'De Guillaume-le-Conquérant
Chantons l'historiette;
Il nâquit cet illustre enfant
D'une simple amourette.
Le hazard fait souvent les grands:
Vive le fils d'Harlette!
Normands,
Vive le fils d'Harlette!'
'Fille d'un simple pelletier
Elle était gentilette:
Robert en galant chevalier,
Vint lui center fleurette;
L'amour égale tous les rangs:
Vive le fils d'Harlette!
Normands,
Vive le fils d'Harlette!'
Pausing in his song, the singer came scornfully up to me with one hand on his sword and the other on his moustache, saying,
'Pardieu—you saw one of the most inconstant of God's creatures pass this way?'
'To the point, monsieur,' said I, 'what do you mean?'
'A woman—you saw her?'
'Yes,' I replied, still barring the way with my sword.
'Pretty, and with a modest air which would have deceived the devil himself.'