The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-03
The QUEENS ROSES.
by 9. LEVITT YEATS.
Copyright 1899. bv s. Levitt Ysat,.
CHAPTER III.
THE WORD OF A PRINCE.

my ONCE. lay In the wing OF the Louvre look
ing toward the old chapels OF st. Thomas. st.
Nicaise and the Quinze Vingts. balcony
Jutted out from my window. and sitting there
one could SEQ below the strange mass Of gray
and brown buildings that chung like wasps'
nests to the walls OF the palace. to be matched
only In squalor by the high and totterlng
houses. crowding aud jostling each other on
the opposite OF the narrow street. Here. pro-
iecting gallery and overhangng turiet formed
an arcade. beneath which the graes thrust its
slender sword blades between the green and
slippery stones OF the pavement. and II was
cool and dark as a cellar. even OH the hottest
day In summer.
IL was to this refuge I had escaped from the
sitting throng OF the court. When LorRnac
had stepped forward to accept the ambassa-
doris wager. felt as II a load was removed
from my heart he looked so calm and conf
dent that was sure he had performed his
task-that the prince had quilted Paris. and
| that Chantounay's scheme would miscarry.
Yet. nevertheless. ! longed to he alone. and.
taking my opportunity. which came easily
enough, l had slipped away to my balcony.
here to ENJOY the cool evening breeze coming
IN pufrs across the Seine-here to think and
to argue myself out Of my folly. or madness.
call II what you will
Pompon sat on the balustrade and looked at
me. Tho creature had an intelligence almost
human : he understood voice and gesture per-
fectly. and had taught him to do things that
were scarcely credible. There as he sat.
gravey surveying me with unwlnkng black
eyes. II seemed to me that he was reading my
inmost thoughts. and was showing u silent
sympathy for me by sitting still IA "A stone.
indulging neither In gambol nor antic. nor even
touching tho little heap ot nuts that lay on
platter beside him.
no quantity grave was the little beast that no
dist racted me In spite of myself. and rising l
approached him. saying with II laugh:
We'll. mine oraclel Can you now show me
IA way out Of my troublesi"
For answcr he crept closer to me, and we two
looked down into the yard beneath. where
Louvre, The doorway and the yard were used
ns "A passage to aud from the street by the
lower servants Of the palace. aud Il was ordi-
nnrily open until close upon III at night In sum
iner. An archer was on guard there, and hi.
tail figure caught my eye a. he paced backward
or so watching him, when ] heard n step be:
hind ms aud my name called out turned and
~ kn0cgcd twice" he said. but you did not
answer; SO zane In. ns guessed you would
be clodd gathering here.
There is some wine In the flask. there" l
riason OF d krbois stood hut he shook his head
aud took "A Llace beside me. running his hand
Well" said. has Chantonnay paid YOU"
$50 the prince has gone"
how things were. All that was needed was
hors". aud gave him mine"
| 4 there Ii, war. and fancy the peace was
O'%S5SnH SI,d Dc Ttnnn,onnnys pI.,ole. will pro.
Helm! but yop We're ggSk in coming back
| Il I'D not see him oH-be quiet. little
beast an he put Pompon on ono side.
No. / was on duty aud could not He gave
! me his word that he would start in an hour.
/ aud by this there should be u couple of leagues
| between him and Paris
II they pursue
"Wh@ ist3 pursue, And they will be fleet
...lmpossible; lie knows tho risk"
Then. y said, nothing remains, old friend,
| but tho wars Tor YOU and my pears for me. /
I should Ike TO see Besnle once more"
H. mad% no an SnsMsr and We bG,h leaned to;
! into thu yari Il wis dusk now. and the
archer appearei like agray shadow below US,
them npt,er past him mo the Palace. leaving
Non. dun galatd said l.orgnnc. but the
! In effect. a. spoke. another !!gure. wrapped
/ in light cloak. ran down the palace steps;
| COURSE zee properly: hu, ther. was a grace
! about her movements that struck Us both.
I'll" l. pretty. wager. ] Salu.
1 Lucky archer ~ exclaimed I.orgnac.
| And at the moment our sentinel advanced
FOR his toll, but ne newcomer shrank back
An. Ma petite!" said the archer. II have
| not seen You before Wher" have you dropped
! nom: On" klss. aud PcrducaS de Ponthieu
lie made a motion OF hIs arm toward her.
| hut, recovering herself. she slipped nimbly
aside saying with laugh;
l., Hazard! ! may ask You 20 die Tor mo some
| HnN had flashed through the omen gate and
gone, Hut knew.the voice was enough for
MY Goii' excIa lined. " are we mad.
There is no time to waste BY heaven! Prince
OF the blood though he be. IL he has lied TO me.
from the balcony. stayed him, for moment
TO snatch up my ,rapier. and fling inside my
the winding stair, past the servants quarters.
| and out into the yard.
| The archer salutcd US rs we came up,
| Which way did-iid mndemoiselle go?"
asked LorEnac. his voice strange and husky.
| II know not monsieur-sho vanished like =
Try your house,, suggested. plncking
him by the sleeve; lose no time here, And
mo and drove him back with curse. But for
once the ape disobeyed: and there was no help
I'VE dashed up The narrow Rue ~. Thongs
| fortunately there we're not many people about
Rue 81. Honorc, we caught a glimpse OF the
graceful figure hesitatinR, at a crossing. She
had lifted her dress slightly and though to
complete her disguise, she was wearing tho
ia'.soled span,sh, mules i not all their hideous-
For q moment she hesltated. as l have said
giving us time TO gain well upon her, and then.
drawing her hood closer together. she ran
| rinth OF streets around the Halles,
Put not your trust in princes" said bit
tery; but Lorgnac made no answer. maintain
| ing n grim silence.
We Kept on tho pavement opposite TO her.
never losing sight OF her for an instant al
though tho streets were crowded here. and tho
uncertain light made our task fur from easy
| but we had too much at stake TO fail.
When she reached the parvis OF Saint Fu-
stache she crossed II slowly toward tho portal
Of the church, still unfinished. though tho
first stone had been laid at the time when
was born. AZ she approached the archway a
man stepped forward from tho shadow, and
they met with outstretched hands. so they
stoodf fol. a moment. talking earnestly together.
and we halted, too, ana watched them with
beating hearts.
word"
But still Lorgnac, did no, speak, though
could hear his labored breath. And as We
watched man came over the tagged square.