CHAPTER XXIX.
HOW BROTHER GORENFLOT CHANGED HIS ASS FOR A MULE, AND HIS MULEFOR A HORSE.
However, Gorenflot's troubles were near their end for that day,for after the detour they went on a mile, and then stopped at arival hotel. Chicot took a room which looked on to the high-road,and ordered supper. But even while he was eating he was constantlyon the watch. However, at ten o'clock, as he had seen nothing,he went to bed, first, however, ordering that the horse and theass should be ready at daybreak.
"At daybreak?" uttered Gorenflot, with a deep sigh.
"Yes; you must be used to getting up at that time."
"Why so?"
"For matins."
"I had an exemption from the superior." Chicot ordered Gorenflot'sbed to be placed in his room. With daylight he was up and at thewindow, and before very long he saw three mules coming along.He ran to Gorenflot and shook him.
"Can I not have a moment's rest?" cried the monk, who had beensleeping for ten hours.
"Be quick; get up and dress, for we are going."
"But the breakfast?"
"Is on the road to Monterau."
"Where is Monterau?"
"It is the city where we breakfast, that is enough for you. Now,I am going down to pay the bill, and if you are not ready infive minutes, I go without you."
A monk's toilet takes not long; however, Gorenflot took six minutes,and when he came down Chicot was starting. This day passed muchlike the former one, and by the third, Gorenflot was beginningto get accustomed to it, when towards the evening, Chicot lostall his gaiety. Since noon he had seen nothing of the threetravelers; therefore he was in a very bad humor. They were offat daybreak and galloped till noon, but all in vain; no muleswere visible. Chicot stopped at a turnpike, and asked the manif he had seen three travelers pass on mules.
"Not to-day," was the reply, "yesterday evening about seven."
"What were they like?"
"They looked like a master and two servants!"
"It was them," said Chicot; "ventre de biche! they have twelvehours' start of me. But courage!"
"Listen, M. Chicot!" said Gorenflot, "my ass can do no more,even your horse is almost exhausted." Chicot looked, and saw,indeed, that the poor animals were trembling from head to foot.
"Well! brother," said he, "we must take a resolution. You mustleave me."
"Leave you; why?"
"You go too slow."
"Slow! why, we have galloped for five hours this morning."
"That is not enough."
"Well, then, let us go on; the quicker we go, the sooner we shallarrive, for I suppose we shall stop at last."
"But our animals are exhausted."
"What shall we do then?"
"Leave them here, and take them as we come back."
"Then how are we to proceed?"
"We will buy mules."
"Very well," said Gorenflot with a sigh. Two mules were soonfound, and they went so well that in the evening Chicot saw withjoy those of the three travelers, standing at the door of afarrier's. But they were without harness, and both master andlackeys had disappeared. Chicot trembled. "Go," said he, toGorenflot, "and ask if those mules are for sale, and where theirowners are." Gorenflot went, and soon returned, saying that agentleman had sold them, and had afterwards taken the road toAvignon.
"Alone?"
"No, with a lackey."
"And where is the other lackey?"
"He went towards Lyons."
"And how did they go on?"
"On horses which they bought."
"Of whom?"
"Of a captain of troopers who was here, and they sold their mulesto a dealer, who is trying to sell them again to those Franciscanmonks whom you see there."
"Well, take our two mules and go and offer them to the monks instead;they ought to give you the preference."
"But, then, how shall we go on?"
"On horseback, morbleu."
"Diable!"
"Oh! a good rider like you. You will find me again on the GrandPlace." Chicot was bargaining for some horses, when he saw themonk reappear, carrying the saddles and bridles of the mules.
"Oh! you have kept the harness?"
"Yes."
"And sold the mules?"
"For ten pistoles each."
"Which they paid you?"
"Here is the money."
"Ventre de biche! you are a great man, let us go on."
"But I am thirsty."
"Well, drink while I saddle the beasts, but not too much."
"A bottle."
"Very well."
Gorenflot drank two, and came to give the rest of the money backto Chicot, who felt half inclined to give it to him, but reflectingthat if Gorenflot had money he would no longer be obedient, herefrained. They rode on, and the next evening Chicot came upwith Nicolas David, still disguised as a lackey, and kept him insight all the way to Lyons, whose gates they all three enteredon the eighth day after their departure from Paris.