oment besieging Utrecht, but as soon as he heard the
Dauphin had arrived in his dominions, he sent orders that he was to
be conducted to Brussels with all the honours befitting his rank and
station.

Shortly afterwards the Duke returned, and listened with real or
pretended sympathy to all the complaints that Louis made against
his father, but put a damper on any hopes that the Prince may have
entertained of getting the Burgundian forces to support his cause, by
saying;

"Monseigneur, you are welcome to my domains. I am happy to see you here.
I will provide you with men and money for any purpose you may require,
except to be employed against the King, your father, whom I would on no
account displease."

Duke Philippe even tried to bring about a reconciliation between Charles
and his son; but as Louis was not very anxious to return to France, nor
Charles to have him there, and a good many of the nobles were far from
desiring that the Prince should come back, the negotiations came to
nothing.

Louis could make himself agreeable when he pleased, and during his stay
in the Duke's domains, he was on good terms with Philippe le Bon, who
granted him 3000 gold florins a month, and the castle of Genappe as a
residence. This castle was situated on the Dyle, midway between Brussels
and Louvain, and about eight miles from either city. The river, or a
deep moat, surrounded the castle on every side. There was a drawbridge
which was drawn up at night, so Louis felt himself quite safe from any
attack.

Here he remained five years (1456-1461) until the death of his father
placed him on the throne of France.

It was during these five years that these stories were told to amuse his
leisure. Probably there were many more than a hundred narrated--perhaps
several hundreds--but the literary man who afterwards "edited" the
stories only selected those which he deemed best, or, perhaps, those he
heard recounted. The narrators were the nobles who formed the Dauphin's
Court. Much ink has been spilled over the question whether Louis himself
had any share in the production. In nearly every case the author's name
is given, and ten of them (Nos. 2, 4, 7, 9, 11, 29, 33, 69, 70 and
71) are described in the original edition as being by "Monseigneur."
Publishers of subsequent editions brought out at the close of the 15th,
or the beginning of the 16th, Century, jumped to the conclusion that
"Monseigneur" was really the Dauphin, who not only contribu