The Tales of the Heptameron, Vol. V | Page 6

that such as are humble, and low, and of little reach, like myself,
are filled with the wisdom of angels."
"I protest to you," said Oisille, "that I am not far from your opinion, for
none is more ignorant than he who thinks he knows."
"I have never seen a mocker," said Geburon, "that was not mocked, a
deceiver that was not deceived, or a boaster that was not humbled."
"You remind me," said Simontault, "of a deceit which, had it been of a
seemly sort, I would willingly have related."
"Well," said Oisille, "since we are here to utter truth, I give you my
vote that you may tell it to us whatsoever its nature may be."
"Since you give place to me," said Simontault, "I will tell it you."
[Illustration: 014.jpg Tailpiece]
[Illustration: 015a.jpg The Gentleman and his Friend annoyed by The
Smell of that which they Thought was Sugar]
[The Gentleman and his Friend annoyed by The Smell of that which
they Thought was Sugar]
[Illustration: 015.jpg Page Image]

TALE LII.
_An apothecary s man, espying behind him an advocate who was to
plague him, and on whom he desired to be revenged, dropped from his
sleeve a lump of frozen ordure, wrapped in paper like a sugar-loaf,
which a gentleman who was with the advocate picked up and hid in his
bosom, and then went to breakfast at a tavern, whence he came forth
with all the cost and shame that he had thought to bring upon the poor

varlet_.
Near the town of Alençon there lived a gentleman called the Lord of La
Tireliere, who one morning came from his house to the town afoot,
both because the distance was not great and because it was freezing
hard. (1) When he had done his business, he sought out a crony of his,
an advocate named Anthony Bacheré, and, after speaking with him of
his affairs, he told him that he should much like to meet with a good
breakfast, but at somebody else's expense. While thus discussing, they
sat themselves down in front of an apothecary's shop, where there was
a varlet who listened to them, and who forthwith resolved to give them
their breakfast.
1 The phraseology of this story varies considerably in the different
MSS. of the Heptameron. In No. 1520, for instance, the tale begins as
follows: "In the town of Alençon, in the time of the last Duke Charles,
there was an advocate, a merry companion, fond of breakfasting o'
mornings. One day, whilst he sat at his door, he saw pass a gentleman
called the Lord of La Tilleriere, who, by reason of the extreme cold,
had come on foot from his house to the town in order to attend to
certain business there, and in doing so had not forgotten to put on his
great robe, lined with fox-skin. And when he saw the advocate, who
was much such a man as himself, he told him that he had completed his
business, and had nothing further to do, except it were to find a good
breakfast. The advocate made answer that they could find breakfasts
enough and to spare, provided they had some one to defray the cost,
and, taking the other under the arm, he said to him, 'Come, gossip, we
may perhaps find some fool who will pay the reckoning for us both.'
Now behind them was an apothecary's man, an artful and inventive
fellow, whom this advocate was always plaguing," &c.--L.
He went out from his shop into a street whither all repaired on needful
occasions, (2) and there found a large lump of ordure standing on end,
and so well frozen that it looked like a small loaf of fine sugar.
Forthwith he wrapped it in handsome white paper, in the manner he
was wont to use for the attraction of customers, and hid it in his sleeve.
2 In olden time, as shown in the _Mémoires de l'Académie de Troyes_,

there were in most French towns streets specially set aside for the
purpose referred to. At Alençon, in Queen Margaret's time, there was a
street called the Rue des Fumiers, as appears from a report dated March
8, 1564 (Archives of the Orne, Series A). Probably it is to this street
that she alludes. (Communicated by M. L. Duval, archivist of the
department of the Orne).--M.
Afterwards he came and passed in front of the gentleman and the
advocate, and, letting the sugar-loaf (3) fall near them, as if by
mischance, went into a house whither he had pretended to be carrying
it.
The Lord of La Tirelière (4) hastened back with all speed to pick up
what he thought to be a sugar-loaf, and just as he had done so the
apothecary's man also