If I Were King

s splendid colours, in its splendid odours. The Greeks believed that the red rose only came into being on the fair day when Venus, seeing Ascanius slumbering on

caressed earth glowed into a very miracle of roses. Every shade of red that a rose can wear was represented in that dazzling pleasaunce, from the faint pink that surely the lips of divinity had scarcely brushed to the smiling scarlet that suggested Aphrodite's mouth, from the imperial purple of a Caesar's pomp to the crimson so deep that it was almost blac

ke in a low voice, pointing as he spoke to marks and figures on the outspread parchment. The king's companion was an old man in a furred gown, whose countenance was seamed with years and study, and whose eyes seemed always to be gazing at object

uddenly looked up, and immediately the astrologer's

said the king, "and you know of the strange d

t morning. It seemed to be mixed up with the sunlight and the scent of the roses; to be a portion of the chorus of the b

set it in my crown and it filled all Paris with its light. But it seemed to grow so heavy for my forehead that I cast it

n he suddenly turned his head with a kind of bird-like alacrity up

ess is bewildering to mortal eyes and it is hard to read between the lines of their efful

are dim, but your wisdom is clothed and housed and nourished for deeper knowledge than

uld seek to cast him back again into the depths from which he rose. The stars seem to speak of such a coming, and, as it seems to me, this stranger should have potent influence for good for a period of seven days from this day. I have sought and sought in vai

ho entered the tower and climbed the winding stairs to the room where he pursued his occult stud

d ballad maker glowed last night. Fools are proverbially fortunate, and

s meditations. Turning, he beheld the compan

stan had the evil smile on his face which he always wo

han we thought last night. After we carried him to his house, he made his escape the

ed his shoulder

ore dangerous to my enemy when he is on my enem

e are in custody

ival for

of him. I would have hang

ut the stars warn me that I need this rhyming r

ire," he said with something like piteous protest, f

r, indifferent to his

ascal woke sober, the courtiers persuaded him that he was the Caliph, and the Commander

of entertainment was new to him and di

t him think he is ki

rinkled the kin

Grand Constable of France. His antics may amuse me, his lucky star may serve me, and his winning

arch's humours. When there was a chance of hanging a man, it seemed to him a waste of time to play the fool

crisis to give his throne support. The superstitious side of his nature turned restlessly to the unknown and his spirit dived into crystals or soared among the spinning planets, struggling for occult enlightenment. To the superstitious, trifles are the giants of destiny, and the king's escapade of the previous evening had taken a firm hold on his fancy. The picturesque blackguard who had mouthed so gallantly his desire to reign over France and save her would in any case have tickled the king's taste for the eccentric, but when the encounter with the poet came upon the heels of the king's strange dream and was followed by the vague prognosticat

of the Hellenic Pantheon. As it was, he was merely aware in a fierce way that the girl was very beautiful, that her beauty appealed to him very keenly, and stirred in him a keen sense of resentment at his slighted homage. This girl, whom Thibaut d'Aussigny wanted to

u going, girl

To her majesty, sire, w

longest and reddest of her splendid cargo, the king lightly swaying the f

have had a king's love. Well, well, you were

ve me, sire, and I

nded last night in

little cry of

ounded,

laughed

He may recover. And we have clapped hands

ng. Her eyes were very eager, and there

n no malice for hurti

a woman on the throne. But to hurt a great lord is t

frowned

ie, sire. Thibaut was

d but he kept the gr

you women are fountains of compassion. If this knave's life

de a gestur

ht of the man she hated and of her own failure to thrust him fro

in office. Try your lu

forward b

name,

d at her th

my heart. He came under safe conduct from the South last night. He is recommended to me highly by our bro

oothly from his lips. He was amusing himself immense

sight on the steps of the dark familiar figure of the royal b

ntcorbier takes the air in the garden,

n and once more tickled her

ife and your queen will

nto the palace. Louis watched her as she went, watched her unti

arber, what of F

royal bed. He has been washed and barbered, sumptuously dressed and rarely perfumed. He is so changed that his dearest frien

