y her she did the crossing in the hour, and I won't
positively swear it wasn't a minute or so under that time. There's a
crossing-sweeper for you! The Empress of the Sea! Mind you it was a fine
day, and what I should say would be considered a calm sea, though there
were several sufferers.

If not in a hurry--and who can hurry in such weather?--the easiest
travelling is by the 11 A.M. from Victoria; admirable _Empress_ for the
crossing; and a good twenty-five minutes or more for one of the best
buffet-luncheons in France. Stay the night in Paris, and off to your
Royat, your Aix, or wherever it may be, as early as possible.

_At the Paris-Lyon Station, en route for Royat._--Owing to the gentle
influence of Colonel WATERS, attached to the L. C. & D. corps in Paris,
and to the indefatigable exertions of his lieutenant in uniform, GUSTAV
HERLAN, the P. L. & M. Company have consented to put a _lit-salon_
carriage on to their day-train as quite an exceptional concession to an
invalid, who might be supposed to have thus addressed them:--

Pity the sorrows of a gouty man,
Whose trembling limbs have brought him to your door,
Who asks you to oblige him with--you can--
A simple _lit-salon_ and nothing more.

The perfect comfort of this arrangement for a long journey is worth the
price including the _supplement_, which I am paying when a cheery voice
cries, "Hallo! old chap," and I recognise PULLER, whom I haven't seen
for some time. I return his greeting heartily. "You've got a _coupe
reserve_?" he exclaims gleefully, and literally skipping for joy. I
never saw a man in such spirits. He is not absolutely young, nearer
forty than thirty for example, looking so wonderfully fresh, that
turn-down collars and a jacket would suit him perfectly. He is as
clean-shaved as a Benedictine Monk or a Low Comedian. He says of
himself--he is the waggish companion to whom I alluded in my previous
notes--"I am well preserved in high spirits." He insists on paying the
extra seat and _supplement_. Cousin JANE (again going to Royat for the
Caesar Baths) says she shall be delighted, and so PULLER is to come with
us. Certainly am delighted to see PULLER. Will he have his things
brought here? He will, "_a l'instant!_"--he pronounces it "_ar long
stong_," and roars with laughter as if he had delivered himself of the
rarest witticism. Then he skips off down the platform, waving an
umbrella in one hand and a stick in the other. Suddenly PULLE