The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-01-17
AFTER THE SUPPER.

tain, like II misty cloud, descended upon
my memory, similar to the between acts
baizc of fairy spectacles.
Nevertheless nothing is surer than
something did happen to me; many
things even. Everything proves it to
Inc. My coat on the floor, my cravat as
q nightcap and, above all else, if ever
doubted it. my haggard face. fatigued
and pale.
Truly fine businessl At my age.
eight and thirty years, to allow myself
to be surprised by champagne like
schoolboy on hoiidayl Stupidity's no
name for it.
But what plaques me most is to guess
what l did last night, particulars, you
know, as to the events of the evening.
Question my servant?
Perish the thought of it! Expose my
self to the blushing before n lackey! Be.
sides he would only be able to formu-
late theories from the hour of my re-
turn and-and my behavior on reaching
my bedroom
divine it, that behavior, tits enough.
They pretend that with single bone
Cuvicr was able to entirely reconstruct
an antediluvian animal. 1t remains to
me then only to find some analogous
thing to as readily reconstruct my ex-
| istence for the last 12 or IS hours-a
suggestion. a hint. one or two indica-
| lions, moro or less.
Where find them?
Ah-h. my pockets!
A childish habit Of burying everything
there clings to me still and will now
perhaps serve mo we'll Behold the mo-
ment of rurmaging. then, like the cul-
| prit that am.
tremble guilty. What am going
to discover?
Gingerly I slip two fingers into the
side pocket of my vest and draw out my
portmonnaie.
Empty?
| By Jovc!
In seeking to pick up my overcoat my
notebook falls, scattering upon the car
pet heap of papers
The first of these papers that catches
my eye is the slip of the Cafe Anglais.
The trump card of the nights INSIDE
meanor.
Thanks to this bill learn immediate.
ly that the misdeneanor occurred in:
Salon H." | could have sworn it,
lis always, some way. ''salon IA" to
which Igravitate.
The total? Eight hundred and twenty
francs. Peste! I've not been stingy, it
appears.
How many were they, l wonder? Who
were they! My habitual friends, it is
probable, but still-no?
An inspiration. This menu, in be-
traying their tastes, will also to me re-
veal their names Let us try to de-
cipher it.
Huitres Portugaises-These are the
kind that LUcien prefers and that they
import from Arrachon expressly for him
Lucicn was of the suppers. then, it is
| clear. So much for No. l.
Potage Il la puree dc gibicr-I greatly
deceive myself, or that potage is one to
which Maxine is specially partial. Max
ime, then. for No. 2.
Filcts de sole n In Joinvillc-Fernand
to certainty; an Orleanist filet, pure
and simple.
Canetons de Rouen rorange-Noone
but Polastron for that. an out and out
Rouennais, he.
Salades dc lcSumcs la Russe-'Tis
useless to ask if Somehow was there.
Bombe Il la Cardinal-From whom
could this have come: Stay, Marcel!
Who but Marcel is cousin to cardinal?
Lucien, Maxine, Fernand, Polastron,
Semenow, Marcel-Behold my table re-
composed.
Women also were ut that supper then?
Beyond doubt. These scattered pho
tographs attest it. Female suppers out
or supperesses, if | may call them so.
have always rage for distributing their
portraits. Henriette of the Varieties in
her costume Of the Revue, her great
English coal hoppers squeezed into tight
French slippers. Quick, conceal myself!
And Jeanne, the eternal in powdered
hair and leering over her shoulder at the
risk of WY neck
The thlrd-ah, the third, do not
know her. Ills strange!
Not bad lot. either the third. She's
even pretty. Small head, low brow, tiny
nose. a mite of a mouth. Nothing but
eyes-superb eyes at thatl Lashes like
q fringe, and Il genuine blond
Deuce take it'll No, do not know her.
The little yellow curls that dance about
her brow look even i'll this photograph
like a golden smoke.
Nearly child, tools years perhaps.
at farthest. Dressed modestly besides.
a high neck robe, puritancal in cut, but
which only the better develops that
which it envelopes. Exquisite figure,
Vim and 1.-the as q bending willow.
Decidedly she is a very pretty little
girl. And-and | SEQ in her ears neither
pearls nor diamonds, nor even on her
fingers single jewel. The reason pos