TILT A L'OUTRANCK. 59 



in the air like the pennant of a vessel. This custom had always ex- 

 cited the objurgation of the preachers, who said that as it made the 

 women appear taller than the men,, it derogated from the dignity of 

 the latter. While these sermons were preached, the ladies laid their 

 head-dresses aside, to put them on again as soon as the reproof 

 should be forgotten ; which gave rise to a saying amongst the 

 jongleurs and wits, that the snails hide their horns during the storm, 

 but put them out again when it is over. Within the field, at the 

 distance of three paces from the lists, on a table turned towards the 

 east, and covered with cloth of silver, stood a large crucifix of ivory, 

 near a missal open at the " Te igitur" of the holy mass, before which 

 knelt a father Cordelier in prayer. At each extremity of the field 

 were placed the tents of the respective champions, where refresh- 

 ment was provided, and where they put on their armour, and 

 remained in readiness till the moment of combat. 



But one thing seemed more particularly to attract the public 

 attention. In a small niche, formed under the royal gallery, there 

 lay extended on the fresh straw, a man dressed in a long red gar- 

 ment, with a hat of the same colour, and wearing greaves of iron ; 

 a hempen cord twisted round his body formed a belt, in which were 

 thrust a copper spoon with a long handle, and a double-edged 

 dagger. As he slept he leaned his arms, which were bared to the 

 elbow, on the hilt of a naked sword, the blade of which was nearly a 

 toise in length, and four inches broad. " Gossip," said Sebastian 

 Quimbel to the host of the Porcupine, with his eyes wandering 

 about in every direction, " tell me who is that gentleman in scarlet, 

 who sleeps there as soundly as a judge on the bench ?" " A good 

 customer for the crows," replied Marcoquet, " and I trust in your 

 last moment you may not have such a chaplain near you to say 

 Amen to the In Manus. It is the executioner." " By my faith !" 

 said Sebastian, e< this seneschal of death does not seem to be so 

 ready to go whither he sends others. He is really in good case, and 

 as red as a Lord Abbot." " He makes a good account also of his pri- 

 vileges ; he receives all the dues of the passage of the Petit- Pont on 

 the heads of swine, on fish-carts, Epiphany cakes, brooms, cresses, 

 verjuice, eggs, and hempseed but he is not allowed to touch any- 

 thing except with the long spoon which hangs from that gibbet- 

 noose. Such, at least, is the bearing of his letters of privilege, which 

 the Chancellor throws under the table after having sealed them. He 

 claims, besides, the garments of all the criminals below the waist, 

 and I dare say has some share with the Marshal of the Field in the 

 trappings and horse of the vanquished, which the executioner drags 

 away on a hurdle, to fasten them to the gibbet of Montfau9on, after 

 he has drawn the body of the slain out of the field by the heels." 



Meanwhile the chimes from the clock of St. Catherine du Val des 

 Ecoliers had long struck the hour of noon, and yet the cortege of the 

 marshal of the field did not appear on the ground, and a murmur be- 

 gan to spread among the spectators; for the people of Paris were 

 noted for their turbulence, as had already been evinced in the sedition 

 of the Maillotins, and still more so in the strife between the Armag- 



