The Washington times., 1902-09-28
vi.


vi.
the prince of fair,
X tale" said the Marquis d'
IL Plessy when the lackey ush
ered me into the garden. :.
1t was nest of amber at that til
of sunset, and he waited for me at ;
table laid for supper. under fiat can
opy of trees which had their tops
trained and woven into mat.
took his hand to kiss, but he ros,
lup and magnificently placed me in ;
chair opposite him.
Your benefits are heavy, monsieur,
III said. How shall l acknowledge
them?"
you owe me nothing at ALL" he an
swered; "as you will see when / have
told you a true story. 1t would sount
like a lie if anything were incredible
in these fabulous times
But you do not know anything abou,
lme.''
Il am we'll instructed in your history
lby that charming attendant in fringet
Heather breeches. who has been ac-
Iquainted with you much longer thar
you have been acquainted with your
self"
yet l am not sure Of deserving the
marquis interest. sesttfes
HAS the marquis admitted that he
ifeels any interest in you? Though this
1 will own: Few experiences have
affected me like your living eyes star
ing out of the face OF my dead king!
We met each other again with a steady
gaze like that in the mortuary chapel
do you believe am -?
do i believe you are -? Who said
there was such person in existence?'
Louis Philippe"
1.-The Duke of Orleans? Eth. bien!
What does he know Of the royal family!
He IS of the cadette branch" "nrs soorrs
But he told me the princess. the
ldauphin's sister, believes that the dau-
phin was taken alive from the Temple
and sent to America"
MY dear Lazarre, do not say the
Duke of Orleans would lie-far be 1t
from me-though these are times Elm
which we courageously attack our bet
ters. But he would not object to see-
ing the present pretender ousted. Why.
since his father voted for the death of
Louis VXI, he and his are almost out
|
Royal, the Duchess of Angouleme, can
not endure him. do not think she
would speak to him.
"He is my friend,'' said stoutly.
Remember you are another pretend
er, and he has espoused your cause I
think him decent myself-though there
used to be some pretty stories told about
him and the fair sentimentalist who
educated him-Mme. de Genlis. But /
am an old man; forget gossip"
My host gave lively and delicate at
ltention to his. food as it was brought.
and permitted nothing to be overheard
by his lackeys.
The evening was warm. and fresh with
the breath of June; and the garden, by
contrivance OF lamps around its walls.
turned into dream world after sunset
faded.
1t was as impossible to come to close
as with butterfly. He alighted on a
subject; he waved his wings. and rose.
| felt clumsy giant while he futtered
around my head. smiling, mocking,
thrusting his pathos to the quick.
MY dear boy, do not say that l be-
lieve in you. l do not observe etiquette
with you But am going to tell you
little story about the Tuileries. You
have never seen the palace OF the
Tuileries?"
| said / had not.
1T has been restored for the use of
these Bonapartes. When 1 say these
Bonapartes, Lazarre, l am not speaking
against the Empire. The Empire gave
me back my estates. l was not one of
the stringent emigres. My estates are.
mine. whoever rules in France. You
may consider me betwixt and
tweener. Do so. Ny dear boy. / am.
MY heart is with my dead king. My
carcass is very comfortable. both in
Paris and on my ancestral lands. Ma
poIeon likes me as an ornament to his
bourgeois court. ] keep my opinion of
him to myself. Do you like garlic. my
boy?"
told him I was not addicted to the
use of It.
Garlic is divine. God gave 1t to man.
A hint of it in the appropriate dish
makes life endurable. l carry a piece
in a gold box at the bottom of my vest
pocket that may occasionally take it
out and experience a sense Of gratitude
for divine benefits"
He took out his pet lump. rubbed 1t on
the outside of his wine bottle. poured
out a glassful and drank 1t, smiling
adorably at me in ecstasy!
I'VE were speaking of the Tuileries. |
You should have seen the place when 1t |
was sacked after the flight of the royal |
family. No, you should not have seen
1t. / am glad you were gone. Mirrors |
were shattered, and lusters. vases. china, |
gold candlestick. rolled about and were |
trampled on the floor. The paintings |
were stabbed with pixies: tables. screens,