ers with a neat's pizzle: godless for this,
godless for that, and most godless of all for opening our doors during
mass. Why, the law forces us to open at all hours to travellers from
another town, stopping, halting, or passing: those be the words. They
can fine us before the bailiff if we refuse them, mass or no mass;
and say a townsman should creep in with the true travellers, are we to
blame? They all vow they are tired wayfarers; and can I ken every face
in a great town like this? So if we respect the law our poor souls are
to suffer, and if we respect it not, our poor lank purses must bleed at
two holes, fine and loss of custom."

A man speaking of himself in general, is "a babbling brook;" of his
wrongs, "a shining river."

"Labitur et labetur in omne volubilis aevum."

So luckily for my readers, though not for all concerned, this injured
orator was arrested in mid career. Another man burst in upon his wrongs
with all the advantage of a recent wrong; a wrong red hot. It was Denys
cursing and swearing and crying that he was robbed.

"Did those hussies pass this way? who are they? where do they bide? They
have ta'en my purse and fifteen golden pieces: raise the hue and cry!
ah! traitresses! vipers! These inns are all guet-apens."

"There now," cried the landlord to Gerard.

Gerard implored him to be calm, and say how it had befallen.

"First one went out on some pretence: then after a while the other went
to fetch her back, and neither returning, I clapped hand to purse and
found it empty: the ungrateful creatures, I was letting them win it in a
gallop: but loaded dice were not quick enough; they must claw it all in
a lump."

Gerard was for going at once to the alderman and setting the officers to
find them.

"Not I," said Denys. "I hate the law. No: as it came so let it go."

Gerard would not give it up so.

At a hint from the landlord he forced Denys along with him to the
provost-marshal. That dignitary shook his head. "We have no clue to
occasional thieves, that work honestly at their needles, till some gull
comes and tempts them with an easy booty, and then they pluck him.

"Come away," cried Denys furiously. "I knew what use a bourgeois would
be to me at a pinch:" and he marched off in a rage.

"They are clear of the town ere this," said Gerard.

"Speak no more on't if you prize my friendship. I have five pieces with
the bailiff, and ten I left with Manon, luckily; or these traitresses
had feat