This particular sign was imported from France, where the _calembour_ sign flourished. Some even say that the punning sign became popular in England only “after Edward ye 3 had conquered France.” The French have two interpretations of the “Labor in Vain”: one corresponds with the English version; the other, “Au temps perdu,” represents a schoolmaster teaching an ass. As counterpart we find “Le temps gagné,” a peasant carrying his donkey. The French _calembours_ were decidedly less reverential than the English punning signs. Neither religion nor good morals are sacred to the Gallic wag, who is allowed to say anything if he understands how to turn it gracefully. “Le Signe de la croix” is depicted by a swan (_cygne_) and a cross, and even the tragic scene of Jesus taken prisoner in the Garden of Gethsemane--_le juste pris_--is turned into the shameless words, “Au juste prix,” to advertise the cheapness of drinks and victuals. More innocent is the distortion of the “Lion d’or” into the undeniable truth, “Au lit on dort,” or the inscription on a white-horse sign: “Ici on loge à pied et à cheval.” The temptation to use such _calembours_ no trader could resist. A corset-maker praised his goods thus: “Je soutiens les faibles, je comprime les forts, je ramène les égarés.” We shall see in the following chapter how such pointed jokes and blasphemies roused the righteous indignation of the honorable and pious citizens and increased the enemies of the sign, who finally gave it the _coup de grâce_. CHAPTER XII THE ENEMIES OF THE SIGN AND ITS END [Illustration: Cavallo Bianco, Borgo San Dalmazzo, Italy] CHAPTER XII THE ENEMIES OF THE SIGN AND ITS END “Ne songez pas même à réformer les enseignes d’une ville!”