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that time learning banking； Garibaldi was a wonderful man！ One could
not help it。〃 He spoke quite simply。 〃You might say it was like
seeing a little man stand up to a ring of great hulking fellows； I
went； just as you would have gone； if you'd been there。 I was not
long with themour war began； I had to go back home。〃 He said this
as if there had been but one war since the world began。 〃In '60；〃 he
mused； 〃till '65。 Just think of it！ The poor country。 Why； in my
State； South CarolinaI was through it allnobody could be spared
therewe were one to three。〃
〃I suppose you have a love of fighting？〃
〃H'm！〃 he said； as if considering the idea for the first time。
〃Sometimes I fought for a living； and sometimesbecause I was
obliged； one must try to be a gentleman。 But won't you have some
more？〃
I refused more tea and took my leave； carrying away with me a picture
of the old fellow looking down from the top of the steep staircase；
one hand pressed to his back； the other twisting up those little
white moustaches； and murmuring； 〃Take care； my dear sir； there's a
step there at the corner。〃
〃To be a gentleman！〃 I repeated in the street； causing an old French
lady to drop her parasol； so that for about two minutes we stood
bowing and smiling to each other； then separated full of the best
feeling。
II
A week later I found myself again seated next him at a concert。 In
the meantime I had seen him now and then； but only in passing。 He
seemed depressed。 The corners of his lips were tightened； his tanned
cheeks had a greyish tinge； his eyes were restless； and； between two
numbers of the programme； he murmured； tapping his fingers on his
hat； 〃Do you ever have bad days？ Yes？ Not pleasant； are they？〃
Then something occurred from which all that I have to tell you
followed。 There came into the concert…hall the heroine of one of
those romances； crimes； follies； or irregularities； call it what you
will； which had just attracted the 〃world's〃 stare。 She passed us
with her partner； and sat down in a chair a few rows to our right。
She kept turning her head round； and at every turn I caught the gleam
of her uneasy eyes。 Some one behind us said： 〃The brazen baggage！〃
My companion turned full round； and glared at whoever it was who had
spoken。 The change in him was quite remarkable。 His lips were drawn
back from his teeth； he frowned； the scar on his temple had reddened。
〃Ah！〃 he said to me。 〃The hue and cry！ Contemptible！ How I hate
it！ But you wouldn't understand！ 〃he broke off； and slowly
regained his usual air of self…obliteration； he even seemed ashamed；
and began trying to brush his moustaches higher than ever； as if
aware that his heat had robbed them of neatness。
〃I'm not myself； when I speak of such matters；〃 he said suddenly； and
began reading his programme； holding it upside down。 A minute later；
however； he said in a peculiar voice： 〃There are people to be found
who object to vivisecting animals； but the vivisection of a woman；
who minds that？ Will you tell me it's right； that because of some
tragedy like thisbelieve me； it is always a tragedywe should hunt
down a woman？ That her fellow…women should make an outcast of her？
That we； who are men； should make a prey of her？ If I thought
that。。。。〃 Again he broke off； staring very hard in front of him。
〃It is we who make them what they are； and even if that is not so
why！ if I thought there was a woman in the world I could not take my
hat off toIIcouldn't sleep at night。〃 He got up from his seat；
put on his old straw hat with trembling fingers； and； without a
glance back； went out； stumbling over the chair…legs。
I sat there； horribly disturbed； the words； 〃One must try to be a
gentleman！〃 haunting me。 When I came out； he was standing by the
entrance with one hand on his hip and the other on his dog。 In that
attitude of waiting he was such a patient figure； the sun glared down
and showed the threadbare nature of his clothes and the thinness of
his brown hands； with their long forgers and nails yellow from
tobacco。 Seeing me he came up the steps again； and raised his hat。
〃I am glad to have caught you； please forget all that。〃 I asked if
he would do me the honour of dining at my hotel。
〃Dine？〃 he repeated with the sort of smile a child gives if you offer
him a box of soldiers； 〃with the greatest pleasure。 I seldom dine
