Year: 1873

with n serf-girl. Hence It is my duty


to exercise this right, and to make use


OF il, otherwise il would become lost


and would fall into desuetude, which


would be the cause OF a thousand trou,


bles. And that this should not be, is OF


a greater advantage to the State and to


the Abbey than your caskets, beautiful


as they are, seeing that from our treas


ury we can purchase these things


whereas no money can bny established


laws AMI customs. And for the truth


OF this / call as witness Monseigneur


the Chamberlain OF the King, who know,


what infinite pains our Sire takes every


day to battle for the estat hshment ol


his ordinances"


"TL-. ~. :. - -tcr. my r,onth


grumbled the Chamberlain.


The goldsmith, who was not much o.


a lawyer, remained thoughtful. Ther


came in Tiennette. clean and bright, hel


hair neatly dressed, having on robe oI


merino, with lavender-coored girdle


and her pretty feet clad in white stock


ing with delightful little shoes. And


she looked so royalty beautiful, and


had so noble n carriage, that the gold
/ NiilNu WdS ptttllltu WIN ttStutN. OuuHt


that the pair exchanged more than one


loving glance. The Chamberlain, who


had never seen so noble n creature,


thought the sight was too dangerous


for the the poor goldsmith, 80 he gal


loped him back to Paris as fast rs the


hackney could carry him. And before


parting he advised him to think long


before he went on with this affair, see-


ing that the monks were resolute to use
Tiennette as bait to catch some good


fish. And, in truth, the Chapter sent


him word that he would marry TEN


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 paying
rent, and coming every year to live for
one entire week in a 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 a 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 ali
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 ont 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 reckohed
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 the thing 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.


" 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 i'll 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
hat Anselm would give up, but the Ia
dies of the Court wagered the contrary,
and came in crowds purchase trinkets,
md to see the man. Anselm having |
to some of them that the
monks prevented him from seeing his |
learlybeloved girl, the thing was told
to the Queen, who considered it an act |
IF detestablec Aud she sent her
royal order to the Lord Abbot that Mas
ter Anselm, her jeweler, should be per
mitted to rec Tiennette, whereupon the |
monks arranged that he might come |
every day to the parloir of the Monas
tery, where Tennette would meet him
under the supervision of the old monk.
And every day she came dressed in
greater magnifcence. so that her beauty |
was set forth most admirably. The two
lovers were not permitted to even touch |
each others hands, and had for sole |
the Joy of seeing and speak
ng to each other, but every day their
owe increased. At last Tiennette came
with smiling face, and said to her
over, "My dearest lord, l think I have
'ound way out of our troubles. Ihave
earned from the ecclesiastical Judge,
Father Jenan, who is also the Sub
Prior, and kinder than the rest, that as
,ou were not born serf of the domain
If Saint German, and only became so
~ accession, your state OF serfdom will
ease with the cause of accession. Now,
ny lord and lover, if you will lose your
ands and goods for me, | will willingly
ose my life for you. Marry me, and
We will be happy as the day is long to-
,ether, and when find myself about to
,e mctlier l will kill myself. Then
'ou will be free again in spite of the
wicked monks, because it is the law, and
.lso because the King is your friend.
Ind am sure that God will pardon me