When they had both left the train at the Cette railway-station -- the train from Paris to the Mediterranean -- Marcel Lornans, addressing Jean Taconnat, said to him: "What are you going to do until the boat starts?"
A comic novel, Clovis Dardentor tells of Marcel and Jean, cousins who are heading off to Algeria to join the French army, because, while they have inherited enough not to be in immediately dire straits, they do not have the income for a sustainable lifestyle. On the ship, they meet the Desirandelles, who are heading to Algeria with their son, destined to marry a lovely young woman by the name of Louise Elissane, and their very wealthy, very jovial friend, Clovis Dardentor. On the way, Jean, who seems to have a head for trivia, hits upon a plan for a better life than army life, based on the complicated provisions of French adoption laws, which are usually very restrictive, but, as it happens, if certain other circumstances are met, also require wealthy older men to adopt those who have saved their lives from fire, flood, or fight. Since Algeria is not always especially safe, Jean convinces Marcel to delay their entrance into the army, instead touring Algeria with the good-natured Dardentor in the hopes of an opportunity arising in which they can save -- or even just 'save' -- Dardentor from fire, flood, or fight; then Dardentor would have to adopt them, and their financial problems would be solved. They and Dardentor get along very well, but there's one thing they are not properly taking into account: Dardentor is as wealthy as he is because he is, first, very lucky, and, second, very competent and coolheaded, and a man like that is more likely to be savior than saved when accidents arise.
It's a charming tale, not very long. I wish we had more of Louise Elissane; we get her only in bits and pieces, and although she has by far the best scene in the book, it would have been nice to get more of her character.
