al　party　in　the　neighbourhood　　of　Fontainebleau。　　He　arose　from　the　table　and　took　his　son　aside；　　close　by　where　I　was　standing。　　'Listen；　listen；'　he　said；　bearing　　on　the　boy's　shoulder；　'and　remember　this；　my　son。'　　A　little　after　　he　went　out　into　the　garden　suddenly；　and　I　could　hear　him　sobbing　　in　the　darkness。
  The　humiliation　of　their　arms　and　the　loss　of　Alsace　and　Lorraine　　made　a　sore　pull　on　the　endurance　of　this　sensitive　people；　and　　their　hearts　are　still　hot；　not　so　much　against　Germany　as　against　　the　Empire。　　In　what　other　country　will　you　find　a　patriotic　ditty　　bring　all　the　world　into　the　street？　　But　affliction　heightens　　love；　and　we　shall　never　know　we　are　Englishmen　until　we　have　lost　　India。　　Independent　America　is　still　the　cross　of　my　existence；　I　　cannot　think　of　Farmer　George　without　abhorrence；　and　I　never　feel　　more　warmly　to　my　own　land　than　when　I　see　the　Stars　and　Stripes；　　and　remember　what　our　empire　might　have　been。
  The　hawker's　little　book；　which　I　purchased；　was　a　curious　mixture。　　　Side　by　side　with　the　flippant；　rowdy　nonsense　of　the　Paris　music…　halls；　there　were　many　pastoral　pieces；　not　without　a　touch　of　　poetry；　I　thought；　and　instinct　with　the　brave　independence　of　the　　poorer　class　in　France。　　There　you　might　read　how　the　wood…cutter　　gloried　in　his　axe；　and　the　gardener　scorned　to　be　ashamed　of　his　　spade。　　It　was　not　very　well　written；　this　poetry　of　labour；　but　　the　pluck　of　the　sentiment　redeemed　what　was　weak　or　wordy　in　the　　expression。　　The　martial　and　the　patriotic　pieces；　on　the　other　　hand；　were　tearful；　womanish　productions　one　and　all。　　The　poet　had　　passed　under　the　Caudine　Forks；　he　sang　for　an　army　visiting　the　　tomb　of　its　old　renown；　with　arms　reversed；　and　sang　not　of　　victory；　but　of　death。　　There　was　a　number　in　the　hawker's　　collection　called　'Conscrits　Francais；'　which　may　rank　among　the　　most　dissuasive　war…lyrics　on　record。　　It　would　not　be　possible　to　　fight　at　all　in　such　a　spirit。　　The　bravest　conscript　would　turn　　pale　if　such　a　ditty　were　struck　up　beside　him　on　the　morning　of　　battle；　and　whole　regiments　would　pile　their　arms　to　its　tune。
  If　Fletcher　of　Saltoun　is　in　the　right　about　the　influence　of　　national　songs；　you　would　say　France　was　come　to　a　poor　pass。　　But　　the　thing　will　work　its　own　cure；　and　a　sound…hearted　and　　courageous　people　weary　at　length　of　snivelling　over　their　　disasters。　　Already　Paul　Deroulede　has　written　some　manly　military　　verses。　　There　is　not　much　of　the　trumpet　note　in　them；　perhaps；　to　　stir　a　man's　heart　in　his　bosom；　they　lack　the　lyrical　elation；　and　　move　slowly；　but　they　are　written　in　a　grave；　honourable；　stoical　　spirit；　which　should　carry　soldiers　far　in　a　good　cause。　　One　feels　　as　if　one　would　like　to　trust　Deroulede　with　something。　　It　will　be　　happy　if　he　can　so　far　inoculate　his　fellow…countrymen　that　they　　may　be　trusted　with　their　own　future。　　And　in　the　meantime；　here　is　　an　antidote　to　'French　Conscripts'　and　much　other　doleful　　versification。
