either eye, seeking
approval. His wife appeared now and again in the doorway of the room,
where she was superintending dinner, with a "Henri, you forget
yourself," or a "Henri, you can surely talk without making such a
noise." Indeed, that was what the honest fellow could not do. On the
most trifling matter his eyes kindled, his fist visited the table, and
his voice rolled abroad in changeful thunder. I never saw such a petard
of a man; I think the devil was in him. He had two favourite
expressions--"it is logical," or illogical, as the case might be; and
this other, thrown out with a certain bravado, as a man might unfurl a
banner, at the beginning of many a long and sonorous story: "I am a
proletarian, you see." Indeed, we saw it very well. God forbid that ever
I should find him handling a gun in Paris streets! That will not be a
good moment for the general public.

I thought his two phrases very much represented the good and evil of his
class, and to some extent of his country. It is a strong thing to say
what one is, and not be ashamed of it; even although it be in doubtful
taste to repeat the statement too often in one evening. I should not
admire it in a duke, of course; but as times go, the trait is honourable
in a workman. On the other hand, it is not at all a strong thing to put
one's reliance upon logic; and our own logic particularly, for it is
generally wrong. We never know where we are to end, if once we begin
following words or doctors. There is an upright stock in a man's own
heart, that is trustier than any syllogism; and the eyes, and the
sympathies and appetites, know a thing or two that have never yet been
stated in controversy. Reasons are as plentiful as blackberries; and,
like fisticuffs, they serve impartially with all sides. Doctrines do not
stand or fall by their proofs, and are only logical in so far as they
are cleverly put. An able controversialist no more than an able general
demonstrates the justice of his cause. But France is all gone wandering
after one or two big words; it will take some time before they can be
satisfied that they are no more than words, however big; and when once
that is done, they will perhaps find logic less diverting.

The conversation opened with details of the day's shooting. When all the
sportsmen of a village shoot over the village territory _pro indiviso_,
it is plain that many questions of etiquette and priority must arise.

"Here now," cried the landlord, br