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a purfled doublet of vair bespoke him noble； as did his brilliant
eye； his exquisitely chiselled nose； and his curling chestnut
ringlets。
Youth was on his brow； his eyes were dark and dewy； like spring…
violets； and spring…roses bloomed upon his cheekroses； alas！ that
bloom and die with life's spring！ Now bounding over a rock； now
playfully whisking off with his riding rod a floweret in his path；
Philibert de Coquelicot rode by his darker companion。
His comrade was mounted upon a destriere of the true Norman breed；
that had first champed grass on the green pastures of Aquitaine。
Thence through Berry； Picardy； and the Limousin； halting at many a
city and commune； holding joust and tourney in many a castle and
manor of Navarre； Poitou； and St。 Germain l'Auxerrois； the warrior
and his charger reached the lonely spot where now we find them。
The warrior who bestrode the noble beast was in sooth worthy of the
steed which bore him。 Both were caparisoned in the fullest
trappings of feudal war。 The arblast； the mangonel； the
demiculverin； and the cuissart of the period； glittered upon the
neck and chest of the war…steed； while the rider； with chamfron and
catapult； with ban and arriere…ban； morion and tumbrel； battle…axe
and rifflard； and the other appurtenances of ancient chivalry； rode
stately on his steel…clad charger； himself a tower of steel。 This
mighty horseman was carried by his steed as lightly as the young
springald by his Andalusian hackney。
〃'Twas well done of thee； Philibert；〃 said he of the proof…armor；
〃to ride forth so far to welcome thy cousin and companion in arms。〃
〃Companion in battledore and shuttlecock； Romane de Clos…Vougeot！〃
replied the younger Cavalier。 〃When I was yet a page； thou wert a
belted knight； and thou wert away to the Crusades ere ever my beard
grew。〃
〃I stood by Richard of England at the gates of Ascalon； and drew
the spear from sainted King Louis in the tents of Damietta；〃 the
individual addressed as Romane replied。 〃Well…a…day！ since thy
beard grew； boy； （and marry 'tis yet a thin one；） I have broken a
lance with Solyman at Rhodes； and smoked a chibouque with Saladin
at Acre。 But enough of this。 Tell me of homeof our native
valleyof my hearth； and my lady…mother； and my good chaplain
tell me of HER； Philibert；〃 said the knight； executing a demivolt；
in order to hide his emotion。
Philibert seemed uneasy； and to strive as though he would parry the
question。 〃The castle stands on the rock；〃 he said； 〃and the
swallows still build in the battlements。 The good chaplain still
chants his vespers at morn； and snuffles his matins at even…song。
The lady…mother still distributeth tracts； and knitteth Berlin
linsey…woolsey。 The tenants pay no better； and the lawyers dun as
sorely； kinsman mine；〃 he added with an arch look。
〃But Fatima； Fatima； how fares she？〃 Romane continued。 〃Since
Lammas was a twelvemonth； I hear nought of her； my letters are
unanswered。 The postman hath traversed our camp every day； and
never brought me a billet。 How is Fatima； Philibert de Coquelicot？〃
〃She iswell；〃 Philibert replied； 〃her sister Anne is the fairest
of the twain； though。〃
〃Her sister Anne was a baby when I embarked for Egypt。 A plague on
sister Anne！ Speak of Fatima； Philibertmy blue…eyed Fatima！〃
〃I say she iswell；〃 answered his comrade gloomily。
〃Is she dead？ Is she ill？ Hath she the measles？ Nay； hath she
had the small…pox； and lost her beauty？ Speak； speak； boy！〃 cried
the knight； wrought to agony。
〃Her cheek is as red as her mother's； though the old Countess
paints hers every day。 Her foot is as light as a sparrow's； and
her voice as sweet as a minstrel's dulcimer； but give me nathless
the Lady Anne；〃 cried Philibert； 〃give me the peerless Lady Anne！
As soon as ever I have won spurs； I will ride all Christendom
through； and proclaim her the Queen of Beauty。 Ho； Lady Anne！
Lady Anne！〃 and so sayingbut evidently wishing to disguise some
emotion； or conceal some tale his friend could ill brook to hear
the reckless damoiseau galloped wildly forward。
But swift as was his courser's pace； that of his companion's
enormous charger was swifter。 〃Boy；〃 said the elder； 〃thou hast
ill tidings。 I know it by thy glance。 Speak： shall he who hath
bearded grim Death in a thousand fields shame to face truth from a
