each having his own way of observing and appreciating.

The French correspondent was named Alcide Jolivet. Harry Blount
was the name of the Englishman. They had just met for the first time
at this fete in the New Palace, of which they had been ordered to give
an account in their papers. The dissimilarity of their characters,
added to a certain amount of jealousy, which generally exists
between rivals in the same calling, might have rendered them
but little sympathetic. However, they did not avoid each other,
but endeavored rather to exchange with each other the chat of the day.
They were sportsmen, after all, hunting on the same ground.
That which one missed might be advantageously secured by the other,
and it was to their interest to meet and converse.

This evening they were both on the look out; they felt, in fact,
that there was something in the air.

"Even should it be only a wildgoose chase," said Alcide Jolivet
to himself, "it may be worth powder and shot."

The two correspondents therefore began by cautiously sounding each other.

"Really, my dear sir, this little fete is charming!"
said Alcide Jolivet pleasantly, thinking himself obliged to begin
the conversation with this eminently French phrase.

"I have telegraphed already, 'splendid!'" replied Harry Blount calmly,
employing the word specially devoted to expressing admiration by all
subjects of the United Kingdom.