ruited
themselves yearly from the more active and noble-minded of the people,
that custom had a lot to do with the submissive attitude of mankind,
and that apart from that, there was a great resolve abroad to carry
out the project of King Harris to fulfilment. She went on to inform me
that Smithia was tasteless, and would act even when drunk at meals,
and not merely as an injection, that it acted on both sexes, and that
it was otherwise innocuous. By now most of the well-springs,
reservoirs, and cisterns had been contaminated by the fluid, of which
large quantities had been prepared at a very cheap price. After
gleaning sundry other details, I thanked her heartily and left the
cell.

Outside in the courtyard I discovered a large concourse of people
examining the baby, who was naturally enough an object of extreme
wonder to the whole countryside. The women called it a duck, and used
other pet names that were not then in fashion, but most of the men
thought it was an ugly little brat at best. The child was seated on a
cushion, and despite his mother's absence was crowing vigorously and
kicking with puny force. There was some debate as to how it should be
killed. Some were for boiling and eating it; others were for hitting
it on the head with a club. However, the official who held the cushion
brought the conference to a close by inadvertently dropping the child
on to the flags, and thereby breaking its neck.

V

THE FLORENTINE LEAGUE

I feel certain on reflection that the scene of the last episode must
have been America, for I remember returning to Europe on a French boat
which landed me at Havre, and immediately taking the train to Paris.
As I passed through Normandy, I saw hardly a soul stirring in the
villages, and the small houses were all in a most dilapidated
condition. There was no more need for farms, and villagers in their
loneliness were flocking to the towns. Even the outer suburbs of Paris
were mere masses of flaked and decaying plaster. An unpleasant crash
into the buffers of Saint Lazare reminded me that the engine was being
driven by an amateur; indeed, we had met the Dieppe train at Rouen,
sent a pilot engine ahead to clear the way, and then raced it to Paris
on the up-line amid enthusiastic cheers. We won, but were badly
shaken.

We left the train beside the platform, trusting to the Church
Missionary Society man to put it away in the engine-shed. These
excellent philanthropists were unwear