THE HANDSOME MODEL. 101 



a famous sailor too, I flatter myself : he discovered three new worlds, and 

 was about discovering half a dozen more, when he was swallowed by a 

 shark." " Good God ! swallowed by a shark !" " Exactly as I have the 

 honour of telling you : let us drink." '* Poor man ! " ' Ah ! sailors are ac- 

 customed to those every day events ; they don't think half as much of them 

 as we do." " But how did you get back the coat ? " " That is just what I 

 was going to tell you. A short time after, the shark was taken, and as it 

 was opened with a view of preserving it for the Cabinet of Natural History, 

 the great coat was found within, whole and sound, and with a^letter directed 

 to me in one of the pockets. It seems sharks cant digest leather. As for my 

 poor uncle, there remained nothing of him, but two fingers and an ear, which 

 I have, preserved in brandy." " I'll never go to sea; I should be too much 

 afraid of such accidents." ' You are right nothing like mother earth and 

 good wine capital this Papa Dermilly was a bit of a gourmand all the 

 artists are." " It is very odd, Rossignol, but your hat is exactly like the 

 one I lost the day I dined with you one would have sworn it was the very 

 same buckle." ' Why an't all hats exactly like each other ?" "I say, we 

 were rather tipsy that day." " Tipsy ! for shame, I am never tipsy. Be- 

 cause a few plates were broken, and a few thumps given to the tables, you 

 call that being drunk we were gay, in high spirits, that is all." " But why 

 do you now wear moustaches ? It completely changes yonr face Have you 

 been in the army since I saw you ? " " Yes, my boy, I have seen service 

 I have even served in two places." " In the Hussars ? " " No, I was in 

 the volunteers wore a fancy uniform nothing remains but the pantaloons 

 but I was not to be seduced ' Thy charms recollecting, can fancy e'er rove?' 

 The arts reclaimed me, and I am delighted that I quitted the service, since I 

 have found again so faithful a friend let us drink." 



Rossignol did full justice to the repast ; it was long since he had made 

 such another. The corks flew, and the bottles were emptied. In order not 

 to disturb himself, Rossignol threw the dirty plates on a handsome sofa, and 

 rolled the bottles on the floor. Pierre, who endeavoured to drink fair with 

 his friend, was fast losing all consciousness. His utterance became thick- 

 ened, whilst his friend, quite cool, being much more accustomed to drink- 

 ing, made every thing the traiteur had brought disappear with an incon- 

 ceivable rapidity. Seated at a well furnished table, and surrounded by 

 wines, and liqueurs, Rossignol had quite forgotten Francois, to whom he 

 had promised to return the coat in two hours. Punctuality was not one 'of 

 the fine model's virtues ; he thought of nothing but making the corks fly, 

 arid began, now that his fourth bottle was finished, to partake the drunken- 

 ness of his host. Warmed by the wine he had drank, Rossignol threw off 

 the great coat in which he had been wrapped, crying " The devil take the 

 dressing-gown, what do I want of it ? You know me, Pierre, my boy, I am 

 your friend, an't I ? An't I dressed quite well enough to breakfast with 

 you ? I was smothered in that vile blanket." " What, your uncle's great 

 coat the shark that you throw on the ground in that way." " Let my 

 uncle alone ! who the devil told you of my uncle ? help yourself." " Why 

 you told me all about it just now." " Ah! true I quite forgot. No 

 matter, Pierre, what a merry life we shall lead ! Why you are no longer the 

 same ; you cut quite another figure now : you are pleased at last, an't 

 you ?" " I am so merry I scarce know where I am." " Well, my man, 

 this is the life we'll lead every day, from morning to night. It is settled that 

 I attach myself to you, I quit you no more you are rich, I am insinuating ; 

 you are narrow-minded, I am a man of wit ; I will infuse some into you, 

 and teach you ' Gaily to swim life's flowing tide !' " " Is that your uniform 

 you wear ?" said Pierre, who could scarce speak. " No, it is a hunting- 

 dress ; there are eight buttons off, which a wild boar swallowed just as I 

 was going to slay him. Let us taste the liqueur : what is this ? rum 



