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performances of the Knights of Idleness。
About eight o'clock the next morning； Flore； wearing a dressing…gown
of some pretty cotton stuff with narrow pink stripes； a lace cap on
her head； and her feet in furred slippers； softly opened the door of
Max's chamber； seeing that he slept； she remained standing beside the
bed。
〃He came in so late！〃 she said to herself。 〃It was half…past three。 He
must have a good constitution to stand such amusements。 Isn't he
strong； the dear love！ I wonder what they did last night。〃
〃Oh； there you are； my little Flore！〃 said Max； waking like a soldier
trained by the necessities of war to have his wits and his self…
possession about him the instant that he waked； however suddenly it
might happen。
〃You are sleepy； I'll go away。〃
〃No； stay； there's something serious going on。〃
〃Were you up to some mischief last night？〃
〃Ah； bah！ It concerns you and me and that old fool。 You never told me
he had a family！ Well； his family are coming；coming here；no doubt
to turn us out； neck and crop。〃
〃Ah！ I'll shake him well；〃 said Flore。
〃Mademoiselle Brazier；〃 said Max gravely； 〃things are too serious for
giddiness。 Send me my coffee； I'll take it in bed； where I'll think
over what we had better do。 Come back at nine o'clock； and we'll talk
about it。 Meanwhile； behave as if you had heard nothing。〃
Frightened at the news； Flore left Max and went to make his coffee；
but a quarter of an hour later； Baruch burst into Max's bedroom；
crying out to the grand master；
〃Fario is hunting for his barrow！〃
In five minutes Max was dressed and in the street； and though he
sauntered along with apparent indifference； he soon reached the foot
of the tower embankment； where he found quite a collection of people。
〃What is it？〃 asked Max； making his way through the crowd and reaching
the Spaniard。
Fario was a withered little man； as ugly as though he were a blue…
blooded grandee。 His fiery eyes； placed very close to his nose and
piercing as a gimlet； would have won him the name of a sorcerer in
Naples。 He seemed gentle because he was calm； quiet； and slow in his
movements； and for this reason people commonly called him 〃goodman
Fario。〃 But his skinthe color of gingerbreadand his softness of
manner only hid from stupid eyes； and disclosed to observing ones； the
half…Moorish nature of a peasant of Granada； which nothing had as yet
roused from its phlegmatic indolence。
〃Are you sure；〃 Max said to him； after listening to his grievance；
〃that you brought your cart to this place？ for； thank God； there are
no thieves in Issoudun。〃
〃I left it just there〃
〃If the horse was harnessed to it； hasn't he drawn it somewhere。〃
〃Here's the horse；〃 said Fario； pointing to the animal； which stood
harnessed thirty feet away。
Max went gravely up to the place where the horse stood； because from
there the bottom of the tower at the top of the embankment could be
seen；the crowd being at the foot of the mound。 Everybody followed
Max； and that was what the scoundrel wanted。
〃Has anybody thoughtlessly put a cart in his pocket？〃 cried Francois。
〃Turn out your pockets； all of you！〃 said Baruch。
Shouts of laughter resounded on all sides。 Fario swore。 Oaths； with a
Spaniard； denote the highest pitch of anger。
〃Was your cart light？〃 asked Max。
〃Light！〃 cried Fario。 〃If those who laugh at me had it on their feet；
their corns would never hurt them again。〃
〃Well； it must be devilishly light；〃 answered Max； 〃for look there！〃
pointing to the foot of the tower； 〃it has flown up the embankment。〃
At these words all eyes were lifted to the spot； and for a moment
there was a perfect uproar in the market…place。 Each man pointed at
the barrow bewitched； and all their tongues wagged。
〃The devil makes common cause with the inn…keepers；〃 said Goddet to
the astonished Spaniard。 〃He means to teach you not to leave your cart
about in the streets； but to put it in the tavern stables。〃
At this speech the crowd hooted； for Fario was thought to be a miser。
〃Come； my good fellow；〃 said Max； 〃don't lose heart。 We'll go up to
the tower and see how your barrow got there。 Thunder and cannon！ we'll
lend you a hand！ Come along； Baruch。〃
〃As for you；〃 he whispered to Francois； 〃get the people to stand back；
and make sure there is nobody at the foot of the embankment when you
see us at the top。〃
Fario； Max； Baruch； and three other knights climbed to the foot of the
tower。 During the rather perilous ascent Max and Fario noticed that no
damage to the embankment； nor even trace of the passage of the barrow；
could be seen。 Fario began to imagine witchcraft； and lost his head。
When they reached the top and examined into the matter； it really
seemed a thing impossible that the cart had got there。
〃How shall I ever get it down？〃 said the Spaniard； whose little eyes
began for the first time to show fear； while his swarthy yellow face；
which seemed as it if could never change color； whitened。
〃How？〃 said Max。 〃Why； that's not difficult。〃
And taking advantage of the Spaniard's stupefaction； he raised the
barrow by the shafts with his robust arms and prepared to fling it
down； calling in thundering tones as it left his grasp； 〃Look out
there； below！〃
No accident happened； for the crowd； persuaded by Francois and eaten
up with curiosity； had retired to a distance from which they could see
more clearly what went on at the top of the embankment。 The cart was
dashed to an infinite number of pieces in a very picturesque manner。
〃There！ you have got it down；〃 said Baruch。
〃Ah； brigands！ ah； scoundrels！〃 cried Fario； 〃perhaps it was you who
brought it up here！〃
Max； Baruch； and their three comrades began to laugh at the Spaniard's
rage。
〃I wanted to do you a service；〃 said Max coolly； 〃and in handling the
damned thing I came very near flinging myself after it； and this is
how you thank me； is it？ What country do you come from？〃
〃I come from a country where they never forgive；〃 replied Fario；
trembling with rage。 〃My cart will be the cab in which you shall drive
to the devil！unless；〃 he said； suddenly becoming as meek as a lamb；
〃you will give me a new one。〃
〃We will talk about that；〃 said Max； beginning to descend。
When they reached the bottom and met the first hilarious group； Max
took Fario by the button of his jacket and said to him；
〃Yes； my good Fario； I'll give you a magnificent cart； if you will
give me two hundred and fifty francs； but I won't warrant it to go；
like this one； up a tower。〃
At this last jest Fario became as cool as though he were making a
bargain。
〃Damn it！〃 he said； 〃give me the wherewithal to replace my barrow； and
it will be the best use you ever made of old Rouget's money。〃
Max turned livid； he raised his formidable fist to strike Fario； but
Baruch； who knew that the blow would descend on others besides the
Spaniard； plucked the latter away like a feather and whispered to
Max；
〃Don't commit such a folly！〃
The grand master； thus called to order； began to laugh and said to
Fario；
〃If I； by accident； broke your barrow； and you in return try to
slander me； we are quits。〃
〃Not yet；〃 muttered Fario。 〃But I am glad to know what my barrow was
worth。〃
〃Ah； Max； you've found your match！〃 said a spectator of the scene； who
did not belong to the Order of Idleness。
〃Adieu； Monsieur Gilet。 I haven't thanked you yet for lending me a
hand；〃 cried the Spaniard； as he kicked the sides of his horse and
disappeared amid loud hurrahs。
〃We will keep the tires of the wheels for you；〃 shouted a wheelwright；
who had come to inspect the damage done to the cart。
One of the shafts was sticking upright in the ground； as straight as a
tree。 Max stood by； pale and thoughtful； and deeply annoyed by Fario's
speech。 For