“No；thankstoSte。Genevieveandyourlordship，whomwecallinthisvillagethepoorman’sfriend，Ihaveafowlinthepot。“
　　ThisphrasesopleasedmethatIrepeatedittotheking。Ittickledhisfancyalso，andforsomeyearsitwasaverycommonremarkofthatgoodandgreatruler，thathehopedtolivetoseeeverypeasantwithafowlinhispot。
　　“Butwhy，“IrememberIonceaskedthishonestfellow——itwasonthelastoccasionofthesorrelfallinglamethere——“doyouthankSte。Genevieve？“
　　“Sheismypatronsaint，“heanswered。
　　“ThenyouareaParisian？“
　　“Yourlordshipisalwaysright。“
　　“Butdoeshersaintshipdoyouanygood？“Iaskedcuriously。
　　“Certainly，byyourlordship’sleave。Mywifepraystoherandsheloosensthenailsinthesorrel’sshoes。“
　　“Infactshepaysoffanoldgrudge，“Ianswered，“fortherewasatimewhenParislikedmelittle；butharkye，mastersmith，IamnotsurethatthisisnotanactoftreasontoconspirewithMadameGenevieveagainstthecomfortoftheking’sminister。Whatthinkyou，yourascal；canyoupassthejusticeelmwithoutashiver？“
　　Thisthrewthesimplefellowintoagreatfear，whichthesightofthelivreofgoldspeedilyconvertedintojoyasstupendous。
　　LeavinghimstillstaringathisfortuneIrodeaway；butwhenwehadgonesomelittledistance，theaspectofhisface，whenI
　　chargedhimwithtreason，ormyownunassisteddiscriminationsuggestedaclewtothephenomenon。
　　“LaTrape，“Isaidtomyvalet——thesamewhowaswithmeatCahors——
　　“whatisthenameoftheinnkeeperatPoissy，atwhosehouseweareaccustomedtodine？“
　　“Andrew，mayitpleaseyourlordship。“
　　“Andrew！Ithoughtso！“Iexclaimed，smitingmythigh。“SimonandAndrewhisbrother！Answer，knave，and，ifyouhavepermittedmetoberobbedthesemanytimes，trembleforyourears。IshenotbrothertothesmithatAubergenvillewhohasjustshodmyhorse？“
　　LaTrapeprofessedtobeignorantonthispoint，butagroomwhohadstayedbehindwithme，havingsoughtmypermissiontospeak，saiditwasso，addingthatMasterAndrewhadrisenintheworldthroughlargedealingsinhay，whichhewaswonttotakedailyintoParisandsell，andthathedidnotnowacknowledgeorseeanythingofhisbrotherthesmith，thoughitwasbelievedthatheretainedasneakinglikingforhim。
　　Onreceivingthisconfirmationofmysuspicions，myvanityaswellasmysenseofjusticeledmetoactwiththepromptitudewhichI
　　haveexhibitedingreateremergencies。IratedLaTrapeforhiscarelessnessofmyinterestsinpermittingthisdeceptiontobepracticedonme；andthemainbodyofmyattendantsbeingnowinsight，IorderedhimtotaketwoSwissandarrestbothbrotherswithoutdelay。Itwantedyetthreehoursofsunset，andIjudgedthat，byhardriding，theymightreachRosnywiththeirprisonersbeforebedtime。
　　IspentsometimewhilestillontheroadinconsideringwhatpunishmentIshouldinflictontheculprits；andfinallylaidasidethepurposeIhadatfirstconceivedofputtingthemtodeath——aninflictiontheyhadrichlydeserved——infavorofaplanwhichI
　　thoughtmightoffermesomeamusement。FortheexecutionofthisI
　　dependeduponMaignan，myequerry，whowasamanoflivelyimagination，beingthesamewhohadofhisownmotionarrangedandcarriedoutthetriumphalprocession，inwhichIwasbornetoRosnyafterthebattleofIvry。BeforeIsatdowntosupperIgavehimhisdirections；andasIhadexpected，newswasbroughttomewhileIwasattablethattheprisonershadarrived。
　　ThereuponIinformedtheduchessandthecompanygenerally，for，aswasusual，anumberofmycountryneighborshadcometocomplimentmeonmyreturn，thattherewassomesportofararekindonfoot；
　　andweadjourned，Maignan，followedbyfourpagesbearinglights，leadingthewaytothatendoftheterracewhichabutsonthelindenavenue。Here，ascoreofgroomsholdingtorchesalofthadbeenarrangedinacirclesothattheimpromptutheaterthusformed，whichMaignanhadorderedwithmuchtaste，wasaslightasintheday。Onaslopingbankatoneendseatshadbeenplacedforthosewhohadsuppedatmytable，whiletherestofthecompanyfoundsuchplacesofvantageastheycould；theirnumber，indeed，amounting，withmyhousehold，totwohundredpersons。Inthecenteroftheopenspaceasmallforgefirehadbeenkindled，theredglowofwhichaddedmuchtothestrangenessofthescene；andontheanvilbesideitwererangedanumberofhorses’anddonkeys’
