"Fran?ois, you dear devil, where have you been this thousand years?
They said you were banished. How brave you are! Where did you steal
so much splendour? Are you cutting purses? Are you plucking
mantles?"
Villon tried to stay her questions.
"What are you doing here, Abbess?"
"The fair fool Noel has taken a week-long fancy to me, and I am
making an age-long fool of him. Kiss me," she urged, putting her
face very near to Villon's. Villon drew back his head.
"You should keep your kisses for the fair fool Noel."
Huguette drew away from him angrily.
"When you were as lean as a cat and as ragged as a sparrow, you were
not so nice a precisian. Has some great lady bewitched you? Can you
only woo in silk and win in velvet? If the kernel be sweet, what
does the husk matter? Heaven's pity! Why should a woman love you?"
Villon took no notice of her petulance but repeated his question:
"What are you doing here, Abbess?"
The girl's rage was as short as a summer's shower. She turned again
to him, fondling him.
"Well, I cannot shut the door of my heart in your smooth face. Ren
de Montigny has a great game afoot, and you are back in time to
share in it.
Pages:
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190