often spent in waiting for a The best comment on these husband. A legislator who ideas is supplied by the editor would form a system on prop- of the memoirs, who, admitting agation. would lay the that they proceed from a good foundation of a monarchy that intention, says: “I believe all could not fail of becoming one the world will agree with me day formidable to the whole that the Marshal was a greater world. He ought, in the first general than he was a civilian ; place, to eradicate debauchery, and that these limited marwhich, so far from being dic- riages, instead of doing good, tated by nature, is one of her would, on the contrary, make most inveterate enemies; it a dreadful confusion amongst would be necessary, therefore, society; for how many chilto inculcate by education that dren, void of both fortune and sterility is one infallible con- education, would be abandoned sequence of it, which, after the by the caprice of their parents?” age of fifteen, should be ac- “This liberty, moreover, of counted dishonourable ; and separation after marriage is that the more children a woman of very little consequence with had the happier would be her regard to propagation ; for it situation," which Saxe proposed is no more than what is secretly to encourage by a system of practised in these times, altithes and motherhood endow- though it may lack the sancments. “But the most effectual tion of a law to confirm it. means would be by establishing If mankind diminishes in numa law that no future marriage bers, let us not attribute it to should endure for more than the fetters of marriage, for, five years, or be renewable alas ! there is nothing to which without a dispensation, in case we nowadays make ourselves there was no child born in that slaves so little as to conjugal time. That such parties fidelity." The editor then puts likewise, as should have re- forward his own theory that newed their marriage three the enemy to propagation is times and have had children, "luxury; formerly it was con

‘ should be afterwards insepar-fined to the palaces of the able. All the theologians in great, but now it prevails even the world would not be able in cottages, and it is that which to prove any impiety in this multiplies our wants, and rensystem, because marriage was ders children a burden to their instituted by divine authority parents, because their mainon no other account but that tenance and education become of propagation.” He then ad. thereby attended with extraorvocates women's right to free- dinary expenses. We

were dom of choice, and argues that much happier in those times this liberty and the system of when plainness and frugality limited marriages would eradi- were not accounted dishonourcate debauchery.

able."

و

PIERROT, THE GENTLEMAN.

BY KENNETH MACNICHOL.

“PERHAPS,” said René Gui- brood that, following their zet, you will remember a various piggish propensities, tale told about the brother of shifted each one for himself, my father, Papa Hilaire, a fine with starvation the penalty for old gentleman with a prodigious the least capable. beak

Observe, however, how by We nodded. The little jour- man's unwarranted interference nalist of 'Le Grand Bavard' the law of survival is rendered spoke to the waiter, calling impotent. Papa Hilaire, a good for a bock. The three of us, Christian, taking pity on the again gathered at the third one

puny,

inefficient runt, table on the right in the Café rescued that pigling from Provençal, each thrust forth a natural disaster, and made its beckoning finger expressing the protection the especial object unanimity of our desires.

of his solicitude. Almost literThis, then, is the tale of a ally he nourished the weaklittle pig. You will remember ling in his bosom, so that the how the good Papa Hilaire feeble and tottering nonentity, found his heart's desire on a instead of dying as nature small farm at St Pierre de la wisely arranges such affairs, by Croix, all near to Grasse. There the very virtue of his weakness he was well content playing at staggered into the luxurious lap farming on a few hectares of of Papa Hilaire's mistaken good land, attending to a gar- charity. den of flaming roses, followed

One may

believe that it everywhere by a pernicious was not through her own wealth goat, a creature with a dis- of maternal instinct that the torted sense of humour, as one little cow contributed to the learned when, stooping over beast's support. Papa Hilaire, to inhale the perfume of a whose benevolent instincts are rose, one became the victim of often translated into foolish a jest as unexpected as it was actions, even denied himself violent. There were a few hens the usual rich pallor of his and a little cow. Also, most early morning café-au-lait that favoured of all the family, there this little pig might pad his was a pig.

impoverished ribs with cream. Now the pig, being of that Under such circumstances, being gender, nature presently had denied the sour delights of the its way with her, so that the trough by the ambitious snouts porcine wealth of Papa Hilaire of energetic brethren, it could

multiplied by soven, a not fail to thrive. Brothers

was

and sisters continued their recollections left him ignorant struggle for existence all in a of the fact that his relatives state of nature, an admirable were pigs. One may, therefore, fraternal democracy. Being of find some excuse for his inalmost equal strength, they creasing impudence and his enjoyed almost equal success. growing belief that he was an They fed and slept and played important member of society. about the byre, dancing like He displayed a very human pink whirligigs gone mad, a characteristic in rapidly forrecreation that finds favour getting his origin in the materwith young swine. But Pierrot, nal sty. He believed, sans granted the honour of a name, doute, that good Papa Hilaire, from his high social elevation from whom all milky benefits looked down upon all such so sweetly flowed, was indeed light amusements with disdain. his mother. Like a devoted

Messieurs, you realise that child, he followed his proPapa Hilaire had not been tector everywhere, squealing trained in a school of states- loudly and without embarmanship. He did not realise rassment when, very often, how unsatisfactory it may be he desired to be fed. to exalt the lowly to a high Even that goat, a creature estate. Not seldom very without respect for man

or worthy individuals, when devil, learned to walk wide poured full of liquid running about the path of this gentlegold, become exceedingly dis- man Pierrot. Once, in mere tended with that inflation. Lest curiosity and without malice, one offend, it may not be sug- he found amusement in pushgested that this Pierrot, hising the infant Pierrot about on skin filled daily with the milk his tottering legs. For that of kindness, began to resemble petite farce Bichet was severely a little caricature of a profiteer, punished. He had love but yet there was, no doubt, some no respect for Papa Hilaire. haunting resemblance. There Now, being convinced through are types of men who, with no his own anatomy that respect aid from Circe, quite easily was to be imposed for gentleassume the aspect of grunting man Pierrot, Bichet avoided swine. Papa Hilaire, reversing the pig, proudly contemptuous, this wholly natural process, at- It had always been his privitempted to make a gentleman lege to follow at the heels of of a pig

