Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-01-25

l 'IT IS ALL"
 of the difector-general, there came the
 invitation of the regent, practically the ] command of the king, to join the re-
 gent after the opera for little supper
 at the Palais Royal.
 Law would have excused himself from this unsought honor. "Your grace
 will observe" said he, "that my time is l occupied to the full The people scarce ly suffer me to rest at night. Perhaps
 your grace might not care for company
 so dull as mine."
 "Ffe! my friend. my very good friend" replied Philippe. Have you become devot? Whence this sudden
 change? Consider; 'tis no hardship to
 meet such ladies as Madame de sabran, | or Madame de Prie-designer though fear De Prie is for the domestic felic- ity of the youthful king-nor indeed
 my good friend, La Parabere, some-
 what pale and pensive though she
 groweth. And what shall I say for Madame de Tencin. the spirituelle, who is to be with us; or Madame de Cay- Jus, niece of Maintenon, but the very opposite of Maintenon in every possible way? Moreover, we were promised the attendance of Mademoiselle Aisse. She hath become devout of late, and thinks it a sin even to powder her hair. but Aisse devout is none the less Aisse the beautiful
 Surely your grace hath never lacked in excellent taste, and that is the talk of Paris" replied Law.
 tsBut stay! have kept until the last my main attraction. You shall wit ness there, I give you my word, the making public of the secret of the fair unknown who is reputed to have been especially kind to Philippe of Orleans for these some months past Join us at the little enterprise, my friend, and you shall see, promise you, the most beautiful woman in Paris, crowned with the greatest gem of all the world The regents diamond, that great gem which you have made possible for France, shall, for the first time, and for one evening at least, adorn the forehead of the regents queen of beauty"
 As the gay words of the regent fell upon his ears, there came into Laws heart curious tension, present. ment, feeling as though some great and curious thing were about to hap pen. Yet ever the challenge of danger was one to draw him forward not to hold him back. If for moment he had hesitated, his mind was now sud- denly resolved.
 
 Your grace" said he, "your wish Is for me command, and certainly in this instance is peculiarly agreeable"
 Thus 1t came about that, upon that evening, there gathered at the entrance of the Palais Royal, after an evening with Lecouvreur at the Theater Fran cais, some scattered groups of persons evidently possessing consequence The chairs of others, from more distant To- cations, threading their way through the narrow, dark and unlighted streets of the old, crude capital of France, brought their passengers in time to scene far different from that of the gloomy streets.
 AS one trod within the door of this temple of the senses, surely it must 1 have seemed to him that he had come l into another world, which at first glance might have appeared to be one of an unrighteous ease, an unprincipled l enjoyment and an unmanly abandon | ment to embowered vice. Yet here 1t | was that Philippe of Orleans. ruler of l France, spent those hours most oear to him. If he gave thought to affairs or state during the day it was but that these affairs of state might give to him the means to indulge fancies of his own, Alike shrewd and easy, alike naughty and sensuous, here 1t was that Philippe held his real court
 These young gentlemen of France, these Toues who have come to meet EnlIIppe at his little supper>-how diff ferent flom the same beings under the rule of the Grand Monarque. Their coats are no longer dark in hue. Their silks and velvets have blossomed out, oven as Paris has blossomed since the aeath of Louis the Grand. Jabots of lace are shown in full abundance, and so lar from the abolishment of jewels rom their sarb, rubies, sapphfres, dia- monds sparkle everywhere, from the clasp or the high rufffes of the neck 10 the buckles of the red-heeled shoes. Powsaer sparkles on the head coverings oT these new gallants of France. They step aafntffy, yet not ungracefully, in 70 tAfs brfllfantfy-1fghted room. these aFcathres, gracious and resplen1ent. painted. enhemeraI. not un- X