“The first teacher to whom I turned declared there was but one way to recite them properly, and this single method, you of course perceive, gentlemen, could be only his own.

“‘Those lines,’ said he, ’must be recited with breadth, with dignity, with nobleness.  Listen!’ Upon which my instructor began to declaim in his most sonorous, most magisterial tones.  He raised his eyes to heaven, rounded his gestures and struck a heroic attitude.

“‘Show yourself,’ he resumed (after this demonstration), ’by the elevation of your manners, worthy of the lessons I have given you.’

“‘Ah!’ I exclaimed, ’at last I possess the noble manner of rendering these fine lines.’

“Next day, having practiced the noble manner to the utmost of my ability, I went to my second professor, fully persuaded that I should hear nothing but congratulations.  Well!...  I had hardly ended the second line, when a shrug of the shoulders accompanied by a terrible burst of laughter, very mortifying to my noble manner, closed my mouth abruptly.

“’What do you mean by that emphatic tone?  What is all this bombastic sermon about?  What manners are these?  My friend, you are grotesque.  Those lines should be repeated simply, naturally and with the utmost artlessness.  Remember that it is the good La Fontaine who speaks! [accenting each syllable] the-good-La-Fon-taine—­do you hear?  There is but one way possible to render the lines faithfully.  Listen to me.’

“Here the professor tapped his snuff-box,—­compressed his lips, dropped the corners of his mouth in an ironical fashion, slightly contracting his eyes, lifting his eyebrows, moving his head five or six times from right to left, and began the lines in a firm and somewhat nasal tone.

“Ah!” I cried, amazed, ’there is no other way ... what wonderful artlessness, simplicity and truth to nature!’

“So I set to work upon a new basis, saying to myself:  ’Now, at last, I have got the natural style which fits the spirit of this charming work.  I am very curious to know the impression which I shall make to-morrow on my third teacher.’

“The moment came.  I struck an attitude into which I introduced the elliptic expressions shown to me the day before, and with the confidence inspired in me by a sense of the naturalness with which I was pervaded, I began: 

    “‘Nor gold nor great....’

“‘Wretch!’ cried my third professor.  ’What do you mean by that senile manner, that tart voice!  What a Cassandra-like tone!  You disgrace those beautiful lines, miserable fellow!’

‘"But, sir....’

“’But, but, but.  I will drop you from the list of my pupils, if you dare to utter a remark!  You can do very well when you wish!  But every now and then you are subject to certain eccentric flights.  You sometimes imitate X——­ well enough to be mistaken for him; then you are detestable, for you change your nature, and I will not permit it.  Besides, it is a vulgar type.  Stay, you looked like him just then, and it was hideous.