CHAPTER XIII
TRIPPING THE MEASURES OF THE EGG-DANCE
Ferdinand and Isabella were very kind to the young Princess of theAsturias, and insisted that she should remain with them. Some writerssee a selfish motive in this invitation, saying that the royal couplefeared to have Austria's daughter escape from their influence, that theywished to control her future, lest she should make a marriage directlyopposed to the interests of Spain. But why not give them the credit ofbeing really kind-hearted, and of wanting the society of the girl-widow,whom they must have loved for their son's sake if not for her own?
But Marguerite longed for her home and for her father, and one day LeGlorieux found her weeping in one of the myrtle walks of the Alcazargardens. "You are crying in this beautiful twilight," said he, "when thenightingales are just beginning to sing, and you are close beside roseswhich could not be any redder and which have a fragrance that almostmakes one drunk. Look at the goldfishes in that fountain, look at thattree loaded down with oranges, which, though they are of a kind that isnot good to eat, make a fine show. Look through the trees at thatbeautiful palace where you have but to utter a word and your wish isgranted, and then have the heart to weep!"
But the princess continued to sob.
"We did not have half so many comforts in your father's empire," he wenton. "The time we went to hunt the chamois with Max we found no luxuriesin The Hunter's Rest. We were warm and comfortable and that was aboutall; all you could do was to run about with your ladies and work at yourembroidery while the men hunted. Do you remember how gay Max was when hecame back, and how he told about the chamois, and----"
"Oh, do not talk of it!" cried the princess, interrupting him. "Why mustyou make me more wretched than I was before you came?"
Cunegunda came along the walk with a mantilla of fine black lace overher arm; this she threw, Spanish fashion, over the head and shoulders ofher young mistress. "You have been making her cry!" she saidreproachfully, to the jester.
"That is a fine thing to say, when I have been talking myself hoarse tokeep her from crying! But, of course, you always blame me witheverything."
"You were making her cry; I heard you, and I heard what she said,"insisted the woman. "You were talking about the inn in the Tyrol."
"I do not deny it. I did it for the purpose of contrast. Think of thatmean little inn and the cold snow, then think of this marble palace andthese flowers."
"If one is right on the inside, it does not much matter what is on theoutside," replied the woman. "When the heart is comfortable everythingis bright to the eyes."
"You do not weep as much as you used to do, Cunegunda," said the jester,looking at her thoughtfully. "Even the sight of me does not make you cryany more."
"I control my tears for the sake of my young mistress, who weeps somuch," returned Cunegunda with dignity.
"You have some good points, I must say," replied the fool.
The princess had now dried her eyes, and had drawn the folds of themantilla closer about her face. "I want to go home," said she. "All ofmy ladies and gentlemen want to go home. They hate the restraint of theSpanish court; and I want to see my father."
"This is the first time I have mentioned it," said the fool, "but I alsowant to go home. I want to see Max and I want to see that little wretchof an Antoine, and Pittacus, and Pandora."
"And we will go," cried Marguerite, rising to her feet with a new lightsparkling in her eyes. "I will write to the emperor, my father, at once,and we will set out at the earliest possible moment."
And again did the daughter of Maximilian return to him, still only aprincess, for it was destined that she should never wear the crown of aqueen. But when she beheld her native land, and the handsome, kindlyface of her father once more, she was as happy as one whose mostambitious dreams had been realized.
Le Glorieux said, "At last we really have left Clotilde behind, and asDon Geronimo Bartolomeo Zurriago y Escafusa says he never will go out ofhis native land again, we may safely conclude that Clotilde is a fixturein Spain." The jester was affectionately embraced by Antoine, whodeclared himself overjoyed to see his old friend again, but their masterwas disgusted to find that Pandora and Pittacus received him with theirusual cold indifference.
One day, in the following spring time, Marguerite said to Le Glorieux:
"Cunegunda is once more suffering from migraine, and thinks that nothingwill cure her but another pilgrimage to the shrine of Saint Roch. Shethinks that when she was there before she did not give enough time toher prayer, being in too great haste to leave; otherwise she would havebeen cured permanently. I am often depressed and weary, and I think thejourney will benefit me. So I shall go with such of my household as Ishall need."
