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his turn； he looked at them； indignant at their indifference；
seeking for some word that could make a grand impression；
electrify this placid country and make good his mission。 The
inspiration come； and turning to Pommel； he said： 〃Lieutenant； go
and get the bust of the ex…Emperor； which is in the Council Hall；
and bring it to me with a chair。〃
And soon the man reappears； carrying on his right shoulder；
Napoleon III。 in plaster； and holding in his left hand a
straw…bottomed chair。
Massarel met him； took the chair； placed it on the ground； put
the white image upon it； fell back a few steps and called out； in
sonorous voice：
〃Tyrant！ Tyrant！ Here do you fall！ Fall in the dust and in the
mire。 An expiring country groans under your feet。 Destiny has
called you the Avenger。 Defeat and shame cling to you。 You fall
conquered； a prisoner to the Prussians； and upon the ruins of the
crumbling Empire the young and radiant Republic arises； picking
up your broken sword。〃
He awaited applause。 But there was no voice； no sound。 The
bewildered peasants remained silent。 And the bust； with its
pointed mustaches extending beyond the cheeks on each side； the
bust； so motionless and well groomed as to be fit for a
hairdressers sign； seemed to be looking at M。 Massarel with a
plaster smile； a smile ineffaceable and mocking。
They remained thus face to face； Napoleon on the chair； the
doctor in front of him about three steps away。 Suddenly the
Commander grew angry。 What was to be done？ What was there that
would move this people； and bring about a definite victory in
opinion？ His hand happened to rest on his hip and to come in
contact there with the butt end of his revolver； under his red
sash。 No inspiration； no further word would come。 But he drew his
pistol； advanced two steps； and； taking aim； fired at the late
monarch。 The ball entered the forehead； leaving a little； black
hole； like a spot； nothing more。 There was no effect。 Then he
fired a second shot； which made a second hole； then； a third； and
then； without stopping； he emptied his revolver。 The brow of
Napoleon disappeared in white powder； but the eyes； the nose； and
the fine points of the mustaches remained intact。 Then；
exasperated； the doctor overturned the chair with a blow of his
fist and； resting a foot on the remainder of the bust in a
position of triumph； he shouted： 〃So let all tyrants perish！〃
Still no enthusiasm was manifest； and as the spectators seemed to
be in a kind of stupor from astonishment； the Commander called to
the militiamen： 〃You may now go to your homes。〃 And he went
toward his own house with great strides； as if he were pursued。
His maid； when he appeared； told him that some patients had been
waiting in his office for three hours。 He hastened in。 There were
the two varicose…vein patients； who had returned at daybreak；
obstinate but patient。
The old man immediately began his explanation： 〃This began by a
feeling like ants running up and down the legs。〃
THE ARTIST
〃Bah！ Monsieur；〃 the old mountebank said to me； 〃it is a matter
of exercise and habit； that is all！ Of course； one requires to be
a little gifted that way and not to be butter…fingered； but what
is chiefly necessary is patience and daily practice for long；
long years。〃
His modesty surprised me all the more； because of all performers
who are generally infatuated with their own skill； he was the
most wonderfully clever one I had met。 Certainly I had frequently
seen him； for everybody had seen him in some circus or other； or
even in traveling shows； performing the trick that consists of
putting a man or woman with extended arms against a wooden
target； and in throwing knives between their fingers and round
their heads； from a distance。 There is nothing very extraordinary
in it； after all； when one knows THE TRICKS OF THE TRADE； and
that the knives are not the least sharp； and stick into the wood
at some distance from the flesh。 It is the rapidity of the
throws； the glitter of the blades； and the curve which the
handles make toward their living object； which give an air of
danger to an exhibition that has become commonplace； and only
requires very middling skill。
But here there was no trick and no deception； and no dust thrown
into the eyes。 It was done in good earnest and in all sincerity。
The knives were as sharp as razors； and the old mountebank
planted them close to the flesh； exactly in the angle between the
fingers。 He surrounded the head with a perfect halo of knives；
and the neck with a collar from which nobody could have
extricated himself without cutting his carotid artery； while； to
increase the difficulty； the old fellow went through the
performance without seeing； his whole face being covered with a
close mask of thick oilcloth。
Naturally； like other great artists； he was not understood by the
crowd； who confounded him with vulgar tricksters； and his mask
only appeared to them a trick the more； and a very common trick
into the bargain。
〃He must think us very stupid；〃 they said。 〃How could he possibly
aim without having his eyes open？〃
And they thought there must be imperceptible holes in the
oilcloth； a sort of latticework concealed in the material。 It was
useless for him to allow the public to examine the mask for
themselves before the exhibition began。 It was all very well that
they could not discover any trick； but they were only all the
more convinced that they were being tricked。 Did not the people
know that they ought to be tricked？
I had recognized a great artist in the old mountebank； and I was
quite sure that he was altogether incapable of any trickery。 I
told him so； while expressing my admiration to him； and he had
been touched by my open admiration and above all by the justice I
had done him。 Thus we became good friends； and he explained to
me； very modestly； the real trick which the crowd do not
understand； the eternal trick contained in these simple words：
〃To be gifted by nature and to practice every day for long； long
years。〃
He had been especially struck by the certainty which I expressed
that any trickery must become impossible to him。 〃Yes；〃 he said
to me； 〃quite impossible！ Impossible to a degree which you cannot
imagine。 If I were to tell you！ But where would be the use？〃
His face clouded over； and his eyes filled with tears。 I did not
venture to force myself into his confidence。 My looks； however；
were not so discreet as my silence； and begged him to speak； so
he responded to their mute appeal。
〃After all；〃 he said； 〃why should I not tell you about it？ You
will understand me。〃 And he added； with a look of sudden
ferocity： 〃She understood it； at any rate！〃
〃Who？〃 I asked。
〃My strumpet of a wife；〃 he replied。 〃Ah！ Monsieur； what an
abominable creature she wasif you only knew！ Yes； she
understood it too well； too well； and that is why I hate her so；
even more on that account； than for having deceived me。 For that
is a natural fault； is it not； and may be pardoned？ But the other
thing was a crime； a horrible crime。〃
The woman； who stood against the wooden target every night with
her arms stretched out and her finger e