The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-07-31


| bourgeois who struts about In his uni
form. But 90 civic discipline could take
no oognizance OF the novellsts dislikes.
repeated notices and warnings were left at his
domicile and an order for his Incarceration
was issued about half dozen times year.
The next thing was TO catoh the refractory
National Guard. which was not easy. seeing
that in order to avoid an enforced sojourn in
tho military prison Balzao not only disap-
reared from his usual hsunts. but left his reg
ular quarters and took An apartment else
whore under an assumed name 1t seems that
the Sergeant Major OF Balsao's company had q
Rrudge against him. Hehappened to be per-
fumer. and ever since the publication and
success OF Cesar Birotteau the Paris per-
tuners bore BalSao no good will. That
particular perfumer had sworn that he
would lay hands on the recalcitrant pri-
vate OF his company in the street. for
only under such conditions could he arrest
him. To watch at Balzaos ordinary domicile
was Of no use. and when he had discovered
his temporary hiding place he had to lure him
out OF It because the other was on his guard
80 one morning while the novelist was hard
at work his old houseke eper. whom he always
kept with him. came to tell him that there
was q large van down stairs with o case ad-
dressed to him. How did they ind mo out
here 2" exclaimed Balzao. and despatched the
housekeeper to gather further particulars. In
. few moments she returned. Tho case. she
had been told. contained an Etruscan vase
sent from Italy. but seeing that it had been
knocking about for the last three days in
every quarter OF Paris In tho carman's efforts
to find the consignee. tho former was anxious
that NJ. Balzec should verify tho intact con-
dition OF the package before 1t was unloaded.
Balzac fell straight into the trap. Giving
himself no time oven to exchange his dressing
gown. or rather the monks frock he was in
the habit OF wearing. for a coat or his slim
pers for a pair OF boots. he rushed down stairs
and watched with benign smile the carman
handling most delicatey the treasure that
had come to him. Caught at last" said n
stentorian voice behind him as its owner laid
his hand on the novelist's shoulder. while a
gigantic companion planted himself in front
of the street door and cut of all retreat in that
way with refinement OF cruelty which,"
to quote Balzac's own description Of the scene.
will in tho eyes OF posterty considerably
diminish the glory Of his victory" the Ser
geant Major rerfumer would not allow his
prisoner to change his clothes. and while the
van with the precious Etruscan vase disap-
peared in the distance. Balzac was hustled
into cab to spend . week in durance vile
III.
Eugene Sue was as unwilling as Balzac to
perform his civic duties. and. when committed
to the military prison. had three Of his own
servants to wait upon him. and caused some Of
his plate and silver to be brought to his CELL Sir
Richard Wallace has no pleasant recollections
OF the author Of Les MYSTERIES de Paris" In
his opinion the inveterate snobbishness OF the
man has never been sufficiently insisted upon.
~ -
enough In Paris. but snobs arc very rare. Sue.
however. was an example OF the genus. When
tho author Of these notes first knew him.
about 1928. he was already In the zenith OF
his glory. His dandyism was offensive. main
ly because it did not sit naturally upon him.
1t did not spring from an innate refinement
but from love Of show. 1t appears. never
theless. that although somewhat Of a poseur
from the very beginning. he could be witty
and amusing. aud readily found access to the
circle that freQuented the gardens Of the
Tivoli and tho Cafe de Paris. They In their
turn made him a member OF the Jockey Club
when 1t was founded. kindness which they
after&ard regretted. when the wonderful sue
cess OF his Mysteries Of Paris" and Tho
Wandering Jew" had turned his head. Sir
Richard admits that he was foolish enough at
the time to rank Sue on the score OF those pro-
q little higher than tho former. He consoles
himself for the infatuation by the thought that
it was shared by thousands Of greater intel
lectual attainments than his own. for
It must not be supposed. he tells us.
that the furore created by the mysteries Of
Paris" was confined to one class and that class
the worst educated one. While the story was
appearing in serial form in the D56ats one had
to bespeak the paper several hours befors-
hand. because. unless one subscribed for 1t. 1t
was impossible to get it from the newsdeal-
ers. AS for the reading rooms where it was
supposed to be kept. the proprietors laughed
in your face II you happened to ask for it after
you had paid your two sous admission. Mon
sieur is Joking. We have got five COPIES and
we let them out for ten sous each for half an
hour: that's the time it takes to read an In
stallment Of NJ. Sues stories" 1t seems that
one OF the devices for whetting the pub
lie curiosity was frequently to inter-
rupt tho serial for one or two days without
notice. On its resumption there would be
nice little paragraph to reassure the "grandes
danes dc par le monde" as we'll as the ladies'
maids. with regard to the health Of NJ. Sue,
who was supposed to have been too i'll to work.
The public took all this most seriously. They
chose to forget, or were ignorant OF tho
fal. that a novel Of that kind. especially in
the early days OF the serial. was not delivered
to the editor bit by bit, but In block 1t was
only somewhat later that Dumas the elder
introduced the system Of writing from hand
to mouth. There was. however, some excuse
for Sue taking himself very seriously.
seeing that some Of the most eminent mag
istrates opened correspondence with him.
submitting their ideas about reforming such
criminals as lie maitre d'6oole." and prais-
ing Prince Rodolph. or rather Eugene Sue
under that name. for his laudable efforts In
the cause OF humanity. As q matter Of fact.
there was not the smallest evidence in any of
his former books that Sue had intended
to start any crusade. soclalistic or philan-
thropic. when he began his MYSTERIES dc
Paris" He simply wanted to write stirring
novel; He did not. however. plead ignorance Of
good motives whom congratulated upon them,
but. on the contrary. gravely and officially re-
Piled in the Dsbats without winkinC. Some Of
the other papers. not to be outdone, Cravely
how whole families had been con-
verted from their evil ways by the pcrusal Of
the novel: how others. after supper. had