Papa Hilaire. When his place In youth the power of ob- was usurped by an animal beservation is not developed to neath notice, he was forbidden any considerable extent. Pier- to defend his place. Such rot, sheltered from immediate treatment is disheartening, even contact with a rude world, had to a goat. no reason to believe that he Charity, mes amis, like love, was not human. His earliest is very blind. Otherwise, one

is assured, Papa Hilaire could about with whiskered grasses not have failed to see the many dangling from his mouth; he imperfections of his protégé. reared himself against the table, That he grew immensely; that and stole more than one suppe he conducted himself like a pig from beneath the hands in Paradise—these effects were Papa Hilaire. Once, the cover completely evident. But that of the hive being raised, he he should, in mere wantonness, poked a curious snout into the root up the roses !

honeycomb-a mistake that did Poor fellow, he is so very not escape the attention of the young.

In time he learns- bees. Again, when a baking of he knows no better now.” So fermenting bread was left for Papa Hilaire would forgive the a a moment unguarded in the scoundrel, even though he found trough, Pierrot ate that, and him, as on one occasion, sleeping found it to his taste. Except in his bed.

soon afterwards he was atYes, it is true, that pig took tacked of a colic the most terliberties with an impunity that rible that distended his ribs astonished Bichet. He knew to the proportions of a Zeppeno better, as Papa Hilaire said. lin, and for some hours thereHe knew nothing, not even that after he was so infinitely miserhe was a pig. He grew older, able that Papa Hilaire desbut he did not learn. The paired that he should live. He contrary was true. What could

was forgiven. It is true his one reasonably expect ? He groans were pitiful. remained ignorant of every

With all he grew. thing except the one art for verity, mon Dieu, he grew ! the practice of which nature He became enormous, a monster fitted him, the art of the of a pig. A pig, par exemple, gourmet-a divine gift certainly, like the father of all pigs, who but to be comprehended only was first cousin to a hippoin its baser manifestations by potamus. A veritable behea pig. Yet he did his best, and moth of a pig waddling about, all that experience could teach a mountain on four legs. And

a of the joys of eating he studied yet he thought-mes amis, imaearnestly. With increase of gine it-he thought he was not girth the beast became rapa- more than a little lap-dog to be cious. He sampled everything carried in a lady's sleeve-a that fell beneath his snout with tender bud to be nursed and laudable ambition but com- fondled by delicate white hands. plete lack of discrimination, No one took pains to disand when he had finished he illusion him. There were no squealed for more.

ladies whom his terrific mass He ate the roses and de- could terrify. There was, in veloped a lamentable taste for fact, only Margot Gibaud, a garlic shoots, he snatched the widow, nearest neighbour to

; fodder from the byre, and ran Papa Hilaire. She was not a

Of a

-a

as

a

woman of poetic disposition weapon as a terrier wags its tail. or of a weakly sentimental Greatly as Pierrot had suffered turn of mind. She saw, shock- from the bees, they were ing as this may seem, only two flies to the hornet-stinging he sides of bacon when she looked received from the broom of at a pig. Even such a gentle- Madame Gibaud. man as Pierrot took on no One may surmise that Pierrot other appearance in her eyes. did not hasten silently. He

Now all unhappily, ranging was scarcely less silent than far afield, Pierrot made his Madame Gibaud, who had the first raid on Madame Gibaud's added advantage of being articlittle field of cabbages. Was ulate. Heard even above the that, mon Dieu, a thing that shrieking lamentations of the could be endured ! She thought pig, she cried to the world her it was not, making no account definite opinions of all thievish of Pierrot's tender sensibilities. swine, and she spoke with She drove him away, bearing particular detail of the appeardown upon him brus quely and ance, character, and habits of belabouring him at the rear gentleman Pierrot. One finds with a brushwood broom. Pier- no difficulty in understanding, rot, naturally, greatly resented then, why Pierrot, being thus this gross indignity. Some- insulted and abused, should thing, undoubtedly, was wrong hurry with all speed possible with the world when he could to refuge near his natural pronot fill himself with cabbages tector, who was happily enundisturbed. Presently, think- gaged in removing hungry slugs ing this over, peevishly grunt- from his cherished roses. ing, nosing along the ground, Hélas, in speaking of this he returned cautiously to in- contemplative bucolic occupavestigate this untoward hap- tion it becomes pathetic, for pening in the cabbage-patch. thereafter Papa Hilaire was to

Unhappily, he had no sooner know neither peace nor happidecided that the original en- ness for a long time. His counter was an accident and trials began when Madame Giso dropped his head to crunch baud arrived before him, a disthe first succulent morsel than reputable figure, for her hair Madame Gibaud, coming up was down, and she had cast stealthily behind him, again both sabots as she ran. Be introduced him to the broom. assured she was sufficiently Pierrot fled, acknowledging dis- voluble. aster; no retreat but a com- “The pig ...!” she cried, plete rout, with the enemy in pausing to get her breath. pursuit. Fast as his shortened “The pig, alors-one calls pegs could carry him Madame him Pierrot," gravely returned Gibaud ran close behind, being Papa Hilaire. He looked at by nature entitled to honours the pig, then at the woman, in in such a race. She wagged her perplexity. Being short-sighted