felt that
I could not lie still, and that a moon that could make that pattern on
the floor was not the Philistine orb of the Boulevards, but a heavenly
body well worth getting up for.

Soon we were on the move. Every cloud had vanished; Nature was in her
most peaceful mood; all was at rest. We walked on, Dupont a little ahead
of me, whilst Rollo, who had come with us, never budged from his side.
We must have gone some miles when the moon, gradually descending towards
the horizon, went down behind a potato-field. We sat on the banks of a
ditch and watched it.

"A true circle," said Dupont, "a true circle!"

When it had quite disappeared, we went on. For a while Rollo stood
staring after Dupont, then he started off at a slow trot in the
direction of home, and was soon out of sight.

"Drole de chien cela,"[7] said I.

"C'est egal, il a du flaire,"[8] rejoined Dupont. Beyond that he was not
inclined for conversation, so I relapsed into silence.

And that is all. But I was to remember the moon of that night when once
more Dupont and I sat together and watched "the true circle."

* * * * *

New-Year's Day in Paris is, as everybody knows, the most
soul-foot-and-purse-stirring day of the year. Everybody has to
conciliate everybody else. Emperors and kings move their oracular lips
to dispel any "black specks" that may be visible on the horizon, and to
proclaim the fact that, under their paternal guidance, everything is for
the best in the best of States--winding up in all humility, with a
filial appeal to the Father of all, and praying that He may devote
Himself specially to the interests of His chosen people.

The telegraph boys rush from the palace to the office, and soon the
high-priests of the Press trumpet forth the words of the mighty, and
explain their oracular utterances to the gaping crowd that stands ready,
all the world over, to be gulled, and is ever proud to wear some
master's livery and be crushed under the glorious weight of the fetters
he forges.

Sometimes the first day of God's new year is specially selected to
accentuate the Divine Right of Temporal power enthroned on earth. With
breathless expectation we await a sign--it comes--Jupiter has not
deigned to wink, or worse still, Jupiter has frowned; he should have
turned to the left, and he turned to the right, or--ye other gods
protect us!--he did not turn at all! Then suddenly there is a great
commotion in the human