The Argosy — page 250: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Fair Normandy. 231 One act they were guilty of which was either great ignorance, o1 eruel sarcasm, or inexcusable impertinence. When we had comfort- ably breakfasted, and were preparing to depart, one rushed up with the cheese which was kept under a glass shade, whilst the other brought up the rear of the whirlwind with a huge knife to cut it with. Even H. C. was not proof against the look I gave them, and feebly refused it. ‘Pas de fromage, m’sieu!” cried the waiter opening mouth and eyes quite wide: “‘mais c’est un digestif!” H.C. declared he was right ; but for a poet it was remarked over and over again in Majorca that he had very strange tastes. We sallied forth to reconnoitre Evreux by daylight. It is an ancient town, with few traces of antiquity about it. Near it is Vieil Evreux, which is the Mediolanum Aulercarum of the Romans, and where some Roman remains have been found. ‘That is not wonderful. Where have Roman remains not been found? ‘The Roman settlement was destroyed by the Franks under Clovis ; but the Norsemen at the end of the ninth century destroyed the town which the Franks had built.- Next, Henry I. of England burnt Evreux, with the consent of the Bishop, on the understanding that he should rebuild the churches. At the end of the twelfth century it was again burnt by Philip Augustus. The town is situated in a valley, is relaxing and not very healthy. It is watered by the Iton, a tributary of the larger Eure. Its chief industry is ticking and stocking weaving, and from many a cottage as well as from the larger manufactories, one hears the pleasant whirr-whirr of the hand-loom. | There are certain things that are pleasant to hear; that touch a chord in one’s heart, and awake singular emotions, one can hardly tell why. ‘This sound of the hand-loom is one of them. ‘The smell of a peat fire as you pass an open cottage door is another. ‘The tinkling of the goat bells far up a mountain is a third. It must be that these homely sights and sounds and perfumes suggest visions of the short and simple annals of the poor; of domestic peace and harmony beyond the reach of the world; the loves and the lives of Phyllis and Corydon; and so they touch a responsive chord in our bosom ; for we all have the same hopes and aims, aspire to the same happiness, cherish the same ambitions. In a word, we are all human. We all have the same ambitions; are all striving after the same ignis fatuus. It is a question of degree with us, more than of kind: and whilst one seeks happiness in the luxurious surroundings of a palace, another seeks it in the chimney corner of his cottage. It all comes to the same. It is a distinction with only a social difference. The surroundings of Evreux are pretty and picturesque. The country is sylvan and well wooded. Near it, indeed, is a vast forest, which in days gone by was the goal of a singular custom and pro- cession, to which we shall presently refer. The river Iton here separates into three distinct branches, watering GOmllGaoo () SS im