"It is a long journey to make for Cunegunda's sake," observed thejester.
"Cunegunda has been one of my best friends throughout my life," repliedthe princess, "so why should I not strive to please her? But as I saidbefore, it is not altogether upon her account that I want to go. I wishto be taken out of myself. The world is not so happy a place as it usedto be."
"Little Cousin, I do not often ask a favor of you, do I?" asked thefool.
"No, Le Glorieux, a fact which would make me the more inclined to grantyou one now."
"I want you to let me have a man and a horse," he replied.
"For what purpose?"
"I wish to send a message to the young Duke of Savoy. He lost a valuablejewel when he was with us, and I want to tell him where he can find it."
"Perhaps it is between the leaves of his prayer-book," said theprincess, smiling. "But if you have an idea where this wonderful jewelis, why can you not find it and send it to him?"
"There are certain reasons why such an act on my part would be out ofthe question," returned the jester. "But if you do not want to let mehave the man and the horse, we will say nothing more about it."
"I do not object in the least, Le Glorieux. Send as many messengers asyou like to Savoy."
They set out from the historic city of Aix-la-Chapelle, where the courtwas staying at the time, and even at the end of the first day's travelthe princess expressed herself as being wonderfully benefited with thejourney.
They approached a hostelry]
Late on the following afternoon as they approached a hostelry where theyexpected to stay the night, they noticed a queer-looking animal paintedon the sign-board and before they were sufficiently near to read thename beneath it, they began to speculate as to what it could be.
"I should say it was a horse," said the princess.
"And I," said the jester, who rode at her side, "should call it a calfin convulsions."
Coming nearer they read the sign, which was "The Flying Fawn." So manythings had happened since she had heard the name that the princess hadforgotten it, but as they drew up and the pretty landlady came to thedoor, Le Glorieux exclaimed, "Cimburga!"
Yes, it was Frau Obermeister, as Cimburga was now called, and she wasfollowed by her tall husband, both almost doubting the evidence of theirsenses when they beheld the princess. Even before the latter alightedfrom her mule Cimburga ran out and was about to press the hem ofMarguerite's robe to her lips when the princess reached out her hand,which the landlady kissed, saying, "Oh, gracious lady, I never haveforgotten your face, which is now more beautiful than ever. And neverhave I ceased to offer the prayer I told you of, and my little daughter,although she can scarcely lisp the words, offers petitions to theBlessed Virgin for your health and happiness, for she has learned thatit is to your goodness that we owe all that we now have."
"Happiness is a strange thing," remarked Le Glorieux afterward toCimburga. "You and Karl living in this snug inn, with your two chubbychildren, have plenty of it, while the Lady Marguerite, even when shewedded the Prince of the Asturias, had not found it."
"It will yet come to her; she is still very young, and my prayers willbe answered," replied Cimburga simply.
Castle Hohenberg was a good many miles north of The Flying Fawn, bu
tCimburga had heard one piece of news from that hospitable householdwhich, when she told it to him, surprised the fool greatly. Theseneschal had married the housekeeper shortly after the visit of theemperor.
"I can not believe it!" cried Le Glorieux. "Why, those two were alwaysquarreling!"
"And so they were," she agreed, "but now, I am told, they never speak anunpleasant word to each other."
Speaking of this marriage to his mistress, when they had resumed theirjourney, the jester said, "For a couple who were ready to scratch eachother's eyes out before marriage, to be perfectly angelic afterward, isnothing less than a miracle."
She replied, "Hohenberg is the place for miracles. Think of SaintMonica."
"Which was not a miracle, after all," replied the fool; and then he toldher the truth regarding that night's strange occurrence, as it had beenrelated to him by Philibert, adding, "He did it because you had prayedfor her, little Cousin."
It was, as the jester had said, a long journey, but at length theyreached the end of it, and Cunegunda made frequent visits to the shrineof Saint Roch, declaring even after the first one that the pain was muchless severe than it had been.
Everything about the old inn was much as it had been at their firstvisit, though the little Mary had become a great chatterbox, and thistime was able to thank the princess for the present of a gold piece.
