The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1832-11-14
A TALE BY NAPOLEON

There lived once, at Marse;Ils,
merchant, who received one morning ,i,,,n,h
the hands OF young man, a letter s,ron,s,,.
recommending the bearer to his potica ~
young man was Of good fortune, and wanted on.
" an Introduction to society; he brought also
letter of credit to large amount The msr.
chantj after having read the letter Of recon-.
incubation. instead of either throwing il aside
as waste paper, or shutting il UP in a drawer
examined IT, and finding that it covered one
only of the four sides of the sheet, tore it IN two.
placed the written half in leaf of his portfolio
and then, folding the other half; so that il
would serve for writing a note, put it into
another portfolio which already contained
number Of similar papers. Having completed
ms mule measure OF economy, he turned to-
wards the young man, and invited him to din.
ner for that very day. The youth accustomed
to life of elegance and luxury, felt but IittIe
inclination forldining with man who could thus
appropriate the privileges of the chifonnier,
oy depriving him of his waste paper; he ac-
cepted the invitation, however, and promis-
ed TO return al lour o'clock. But as he descend.
ed the narrow staircase from the counting
house of his banker, his mind rapidly reverted
10 The observations he had made upon that
small gloomy room, vsith two long off;c.a
winch Iedio 1t. encountered with ieeers that
were half smothered in dust and smoke. and
where ten or dozen young persons were work.
ing in silence, whose'faces appeared to his lam.
diced eyes like perfect skeletons He thouoht
OF the windows plastered with thick Goa. IF
mud, through which Moray ofthe beautiful su6
Of Provence could ever penetrae: the Iit,Ie
bowl Of box wood, filled with saw dust. 10 serve
tor powder the broken writing desk, the dress.
ing gown of the banker; and all these recollec.
lions rushing at once upon his miro prodnced
the reflection, have done foolish thing in
accepting this invitation; but no matter. dav
is soon passed 2 The duties of the toilette wera
discharged rather for his own satisfaction thar
IN compliment 10 the host who expected him;
and that done, he proceeded to the street ~
Rome, where his bankers house was situated,
AS the latter had told him his wife did not live
IN the part OF the mansion occupied by the
counting house, he begged on arriving to be-
conducted to the lady.
A number of valcts in rich liveties led him
across small garden, filed with rare and exo-
tic plants, and after conducting him through
several apartments sumptuously furnished in.
troduced him TO a handsome drawing roam
where be found his banker, who presented him
to his wife and mother; the fofmer was Young
and pretty, the latter not yet old, and both were
dressed in rich stuffs, and adorned with fine
pearls and sparkling diamonds, which attesled
the wealth Of the honest and aborious head of
the family; he himself was no longer the per-
sonage his guest had seen in the morning be
IL
iegers and portfolios the man of the black
velvet cap and q woolen dressing gown; while
the manners and conversation of fifteen or
twenty visitors, who were assembled at tho
drawing room, led TO the inference that tb;s
house was one of the best, if not the verv hest
in the city Dinner was served, and the young
stranger became convinced that IT was So.
The viands were most excellent, and the wines
exquisite, the table covered with abundance of
massy silver plate in short, the young travel
or was obliged mentally to admit that he lad
never paTtaken Of more delicate fare, or seen :
greater display of magnifcence; and he was
more than ever COMPOUNDED, upon ascertaining
from one OF the persons near him. that the ban.
E ne, gave similar entertainment twice week.
while conee was serving he ruminaled nm ali
thathe had witnessed; but his young ideas bad
TO arrange themselves into that mutual depen.
dance OF cause and effect which would eas;Ix
nave bought the whole to the level of his mn.
derstanding. Young man. said his host. fan
ping hlmon the shoulder, you're absent, and
almost pensive have you made bad dinner },
But his voice in pronouncing these words seem.
ed 10 mean: Has not your fear of had S;n-
ner yet vanished" The young man blusheJ
as II ne mad really heard the latter sentence
out The good hnancier understood his blusb
and laughingly said, No offence Won are to1
young to understand how masses are formed,
the true and only power; whether composed NJ
money, water or men, it is all alike. A mass
is an immense centre of motion, but it must he
begun, it must be kept up. Young man. The
little bits of paper which excited your derjsion
tins morning, are one amen n. a,,- ms EN-.
~ nave been telling US. Bonaparte ? said Jo.
sephine, smiling; to me the most maryellous
part Of it is, that you have been speaking for a
quarter Of an hour together, and that to women
only did not forget that, ASSURE replied
he, wnkmg TO us: do you think should have
preached in the same way to men? They new.
er require it, was much struck afterwards
by this idea of masses as the foundation of pow.
er,-nsmoirs Of the Duchess Of .9brantss.