Asborne de Chastelain

“ L'autre jour, en allant à Versailles par le chemin de la rive gauche de la Seine, avec maman, nous avons passé sur un pont qui était si haut, si haut, que je n'osais pas regarder en bas.
MR. DELANO.
There are two reasons, my dear child, which almost always render it necessary to keep the level of the road either upon a raised bank, or along the bottom of a trench.
In the first place, the carriages could not ascend a very steep acclivity; the wheels would turn without advancing. Therefore, every time we meet with a hill or a valley, it is absolutely necessary to raise or to depress the soil. ”

“ I have read somewhere that the lion sometimes attains the enormous growth of ten feet in length and five in heigbt. His gait is proud and majestic, and his terrible roaring causes all those who hear it to tremble. The immense force of his tail alone is sufficient to knock down a man. ”

“ You are not yet old and learned enough to be able to understand the chain of wonders which concur in giving motion to such heavy masses as an entire vessel. And that upon which we are at present, is really but a child's plaything, when compared to those you will see when you go to visit your uncle at Havre. ”

“ How many parents spend large sums in purchasing expensive dresses and useless trinkets for their children; whilst they might at much less expense procure them purer and more durable enjoyments.
MARY.
I wish I could put a few violets among these large flowers, but it is almost impossible to do so. Look ; their stalks are so short that they fall through as fast as I attempt to place some among the others.
MRS. VERNON.
My dear child, let this sweet flower always remind you of simplicity and reserve.
You will always find it concealed amongst the grass, under which it grows. ”

“ C'est, d'ailleurs, en Amérique que l'on voit les plus longs chemins de fer, et les plus nombreux. Mais là, tout les favorise : les terres ne coûtent rien, le bois ne coûte que la peine de le couper, le pays est plat et les routes très-peu nombreuses. Ils ne sont donc point obligés de faire ces énormes terrassemens qui absorbent tant d'argent en Europe, surtout près des villes. Tiens, voilà le tunnel de Sainl-Cloud.
Richard.
Oh ! mon Dieu, papa, mais il me semble plus long encore que celui des Batignolles.
MR. DELANO.
And it is longer, but here is the end. ”

“ Now, look behind a little, upon the magnificent valley between Meudon and SaintCloud. We frequently go much farther to see something much less fine. But it is the same every where ; things are seldom estimated at what they are worth; distance and difficulty frequently form their whole merit. I might give you a long train of moral reflections on this subject, but we shall shortly arrive at Versailles. ”

“ Here, look this way; in the building you see on the right of the quay, there is an engine moved by a machine nearly similar to this; only its strength is employed to raise the water which is afterwards distributed among part of the fountains of Paris. This way, on the left, you see the military school and the Champ de Mars; perhaps they will excite your warlike feelings. But we are going at a very rapid rate, thanks to the very black man you saw, as you entered the boat, and whose business it is to keep up the fire under the boiler. ”

“ Tiens, vois-tu, par ici, à droite.
Richard, Ah! oui, c'est vrai; mais le mauvais temps, papa, que peut-il faire à un chemin de fer?
M. Delano.
Beaucoup, mon ami; le vent seul, quand il est absolument contraire, et même latéral, peut, s'il est un peu violent, considérablement retarder la marche du convoi.
RICHARD.
Yes, but what can rain do? I am still desirous of knowing how the rain can act here. We have no mud to fear. ”

“ You must accuse the bears less than the wicked children who all day seek the means of tormenting them, as you may also see, by throwing them a piece of bread tied to a string, which they pull back again until they even tire out the patience of those who look at them. Those children will perhaps be cruel, if their hearts are thus allowed to blunt their feelings of gentleness by the continual exercise of premeditated malice. ”

“ LOUISA. · Alfred, Alfred, pray look at all these pretty little birds; how nicely arranged they are. What is their name mamma?
MRS. STUART.
It is the numerous family of humming birds. In spite of their small size, it seems that nature has taken pleasure in lavishing upon them the rich colours, it has with held from other birds that are a thousand times larger: Nothing, in nature, can equal the brilkiricy of their plumage and colors, unless it should perhaps be a few of the vilest insepts, and the almost incredible beauty of some butterflies' wings. ”

