It seemed as though my costume inspired wit in all who saw me. I ran full tilt down the road to the sea. My porpoise was still turning somersaults. I went up to my waist in the water until I was about fifty feet from him; I was afraid I might frighten him if I went any nearer; besides, I was just at the right range. I took aim and fired. I heard the dull sound of the ball penetrating the flesh. The porpoise dived and disappeared. Next day, the fishermen found it dead among the mussel-covered rocks. The bullet had entered a little below the eye and gone through the head. [1] TRANSLATOR'S NOTE.--An old French measure varying in different provinces from 3 roods to 2 English acres. CHAPTER XV Why M. Beudin came to Trouville--How I knew him under another name--Prologue of a drama--What remained to be done--Division into three parts--I finish _Charles VII._--Departing from Trouville--In what manner I learn of the first performance of _Marion Delorme_ The night of that adventure, the fresh bather came up to me and complimented me on my skill. It was an excuse for beginning a conversation. We sat out on the beach and chatted. After a few remarks had been exchanged he said to me: "Well! there is one thing you have no idea of." "What is that?" I asked. "That I have come here almost on your account." "How so?" "You do not recognise me under my name of Beudin?" "I confess I do not." "But you may, perhaps, recognise me under that of Dinaux?" "What! Victor Ducange's collaborator!" "Exactly." "The same who wrote _Trente ans ou la vie d'un Joueur_ with him?" "That was I ... or rather us." "Why us?" "There were two of us: Goubaux and myself." "Ah! I knew Goubaux; he is a man of boundless merit." "Thanks!" "Pardon ... one cannot be skilful both with gun and in conversation ... With the gun, now, I should not have missed you!" "You have not missed me as it is; in the first shot you brought me down by saying that Goubaux was a clever man and that I was an idiot!" "Confess that you never thought I meant anything of the kind?" "Upon my word, no!" And we burst out laughing. "Well," I resumed, "as you probably did not hunt me out to receive the compliment I have just given you, tell me why you did." "To talk to you about a play which Goubaux and I did not feel equal to bringing to a satisfactory conclusion, but which, in your hands, would become--plus the style--equal to the _Joueur._" I bowed my thanks. "No, upon my word of honour, I am certain the idea will take your fancy!" continued Beudin. "Have you any part done or is it still in a nebulous state?" "We have done the prologue, which is in quite a tangible shape.... But, as for the rest, you must help us to do it." "Have you the prologue with you?" "No, nothing is written down yet; but I can relate it to you." "I am listening."