“ ‘Why, let the witnesses, my men, and my wife or daughter, decide. I’ll warrant they won’t lie for the sake of a bottle of wine. Are you agreed?’
“ ‘Yes, call them on; I’ll trust them.’
“ ‘Of course you may, for they are honest folks. My wife let you both in at the door; I sold you a bouquet; one of my men went round the garden with you, and the other ran to fetch change for the five-franc piece you gave me to take pay from. Here, wife, Joseph, and Pierre; come here all of you. I’ve made a bet with the gentleman, and want you three to decide it.’
“In a moment the persons called stood before us, and the gardener said to me: ‘Now, monsieur, you and I will go to the other end of the garden; when there, I will describe to you the person who accompanied you here this afternoon. Then we will call the witnesses, one at a time, first separating them, so that they cannot agree upon a uniform story for or against me, but give the truth exactly, as the truth appears to each one.’
“Nothing could be fairer than this proposition, and therefore I gave my assent to it immediately; whereupon the two men were sent to stand at opposite ends of the garden, his wife took her place in a third, while her husband and myself went to the fourth. Having arrived there:
“ ‘Your friend,’ said the gardener, ‘was just as I have described him, with this addition, that he wore polish-leather shoes, a Leghorn or Panama hat, carried a switch cane, wore light jean pantaloons, a coat au saque, and vest of white Cashmere. Remember this. Now, Joseph, come here,’ said he, raising his voice and motioning the man toward us. ‘Be so good as to describe the person who came here to-day with this gentleman.’
“ ‘I will with pleasure, master. The negro who came with this gentleman was very fat and heavy, had large splay feet, tremendous hands, broad, flat face, a nose that would weigh a pound, and lips twice as heavy. His hair was woolly, teeth very white and regular; and he wore low shoes, green cap, knee breeches, red vest, and purple jacket!’
“It is difficult to say which of us two looked most astonished when Joseph finished his portrait of my companion. Joseph was the man who conducted us around the garden. We were the only visitors of the day, and—
“ ‘Damn it, Joseph, you must be crazy! for the man was’——
“ ‘Hold on!’ said I to the gardener; ‘remember the terms of our wager, and say nothing till all have been questioned on the subject;’ then, turning to the man, I said: ‘Go to your corner, Joseph. Pierre, come hither;’ and he came.