338 A USEFUL MAN. 



nor were my anticipations of what was to come at all 

 raised by the general appearance of the place. The 

 baron, however, jumping out, began rubbing his 

 hands in high glee ; while the pointer, in the exube- 

 rance of his joy, scoured round the yard, driving every 

 fowl, duck, turkey, goose, and capon in most " ad- 

 mired disorder." A man in a blue frock and red cap, 

 who gloried in the name of Fra^ois, welcomed the 

 baron ; while Formose, in the person of a very ill- 

 looking boy, made his obedience to his master, at the 

 same time energetically cutting legumes for the bouillon: 

 the former I found enacted the parts of piquer^ garde 

 chasse, and general homme d'affaires to the baron ; 

 while the cupid Formose was valet (Fecurie, and in 

 short, valet de any-and-e very thing. So soon as our 

 cocker and Fra^ois had sufficiently kissed each other, 

 I inquired of the latter for my man and nag. My 

 inquiry for my man was answered by the baron, 

 saying, had he thought I wished my man to be here 

 he should have come with us ; but the look of 

 astonishment that followed my expecting or wanting 

 my horse could only have been equalled had I asked 

 for the Cham of Tartary, the great mammoth, or the 

 young lady who cut watch-papers with her toes. 

 Was I going " en voyage?" did I intend to " promener 

 a cheval ? " Holding up my leg, I asked if he thought 

 I had put on spurs to assist me in walking. This 

 brought out a full explanation : so finding hunting 

 to be out of the question, I made up my mind to 

 make the best of it ; in reward of which philosophic 

 resolve, up came my man and horse, the former 

 looking not quite so amiable as a bear in a bad 

 humour. His delay had been occasioned in the 

 following manner : I had told him over night that 



