If I Were King

re and slight and lean; his thin, eager face was bronzed with the suns and winds of a generation, and lined with the stern ciphers of malign experiences. His dark, straight hair was lo

ad very much the air of a gaudy scarecrow. His ruined cloak was tilted by a long sword; his disordered thatch was crowned by a battered cap grotesquely adorned with a cock's feather. In his leathern belt a small vellum bound book of verses kept company with a dagger. For all his whimsical appearanc

as he advanced with head thrown back and open hands ex

bout his neck fondling him and fawning upon him. "Surely I mis

Then gently extricating himself from her embrace he called out

drink of it, but he waved them all aside imperially. "Nay, I will have

smile on his fat cheeks. Master Fran?ois addressed him sternly, twitching as he did so the landlord's greasy cap from his pate and sending it flying down th

ran?ois?" he asked doggedly. In a moment the brown, dirty hand of the poet was clapped to his dagger and there was something of a wolfish

s such a thing as a king in France and that king's name is writ fair o

ir pouches for money to pay the poet's score when to the amazement of Tristan the king forestalled their kindnesses. Rising to his feet with creditable alacrity he advanced towards Master Fran?ois and saluted him with a gracious w

ry gullets. Master Fran?ois gave back the salutation with a mien of splendid condescension, while the rest of the company glar

was magnificent in its effrontery, a

nder my pillow this morning"-a roar of laughter saluted the ancient jape-"and this ungent

g at this colloquy, he bade him bring a flagon of his best, and as he did so he tendered him a silver coin for which Robin extended his fat fingers-and extended them too late. For at the sight of the silver the eyes of Master

-clearing when he came to Paris, and as I happened to be in gaol at the time-through an error of the law"-here he paused to leer knowingly at his comrades, who yelled commendation-"they were good enough to kick me into the free ai

all means." He beckoned discreetly to Robin Turgis, who, making a wide circle round Master Fran?ois, st

And in his mind's eye he transferred the fantastic figure, posturing and grimacing before Louis, to the end of a long rope hanging from a high gallows. Master Fran?ois,

tranquility. "Patience, damsels," he said blandly. "Patience, good comrades of the Cockleshell. If our friend is inquisitive at least he has paid his fee," and as he spoke he hid his face for a moment behind the huge mug of Beaune wine which Robin Turgis at that moment handed to him. Much refreshed by his mighty draught he resumed briskly: "For three and thirty years I have taken toll of life with such result as you see. A light pocket is a plague, but a light heart and a light love make amends for much

m it with a most melancholy expression of countenance. "You behold in me, friends," he sighed, "a victim of love," and his visage showed so lugubrious that it sorely tempted Louis to laugh, and hotly moved Huguette to anger, for she raged up to Villon, challenging the mea

The pair shrank back from her fury, but Master Villon, who seemed suddenly to have fallen into a meditative mood, rambled on in a, kind

my candles and the roses for my toys, and singers of songs sometimes love i

ly, pointing with derisive finger at Master Fran?ois, in whose eyes indeed the close observer could discern the threatening of tears. Jehanneton came sidling round to Villon, piqued by natural curiosity, and the desire to vex Huguette. "Tell us your love-tale,

eticence and will discourse of my empty purse, my empty belly, and my empty heart to any man. Gather around

into his face. Robin Turgis straddled a bench at some distance and grinned. Louis seized the opportunity to whisper behind his hand to Tristan that he found the fellow diverting, to which Tristan replied gruffly that he for his part found him a dull ape. Louis might have argued the point but his interest was claimed by the voice of Villon, who, being comfortably installed on his wine-cask, was beginning his promised narrative. A philosopher would have discerned something pathetic in the picture of the ragged rascal thus girdled about with blac

hness, began to sniffle and to assert that the speaker was a faith

stone I stood on, I saw her once and for ever. We song-chandlers babble a deal of love, but for the most part we know little or not

ember of his audience, and his derisiv

n," Montigny suggested. Bl

he same purpose," she

wooed out

Jehan le Loup, with a hideous leer, sniggered: "Got near her in the crowd and pinched h

