eminded　you；　that　even　this　place　was　a　point　in　the　　great　warfaring　system　of　Europe；　and　might　on　some　future　day　be　　ringed　about　with　cannon　smoke　and　thunder；　and　make　itself　a　name　　among　strong　towns。
  The　drum；　at　any　rate；　from　its　martial　voice　and　notable　　physiological　effect；　nay；　even　from　its　cumbrous　and　comical　　shape；　stands　alone　among　the　instruments　of　noise。　　And　if　it　be　　true；　as　I　have　heard　it　said；　that　drums　are　covered　with　asses'　　skin；　what　a　picturesque　irony　is　there　in　that！　　As　if　this　long…　suffering　animal's　hide　had　not　been　sufficiently　belaboured　during　　life；　now　by　Lyonnese　costermongers；　now　by　presumptuous　Hebrew　　prophets；　it　must　be　stripped　from　his　poor　hinder　quarters　after　　death；　stretched　on　a　drum；　and　beaten　night　after　night　round　the　　streets　of　every　garrison　town　in　Europe。　　And　up　the　heights　of　　Alma　and　Spicheren；　and　wherever　death　has　his　red　flag　a…flying；　　and　sounds　his　own　potent　tuck　upon　the　cannons；　there　also　must　　the　drummer…boy；　hurrying　with　white　face　over　fallen　comrades；　　batter　and　bemaul　this　slip　of　skin　from　the　loins　of　peaceable　　donkeys。
  Generally　a　man　is　never　more　uselessly　employed　than　when　he　is　at　　this　trick　of　bastinadoing　asses'　hide。　　We　know　what　effect　it　has　　in　life；　and　how　your　dull　ass　will　not　mend　his　pace　with　beating。　　　But　in　this　state　of　mummy　and　melancholy　survival　of　itself；　when　　the　hollow　skin　reverberates　to　the　drummer's　wrist；　and　each　dub…　a…dub　goes　direct　to　a　man's　heart；　and　puts　madness　there；　and　　that　disposition　of　the　pulses　which　we；　in　our　big　way　of　talking；　　nickname　Heroism：…　is　there　not　something　in　the　nature　of　a　　revenge　upon　the　donkey's　persecutors？　　Of　old；　he　might　say；　you　　drubbed　me　up　hill　and　down　dale；　and　I　must　endure；　but　now　that　I　　am　dead；　those　dull　thwacks　that　were　scarcely　audible　in　country　　lanes；　have　become　stirring　music　in　front　of　the　brigade；　and　for　　every　blow　that　you　lay　on　my　old　greatcoat；　you　will　see　a　comrade　　stumble　and　fall。
  Not　long　after　the　drums　had　passed　the　CAFE；　the　CIGARETTE　and　the　　ARETHUSA　began　to　grow　sleepy；　and　set　out　for　the　hotel；　which　was　　only　a　door　or　two　away。　　But　although　we　had　been　somewhat　　indifferent　to　Landrecies；　Landrecies　had　not　been　indifferent　to　　us。　　All　day；　we　learned；　people　had　been　running　out　between　the　　squalls　to　visit　our　two　boats。　　Hundreds　of　persons；　so　said　　report；　although　it　fitted　ill　with　our　idea　of　the　town　…　hundreds　　of　persons　had　inspected　them　where　they　lay　in　a　coal…shed。　　We　　were　becoming　lions　in　Landrecies；　who　had　been　only　pedlars　the　　night　before　in　Pont。
  And　now；　when　we　left　the　CAFE；　we　were　pursued　and　overtaken　at　　the　hotel　door　by　no　less　a　person　than　the　JUGE　DE　PAIX：　　a　　functionary；　as　far　as　I　can　make　out；　of　the　character　of　a　Scots　　Sheriff…Substitute。　　He　gave　us　his　card　and　invited　us　to　sup　with　　him　on　the　spot；　very　neatly；　very　gracefully；　as　Frenchmen　can　do　　these　things。　　It　was　for　the　credit　of　Landrecies；　said　he；　and　　although　we　knew　very　well　how　little　credit　we　could　do　the　place；　　we　must　have　been　churlish　fellows　to　refuse　an　invitation　so　　politely　introduced。
