meet, and concert measures for their common safety. Point de Gênes, with Point de Raguse, first address the company; next, Point de Venise, who seems to look on Raguse with a jealous eye, exclaims-- "Encore pour vous, Poinct de Raguse, Il est bon, crainte d'attentat, D'en vouloir perger un estat. Les gens aussy fins que vous estes Ne sont bons que, comme vous faites, Pour ruiner tous les estats. Et vous, Aurillac ou Venise, Si nous plions notre valise," what will be our fate? The other laces speak, in their turn, most despondently, till a "vieille broderie d'or," consoling them, talks of the vanity of this world:--"Who knows it better than I, who have dwelt in kings' houses?" One "grande dentelle d'Angleterre" now proposes they should all retire to a convent. To this the "Dentelles de Flandres" object; they would sooner be sewn at once to the bottom of a petticoat. Mesdames les Broderies resign themselves to become "ameublement;" the more devout of the party to appear as "devants d'autel;" those who feel too young to renounce the world and its vanities will seek refuge in the masquerade shops. "Dentelle noire d'Angleterre" lets herself out cheap to a fowler, as a net to catch woodcocks, for which she felt "assez propre" in her present predicament. The Points all resolve to retire to their own countries, save Aurillac, who fears she may be turned into a strainer "pour passer les fromages d'Auvergne," a smell insupportable to one who had revelled in civet and orange-flower. All were starting-- "Chacun, dissimulant sa rage, Doucement ploit son bagage, Resolu d'obéir au sort," when "Une pauvre malheureuse, Qu'on apelle, dit on, la Gueuse," {42}arrives, in a great rage, from a village in the environs of Paris. "She is not of high birth, but has her feelings all the same. She will never submit. She has no refuge--not even a place in the hospital. Let them follow her advice and 'elle engageoit sa chaînette,' she will replace them all in their former position." Next morn, the Points assemble. "Une grande Cravate[135] fanfaron" exclaims:-- "Il nous faut venger cet affront, Revoltons-nous, noble assemblée." A council of war ensues:-- "La dessus, le Poinct d'Alençon Ayant bien appris sa leçon Fit une fort belle harangue." Flanders now boasts how she had made two campaigns under Monsieur, as a cravat; another had learned the art of war under Turenne; a third was torn at the siege of Dunkirk. "Racontant des combats qu'ils ne virent jamais," one and all had figured at some siege or battle. "Qu'avons nous à redouter?" cries Dentelle d'Angleterre. No so, thinks Point de Gênes, "qui avoit le corps un peu gros." They all swear-- "Foy de Passement, Foy de Poincts et de Broderie, De Guipure et d'Orfévrerie, De Gueuse de toute façon," to declare open war, and to banish the Parliament. The Laces assemble at the fair of St. Germain, there to be reviewed by General Luxe.