ouragement.

"Body of Bacchus!" exclaimed the pedant--his voice, so close at hand,
startling the astonished baron, who had believed himself alone, and safe
from intrusion--"that shirt has verily a valiant and triumphant air. It
looks as if it had been worn by Mars himself in battle, so riddled has
it been by lances, spears, darts, arrows, and I know not what besides.
Don't be ashamed of it, Baron!--these holes are honourable to you. Many
a shirt of fine linen, ruffled and embroidered, according to the latest
fashion, disguises the graceless person of some rascally parvenu--and
usurer as well perhaps--who usurps the place of his betters. Several
of the great heroes, of immortal fame, had not a shirt to their
backs--Ulysses, for example, that wise and valiant man, who presented
himself before the beautiful Princess Nausicaa, with no other covering
than a bunch of sea-weed--as we are told, in the Odyssey, by the grand
old bard, Homer."

"Unfortunately," de Sigognac replied, "there is no point of resemblance,
my dear Blazius, between me and the brave King of Ithaca, save the lack
of linen. _I_ have done no deeds of valour to shed a lustre over MY
poverty. I have had no chance to make myself famous, and I fear that
the poets will never celebrate my praises in glowing hexameters. But,
jesting aside, I must confess that I do feel greatly annoyed at being
forced to appear in this guise here. The Marquis de Bruyeres recognised
me, though he made no sign, and he may betray my secret."

"It _is_ a pity," said the pedant in reply, "but there's a remedy for
every ill under the sun, save death, according to the old saying, and
if you will permit me, I think that I can help you out of this awkward
dilemma. We, poor players, shadows of real men and women, phantoms of
personages of every degree, from the highest to the lowest, have
the means necessary for assuming almost any character, you know.
As 'costumier' of the troupe I am accustomed to make all sorts of
transformations, and can turn a miserable vagabond into an Alexander,
or a vulgar wench into a princess. Now, if you are not too proud, I will
exercise my poor skill in your lordship's service. Since you have been
willing to join our company for this journey, do not disdain to make
use of our resources, such as they are, and put aside these ill-fitting
garments, which disguise your natural advantages, and make you feel ill
at ease. Most fortunately I happen to have in reserve a