"
"Then your motto is green inexperience," said Manuel, "and for me to
bear it would be black ingratitude."
So the writing had been changed in accordance with his instructions, and
it now read _Mundus vult decipi_.
[Illustration]
IX
The Feather of Love
In such estate it was that Count Manuel came, on Christmas morning, just
two days after Manuel was twenty-one, into Provence. This land, reputed
sorcerous, in no way displayed to him any unusual features, though it
was noticeable that the King's marmoreal palace was fenced with silver
pikes whereon were set the embalmed heads of young men who had wooed the
Princess Alianora unsuccessfully. Manuel's lackeys did not at first like
the looks of these heads, and said they were unsuitable for Christmas
decorations: but Dom Manuel explained that at this season of general
merriment this palisade also was mirth-provoking because (the weather
being such as was virtually unprecedented in these parts) a light snow
had fallen during the night, so that each head seemed to wear a
nightcap.
They bring Manuel to Raymond Berenger, Count of Provence and King of
Aries, who was holding the Christmas feast in his warm hall.
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