The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-05-13

were out OF place in refecsory, and could only
serve TO distract the eyes and thoughts of the
diners, which ought, on the contrary, to be con.
centrAted on the dinner table. saf
such was the parsonage whom we have seen
entering the poultry market on the morning
IN question, with the air of man who had some
very important purchase to make, amid salvo
organisations and offers from the presiding genii
Of the place. .al ss1F q : -
Having bestowed bow on one of them, q
smile on another, q friendly word on third,
and addressed wave of the hand to them all,
the gastronomer betook himself to the gallery
wnicn was more especially consecrated to the
sale of game. r., d ea "a areEiat%--
1What is Monsieur lie MARQUIS in want Of this
morning." inquired, in coaxing tones, one of
the SIRENS of the adjacent stalls. I. Is ii par
fridge or pair of quailsa"
"Not exactly, Madame Barbet; I want some.
thing better yet" ss, - si4s M "a
"a woodcock, perhaps, Monsieur s Marquis,
or string of snpes ?n
NO, mon enfdnt / want q golden pheas.
ant bot it mus be pheasant of the very best
quslity." aya.at \ 3 -
Instantly, from stall to stall, these words were
transmitted, as though they had been q tele.
graphic despatch: "Eh, rons autres! the best
pheasant in the market for Monsieur de Cussy. !"
Two minutes had scarcely elapsed before a
superb bird, with glittering plumage, passed on,
from stall to STALL from the farthest point of the
market, reached the pillar at whose base stood
the former purveyor.
"The very thing wanted" said the Marquis,
after rapid glance at the pheasant. Having
Wrapped his treasure carefully in newspaper,
he took from his purse piece of gold, paid fos
the pheasant saluted the divinities of the mar
q k>xx &c = L.
hunor, and disappeared '
"And nov let me hasten to the spot where !
am 90 anxiously looked for" he murmured, as
he left the market .n
When the Marquis was gone, the saleswomen
could not keep from sundry little conjectures
as TO the destination of the pheasant.
Who can it be for? 2" said one Is it for
the English Ambassador" said another. "Per.
haps it 10 for the Baron de Rothschild," suggest.
ed q third. You look long way of" inter
posed fourth "you forgot that the MARQUIS,
though not exactly rich man, is still the most
delicate eater in all Paris. The golden pleas.
ant, take my word for it, is for no one but him.
SELF" +...,. II.
All these conjectures were equally wide of
the mark. Had the market women been able
to follow the retreetng figure of their customer,
they would have seen him regain the line of the
Pont Neuf, and make his way, still on foot,
along the Rue Montorgeui, to the other side of
the Faubourg Possonniere; and, after walking
some distance in this direction, turn into the
nest of streets, empty and quiet, of the Eau.
bourg Saint Denis, which compose the quarter
specially affected to those innumerable petty
manufactures usually known as ARTICLES de
Paris" and constituting 80 important an item
IN the industry of the metropolis. Then, as now,
fhso <,f thr Ioc III l..
an intelligent and industrious population, oc-
cupyipg an intermediate position between the
mere workman and the artist these narrow
streets making up series of Industrial hives, in
which the carver, the photographer, the glider,
the musical.instrument maker, and the manu-.
facturer of every species of fancy work, carried
on their labors. Turning into the Rue Msrtel,
the Marquis entered sordidlooking house, and
demanded, "Monsieur Simon Leblanc, the
porcelain painter" ar
Fourth story, second door to the left" re.
turned the concierge, without raising mis- eyes
from the boot at which he was working.
know the room," said the Marquis in an
under tone, as he climbed the dark and dirty
staircase to the apartment of the porcelain
painter.
A week before, the Marquis had made his
way up the dingy stairs for the first time, and
since then he had climbed them regularly
every day.
A certain Prince, whose dominions, like
those of so many others, bordered the Rhine,
kept up regular correspondence with the
Marquis concerning all the details of his table
This potentate had lately besought his aid, un.
der . terrible domestic misfortun ne that had inst
overtaken him. His Rhenish Highness was the
possessor If very beautiful dinner service of
painted porcelain, two saucers of which had
been broken by q lackey during a grand gala
dinner, at WHICH the beautiful service in cues
tion had figured to the admiration of all be-
holders. The service was thus rendered In.
complete, and could not be used again unless
the two missing pieces could be replaced. In
his missive, the German Highness entreated the
Marquis to spare neither time, nor efforts. nor
money, to get the two saucers perfectly matched.
The very day on which he had received the
letter. the gastronomer had set to work to CRAFTY
his princely correspondent, and addressed him.
self to all the porcelain painters most in re.
nown. But they we're all fully occupied. At
Sevres, the workmen were overwhelmed with
orders for the Court; in all the private work.
shops, the painters were SO busy that they would
pay no heed to the entreaties of the Marquis.
He could hear but OF one porcelain painter,
Simon Leblanc, the artisan, or rather, We might
say, the artist, of the Rue Martel, through whom
there was the slightest chance of obtaining the
execution of the Princes order. g. M
i will 60 to the Rue Martel . said the rival
of Brillat Sayarin. ~ ,i
A week previous to his morning visit to the
poultry market, the Marquis rang at the door
Of Simon Leblanc. A young woman opened
the door. her face was intelligent and pleas
ing but her ssft blue eyes had in them an
evident expression of sadnass, and not few
gray lines silvered her rich chestnut hair, which
vas still very beautiful. She was the wife of
the painter. The Marques penetration at once
OWNED the want and suffering that had left
their traces on this gentle face. - ests
In few words and With, much kindness of
manner he explained the object of his visit.
The work wish 10 have DONE" he .pur,
sued, sis easy Of execution by, q painter of
your husbands talent, and win be handsomely
paid. Do you think he viii consent to under
The wife seemed to hesitate, and did not
@Two saucsrs for Prince" he pursued,
g and Q handful of gold in payment.
She held down her head, too much embar-
raised TO make any answer.
Monsieur Simon Leblanc has been men.
toned to me as a skilful workman" resumed
the Mssquis. puzzled BY the woman's silence. !.
@Skilfuli" she answered, looking up quickly.
O yes, he is very skilful, there is no doubt
about that; but, unfortunately she added, sadly,
he does not like workingn 't r.
~ this reply, the Marquis looked scrutini-
singly round the room, and was struck With the
indicstions of sordid poverty visible in every
part of it. IT =
No, he no longer likes to work. resumed
the young woman, who had followed his glance
through the room, and scanned To divine bis
thoughts. No doubt this seems very arrange
to you, a. we are 80 poor, bat it is unfortunately