d myself to be moved.

"Your lives shall be spared," I pronounced. "But punished you must be. I
ordain that Simon the smith fit, nail, and properly secure a pair of
iron shoes to Andrew's heels, and that then, Andrew, who by that time
will have learned somewhat of the smith's art, do the same to Simon. So
will you both be taught to avoid such tricks in the future."

It may well be imagined that a judgment so justly adapted to the offence
charmed all save the culprits; and in a hundred ways the pleasure of
those present was evinced: to such a degree indeed that Maignan had
difficulty in restoring gravity to the assemblage. This done, however,
Master Andrew was taken in hand, and his wooden shoes removed. The tools
of his trade were placed before Simon, but he cast glances so piteous,
first at his brother's feet, and then at the shoes, as again gave rise
to an amount of merriment that surpassed all, my pages in particular
well-nigh forgetting my presence, and rolling about in a manner
unpardonable at another time. However, I rebuked them, and was about to
order the sentence to be carried into effect, when the remembrance of
the many pleasant simplicities which the smith had uttered to me, acting
upon a natural disposition to mercy which the most calumnious of my
enemies have never questioned, induced me to give the prisoners a
chance of escape. "Listen," I said, "Simon and Andrew. Your sentence has
been pronounced and will be executed, unless you can avail yourself of
the condition I now offer. You shall have three minutes: if in that time
either of you can make a good joke, he shall go free. If not--let a man
attend to the bellows, La Trape!"

This charmed my neighbours, who were now well assured that I had not
promised them a novel entertainment without good grounds; for the
grimaces of the two knaves thus bidden to jest if they would save their
skins were so diverting they would have made a nun laugh. The two looked
at me with their eyes as wide as plates, and for the whole of the time
of grace never a word could they utter save howls for mercy. "Simon," I
said gravely, when the time was up, "have you a joke? No. Andrew, my
friend, have you a joke? No. Then----"

I was about to order the sentence to be carried out when the innkeeper
flung himself again upon his knees and cried out loudly--as much to my
astonishment as to the regret of the bystanders, who were bent on seeing
so strange a shoeing feat--"One word, my l