The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-01-16
do I look like a ghost?" the fair

woman answered.
In an ecstasy Of joy villon fell on his
knees as he seldom kneeled in prayer,
while he gasped:
IF this be a dream, pray heaven I
may never wake"
The girl drew from her bosom a little
piece of folded parchment and held it
out towards him.
"You wrote me these verses. My ell
ders tell me that poets say much n
mean little; that their oaths are like
gingerbread, as hot and sweet in the
mouth and as easily swallowed. Are
you such a one?"
villon rose to his feet. He knew that
| this exquisite presence was flesh n
blood; that ner speech was human
speech. He answered her very grave
ly--
my words are life. I love you'll"
Just because I show a smooth
face?'
A grave ave OF rapture. swept yer
the poets soul and his brain seemed as
busy with words as a hive with bees.
He spoke slowly like a man inspired.
Because you are the loveliest she
alive. If all my dreams of loneliness
had been pieced together into one per-
f@}t woman she would have been like
you. All my life I have read tales Of
love and tried to find their secret in the
bright eyes about me-tried n failed.
I might as we'll ave been seeking for
the Holy Grail. But when I saw you
the old heaven and the old earth
seemed to shrivel away and I 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.
I eat and drink, l see n 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. I
love you! All philosophy, all wisdom,
religion, honor, manhood, hope, beauty
lie in those words-I love you!"
The girl looked at him with wide
eyes, quite fearless, much astonished,
as a brave maid might look at some
wild beast Of he woods that came in
her way. But the purport Of his words
seemed to please her, for she answered
him quickly and readily.
"Well, I have come to you to put your
protestations to the proof. If you meant
every word you said, every syllable,
every letter, you can serve me well.
If not, good night and good bye"
And with these words she moved a
little as If she were ready to say fare
well to him then n there. Villon put
forward an appealing hand that stayed
her.
'I wrote with my hearts blood,' he
I protested, n even a green girl could
not fail to read the truth in his voice.
Now she came close to him, speaking
very low but very distinctly.
"Ltsten. I am n of the queens la
dies; Thibaut d'Aussigny, the grand
constable of France, loves me a little
and my broad lands much. He will
that I should marry him. He tried to
force me to his will, to shame me to his
pleasure, n so I hate him, and SO
should you, for it was he who gave you
your beating"
Villon, who had been listening to her
in wonder, started as if he had been
struck anew.
"Oh, It was he?" he interrupted. The
girl came a little closer, became a little
more confidential.
HE gave your rhymes to me and told
me how o had been treated. When
I read them I said-here, if a poet
speaks truth, is the one man in France
who can help me-"
villon drew himself back with a little
shiver of intelligence. The fumes of
wine, the fumes Of wonder were drift
ing away from him, leaving him face
to face with naked, amazing reality.
/ EE4 w u I'd SAA SS11O" 11d1 GU - IL
faced ~lover?" he asked. Katherine
frowned disdain.
Noel lie joys is a nlan many wom-
en- might love, but I love no man; !
hate Taibaut d'Aussigny. Do you UNI
derstand?"
81 begin to understand" villon 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
leased his fancy. Her lips were as red
he thought. as the ruby Of a bishops
ring, and her eyes out-starred Venus
So 1t was he who trembled and not the
maiden who was saying strange un-
maiden-like words In a clear, steel-like
whisper.
Kill Thibaut d'Aussigny. You are
a skillful ~swordsman, they say. Yor
are little better than an outlaw. You
say you love me more han life. xii
Thibaut d'Aussigny!"
Villon looked at her queerly. To save
his life he could not keep his face from
quiYering. He was eating his heart anc
1t tasted very bitter, and his own voice
sounded far away to him, like a voice
heard in a dream.
$50 that you and Noel what's hi.
name nay live happily ever after?'
katherine drew back from him, {
little scorn in her eyes inc on her lips
Are Sout lSSS eager ~ SERVE Tie llldl
you were??"
The question struck him in the breast
like the stroke of a sword. He remem'
bered his golden vows and his COLDER
verses, and sickened at his shadow o
disloyal doubt and anger.
NO, by heaven, but I've been doing
and dreaming, and I've got to rub TIT
sleep out of my eyes and the dream on
of my heart. Tell me how to serve
you"
She was treasured on the instant anl
neared him again confidently.
.Thibaut d'Aussigny comes here to
night. He has come here before in dis
guise, for have had him followed.
think he means to betray the king t
Burgundy, sosyou will serve France a
well as me. How do such men as yol
kill each other?"
Villon looked at her ironically out o
the orner of his eyes; answered he
ironically out OF the corner Of hi
mouth. He saw himself 81 she say
him. and was sadly entertained at tn
sight.
Generally in q drunken scufae. VIII
you wait here till he comes, pretty lady
for I never say him? Then leave tn
rest to me"
Something in his voice. though it wa
II G4r,aff q ~ oJaor Il 5eaoD,1a a. e fS,,o ~