pupils on whom I called1 were not at home, I began to think that chance managed matters too well, when I fancied I saw the people I met3 looking at me with a certain uneasiness, but still without speaking. Presently, a gentleman more communicative, it would seem,1 than the rest," said to me in passing, "Nofs !" As I did not know a word of Russian, I thought it was not worth while to stop for the sake of a monosyllable, and I walked on. At the corner of the Rue des Pois, I met an iostchik, who was passing at full speed, driving his sledge; but rapid as was his course, he, too, thought himself bound to speak to me, and called out, "Nofs! nofs !" At length, on reaching the Place de l'Amiranté, I found myself face to face with a mougick, who said nothing at all, but who, picking up a handful of snow, threw himself upon me, and before I could disentangle myself from all my paraphernalia, began to besmear my face and to rub more especially my nose with all his might. I did not much relish the joke, especially considering the weather, 10 and, drawing one of my arms out of one of my pockets, I dealt him11 a blow with my fist,12 which sent him rolling ten yards off. Unfortunately, or fortunately for me, two peasants just then passed, who, after looking at me for a moment, seized hold of me, and, in spite of my resistance, held me fast by the arms, 13 while my desperate

1 On whom I called, chez lesquels je me rendais-2 managed matters faisait......les choses-3 I fancied, etc......I met, je crus remarquer que ceux que je croisais it would seem, à ce qu'il parait5 the rest, les autres-6 walked on, continuai mon chemin-7 rapid as was, si rapide que fût-8 began to, se mit à-9 I did, etc......joke, je trouvai la plaisanterie assez médiocre 10 considering the weather, par le temps qu'il faisait- I dealt him, je lui allongeai-12 with my fist, de poing-13 held me fast by the arms, me maintinrent les bras.

mougick took up another handful of snow, and, as if determined not to be beaten,1 threw himself once more upon me. This time, taking advantage of my utter inability to2 defend myself, he began again his frictions. But, though my arms were tied, my tongue was free: imagining myself the victim of some mistake, or of some concerted attack, I shouted most lustily for help. An officer came up running,5 and asked me in French what was the matter.6

4

'What, sir!" I exclaimed, making a last effort, and getting rid of my three men, who, with the most unconcerned air in the world, went on their way, "do you not see what those rascals were doing to me?"—"Well, what were they doing to you ?""Why, they were rubbing my face with snow; would you think that a good joke, I should like to know, in such weather as this ?" 10" But, my good sir, they were rendering you an enormous service," replied my interlocutor, looking at me, as we say, well Frenchmen, in the very white of the eyes.— “How so ?”—“Why of course your nose was being l frozen."-"Good heavens!"13 I exclaimed, feeling with my hand the threatened feature. 14" Sir," said a passer-by, addressing my friend the officer, “I warn you that your nose is freezing."-"Thank you, sir," said the officer, as if he had been apprized of

12

1 If, etc.......beaten, comme s'il ne voulait pas en avoir le démenti 2 my utter inability to, l'impossibilité où j'étais de-3 though, etc....... was, si j'avais les bras pris, j'avais la langue- I shouted most lustily for help, j'appelai de toute ma force au secours-5 came up running, accourut-6 what was the matter, à qui j'en avais-7 with the most unconcerned air in, de l'air le plus tranquille de-8 went on, se remirent à continuer 9 I should like to know, par hasard-10 in such weather as this, avec le temps qu'il fait- we, nous autres-12 why, etc......being, sans doute, vous aviez le nez-13 good heavens, miséricorde feeling, etc......feature, en portant la main à la partie menacée.

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the most natural thing in the world; and, stooping down, he gathered up a handful of snow and performed for himself the same service that had been rendered me by the poor mougick, whom I had so roughly rewarded for his kindness.-"You mean to say, sir, that had it not been for3 that man.

2

دو

"You would have lost your nose," rejoined the officer, in rubbing his own.-" In that case, sir, allow me.

