'Whichever of you two doesn't open the door, shan't have anything to eat for four days!' And forthwith Alain hurries himself, Georgette runs and the door is opened. Now bear in mind that I speak in this way only in order to conform to your own course of reasoning, for the term Vital Principle' is at variance with the actual assertions of science. Life will manifest itself as soon as the brain, or the heart, or any one of the organs which have the capacity of working spontaneously, shall have absorbed the quantity of water it needs. Organized matter has inherent properties which manifest themselves without the assistance of any foreign principle, whenever they are surrounded by certain conditions. Why do not M. Fougas' muscles contract yet? Why does not the tissue of the brain enter into action? Because they have not yet the amount of moisture necessary to them. In the fountain of life there is lacking, perhaps, a pint of water. But I shall be in no hurry to refill it I am too much afraid of breaking it. Before giving this gallant fellow a final bath, it will be necessary to knead all his organs again, to subject his abdomen to regular compressions, in order that the serous membranes of the stomach, chest, and heart may be perfectly disagglutinated and capable of slipping on each other. You are aware that the slightest tear in these parts, or the least resistance, would be enough to kill our subject at the moment of his revival." While speaking, he united example to precept and kept kneading the trunk of the Colonel. . . Never had the little Rue de la Faisanderie seen such a crowd. An astonished passer-by stopped and inquired: :"What's the matter here? Is it a funeral?" "Quite the reverse, Sir." "A christening, then?" "A being born again!" At noon, the commissioner of police and the lieutenant of gens d'armes made way through the crowd and entered the house. These gentlemen hastened to declare to M. Renault that their visit had nothing of an official character, but that they had come merely from curiosity. In the corridor they met the Sub-prefect, the Mayor, and Gothon, who was lamenting in loud tones that she should see the government lend its hand to such sorceries. About one o'clock, M. Nibor caused a new and prolonged bath to be given the Colonel, on coming out of which the body was subjected to a kneading harder and more complete than before. "Now," said the Doctor, "we can carry M. Fougas into the laboratory, in order to give his resuscitation all the publicity desirable. But it will be well to dress him, and his uniform is in tatters." "I think," answered good M. Renault, "that the Colonel is about my size; so I can lend him some of my clothes. Heaven grant that he may use them! But, between us, I don't hope for it." Gothon brought in, grumbling, all that was necessary to dress an entirely naked man. But her bad humor did not hold out before the beauty of the Colonel : "Poor gentleman!" she exclaimed, "he is young, fresh, and fair as a little chicken. If he doesn't revive, it will be a great pity!" There were about forty people in the laboratory when Fougas was carried thither. M. Nibor, assisted by M. Martout, placed him on a sofa, and begged a few moments of attentive silence. During these proceedings, Mme. Renault sent to inquire if she could come in. She was admitted. "Madame and gentlemen," said M. Nibor, "life will manifest itself in a few minutes. It is possible that the muscles will act first, and that their action may be convulsive, on account of not yet being regulated by the influence of the nervous system. I ought to apprise you of this fact, in order that you may not be frightened if such a thing transpires." . . . He again began making systematic compressions of the lower part of the chest, rubbing the skin with his hands, half opening the eyelids, examining the pulse, and auscultating the region of the heart. The attention of the spectators was diverted an instant by a hubbub outside. A battalion of the 23d was passing, with music at the head, through the Rue de la Faisanderie. While the saxhorns were shaking the windows, a sudden flush mantled on the cheeks of the Colonel. His eyes, which had stood half open, lit up with a brighter sparkle. At the same instant, M. Nibor, who had his ear applied to the chest, cried: :"I hear the beatings of the heart!" Scarcely had he spoken, when the chest rose with a violent inspiration, the limbs contracted, the body straightened up, and out came a cry: "Vive l'Empereur!" 