these, and even give one mule into the bargain,
but upon conditions.'

"'Nothing I gainsay, so that Our Lady lift this spell from me.'

"'The agreement was to quit Ambialet in the way thou camest. Now, 'tis
apparent thy coming here has been by two ways--by road and by water.
Take thy choice of return--shall it be by water?'

"'What! From a town that lieth three leagues downstream from itself!
Nay, monseigneur, let it be by road, that at least I may keep my few wits
remaining!'

"'By road, then, it shall be, and on muleback. But the way thou camest
was with a greedy face set towards Ambialet, and so will we send thee
back.'

"As the Viscount promised so they did, my children; strapping Master
Tibbald with his face to the mule's rump, and with a merry crowd speeding
him from the frontier."

Brother Marc Antoine lay back against his apple-tree, laughing.
Maman Vacher and the baker, seeing that the tale was done, continued to
regard Pere Philibert each with a foolish grin.

Pere Philibert took snuff slowly.

"My children," said he, tapping his box, "in this tale (which, by the way,
is historical) there surely lurks a lesson for you both. You, Pierre
Champollion, may read in it that he who, with an eye to his private
profit, only runs counter to ancient custom in such a town as our
Ambialet, may chance to knock his head upon stones. And you, Maman
Vacher--What was the price of that chanticleer of yours?"

"Indeed, reverend father, I could not have asked less than six francs.
A prize-winner, if you remember."

"You valued it at twelve in your threats and outcries, and that after you
had stewed his carcass down for a soup! . . . Tut, tut, my children!
You have your lesson--take it and go in amity."

* * * * *

Transcriber's note:

In "A Jest of Ambialet" "either side the calvary" was changed
to "either side OF the calvary."

***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MERRY-GARDEN AND OTHER STORIES***

******* This file should be named 27813.txt or 27813.zip *******

This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:
http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/7/8/1/27813

Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions
will be renamed.

Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no
one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation
(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States