all this roguish philosophy

"Sillier than all these. I f

e of mind to formulate his amazement in a prolonged whistle. Louis crossed himself repeatedly un

ate to pilfer." Guy Tabarie hurriedly interrupted him with a warning cry of "

g Louis on the back with his sword. "This good Cuffin has a

"I thank Heaven I have a sense ot humour," he said, with a

sound of her beauty was sweet in my ears, and the taste of her beauty was salt on my lips,

w it at the poet's head, but was dexterously disarmed by Guy Tabarie before the vessel had time to quit her fingers. Sulki

and bits of prayers jigged in my brain and I felt as if I were drunk with some new and delecta

rently and Huguette took

you to the bone," she

llon shoo

heels. Presently they came to a gateway and in slips my quarry, and as she did so she turned to her squire and I saw her face again and lost it, for the tears came

," Louis answered sagely. Villon pic

to know the lady's name. He took

in and nestling her eager face close to

lady's name, d

d into her watchful e

ally, and the fury it brought to Huguette's face. Louis, royally angered, made as if to rise in protest, but the heavy hand of

It was not her majesty, but her name I shall keep to myself, though

athering. "Did the pink and gold popinjay beat you?"

wares that few find them worth, yet with the love-fever in my veins I wrote rhymes to th

whistle like a bird to a lure?" Louis

new Orpheus who could win a woman out of hell with

owship who were interested in the adventure. Montigny, leaning forward, gave Vil

oud, mirthless laugh that

had no weapon but my jackdagger, the blows were raining upon me as fast as acorns fly in a high wind, so I thought it no shame to take to my heels. The varlets pursued me, full cry, till I led them to a part of Paris where their lives would not have been worth a minute's purchase and they had to stay their chase.

upon me and I shall dream no more dreams." He shook himself as if he were trying to shake away c

ou drink more than is good for your health, sir." Villon

ans camped in the free fields where I played in childhood, and a nincompoop sits on the throne and lets them besiege his city?" The rascals laughed. Tristan whispe

I could not do better than Louis Do-Nothing, Louis Dare-Nothing, havin

. Huguette whispered sulkil

e a cat as she said: "Our Fran?ois has made a rhyme of it, s

around the girl's slim body and drew her on to his knee. "Has he,

nged his tune. "You may; you shall; for 'tis a true song, though it would cost me my neck if it ca

ommanding attitude, and began to recite with great solemnity. Louis scooped his claw-like finge

folk, wher

r country, s

s to the

gain to No

e seem a s

shepherd, le

wise our

ere the Kin

rogues rubbed their hands and chuckle

on the thr

but a pup

the rega

coat and g

Frenchmen

lion's heart

one would t

ere the Kin

istan was poppy-red with rage. The gang appl

lors are rog

honest mind

pon the Ga

n prisons o

hief to bea

damned Burgu

he Oriflamme

ere the Kin

hymer's eyes widened as he drew breath

Little, pla

oe with swor

uld happen,

ere the Kin

n the back with a "Well crowed, Chanticleer!" Huguette flung her arms around him and h

n his hogshead. The rogues rattled away to their table again, and Villon was left a

too big for his body and a hope too large for his hoop. Had I been begotten in a brocaded bed, I might have led armies and served France; have loved ladies without fear of cudgellings, and told kings truth

imself under his breath, and found great comfort in t

when his quick eye noted that Robin Turgis had fallen asleep on his bench. Villon skipped lightly toward him, dexterously unhooked his bunch of keys from his girdle, and, with a triumphant gesture, made on tiptoe for the cellar door, which he unlocked and through which he disappeared. Louis looked after him with an acid smile. Tristan leaned forward and plucked at the kind's sleeve. "Shall I hang him to-morrow?" he as

come if he did. Barber Olivier is to warn me of his coming." As he spoke the inn-do

shed partly open, and an old, stooped woman was peeping

snarled, "ano

pushed the door wide open, came softly into the room. She was a quiet, mild-faced creature, one of those human shadows who suggest without tragedy faded youth and withered comeliness. She was very poorly but very neatly dressed, in worn grey a

