"Only brutes of rustics send their guest to the devil when he is the son of their King," put in the Lion of Poitiers with a threatening air. "Is that the example in courtesy that you set to your men, Neroweg? It seems so, judging by the conduct of your steward, who is hastening now, when the banquet is hardly over, to carry away your gold and silver vessels out of fear, I suppose, lest we steal them." "My sons! My dear sons in Christ! Are you about to start quarreling anew? I order peace, my sons--in the name of heaven, keep the peace!" "Bishop, you are right to preach peace; these brave leudes who fear that I am interfering with their amusement did not understand me. I told the mountebank that I would not hinder him from earning his living." "Thanks again, thanks again, great King." "How much is your bear worth?" "He is priceless to me." "Whatever sum you may fix will be counted out to you, in case your bear is killed." The King's words were received by the acclamations of the Franks, and allayed the quarrel that was on the point of breaking out. Karadeucq, however, without rising from his knees, cried: "Great King, no sum can repay me for my bear; mercy, beg the count to desist from his project." "The dogs! Here are the dogs!" "In all my life I have not seen such mastiffs!" exclaimed Chram with admiration. "Count, if your whole pack is similarly fitted out, it will rival mine, which I considered matchless." "What flanks! What enormous paws! Ha, Chram, if you only heard their voices, the bellowing of a bull is like the song of a nightingale beside their barking when they are on the tracks of a wild boar. I am justly proud of my dogs." "I wager that one of them will be enough to kill the bear as truly as my name is Spatachair." "Come, tie the bear to one of the beams, old mountebank, and let us begin." "I told you, if your beast is killed, I shall pay whatever sum you may say, royally and without chaffering." "Illustrious King, have pity on a poor man." "Enough, enough--chain up the bear to one of the beams, and be done." "Seigneur bishop, in the name of your blessed hand which you give me to kiss, be charitable towards my poor animal." "Is he perchance a Christian that I should exercise charity towards him? Oh, mountebank, mountebank, had you not shown yourself a minute ago to be a pious man, I would consider this last request an outrage." To insist any longer would have been to risk losing everything. Karadeucq understood this, and addressing himself to Chram, said: "Glorious King, let your will be done; but allow me to make one last request." "Hurry up." "The spectacle will only be a butchery; my bear being chained he will not be able to defend himself." "Would you perchance leave him loose, old idiot, and have him devour us!" "No, King; but if you would wish an amusement that would last some time, then at least equalize the forces; permit me to arm my bear with a club." "Has he not his nails?"