ne or two at
Cannes, I'm thinking---- But, Lord love me, what's that?"

He stepped back on the pavement and looked up to the window of the room
113. I had heard the shindy as well as he--a regular scream, as though
a woman was mad in her tantrums, and upon that a crash of glass and
silence--while the porter and me, we just stared at one another.

"Votes for women!" says he, presently, and in so droll a way that I had
to laugh in spite of myself; but before I could answer him, what do you
think? Why, out come the old gentleman, just as calm and smiling as he
had been ten minutes ago.

"You will drive me back to Monaco," he began. I asked him by whose
orders; but at that he looked like a devil incarnate, and spoke so loud
that I was right down frightened of him.

"You will drive me back to Monaco or spend the night in prison!" he
shouted. "Now, which do you prefer?"

"Oh," says I, "in you get!" And in he did get, as I'm a Dutchman, and
I drove him back to the hotel at Monaco--which was about the hour of
one in the morning, and no mistake at all. When he got out at last, no
babe in frocks could have looked more innocent, and he just handed me
up a couple of louis, like a father blessing his only son.

"You drive very well, my lad. Where did you learn?"

"On a good car, sir. Henri Fourtnier taught me about the time of the
second Gordon Bennett. But I don't suppose you remember that."

"Certainly I remember it. The late Count Zborowski was one of my
friends. Let me give you a little piece of advice. It is better to
drive for a gentleman than a lady."

"I beg your pardon, sir?"

But he waved his hand with a flourish, and crying, "A bonny
arntarndure," or something of that kind, he disappeared into his hotel
and left me to think what I liked. And a lot I did think as I drove
back to Nice, I do assure you--for a rummier game I had never been
engaged in, and that's the truth, upon my word and honour.

It was daylight when I reached the garage, and out of the question, of
course, to think of seeing Madame. Speaking for myself, I was too
dog-tired to ask if she wanted me or not; and going up to my bedroom, I
must have slept till nine o'clock without lifting an eyelid. At that
hour the boots waked me in a deuce of a stew, telling me that Madame
must see me without a moment's loss of time. I dressed anyhow and went
down to her. Poor little woman, what a state she was in! I don't
think I ever saw a sor