Year: 1873

| fish. And, In truth, the Chapter sent him word that he would marry Tien- nette if he could resolve to give up to them his house and goods, and confess himself and his children to become slaves also that the Abbot, by special act of kindness, would allow him to live in his house on condition of bond ing over to the Abbey an inventory of

 his goods and furniture, and paKing rent, and coming every year to live for

 one entire week in hut belonging to

 the domain as an act of serfdom. The poor goldsmith saw clearly that this

 was the final decision of the Abbot and

 Chapter, and began to despair. Some

 times he thought of raising mob in

 the streets and setting fire to the

 Monastery, sometimes of inveigling the

 Abbot into some secret place when

 he could torture him into signing an

 act of enfranchisement for Tiennette

 sometimes of one thing, sometimes of

 another; but the idea on which he

 finally settled was to carry off the girl

 and go with her to some foreign country

 where they might marry in peace and

 be as happy as the day was long. For

 he thought that once well out of the

 land, the King and his friends among

 the Grand Seigneurs might succeed in

 softening the monks and making them

 hear reason.

 So he made his preparations accord

 ingly, but found on going next Sunday

 to the meadow that he had reckoned

 without his Abbot, for he not only did not

 see Tiennette, but learned that she was

 kept in the strictest seclusion within the

 walls of the Convent. Then Anselm' s

 heart was so cast down that he began to

 complain openly and loudly of the cru

 city of the monks. And thething reach

 ed the ears of the King himself, who in

 open court demonstrated with the old

 Abbot, asking him to yield to the great

 love of his goldsmith, and give an exam

 pie of Christian charity.

 T will tell you why not, Sire," re-

 piled the priest. "All laws, rights, and

 privileges are connected together like

 the rings of the chain mail which your

 Majesty wears. If one link breaks the

 whole gives way. Now, if this girl

 should be taken from us against our

 will, and if the custom of the land should

 not be observed, soon the subjects of

 your Majesty would take your royal

 crown, and in every place great sedi-

 tions would burst forth against paying

 rates and taxes which make the people

 groan."

 This silenced the King. And now

 nothing else was talked of in Paris save

 this adventure of the Touraugean.

 Every one felt interested in the affair

 and bets were made in every quarter

 about the result The lords wagered

 that Anselm would give up, but the la

 dies of the Court wagered the contrary,

 and came in crowds topurchase trinkets,

 and to see the man. Anselm having

 complained to some of them that the monks prevented him from seeing his dearly-beloved girl, the thing was told

 to the Queen, who considered it an act i; of detestable cruelty. And she sent he1

 royal order to the Lord Abbot that Mas ter Anselm, her jeweler, should be per

 mitted to zee Tiennette, whereupon the every day to the 1oarloir of the Monas tery, where Tiennette would meet hin under the supervision of the old monk

 And every day she came dressed il , greater magniicence, so that her beauty was set forth most admirably. The two lovers were not permitted to even toucl , each others hands, and had for sole consolation the joy of seeing and speak ing to each other, but every day thei , love increased. At last Tiennette came with smiling face, and said to he. l lover, My dearest lord, think I hav' f found away out of our troubles. Ihav' 3 learned from the ecclesiastical judge 5 Father Jenan, who is also the Sub , Prior, and kinder than the rest, that a f you were not born serf of the domail of Saint Germain, and only became s = by accession, your state of serfdom vii s cease with the cause of accession. Now :, my lord and lover, if you will lose you . lands and goods for me, will willingl 7 lose my life for you; Marry me, an l we will be happy as the day is long to : be 8 mother I will kill myself. The t wicked monks, because it is the law, an n also because the King is your friend n And am sure that God will pardon m

 this suicide, seeing that do it to de T liver from slavery my lord and husband a whom love dearer than ife." Havin 6 said this with much animation and man 5 5 smiles, though the tears glittered in he d fair eyes, she stretched out her arm f lovingly to the poor goldsmith, fros

 whom she was separated by an fro ii S1c'U1lS, do 10 oAlO Ae1o1IAOh III uAAC EIe' oO' A. of monasteries.

 e ssDearest Tiennette," cried the golt

 smith, Git is finished. The trouble u my mind is over. I am now resolved e I will become serf aud you shall liy n to be my happiness as long as live, Z, it be Gods will. In your sweet con r. panionship, my Tiennette, the heavie' is chains will seem light and pleasant, an I it will matter little to me if I cannc o call single farthing my own, when g. am lord of all the riches of your hear e place my trust in the Sieur St. Flo 3, who will surely succor usin our trouble Le and will deliver us from evil. I will g le straight to the scrivener and have hi D. draw up the contracts and writing le And consider, after all, dearest flow 2 of my life, that you will be finely dresset " well lodged, and cared for like a quee SC during your life, since the Lord Abb st leaves us the enj njoyment of my prope h ty."

 l. Tiennette, in tempest of tears al of smiles, fought against this decision, al to declared that she would rather die ths al reduce to serfdom free man, and mut S. more 8 free man whom she entire s, loved because of the gracious wort d which he had said to her in the meade tn when they first met. But Anselm spo] r, so tenderly to her, and told her that b vs happiness was bo ound up in her co1 ry panionship, and that if she died of would certainly follow her to the tom

 with a thousand loving expressions, tn ;" she consented to the marriage, thinkil

 in her own heart that she could alwa of kill herself if she wanted to. Wh en this thing was known in Paris, that t CT great goldsmith had given up his Ian of and liberty for the sake of his loy e, every one wished to see him, and eve k lady, who could get the money, boug Id trinket, that she might talk with hi Id and applaud him for being so true d. love. When the day approached tn ge was to unite him to Tiennette and