Page:Letters from Abroad to Kindred at Home (Volume 1).djvu/142

Rh every other sound, crying out to the mademoiselles is the coupé and to the monsieur and madame in the intérieure, in a mongrel patois of French and Flemish; "Ah donnez moi un petit morceau de brod—vous n'en serez pas plus pauvre—da-do—charité pour un pauvre avaugle, madame—da-do !"

A few leagues before reaching liege we experienced another equally disagreeable characteristic of the social system of the Old World. We passed the Prussian frontier, and were admonished by the black eagle—a proper insignia for a custom-house, a bird of prey—that our baggage must be inspected. We dreaded the disturbance of our trunks, and looked with suitable detestation on the moustachoed officials that approached us. While they were chaffering with François to settle the question whether they should go up to the baggage or the baggage come down to them, and deciding that the mountain should come to Mahomet, an officer of as harmless aspect as Deacon I., with spectacles on nose and a baby in his arms, came to our relief, saying that if Monsieur le Courier would give hiss parole d'honneur (a courier's parole d'honneur!) that there was nothing to declare—that is customable—the examination might be omitted. François pledged his word, and there was no farther trouble. This contrasts with the torment we had in England, of baring all our baggage overhauled and disarranged, and sent home to us, some light articles lost and