The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1900-03-16
THE HONOR
OF BESSON.
B7 RoB3RT O. v. MEYERS.

tCopyright. 1900, by R. C.. v. Meyers.l
Besson showed in his pocket the pa.
per on which he had jotted down the
order.
.sGf course" said Mr.. Clavie while
the young clerk in the background be-
came interested in a book OF q table
near enough the two to render over
hearing not impossible-''of curse you
will be punctual?"
Ressen buttoned up his coat.
and" followed up the publisher.
ayou understand fully"
Such insistence. 1t tired Besson.
sit is probable" he answered, that
un~daIstaad.'
Clavie cleared his throat.
your PARDON" he explained. but
you seemed so-shall l Hay inatten-
tive%'
ut is a very good word" Besson as
sured him. Then, apparently willing
to relieve the others anxiety at so
slight q cost to himself, he pulled the
paper from his POCKET. 81 have it
down. you see-ten biographies of 500
words each, to be incorporated into a
new popular history OF the revolution.
The subjects are Marat, Brienne. Dan
ton. Desmoulins. R~obespielre, Espre-
mesnil. Airabeau-cf curse not Ton
neau' Mirabeau."
"You know that"
GAS you say. Mirabeau mot Ton
neau). Roland, Tinville-I have them
all here"
and l know you have their histories
at the ends of your fingers."
"Or at the ends Of the fingers Of those
who have prattled about them in print
-Besanville. Dulaure, Lacretelle, Con-
dorcet, MERCER. Toulongeon. Boville.
Meillan, Vauban."
..sravo!' cried Clavie. Ibid l not
say so"
"For which emanations Of genius"
dryly summed up Besson. 81 am to re-
ceive"-
He paused, a twinkle in his eye in
the corner of which quivered a drop Of
moisture.
You consider the price low" said
the publisher. Twenty francs for each
biography Oh OUO WOfQS IL
Precisely" interrupted Besson as
he returned the paper to his pocket. II
took a prize in mathematics some
years ago. | know how many confines
a word that is. 1t is settled. Bon
jour!!" And he left the office. brushing
the drop from his eye with a finger cir
cled by a deep gold band that served
to accentuate the whiteness Of the
hand.
Francois" the publisher said, turn
ing to the young clerk, there goes a
nan who knows more about France
and her times than any two men in
Paris today. But" he shrugged his
shoulders, dissipation has done its
work. The green angel has him, and
he will not be on time. Thus l have
put the date five days ahead of that on
which, as you know. we shall actually
need the articles he is to do for US. To
day is the 9Th. / have told him we
must have them by the 18th. We need
them on the Goth. He will deliver
them on the 18th. He has worked for
us before. You may your du-
ties, Francois"
Outside in the sunshine Besson re-
lieved his eyes of another drop Of
moisture. 1t was always thus early in
the morning. 1t was barely noon, and
he had been forced to rise prematurely
in order to see the publisher, who had
twice asked for the interview.
Whittier should he go-home to work
at the order from Clayie? Bah! He
had no such intention. What-on such
a day as this to go to his silent room
at MamZelle's, in the Place Lacrosse.
and sit there and spin out words about
Marat. Mirabeau (not .Tonneau) and
those others! No. no, my child, not
while the sun shone like this, and the
boulevard promised what it did. and
that path in the Bots had begun to
sprinkle the asphalted air with imper-
ceptible Jets of the perfume Of lilacs.
He might get at the things this even
ing-though not this evening. either,
for he had promised himself to 90 this
evening and see how w%retchedly Sar-
dou had put together that last new
play. a thing Of shreds and patches Of
ap%ochryphal history Tomorrow would
be time enough. Hold! He had prom
Used himself that tomorrow. Well. he
had told Clavie that the biographies
would be done by the 18th. Here 1T
was only the 9TH. He had ten days in
which to write out 5000 words upon
l!lLlLLln