6 GOLDEN DAYS 



coat and a bowler hat a size too small. I 

 never remember seeing him without this 

 hat ; indeed, I think his only claim to 

 office was his good heart, his un-Breton 

 raiment, and maybe his ample supply of 

 this world's goods, among which his cellar 

 was not least. He was enchanted with 

 our proposal, and fell in with all the 

 Greffier's suggestions, beaming upon us, 

 and rubbing his little fat hands together. 

 Everything would arrange itself perfectly. 

 Might he do himself the honour of seeing 

 to the hamper ? And did Monsieur like 

 burgundy ? Eh bien, there should be 

 burgundy. Jean Pierre should bring the 

 carriage to our door. That was under- 

 stood ? Bien I and he beamed and rubbed 

 his hands again. The whole company in 

 the inn kitchen had drawn their chairs 

 into the circle round the fire. The Greffier 

 and the Mayor sat on each side of the 

 hearth, talking and gesticulating like 

 excited schoolboys. They had, in fact, 

 fished this river together in their youth, 

 and each in his turn must now cap the 

 other's stories of trout vaster and vaster 

 in waters more and more delectable. It 



