"The young man is here by the Countess's orders; be so good as conduct him to her ladies."On this a superb Adonis rose, with an injured look, and led Gerard into a room where sat or lolloped eleven ladies, chattering like magpies.Two, more industrious than the rest, were playing cat's-cradle with fingers as nimble as their tongues.At the sight of a stranger all the tongues stopped like one piece of complicated machinery, and all the eyes turned on Gerard, as if the same string that checked the tongues had turned the eyes on.
Gerard was ill at ease before, but this battery of eyes discountenanced him, and down went his eyes on the ground.Then the cowards finding, like the hare who ran by the pond and the frogs scuttled into the water, that there was a creature they could frighten, giggled and enjoyed their prowess.Then a duenna said severely, "Mesdames!" and they were all abashed at once as though a modesty string had been pulled.This same duenna took Gerard, and marched before him in solemn silence.The young man's heart sank, and he had half a mind to turn and run out of the place.
"What must princes be," he thought, "when their courtiers are so freezing? Doubtless they take their breeding from him they serve."These reflections were interrupted by the duenna suddenly introducing him into a room where three ladies sat working, and a pretty little girl tuning a lute.The ladies were richly but not showily dressed, and the duenna went up to the one who was hemming a kerchief, and said a few words in a low tone.This lady then turned towards Gerard with a smile, and beckoned him to come near her.She did not rise, but she laid aside her work, and her manner of turning towards him, slight as the movement was, was full of graCe and ease and courtesy.She began a conversation at once.
"Margaret Van Eyck is an old friend of mine, sir, and I am right glad to have a letter from her hand, and thankful to you, sir, for bringing it to me safely.Marie, my love, this is the gentleman who brought you that pretty miniature.""Sir, I thank you a thousand times," said the young lady.
"I am glad you feel her debtor, sweetheart, for our friend would have us to do him a little service in return.
"I will do anything on earth for him," replied the young lady with ardour.
"Anything on earth is nothing in the world," said the Countess of Charolois quietly.
"Well, then, I will - What would you have me to do, sir?"Gerard had just found out what high society he was in."My sovereign demoiselle," said he, gently and a little tremulously, "where there have been no pains, there needs no reward."But we must obey mamma.All the world must obey"That is true.Then, our demoiselle, reward me, if you will.by letting me hear the stave you were going to sing and I did interrupt it.""What! you love music, sir?"
"I adore it."
The little princess looked inquiringly at her mother, and received a smile of assent.She then took her lute and sang a romaunt of the day.Although but twelve years old, she was a well-taught and painstaking musician.Her little claw swept the chords with Courage and precision, and struck out the notes of the arpeggio clear, and distinct, and bright, like twinkling stars; but the main charm was her voice.It was not mighty, but it was round, clear, full, and ringing like a bell.She sang with a certain modest eloquence, though she knew none of the tricks of feeling.
She was too young to be theatrical, or even sentimental, so nothing was forced - all gushed.Her little mouth seemed the mouth of Nature.The ditty, too, was as pure as its utterance.As there were none of those false divisions - those whining slurs, which are now sold so dear by Italian songsters, though every jackal in India delivers them gratis to his customers all night, and sometimes gets shot for them, and always deserves it - so there were no cadences and fiorituri, the trite, turgid, and feeble expletives of song, the skim-milk with which mindless musicians and mindless writers quench fire, wash out colour, and drown melody and meaning dead.
While the pure and tender strain was flowing from the pure young throat, Gerard's eyes filled.The Countess watched him with interest, for it was usual to applaud the Princess loudly, but not with cheek and eye.So when the voice ceased, and the glasses left off ringing, she asked demurely, "Was he content?"Gerard gave a little start; the spoken voice broke a charm and brought him back to earth.
"Oh, madam!" he cried, "surely it is thus that cherubs and seraphs sing, and charm the saints in heaven.""I am somewhat of your opinion, my young friend," said the Countess, with emotion; and she bent a look of love and gentle pride upon her girl: a heavenly look, such as, they say, is given to the eye of the short-lived resting on the short-lived.
The Countess resumed: "My old friend request me to be serviceable to you.It is the first favour she has done us the honour of asking us, and the request is sacred.You are in holy orders, sir?"Gerard bowed.
"I fear you are not a priest, you look too young.""Oh no, madam; I am not even a sub-deacon.I am only a lector; but next month I shall be an exorcist, and before long an acolyth.""Well, Monsieur Gerard, with your accomplishments you can soon pass through the inferior orders.And let me beg you to do so.For the day after you have said your first mass I shall have the pleasure of appointing you to a benefice.""Oh, madam!"
