e
drollery--"that was my old father."

II

THE ADVENTURE OF THE ARLESIENNE

Aristide Pujol bade me a sunny farewell at the door of the Hotel du
Luxembourg at Nimes, and, valise in hand, darted off, in his impetuous
fashion, across the Place de l'Esplanade. I felt something like a pang
at the sight of his retreating figure, as, on his own confession, he had
not a penny in the world. I wondered what he would do for food and
lodging, to say nothing of tobacco, _aperitifs_, and other such
necessaries of life. The idea of so gay a creature starving was
abhorrent. Yet an invitation to stay as my guest at the hotel until
he saw an opportunity of improving his financial situation he had
courteously declined.

Early next morning I found him awaiting me in the lounge and smoking an
excellent cigar. He explained that so dear a friend as myself ought to
be the first to hear the glad tidings. Last evening, by the grace of
Heaven, he had run across a bare acquaintance, a manufacturer of nougat
at Montelimar; had spent several hours in his company, with the result
that he had convinced him of two things: first, that the dry,
crumbling, shortbread-like nougat of Montelimar was unknown in England,
where the population subsisted on a sickly, glutinous mess whereto the
medical faculty had ascribed the prevalent dyspepsia of the population;
and, secondly, that the one Heaven-certified apostle who could spread
the glorious gospel of Montelimar nougat over the length and breadth of
Great Britain and Ireland was himself, Aristide Pujol. A handsome
salary had been arranged, of which he had already drawn something on
account--_hinc ille Colorado_--and he was to accompany his principal the
next day to Montelimar, _en route_ for the conquest of Britain. In the
meantime he was as free as the winds, and would devote the day to
showing me the wonders of the town.

I congratulated him on his almost fantastic good fortune and gladly
accepted his offer.

"There is one thing I should like to ask you," said I, "and it is this.
Yesterday afternoon you refused my cordially-offered hospitality, and
went away without a sou to bless yourself with. What did you do? I ask
out of curiosity. How does a man set about trying to subsist on nothing
at all?"

"It's very simple," he replied. "Haven't I told you, and haven't you
seen for yourself, that I never lose an opportunity? More than that. It
has been my rule in life either to make friends with