patience; while Goundran was entirely taken up
with Elise - such a fuss about her approaching con-
finement!
cSurely a woman without her own man to protect
her is pitiful indeed,5 sighed Madame Roustan.
Then one day who should come strolling into her
shop but the cause of all this outrageous disturbance.
Monsieur Anatole Kahn with his waxed moustache,
his thick northern clothes, and his middle-aged
paunch across which was suspended a handsome gold
watch-chain.
cAh, Madame/ he said suavely, CI very much fear
you must greatly dislike your troublesome neighbour.
But quite soon I am hoping that the work will be
done; meanwhile I apologize for any inconvenience.
Believe me, Madame, I have had to be absent my-
self upon very important business; the fault is my
architect's, therefore, not mine. I am deeply distressed
to observe that your gutter has been bent — yes, very
deeply distressed. Madame must permit me to pro-
vide a new gutter.'
He had large ox-like eyes and a very red mouth —
the skin of his lips looked as soft as satin. On each of
his plump, blunt hands he wore rings, though his
nails were habitually soiled and bitten. A vulgar and
over-dressed little man with his light cloth-topped
boots, and his purple necktie, and his hat that appeared
too small for his head; but his eyes were resting on
Madame Roustan with a gentle, persuasive yet
appraising expression.
'Madame will forgive me, I trust/ he murmured.
Now not only had Madame Roustan intended to
express herself forcibly when she met him, but she
had actually drawn up a very long list comprising
each real and imaginary grievance — the stench, the
mosquitoes, the blow-flies, the dust, the noise, and
the damage to her gutters and fencing; every crack
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