lackeys. Each of them
produced the seal of Cleopatra's head, and were received with all sorts
of courtesies, especially the young man with the lackeys. Nevertheless,
excepting this young man, they all seemed timid and preoccupied. Most of
them dispersed, however, until supper-time, either to swell the crowd at
the execution of Salcede, or to see Paris.

About two o'clock, others began to arrive. One man came in alone,
without a hat, a cane in his hand, and swearing at Paris, where he said
the thieves were so adroit that they had stolen his hat as he had passed
through a crowd, without his being able to see who had taken it.
However, he said, it was his own fault, for wearing a hat ornamented
with such a superb diamond. At four o'clock, forty people had arrived.

"Is it not strange," said Fournichon to his wife, "they are all
Gascons?"

"Well, what of that? The captain said they were all countrymen, and he
is a Gascon. M. d'Epernon is from Toulouse."

"Then you still believe it was M. d'Epernon?"

"Did he not say three times the famous 'parfandious'?"

Very soon the five other Gascons arrived; the number of guests was
complete. Never was such surprise painted on so many faces; for an hour
nothing was heard but "saudioux," "mordioux!" and "cap de Bious!" and
such noisy joy, that it seemed to the Fournichons that all Poitou and
Languedoc were collected in their room. Some knew, and greeted each
other.

"Is it not singular to find so many Gascons here?" asked one.

"No," replied Perducas de Pincornay, "the sign is tempting for men of
honor."

"Ah! is it you?" said St. Maline, the gentleman with the lackeys, "you
have not yet explained to me what you were about to do, when the crowd
separated us."

"What was that?" asked Pincornay, reddening.

"How it happens that I met you on the road between Angouleme and Angers
without a hat, as you are now?"

"It seems to interest you, monsieur?"

"Ma foi! yes. Poitiers is far from Paris, and you came from beyond
Poitiers."

"Yes, from St. Andre de Cubsac."

"And without a hat?"

"Oh! it is very simple. My father has two magnificent horses, and he is
quite capable of disinheriting me for the accident that has happened to
one of them."

"What is that?"

"I was riding one of them when it took fright at the report of a gun
that was fired close to me, and ran away; it made for the bank of the
Dordogne and plunged in."

"With you?"

"No; luckily I had time to slip