Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1903-01-15

In an ecstasy of joy Villon fell on his
knees as he seldom kneeled in prayer
while he gasped:
III this be dream, pray heaven
may never wake
The girl drew from her bosom a little
piece of folded parchment and held II
out towards him.
You wrote me these verses. Ny ell
ders tell me that poets say much and
mean little; that their oaths are like
gingerbread, as hot and sweet in the
mouth and as easily swallowed. Are
You such a one?"
Nillon rose to his feet. He knew that
this exquisite presence WAS flesh and
blood; that hcr speech was human
speech. He answered her very grave
ly-
My words are life. / love you.'
just because l show a smooth
face?"
A grave wave OF rapture swept over
the poets soul and his brain seemed as
busy with words as hive with bees.
He spoke slowly like q man inspired
Because you are the lovelicst she
alive. II all my dreams of loNeiiness
had been pieced together into one per-
feet woman she would have been like
you. All my life ! have read tales of
love and tried to find their secret in the
bright eyes about me-tried and failed.
might as we'll have been seeking for
the Holy Grail. But when 1 saw you
the old heaven and the old earth
seemed to shrivel away and knew
what love might mean, and God-like
desire and God-like surrender. The
world is changed by your coming, all
sweet tastes and fair colors and soft
sounds have something of YOU in them.
eat and drink, see and hear in your
honor. The people in the street are
blessed because you have passed
among them. That stone on the ground
is sacred, for your foot has touched It,;
or the dusty booth at the corner which
your sleeve has brushed in passing. l
love you All philosophy, all wisdom,
religion, honor, manhood, hope, beauty
lie In those words--l love you."
The girl looked at him with wide
eyes, quite fearless, much astonished,
as brave maid might look at some
wild beast of the woods that came in
her way. But the purport of his words
seemed to please her. for she answered
him quickly and readily.
Well, have come to you to put your
to the proof. If You meant
every word you said. every syllable,
every letter. you can serve me we'll.
And with these words she moved a
little as if She We're ready to say fare
Well to him then and there. Nillon put
forward an appealing hand that stayed
her.
Il wrote with my hearts blood" he
protested, and even green girl could
not fail t" read the truth i'm his voice.
Now she came close to him, speaking
very low but very distinctly.
te,frN,, r ett..
dies; Thibaut d'Aussigny, the grand
constable of France, loves me a little
and my broad lands much. He will
that l should marry him. He tried to
force me to his will, to Shame me to his
pleasure, and so / hate him, and so
should YOU, for 1T was he who gave you
your beating"
Villon, who had been listening to her
in wonder, started as IL he had been
struck anew.
oh it was he?" he Interrupted The
girl came little closer, became little
more confidential.
me how you had been treated. When
| read them said-here, If a poet
speaks truth, is the one man in France
who can help me-"
Nillon drew himself back with a little
shiver of intelligence. The fumes of
Wine. the fumes of wonder We're drift
ing away from him, leaving him face
to face with naked, amazing reality.
Why not your yellow haired pink
faced lover?" he asked. Katherine
frowned disdain.
en- might love, but / love no man; 1
hate Taibaut d'Aussigny. Do you UNI
derstand?"
II begin to understand" Nillon ans
Wered, sadly.
The girl came nearer to Villon Her
face was very pale in the dim light, and
a fleeing image of the moon in clouds
teased his fancy. Her lips We're as red,
he thought, as the ruby of a bishop S
ring, and her eyes out-starred Venus.
So 1t was he who trembled and not the
maiden who was saying strange UNI
words in q clear, steel-lil1e
Whisper.
XIII Thibaut d'Aussigny. You are
a skillful swordsman, they say. You
are little better than an outlaw. You
say you love me more than life Kill
Thlbaut d'Ausslgny."
Villen looked at her queerly. To save
his life he could not keep his face from
quiveitng. He was eating his heart and
it tasted very bitter. and his own voice
sounded far away to him, like a voice
heard in q dream.
So that you and Noel what's his
name may live happily ever after"
Katherine drew back from him,
little scorn in her eyes and on her lips.
Are you less eager To serve me than
you were?"
The question struck him in the breast
like the stroke of sword. He remem-
bercd his golden VOWS and his golden
verses, and sickened at his shadow of
disloyal doubt and anger.
No, by heaven, but I've been doing
aud dreaming. and I've got to rub the
sleep out of my eyes and the dream out
III mig heart. Tell me how to serve
YOU
She was reassured on the instant and
neared him again confidently.
Thibaut dAussigny comes here to-
night. He has come here before in dis
guise, for l have had him followed. 1
think he means to betray the king to
SO you will serve France as
we'll as me. How do such men as YOU
kill each other?'
Villon looked at her ironically out of
the corner of his eyes; answered her
out of the corner of his
mouth. He saw himself as she saw
him, and was sadly entertained at the
sight.
Generally in drunken scuffle. Will
you wait here till he comes, pretty lady,
for 1 never say him? Then leave the
rest to me-"
Something in his voice, though it was
firm and clear, seemed to touch the
girls ear more than any word he had
yet uttered. A new curiosity seemed
to lurk in her eyes and there was al
most sound of pity in her speech.
You love me very much?" she asked
softly. Villon drew himself up proudly
and answered her proudly.
With all the meaning that The word
can have in paradise"
A faint shade of color came into the
Woman's pale. pure cheeks.