t may well be imagined that a judgment so whimsical, and so justly
adapted to the offense, charmed all save the culprits; and in a hundred
ways the pleasure of those present was evinced, to such a degree, indeed,
that Maignan had some difficulty in restoring silence and gravity to the
assemblage. This done, however, Master Andrew was taken in hand and his
wooden shoes removed. The tools of his trade were placed before the smith,
who cast glances so piteous, first at his brother's feet and then at the
shoes on the anvil, as again gave rise to a prodigious amount of
merriment, my pages in particular well-nigh forgetting my presence, and
rolling about in a manner unpardonable at another time. However, I rebuked
them sharply, and was about to order the sentence to be carried into
effect, when the remembrance of the many pleasant simplicities which the
smith had uttered to me, acting upon a natural disposition to mercy, which
the most calumnious of my enemies have never questioned, induced me to
give the prisoners a chance of escape. "Listen," I said, "Simon and
Andrew. Your sentence has been pronounced, and will certainly be executed
unless you can avail yourself of the condition I now offer. You shall have
three minutes; if in that time either of you can make a good joke, he
shall go free. If not, let a man attend to the bellows, La Trape!"

This added a fresh satisfaction to my neighbors, who were well assured now
that I had not promised them a novel entertainment without good grounds;
for the grimaces of the two knaves thus bidden to jest if they would save
their skins, were so diverting they would have made a nun laugh. They
looked at me with their eyes as wide as plates, and for the whole of the
time of grace never a word could they utter save howls for mercy. "Simon,"
I said gravely, when the time was up, "have you a joke? No. Andrew, my
friend, have you a joke? No. Then--"

I was going on to order the sentence to be carried out, when the innkeeper
flung himself again upon his knees, and cried out loudly--as much to my
astonishment as to the regret of the bystanders, who were bent on seeing
so strange a shoeing feat--"One word, my lord; I can give you no joke, but
I can do a service, an eminent service to the king. I can disclose a
conspiracy!"

I was somewhat taken aback by this sudden and public announcement. But I
had been too long in the king's employment not to have remarked how
strangely things are brought to l