there lived a gentleman called the Lord of La
Tireliere, who one morning came from his house to the town afoot, both
because the distance was not great and because it was freezing hard. (1)
When he had done his business, he sought out a crony of his, an advocate
named Anthony Bachere, and, after speaking with him of his affairs, he
told him that he should much like to meet with a good breakfast, but at
somebody else's expense. While thus discussing, they sat themselves down
in front of an apothecary's shop, where there was a varlet who listened
to them, and who forthwith resolved to give them their breakfast.

1 The phraseology of this story varies considerably in the
different MSS. of the _Heptameron_. In No. 1520, for
instance, the tale begins as follows: "In the town of
Alencon, in the time of the last Duke Charles, there was an
advocate, a merry companion, fond of breakfasting o'
mornings. One day, whilst he sat at his door, he saw pass a
gentleman called the Lord of La Tilleriere, who, by reason
of the extreme cold, had come on foot from his house to the
town in order to attend to certain business there, and in
doing so had not forgotten to put on his great robe, lined
with fox-skin. And when he saw the advocate, who was much
such a man as himself, he told him that he had completed his
business, and had nothing further to do, except it were to
find a good breakfast. The advocate made answer that they
could find breakfasts enough and to spare, provided they had
some one to defray the cost, and, taking the other under the
arm, he said to him, 'Come, gossip, we may perhaps find some
fool who will pay the reckoning for us both.' Now behind
them was an apothecary's man, an artful and inventive
fellow, whom this advocate was always plaguing," &c.--L.

He went out from his shop into a street whither all repaired on needful
occasions, (2) and there found a large lump of ordure standing on end,
and so well frozen that it looked like a small loaf of fine sugar.
Forthwith he wrapped it in handsome white paper, in the manner he was
wont to use for the attraction of customers, and hid it in his sleeve.

2 In olden time, as shown in the _Memoires de l'Academie de
Troyes_, there were in most French towns streets specially
set aside for the purpose referred to. At Alencon, in Queen
Margaret's time, there was