6

And I ran off in pursuit of my mougick, who, thinking that I wanted to kill him outright, began running also, so that, as fear is naturally more nimble than gratitude, I should probably never have overtaken him, had not some people, seeing him running away and seeing me in pursuit,5 taken him for a thief, and stopped his progress. When I came up, I found him talking with great volubility, endeavouring to show that he was only guilty of too much philanthropy. Ten roubles which I gave him explained matters. The mougick kissed my hand, and one of the by-standers, who spoke French, recommended me to take more care of my nose in future. The recommendation was unnecessary,-during the rest of my walk I never lost sight of it.

ALEXANDRE DUMAS.

1 For, de2 you mean to say, c'est-à-dire 3 had it not been for, sans- I wanted to kill him outright, je voulais achever de l'assommer -in pursuit, le poursuivre-6 and stopped his progress, et ne lui eussent barré le chemin- endeavouring to show, afin de faire comprendre―8 matters, la chose.

CHARACTER OF LOUIS XIV.

Louis XIV., together with a rare dignity of character, possessed a sound judgment,' the instinct of government and order, the talent for affairs? even in their3 detail, a great power of application, and a remarkable strength of will; but he wanted the high range of view and the independence of mind which had placed Richelieu and Mazarin in the first rank of statesmen. His determination to act in everything according to the rule of his duty, and to have no object but the public good, was profound and sincere. His memoirs, which still exist,5 express this with an effusion of feeling, sometimes affecting; but he had not the strength always to follow the moral law which he imposed on himself. In wishing to make but one object of his own happiness and the welfare of the State, he was too much inclined to confound the State with himself, to absorb it into his own person. He too frequently mistook the voice of his passions for that of his duties, and the general interest, that which he boasted to love the most, was sacrificed by him to his family interest, to an ambition which knew no limits, and to an unregulated love of applause and glory. His long life exhibits him more and more rapidly carried down this dangerous descent. We behold him, at first, modest, and at the same time firm of purpose, loving men of

8

1 A sound judgment, un sens droit-2 talent for affairs, esprit des affaires-3 even in their, jusque dans le- he wanted the high range of view, il lui manquait la haute portée de vue-5 his......which still exist, les......qui nous restent de lui-6 he was too much inclined, il inclina trop rapidly carried down this......descent, entrainé sur cette pente......8 firm of purpose, ferme d'esprit.

superior minds,1 and seeking the best counsels; next, preferring the flatterer to the man of information, welcoming not the soundest advice, but that most conformable to his tastes; lastly, listening only to himself, and choosing for his ministers men without talent or without experience, whom he takes upon himself to3 form. Thus this reign, though justly considered glorious, offers very different phases; it may be divided into two parts, almost equal in point of time1-the one of grandeur, the other of decline; and in the first may likewise be distinguished two periods,―that of the successful years, in which all is made prosperous by5 a powerful will directed by a sound reason, and that in which the decline commences, from passion assuming the empire at the expense of reason.

AUGUSTIN THIERRY, "Histoire du Tiers-Etat"

BACON.

Few men have lived a more mental life than Bacon. Never perhaps did a single day pass without his inward thoughts being directed to that great and cherished idea, which pervades all his writings, and which he incessantly takes up to handle it afresh,10 whilst he fails in bringing it to its real value, and 12

11

1 Of superior minds, supérieurs-2 lastly, puis enfin-3 he takes upon himself to, il se charge de-4 in point of time, pour la durée-5 is made prosperous by, prospère par-6 from passion assuming the empire, parce que la passion prend de l'empire.

Have lived a more mental life, ont plus vécu de la vie de la pensée -8 without, etc......directed to, sans qu'il revînt intérieurement à9 pervades, domine dans-10 which he, etc......afresh, qu'il a reprise, remaniée, renouvelée incessamment-11 whilst he fails in, sans jamais parvenir à-12 and, ni.