"You have a handsome helmet there, Brother Borromée," said he; "where did you buy it, my dear prior?"
Gorenflot could not reply, for at that moment they were fastening a magnificent cuirass upon him, which, although spacious enough to have covered Hercules, Farnese constrained wofully the undulations of the flesh of the worthy prior, who was crying:
"Not so tight! I shall stifle; stop!"
But Borromée replied, "It made part of a lot of armor that the reverend prior bought yesterday to arm the convent."
"I!" said Gorenflot.
"Yes; do you not remember that they brought several cuirasses and casques here, according to your reverence's orders?"
"It is true," said Gorenflot.
"Ventre de biche!" thought Chicot; "my helmet is much attached to me, for, after having taken it myself to the Hotel Guise, it comes here to meet me again."
At a sign from Borromée, the monks now formed into lines, while Chicot sat down on a bench to look on.
Gorenflot stood up. "Attention," whispered Borromée to him.