  The　house　of　the　Judge　was　close　by；　it　was　a　well…appointed　　bachelor's　establishment；　with　a　curious　collection　of　old　brass　　warming…pans　upon　the　walls。　　Some　of　these　were　most　elaborately　　carved。　　It　seemed　a　picturesque　idea　for　a　collector。　　You　could　　not　help　thinking　how　many　night…caps　had　wagged　over　these　　warming…pans　in　past　generations；　what　jests　may　have　been　made；　　and　kisses　taken；　while　they　were　in　service；　and　how　often　they　　had　been　uselessly　paraded　in　the　bed　of　death。　　If　they　could　only　　speak；　at　what　absurd；　indecorous；　and　tragical　scenes　had　they　not　　been　present！
  The　wine　was　excellent。　　When　we　made　the　Judge　our　compliments　　upon　a　bottle；　'I　do　not　give　it　you　as　my　worst；'　said　he。　　I　　wonder　when　Englishmen　will　learn　these　hospitable　graces。　　They　　are　worth　learning；　they　set　off　life；　and　make　ordinary　moments　　ornamental。
  There　were　two　other　Landrecienses　present。　　One　was　the　collector　　of　something　or　other；　I　forget　what；　the　other；　we　were　told；　was　　the　principal　notary　of　the　place。　　So　it　happened　that　we　all　five　　more　or　less　followed　the　law。　　At　this　rate；　the　talk　was　pretty　　certain　to　become　technical。　　The　CIGARETTE　expounded　the　Poor　Laws　　very　magisterially。　　And　a　little　later　I　found　myself　laying　down　　the　Scots　Law　of　Illegitimacy；　of　which　I　am　glad　to　say　I　know　　nothing。　　The　collector　and　the　notary；　who　were　both　married　men；　　accused　the　Judge；　who　was　a　bachelor；　of　having　started　the　　subject。　　He　deprecated　the　charge；　with　a　conscious；　pleased　air；　　just　like　all　the　men　I　have　ever　seen；　be　they　French　or　English。　　　How　strange　that　we　should　all；　in　our　unguarded　moments；　rather　　like　to　be　thought　a　bit　of　a　rogue　with　the　women！
  As　the　evening　went　on；　the　wine　grew　more　to　my　taste；　the　spirits　　proved　better　than　the　wine；　the　company　was　genial。　　This　was　the　　highest　water　mark　of　popular　favour　on　the　whole　cruise。　　After　　all；　being　in　a　Judge's　house；　was　there　not　something　semi…　official　in　the　tribute？　　And　so；　remembering　what　a　great　country　　France　is；　we　did　full　justice　to　our　entertainment。　　Landrecies　　had　been　a　long　while　asleep　before　we　returned　to　the　hotel；　and　　the　sentries　on　the　ramparts　were　already　looking　for　daybreak。
  SAMBRE　AND　OISE　CANAL
  CANAL　BOATS
  NEXT　day　we　made　a　late　start　in　the　rain。　　The　Judge　politely　　escorted　us　to　the　end　of　the　lock　under　an　umbrella。　　We　had　now　　brought　ourselves　to　a　pitch　of　humility　in　the　matter　of　weather；　　not　often　attained　except　in　the　Scottish　Highlands。　　A　rag　of　blue　　sky　or　a　glimpse　of　sunshine　set　our　hearts　singing；　and　when　the　　rain　was　not　heavy；　we　counted　the　day　almost　fair。