friend？ Speak； in the name of heaven and good Saint Botibol。
Romane de Clos…Vougeot will bear your tidings like a man！〃
〃Fatima is well；〃 answered Philibert once again； 〃she hath had no
measles： she lives and is still fair。〃
〃Fair； ay； peerless fair； but what more； Philibert？ Not false？ By
Saint Botibol； say not false；〃 groaned the elder warrior。
〃A month syne；〃 Philibert replied； 〃she married the Baron de
Barbazure。〃
With that scream which is so terrible in a strong man in agony； the
brave knight Romane de Clos…Vougeot sank back at the words； and
fell from his charger to the ground； a lifeless mass of steel。
II。
Like many another fabric of feudal war and splendor； the once vast
and magnificent Castle of Barbazure is now a moss…grown ruin。 The
traveller of the present day； who wanders by the banks of the
silvery Loire； and climbs the steep on which the magnificent
edifice stood； can scarcely trace； among the shattered masses of
ivy…covered masonry which lie among the lonely crags； even the
skeleton of the proud and majestic palace stronghold of the Barons
of Barbazure。
In the days of our tale its turrets and pinnacles rose as stately；
and seemed （to the pride of sinful man！） as strong as the eternal
rocks on which they stood。 The three mullets on a gules wavy
reversed； surmounted by the sinople couchant Or； the well…known
cognizance of the house； blazed in gorgeous heraldry on a hundred
banners； surmounting as many towers。 The long lines of
battlemented walls spread down the mountain to the Loire； and were
defended by thousands of steel…clad serving…men。 Four hundred
knights and six times as many archers fought round the banner of
Barbazure at Bouvines； Malplaquet； and Azincour。 For his services
at Fontenoy against the English； the heroic Charles Martel
appointed the fourteenth Baron Hereditary Grand Bootjack of the
kingdom of France； and for wealth； and for splendor； and for skill
and fame in war； Raoul； the twenty…eighth Baron； was in no…wise
inferior to his noble ancestors。
That the Baron Raoul levied toll upon the river and mail upon the
shore； that he now and then ransomed a burgher； plundered a
neighbor； or drew the fangs of a Jew； that he burned an enemy's
castle with the wife and children within；these were points for
which the country knew and respected the stout Baron。 When he
returned from victory； he was sure to endow the Church with a part
of his spoil； so that when he went forth to battle he was always
accompanied by her blessing。 Thus lived the Baron Raoul； the pride
of the country in which he dwelt； an ornament to the Court； the
Church； and his neighbors。
But in the midst of all his power and splendor there was a domestic
grief which deeply afflicted the princely Barbazure。 His lovely
ladies died one after the other。 No sooner was he married than he
was a widower； in the course of eighteen years no less than nine
bereavements had befallen the chieftain。 So true it is； that if
fortune is a parasite； grief is a republican； and visits the hall
of the great and wealthy as it does the humbler tenements of the
poor。
。 。 。 。 。 。
〃Leave off deploring thy faithless； gad…about lover；〃 said the Lady
of Chacabacque to her daughter； the lovely Fatima； 〃and think how
the noble Barbazure loves thee！ Of all the damsels at the ball
last night； he had eyes for thee and thy cousin only。〃
〃I am sure my cousin hath no good looks to be proud of！〃 the
admirable Fatima exclaimed； bridling up。 〃Not that I care for my
Lord of Barbazure's looks。 MY heart； dearest mother； is with him
who is far away！〃
〃He danced with thee four galliards； nine quadrilles； and twenty…
three corantoes； I think； child；〃 the mother said； eluding her
daughter's remark。
〃Twenty…five；〃 said lovely Fatima； casting her beautiful eyes to
the ground。 〃Heigh…ho！ but Romane danced them very well！〃
〃He had not the court air；〃 the mother suggested。
〃I don't wish to deny the beauty of the Lord of Burbazure's
dancing； mamma；〃 Fatima replied。 〃For a short； lusty man； 'tis
wondrous how active he is； and in dignity the King's Grace himself
could not surpass him。〃
〃You were the noblest couple in the room； love；〃 the lady cried。
〃That pea…green doublet； slashed with orange…tawny； those ostrich
plumes； blue； red； and yellow； those party…colored hose and pink
shoon； became the noble baron wondrous well；〃 Fatima acknowledged。
〃It must be c