Tourangian　mind；a　mind　polished　and　refined　as　it　should　be　in　a
  land　where　the　kings　of　France　long　held　their　court；　ardent；
  artistic；　poetic；　voluptuous；　yet　whose　first　impulses　subside
  quickly。　The　softness　of　the　atmosphere；　the　beauty　of　the　climate；　a
  certain　ease　of　life　and　joviality　of　manners；　smother　before　long　the
  sentiment　of　art；　narrow　the　widest　heart；　and　enervate　the　strongest
  will。　Transplant　the　Tourangian；　and　his　fine　qualities　develop　and
  lead　to　great　results；　as　we　may　see　in　many　spheres　of　action：　look
  at　Rabelais　and　Semblancay；　Plantin　the　printer　and　Descartes；
  Boucicault；　the　Napoleon　of　his　day；　and　Pinaigrier；　who　painted　most
  of　the　colored　glass　in　our　cathedrals；　also　Verville　and　Courier。　But
  the　Tourangian；　distinguished　though　he　may　be　in　other　regions；　sits
  in　his　own　home　like　an　Indian　on　his　mat　or　a　Turk　on　his　divan。　He
  employs　his　wit　in　laughing　at　his　neighbor　and　in　making　merry　all
  his　days；　and　when　at　last　he　reaches　the　end　of　his　life；　he　is　still
  a　happy　man。　Touraine　is　like　the　Abbaye　of　Theleme；　so　vaunted　in　the
  history　of　Gargantua。　There　we　may　find　the　complying　sisterhoods　of
  that　famous　tale；　and　there　the　good　cheer　celebrated　by　Rabelais
  reigns　in　glory。
  As　to　the　do…nothingness　of　that　blessed　land　it　is　sublime　and　well
  expressed　in　a　certain　popular　legend：　〃Tourangian；　are　you　hungry；　do
  you　want　some　soup？〃　〃Yes。〃　〃Bring　your　porringer。〃　〃Then　I　am　not
  hungry。〃　Is　it　to　the　joys　of　the　vineyard　and　the　harmonious
  loveliness　of　this　garden　land　of　France；　is　it　to　the　peace　and
  tranquillity　of　a　region　where　the　step　of　an　invader　has　never
  trodden；　that　we　owe　the　soft　compliance　of　these　unconstrained　and
  easy　manners？　To　such　questions　no　answer。　Enter　this　Turkey　of　sunny
  France；　and　you　will　stay　there；lazy；　idle；　happy。　You　may　be　as
  ambitious　as　Napoleon；　as　poetic　as　Lord　Byron；　and　yet　a　power
  unknown；　invisible；　will　compel　you　to　bury　your　poetry　within　your
  soul　and　turn　your　projects　into　dreams。
  The　illustrious　Gaudissart　was　fated　to　encounter　here　in　Vouvray　one
  of　those　indigenous　jesters　whose　jests　are　not　intolerable　solely
  because　they　have　reached　the　perfection　of　the　mocking　art。　Right　or
  wrong；　the　Tourangians　are　fond　of　inheriting　from　their　parents。
  Consequently　the　doctrines　of　Saint…Simon　were　especially　hated　and
  villified　among　them。　In　Touraine　hatred　and　villification　take　the
  form　of　superb　disdain　and　witty　maliciousness　worthy　of　the　land　of
  good　stories　and　practical　jokes；a　spirit　which；　alas！　is　yielding；
  day　by　day；　to　that　other　spirit　which　Lord　Byron　has　characterized　as
  〃English　cant。〃
  For　his　sins；　after　getting　down　at　the　Soleil　d'Or；　an　inn　kept　by　a
  former　grenadier　of　the　imperial　guard　named　Mitouflet；　married　to　a
  rich　widow；　the　illustrious　traveller；　after　a　brief　consultation　with
  the　landlord；　betook　himself　to　the　knave　of　Vouvray；　the　jovial
  merry…maker；　the　comic　man　of　the　neighborhood；　compelled　by　fame　and
  nature　to　supply　the　town　with　merriment。　This　country　Figaro　was　once
  a　dyer；　and　now　possessed　about　seven　or　eight　thousand　francs　a　year；
  a　pretty　house　on　the　slope　of　the　hill；　a　plump　little　wife；　and
  robust　health。　For　ten　years　he　had　had　nothing　to　do　but　take　care　of
  his　wife　and　his　garden；　marry　his　daughter；　play　whist　in　the
  evenings；　keep　the　run　of　all　the　gossip　in　the　neighborhood；　meddle
  with　the　elections；　squabble　with　the　large　proprietors；　and　order
  good　dinners；　or　else　trot　along　the　embankment　to　find　out　what　was
  going　on　in　Tours；　torment　the　cure；　and　finally；　by　way　of　dramatic
  entertainment；　assist　at　the　sale　of　lands　in　the　neighborhood　of　his
  vineyards。　In　short；　he　led　the　true　Tourangian　life；the　life　of　a
  little　country…townsman。　He　was；　moreover；　an　important　member　of　the
  bourgeoisie；a　leader　among　the　small　proprietors；　all　of　them
  envious；　jealous；　delighted　to　catch　up　and　retail　gossip　and
  calumnies　against　the　aristocracy；　dragging　things　down　to　their　own
  level；　and　at　war　with　all　kinds　of　superiority；　which　they　deposited
  with　the　fine　composure　of　ignorance。　Monsieur　Verniersuch　was　the
  name　of　this　great　little　manwas　just　finishing　his　breakfast；　with
  his　wife　and　daughter　on　either　side　of　him；　when　Gaudissart　entered
  the　room　through　a　window　that　looked　out　on　the　Loire　and　the　Cher；
  and　lighted　one　of　the　gayest　dining…rooms　of　that　gay　land。
