Then a terrible thing happened. While we were waiting for the coffee, the head waiter came up to us bearing a large basket full of huge peaches.

But I have had my revenge at last.

The bill came and when I paid it I found that I had only enough for a quite inadequate tip.

My heart sank. I had seen them in the shops, and I knew that they were horribly expensive.

"My doctor won't let me drink anything but champagne."

"I never eat more than one thing unless you have a little caviare, I never mind caviare."

I was startled when the bill of fare was brought, for the prices were a great deal higher than I had anticipated.

I caught sight of her at the play, and in answer to her beckoning, I went over during the interval and sat down beside her. She addressed me brightly.

"No," she answered, "I never eat more than one thing unless you have a littlecaviare, I never mind caviare."

"Coffee?" I said."Yes, just an ice-cream and coffee,” she answered. I ordered coffee for myself and an ice-cream and coffee for her."Y

Then came the question of drink."I never drink anything for luncheon," she said."Neither do I," I answered promptly."Except white wine," she proceeded as though I had not spoken. "These Frenchwhite wines are so light. They're wonderful for the digestion.""What would you like?" I asked, hospitable still.She gave me a bright and amicable flash of her white teeth."My doctor won't let me drink anything but champagne."I fancy I turned a trifle pale. I ordered half a bottle. I mentioned casually thatmy doctor had absolutely forbidden me to drink champagne."What are you going to drink, then?""Water."

Oh, don't say that!" I answered generously."I never eat more than one thing. I thin

Then a terrible thing happened. While we were waiting for the coffee, the headwaiter came up to us bearing a large basket full of huge peaches. But surely peacheswere not in season then. Lord knew what they cost. I knew too – a little later, for myguest, going on with her conversation, absentmindedly took one."You see, you've filled your stomach with a lot of meat" – my one miserablelittle chop – "and you can't eat any more. But I've just had a snack and I shall enjoy apeach."

Did I remember?It was twenty years ago and I was living in Paris. I had a tiny apartment in theLatin quarter overlooking a cemetery, and I was earning barely enough money tokeep body and soul together. She had read a book of mine and had written to meabout it. I answered, thanking her, and presently I received from her another lettersaying that she was passing through Paris and would like to have a chat with me; shewas spending the morning at the Luxembourg and would I give her a little luncheonat Foyot's afterwards? Foyot's is a restaurant at which the French senators eat, and itwas so far beyond my means that I had never even thought of going there. But I wasflattered, and I was too young to have learned to say no to a woman. I answered that I would meet my friend – by correspondence – at Foyot's onThursday at half-past twelve. She was not so young as I expected and in appearanceimposing rather than attractive. She was, in fact, a woman of forty. She was talkative,but since she seemed inclined to talk about me I was prepared to be an attentivelistener.

I caught sight of her at the play, and in answer to her beckoning, I went overduring the interval and sat down beside her. She addressed me brightly."Well, it's many years since we first met. Do you remember the first time I sawyou? You asked me to luncheon.”

The Luncheon

The bill came and when I paid it I found that I had only enough for a quiteinadequate tip. Her eyes rested for an instant on the three francs I left for the waiter,and I knew that she thought me mean. But when I walked out of the restaurant I hadthe whole month before me and not a penny in my pocket."Follow my example," she said as we shook hand, "and never eat more thanone thing for luncheon.""I'll do better than that," I retorted. "I'll eat nothing for dinner tonight.""Humorist!" she cried gaily, jumping into a cab. "You're quite a humorist!"But I have had my revenge at last. I do not believe that I am a vindictive man,but when the immortal gods take a hand in the matter it is pardonable to observe theresult with complacency. Today she weighs twenty-one stone