y, we had mustered in the lounge of the hotel. It was when we had there bee
psetting. It's no good wishing that Bordeaux was Biarritz, or that Pau was half the distance it is from Angoulême. If you don't want to go right through, you must stay at Bordeaux. It's the only poss
of view of they that go down to the South in cars, her famous capitals could hardly have been more conveniently disposed. This very evening, by lodging us at Angoulême, she was to repeat such hospitality for th
or other, Bordeaux doesn't attract me. Incidentally,
ndeed, if we had another week on the road, you'd both be exhausted. You left my sponge and bedroom-slippers at Boulogne, m
wait till Angoulême. I woul
table. "Now, this one," he added, gingerly extracting a filthy and dilapidated rag, "is a particularly interesting specimen. Apparently, upon close inspection, merely a valuable security, worth, to be exact, a shade under twope
, "do you expe
ink that, upon offering that to a bar-tender, I shall not only not be assaulted, but shall actually receive a large bottle of beer and be lent a two-and-sixpenny glass from
ful," said J
t. What I really need is some rubber gloves and a box-respirator. Hullo! Just catch that one, will you? He's seen that dog over there.... You know, I'm
h looked a
said, "wasted fift
ate Albert." With the words, he laid a two-franc note tenderly upon
detach Albert, who instan
a shriek o
said Berry. "I'v
tion was u
gers and twice to each of my hands, I trod upon him. Some
to you all to let that dog-eared mountebank
in-law addr
ave always been reviled. I suppose it's jealousy." He turned to his wife.
referring to your body-belt
nd at Margate, I mean. With the imitation bone buttons. Ah, here we are. Now, if
o a chair and
e for all, are we going to stay at Bo
rather go right th
hesitate. I'll answer for Ping. But, frankly, with Berry driving, I doubt if Po
pregnant s
r do it," s
ked up defiantly. Then he took a thousand-franc not
erately, "that, with a start of one hour
gasp of as
more, I'll bet you another y
ed his eye
ver mind. Your dross shal
outdone, "will put anothe
After all, if I had not trained th
ou both pay me now, or wait
, "we'll have a r
we were again in the car, and my brother-in-law was threa
llaboration from the ranks of the Mechanical to the society of the Fine Arts. My part was comparatively easy. Sinking his initiative he had more nearly converted himself into an intelligent piece of mechanism than I would have believed possible. It would, of course, be vain to suggest that Pong would not have gone faster if I had been able to drive with my own hands, or Berry had had my experience. Sti
towns our system had broken down. In a crowded street, though I could still administer, Berry could not execute. When I endeavoured to allow for his inexperience of traffic, I found it impossible accurately to g
nfidence. An inch was of no use to him. He must have a good ell, and more also, before he would enter a gap. In the trough of a narrow street he laboured
sis robbed the bet of its savour. With a thousand francs at stake, it would be foolish not to take reasonable care. And the taking of reasonable care would all but eliminate
nicated my refl
the time," she replied. "But I
your money on uncle. With enough
to die." My brother-in-law obeyed. "All the same, I'm afraid we're for it. It isn't so much a q
y si
tween those two waggons
uld,"
Berry, pointing. "I mean along that temporary p
ast us, slipped between the
fter it in sil
to the temperature of my hands, from a handkerchief about six feet square. People were very nice about it, very nice. But an inability to
èle, smiling.