ng chu

kass wore the lion's skin he thought h

th the gravest faces, that he is the Grand Constable of France. I believe

to all the court that he is the Count of Montcorbier, the favourite of our brother of Provence, and now my friend and counsellor. I have a liking for you, Olivie

bowed

ak for myself. The God Harpocrates is not more symbolical o

will answer for Tristan. Have

ly at the rose which Katherine had given to him. The perfume seemed to sooth him and he mused, sunning himsel

istress Katherine disdained Louis to decline upon this beggar. He shall hang for mocking me. But

hat his henchman was serving as herald to the new Grand Constable. Behind Olivier came a littl

rogress of the comedy himself had planned. Olivier had spoken truly when he said that Master Villon had been greatly changed. The barber's own handiwork had so cleansed and shaved his countenance, had so trimmed and readjusted his locks that his face now shone as different from the face of the tavern-haunter as the face of the moon shines from the face of a lantern. He was as sumptuously attired as if he

to linger awhile in thi

face, unwashed, unkempt, unshaven. He eyed the splendid clothes that covered him and his memory fumbled in perplexity over the horrors of a dingy, filthy wardrobe, ragged, wine-stained and ancient. He looked at the solemn pages who stood about him with golden cups and golden flagons in their hands, and

eart he whispered that it was better to humour these strange satellites whose persons he found it imp

u presently with certain sm

e felt that it was the course of the wise man to betray no wonder. The conditions were, indeed

," he answered. "These duties a

r bowe

obably honour you wi

the situation. Perhaps in this singular region of dreams he was the king's man and the king's friend. At

ee dear Louis. He and

of him, but believe m

ame to pass that he was on terms of friendship with the king. His head was dizzy and heavy and he felt like a man

our leave,

control of his faculties, more especially as he noted that the pages had placed their golden cups and flagons o

made to depart, Villon's mood changed and he caught hi

guy memory of mine-what a forgetful fellow I am. W

barber's face; there came no cha

ovence, where you stood in high favour with the king of that country, but your favour is, I believe, greater with the King

ried hard to make hearty and natu

good master Long-toes, that a person in my exalted rank ha

our, you are the fir

gratification. The dre

tion carry with it any agreeable pe

uch-" Olivier suggested, pointing a thi

eamed joyously in the sunlight. He gave a little cry of delight as he let them run in a shining stream from hollowed hand to hollowed hand, and contemplated t

pieces to the Church of the Celestins and inquire of the beadle there for the dwelling of Mother Villon, a poor old woman, sorely plagued with a scapegrace son? Let him s

ever he was and wherever he was in this amazing dream of his, the poor old woman wh

owed defe

inting to a small golden bell which one of the pages had placed upon the table, he added,

ound respect. The king at his peep-hole was pleased to observe that his commands were being obeyed most strictly and that no hint of any secret m

ow-like into thin impalpable air, but castle and terrace, tower and roses remained as they had been, very plain to the poet's astonished senses. Tiptoeing cautiously across the grass, he reached a marble seat which stood beneath a bower of roses and seemed to be protected by a great terminal statue of the god Pan, which had been given as a present to Louis by an Eastern prince who had carried it from Athens. Pressing his hand to his forehead, Villon tried to recall the event

y a wall of hostile Burgundians and governed by an impotent king. Then came the vision of an angel's visit and a prayer that had more of devil than angel in it, and then came a quarrel, and a fight in darkness shattered by the flaming torches of the watch and Thibaut's huge body lying on the ground a huddled heap of shining armour. He remembered the ri

es of Paradise had parted before him and shown him the shining lines of the hosts of Heaven. He remembered that he was lying in a stately bed, nestled in snowy linen beneath a coverlet of crimson silk. He remembered that the bed stood in a gorgeous room, heavy with magnificent tapestry and roofed with a carved and paint

