city of such slight literary standing was not
worthy of his longer sojourn. M. Dumas had not thought about this at
all. He had spent but one night at Lyons because he was in a hurry to
reach Bourg. And no sooner had M. Dumas arrived at Bourg than he asked
to be directed to the office of its leading newspaper.

I knew that it was under the management of a distinguished archeologist,
who was also the editor of my friend Baux's work on the church of Brou.

I asked for M. Milliet. M. Milliet appeared. We shook hands and I
explained the object of my visit.

"I can fix you perfectly," said he to me. "I will take you to one of
our magistrates, who is at present engaged upon a history of the
department."

"How far has he got in this history?"

"1822."

"Then that's all right. As the events I want to relate occurred in 1799,
and my heroes were executed in 1800, he will have covered that epoch,
and can furnish me with the desired information. Let us go to your
magistrate."

On the road, M. Milliet told me that this same magisterial historian was
also a noted gourmet. Since Brillat-Savarin it has been the fashion
for magistrates to be epicures. Unfortunately, many are content to be
gourmands, which is not at all the same thing.

We were ushered into the magistrate's study. I found a man with a shiny
face and a sneering smile. He greeted me with that protecting air which
historians deign to assume toward poets.

"Well, sir," he said to me, "so you have come to our poor country in
search of material for your novel?"

"No, sir; I have my material already. I have come simply to consult your
historical documents."

"Good! I did not know that it was necessary to give one's self so much
trouble in order to write novels."

"There you are in error, sir; at least in my instance. I am in the habit
of making exhaustive researches upon all the historical events of which
I treat."

"You might at least have sent some one else."

"Any person whom I might send, sir, not being so completely absorbed
in my subject, might have overlooked many important facts. Then, too, I
make use of many localities which I cannot describe unless I see them."

"Oh, then this is a novel which you intend writing yourself?"

"Yes, certainly, sir. I allowed my valet to write my last; but he had
such immense success that the rogue asked so exorbitant an increase of
wages that, to my great regret, I was unable to keep him."

The magistrate bit his lip