rney."

'"And you have come so quickly?"

'"But, by my faith, I travel more quickly than the wind."

'"And have you wings?"

'"By my faith, no."

'"How, then, do you fly so fast?"

'Said Orthon, "That does not concern you."

'"No," he replied; "but I would gladly see of what form you are."

'Said Orthon, "My form does not concern you. Content you with what I
tell you and that my news is true."

'"Now, as I live," cried the Sieur de Corasse, "I should love you better
if I had but seen you."

'Said Orthon, "Since you have such burning desire to see me, the first
thing you behold to-morrow morning on getting out of bed will be I."

'"It is enough," answered the Sieur de Corasse. "Go. I take leave of you
for this night."

'When the day dawned, the Sieur de Corasse arose from his bed, but his
wife was filled with such dread of meeting Orthon that she feigned to be
ill, and protested she would lie abed all day; for she said, "Suppose I
were to see him?"

'"Now," cried the Sieur de Corasse, "see what I do," and he jumped from
his bed and sat upon the edge, and looked about for Orthon; but he saw
nothing. Then he threw back the windows so that he could note more
clearly all that was in the room, but again he saw nought of which he
could say, "That is Orthon."

'The day passed and night came. Hardly had the Sieur de Corasse climbed
up into his bed than Orthon arrived, and began to talk to him, as his
custom was.

'"Go to, go to," said the Sieur de Corasse; "you are but a bungler. You
promised to show yourself to me yesterday, and you never appeared."

'"Never appeared," said he. "But I did, by my faith."

'"You did not."

'"And did you see nothing," said Orthon, "when you leapt from your bed?"

'The Sieur de Corasse thought for a little; then he answered. "Yes," he
replied; "as I was sitting on my bed and thinking of you, I noticed two
long straws on the floor twisting about and playing together."

'"That was I," said Orthon. "That was the form I had taken upon me."

'Said the Sieur de Corasse: "That is not enough. You must take another
form, so that I may see you and know you."

'"You ask so much that I shall become weary of you and you will lose
me," replied Orthon.

'"You will never become weary of me and I shall never lose you,"
answered the Sieur de Corasse; "if only I see you once, I shall be
content."

'"So be it," said Orthon; "to-morrow you shall see me, and take notice
that the first thi