“ Mary will lake a seat near him, and Matilda between her and Bertha : now, 1 will help you to some soup. I think it is chocolate and milk.
ADOLPHUS.
It is excellent. Will you be so good as to help me to a little more.
BERTHA.
Pray wait a moment, Mr. Adolphus; do you not know that nothing is more vulgar than to be helped twice to soup.
ADOLPHUS.
That is quite indifferent to me; when I find it good I always ask for more.
MATILDA,
Really how rude liule boys are. Indeed , my friends I must apologize to you for Adolphus's unpoliteness, but you know they arc all alike. ”

“ Let us immediately prepare to get down, and do not forget any thing in the carriage.
RICHARD.
No, papa, I shall forget nothing : well, here we are at Versailles; let us go to the chateau. will you, papa?
MR. DELANO.
Yes, let us go, my dear boy, as one's principal object in coming to Versailles can only be for that.
M. Delano.
Il l'est davantage aussi, mais voilà la fin.
A présent, tiens, regarde un peu en arrière, sur cette magnifique vallée entre Meudon et Saint-Cloud. Nous allons bien loin souvent pour voir quelque chose de moins beau. ”

“ Il a un air doucereux et hypocrite, mais il est bien plus cruel et plus
cious than the lion. The Latter scarcely ever attacks but when it is driven by hunger.
The tiger, on the contrary, kills for the pleasure of killing, and attacks without distinction all that comes in its way.
- LOUISA.
How happy we are in France to be without such dreadful guests ! We have but the wolf, and I believe, mamma, you have'told me they become less numerous every year. ”

“ Tu as raison, mais elles font comme elles ont fait quand nous avons quitté le chemin de fer de Saint-Germain. Il y a un mécanisme qui doit être surveillé avec beaucoup de soin par un homme. Par ce mécanisme, et d'un seul coup, l'extrémité des rails de l'embranchement, terminée en forme de coin, est rapprochée des rails du chemin, qui s'ouvrent, eux aussi, en même temps , et laissent filer la voiture sur le nouveau système de rails qui vient d'y être adapté. ”

“ Chacun de ces hommes passionnés méprise le goût qu'il n'a pas, et c'est fort heureux, car il se livrerait des combats autour de l'aile d'un papillon, et des batailles en règle pour un vilain insecte noir et cornu. ”

“ Where do you mean, papa?
MR. DELANO.
Here; do you not see it this way, on the right.
RICHARD.
Oh! yes, I can see it; but tell me what the bad weather can bave to do with - the rail-road papa? ,
MR. DELANO.
A good deal, my dear. The wind alone when it is quite contrary, or even when it blows sideways, may, if it be rather strong, considerably impede the progress of the train.
fasse de la pluie ou du vent, on roule toujours sur du fer.
M. Delano.
Cela est vrai, mon ami. Tiens, c'est ici que le chemin de Versailles se sépare de celui de Saint-Germain. ”

“ Oh! we must have a great many sweetmeats and quantities of sugar. That is what I prefer.
MRS. BEAUFORT.
No, no, my dear Mary, do you not perceive it is the very worst thing for your sister Lucy, who, though older than you, might perhaps be tempted lo eat too many of them.
You had better take some nice ripe fruit, some biscuits and a few cakes. Good-bye, I will send you all you require. (Exit.)
LUCY.
How fortunate we are , my dear Mary, to have been so good! you see mamma always rewards us, for it; but come, let us make haste to prepare our room. ”

“ Chaque fois que j'ai pris un âne au Bois de Boulogne, j'ai toujours eu plus de peine
more trouble and fatigue to make it move than if I had walked all the time. They are in general bad enough, but they are ten times worse there, as their naturally sulky nature is rendered doubly obstinate by the continual ill treatment they experience. ”

“ If you knew how much we have been engaged for some time past, my dear Sophia, you would not be angry with me. We have had two of our relations from Lyons, on a visit, and mamma has taken them to see a great many interesting sights which they only knew by name, and with which I assure you they have been very much amused. ”

“ The very sight of this silent assemblage of animals, the names of which recall so many ideas of strength and violence, scarcely fails to produce a secret impression of terror upon hearts endowed with even greater boldness than yours. ”

