ouldn't be much of a loss," replied Monsieur Homais. "You would
buy another."

"Another billiard-table," exclaimed the widow.

"Since that one is coming to pieces, Madame Lefrancois. I tell you
again you are doing yourself harm, much harm! And besides, players now
want narrow pockets and heavy cues. Hazards aren't played now;
everything is changed! One must keep pace with the times! Just look at
Tellier!"

The hostess reddened with vexation. The chemist went on:

"You may say what you like; his table is better than yours; and if one
were to think, for example, of getting up a patriotic pool for Poland
or the sufferers from the Lyons floods--"

"It isn't beggars like him that'll frighten us," interrupted the
landlady, shrugging her fat shoulders. "Come, come, Monsieur Homais;
as long as the Lion d'Or exists people will come to it. We've
feathered our nest; while one of these days you'll find the Cafe
Francais closed with a big placard on the shutters. Change my
billiard-table!" she went on, speaking to herself, "the table that
comes in so handy for folding the washing, and on which, in the
hunting season, I have slept six visitors! But that dawdler Hivert
doesn't come!"

"Are you waiting for him for your gentlemen's dinner?"

"Wait for him! And what about Monsieur Binet? As the clock strikes six
you'll see him come in, for he hasn't his equal under the sun for
punctuality. He must always have his seat in the small parlor. He'd
rather die than dine anywhere else. And so squeamish as he is, and so
particular about the cider! Not like Monsieur Leon; he sometimes comes
at seven, or even half-past, and he doesn't so much as look at what he
eats. Such a nice young man! Never speaks a rough word!"

"Well, you see, there's a great difference between an educated man and
an old carabineer who is now a tax-collector."

JOSEPH ERNEST RENAN

Born in 1823, died in 1892; a teacher and a student of
comparative philology; began to publish in 1850 books which
attracted attention for their excellence of style; traveled
in the East in 1861; called to the chair of history in the
College of France, but forced to resign because he denied
the divinity of Christ; published his "Life of Jesus" in
1863, "The Apostles," in 1866, "St. Paul" in 1867, "L'Ante
Christ" in 1873, "The Christian Church" in 1879, "Marcus
Aurelius" in 1880, and "History of the People of Israel" in
1887-94;