CHAPTER XVIII 



A FRAGMENT OF HISTORY 



" T UNDERSTAND," began Jules, "the usefulness 

 JL of the dog to a man left to his own resources in 

 a desert country in the midst of woods. With the 

 help of this courageous friend he procures food and 

 defends himself against animals that endanger his 

 life. But in our countries around here, it seems to 

 me, that wretched sort of existence can never have 

 been known." 



"In our countries things took their course just as 

 everywhere else," his uncle replied. "Even in 

 places now enjoying the most advanced civilization, 

 man began with an era of misery of which it will be 

 not unprofitable to give you some idea ; then you will 

 see better from what depths of barbarism the dog's 

 services have helped to raise us. 



"In the earliest times of which history has pre- 

 served some vague record, what was one day to be 

 the beautiful country of France was a wild country 

 covered with immense forests, where, living by the 

 chase, there wandered some few tribes of Gaels ; for 

 thus the first inhabitants of our country were called. 

 They were men of low stature, broad shoulders, 

 white skin, long blond hair, and blue or green eyes. 

 For weapons they had stone axes and knives, arrows 



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