336 TEARS, IDLE TEARS. BY ALFRED TENNYSON. TEARS, idle tears, I know not what they mean. In looking on the happy Autumn-fields, Fresh as the first beam glittering on a sail, Ah, sad and strange as in dark summer dawns The casement slowly grows a glimmering square; Dear as remembered kisses after death, FRITZ AND SUZEL. BY ERCKMANN-CHATRIAN. [ERCKMANN-CHATRIAN is the signature of the literary collaborators Émile Erckmann (born at Phalsbourg, Meurthe, May 20, 1822) and Alexandre Chatrian (born at Soldatenthal, Meurthe, December 18, 1826; died at Raincy, Seine, September 3, 1890). Their reputation is founded chiefly upon a series of historical romances dealing with episodes in the wars of the Revolution and Empire, the most widely read being: ade of Phalsbourg," "Year One of the Republic," and "Waterloo." Among "Madame Thérèse," "The Conscript," "The Blocktheir other works are "Friend Fritz" and "The Polish Jew," both successfully dramatized, the latter as "The Bells," one of Irving's successes.] FRITZ, turning about on the orchestra steps, cast a look around the hall, and for a moment began to fear that he should not find Suzel. brown, fair and auburn, all were on the qui vive in a moment, Pretty girls were not wanting — black and looking eagerly at Kobus and blushing when their looks met his, for they felt it a great honor to be chosen by such a handsome man, especially to dance the treieleins. But Fritz did not see their blushes, did not see them straightening themselves up like the hussars of William Frederick on parade, flattening their shoulders and primming their mouths. He paid no attention to all this parterre of youth and beauty thus budding into new life under his gaze; what he was looking for was the humble little forget-me-not- the little blue flower, the symbol of love and memory. Long he searched, every moment becoming more and more uneasy, but at last he discovered her away in the distance, half concealed behind a garland of oak leaves, which drooped from a pillar to the right of the entrance. Scarcely visible through the leafy screen, Suzel was sitting with drooping head and timid downcast eyes, stealing a glance now and then towards the orchestra, at once fearful and desirous of being seen. She had no adornment but her beautiful fair hair falling on her shoulders in two long plaits; a blue silk handkerchief was folded across her bosom, and a little velvet bodice showed off her graceful figure to advantage. Beside her sat her grandmother, Annah, as upright as the figure 1, her gray hair pushed back under a black cap, and her arms hanging down stiffly by her side. These people had not come to dance, but merely to look on, and had stationed themselves quite on the outskirts of the crowd. Fritz' cheeks flushed; he descended the steps of the orches tra and crossed the hall amidst the general attention. Suzel, seeing him coming, turned quite pale, and had to lean against the pillar for support. She dare not look again. He ran up the steps, pushed aside the garland, and took her hand, saying in a low voice, "Suzel, will you dance the treieleins with me?" Lifting her large blue eyes towards his as if in a dream, Suzel from being quite pale turned scarlet. "Oh, yes, Mr. Kobus," said she, looking at her grandmother. The old woman, after waiting for a moment, bent her head, and said, "It is well-you may dance." For she knew Fritz from having seen him formerly when he came to Bischem with his father. They descended, therefore, into the hall. The stewards of the dance, their straw hats streaming with ribbons, made the round of the hall close to the railing, waving little flags to keep back the crowd. Haan and Schoultz were still walking about looking for partners; Joseph was standing before his desk waiting; Bockel, his double bass resting against his outstretched leg, and Andrès, his violin under his arm, were stationed close beside him, as they alone were to accompany the waltz. Little Suzel, leaning on Fritz' arm, in the midst of the crowd of spectators, cast stolen glances around, her heart beating fast with agitation and inward delight. Every one admired her long tresses of hair, which hung down behind to the very hem of her little blue skirt with its velvet edging, her little round-toed shoes, fastened with black silk ribbons which crossed over her snow-white stockings, her rosy lips, her rounded chin, and her graceful, flexible neck. More than one pretty girl scrutinized her with a searching glance, trying to discover something to find fault with, while her round white arm, bare to the elbow after the fashion of the country, rested on Fritz' with artless grace; but two or three old women, peering at her with half-shut eyes, laughed amidst their wrinkles, and said to each other quite loud, "He has chosen well!" Kobus, hearing this, turned towards them with a smile of satisfaction. He, too, would have liked to say something gallant to Suzel, but he could think of nothing he was too happy. At last Haan selected from the third bench to the left a woman about six feet high, with black hair, a hawk nose, and piercing eyes, who rose from her seat like a shot and made her way to the floor with a majestic air. He preferred this style of woman; she was the daughter of the burgomaster. Haan seemed quite proud of his choice; he drew himself up and arranged the frill of his shirt, whilst the tall girl, who outtopped him by half a head, looked as if she was taking charge of him. At the same moment Schoultz led forward a little roundabout woman, with the brightest red hair possible, but gay and smiling, and clinging tight to his elbow as if to prevent him making his escape. They took their places, in order to make the circuit of the hall, as is the usual custom. Scarcely had they completed the first round when Joseph called out, |