the　Hebrews；　and　Queen　Lucretia　for　the　Romans；　would　keep　his　most
  illustrious　abbey　of　Turpenay；　and　indulged　in　other　equally　sapient
  remarks。　But　his　monks；　whoto　our　shame　I　confess　itwere
  unbelievers；　reproached　him　with　his　happy…go…lucky　way　of　looking　at
  things；　and　declared　that；　to　bring　the　chariot　of　Providence　to　the
  rescue　in　time；　all　the　oxen　in　the　province　would　have　to　be　yoked
  it；　that　the　trumpets　of　Jericho　were　no　longer　made　in　any　portion　of
  the　world；　that　God　was　disgusted　with　His　creation；　and　would　have
  nothing　more　to　do　with　it：　in　short；　a　thousand　and　one　things　that
  were　doubts　and　contumelies　against　God。
  At　this　desperate　juncture　there　rose　up　a　monk　named　Amador。　This
  name　had　been　given　him　by　way　of　a　joke；　since　his　person　offered　a
  perfect　portrait　of　the　false　god　Aegipan。　He　was　like　him；　strong　in
  the　stomach；　like　him；　had　crooked　legs；　arms　hairy　as　those　of　a
  saddler；　a　back　made　to　carry　a　wallet；　a　face　as　red　as　the　phiz　of　a
  drunkard；　glistening　eyes；　a　tangled　beard；　was　hairy　faced；　and　so
  puffed　out　with　fat　and　meat　that　you　would　have　fancied　him　in　an
  interesting　condition。　You　may　be　sure　that　he　sung　his　matins　on　the
  steps　of　the　wine…cellar；　and　said　his　vespers　in　the　vineyards　of
  Lord。　He　was　as　fond　of　his　bed　as　a　beggar　with　sores；　and　would　go
  about　the　valley　fuddling；　faddling；　blessing　the　bridals；　plucking
  the　grapes；　and　giving　them　to　the　girls　to　taste；　in　spite　of　the
  prohibition　of　the　abbot。　In　fact；　he　was　a　pilferer；　a　loiterer；　and
  a　bad　soldier　of　the　ecclesiastical　militia；　of　whom　nobody　in　the
  abbey　took　any　notice；　but　let　him　do　as　he　liked　from　motives　of
  Christian　charity；　thinking　him　mad。
  Amador；　knowing　that　it　was　a　question　of　the　ruin　of　the　Abbey；　in
  which　he　was　as　snug　as　a　bug　in　a　rug；　put　up　his　bristles；　took
  notice　of　this　and　of　that；　went　into　each　of　the　cells；　listened　in
  the　refectory；　shivered　in　his　shoes；　and　declared　that　he　would
  attempt　to　save　the　abbey。　He　took　cognisance　of　the　contested　points；
  received　from　the　abbot　permission　to　postpone　the　case；　and　was
  promised　by　the　whole　Chapter　the　Office　of　sub…prior　if　he　succeeded
  in　putting　an　end　to　the　litigation。　Then　he　set　off　across　the
  country；　heedless　of　the　cruelty　and　ill…treatment　of　the　Sieur　de
  Cande；　saying　that　he　had　that　within　his　gown　which　would　subdue　him。
  He　went　his　way　with　nothing　but　the　said　gown　for　his　viaticum：　but
  then　in　it　was　enough　fat　to　feed　a　dwarf。　He　selected　to　go　to　the
  chateau；　a　day　when　it　rained　hard　enough　to　fill　the　tubs　of　all　the
  housewives；　and　arrived　without　meeting　a　soul；　in　sight　of　Cande；　and
  looking　like　a　drowned　dog；　stepped　bravely　into　the　courtyard；　and
  took　shelter　under　a　sty…roof　to　wait　until　the　fury　of　the　elements
  had　calmed　down；　and　placed　himself　boldly　in　front　of　the　room　where
  the　owner　of　the　chateau　should　be。　A　servant　perceiving　him　while
