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Literature 
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 Chrift and his twelve apoliles, but the myitery was foon cleared up, and 
 they were treated by the patriarch with great hofpitality during four 
 months. They then continued their progrels till they reached Conftanti- 
 nople, where they were equally well received by the the emperor Hugo. 
At night the emperor placed his gueits in a chamber furnifhed with 
 thirteen fplendid beds, one in the middle of the room, and the other 
 twelve diftributed around it, and illuminated by a large carbuncle, which 
 gave a light as bright as that of day. When Hugh left them in their 
 quarters for the night, he fent them wine and whatever was neceffary to 
 make them comfortable; and, when alone, they proceeded to amufe 
 themfelves with gabs, or jokes, each being expected to fay his joke in his 
turn. Charlemagne took the lead, and boaited that if the emperor Hugh 
would place before him his Itrongeft "bachelor," in fhll armour, and 
mounted on his good freed, he would, with one blow of his fword, cut 
I him through from the head downwards, and through the faddle and 
horfe, and that the fword fhould, after all this, fink i11to the ground to 
 the handle. Charlemagne then called upon Roland for his gab, who 
boatted that his'breath was fo itrong, that if the emperor Hugh would 
lend him his horn, he would take it out into the fields and blow it with 
fuch force, that the wind and noite of it would fhake down the whole 
city of Conftantinople. Oliver, whofe turn came next, boalted of exploits 
of another defcription if he were left alone with the beautiful princefs, 
Hugh's daughter. The reit of the peers indulged in {imilar boaits, and 
when the gal-s had gone round, they went to fleep. Now the emperor 
of Conttantinople had very cunningly, and rather treacheroufly, made a 
 hole through the wall, by which all that paifed infide could be feen and 
 heard, and he had placed a fpy on the outtide, who gave a full account 
 of the converfation of the diflinguithed guefts to his imperial mailer. 
Next morning Hugh called his guefls before him, told them what he had 
) heard by his fpy, and declared that each of them {hould perform his boatt, 
or, if he failed, be put to death. Charlemagne expottulated, and repre- 
 fented that it was the cuttom in France when people retired for the night 
to arnufe themfelves in that manner. " Such is the cufiom in France," 
 he faid, " at Paris, and at Chartres, when the French are in bed they 
 D D amufe 
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