The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-02-24
CHAPTER vi.


THE Talleyrand. as its name i'm
plies. Is diplomatic club. but
ambassadors and ministers en-
4 ter not its portals. They send
their juniors. Some Of these latter are
in the habit of stating that London is
the hub Of Europe and the Talleyrand
smoking room it's grease box. Certain
is it that such men as Claude de Chaux-
vile, as Karl Steinmetz and hundred
others who are or have BEEN political
scene shutters. are. to be found in the
Talleyrand rooms.
! The atmosphere is vivaciOus with the
light sound Of many foreign tongues.
1t bristles with the ephemeral impor-
lance Of cheap titles. One never knows
whether ones neighbor is an ornament
to the Almanach de Gotha or dis
grace to a degenerate colony OF. refu-
gees. II
Some are plain messieurs. senores or
herren, bluff foreigners with upright
hair and melancholy eyes. who put up
philosophically with cheaper brand
Of cigar than their souls love. Among
the latter may be classed Karl Stein
metz. the bluffest of the bluff. innocent
even Of his own innocence.
Karl Steinmetz in due course reached
England and I'm natural sequence the
smoking room of the Talleyrand.
He was there one evening after an
excellent dinner taken with humorous
y.0c oft tl,A
the waiter could supply. when Claude
de Chauxville happened to have moth
ing better or nothing worse to do.
De Chauxville looked through the
glass door for some seconds. then he
twisted his waxed mustache and
lounged in. Steinmetz was alone in the
room. and De ChauYville was evident
~ almost obviously unaware of his
presence. He went to the table and
proceeded to search in vain for news
paper that interested him. He raised
his eyes casually and met the quiet
gaze of Karl Steinmetz.
You in Londen?"
Steinmetz nodded gravely. "t!oG
EYES," he repeated.
zone never knows where one has
you" Claude de Chauxville went on,
seating himself in deep armchair.
newspaper in hand. "You are bird Of
passage"
"a little heavy on the wing now"
said Steinmetz.
He laid his newspaper down on his
stout knees and looked at De Chaux-
vile over his gold eyeglasses. He did
not attempt to conceal the fact that he
was wondering what this manswanted
with him. The baron seemed to be
wondering what object Steinmetz had
in view in getting stout. ,Hesuspected
some motive in the obesity.
"AhY' he said deprecatingiy.5 THAT
is nothing. Time leaves its mark upon
all of us. it was not yesterday that
revere in Petersburg together
NO." answered Steinmetz. ''It was
before the German empire-many years
ago"
DE Chauxyille countedebaek with his
slim fingers on the table delightfully."-
innocent, gssaa-& 90 @s
F"Yes," he said, "the years seem to fly
in coyeys Do you ever see any of our
friends of that time-you who are in
Russian" 7. 90 "ss9alfh
i"Who were our friends of that timer
parted Steinmetzppo his'glasses
with a silk handkerchief. asMy mem
ory is broken reed You remember"
For moment Claude de Chauxyille
met the full. quiet gray eyes. r
eyes," he said significantly, Il re-
member. Well. for instance, Prince
Dawoff?"
Dead. never see him, thank heav-
en-
1.-THE princess?' 90
81 never .see She keeps a gambling
house in Paris"
'The Count Lanovitch," pursued De
Chauxville-"whe is he?"
"Banished forjthis connection with
the Charity league"
,"Catrinay' eiaa2@r
"Catrina is living in the province of
Tver. We are neighbors- and her
mother, the countess" 49,
De Chauxville, nodded. None Of the
details really interested him. His in
difference was obvious.
"Ah, the Countess Lanovitch," he
said refectively-'she was a foolish
woman" ep ..A,s.
"And is" sfs "a rs
"And-er-the Sydney Bamboroughs. y
said fho Eropchniap as If the name
had almost left his memory.
Karl Steinmetz lazily stretched out
his arm and took up the Morning Post
He unfolded the sheet slowly, and. hav-
ing found what he sought. he read
aloud:
Ellis excellency the Roumanian am
bassador gave select dinner party at
4 Craven Gardens yesterday. Among
the guests were the Baron de Chaux.
@VT I