As for Léodgard, thoroughly ashamed of his discomfiture, he stood as if stupefied, and could only mutter:
"Beaten! beaten by that Giovanni!—Ah! I will have my revenge!"
III
THE BATH KEEPERS
In the days of royal licenses, when the grocers and apothecaries formed but a single guild, it was the same with the barbers and surgeons.
In the year 1620, forty-eight patents had been granted to barbiers-baigneurs-étuvistes, who were perruquiers following the court. Later, their number was largely increased.
The right to keep hot or cold baths was specially attached to the guild of master perruquiers.
A fashionable bathing establishment, with both hot and cold baths, stood on Rue Saint-Jacques, near the corner of Rue des Mathurins. From a long distance one could see its basins, painted a light blue as the ordinance required; and over the door were these words in huge letters:
BEARDS PROPERLY SHAVED WITHIN; HOT AND COLD BATHS
At this time the price of a bath varied from six to twelve livres [francs]; and when we consider that a livre then was worth almost three times as much as to-day, we must agree that there is a vast difference between that price and the price in our modern bathing establishments, where one obtains five tickets for three francs. The result is a great improvement in respect to health and cleanliness, for everybody cannot go to the river to bathe.
What did the poor people do in those days; for six livres was an enormous sum to them?