ioned after
I am gone, I hope that they'll say of me that I did my duty as
President of the republic."

"Of course they will. Every day you have been at these nasty
executive chambers from nine till five, unless when you've been
sitting in that wretched Assembly."

"I shall have a holiday now, at any rate," said I, laughing gently
under the bedclothes.

"Yes; and I am sure it will do you good, if you only take your meals
regular. I sometimes think that you have been encouraged to dwell
upon this horrid Fixed Period by the melancholy of an empty stomach."

It was sad to hear such words from her lips after the two speeches to
which she had listened, and to feel that no trace had been left on
her mind of the triumph which I had achieved over Sir Ferdinando; but
I put up with that, and determined to answer her after her own heart.
"You have always provided a sandwich for me to take to the chambers."

"Sandwiches are nothing. Do remember that. At your time of life you
should always have something warm,--a frizzle or a cutlet, and you
shouldn't eat it without thinking of it. What has made me hate the
Fixed Period worse than anything is, that you have never thought of
your victuals. You gave more attention to the burning of these pigs
than to the cooking of any food in your own kitchen."

"Well, my dear, I'm going to England now," said I, beginning to feel
weary of her reminiscences.

"Yes, my dear, I know you are; and do remember that as you get nearer
and nearer to that chilly country the weather will always be colder
and colder. I have put you up four pairs of flannel drawers, and a
little bag which you must wear upon your chest. I observed that Sir
Ferdinando, when he was preparing himself for his speech, showed that
he had just such a little bag on. And all the time I endeavoured to
spy how it was that he wore it. When I came home I immediately went
to work, and I shall insist on your putting it on the first thing
in the morning, in order that I may see that it sits flat. Sir
Ferdinando's did not sit flat, and it looked bulgy. I thought to
myself that Lady Brown did not do her duty properly by him. If you
would allow me to come with you, I could see that you always put it
on rightly. As it is, I know that people will say that it is all my
fault when it hangs out and shows itself." Then I went to sleep, and
the parting words between me and my wife had been spoken.

Early on the following morning I had Jack into m