gh the glasses, climbing up the green
mountain path; he walks with a brisk, rapid step, almost running; what
a hurry he seems in to rejoin little Chrysantheme.

When I arrive, at about nine o'clock, I find him seated on the floor,
in the middle of my rooms, with naked torso (this is here a
sufficiently proper costume for private life, I admit). Around him are
grouped Chrysantheme, Oyouki, and Mdlle. Dede the maid, all eagerly
rubbing his back with little blue towels decorated with storks and
humorous subjects.

Good heavens, what can he have been doing to be so hot, and have put
himself in such a state?

He tells me that near our house, a little higher up the mountain, he
has discovered a fencing gallery: that till nightfall he had been
engaged in a fencing bout against Japanese, who fought with two-handed
swords, springing like cats, as is the custom of their country. With
his French method of fencing he had given them a thorough good
drubbing. Upon which, with many a low bow, they had shown him their
admiration by bringing him a quantity of nice little iced things to
drink. All this combined had thrown him into a fearful perspiration.

Ah, very well. Nevertheless this did not quite explain to me.

He is delighted with his evening; intends to go and amuse himself
every day by beating them; he even thinks of taking pupils.

Once his back dried, they all together, the three mousmes and himself,
play at Japanese "_pigeon vole_." Really I could not wish for anything
more innocent, or more correct in every respect.

Charles N---- and Madame Jonquille his wife, arrived unexpectedly at
about ten o'clock. (They were wandering about in the dark shrubberies
in our neighborhood, and, seeing our lights, came up to us.)

They intend to finish the evening at the tea-house "of the Toads," and
they try to induce us to go and drink some iced sherbets with them. It
is at least an hour's walk from here, on the other side of the town,
half way up the hill, in the gardens of the large pagoda dedicated to
Osueva; but they stick to their idea, pretending that in this clear
night and bright moonlight, we shall have a lovely view from the
terrace of the temple.

Lovely, I have no doubt, but we had intended going to bed. However,
be it so, let us go with them.

We hire five djins and five cars down below, in the principal street,
in front of Madame Tres-Propre's shop, who, for this late expedition,
chooses for us her largest round l