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the windows of the salon。
CHAPTER II。
As commonly happens in boarding…houses； the rustle of petticoats was；
at the Pension Beaurepas； the most familiar form of the human tread。
There was the usual allotment of economical widows and old maids； and
to maintain the balance of the sexes there were only an old Frenchman
and a young American。 It hardly made the matter easier that the old
Frenchman came from Lausanne。 He was a native of that estimable
town； but he had once spent six months in Paris； he had tasted of the
tree of knowledge； he had got beyond Lausanne； whose resources he
pronounced inadequate。 Lausanne； as he said； 〃manquait d'agrements。〃
When obliged； for reasons which he never specified； to bring his
residence in Paris to a close； he had fallen back on Geneva； he had
broken his fall at the Pension Beaurepas。 Geneva was； after all；
more like Paris； and at a Genevese boarding…house there was sure to
be plenty of Americans with whom one could talk about the French
metropolis。 M。 Pigeonneau was a little lean man； with a large narrow
nose； who sat a great deal in the garden； reading with the aid of a
large magnifying glass a volume from the cabinet de lecture。
One day； a fortnight after my arrival at the Pension Beaurepas； I
came back； rather earlier than usual from my academic session； it
wanted half an hour of the midday breakfast。 I went into the salon
with the design of possessing myself of the day's Galignani before
one of the little English old maids should have removed it to her
virginal bowera privilege to which Madame Beaurepas frequently
alluded as one of the attractions of the establishment。 In the salon
I found a new…comer； a tall gentleman in a high black hat； whom I
immediately recognised as a compatriot。 I had often seen him； or his
equivalent； in the hotel parlours of my native land。 He apparently
supposed himself to be at the present moment in a hotel parlour； his
hat was on his head； or； rather； half off itpushed back from his
forehead； and rather suspended than poised。 He stood before a table
on which old newspapers were scattered； one of which he had taken up
and； with his eye…glass on his nose； was holding out at arm's…length。
It was that honourable but extremely diminutive sheet； the Journal de
Geneve； a newspaper of about the size of a pocket…handkerchief。 As I
drew near； looking for my Galignani； the tall gentleman gave me； over
the top of his eye…glass； a somewhat solemn stare。 Presently；
however； before I had time to lay my hand on the object of my search；
he silently offered me the Journal de Geneve。
〃It appears；〃 he said； 〃to be the paper of the country。〃
〃Yes；〃 I answered； 〃I believe it's the best。〃
He gazed at it again； still holding it at arm's…length； as if it had
been a looking…glass。 〃Well；〃 he said； 〃I suppose it's natural a
small country should have small papers。 You could wrap it up；
mountains and all； in one of our dailies！〃
I found my Galignani； and went off with it into the garden； where I
seated myself on a bench in the shade。 Presently I saw the tall
gentleman in the hat appear in one of the open windows of the salon；
and stand there with his hands in his pockets and his legs a little
apart。 He looked very much bored； andI don't know whyI
immediately began to feel sorry for him。 He was not at all a
picturesque personage； he looked like a jaded； faded man of business。
But after a little he came into the garden and began to stroll about；
and then his restless； unoccupied carriage； and the vague；
unacquainted manner in which his eyes wandered over the place； seemed
to make it proper that； as an older resident； I should exercise a
certain hospitality。 I said something to him； and he came and sat
down beside me on my bench； clasping one of his long knees in his
hands。
〃When is it this big breakfast of theirs comes off？〃 he inquired。
〃That's what I call itthe little breakfast and the big breakfast。
I never thought I should live to see the time when I should care to
eat two breakfasts。 But a man's glad to do anything over here。〃
〃For myself；〃 I observed； 〃I find plenty to do。〃
He turned his head and glanced at me with a dry； deliberate； kind…
looking eye。 〃You're getting used to the life； are you？〃
〃I like the life very much；〃 I answered； laughing。
〃How long have you tried it？〃
〃Do you mean in this place？〃
〃Well； I mean anywhere。 It seems to me pretty much the same all
over。〃
〃I have been in this house only a fortnight；〃 I said。
〃Well； what should you say； from what you have seen？〃 my companion
asked。
〃Oh；〃 said I； 〃you can see all there is immediately。 It's very
simple。〃
〃Sweet simplicity； eh？ I'm afraid my two ladies will find it too
simple。〃
〃Everything is very good；〃 I went on。 〃And Madame Beaurepas is a
charming old woman。 And then it's very cheap。〃
〃Cheap； is it？〃 my friend repeated meditatively。
〃Doesn't it strike you so？〃 I asked。 I thought it very possible he
had not inquired the terms。 But he appeared not to have heard me； he
sat there； clasping his knee and blinking； in a contemplative manner；
at the sunshine。
〃Are you from the United States； sir？〃 he presently demanded； turning
his head again。
〃Yes； sir；〃 I replied； and I mentioned the place of my nativity。
〃I presumed；〃 he said； 〃that you were American or English。 I'm from
the United States myself； from New York city。 Many of our people
here？〃
〃Not so many as； I believe； there have sometimes been。 There are two
or three ladies。〃
〃Well；〃 my interlocutor declared； 〃I am very fond of ladies' society。
I think when it's superior there's nothing comes up to it。 I've got
two ladies here myself； I must make you acquainted with them。〃
I rejoined that I should be delighted； and I inquired of my friend
whether he had been long in Europe。
〃Well； it seems precious long；〃 he said； 〃but my time's not up yet。
We have been here fourteen weeks and a half。〃
〃Are you travelling for pleasure？〃 I asked。
My companion turned his head again and looked at melooked at me so
long in silence that I at last also turned and met his eyes。
〃No； sir；〃 he said presently。 〃No； sir；〃 he repeated； after a
considerable interval。
〃Excuse me；〃 said I； for there was something so solemn in his tone
that I feared I had been indiscreet。
He took no notice of my ejaculation； he simply continued to look at
me。 〃I'm travelling；〃 he said； at last； 〃to please the doctors。
They seemed to think they would like it。〃
〃Ah； they sent you abroad for your health？〃
〃They sent me abroad because they were so confoundedly muddled they
didn't know what else to do。〃
〃That's often the best thing；〃 I ventured to remark。
〃It was a confession of weakness； they wanted me to stop plaguing
them。 They didn't know enough to cure me； and that's the way they
thought they would get round it。 I wanted to be curedI didn't want
to be transported。 I hadn't done any harm。〃
I assented to the general proposition of the inefficiency of doctors；
and asked my companion if he had been seriously ill。
〃I didn't sleep；〃 he said； after some delay。
〃Ah； that's very annoying。 I s