Anne, the queen-duchess, was staying for a time in one of her castles inthe province of Brittany, it being her custom to visit her domain asoften as she could make it convenient to do so. Hearing of the presenceat the inn of the Princess of the Asturias, she sent to her aninvitation, offering the hospitality of her roof for the Easter season.Although the King of France and the Emperor of Austria had been enemies,the princess and the queen had not shared the ill feeling, and history,which as a rule makes out people to have been worse than they reallywere, admits that the two ladies ever were friendly to each other andthat they sometimes exchanged presents.
The King of France was away with his soldiers, and as the royal littleones had remained in the palace of Amboise, it was not difficult toimagine that time had remained stationary and that the fair chatelaineof the castle was still simply the Lady Anne, Duchess of Brittany.
Fetes and entertainments were arranged in honor of the guest, and happywere the hours that Anne and Marguerite spent together.
On Easter Monday the people for miles around met in the valley to engagein the customary games of the season. The married men entertainedthemselves with archery, the prize for the best shot being consideredworth winning. The archers shot at a cask of wine, and he who was sofortunate as to pierce the wood was permitted to put his lips to theaperture thus made, and to drink of the amber liquid until he wassatisfied, the others taking their turn when he had finished. But theyoung people craved something more exciting than the mere drinking ofwine, and their gay laughter rang out joyously and vigorously as theywent through their native dances.
The princess from her place beside her royal hostess enjoyed the scenethoroughly. Finally began the most exciting dance of the day. A hundredeggs were scattered over the ground and two youths chose their partnersand began the figure. Although on the surface a trivial matter and oneto provoke laughter, this dance was a very serious affair to those whoengaged in it; for the couple who could skip over the eggs, glidebetween them, twirl about them in the many turns required by the dance,without breaking or cracking an egg, might marry each other in spite ofthe opposition of parents or guardians. Each couple was allowed threetrials, and the dance being successfully concluded, none had a right tosay "Nay" to the union.
While the merrymaking was at its height the sound of a hunter's horn washeard ringing through the forest, and soon there appeared a company ofmen on horseback and in brilliant uniforms. At their head rode abeautiful youth attired in the rich costume affected by the nobles ofthe time, who, leaping from his horse, bent a graceful knee to thequeen, requesting her hospitality. It was granted at once, for this wasPhilibert the Handsome, Duke of Savoy!
He bowed low before the princess and gave a friendly greeting to theothers, but to Le Glorieux he murmured, "The jewel about which you wroteme I have come to claim."
The dance, which had ceased when the hunters appeared upon the scene,was now resumed with greater merriment than before, and after watchingthem intently for a while Marguerite said wistfully, "Would that I mighttry that dance."
Then Philibert once more inclined his graceful figure and said, "Madame,will you permit me to be your partner?"
This was equivalent to an offer of marriage, and his followers and herown became wildly enthusiastic. Cries were heard of "Austria and Savoy!"and it seemed to Le Glorieux that in his joy his own cry must have rungto the very skies, while cheer upon cheer rent the air.
The Princess placed her hand in his]
The princess placed her hand in his and the comely pair took theirplaces. There was a serious task before them. They must dance around andover and between those eggs without breaking any, and that, too, withmany eyes intently watching them. The members of noble families wereaccustomed to dance; the little feet of the lady could poise as lightlyas thistle-down, while the knight was graceful in every step. When thedance was ended not a single egg had been touched!
Exercise in the open air had deepened the tint on the cheek of theprincess. Philibert bent his head and whispered something in her ear.
"Yes," said she, smiling brightly, "let us follow the custom of thecountry."
"Philibert has found his jewel," said Le Glorieux, "and I have helpedhim to get it."
"What jewel do you mean?" asked the princess.
"What should I mean, but yourself, fair lady? You are the jewel healways has admired. I am nothing but a fool, but I am not blind."
One year from that day the two were married. To their guests they gaveas souvenirs gold and silver eggs filled with spices, which they calledEaster eggs, and which the natives of Savoy claim was the origin of thepleasant custom of giving eggs at that season.
And Philibert and Marguerite never had occasion to regret that happy dayin the forest, when, forgetting everything save that their hearts werebeating with the joy of youth, they together tripped the measures of theegg-dance.
THE END
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