with them--in
favour of a plan that I thought might offer me some amusement. For the
execution of this, I depended upon Maignan, my equerry, a man of lively
imagination, and the same who had, of his own motion, arranged and
carried out the triumphal procession in which I was borne to Rosny,
after the battle of Ivry. Before I sat down to supper, I gave him his
directions; and, as I had expected, news was brought to me, while I was
at table, that the prisoners were without.

On this, I informed the Duchess and the company--for, as was usual, a
number of my country neighbours had come to compliment me on my
return--that there was sport of a rare kind on foot; and we adjourned,
Maignan and four pages bearing lights before us, to that end of the
terrace which abuts on the linden avenue. Here a score of grooms,
holding aloft torches, had been arranged in a semicircle, so that they
enclosed an impromptu theatre, which was as light as in the day. On a
sloping bank at the end of the terrace, seats had been placed for those
who had supped at my table, while the rest of the company found such
places of vantage as they could, their number, indeed, amounting, with
my household, to two hundred persons. In the centre of the open space a
small forge-fire had been kindled, the red glow of which added much to
the strangeness of the scene; and on the anvil beside it were ranged a
number of horses' and donkeys' shoes, with a full complement of tools
used by smiths.

All being ready, I gave the word to bring in the prisoners; and,
escorted by La Trape and six of my guards, they were marched into the
arena. In their pale and terrified faces, and the shaking limbs which
scarce supported them, I read both the consciousness of guilt and the
apprehension of immediate punishment; it was plain that they expected
nothing less. I was very willing to play with their fears, and for some
time looked at them in silence, while all wondered with lively curiosity
what would ensue. In the end, I addressed them gravely, telling the
innkeeper that I knew well he had loosened each year a shoe of my horse,
in order that his brother might profit by the job of replacing it; and
then I proceeded to reprove the smith for the ingratitude which had led
him to return my bounty by the conception of so knavish a trick.

Upon this they confessed their guilt, and flinging themselves upon their
knees, with many tears, begged for mercy. After a decent interval I
permitte