VOYAGE TO EGYPT 97 



where to go, we gave him this card, and he started 

 off. A very busy place is Marseilles, and we ad- 

 mired many of the big mules and draught-horses 

 which we passed, though there was much ' avoid- 

 ance,' as Mr. Jorrocks expressed it, and we learned 

 from many of them, as the science of shoeing is 

 clearly very behindhand in these parts, and all 

 the evils to which the pastern or hoof is liable 

 might be seen there. 



" We reached the Grand Restaurant de Provence, 

 where * real English comfort and English waiters ' 

 were promised, only to find that French was the 

 only language. However, in an unlucky moment, 

 we thought the place did not look bad, and said 

 we would come back and lunch at one. By this 

 time I had been forced out of my habitual reserve 

 and compelled to set about talking French. 



" Once you break the ice it is not difficult — that 

 is, if you know anything of the language — and I 

 made our man understand he was to drive us for 

 an hour to the most interesting places. We won- 

 dered where, in the circumstances, he would go ; 

 but he gauged us rightly, and took us to the race- 

 course, and returning from that by the plage, we 

 had an excellent view of the bay and well-laid- out 

 cliif-side, the cascades, and so forth. Our cocker 

 had by now asked for a cigar, and got it. Presently 

 his old horse hung resolutely to a drink shop, and 

 7 



