Middletown transcript., 1901-01-05

to see me, when Maignan came
after me and detained me; reporting that
gentleman who had attended early,
but had later gone into the garden, was
still in waiting, While Maignan was
still speaking, the stranger himself CAME
up, with some show Of haste, but none
Of embarrassment; and in answer to my
sal ff4 inquiry whfst eesflll Dc
for him, handed me a letter. lie had
the air Of a man not twenty, his dress
was trihe rustic; but his strong and
handsome figure set off face that would
have been pleasing but for something
fierce in the aspect Of his eyes. Assured
that I did not know, broke the seal Of
his letter and found that it was from my
old flame Madame de Bray, who, as
Mademoiselle de St. Mesmin, had come
50 near to being my wife.
The young man proved to be her broth
er, whom she commended to my good
offices, the impoverishment Of the family
being so great that she could compass no
more regular method of introducing him
| to the world, though the house Of St. Mes
min is truly respectable and, like my
own, allied to several Of the first conse-
quence. $50 you have come to Paris to
make your fortune?" I said.
eyes, sir" he answered.
"And what are the tools with which
you propose to do it?" I continued, be-
tween jest and earnest.
''That letter, sir" he answered simply;
''and failing that, two horses, two suits
Of clothes, and two hundred crowns"
"You think that those will sufice?" l
said, laughing.
'With this, sir,' he answered, touch
ing his sword; "and good courage"
could not but stand amazed at his
coolness; for he spoke to me as simply as
to brother.
"Well," / said, after considering him,
II do not think That can help you much
Immediately. I should be glad to know,
however, what plans you have formed for
yourself. Z
Frankly, sir" he said, i thought Of
this as / travelled; and | decided that
fortune can be won by three things-by
gold, BY steel, and by love. The first |
have not, and for the last I have better
use. Only the second is left. I shall be
Crillon."
looked at him in astonishment; for
the assurance Of his manner exceeded
that Of his words. But did net betray
the feeling. "Crillon was one in mil
lion," | said dryly.
80 am l." he answered.
confess that the audacity Of this reply
silenced me. Bidding him come to me 10
a week, | hinted that in Paris his crowns
would find more frequent opportunities
OF leaving his pockets than his sword its
sheath.
He parted from me with this, seeming
perfectly satisfied with his reception; and
marched away with the port Of a man
who expected adventures at every corner,
and was prepared to make the most Of
them. Apparently he did not take my
hint greatly to heart, however;for when
next met him, within the week, he was
fashionably dressed, his hair in the mode,
and his company as noble as himself. !
made him sign to stop, and he came to
speak to me.
"How many crowns are lett?' ] said
jocularly.
"Fifty," he answered, with perfect
readiness.
"What Y said, pointing to his equip
ment with something Of the Indignation
/ felt, ''has this cost the balance?'
"No," he answered. "On the contrary,
I have paid three months rent III adj
vance and months board at Zaton's; l
have added two suits to my wardrobe,
and have lost fifty crowns on the dice. !"
"You promise WE'LL" said.
He shrugged his shoulders quite in the
fashionable manner. always courage!'
he said; and he went, on smiling.
| was walking at the time with M. de
Saintonage, and he muttered, with a
sneer, that is was not difficult to see the
end, or that within the year the young
braggart would sink to be a gaming
house bully. said nothing, but / con
fess that thought otherwise, the lads
disposition Of his money and his provis-
ion for the future seeming to me 50 re-
markable as to set him above ordinary
rules.
From this time began to watch his
career with interest, and was not sur
prised when, in less than month, some
thing fell out that led the whole court to
regard him with mixture of amusement
and expectancy.
One evening, after leaving the Kings
closet, | happened to pass through the
east gallery at the Louvre, which served
at that time as the outer antechamber.
and was the common resort as well Of all
those idIers who, with some pretensions
to fashion, lacked the entree, as Of many
who with greater claims preferred to be
at their ease. Ny passage for moment
stilled the babel which prevailed. But
| had no sooner reached the farther door
than the noise broke out again: and this
with SO sudden fury, the tumult being
augmented by the crashing fall Of table,
as caused ne at the last moment to stand
and turn. A dozen voices crying simu'-
taneously, "Have a carer' and mot
here! not herer' and all looking the
same way, was able to detect the three
principals in the fracas. They were no
other than NJ. de st. Mesmin, Barradas
"a low fellow, still remembered, who was
already what Saintonge had prophesied
that the former would become-and
young st. Germain, the eldest son Of NJ
n