You have been to Rome?' cried I.

"'Yes, sir; I passed twenty years there.'

"'M. Louet,' said Mery, 'since you do not smoke, you ought to tell these
gentlemen the story of your thrush-hunt.'

"'I shall be most happy,' replied M. Louet graciously, 'if you think it
will amuse the company.'

"'To be sure it will,' cried Mery. 'Gentlemen, you are going to hear the
account of one of the most extraordinary hunts that has taken place since
the days of Nimrod the mighty hunter. I have heard it told twenty times,
and each time with increased pleasure. Another glass of punch, M. Louet.
There! Now begin.--We are all impatience.'

"'You are aware, gentlemen,' said M. Louet, 'that every Marseillais is
born a sportsman.'

"'Perfectly true,' interrupted Mery 'it is a physiological phenomenon
which I have never been able to explain; but it is nevertheless quite
true.'

"'Unfortunately,' continued M. Louet, 'or perhaps I should say fortunately,
we have neither lions nor tigers in the neighbourhood of Marseilles. On
the other hand, we have flights of pigeons.'

"'There!' cried Mery, 'I told you so. They insist upon it.'

"'Certainly,' replied M. Louet, visibly vexed; 'and, whatever you may say
to the contrary, the pigeons _do_ pass. Besides, did you not lend me the
other day a book of Mr Cooper's, the _Pioneers_, in which the fact is
authenticated?'

"'Ah, yes! Authenticated in America.'

"'Very well! If they pass over America why should they not pass over
Marseilles? The vessels that go from Alexandria and Constantinople to
America often pass here.'

"'Very true!' replied Mery, thunderstruck by this last argument. 'I have
nothing more to say. M. Louet, your hand. I will never contradict you
again on the subject.'

"'Sir, every man has a right to his opinion.'

"'True, but I relinquish mine. Pray go on, M. Louet.'

"'I was saying, then, that instead of lions and tigers we have flights of
pigeons.' M. Louet paused a moment to see if Mery would contradict him.
Mery nodded his head approvingly.

"'True,' said he, 'they have flights of pigeons.'"

Satisfied by this admission M. Louet resumed.

"'You may easily imagine that at the period of the year when these flights
occur, every sportsman is on the alert; and, as I am only occupied in the
evening at the theatre, I am fortunately able to dispose of my mornings as
I like. It was in 1810 or '11, I was five-and-thirty years of age; that is
to say, gentlemen, rather more