their fellow-creatures. I had to
call upon a Professor here upon some business; he amused me very much;
he fancied that he could speak English: perhaps he might have been able
to do so at one time, but if so, he had forgotten it, but he did not
think he had. I addressed him in French, and told him my business.
"Sir, you speak English?"--"Yes," replied I. "Then, Sir, I tell you
that--" Then he stopped, pondering and perplexed for some minutes,
without saying a syllable. "Speak French, Sir," said I; "I perceive
that you have forgotten a word in our language;" and I then put another
leading question to him, to which he replied, "Yes, I recollect that
very well, and I--" Then another dead pause for the verb. I waited a
minute in perfect silence, but his memory was as treacherous as he was
obstinately bent upon talking English, and then I again spoke to him,
and he replied, "That is true, that you must--" Then he broke down
again, and I broke up the conference, as I really could not wait until
he formed English words, and he was evidently resolved that he would
speak in no other language. Fortunately, it was no business of my own,
but a commission from another, which ended in an omission, which,
perhaps, did quite as well.

This morning I strolled into a small _debit de tabac_, to fill my box,
and it being excessively warm, was not sorry to sit down and enter into
a conversation with the young woman who attended upon the customers. I
asked her, among other questions, if the shop was hers. She replied,
"That she had hired the license." This answer struck me, and I inquired
if she could obtain a license for herself. She replied, "No, unless,"
said she, laughing, "I should marry some old _estropie_ who has been
worn out in the service." She then informed me of what I was not aware
which is, that instead of giving pensions to the old militaires, they
give them, and them only, the licenses for selling tobacco. They may
either carry on the trade themselves, or may lease out their licenses to
others, for as much as they can obtain for it per year.

I perceive that the Gallic cock now struts on the head of the staff,
bearing regimental colours, instead of the eagle of Napoleon. They
certainly have made the cock a most imposing bird, but still a cock is
not an eagle. The couplets written upon this change, which was made by
Louis Philippe, are somewhat sarcastic:--

"Le vaillant coq Gaulois,
Grattant sur le fumier