The sun., 1891-09-06
AT HOME WITh DUMAS Fills.
NOT PARTIAL TO INTERr1EWHRa

served ana Csatiousln Corversat,on.
PARIS. Aug. 25.-"Outk. drive me to the
Avenue de villicrs." l aid, a. l mounted 4
lacre in one OF the princpnl streets OF Para
My request for an inter,ew with Dumas. en-.
closing n loiter Of introdut on. hnd rem aimed
unanswered so vsnturet to take the risk OF
m unannounced visit. I ise the word risk
because / had been tolt that Dumas Was
rather unnpproachnhle nnt arrogant.
Tho nacre pulled up In theAvenue do villisra
before an nristooratic-l looknR mansion. The
boil was answered by servnt. whose naughty
manner impressed mo considerably and filled
mo with misgivings rs towhat the master
night be liko. so that woui have given any.
thing to rctrace my stepA Dumas's servant
carried the card UP stairs o q silver plate,
leaving me, meanwhile. 10 anuse myself In the
vestibule.
1t was hung with dark tapesrles. and large
bust OF Dumas pere. the geat sensational
novelist, with his round. fat fac and his woolly
hair, which reminds one OF hlshalf. negro dc.
scent. attracted my attention,
The larkey returned, and m king q sign 70
me to follow him led me into 10 picture cal.
lories. telling me would have o walt q little,
as his master was engaged.
Here was rich harvest OF BEAUTIFUL thnss
for nn amateurl There were overall rooms
full of paintings. l noticed particularly soy.
eral OF Meissonier's aauai elles, misty laud.
scape OF Corot. an "Alhambra scne By For.
tun6. pictures by veronese. Delaroix. Prous-
seau. A bronze statue OF Barye.oressntsd 10
the old Dumas by the Duke OF Orians. Mas.
ter cast OF Dumas pero's hand. oil sorts Of
ancient armor. Chinese vases. and other
precious brio o.n-brao adorned the rom.
There wns also n portrait iepresekinx young
Dumns. His face iessn bles that of1is father,
but looked more refined. though noso stroug.
1t also lacked his expression OF chSriulness
and frankness. He was fashionabl! dressed
AMI looked slick. we'll bred. complasnt. as II
good digestion and comfortable ank 40.
count contrived to mako him tolerab, happy.
had full leisure to Inspect everyt ing. for
two whole hours passed before the lackey
again made his appearance t. inform ne that
his master was ready to see me.
We mounted the thiokly carpeted stairs.
whose luxurious softness drowned tho piss Of
our footsteps to the third story where was
ushered into the study Of the author.
There. at his writing desk. a mastsrpics Of
cablnetmaxing In the style Of Louis XIV sat
the author who had made the word oml.
monde pea o5 ssrsa sass 81 toran to
custoined eyes. His huge. lid form haodis-
appeared Ia immensely wide white pyjtnAs
sash. There was not a SPOT OF color l. his
dress. His gray hair was comhed bao 40
usual. and his hand toyed with tho ends his
il wns e great sdysntas; mt g g tn. lths
giant smile played on his lbs. be halt sssd
Iie' How ca" can Il | serve your and 10 tfsv .
piercing glance at me.
e to
pose. Then pardon me ii continue wrtinR"
He again bent over his wore. | ohsef fel .
q clear le9ibie hand, much SPACE bei3E left
hstween the words as also hetween th4ines.
Was S.ns
an,ii ilied with It'll iaDis lapse @ bunsh OF euilis "
of Hs'sud his study. " It Was hung with painl ass.
statuettes, stood on the msnlelpiece. The
ps9 ths roon %tnph ch ;eria sosey sspsct ,sof EE;
was perse'ysd hdien bshind nits heavy euesini
hanibooks and dictionaries lay distribukd on
the floor in grea. disorder. among which ~.
earvea @ tsSlo stood bottle oi Iadsia aud
was attracted by bowl OF milk sta Idlns
:. A. Observed /. on raising his head and ald:
That is Tor my eats,
its hinges and moved, imperceptibly. I'D :
large Angora cat made It's stpssrsnss POI in e, eitsr
i. s"isnea hIs .ssE: .hrex down / b his ps AZ and
DeSSS sna .m. srks4 I es Gs s4 n' H.
me-" be @ Continued but. you Know, WI an eyor 4
run With pcopIs who h simply want my 1boso-
Then he iumoled In his desk. Great Ing great
eoniu-ion AMI displaying . large varlP ~ Of
Gns 2, shs c,!Hsps .
hl,vA ~ h ~ . Ar Aaf q
s DO o You "iH wriie I much p iinauired.
rSo; II am, am set,i.s : i ola. We can't keel up
WHO are your fayorites among them ?"
He shrugged his shoulders,
write several Volumes promising % do sdme::
thing new but at last. wnen it comes wetut
iiks Ki:hepin and Bourssi leave me- mo some @ -!
coh They deceive scd =. t1ems.veth iketh:
Beautifully bound volumes on his book ;hef.
DO they not rsssmoe Isss The spanish HrI
they arc sifs original full Of r' nd
He II a ciSar. and offered me ono, and ~
70 sneak 2, . Cuban poet who bad hsd died ~
Lurse. and her ai.x ety lecause the young ban
and SHai taking met to htin.e On moonii. night 10
often went to tie forest and remained there
for hours One nigh she thought ne was bst.
ting insane. The Young man rose in he flk
how he drew water and poured 1t onlthe
ground. lie rspoated this 30 ora! times. rts
o.s Hs IL ha:
sensesw
But the young man was only experlmenhns
He wanted to hear the sound Of running yster
on q moon II night. He called forth artiftslly
those Impressions that We Q nece. sary II Gis
next poem. When wo came 10 speak OF Ahler.
ica. h" remarked
II don't know much about It, but this Such
l am aware of. they pillRge my plays and t1rds
Thenever they ca can .et az G,,snSe; 3: &c; and tuch
one IN the lloor, and vented HIS Irritation and
disgu-t by giving It little push with ifoos
known In America"
He put his arms akimho and shrugged his
do rRreI'
Then h- looked out OF the window and siiled;
his attention.
During bis conversation I remarked tttt his
gestures. his whole bearing. were as re&rved
AMI cnutious a. his prefao q. In which 3 On.
deavots /" ovplain his ideas so clearly th5t no.
hnIv ypisu nd At A han,