e the anagrams of Master Colleville."

"Oh!" replied Minard, "Colleville's anagrams are mere witticisms, which
have nothing in common with the sterner accents of Melpomene."

"And yet," said Minard, "I can assure you he attaches the greatest
importance to that rubbish, and apropos to his anagrams, as, indeed,
about many other things, he is not a little puffed up. Since their
emigration to the Madeleine quarter it seems to me that not only the
Sieur Colleville, but his wife and daughter, and the Thuilliers and
the whole coterie have assumed an air of importance which is rather
difficult to justify."

"No wonder!" said Phellion; "one must have a pretty strong head to
stand the fumes of opulence. Our friends have become so very rich by the
purchase of that property where they have gone to live that we ought to
forgive them for a little intoxication; and I must say the dinner they
gave us yesterday for a house-warming was really as well arranged as it
was succulent."

"I myself," said Minard, "have given a few remarkable dinners to which
men in high government positions have not disdained to come, yet I am
not puffed up with pride on that account; such as my friends have always
known me, that I have remained."

"You, Monsieur le maire, have long been habituated to the splendid
existence you have made for yourself by your high commercial talents;
our friends, on the contrary, so lately embarked on the smiling ship of
Fortune, have not yet found, as the vulgar saying is, their sea-legs."

And then to cut short a conversation in which Phellion began to think
the mayor rather "caustic," he made as if he intended to take leave of
him. In order to reach their respective homes they did not always take
the same way.

"Are you going through the Luxembourg?" asked Minard, not allowing
Phellion to give him the slip.

"I shall cross it, but I have an appointment to meet Madame Phellion and
the little Barniols at the end of the grand alley."

"Then," said Minard, "I'll go with you and have the pleasure of making
my bow to Madame Phellion; and I shall get the fresh air at the same
time, for, in spite of hearing fine things, one's head gets tired at the
business we have just been about."

Minard had felt that Phellion gave rather reluctant assent to his sharp
remarks about the new establishment of the Thuilliers, and he did not
attempt to renew the subject; but when he had Madame Phellion for a
listener, he was very sure that