The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-03-29
A VICTIM or
DOUBLE SIGHT.
Vernon, a French Hum0Tist, Relates a
Curious Partisan Fantasia.
A Fashionable Artist Given the Power to
Read Other Peoples Thoughts-The Way
of the Wicked World-Deserted.


fell 10 thinking that the second sight so
often talked about, but which until now has
remained in the state of a fantastic hypO-
thesis, would in truth be an exceedingly
precious faculty for the man exceptionally
gifted with it.
l had scarcely entered upon this mental
commentary when my door opened and l
saw an unknown of strange appearance
enter my apartment. He was feature for
feature the parsonage described by Frederic
Soulfe in his prologue to the "MemoireS du
Diable" He had the same sardonic conn
tenance, the same sarcastic glance. AS IN
the Memories du Diable," my singular Wis
itor seated himself without even waiting
for me to offer him chair, took noncha-
lantly in his hooked fingers glowing coal
picked up from the fire on the hearth, and,
having lighted his cigar, said:
THE SPEECH.
Pardon me, my dear monsieur. this un-
ceremonious entrance, but l never make
any others. just now [ was idling in the
neghborhood, and my glance having by
chance made its way through the walls OF
the house in which you live, l surprised you
in the act of formulating within yourself a
regret and desire"
What does this mran?" stammered ],
somewhat disconnected. is 1t your inten-
ton to make me believe that you are"
"Astarutb, Satan, BeelZeDuO-the name Is
not of the slightest consequence W nat CON
cerns you is that l can give you that double
sight, Tor which an instant ago you seemed
tn me to he signing
'You?"
81
Il should, indeed. be curious"
take care; | warn you that II is not
very brilliant present l am about 10 give
{" You are joking Think of being able
to deciphpr thought through peoples skulls,
to bid defiance to every secret, 10 hit every
veil! Ii Nature had not made US as nllSer-
able and as powerless as we are, would
she not have given US all this indispensable
power? Would SHE"
You want il? Very well, l do not in
sist. Let your wish be accomplishment
THE GIFT BESTOWED.
Ny unknown had hardly finished this
phrase when a revolution seemed to take
place within me. Ny eyes were no longer
those circumscribed organs l had hitherto
DOsStSSed They tTaVeTsed space. They
That the whole world was filing off around me
like a panorama. And, carried away by my
enthusiasm. l exclaimed:
How agreeable this is. how sublime,
how"
My phrase was interrupted by the en-
trance of my servant, who, atfable and
smiling, said:
i" Monsieur, here is a months account.
Will Monsieur be so kind as to glance over
it? l have followed his directions and am
happy t. be able to show that the eXpendl-
lures have been notably less under me than
under my predecessor. hope that
My eyes, while he was speaking, had
PASSED alternately from the paper he was
showing me to HIS visage. Beneath the Jig
urcs OF the account the real figures had ap-
peared to me. and l was able to convince
myself that | had been robbed of a good
third. Al the same time | thus read his
thoughts like an open book:
THE SECOND SIGHT.
''ImbecileI am wheedliug YOU! l have
stolen a trihe less than the other for the
tr,t month, and, as you are used to being
duped, you viii take NE for an honest man.
1ri le IDIOT You believe yourself sharper
than we are and despise us because we have
no educatiOni We always know enough to
stuff you, anyway!
| had no need to decipher further and
shouted, in IA voice of thunder:
Here's weeks, wages: now get out,
shark that you aTe!
Eth! parbleau! what is the matter with
you? How came you by that upset look?
What has happened to you this morning."
1t was my friend Paul, who had dropped
in unexpectedly few instants after the
execution TO which l had proceeded-my
friend Paul, the cream of friends. = Pylades.
"Only think my dear boy, that | have just
driven off that miserable Joseph!
"He has played you some trick after his
fashion,? That don't astoniSh me; the best
Of them are worthless. But let me speak Of
more important things. | met the Minister
in tie salon of the COmtrsSe de B yes
terday. lie spoke to me a great deal about
Y on - Il
played my cards well! You will be deco
rated at the next Salon, and can say with
out Boosting that my effort'-
ANOTHER REVELATION.
l looked my friend Paul in the white
of the eyes, and while the words were
crowding to his lips, read through his eye
balls:
"You knew, my boy. that well-ordered
charity begins at home; | caused myself TO
be presented 10 the minister and pressed
him for the place | coyet. As to your
decoration ] do not even fee! the slightest
desire to trouble myself about it! Besides.
You dent deserve 1t as much as that, and
you can wait, my boy!
Nevertheless, he was still perorating.
"Why this is Shameful" cried }, sud
denly, ITO think that man can lie with
such brazen impudenceE
What do you meanY'
That you are Il scoundrel. that was
dence in you, and that | want you to
slide down the stairway with the utmost
rapidily!'
Monsieur, you are an insolent puppy,
and my seconds Will wait upon you this
evening"
He had hardly gone when there was
violent pull at the bell.
who's that now? The deuce! - that
rich amateur who Is going TO buy my last
two pieturesi Monsieur the Baron, take
the trouble to step ill.,"
The Baron entered and, with his eye-glass
10 lis hand, exclaimed:
Delicious, those two canyasSes, per-
fectly delicious; that's the kind OF painting
| like. No, without compliment, it is alto
gether remarkable"
THE AMATEUR'S REAL THOUGHTS.
Meanwhile the satanic double sight was
reading:
las for me, l think it frghtful ! But
you are in fashion, my boy, and, as | keep
gallery merely for show, l will make you
figure in it. Besides, you are talked of, and
| can probably sell off your pictures at
profit if | make inste. for your renOwn will
not last long. You are very much over
rated. Before ten years have passed there
will be no sale whatever for your daubs."
well, what is your lowest figure, my
friend?" asked the Baron, winding up his
little speech.
Il have no figure at all. I don't sell to
IDIOTS like you'll | am not a grocer who deals
in cinnamon. l don't want people to merely
to buy picture; want them to appreciate
them.
"You are boor or fool. monsieurl l
will relate this affair to all my friends, and
il you get any further orders will lose my
reputation
/ was suffocating. 1 needed air and also
consolation. At q furious rate l rushed
down the stairway behind the stupid Baron.
"rll 20 to her home" thought l. The
sight of her will do me good"
A CALCULATING CHARMER.
She was an adorable creature, an ideal
young girl, to whom L was betrothed. We
awaited only the formalities for the mar
rage. l entered. She received me with her
angelic smile.
!'How kind in you to give me this sur
prisel l dld not hope 10 see you during the
day"
fDear BertheW
81 was just talking about you with my
mother. Could L ever forget you~
Accumulation The double sight read:
Mamma explained to me little while
ago that this marriage was an excellent af-
fair | understood. You displease me hor-
ribly. / think You are too old for me, as