that they hovered over the toy houses like a flock of -white butterflies; and sometimes a gold star, hung on a golden thread, -quivered over the little manger, in memory of the wonderful star of the -Magi. - -In the Michaud cottage the crèche was already well under way. In the -corner across from the fireplace the Père had built up a mound, and -this Félix had covered with bits of rock and tufts of grass, and little -green boughs for trees, to represent the rocky hillside of Judea; -then, half-way up, he began to place the tiny houses. These he had -cut out of wood and adorned with wonderful carving, in which he was -very skilful. And then, such figures as he had made, such quaint little -men and women, such marvelous animals, camels and oxen and sheep and -horses, were never before seen in Sur Varne. But the figure on which -he had lavished his utmost skill was that of the little Christ Child, -which was not to be placed in the manger until the Holy Night itself. - -Félix kept this figure in his blouse pocket, carefully wrapped up -in a bit of wool, and he spent all his spare moments striving to -give it some fresh beauty; for I will tell you a secret: poor little -Félix had a great passion for carving, and the one thing for which he -longed above all others was to be allowed to apprentice himself in the -workshop of Père Videau, who was the master carver of the village, -and whose beautiful work on the portals of the great church was the -admiration of Félix’s heart. He longed, too, for better tools than the -rude little knife he had, and for days and years in which to learn to -use them. - -But the Père Michaud had scant patience with these notions of the -little son’s. Once, when Félix had ventured to speak to him about -it, he had insisted rather sharply that he was to stick to his -sheep-tending, so that when the Père himself grew old he could take -charge of the flocks and keep the family in bread; for the Père had -small faith in the art of the carver as being able to supply the big -brown loaves that the Misè baked every week in the great stone oven. So -Félix was obliged to go on minding the flocks; but whenever he had a -moment of his own, he employed it in carving a bit of wood or chipping -at a fragment of soft stone. - -But while I have stopped to tell you all this, he had almost finished -the crèche; the little houses were all in place, and the animals -grouped about the holy stable, or else seeming to crop the tufts of -moss on the mimic rocky hillside. Over the manger with its tiny wisp -of hay, twinkled a wonderful star that Félix had made from some golden -beads that the Misè had treasured for years as part of her peasant -bridal finery. - -Altogether, the crèche was really very prettily arranged, and after -giving several final touches, Félix stood back and surveyed it with -much satisfaction. - -“Well, well!” said the Père Michaud, who had just entered the cottage, -“’tis a fine bit of work thou hast there, my son! Truly ’tis a brave -crèche! But,” he added, “I trow thou hast not forgotten the live sheep -in the fold whilst thou hast been busy with these little wooden images -here?” - -“Nay, father,” answered Félix, “that I have not”—but here the Misè -called them both to the midday meal, which she had spread smoking hot -on the shining deal table. - -When this was finished Félix arose, and, as the Père wished, once more -went out to the fold to see how the sheep, especially his little Beppo, -were faring. - -As he pushed open the swinging door, Ninette, who was lazily dozing -with her toes doubled up under her fleece, blinked her eyes and looked -sleepily around; but Beppo was nowhere to be seen. - -“Ninette!” demanded Félix, fiercely, “what hast thou done with my -Beppo?” - -At this Ninette peered about in a dazed sort of way, and gave an -alarmed little “Baa!” For she had not before missed Beppo, who, while -she was asleep, had managed to push open the door of the fold and -scamper off, no one knew just where. - -Félix gazed around in dismay when he realized that his lamb, the chosen -one, who had brought such pride and honor to him, was gone! - -“Beppo!” he shouted at the top of his lungs, “Beppo! Beppo-o!” - -But no trace could he see of the little bundle of fleece he had -scrubbed and combed so carefully that morning. - -He stood irresolute a moment; then, thinking that if Beppo really were -running off, not a second was to be lost, he set out at a brisk pace -across the sheep-meadow. He had no idea in what direction the truant -lamb would be likely to stray, but on he went, calling every little -while in a shrill voice, “Beppo!” Now and then he fancied that he -saw in the distance a glimpse of white; but once it proved to be the -Misè Fouchard’s linen hung to dry on a currant-bush, and again it was -a great white stone—but no Beppo; and all the while Félix kept on, -quite forgetting that Beppo’s weak, woolly legs could not possibly have -carried him so great a distance. - -By and by he had left the village meadows far behind, and was skirting -the great marsh. Sometimes he shaded his eyes with his hand and looked -far across this low wet land to see if perhaps Beppo had strayed into -its uncertain foothold; but nothing could he see but the waving rushes -and the tall bitterns wading about on long, yellow legs. - -And still he pressed heedlessly on farther and farther, till, after a -while, he found himself thrusting through a thick coppice of willow -boughs. - -“Oh,” thought Félix, “what if poor Beppo has strayed into this -woodland!” Tired as he was, he urged himself on, searching among the -trees; and it was not until he had wandered on and on, deeper and -deeper into the wood, that he realized that the dusk had fallen, and -that he must be a very, very long way from Sur Varne. - -Félix then began to grow uneasy. He stood still and looked anxiously -about him; the dark forest trees closed around him on all sides, and he -was quite unable to remember from which direction he had entered the -wood. - -Now, Félix was really a very brave little fellow, but it must be owned -his heart misgave him, and he fairly quaked as he peered through the -gathering darkness; for in those days the forests of Provence were -known to harbor many dangerous animals, especially wild boars and -wolves. He pricked up his ears, and now and then thought he heard in -the distance the stealthy tread of some four-footed forest prowler, and -once he was sure he caught the deep howl of a wolf. - -That ended his hesitation. He looked quickly around, and grasping the -low boughs of a slender sapling, managed to swing himself up into a -tall chestnut tree that grew close by; and there he clung, clutching -the thick branches with might and main, feeling very cold and hungry -and miserable, his heart all the while sinking clear down into his -little peasant shoes. - -And indeed he had cause for fear, for, not a great while after he had -thus hidden himself, a gaunt wolf really did pass close by, sniffing -and peering, till poor Félix gave up all hope of escaping with his -life; but, luckily, the wolf did not see him, and at last slowly crept -on through the underwood. - -How long the little boy stayed in the perilous shelter of the -chestnut-tree he never knew, but it seemed untold ages to him. After a -while the moon rose, and shed a faint light through the close-lapping -branches; then, by and by, Félix’s ears, strained to listen for every -lightest sound, caught the echo of distant trampling, as of horses’ -hoofs, and presently two horsemen came in sight, pricking their way -cautiously along a narrow bridle-path. - -He did not know whom they might prove to be, but wisely thinking that -anything would be better than staying in a tree all night at the mercy -of hungry wolves, he waited till the first rider came quite close, and -then he plucked up courage to call out faintly: - -“Oh, sir, stop, I pray thee!” - -At this, the rider, who was none other than the noble Count Bernard of -Bois Varne, quickly drew rein and, turning, called to his companion: - -“Ho, Brian! Heardest thou aught?” - -“Nay, my Lord,” answered Brian, who was some paces behind, “naught save -the trampling of our own horses’ hoofs.” - -The count looked all around, and seeing nothing, thought himself -mistaken in the sound, and began to pace on. Then Félix in terror gave -another shout, this time louder, and at the same moment a little twig -he was pressing with his elbow broke away and dropped, striking against -the count’s stirrup; for the bridle-path wound directly under the tree -where Félix was perched. - -The count instantly checked his horse again, and, peering up into the -boughs overhead, he caught sight of Félix, his yellow hair wet with dew -and shining in the moonlight, and his dark eyes wide with fear. - -[Illustration] - -“Heigh-ho!” exclaimed the count, in blank amazement. “Upon my word, -now! what art thou—boy or goblin?” - -At this Félix gave a little sob, for he was very tired and very cold. -He hugged the tree tightly, and steadying