Whilst, however, the horses were climbing the steep
acclivity which leads from the river to the castle, several
shop-boys approached the last horse, from whose saddle-bow a
number of birds were suspended by the beak.

On seeing this, the inquisitive youths manifested with
rustic freedom their contempt for such paltry sport, and,
after a dissertation among themselves upon the disadvantages
of hawking, they returned to their occupations; one only of
the curious party, a stout, stubby, cheerful lad, having
demanded how it was that Monsieur, who, from his great
revenues, had it in his power to amuse himself so much
better, could be satisfied with such mean diversions.

"Do you not know," one of the standers-by replied, "that
Monsieur's principal amusement is to weary himself?"

The light-hearted boy shrugged his shoulders with a gesture
which said as clear as day: "In that case I would rather be
plain Jack than a prince." And all resumed their labors.

In the meanwhile, Monsieur continued his route with an air
at once so melancholy and so majestic, that he certainly
would have attracted the attention of spectators, if
spectators there had been; but the good citizens of Blois
could not pardon Monsieur for having chosen their gay city
for an abode in which to indulge melancholy at his ease, and
as often as they caught a glimpse of the illustrious ennuye,
they stole away gaping, or drew back their heads into the
interior of their dwellings, to escape the soporific