“Un char pompeusement orné Présente à notre œil étonné Quinze poissardes qu’avec peine Une rosse traine: Jupiter les mène; Un Cul-de-jatte est à cheval; V’là c’que c’est que l’Carnaval. “Arlequin courtise Junon, Columbine poursuit Pluton, Mars Madame Angot qu’il embrasse, Crispin une Grace, Venus un Paillasse; Ciel, terre, enfers, tout est égal; V’là c’que c’est que l’Carnaval. “Mercure veut rosser Jeannot, On crie à la garde aussitôt; Et chacun voit de l’aventure Le pauvre Mercure à la préfecture, Couché,—sur un procès verbal; V’là c’que c’est que l’Carnaval. “Profitant aussi des jours gras, Le traiteur déguise ses plats, Nous offre vinaigre en bouteille, Ragoût de la vieille, Daube encore plus vieille: Nous payons bien, nous soupons mal; V’là c’que c’est que l’Carnaval. “Carosses pleins sont par milliers Regorgeant dans tous les quartiers; Dedans, dessus, devout, dernière, Jusqu’à la portière, quelle fourmilière! Des fous on croit voire l’hôpital; V’là c’que c’est que l’Carnaval. “Quand on a bien ri, bien couru, Bien chanté, bien mangé et bu, Mars d’un frippier reprend l’enseigne, Pluton son empeigne, Jupiter son peigne: Tout rentre en place; et, bien ou mal, V’là c’que c’est que l’Carnaval.” Désaugiers was one day invited to preside at the annual dinner of the pork butchers. After the table was cleared he rose, and all expected the oration or song of the evening. Looking round with a twinkle in his eye, he began— “Des Cochons, des Cochons.” The pork butchers bridled up, grew red with wrath, thinking that this was intended as an insult, when Désaugiers proceeded with his song— “Décochons les traits de la satire.” A French author has said of him:— “Désaugiers is song personified;—all gaiety, fun, laughter. He has in him something of the spirit of Rabelais. His inherent wit breaks out like the effervescence of champagne. Thought and rhyme are born in him along with song. Every refrain in his compositions is full of joyous sparkle.” CHAPTER IX DRAGUIGNAN The Department of Var—A lifeless town—Dolmen—S. Armentarius kills a dragon—The old walled town—The Fronde—The Sabreurs and the Canifets—Les Tourettes—Joanna I. of Naples; her story—The Crown of Jerusalem—Charles I. of Anjou—Death of Conradin—Murder of Andrew of Hungary—Philippine Cabane—Louis of Hungary invades Naples—Joanna buys a sentence clearing her of guilt by the sale of Avignon—Joanna’s many sales—Again declared innocent—Charles of Durazzo—Urban VI. and Clement VII.—Urban incites Charles against Joanna; her assassination; her character—Butello—Death of Charles—Joanna II. makes Réné her heir—Pedigree—Joanna and Caracciolo.