Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-09-12
''.Who?" called out gay and reckless

.Who? called out gay and reckless
voice
Through the doorway leading into the
Kitchen stepped a young man: slender.
almost boyish in appearance, with light
brown hair and deep-set eyes that belied
the gaiety and mirth of his features. His
costume. that of jester. was silk Of finest
texture and design, upon which were skill
fully fashioned in threads of silver the
arms of Charles V. King of Spain and EN-.
peror of Germany, the powerful rival of
Francis. whose friendship now, for reasons
Of state. the latter sought.
Smilfngly the foreign jester gazed around
the room: at the unusual furnishings, pic
tureSdue. yet appropriate. at the inmates,
the fools scattered about the great board
or near the mighty fireplace: the renowned
philosopher, Rabelais, sleeping on his arm,
with hand outstretched toward the ne
elected tankard; at the striking appear
ance of the girl who looked with casual
careless interest upon him; at the gro
tesque. crook-backed figure before the
throne.
And observing the incongruity of his sur
roundings, he laughed lightly, while his
glance. turning inquiringly. If not inso-
lently, from one to the other. fingered in
some surprise upon the young woman. He
had heard that in far-away France the
motley was not confined to men, Had not
Jeanne, queen of Charles l, possessed her
jestress. Artaude de Puy. "folle to our dear
companion" as said the king? Had not
Madame dor. wearer of the bells, kept the
mobiles laughing? Had not the naughty
eccentric Don John his handsome, merry
joculatrix. attached to his princely house
hold?
But knowing only by rumor of these mat
ters, the jester from abroad looked hard at
her, the first madcap In petticoats he had
ever seen. For her part, Jacqueline bore
his scrutiny with visible annoyance.
WELL" she said. impatiently, a flash Of
resentment in her fine eyes, have you
conned me over enough?"
Too much, Mistress, he replied in no
wise aha shed IAN III hath n1aa Sad
Too little to please myself"
YOURSELF" she returned. with sudden
anger at his persistent gaze. Some lords
playing to beat or whip toy"
And yet a poet who can make rhymes on
| woman's beauty" he answered. with a
! careless laugh.
I Another courtieri" grumbled Triboulet
Lacking true wit, fools nowadays essay
only compliments to cover their dullness."
With the same air of insolent amusement,
the newcomer turned to the throne and its
occupant, whom he subjected to an even
more deliberate investigation.
rs ii man or manikin, gentle mistress?"
he asked. after concluding his examination
She did not deign to answer, but the Of
Tended Tribotilet waved his wooden sword
vindictively.e
"Manikin!" he roared. and sprang with
vicious lunges upon the dukes jester, who
falling back before the suddenness OF the
assault whipped out his weapon in turn
| and. laughing. threw himself into an atti-
tude of defense. ~
"A mortal combat! cried the cardinal 8
wit-snapper. i
Charles and Francisi exclaimed
Caillette. referring to the personal challenge
which had once passed between the two
great monarchs. with a throne for the
| victor!'' he added igaily. indicating Tri-
boulet's chair OF state
The cIatter and din aw6ke Rabelais. who
drowsily regarded the combatants with
| Iack-Iuster gaze and undoubtedly thought
himself once more amid the fanciful con-
| dictS of fearful giants.
Fall to, Pantagruei. my merry PaladinY'
he exclaimed bombastically. "Cut. slash.
| stab. fence and justler' And himself.
reaching for an imaginary sword, encoun-
tered the tankard which he would have
raised to his lips. but that his shaggy
head fell again to the board before his
willing arm had obeyed the passing i'm
pulse of his sluggish brain.
"Fence!-justle!' he murmured, and slept
once more.
But the parrot, again disturbed could not
SO easily compose itself to slumber. Whip
| ping Its head from its downy nest. 1t out
spread its gray wings gloriously and
screamed and shouted. though venting
all the thunders of the Vatican upon the
offending belligerents. And above the up
roar and noise of arms. rabble and BIRD
arose the piercing voice of Trfbouiet:
Watch me spit this bantam-cockr'