"You know very well that it begins with foot races in the garden. Go and walk there with the ladies, monseigneur."
But the ladies were tired by their ride and did not care to walk. Moreover, they were impatient to witness the sports. François ran to assist Férulus to pull the blind man out from under the bench. At last the music struck up, and six tall Auvergnats, nude from the head to the waist, appeared in the arena arranged in the middle of the courtyard. The ladies started in surprise at sight of the singular costume of the combatants; Madame de Hautmont had another slight attack of faintness; but Monsieur Férulus, who had ascended the stoop, cried:
"Gymnastic sports after the pattern of those of Greece and Rome."
"Mesdames," said Robineau, "it is after the pattern of the ancients; consequently there is nothing to offend your delicacy."
"To be sure, it is a tournament!" said Monsieur de la Pincerie.
"Precisely, a Greek and Roman tournament."
"A tournament!" said Uncle Mignon, standing on tiptoe. "Oho! the deuce! Then these half-naked fellows are knights! I understand, I understand."
"I am strongly inclined to request some guaranty for the rest of their bodies," observed Monsieur Berlingue to one of his neighbors, while Madame Gérard, gazing at the six Auvergnats with all her eyes, exclaimed:
"Those fellows are well-built! Monsieur Gérard, you ought to appear as a gladiator some time; you would be superb."
Férulus gave the signal by striking the rail with a stick and calling: