Tobie had almost determined to present himself without a token, when, as he looked about, he spied at some distance one of the enormous rolls, or _carrots_, which are commonly suspended over the doors of tobacco shops. It arrested the young man's attention, and an idea entered his mind, which he caught on the wing and clung to. He walked rapidly to the tobacco shop, and arrived there still in possession of his idea, which he proceeded to put into execution. The dealers in tobacco are almost all women, and Tobie said to the woman behind the counter: "A cigar, madame, if you please." "There they are, monsieur; take your choice." "Oh! I want something better than those; I must have a very fine five-sou cigar; one can get a very fine cigar for five sous." "Yes, monsieur; here are some; but if you want a still larger one, we make them for ten sous; they're magnificent--almost as big as carrots. Would monsieur like one for ten sous?" "No, no! that's too big; this one will do very well." Tobie selected a five-sou cigar, and had it carefully wrapped in paper, to the amazement of the dealer, because a man who buys one cigar ordinarily begins by lighting it. At last, armed with his cigar, which he placed in his pocket, he returned to Madame Plays's house. "Now I am all right," he said to himself; "I have all I require, I have my token of victory. Albert almost always has a cigar in his mouth, and I'll say that I found this one in his pocket and took it. What a bright idea that was of mine! O suggestive carrot! how glad I am that I happened to see you!" Tobie entered the house, stalked by the concierge, calling to him, with a superb air: "Madame Plays!" ascended the little staircase, rang, and said in a cajoling tone to the maid who opened the door: "Be good enough to announce me to madame; she will receive me at once." "What is monsieur's name?" "Tobie. I am Tobie. Just say to your enchanting mistress: 'Madame, it is Tobie,' and she will understand." The maid turned on her heel, muttering: "Tobie! Tobie! that's a funny name. Seems to me, madame used to have a little dog of that name." Madame Plays was before her mirror, trying a new way of arranging her hair on top of her head, which was supposed to make her look like a Spartan woman. Madame Plays was much inclined toward Greek styles; and ever since she had heard that the women of Sparta used to dance a dance called _Bibasis_, which consisted principally in kicking themselves behind with their heels, she had passed part of the day practising that dance. "If there are idiots who say that it's nothing more than the cancan," she would say to herself, "I'll just answer: 'You are donkeys; it's the _Bibasis_, an old dance of the Greeks revived.'" When her maid announced Tobie, she started. "Tobie!" she exclaimed. "Oh! yes, to be sure! I had forgotten all about him. Let Tobie come in; let him come in at once!"