  Long　lines　of　barges　lay　one　after　another　along　the　canal；　many　of　　them　looking　mighty　spruce　and　shipshape　in　their　jerkin　of　　Archangel　tar　picked　out　with　white　and　green。　　Some　carried　gay　　iron　railings；　and　quite　a　parterre　of　flower…pots。　　Children　　played　on　the　decks；　as　heedless　of　the　rain　as　if　they　had　been　　brought　up　on　Loch　Carron　side；　men　fished　over　the　gunwale；　some　　of　them　under　umbrellas；　women　did　their　washing；　and　every　barge　　boasted　its　mongrel　cur　by　way　of　watch…dog。　　Each　one　barked　　furiously　at　the　canoes；　running　alongside　until　he　had　got　to　the　　end　of　his　own　ship；　and　so　passing　on　the　word　to　the　dog　aboard　　the　next。　　We　must　have　seen　something　like　a　hundred　of　these　　embarkations　in　the　course　of　that　day's　paddle；　ranged　one　after　　another　like　the　houses　in　a　street；　and　from　not　one　of　them　were　　we　disappointed　of　this　accompaniment。　　It　was　like　visiting　a　　menagerie；　the　CIGARETTE　remarked。
  These　little　cities　by　the　canal　side　had　a　very　odd　effect　upon　　the　mind。　　They　seemed；　with　their　flower…pots　and　smoking　　chimneys；　their　washings　and　dinners；　a　rooted　piece　of　nature　in　　the　scene；　and　yet　if　only　the　canal　below　were　to　open；　one　junk　　after　another　would　hoist　sail　or　harness　horses　and　swim　away　into　　all　parts　of　France；　and　the　impromptu　hamlet　would　separate；　house　　by　house；　to　the　four　winds。　　The　children　who　played　together　to…　day　by　the　Sambre　and　Oise　Canal；　each　at　his　own　father's　　threshold；　when　and　where　might　they　next　meet？
  For　some　time　past　the　subject　of　barges　had　occupied　a　great　deal　　of　our　talk；　and　we　had　projected　an　old　age　on　the　canals　of　　Europe。　　It　was　to　be　the　most　leisurely　of　progresses；　now　on　a　　swift　river　at　the　tail　of　a　steam…boat；　now　waiting　horses　for　　days　together　on　some　inconsiderable　junction。　　We　should　be　seen　　pottering　on　deck　in　all　the　dignity　of　years；　our　white　beards　　falling　into　our　laps。　　We　were　ever　to　be　busied　among　paint…pots；　　so　that　there　should　be　no　white　fresher；　and　no　green　more　emerald　　than　ours；　in　all　the　navy　of　the　canals。　　There　should　be　books　in　　the　cabin；　and　tobacco…jars；　and　some　old　Burgundy　as　red　as　a　　November　sunset　and　as　odorous　as　a　violet　in　April。　　There　should　　be　a　flageolet；　whence　the　CIGARETTE；　with　cunning　touch；　should　　draw　melting　music　under　the　stars；　or　perhaps；　laying　that　aside；　　upraise　his　voice　…　somewhat　thinner　than　of　yore；　and　with　here　　and　there　a　quaver；　or　call　it　a　natural　grace…note　…　in　rich　and　　solemn　psalmody。
  All　this；　simmering　in　my　mind；　set　me　wishing　to　go　aboard　one　of　　these　ideal　houses　of　lounging。　　I　had　plenty　to　choose　from；　as　I　　coasted　one　after　another；　and　the　dogs　bayed　at　me　for　a　vagrant。　　　At　last　I　saw　a　nice　old　man　and　his　wife　looking　at　me　with　some　　interest；　so　I　gave　them　good…day　and　pulled　up　alongside。　　I　began　　with　a　remark　upon　their　dog；　which　had　somewhat　the　look　of　a　　pointer；　thence　I　slid　into　a　compliment　on　Madame's　flowers；　and　　thence　into　a　word　in　praise　of　their　way　of　life。
  If　you　ventured　on　such　an　experiment　in　England　you　would　get　a　　slap　in　the　face　at　once。　　The　life　would　be　shown　to　be　a　vile　　one；　not　without　a　side　shot　at　your　better　fortune。　　Now；　what　I　　like　so　much　in　France　is　the　clear　unflinching　recognition　by　　everybody　of　his　own　luck。　　They