Evening star., 1899-01-28
CHAPTER Lv,
The Red Milk,


Darkly and swiftly the autumn night de-
scended upon Machecoul. In the streets of
the little feudaI bourg there We're few
passersby, and such there We're clutched
their cloaks tighter round them and sour
ried on. Or if they raised their heads, it
was only to take hasty, fearful glance at
the vast bulk of the castle looming irnIni-
nent above them
From window high in the central keep
a red light streamed out, and when the
clouds few low, strange dilated shadows
were wont to be cast upon the rolling va
por. Sometimes smoke, acrid and heavy,
be,ch9d forth, and wild cries of pain and
agony floated down to chill the hearts and
silence the footballs of the home returning
rustics and barghers trembling in their
beds.
But none dared to question in public the
doings of the great and puissant lord of all
the country of Retz 1t Jared not well with
him who even looked 100 much at the
things which were done.
The night was yet darker up aloft in the
castle of Machecoul itself In the sacristy
good Fr. Blouyn, with an air of resigned
reluctance, was handing over to ennis
sary of his master the molds in which the
tall altar candles for the chapel of the Holy
Innocents were usually compacted. And
as Clerk Henriet went out with the molds
he took long look through a private spy
hole at the lads of the choir who were sit
ting in the hall apportioned to their use.
They were supposed to be busy with their
lessons, and indeed some few were poring
over their books with some show of studi-
Gus absorption. But for the most part they
were playing at cards and dominoes, or, in
the absence of the master, sticking intimate
pins and throwing about indiScriminate ink,
according to the immemorial use of the
choir boy.
Clerk Henriet counted them twice over
and looked carefully to see what did the
~ u-hn h16 my TO IN 1St IL
escaped from the dread room of his mas
ter. Laurence MacKim played Ks and O's
upon board with Blaise Renouf. the pre-
centor's son, and at some hitch in the
game he incontinently clouted the French
man upon the ear. Whereupon ensued
I trouble and the spilling of much ink.
Henriet perfectly satisfied, took up the
heavy molds and made his way to his
lords chamber. where many things were
used for purposes other than those for
which they had been intended.
Upon the back of his departure came in
Precentor Renouf. who laid his baton con-
Jointly and freely about the ears of his son
and those of Laurence Mackim.
Get to your beds, both of you, and that
supperlass, for uproar and conduct i'll be-
coming two youths who worship God all
day in His sanctuary and are maintained
at grievous expense by our most devout
and worthy lord, Messire Giles of Laval
and Retz, seigneur and lord,"
Laurence. who had of set purpose pro-
voked the quarrel was sinking away when
the ''pSaIta'' (as the choirmaster was called
in lower Brittany ordered them to sleep
in separate rooms for the better keeping
of the peace.
And do you, Master Laurence. perform
your vigil of the night upon the pavement
of the chapel For you are the most re-
bellious and troublesome of alI-indeed
past bearing. Go, Not word. sirrahr'
So. much rajoiCed in heart that matters
had fallen out, Laurence MacKim be-
took himself 20 the chapel of the Holy In
nocents. and was duly locked in by the
irate precentor.
For upon various occasions he had watch
ed the Lord of de RetZ descend into the
chapel by a private staircase which opened
out in an angel behind the altar. He had
also seen Poitou. his confidential body ser
want, lock ii after him with small key of
a yellow color which he took from his fork
pocket.
Now. Master Laurence. as may have
been already observed. was 0ike most of
the youthful unordained ciergy) little trou-
bled. at least in minor matters. with scr,l-
pies about such slight distinctions as those
which diffarentiate meum and tuum. We
found no difficulty, therefore, in abstracting
this key when Poitou was engaged in at
tending his master from the chapel in
which service 1t was his duty to pass the
stalls with open lattice ends of carven work
in which sat the elder choir boys Hay-
ing secured the key, Laurence hid II In
Stantiy beneath the 1eaden saint on his
cap. refasten!ng the long pin which kept
our Lady OF Luz In her place through the
ward of ths little brazen key
Presently he saw Potion come back and
look carefully here and there upon the