“ Il y avait aussi un des camarades de mon frère qui touche déjà
already plays very prettily on the piano though he is but eleven years old, and who also played us several quadrilles. You have no idea how agreeable and obliging he is. Papa and mamma were delighted with him.
EMMA.
What! a little boy who already plays upon the piano at eleven years of age! But that is very surprising, is it not ? For those young gentlemen have in general but little application. Besides, I think it is very singular that little boys should be taught the piano. The flute or the violin would be much better. ”

“ Mais c'est dans l'automne, mon cher Henri, que la campagne est bien plus agréable, surtout chez nous, où il y a tant de fruits; c'est tous les jours un nouveau plaisir.
Henri.
Surtout pour les messieurs qui sont aussi friands que toi. Vous avez donc un bien grand verger?
GEORGE, We have not only a fine orchard which contains apples, pears and fruits of every' sorl, in abundance, but we have also quantities of grapes, with which we have made several casks of wine this year. ”

“ Voilà James Watt, Denys Papin, Simon de Caux, Bacon, le pape Gerbert, et d'autres encore, sous la main desquels se sont formées ces prodigieuses Thachines, qui tendent chaque jour à devenir à la fois plus simples et plus puissantes. Il
It is impossible to forelel the limits which nature will oppose to the efforts of man, but it is beyond all doubt that the wonders of which we are now witnesses will some day be eclipsed by other wonders which will cost man still less labour and danger. ”

“ They always frighten me, and I do not like to look at them long. They always appear wicked, and are continually quarrelling. That amusement is only fit for school boys, who delight in teazing and in throwing nuts at them, to see them quarrel about them afterwards. ”

“ It was but this moment you were saying that "you had never been happier, and now your eyes are filled with tears. It shows you, my dear girl, how much we must be on our guard against the allurements of pleasure, and that we frequently find the most pain where we expected the most happiness. ”

“ You must however begin to think a little more than you do. You are no doubt aware that this happens to you two or three times every week. Remember that a young lady's external appearance may often give a wrong idea of her, or cause those who see her to judge falsely of her good or bad qualities.
MARIA.
I promise you I will be much more careful in future. But, mamma, I see it is not yet eight o'clock. Though we have not
convenablement. Quand l'heure de voire récréation arrivera, au lieu d'aller au jardin vous serez obligée de monter à votre chambre. ”

“ Yes, my dear, it is true, thanks to the rewards which have been offered to all those who kill them ; some years ago they still exercised great ravages in certain parts of France. But come, my dear children, we have had enough for once; I am really tired with our long walk, and we must think of finding an omnibus, in order to arrive at home in time for dinner.
féroce que le lion. Celui-ci n'attaque guère que quand il est excité par la faim ; le tigre, au contraire, tue pour le plaisir de tuer , et attaque sans distinction tout ce qu'il trouve en son chemin. ”

“ You may run about now, as you are in the open country. But, before you go and amuse yourselves, carry part of what you keep for your little charities, to the poor old man whom you see yonder. You would no doubt feel but little inclined to amuse yourselves, in the presence of a man who has perhaps not eaten to day. ”

“ Il y a de l'or dans cette terre sale, et les divers minerais de plomb que vous voyez là sont presque aussi beaux et aussi brillans que ceux-là sont laids et terreux. Tu vois comme-il ne faut point juger sur les apparences. ”

“ But here, my dear girl, the poor animals, enclosed in narrow dens, lose almost all the nobleness, and pride of appearance which is their chief characteristic. The lion, particularly, does not attain his ordinary size, and when he is shut up, he no longer possesses the energy which renders him so terrible and so grand in the desert.. ”

“ No doubt you did not confine yourself to the fruit of your own garden, for I think that wilh so poor a gardener as you, it could not be very fine. But you have not said anything to me about the farm ; your father has no doubt a farmyard and a sheepfold.
GEORGE.
Yes, we have both and I assure you nothing can be more amusing. I had taken upon myself the care of feeding the fowls every morning, and it was very curious to see them quarrelling about a grain of corn.
There was a large turkey that was very spiteful and greedy, and always wished to
nouveaux plaisirs. ”