himself against the boughs, -at last managed to falter out: - -“Please thee, sir, I am Félix Michaud, and my lamb Beppo, who was to -ride in the Christmas procession, ran off to-day, and—and—I have been -hunting him, I think, ever since—since yesterday!” Here poor Félix -grew a trifle bewildered; it seemed to him so very long ago since he -had set out in search of Beppo. “And I live in Sur Varne.” - -At this the count gave a long whistle. - -“At Sur Varne!” he exclaimed. “If thou speakest truly, my little man, -thou hast indeed a sturdy pair of legs to carry thee thus far.” And -he eyed curiously Félix’s dusty little feet and leathern leggings, -dangling limply from the bough above him. - -“Dost thou know how far distant is Sur Varne from this forest?” - -“Nay, sir,” answered Félix; “but I trow ’tis a great way.” - -“There thou art right,” said the count; “’tis a good two leagues, if it -is a pace. But how now? Thou canst not bide here to become the prey of -hungry wolves, my little night-owl of the yellow hair!” - -And thereupon Count Bernard dexterously raised himself in his stirrups, -and, reaching upward, caught Félix in his arms and swung him down plump -on the saddle-bow in front of him; then, showing him how to steady -himself by holding the pommel, he turned to Brian, his squire, who -while all this was going on had stood by in silent astonishment, and -giving the order to move, the little cavalcade hastened on at a rapid -pace in order to get clear of the forest as quickly as possible. - -Meantime the Count Bernard, who was really a very kind and noble lord, -and who lived in a beautiful castle on the farther verge of the -forest, quite reassured Félix by talking to him kindly, and telling him -of the six days’ journey from which he and his squire, Brian, were just -returning, and how they had been delayed on the way until nightfall. - -“And, by my faith!” said Count Bernard, “’twas a lucky hour for thee -that snapped my horse’s saddle-girth! else we should have passed this -wood by midday—and then, little popinjay, what wouldst thou have done -had we not chanced along to pluck thee from out thy chilly nest? Hey? -Wolves had been but poor comrades for such as thee!” - -At this Félix began to shiver, and the count hastened to add: - -“Nay, my little man, I did but jest with thee! Thou shalt sleep this -night in the strong castle of Bois Varne, with not even a mouse to fret -thy yellow head; and, what is more, thou shalt see the fairest little -maid that ever thou hast set eyes on!” - -And then he told him of his little daughter, the Lady Elinor, and how -she would play with Félix and show him the castle, and how on the -morrow they would see about sending him home to Sur Varne. - -And all the while the count was talking they were trotting briskly -onward, till by and by they emerged from the forest and saw towering -near at hand the castle of Bois Varne. The tall turrets shone and -shimmered in the moonlight, and over the gateway of the drawbridge hung -a lighted cresset—that is, a beautiful wrought-iron basket, in which -blazed a ruddy torch of oil to light them on their way. - -At sight of this the count and Brian spurred on their horses, and were -soon clattering across the bridge and into the great paved courtyard. -The count flung his bridle to a little page who hastened out to meet -him, and then, springing from his saddle, lightly lifted Félix and -swung him to the ground. He then took the boy by the hand and led him -into the great hall of the castle. - -To Félix this looked marvelously beautiful. Christmas garlands of -myrtle hung on the walls, and a great pile of freshly cut laurel boughs -lay on a bench, ready for the morrow’s arranging. But that which took -his eyes most of all was the lovely carving everywhere to be seen. The -benches and tables were covered with it; the wainscot of the spacious -room was richly adorned; and over and about the wide fireplace great -carved dragons of stone curled their long tails and spread their wings -through a maze of intricate traceries. Félix was enchanted, and gazed -around till his eyes almost ached. - -Presently in came running a little girl, laughing with delight. -Bounding up into Count Bernard’s arms, she hugged and kissed him in -true Provençal fashion. Then, catching sight of Félix: - -“Ah, _mon père_,” she exclaimed, “and where foundest thou thy pretty -new page?” - -“Nay, sweetheart,” answered the count, looking down at Félix’s yellow -hair, “’tis no page, but a little goldfinch we found