360 THE STORY OF MY LIFE [1854
damp garden near the lake. Here we were seated almost alone at the little table-d'hote when we heard the most extraordinary hissing and rushing sound, like a clock being wound up, and a very little lady entered, who seemed to be impelled into the room, followed by her husband. On reaching her chair, several loud clicks resulted in her being lifted into it as by invisible power! It was Mrs. Archer Clive, the then celebrated authoress of "Paul Ferroll," who had no legs, and moved by clock-work.
While at Geneva, I saw many of its peculiar celebrities, especially M. G-aussen and M. Merle d'Aubign^, the historian of the Reformation, whose real name was only Merle, the sequence having been adopted from his former residence. He had a very striking appearance, his hair being quite grey, but his shaggy eyebrows deep black, with a fine forehead and expression. Another person we saw was M. Berthollet, with an enormous head. It was with difficulty that any of these persons could be convinced that our sole object in coming to Geneva was not to see a certain pasteur, of whom we had never even heard. We visited Ferney, which thrives upon the unpleasant memory of Voltaire, who had a villa there, in which we saw the tomb of — his heart! The inn has as its sign a portrait of him in his French wig.
We spent a pleasant afternoon at Colonel Tron-chin's lovely villa. He was a most excellent man, and one could not help seeing how nobly and unostentatiously he employed his large fortune for the good of others. Yet one could not help seeing also how many of his followers put up their religiousoof and window in the tall houses whichle->rated uncle, and my also celebrated brother,' than to attend ;o the Professor himself, who was exhibiting photographs >f the scenery and geology of the moon."hioiM*<i vi'iit*fatit>n fur rauk, and Iff. Kuril KjL^iiioiit off