lord. On the top of all this preparation rose the sun of a splendid banquet, served in ware of gold and silver and waited on by the same obsequious figure in black and the same respectful pages. Then followed the summons to walk into the air, the procession through quiet corridors on to the cool grey terrace and the final installme

call me monseigneur. There are but three ways of explaining this singular situation. Either I am drunk or I am mad or I

how his attendants had told him that one held wine of Bordeaux and one wine of Burgundy. He rose and crept across the soft grass to the table and lifted one of the golden flagons gingerly,

nobler juice ever rippled

d to repeat the ceremony of sniffing, tasting and swallowing. Again the desire

e. Then I am dreaming, fast asleep in the chimney corner of the Fircone Tavern, having finished that flask I filched, and everything since then has been and is a dream. The coming of Katherine, a dream. My fight with Thibaut d'Aussigny, a dream. Then the king-popping

, the shadow of Olivier le Dain standing before him with his air of emp

it is the king's wish you should

stared

And

he king's

pris

kind and womankind, taken brawling

as a chance to learn something of the reality that lay at the core of all this mystery of roses a

ymer at his best, vagabond at his worst, ne'er-do-well

ose in office are accustomed to s

ed to jest. Shall I se

ht at the o

with them

ou wish. Such is

ishing situation. He had dreamed strange dreams in h

hief," he philosophized

ad come. When he was alone again Villon slapped his forehead resoundingly

aned. "Am I awake? Am I a

lexity. "That damned fellow in black is confoundedly obsequious," he mutt

whom Villon instantly recognized his familiar friends of the Fircone Tavern. At the head of the soldiers marched a dapper gentleman, courtier-soldier or soldier-courtier, a thing of silk and steel, half dandy, half man-at-arms, exquisitely attired and flagrantly aware of his own attr

r my lady," he grumbled to h

ntleman. His friends looked so wretched, so woebegone, so bedraggled, while their captor looked so point-dev

oners in a line before him at the base of the terrace, and their prinked and fragrant captain came trippin

erly, "here are the name

nd looked straightly in

r met before

made a depre

nto court like an unheralded comet. You shall t

ng at him, Villon q

mind to pluck the same rose from t

's intelligence app

erstand you,"

id, seating himself again on the marble seat and l

ther René d

dream, that he really was awake, but that for some reason which he was unable to fatho

my bullies," and as he thought, René de Montigny was pushed forw

grotesque turn of things which put him in this

-" he qu

answere

f gentle blood, fall

ult of your ow

s, through no fault of

stars, I

ughter from Guy Tabarie which was promptly converted into a groan as an indignant soldier

sir? Since

nderstand y

dragons' teeth and reaped soldiers. What do

start of surprise but

bba

arrows, most condemnable vegetables. Have a care! 'Tis a

ntured boldly to gaze into the face of authority and Villon returned his gaze defiantly. But there was no recognition in Montigny's eyes. He could see nothing in common betw

aded, stretching out his hands in

ck to his place with his fellows while Villon read the name of the

he keen eyes of René de Montigny, he felt assured that he might defy the indifferent scrutiny of his less alert companions. And though he made use of the long pen

ear, and fell, a quaking mountain of flesh, at the feet of the man whom he believed to be the Grand Constable of France. With piteous gesticulations an

his words tumbling from him, incoherent and confused, holding out

body and soul together by walking on the

hus far when Villo

ws, Master

ivered in pit

fear of God in me as

ri

nearer to his victim and bre

hurch of St. Matur

e stammered a "No, my lord," that was in itself a flagrant co

n the middle of March last you broke into the church at dead of night and pilf

ng to the words of a wizard, he co

rand Constable is the devil himself! My lord

gh entertainment fr

e grovelling figure, twitched him to his feet and drew

let," and as he spoke, the two knaves were pushed forward towards him. Villon drew the pair a little way apar

irs?" he asked, and Colin

nkly for my friend here. The king has no better subject

ation, and Cholet responded to his praises wit

e. I have followed his lead, halting and humble. 'Keep your eye on Colin d

their praises of each other might have due effect upon the g

ember the night of last Shrove Tuesday and the girl

shivered to find it known. In a second the simulated friendship of bandit for bandit vanished and the two me