perched in a -chestnut tree as we rode through the forest.” - -Then, smiling at the Lady Elinor’s bewilderment, he told her the little -boy’s story, and she at once slipped down and greeted him kindly. -Then, clapping her hands with pleasure at finding a new playmate, she -declared he must come to see the Christmas crèche which she was just -finishing. - -“Not so fast, _ma chère_!” interposed the count, “we must sup first, -for we are famished as the wolves we left behind us in the forest.” And -thereupon he called in the steward of the castle, who soon set out a -hearty supper on one of the long tables. - -Elinor sat close by, eagerly chattering as they ate, and the moment -Félix had swallowed the last morsel, she seized him by the hand and -hastened across the hall, where her crèche was built upon a carved -bench. The poor little Lady Elinor had no mother, and her father, the -count, had been gone for several days; and although in the castle were -many serving men and women and retainers, yet none of these presumed to -dictate to the little mistress; and so she had put her crèche together -in a very odd fashion. - -“There!” said she, “what thinkest thou of it, Félix? Of a truth, I -fancy somewhat is wanting, yet I know not how to better it!” - -“Yes,” said Félix, bashfully, “it may be I can help thee.” - -And so he set to work rearranging the little houses and figures, till -he succeeded in giving a life-like air to the crèche, and Lady Elinor -danced with delight. - -While placing the little manger he happened to remember the figure of -the Christ Child still in his blouse pocket; this he timidly took out -and showed the little girl, who was charmed, and still more so when he -drew forth a small wooden sheep and a dog, which were also in the same -pocket, and which he begged her to keep. - -The Lady Elinor was so carried away with joy that she flew to the side -of the count, and, grasping both his hands, dragged him across the room -to show him the crèche and the wonderful figures carved by Félix. Félix -himself was covered with confusion when he saw the count coming, and -would gladly have run from the hall, but that was impossible; so he -stood still, his eyes averted and his face crimson. - -“See, _mon père_!” said Elinor, “see this, and this!” And she held up -the carvings for the count’s inspection. - -[Illustration] - -Count Bernard, who had good-naturedly crossed the room to please his -daughter, now opened his eyes wide with surprise. He took the little -figures she handed him and examined them closely, for he was a good -judge of artistic work of this kind. Then he looked at Félix, and at -length he said: - -“Well, little forest bird, who taught thee the carver’s craft?” - -“No one, sir,” faltered Félix; “indeed, I wish, above all things, to -learn of the Père Videau, the master carver; but my father says I must -be a shepherd, as he is.” - -Here a tear rolled down Félix’s cheek, for he was half frightened and -terribly tired. - -“Well, well,” said the count, “never mind! Thou art weary, little one; -we will talk of this more on the morrow. ’Tis high time now that both -of you were sound asleep. Hey, there! Jean! Jacques! Come hither and -take care of this little lad, and see to it that he hath a soft bed and -a feather pillow!” - -The next morning the children ate a merry breakfast together, and after -it Count Bernard took Félix aside and asked him many questions of his -life and his home. Then, by and by, knowing how anxious the boy’s -parents would be, he ordered his trusty squire, Brian, to saddle a -horse and conduct Félix back to Sur Varne. - -Meantime the little Lady Elinor begged hard that he stay longer in -the castle for her playfellow, and was quite heartbroken when she -saw the horse standing ready in the courtyard. Indeed, she would not -be satisfied until her father, the count, who could not bear to see -her unhappy, had promised to take her over some day to see Félix -in Sur Varne. Then she smiled and made a pretty farewell courtesy, -and suddenly snatching from her dark hair a crimson ribbon of Lyons -taffeta, she tied it about Félix’s sleeve, declaring: - -“There! thou must keep this token, and be my little knight!” for the -Lady Elinor had many lofty notions in her small curly head. - -Félix could only stammer out an embarrassed good by, for in the -presence of this lively little maid he found himself quaking more than -when he feared the terrible wolves of the forest. In another moment -Brian lifted him to the saddle, and, springing