He
signed to Noel le Jolys, where he stood apart, and the young soldier
came hurriedly to him.
"Captain," he said, "give this lady honourable conduct."
He moved away and left the pair together--the mannish woman and the
womanish man, looking at each other, the man in admiration and the
woman in veiled disdain.
"You are a comely girl," Noel affirmed roundly.
Huguette laughed.
"This is news from no-man's land."
Noel spoke lower.
"Where do you lodge?"
Huguette was a woman of business in an instant. She flashed in
Noel's face the ring the Grand Constable had given her as she
answered:
"At the sign of the Golden Scull, hard by the Fircone. Will you
visit me?"
Noel clapped his hands together.
"As I am a man, I will."
A good understanding being thus established, the pair drifted away
together and were soon lost to sight. Villon looking after them
mused:
"Heaven forgive me, I am becoming a most pitiful loud preacher.
Every rogue there deserves the gallows, but so do I, no less, and I
have not swallowed enough of this court air to make me a hypocrite.
Well, all this justice is thirsty work, and, mad or sane, sleeping
or waking, let me drink while I can.
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