INDIAN summer over, we’re all back in Paris; days are short and temperature is slipping down. Today we’re once again together in Count André de la Roche’s apartment, the drawing room window facing a rather gloomy looking Eiffel Tower under the downpour. But the weather doesn’t really matter as we’re all too busy talking and sipping, warmed by bursting logs in the fireplace.

Loire Valley journalist Jean Lauvergeat lights a cigar and begins the conversation: “From tomorrow, November 13, a pack of 20 cigarettes will cost 7.10 euros instead of 6.50 euros all over France. And you’re wrong if you think this is a decision by tobacco shop owners to make more money. It is the government that has increased taxes on a product seen by experts as a serial killer.”

Count André’s wife joins in: “Our health minister Agnès Buzyn is clear on the subject. I heard her declaring during a radio interview that taxes on tobacco will continue going up to the point that a pack of cigarettes will cost 10 euros by the beginning of 2020.”

“Yes…”, says Dr Sarrault, a non-smoker and specialist on lung diseases: “…investigations by experts have led to unexpected conclusions, given the fact that most citizens consume cigarettes not because they enjoy smoking but for purely psychological reasons. Boys think they appear manly with cigarettes on their lips while girls believe it is a sign of female emancipation. Do you know that 73,000 people die of lung cancer every year in France?”

Standing by the fireplace Count André lights his pipe and looks at us: “It’s only logical that France should take the initiative. After all it was a Frenchman who brought us this poisoned gift.”

Surprised, we look back at the Count with puzzled expressions. He sits down in easy chair, his faithful golden retriever Schweppes quickly taking place near the fireplace close to his feet, listening attentively.

“Jean Nicot”, begins the Count, “…was born in the city of Nimes. Following his brilliant studies in history and literature, he moved to Paris to become the chief of royal documents library. At age 30 he was sent to Portugal as ambassador.

“We neither have time nor is this an occasion to talk about Jean Nicot’s diplomatic successes, but an interesting detail concerns a handful of strange seeds that he obtained from an unknown foreign merchant and had them planted in the garden of his residence. He often had headaches and, following the instruction of the merchant, he would have the leaves of the plants crushed and burnt in a bowl. He would take a few sniffs of smoke and feel relieved.

“On return to Paris Jean Nicot brought the plants with him and had them grown in his garden. When the son of Catherine de Medicis, the future King François II, started having strokes of headache, Nicot suggested his own remedy to the Queen.

“The cure was an immediate success and the prince grew better. As recompense Jean Nicot was named Lord of Villemen by the Queen. The plant was now officially grown in the royal garden and was named nicotiana tabacum as a tribute to its discoverer.

“Nicot’s achievements did not stop there and he would be the first academician to publish a Latin-French dictionary before dying at an old age in 1604. Not a bad life for the man who gave us all the poisoned gift of nicotine.”

As Count André finishes his story he stretches himself on his easy chair and brings the pipe to his lips. Following a few unsuccessful whiffs he suddenly realises that it had gone cold while he was talking.

Schweppes raises his head and looks at his master, as if saying: “And you better stop smoking. We dogs never smoke!”

The writer is a journalist based in Paris ZafMasud@gmail.com

Published in Dawn, November 12th, 2017