150 SPORTING IN BOTH HEMISPHERES. 



his quitting Paris. Is it not dreadful, my good sir ? What 

 is my child to do without being baptized, and no godfather *? 

 I am now going to seek one, and will accept the first that 

 offers himself. You, my good sir, if you will consent; you 

 appear such a good kind of man that I should be delighted to 

 have you." 



The king smiled at this proposition. 



" Excuse me, my good sir," said the woman, a little con- 

 fused by the boldness of her request ; " I do not wish to 

 give you any trouble, but you will be doing a great service 

 both to my husband and myself. He is an honest man, well 

 known in all the village ; and besides, sir, it is always lucky 

 to assist in making a Christian." 



" Well," said the king, half affected and half amused at the 

 singularity of the scene, " I will grant your request. I will 

 stand godfather ; I love to be of service to honest people ; 

 only you must grant me an hour's time to dress myself, I 

 don't live far from hence." 



" Oh, sir, how kind you are ! How much gratitude we 

 shall owe you ; but it is quite useless for you to change your 

 toilet ; you are quite well enough dressed for poor peasants 

 like us. They don't often see godfathers like you in the vil- 

 lage of Garches; all the neighbours will be jealous. Oh, how 

 happy I am ! Frangois may stop in Paris as long as he likes; 

 we can do very well without him." 



If the king had permitted it, the woman would have kissed 

 him, in the expansive joy of her heart. 



" The relatives and the godmother are waiting," she con- 

 tinued. " Oh, as to the godmother, I think you will be 

 pleased, a very pretty girl of eighteen, and who will do 

 honour to your arm." And thus chattering about the 

 infant, the relatives, the village, and the godmother, they 

 arrived at a pretty cottage in the commune of Garches. 

 All the party were assembled. The woman related her 



