48 



STRAY- AW AYS 



a meek mazurka on his harp, and to close it by rattling 

 a box of coppers along the line of spectators outside 

 the rope. Judging by the expression of his wife's 

 eye, she has but little opinion of his conduct in these 

 small matters. Both within and without the rope the 

 audience is always large and unfailingly appreciative; 



HIS PART IS TO PREFACE THE ENTERTAINMENT WITH 

 A MEEK MAZURK^V ON HIS HARP 



the dark eyes of the children on the benches glitter 

 with intelligence, and their thin laughter responds 

 shrilly and instantly to the Parisian volubilities of 

 " M. Guignol,'' and the eldritch screeches of his baby. 

 The outside audience does not disdain an equal 

 sympathy, composed though it is of young men in tall 

 hats, elderly ladies, and cuirassiers in the pomp of 

 brass helmets with flowing horsehair plumes; they 

 peer over each other's shoulders, they shout with 



