here before I gave it up as a
hopeless search, and, as you know, I've been laid up ever since. You
have been kind to me, Madame; something makes me think I was not kept
here for nothing. Can you help me to find my friend?"

The landlady began to have inward misgivings that she had not behaved to
this pleasant-spoken young guest of hers as nicely as she might have
done, and she secretly resolved to revise the bill in his favour before
presenting it.

"Why, Monsieur, I had plenty English in my time. The year after the war
I had--let me think--two or three. Your friend--was he the little lame
one who waited beautiful at table, but that he cough, cough, till I must
send him away?"

"No; that's not the one."

"Then it was the fat one?--John Bull, we call him, who eat more than he
served, never used a fork when he had his fingers. Ah, he was a dirty
one, was your friend!"

"No," said Roger; "that's not he. My friend was not much older than I
am, and a gentleman."

"A gentleman--and a waiter!" laughed the landlady. "But tell me, what
was his name?"

"He used to call himself Rogers."

She shook her head.

"No one of that name was here. I had English, one or two--Bardsley, and
Jackson, and Smith; he was a gentleman, but he was not young. He was
fifty years, Mr Smith--a good servant. Also there was Monsieur
Callow."

"Callot!" exclaimed Roger, starting at the familiar name. "Was he an
Englishman?"

"Surely. C-a-l-l-o-w--Callow. Ah! he was a droll one, was Monsieur
Callow, and a gentleman too. I never had a billiard-marker like him.
He could play any man, and lose by one point; and he could recite and
sing; and oh, he eat so little! Every one laughed at him; but he
laughed little himself, and thought himself too good for his fellow-
waiters."

"What was he like?" asked Roger, flushing with excitement.

"A fine young man, with long curly hair, and whiskers and a beard. He
was afraid of nothing, tall and strong. Ah me! I have seen him knock a
man down at a blow. He was a wild, reckless man, was Monsieur Callow;
but a good servant, and oh! a beautiful billiard player. He always knew
how to lose a game, and oh! it made my table so popular!"

"Had he any friends in Paris?"

"Yes; he went often to see his father--so he told me--an actor who gave
lessons. I never saw _Monsieur le pere_."

"How long did he stay with you?"

"Callow? For five years he served me well. Then there was a _fracas_,