Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1902-12-25
ITS a good thing that somebody

and studying their palms attentively.
Il am pleased" Tristan interrupted
him roughly. PLEASED that the Bur-
gllndians threaten you outside the walls
of Paris; pleased that Thibaut d'Aus-
signay DULLES you inside the walls of
Paris; pleased that your soldiers are
mutinous; pleased that your citizens are
sullen; by my faith, here are four royal
reasons for royal pleasure
Louis shook his head playfully at his
servants grumbling. Gossip Tristan
he asked, do you know Why ] have
come to this howell tonight? / do not
walk abroad like king-errant in mere
what company my lord the grand con-
stable keeps" Tristan's shaggy eye
brows arched in surprise as the king
continued: Our good Olivier assures us
that our dear Thibaut d'Aussigny has
taken it into his head of late to walk
the streets by night and to haunt
strange tayerns such as this same Fir
curiosity, Tristan, and I thought l
would peep over Messire Thibaut's
shoulder and have an eye on his
cards.
Tristan chuckled. THE grand CON
stable bears you grudge since you
chose to turn q kind eye on the girl of
Naucelles.'
She was wise virgin to dislike Thi-
baut," unused the king. WAS she a
foolish virgin to mistrust your ma
jesty?" questioned Tristan. Louis
shrugged his shoulders. "she is proud
piece, gossip. When told her that she
took my fancy she famed into q red
rage that chastened me. But If she's
not for me she's not for Thibaut either"
The grand constable is bad enemy"
Tristan commented. The king replied
at random.
Tristan, I had a strange dream last
night. I dreamed that / was swine
roofing in the streets of Paris, and that
found a pearl of great price In the
kennel. I picked 1T up and set it in
my CROWN"
"A crowned pig" Tristan interrupt
ed Ills like tavern sign" Louis
did not seem to resent the interruption.
My good gossip, in dream nothing
this pearl in my crown and the light
of 1T seemed to fill all my good city of
Paris with glory so that coIlld see ev
cry street and alley, every tower and
pinnacle. more clearly than in sum
mer's noon. And then methought that
the pearl weighed so heavy upon my
forehead that I plucked it from its
would have trodden 1t under foot when
a star shot swiftly from heaven and
stayed me-
The king looked eagerly at his com
panion, who seemed wholly uninterest-
ed in the narrative Of the royal vision.
Dreams and stars, ntars and dreams"
he sneered. Leave dreams to weak
lings, sire Louis frowned. Don't
sheer, gossip, but instruct-who are
these people?" and the sharp, lean face
of the king thrust itself forward lit
tie. birdlike. from the nest of its hood,
in the direction Of the gamblers. His
companion shrugged his shoulders.
Some of the worst cats ana rats in
all Paris" he answered. "The men be-
long to fellowship that is called the
Company of the Cockleshells, and BAH
bic can't Of their own that battles the
thief-takers. IL your majesty but
here warning kick from Louis made
him vince and change his words-..if
you wished to SAVIOR rascality these are
your blades. The women are truls
Wonder she-thing In the mans habit
is Huguette du Hamel, wild wench
whom men call the Abbess for her nun
her minions with her now, Jehanneton
la Belle Heaulmiere as they name her.
Denise the slipper-maker, Blanche and
Isabeau. Oh they are delectable dox-
lest,
King Louis pursed his thin lips in
austere censure. They Shall be re-
proved hereafter" he said. who are
the menu"
Worthy Adams of such pestilent
Ewes, Tristan answered. THAT sen-
der fellow in the purple jerliin is one
Rene de Montigny, of gentle birth, and
great breaker of commandments He
with the red hair Is Guy Tabarie; they
are sworn brothers in bawdry and lar
ceny The ferret faced knave who is
tickling the girls knee is Jehan lie Loup.
Bullies and bawds, pandars and para
sites; to enumerate their offenses would
be to say the Decalogue backward"
You have a pithy humor, gossip
and Louis grinned "Our gallows shall
be busy anon"
Tristan was about TO open his mouth
in approval of sentiment so pleasing
to his cars when his words and his
purpose We're alike arrested by a
sound OF voice singing outside the
tavern door.
The voice was a mans voice. some
thing rough and strained for fine music.
and yet with kind of full and ford
sweetness that carried the words clear
~ through the red-curtained Windows.
They seemed to make complaint OF
Fortune:
Since have left the prison gate
w mere came near to say goodbye
To this poor life that needs must Nv
From the malignity of Fate,
Perchance she now viii pass me by
Since | have left the prison gate"
IF the king rricked his ear to listen.
and even Tristan moved a little in
mis- lethargy, the effect of the
song upon the company Of gamblers
was instant and pronounced. The An
nS f.af ,l,1 fr,1 I,