horseinastatelycavalcadeofhobby-horsesfourabreast，interspersedwithtriumphalcars，goingroundandroundandroundandround，wethegoodlycompanysingingaceaselesschorustothemusicofthebarrel-organ，drum，andcymbals。Onthewhole，notmoremonotonousthantheRinginHydePark，London，andmuchmerrier；forwhendothecirclingcompanysingchorus，THERE，tothebarrel-organ，whendotheladiesembracetheirhorsesroundtheneckwithbotharms，whendothegentlemenfantheladieswiththetailsoftheirgallantsteeds？Onalltheserevolvingdelights，andontheirownespeciallampsandChineselanternsrevolvingwiththem，thethoughtfulweaver-facebrightens，andtheHoteldeVilleshedsanilluminatedlineofgaslight:whileaboveit，theEagleofFrance，gas-outlinedandapparentlyafflictedwiththeprevailinginfirmitiesthathavelightedonthepoultry，isinaveryundecidedstateofpolicy，andasabirdmoulting。Flagsflutterallaround。Suchistheprevailinggaietythatthekeeperoftheprisonsitsonthestonestepsoutsidetheprison-door，tohavealookattheworldthatisnotlockedup；whilethatagreeableretreat，thewine-shopoppositetotheprisonintheprison-alleyitssignLaTranquillite，becauseofitscharmingsituation，resoundswiththevoicesoftheshepherdsandshepherdesseswhoresorttherethisfestivenight。Anditremindsmethatonlythisafternoon，Isawashepherdintrouble，tendingthisway，overthejaggedstonesofaneighbouringstreet。A
magnificentsightitwas，tobeholdhiminhisblouse，afeeblelittlejog-trotrustic，sweptalongbythewindoftwoimmensegendarmes，incocked-hatsforwhichthestreetwashardlywideenough，eachcarryingabundleofstolenpropertythatwouldnothaveheldhisshoulder-knot，andclankingasabrethatdwarfedtheprisoner。
’MessieursetMesdames，IpresenttoyouatthisFair，asamarkofmyconfidenceinthepeopleofthisso-renownedtown，andasanactofhomagetotheirgoodsenseandfinetaste，theVentriloquist，theVentriloquist！Further，MessieursetMesdames，IpresenttoyoutheFace-Maker，thePhysiognomist，thegreatChangerofCountenances，whotransformsthefeaturesthatHeavenhasbestoweduponhimintoanendlesssuccessionofsurprisingandextraordinaryvisages，comprehending，MessieursetMesdames，allthecontortions，energeticandexpressive，ofwhichthehumanfaceiscapable，andallthepassionsofthehumanheart，asLove，Jealousy，Revenge，Hatred，Avarice，Despair！Hihi！Hoho！Lulu！Comein！’Tothiseffect，withanoccasionalsmiteuponasonorouskindoftambourine-bestowedwithawill，asifitrepresentedthepeoplewhowon’tcomein-holdsforthamanofloftyandseveredemeanour；amaninstatelyuniform，gloomywiththeknowledgehepossessesoftheinnersecretsofthebooth。’Comein，comein！
Youropportunitypresentsitselfto-night；to-morrowitwillbegoneforever。To-morrowmorningbytheExpressTraintherailroadwillreclaimtheVentriloquistandtheFace-Maker！AlgeriawillreclaimtheVentriloquistandtheFace-Maker！Yes！Forthehonouroftheircountrytheyhaveacceptedpropositionsofamagnitudeincredible，toappearinAlgeria。Seethemforthelasttimebeforetheirdeparture！Wegotocommenceontheinstant。Hihi！
Hoho！Lulu！Comein！Takethemoneythatnowascends，Madame；
butafterthat，nomore，forwecommence！Comein！’
Nevertheless，theeyesbothofthegloomySpeakerandofMadamereceivingsousinamuslinbower，surveythecrowdprettysharplyaftertheascendingmoneyhasascended，todetectanylingeringsousattheturning-point。’Comein，comein！Isthereanymoremoney，Madame，onthepointofascending？Ifso，wewaitforit。