　　shoes，withafullcomplementofthetoolsusedbysmiths。AllbeingreadyIgavethewordtobringintheprisoners，andescortedbyLaTrapeandsixofmyguards，theyweremarchedintothearena。
　　Intheirpaleandterrifiedfaces，andtheshakinglimbswhichcouldscarcesupportthemtotheirappointedstations，Ireadboththeconsciousnessofguiltandtheapprehensionofimmediatedeath；
　　itwasplainthattheyexpectednothingless。Iwasverywillingtoplaywiththeirfears，andforsometimelookedattheminsilence，whileallwonderedwithlivelycuriositywhatwouldensue。
　　Ithenaddressedthemgravely，tellingtheinnkeeperthatIknewwellhehadloosenedeachyearashoeofmyhorse，inorderthathisbrothermightprofitbythejobofreplacingit；andwentontoreprovethesmithfortheingratitudewhichhadledhimtoreturnmybountybytheconceptionofsoknavishatrick。
　　Uponthistheyconfessedtheirguilt，andflingingthemselvesupontheirkneeswithmanytearsandprayersbeggedformercy。This，afteradecentinterval，Ipermittedmyselftogrant。“Yourlives，whichareforfeited，shallbespared，“Ipronounced。“Butpunishedyoumustbe。IthereforeordainthatSimon，thesmith，atoncefit，nail，andproperlysecureapairofironshoestoAndrew’sheels，andthatthenAndrew，whobythattimewillhavepickedupsomethingofthesmith’sart，dothesametoSimon。Sowillyoubothlearntoavoidsuchshoeingtricksforthefuture。“
　　Itmaywellbeimaginedthatajudgmentsowhimsical，andsojustlyadaptedtotheoffense，charmedallsavetheculprits；andinahundredwaysthepleasureofthosepresentwasevinced，tosuchadegree，indeed，thatMaignanhadsomedifficultyinrestoringsilenceandgravitytotheassemblage。Thisdone，however，MasterAndrewwastakeninhandandhiswoodenshoesremoved。Thetoolsofhistradewereplacedbeforethesmith，whocastglancessopiteous，firstathisbrother’sfeetandthenattheshoesontheanvil，asagaingaverisetoaprodigiousamountofmerriment，mypagesinparticularwell-nighforgettingmypresence，androllingaboutinamannerunpardonableatanothertime。However，Irebukedthemsharply，andwasabouttoorderthesentencetobecarriedintoeffect，whentheremembranceofthemanypleasantsimplicitieswhichthesmithhadutteredtome，actinguponanaturaldispositiontomercy，whichthemostcalumniousofmyenemieshaveneverquestioned，inducedmetogivetheprisonersachanceofescape。“Listen，“Isaid，“SimonandAndrew。Yoursentencehasbeenpronounced，andwillcertainlybeexecutedunlessyoucanavailyourselfoftheconditionInowoffer。Youshallhavethreeminutes；ifinthattimeeitherofyoucanmakeagoodjoke，heshallgofree。Ifnot，letamanattendtothebellows，LaTrape！“
　　Thisaddedafreshsatisfactiontomyneighbors，whowerewellassurednowthatIhadnotpromisedthemanovelentertainmentwithoutgoodgrounds；forthegrimacesofthetwoknavesthusbiddentojestiftheywouldsavetheirskins，weresodivertingtheywouldhavemadeanunlaugh。Theylookedatmewiththeireyesaswideasplates，andforthewholeofthetimeofgraceneverawordcouldtheyuttersavehowlsformercy。“Simon，“I
　　saidgravely，whenthetimewasup，“haveyouajoke？No。Andrew，myfriend，haveyouajoke？No。Then——“
　　Iwasgoingontoorderthesentencetobecarriedout，whentheinnkeeperflunghimselfagainuponhisknees，andcriedoutloudly——
　　asmuchtomyastonishmentastotheregretofthebystanders，whowerebentonseeingsostrangeashoeingfeat——“Oneword，mylord；
　　Icangiveyounojoke，butIcandoaservice，aneminentservicetotheking。Icandiscloseaconspiracy！“
　　Iwassomewhattakenabackbythissuddenandpublicannouncement。
　　ButIhadbeentoolongintheking’semploymentnottohaveremarkedhowstrangelythingsarebroughttolight。Onhearingtheman’swordstherefore——whichwerefollowedbyastrickensilence——I
