ard him--he never saw
aught; for Orthon only came by night, and, having wakened him, would
begin by saying, 'he was come from England, Hungary, or elsewhere,' and
telling all the news of the place."

"And what think you was he?"

"That was what our Lord, the Count de Foix, would fain have known, when
he had much marveled at the tidings that were brought him by the Lord
de Corasse, and had heard of the strange messenger who brought them.
He entreated the Knight to desire Orthon to show himself in his own
proper form--and then, having seen, to describe him.

"So at night, when Orthon came again, and plucked away the pillow, the
Knight asked him from whence he came? 'From Prague, in Bohemia,'
answered Orthon. 'How far is it?'--'Sixty days' journey.' 'Hast thou
returned thence in so short a time?'--'I travel as fast as the wind, or
faster.' 'What! hast thou got wings?'--'Oh, no.' 'How, then, canst
thou fly so fast?'--'That is no business of yours!' 'No,' said the
Knight--'I should like exceedingly to see what form thou hast.'--'That
concerns you not,' replied Orthon; 'be satisfied that you hear me.' 'I
should love thee better had I seen thee,' said the Knight,--whereupon
Orthon promised that the first thing he should see to-morrow, on
quitting his bed, should be no other than himself."

"Ha! then, I wager that he saw one of the black cats that played round
young Ashton's bed."

"Nay, the Knight's lady would not rise all day lest she should see
Orthon; but the Knight, leaping up in the morning, looked about, but
could see nothing unusual. At night, when Orthon came, he reproached
him for not having shown himself, as he had promised. 'I have,' replied
Orthon. 'I say No,' said the Knight. 'What! you saw nothing when you
leapt out of bed?'--'Yes,' said the Lord de Corasse, after having
considered awhile, 'I saw two straws, which were turning and playing
together on the floor.' 'That was myself,' said Orthon.

"The Knight now desired importunately that Orthon would show himself in
his own true shape. Orthon told him that it might lead to his being
forced to quit his service--but he persisted, and Orthon promised to
show himself when first the Knight should leave his chamber in the
morning. Therefore, as soon as he was dressed, the Knight went to a
window overlooking the court, and there he beheld nothing but a large
lean sow, so poor, that she seemed nothing but skin and bone, with long
hanging ears, all spott