ie does
while cutting off with your thimble.

After supper the two friends went to the street-door and eyed the
market-place. The mistress joined them, and pointed out the town-hall,
the borough gaol, St. Catherine's church, etc. This was courteous, to
say the least. But the true cause soon revealed itself; the fair hand
was poked right under their eyes every time an object was indicated; and
Gerard eyed it like a basilisk, and longed for a bunch of nettles. The
sun set, and the travellers, few in number, drew round the great roaring
fire, and omitting to go on the spit, were frozen behind though roasted
in front. For if the German stoves were oppressively hot, the French
salles manger were bitterly cold, and above all stormy. In Germany men
sat bareheaded round the stove, and took off their upper clothes, but in
Burgundy they kept on their hats, and put on their warmest furs to sit
round the great open chimney places, at which the external air rushed
furiously from door and ill-fitting window. However, it seems their
mediaeval backs were broad enough to bear it: for they made themselves
not only comfortable but merry, and broke harmless jests over each
other in turn. For instance, Denys's new shoes, though not in direct
communication, had this day exploded with twin-like sympathy and
unanimity. "Where do you buy your shoon, soldier?" asked one.

Denys looked askant at Gerard, and not liking the theme, shook it off.
"I gather 'em off the trees by the roadside," said he surlily.

"Then you gathered these too ripe," said the hostess, who was only a
fool externally.

"Ay, rotten ripe," observed another, inspecting them.

Gerard said nothing, but pointed the circular satire by pantomime. He
slily put out both his feet, one after another, under Denys's eye, with
their German shoes, on which a hundred leagues of travel had produced no
effect. They seemed hewn out of a rock.

At this, "I'll twist the smooth varlet's neck that sold me mine,"
shouted Denys, in huge wrath, and confirmed the threat with singular
oaths peculiar to the mediaeval military. The landlady put her fingers
in her ears, thereby exhibiting the hand in a fresh attitude. "Tell me
when he has done his orisons, somebody," said she mincingly. And after
that they fell to telling stories.

Gerard, when his turn came, told the adventure of Denys and Gerard at
the inn in Domfront, and so well, that the hearers were rapt into sweet
oblivion of the very existe