ellow-students, who lodged in a garret in the Rue
Git-le-Cour. Our host, a Premonstratensian Father of much learning and
a fine Theologian, had fallen out with the Prior of his House for having
writ a little book relating the calamities of Mam'zelle Fanchon. The end
of it was he turned tavern-keeper at The Hague. He was now returned to
France and living precariously by the sermons he composed, which were
full of high argument and eloquence. After supper he had read us these
same calamities of Mam'zelle Fanchon, source of his own, and the reading
had kept us there till a late hour. At last I found myself without-doors
with my good master, under a wondrous fine summer's night, which made
me straightway comprehend the verity of the ancient fables regarding the
loves of Diana and feel how natural it is to employ in soft dalliance
the silent, silvery hours of night. I said as much to M. l'Abbe
Coignard, who retorted that love is to blame for many and great ills.

"Tournebroche, my son," he asked me, "have you not just heard from the
mouth of yonder good Monk how, for having loved a recruiting sergeant,
a clerk of M. Gaulot's mercer at the sign of the Truie-qui-file, and the
younger son of M. le Lieutenant-Criminel Leblanc, Mam'zelle Fanchon was
clapped in hospital? Would you wish to be any of these,--sergeant or
clerk or limb of the law?"

I answered I would indeed. My good master thanked me for my candid
avowal, and quoted some verses of Lucretius to persuade me that love is
contrary to the tranquillity of a truly philosophical soul.

Thus discoursing, we were come to the round-point of the Pont-Neuf.
Leaning our elbows on the parapet, we looked over at the great tower of
the Chatelet, which stood out black in the moonlight.

"There might be much to say," sighed my good master, "on this justice of
the civilized nations, the punishments whereof in retaliation are often
more cruel than the crime itself I cannot believe that these tortures
and penalties that men inflict on their fellows are necessary for the
safeguarding of States, seeing how from time to time one and another
legal cruelty is done away with without hurt to the commonweal. And I
hold it likely that the severities they still maintain are no whit more
useful than those they have abolished. But men are cruel. Come away,
Tournebroche, my dear lad; it grieves me to think how unhappy prisoners
are even now lying awake behind those walls in anguish and despair. I
k