Figures of Earth: A Comedy of Appearances

by James Branch Cabell

  XXIV

  Three Women

  So Manuel put on his armor, and with Manuel telling as much as hethought wise of the adventures which he had encountered while Niafer wasdead, they left this peculiarly irrational part of the forest, and faredout of the ruined November woods; and presently, in those barren fieldsthat descend toward the sand dunes of Quentavic, came face to face withQueen Freydis and the Princess Alianora, where these two royal ladiesand many other fine people rode toward the coast.

  Alianora went magnificently this morning, on a white horse, and wearinga kirtle of changeable green like the sea's green in sunlight: hergolden hair was bound with a gold frontlet wherein were emeralds.Freydis, dark and stately, was in crimson embroidered with small goldstars and ink-horns: a hooded falcon sat on her gloved wrist.

  Now Freydis and Alianora stared at the swarthy, flat-faced, limpingpeasant girl in brown drugget that was with Count Manuel. Then Alianorastared at Freydis.

  "Is it for this dingy cripple," says Alianora, with her proud fine faceall wonder, "that Dom Manuel has forsaken us and has put off his youth?Why, the girl is out and out ugly!"

  "Our case is none the better for that," replied Freydis, the wise Queen,whose gazing rested not upon Niafer but on Manuel.

  "Who are those disreputable looking, bold-faced creatures that aremaking eyes at you?" says Niafer.

  And Manuel, marveling to meet these two sorceresses together, replied,as he civilly saluted them from a little distance, "Two royal ladies,who would be well enough were it not for their fondness for having theirown way."

  "And I suppose you think them handsome!"

  "Yes, Niafer, I find them very beautiful. But after looking at them withaesthetic pleasure, my gaze returns adoringly to the face I have createdas I willed, and to the quiet love of my youth, and I have no occasionto be thinking of queens and princesses. Instead, I give thanks in myheart that I am faring contentedly toward the nearest priest with theone woman in the world who to my finding is desirable and lovely."

  "It is very sweet of you to say that, Manuel, and I am sure I hope youare telling the truth, but my faith would be greater if you had notrattled it off so glibly."

  Then Alianora said: "Greetings, and for the while farewell, to you,Count Manuel! For all we ride to Quentavic, and thence I am passing overinto England to marry the King of that island."

  "Now, but there is a lucky monarch for you!" says Manuel, politely. Helooked at Freydis, who had put off immortality for his kisses, and whomhe had deserted to follow after his own thinking: these re-encountersare always awkward, and Dom Manuel fidgeted a little. He asked her, "Anddo you also go into England?"

  She told him very quietly, no, that she was only going to the coast, toconsult with three or four of the water-demons about enchanting one ofthe Red Islands, and about making her home there. She had virtuallydecided, she told him, to put a spell upon Sargyll, as it seemed themost desirable of these islands from what she could hear, but she mustfirst see the place. Queen Freydis looked at him with ratherembarrassing intentness all the while, but she spoke quite calmly.

  "Yes, yes," Dom Manuel said, cordially, "I dare say you will be verycomfortable there, and I am sure I hope so. But I did not know that youtwo ladies were acquainted."

  "Indeed, our affairs are not your affairs," says Freydis, "any longer.And what does it matter, on this November day which has a thin sunlightand no heat at all in it? No, that girl yonder has to-day. But Alianoraand I had each her yesterday; and it may be the one or it may be theother of us three who will have to-morrow, and it may be also that thedisposal of that to-morrow will be remarkable."

  "Very certainly," declared Alianora, with that slow, lovely, tranquilsmile of hers, "I shall have my portion of to-morrow. I would have madeyou a king, and by and by the most powerful of all kings, but youfollowed after your own thinking, and cared more for messing in wet mudthan for a throne. Still, this nonsense of yours has converted you intoa rather distinguished looking old gentleman, so when I need you I shallsummon you, with the token that we know of, Dom Manuel, and then do youcome post-haste!"

  Freydis said: "I would have made you the greatest of image-makers; butyou followed after your own thinking, and instead of creating new andgod-like beings you preferred to resurrect a dead servant girl.Nevertheless, do I bid you beware of the one living image you made, forit still lives and it alone you cannot ever shut out from your barredheart, Dom Manuel: and nevertheless, do I bid you come to me, Dom Manuel,when you need me."

  Manuel replied, "I shall always obey both of you." Niafer throughoutthis while said nothing at all. But she had her private thoughts, to theeffect that neither of these high-and-mighty trollops was in reality theperson whom henceforward Dom Manuel was going to obey.

  So the horns sounded. The gay cavalcade rode on, toward Quentavic. Andas they went young Osmund Heleigh (Lord Brudenel's son) asked for thegallant King of Navarre, "But who, sire, was that time-battered grayvagabond, with the tarnished silver stallion upon his shield and themud-colored cripple at his side, that our Queens should be stopping forany conference with him?"

  King Thibaut said it was the famous Dom Manuel of Poictesme, who had putaway his youth for the sake of the girl that was with him.

  "Then is the old man a fool on every count," declared Messire Heleigh,sighing, "for I have heard of his earlier antics in Provence, and nolovelier lady breathes than Dame Alianora."

  "I consider Queen Freydis to be the handsomer of the two," repliedThibaut, "but certainly there is no comparing either of theseinestimable ladies with Dom Manuel's swarthy drab."

  "She is perhaps some witch whose magic is more terrible than theirmagic, and has besotted this ruined champion?"

  "It is either enchantment or idiocy, unless indeed it be something farhigher than either." King Thibaut looked grave, then shrugged. "OyDieus! even so, Queen Freydis is the more to my taste."

  Thus speaking, the young King spurred his bay horse toward Queen Freydis(from whom he got his ruin a little later), and all Alianora's retinuewent westward, very royally, while Manuel and Niafer trudged east. Muchcolor and much laughter went one way, but the other way wentcontentment, for that while.

  PART FOUR

  THE BOOK OF SURCHARGE

  TO

  HUGH WALPOLE

  Soe _Manuel made all the Goddes that we call_ mamettes _and_ ydolles,_that were sett ouer the Subiection of his lyfe tyme: and euery of thegoddes that Manuel wolde carue toilesomelie hadde in hys Bodie aBlemmishe; and in the mydle of the godes made he one god of thePhilistines._