The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1899-06-22

in an Jinfinitude of blue distance every
gesture, every candle fame. Cantal
and I sunk into reverie. The coffee
was smoking in its transparent cups;
Cantal, with Havana between his lips,
was wrapping himself in blue rings, like
demi-god in cloud. Baron ven H,
with half-closed eyes, glass of cham
pagne in his pale hand. leaned back on
a divan; he seemed to be following
closely the magical modulations of the
nocturnal duet in Tristan and Isolde"
played with much feeling by Susannah.
Antonio and Clio the Fair with locked
hands listened, radiant, to tne music.
/ listened, too, looking the while at
our three graces. All wore velvet that
night. Antonio, of the violet eyes, was
in black; against the severe line of the
decolletagc her throat and shoulders
rose like veritable Carrara. She had a
narrow gold ring on her little finger
and three sapphire cornfioweEs shone
in her chestnut hair that fell in two
soft braids far below her waist. Clio
the Fair, an exquisite blond, with
brown eyes-the goddess of imperti-
nence!--a disenchanted young person
whom Prince Soltikoff had baptized la
russo by pouring champagne foam on
her hair-wore a well-molded green vel
vet gown and ruby necklace. This
young creole of 20 was quoted as the
model of all the reprehensible virtues.
She would have bewltched the pro-
foundest philosopher of Greece or the
austerest metaphysician of Germany.
She had just returned from Baden
Baden, laughing as merrily as a child,
and leaving 5000 louis on the green
cloth. Susannah Jackson, the Scottish
Circe with night-black hair, in red vel
vet, looked IKE dark lily-the mean
ing of her name, by the way, in Hebrew,
she told me. A red, green, or black
mask hung from each belt.
When Susannah left the piano I took
bouquet from the table and offered it
to her with jest: "You are diva! Wear
one of these flowers for the sake of un-
known admirers" She graciously fas-
tened spray of hortensia in her bodice.
Il don't read anonymous letters!" she
said, laying the rest of my ''salaam" on
the piano.
"Ah, cold Susannah!" cried Cantal,
laughing, you have come into the
world merely to show us that snow
burns"
At this moment Joseph entered carry
ing a bowl of iced punch, for we had
resolved to drink like lords. Baron
Saturn seemed restless; saw him pull
out his watch, draw ring off his finger
and give it to Antonio, and rise from his
seat.
lord of distant regions!" l called
out to him, between two puffs of a
cigar, you mustn't think of leaving us
for an hour yet. You'll pass for mys-
terious, and that's the worst of taste"
Accept my apologies he replied,
but duty that | cannot ignore and
that brooks no delay calls me away.
Pray believe that | am hopelessly in
your debt for the charmed hours spent
here"
as it really duel, then?" asked An
tonic, nervously.
"Stay with us and save cold. Look
at us; listen and decided" said Cantal.
Gentlemen" said Baron Saturn, II
will confess that l am blind and deaf
as often as God permits"
This incomprehensible speech
plunged us into the most absurd con-
lectures. We looked at each other
with an awkward smile, not knowing
what to think of this jest, when sudden
ly it flashed across me where l had first
seen the man. For the space of Sec
ond everything about me seemed
bathed in red light-a light that came
from our guest. Approaching the for
eigner. | whispered in his ear:
Monsieur, pardon me if am wrong,
but believe had the pleasure of meet
ing you five or six years ago at Lyons,
at four o'clock one morning, in public
square,"
Saturn raised his head and looked at
me intently. "Ah!" he said, 'it is possi-
ble."
"Yes!" / went on, looking at him in
tently. "Wait bit-in that square
there stood melancholy object that /
was dragged to see by two student
friends, and that I've sworn never to
look on again"
'Indeed!" observed Saturn; land
what was that object, if | am not indis-
Greet in asking?"
"a scaffold; guillotine, monsieur,
if my memory serves me. Yes! it was
the guillotine. Now I'm sure of it!"
These words had passed in a very low
tone between us. Cantal and the ladies
stood talking near the piano.
That's it! | remember" l added,
raising my voice. What do you say to
my memory? Although you drove by
very quickly, your carriage, delayed a
moment by mine, let me catch glimpse
of you in the torchlight. The circum-
stance stamped your face on my mind.
You had absolutely the same express
sion then as now
"Ah. ah!" he replied; lit is true; you
speak with great accuracy, | admit"
And his strident laugh gave me the