and when we desisted, after two applications of the fire, the sound

egg was little more than loo-warm; and as for a la papier, it was a

cold and sordid fricassee of printer's ink and broken egg-shell.

We made shift to roast the other two, by putting them close to the

burning spirits; and that with better success. And then we

uncorked the bottle of wine, and sat down in a ditch with our canoe

aprons over our knees. It rained smartly. Discomfort, when it is

honestly uncomfortable and makes no nauseous pretensions to the

contrary, is a vastly humorous business; and people well steeped

and stupefied in the open air are in a good vein for laughter.

From this point of view, even egg a la papier offered by way of

food may pass muster as a sort of accessory to the fun. But this

manner of jest, although it may be taken in good part, does not

invite repetition; and from that time forward, the Etna voyaged

like a gentleman in the locker of the Cigarette.

It is almost unnecessary to mention that when lunch was over and we

got aboard again and made sail, the wind promptly died away. The

rest of the journey to Villevorde, we still spread our canvas to

the unfavouring air; and with now and then a puff, and now and then

a spell of paddling, drifted along from lock to lock, between the

orderly trees.

It was a fine, green, fat landscape; or rather a mere green water-

lane, going on from village to village. Things had a settled look,

as in places long lived in. Crop-headed children spat upon us from

the bridges as we went below, with a true conservative feeling.

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