heads. Feeling that the importance of the event justified a
lavishness in the matter of personal garb, he said that before sailing
he had visited the establishment of a famous costumer located on the
Bowery, in the city of New York, and there had purchased attire suitable
to be worn on the occasion of his public appearances abroad.

This apparel, he admitted, had undergone some wear, as the property of a
previous owner, being, in fact, what is known as second-handed; but,
because of its effectiveness of design and the fortunate circumstance of
its being a perfect fit, he had not hesitated to purchase it. I ask you,
Mister President, to mark well this detail, for it, too, has a
profoundly significant bearing on future events.

Continuing, my new acquaintance stated that he had reached France but a
day or two before the mobilisation and, like myself, had been hurled
unexpectedly into a very vortex of chaos and confusion. He had lost a
collection of photographs of himself, and his treasured
scrapbook--losses that he regretted exceedingly; but he had clung fast
to his stage attire and to his juggling appliances, bearing them away
with him by hand from Paris. He was now endeavouring to make his way
back to England, intending to return thence to America without loss of
time.

This narration consumed, I presume, the greater part of two hours, I,
meantime, endeavouring to conceal any signs of increasing drowsiness. He
was, I think, nearing the conclusion of his tale when the porter of the
hotel appeared before us in the semi-gloom in which the billiard room
was shrouded. Observing that we were yet awake, he gave vent to an
extended statement, ejaculating with great volubility and many
gesticulations of eyebrow, hand and shoulder. The French in which he
declaimed was of so corrupted a form that one could not understand him;
and, since one of my neighbours was now soundly asleep and the other
knew no French, we were at a loss to get on until the porter had
recourse to an improvised sign language.

Producing a watch he pointed to the Roman numeral VII on its face and
then, emitting a hissing sound from between his front teeth, he imparted
to his hands a rapid circular motion, as though imitating the stirring
of some mixture. At once we agreed between our two selves that this
strange demonstration had reference, firstly to the hour when breakfast
would be served on the following morning, and, secondly, to the articles
of drink