up behind, took the -bridle-rein, and off they went. - -When, after several hours’ riding, they drew near Sur Varne, Félix -showed Brian the way to the Michaud cottage, and you can fancy how -overjoyed were the Père and Misè to see the travelers; for they had -been nearly beside themselves with grief, and had searched all night -for their little son. - -Of course almost the first question Félix asked was about Beppo, and he -felt a great load taken off his mind when he learned that the little -truant, who really had not strayed very far from the village, had been -found and brought home by one of the shepherds, and was even then -penned up safe and sound in the sheepfold. - -After a good night’s sleep Félix was quite rested from his journey. He -was busy the next day in helping to garland the Yule log, in giving -Ninette and Beppo an extra scrubbing and brushing, and in all the final -happy preparations for the great holiday. - -And so Christmas Eve came. It was a lovely starlit night, and on all -sides one could hear the beautiful Christmas songs of old Provence, -that all the peasants and the children sing as they troop along the -roads on their way to the great church of the village; for thither -every one flocks as the expected hour draws on. - -Within the church all was a blaze of light; hundreds of tall wax tapers -shone and twinkled and shed their golden glow over the altar, and a -wonderful crèche with its manger and almost life-size figures stood on -another special altar of its own. - -Then presently the stately service began, and went on with song and -incense, and the sweet chanting of children’s voices, till suddenly -from the upper tower of the church a joyous peal of bells rang in the -midnight! All at once, through the dense throng of worshipers nearest -the door a pathway opened, and in came four peasants playing on pipes -and flutes and flageolets a quaint old air made up nearly three hundred -years before by good King René for just such a ceremony as was to -follow. - -After the pipers walked ten shepherds, two by two, each wearing a long -brown cloak, and carrying a staff and lighted candle; that is, all save -the first two, and these bore, one a basket of fruit, melons and grapes -and pears of sunny Provence, while the other held in his hands a pair -of pretty white pigeons with rose-colored eyes and soft, fluttering -wings. - -And then, behind the shepherds came—what do you suppose?—Ninette! -Ninette, her fleece shining like snow, a garland of laurel and myrtle -about her neck, and twigs of holly nodding behind her ears; while bound -about her woolly shoulders a little harness of scarlet leather shone -against the white with dazzling effect; and fastened to the harness, -and trundling along at Ninette’s heels, came the gayest of little -wooden carts. It was painted in the brightest colors. Its wheels were -wrapped with garlands, and in it, curled up in a fat fleecy ball, lay -Beppo! Tied about his neck in a huge bow was a crimson ribbon of Lyons -taffeta, with a sprig of holly tucked into its loops. - -Beppo lay quite still, looking about him with a bewildered, half-dazed -expression, and just behind his cart came ten more shepherds with -staves and candles, while following them was a great throng of peasant -folk and children, among them Félix, all carrying lighted tapers, and -radiant with delight; for this was the Procession of the Offered Lamb, -and to walk in its train was considered by all the greatest honor and -privilege. - -And especially did the shepherd folk love the beautiful old custom -which for centuries the people of Provence had cherished in memory of -the time, long ago, when the real Christ Child lay in the manger of -Bethlehem, and the shepherds of Judea sought him out to worship him, -and to offer him their fruits and lambs as gifts. - -And so, on, up the long aisle, the procession slowly moved; the pipers -playing, and Ninette marching solemnly along, only now and then pausing -to thrust her nose between the Père Michaud and his companion, who -walked directly in front of her. Ninette pattered on as if she had trod -the floors of churches all her life; and as for Beppo, only once did he -stir, and then he gave a faint “Baa!” and tried to uncurl himself and -stand up; but just then the queer little cart gave a joggle which quite -upset his shaky lamb legs, and down he sank, and kept quiet throughout -the rest of the time. - -When the procession reached the altar the musicians stopped playing, -and the first