82 BRITANNY AND THE CHASE. 



return. True it is that the custom of French society 

 requires the stranger to introduce himself to its notice, but 

 that is but a poor reply to the charge of inhospitality. It 

 only makes bad worse, and shows that what we object to 

 in an individual is the general practice, for what is custom 

 but the general practice of individuals ? This brings home 

 to the nation what before only applied to a member of it, 

 and justifies the appellation of inhospitable as applied to 

 France. 



A friend called on me the other day to ask me to 

 accompany him into the mountains for some shooting, 

 where we were to stay with a tenant of his father's, and 

 be comfortably treated, " parfaitement loges.''^ We were to 

 have meat and drink without stint, excellent beds, — to 

 be as well oflp as at home ; and this for the evenings and 

 nights, coupled with a " masse " of game during the days, 

 made out a bill of fare not to be despised. In truth, the 

 country was full of " gibier " of all kinds, from the snipe to 

 the red-leg. I therefore accepted the invitation with plea- 

 sure, got ready a double provision of shot, powder, and caps, 

 all my cleaning and repairing tools, everything in fine 

 necessary for a long campaign. Two days before we were 

 to set out my friend called again to talk over matters, but 

 symptoms of thaio were perceptible; i. e. it was hinted 

 that perhaps our keep might not be first-rate, and therefore 

 it might be as well to take some little trifle of provision, 

 merely to complete the dinners, it is true, as the " pieces de 

 resistance " would, doubtless, be found at the farm, — but 

 just a little something; a bottle or two of good wine also 

 would not be amiss, — some brandy also ; in other words. 



