The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-11-13

as rising to do honor 10 the correspondence,
! saw the litter delivered TO him in bed and
almost fancied could detect yawn while
he was perusing il, through the half drawn
muslin curtain yelling the open window.
The gayest scenes enacted in Alphonse's
bechelor- hall were on Sunday mornings, from
nine 10 twelve, between April and June
From the periodical regularity Of their visits,
l conceive that the noisy fellows who on
these occasions crowded his rooms were
young men Of commercial or official pursuits,
enjoying. like himself, their weekly holidays,
dies non for the slaves Of Mammon.
Such hearty laughs as used to greet my
ears when his windows were thrown open by
the earliest Of his guests All were as much
al home there as Alphonse. Some leaned out
OF the window with Turkish pipes in their
mouths; others were busy with Alphonse's
ioils; others with his sparring gloves while
some were examining his newspapers, or his
new detonator, or a pair Of Lepagc's patent
pigeoners. could hear the click OF the locks
as they tried them, and see the fash in the
pan. once heard high words pass between
Alphonse and one Of the widest and hand
soonest Of his comrades, who having seized
a letter from the secretaire, was only prevent
ed reading it aloud by having it wrested from
his hand and half feared the ARRAY might
lead to a more serious use OF these alarming
implements. But friends good humoredly in
terfered. Hands were shaken before they
parted. Next day met them driving out
together in the tilbury of young Lingot and
IN the course ola few weeks, having watched
the same dandy accompany home Alphonse
with hurried steps, observed the seeretaire
again opened, the secret draw spring out, and
roueau Of Louis torn open, and poured by
Alphonse into the hands of his agitated friend.
From his yehemence Of grateful hand -shak-
ing at parting, il was plain the money was not
given in payment of debt; and loved my
young neighbor from the glee with which, on
the departure Of his friend, he carolled forth
the cayatina Of the Position de Longjumeau
in voice that Duprez might have envied.
My observations, however, were not al
ways equally favorable to Alphonse. There
was young peasant girl, in clean, starehed
laced cap, with pink ribands, and close
fitting chintz bodice, who appeared to me to
descend at very extraordinary hours the esca-
Her de service; and l could never perceive
that she assembled higher than the floor of his
pretty paysannes from the cote Of Suresne,
where Monster de Lingot has a villa. But
from the caution with which the damsel was
escorted in and out Of the house by Felix the
valet, | could see that she had no legitimate
pretext for her visits. l wish poor Perrette
had not made her entrance SO late or her exit
SO early. There was something crooked in
the business.
One day traced her distinctly into Al
phonse's sitting-room, with her apron to her
eyes; and in the course Of the same day, the
old banker, whom never before beheld in his
sons apartments, was closeted with him for
more than an hour. never saw the starched
cap on the third floor story after that morning.
Alphonse was sadly out Of spirits for nearly
month aflerward; but there was no yawning,
no lounging with mercshaum, as during the
reign of the lady Of the green and silver chas-
seur. On the contrary, he sat hour after hour,
reading soberly near the window, where stood
a fiower-Pot Of sweet basil, too humble a thing
to have been more than village offering.
Soon afterward the neat courtyard Of the
banker was Uttered with straw !; wagons and
carts were packing, and post-horses arriving,
with prodigious cracking Of whips, to carry
off two coachfuls OF the Lingot family to their
country house near Laon. grew sad when
| saw tie young ladies' sadde-horses led
away in their stable-cloths, and Madame
PauPs gay britska attached to the rear OF one
ofthe wagons. knew by experience what
vacuity It would cause in my life to look out
upon silent courtyard, green with weeds,
and rows Of shattered windows, Instead of
upon the gay doings Of the wealthy family.
They departed. Not creature was left
in the hotel but the counting house slaves, and
the porter and his wife; from whom could
have found it in my heart to ask for the girl Of
the pot of basil which stood dropping on AL
phonse's window ledge. In spite Of occa-
sional showers, the plant withered in the sum-
mer drought; grow first yellow, then brown.
AT length the gnats disdaincd to swarm round
it any longer. 1t was dead
Early in September, "a month previous to
the usual return of the family to Paris per-
ceived an unusual stir in the hotel. The
window-shutters of hitherto uninhabited
second apartment on the second floor we're
thrown open the smell Of the paint soon be-
came perceptible; then came paper-hangers,
then upholsterers. Delicate curtains Of figur-
ed muslin were Auted into the windows, and
discovered no more Of what was passing with
in. The family took possession of the hotel
for the winter. The dinner-bell rang, and the
gas famed as usual on the stairs The maitre
dhoiei cut up his capons, and the young Ia
dies resumed their rides in the Bots
In winter was always accustomed to see
less Of Alphonse so that was not surprised
to hear no gay laughs, and no snatches Of
opera tunes from his window. Before Christ
mas, however, saw him cross the courtyard
one morning in toilet Of unusual elegance.
Staub and Bin had evidently done their best /;
and the hand of Boivin was discernible in the
folds Of his cravat. The courtyard soon be-
camn Glled with cnrrianas ma ihnt auaY,;.u.