s into the distance.... The very air burns you
... and, at the roadside, thousands of cicadas are calling to each
other, from one white, dust-covered elm to another.... Suddenly, the
Sub-Prefect started. Down at the foot of a hill, he noticed a small
wood of green oaks which seemed to beckon him.

The small wood of green oaks which seemed to beckon him:

--Come over here, Sub-Prefect, you will find composing your speech much
easier in the shade of my trees....

The Sub-Prefect was captivated; he jumped down from the barouche and
told his men to wait there for him, as he was going to compose his
speech over in the small wood of green oaks.

In the small wood of green oaks, there were birds, violets, and springs
hidden in the delicate grass.... When the birds noticed the Sub-Prefect
with his gorgeous breeches and his large, leather-embossed briefcase,
they became alarmed and stop singing, the springs are scared and stop
their babbling, and the violets hid themselves in the grass.... This
whole world in miniature had never seen a Sub-Prefect before, and they
quietly wondered who this dignitary was, walking around in silver
breeches.

Meanwhile, the Sub-Prefect, delighted by the silence and the coolness
of the wood, lifted his coat-tails, put his hat on the grass, and sat
down in the moss at the foot of a young oak. He then put the large,
leather-embossed briefcase on his knees, opened it, and took out a long
sheet of official paper.

--He's an artist, said the warbler.

--No, said the bullfinch, he's not an artist; with his silver breeches,
he's more of a prince.

--He's more of a prince, said the bullfinch.

--He's neither an artist nor a prince, interrupted an old nightingale,
who had sang all season in the district's gardens.... I know what he
is; he's a Sub-Prefect!

And the whole woodland came alive with the rumour:

--He's a Sub-Prefect! He's a Sub-Prefect!

--He's bald! remarked a crested lark.

The violets asked:

--Is he a bad man?

--Is he a bad man? asked the violets.

The old nightingale replied:

--Not at all! And with that reassurance, the birds started to sing
again, the streams to flow, and the violets to perfume the air, just as
though the gentleman wasn't there.... Ignoring all this pretty clamour,
the Sub-Prefect invoked the spirit of the country fetes, and, pencil at
the ready, began to declaim in his ceremonial voice:

--Gentlemen and constituents....

--Gentlemen and constitu