THE EUROPEAN JOURNALS 323 



library, where the number of savants continually increased, 

 but no Cuvier; I tried to read, but could not; now it was 

 half-past two ; I was asked several times if I was waiting for 

 the Baron, and was advised to go to his house, but like a 

 sentinel true to his post I sat firm and waited. All at once 

 I heard his voice, and saw him advancing, very warm and 

 apparently fatigued. He met me with many apologies, 

 and said, " Come with me ; " and we w^alked along, he ex- 

 plaining all the time why he had been late, while his hand 

 drove a pencil with great rapidity, and he told me that he 

 was actually now writing the report on my work ! ! I 

 thought of La Fontaine's fable of the Turtle and the Hare ; 

 I was surprised that so great a man should leave till the 

 last moment the writing of a report to every word of which 

 the forty critics of France would lend an attentive ear. 

 For being on such an eminence he has to take more care 

 of his actions than a common individual, to prevent his fall, 

 being surrounded, as all great men are more or less, by 

 envy and malice. My enormous book lay before him, and 

 I shifted as swift as lightning the different plates that he had 

 marked for examination. His pencil moved as constantly 

 and as rapidly. He turned and returned the sheets of his 

 manuscript with amazing accuracy, and noted as quickly 

 as he saw, and he saw all. We were both wet with per- 

 spiration. It wanted but a few minutes of three when we 

 went off to the Council room, Cuvier still writing, and 

 bowing to every one he met. I left him, and was glad to 

 get into the pure air. At my lodgings I found a card ask- 

 ing me to go to the Messageries Royales, and I went at once, 

 thinking perhaps it was my numbers from London ; but no 

 such thing. My name was asked, and I was told that 

 orders had been received to remit me ten francs, the coach 

 having charged me for a seat better than the one I had 

 had. This is indeed honesty. When I asked the gentle- 

 man how he had found out my lodgings, he smiled, and 

 answered that he knew every stranger in Paris that had 