  〃Is　this　Monsieur　Vernier　himself？〃　said　the　traveller；　bending　his
  vertebral　column　with　such　grace　that　it　seemed　to　be　elastic。
  〃Yes；　Monsieur；〃　said　the　mischievous　ex…dyer；　with　a　scrutinizing
  look　which　took　in　the　style　of　man　he　had　to　deal　with。
  〃I　come；　Monsieur；〃　resumed　Gaudissart；　〃to　solicit　the　aid　of　your
  knowledge　and　insight　to　guide　my　efforts　in　this　district；　where
  Mitouflet　tells　me　you　have　the　greatest　influence。　Monsieur；　I　am
  sent　into　the　provinces　on　an　enterprise　of　the　utmost　importance；
  undertaken　by　bankers　who〃
  〃Who　mean　to　win　our　tricks；〃　said　Vernier；　long　used　to　the　ways　of
  commercial　travellers　and　to　their　periodical　visits。
  〃Precisely；〃　replied　Gaudissart；　with　native　impudence。　〃But　with　your
  fine　tact；　Monsieur；　you　must　be　aware　that　we　can't　win　tricks　from
  people　unless　it　is　their　interest　to　play　at　cards。　I　beg　you　not　to
  confound　me　with　the　vulgar　herd　of　travellers　who　succeed　by　humbug
  or　importunity。　I　am　no　longer　a　commercial　traveller。　I　was　one；　and
  I　glory　in　it；　but　to…day　my　mission　is　of　higher　importance；　and
  should　place　me；　in　the　minds　of　superior　people；　among　those　who
  devote　themselves　to　the　enlightenment　of　their　country。　The　most
  distinguished　bankers　in　Paris　take　part　in　this　affair；　not
  fictitiously；　as　in　some　shameful　speculations　which　I　call　rat…traps。
  No；　no；　nothing　of　the　kind！　I　should　never　condescendnever！to
  hawk　about　such　CATCH…FOOLS。　No；　Monsieur；　the　most　respectable　houses
  in　Paris　are　concerned　in　this　enterprise；　and　their　interests
  guarantee〃
  Hereupon　Gaudissart　drew　forth　his　whole　string　of　phrases；　and
  Monsieur　Vernier　let　him　go　the　length　of　his　tether；　listening　with
  apparent　interest　which　completely　deceived　him。　But　after　the　word
  〃guarantee〃　Vernier　paid　no　further　attention　to　our　traveller's
  rhetoric；　and　turned　over　in　his　mind　how　to　play　him　some　malicious
  trick　and　deliver　a　land；　justly　considered　half…savage　by　speculators
  unable　to　get　a　bite　of　it；　from　the　inroads　of　these　Parisian
  caterpillars。
  At　the　head　of　an　enchanting　valley；　called　the　Valley　Coquette
  because　of　its　windings　and　the　curves　which　return　upon　each　other　at
  every　step；　and　seem　more　and　more　lovely　as　we　advance；　whether　we
  ascend　or　descend　them；　there　lived；　in　a　little　house　surrounded　by
  vineyards；　a　half…insane　man　named　Margaritis。　He　was　of　Italian
  origin；　married；　but　childless；　and　his　wife　took　care　of　him　with　a
  courage　fully　appreciated　by　the　neighborhood。　Madame　Margaritis　was
  undoubtedly　in　real　danger　from　a　man　who；　among　other　fancies；
  persisted　in　carrying　about　with　him　two　long…bladed　knives　with　which
  he　sometimes　threatened　her。　Who　has　not　seen　the　wonderful　self…
  devotion　shown　by　provincials　who　consecrate　their　lives　to　the　care
  of　sufferers；　possibly　because　of　the　disgrace　heaped　upon　a
  bourgeoise　if　she　allows　her　husband　or　children　to　be　taken　to　a
  public　hospital？　Moreover；　who　does　not　know　the　repugnance　which
  these　people　feel　to　the　payment　of　the　two　or　three　thousand　francs
  required　at　Charenton　or　in　the　private　lunatic　asylums？　If　any　one
  had　spoken　to　Madame　Margaritis　of　Doctors　Dubuisson；　Esquirol；
  Blanche；　and　others；　she　would　have　preferred；　with　noble　indignation；
  to　keep　her　thousands　and　take　care　of　the　〃good…man〃　at　home。
  As　the　incomprehensible　whims　of　this　lunatic　are　connected　with　the
  current　of　our　story；　we　are　compelled　to　exhibit　the　most　striking　of
  them。　Margaritis　went　out　as　soon　as　it　rained；　and　walked　about　bare…
  headed　in　his　vineyard。　At　home　he　made　incessant　inquiries　for
  newspapers；　to　satisfy　him　his　wife　and　the　maid…servant　used　to　give
  him　an　old　journal　called　the　〃Indre…et…Loire；〃　and　for　seven　years　he
  had　never　yet　perceived　that　he　was　reading　the　same　number　over　and
  over　again。　Perhaps　a　doctor　would　have　observed　with　interest　the
  connection　that　evidently　existed　between　the　recurring　and　spasmodic
  demands　for　the　newspaper　and　the　atmospheric　variations　of　the
  weather。
  Usually　when　his　wife　had　company；　which　happened　nearly　every
  evening；　for　the　neighbors；　pitying　her　situation；　would　frequently
  come　to　play　at　boston　in　her　salon；　Margaritis　remained　silent　in　a
  corner　and　never　stirred。　But　the　moment　ten　o'clock　began　to　strike
  on　a　clock　which　he　kept　shut　up　in　a　large　oblong　closet；　he　rose　at
  the　stroke　with　the　mechanical　precision　of　the　figures　which　are　made
  to　move　by　springs　i