The mysterious element in the history of that unique bird attracted her fancy.

"The only one of its race now left alive," she said, with slow reflectiveness.

"Like Dolly Pentreath, the last old woman who could speak Cornish! I wonder how long parrots ever live?
Do you know at all, monsieur?
You are the King of the Birds--you ought to be an authority on their habits and manners." The Frenchman smiled a gallant smile.

"Unhappily, mademoiselle," he said, "though, as a medical student, I took up to a certain extent biological science in general at the College de France, I never paid any special or peculiar attention in Paris to birds in particular.

But it is the universal opinion of the natives (if that counts for much) that parrots live to a very great age; and this one old parrot of mine, whom I call Methuselah on account of his advanced years, is considered by them all to be a perfect patriarch.