He was stuffing into the bowl of his cutty a few scraps of canteen tobacco, mixed with bread-crumbs, which did not fill half the bowl of his little pipe.
"Will you have some tobacco, old fellow ?" asked Chevalier, offering him his pouch.
The man's answer was slow in coming.

His understanding was not quick, and courtesies astonished him.

Finally, he opened a mouth which was quite black, and said: "I won't say no to that." He half rose from his seat.

One of his feet was shod in an old slipper; the other was swathed in rags.

Slowly, with hands numb with the cold, he stuffed his pipe.