ousin house had two principal members, Anthony, one of
the leading counsellors of that king (as of his predecessor
Louis XI. and his successor Louis XII.), and Germain, also a
royal counsellor and chamberlain. The heroes of the above
story being military men and old friends and comrades, it is
probable that the reference is to Germain de Bonneval, he,
like Chastillon and Genouillac, having accompanied Charles
VIII. on his expedition into Italy. Germain de Bonneval,
moreover, was one of the seven noblemen who fought at the
battle of Fornova, clad and armed exactly like the French
king. He perished at the memorable defeat of Pavia in 1525.
From him descended, in a direct line, the famous eighteenth
century adventurer, Claud Alexander, Count de Bonneval.--B.
J. and Ed.

This manner of life continued for a long time, and was so skilfully
contrived that none of the lovers knew aught of the others; and although
they were aware of the love that each of them bore the lady, there
was not one but believed himself to be the only successful suitor, and
laughed at his comrades who, as he thought, had failed to win such great
happiness.

One day when the gentlemen aforesaid were at a banquet where they made
right good cheer, they began to speak of their several fortunes and of
the prisons in which they had lain during the wars. Valnebon, however,
who found it a hard task to conceal the great good fortune he had met
with, began saying to his comrades--

"I know not what prisons have been yours, but for my own part, for love
of one wherein I once lay, I shall all my life long give praise and
honour to the rest. I think that no pleasure on earth comes near that of
being kept a prisoner."

Astillon, who had been the first captive, had a suspicion of the prison
that he meant, and replied--

"What gaoler, Valnebon, man or woman, treated you so well that you
became so fond of your prison?"

"Whoever the gaoler may have been," said Valnebon, "my prisonment was
so pleasant that I would willingly have had it last longer. Never was I
better treated or more content."

Durassier, who was a man of few words, clearly perceived that they were
discussing the prison in which he had shared like the rest; so he said
to Valnebon--

"On what meats were you fed in the prison that you praise so highly?"

"What meats?" said Valnebon. "The King himself has none better or more
nouris