Colin's

Casin's en

plore

no hand

each other across their questioner and were for grappling in close combat when Villon made a si

wering brows, surveying the efforts of his comrades..Villon made a sign, an

assured fellow fo

e great man cheered the pris

nscience su

e as he put his next question in a v

How did Thevenin Pens

moment, but he clinched his fingers tightly to rest

ld I know

nearer and spo

ch for the winnings, a tilted table, an extinguished taper, a stab in the

greyer and uglier, but

nswered, "I loved h

. He made a sign, and Jehan le Lo

f his desire. He now foresaw the possibility of sport more delicate as his glance fell upon the group of girls who clustered tog

hose four gentlewo

ngthened with ama

messire? Those

repro

d you and I are gentlemen, or sho

sword-hilt; then he remembered the folly of quarrelling with so great a

ep in the doub

our girls came timidly forward with downcast eyes, while Huguette remained apart, leaning c

were close to h

this trade of yours that ha

n dropped

caps that li

followed

eaver. Enne, a

e came

slippe

ded the c

I a g

nced in Vil

mething into each girl's ear in turn, and as he did so, each

hat the poet whispered in the ears of each of the girls. All he condescends to record in his crabbed, canine Latin, is that Villon showed such intimate acquaintance with certain physical peculiarities or whimsical adventures private to each damsel th

e girls gathered together, chatting

is a wizard. Wh

racle; he r

he k

you think

ng to the other what V

nterrupt

ul sermon on your follies and frailties, but, somehow, the words stick in my gullet. Here is a gold coin apiec

e a little gas

we

nswered

free. Go and pray Heaven to make men better,

e eager girls who pounced upon them. Then they left him with many curtsies an

men prisoners, who were anx

let them go where they will, but first give

upon the rogues as it was upon Messire Noel. It p

t venture to express. The men rush

ave yo

is of a most exce

the Grand

rare Con

waved t

e said, "and if y

eared in their turn among the alleys of the rose garden, seeking and finding the

turned

" and as Noel obeyed him, he advanced to where Huguette was stand

ed himself

ifferent to-day? Is it the thing they call the b

hen he came to

and you make it very plain that you hav

ifted the balance of her body from one green

ease myself, and to show my

friend; to-day she lay leagues away from his fa

happy woman

ingers defiantly, "when fools like you don't clap

did not clap you into

er voice was a caress; the tenor of her hands was a caress; every supple curve o

r, Monseigneur. Had I ever

uddenly body-sick and soul-sick; sor

ered. The girl laugh

t are you going

wild wings were never meant for clipping and ca

ent shifted; all her being

to Master Fra

do yo

night. But he did not share our prison

d for a moment

banished from Par

ped her hands

there was that in her voice which made the si

re for the fate

ol, I believe

's merc

ax in the fire. He never made woman happy yet, and I'll swear no woman ever made him happy. If you gave him the moon, he would want t

t, as if the girl's fingers had seized i

he did. He is so glad to be alive that his forehead scrapes the sky and the

a merry g

this ring for my sake? Fancy that it comes from Master Fran

nied her. He signed to Noel le Jolys, where he stood

, "give this lady

woman and the womanish man, looking at each other,

ly girl," Noel

tte l

ws from no-

spoke

do you

nt. She flashed in Noel's face the ring the

en Scull, hard by the Fi

ed his han

a man,

the pair drifted away together and were soon

s, but so do I, no less, and I have not swallowed enough of this court air to make me a hypocrite. We

ut a full cup of Burgundy, watched it glow

!" he said for a toast, but ere he touched

n to the terrace, and with

ed, "my eyes dazzle, fo