began his preparations. After reading all the extraordinary
advertisements which poor, blind and halt beggars distribute on the
street corners, he began to visit the stores with the intention of
looking about him only and of buying later on. First of all, he visited a
so-called American shoe store, where heavy travelling shoes were shown
him. The clerk brought out a kind of ironclad contrivance, studded with
spikes like a harrow, which he claimed to be made from Rocky Mountain
bison skin. He was so carried away with them that he would willingly have
bought two pair, but one was sufficient. He carried them away under his
arm, which soon became numb from the weight. He next invested in a pair
of corduroy trousers, such as carpenters wear, and a pair of oiled canvas
leggings. Then he needed a knapsack for his provisions, a telescope so as
to recognize villages perched on the slope of distant hills, and finally,
a government survey map to enable him to find his way about without
asking the peasants toiling in the fields. Lastly, in order more
comfortably to stand the heat, he decided to purchase a light alpaca
jacket offered by the famous firm of Raminau, according to their
advertisement, for the modest sum of six francs and fifty centimes. He
went to this store and was welcomed by a distinguished-looking young man
with a marvellous head of hair, nails as pink as those of a lady and a
pleasant smile. He showed him the garment. It did not correspond with the
glowing style of the advertisement. Then Patissot hesitatingly asked,
"Well, monsieur, will it wear well?" The young man turned his eyes away
in well-feigned embarrassment, like an honest man who does not wish to
deceive a customer, and, lowering his eyes, he said in a hesitating
manner: "Dear me, monsieur, you understand that for six francs fifty we
cannot turn out an article like this for instance." And he showed him a
much finer jacket than the first one. Patissot examined it and asked the
price. "Twelve francs fifty." It was very tempting, but before deciding,
he once more questioned the big young man, who was observing him