should. But tell me this in closest
confidence,--Did you speak the truth?"

She answered:

"Sire, Olivier is a gallant man and a courteous. He was so full of
pretty ways and dainty devices for to distract my mind, _I_ never
thought of counting. Nor yet did _he_ keep score. Needs therefore must I
hold him quit of his promise."

King Hugo made great rejoicings for his daughter's nuptials. Thereafter
Charlemagne and his twelve peers returned back to France, taking with
them the Princess Helen.

THE MIRACLE OF THE MAGPIE

[Illustration: 034]

I

LENT, of the year 1429, presented a strange marvel of the Calendar, a
conjunction that moved the admiration not only of the common crowd
of the Faithful, but eke of Clerks, well learned in Arithmetic. For
Astronomy, mother of the Calendar, was Christian in those days. In 1429
Good Friday fell on the Feast of the Annunciation, so that one and the
same day combined the commemoration of the two several mysteries which
did commence and consummate the redemption of mankind, and in wondrous
wise superimposed one on top of the other, Jesus conceived in the
Virgin's womb and Jesus dying on the Cross. This Friday, whereon the
mystery of joy came so to coincide exactly with the mystery of sorrow,
was named the "Grand Friday," and was kept holy with solemn Feasts on
Mount Anis, in the Church of the Annunciation. For many years, by gift
of the Popes of Rome, the sanctuary of Mount Anis had possessed the
privilege of the plenary indulgences of a great jubilee, and the
late-deceased Bishop of Le Puy, Elie de Le-strange, had gotten Pope
Martin to restore this _pardon_. It was a favour of the sort the Popes
scarce ever refused, when asked in due and proper form.

The _pardon_ of the Grand Friday drew a great crowd of pilgrims and
traders to Le Puy-en-Velay. As early as mid February folk from distant
lands set out thither in cold and wind and rain. For the most part
they fared on foot, staff in hand. Whenever they could, these pilgrims
travelled in companies, to the end they might not be robbed and held to
ransom by the armed bands that infested the country parts, and by the
barons who exacted toll on the confines of their lands. Inasmuch as
the mountain districts were especially dangerous, they tarried in the
neighbouring towns, Clermont, Issoire, Brioude, Lyons, Issingeaux,
Alais, till they were gathered in a great host, and then went forth on
their road in the snow. During