第63章 HOW ELLIOT LOST HER JACKANAPES(4)

"Out and alas!"said the old wife in our country tongue--"out and alas!for I have ill news.The poor beast is missing these three days past,and we fear he is stolen away by some gangrel bodies,for the town is full of them.There came two to our door,three days agone,and one was a blind man,and the other a one-armed soldier,maimed in the wars,and I gave them bite and sup,as a Christian should do.Now,they had not been gone but a few minutes,and I was in the spence,putting away the dishes,when I heard a whistle in the street,and anon another.I thought little of it,and so was about my business for an hour,when I missed the jackanapes.And then there was a hue and cry,and all the house was searched,and the neighbours were called on,but since that day there has been no word of the jackanapes.But,for the blind man and the armless soldier,the town guard saw them leaving by the North Gate,with a violer woman and her husband,an ill-looking loon,in their company."Elliot sat her down and wept sore."They have stolen my little friend,"she cried,"and now he that was so fat I called him Tremouille will go hungry and lean,and be whipped to make him do his tricks,and I shall never see him more."Then she ran out of the chamber,to weep alone,as I guessed,for she was pitiful and of very tender affection,and dumb things came near about her heart,as is the manner of many women.

But I made no doubt in my mind that the husband of the ape's old mistress had stolen him,and I,too,sorrowed for the poor beast that my mistress loved,and that,in very deed,had been the saving of my own life.Then I spoke to my master,and said that we must strive to buy her a new ape,or a little messan dog,to be her playfellow.

But he shook his head."Say nothing more of the beast,"he muttered,"unless she speaks of him first,and that,methinks,will be never.For it is not her wont to speak of what lies very deep in her heart,and if you talk of the beast it will please her little."And,indeed,I heard no word more of the jackanapes from Elliot,save that,coming back from the minster next day,she whispered,"Ihave prayed for him,"and so fled to her own chamber.

As then I deemed it a strange thing,and scarcely to be approved by Holy Church,that my lady should pray for a dumb beast who had no soul to be saved.But a faithful,loving prayer is not unavailing or unheard of Him who made the beasts,as well as He made us;for whose sin,or the sin of our father Adam,they now suffer,silently.

And the answer to this prayer was to be known in the end.

As the week went on,tidings came that made Elliot glad again,if before she had been sad enough.For this was that great week of wonders which shall never be forgotten while France is France,and the lilies bloom.

On June the thirteenth the Maid took Jargeau,whence the famed Bastard of Orleans had been driven some weeks agone;and the Earl of Suffolk yielded him her prisoner,saying that she was "the most valiant woman in the world."Scarce had tidings of this great victory come,when messengers followed,declaring that the Maid had seized the Bridge of Meun and driven the English into the Castle.