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et for a devil； as my cousin did； and； if you will allow me to give my opinion about it； I think you have books enough here now。 Monsieur has thousands and thousands of books； which simply turn his head； and as for me； I have just tow； which are quite enough for all my wants and purposesmy Catholic prayer…book and my Cuisiniere Bourgeoise。〃
And with those words my housekeeper helped the little man to fasten up his stock again within the green toilette。
The homunculus Coccoz had ceased to smile。 His relaxed features took such an expression of suffering that I felt sorry to have made fun of so unhappy a man。 I called him back； and told him that I had caught a glimpse of a copy of the 〃Histoire d'Estelle et de Nemorin；〃 which he had among his books； that I was very fond of shepherds and shepherdesses； and that I would be quite willing to purchase； at a reasonable price； the story of these two perfect lovers。
〃I will sell you that book for one franc twenty…five centimes； Monsieur；〃 replied Coccoz； whose face at once beamed with joy。 〃It is historical； and you will be pleased with it。 I know now just what suits you。 I see that you are a connoisseur。 To…morrow I will bring you the Crimes des Papes。 It is a good book。 I will bring you the edition d'amateur； with coloured plates。〃
I begged him not to do anything of the sort； and sent him away happy。 When the green toilette and the agent had disappeared in the shadow of the corridor I asked my housekeeper whence this little man had dropped upon us。
〃Dropped is the word；〃 she answered； 〃he dropped on us from the roof； Monsieur； where he lives with his wife。〃
〃You say he has a wife； Therese？ That is marvelous！ Women are very strange creatures！ This one must be a very unfortunate little woman。〃
〃I don't really know what she is；〃 answered Therese； 〃but every morning I see her trailing a silk dress covered with grease…spots over the stairs。 She makes soft eyes at people。 And； in the name of common sense！ does it become a woman that has been received here out of charity to make eyes and to wear dresses like that？ For they allowed the couple to occupy the attic during the time the roof was being repaired； in consideration of the fact that the husband is sick and the wife in an interesting condition。 The concierge even says that the pain came on her this morning； and that she is now confined。 They must have been very badly off for a child！〃
〃Therese；〃 I replied； 〃they had no need of a child； doubtless。 But Nature had decided that they should bring one into the world； Nature made them fall into her snare。 One must have exceptional prudence to defeat Nature's schemes。 Let us be sorry for them and not blame them！ As for silk dresses； there is no young woman who does not like them。 The daughters of Eve adore adornment。 You yourself； Therese who are so serious and sensiblewhat a fuss you make when you have no white apron to wait at table in！ But； tell me； have they got everything necessary in their attic？〃
〃How could they have it； Monsieur？〃 my housekeeper made answer。 〃The husband； whom you have just seen； used to be a jewellery…peddler at least； so the concierge tells meand nobody knows why he stopped selling watches。 you have just seen that his is now selling almanacs。 That is no way to make an honest living； and I never will believe that God's blessing can come to an almanac…peddler。 Between ourselves； the wife looks to me for all the world like a good…for…nothing a Marie…couche toi…la。 I think she would be just as capable of bringing up a child as I should be of playing the guitar。 Nobody seems to know where they came from； but I am sure they must have come by Misery's coach from the country of Sans…souci。〃
〃Wherever they have come from； Therese； they are unfortunate； and their attic is cold。〃
〃Pardi！the roof is broken in several places and the rain comes through in streams。 They have neither furniture nor clothing。 I don't think cabinet…makers and weavers work much for Christians of that sect！〃
〃That is very sad； Therese； a Christian woman much less well provided for than this pagan； Hamilcar here！what does she have to say？〃
〃Monsieur； I never speak to those people； I don't know what she says or what she sings。 But she sings all day long； I hear her from the stairway whenever I am going out or coming in。〃
〃Well！ the heir of the Coccoz family will be able to say； like the Egg in the village riddle： Ma mere me fit en chantant。 ＇〃My mother sang when she brought me into the world。〃＇ The like happened in the case of Henry IV。 When Jeanne d'Albret felt herself about to be confined she began to sing an old Bearnaise canticle：
〃Notre…Dame du bout du pont； Venez a mon aide en cette heure！ Priez le Dieu du ciel Qu'il me delivre vite； Qu'il me donne un garcon！
〃It is certainly unreasonable to bring little unfortunates into the world。 But the thing is done every day； my dear Therese and all the philosophers on earth will never be able to reform the silly custom。 Madame Coccoz has followed it； and she sings。 This is creditable at all events！ But； tell me； Therese； have you not put the soup to boil to…day？〃
〃Yes； Monsieur； and it is time for me to go and skim it。〃
〃Good！ but don't forget； Therese； to take a good bowl of soup out of the pot and carry it to Madame Coccoz； our attic neighbor。〃
My housekeeper was on the point of leaving the room when I added； just in time：
〃Therese； before you do anything else； please call your friend the porter； and tell him to take a good bundle of wood out of our stock and carry it up to the attic of those Coccoz folks。 See； above all； that he puts a first…class log in the lota real Christmas log。 As for the homunculus； if he comes back again； do not allow either himself or any of his yellow books to come in here。〃
Having taken all these little precautions with the refined egotism of an old bachelor； I returned to my catalogue again。
With what surprise； with what emotion； with what anxiety did I therein discover the following mention； which I cannot even now copy without feeling my hand tremble：
〃LA LEGENDE DOREE DE JACQUES DE GENES （Jacques de Voragine）； traduction francaise； petit in…4。
〃This MS。 of the fourteenth century contains； besides the tolerably complete translation of the celebrated work of Jacques de Voragine； 1。 The Legends of Saints Ferreol； Ferrution； Germain； Vincent； and Droctoveus； 2。 A poem 'On the Miraculous Burial of Monsieur Saint…Germain of Auxerre。' This translation； as well as the legends and the poem； are due to the Clerk Alexander。
〃This MS。 is written upon vellum。 It contains a great number of illuminated letters； and two finely executed miniatures； in a rather imperfect state of preservation：one represents the Purification of the Virgin； and the other the Coronation of Proserpine。〃
What a discovery！ Perspiration moistened my forehead； and a veil seemed to come before my eyes。 I trembled； I flushed； and； without being able to speak； I felt a sudden impulse to cry out at the top of my voice。
What a treasure！ For more than forty years I had been making a special study of the history of Christian Gaul； and particularly