The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-12-26
PARLOR COMEDIANS.

The Countess Flavia Andorni was
charming, twenty-eight years of age,
10000 lire of income as her dowry and
she did not take a husband Every now
and then she refused one. Countess
Flavia read great deal, she invented
the fashions which the elegant women
initiated, she did not attend first repre-
sensations at the theater, but preferred
second performances; she did not care
for poetry, did not use paint or powder,
never was i'll, journeyed very often, al
lowed herself to be courted up to a GER
tain limit, never talked politics, liked
the conversation of men better than that
of women, had gray eyes, dark COM
plexion and brown hair.
Therefore she was called-rightly or
WRONGLY have nothing to say about
that--a woman of esprit.
The Marquis Ernesto Carafa, thirty
two years old, had a handsome head,
with tawny blond name, short, aris-
tocratic, tawny beard, $1,000 lire of in
come and not sign of wife. He paid
court to all the ladies with certain
graceful nonchalance, danced while
others were playing cards, did not cult
vate the acquaintance of the corps de
ballet, drove his horses himself, did not
wear flower in his buttonhole, did not
patronize the fine arts, did not care for
music, lent money to his intimate
friends, did not aspire to be elected
deputy to Rome, loved the mountains
like a platonic member of the Alpine
club, had no literary proclivities, never
wrote love letters, was always in love
and never in love. Rightly or wrongly,
Ernesto Carafa was called a man of
esprit.
These two exceptional beings began,
naturally, like others, their acouaint-
ance. Some friend of Flavia said to her,
"That Carafa is really brilliant man;
why don't you have him presented to
your And Ernesto's friends: ssDo you
know the Countess Andorni2 A brilliant
woman, my dear fellow" And this
thrice four times, twenty times, so that
Flavia was bored and Ernesto ANNOYED
by it. They saw each other on a prone
made and looked at each other with ill
concealed curiosity like two rare beasts,
but the countess discovered nothing ex-
traordinary and the marquis shrugged
his shoulders for the same reason.
One evening at the San Carlo, the
marquis was presented to the countess,
in her box, by friend. Few words
were exchanged, and those of the SIM
plest, OF the kind that are not in the We
cabulary of people of esprit. Ernesto
went away soon, smiling ironically upon
manufactured flames, and Flavia asked
herself if she must add another name
to the category of foolish and useless
beings already so large among her &C
Quaintances So when they met-at the
theater, in society, at festivals, on the
promenade-they exchanged a rather
disdainful bow, without seeking to ap-
proach each other or to become better
acquainted.
But chance-that, far from being a
person of esprit, has obstinacies which
are quite stupid-made them meet and
remain near each other, perforoe, at the
marriage of cousin of Flavia with
friend of Ernesto. They resigned them
selves to endure each other mutually.
Each one thought how to sustain the
character attributed to her and to him,
In order not to make poor figure; and
there ensued a conversation of para
doxes, retorts, bizarre questions, odd an
swers, stupendous absurdities, display
of fireworks that ended by bewilderine
the two pyrotechnicians and putting
them into state of nervousness foreign
to their habits. 'What witty and
disagreeable mani but I kept up with
him." said Flavia when she was alone.
ga witty and disagreeable woman; but
was not left behind her." murmured
the marquis.
Yet the marquis went with some fire.
quency to the house of the countess, and
the countess received him with polite
cordially. Both perceived that the peo-
pie around them enjoyed the relations
that united the most witty man and swo-
man in the city; they perceived the
slight smiles, the curious attention,
with which others sought to take part in
their colloquies; the care with which
was reported witticism said by Flavia
to Ernesto, or vice versa; in short, they
perceived that they were treated by the
public as star actors Were they con-
scious of playing part or of speaking
the truth? That is the dark point which
I shall not illuminate, but it is certain
that the little comedy continued, recited
with Eveliness and much interest. Be-
longing to the far from numerous class
of brilliant people, the two sought to do
precisely the opposite of whatever all
the others did.
Ernesto had at the very first declared
that he would never, never pay court to
the countess, and the countess had added
that she forbade him to fall in love with
her, which is quite the reverse of paying
court. Ernesto never sent flowers to
Flavia, and she never asked him for con-
fdences, as is customary between friends.
The marquis never felt himself obliged
to praise the arrangement of the hair,
the eyes or the arms of the countess, and
the countess avoided speaking of him
with her friends. On the subject of love
they were in accord they spoke equally
i'll and well of it, shimming the topic
lightly, of course making witticisms.
Upon matrimony it was the same. They
never became tender, never were melan-