and darkest way round； through a mass of vile； paltry alleys； at the mouth of which the Rhone could be seen ominously gleaming。 The poor knight constantly hoped that； beyond the turn of one of these cut…throats' haunts； 〃they〃 would leap from the shadow and fall on his back。 I warrant you； 〃they〃 would have been warmly received； though； but； alack！ by reason of some nasty meanness of destiny； never indeed did Tartarin of Tarascon enjoy the luck to meet any ugly customers not so much as a dog or a drunken man nothing at all！
Still； there were false alarms somewhiles。 He would catch a sound of steps and muffled voices。
〃Ware hawks！ Tartarin would mutter； and stop short； as if taking root on the spot； scrutinising the gloom； sniffing the wind； even glueing his ear to the ground in the orthodox Red Indian mode。 The steps would draw nearer； and the voices grow more distinct； till no more doubt was possible。 〃They〃 were coming in fact； here 〃they〃 were！
Steady； with eye afire and heaving breast； Tartarin would gather himself like a jaguar in readiness to spring forward whilst uttering his war…cry； when； all of a sudden； out of the thick of the murkiness； he would hear honest Tarasconian voices quite tranquilly hailing him with ：
〃Hullo！ you； by Jove！ it's Tartarin！ Good night； old fellow！〃
Maledictions upon it！ It was the chemist Bezuquet； with his family； coming from singing their family ballad at Costecalde's。
〃Oh； good even； good even！〃 Tartarin would growl； furious at his blunder； and plunging fiercely into the gloom with his cane waved on high。
On arriving in the street where stood his club…house； the dauntless one would linger yet a moment； walking up and down before the portals ere entering。 But； finally； weary of awaiting 〃them；〃 and certain 〃they〃 would not show 〃themselves；〃 he would fling a last glare of defiance into the shades and snarl wrathfully：
〃Nothing； nothing at all！ there never is nothing！〃
Upon which double negation； which he meant as a stronger affirmative； the worthy champion would walk in to play his game of bezique with the commandant。
VI。 The two Tartarins。
ANSWER me； you will say； how the mischief is it that Tartarin of Tarascon never left Tarascon with all this mania for adventure； need of powerful sensations； and folly about travel； rides； and journeys from the Pole to the Equator？
For that is a fact： up to the age of five…and…forty； the dreadless Tarasconian had never once slept outside his own room。 He had not even taken that obligatory trip to Marseilles which every sound Provencal makes upon coming of age。 The most of his knowledge included Beaucaire； and yet that's not far from Tarascon； there being merely the bridge to go over。 Unfortunately； this rascally bridge has so often been blown away by the gales； it is so long and frail； and the Rhone has such a width at this spot that well； faith！ you understand！ Tartarin of Tarascon preferred terra firma。
We are afraid we must make a clean breast of it： in our hero there were two very distinct characters。 Some Father of the Church has said： 〃I feel there are two men in me。〃 He would have spoken truly in saying this about Tartarin； who carried in his frame the soul of Don Quixote； the same chivalric impulses； heroic ideal； and crankiness for the grandiose and romantic； but； worse is the luck！ he had not the body of the celebrated hidalgo； that thin and meagre apology for a body； on which material life failed to take a hold； one that could get through twenty nights without its breast…plate being unbuckled off； and forty…eight hours on a handful of rice。 On the contrary； Tartarin's body was a stout honest bully of a body； very fat； very weighty； most sensual and fond of coddling； highly touchy； full of low…class appetite and homely requirements the short； paunchy body on stumps of the immortal Sancho Panza。
Don Quixote and Sancho Panza in the one same man ！ you will readily comprehend what a cat…and…dog couple they made！ what strife！ what clapperclawing！ Oh； the fine dialogue for Lucian or Saint…Evremond to write； between the two Tartarins Quixote… Tartarin and Sancho…Tartarin！ Quixote…Tartarin firing up on the stories of Gustave Aimard； and shouting： 〃Up and at 'em ！〃 and Sancho…Tartarin thinking only of the rheumatics ahead； and murmuring： 〃I mean to stay at home。〃
THE DUET。
QUIXOTE…TARTARIN。 SANCHO…TARTARIN。 （Highly excited。） （Quite calmly。） Cover yourself with glory； Tartarin； cover yourself Tartarin。 with flannel。
（Still more excitedly。） （Still more calmly） O for the terrible double… O for the I thick knitted barrelled rifle！ O for waistcoats！ and warm bowie…knives； lassoes； knee…caps！ O for the and moccasins！ welcome padded caps with ear…flaps！
（Above all self…control。） （Ringing up the maid。） A battle…axe！ fetch me a Now； then； Jeannette； do battle…axe！ bring up that chocolate！
