166 FIRST JOURNEY IN EUROPE. [1839, 
my offer, and then labored hard to make me take 
them. I advanced one france, but utterly refused to 
give a soumore. ‘“ Vous n’étes pas raisonnable,” says 
madame. “Je suis trés raisonnable,” I replied, “ mais 
votre prix n’est pas raisonnable.” So I left the shop, 
madame very coolly replacing the books on the shelf, 
with one eye turned toward me to see if I would re- 
lent. I had got some distance down the street when 
the boy came running after me, to say that I might 
have the books, “ mais ils sont tres bon marché.” So 
much for the way you are obliged to make bargains 
here. Went to the Garden, returned to dine here, 
paid a little visit to Mr. Webb, and must write the 
remainder of the evening. 
Thursday evening, April 11.—My approaching de- 
arture makes it a very busy time for me. Let me 
recollect what I did yesterday. 1 went first to Baron 
Delessert’s; studied in his magnificent library until 
about one o’clock ; then visited my banker, who is near, 
drew some money ; then to a bookseller to arrange some 
matters about our “ Flora” (which I failed to do) ; 
went to the Bibliotheque du Roi, where they have 
miles of books and acres of manuscripts, but as it was 
not a public day, I did not see half that I wished. I 
have made arrangements, however, for a future day. 
I went next to the post office, and took a place in the 
malle-post (which is very much quicker than the dili- 
gence) for Lyons, to go on Monday; so that the 
time of my departure is pretty well fixed. I next 
went to learn the time of the departure of the car- 
riages for Sevres and Versailles, which places I intend 
to visit to-morrow. Then I met Chevalier, the opti- 
cian, by appointment, to consult about microscopes 
or an hour or two. ... Called on M. Gay, with 
