60 AMBROISE 



In six weeks he began to stand a little on crutches, and 

 to put on fat and get a good natural colour. He would 

 go to Beaumont, his brother's place; and was taken there 

 in a carrying-chair, by eight men at a time. And the peasants 

 in the villages through which we passed, knowing it was 

 M. le Marquis, fought who should carry him, and would 

 have us drink with them; but it was only beer. Yet I 

 believe if they had possessed wine, even hippocras, they 

 would have given it to us with a will. And all were right 

 glad to see him, and all prayed God for him. 



When we came to Beaumont, everybody came out to 

 meet us and pay their respects to him, and prayed God 

 bless him and keep him in good health. We came to the 

 chateau, and found there more than fifty gentlemen whom 

 M. le Due d'Ascot had invited to come and be happy 

 with his brother; and he kept open house three whole 

 days. After dinner, the gentlemen used to tilt at the ring 

 and play with the foils, and were full of joy at the sight 

 of M. d'Auret, for they had heard he would never leave 

 his bed or be healed of his wound. I was always at the 

 upper end of the table, and everybody drank to him and to 

 me, thinking to make me drunk, which they could not; for 

 I drank only as I always do. 



A few days later, we went back; and I took my leave 

 of Mdme. la Duchesse d'Ascot, who drew a diamond from 

 her finger, and gave it me in gratitude for my good care 

 of her brother: and the diamond was worth more than 

 fifty crowns. M. d' Auret was ever getting better, and 

 was walking all alone on crutches round his garden. Many 

 times I asked him to let me go back to Paris, telling him 

 his physician and his surgeon could do all that was now 

 wanted for his wound: and to make a beginning to get 

 away from him, I asked him to let me go and see the town 

 of Antwerp. To this he agreed at once, and told his steward 

 to escort me there, with two pages. We passed through 

 Malines and Brussels, where the chief citizens of the 

 town begged us to let them know of it when we returned; 

 for they too wished, like those of Mons, to have a festival 

 for me. I gave them very humble thanks, saying I did 

 not deserve such honour. I was two days and a half 



