‘And nothing else! That is why their kind is fated to perish.’

I never saw Mr X again after that evening. I took to dining elsewhere. On my next visit to Paris I found my friend all impatience to hear of the effect produced on me by this rare item of his collection. I told him all the story, and he beamed on me with the pride of his distinguished specimen.

‘Isn’t X well worth knowing?’ he bubbled over in great delight. ‘He’s unique, amazing, absolutely terrific.’

His enthusiasm grated upon my finger feelings. I told him curtly that the man’s cynicism was simply abominable.

‘Oh, abominable! abominable!’ my friend asserted effusively. ‘And then, you know, he likes to have his little joke sometimes,’ he added in a confidential tone.

I fail to understand the connection of this last remark. I have been utterly unable to discover where in all this the joke comes in.