The glaciere was his own property; and two years ago he had discovered another in the neighbourhood, which he had not since visited.

He was assisted in his capacity of maire by twelve councillors--in a larger commune it would have been fifteen--and the council met four times in the year.

If it was desirable that they should meet on any other occasion, he must write to the prefect of the arrondissement for permission, specifying the business which they wished to conduct, and to this specified business they must confine themselves entirely.

Then he wished to know, had we maires such as he in England?
Hereupon I drew a fancy picture of the Lord Mayor of London, receiving the Queen and the Royal Family in general in a friendly way, and giving them a dinner,--which, he observed, must cost a good deal, a great deal.

However, he looked round upon his fields and houses and mountains, and seemed to think that he could himself stand a considerable drain upon his purse for the reception of royalty; and possibly he is now anxious that the Emperor should pass that way, during the five years to which the tenure of the mayoralty is restricted.