第55章 HOW SORROW CAME ON NORMAN LESLIE,AND JOY THEREAFTE

It little concerns any man to know how I slowly recovered my health after certain failings back into the shadow of death.Therefore Ineed not tell how I was physicked,and bled,and how I drew on from a diet of milk to one of fish,and so to a meal of chicken's flesh,till at last I could sit,wrapped up in many cloaks,on a seat in the garden,below a great mulberry tree.In all this weary time Iknew little,and for long cared less,as to what went on in the world and the wars.But so soon as I could speak it was of Elliot that I devised,with my kind nurse,Charlotte Boucher,the young daughter of Jacques Boucher,the Duke's treasurer,in whose house Ilay.She was a fair lass,and merry of mood,and greatly hove up my heart to fight with my disease.It chanced that,as she tended me,when I was at my worst,she marked,hanging on a silken string about my neck,a little case of silver artfully wrought,wherein was that portrait of my mistress,painted by me before I left Chinon.Being curious,like all girls,and deeming that the case held some relic,she opened it,I knowing nothing then of what she did.But when Iwas well enough to lie abed and devise with her,it chanced that Iwas playing idly with my fingers about the silver case.

"Belike,"said Charlotte,"that is some holy relic,to which,maybe,you owe your present recovery.Surely,when you are whole again,you have vowed a pilgrimage to the shrine of the saint,your friend?"Here she smiled at me gaily,for she was a right merry damsel,and a goodly.

"Nay,"she said,"I have done more for you than your physician,seeing that I,or the saint you serve,have now brought the red colour into these wan cheeks of yours.Is she a Scottish saint,then?perchance St.Margaret,of whom I have read?Will you not let me look at the sacred thing?""Nay,"said I."Methinks,from your smiling,that you have taken opportunity to see my treasure before to-day,being a daughter of our mother Eve.""She is very beautiful,"said Charlotte;"nay,show her to me again!"With that I pressed the spring and opened the case,for there is no lover but longs to hear his lady commended,and to converse about her.Yet I had spoken no word,for my part,about her beauty,having heard say that he who would be well with one woman does ill to praise another in her presence.

"Beautiful,indeed,she is,"said Charlotte."Never have I seen such eyes,and hair like gold,and a look so gracious!And for thy pilgrimage to the shrine of this fair saint,where does she dwell?"I told her at Chinon,or at Tours,or commonly wheresoever the Court might be,for that her father was the King's painter.

"And you love her very dearly?"

"More than my life,"I said."And may the saints send you,demoiselle,as faithful a lover,to as fair a lady.""Nay,"she said,reddening."This is high treason,and well you wot that you hold no lady half so fair as your own.Are you Scots so smooth-spoken?You have not that repute.Now,what would you give to see that lady?""All that I have,which is little but my service and goodwill.But she knows not where I am,nor know I how she fares,which irks me more than all my misfortunes.Would that I could send a letter to her father,and tell him how I do,and ask of their tidings.""The Dauphin is at Tours,"she said,"and there is much coming and going between Tours and this town.For the Maid is instant with the Dauphin to ride forthwith to Reims,and there be sacred and crowned;but now he listens and believes,and anon his counsellors tell him that this is foolhardy,and a thing impossible.""O they of little faith!"I said,sighing.

"None the less,word has come that the Maid has been in her oratory at prayers,and a Voice from heaven has called to her,saying,"Fille de Dieu,va,va,va!Je serai en ton aide.Va!"{27}The Dauphin is much confirmed in his faith by this sign,and has vowed that he will indeed march with the Maid to Reims,though his enemies hold all that country which lies between.But first she must take the towns which the English hold on Loire side,such as Jargeau.

Now on Jargeau,while you lay knowing nothing,the Bastard of Orleans,and Xaintrailles,and other good knights,made an onslaught,and won nothing but loss for their pains,though they slew Messire Henry Bisset,the captain of the town.But if the Maid takes Jargeau,the Dauphin will indeed believe in her and follow her.""He is hard of heart to believe,and would that I were where he should be--under her holy pennon,for thereon,at least,I should see the face painted of my lady.But how does all this bring me nearer the hope of hearing about her,and how she fares?""There are many messengers coming and going to Tours,for the Dauphin is gathering force under the Maid,and has set the fair Duc d'Alencon to be her lieutenant,with the Bastard,and La Hire,and Messire Florent d'Illiers.And all are to be here in Orleans within few days;wherefore now write to the father of thy lady,and I will myself write to her."With that she gave me paper and pen,and Iindited a letter to my master,telling him how I had lain near to death of my old wound,in Orleans,and that I prayed him of his goodness to let me know how he did,and to lay me at the feet of my lady.Then Charlotte showed me her letter,wherein she bade Elliot know that I had hardly recovered,after winning much fame (for so she said)and a ransom of gold from an English prisoner,which now lay in the hands of her father,the Duke's treasurer.Then she said that a word from Elliot,not to say the sight of her face,the fairest in the world (a thing beyond hope),would be of more avail for my healing than all the Pharaoh powders of the apothecaries.