haven't let him go in for cigars?" I said reproachfully to Mrs.
Charles. I can be very firm about other people's extravagances.

"This is one I picked up in Portugal," explained Charles. "You can get
them absurdly cheap out there. Let's see, dear; where did I put it?"

"I saw it on your dressing-table last week," said his wife, getting up
to leave us. He followed her out and went in search of it, while I
waited with an interest which I made no effort to conceal. I had never
heard before of a man going all the way to Portugal to buy one cigar for
a friend.

"Here it is," said Charles, coming in again. He put down in front of me
an ash-tray, the matches and a--and a--well, a cigar. I examined it
slowly. Half of it looked very tired.

"Well," said Charles, "what do you think of it?"

"When you say you--er--_picked it up_ in Portugal," I began carefully.
"I suppose you don't mean----" I stopped and tried to bite the end off.

"Have a knife," said Charles.

I had another bite, and then I decided to be frank.

"_Why_ did you pick it up?" I asked.

"The fact was," said Charles, "I found myself one day in Lisbon without
my pipe, and so I bought that thing; I never smoke them in the ordinary
way."

"Did you smoke this?" I asked. It was obvious that _something_ had
happened to it.

"No, you see, I found some cigarettes at the last moment, and so,
knowing that you liked cigars, I thought I'd bring it home for you."

"It's very nice of you, Charles. Of course I can see that it has
travelled. Well, we must do what we can with it."

I took the knife and started chipping away at the mahogany end. The
other end--the brown-paper end, which had come ungummed--I intended to
reserve for the match. When everything was ready I applied a light,
leant back in my chair, and pulled.

"That's all right, isn't it?" said Charles. "You'd be surprised if I
told you what I paid for it."

"No, no, you mustn't think that," I protested. "Probably things are
dearer in Portugal." I put it down by my plate for a moment's rest. "All
I've got against it at present is that its pores don't act as freely as
they should."

"I've got a cigar-cutter somewhere, if----"

"No, don't bother, I think I can do it with the nut-crackers. There's no
doubt it was a good cigar once, but it hasn't wintered well."

I squeezed it as hard as I could, lit it again, pressed my feet against
the table and pulled.

"Now it's going," said Charles.

"I'm afrai