Chapter 1
CHAPTER I. WITH THE FRENCH SHOWMAN only fifty centimes ladies and gentlemen only fifty centimes more and you see my little dog perform he shall walk for you he shall play dead for you he shall do a dozen tricks as soon as i have but a few more covers A showman, dressed in tights, stood in one of the squares of the city of Paris. Near him sat a small dog, looking sharply at a crowd of street people gathered around in a ring. Again the showman walked about, holding his white pointed hat, to collect coppers from the crowd.
He jingled those he had in the hat, and glanced here and there, in search of more money. One or two pieces were given. Thank you, sir, thank you, madame. Now I need but thirty centimes, only six sous more, and the show begins. A little schoolboy, who had just pushed his way into the crowd, dropped two coins into the hat. Thank you, little gentleman.
Now, who will pay only twenty centimes more to see the finest show now before the people of Paris? My little dog will drill with a rifle, a wooden rifle, so that there be no fear of harm to anyone. He will carry the flag, he will play the drum. Do not keep the people waiting. Only a few sue more and the show begins.
Again the hat went round, and this time a few more coins made up the required sum. Now, exclaimed the showman, look alive, sir. The dog, who had never moved until he was thus spoken to, jumped up to the top of a drum, sat up on his haunches as dogs do when they beg, and looked straight at the showman. Are you ready? said the master. The dog answered by giving three short barks.
Very well. Then we will begin by putting you through your drill. Take your rifle. He handed a little wooden gun to the dog, who held it upright between one foreleg and his chest. Order arms. The dog allowed the gun to slide downward. Present arms.
The gun was raised and held forward between the forepaws. And so the drill proceeded, the dog cleverly carrying out the orders as soon as they were given. Next followed a sort of play in which the dog acted out some verses recited by the showman, telling how a shepherd sleeping with his faithful dog by his side was awakened when wolves attacked the sheep,
and how the shepherd and the dog attack the wolves and drive them away. The little dog jumped about and barked fiercely to show how bravely he had fought in his master's surface. The crowd applauded and laughed, and some of them threw more money into the hat. When this act was over, the showman announced that the dog would now sing for the people. So he drew from his pocket a small fife and began to play the Marseillais, while the little
dog growled and howled an accompaniment that sent the crowd into roars of laughter. On the outskirts of the ring of people were two black-eyed, dark-complexioned folk. a young man and another older. They seemed greatly interested by the dog's cleverness, but they did not laugh at his tricks.
Instead, while the other spectators were laughing, these two men whispered together in low voices and speaking a strange language. They were gypsies, belonging to that old, old race that is found in all civilized lands,
making its living in all ways honest and dishonest, and often moving about from place to place. While the little dog was performing and the jolly crowd of Parisians were joking and applauding him, the older gypsy was saying in his own language, When the man and dog are through, let us follow him.
That dog is worth much money. We can make much if we have a fine dog like that. Perhaps the showman would sell him. The younger man grinned at this and replied in the same low tone the other had used, oh yes he might sell him but better yet he might lose him and then if we should happen to find him the older gypsy nodded his head and turned to watch the dog's clever performance meanwhile the younger gypsy went on
perhaps if i should find anything it would be good if i had a large basket with a piece of stout cord to tie up the parcel there are yet several tricks to come so you watch while i go across the street the young man hurried away and the older man waited impatiently just as the dog was playing dead which was the last trick on the program the young gypsy returned carrying on his arm a large covered basket "'You are in time,' said the older man, and in a moment more the dog and his master made their bows to the crowd. The man slipped a loose suit of clothes over his costume and picked up his drum. As the crowd scattered, the showman walked away, followed at a little distance by the two gypsies.
But these men did not walk together. One was about forty feet in advance of the other. They followed the showman, who walked slowly since it was now dusk, and he did not mean to give another performance that afternoon. The dog trotched along after his master. He did not trot about briskly as pet dogs do when taken out to walk, but, being tired, kept along at the showman's heels.
In this way they walked for quite a distance from the square where the show had been given. Then, as the old gypsy came to a cross street, he suddenly turned into it and went at a very quick pace, sometimes even running, until he had come quite around the block, and was in the same street again with the showman, the dog, and the other gypsy. That is, he went around the block and met them.
He walked straight up to the showman, and catching hold of the drum that the man was carrying on his shoulders, cried out, Aha, you villain, you thief. Ah, I have caught you then with my drum. It is my drum that I lost last week. I have been watching for you in all the city.
Come now, give me my drum. And he pulled and hauled at the poor bewildered showman, while the man, so suddenly attacked for a moment, lost his wits and found not a word to say. There were several passers-by, and all at once gathered around the two men. meanwhile the other gypsy had come up but he merely circled about the outside of the throng waiting his chance
whenever the showman tried to speak the old gypsy would begin again his wild outcry about my stolen drum my lost drum suddenly one of the french policemen appeared pushed his way through the crowd and began to question the gypsy and the showman about their quarrel both talked at once Whenever the showman tried to say a word, the old gypsy took good care to talk louder and to wave his arms about as if he were very angry. Where was the little dog? He had tried to keep close to his master, but the legs of the crowd got in his way and he had been forced outward.
This was what the younger gypsy was waiting for. He was the only one that paid no attention to the two squabbling men, and he kept watching the little dog. When he could reach him, the young gypsy quickly grabbed him by the throat, wrapped a piece of twine about his jaws, lifted the silent dog, and popped him into the basket. The policeman had by this time restored order,
and the showman was allowed to reply to the old gypsy's accusation. He said the drum had been bought in a store not far away. The old gypsy laughed aloud. "'You are a bold one,' said he. "'You know well you never bought it.
Why sir he went on turning to the policeman my name is written on the inside of the drum with ink If he is honest let him open the drum and we shall see Pierre Dubois inside as plain as print If it is not so then I will gladly pay him five francs for his trouble I'm an honest man and I may be wrong if I am wrong I will pay for falsely accusing an honest man for that is only fair is it not so my friends and
and he turned to the crowd standing about who greeted the speech with a murmur of approval the poor showman saw that he would have to accept these terms and though he was angry he put down the drum and began to loosen the chords that held the drum heads at this moment the younger gypsy turned slowly and carelessly and walked away whistling a doleful tune no one noticed him and he soon turned a corner and was out of sight of the crowd then he quickened his pace and seeing an empty cab passing he called the driver got in and was driven to the other end of the city carrying with him the covered basket and the poor muzzled dog End of chapter 1
