The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1903-01-02
villon, noticing his irritation. waved

Villon, noticing his irritation, waved
him down with a pacifying gesture.
Now, now, my UNI duke" he cried,
"Nrurl oyalty need not take fire. It was
NJ her majesty, but her name 1 shall
keep to myself, though it is written on
my shoulders in fair large blue and
black bruises"
This statement stirred a murmur of
surprise in the gathering. did the
pink and gold popinjay beat you?"Mon-
tigny asked, Interpreting the general
curiosity.
mo, no." villon answered. 1T came
about thus. We .inkers of verses set a
price on our wares that few find them.
worth, yet with the love-fever in my
I wrote rhymes to this lady and
sent them to her fairly writ on a piece
of parchment that cost me a dinner
Did o think she would come to
your whistle like a bird to a lure o.
Louis inquired playfully. Villon sighed
again.
In this kind Of madness a minstrel
thinks himself a new Orpheus who
could win a woman out OF hell with his
music. But I got my answer-oh, I got
my answer"
He dropped suddenly into a moody
silence, which was not to the taste of
the fellowship who were interested in
the adventure. Montigny, leaning for
ward, gave Villon a clap on the back
which made him shrink, and shouted
What was the answer"
Villon began to laugh, a loud, mirth-
less laugh that had nc human warmth
in it. Il,
"a fellow like a page boarded me
here three days ago. He asked me if l
had sent certain verses to a certain
quarter. If SO I was to follow him at
once. I followed like a sheep, with my,
heart drumming. till we came to a quiet
place, and there four hobbies with
yard-long cudgels fell upon me. I was
unaWares, / had no weapon but
my jack-dagger, the blows We're raining
me as "a as acorns fly in a high
wind, sol thought it no shame to take
TO my heels. The varlets pursued me,
full cry, till / led them to a part of Paris
where their lives would not have been
worth a minutes purchase and they
had to stay their chase. Blu I have been
rarely dubbed and roundly basted, and
my poor back and sides are most wom-
without Excalibur." He tapped his
sword lilt a.S he spoke. Huguettet
glared fercely up at him.
VIII it teach you not to play the fool
again?" she asked, with a vicious snap
of her white teeth.
Tt will teach me not to play the fool
again." Villon answered sadly. "The
NNA q IL opoAA l1S ILL / SlIdl1
dream no more dreams" He shook him.
self as If he were trying to shake away
clinging memories and extended his
empty can to Montigny, saying: TN
thirsty again. More liquor
AS Montigny filled up for his leader,
commented, You drink more
than is good for your health, sir" Viii
lon rounded on him angrily, with
flushed face n shining eyes.
mind VOtr own h1SinaSSfn ha cboJ1t.
ed, and the rest shouted with him APP
p~laudingly. What can a man do but
drink when France is going to the
devil, with the B~urgundians encamped
in the free fields where I played in
childhood, and a nincompoop sits on
the throne and let's them besiege his
city The rascals laughed. Tristan
whispered to himself, You'll be sorry
you spoke, Master Villon." The king
propounded a problem. mo doubt YOU
could do better than the king if you
wore the kings shoes?"
Villon rolled about on his barrel in an
ecstasy of entertainment. IF I could
not do better than Louis Do-Nothing,
Louis Dare-Nothing, having his occa-
there never kiss me again"
His boon companions laughed. HUI
guette whispered sulkily, Perhaps she
lever WILL"
Isabeau came siding and bridling up
to Louis, wheeling like a cat as she
said: Our Francois a made a rhyme
of 1t, sir, how he would carry himself If
he wore the kings Shoes"
Louis was always ready for any kind
of gallantry. He put his arms around
the girls slim body and drew her to his
knee. Has he, indeed, pretty min.
ion?" he said. May we not hear it,
Master Poet?"
Villon, with mock modesty, had tried
to restrain Isabeau from speaking of
the work, but now he changed his tune.
may; you shall; for tits a true
if it came to the kings ears, very likely.
But you are not tall enough to whisper
in them, so here goes"
With a shout Villon sprang to his
feet, draped his tattered cloak closely
him, struck a commanding atti-
tude, and began to recite with great
Louis scooped his claw-like
fingers behind his ear, that he might
better hear the words that fell from the
poets mouth: aas
'.Al French folk, whereso'er We be,
Who love your country, soil and sand.
From Paris to the Breton sea,
And back again to Norman strand,
We seem a silly band,
Sheep without shepherd, left to
chance
Far otherwise our fatherland
If Villon Were the king of F%rance!"
Louis glanced grimly at Tristan; the
rogues rubbed their hands and chuckled.
Villon smiled in pride and went on:
The figure on the throne you see
LIS nothing but a puppet, planned
To wear the regal bravery
OF silken coat and gilded wand,
Not so we Frenchmen understand
The lord of lions heart and glance,
And such a one would take command
II Vilon We're the king Of France!p
The kings face was a study in sar-
Tristan was poppy-red with
rage. The gang applauded and Villon
with their applause.
His counsellors are rogues, Perdiei
While men of honest mind are banned.
creak upon the gallows tree,
Or squeal in prisons over-mann'd;
We want a chief to bear the brand,
And i he damned Burgundians
dance;
God! Where the orifamme should
stand
II Villon were the king Of France!"