pending your somewhat boisterous travail? My little car is frightened.... No answer. I suppo
celerator and shut your eyes. Oh, and you might hold
to shake w
coat. I may say that, if you touch me with that mammal, I shall press and
with a protruding tongue our luckless chauffeur crept slowly past the mo
over the map and the Michelin Guide; Berry turned himself into a mechanic
r new-born stiffness beginning to wear off, Pon
covered my spirits ros
of Chatellerault, I cou
s our custom, at a charcuterie to buy our lunch, and Ping had followed our examp
mile, I regret
ngered h
"it's a condition precedent t
rse," I
id my heart good. It was plain that my i
oved of
rry. "My mouth's watering so
d Adèle
s heart," I said. "Straight
sh Fate ruled otherwise. Excuse me, but I think that that there basket or ark in which the comfort is enshrined is rather near the conduit through which flows that sparkling liquid which, when vapoured, supplies ou
ed to
gue. There's really only one way to stop him. What about lunching at
ok came into Adè
rother-in-law groaned. "Still ... I don't know.... Aft
macked
n," he said, "is
Ping swept
moment's s
dèle excitedly; "
The reflection that at the moment we had not been trying to outdistance him increased our delight. All the same, his
festive
tiers is like a
ecome a gentle-faced dominie. The sleepy music of bells calling, the pensive air of study, the odour of simple piety, the sober confidence of great possessions, are most impressive. Poitiers has beaten her swords into crosiers and her spears into tuning-forks. Never was there an old age so ripe, so mellow, so becomi
used her, certainly. Dread Harry Plantagenet gave her a proud cathedral. Among her orchards Coeur de Lion worshipped Jehane, jousted, sang of a summer evening, and spent his happiest days. Beneath her shadow the Black Prince light
t see what I have brought forth. If memori
. Broad, straight, smooth as any floor, the great highway stretched like a str
indy town in tim
ement, before we had been there ten minutes, our cousin arrived with Ping and the same object. Had the incident occurred at Poitiers, I should have been enco
ng speed. Twice we had had to stop altogether and start again. He had, of course, reproached himself violently, and I had made light of the matter. But, for all the comfort I offered him, I was seriously alarmed. I
my injury, upon a couch, and she upon a cushion beside me-before the comfort of a g
married yo
ed at
we both,
ther you are really, or whet
e, he may be making the best of a bad job. As a worldly goo
ery happy before
ught we
her head around, to see my face
ft brown eyes was irresistible.
u," I said
" was the disc
n, why sho
said you
d the S
ullied. The woman we love is
looked at us. Then
dèle, caressing hi
ing my caus
said Adèle. "I wi
ing for love of you-you've only got to smile to make them rich-and you set your smal
very interesting! 'Heels I have Held,'
I regar
id I, "and I shan't
ossed h
that," she said. "Dir
hed sa
tomobiles," I said
y wife. "And Ber
rd to it ever since I knew you. I've dreamed about it. You're miles cleverer than I am, you're wise, you're quick-witted, you can play,
smooth hand u
're not in the same street with their master, they kn
s generosity there
mad
h you to dr
came into the
" said Adèle,
*
ue heaven, new-swept by a steady breeze. Limping into the courtyard before breakfast, I r
strapped into place and my brother-in-law climbed into the car. With a sigh for a bad beginning, I reflected th
d by, watc
ready?"
odd
we've picked the best route, but it's
agr
u don't
of the q
e to double
But I'll bet with you. I can't afford much, but I'
id my cousin. "And I sta
ers had been hitherto above reproach, utterly refused to sta
e the trouble-which was in the magneto-
e, an impatient clock anno
approaching a certainty. Indeed, unless we could break the back of the distance before daylight failed, our chances of reaching Pau before ten were worth little. If the
bly untouched for over six years, the wear and tear to which, as one of the arteries springing from a great port, it had been sub
ervous hopes that the going would grow no worse. After that, Berry and I lost interest and suffered in si
ever, kept u
by heart, and was just burning to pilot us
s are like. And the road's really tricky. But I spent two hours looking it
book,
o worse for us than it is for them, and after Bordeaux it'll probably be splendid. Of course we
postulated, "I
ng her right, I got the lunch, and we can eat that without st
nt out that, if our opponents had any sense at
," added Adèle. "Put
thusiasm, we bent
gh speed and a rude surface conspired to dislodge it-a shortcoming which caused us all three much discomfort and lost a lot of mileage. Then, again, I dared not let him drive too close to the side of the road. Righ
fifty-four of them lay behind us. All things considered, this was extremely good
, that I should feed Be
introduce one end of a
I admit it's a bit of a rosebud, but that's no excuse for all these 'outers.' Yes, I know it's a scream, but I was once told never to put foie gras upon the nose or cheeks. They say it dr
rd and took the dishevelled san
" He dabbed his face with a handkerchief. "Never mind. When his hour comes, you'll hav
hould have to stop for petrol, Berry must
"a rest of a quarter of
noticed for the first time tha
never turned a hair. Now, however, he seemed to be driving with an effort.