  laying　the　supper；　took　pity　on　him；　and　told　him　to　make　himself
  scarce；　otherwise　his　master　would　give　him　a　horsewhipping；　just　to
  open　the　conversation；　and　asked　him　what　made　him　so　bold　as　to　enter
  a　house　where　monks　were　hated　more　than　a　red　leper。
  〃Ah！〃　said　Amador；　〃I　am　on　my　way　to　Tours；　sent　thither　by　my　lord
  abbot。　If　the　lord　of　Cande　were　not　so　bitter　against　the　poor
  servant　of　God；　I　should　not　be　kept　during　such　a　deluge　in　the
  courtyard；　but　in　the　house。　I　hope　that　he　will　find　mercy　in　his
  hour　of　need。〃
  The　servant　reported　these　words　to　his　master；　who　at　first　wished　to
  have　the　monk　thrown　into　the　big　trough　of　the　castle　among　the　other
  filth。　But　the　lady　of　Cande；　who　had　great　authority　over　her　spouse；
  and　was　respected　by　him；　because　through　her　he　expected　a　large
  inheritance；　and　because　she　was　a　little　tyrannical；　reprimanded　him；
  saying；　that　it　was　possible　this　monk　was　a　Christian；　that　in　such
  weather　thieves　would　succour　an　officer　of　justice；　that；　besides；　it
  was　necessary　to　treat　him　well　to　find　out　to　what　decision　the
  brethren　of　Turpenay　had　come　with　regard　to　the　schism　business；　and
  that　her　advice　was　put　an　end　by　kindness　and　not　by　force　to　the
  difficulties　arisen　between　the　abbey　and　the　domain　of　Cande；　because
  no　lord　since　the　coming　of　Christ　had　ever　been　stronger　than　the
  Church；　and　that　sooner　or　later　the　abbey　would　ruin　the　castle；
  finally；　she　gave　utterance　to　a　thousand　wise　arguments；　such　as
  ladies　use　in　the　height　of　the　storms　of　life；　when　they　have　had
  about　enough　of　them。　Amador's　face　was　so　piteous；　his　appearance　so
  wretched；　and　so　open　to　banter；　that　the　lord；　saddened　by　the
  weather；　conceived　the　idea　of　enjoying　a　joke　at　his　expense；
  tormenting　him；　playing　tricks　on　him；　and　of　giving　him　a　lively
  recollection　of　his　reception　at　the　chateau。　Then　this　gentleman；　who
  had　secret　relations　with　his　wife's　maid；　sent　this　girl；　who　was
  called　Perrotte；　to　put　an　end　to　his　ill…will　towards　the　luckless
  Amador。　As　soon　as　the　plot　had　been　arranged　between　them；　the　wench；
  who　hated　monks；　in　order　to　please　her　master；　went　to　the　monk；　who
  was　standing　under　the　pigsty；　assuming　a　courteous　demeanour　in　order
  the　better　to　please　him；　said
  〃Holy　father；　the　master　of　the　house　is　ashamed　to　see　a　servant　of
  God　out　in　the　rain　when　there　is　room　for　him　indoors；　a　good　fire　in
  the　chimney；　and　a　table　spread。　I　invite　you　in　his　name　and　that　of
  the　lady　of　the　house　to　step　in。〃
  〃I　thank　the　lady　and　lord；　not　for　their　hospitality　which　is　a
  Christian　thing；　but　for　having　sent　as　an　ambassador　to　me；　a　poor
  sinner；　an　angel　of　such　delicate　beauty　that　I　fancy　I　see　the　Virgin
  over　our　altar。〃
  Saying　which；　Amador　raised　his　nose　in　the　air；　and　saluted　with　the
  two　flakes　of　fire　that　sparkled　in　his　bright　eyes　the　pretty
  maidservant；　who　thought　him　neither　so　ugly　nor　so　foul；　nor　so
