knowledge beyond the dogmas of the church.
Christian wanted to be, of all things, a physician. So it was gossiped about, though his friends and relatives tried to hush it. Since the papal bull of Boniface VIII forbidding the boiling of human bones, physiology was rather at a standstill. Christian's mother's brother, however, was head of the medical faculty at the University of Paris, which being 200 years old had a good reputation; and it was known that Christian's uncle desired him as a pupil.
But, so great a man was Charlemagne, thought Christian. "If only the things he had stood for had survived," he said aloud.
"Yes," replied Mina abstractedly, still enraptured by the chandelier.
"What pity," he went on dreamily, "that it all died here with him. He knew what glory there was in knowledge, and he wanted every one to share in it. And he had faith in the science of healing. What he started could have done so much for us, had there not been some power opposed to man's rising. Mina"—he tightened his hand about hers as he always did when enthusiastic—"there are ways of working with nature. I so want to learn the art of healing, I hope that Dr. Planquette will accept me."
"But come, Christian. We must go or we'll be scolded for tarrying until after dark."
Out they went into the cobblestone court. Pretty Mina's yellow flowing hair lay smooth to her head under a light coronet. Her linen robe, sleeveless and tight-fitting to the hips, spread into a loose full skirt. Christian, also blond, and a few inches taller, was attired typically for his day—a slim tunic ending at his knees, broad ornamented waist-belt and long hose. His low shoes, with long up-pointed toes, were fastened over the instep with silver clasps.
They were not alone in the court, for other young people, carrying wood and paraphernalia, were coming from many direction, noisy with laughter. Already one fire was burning. In another place a dried out tree was being set up and a group of boys supervised by a man was having a time with a large squirming sack. It contained all the cats that could be found in the neighborhood.
Christian and Mina walked slowly by, watching with interest, but with no plan to join. The bag of cats was tied to the tree and the tree set afire.[1] As it blazed up, hilarious screams of the young people rose throughout the court. Mina was morbidly fascinated, but Christian drew her away. They strolled on toward their homes, until they came to another square. Here a bonfire was blazing full and the festivities were well under way. This being their own neighborhood, friends spied them and shouted to them—
"Christian!—Mina! Our Johannisfeur is started! Come and jump with us!"
"Oh, come, Christian—let us do it," said Mina tugging at his sleeve. "Are you afraid to jump with me?"
"But I will jump with her!" said a husky young lad they knew, and snatching Mina he ran with her toward the fire. They clasped arms and in their turn leaped through the Johannisfeur. But in their frenzy to avoid being scorched their arms unlinked and they fell sprawlingly apart on the other side. Someone called jeeringly: "Too bad, Hans, but you cannot snatch a girl so
- ↑ An authentic St. John's Eve custom of the times.
