The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1885-03-31
A. GREAT MANS DREAM.
How saIzsc, the Great French Novelist,
Thought He Saw the Road to Riches.


but he also conceived many fantasticai
projects. some OF which he deliberately
attempted TO carry out. Leon GozlaR
has given an amusing account of .
scheme of Balzac for raising prodigioas
sums of money by ring. and we can
not DO better than reproduce the sub
stance of his narrative.
Is was - winter night, quite in the
small hours-between one and two
when Laurent Jan, playwright and man
of letters, who lived in the Rue de Nav
arm, was woke up by an amazing ring
ing of the bell. This was succeeded by
q great storm of imprecatiOns from the
various dodgers, above which rose the
high-pitched interrogaiiOns of the con-
cierge; and amidst this tumult Balzac
hurriedly entered the chamber of his
| friend.
who is it?" cried Laurent Jan. leap
ing from his bed.
alt is |. Dress at once; we must be
off,"
BE OFF,
"YeS-be off,
'But. before gel ready. must know
where YOU would take me-.
1--WE start ut once-to visit the Mo-
gull
Are YOU mads
''The object of our journey il TO en-
able us to become rich. imperially rich
rich a the ancient Indian Empire
well but. look here. dear friend. be-
fore packing up my thingS. timidly OBJ
| jected Laurent Jan, Il must know n.ore
precisely what we are to DO. when we
get to the Mogul?'
.'Oh. pray be quick" cried Balzac:
''we have already lost a million francs.
whilst You have been hesitating. Time
presses, and We have got to fetch Leon
GOzlan."
Laurent Jan dressed himself with
resignation, cOnSenting, somewhat Ian
| guidly, thus TO become q CresuS, but
urged at last:
Now that | have agreed to come. it
is more than ever necessary | should
know what we are going to do with the
Mogul."
Balzac fenced with the question for
some minutes. and then. taking Laurent
Jan mysteriously by the arm. he led him
near the lamp.
Inspect this ring on my finger" he
said, impre>Siyely.
''Well. / see it. 1t seems to ME
worth four sous
Restrain yourself; look more
closely"
perhaps six SOUS"
Learn that this ring" declared Bal
FAC, twas given me at Vienna by the
celebrated OrientaliSt. Won Hammer,
on the last occasion of my visiting Ger
many"
And them
"And then. WHY, the scholar smiled
and said: a day will come when YOU
will know the value of this little present
! have made YOU / took the ring
without needing the prophecy; 1 had
no idea common green stone had
| such -"
such what?"
"Such what.-why, first look ut the
Arabic characters engraved on it-but
hold, Unjust not anticipate. Last night.
then. at a party given by the Neapolitan
Ambassador, it occurred to me might "a
well ask the representative of the Porte
what the Specification of this mysteri-
Gus inscription might be. L showed
him my ring. He was so agitated ut
beholding it. that he gave vent to cry
which startled the assembly.
90. You possess ring. he said, bow
ing reverently towards the earth.
which comes direct from the Prophet
! ION whom be peace), was worn by him.
and carries his sacred name A hum
/ dred years ago, this gem was stolen
from the Great Mogul by the English;
and was then sold TO a German
Prince -
"'It was given me at Vienna in
terrupted. eagerly. by the noted Won
Hammer
Start at ouce." cried the envoy,
for the home of the Mogul. He has
offered tons of gold and diamonds for
the recovery of that ring. and you will
return with the TONS
Il leapt at the idea, as YOU may sup
pose. And, now, | have come to fetch
you, my dear friend. that we may travel
together. and restore TO the Mogul the
Prophets ring. which he will receive
with ecstacies of delight. Think of the
tons which await u.s.
And for this, cried Laurent Jan.
''you have really disturbed me in the
middle of the night, 1t is too bad of
you.''
What! YOU think the price insignifi-
cant:?" replied Balzac, altogether una
bic to understand the indifference of his
friend.
al adhere to the offer / have already
made. said the other. beginning to un-
dress; IF you choose TO take four sous
for the ring of the Prophet they are al
your disposal"
Balzac was like lion given up to the
transports of rage: abuse. ridicule,
satire poured in torrents from his lips,
till at last. bent and broken with his own