ABSTRACT
The next, “A la gueule dans (en) peine’’ is a painted rebus, explained by a bar of music (la), a mouth wide open (gueule), a set of teeth (dents), and a comb (peigne). All honour to the inventor of this hieroglyphic! Equally obscure in its application to her trade is the sign over the shop of Madame Meswinkal, who, for some unexplained reason, chooses to call hetself a mouse (dite Souris). Her emblem, “A la petite souris,” exhibits a lively representation of a ham, a loaf of bread, a knife, a tumbler, and a mouse and a mouse-trap. On look ing at it, 1 asked myself these questions — not wishing to disturb Madame Meswinkal, who had fallen asleep while in the act of mend ing an old shoe-Why should the mouse be expected to go into the trap when the provisions are placed on the floor? And of what use to a mouse are an empty tumbler and a table-knife? Accessories, you will say, which convey to the mind a notion of the plenty which begets temptation; but again I ask, in what respect do they concern boots and shoes.
