The image, instead of standing in the centre of the church, where, upon all former occasions, it had been accustomed during the week succeeding the ceremony to receive congratulatory, visits, was now ignominiously placed behind an iron railing within the choir.

It had been deemed imprudent to leave it exposed to sacrilegious hands.

The precaution excited derision.

Many vagabonds of dangerous appearance, many idle apprentices and ragged urchins were hanging for a long time about the imprisoned image, peeping through the railings, and indulging in many a brutal jest.

"Mayken! Mayken!" they cried; "art thou terrified so soon?
Hast flown to thy nest so early?
Dost think thyself beyond the reach of mischief?
Beware, Mayken! thine hour is fast approaching!" Others thronged around the balustrade, shouting "Vivent les gueux!" and hoarsely commanding the image to join in the beggars' cry.