mself into a large chair at my fire, and pitched his chapeau,
all covered with gold and embroidery, into a far corner of the room.

We had just returned from Notre Dame, where the grand ceremonial of
receiving the standards was held by the Senate with all the solemnity of
a high mass and the most imposing observances.

"Vaudeville?" said I, turning round rapidly.

"Yes; what else can you call it? What, I ask you, had those poor
decrepit senators, those effeminate priests in the costumes of
_beguines_, to do with the eagles of a brave but unfortunate army? In
what way can you connect that incense and that organ with the smoke of
artillery and the crash of mitraille? And, lastly, was it like old
Daru himself to stand there, half crouching, beside some wretched
half-palsied priest? But I feel heartily ashamed of myself, though I
played but the smallest part in the whole drama."

"Is it thus you can speak of the triumph of our army? the glories--"

"You mistake me much. I only speak of that miserable mockery which
converts our hard-won laurels into chap-lets of artificial flowers.
These displays are far beneath us, and would only become the victories
of some national guard."

"So, then," said I, half laughingly, "it is your Republican gorge that
rises against all this useless ceremonial?"

"You are the very first ever detected me in that guise," said he,
bursting into a hearty laugh. "But come, I'd wager you agree with me
all this while. This was a very contemptible exhibition; and, for my own
part, I 'd rather see the colors back again with those poor fellows we
chased at Austerlitz, than fluttering in the imbecile hands of dotage
and bigotry."

"Then I must say we differ totally. I like to think of the warlike
spirit nourished in a nation by the contemplation of such glorious
spoils. I am young enough to remember how the Invalides affected me--"

"When you took your Sunday walk there from the Poly-technique, two and
two, with a blue ribbon round your neck for being a good boy during the
week. Oh, I know it all; delicious times they were, with their souvenirs
of wooden legs and plum-pudding. Happy fellow you must be, if the
delusion can last this while!"

"You are determined it shall not continue much longer," said I,
laughing; "that is quite evident."

"No; on the contrary, I shall be but too happy to be your convert,
instead of making you mine. But unfortunately, Sa Majeste, Empereur et
Roi, has taught me so