The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1898-09-06
CHAPTER Nv.

tho walls were hung with photographs
of celebrities newly arrived in the gay
capital. A bronze bust of Villemessant,
the Figaro's illustrious founder, stood
III a conspicuous corner. Two liveried
servants passed to and fro, carrying
aissives from a patient crowd of adver-
tisers, persons DESTROYS Of registering
complaints, seekers for place and divers
small boys in buttons, who awaited in
the vestibule their turn to see the man
aging editor
Inside, the Count sde Lacaze cursed
tho weather, nibbled his highly polish
ed nails and yawned undisguisedly.
For the fiftieth time that morning he
realized how much more than usual he
was down on his luck.
The Count de Lacaze was fond Of
saying that, were the republic an en-
pire, he would be, at the present day,
instead of languishing in DURANGO vile
as reporter on the Figaro at 400 francs
month, enjoying the hunt with his
satellites at Rambouillet, giving cha
teau parties in Touraine or gambling
furtively with few kindred souls at
his private baccarat table in his own
magnificent hotel in the Faubourg,St.
Germain. He found means to circulate
pretty generally that he was IL great
parsonage wronged His friends appar-
entity accepted his statement, good hui
moredly batting him on the back fra
ternally when they met him, and bid
ding him have courage, only to smile
wichedly afterwardat what they denom-
mated ''De Lacaze's little delusion,
for, whereas the count related wildly
the history of his great grandfather's
once superb possessions, which their
present heir recounted mournfully to
have melted away in the time of the
revolution like snowfiakes before the
sun, his listeners were masters of the
fact that his ancestor S gold had played
a hide and seek game with so called
honor Oh the green baize tables of Monte
Carlo and Baden Baden both before and
long after the date he mentioned.
The door opened, and a young man
entered, dressed in the height of fash
ion. An eyeglass was gripped spasmod-
ically within the recalcitrant muscles
which surrounded the faded blue of his
consested orb A fancy walking stick
with heavily carved knob, pair Of
immaculate spats, which pronounced
their wearer blood of the first water,
and general air of the Paris gommeux
half sport, half dandy, wholly a type
Of the present generation-complet
the picture. This scion of noble house
seated himself on the arm of chair,
removed his immaculate tile from his
overheated brow, and for several in
stants silently sucked the inoffensive
knob of his cane. His eyes were fixed
inquiringly and a trifle humorously
upon the frowning countenance of the
little room S unhappy occupant.
Then he proceeded to light q ciga-
rette, and having glided from the arm
of his chair down into its luxuriously
cushioned leather seat he remarked
with perhaps superfluous cheerfulness:
"Well, old man, what are you going
to do about it??'
1t may not be inconsiderate to explain
that the aforesaid nobleman had in q
moment of unguarded sympathy three
months before loaned to his detected
friend the reporter count" as he was
known among his sporting contempora-
ries, large sum Of that filthy lucre
man or woman is considered SO insig-
nificant without in the worlds eyes,
and SO disproportionately significant arc
they SO lucky as to DO born with its
flashing promise in their minis.
The night before at world renown-
ed Cuba club which contained pri-
vate room in which fortunes were made
and lost and with greater rapidity
than on the New York Stock Exchange
tho little duke, he Of the spats and
the knobbed cane and the eyeglass, had
looked his last upon his louis and had
realized in the night hours, which in
French parlance are said to ''carry good
counsel, his reporter count friend alb
solute inability to make good to him
very serious loss. The duke had there.
fore concluded to beard the lion in his
den. That the lion had the appearance
OF shorn lamb that had spent hid
eous night Oh the bald hillside Of de-
spair was to tho little duke a matter Of
the most profound Indifference. He pro.
posed to have his money by fair means
or foul Debts Of like nature were
"debts Of honor, - he had only few
moments ago remarked piously to a
! friend to whom he had confided the en-
/ tire lamentable occurrence. If De Lacaze
had not "the deceney to realize his OBJ
legations, I" the duke proposed to remind
him that in aristocratic circles such
debts wero won't to be considered dis
grace did their assumers not appreciate
the responsibility their appropriation
i involved.
(, "Patience, began the Comte Georges
, Adolphe Baradat clio Lacaze feebly. II
will pay you when can look abort me-
! and realize where stand.' u
, The duke laughed cynicaHy.
mo need to look around, mon
vierx. " said be- with fine smile. "Ybu