France -- History -- 15th century -- Juvenile fiction
"I want you to let me have a man and a horse," he replied.
"For what purpose?"
"I wish to send a message to the young Duke of Savoy. He lost a valuable
jewel when he was with us, and I want to tell him where he can find it."
"Perhaps it is between the leaves of his prayer-book," said the
princess, smiling. "But if you have an idea where this wonderful jewel
is, why can you not find it and send it to him?"
"There are certain reasons why such an act on my part would be out of
the question," returned the jester. "But if you do not want to let me
have the man and the horse, we will say nothing more about it."
"I do not object in the least, Le Glorieux. Send as many messengers as
you like to Savoy."
They set out from the historic city of Aix-la-Chapelle, where the court
was staying at the time, and even at the end of the first day's travel
the princess expressed herself as being wonderfully benefited with the
journey.
[Illustration: They approached a hostelry]
Late on the following afternoon as they approached a hostelry where they
expected to stay the night, they noticed a queer-looking animal painted
on the sign-board and before they were sufficiently near to read the
name beneath it, they began to speculate as to what it could be.
"I should say it was a horse," said the princess.
"And I," said the jester, who rode at her side, "should call it a calf
in convulsions."
Coming nearer they read the sign, which was "The Flying Fawn." So many
things had happened since she had heard the name that the princess had
forgotten it, but as they drew up and the pretty landlady came to the
door, Le Glorieux exclaimed, "Cimburga!"
Yes, it was Frau Obermeister, as Cimburga was now called, and she was
followed by her tall husband, both almost doubting the evidence of their
senses when they beheld the princess. Even before the latter alighted
from her mule Cimburga ran out and was about to press the hem of
Marguerite's robe to her lips when the princess reached out her hand,
which the landlady kissed, saying, "Oh, gracious lady, I never have
forgotten your face, which is now more beautiful than ever. And never
have I ceased to offer the prayer I told you of, and my little daughter,
although she can scarcely lisp the words, offers petitions to the
Blessed Virgin for your health and happiness, for she has learned that
it is to your goodness that we owe all that we now have."
"Happiness is a strange thing," remarked Le Glorieux afterward to
Cimburga. "You and Karl living in this snug inn, with your two chubby
children, have plenty of it, while the Lady Marguerite, even when she
wedded the Prince of the Asturias, had not found it."
"It will yet come to her; she is still very young, and my prayers will
be answered," replied Cimburga simply.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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