Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1854-11-04
EVENING STAR.
THE SENTIMENTAL OFFICIAL.

landed at Boulogne from England, sur
rounded by all the eclat which attaches
to a prima donna's successful first sea-
son. The formularies of examination
were not so brief then as we now thank
fully acknowledge them to be. When
Mmlle. Bellarosa presented herself with
her dame de compagnie, to undergo the
ordeal, the young custom house clerk
gazed more intently upon her than was
usual with him in passing travellers
along. 1t might have been her fame, or
it might have been her beauty, undimmed
by the sea sorrow of a rough passage or
perhaps it was her fame and beauty COM
bined. He limited himself, however, to
the formal questions, and Mmlle. Bella
rosa, glad to be dismissed, sought her
hotel. The next morning she was anx-
ious to set out for Paris: but it was
found that the provisional passport usu-
ally given in exchange, until the original
was returned at the central Office in the
capital, was not forthcoming. The COM
missionaire of the hotel had charged for
it in his bill-it was his way of doing
business-before he received it he could
not tell why the passport had not been
delivered; there must be some little mis-
take; Il will arrange you that" were
his own (English) words, "before you
can think twice upon him ;" and he
really departed with the intention of full
filling his promise.
But in half an hour he returned with
perplexed-and if he hadn't been a
should have said downcast-air, without
the required document. "It must" he
observed, Tin English, which language
as the lady was Italian, he appeared to
prefer in communication with her,) it
must "that Miss have the goodness to
render herself to the Office even of pass
port to retire her own which meant
that personal attendance was neces-
sary.
have known some who-but, with.
out instituting disadvantageous compar-
isons, shall merely remark that Mmlle.
Bellarosa behaved admirably, and walked
with her dame de compagnie and the
eommiSsionaire to the bureau. The in
dividual who presided there was magnifi-
Gently attired, perhaps for the occasion.
Without describing his toilet, it may be
enough to say that he had on a pair of
very tight-atting kid gloves, SO closely
buttoned at the wrists that how he man
aged to write with them seemed miracle
1t was he who had offlciated at the Gus
tom-house, and had taken down the ad-
dress of Mmlle. Ballerosa. He was pro-
fuse in expressions of courtesy and re-
gret. 1t desolated him to be compelled
to demand the presence of so. charming
person, but the rigor of the law (he
was telling stories all the time) left him
no alternative. A million of times would
he have preferred to die undar the most
fearful tortures, rather than, of his own
free will, have caused the slightest incon-
venience to Mademoiselle but French
mans duty to his country was para
mount over every other consideration.
His duties did not, however, appear to
be very pressing; for he Immediately
opened conversation which, from the
variety Of it's topics and the energy be-
slowed on them, would have occupied
until the hour for shutting up the Office,
if Mademoiselle Bellarosa had not brought
him to the point of asking for her pass
port. Recalled to the frail world, the
magnificent young clerk dipped his pen
in the ink and proceeded to put series
of official questions, making pretence the
while of writing down the answers
which, if they had been literally en-.
tered, would not have occupied him two
minutes, had he not frequently left off to
look at MademoiSelle. The lady's pa
tience was at last exhausted, and She
urged him, rather angrily, to make an
end Of his task. Like everything else,
therefore, it was brought to a close,
Mademoiselle signed it, and, rendering
the accustomed fee, demanded her pass
port.
"Such thing had never been heard
of. The bare thought of it was enough
to drive him to distraction! To treat
Mademoiselle, person so distinguished,
so-" Here he checked himself
No, he would rather die thousand
deaths, (the old story,) than not himself
carry the passport to the lady's hotel
the moment the Office was closed"
But" exclaimed Mademoiselle Bell
arosa, in state of mind divided between
vexation and amusement, 81 want i'm
mediately to leave Boulogne. The
horses are ready in the carriage; wait
for nothing but my passport.
cit is not yet stamped, mademoiselle,
returned her official prosecutor, driven to
his last resort; "that formality accom-
pliShed at another bureau, hasten to de-
posit the paper at your feet"
There was nothing to be done. Mad lie
Bellarosa cast An angry glance at the in
fatuated young clerk, and left the place.
When she was gone, las he afterwards
mentioned to friend, he seized the pen
with which she had signed her name,
and kissed ita Thousand million times
Then he got the document stamped, and
sought Mademoiselle Bellarosa at her no.
tel.