THE IVORY BISHOP

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 21986, 9 January 1937, Page 7 (Supplement)

THE IVORY BISHOP

Chapter 11. “And how, pray, was the piece lost? Have T not told you to use the greatest care with this set of chessmen?” For a long moment,, nobody answered. Then Denis, who had been standing twisting one corner of his bliaut miserably, swallowed hard, and came ovef to his father. “I did it, father. ,1 asked if I.might take the set to you. and I dropped the box. Only a few pieces roUed cut. though—just the white bishop and a few pawns. But—” he. paused. It was very herd to go on. “But Ebony was with me, and he . quickly took - the ’ piece and flew away with it. Before I could follow him to see where he went, he was out of sight.” Denis shifted unhappily from one foot to the other. His father was a stern man. and. he dreaded the punishment he knew was coming. But since he knew it was worse not to speak the truth, he gritted his teeth and waited. “That magpie again! He has been a pest round this place all winter and his measure is about full. Either you find that piece or let that thieving bird fly.” Sire Francois picked up another set of chessmen and- strode away. Find the piece or let Ebony fly! Denis was heartsick. Finding, the piece was next to impossible. Ebony might, have hidden it in any number of places. What should he do? Just then Ebony flew up on his, shoulder and chattered into ’’ his ear. Denis took his pet in his arms and sat down.by:the fireplace. In spite of all he could do. tears flllod. his eyes. A big round one ran down his cheek, fell on Ebony’s back, and rolled away like a little silver ball. Denis stroked Ebony’s sleek plumage. Why. he couldn’t let, his own bird fly. i He just couldn’t. He had to find that piece. “Where did you nut it. Ebony? Can’t you tell me?” Ebony cocked his head, and said a long sentence in magpie. “Oh. Ebony!” Denis sighed in despair. For thri next two days. Denis searched in every crack and cranny of the,hall, but could, not find, the ivory bishop. The days were growing longer, and the weather milder. Denis knew if he did .riot find the piece soon, he would have to let Ebony fly. ; , The third day. when he was about to give up, he sat down on Ivs stool bv the fireplace with Ebony to think. Suddenly the bird hopped out of his arms and picked up a scrap of meat lying on the hearth. He flew with it to the top of Sire Francois’ high canopied chair, where he sat to receive homage from his vassals and to render justice. Ebony put the morsel down and flew back. Denis was watching him when, all of a sudden.’ iv popped into his head that perhar.s the; ivory bishop was up there. He watched Ebony for. a time, but he was too sly, to make another trip so soon. : Was the • chessman up. there? How Denis longed to- know". He examined the chair closely. Although it was a massive 'thing, -it did not stand firmly. Its canopy was so large and heavy that it was top-heavy, but Denis was too small to realise; that. What he saw was that the wooden beam beside the chair was deeply carved, so deeply, in. fact, that it offered a toe hold. He -studied the situation a moment, and decided that he would climb UP on lop of the canopy and find

out whether the chess piece were there, or not. That such an undertaking was full of danger did not enter his* head., . Neither did it occur to him to ask someone to help him, or even to hold the chair steady while he climbed. He felt that recovering the piece - was his own responsibility,- and did , not even want any one to lyibw what he was about to do. ’ He sat on his stool and Waited for a time when few people were in the -hall before he began his ascent. : He looked at the chair. ' It was huge, and the ■ canopy high above was wide and slightly sloping. Pretty soon he would start. The hall was now nearly empty, and no one was paying any attention to him. Cautiously he began to climb He stood up on the wide arm of

the chair, and by grasping the back, and finding an - occasional hold on the deep carving on the wooden beam beside the chair, he made : perilous progress. How the old- chair creaked! Someone would surely hear him and. order him down. , , Up. up he went; clinging like a fly to carved scroll and flower. Now he was almost at the top—could reach the canopy. In another moment, he was on top. How dusty it /was up there! ‘Now to look for the piece. It was a good thing Ebony took the white bishop;, he could never [have, seen the black one up there. Indeed, he didn’t see anything of the white one. Although the light wasn’t very good, he could see all over, the top of’ the canopy, and the white bishop wasn't there. ' But wait. Ebony had alighted near the front edge of the'canopy! A deep groove fan

