h century, his
face adorned with a pair of mostachios, jangled a guitar discordantly.
Harlequin, ragged and patched in every colour of the rainbow, with his
leather girdle and sword of lath, the upper half of his face smeared
in soot, clashed a pair of cymbals intermittently. Pasquariel, as an
apothecary in skull-cap and white apron, excited the hilarity of the
onlookers by his enormous tin clyster, which emitted when pumped a
dolorous squeak.

Within the chaise itself, but showing themselves freely at the windows,
and exchanging quips with the townsfolk, sat the three ladies of the
company. Climene, the amoureuse, beautifully gowned in flowered satin,
her own clustering ringlets concealed under a pumpkin-shaped wig, looked
so much the lady of fashion that you might have wondered what she was
doing in that fantastic rabble. Madame, as the mother, was also dressed
with splendour, but exaggerated to achieve the ridiculous. Her headdress
was a monstrous structure adorned with flowers, and superimposed by
little ostrich plumes. Columbine sat facing them, her back to the
horses, falsely demure, in milkmaid bonnet of white muslin, and a
striped gown of green and blue.

The marvel was that the old chaise, which in its halcyon days may have
served to carry some dignitary of the Church, did not founder instead of
merely groaning under that excessive and ribald load.

Next came the house on wheels, led by the long, lean Rhodomont, who
had daubed his face red, and increased the terror of it by a pair of
formidable mostachios. He was in long thigh-boots and leather jerkin,
trailing an enormous sword from a crimson baldrick. He wore a broad
felt hat with a draggled feather, and as he advanced he raised his great
voice and roared out defiance, and threats of blood-curdling butchery
to be performed upon all and sundry. On the roof of this vehicle sat
Leandre alone. He was in blue satin, with ruffles, small sword,
powdered hair, patches and spy-glass, and red-heeled shoes: the
complete courtier, looking very handsome. The women of Guichen ogled
him coquettishly. He took the ogling as a proper tribute to his personal
endowments, and returned it with interest. Like Climene, he looked out
of place amid the bandits who composed the remainder of the company.

Bringing up the rear came Andre-Louis leading the two donkeys that
dragged the property-cart. He had insisted upon assuming a false nose,
representing as for embellishment that whi