You must know how gladly I would put before you a sumptuous meal if I could; and what we can give you will at least, as my good Pierre says, satisfy hunger, though it may not gratify the palate.

And let me now say that your frank and cordial words touch me deeply, and find an echo in my inmost heart.

I am both proud and happy to call you my friend--henceforth you will not have one more loyal and devoted than myself--and though you may not often have need of my services, they will be, none the less, always at your disposition.

Halloa! Pierre! do you go, without a moment's delay, and hunt up some fowls, eggs, meat, whatever you can find, and try to serve a substantial meal to this gentleman, my friend, who is nearly dying with hunger, and is not used to it like you and I." Pierre put in his pocket some of the money his master had sent him from Paris--which he had never touched before--mounted the pony, and galloped off to the nearest village in search of provisions.

He found several fowls--such as they were--a splendid Bayonne ham, a few bottles of fine old wine, and by great good luck, discovered, at the priest's house, a grand big pate of ducks' livers--a delicacy worthy of a bishop's or a prince's table--and which he had much difficulty to obtain from his reverence, who was a bit of a gourmand, at an almost fabulous price.