At this moment the coach stopped. The guard came to open the door and
he addressed the little old man, "This is where you want to get off
Monsieur." He said very respectfully.

The little gentleman got up to leave, but before he closed the door
he said "Would you permit me to give you a word of advice M. Tartarin?"
"What is that Monsieur?" "Go back quickly to Tarascon, M. Tartarin, you
are wasting your time here... There are a few panthers left in Algeria,
but, fi donc! They are too small a quarry for you... as for lions, they
are finished. There are no more in Algeria, my friend Chassaing has just
killed the last one."

On that the little gentleman saluted, closed the door and went off,
laughing, with his brief-case and umbrella. "Guard!" Said Tartarin,
making his grimace. "Who on earth was that fellow?" "What! Don't you
know him?" Said the guard, "That's Monsieur Bombonnel!"




Chapter 26.

When the coach reached Milianah Tartarin got out and left it to continue
its journey to the south. Two days of being bumped about and nights
spent peering out of the window in the hope of seeing the outline of a
lion in the fields lining the road, had earned a little rest; and then
it must be admitted that after the misadventure over M. Bombonnel,
Tartarin, in spite of his weapons, his terrible grimace and his
red chechia, had not felt entirely at ease in the presence of the
photographer and the two ladies of the third Hussars.