would spit themselves upon it.

At last he profited by a momentary cessation in the uproar to cry
loudly, "Help! help!"

He made so much noise that it seemed to quiet the elements, as if
Neptune had pronounced the famous _Quos ego_, and, after six or seven
minutes, during which Eurus, Notus, Boreas and Aquilo seemed to beat a
retreat, the host appeared with a lantern and enlightened the scene,
which looked deplorably like a field of battle. The great chest of
drawers was overturned on the broken table; the door was held only by
one of its hinges, and the bolts were broken; three or four chairs were
on the floor with their legs in the air, and, to crown all, the
crockery, which had been on the table, lay in bits on the floor.

"This is a regular pandemonium," cried Chicot, recognizing his host.

"Oh! monsieur," cried the host, clasping his hands, "what has happened?"

"Are there demons lodging here?" asked Chicot.

"Oh! what weather," replied the host pathetically.

"But the bolts do not hold; this house must be made of card-board. I
would rather go away;--I prefer the road."

"Oh! my poor furniture," sighed the host.

"But my clothes! where are they? They were on this chair."

"If they were there, they ought to be there still," replied the host.

"What! 'if they were there.' Do you think I came here yesterday in this
costume?"

"Mon Dieu! monsieur," answered the host, with embarrassment, "I know you
were clothed."

"It is lucky you confess it."

"But--"

"But what?"

"The wind has dispersed everything."

"Ah! that is a reason."

"You see."

"But, my friend, when the wind comes in it comes from outside, and it
must have come in here if it made this destruction."

"Certainly, monsieur."

"Well, the wind in coming in here should have brought with it the
clothes of others, instead of carrying mine out."

"So it should, and yet the contrary seems to have happened."

"But what is this? The wind must have walked in the mud, for here are
footmarks on the floor." And Chicot pointed out the traces left by a
muddy boot, on seeing which the host turned pale.

"Now, my friend," said Chicot, "I advise you to keep a watch over these
winds which enter hotels, penetrate rooms by breaking doors, and retire,
carrying away the clothes of the guests."

The host drew back toward the door. "You call me thief!" said he.

"You are responsible for my clothes, and they are gone--you will not
deny that?"

"You i