CHARACTERS. 



763 



stance, costs only three francs, if 

 the bird is furnished by the cus- 

 tomer ; otherwise a little more, in 

 proportion to the rarity of the 

 auiuial. 



This theatre of inanimate bodies 

 is, in some measure, preferable to 

 that which swarms with living crea- 

 tures, but which is rendered olfen- 

 sivc by the disagreeable exhalations. 

 If, however, you can stay a fe%v 

 moments in the latter shop without 

 feeling indisposed, you will obtain 

 some idea of Noah's ark, which 

 could scarcely have been celebrated 

 for its pleasant smell. Here you 

 see lodged in a vast number of cages, 

 grey, green, and party-coloured 

 parrots, white cockatoos, superb 

 India ravens, all of which scream 

 at once, in such a manner as to 

 deafen you. But you must not think 

 that because birds are so plentiful, 

 they are to be bought cheap ; no : 

 you could not purchase any of these 

 • for less than eight louis, unless it 

 were yon sparrow-like parrot, that 

 cannot speak, and never will learn; 

 that you may perhaps buy for three 

 louis. These foreiiincrs with varie- 

 gated plumage justly occupy the first 

 row in the aviary. Next to them 

 come pigeons and fowls of the ra- 

 rest species in great numbers ; Turk- 

 ish ducks, pearl hens, gold and 

 silver pheasants, singing birds of 

 every kind, from the nightingale to 

 the greentinch. Between these arc 

 placed spaniels, pug-dogs, squirrels, 

 guinea-pigs, hares, and rabbits. — 

 And here pigeons and young wea- 

 sels, birds, and Angora cats are 

 «eeH living in the greatest harmony 

 by the side of each other. The walls 

 are hung with cages from top to 

 bottom, and even the whole outside 

 of the shop next the street, is co- 

 Tcrcd witli them. Now let us en- 



ter this beautiful repository of house- 

 hold furniture, in which taste is sub- 

 servient to luxury, and someiime-S 

 the contrary^ Bbt why should we 

 trouble ourselves concerning this ? 

 we foreigners, who can carry no- 

 thing along w ith us ! How great 

 houses are here furnished, I shall 

 not shew you in the street. For 

 the same reason, let us quickly pass 

 this china warehouse, glittering with 

 gold, Avhere the brittle materials 

 exhibit the most pleasing variety of 

 colours. A charming sight indeed, 

 indeed ! and which has attradted my 

 notice many a quarter of an hour. 



Don't mind the woman, who ab- 

 solutely wants to force upon yoiv 

 a ticket of the national lottery. — 

 " Seventy-five thousand livrcsto be 

 gained for a trifle,'' she incessantly 

 cries, as if she had been taught bj 

 a Brunswick lottery-office keeper ; 

 but more modest than the latter, 

 she does not pester you w ith letters, 

 but only follows you to the corner 

 of the street. Now you have got 

 rid of her, a good-natured Savoy- 

 ard, who, if you please, will clip, 

 wash, and comb, your dog ^offerg 

 to clean your shoes. But you like 

 to trust your feet only to female 

 hands, and by proceeding a few 

 steps farther, you may satisfy that 

 modest scruple. 



I now propose to walk slowly 

 down the Quay de I'Ecole, and thus, 

 to terminate this day's excursion. 

 \Ve shall leave to the left all the. 

 cotl'ee-liousesand restaurateurs how- 

 ever inviting may be tlie inscriptions 

 ])ainted in large charadters on the 

 glass-doors and windows: cold and 

 warm breakfasts, fork breakfasts 

 (drjcutwrs a la fourclict(e), rum and 

 rack punch, ice-cheese, milk-coifec, 

 chocolate, &c. The next door neigh- 

 bour invites us to ugamu u la poule ; 



tho 