Ifnot，wecommence！’Theoratorlooksbackoverhisshouldertosayit，lashingthespectatorswiththeconvictionthathebeholdsthroughthefoldsofthedraperyintowhichheisabouttoplunge，theVentriloquistandtheFace-Maker。Severalsousburstoutofpockets，andascend。’Comeup，then，Messieurs！’exclaimsMadameinashrillvoice，andbeckoningwithabejewelledfinger。’Comeup！Thispresses。Monsieurhascommandedthattheycommence！’
MonsieurdivesintohisInterior，andthelasthalf-dozenofusfollow。HisInterioriscomparativelysevere；hisExterioralso。
AtrueTempleofArtneedsnothingbutseats，drapery，asmalltablewithtwomoderatorlampshangingoverit，andanornamentallooking-glassletintothewall。Monsieurinuniformgetsbehindthetableandsurveysuswithdisdain，hisforeheadbecomingdiabolicallyintellectualunderthemoderators。’MessieursetMesdames，IpresenttoyoutheVentriloquist。HewillcommencewiththecelebratedExperienceofthebeeinthewindow。Thebee，apparentlytheveritablebeeofNature，willhoverinthewindow，andabouttheroom。HewillbewithdifficultycaughtinthehandofMonsieurtheVentriloquist-hewillescape-hewillagainhover-atlengthhewillberecapturedbyMonsieurtheVentriloquist，andwillbewithdifficultyputintoabottle。
Achievethen，Monsieur！’HeretheproprietorisreplacedbehindthetablebytheVentriloquist，whoisthinandsallow，andofaweaklyaspect。Whilethebeeisinprogress，MonsieurtheProprietorsitsapartonastool，immersedindarkandremotethought。Themomentthebeeisbottled，hestalksforward，eyesusgloomilyasweapplaud，andthenannounces，sternlywavinghishand:’ThemagnificentExperienceofthechildwiththewhooping-
cough！’Thechilddisposedof，hestartsupasbefore。’ThesuperbandextraordinaryExperienceofthedialoguebetweenMonsieurTatambourinhisdining-room，andhisdomestic，Jerome，inthecellar；concludingwiththesongstersofthegrove，andtheConcertofdomesticFarm-yardanimals。’Allthisdone，andwelldone，MonsieurtheVentriloquistwithdraws，andMonsieurtheFace-
Makerburstsin，asifhisretiring-roomwereamilelonginsteadofayard。Acorpulentlittlemaninalargewhitewaistcoat，withacomiccountenance，andwithawiginhishand。Irreverentdispositiontolaugh，instantlycheckedbythetremendousgravityoftheFace-Maker，whointimatesinhisbowthatifweexpectthatsortofthingwearemistaken。Averylittleshaving-glasswithalegbehinditishandedin，andplacedonthetablebeforetheFace-Maker。’MessieursetMesdames，withnootherassistancethanthismirrorandthiswig，Ishallhavethehonourofshowingyouathousandcharacters。’Asapreparation，theFace-Makerwithbothhandsgougeshimself，andturnshismouthinsideout。Hethenbecomesfrightfullygraveagain，andsaystotheProprietor，’Iamready！’Proprietorstalksforthfrombalefulreverie，andannounces’TheYoungConscript！’Face-Makerclapshiswigon，hindsidebefore，looksintheglass，andappearsaboveitasaconscriptsoveryimbecile，andsquintingsoextremelyhard，thatI
shouldthinktheStatewouldnevergetanygoodofhim。Thundersofapplause。Face-Makerdipsbehindthelooking-glass，bringshisownhairforward，ishimselfagain，isawfullygrave。’A
distinguishedinhabitantoftheFaubourgSt。Germain。’Face-Makerdips，rises，issupposedtobeaged，blear-eyed，toothless，slightlypalsied，supernaturallypolite，evidentlyofnoblebirth。
’TheoldestmemberoftheCorpsofInvalidesonthefete-dayofhismaster。’Face-Makerdips，rises，wearsthewigononeside，hasbecomethefeeblestmilitaryboreinexistence，anditisclear
wouldliefrightfullyabouthispastachievements，ifhewerenotconfinedtopantomime。’TheMiser！’Face-Makerdips，rises，clutchesabag，andeveryhairofthewigisonendtoexpressthathelivesincontinualdreadofthieves。’TheGeniusofFrance！’
Face-Makerdips，rises，wigpushedbackandsmoothedflat，littlecocked-hatartfullyconcealedtillnowputa-topofit，Face-
