THE POPE’S MULE 53

the musical instrument makers, the
songs of the embroiderers. Above all
this the chiming of the bells, and ever,
too, the rolling of the drums which
you could hear growling down below
near the bridge. For with us when
the people are happy they dance, they
will dance, and as, in those days, the
city streets were too narrow for danc-
ing the Farandol, the fifes and tabors
were posted on the bridge of Avignon
in the cool wind that blew off the
Rhone, and night and day there they
danced ; they kept on dancing... .
Oh, happy times! oh, happy city!
Halberds that hurt no one; dungeons
where the wine casks only were im-
prisoned; no famine, no war... .
This was how the Popes of Avignon
ruled their people; this was why their
people mourned their departure so
keenly.

There was one Pope in particular, a
good old fellow called Boniface... .