　　lookedsharplyatthefacesofsuchofthosepresentasitwaspossibletosuspect，butfailedtoobserveanysignofconfusionordismay，oranythingmoreparticularthansoabruptastatementwascalculatedtoproduce。Doubtingmuchwhetherthemanwasnotplayingwithme，Iaddressedhimsternly，warninghimtobeware，lestinhisanxietytosavehisheelsbyfalselyaccusingothers，heshouldlosehishead。Forthatifhisconspiracyshouldprovetobeaninventionofhisown，Ishouldcertainlyconsideritmydutytohanghimforthwith。
　　Heheardmeout，butneverthelesspersistedinhisstory，addingdesperately，“Itisaplot，mylord，toassassinateyouandthekingonthesameday。“
　　Thisstatementstruckmeablow；forIhadgoodreasontoknowthatatthattimethekinghadalienatedmanybyhisinfatuationforMadamedeVerneuil；whileIhadalwaystoreckonfirstlywithallwhohatedhim，andsecondlywithallwhommypursuitofhisinterestsinjured，eitherinrealityorappearance。Ithereforeimmediatelydirectedthattheprisonersshouldbeledinclosecustodytothechamberadjoiningmyprivatecloset，andtakingtheprecautiontocallmyguardsaboutme，sinceIknewnotwhatattemptdespairmightnotbreed，Iwithdrewmyself，makingsuchapologiestothecompanyasthenatureofthecasepermitted。
　　IorderedSimonthesmithtobefirstbroughttome，andinthepresenceofMaignanonly，Iseverelyexaminedhimastohisknowledgeofanyconspiracy。Hedenied，however，thathehadeverheardofthemattersreferredtobyhisbrother，andpersistedsofirmlyinthedenialthatIwasinclinedtobelievehim。IntheendhewastakenoutandAndrewwasbroughtin。Theinnkeeper’sdemeanorwassuchasIhaveoftenobservedinintriguersbroughtsuddenlytobook。Heaverredtheexistenceoftheconspiracy，andthatitsobjectswerethosewhichhehadstated。Healsoofferedtogiveuphisassociates，butconditionedthatheshoulddothisinhisownway；undertakingtoconductmeandoneotherperson——butnomore，lestthealarmshouldbegiven——toaplaceinParisonthefollowingnight，wherewecouldheartheplottersstatetheirplansanddesigns。Inthiswayonly，heurged，couldproofpositivebeobtained。
　　Iwasmuchstartledbythisproposal，andinclinedtothinkitatrap；butfurtherconsiderationdispelledmyfears。Theinnkeeperhadheldnoparleywithanyonesavehisguardsandmyselfsincehisarrest，andcouldneitherhavewarnedhisaccomplices，noracquaintedthemwithanydesigntheexecutionofwhichshoulddependonhisconfessiontome。Ithereforeacceptedhisterms——
　　withaprivatereservationthatIshouldhavehelpathand——andbeforedaybreaknextmorningleftRosny，whichIhadonlyseenbytorchlight，withmyprisonerandaselectbodyofSwiss。WeenteredParisintheafternooninthreeparties，withaslittleparadeaspossible，andwentstraighttotheArsenal，whence，assoonaseveningfell，IhurriedwithonlytwoarmedattendantstotheLouvre。
　　Areturnsosuddenandunexpectedwasasgreatasurprisetothecourtastotheking，andIwasnotslowtomarkwithaninwardsmilethediscomposurewhichappearedveryclearly，onthefacesofseveral，asthecrowdinthechamberfellbackformetoapproachmymaster。Iwascareful，however，torememberthatthismightarisefromothercausesthanguilt。Thekingreceivedmewithhiswontedaffection；anddiviningatoncethatImusthavesomethingimportanttocommunicate，withdrewwithmetothefartherendofthechamber，wherewewereoutofearshotofthecourt。Ithererelatedthestorytohismajesty，keepingbacknothing。
　　Heshookhishead，sayingmerely:“Thefishtoescapethefryingpan，grandmaster，willjumpintothefire。Andhumannature，saveinthecaseofyouandme，whocantrustoneanother，isveryfishy。“
　　Iwastouchedbythisgraciouscompliment，butnotconvinced。“Youhavenotseentheman，sire，“Isaid，“andIhavehadthatadvantage。“
　　“Andbelievehim？“
　　“Inpart，“Iansweredwithcaution。“Sofaratleastastobeassuredthathethinkstosavehisskin，whichhewillonlydoifhebetellingthetruth。MayIbegyou，sire，“Iaddedhastily，seeingthedirectionofhisglance，“nottolooksofixedlyattheDukeofEpernon？Hegrowsuneasy。“
　　“Consciencemakes——youknowtherest。“
　　“Nay，sire，withsubmission，“Ireplied，“Iwillanswerforhim；ifhebenotdrivenbyfeartodosomethingreckless。“
　　“Good！Itakeyourwarranty，DukeofSully，“thekingsaid，withtheeasygracewhichcamesonaturaltohim。“Butnowinthismatterwhatwouldyouhavemedo？“