out； but I think I can muster up a coat。 Yesyesand at what time
shall I come？ At half…past seven； and your hotel is？ Good！ I
shall be there。 Freda； mia cara； you will be alone this evening。
You do not smoke caporal； I fear。 I find it fairly good； though it
has too much bite。〃 He walked off with Freda； puffing at his thin
roll of caporal。
Once or twice he stopped； as if bewildered or beset by some sudden
doubt or memory； and every time he stopped； Freda licked his hand。
They disappeared round the corner of the street； and I went to my
hotel to see about dinner。 On the way I met Jules le Ferrier； and
asked him to come too。
〃My faith； yes！〃 he said； with the rosy pessimism characteristic of
the French editor。 〃Man must dine！〃
At half…past six we assembled。 My 〃Cosmopolitan〃 was in an old
frock…coat braided round the edges； buttoned high and tight； defining
more than ever the sharp lines of his shoulders and the slight kink
of his back； he had brought with him； too； a dark…peaked cap of
military shape； which he had evidently selected as more fitting to
the coat than a straw hat。 He smelled slightly of some herb。
We sat down to dinner； and did not rise for two hours。 He was a
charming guest； praised everything he atenot with commonplaces； but
in words that made you feel it had given him real pleasure。 At
first； whenever Jules made one of his caustic remarks； he looked
quite pained； but suddenly seemed to make up his mind that it was
bark； not bite； and then at each of them he would turn to me and say；
〃Aha！ that's goodisn't it？〃 With every glass of wine he became
more gentle and more genial； sitting very upright； and tightly
buttoned…in； while the little white wings of his moustache seemed
about to leave him for a better world。
In spite of the most leading questions； however； we could not get him
to talk about himself； for even Jules； most cynical of men； had
recognised that he was a hero of romance。 He would answer gently and
precisely； and then sit twisting his moustaches； perfectly
unconscious that we wanted more。 Presently； as the wine went a
little to his head； his thin； high voice grew thinner； his cheeks
became flushed； his eyes brighter； at the end of dinner he said： 〃I
hope I have not been noisy。〃
We assured him that he had not been noisy enough。 〃You're laughing
at me；〃 he answered。 〃Surely I've been talking all the time！〃
〃Mon Dieu！〃 said Jules； 〃we have been looking for some fables of your
wars； but nothingnothing； not enough to feed a frog！〃
The old fellow looked troubled。
〃To be sure！〃 he mused。 〃Let me think！ there is that about Colhoun
at Gettysburg； and there's the story of Garibaldi and the Miller。〃
He plunged into a tale； not at all about himself； which would have
been extremely dull； but for the conviction in his eyes； and the way
he stopped and commented。 〃So you see；〃 he ended； 〃that's the sort
of man Garibaldi was！ I could tell you another tale of him。〃
Catching an introspective look in Jules's eye； however； I proposed
taking our cigars over to the cafe opposite。
〃Delightful！〃 the old fellow said： 〃We shall have a band and the
fresh air； and clear consciences for our cigars。 I cannot like this
smoking in a room where there are ladies dining。〃
He walked out in front of us； smoking with an air of great enjoyment。
Jules； glowing above his candid shirt and waistcoat； whispered to me；
〃Mon cher Georges； how he is good！〃 then sighed； and added darkly：
〃The poor man！〃
We sat down at a little table。 Close by； the branches of a plane…
tree rustled faintly； their leaves hung lifeless； speckled like the
breasts of birds； or black against the sky； then； caught by the
breeze； fluttered suddenly。
The old fellow sat； with head thrown back； a smile on his face；
coming now and then out of his enchanted dreams to drink coffee；
answer our questions； or hum the tune that the band was playing。 The
ash of his cigar grew very long。 One of those bizarre figures in
Oriental garb； who； night after night； offer their doubtful wares at
a great price； appeared in the white glare of a lamp； looked with a
furtive smile at his face； and glided back； discomfited by its
unconsciousness。 It was a night for dreams！ A faint； half…eastern
scent in the air； of black tobacco and spice； few people as yet at
the little tables； the waiters leisurely； the band soft！ What was he
dreaming of； that old fellow； whose cigar…ash grew so long？