Excerpt: ... he had mistaken Noiraud for a lion, she thought he was trying to make fun of her and, uttering loud cries of indignation, she set about our hero with blows from her umbrella. Tartarin, in confusion, defended himself as best he could, parrying the blows with his rifle, sweating, puffing, jumping about and crying "But Madame!. But Madame!." To no avail. Madame was deaf to his pleas and redoubled her efforts. Happily a third party arrived on the field of battle. It was the husband of the Alsation lady, also an ...
Read More
Excerpt: ... he had mistaken Noiraud for a lion, she thought he was trying to make fun of her and, uttering loud cries of indignation, she set about our hero with blows from her umbrella. Tartarin, in confusion, defended himself as best he could, parrying the blows with his rifle, sweating, puffing, jumping about and crying "But Madame!. But Madame!." To no avail. Madame was deaf to his pleas and redoubled her efforts. Happily a third party arrived on the field of battle. It was the husband of the Alsation lady, also an Alsation. A tavern keeper and a shrewd man of business. When he saw with whom he was dealing and that the assassin was willing to pay for his crime, he disarmed his spouse and took her to one side. Tartarin gave two hundred francs. The donkey was worth at least ten, which is the going price for bourriquots in the Arab market. Then the poor Noiraud was buried beneath a fig tree, and the Alsation, put in a good humour at the sight of so much money, invited our hero to break a crust at his tavern, which was not far away at the edge of the main road. The Algerian hunters went there every Sunday for luncheon; for the countryside was full of game, and for two leagues about the city there was not a better place for rabbits. "And the lions?" Asked Tartarin. The Alsation looked at him with surprise. "The lions?" "Yes, the lions, do you see them sometimes?" Tartarin replied, with a little less assurance. The tavern-keeper burst out laughing, "Lions!. Lions!. What is all this about lions?" "Are there no lions in Algeria then?" "Moi foi! I have been here for twenty years and I have never seen any. though I did once hear. I think there was a report in the newspaper. but it was long ago. somewhere in the south." At that moment they reached the tavern, a wayside pot house, the sort of thing one can see by any main road. It had a very faded sign above the door, some billiard cues painted on the wall and the inoffensive name "Au rendezvous des lapins." Chapter...
Read Less
Add this copy of Tartarin De Tarascon to cart. $7.16, new condition, Sold by booksXpress, ships from Bayonne, NJ, UNITED STATES, published 2010 by Editions Flammarion.
