On the
contrary, he was quite the best-looking boy at Court; he had an
elegant, well-knit figure, a healthy complexion, eyes the colour
of very ripe mulberries, and dark hair, smooth and very well cared
for."
"It sounds like a description of what you imagine yourself to have
been like at the age of sixteen," said the Baroness.
"My mother has probably been showing you some of my early
photographs," said Clovis. Having turned the sarcasm into a
compliment, he resumed his story.
"The king had Vespaluus shut up in a dark tower for three days,
with nothing but bread and water to live on, the squealing and
fluttering of bats to listen to, and drifting clouds to watch
through one little window slit. The anti-Pagan section of the
community began to talk portentously of the boy-martyr. The
martyrdom was mitigated, as far as the food was concerned, by the
carelessness of the tower warden, who once or twice left a portion
of his own supper of broiled meat and fruit and wine by mistake in
the prince's cell. After the punishment was over, Vespaluus was
closely watched for any further symptom of religious perversity,
for the king was determined to stand no more opposition on so
important a matter, even from a favourite nephew.
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