two shepherds, kneeling, presented the pigeons and the -basket of fruit; and then the little cart was wheeled up so as to bring -Beppo directly in front of all, and the whole company knelt as the -priest blessed the offerings. - -After this beautiful ceremony which ended the service, the players -again struck up King René’s tune, and the procession, shepherds, -Ninette, Beppo, peasants, and all, once more moved on, this time down -the outer aisle and toward the great open portal. - -It took some time for the last of its followers to reach the doorway, -for the throng was very great; but at length Félix, who had marched -with the children in the last group, came to the threshold and stepped -out into the starry night. - -He stood for a moment smiling and gazing aimlessly ahead, overwhelmed -with the glory of all that had passed within the church. Presently he -felt some one pluck his sleeve, and turning round, he met the dancing -eyes of the little Lady Elinor. - -She gave a little peal of laughter at his surprise, and exclaimed: “Oh, -I coaxed _mon père_, the count, to fetch me hither for this blessed -night. Thou knowest he promised! I rode my white palfrey all the way by -the side of his big brown horse. And I have seen the procession, and -Beppo with my red ribbon round his neck.” Here she gave another little -gurgle of delight. - -“And oh, Félix, my father hath seen thine, and ’tis all settled! Thou -art to be a famous carver with the Père Videau, as thou wishest,”—for -the Lady Elinor had unbounded faith in Félix’s powers, “and, Félix,” -she added, “I trow ’twas the little Christ Child for thy crèche that -did it!” - -Then, with a merry smile, she darted off to her father, the Count -Bernard, who was waiting for her down the church path. - -For a little while after she had gone Félix did not move, but stood as -one in a dream. Elinor’s sweet words, ringing in his ears, mingled with -the glad songs the peasants were again singing on their homeward way, -till altogether he did not quite know whether he was awake or asleep, -but only felt an indistinct notion that some wonderful fairy, who had -the face of a little maid he knew, had whispered in his ear something -that was to make him happy forever. - -Presently a loud bleat close at his side startled him, and looking -down, he saw that Ninette, decked in her gay garlands, and still -dragging the be-ribboned Beppo in the little cart, had broken away from -the Père Michaud and come close up to himself. - -Then, with a sudden movement, he stooped over, and, seizing Beppo -in both arms, hugged and squeezed him till poor Beppo squeaked with -surprise, and opened his red mouth and gasped for breath. But Félix -only hugged him the harder, murmuring under his breath, “Bless thy -little heart, Beppo! Bless thy little heart!” For in a vague way he -realized that the truant lamb had somehow brought him his heart’s -desire, and that was quite enough Christmas happiness for one year. - -And the little Lady Elinor was right, too. Years after, when Félix grew -to be a man, he did, in very truth, become a “famous carver,” as she -had declared. - -Far surpassing his first master, the Père Videau, he traveled and -worked in many cities; yet never, through all his long life, did he -forget that Christmas Eve in the little village of Sur Varne. - -Those who knew him best said that among his dearest treasures he always -kept a beautifully carved little box, and in it a bit of faded crimson -ribbon from the looms of Lyons. While, as for Beppo—well, if ever some -happy day you chance to visit the lovely land of Provence, perhaps you -will see a certain grand old cathedral in the ancient city of Arles; -and, if you do, look sharp at the figure of a lamb chiseled in white -stone over the great portal. Look well, I say, for Félix, when he -carved it, would have told you that he was thinking all the while of -Beppo. - - - - - TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE: - -—Obvious print and punctuation errors were corrected. - - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Troubadour Tales, by Evaleen Stein - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TROUBADOUR TALES *** - -***** This file should be named 50268-0.txt or 50268-0.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/0/2/6/50268/ - -Produced by Giovanni Fini, David Edwards and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://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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