Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-05-18

unteer the man might nave been DIR.
Rabelais model for laconicism. and n
moment she stood there with slight
frOwn. Then she gazed at him medi-
tatively. Tap. tap. went the tiny ham
mer in the mighty hand, and laughing
softly. she turned. These men Of
Friedwald were not unpleasant in her
eyes.
Twice had she approached the tent
wherein lay the fool, only to learn that
the emperor was with the dukes plai-
SAINT. "A slight relapse Of fever" had
said the Italian leech az he blocked the
entrance and stared at her with wick
ed, twinkling eyes. She need be under
no apprehension. he had added. but to
her quick fancy his glance said, "a
maid wandering with fool"
Apprehension? No. II could not be
that she felt but new sense of lone,i.
ness, Of that isolation which contact
with strange faces emphasized. What
had come over her? she asked herself,
she who had been 80 self sufficient,
whose nature now seemed filed with
sudden yearning and restlessness, i'm.
patiencc-she knew not what She who
thought she had partaken so abundant
~ Of lifes cup abruptly discovered re-
newed sources for disQuietude. With
yelling heart she watched the sun go
down, the glory Of the widely radiat-
ting hues give way to the pail Of night.
Upon her young shoulders the mantle
Of darkness seemed to rest 30 heavily
she bowed her head in her hands.
"A maid and fool! An. foolish
maid" whispered the wanton breeze.
The pale light OF the stars played
upon her, and the dews fell until, in
voluntarily shivering with the cold, she
arose. As she walked by the emperor's
quarters she noticed a figure silhouet-
ted on the canvas walls. To and fro
the shadow moved, shapeless. gro
tesQue. yet eloquent of life's vexation
Of spirit. Turning into her own tent.
the jestrSss lighted the wick of a silver
lamp. A faint aroma of perfume swept
through the air. 1t seemed to soothe
her-or was it but WEAKNESS ?-and
shortly she threw herself on the silken
couch and sank to dreamless slumber.
When she awoke the bright hued
dome of the tent was agow in the
morning sun. The reflected radiance
bathed her face and form. Her heavi-
ness OF heart had taken wings. The
little lamp was still burning. but the
fresh fragrance of dawn had replaced
the subtle odor Of the oriental essence
Upon the rug single streak of sun
shine was creeping toward her. In the
brazler which had warmed her tent the
glowing bark and cinnamon had turned
to cold. white ash.
Through the girls veins the blood
coursed rapidly. A few moments she
lay In the rosy effulgence. restfully
conscious that danger had fed and
that she was bulwarked by the en-
perors favor. when a sudden thought
broke upon this half wakeful mood and
caused her to spring. all alert, from
her couch. To dress with her had
never been a matter of great duration.
The hair Of the joculatrix naturally
rippled into such waves as were the
envy of the court ladies'. Her supple
fingers adjusted garment after gar
ment with swift precision. while her
figure needed no device to lend grace
to the investment.
Soon, therefore. had she left her tent.
making her way through the awaken
ing camp. In the royal kitchen the
cook was bending over his fires, while
an assistant mixed a beverage of bar
ley water, yolks Of eggs and SIENNA
wine for Charles when he should be-
come aroused. Those courtiers al
ready astir cast many glances in the
girls direction as she moved toward
the tent Of the fool.
But IL these gallants were sedulous
she was correspondingly Indifferent.
Anxiety or loyalty-that stanchness Of
heart which braved even the ironical
eyes Of the black robed master of med
icine-drove her again to the ailing
TESTERS tent and. remembering how
she had ridden into camp and into the
august empefor's favor. these fondlings
Of fortune looked significantly from
one to the other.
"A jot less fever, solicltous maid"
said the leech In answer to the in
quiries Of the jsstress. and she endur-
ed the glance for the news. although
the former sent her away with her face
anar:e
IAN the leech lot her in. he'd soon
have to let the patient out" spoke up
a gallant. Her eyes are a sovereign
remedy. where bolus pills and all vile
potions might fail"
III this be sample of Francis dam.
sells. care not how long We are in
reaching the Low Countries" answered
q second
TO this the first replied in kind. but
soon had these gallants matters Of
more serious moment to divert them,
for 1t began to be whispered about
that Louis Of Hochfels had determined
to push forward. The unwonted activ.
ity in the camp ere long gave credence
to the rumor The troopers commenced
looking to their weapons. Squires hur-
ried here and there. while near the
tents stood the horses, saddled and
bridled, undergoing the scrutiny Of the
grooms.
Some time, however. elapsed tefore
the emperor himself appeared. Moth
ing In the bead roll or devotional offer
ing of the morning had he overlooked,
The divers dishes that followed had
been scrupulously partaken OF. and
then only-as man not to he hurried
| from tho 0ltop mr. thu tohla-hnd hn