— it happened to be on the Corniche Road and was
therefore extremely well placed for Kahn's purpose.
But Anatole Kahn had long since decided that quarrels
were always a bad investment and that pride was the
rich man's prerogative, so now he said, gulping down
his annoyance:
'Do not anger yourself. I am not what you think
me, an adventurer; no, I am quite the reverse — a
quiet and well-meaning business man. And to show
you that I bear not the slightest resentment I am
actually going to entreat your assistance. I desire
to rent a few yards of that land just beyond your
vineyards where the road joins the Corniche —I
want to put up a species of board. I am fully pre-
pared to pay well/ he finished.
Then Eusebe opened his mouth and bellowed so
that the very hides trembled. The lid of his white
eye puckered and twitched, while the ball of his black
eye blazed like a furnace as he swore certain mighty
Provengal oaths, so terrific that few save he dared
to use them.
cAh, well,5 sighed his visitor, turning to go, CI
deeply regret this misunderstanding. If you should
change your mind . . . bien, you know where I am.3
And lifting his hat he sauntered away.
'Besti malestrucho — ignorant beast, hell-toad, may
you fester!' growled Eusebe.
§3
It took Kahn just two days to secure his ground
from a woman who spent her life boiling silkworms.
While not quite so well placed it was yet good enough,
being in a fairly commanding position. It took Kahn
just two weeks to procure his board from Marseille;
a colossal, flamboyant erection advertising his wares
in the following words which were painted in decora-
tive red and black letters:
272