attribute which in
its case would be inconvenient and useless? Before deciding, let us
consult, not the abstruse theories of science, a doubtful guide, but
the Turkey, an eminently truthful one.

I recall one of the most vivid memories that remain to me from my
brief sojourn at the Royal College of Rodez. So they called it then;
to-day they call it a grammar-school; what improvement as the world
grows older!

The thrice-blessed Thursday had come; our bit of translation was done,
our dozen Greek roots had been learnt by heart; and we trooped down to
the far end of the valley, so many bands of madcaps. With our trousers
turned up to our knees, we exploited, artless fishermen that we were,
the peaceful waters of the river, the Aveyron. What we hoped to catch
was the Loach, no bigger than our little finger, but tempting, thanks
to his immobility on the sand amid the waterweeds. We fully expected
to transfix him with our trident, a fork.

This miraculous catch, the object of such shouts of triumph when it
succeeded, was very rarely vouchsafed to us: the Loach, the rascal,
saw the fork coming and with three strokes of his tail disappeared!

We found compensation in the apple-trees in the neighbouring pastures.
The apple has from all time been the urchin's delight, above all when
plucked from a tree which does not belong to him. Our pockets were
soon crammed with the forbidden fruit.

Another distraction awaited us. Flocks of Turkeys were not rare,
roaming at their own sweet will and gobbling up the Locusts around the
farms. If no watcher hove in sight, we had great sport. Each of us
would seize a Turkey, tuck her head under her wing, rock it in this
attitude for a moment and then place her on the ground, lying on her
side. The bird no longer budged. The whole flock of Turkeys was
subjected to our hypnotic handling; and the meadow assumed the aspect
of a battle-field strewn with the dead and dying.

And now look out for the farmer's wife! The loud gobbling of the
harassed birds had told her of our wicked pranks. She would run up
armed with a whip. But we had good legs in those days! And we had a
good laugh too, behind the hedges, which favoured our retreat!

O delightful days when we put the Turkeys to sleep, can I recover the
skill which I then possessed? To-day it is no longer the playful trick
of a schoolboy; it is a matter of serious research. I happen to have
the very subject that I need: a Turkey-hen, doomed soo