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ready！' Proprietor stalks forth from baleful reverie； and
announces 'The Young Conscript！' Face…Maker claps his wig on； hind
side before； looks in the glass； and appears above it as a
conscript so very imbecile； and squinting so extremely hard； that I
should think the State would never get any good of him。 Thunders
of applause。 Face…Maker dips behind the looking…glass； brings his
own hair forward； is himself again； is awfully grave。 'A
distinguished inhabitant of the Faubourg St。 Germain。' Face…Maker
dips； rises； is supposed to be aged； blear…eyed； toothless；
slightly palsied； supernaturally polite； evidently of noble birth。
'The oldest member of the Corps of Invalides on the fete…day of his
master。' Face…Maker dips； rises； wears the wig on one side； has
become the feeblest military bore in existence； and （it is clear）
would lie frightfully about his past achievements； if he were not
confined to pantomime。 'The Miser！' Face…Maker dips； rises；
clutches a bag； and every hair of the wig is on end to express that
he lives in continual dread of thieves。 'The Genius of France！'
Face…Maker dips； rises； wig pushed back and smoothed flat； little
cocked…hat （artfully concealed till now） put a…top of it； Face…
Maker's white waistcoat much advanced； Face…Maker's left hand in
bosom of white waistcoat； Face…Maker's right hand behind his back。
Thunders。 This is the first of three positions of the Genius of
France。 In the second position； the Face…Maker takes snuff； in the
third； rolls up his fight hand； and surveys illimitable armies
through that pocket…glass。 The Face…Maker then； by putting out his
tongue； and wearing the wig nohow in particular； becomes the
Village Idiot。 The most remarkable feature in the whole of his
ingenious performance； is； that whatever he does to disguise
himself； has the effect of rendering him rather more like himself
than he was at first。
There were peep…shows in this Fair； and I had the pleasure of
recognising several fields of glory with which I became well
acquainted a year or two ago as Crimean battles； now doing duty as
Mexican victories。 The change was neatly effected by some extra
smoking of the Russians； and by permitting the camp followers free
range in the foreground to despoil the enemy of their uniforms。 As
no British troops had ever happened to be within sight when the
artist took his original sketches； it followed fortunately that
none were in the way now。
The Fair wound up with a ball。 Respecting the particular night of
the week on which the ball took place； I decline to commit myself；
merely mentioning that it was held in a stable…yard so very close
to the railway； that it was a mercy the locomotive did not set fire
to it。 （In Scotland； I suppose； it would have done so。） There； in
a tent prettily decorated with looking…glasses and a myriad of toy
flags； the people danced all night。 It was not an expensive
recreation； the price of a double ticket for a cavalier and lady
being one and threepence in English money； and even of that small
sum fivepence was reclaimable for 'consommation：' which word I
venture to translate into refreshments of no greater strength； at
the strongest； than ordinary wine made hot； with sugar and lemon in
it。 It was a ball of great good humour and of great enjoyment；
though very many of the dancers must have been as poor as the
fifteen subjects of the P。 Salcy Family。
In short； not having taken my own pet national pint pot with me to
this Fair； I was very well satisfied with the measure of simple
enjoyment that it poured into the dull French…Flemish country life。
How dull that is； I had an opportunity of considering … when the
Fair was over … when the tri…coloured flags were withdrawn from the
windows of the houses on the Place where the Fair was held … when
the windows were close shut； apparently until next Fair…time … when
the Hotel de Ville had cut off its gas and put away its eagle …
when the two paviours； whom I take to form the entire paving
population of the town； were ramming down the stones which had been
pulled up for the erection of decorative poles … when the jailer
had slammed his gate； and sulkily locked himself in with his
charges。 But then； as I paced the ring which marked the track of
the departed hobby…horses on the market…place； pondering in my mind
how long some hobby…horses do leave their tracks in public ways；
and how difficult they are to erase； my eyes were greeted with a
goodly sight。 I beheld four male personages thoughtfully pacing
the Place together； in the sunlight； evidently not belonging to the
town； and having upon them a certain loose cosmopolitan air of not
belonging to any town。 One was clad in a suit of white canvas；
another in a cap and blouse； the third in an old military frock；
the fourth in a shapeless dress that looked as if it had been made
out of old umbrellas。 All wore dust…coloured shoes。 My heart beat
high； for； in those four male personages； although complexionless
and eyebrowless； I beheld four subjects of the Family P。 Salcy。
Blue…bearded though they were； and bereft of the youthful
smoothness of cheek which is imparted by what is termed in Albion a
'Whitechapel shave' （and which is； in fact； whitening； judiciously
applied to the jaws with the palm of the hand）； I recognised them。
As I stood admiring； there emerged from the yard of a lowly
Cabaret； the excellent Ma Mere； Ma Mere； with the words； 'The soup
is served；' words which so elated the subject in the canvas suit；
that when they all ran in to partake； he went last； dancing with
his hands stuck angularly into the pockets of his canvas trousers；
after the Pierrot manner。 Glancing down the Yard； the last I saw
of him was； that he looked in through a window （at the soup； no
doubt） on one leg。
Full of this pleasure； I shortly afterwards departed from the town；
little dreaming of an addition to my good fortune。 But more was in
reserve。 I went by a train which was heavy with third…class
carriages； full of young fellows （well guarded） who had drawn
unlucky numbers in the last conscription； and were on their way to
a famous French garrison town where much of the raw military
material is worked up into soldiery。 At the station they had been
sitting about； in their threadbare homespun blue garments； with
their poor little bundles under their arms； covered with dust and
clay； and the various soils of France； sad enough at heart； most of
them； but putting a good face upon it； and slapping their breasts
and singing choruses on the smallest provocation； the gayest
spirits shouldering half loaves of black bread speared upon their
walking…sticks。 As we went along； they were audible at every
station； chorusing wildly out of tune； and feigning the highest
hilarity。 After a while； however； they began to leave off singing；
and to laugh naturally； while at intervals there mingled with their
laughter the barking of a dog。 Now； I had to alight short of their
destination； and； as that stoppage of the train was attended with a
quantity of horn blowing； bell ringing； and proclamation of what
Messieurs les Voyageurs were to do； and were not to do； in order to
reach their respective destinations； I had ample leisure to go
forward on the platform to take a parting look at my recruits；
whose heads were all out at window； and who were laughing like
delighted children。 Then I perceived that a large poodle with a
pink nose； who had been their travelling companion and the cause of
their mirth； stood on his hind…legs presenting arms on the extreme
verge of the platform； ready to salute them as the train went off。
This poodle wore a military shako （it is unnecessary to add； very
much on one side over one eye）； a little military coat； and the
regulation white gaiters。 He was armed with a little musket and a
little sword…bayonet； and he stood presenting arms in perfect
attitude； with his unobscured eye on his master or superior
officer； who stood by him。 So admirable was his discipline； that；
when the train moved； and he was greeted with the parting cheers of
the recruits； and also with a shower of centimes； several of which
struck his shako； and had a tendency to discompose him； he remained
staunch on his post； until the train was gone。 He then resigned
his arms to his officer； took off his shako by rubbing his paw over
it； dropped on four legs； bringing his uniform coat into the
absurdest relations with the overarching skies； and ran about the
platform in his white gaiters； waging his tail to an exceeding
great extent。 It struck me that there was more waggery than this
in the poodle； and that he knew that the recruits would neither get
through their exercises； nor get rid of their uniforms； as easily
as he； revolving which in my thoughts； and seeking in my pockets
some small money to bestow upon him； I casually directed my eyes to
the face of his superior off