284 THE rilENCH TUTOR IN LONDON. 



perhaps half-a-crown, the P. C.'s are all on the 

 alert to detect the audacious offender. The shoe 

 pmches. But what care these said aldermen if 

 their civic feasts are provided at the expense of 

 their country cousins ? Not a rap. In season and 

 out of season, all nature must pander to their 

 capacious maws. 



I was once much amused by the description 

 given me by our old French Master, upon his 

 going up to London, of the adroit manner in 

 which he was relieved of a fine new bandana. It 

 being the height of the London season, Mossu 

 (as he was called by the younger boys), having 

 obtained leave of absence from the school, set off 

 to the great metropolis for a little recreation. 

 Frenchmen are proverbially fond of theatrical ex- 

 hibitions. Mossu therefore posted off one fine 

 evening to Covent Garden, which was then in great 

 force. Marching leisurely under the colonnade, he 

 felt a pretty considerable pull at his swallow- 

 tailed coat, then in fashion, and looking sharply 

 round, he discovered an urchin quickly handing over 

 his fine bandana to his lion. Mossu was taken aback 

 at this cool method of doing business, but rather 

 feared an encounter with this dark-looking gentle- 

 man. He therefore approached with all deference, 

 and quietly apprized him of his loss by saying, 



