that I may give thanks for the
emancipation of Tiennette, here present, and for whom I pray their high
assistance. Moreover, I vow, by my eternal salvation, to prosecute this
enterprise with courage, to expend therein all that I possess, and to
abandon it only with my life. Heaven hath heard me, and thou, fair one,"
he added, turning to the girl.

"Ah, my lord! My cow is running across the field," cried she weeping, at
the knees of the good man. "I will love you all my life--but recall your
vow."

"Let us seek the cow," said the goldsmith, raising her, without daring
to imprint a kiss upon her lips.

"Yes," said she, "for I shall be beaten."

The goldsmith ran after the cow, which recked little of their loves. But
she was seized by the horns, and held in the grasp of Claude as in an
iron vice. For a trifle he would have hurled her into the air.

"Farewell, dearest. If you go into the city, come to my house, near St.
Leu. I am called Master Anseau, and am the goldsmith of our seigneur,
the king of France, at the sign of St. Eloi. Promise me to be in this
field the next Sabbath, and I will not fail to come, though it were
raining halberts."

"I will, my lord. And, in the meanwhile, my prayers shall ascend to
heaven for your welfare."

There she remained standing, like a saint carved in stone, stirring not,
until she could no longer see the burgess, who retired with slow steps,
turning every now and then to look upon her. And even when he was long
lost to sight, she remained there until nightfall, lost in reverie, and
not certain whether what had happened was a dream or bright reality. It
was late when she returned home, where she was beaten for her
tardiness,--but she did not feel the blows.

The good burgess, on his part, lost his appetite, closed his shop, and
wandered about, thinking only of the maiden of St. Germain, seeing her
image everywhere. On the morrow, he took his way towards the abbey, in
great apprehension, but still determined to speak to my lord abbot. But
as he bethought him that it would be most prudent to put himself under
the protection of some powerful courtier, he retraced his steps, and
sought out the royal chamberlain, whose favor he had gained by various
courtesies, and especially by the gift of a rare chain to the lady whom
he loved. The chamberlain readily promised his assistance, had his horse
saddled and a hackney made ready for the goldsmith, with whom he came
presently to the abbe