Crapeau, making a pirouette expressive of his
delight; "you will see what my master and I can do when the time comes."

Thus, with agreeable and lively conversation, ample justice was done to
the feast, which was composed of the lightest and most delicate viands,
such as the Knight vowed he had not tasted since he had left his native
land.

While the Knight lay back in his chair, to luxuriate on the thought of
the pleasure his palate had enjoyed, the banqueting-table disappeared,
and when he looked up, troops of gallant knights, in silk attire, and
fair dames, clad in the most dazzling garments, were entering the hall.
Up sprang the Knight, and, offering his hand to the lady, he led her
forth to the centre of the hall, where, to the admiration of all
beholders, and very much to his own satisfaction, he performed a
minuette never surpassed in all Asia. Le Crapeau, meantime, seeing
another damsel of radiant beauty, inferior only to that of the lady of
the castle, led her forth, and bounded away, round and round the hall,
to strains of the most inspiriting and lively music. His only
perplexity was discovering that his fair partner did not speak; indeed,
although all the knights and ladies danced in the most lively way,
closely imitating the two Frenchmen, not a sound escaped their lips. A
variety of dances succeeded, in all of which the Knight and his Squire
excelled all competitors; nor did the festivities cease till the rosy
dawn appearing in the eastern sky, the guests disappeared as silently as
they had entered from the hall, and the lady and the Knight and his
Squire remained its sole occupants. Le Crapeau's partner was the last
to quit it, and as he rushed after her to utter a tender adieu, instead
of the lady, his nose came with such force in contact with a pillar that
he was sent sprawling backwards into the hall.

"Never mind," said the lady, as he picked himself up, "you will see her
to-morrow, and then remember the lesson you have just received, and
don't talk nonsense to her."

A dozen very ugly little black dwarfs, bearing torches in their hands,
now made their appearance, and conducted the Knight to a magnificent
couch prepared for him, while another stood in an adjoining room, ready
for Le Crapeau, after he had performed the duty of disrobing his master.
The dwarfs meantime placed themselves at the door, and intimated that
they would remain there to watch over the strangers while they
slumbered.

A