The seneschal kissed his hand, and never doubted for
one moment more but that Prosper was the pattern of
knighthood. The image-maker at March was thereafter
busy with the figure of one in the similitude of an
Archangel, under whom ran the legend-"Properate
vias ejus.” It is reported that he
had a further commission for a great bronze Saint
Isidore, destined to the chapel at High March.
Days of festival followed, with jousting and minstrelsy.
Isoult sat in a green silk bower, clothed all in white,
her black hair twisted with pearls, a crown of red
roses upon all. The hooded falcon showed again
on baldrick and girdle, the fesse dancettee
flickered on a new shield, the red plumes danced;
“Bide the Time” was the cry. After
this came all the mesne lords to do homage for their
lands, and among them was Malise le Gai, Lord of Starning
and Parrox. Prosper, when the two met, laughed
at him, made him angry, got forgiven, and shook hands.
He thus put the man at his ease, and won a tolerable
friendship with his brother against the time when
the elder would be, in respect of certain fiefs, the
vassal of the younger. But from Goltres came none
to do fealty, nor from Hauterive, nor from Malbank
Saint Thorn. Goltres, in fact, was escheat, and
granted out to Prosper’s brother Osric and his
new wife from Pre. A new abbot was set over Holy
Thorn; but the charter of pit and gallows was revoked
by the Countess, withal she said—“It
was the granting of that charter which won me my child
again.”
It does not appear that there is anything more to
record.
“What am I to call you, lady wife?” said
Prosper, when he had her in his arms again.
“Ah, lord, thou shouldst know by now!”
“Pietosa?”
“Prosper!”
“Isoult la Desiree?
“If you must.”
“Isoult la Desirous?”
“It would be true.
“What will you have then, child?”
“Ah, ah, I will have that!”
It was, after all, but a rosy child that Prosper kissed.
EXPLICIT
Copyrights
The Forest Lovers from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.
