FLY FISHING IN FRANCE. 91 



Our situation put me very much in mind of Mr. 

 Pickwick with the " elderly lady in yellow curl- 

 papers." 



"There, old fellow/' I whispered, "you see 

 they are only going to bed/' 



" I don't know that, Jack ; it's very odd." 



" Odd or not odd," I returned, " they are 

 stripped to the waist." (They had only got 

 their heavy blue woollen petticoats on.) 



The old woman then put her hand into a 

 niche of the wall where they keep the matches, 

 and produced a box, and began rubbing them 

 all over with its contents. 



" By jingo," cried I, " I have it. All the 

 girls have got the " (mentioning a cuta- 

 neous disease which shall be nameless). 



" The what !" he screamed out, at which they 

 all rushed into their beds pell-mell, and the 

 light was blown out. The whole room was now 

 in a hubbub. 



Eventually the lamp was re-lit, but nothing 

 would induce my friend to remain, and away he 

 went at twelve at night : I would not follow 

 him. In for a penny in for a pound, I thought, 

 as I quietly turned in again. On getting home 