Maker’swhitewaistcoatmuchadvanced，Face-Maker’slefthandinbosomofwhitewaistcoat，Face-Maker’srighthandbehindhisback。
Thunders。ThisisthefirstofthreepositionsoftheGeniusofFrance。Inthesecondposition，theFace-Makertakessnuff；inthethird，rollsuphisfighthand，andsurveysillimitablearmiesthroughthatpocket-glass。TheFace-Makerthen，byputtingouthistongue，andwearingthewignohowinparticular，becomestheVillageIdiot。Themostremarkablefeatureinthewholeofhisingeniousperformance，is，thatwhateverhedoestodisguisehimself，hastheeffectofrenderinghimrathermorelikehimselfthanhewasatfirst。
Therewerepeep-showsinthisFair，andIhadthepleasureofrecognisingseveralfieldsofglorywithwhichIbecamewellacquaintedayearortwoagoasCrimeanbattles，nowdoingdutyasMexicanvictories。ThechangewasneatlyeffectedbysomeextrasmokingoftheRussians，andbypermittingthecampfollowersfreerangeintheforegroundtodespoiltheenemyoftheiruniforms。AsnoBritishtroopshadeverhappenedtobewithinsightwhentheartisttookhisoriginalsketches，itfollowedfortunatelythatnonewereinthewaynow。
TheFairwoundupwithaball。Respectingtheparticularnightoftheweekonwhichtheballtookplace，Ideclinetocommitmyself；
merelymentioningthatitwasheldinastable-yardsoveryclosetotherailway，thatitwasamercythelocomotivedidnotsetfiretoit。InScotland，Isuppose，itwouldhavedoneso。There，inatentprettilydecoratedwithlooking-glassesandamyriadoftoyflags，thepeopledancedallnight。Itwasnotanexpensiverecreation，thepriceofadoubleticketforacavalierandladybeingoneandthreepenceinEnglishmoney，andevenofthatsmallsumfivepencewasreclaimablefor’consommation:’whichwordI
venturetotranslateintorefreshmentsofnogreaterstrength，atthestrongest，thanordinarywinemadehot，withsugarandlemoninit。Itwasaballofgreatgoodhumourandofgreatenjoyment，thoughverymanyofthedancersmusthavebeenaspoorasthefifteensubjectsoftheP。SalcyFamily。
Inshort，nothavingtakenmyownpetnationalpintpotwithmetothisFair，IwasverywellsatisfiedwiththemeasureofsimpleenjoymentthatitpouredintothedullFrench-Flemishcountrylife。
Howdullthatis，Ihadanopportunityofconsidering-whentheFairwasover-whenthetri-colouredflagswerewithdrawnfromthewindowsofthehousesonthePlacewheretheFairwasheld-whenthewindowswerecloseshut，apparentlyuntilnextFair-time-whentheHoteldeVillehadcutoffitsgasandputawayitseagle-
whenthetwopaviours，whomItaketoformtheentirepavingpopulationofthetown，wererammingdownthestoneswhichhadbeenpulledupfortheerectionofdecorativepoles-whenthejailerhadslammedhisgate，andsulkilylockedhimselfinwithhischarges。Butthen，asIpacedtheringwhichmarkedthetrackofthedepartedhobby-horsesonthemarket-place，ponderinginmymindhowlongsomehobby-horsesdoleavetheirtracksinpublicways，andhowdifficulttheyaretoerase，myeyesweregreetedwithagoodlysight。IbeheldfourmalepersonagesthoughtfullypacingthePlacetogether，inthesunlight，evidentlynotbelongingtothetown，andhavinguponthemacertainloosecosmopolitanairofnotbelongingtoanytown。Onewascladinasuitofwhitecanvas，anotherinacapandblouse，thethirdinanoldmilitaryfrock，thefourthinashapelessdressthatlookedasifithadbeenmadeoutofoldumbrellas。Allworedust-colouredshoes。Myheartbeathigh；for，inthosefourmalepersonages，althoughcomplexionlessandeyebrowless，IbeheldfoursubjectsoftheFamilyP。Salcy。
Blue-beardedthoughtheywere，andbereftoftheyouthfulsmoothnessofcheekwhichisimpartedbywhatistermedinAlbiona’Whitechapelshave’andwhichis，infact，whitening，judiciouslyappliedtothejawswiththepalmofthehand，Irecognisedthem。