hare.'

'Thanks,' said the sculptor, 'it makes my mouth sticky. I prefer to
smoke a pipe.'

And, seeing that Claude was putting on his overcoat again, he asked:
'Are you going?'

'Yes. I want to get the rust off, and breathe the air of Paris a bit.'

All the same, he stopped for another few minutes watching Chaine and
Mathilde, who stuffed themselves with mallow root, each taking a piece
by turns. And though he had been warned, he was again amazed when he saw
Mahoudeau take up the stick of charcoal and write on the wall: 'Give me
the tobacco you have shoved into your pocket.'

Without a word, Chaine took out the screw and handed it to the sculptor,
who filled his pipe.

'Well, I'll see you again soon,' said Claude.

'Yes, soon--at any rate, next Thursday, at Sandoz's.'

Outside, Claude gave an exclamation of surprise on jostling a gentleman,
who stood in front of the herbalist's peering into the shop.

'What, Jory! What are you doing there?'

Jory's big pink nose gave a sniff.

'I? Nothing. I was passing and looked in,' said he in dismay.

Then he decided to laugh, and, as if there were any one to overhear him,
lowered his voice to ask:

'She is next door with our friends, isn't she? All right; let's be off,
quick!'

And he took the painter with him, telling him all manner of strange
stories of that creature Mathilde.

'But you used to say that she was frightful,' said Claude, laughing.

Jory made a careless gesture. Frightful? No, he had not gone as far as
that. Besides, there might be something attractive about a woman even
though she had a plain face. Then he expressed his surprise at seeing
Claude in Paris, and, when he had been fully posted, and learned that
the painter meant to remain there for good, he all at once exclaimed:

'Listen, I am going to take you with me. You must come to lunch with me
at Irma's.'

The painter, taken aback, refused energetically, and gave as a reason
that he wasn't even wearing a frock-coat.

'What does that matter? On the contrary, it makes it more droll. She'll
be delighted. I believe she has a secret partiality for you. She is
always talking about you to us. Come, don't be a fool. I tell you she
expects me this morning, and we shall be received like princes.'

He did not relax his hold on Claude's arm, and they both continued their
way towards the Madeleine, talking all the while. As a rule, Jory kept
silent about his many love adventures, just as a drunkard