worst, it is
only of those in Strasburg I speak. To scrape acquaintance, I had to
invite some Officers on our arrival, whom of course I did not know.

Three of them came at once,
Gayer, more content than Kings;
Singing with rusty voice.
In verse, their amorous exploits,
Set to a hornpipe.

Trois d'eux s'en vinrent a la fois,
Plus gais, plus contents que des rois,
Chantant d'une voix enrouee,
En vers, leurs amoureux exploits,
Ajustes sur une bourree.

"M. de la Crochardiere and M. Malosa [two names from the tablets, third
wanting] had just come from a dinner where the wine had not been spared.

Of their hot friendship I saw the flame grow,
The Universe would have taken us for perfect friends:
But the instant of good-night blew out the business;
Friendship disappeared without regrets,
With the games, the wine, the table and the viands.

De leur chaude amitie je vis croitre le flamme,
L'univers nous eut pris pour des amis parfaits;
Mais l'instant des adieux en detruisit la trame,
L'amitie disparut, ssns causer des regrets,
Avec le jeu, le vin, et la table, et les mets.

"Next day, Monsieur the Gouverneur of the Town and Province, Marechal of
France, Chevalier of the Orders of the King, &c. &c.,--Marechal Duc de
Broglio, in fact," who was surprised at Secchia in the late War,--

This General always surprised.
Whom with regret, young Louis [your King]
Saw without breeches in Italy

["With only one boot," was the milder rumor; which we adopted (supra,
vol. vi. p. 472), but this sadder one, too, was current; and "Broglio's
breeches," or the vain aspiration after them, like a vanished ghost of
breeches, often enough turn up in the old Pamphlets.]

Galloping to hide away his life
From the Germans, unpolite fighters;--

Ce general toujours surpris,
Qu'a regret le jeune Louis
Vit sans culottes en Italie,
Courir pour derober sa vie
Aux Germains, guerriers impolis.

this General wished to investigate your Comte Dufour,--foreign Count,
who the instant he arrives sets about inviting people to supper that are
perfect strangers. He took the poor Count for a sharper; and prudently
advised M. de la Crochardiere not to be duped by him. It was unluckily
the good Marechal that proved to be duped.

He was born for surprise.
His white hair, his gray beard,