[The Adventures of a Special Correspondent by Jules Verne]@TWC D-Link book
The Adventures of a Special Correspondent

CHAPTER XVII
5/11

I listen.
"I'm fond of my turkeys--eys--eys," says Madame Caterna.
"I'm fond of my wethers--ers--ers," says Monsieur Caterna, in any number of baritones.
It is the everlasting duet between Pipo and Bettina; and they are rehearsing for Shanghai.

Happy Shanghai! They do not yet know the _Mascotte_! Ephrinell and Miss Bluett are talking away with unusual animation, and I catch the end of the dialogue.
"I am afraid," said she, "that hair will be rising in Pekin--" "And I," said he, "that teeth will be down.

Ah! If a good war would only break out in which the Russians would give the Chinaman a smack on the jaw." There now! Smack them on the jaw, in order that Strong, Bulbul & Co., of New York, might have a chance of doing a trade! Really I do not know what to do, and we have a week's journey before us.

To Jericho with the Grand Transasiatic and its monotonous security! The Great Trunk from New York to San Francisco has more life in it! At least, the redskins do sometimes attack the trains, and the chance of a scalping on the road cannot but add to the charm of the voyage! But what is that I hear being recited, or rather intoned at the end of our compartment?
"There is no man, whoever he may be, who cannot prevent himself from eating too much, and avoid the evils due to repletion.

On those who are intrusted with the direction of public affairs this is more incumbent than on others--" It is Dr.Tio-King reading Cornaro aloud, in order that he may remember his principles better.


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