"You won't like Brussels--there is such a mixture, and house-rent is dear. Now I should recommend Spa for the summer--it is a most beautiful spot--and excellent company." And Spa was added to the list. Then after a day or two came an Anti-Teutonic, who railed against Germany--and Germans--German towns, German travelling, and German _French_, which was detestable--German cookery, which was nothing but grease. "You may imagine," said he, "and so have many more, that Germany is more pleasant and less expensive than France; but they have been disappointed, and so will you be. Now, for a quiet place, I should recommend Saint Omer--only thirty miles from Calais--so convenient--and very pretty." Saint Omer--humph--very quiet and retired--and no politics--and Saint Omer was occasionally canvassed. "Saint Omer!" said another who called the next day, "you'll die of ennui. Go to Boulogne--it is delightful--you may be there as retired or as gay as you please." Boulogne to be taken into consideration many inquiries made and all very satisfactory--good sands and excellent jackasses for the children. "My dear friend, Boulogne is something like the King's Bench--at least most of the people only go there in preference. Every body will suppose that you've _levanted_. Pray don't go to Boulogne." "Why don't you go by Southampton to Havre--there you'll have quiet and amusement--beautiful country about Honfleur--scenery up the Seine splendid; and then you can go up to Rouen by water, if you intend to go on to Paris." Havre and Honfleur submitted to the committee. But then came Dieppe, and Brest, and the environs of Paris, Versailles, Saint Germain, Passy, and other recommendations, in which every one particular place was proved incontestably to be more particularly suited to us than any other, and the committee sat for three weeks, at the end of which, upon examining the matured opinions of the last seven days, I found them to have fluctuated as follows:-- Monday morning, Manheim. Evening, Spa. Tuesday morning, Bruges. Evening Brussels. Wednesday morning, Saint Omer. Evening, Boulogne. Thursday morning, Havre. Evening Honfleur. Friday morning, Dieppe. Evening, Passy. Saturday morning, Versailles. Evening, Saint Germain. Sunday morning, Spa. Evening, Brussels. The fact was, that there was a trifling difference of opinion in the committee--the great object appeared to be, and the great difficulty at the same time, to find a place which would suit all parties, that is to say, a place where there were no politics, plenty of gaiety, and cheap peaches. CHAPTER THREE.