JOURNEYS IN DIVERSE PLACES 59 



saw him beginning to be well, I told him we must have viols 

 and violins, and a buffoon to make him laugh : which he did. 

 In one month, we got him into a chair, and he had himself 

 carried about in his garden and at the door of his chateau, 

 to see everybody passing by. 



The villagers of two or three leagues round, now they 

 could have sight of him, came on holidays to sing and dance, 

 men and women, pell-mell for a frolic, rejoiced at his good 

 convalescence, all glad to see him, not without plenty of 

 laughter and plenty to drink. He always gave them a hogs- 

 head of beer ; and they all drank merrily to his health. And 

 the citizens of Mons in Hainault, and other gentlemen, his 

 neighbours, came to see him for the wonder of it, as a man 

 come out of the grave; and from the time he was well, he 

 was never without company. When one went out, another 

 came in to visit him ; his table was always well covered. He 

 was dearly loved both by the nobility and by the common 

 people; as for his generosity, so for his handsome face and 

 his courtesy : with a kind look and a gracious word for every- 

 body, so that all who saw him had perforce to love him. 



The chief citizens of Mons came one Saturday, to beg 

 him let me go to Mons, where they wished to entertain me 

 with a banquet, for their love of him. He told them he 

 would urge me to go, which he did; but I said such great 

 honour was not for me, moreover they could not feast me 

 better than he did. Again he urged me, with much affec- 

 tion, to go there, to please him: and I agreed. The next 

 day, they came to fetch me with two carriages: and when 

 we got to Mons, we found the dinner ready, and the chief 

 men of the town, with their ladies, who attended me with 

 great devotion. We sat down to dinner, and they put me at 

 the top of the table, and all drank to me, and to the health 

 of M. le Marquis d'Auret: saying he was happy, and they 

 with him, to have had me to put him on his legs again; 

 and truly the whole company were full of honour and love 

 for him. After dinner, they brought me back to the Chateau 

 d'Auret, where M. le Marquis was awaiting me; who af- 

 fectionately welcomed me, and would hear what we had 

 done at our banquet; and I told him all the company had 

 drunk many times to his health. 



