VISITORS, 
259 
with injunctions to bring fowls or flesh of some 
kind, and not to fail me. Late at night he 
returned quite intoxicated, with a piece of pork 
on the point of a long stick, and throwing it 
down, tried to turn aside a reproof by impress- 
ing on us what risk of contamination he had 
incurred, and what sacrifice of the requirements 
of his religion he had made, in trying to do my 
bidding. The flesh had been bought early in 
the day, and had lain exposed to the sun’s rays 
until the man thought fit to return, so it was 
already half stinking. But Madame brought 
some delicacies ready cooked, and, with what I 
could furnish, we had an excellent repast. The 
party had started before sunrise, and while I 
was yet busy with some simple preparations, a 
joyous cry reached me, “ Bon jour, Madame ! ” 
Looking up, I saw my friend riding down the 
narrow path to our hut, preceding her cavaliers, 
on a pure white* palfrey : with her hand raised 
to brush aside the long grass, she formed one of 
the prettiest pictures I have ever looked upon. 
She was better mounted than I had been when 
I rode up from the plain, and had accomplished 
the most trying part while the morning was still 
quite fresh ; but it rained heavily in the after- 
noon, and they had to walk every step of the 
