Guide (gesticulating)—Zare, ladies and gentlemans. Ze cathedral! Ah! ciel! Look at him. Magnifique! (Chorus of "ahs" from tourists and general opening of Baedekers.)
Guide—Ze clock-tower ees of a colossity excessive. It elevates himself three hundred and eighty-six feet. (Immense enthusiasm.) At ze terminality of ze wall statue ze great Charlemagne. Superbe! Chuck-a-block to him, Dagobert, Clovis and Voila! (Catching hold of elderly tourist.) Le bon Louis. (The tourists take notes with painful accuracy and minuteness.)
Elderly Tourist—Very interesting. Rose, my child, have you got all that down. How old is the cathedral, guide?
Guide—It has seven hundred and feefty-six years.
Spinster Aunt (Severely)—Baedeker says seven hundred and fifty-five.
Guide (politely)—It ees hees one mistake. (An exclamation from Rose. Everybody turns.)
Rose (pointing to guillotine)—Oh, do look there!
Spinster Aunt—It looks as though an execution were in progress. Baedeker says—
Elderly Tourist (eagerly)—Is it really so, guide?
Guide (indifferently)—Yes, but zare ees no fee and zarefore no objection in seeing it. It ees modern—vat you call him—cheap-John. We will now upon ze clock-tower upheave ourselves. Zare are two hundred and one steps.