  bestial；　when；　following　Perrotte　up　the　steps；　Amador　received　on　the
  nose；　cheeks；　and　other　portions　of　his　face　a　slash　of　the　whip；
  which　made　him　see　all　the　lights　of　the　Magnificat；　so　well　was　the
  dose　administered　by　the　Sieur　de　Cande；　who；　busy　chastening　his
  greyhounds　pretended　not　see　the　monk。　He　requested　Amador　to　pardon
  him　this　accident；　and　ran　after　the　dogs　who　had　caused　the　mischief
  to　his　guest。　The　laughing　servant；　who　knew　what　was　coming；　had
  dexterously　kept　out　of　the　way。　Noticing　this　business；　Amador
  suspected　the　relations　of　Perrotte　and　the　chevalier；　concerning　whom
  it　is　possible　that　the　lasses　of　the　valley　had　already　whispered
  something　into　his　ear。　Of　the　people　who　were　then　in　the　room　not
  one　made　room　for　the　man　of　God；　who　remained　right　in　the　draught
  between　the　door　and　the　window；　where　he　stood　freezing　until　the
  moment　when　the　Sieur　de　Cande；　his　wife；　and　his　aged　sister；
  Mademoiselle　de　Cande；　who　had　the　charge　of　the　young　heiress　of　the
  house；　aged　about　sixteen　years；　came　and　sat　in　their　chairs　at　the
  head　of　the　table；　far　from　the　common　people；　according　to　the　old
  custom　usual　among　the　lords　of　the　period；　much　to　their　discredit。
  The　Sieur　de　Cande；　paying　no　attention　to　the　monk；　let　him　sit　at
  the　extreme　end　of　the　table；　in　a　corner；　where　two　mischievous　lads
  had　orders　to　squeeze　and　elbow　him。　Indeed　these　fellows　worried　his
  feet；　his　body；　and　his　arms　like　real　torturers；　poured　white　wine
  into　his　goblet　for　water；　in　order　to　fuddle　him；　and　the　better　to
  amuse　themselves　with　him；　but　they　made　him　drink　seven　large　jugfuls
  without　making　belch；　break　wind；　sweat　or　snort；　which　horrified　them
  exceedingly；　especially　as　his　eye　remained　as　clear　as　crystal。
  Encouraged；　however；　by　a　glance　from　their　lord；　they　still　kept
  throwing；　while　bowing　to　him；　gravy　into　his　beard；　and　wiping　it　dry
  in　a　manner　to　tear　every　hair　of　it　out。　The　varlet　who　served　a
  caudle　baptised　his　head　with　it；　and　took　care　to　let　the　burning
  liquor　trickle　down　poor　Amador's　backbone。　All　this　agony　he　endured
  with　meekness；　because　the　spirit　of　God　was　in　him；　and　also　the　hope
  of　finishing　the　litigation　by　holding　out　in　the　castle。
  Nevertheless；　the　mischievous　lot　burst　out　into　such　roars　of
  laughter　at　the　warm　baptism　given　by　the　cook's　lad　to　the　soaked
  monk；　even　the　butler　making　jokes　at　his　expense；　that　the　lady　of
  Cande　was　compelled　to　notice　what　was　going　on　at　the　end　of　the
  table。　Then　she　perceived　Amador；　who　had　a　look　of　sublime
  resignation　upon　his　face；　and　was　endeavouring　to　get　something　out
  of　the　big　beef　bones　that　had　been　put　upon　his　pewter　platter。　At
  this　moment　the　poor　monk；　who　had　administered　a　dexterous　blow　of
  the　knife　to　a　big　ugly　bone；　took　it　into　his　hairy　hands；　snapped　it
  in　two；　sucked　the　warm　marrow　out　of　it；　and　found　it　good。
  〃Truly；〃　said　she　to　herself；　〃God　has　put　great　strength　into　this
  monk！〃
  At　the　sa