tle joys and interests of her city life relieving
the bitter trials sent from God, was not the most unhappy of the two.

"You who are so pious," she said, "explain to me my shortcomings; tell
me what it is that God is punishing in me."

"He is preparing us, my child," answered the old woman, "for the
striking of the last hour."

At midnight the Knights of Idleness were collecting, one by one like
shadows, under the trees of the boulevard Baron, and speaking together
in whispers.

"What are we going to do?" was the first question of each as he arrived.

"I think," said Francois, "that Max means merely to give us a supper."

"No; matters are very serious for him, and for the Rabouilleuse: no
doubt, he has concocted some scheme against the Parisians."

"It would be a good joke to drive them away."

"My grandfather," said Baruch, "is terribly alarmed at having two extra
mouths to feed, and he'd seize on any pretext--"

"Well, comrades!" cried Max softly, now appearing on the scene, "why are
you star-gazing? the planets don't distil kirschwasser. Come, let us go
to Mere Cognette's!"

"To Mere Cognette's! To Mere Cognette's!" they all cried.

The cry, uttered as with one voice, produced a clamor which rang through
the town like the hurrah of troops rushing to an assault; total silence
followed. The next day, more than one inhabitant must have said to his
neighbor: "Did you hear those frightful cries last night, about one
o'clock? I thought there was surely a fire somewhere."

A supper worthy of La Cognette brightened the faces of the twenty-two
guests; for the whole Order was present. At two in the morning, as they
were beginning to "siroter" (a word in the vocabulary of the Knights
which admirably expresses the act of sipping and tasting the wine in
small quantities), Max rose to speak:--

"My dear fellows! the honor of your grand master was grossly attacked
this morning, after our memorable joke with Fario's cart,--attacked by
a vile peddler, and what is more, a Spaniard (oh, Cabrera!); and I have
resolved to make the scoundrel feel the weight of my vengeance; always,
of course, within the limits we have laid down for our fun. After
reflecting about it all day, I have found a trick which is worth putting
into execution,--a famous trick, that will drive him crazy. While
avenging the insult offered to the Order in my person, we shall be
feeding the sacred animals of the Egyptians,--little beasts which are,
afte