t possess the natural
sources of exclusion, are fond of creating them by means of a
subordinate and more artificial character.

{specialites = specialties}

On the whole, I think we enjoyed our new situation, rather than
otherwise. The drawer was never opened, it is true, but that next it
was in constant use, and certain crevices beneath the counter enabled
us to see a little, and to hear more, of what passed in the magazin. We
were in a part of the shop most frequented by ladies, and we overheard
a few tete-a-tetes that were not without amusement. These generally
related to cancans. Paris is a town in which cancans do not usually
flourish, their proper theatre being provincial and trading places,
beyond a question; still there ARE cancans at Paris; for all sorts of
persons frequent that centre of civilization. The only difference is,
that in the social pictures offered by what are called cities, the
cancans are in the strongest light, and in the most conspicuous of the
grouping, whereas in Paris they are kept in shadow, and in the
background. Still there are cancans at Paris; and cancans we overheard,
and precisely in the manner I have related. Did pretty ladies remember
that pocket-handkerchiefs have ears, they might possibly have more
reserve in the indulgence of this extraordinary propensity.

{cancans = scandals (French slang)}

We had been near a month in the drawer, when I recognized a female
voice near us, that I had often heard of late, speaking in a confident
and decided tone, and making allusions that showed she belonged to the
court. I presume her position there was not of the most exalted kind,
yet it was sufficiently so to qualify her, in her own estimation, to
talk politics. "Les ordonnances" were in her mouth constantly, and it
was easy to perceive that she attached the greatest importance to these
ordinances, whatever they were, and fancied a political millennium was
near. The shop was frequented less than usual that day; the next it was
worse still, in the way of business, and the clerks began to talk loud,
also, about les ordonnances. The following morning neither windows nor
doors were opened, and we passed a gloomy time of uncertainty and
conjecture. There were ominous sounds in the streets. Some of us
thought we heard the roar of distant artillery. At length the master
and mistress appeared by themselves in the shop; money and papers were
secured, and the female was just retiring to an inner ro