CHAPTER XIII
OUR "VERY TALL FRIEND"
The cleverest among us has been Louis de S-------. Having formerly
inhabited Japan, and made a marriage Japanese fashion there, he is now
satisfied to remain the friend of our wives, of whom he has become the
'Komodachi taksan takai' ("the very tall friend," as they say, on account
of his excessive height and slenderness). Speaking Japanese more readily
than we, he is their confidential adviser, disturbs or reconciles our
households at will, and has infinite amusement at our expense.
This "very tall friend" of our wives enjoys all the fun that these little
creatures can give him, without any of the worries of domestic life.
With brother Yves, and little Oyouki (the daughter of Madame Prune, my
landlady), he makes up our incongruous party.