Whereupon Jeannette would appear with an unusually good cup of chocolate； just right in warmth； sweetly smelling； and with the play of light on watered silk upon its unctuous surface； and with succulent grilled steak flavoured with anise…seed； which would set Sancho…Tartarin off on the broad grin； and into a laugh that drowned the shouts of Quixote…Tartarin。
Thus it came about that Tartarin of Tarascon never had left Tarascon。
VII。 Tartarin The Europeans at Shanghai Commerce The Tartars Can Tartarin of Tarascon be an Impostor ？ The Mirage。
UNDER one conjunction of circumstances； Tartarin did； however； once almost start out upon a great voyage。
The three brothers Garcio…Camus； relatives of Tarascon； established in business at Shanghai； offered him the managership of one of their branches there。 This undoubtedly presented the kind of life he hankered after。 Plenty of active business； a whole army of under…strappers to order about； and connections with Russia； Persia； Turkey in Asia in short； to be a merchant prince！
In Tartarin's mouth； the title of Merchant Prince thundered out as something stunning！
The house of Garcio…Camus had the further advantage of sometimes being favoured with a call from the Tartars。 Then the doors would be slammed shut； all the clerks flew to arms； up ran the consular flag； and zizz！ phit ！ bang！ out of the windows upon the Tartars。
I need not tell you with what enthusiasm Quixote…Tartarin clutched this proposition； sad to say； Sancho…Tartarin did not see it in the same light； and； as he was the stronger party； it never came to anything。 But in the town there was much talk about it。 Would he go or would he not？ 〃I'll lay he will 〃 and 〃I'll wager he won't！〃 It was the event of the week。 In the upshot； Tartarin did not depart； but the matter redounded to his credit none the less。 Going or not going to Shanghai Was all one to Tarascon。 Tartarin's journey was so much talked about that people got to believe he had done it and returned； and at the club in the evening members would actually ask for information on life at Shanghai； the manners and customs and climate； about opium； and commerce。
Deeply read up； Tartarin would graciously furnish the particulars desired； and； in the end； the good fellow was not quite sure himself about not having gone to Shanghai； so that； after relating for the hundredth time how the Tartars came down on the trading post； it would most naturally happen him to add：
〃Then I made my men take up arms and hoist the consular flag； and zizz！ phit！ bang！ out of the windows upon the Tartars。〃
On hearing this； the whole club would quiver。
〃But according to that； this Tartarin of yours is an awful liar。〃
〃No； no； a thousand times over； no！ Tartarin was no liar。〃
〃But the man ought to know that he has never been to Shanghai〃
〃Why； of course； he knows that； but still〃
〃But still；〃 you see mark that ！ It is high time for the law to be laid down once for all on the reputation as drawers of the long bow which Northerners fling at Southerners。 There are no Baron Munchausens in the south of France； neither at Nimes nor Marseilles； Toulouse nor Tarascon。 The Southerner does not deceive but is self…deceived。 He does not always tell the cold…drawn truth； but he believes he does。 His falsehood is not any such thing； but a kind of mental mirage。
Yes； purely mirage！ The better to follow me； you should actually follow me into the South； and you will see I am right。 You have only to look at that Lucifer's own country； where the sun transmogrifies everything； and magnifies it beyond life…size。 The little hills of Provence are no bigger than the Butte Montmartre； but they will loom up like the Rocky Mountains； the Square House at Nimes a mere model to put on your sideboard will seem grander than St。 Peter's。 You will see in brief； the only exaggerator in the South is Old Sol； for he does enlarge everything he touches。 What Was Sparta in its days of splendour？ a pitiful hamlet。 What was Athens？ at the most； a second…class town； and yet in history both appear to us as enormous cities。 This is a sample of what the sun can do。
Are you going to be astonished after this that the same sun falling upon Tarascon should have made of an ex…captain in the Army Clothing Factory； like Bravida； the 〃brave commandant；〃 of a sprout an Indian fig…tree； and of a man who had missed going to Shanghai one who had been there？
VIII。 Mitaine's Menagerie A Lion from the Atlas at Tarascon A Solemn and Fearsome Confrontation。
EXHIBITING Tartarin of Tarascon； as we are； in his private life； before Fame kissed his brow and garlanded him with her well…worn laurel wreath； and having narrated his heroic existence in a modest state； his delights and sorrows； his dreams and his hopes； let us hurriedly skip to the grandest pages of his story； and to the singular event which was to give the first flight to his incomparable career。
It happened one evening at Costecalde the gunmaker's； where Tartarin was engaged in showing several sportsmen the working of the needle…gun； then in its first novelty。 The door suddenly flew open； and in rushed a bewildered cap…popper； howling 〃A lion； a