travellers were in the habit of alighting, and there was an air of gaiety and prosperity about it very pleasing to our comedians, in contrast with all the comfortless, miserable lodgings they had been obliged to put up with for a long time past. The landlord, whose double, or rather triple chin testified to bountiful fare, and the ruddy tints of his face to the excellence of his wines, seemed to be the incarnation of good humour. He was so plump, so fresh, so rosy and so smiling, that it was a pleasure only to look at him. When he saw the tyrant, he fairly bubbled over with delight. A troupe of comedians always attracted people to his house, and brought him in a great deal of money; for the young men of leisure of the town sought their company, and were constantly drinking wine with the actors, and giving dainty little suppers, and treats of various kinds, to the actresses. “You are heartily welcome, Seignior Hérode! What happy chance brings you this way?” said the landlord, smilingly. “It is a long time since we have had the pleasure of seeing you at the _Armes de France_.” “So it is, Maître Bilot,” the tyrant answered; “but we cannot be giving our poor little performances always in the same place, you see; the spectators would become so familiar with all our tricks that they could do them themselves, so we are forced to absent ourselves for a while. And how are things going on here, now? Have you many of the nobility and gentry in town at present?” “A great many, Seignior Hérode, for the hunting is over, so they have come in from the châteaux. But they don’t know what to do with themselves, for it is so dull and quiet here. People can’t be eating and drinking all the time, and they are dying for want of a little amusement. You will have full houses.” “Well,” rejoined the tyrant, “then please give us seven or eight good rooms, have three or four fat capons put down to roast, bring up, from that famous cellar of yours, a dozen of the capital wine I used to drink here—you know which I mean—and spread abroad the news of the arrival of Hérode’s celebrated troupe at the _Armes de France_, with a new and extensive _repertoire_, to give a few representations in Poitiers.”