y helpless and wistful, peering about her. An impish spirit floated leaf-like on the surface of his mind. He rose

t princess?" he said

her wrinkled visage

illon in this company

d her to anothe

simpered, "I kiss y

self. She had pulled a pack of cards from her scarlet pouch; she had been spelling out her fortune silently, and the death card insisted itself again and again with grim pertinacity. With a sense of despair that was strange to her a

woman at the door, bes

s ears, they stung her into life and act

ew feet away from her, she rushed towards the stranger furiously

ld woman, and then as she saw the pitiful wrinkled f

x of her questioner from the dress th

r words were drowned in a shout of delighted laughter, as

young gentleman, I

ll

him." Then turning to René, she cried, "Montigny, you be

tim in the bewildered old woman, joined hands in a ring and began dancing wildly around her, singing a ribald song. The old wom

placed his booty in the corner of the fireplace nearest to the settle. The noise of the tumult attracted him from his successful plunder, and looking up, he became aware of what was happening. In a second his contented mien changed

he drew the trembling old woman towards the fireplace, he whisper

art and eyed the mother and son shame-facedly. Guy Tabarie, who had a wholesome dislike to quarrels, slip

, clapped his hand instinctively to his g

catching sight of them where they lay by the prostrate form

d knocked out of him and was crawling slowly into a sitting posture. He glared fero

at his assailant. But Villon was too alert to be taken unawares. He had not time to draw his sword, but in a second he had snatch

angrily. "You all had mother

ck to the table; Villon replaced the spit, which had somewhat burned h

whispered. "But they meant no har

ed. Her loving touch was as painful as a hostile one to his

said. "Come home. Where hav

old woman very tende

secrets. Mum's the word.

rn," the old woman said, "

a gesture

il there, confound them! Besides, this is nearer the walls and we can

shook her gr

ntreated. "You hav

radicted he

ve a fool's head and always ge

greyer still,-he added, "I cannot come home just now, mammy, but there

omen-savages who were his daily friends and who were drinking and dicing behind him at the other side of the settle, came upon him like a great wave of pain and knocked the mirth out

st child woman ever b

gain, while he tried to win

orward in his arms, while he crooned the words of that old nurse's song which has soothed so

hurch the other day. Oh, on my honour, I did"-this was in reply to a startled look of surprise tha

ssed him fondly

a boyish look that had long been absent fro

spered to her the verses he had made, while

eaven, Que

Hell, I kne

by the h

Christian o

rite; I ca

oman poo

Church, whe

of Parad

woman, ma

ief to liv

here is a pretty

solved in tears and s

ve been a good

ed her hair

uddenly remembering the silver coin which he had confiscated fro

he insisted. "Oh, yes. Take it, take it. It was honestly come by, and you will spend it more honestly than I should." He forced the

, which he opened for her. As she turned to go, she l

e me bold In thy bel

who had been eyeing him and who was eager to pay off the score of his cracke

said, and thrust the girl against th

said angrily, and pa

is weapon and once ag

," and she drew her reluctant companion back to the table, while Vil

, his great moon face sweating, his eyes bulging, his fringe of crimson locks flaming out fr

at Fat Margot's between two wenches. They are stripped to the wa

d through the open door into the shining moonlit street. The rest trailed after him, wandering stars in the

oup, as he brought up the rear of the road and vanished, clattering, into the night. Only Huguette rema

softly. Villon lifted his head for a mo

I am r

"You lie!" which failed to move th

o a dejected heap again, oblivious of the girl, who looked at him half sadly, half angrily for an instan

retired to his own quarters to seek sleep until custom should return. L

ies," Tristan sai

es amends," L

" Tristan grunted. The

most kings for the sake of these wasters and

his mirth faded, for

an opp

aid, and swept the st

inning to swim. His head felt as heavy as lead and his brain as light and foolish as a wind-tumbled feather. Two women's faces danced before his eyes, one proud and beautiful and young, the other humble and pitiful and old, and he tried his best to shut both of them out of his senses. Vaguely he tried to shape a ballade, a noble ballade in honour of all things good to eat. He had got at lea