They haven't a drop of
it here or anywhere else.'
"Auguste, who had been half-paralyzed when we sat down, and who, in his
bewilderment, had not heard the conversation, reached over and placed
the ordinary Chianti included in the price of the dinner at my elbow.
"The man raised his eyes, looked at August with a peculiar expression,
amounting almost to disgust, on his face, and said:
"'I didn't order that. Take that stuff away and bring me a bottle of
'82--a quart, mind you--if you haven't the '71.'
"All through the dinner he talked in monosyllables, answering my
questions but offering few topics of his own; and although I did my best
to draw him out, he made no statement of any kind that would give me the
slightest clew as to his antecedents or that would lead up either to his
occupation or his purpose in seeking me out. He didn't seem to wish to
conceal anything about himself, although of course I asked him no
personal questions, nor did he pump me about my affairs. He was just one
of those dull, lifeless conversationalists who must be probed all the
time to get anything out of.
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