THE HEMP-BEATER. Then you have been as far as Sainte-Solange? THE GRAVE-DIGGER. We have been to Sainte-Solange, for sure; but we have been farther still. THE HEMP-BEATER. You lie; you have never been as far as Sainte-Solange. THE GRAVE-DIGGER. We have been farther, for we have just returned from Saint-Jacques de Compostelle. THE HEMP-BEATER. What foolish tale are you telling us? We don't know that parish. We see plainly enough that you are bad men, brigands, _nobodies_, liars. Go somewhere else and sing your silly songs; we are on our guard, and you won't get in here. THE GRAVE-DIGGER. Alas! my dear man, have pity on us! We are not pilgrims, as you have rightly guessed; but we are unfortunate poachers pursued by the keepers. The gendarmes are after us, too, and, if you don't let us hide in your hay-loft, we shall be caught and taken to prison. THE HEMP-BEATER. But what proof have we this time that you are what you say? for here is one falsehood already that you could not follow up. THE GRAVE-DIGGER. If you will open the door, we will show you a fine piece of game we have killed. THE HEMP-BEATER. Show it now, for we are suspicious. THE GRAVE-DIGGER. Well, open a door or a window, so that we can pass in the creature. THE HEMP-BEATER. Oh! nay, nay! not such fools! I'm looking at you through a little hole, and I see neither hunters nor game. At that point, a drover's boy, a thick-set youth of herculean strength, came forth from the group in which he had been standing unnoticed, and held up toward the window a goose all plucked and impaled on a stout iron spit, decorated with bunches of straw and ribbons. "Hoity-toity!" cried the hemp-beater, after he had cautiously put out an arm to feel the bird; "that's not a quail or a partridge, a hare or a rabbit; it looks like a goose or a turkey. Upon my word, you are noble hunters! and that game did not make you ride very fast. Go elsewhere, my knaves! all your falsehoods are detected, and you may as well go home and cook your supper. You won't eat ours." THE GRAVE-DIGGER. Alas! _mon Dieu_! where shall we go to have our game cooked? it's very little among so many of us; and, besides, we have no fire nor place to go to. At this time of night, every door is closed, everybody has gone to bed; you are the only ones who are having a wedding-feast in your house, and you must be very hardhearted to leave us to freeze outside. Once more, good people, let us in; we won't cause you any expense. You see we bring our own food; only a little space at your fireside, a little fire to cook it, and we will go hence satisfied. THE HEMP-BEATER. Do you think that we have any too much room, and that wood costs nothing? THE GRAVE-DIGGER. We have a little bundle of straw to make a fire with, we will be satisfied with it; only give us leave to place the spit across your fire-place. THE HEMP-BEATER.