he would have been beautiful.
The delicately pencilled brows were exquisite, and out of the small
brown face looked a pair of large, brilliant eyes of an extraordinary
blue--the blue of the wild chicory. When the boy glanced up or down,
there was great play of dark lashes, long, and amazingly thick. This
would have been charming on a girl, but seemed somehow affected in a
boy, though one could hardly have accused the little snipe of making
his own eyelashes. He wore a very loose-trousered knickerbocker suit
of navy-blue; a white silk shirt or blouse, loose also, with a
turned-down Byronic collar and a careless black bow underneath. He had
extremely small hands, tanned brown, and on the least finger of one
was a seal ring. My impression of this youthful tourist was that in
age he might be anywhere between thirteen and seventeen, and I was
sure that he would be the better for a good thrashing.

"Some rich, silly mother's darling," I said to myself. "Little
milksop, travelling with a muff of a tutor, I suppose. Why doesn't the
ass teach him good manners?"

This lesson seemed particularly necessary, because the youth persisted
in holding the attention of the landlady, who, with a comfortable back
to me, laughed at some sally of the boy's. When I had stood for a
moment or two, waiting for a pause which did not come, although the
brat saw me and knew well what I wanted, I spoke coldly: "Pardon,
madame, I desire something to eat," I said in French.

The landlady turned, surprised at the voice behind her.

"But certainly, Monsieur. Though I regret that you have come at an
unfortunate time. We have not a great variety to offer you."

"Something of this sort will suit me very well," I replied, feeling
hungrily that chicken, salad, custard, and figs were the things which
of all others I would choose.

"It is most regrettable, Monsieur, but this young gentleman has our
only chicken, unless you could wait for another to be killed, plucked,
and made ready for the table."

I shuddered at the suggestion, and did not hide my repulsion. "I must
put up with an omelette, then, I suppose I can have that?"

"At any other time Monsieur could have had two, if he pleased, but
to-day all our eggs have gone into this custard. The young gentleman
ordered his repast by telegraph, and we did our best. As for the
figs, he brought them himself; but if Monsieur would have a cutlet of
the _veau_, or----"

"Give me a bottle of wine, and some b