"'Oh, monseigneur,' began Tibbald, 'you will pardon my saying it,
but such stuff ill becomes the palate of one of your lordship's quality.
If, setting our little dispute aside for a moment, your lordship would
entrust an honest merchant with the supply of your lordship's cellar--'
Here he unslung the bottle at his belt, and took leave to replenish the
Viscount's cup. 'Will your lordship degustate, for example, this drop of
the same divine liquor spilt to-night by your lordship's vassals?'

"'Why, this is nectar!' cried the Viscount, having tasted. 'And do you
tell me that those ignorant louts poured six hogsheads of it to waste?'

"'The gutters ran with it, monseigneur! Rhone wine, that even at four
livres the hogshead could not be sold at a profit.'

"'_Pardieu!_' The Viscount knitted his brow. 'I am an enemy to waste,
Master Tibbald, and against such destroyers of God's good gifts my justice
does not sleep. Retire you now; my servants will lead you to a chamber
where you may take some brief repose; and before daybreak we will set
forth together to my Council-house a few miles down the river, where the
councillors will be met early, having to answer some demands of the Holy
See upon our river-tolls conveyed to us through my lord of Leseure.
There I will see your business expedited, the money paid, and receipt made
out.'

"Tibbald thanked the Viscount and repaired to his room, whence, an hour or
two later, the chamberlain summoned him with news that my lord was ready
and desired his company. The night was dark yet, and down through
Ambialet he was led to the self-same ferry-stage from which he had first
put forth, my lord taking heed to approach it by another stairway.
At the foot lay moored the Viscount's state barge, into which they stepped
and cast off downstream.

"So once more Master Tibbald voyaged around the great loop of the river,
and, arriving yet once again at Ambialet--which he deemed by this time to
be some leagues behind him--was met at the lower stage by a company of
halberdiers, who escorted him, with his protector, to the great lighted
Hall, wherein sat a dozen grave men around a great oaken table, all deep
in business.

"They rose together and made obeisance as the Viscount walked to his
throne at the head of the table; and said he, seating himself--

"'Messieurs, I regret to break in upon your consultations, but an outrage
has been committed in my town of Ambialet, demanding full and inst