The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-07-01
CHAPTER xI.
A NEW MESSENGER TO THE EN-
PEROR

A NEW MESSENGER TO THE EN-
PEROR.
Between Caillette and the dukes Jester
had arisen one of those friendships Whlch
spring more from similitude than unlike
ness; an amity of which each had been IN
conscious in its inception but which nad
gradually grown into sentiment of com
radeshp. Caillette was Of noble mien,
graceful manner and elegant address;
soldier by preference: a jester against his
will, forced to the office by the nobleman
who had cared for and educated him. In
the dukes fool he had found his other self;
a man who like himself lent dignity to the
gentle art of testing; who could turn a
rhyme and raise a laugh without resortlng
to grossness.
The line of demarcation between the
clown and the merry-and-wise wit was, In
those days, not clearly drawn. The stories
of the former, which made the matrons
look down and the maidens to hide their
faces, were often more appreciated by the
inebriate mobiles than some subtle COM
icality or nimble lines of poetry. that would
serve to take home and think over, and
which improved with time like wine of
sound body Triboulet abused the ancient
art of foolery, thought Caillette; the duke s
PLEASANT played upon ii with true drollery.
and as master who has delicate ear for
an instrument, so Calllette' pelng sehsltiVs
as humor or pleasantly, turned naturally
from the mountebank to the true jester.
Moreover, Caillette experienced superior
sadness, sifted through years or lnfestlvity
and gloom, beginning when Diane was leo
to the altar by the grand seneschal OF Nor
mandy, that threw an actual, albeit cynlcal,
interest about the lOve-tragedy of the
dukes fool which the other OWNED and
from his own past heart-throbs-under-
stood The PLEASANT TO the princess's be-
trothed, Caillette would have sworn was
of gentle birth; his face. manner and bear
ing proclaimed it; he was, also, scholar
and poet; his courage, which Caillette d.
vined, fitted him for the higher ofhce OF
arms Certainly, he became an interesting
companion, and the French jester sought
his company on every occasion. And this
fellowship, or intimacy, which he courted
was destined to send Caillette forth on a
strange and adventurous mission.
The day following the return of the duke s
fool to the castle Francis, who early in his
reign had sought to model his lie after the
chivalrous romances. inaugurated splen-
did and pompous tournament. Some time
before, the pursuivants had proclaimed the
event and distributed to the knights who
were to take active part the shields of arms
of the four juges-diseurs, or umpires OF
the field. On this gala occasion the SCAT
folds and stands surrounding the arena
were bedecked in silks OF bright colors;
against the cloudless sky thousand festal
flags waved and futtered in the gentle
breeze; beneath the tasseled awning fes-
ICONS of bright flowers embellished gor-
geous hangings and tapestries:
The King rode from the castle under a
| pavilion of cloth of gold and purple velvet,
with the letters F and r boldly outlined.
| followed by ladies and courtiers, pages and
attendants. Amid the shouts and huzzas
| of the people, the monarch and his retinue
| took their places in the center of the stand,
the royal box hung with ornate brocades
In an Enclosure of white, next to that of
| the King. was seated the lady of the tour
nament. the Princess Louise. and her maids
against the garish brilliancy of the gen.
| eral background a pompous pageantry OF
| coors, the decoration of this dainty nook
| shone In silvery contrast. garland OF
| flowers was the only crown the lady wore
| no other adornment had her fair shoulders
| save their own argent beauty, of which the
| fashion of the day permitted a discernible
| suggestion. One arm hung dangerously
| across the railing, as she leaned forward
with seeming carelessness, but intently di-
rected her glance to the scene below, where
| the attendants were arranging the ring OF
| leading the wondrously pranked-out charg.
! erS to their stalls.
Behind her, motionless as a statue, with
| face that locker paler, and lips the redder
and hair the blacker. stood the maid
| Jacuueline If the casual glance saw frs
| the blonde head. the creamy arms and
sunny blue eyes of the princess 1t was APP
| unon the striking figure OF the jestress, q
| nocturnal touch in pearly picture.
ION my word, there's a decorative crea
! ture for any lord to have in his house.
| murmured the aged chancellor Of the king
dom. sitting near the monarch. who. /.
| she?"
"a beggar's brat Francis found here wher
ne took the CASTLE" replied the beribbonet
| shark addressed. You know the story?"
Yes said the white-haired diplomat
| balf-sadly This castle once belonged Il
the great Constable of Dubrois. When h
| fell from favor the King besieged him; the
constable fed and died in Spain. Tha
much. of course, land the world-know
| But the girl"
when our victorious monarch took pos
session of this ancient pile" explained til,
| Willing courtier. 1.-The only ones left in /
| were an old gamekeeper and his daughter
a gypsy-like maid who ran Wild in tn
| woods. Tire hath tanned her somewhat
| hut there she stands"
"And what sad memories of a noble bu
unfortunate gentleman cluster around her.'