You are knocking at our doors,
beware lest we open them and come forth to speak with our enemy at
the gate. We give you back defiance for defiance, menace for menace,
blow for blow. This is our answer--this and the drawn sword. God and
St. Denis for the King of France!"
As he spoke, he drew his sword and flashed it aloft in the sunlight.
There was contagion in his burning words, and every soldier present
bared his blade and pointed it to heaven while Villon's cry was
repeated upon a hundred lips. As Toison d'Or turned and left the
presence, Katherine came swiftly down the steps and flung herself at
Villon's feet.
"My Lord," she said. "With my lips the women of France thank you for
your words of flame."
Louis leaned forward, smiling sardonically.
"Mistress, what does this mean?" he questioned.
The girl rose to her feet, looking into Villon's face with eyes that
mirrored the admiration shining in his eyes.
"It means, sire, that a man has come to court!"
CHAPTER VIII
A WORD WITH DOM GREGORY
It is a thousand pities that the materials for building up a
practical presentment of the real life-story of Master Fran?ois
Villon are so slight, that in the historical sense they might almost
be said to be non-existent.
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