Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1905-01-03

{~ HE sun anu the Dreeze cou'
III 4 tended with the mist in.
k1gss1 trenched in the stronghold OF
saJ the valley. From the east the
reI orb began its attack; out Of the
west rode the swift moving zephyrs,
and, vanquished, the wavering vapor
stole off into thin air or hung in isolat-
| ed wreaths above the foliage on the
hillside. Soon the conqueriDg light
brightly illumined a medieval castle
commanding the surrounding country
the victorious breeze whispered loudly
ut its gloomy easements. A great Nor
man structure. somber, austere, it was,
however. frightened with many mod
ern features that threatened gradually
to sap much of its ancient majesty.
Fill up the moat," Francis had or
dered. "Tis barbaric! What lover
would sigh beneath walls thirty feet
thick! And the portcullis-away with
1t! Summon my Italian painters to
adorn the walls. We may yet make
habitable these legacies from the saw
age, DTutdl past.
So the mighty walls, once set in q
comparative wilderness. u tangle Of
thicket and underbrush, now arose
from garden, lawn and park, where
even the deer were no longer shy, and
the water, propelled by artificial pow
er, shot upward in jets.
Seated at a window which overlook
ed this sylvan aspect, modified If not
fashioned by man, young woman
with seeming conscientiousness told
her beads. The apartment, though
richly furnished. was in keeping with
the devout character Of its fair mis-
tress. A brush or aspersorium, used
for sprinklilg holy water, was leaning
against the wall. Upon table lay an
open psalter, with its long hanging
cover and a ball at the extremity Of
the forel. Behind two tall candle
sticks stood an altar table which, be-
ing unfolded, revealed three compart-
ments, each with q picture painted by
Andrea del Sarto, the once honored
guest Of Francis.
The Princess Louise, cousin Of Fran
els former queen, Claude, had been
reared with rigid strictness, although
provided with various preceptors who
had made her more or less proficient
in the profane letters, as they were
then called, Latin, Greek, theology and
philosophy. The fame Of her beauty
had gone abroad; her hand had been
often sought, but the obdurate king
had steadfastly refused to sanction
her betrothal until Charles, the em-
peror, himself proposed a union be-
tween the fair ward Of the French
monarch and one of his mobiles, the
young Duke Of Friedwald. To this
Francis had assented, for he calcu-
lated upon thus drawing to his inter-
ests one of his rivals most chivalrous
knights, while farseeing Charles be-
lieved he could not only retain the
duke, but add to his own court the
lovely and learned ward Of the king.
And in this comedy Of aggrandize-
ment the puppets were willing, as pup
pets must needs be. Indeed, the duke
was seriously enamored Of the prin-
cess, whose portrait he had seen IN
miniature, and had himself importuned
the emperor to intercede with Francis,
knowing that the only way to the
lady's hand was through the good Of
Fl .es of him who aspired to the mastery
OF all Europe, if not the world.
Charles, unwilling to disoblige one
whose principality was the most pow
erful Of the Austrian provinces he
sought to absorb in his scheme for the
unitication of all nations, offered no
dcmur to a request fraught with ad-
vantage to himself. Besides, cold and
calculating though he was. the en-
peror entertained certain affection
for the duke, who on one occasion,
when Charles had been sore beset by
tie troops Of Solyman, had extricated
his royal leader from the alternative
of lgnomlnious capture or an untimely
end. Accordingly. formal proposal,
couched in language Of warm friend
skip to the king, was dispatched BY
tie emperor. When Francis, with
some misgiving. arising from expert
ence with womankind, laid the matter
before Louise, she, to his surprise,
proved her devotion and loyalty by her
entire submissiveness, and the king,
kissing her hand, generously vowed
tie wedding festivities should be
worthy of her beauty and fealty.
Was she thinking Of that scene now
and the many messages which had
subsequently passed between her dis
tant lover and herself as the white
fingers ceased to tell the beads? Was
she questioning fate and the future
when the rosary fell from her hand
and the clinking Of the great glass
beads on the hard floor aroused her
from reverie? Languidly she rose and
crossed the room toward low dress
ing table, when at the same time one
of the several doors Of the apartment
opened, admitting the jestress. Jacque-
line, whose long, flowing gown Of dark
green bore no distinguishing mark of
the motley she had assumed the night
before. The dreamy, almost lethargic,
gaze Of the princess rested for mo-
ment upon the ardent eyes Of the maid
who stood motionless before her.
"The dukes jester who arrived last
night awaits your pleasure without"
said the girl.
bid him enter. Stay! The fllet for
my hair. Seems he merry fellowT
$50 merry, madam, he mimicked the
king last night In Fools hall, beat Tri-
boulet, appointed knaves in jest to high
offices, and had been hanged for his
forwardness but that he narrowly
saved his neck bS a slender device"
"What, all that in 80 short a timer
exclaimed the princess. "a most pre-
sumptuous rogue!
"rhe king. madam. was behind the
tapestry and heard 1t all-his appoint
ment of Thony as treasurer. because
he IL apt at palming money; Brusqust,
governor of Guienns, since he governs
his own home 30 iii, and Villot, admi-
raj of the feet, that he might sail
away and leave his pretty wife behind
him."
"I'll warrant me the story is known
to the entire court ere this" laughed
the lady. Wont Nine. d'Etaille be In
a tenptr! And the admiral when he