"Mimi" stretches her full length, extending and retracting her claws,
rolls on her back, turns her big yellow eyes to Celeste and mews. The
next moment she is picked up and carried back into the house like a
stray child.

At noon the streets seem deserted, except for the sound of occasional
laughter and the rattle of dishes coming from the smaller restaurants as
one passes. At this hour these places are full of workmen in white and
blue blouses, and young girls from the neighboring factories. They are
all laughing and talking together. A big fellow in a blue gingham blouse
attempts to kiss the little milliner opposite him at table; she evades
him, and, screaming with laughter, picks up her skirts and darts out
of the restaurant and down the street, the big fellow close on her
dainty heels. A second later he has overtaken her, and picking her up
bodily in his strong arms carries her back to her seat, where he places
her in her chair, the little milliner by this time quite out of breath
with laughter and quite happy. This little episode affords plenty of
amusement to the rest of the crowd; they wildly applaud the good-humored
captor, who orders another litre of red wine for those present, and
every one is merry.

[Illustration: (city house)]

The Parisian takes his hour for dejeuner, no matter what awaits him. It
is the hour when lovers meet, too. Edmond, working in the atelier for
the reproduction of Louis XVI furniture, meets Louise coming from her
work on babies' caps in the rue des Saints-Peres at precisely twelve-ten
on the corner of the rue Vaugirard and the Boulevard Montparnasse.
Louise comes without her hat, her hair in an adorable coiffure, as
neatly arranged as a Geisha's, her skirt held tightly to her hips,
disclosing her small feet in low slippers. There is a golden rule, I
believe, in the French catechism which says: "It is better, child, that
thy hair be neatly dressed than that thou shouldst have a whole frock."
And so Louise is content. The two breakfast on a ragout and a bottle of
wine while they talk of going on Sunday to St. Cloud for the day--and so
they must be economical this week. Yes, they will surely go to St. Cloud
and spend all day in the woods. It is the second Sunday in the month,
and the fountains will be playing. They will take their dejeuner with
them. Louise will, of course, see to this, and Edmond will bring
cigarettes enough for two, and the wine. Then, when the stars are out,
they