Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-05-25
led by the Duchesse d'Etafnpes, he
openly expressed his approval.

Of Navarro. there is little of the mon
astery about our good brothers court
Did your majesty expect we should
cloister you?" she answered, with q
lively glance.
He gazed meditatively upon the
Rose Of valois," or the Pearl Of the
Valois," as she was sometimes called
then a shadow fell upon him--the fu-
tility of ambition. the emptiness of
pleasure. In scanty attire. the Duchesso
d Etainpes, with the king, flashed
before him. the former all beauty. all
grace, her little feet tranpling down
care so lightly. Somberly he watched
her and sighed. Mentally he compared,
himself to Francis. They had Travelled
the road of life together. discnrding
their youth at the same turn of the
highway, yet here was his French
brother interchangeable in the pursuit of
merrment. while his own soul sang
miserere to the tune OF Francis I'D
dies. Yet. had he overheard the con
versation of the favorite and the king,
the cmperor's moodiness would not,
perhaps, have been unmixed with n
stronger feeling.
sire" the duchess was saying In her
most persuasive manner, while you
have Charles--once your keepcr--in
your power, here IN the chateau, you
will surely punish him for the past
and avenge yourself? You will make
him revoke the treaty of Madrid or
shut him UP in one Of Louis XI.'s
oubiettes?"
Il will persuade him If cam" re-
piled the king coldly. but never force
him. My honor. madam. is dearer to
me than my interests"
Tho favorite said no more Of cher.
ished project. knowing Francis temper
and his stubbornness when crossed.
She merely shrugged her white shout
ders and watched him closely. The
monarch had not scrupled once to
break his covenant with Charles. hold
ing that treaties made under duress,
by force majeure. were legally void.
while now But the king was COM
posed of contradictions, or was her own
influence waning?
She had observed a new expression
cross his countenance when in the
retinue of the emperor he had noted
the daughter of the constable, such a
tenderness as she remembered at Bay
onne when the king had looked upon
her. the duchess, for the first time
When she next spoke her words were
the outcome of this train Of thought
nj
should turn ont the daughter of that
traitor. the constable Of Dubrois." she
observed keenly.
"a traitor. certainly" said Francis.
'but also brave man. Perhaps we
pressed him too hard" he added retro
spectively. I'VE were young in years
and hot tempered
"Your majesty remembers the girl-a
dark browed. bold creature?" remark
ed the duchess, smiling amiably.
Ozark browed. perhaps. madam, but
I observed nothing bold in her de-
meanor." answered the king.
What. n jestress and not bold! A
girl who frequented Fools hall. who
ran away from court with the plat
SAINT" She glanced at him mischie-
vously, like willful child. but before
lis frown the smile faded. Involunta-
rily she clinched her hands.
Madam" he replied cynically, II
have always noticed that women are
poor judges of their own sex"
And, conducting her to seat, he
raised her jeweled fingers perfunctor-
" to his lips and, wheeling abruptly,
left her.
"Ah,' thought Triboulet omnously,
who had been closely observing them,
"the king is much displeased."
Had the duchess observed the mon.
archs lack of warmth? At any rate,
somewhat perpleXedly she regarded
the departing figure Of the king, then,
humming lightly, turned to mirror to
adjust ringlet which had fallen from
the golden net binding her tresses.
Mere de Dieu, woman never held
man or king by signing" she thought,
remembering the Countess of Chateau
briant, u veritable Niobe when the
monarch had sent her home.
But TribOulet drew q wry face His
little heart was beating TREMENDOUSLY.
Dark shadows crossed his mind. Two
portentous stars had appeared in the
horoscope Of his destiny-he who had
been the foreign fool; she who was the
daughter of the constable. Almost
fiercely the hunchback surveyed the
beautiful woman before him. With
her downfall would come his own. and
he believed the king had wearied Of
her How hateful was her fair face
to him ut that moment. Already in
imagination he experienced the bitter
ness of the foil from his high estates
and shudderingly looked back to his
own lowly beginning-a beggariy street
player Of bagpipes, ragged. wretched,
importuning passersby for coppers. re-
viled by every urchin. But she, meet
ing his glance and reading his thought,
only clapped her hands recklessly.
How unhappy you look" she said.
Madam, do you think the duke
he began.
II think he will cut of your head"
she exclaimed. and Triboulet turned
yellow, but a few moments later took
heart, the duchess was so hghtsome.
by my sword-if had one-our
jestress has made q triumphant re-
turn" commented Caillette az he stood
with the Duke Of Ffiedwald near one
OF the windows, surveying the Animal
ed scene. ALREADY are some of the
ladies' iealous as Rarharv pigaona uov