they
had all had (especially some of the big boys, who were "en
rhetorique et en philosophie")--and all the game that had fallen to
their guns--wild-boars, roebucks, cerfs-dix-cors, and what not; of
perilous swims in stormy seas--tremendous adventures in
fishing-smacks on moonlight nights (it seemed that the moon had been
at the full all through those wonderful six weeks); rides _ventre a
terre_ on mettlesome Arab steeds through gloomy wolf-haunted forests
with charming female cousins; flirtations and "good fortunes" with
beautiful but not happily married women in old mediaeval castle
keeps. Toujours au clair de la lune! They didn't believe each other
in the least, these gay young romancers--nor expect to be believed
themselves; but it was very exciting all the same; and they
listened, and were listened to in turn, without a gesture of
incredulity--nor even a smile! And we small boys held our tongues in
reverence and awe.

When Josselin came back he had wondrous things to tell too--but so
preposterous that they disbelieved him quite openly, and told him
so. How in London he had seen a poor woman so tipsy in the street
that she had to be carried away by two policemen on a stretcher. How
he had seen brewers' dray-horses nearly six feet high at the
shoulder--and one or two of them with a heavy cavalry mustache
drooping from its upper lip.

How he had been presented to the Lord Mayor of London, and even
shaken hands with him, in Leadenhall Market, and that his Lordship
was quite plainly dressed; and how English Lord Mayors were not
necessarily "hommes du monde," nor always hand in glove with Queen
Victoria!

Splendide mendax!

But they forgave him all his mendacity for the sake of a new
accomplishment he had brought back with him, and which beat all his
others. He could actually turn a somersault backwards with all the
ease and finish of a professional acrobat. How he got to do this I
don't know. It must have been natural to him and he never found it
out before; he was always good at gymnastics--and all things that
required grace and agility more than absolute strength.

Also he brought back with him (from Leadenhall Market, no doubt) a
gigantic horned owl, fairly tame--and with eyes that reminded us of
le grand Bonzig's.

School began, and with it the long evenings with an hour's play by
lamp-light in the warm salle d'etudes; and the cold lamp-lit ninety
minutes' preparation on an empty stomach, after the short