The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-01-30
ng him deferentially. He

"Olivier, by and by. when my Lord
of Montcorbier takes the aid In the
garden, bring this lady to him. You
once more tickled her hin with the
swaying rose.
Nov, go. girl, or my wife and your
queen will be wanting her roses"
Katherine again saluted the king and
went slowly up the steps into the pal
ace. Louis watched her as she went,
watched her until she was out OF
sight, and then turned sharply upon
his servant.
We'll, goodman barber, what of
Francois Villon?"
"a pct of drugged win last night
serit him to sleep in a prison. rms
morning he woke in a palace, Tapped
in the linen of 4 royal bed. He has
been washed and barbered, sumptu-
ously dressed and rarely perfumed. He
is so changed hat his dearest friend
would not know him again. He does
not seem to know himself. He carries
himself as if he had been a courtier all
his days.
The king chuckled.
Il have little doubt that when the
jackass wore the lions kin he thought
himself a lion. But is he not amazed?'
"Too much amazed, sire, to betray
amazement His attendants sur him,
with the gravest faces, that he is the
grand constable of France. l believe
he thinks himself in a dream, and. find
ing the dream delicate, accepts it"
Remember" said Louis, Ito keep to
the ale. This fellow came here from
Provence last night. None must know
who he is save you and I and Tristan.
Blow it about to all the court that he is
the count of Montcorbier, the favorite
of our brother Of Provence, and now my
friend and counsellor. 1 have a liking
for you, Olivier, as you know, and Iris
tan and I are very good friends, but
neither Of your heads are safe on their
shoulders If this sport Of mine be
spoiled by indiscretions.' <
Olivier bowed deeply.
IT cannot speak for Tristan, sire" he
said, but l can speak for myself. The
god Harpocrates is not more symbolical
than I when it is my business to hold
my tongue"
TT is WE'LL" said Louis. 81 will an
swer for Tristan. Have this fellow sent
to me here
With another reverence Olivier left
the king and assembled the steps into
the palace. The king shifted pensively
at the rose which Katherine had given
to him. The perfume seemed to sooth
him and he unused, summing himself n
feeding his fancy with the entertain
ment which playing with the lives of
others always afforded to him.
This Jack and Jill shall dance to my
Whimsy like dolls upon a wire. 1t would
be rare sport if Mistress Katherine dis
dained Louis to decline upon this beg
gar. He shall hang for hooking me.
But he carried himself like a king for
all his tatters and patches, and he shall
taste of splendor."
CHANGING up at the terrace he per-
ceived the returning figure of Olivier
lie Dain, and guessed that his bench
man was serving as herald to the new
grand constable. Behind Olivier came
a little cluster of pages, and behind
them again the king could see a shining
figure in cloth of gold.
Here comes my 1~nountebank," he
said to himself, "as pompous as if he
were born to the purple" He moved
swiftly to the door of the tower and
entered it, disappearing as the little
procession descended the steps into the
rose garden. There was a little grating
in the door of the tower, a little grating
with a sliding shutter. and through this
grating the king now peered with in
finite entertainment at the progress OF
the comedy himself had planned. Oil
vier had spoken truly when he said
that Master Villon had been greatly
changed. The BARRIERS own handiwork
had so ,cleansed and shaved his coSn-
tenance. had SO rimme and readjust-
ed his locks that his face now shone as
different from the face of the tavern
naunte as the face of the moon shines
from the face of a lantern. He was as
sumptuously attired as if he were q
prince of the blod royal: the MONDAY
sun seemed to take fresh luster from
his suit Of gold, the air to be enriched
by his perfume, the world to be vastly
the better for his furs n jewels
Though it was plain that the tricked
out poet was in a desperate dilemma he
managed to bear himself with dignit,
t that consorted royalty with his pomp
Olivier bowed low to the figure IL
cloth of gold.
'.Will your dignity deign to lingel
awhile in this rose arbour?" he asked
The gentleman in cloth Of gold looked
at him IN wonder. In truth, the gen
tleman in cloth of gold was in a yer,
bewildered frame of mind. He had seer
but now a clean and sm%ooth-shayel
face in the mirror, with elegant,
trimmed hair, and he tried to associate
the image in the mirror with his owl
familiar face, unwashed, unkempt, I'm
shaven. He eyed the splendid clothe
that covered him and his memor.
fumbled IN perpleXity over the horror
of "a dingy, filthy wardrobe, ragged
Wine-stained and ancient. He looke'
at the solemn pages h stood abou
him with golden cups and golden flag
ons in their hands, and he tried to re
member how he had escaped from tn
society of Master Robin Turgis int
this gilded environment. His hea'
ached with the endeavor and he bar
. doned it,. Olivier repeated his question
: and at last Villon found words, thougl
g his voice sounded strange and hQlloy
on his ears, and lard to command.
> MY dignity will deign TO do any
thing You suggest, good master Blacka
> moor he answered, but to his hear
q he whispered hat it was better to hu
- NOR these strange satellites whose per
= sons he found it impossible to reconc1l
with any memories of the real worl'
= as he knew it The barber bowed defer
entially.
st shall have to trouble you present..
with certain small cares of state" h
said.
e yillon beamed on him ~benignly. H
t. was wondering what his interlocute
v was talking about. but he felt that ]
was the course of the wise man to be
tray no wonder. The conditions were
indeed, bewildering. but also they wer
e not disagreeabie, and it was as well t
e take them cheerfully-
mo trouble, excellent myrmidon," h
answered. These duties are pleasure
e to your true man."
Olivier bowed anew.
8 Ills majesty will probably honor yo'