204 



ROME AND FLOWERS 



circle of light that shone from the window^ 

 the count bowed profoundly to the slen- 

 der figure, stern as an accusing justice;, 

 and thus answered: 



"I go, at thy command. I take shame 

 to myself that she I love should find it 

 necessary to recall me to my duty. I go, 

 but wilt thou forgive me? Wilt thou 

 not give me a rose from the bush at thy 

 window as a sign of thy forgiveness ?" 



The maiden's heart was softer than her 

 words. She chose a perfect flower, and 

 threw it, with the softly spoken words, 

 "I would not have thee fail tomorrow/' 

 and instantly withdrew within the shadow, 

 as if ashamed of her undue boldness. 



Count Philibert caught the rose, and 

 held it for an instant to his lips. Then, 

 with the light shining full on his earnest 

 face, said to the maiden he well knew 

 was listening within the shadow : 



"I thank thee. I shall wear the rose 

 until I have gained the cause I shall plead 

 tomorrow — and thee. Fare thee well." 

 And he vanished into the night. 



Regaining his rooms, he called for his 

 secretaries, and ordered brought to him 

 all the evidence in the case. No one saw 

 his face again until parliament convened 

 the next day. 



It was in the year 1227, in the old 

 French city of Poitiers. Parliament was 

 sitting. It was an august body, composed 

 of the peers of the realm. Its duties at 

 this period were mainly the settling of 

 disputes of succession and property rights 

 in its own order. Parliament was still in 

 its migrating period, and made annual 

 pilgrimages to various provinces where 

 its services were required. Royalty fol- 

 lowed parliament on these tours, thus 

 giving the provincials an opportunity to 

 see the dignity and brilliancy of court life. 

 Owing to the serious difficulty as to the 

 succession in the family of de Bergerac, 

 parliament would next convene in Poitiers, 

 in order that it might aid m restoring 

 the inheritance to its proper owners. 

 Count Philibert de la Marche was ap- 

 pointed council for the de Bergerac fam- 



ily: and it was further announced that 

 her most gracious majesty, Queen Blanche 

 of Castille, would honor the parliament 

 with her presence. 



The queen desired that the palace pre- 

 pared for her upon this occasion should 

 be built in the famous field of roses, the 

 fame of whose beauty had reached her 

 royal ears. From that hour Poitiers was 

 m a storm of preparation. But the hearts 

 of the de Bergerac family sank when they 

 heard that Count de la Marche was ap- 

 pointed council. Said these grim old 

 warriors : 



'Tis not enough that he is too young, • 

 and that he is devoted to pleasure. The 

 queen's presence insures that of Marie 

 Dubuisson's. De la Marche is infatuated : 

 half the court is in love with her. 'Twill 

 be a court of love that will sit at Poitiers, 

 we fear, and not a serious parliament. We 

 must make up our minds to a long delay." . 



It was a splendid cortege that wound its 

 way into Poitiers that May morning. At 

 its head, on a superb white palfrey, rode 

 Queen Blanche. The courtiers who fol- 

 lowed, mounted upon fine horses, were 

 those w^hose houses are familiar in all 

 French history, while parliament followed. 

 The cavalcade escorted the queen to the 

 palace prepared for her, and the weary 

 queen rested after directing that her fa- 

 vorite, Marie Dubuisson, should have a 

 room near her. 



And thus it happened the queen over- 

 heard the conversation which followed the 

 serenade. Her majesty had a genuine 

 affection for the girl, not alone for her 

 beauty of person and elegance of dress 

 and manner, but because her modesty and 

 purity enabled her to set a higher standard 

 of morals at her court. She knew of 

 Count Philibert's love for her favorite, 

 but did not know whether this love was 

 returned. She had determined that this 

 tour should settle the question. She would 

 not have Marie made unhappy, but, being 

 a woman, the queen dearly loved a ro- 

 mance. And this was the most romantic 

 period in history. 



