In Basque the auxiliary verbs alone undergo conjugation, and they exhibit a peculiarity that deserves notice. Take an instance: the auxiliary verb _izan_, to be. “I am” may be rendered in four different ways, according to the person addressed. In speaking to a male familiarly “I am” is _nuk_; but a woman addressed in like manner is _nun_; “I am,” when used in address to a person highly respected of either sex, is _nuzu_; “I am” spoken without any particular reference to any one is _niz_. So “he or she is” may be rendered _duk_, _dun_, _duzu_, _da_; and “we are” by _gaituk_, _gaitun_, _gaituzu_, _gare_. The Basque language is capable of an incredible amount of agglomeration in the formation of words, and of indefinite modification of times, conditions, forms of words. _Etche_ is a house; _argizagi_ is the moon; _elhur_ is snow; _chori_ is a bird; _sagar_ an apple; _oski_ a shoe; _aurhide_ a child; _arrolze_, an egg. We feel at once that we meet here with a language which has no relations that we can detect with any of the European tongues with which we are familiar. The Basque has not distinguished himself in literature. It is true that a set of poems pretending to be ancient has been produced and published as relics of Early Basque poetry, but they were forgeries, like Macpherson’s _Ossian_. The nucleus of the Basque country may be said to be S. Jean-de-Luz. Formerly it was Ustaritz (i.e. the Oak of Judgment), where the Elders assembled in Council; but at the French Revolution this oak was cut down. The Basque villages have a character of their own. Erected by a people who do not feel eagerness to look in at one another’s windows, a people pushing independence to fanaticism, the villages consist rather of isolated buildings loosely united than of close agglomeration of houses. Like the Welsh, the Basques love whitewash, but paint their shutters brilliant red. The churches stand in the midst of a clump of trees, their towers surmounted by three points, symbolical of the Trinity. They are a healthy people, clean in mind and clean in body, religious and honest. The whole population has been described as “la plus belle, la plus saine, la plus alerte, la plus joyeuse qui se puisse se trouver en Europe.” CHAPTER II GASCONY The province of Gascony--Protest against inclusion in Aquitaine--Union of Béarn, Foix, and Bigorre--Navarre-- Interest of Gascony to English people--Gascony annexed to the Crown of England--Viscounty of Béarn--The Fors--Independence of the people--A babe with open hands--An elderly wife--John of Béarn’s treatment of a Pope--Charles of Viana--Schemes of Juana--Murder of Blanche--The coveted crown--Death of Francis Phœbus--Choice of a husband--Gascon braggarts.