The Washington herald., 1912-11-24
wonderful man miIIiner. eAnd that,

wonderful man milliner. And that,
Madame?"
ma foil Monsieur Behrens, you do
SO many things at the same time that
you have made me forget my ques-
ton. Dear Madame de Stenlis, do not
let me interfere with your decision
on that exquisite silk, unless. indeed,
you ask me for my opinion of j"
And your opinion. Madame"
is that il would suit you admirably,
both in its exquisite color and superb
texture"
Madame de Stenlis turned this COM
pliment over in her mind, mumbled it
as a fish mumblesS bait to see If
there is hook in it, and finding none,
bowed graciously and looked at the
silk anew by way of finding safety.
At this moment. at the same door
way by which Madame Linden had en-
tered, appeared the form of young
man.
II was the Comte de Lussac.
However deeply this gentleman may
have been STEPPED in the philosophy of
Rousseau, he did not at all events imi-
tate that master in his dress, which
was superb, an standing between the
NllAAlSOh Vi lllC nIOl dJ
he made picture worthy of the brush
of Monsieur Drouais. Handsome,
with all the elegance of man of the
court, there was yet about him some
thing that stamped him as man apart,
something of the visionary, the enthus-
last and the poet, rare in that age of
animal lust, chilling wit and embroid-
cred brutality
The Comte de Lussac bowed 10 the
ladies, glanced with amusement at Ben
rens, and advanced to the side of the
Maroness Linden. who was still stand
ing opposite Madame de Stenlis.
Monsieur de Lussac," said the
baroness, your opinion on this silk"
Madame" replied the young man
with a little laugh, 81 can only hken
it to the poetry of silk-worms, I'M
happy in the fate that deprives them
of the eyes which would enable them
to see the majestic form of Monsieur
Behrens, the publisher of their work"
"Ah, ma fol-" cried the delighted
Behrens, st is easy to see that Mon
sieur lie Comte is himself poet"
De Lussac bowed.
"Enriching all that he touches, be
they silkwormS, men"
'Or women" put in Madame de
Joyeuse, with a glance at Madame la
Baronne Linden.
De Lussac flushed: he was about
to make some reply when the Baroness
Systerman and Madame la Comtesse
d'Harlancourt entered the room, pre-
ceded by a female assistant carrying
a large hat
The hat was being conveyed before
the ladies into the dress department;
seeing De Lussac and his companions,
however, they turned, bowed 10 the
seated ladies and passed on, Madame
d'Harlancourt casting venomous
glance upon De Lussac and ignoring
utterly the woman who was standing
beside him.
Madame de Stenlis and Madame de
Joyeuse laughed Madame Linden pal
ed for a moment at the insult then
she laughed, and turning 10 Behrens:
That reminds me, Monsieur Behrens,
of the question / wished to ask you.
Is there not a robe of green among
the dresses / am ordering from you to
take to VIENNA"
''Why, yes. Madame, the robe to be
worn with that hat of half-blown apple
blossoms is of all bord de riviere
green"
Then / contermand it. or if already
made, send it with my compliments to
Madame la Comtesse d'Harlanoourt."
"But why, Madame?" cried the as
tonished Behrens. "Only the other day
you were in raptures with the costume
as sketched by me for your imagina-
ton to dwell upon. And to the Com
tesse dHarlancourt! But why, Mad
ame?"
Because, my dear Monsieur Beh-
rens, / have just remembered that
green is the color of arsenic"