Corn. 
207 
barons at the Champ de Mai, at Soissons. When there, his 
unruly chieftains, only rendered more audacious by his con¬ 
cessions and promises, boldly upbraided him for his incapacity, 
and vehemently declared that they would no longer submit 
to the government of such a king. As a token that they re¬ 
nounced their allegiance, they advanced to the foot of the 
throne, and angrily breaking the straws which they held, flung 
them on the ground, and retired ; by this act manifesting that 
all compacts between him and them were broken. 
There is a very suggestive story told of an Arab having lost 
his track in the desert, and, after having passed two days 
without food, of his having arrived at an oasis frequented by 
caravans. Starvation stared him in the face: he searched 
carefully for any vestiges of food, when, to his delight, he per¬ 
ceived a small leathern bag lying on the sand. He believed 
it contained flour—the staff of life. “God be praised!” he 
exclaimed, “I am saved!” Hastily untying the bag, he 
eagerly examined its contents. “Alas!” he cried, “unfortu¬ 
nate wretch that I am ! it is only gold-dust!” 
