heart be torn
like that of Philomel.' Wherewith he touched his lute, and began to sing
from his famous idyll--

'Ainsi mon coeur se guermentait
De la grande douleur qu'il portait,
En ce plaisant lieu solitaire
Ou un doux ventelet venait,
Si seri qu'on le sentait
Lorsque la violette mieux flaire.'

Again, as Eleanor heard the sweet strains, and saw the long shadows of
the trees and the light of the rising moon, it was like the attainment
of her dreamland; and Margaret proceeded to make known to her sisters
Maitre Alain Chartier, the prince of song, adding, 'Thou, too, wast a
songster, sister Elleen, even while almost a babe. Dost sing as of old?'

'I have brought my father's harp,' said Eleanor.

'Ah! I must hear it,' she cried with effusion. 'The harp. It will be his
voice again.'

'Madame! Madame! Madame la Dauphine. Out here! Ever reckless of dew--ay,
and of waur than dew.'

These last words were added in Scotch, as a tall, dark-cloaked figure
appeared on the scene from between the trees. Margaret laughed, with a
little annoyance in her tone, as she said, 'Ever my shadow, good Madame,
ever wearying yourself with care. Here, sisters, here is my trusty and
well-beloved Dame de Ste. Petronelle, who takes such care of me that she
dogs my footsteps like a messan.'

'And reason gude,' replied the lady. 'Here is the muckle hall all
alight, and this King Rene, as they call him, twanging on his lute, and
but that the Seigneur Dauphin is talking to the English Lord on some
question of Gascon boundaries, we should have him speiring for you. I
saw the eye of him roaming after you, as it was.'

'His eye seeking me!' cried Margaret, springing up from her languid
attitude with a tone like exultation in her voice, such as evoked a low
sigh from the old dame, as all began to move towards the castle. She
was the widow of a Scotch adventurer who had won lands and honours in
France; and she was now attached to the service of the Dauphiness, not
as her chief lady--that post was held by an old French countess--but
still close enough to her to act as her guardian and monitor whenever it
was possible to deal with her.

The old lady, in great delight at meeting a compatriot, poured out her
confidences to Dame Lilias of Glenuskie. Infinitely grieved and annoyed
was she when, early as were the ordinary hours of the Court of Nanci, it
p