always understood that the majority of lunatics were of
the gentler sex."

"It is generally so, but not always. Some time ago, there were about
twenty-seven patients here; and, of that number, no less than eighteen
were women; but, lately, matters have changed very much, as you see."

"Yes--have changed very much, as you see," here interrupted the
gentleman who had broken the shins of Ma'm'selle Laplace.

"Yes--have changed very much, as you see!" chimed in the whole company
at once.

"Hold your tongues, every one of you!" said my host, in a great rage.
Whereupon the whole company maintained a dead silence for nearly a
minute. As for one lady, she obeyed Monsieur Maillard to the letter,
and thrusting out her tongue, which was an excessively long one, held it
very resignedly, with both hands, until the end of the entertainment.

"And this gentlewoman," said I, to Monsieur Maillard, bending over and
addressing him in a whisper--"this good lady who has just spoken,
and who gives us the cock-a-doodle-de-doo--she, I presume, is
harmless--quite harmless, eh?"

"Harmless!" ejaculated he, in unfeigned surprise, "why--why, what can
you mean?"

"Only slightly touched?" said I, touching my head. "I take it for
granted that she is not particularly not dangerously affected, eh?"

"Mon dieu! what is it you imagine? This lady, my particular old friend
Madame Joyeuse, is as absolutely sane as myself. She has her little
eccentricities, to be sure--but then, you know, all old women--all very
old women--are more or less eccentric!"

"To be sure," said I,--"to be sure--and then the rest of these ladies
and gentlemen-"

"Are my friends and keepers," interupted Monsieur Maillard, drawing
himself up with hauteur,--"my very good friends and assistants."

"What! all of them?" I asked,--"the women and all?"

"Assuredly," he said,--"we could not do at all without the women; they
are the best lunatic nurses in the world; they have a way of their own,
you know; their bright eyes have a marvellous effect;--something like
the fascination of the snake, you know."

"To be sure," said I,--"to be sure! They behave a little odd, eh?--they
are a little queer, eh?--don't you think so?"

"Odd!--queer!--why, do you really think so? We are not very prudish, to
be sure, here in the South--do pretty much as we please--enjoy life, and
all that sort of thing, you know-"

"To be sure," said I,--"to be sure."

"And then, perhaps, this Clos de Vo