knew whom they had in their
town, what a rumpus it would create! How the shops would close! What
barricading of doors and windows we should see! What bursts of terror
and patriotism! Par St. Denis, I have a mind to throw up my cap in the
air and cry, 'Vive la Republique,' just to witness the scene that would
follow!"

With all these boastings, it was not very difficult to restrain my
friend's ardor, and to induce him to defer his invasion of England to a
more fitting occasion, so that at last he was fain to content himself
with a sneering commentary on all around him; and in this amiable spirit
we descended into a very dirty cellar to eat our first dinner on shore.

The place was filled with sailors, who, far from indulging in the
well-known careless gayety of their class, seemed morose and sulky,
talking together in low murmurs, and showing, unmistakably, signs of
discontent and dissatisfaction. The reason was soon apparent: the
press-gangs were out to take men off to reinforce the blockading force
before Genoa, a service of all others the most distasteful to a seaman.
If Santron at first was ready to flatter himself into the notion that
very little persuasion would make these fellows take part against
England, as he listened longer he saw the grievous error of the opinion,
no epithet of insult or contempt being spared by them when talking of
France and Frenchmen. Whatever national animosity prevailed at that
period, sailors enjoyed a high pre-eminence in feeling. I have heard
that the spirit was encouraged by those in command, and that narratives
of French perfidy, treachery, and even cowardice, were the popular
traditions of the sea-service. We certainly could not controvert the old
adage as to "listeners," for every observation and every anecdote
conveyed a sneer or an insult on our country. There could be no reproach
in listening to these, unresented, but Santron assumed a most indignant
air, and more than once affected to be overcome by a spirit of
recrimination. What turn his actions might have taken in this wise I can
not even guess, for suddenly a rush of fellows took place up the ladder,
and in less than a minute the whole cellar was cleared, leaving none but
the hostess and an old lame waiter along with ourselves in the place.

"You've got a protection, I suppose, sirs," said the woman, approaching
us; "but still I'll advise you not to trust to it over-much; they're in
great want of men just now; and they