theoldclergyman,too,didnotcomeback.thegreenroofofhisschoolwasgone,andhisteaching-chairhadvanished.thechildrendidnotcome;butautumncame,andwintercame,andthenspringalso.inallthischangeofseasonsthedryadlookedtowardtheregionwhere,atnight,parisgleamedwithitsbrightmistfaronthehorizon.

forthfromthetownrushedengineafterengine,trainaftertrain,whistlingandscreamingatallhoursintheday.intheevening,towardsmidnight,atdaybreak,andallthedaythrough,camethetrains.outofeachone,andintoeachone,streamedpeoplefromthecountryofeveryking.anewwonderoftheworldhadsummonedthemtoparis.

inwhatformdidthiswonderexhibititself?

"asplendidblossomofartandindustry,"saidone,"hasunfoldeditselfinthechampdemars,agiganticsunflower,fromwhosepetalsonecanlearngeographyandstatistics,andcanbecomeaswiseasalordmayor,andraiseone'sselftothelevelofartandpoetry,andstudythegreatnessandpowerofthevariouslands."

"afairytaleflower,"saidanother,"amany-coloredlotus-plant,whichspreadsoutitsgreenleaveslikeavelvetcarpetoverthesand.theopeningspringhasbroughtitforth,thesummerwillseeitinallitssplendor,theautumnwindswillsweepitaway,sothatnotaleaf,notafragmentofitsrootshallremain."

infrontofthemilitaryschoolextendsintimeofpeacethearenaofwar-afieldwithoutabladeofgrass,apieceofsandysteppe,asifcutoutofthedesertofafrica,wherefatamorganadisplaysherwondrousairycastlesandhanginggardens.inthechampdemars,however,theseweretobeseenmoresplendid,morewonderfulthanintheeast,forhumanarthadconvertedtheairydeceptivescenesintoreality.

"thealaddin'spalaceofthepresenthasbeenbuilt,"itwassaid."daybyday,hourbyhour,itunfoldsmoreofitswonderfulsplendor."

theendlesshallsshineinmarbleandmanycolors."masterbloodless"heremoveshislimbsofsteelandironinthegreatcircularhallofmachinery.worksofartinmetal,instone,ingobelinstapestry,announcethevitalityofmindthatisstirringineveryland.hallsofpaintings,splendorofflowers,everythingthatmindandskillcancreateintheworkshopoftheartisan,hasbeenplacedhereforshow.eventhememorialsofancientdays,outofoldgravesandturf-moors,haveappearedatthisgeneralmeeting.

theoverpoweringgreatvariegatedwholemustbedividedintosmallportions,andpressedtogetherlikeaplaything,ifitistobeunderstoodanddescribed.

likeagreattableonchristmaseve,thechampdemarscarriedawonder-castleofindustryandart,andaroundthisknickknacksfromallcountrieshadbeenranged,knickknacksonagrandscale,foreverynationfoundsomeremembranceofhome.

herestoodtheroyalpalaceofegypt,therethecaravanseraiofthedesertland.thebedouinhadquittedhissunnycountry,andhastenedbyonhiscamel.herestoodtherussianstables,withthefieryglorioushorsesofthesteppe.herestoodthesimplestraw-thatcheddwellingofthedanishpeasant,withthedannebrogflag,nexttogustavusvasa'swoodenhousefromdalarne,withitswonderfulcarvings.americanhuts,englishcottages,frenchpavilions,kiosks,theatres,churches,allstrewnaround,andbetweenthemthefreshgreenturf,theclearspringingwater,bloomingbushes,raretrees,hothouses,inwhichonemightfancyone'sselftransportedintothetropicalforest;wholegardensbroughtfromdamascus,andbloomingunderoneroof.whatcolors,whatfragrance!