ars before.

At this moment the Notary was tarrying there in marvellous array, and
proffering his services to his betrothed lady: he bustled about and handed
her signet rings, little chains, gallipots and bottles and powders and
patches; gay at heart, he gazed in triumph on the young damsel. The young
damsel had finished making her toilet, and was sitting before the mirror
taking counsel of the Graces; but the maids were still toiling over her,
some with curling irons in their hands were freshening the limp ringlets
of her tresses, others, on their knees, were working at a flounce.

While the Notary was thus tarrying with his betrothed, a scullion rapped
on the window to attract his attention; they had caught sight of a rabbit.
The rabbit, stealing out of the willows, had whisked over the meadow and
leapt into the garden amid the growing vegetables; there it was seated,
and it was an easy matter to fright it from the cabbage patch and to
course it, stationing the hounds on the narrow path that it must take. The
Assessor ran up, pulling Falcon by the collar; the Notary hurried after
him, calling to Bobtail. The Seneschal made them both stand with their
dogs near the fence, while he himself with his fly-flapper set out for the
garden, and by trampling, whistling, and clapping his hands greatly
terrified the poor beast. The huntsmen, each holding his hound by the
collar, pointed their fingers to the spot from which the hare was to
appear, and made a soft smacking sound with their lips; the hounds pricked
up their ears, snuffed the wind with their muzzles and trembled
impatiently, like two arrows set on one string. All at once the Seneschal
shouted, "At him," and the hare darted from behind the fence into the
meadow, the hounds after him; and speedily, without making a single turn,
Falcon and Bobtail together fell upon the grey rabbit from opposite sides
at the same instant, like the two wings of a bird, and buried their teeth
like talons in his back. The rabbit gave one cry, like a newborn babe,
pitifully! The huntsmen ran up; it already lay breathless, and the hounds
were tearing the white fur beneath its belly.

The huntsmen were patting their dogs, but meanwhile while the Seneschal,
drawing the hunting-knife that hung at his girdle, cut off the feet and
said:--

"To-day each dog shall receive an equal fee, for they have gained equal
glory; equal was their fleetness and equal was their toil; worthy is the
palace of Pa