ine are beaten, the next mine beat the
others. But however it be, I am deprived of the help of their arms.
Besides, seigneur, almost every day has its special duties; one day we
have to prune the vines of the abbey, another we have to plow, harrow
and plant its fields; yet another, we have its crops to cart away;
another day it is the fences that have to be repaired. We have lately
also had ditches to dig when the abbess feared that the convent was to
be attacked by some bands of marauders. At that time we also had to
mount guard.... If out of three nights one is compelled to spend two on
his feet, and then to work from early dawn, strength fails and the work
is neglected."

"What about the cartage that you refused?"

"No, seigneur, I did not refuse to make the cartage. But one of my
horses was foundered with too heavy a load and too long a stretch for
the abbey. It was not possible to execute your orders for the last
cartage."

"If you have only one foundered horse, how do you expect to cultivate
your fields? How will you pay your back rent and the rent of next year?"

"Alack, seigneur! I am in a cruel fix. I have brought with me my wife
and children. Here they are. They join me in beseeching you to remit
what I owe. Perhaps in the future I shall not meet so many disasters one
after another."

At a sign from the unhappy Gaul, his wife and children threw themselves
at the feet of the intendant and with tears in their eyes implored him
to remit the debt. Ricarik answered the colonist: "You have done wisely
in bringing your wife and children with you; you have saved me the
trouble of sending for them. I know of a certain Jew of Nantes called
Mordecai, who loans money on bodily security. He will advance at least
ten gold sous on your wife and two children, both of whom are old enough
to work. You will be able to invest the money in the purchase of a horse
to replace the one that was foundered. Later, after you shall have
reimbursed the Jew his loan, he will return you your wife and children."

The colonist and his family heard with stupor the words of the
intendant, and broke out into sobs and prayers. "Seigneur," said the
Gaul, "sell me if you like as a slave; my condition will not be worse
than it is now; but do not separate me from my wife and children.... I
never shall be able to pay my back rent and reimburse the Jew; I prefer
slavery to my present life as a colonist. Have pity upon us!"

"That will do!" said