s finished, and they began to think of whom they would
employ, the first one they spoke of was Brother Stephen, whose exquisite
work on the book of hours had so delighted them. But then, much as they
wished to have him in the palace, they did not think it possible to do
so, as they knew he belonged to the brotherhood of St. Martin's Abbey,
and so of course had taken vows to spend his whole life there.

It chanced, however, soon after this, that King Louis happened to have a
little talk with the messenger he had sent to the Abbey at Christmas
time to see about Gabriel. And this messenger told the king that while
there the Abbot, in speaking to him of Brother Stephen's work, had said
that the latter really wished to leave the brotherhood and go into the
world to paint; and that, though he had refused his request to be freed
from his vows, yet the monk had worked so faithfully at King Louis's
book that he thought he had earned his freedom, and that perhaps he, the
Abbot, had done wrong in forcing him to stay at the Abbey if he wished
to study his art elsewhere.

In short, he had as much as said that if Brother Stephen ever again
asked for his freedom, he would grant it; and this showed that the Abbot
had relented and unbent a great deal more than any one could ever have
believed possible.

When King Louis heard what the messenger told him, he was greatly
pleased; and after talking it over with the queen, he decided to send
the same messenger post-haste back to the Abbey to ask for the services
of Brother Stephen before the Abbot might again change his mind.

Now King Louis was a very liberal monarch, and both he and Queen Anne
liked nothing better than to encourage and help along real artists. And
so they thought that they would supply Brother Stephen with money so
that he could travel about and study and paint as he chose, even if he
preferred always to paint larger pictures rather than to illuminate
books; though they hoped that once in awhile he might spend a little
time in their fine new writing-room.

When the messenger started, they told him to explain all this to Brother
Stephen, and let the latter plan his work in whatever way best pleased
him.

But the queen gave particular orders that, if possible, the messenger
was to bring the peasant boy, Gabriel Viaud, back to the palace with
him; for she thought the lad's work on the page where he had written his
little prayer showed such promise that she wished to see