MAHAUT, COUNTESS OF ARTOIS 



each other dainty morsels. Such, with a knife 

 and a spoon for each, is their equipment for the 

 meal, for none, save the carver, has both knife 

 and fork. In a corner of the hall is a basket 

 for the broken-meats destined for the poor, a 

 leathern sack being also provided for foods with 

 gravy or sauce. Neither at festivals nor in 

 daily life would a meal have been considered 

 complete if the poor were not remembered. 

 Perhaps a messenger arrives during the feast 

 with the news of a birth or a marriage in 

 Mahaut's circle of relations or friends, and he 

 is rewarded with a gift of money, and possibly 

 receives a silver cup to carry back to the nurse, 

 or a jewelled chaplet to take to the bride. 

 Meanwhile the music of trumpets, drums, viols, 

 and flutes resounds from the minstrels' gallery. 

 Later, when the feast is ended, and before the 

 company disperses to walk in the garden if it 

 is spring or summer, or to look at the beautiful 

 things in the castle, or to dance or sing or play 

 chess if it be winter, some one perchance chants 

 a plaintive ditty to the music of the regal, or 

 some knight tunes his harp and sings of valiant 

 deeds, or, may be, of some peerless lady. 



But let us look at the rooms of the Castle 

 and their beautiful contents the paintings and 

 embroideries on the walls, the ivories, and the 

 illuminated Psalters and MSS. And let us go 

 first into the Countess's own room, which doubt- 

 less was near the chapel. We can form some 

 idea of its decoration and contents from the 



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