And mercy on me."

She added, sotto voce, "Its you now Tartarin."

Then Tartarin, with arm extended, clenched fist and quivering nostrils,
said three times in a formidable voice which rolled like a clap of
thunder in the entrails of the piano "Non! Non! Non!" Which as a good
southerner he pronounced "Nan. Nan. Nan" Upon which madame Bezuquet
repeated "Mercy on yourself and on me" "Nan! Nan! Nan!" Bellowed
Tartarin even more loudly... and the matter ended there.... It was not
very long, but it was so well presented, so well acted, so diabolic that
a frisson ran round the pharmacy and he was made to repeat his "Nan.
Nan. Nan." four or five times.

Afterwards Tartarin wiped his forehead, smiled at the ladies, winked at
the men and went off triumphantly to the club, where, with a casual air,
he would say, "I've just come from the Bezuquets. They had me singing in
the duet from Robert le Diable." What is more he believed it.




Chapter 3.

It was to the possession of these various talents that Tartarin owed his
high standing in the town. There were, however, other ways in which he
had made his mark on society.

In Tarascon the army supported Tartarin. The gallant Commandant Bravida