56 STORIES FROM DAUDET

took to her with his own hands, in spite
of his cardinals’ remarks. It must be
granted that the animal well deserved
it. She was a beautiful black mule,
dappled with red, sure-footed, with a
satin coat, with large hind-quarters, and
a little delicate head, which she carried
proudly, adorned with tassels, ribbons,
silver bells, and bows; with all this as
mild as an angel, with soft eyes, and
two long ears which she kept shaking
in a good-tempered manner... . All
Avignon honoured her, and when she
passed through the street there was no
end to the attentions they showed her ;
for every one knew that this was the
way to get on at court. The Pope’s
mule had made more than one man’s
fortune, and to prove it there was
Tistet Védéne and his wonderful
adventure.

This Tistet Védéne was originally an
impudent scamp, whom his father Guy
Védene, the goldsmith, was obliged
to turn out of his house, because