The herald., 1894-03-04
A STUDY IN SMOKE.

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name of Passeraud perched like spar
row ON the topmost branch of poplar
tree. The manners of this young man
were peaceful and orderly; his temper
was gentle; his bearing modest; his
clothes were patched. The janitor had
expressly forbidden this insignificant
tenant to have in his possession dog,
violin, sewing machine-anything,
no matter what, which was cumbersome
or noisy. He was enjoined to come in
very early at night. 1t was question
in the neighborhood how he managed
to keep his hands clean, for the janitor
had forbidden him to take up sny wa
ter, because this liquid, carried care
lessly in jugs by his youthful hands,
might dampen the stairs. However, by
good will and good humor, Passeraud
had succeeded in making his presence
supportable, although only poor devil
in house inhabited by bankers, favor
ite tenors, diplomats and commissioners
of accounts.
He had recently left the Ecole Cen
trale with an honorable standing, and
almost Immediately the Calcium Min
ing company of the upper Peloponnesus
had offered him position-$1OO a
month to begin with-which would
have put him out of the reach of want,
but as he dreamed of inventing an au-
tomato brake, which would prevent
locomotives from coming into collision
ON the railroad or at least would re-
duce the force of the shock, he had re-
fused the offers of the mining company,
to give himself night and day to the
drawing of innumerable diagrams of
the brake in question. Therefore he
looked forward to glory and fortune,
but while he waited he was dying of
hunger. That mattered not to him; his
invention-he was absolutely sure of
that-his invention was on the point of
succeeding.
One day on the first fight of the stair
case he encountered a young girl, blond
and exquisitely dressed and so graceful
that scholar would Immediately have
called her a goddess-as shown by her
bearing. She went forward and disap-
peared, light and supple, leaving be-
hind her a subtitle odor of lemon ver-
bena, and Passeraud, astonished, re-
manned motionless in the middle of the
landing for five minutes with his mouth
open, as though he expected that the
vision of his peerless neighbor would
present itself to him anew.
The next day, by a coincidence
which we would like to believe quite
fortuitous, Passeraud was on the same
landing exactly at the same hour again.
The young girl passed, and as it seemed
blushed in passing. Fearing that he
had wounded her, Passeraud resolved
never to come down the staircase at
that hour again.
The following day, however, he re-
membered that urgent business COM
PEELED him to go out at moment ex-
actly identical with that when leaving
the house was quite forbidden him by
his decision of the day before. He took
up his hat, annoyed at this business
which exposed him to the danger of
embarrassing with his presence a per-
son whom he would not have troubled
for the world What he dreaded hap
pened; a new meeting took place, and
Passarand was inconsolable, the fair
maid having blushed more than before.
He was accordingly enraged against
himself; the unknown one, scandalized
at being thus followed, would very
probably take steps to keep herself out
of his way. In order to convince him
self Of this misfortune, Passeraud sought
the same place every day at the same
hour, and every day drew aside on the
staircase to let his neighbor pass.
Brought up politely by his mother, he
bowed at each meeting. At the end of
some time it seemed to him that the
slight inclination of the head which he
received in return took on an aspect al
most friendly.
Having noticed this, he went to look
at himself in the mirror of a shop-in
his room there was nothing Of the sort
in order to know if his person was
such that it might please 30 accom-
plished young girl. Then he saw
that, even though the cut of his over
coat was bad, there was nothing repul-
sive about his looks. Next he inquired
with caution concerning the first name
of the pretty young lady of the first
floor. He did not know why, but he
had a strong desire to know her first
name When he had learned that it
was Valentine, he was quite enchanted.
These comings and goings were not
of advantage to the automatic brake;
the diagrams were neglected.
At last Passeraud took decided
step; he dressed himself as well as pos
gible, went down to the apartments of
Valentines father, who was no less a
parsonage than M. Lamantin, owner of
the large and imposing building, and
said to him, "Sir, have the honor to
ask for your daughters hand" "
my daughters handr' said the as
tonished old gentleman, eying Passe-
raud from head to foot. "For whom, if
you please:"
For myself. sir. "
For yourselfl Why, are you not my
little tenant OF the garrett, up there un-
der the roof?'
Yes, sir"
"Then what do you meana My
daughter has $500, 900. I am willing
to inform you of that fact. Do you
take it in? Eight hundred thousand
And you, what have you2''