THE CHASTEL D'YERES. 159 



had to retain the fortress, and often from the watch- 

 towers their matchloclcs flashed against the foe. In 

 peaceful times the songs of the Troubadours resounded 

 in the Castle, accompanied by the strains of the six- 

 strino-ed A'iola. i\[abille de P"oz was president of the 

 Court of Love of I'ierrefeu, which with Romani, Avignon 

 and Signe formed the four most distinguished "cours 

 d'amour" of Provence. In June 1254 there was a ro)'al 

 visit to the Castle. Saint Louis, recalled from Palestine 

 b\' the death of his mother, came hither on his way 

 back to France. A few centuries later Francis I ^^■as 

 entertained here, while Louis XIII saw onl\- the ruins 

 of the fastness, for Henr\' I\' had decided upon its 

 destruction. Now the walls are clothed with luxuriant 

 N'erdure. and spring flowers of man}' colours deck tlie 

 suiumits of the to\vers. The dark hill is sliarph' outlined 

 against the bright e\-ening sky when the l^rovencal sun 

 sinks to rest behind the ruins. Then it Hoods with its 

 light land and sea, gilds the dark rocks and forms a 

 golden halo round the ancient pile. But the ruins had 

 a still more prolound and mysterious attraction for us 

 after nightfall wlaen the moon had enticed us abroad 

 onto the hills again. Her silver}- ra}-s penetrated deep 

 into the clefts and crannies of the battered masonn,' and 

 cast uncann\- shadows among the ruins. Now the old 

 walls and turrets assume human shape, appear to move 

 their limbs and to gaze into the distance. vSuddenlv all 

 is once more lifeless, for a cloud has cast its dark 

 shadow on the hill. But when the moon came forth 

 again it seemed to us as though the turrets had ]'oined 



