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TILT A 



as he saw them briefly explained the inconvenience of his situation, 

 and, offering them money, begged that he might be permitted to pro- 

 ceed to the nearest lodging under their escort. " There is no reason 

 to give yourself the trouble of retracing your steps, Sir Knight/' 

 said the Serjeant-at-Arms who commanded the party, and with the 

 hilt of his sword he struck violently against the door of the hostelry, 

 crying out in a stentorian tone, " What, oh ! Marcoquet ! thou devil 

 of an innkeeper, must I tell thee twice to shew thy ugly visage? 

 Come come up, and quickly too ! " 



At the sound of this voice, so dreaded by all the inhabitants of the 

 Quartier Saint Jean, symptoms of movement were speedily heard in 

 the interior of the house, and presently the host, throwing back the 

 frame of oiled paper* which served to admit the light, appeared be- 

 hind the bars of iron trellis-work. " What does your noble lordship 

 seek ? " demanded he in a submissive tone, as if he felt conscious of 

 being surprised in some unlawful occupation. te My lordship," replied 

 the Serjeant-at-Arms, "requires that you immediately open your 

 doors, and admit these strangers. Are you not ashamed to leave 

 them at this hour exposed to the attacks of banditti and cutpurses? 

 Be assured I will inform the Provost. He is already evil disposed to- 

 wards thee on account of thy pig which thou leavest to wander about 

 the Place de Grcve, as if it were one belonging to : the holy brothers of 

 Saint Anthony." " Worthy Sir," humbly replied Marcoquet, " do not 

 think that I am unwilling to admit these strangers ; is it not my pro- 

 fit to allow all such to enter ? But of a truth so many robbers infest 

 the town after the curfew has sounded, that for the blessing of the 

 Holy Father I dare not open the door to any man. Besides, my 

 house is so full that there is not even room for a rat." " Neverthe- 

 less," said the Serjeant, who saw the stranger produce a well-filled 

 purse from under his cloak, " nevertheless, you will find room for 

 this noble gentleman and his suite. There is no barn so full but there 



is room for the broom behind the door, and " " I tell you in 



honest truth, Sir," interrupted the anxious innkeeper, that there is no 

 room whatever, save in my own chamber, and you may well imagine 

 that I cannot allow strangers to come there, of whom I know no 

 more than Adam or Eve!" "That's a mistake," exclaimed the 

 squire, who till then had held his peace, very reverently giving pre- 



* Glass for windows was not only unknown in France at this period, but was 

 not in general use till tlie last century : in some parts of the country it found 

 admission only in the construction of buildings of importance. The reply of 

 an inhabitant of Limoges is well known, who on being asked by a professor, 

 who wished to distribute copies of his thesis, which houses belonged to the most 

 considerable personages, made answer " Go, to those where the windows are 

 glazed." 



f- It was not until the death of a son of Louis VI. (le Gros,) occasioned by 

 a fall from his horse, which was caused by stumbling over one of these animals, 

 that the inhabitants of Paris were prohibited from allowing their pigs to roam 

 about the streets of the city. An edict was then published, which inflicted a 

 penalty of sixty sols on the owners of such truant pigs, with permission to the 

 watch to kill them where found, to keep the heads for themselves, and to send 

 the carcasses to the sick at the Hotel Dieu. The pigs of the Abbey of St. An- 

 thony, were alone exempted from this prohibition, doubtless from respect to the 

 companion of the Patron of the fraternity. 



