It is, perhaps, unnecessary to say that I returned by the way I had come. I had had enough of the road to Argelès. My one idea was to rejoin Adèle and Berry and to sit down in the car. Mentally and physically I was weary to death. I craved to set my back against the buttress of company in this misfortune, and I was mad to sit down. Compared with standing any longer upon my feet, the contingency of dislocation became positively attractive….
The first thing that met my eyes, as I limped round the last of the bends, was the bonnet of a dilapidated touring car.
I could have thrown up my rotten hat.
A few feet further from Lourdes than Pong himself was an aged grey French car. Standing in the white road between the two was a strapping figure in pale pink georgette and a large Leghorn hat, apparently arguing with three blue-covered mechanics. From Pong's off-side window the conical hat and extravagant ruff of 'Pierrette' were protruding excitedly.
My companions' relief to see me again was unfeigned.
As I came up, Adèle gave a whimper of delight, and a moment later she was pouring her tale into my ears.
"You hadn't been gone long when these people came by. We stopped them, of course, and——"
"One moment," said I. "Have they got any petrol?"
"Listen," said Berry. "Four bidons of what they had are in our tank. It was when they were in, that we found we hadn't a bean. That didn't matter. The gents were perfectly happy to take my address. A pencil was produced—we had nothing, of course—and I started to write it all down on the edge of yesterday's Le Temps. They all looked over my shoulder. As I was writing, I felt their manner change. I stopped and looked round. The fools were staring at me as if I were risen from the dead. That mayn't surprise you, but it did me, because we'd got through that phase. For a moment we looked at one another. Then one picked up the paper and took off his hat. 'It is unnecessary,' he said, 'for Monsieur to give us his name. We know it perfectly.' The others nodded agreement. I tell you, I thought they'd gone mad…."
He pushed his hat back from his eyes and sat down on the step.