anwhile strayed some distance. They being brought together again,
the shepherd, who was called Hacquin, to pass the time, sat in a swing
set up between two hedges, and there he swung, as happy as a king.

The shepherdess sat by the side of a ditch, and made a wreath of
flowers. She sang a little song, hoping that it would attract the
shepherd, and he would begin the game over again--but that was very far
from his thoughts. When she found he did not come, she began to call,
"Hacquin! Hacquin!"

And he replied, "What do you want?"

"Come here! come here! will you?" she said.

But Hacquin had had a surfeit of pleasure and he replied;

"In God's name leave me alone. I am doing nothing; and enjoying myself."

Then the shepherdess cried;

"Come here, Hacquin; I will let you go in further, without making any
mark."

"By St. John," said Hacquin, "I went far beyond the mark, and I do not
want any more."

He would not go to the shepherdess, who was much vexed to have to remain
idle.

*****

[Illustration: 83.jpg The gluttonous Monk.]

STORY THE EIGHTY-THIRD -- THE GLUTTONOUS MONK.

By Monseigneur De Vaurin.

_Of a Carmelite monk who came to preach at a village and after his
sermon, he went to dine with a lady, and how he stuffed out his gown, as
you will hear._

It is the custom of all countries for religious mendicants--Jacobins,
Cordeliers, Carmelites, and Augustinians--to go through all the towns
and villages, preaching against vice, and exalting and praising virtue.

It happened once that a Carmelite, from the convent of Arras, arrived
one Sunday morning, at Libers, a pretty, little town of Artois, to
preach--which he could do piously and eloquently, for he was a learned
man and a good orator.

Whilst the cure was chanting high Mass, our Carmelite wandered about,
hoping to find some one who wanted a Mass said, whereby the monk could
earn a few pence, but no one came forward.

Seeing this, an old widow lady took compassion on him, allowed him to
say a Mass, and then sent her servant to give him two _patars_, and to
beg him to come to dinner with her that day.

Master monk snapped up the money, and accepted the invitation, and as
soon as he had preached his sermon, and high Mass was finished, he came.

The lady for whom he had said Mass, and who had invited him, left the
church with her maid, and went home to make all ready for the preacher,
who was conducted to the house by one of her serv