"'_Pardieu!_' The Viscount knitted his brow. 'I am an enemy to waste, Master Tibbald, and against such destroyers of God's good gifts my justice does not sleep. Retire you now; my servants will lead you to a chamber where you may take some brief repose; and before daybreak we will set forth together to my Council-house a few miles down the river, where the councillors will be met early, having to answer some demands of the Holy See upon our river-tolls conveyed to us through my lord of Leseure. There I will see your business expedited, the money paid, and receipt made out.' "Tibbald thanked the Viscount and repaired to his room, whence, an hour or two later, the chamberlain summoned him with news that my lord was ready and desired his company. The night was dark yet, and down through Ambialet he was led to the self-same ferry-stage from which he had first put forth, my lord taking heed to approach it by another stairway. At the foot lay moored the Viscount's state barge, into which they stepped and cast off downstream. "So once more Master Tibbald voyaged around the great loop of the river, and, arriving yet once again at Ambialet--which he deemed by this time to be some leagues behind him--was met at the lower stage by a company of halberdiers, who escorted him, with his protector, to the great lighted Hall, wherein sat a dozen grave men around a great oaken table, all deep in business. "They rose together and made obeisance as the Viscount walked to his throne at the head of the table; and said he, seating himself-- "'Messieurs, I regret to break in upon your consultations, but an outrage has been committed in my town of Ambialet, demanding full and instant punishment. This merchant came with six hogsheads of excellent Rhone wine, which the citizens, after afflicting him with stripes, spilt at large upon the market-place. What fine shall we decree?' "Then said the eldest _prud'homme_:--'The answer, saving your lordship's grace, is simple. By our laws the payment must equal the market price of the wine. As for the stripes--' "'We need not consider them,' the Viscount interposed. 'Master Tibbald here will be satisfied with the fine, and engages--that being paid--to leave Ambialet by the way he came. Now, the wine, you say'--here he turned to Tibbald--'was worth four livres the hogshead?' "But here our merchant, perceiving his case to go so fairly, allowed the devil of avarice to tempt him. "'I said four livres to _you_, monseigneur, but the honest market price I could not set at less than five and a half.' "'Six times five and a half makes thirty-three. Very good, then, Master Tibbald: if you will pay the Council that sum, its secretary shall make you out a note of quittance.' "'But, my lord,' stammered poor Tibbald; 'my lord, I do not understand!'