  We　had　left　the　boats　over…night　in　the　custody　of　one　whom　we　　shall　call　Carnival。　　I　did　not　properly　catch　his　name；　and　　perhaps　that　was　not　unfortunate　for　him；　as　I　am　not　in　a　position　　to　hand　him　down　with　honour　to　posterity。　　To　this　person's　　premises　we　strolled　in　the　course　of　the　day；　and　found　quite　a　　little　deputation　inspecting　the　canoes。　　There　was　a　stout　　gentleman　with　a　knowledge　of　the　river；　which　he　seemed　eager　to　　impart。　　There　was　a　very　elegant　young　gentleman　in　a　black　coat；　　with　a　smattering　of　English；　who　led　the　talk　at　once　to　the　　Oxford　and　Cambridge　Boat　Race。　　And　then　there　were　three　handsome　　girls　from　fifteen　to　twenty；　and　an　old　gentleman　in　a　blouse；　　with　no　teeth　to　speak　of；　and　a　strong　country　accent。　　Quite　the　　pick　of　Origny；　I　should　suppose。
  The　CIGARETTE　had　some　mysteries　to　perform　with　his　rigging　in　the　　coach…house；　so　I　was　left　to　do　the　parade　single…handed。　　I　found　　myself　very　much　of　a　hero　whether　I　would　or　not。　　The　girls　were　　full　of　little　shudderings　over　the　dangers　of　our　journey。　　And　I　　thought　it　would　be　ungallant　not　to　take　my　cue　from　the　ladies。　　　My　mishap　of　yesterday；　told　in　an　off…hand　way；　produced　a　deep　　sensation。　　It　was　Othello　over　again；　with　no　less　than　three　　Desdemonas　and　a　sprinkling　of　sympathetic　senators　in　the　　background。　　Never　were　the　canoes　more　flattered；　or　flattered　　more　adroitly。
  'It　is　like　a　violin；'　cried　one　of　the　girls　in　an　ecstasy。
  'I　thank　you　for　the　word；　mademoiselle；'　said　I。　　'All　the　more　　since　there　are　people　who　call　out　to　me　that　it　is　like　a　　coffin。'
  'Oh！　but　it　is　really　like　a　violin。　　It　is　finished　like　a　　violin；'　she　went　on。
  'And　polished　like　a　violin；'　added　a　senator。
  'One　has　only　to　stretch　the　cords；'　concluded　another；　'and　then　　tum…tumty…tum'　…　he　imitated　the　result　with　spirit。
  Was　not　this　a　graceful　little　ovation？　　Where　this　people　finds　　the　secret　of　its　pretty　speeches；　I　cannot　imagine；　unless　the　　secret　should　be　no　other　than　a　sincere　desire　to　please？　But　then　　no　disgrace　is　attached　in　France　to　saying　a　thing　neatly；　whereas　　in　England；　to　talk　like　a　book　is　to　give　in　one's　resignation　to　　society。
  The　old　gentleman　in　the　blouse　stole　into　the　coach…house；　and　　somewhat　irrelevantly　informed　the　CIGARETTE　that　he　was　the　father　　of　the　three　girls　and　four　more：　　quite　an　exploit　for　a　　Frenchman。
  'You　are　very　fortunate；'　answered　the　CIGARETTE　politely。
  And　the　old　gentleman；　having　apparently　gained　his　point；　stole　　away　again。
  We　all　got　very　friendly　together。　　The　girls　proposed　to　start　　with　us　on　the　morrow；　if　you　please！　　And；　jesting　apart；　every　　one　was　anxious　to　know　the　hour　of　our　departure。　　Now；　when　you　　are　going　to　crawl　into　your　canoe　from　a　bad　launch；　a　crowd；　　however　friendly；　is　undesirable；　and　so　we　told　them　not　before　　twelve；　and　mentally　determined　to　be　off　by　ten　at　latest。
  Towards　evening；　we　went　abroad　again　to　post　some　letters。　　It　was　　cool　and　pleasant；　the　long　village　was　quite　empty；　except　for　one　　or　two　urchins　who　followed　us　as　they　might　have　followed　a　　menagerie；　the　hills　and　the　tree…tops　looked　in　from　all　sides　　through　the　clear　air；　and　the　bells　were　chiming　for　yet　another　　service。