kly, "you ought to hav
tting done in f
me a path
hap. It's-- Hang it a
rheumatism cropped up
rder w
we had left Poitiers, any quick movement o
ould not hear, declaring that, so long as Jonah was behind, victory was not out of sight, and that nothing
and when we stopped at a garage in Bordeaux, it w
s mouth full and a glass of beer in his hand, when, with an apologetic cough, Ping emerged from behind an approaching tram a
transparently clear that Adèle and I, at any rate, had lost our mon
oy
darl
the las
t have finished for
ide
a bit, just till he'
at my w
shouldn't, dear, exce
rather rough
er all, we shall be moving. And it can't affect the
ed rue
a hundred and fifty miles in front of us, and seven hours-five of them after dark-t
r know,"
process of masticati
ly. "One thing's certain. She
r know,"
ver's seat, and I had folded the
y took
gently.... Well done. Change.... Good girl! N
e, changing into third, and da
hen: "Look out for that tr
anding, I caught my bro
ive!" I sai
id Berry, "I'm
ive!" We flashed between two waggons. "Look at that! She's
aid Adèle, "is how we're to pa
electric si
our back." A portly Frenchman leaped into safety with a scream. "That's the style. For-rard! F
y lifted up his voice and barked like a demoniac. The ungodly hullaballoo with which we shook the dust
eft the terrier and Berry to finish th
oft hair, too, was now at the wind's mercy, and but for a little suede hat, which would have suited Rosalind, the dark strand that lay flickering upon her cheek would have been one of many. Chin in air, eyebrows raised,
ry proud
s driver, I found it difficult to appreciate that a small silk-stockinged
mile deepened, and a little gloved ha
back and kissed t
g to teach you,
I'd arranged everything. I
ward to it so much
cried Adèle. "It was so dear of y
ght to have driven from Boulogne. Don't tell me why you held your peace, because I know. And I think
ar fl
cows and once upon a large flock of sheep. We coul
x, I looked at my watch. Two minutes to four. Adèle noticed
nough," she
fail now, and I asked if sh
ook he
yet,
long incline, a glance at the speedometer showed me that we were doin
nto the distance
y to right and left, coughed at cross-streets, and then swept ou
ife if she would h
yet,
aise the w
eas
closed the window. The rush of the cool air was more than freshening, an
ar to
, steady, conspicuous. One only, far in the distance, seemed ill-defi
said Adèl
was
uld see the smear aga
s tai
nt. Beside me I could hear Berry
ck it up again a moment later. Each time it was
he sudden appearance of a cluster of bright pin-pricks im
ger. Jonah was slowing up for the town. In a
ed one another. Somewhere be
the two cars. And my unsuspecting cousin was going dead slow
ing, Adèle slowed up a
screamed to
throwing away the c
I laid my ha
hoarsely. "My dar
ittle crow of rejoicing and tu
passed s
rward, the scales
ejoin the main road at a point ahead of Jonah, the
at my wife knew the plan of
e were using ran on to a bridge. It was there,
hrust on to the bridg
turn?" I stammered. "
utiful road. "Ah, this is more like it. I don't know where Jonah's going, but this is the way to Pau.... And now I think it'll be safe to have
*
en that evening
, we put the car awa
when Ping discharged his pas
he landing we watched
all inside, I