Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-03-30
CHAPTER I.
s: IS: f.: : ::;::':;'


2S$SI "No more. I say
A jingle of tinkling bells mingled
nth the squeak of viola, the guf.
avs of rompish company blended
With the tunclcss chanting of discord-
Mt minstrels. and the gray parrot in
IS golden cage, suspended from one Of
he oaken beams of the ceiling. Shock
IS feathers for the twentieth time and
dreamed vindictively at the roguish
land.
Jingle, Jingle. went the merry bells;
queak. squeak, the frightened strings
eneath the persistent scraping of the
Dsined bow. On his throne in Fools
all Triboulet. the kings hunchback,
hancd complacently back. his eyes
ent upon tapestry but newly hung
h that room. the meeting place Of
esters. buffoons and versiicrs.
I'VE appeal to Tribouct'-
"Triboulet.'
A girls silvery laugh rang out.
"Triboulet.'
Again the dcrisive musical tones.
Upon his chair of state the dwarf
id not answer; professcd not to hear.
By the uncertain gliinmer of torches
nd the Pickering glow of the fire he
vas engaged in tracing Il resemblance
o himself in the central figure Of the
imposition wrought in threads of silk
Momus, fool by patent to Jove,
hrust from Olympus and greeting the
arth born with II great grin
AN excellent likeness" muttered
'riboulet "A very pretty likeness.
e continued. swelling with pride.
And truly it was said that sprightly
hdcs, working between love and
Measure times, drew from the court
DOL for their conception of the mythO-
ogical buitoon. reproducing Tribou-
cts great lead; his mouth, proportion
tely large: his protruding eyes, his
bowed back. short. twisted legs and
ong, muscular arms and his nose far
arger than that of Francis, who 9TH
(rwise had the largest nose in the
Kingdom.
But how could they depict the mean
hess of soul that dwelt in that extraor-
mary shell? The blithesome tapestry
makers, albeit adopts in form, grace
Ind harmony. could not touch the sub
ectivcness of existence. Thus 1t was
double pleasure for TribOulet to SEQ,
imned in we'll chosen hues. his form,
he croOkedness of which he was as
proud as any courtier of his SYM
|netry and beauty. the while his dark,
vain soul lay concealed behind the
mask Of merry deformity and laughing
nonstrosity.
would your majesty like to COM
nand me"'
The hooking feminine voice recalled
rriboulet from his pleasing contempla-
Zion.
mo, no" he answered sullenly and
condescended to turn his glance upon
he assemblage.
Over goodly gathering of testers,
buffoons, poets and even philosophers
he lorded il. holding his head as high
ms his hump would permit and con-
scious of his own place in the esteem
of the king. Not long ago the monarch
had laughed and appauded when
Triboulet had twisted his features into
a horrid grimacc, and since then the
dwarf's little heart had expanded
with such arrogance 1t seemed to him
he was almost Francis himself rs he
sat there on Francis sometime throne,
and these Sir Jollys were his subjects
all Marot. Caillette. Brusquct, Villot
and the lesser lights, testers Of barons
cardinals and even bishops. Rabelais
too. that poor, dissOlute devil Of q
writer learned as Homer. british as
Homer's swine-all subjects of his, the
king OF testers, save One-one whom
he eyed with certain fear and wonder
fear because she was wOman-and
Triboulet esteemed all the sex but
"highly perfected devils''-and wonder
at finding her different from and more
perpleXinG than even the rest Of bel
kind.
"Jacquellne.'
Now she was rerchod on one corner
OF the table. and her face had witch
like loveliness. as though borrowing
Its pallor and beauty from the moon
source OF all magic and necromancy
Her eyes shone with such lustcr that
seeking their hue, they held the OBJ
servers gaze in hooking languor and
cheated the inGuisitivc coxcomb of his
quest. the while the disdainful lips
curved lauGhingy and so bewildered
him he forgot the customary phrases
and stood staring like nonny. IIel
footstep fell so light she was so agile
and quick, the superstitious dwarf
night and held surrcptitious meetings
with all the familiar spirits of demon
Ology. As she never denied the Tin
.canny impulation but only displayed
her small white teeth muliciously by
way of answer. Trboulet felt assured
!iglously whenever she gazed too fixed
~ ut him.
most gracieuse folle, her dress was
IN Keeping with her character, yellow
Delhg the predominntng color. To the
tahcliul adornment of the gown hel
1.-THE figure lent itself readily. while
her rebelllors curls were we'll adapteC
10 that badge Of her servitude, the
jaunty cap that crowned their waving
abundance,
In especial dlsdain, from her position
upon the corner OF the table, her clonce
wandered down the board and rest
ed ON Rabelais. the gormand, before
whom were an empty trencher and
tankard. The prlest-doctor. writer