full　length　under　the　beech　tree；　left　visible　the　lining　of　her　dress
  and　two　hemispheres；　white　as　snow；　which　had　deprived　him　of　reason；
  that　the　fault　was　the　girl's　and　not　his；　because　young　maidens
  should　be　forbidden　to　entice　passers…by　by　showing　them　that　which
  caused　Venus　to　be　named　Callipyge；　finally　the　prince　ought　to　be
  aware　what　trouble　a　man　had　to　control　himself　at　the　hour　of　noon；
  because　that　was　the　time　of　day　at　which　King　David　was　smitten　with
  the　wife　of　the　Sieur　Uriah；　that　where　a　Hebrew　king；　beloved　of　God；
  had　succumbed；　a　poor　man；　deprived　of　all　joy；　and　reduced　to　begging
  for　his　bread；　could　not　expect　to　escape；　that　for　that　matter　of
  that；　he　was　quite　willing　to　sing　psalms　for　the　remainder　of　his
  days；　and　play　upon　a　lute　by　way　of　penance；　in　imitation　of　the　said
  king；　who　had　had　the　misfortune　to　slay　a　husband；　while　he　had　only
  done　a　trifling　injury　to　a　peasant　girl。　The　duke　listened　to　the
  arguments　of　Vieux　par…Chemins；　and　said　that　he　was　a　man　of　good
  parts。　Then　he　made　his　memorable　decree；　that　if；　as　this　beggar
  declared；　he　had　need　of　such　gratification　at　his　age　he　gave
  permission　to　prove　it　at　the　foot　of　the　ladder　which　he　would　have
  to　mount　to　be　hanged；　according　to　the　sentence　already　passed　on　him
  by　the　provost；　that　if　then；　the　rope　being　round　his　neck；　between
  the　priest　and　the　hangman；　a　like　desire　seized　him　he　should　have　a
  free　pardon。
  This　decree　becoming　known；　there　was　a　tremendous　crowd　to　see　the
  old　fellow　led　to　the　gallows。　There　was　a　line　drawn　up　as　if　for　a
  ducal　entry；　and　in　it　many　more　bonnets　than　hats。　Vieux　par…Chemins
  was　saved　by　a　lady　curious　to　see　how　this　precious　violator　would
  finish　his　career。　She　told　the　duke　that　religion　demanded　that　he
  should　have　a　fair　chance。　And　she　dressed　herself　as　if　for　a　ball；
  she　brought　intentionally　into　evidence　two　hillocks　of　such　snowy
  whiteness　that　the　whitest　linen　neckerchief　would　have　paled　before
  them；　indeed；　these　fruits　of　love　stood　out；　without　a　wrinkle；　over
  her　corset；　like　two　beautiful　apples；　and　made　one's　mouth　water；　so
  exquisite　were　they。　This　noble　lady；　who　was　one　of　those　who　rouse
  one's　manhood；　had　a　smile　ready　on　her　lips　for　the　old　fellow。　Vieux
  par…Chemins；　dressed　in　garments　of　coarse　cloth；　more　certain　of
  being　in　the　desired　state　after　hanging　than　before　it；　came　along
  between　the　officers　of　justice　with　a　sad　countenance；　glancing　now
  here　and　there；　and　seeing　nothing　but　head…dresses；　and　he　would　he
  declared；　have　given　a　hundred　crowns　for　a　girl　tucked　up　as　was　the
  cowherdess；　whose　charms；　though　they　had　been　his　ruin；　he　still
  remembered；　and　they　might　still　have　saved　him；　but；　as　he　was　old；
  the　remembrance　was　not　sufficiently　recent。　But　when；　at　the　foot　of
  the　ladder；　he　saw　the　twin　charms　of　the　lady；　and　the　pretty　delta
  that　their　confluent　rotundities　produced；　the　sight　so　much　excited
  him　that　his　emotion　was　patent　to　the　spectators。
  〃Make　haste　and　see　that　the　required　conditions　are　fulfilled；〃　said
  he　to　the　officers。　〃I　have　gained　my　pardon　but　I　cannot　answer　for
  my　saviour。〃
  The　lady　was　well　pleased　with　this　homage；　which；　she　said；　was
  greater　than　his　offence。　The　guards；　whose　business　it　was　to　proceed
  to　a　verification；　believed　the　culprit　to　be　the　devil；　because　never
  in　their　wits　had　they　seen　an　〃I〃　so　perpendicular　as　was　the　old
  man。　He　was　marched　in　triumph　through　the　town　to　the　palace　of　the
  duke；　to　whom　the　guards　and　others　stated　the　facts。　In　that　period
  of　ignorance；　this　affair　was　thought　so　much　of　that　the　town　voted
  the　erection　of　a　column　on　the　spot　where　the　old　fellow　gained　his
  pardon；　and　he　was　portrayed　thereon　in　stone　in　the　attitude　he
  assumed　at　the　sight　of　that　honest　and　virtuous　lady。　The　statue　was
  still　to　be　seen　when　Rouen　was　taken　by　the　English；　and　the　writers
  of　the　period　have　included　this　history　among　the　notable　events　of
  the　reign。
  As　the　town　offered　to　supply　the　old　man　with　all　he　required；　and
  see　to　his　sustenance；　clothing；　and　amusements；　the　good　duke
  arranged　matters　by　giving　the　injured　maiden　a　thousand　crowns　and
  marrying　her　to　her　seducer；　who　then　lost　his　name　of　Vieux　par…
  Chemins。　He　was　named　by　the　duke　the　Sieur　de　Bonne…C。　This
  wife　was　confined　nine　months　afterwards　of　a　perfectly　formed　male
  child；　alive　and　kicking；　and　born　with　two　teeth。　From　this　marriage
