THE SAUSAGE-TREE. 245 



' Rien n'est beau que le vrai j le vrai seul est almable.' 

 (Nothing is beautiful but truth j truth alone Is lovely.) 



" And yet this even is not half so good as it might be ; in 

 the first place, it did not grow in its native country, and then 

 it is not quite ripe; but such as it is, it is quite another 

 thing from those Which the pqrkbutcher so coarsely imitates." 



" Well, but this is very astonishing !" 



"What is there astonishing in it? You know very well 

 that garlic grows in the earth. Does not nature produce pig? 

 Thus you admit that nature has produced the two elements 

 with which porkbutchers make their bad garlic sausages, and 

 you are not willing to believe that she has produced these 

 elements united in one and the same fruit? 



" Has not nature given to certain arums the odour of a leg 

 of mutton that has hung too long? Has she not giv«n to the 

 Buddlea the colour and the odour of the stamens of the 

 safiron ? Has she not ? But you must have proofs ! Monsieur 

 believes nothing without proofs. In good sooth, my friend, 

 I must tell you the truth, you become quite unsociable ; there 

 is no such thing as holding a conversation with you, none 

 of the ingenuousness of friendship, everything a,ssumes the 

 air of a theorem, you must have proof of everything. It will 

 not be long before you will require proof that the sun shines, 

 or that it rains. And truly, I don't know how we shall 

 furnish you with it," &c. &c. 



This nonsense, uttered with the utmost confidence by five 

 or six men, and all directed against this poor fellow, whom 

 they constantly accused of incredulity and Voltairianism, 

 whom they style sceptic, strong-minded, or M. Arouet, 

 ended by completely turning his brain. 



