d knave was he, pinched and something doleful of visage yet
with quick bright eyes that laughed 'neath sombre brows, and a wide,
up-curving mouth; upon his escalloped cape and flaunting cock's-comb
were many little bells that rang a silvery chime as, up-starting to his
elbow, he greeted my Beltane thus:

"Hail, noble, youthful Sir, and of thy sweet and gracious courtesy I
pray you mark me this--the sun is hot, my belly lacketh, and thou art a
fool!"

"And wherefore?" questioned Beltane, leaning him upon his quarter-staff.

"For three rarely reasonable reasons, sweet sir, as thus:--item, for
that the sun burneth, item, my belly is empty, and item, thou, lured by
this my foolish pipe art hither come to folly. So I, a fool, do greet
thee, fool, and welcome thee to this my palace of ease and pleasaunce
where, an ye be minded to list to the folly of a rarely foolish fool, I
will, with foolish jape and quip, befool thy mind to mirth and jollity,
for thou art a sad fool, methinks, and something melancholic!"

Quoth Beltane, sighing:

"'Tis a sad world and very sorrowful!"

"Nay--'tis a sweet world and very joyful--for such as have eyes to see
withal!"

"To see?" quoth Beltane, frowning, "this day have I seen a dead man
a-swing on a tree, a babe dead beside its cradle, and a woman die upon
a spear! All day have I breathed an air befouled by nameless evil;
whithersoever I go needs must I walk 'twixt Murder and Shame!"

"Then look ever before thee, so shalt see neither."

"Yet will they be there!"

"Yet doth the sun shine in high heaven, so must these things be till
God and the saints shall mend them. But if thou must needs be doleful,
go make thee troubles of thine own but leave the woes of this wide
world to God!"

"Nay," said Beltane, shaking his head, "how if God leave these things
to thee and me?"

"Why then methinks the world must wag as it will. Yet must we repine
therefore? Out upon thee for a sober, long-legged, doleful wight. Now
harkee! Here sit I--less fool! A fool who hath, this day, been driven
forth of my lord's presence with blows and cruel stripes! And
wherefore? 'Twas for setting a bird free of its cage, a small matter
methinks--though there be birds--and birds, but mum for that! Yet do I
grieve and sigh therefore, O doleful long-shanks? Not so--fie on't! I
blow away my sorrows through the music of this my little pipe and,
lying here, set my wits a-dancing and lo! I am a duke, a king, a very
god!