A Voyage of Consolation

tor's way, but he forgot what he had to say, which proved it. While he was hesitating she looked at him humorously and said "Good evening, sir!"

for I know mighty little Fransay. May I ask what sort of accommodation you can

ed Francois the keys and her sense of humour disappeared in a smile which told poppa that he might, if he liked, c

" he said, apparently for the pleas

ou've see t

placed the smile. Her cynicism was paradoxical, she was so large,

ty. "Then I 'ave made one mistake. Francois! Those first floor rooms they are already taken. Bu

is singular. I should prefer those first floor room

ar

had been caught in telling a story. They made a picture, as he stood there pull

s. Wick should lie down as soon as possible

sorrow than in anger. "Certainly, sare," she said severely

s of emotion poppa often dropped into an Americanism.

and after a time returned with him. The lady produced another key, with which th

," said the Senator courteously as we stepped

nced that it was unnecessary. It was not an elevator t

nt localities and different social positions-as momma said, you had only to look at their shoulder seams; and each group or family received the advances of the next with the polite tolerance, head a little on one side, which characterises us when we don't know each other's business standing or church membership; but the tide of conversation which ebbed and flowed had a flavour which made the table a geographical unit. I say "flavour," because there was certainly something, but I am now inclined to think with Mr. Page that "accent" is rather too strong a word to describe it. At all events, the gratification of hearing it after his temporary exile in Great Brita

stranger, like myself-but all they allow for what they call breakfast in this

e that! Not an Englishman, certainly-he would see you bankrupt first! He disguised his own sophistication, and said he was ver

self-defence, "we may get ba

mind the omelette or the sole, but when it came to fried chicken and str

we had been a little doubtful about it. Left to ourselves, we discussed our breakfast and the waiters, the only French people we could see from where we sat, and expressed our an

gh, "that you are thinking very lit

w an emotional chill over anything, I never knew her to refrain. "I

th a gesture that said such callousness she could not understand. Her manner for the ne

side of poppa came the wo

an't deny it

tor W

esent. Just plain Joshua P. Wick. I'm not what you call travelling incognito, do

e allowed to say so, I am pleased to meet you, sir-very pleased. I

no wires and no letters, and I've been sorry for it ever since. Momma," he continued, "daughter, allow me to presen

ng toward them. I was also grateful, though I merely bowed, and kicked the Senator under the table. Nobody would have guessed from our outward bearing the extent to which

town-relics of Napoleon, the Bon Marché, and so on-and we've got to see it. I m

stly, "to begin to have an idea of it. You might spend t

American the market value

tain is giving a reception to-morrow in honour of the Russian Admiral who happens to be there, too. I've got ladies with me and I wrote for four tickets. Did I get the four tickets-or two of them-or one? No, sir, I got a letter in the third person singular saying it wasn't a public ente

nd the waiter bowed as if that were a statement which had to be acknowledged, but was of the least possible consequence to him personally. "Well, Mr.

American in Paris has decided to go to that rec

eelings," replied poppa. The Senator would defend a voter a

could make myself at home on that man-of-war under the circumstances. But I da

him all this trouble. It's been outraged. Personally I consider Mr. Malt a very intelligent gentleman, and if

al less interesting than I had been led to expect. While momma was getting ready for the Louvre, therefore, I stepped down to the office and wired our itinerary to his partner in Chicago. "Keep up daily communication by wire in detail," I tel

faces that esprit that makes the dialogue of French novels so stimulating. What I usually thought I saw when they looked at us was a leisurely indifferentism ornamented with the suspicion of a sneer, and based upon a certain fundamental acquisitiveness and ability to make a valuation that acknowledged the desirability of our presence on business grounds, if not on personal ones. It seemed to be a preconcerted public intention to make as much noise in a given space as possible-we spoke of the cheerfulness of it, stopping our ears. The cracking of the drivers' whips alone made a feu de joie that neve

ry object. What shall we note this morning? The broad streets, the elegant shops-do look at that one! Da

of doing it was almost English in its demonstrativeness, and my ot

t expect this picture gallery, etc., to inspire in me. But there the Louvre is, you see, and it's got to be done. If we

at she wouldn't have missed it for anything. She sank ecstatic upon a bench, and gave to every individual picture upon the opposite wall the tribute

n Chicago!" she exclaimed, at whi

. But give us three or four hundred years, and we'll produce old masters which, if you ladies will excus

nd kindly-nothing he wouldn't have said to the artists themselves-until momma int

ut it can't be concealed for ever. She says it's because Joshua always costs h

" she continued, indicating it, "

But I could see by his expression, in connection with the angle at which his hat was tipped, that he was comparing the prod

aid momma at last. "How

s and all, there's seventeen rooms full of them. If they're all to sink in, for my part I'll have to en

t was easy to see that these people had ideas, and were simply longing to express them. "You feel sorry for them," he said, "just as you

at we did not stay in the second room as long as in the first one, and that our progress was steadil

i. Bramley said it was a very fine painting, but I don't remember just now whether he said it was what you might call a picture for the family or not. I'll ju

e a remarkably short time and came back radiant. "I've found Mona," he exclaimed, "and-she's all right. Bramley said it was the most remarkable portrait of a woman in t

d I thought I detected adverse cri

al and cynical, and contemptuous and sweet, all in one! Lookin' at you as much as to say, 'Who are you,

t length, "but if you wish to know my opinion I don't think much of her. And before taking us to see another

we drove q