"To let you know that he wasn't the one."
"You are not to cough unless you recognize him."
"Oh! all right! I understand!"
They went on again. They met a number of men, but the cabman made no sign; he simply said from time to time:
"If Jérôme should get a fare, who'd look after my cab?—By the way, monsieur," he said at last; "there's one thing perhaps I ought to tell you."
"What's that?"
"If the man you're looking for should pass us, I wouldn't know him. You see, I hardly looked at him, only just caught a glimpse of him, and I don't even know whether he was dark or light!"
Adhémar stamped impatiently, and, realizing that his search would necessarily be fruitless, decided to leave the garden. The cabman was overjoyed to find Jérôme still on the square.
"Where shall I take monsieur now?" he asked.