bove all
soldiers. Descended on the one side from the unconquerable Scythians,
on the other from the ancient Macedonians, not long since masters of the
world; crossed with Norman adventurers brought eastwards by the great
movement of the Crusades; they felt the blood of warriors flow in their
veins, and that war was their element. Sometimes at feud with one
another, canton against canton, village against village, often even
house against house; sometimes rebelling against the government their
sanjaks; sometimes in league with these against the sultan; they never
rested from combat except in an armed peace. Each tribe had its
military organisation, each family its fortified stronghold, each man
his gun on his shoulder. When they had nothing better to do, they
tilled their fields, or mowed their neighbours', carrying off, it should
be noted, the crop; or pastured their, flocks, watching the opportunity
to trespass over pasture limits. This was the normal and regular life
of the population of Epirus, Thesprotia, Thessaly, and Upper Albania.

MURAT

On the 18th June, 1815, at the very moment when the destiny of Europe
was being decided at Waterloo, a man dressed like a beggar was silently
following the road from Toulon to Marseilles.

Arrived at the entrance of the Gorge of Ollioulles, he halted on a
little eminence from which he could see all the surrounding country;
then either because he had reached the end of his journey, or because,
before attempting that forbidding, sombre pass which is called the
Thermopylae of Provence, he wished to enjoy the magnificent view which
spread to the southern horizon a little longer, he went and sat down on
the edge of the ditch which bordered the road, turning his back on the
mountains which rise like an amphitheatre to the north of the town, and
having at his feet a rich plain covered with tropical vegetation,
exotics of a conservatory, trees and flowers quite unknown in any other
part of France.

THE COUNTESS OF SAINT GERAN

"Could not, for instance," said the marquis, "a confinement be effected
without pain?"

"I don't know about that, but this I do" know, that I shall take very
good care not to practise any method contrary to the laws of nature."

"You are deceiving me: you are acquainted with this method, you have
already practised it upon a certain person whom I could name to you."

"Who has dared to calumniate me thus? I operate only after the decision