XVI. The Writing of the Marseillaise... The Marseillaise (Music)—Rouget de Lisle. BOOK II LULLY, THE KITCHEN BOY (1633-1687). More than two hundred and fifty years ago a French nobleman, named the Duke of Guise, was about to visit Italy. He asked a princess with whom he was talking what he should bring her for a present on his return. “Oh, bring me a little Italian boy to enliven my house with music," she cried. The Duke of Guise did not forget the Princess's wish. When he was in Florence he noticed a bright, mischievouslooking boy of thirteen playing upon a guitar and singing merrily in the street. "The very boy for the Princess!" said the Duke to himself. He questioned the child and learned that his name was Jean Baptiste Lully. An old Franciscan monk had taught little Jean to play upon the guitar, for Jean's father, who was a poor miller, could not afford to pay for his son's education. The Duke talked with the boy's parents. "Let me take your son to Paris," he said. "I will place him in the household of a royal princess. He shall be educated and given a start in the world. He may become a famous man some day. Who knows?" The little boy was eager to go and his parents gave their consent. And so Jean traveled with the Duke of Guise to the great, gay city of Paris. For a short time the Princess was much amused by her Italian boy. She made him a page in her palace, for he was graceful and charming and quick to learn. But he was also a bold, wild little fellow, and full of mischief. One day his mistress heard him singing a disrespectful song about her. She was very angry. The child was far from home and she couldn't send him back to his parents, but she said that hereafter he should be only a common servant. He had to take off his fine page's costume and become a cook's boy. Jean was such a lively little fellow that this change in his fortunes did not trouble him much. When he was a poor boy in Italy, he had been free to play pranks and roam about as he liked. Perhaps he did not enjoy being a polite, proper little page in pretty clothes. At any rate, he quickly made friends down in the kitchen, where he amused all the servants with his jokes and tricks. The one thing that he liked better than mischief was music. He had a keen ear and a sweet, flexible voice. He brought his guitar to the kitchen with him, and he also learned to play the violin. Sometimes, |