The Shame of Motley

ul may know in its gentle ascent towards Heaven. Indeed the latter parallel may be more apt. For through the mist that suffused my senses there penetrated from overhead a voic

o wert done to death with a sword, let him not

ad been disturbed in their beatific peace. My head was pillowed in a woman's lap, and it took me a moment or two to realise that that lap was Madonna Paula's, as was hers the voic

cadoro!" she exclaimed

ce I caught a hint of tears, and I wondered wh

ently. "Have you any no

long unconscious that I was losing h

ht side of my head. I put up my hand, an

r you fell," she explained. "But I was more concerned for

houlder, which seemed to turn me numb to the waist on that side of my body, and render powerless my arm. I questioned her to

dead?"

righten me. Mother of Heaven, what a night of horror it has been! Oh, that I had

king to soften

pelled to take it, after all. Those fellows lie there harmless en

," she assured me, and I felt a hot

to-night has proven me of all fools the luckiest. But, Madonna," I suggested, in a different tone, "should we

together with our mules, and I was afterwards to

ded, "and if we journey slowly, as I fear me that w

an stand?" she asked, a

nd I would have done so, there an

head," said she. "I have been bathing i

with the faint fragrance of marsh-mallow-and bound it about my battered skull. When that was done she turned her attention to my shoulder. This was a more difficult matter, and all that we

dizziness assailed me scarce was I on my feet, and it is o

o weak to ride," she exclaime

han I felt of body, and notwithstanding that my knees were l

self, I crossed to where the animals were tethered, staggering at first, but presently with a surer foot. She followed me, watching my steps with as much apprehension as a mother may feel when her fi

ve the more convenient if the slower. I agreed with her, and then, ere we set out, I went to see to my late opponents. One of them-Ser Stefano-was cold and stiff; th

to save them greater loss of blood. Indeed, had it lain in my power, I would have done more for them. But in what case was I to render further a

violent movement that should set it bleeding again. Then she mounted too, nimble as any boy that ever robbed an orchard, and we set out once more. And now i

n her equal instead of the sometime jester of the Court of Pesaro, dismisse

ass that one of such wit, resource and courage should follow the mean calling to which I had owned. In answer I told her with

as something infinitely worse. For, however vile the trade of a Fool may be, it is not half so vile for a low-born clod who is too in

the gloom as I rode beside her, I was glad for once to tell that ignominious story, glad

n whose shelter she was now upon her way to seek, I must first assu

quired, "that you are well acqu

in the service of the Pope, I was at my studies in the convent. His father

tale. Not such a narrative as I should choose wherewith to ente

e rode into the courtyard of his castle of Pesazo a tall and lean young man on a tall and lean old horse. He was garbed and harnessed after a fashion that procl

riven him out without more ado. But it chanced that from one of the windows of his stronghold the tyrant espied his odd visitor. He was in a mood that craved

oth I, 'the Lo

pon I did my errand to him. I flung my gauntlet

ld age. I am here to avenge upon your father's son my father's wrongs; I am here to redeem my castle and my lands. If so be that you are a true knight, you will take up th

f which I had learnt from such books as came my way at Biancomonte, and which I believed was the life of to-day in the world of men. It was a thing which some tyrants would have

ce at heart, and when the amusement began to fade from

came, and render thanks to God on your knees every morning of the life I am spa

went crimson f

and conduct him from the castle. Several that had stood at hand made shift to obey him, whereat I fell into such a blind, unreasoning fury that inc

other, whom I had left in the hills of Biancomonte whilst I went forth to seek my fortune-such was the tale I had told her. I was her sole support, her only hope in life; and my death must have been her own, if not from grief, why, then from very want. The thought of that poor old woman crushed my spirit as I sat

mother's sake. If I feared death, it was beca

ity as great as had been my erstwhile arrogance, I begged my life of him. I told him the truth-that for myself I was not

vil, malicious depth I was far indeed from suspecting. He asked me would I take solemn oath that if he spared my life I woul

you shall have your life on one condi

him to go fetch a suit of motley. No word passed between us until that man returned

cried, guessi

aro should be a merry fellow if he would. I need such a one. There are two Fools at my Court, but they are mere tumblers, deformed vermin that ex

my life that he might submit it to an eternal shame? For a moment my mo

,' said I 'I thought of ser

most fortunate. You shall be well housed and well fed, you shall wear silk and lie in fine linen, on condition that you are merry. If you prove dull our c

it,' I cried, 'i

l do. When they open this door for you at sunset, come forth clad as you are, and you shall hang. If you pr

lowly, for the tale engrossed us both, me i

that hour, Madonna. Rather let me ask you: how should a man so p

nt's silence whi

e it would have chosen death: the wise man lif

that choice indeed so wise? The story ends not there. That young men whose early life had been one of hardships found himself, indeed, well-h

ourt of Giovanni Sforza, that not more than one or two remained of those that had inhabited it when first I entered on my existence there. Thus had my position grown steadily more bearable. I was just a jester and no more, and so, in a measure-though I blush to say it-I grew content. I gathered consolation from the fact that there were not any who now remembered the story of my coming to Pesaro, or

is Court, haply I had been his jester still. But such sport as that would have satisfied but ill the deep-seated malice of his soul. The man whom his c

Court, as a man may not say to a prince and live. Passion surged up in him, and

f Madonna Lucrezia. But I was driven out of Pesaro that

es had impelled Lucrezia Borgia to rescue me, nor on wh

expression of pity out of my heart I thanked her. We were silent, thereafter, for a little

f the most disinterested and noble of motives, proving thereby how truly knightly is that heart of yours, which, for my sake, has all but beat its last to-night. You must journey on to Pesaro with me despite this banishment of which you have told me. I will be surety that no harm shall come to you. I could not do less, a

sted me-so touched, indeed, and so unused to it that I forgot how amp

onger fit to sit in the house of the B

ed, "had come yet lower. But he lived again, and res

e mercy of Giovanni

Then-"At least," she urged me,

art I felt a pang of shame, and called myself a cur for making

es," she promised me. "I can

of leagues farther, and, presently, when we had gained the summit of the slight hill we were ascending, we beheld in the distance a blurred mass looming on the edge of the glittering sea. A silve

esser Biancomonte, how near we are. Courage, my friend; a l

talked, or the infernal jolting of my mule, but I was losing blood again, and as we were on the point of riding forw

r newly-aroused anxiety contrasting sharply with her joyous cry of a moment earlier. "Are you faint, my friend?"

to fail now! It could not be; it must not be. I summoned all my resolution, all m

against me, and going at a slow pace-no faster than a walk-

e may yet reach Pesaro together. If not-if my strength gives out-the t

sir," she vowed; and

the need," I answered wearily.

that last stage of our eventful journey! "I must bear up until we are at the gates of Pesaro," I kept murmuring to myself, and, as if my spirit were inclined to

the bridge and passed beneath the archway of the Porta Romana, the officer

claimed, at last.

ce, "saving that Perseus was less bloody than am I. Behold the Madonna P

ses grew confused, the officer's voice became a hum that gradually waxed fainter as

oudly proclaimed how gallantly I had served her, for as they bore me along in a cloak carried by four men-at-arms, the cry that was heard in the streets of Pesaro that morning was "Boccadoro!" They had loved me, had those good citizens of Pesaro, and the news of my departure had cast a