that you used to be?'

"'I--I hope so.'

"'Not married?'

"'No.'

"'Good. And do you still love a good time and potatoes?'

"I was beginning to find him hopelessly vulgar. Nevertheless, I answered
"'Yes.'

"'And pretty girls?'

"'Most assuredly.'

"He began to laugh good-humoredly.

"'Good, good! Do you remember our first escapade, in Bordeaux, after
that dinner at Routie's? What a spree!'

"I did, indeed, remember that spree; and the recollection of it cheered
me up. This called to mind other pranks. He would say:

"'Say, do you remember the time when we locked the proctor up in old man
Latoque's cellar?'

"And he laughed and banged the table with his fist, and then he
continued:

"'Yes-yes-yes-and do you remember the face of the geography teacher,
M. Marin, the day we set off a firecracker in the globe, just as he was
haranguing about the principal volcanoes of the earth?'

"Then suddenly I asked him:

"'And you, are you married?'

"He exclaimed:

"'Ten years, my boy, and I have four children, remarkable youngsters;
but you'll see them and their mother.'

"We were talking rather loud; the people around us looked at us in
surprise.

"Suddenly my friend looked at his watch, a chronometer the size of a
pumpkin, and he cried:

"'Thunder! I'm sorry, but I'll have to leave you; I am never free at
night.'

"He rose, took both my hands, shook them as though he were trying to
wrench my arms from their sockets, and exclaimed:

"'So long, then; till to-morrow noon!'

"'So long!'

"I spent the morning working in the office of the collector-general of
the Department. The chief wished me to stay to luncheon, but I told
him that I had an engagement with a friend. As he had to go out, he
accompanied me.

"I asked him:

"'Can you tell me how I can find the Rue du Coq-qui-Chante?'

"He answered:

"'Yes, it's only five minutes' walk from here. As I have nothing special
to do, I will take you there.'

"We started out and soon found ourselves there. It was a wide,
fine-looking street, on the outskirts of the town. I looked at the
houses and I noticed No. 17. It was a large house with a garden behind
it. The facade, decorated with frescoes, in the Italian style, appeared
to me as being in bad taste. There were goddesses holding vases, others
swathed in clouds. Two stone cupids supported the number of the house.

"I said to the treasurer:

"'Here is where I am going.'

"I held my hand out to h