. The court jester . may have been at CastleHohenberg, there were plenty of other places inMaximilians wide domain that longed for himor needed him, or both, and ere long the party wasready to continue its journey along the Rhine. On the morning of their departure Margueriteheard a gay song in the courtyard beneath her win-dow; it was Cimburga, who was going to feed thedoves. The birds immediately flew to meet theirfriend, settling on her shoulders, her head, and thebasket in which she had brought their food, thesunlight bringing out the rose tints in the gray oftheir plumage. The girl scatter
. The court jester . may have been at CastleHohenberg, there were plenty of other places inMaximilians wide domain that longed for himor needed him, or both, and ere long the party wasready to continue its journey along the Rhine. On the morning of their departure Margueriteheard a gay song in the courtyard beneath her win-dow; it was Cimburga, who was going to feed thedoves. The birds immediately flew to meet theirfriend, settling on her shoulders, her head, and thebasket in which she had brought their food, thesunlight bringing out the rose tints in the gray oftheir plumage. The girl scattered the grain witha lavish hand, and then held the end of a crust ofbread between her white teeth, turning her facetoward her shoulder, upon which two of the mostimpertinent of the doves had settled, followed bya host of others, who quarreled over the morsel atsuch a rate that Cimburga, laughing, threw it atthem, saying, Take it, then, greedy ones, since youcan not wait. The Lady Marguerite called to the maid, and 154. Marguerite heard a gay song in the courtyard Page 154. A ROYAL ALCHEMIST the latter glancing upward beheld a picture whichshe never forgot as long as she lived, and whichalways seemed to her like the recollection of abeautiful young saint who had come to life in itsniche. In the arched window of the gray oldcastle stood the little princess, her bright uncoveredhair like a halo about her face, which beamed uponthe maid with a gracious smile. Marguerite wasnot an angel, as the jester had well said, but to thegirl who now gazed upon her, and who had re-ceived so great a boon at her hands, she seemedmore than human. The daughter of the Hapsburgs ignored forthe moment the gulf that divided her from thischild of the people, just as her father often didin similar circumstances. Are you happy now,Cimburga? she asked gently. Oh, so happy, your gracious Highness, and allthanks to you! returned the girl. The mistresshas given me a wedding dress of a beautiful blue,the color
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