Further on
were tethered two of these sheep fattened on the salt meadows, which
give such fine flavor to their succulent flesh. Fishers rolled along
small barrels of oysters; further on were shellfish of every kind,
lobsters, eels and shrimps, which shook the wicker baskets in which they
were inclosed.

One of the porters of the abbey was on his knees before a buck a year
old, in full flesh, and killed the day before; he weighed with his hand
a quarter, to make the cellarer admire its weight; near the buck lay two
kids, a good number of hares and partridges; while another porter opened
hampers filled with every species of marsh fowl and birds of passage,
such as wild duck, woodcock, teal, plovers, etc.

Finally, in another corner of the court, were spread out the more
modest, but no less useful offerings, such as sacks of the purest flour,
dried vegetables, strings of perfumed hams, etc.

At one time these gastronomics were so heaped up that they reached the
level of the staircase where the cellarer stood.

Seeing this rotund monk with his shining face, his vast abdomen,
standing on this pedestal of comestibles which he watched with the eye
of a gormand, one would have called him the genius of good cheer.

According to the quantity or quality of his tribute, each tenant, after
having received a word of blame or praise from the cellarer, withdrew
with a slight genuflection. The Reverend Father even deigned at times to
withdraw from his long sleeves his fat, red hand, to give it to the most
favored to kiss.

The roll-call of the lay brother was almost at an end.

There was brought to the cellarer a savory caudle in a silver bowl borne
on a tray of the same metal. The Reverend Father swallowed this
consomme, a perfect specific against the morning cold and fog. At this
moment the lay brother complained of having in vain twice called James,
the tenant of the farm of Blaville, who owed ten hens, three sacks of
wheat and one hundred crowns for the rent of his farm.

"Ah, well!" said the cellarer, "where then is James? He is ordinarily
exact. For fifteen years that he has held the farm of Blaville, he has
never failed in his rent."

The peasants still called for James.

James did not appear.

From out the crowd of farmers came two children, a young boy and a young
girl from thirteen to fourteen years of age; trembling with confusion,
they advanced to the foot of the staircase--redoubtable
tribunal!--holding each