Christmas Stories from French and Spanish writers

rkeys, did you

to know something about it, considering I helped stuff them myself. I thought

urry there, Garrigou, hand me my surplice. And what

ve been plucking pheasants, hoopoes, hazel-hens, and heath-coc

were the trou

g, my reverend;

st see them. Did you pu

nes, and the silver, the plate, the chased centre-pieces, the flowers, the candelabrum; I don't suppose there has ever been such a Christmas supper! The Lord Marquis has invited all the lords of the neighboring estates.

the night of the Nativity. Hurry off now and light the tapers, and ring the f

le clerk Garrigou,-for let me tell you that the Devil on that particular night had assumed the round face and uncertain features of the young sacristan, the better to lead the reverend father into temptation and make him commit a great sin of greediness. So while the would-be Garrigou

s, gold-fish, tro

ly, in little groups of five or six,-the father ahead carrying the lantern, the women following, wrapped in great dark cloaks under which the children snuggled to keep warm. In spite of the cold and the advanced hour of the night, all these good people walked along merrily, cheered by the thought that a great supper was awaiting them as usual, below, i

good-night, M

good-night,

pping; and a fine sleet powdered all these cloaks without wetting them, just i

e rising straight into the blue-black sky, while a thousand little lights moved rapidly hither and thither, blinking at all t

torches and the glare from the kitchens. One could hear the clicking of the spits, the rattling of pots, the tinkling of crystal and silver, as they were laid out for the banquet; and

pper we shall h