Monsieur, Madame, and Bebe -- C

er her name, notwithstanding I de

tter. I was now eighteen, and, upon my honor, very unsuspecting. It was in the arms of that dear-I have her name at the tip of my tongue, it ended in "ine"-it was in her arms, the dear child,

t had not been that on certain details of moral weakness her past life inspired me wi

upper with a friend of mine whom I esteemed much, and who became

uare-cut bodice, a little too low to my taste, but it became her so well that when she embraced me I was tempted to say: "I say

sipated in the presence of the ineffable happiness of the moment. He is free, he is a man, he loves, he is loved, he is conscious that he is taking a forward step in life. He would like all Paris to see him thus, yet he is afrai

of appearing awkward on that night of revelry. I said to myself: "Old boy, you must face the music, do the grand, and take your liquor like a little man; your sweetheart is here, and her eyes are fixed on you." The idea, however, that I might be ill next morning did indeed trouble me; in my mind's eye, I saw my poor mother bringing me a cu

r host, "it is time to use your forks vig

selves round the table, at each end of which I noticed two plates filled up with thos

strophe, if I don't use prudence

at could I say? And then, the said host, with his twenty-five summers, his moustache curled up at the ends, and his s

s coat may take it off... and the ladies, too. Ha! ha! ha! That's the way to make one's self happy, is it not, my little dears?" And before he

ike red-hot iron. For the rest, everybody burst out laughing, a

r, draw the corks and we will eat up everything at once, eh, my cherubs? No ceremony, no false delicacy. This is fine fun; it is Oriental, it is splendid. In the centre of Africa everybody acts in this manner. We must introduce poetry int

and, in spite of the evidence of my senses, I thought I was dreaming. I could distinguish, however, though in a confused manner, the animated glances and heightened color of the guests, and, above all, a disorder quite new to me in the toilettes of the ladies. Even my sweet

it seemed to me as if my h

ot know. All I remember is that some one took me home in

e examining magistrate came back to mind. For a moment I had a vague idea of entering upon holy orders, but time-you know wha