all round the edge,, and if the chess piece-were there it must -be hidden in it. He knew, too, Ebony’s fondness for tucking things in grooves. Very carefully, Denis crawled along the edge, feelihg in. the groove. How the. canopy ' complained! -i It had; an Unsteady feeling about it, as if it might topple over. , But, no, it wouldn’t: he was too light. He ' did. not . realise how small a weight it took to tip a scale. Creak! Creak! Perhaps he Had better not go any farther. Just then his hand came in contact with something, and from the feeling of it, he knew he had found another of Ebony’s caches. He couldn’t quit now. : Carefully, he edged over a little., His hand found something ■ round and hard. One of his marbles. He looked at it—the blue, one he had

looked for everywhere. Ebony certainly was a scamp. He eased himself over a bit more. The piece of meat. Did he dare go on? He reached as far as he could, and in the same moment that his fingers 'closed ' round something small and hard, he knew in a sickening flash that the chair was going over. A few ' moments before this. Louis.' one of his father’s squires who was playing a game of chess with another squire, had looked up. wondering what was creaking, and had seen Denis on the canopy. He stared open mouthed for an instanit, and, as it flashed over him what was about to happen; he ’jumped to his feet and shouted: “The chair! Look!”, , At that very moment Sire Francois entered the hall, and saw Denis also. Louis’ shout attracted half: a dozen ■ others, and by the time began to, sway, they

were rushing towards it. -.The.cifcE j was falling. In another naommt'j it would crash to- the floor, v. men dashed towards it to brace A’-I but could , not get there late to stop its fall., 1 Denis had a confused bnpresam,.)of men running about shouting'-, orders,: as he sat on the side .of t|i ~, swaying canopy. One thmgaion-.. stood out. In the confusion ana terror of that moment, he saw ms ~ father standing a little ing out his arms, and say jr )o voice that he could not but owy“Jump, Denis, jump.’’ t ; 1 - As the chair was falling, leaped into space. . For moment, he felt - through the air; Uien his fathers, arms closed round him. 1 same instant the canopy the floor with a crash. -j-ijlsit Sire Francois with Denis arms was flung to the floor, over several times, but, save-i a sound jarring, was unhurt.'«»,;■ soon as they could “tch-:#*®* 1 breath again, they- , scrambled their feet. Denis was never to •i. get the look on his father so lace- r when he helped him up, a P?of him to see that no bones w«e - broken. He stammered “I’m—l’m sorry, father. I know the chair would faIL. # ;- . Sire Francois picked Denis up | his arms, and giving him ashake said,“ You young i: ; . guess you’ll be more careful . you climb after this, wont, you-s-j; When his father 1 put -him,dmjWiDenis suddenly remembered. sonre. 5 thing, and, he caught his ana* “But only see, father!" . Sire Francois looked d °w n v£”:« saw that Denis was holding out pn« - dirty little fist, and that m it was-,. ■ the ivory bishop. He threw, ba.. . his. head and laughed loud anc,. . long. Finally he said, ■ „• “Denis, my son, I am S laa v..; -i got what you went -aftffi, ; . should like it better. “' future, you counted .the might" Have been ‘ .bpdly - Then he tousled Denis baur.fW.rCT added.. “Run and play n°w. -hM see how long you and your magi' ij can keep out of mischief. j-?> (The end.) - i' r *

“What’s the shape of the e ?. r asked the teacher, calling sud “r"|f| on Wee Wullie. _ . . “Round ” said Wee Wulhc^, “How do you know- iy§ asked the teacher. ■. "Well.” says Wulhe. I then; I dinna want any; PiS um ® 1 about it.” .