present, who dared not even
smile, "that it is the 'Illustrious Coxcomb' who is the greatest thief
in the world; at least, according to Pistache."

"Let us go on to another of his exercises."

"Gentlemen!"--there was a profound silence in the room when the duke
again addressed them--"do you not remember that the Duc de Guise taught
all the dogs in Paris to jump for Mademoiselle de Pons, whom he styled
'the fairest of the fair?' Pistache is going to show you how superior
he is to all other dogs. Monsieur de Chavigny, be so good as to lend me
your cane."

Monsieur de Chavigny handed his cane to Monsieur de Beaufort. Monsieur
de Beaufort placed it horizontally at the height of one foot.

"Now, Pistache, my good dog, jump the height of this cane for Madame de
Montbazon."

"But," interposed Monsieur de Chavigny, "it seems to me that Pistache is
only doing what other dogs have done when they jumped for Mademoiselle
de Pons."

"Stop," said the duke, "Pistache, jump for the queen." And he raised his
cane six inches higher.

The dog sprang, and in spite of the height jumped lightly over it.

"And now," said the duke, raising it still six inches higher, "jump for
the king."

The dog obeyed and jumped quickly over the cane.

"Now, then," said the duke, and as he spoke, lowered the cane almost
level with the ground; "Pistache, my friend, jump for the 'Illustrious
Coxcomb, Mazarin de Piscina.'"

The dog turned his back to the cane.

"What," asked the duke, "what do you mean?" and he gave him the cane
again, first making a semicircle from the head to the tail of Pistache.
"Jump then, Monsieur Pistache."

But Pistache, as at first, turned round on his legs and stood with his
back to the cane.

Monsieur de Beaufort made the experiment a third time, but by this time
Pistache's patience was exhausted; he threw himself furiously upon the
cane, wrested it from the hands of the prince and broke it with his
teeth.

Monsieur de Beaufort took the pieces out of his mouth and presented
them with great formality to Monsieur de Chavigny, saying that for that
evening the entertainment was ended, but in three months it should be
repeated, when Pistache would have learned a few new tricks.

Three days afterward Pistache was found dead--poisoned.

Then the duke said openly that his dog had been killed by a drug with
which they meant to poison him; and one day after dinner he went to
bed, calling out that he had pains in his stom