  Suddenly　we　sighted　the　three　girls　standing；　with　a　fourth　sister；　　in　front　of　a　shop　on　the　wide　selvage　of　the　roadway。　　We　had　been　　very　merry　with　them　a　little　while　ago；　to　be　sure。　　But　what　was　　the　etiquette　of　Origny？　　Had　it　been　a　country　road；　of　course　we　　should　have　spoken　to　them；　but　here；　under　the　eyes　of　all　the　　gossips；　ought　we　to　do　even　as　much　as　bow？　　I　consulted　the　　CIGARETTE。
  'Look；'　said　he。
  I　looked。　　There　were　the　four　girls　on　the　same　spot；　but　now　four　　backs　were　turned　to　us；　very　upright　and　conscious。　　Corporal　　Modesty　had　given　the　word　of　command；　and　the　well…disciplined　　picket　had　gone　right…about…face　like　a　single　person。　　They　　maintained　this　formation　all　the　while　we　were　in　sight；　but　we　　heard　them　tittering　among　themselves；　and　the　girl　whom　we　had　not　　met　laughed　with　open　mouth；　and　even　looked　over　her　shoulder　at　　the　enemy。　　I　wonder　was　it　altogether　modesty　after　all？　or　in　　part　a　sort　of　country　provocation？
  As　we　were　returning　to　the　inn；　we　beheld　something　floating　in　　the　ample　field　of　golden　evening　sky；　above　the　chalk　cliffs　and　　the　trees　that　grow　along　their　summit。　　It　was　too　high　up；　too　　large；　and　too　steady　for　a　kite；　and　as　it　was　dark；　it　could　not　　be　a　star。　　For　although　a　star　were　as　black　as　ink　and　as　rugged　　as　a　walnut；　so　amply　does　the　sun　bathe　heaven　with　radiance；　that　　it　would　sparkle　like　a　point　of　light　for　us。　　The　village　was　　dotted　with　people　with　their　heads　in　air；　and　the　children　were　　in　a　bustle　all　along　the　street　and　far　up　the　straight　road　that　　climbs　the　hill；　where　we　could　still　see　them　running　in　loose　　knots。　　It　was　a　balloon；　we　learned；　which　had　left　Saint　Quentin　　at　half…past　five　that　evening。　　Mighty　composedly　the　majority　of　　the　grown　people　took　it。　　But　we　were　English；　and　were　soon　　running　up　the　hill　with　the　best。　　Being　travellers　ourselves　in　a　　small　way；　we　would　fain　have　seen　these　other　travellers　alight。
  The　spectacle　was　over　by　the　time　we　gained　the　top　of　the　hill。　　　All　the　gold　had　withered　out　of　the　sky；　and　the　balloon　had　　disappeared。　　Whither？　I　ask　myself；　caught　up　into　the　seventh　　heaven？　or　come　safely　to　land　somewhere　in　that　blue　uneven　　distance；　into　which　the　roadway　dipped　and　melted　before　our　eyes？　　　Probably　the　aeronauts　were　already　warming　themselves　at　a　farm　　chimney；　for　they　say　it　is　cold　in　these　unhomely　regions　of　the　　air。　　The　night　fell　swiftly。　　Roadside　trees　and　disappointed　　sightseers；　returning　through　the　meadows；　stood　out　in　black　　against　a　margin　of　low　red　sunset。　　It　was　cheerfuller　to　face　the　　other　way；　and　so　down　the　hill　we　went；　with　a　full　moon；　the　　colour　of　a　melon；　swinging　high　above　the　wooded　valley；　and　the　　white　cliffs　behind　us　faintly　reddened　by　the　fire　of　the　chalk　　kilns。
  The　lamps　were　lighted；　and　the　salads　were　being　made　in　Origny　　Sainte…Be