  came　the　house　of　Bonne…C；　who　from　motives　modest　but　wrong；
  besought　our　well…beloved　King　Louis　Eleventh　to　grant　them　letters
  patent　to　change　their　names　into　that　of　Bonne…Chose。　The　king
  pointed　out　to　the　Sieur　de　Bonne…C　that　there　was　in　the　state
  of　Venice　an　illustrious　family　named　Coglioni；　who　wore　three
  〃C　au　natural〃　on　their　coat　of　arms。　The　gentlemen　of　the　House
  of　Bonne…C　stated　to　the　king　that　their　wives　were　ashamed　to
  be　thus　called　in　public　assemblies；　the　king　answered　that　they　would
  lose　a　great　deal；　because　there　is　a　great　deal　in　a　name。
  Nevertheless；　he　granted　the　letters。　After　that　this　race　was　known
  by　this　name；　and　founded　families　in　many　provinces。　The　first　Sieur
  de　Bonne…C　lived　another　27　years；　and　had　another　son　and　two
  daughters。　But　he　grieved　much　at　becoming　rich；　and　no　longer　being
  able　to　pick　up　a　living　in　the　street。
  From　this　you　can　obtain　finer　lessons　and　higher　morals　than　from　any
  story　you　will　read　all　your　life　longof　course　excepting　these
  hundred　glorious　Droll　Talesnamely；　that　never　could　adventure　of
  this　sort　have　happened　to　the　impaired　and　ruined　constitutions　of
  court　rascals；　rich　people　and　others　who　dig　their　graves　with　their
  teeth　by　over…eating　and　drinking　many　wines　that　impair　the
  implements　of　happiness；　which　said　over…fed　people　were　lolling
  luxuriously　in　costly　draperies　and　on　feather　beds；　while　the　Sieur
  de　Bonne…Chose　was　roughing　it。　In　a　similar　situation；　if　they　had
  eaten　cabbage；　it　would　have　given　them　the　diarrhoea。　This　may　incite
  many　of　those　who　read　this　story　to　change　their　mode　of　life；　in
  order　to　imitate　Vieux　par…Chemins　in　his　old　age。
  ODD　SAYINGS　OF　THREE　PILGRIMS
  When　the　pope　left　his　good　town　of　Avignon　to　take　up　his　residence
  in　Rome；　certain　pilgrims　were　thrown　out　who　had　set　out　for　this
  country；　and　would　have　to　pass　the　high　Alps；　in　order　to　gain　this
  said　town　of　Rome；　where　they　were　going　to　seek　the　/remittimus/　of
  various　sins。　Then　were　to　be　seen　on　the　roads；　and　the　hostelries；
  those　who　wore　the　order　of　Cain；　otherwise　the　flower　of　the
  penitents；　all　wicked　fellows；　burdened　with　leprous　souls；　which
  thirsted　to　bathe　in　the　papal　piscina；　and　all　carrying　with　them
  gold　or　precious　things　to　purchase　absolution；　pay　for　their　beds；
  and　present　to　the　saints。　You　may　be　sure　that　those　who　drank　water
  going；　on　their　return；　if　the　landlords　gave　them　water；　wished　it　to
  be　the　holy　water　of　the　cellar。
  At　this　time　the　three　pilgrims　came　to　this　said　Avignon　to　their
  injury；　seeing　that　it　was　widowed　of　the　pope。　While　they　were
  passing　the　Rhodane；　to　reach　the　Mediterranean　coast；　one　of　the
  three　pilgrims；　who　had　with　him　a　son　about　10　years　of　age；　parted
  company　with　the　others；　and　near　the　town　of　Milan　suddenly　appeared
  again；　but　without　the　boy。　Now　in　the　evening；　at　supper；　they　had　a
  hearty　feast　in　order　to　celebrate　the　return　of　the　pilgrim；　who　they
  thought　had　become　disgusted　with　penitence　through　the　pope　not　being
  in　Avignon。　Of　these　three　roamers　to　Rome；　one　had　come　from　the　city
  of　Paris；　the　other　from　Germany；　and　the　third；　who　doubtless　wished
  to　instruct　his　son　on　the　journey；　had　his　home　in　the　duchy　of
  Burgundy；　in　which　he　had　certain　fiefs；　and　was　a　younger　son　of　the
  house　of　Villers…la…Faye　（Villa　in　Fago）；　and　was　named　La　Vaugrenand。
  The　German　baron　had　met　the　citizen　of　Paris　just　past　Lyons；　and
  both　had　accosted　the　Sire　de　la　Vaugrenand　in　sight　of　Avignon。
  Now　in　this　hostelry　the　three　pilgrims　loosened　their　tongues；　and
  agreed　to　journey　to　Rome　together；　in　order　the　better　to　resist　the
  foot　pads；　the　night…birds；　and　other　malefactors；　who　made　it　their
  business　to　ease　pilgrims　of　that　which　weighed　upon　their　bodies
  before　the　pope　eased　them　of　that　which　weighed　upon　their
  consciences。　After　drinking　the　three　companions　commenced　to　talk
  together；　for　the　bottle　is　the　key　of　conversation；　and　each　made
  this　confessionthat　the　cause　of　his　pilgrimage　was　a　woman。　The
  servant　who　watched　their　drinking；　told　them　that　of　a　hundred
  pilgrims　who　stopped　in　the　locality；　ninety…nine　were　travelling　from
  the　same　thing。　These　three　wise　men　then　began　to　consider　how
  pernicious　is　woman　to　man。　The　Baron　showed　the　heavy　gold　chain　that
  he　had　in　his　hauberk　to　present　to　Saint　Peter；　and　said　his　crime
  was　suc