told
him how that all the furniture was thrown down, and all the kitchen pots
had been broken. But he began to laugh, and said it was a dream, and
that the wind had caused it. "Ah no," sighed his wife; "I also have
heard."

'When the next night arrived, the noise-makers arrived too, and made
more disturbance than before, and gave great knocks at the doors, and
likewise at the windows of the Sieur de Corasse. And the Chevalier
leaped out of his bed and demanded, "Who is it that rocks my bed at this
hour of the night?".

'And answer was made him, "That which I am, I am."

'Then asked the Chevalier, "By whom are you sent here?"

'"By the clerk of Catalonia, to whom you have done great wrong, for you
have taken from him his rights and his heritage. Hence you will never be
suffered to dwell in peace till you have given him what is his due, and
he is content."

'"And you, who are so faithful a messenger," inquired the Chevalier,
"what is your name?"

'"They call me Orthon."

'"Orthon," said the knight, "the service of a clerk is worth nothing,
and if you trust him, he will work you ill. Leave me in peace, I pray
you, and take service with me, and I shall be grateful."

'Now, the knight was pleasing to Orthon, so he answered, "Is this truly
your will?"

'"Yes," replied the Sieur de Corasse. "Do no ill unto those that dwell
here, and I will cherish you, and we shall be as one."

'"No," spoke Orthon. "I have no power save to wake you and others, and
to disturb you when you fain would sleep."

'"Do as I say," said the Chevalier; "we shall agree well, if only you
will abandon this wicked clerk. With him there is nothing but pain, and
if you serve me----"

'"Since it is your will," replied Orthon, "it is mine also."

'The Sieur de Corasse pleased Orthon so much that he came often to see
him in his sleep, and pulled away his pillow or gave great knocks
against the window of the room where he lay. And when the Chevalier was
awakened he would exclaim, "Let me sleep, I pray you, Orthon!"

'"Not so," said Orthon; "I have news to give you."

"And what news will you give me? Whence come you?"

'Then said Orthon, "I come from England, or Germany, or Hungary, or some
other country, which I left, yesterday, and such-and-such things have
happened."

'Thus it was that the Sieur de Corasse knew so much when he went into
the world; and this trick he kept up for five or six years. But in the
end he could not keep silence, a