The Portland daily press., 1881-07-01
Wallets of Different Sorts
Iron Galignani.1


While Poussin, the great artist, was living
In something very like poverty at Rome, he
was one day visited by the bishop, afterward
Cardinal Massmi, who, remarking that the
painter had no servant, could not help saying,
Il pity you greatly, my dear Poussin, not to
have even one valet" "And To- replied the
Frenchman, "pity you a great deal more,
Monsgnor, to have such number of them.''
Fontenelle shared the opinion of Poussn. A
friend having found him in an ill humor, in
quired the cause. 1.-THE caused" cried the
philosopher; the cause is that though 1
have but one servant 1 am as badly served as
though had 90" Sometimes the complaints
of these gentlemen's gentlemen surpass any
hing the imagination can realize, as in the
GLOWING instance: Monsieur is so cold SO
reserved, that he never opens his mouth; and
ii did not read his letters before he does, l
should never know anything about his bust
ness" Besides the presumptuous valet we
have the valet fripon, as for instance, that
ambassadors servant who, when he went to
order gloves for his distinguished master, nev-
er failed to say to the shopwoman: "His Ex-
cellency wears number eight; don't forget that
number eight" Wearied at length by the mo-
notonous recommendation, the woman ex-
claimed; GOOD, good, / know very well now;
why repeat it every time?" "Why, because if
you gave me number seven and a half it would
be very grave matter-I should not be able
30 wear them.''
Strange as it may seem, there are neverthe-
less Wallets who know their place. Barjac, the
valet of Cardinal Fleury, who had been his
confidant in circumstances both grave and gay,
was good sample of the valet de race. The
public knew how entirely the cardinal confided
in him, and men in high places did not blush
to pay court to him as grand seigneur. He
lived on grand scale, and often when Fleury's
own table was too crowded he did not scruple
TO tell certain coUrtiers to Ego and dine at
BARRACKS" This remarkable valet was SO ac-
customed to fattery and coaxing that, without
growing lnsolent, or forgetting his place, he
adopted the tone of a man of importance, dis
cussed the affairs of the state as if he were
minister, always speaking in the first person
plural of the cardinals operations,
Thus: he would say "We have given
this or that order TO the Due d'Antin.
Marshal Villers called upon us this
morning. We had considerable
number OF people at dinner last evening"" Yet,
in fiattering this lackey, it was necessary not
to overdo the adulation. If man of birth SO
far forgot himself as to behave toward him in
manner unDecoming his social standing,
then Barjac at once became valet again to
give lesson to the noble who had demeaned
himself too much in his presence. A courtier
having gone to ask him for a favor, sat down
to dinner with him, and not OILY treated him
as his equal, but INDUCED in the most fulsome
fattery, going the length even of calling him
M. de Barjac. That was too much for the val
ct; be at once rose from his own table, slung a
napkin under his arm, took plate in his hand
and stood respectfully behind the chair of his
guest, who was no less than duke and peer of
France, saying as he did so, that since ga peer
OF France forgot who he was to please Barjac,
Bsrjac should not forget it, and adding that
Monsieur lie Due would not obtain the favor
he sought, if he did not allow Barjac to serve
him. The mold in which Bariac was cast has
since been broken.