The Washington herald., 1913-02-02

daft and run amuch-without tht
priests religious standby.
What had Dc Lussac done? He die
not know. and yet he had flung in his
lot with De Lussac: Whatever Dr.
Lussac had done. il was bad enough
in the eyes of the government to result
in his Incarceration in the Bastilc
The impractical dreamer in the arm.
chair. this visionary who. all the samC
in the few pages of lie Contrat Socia
fisSured the old world of thought like
ball OF glass and freed the dream oi
mans freedom like a bubble: this gian
who was also a child suddenly snott
himself a mighty blow on the fore
head.
Could Voltaire be at the bottom o.
all this? The pretty woman. the mys
terious packet, the imprisoned friend
could all this be a plot laid for hi:
ruin. by that arch enemy. that bro
caded monkey. that fat Francois Marie
Arouct de Voltaire!
The thought completed his misery
and Just as child takes to sucking II!
comforter for consolation, so die
our philosopher turn to his spinet. HI
sat down before il and struck a few
notes. And now. mystery of the ere
ative imagination! Though his trou
bles were not forgotten, they had il
some magic way opened the doors Of
that temple of the brain where musit
sits and dreams.
An hour later he was seated at tn,
table with some music paper befor,
him
Therese had gone off for the day
leaving behind her a potato salad TO
his dinner. At 4 O'Clock, urged by tn,
sensation OF hunger, he searched TO
and found the salad. devoured it, ant
found that he had wrecked the musi
in his head; fell asleep, and was awak
ened by the ringing of the bell
Thinking il was Theresc returned
he hurried down. and found De Lus
sac at the door
1t was only when he had reachet
Rousseau's steps that De Lussac fel
the effects OF his long fast He haC
not eaten that day. and he had gon,
| through adventures sufficient to ia.
the strongest man.
He almost fell into Rousseau'S arms
Il am pursued" said he, and. NOR
dieu! | can scarcely stand. Shelter me
my friend, and give me something t.
eat; I'm fainting"
Rousseau, a rabbit a moment ago bu
lien now. cast his arm around tn
| oOmtc to support him He would hav
| defed the whole Hotel de Sartines
guards. Swiss soldiers. lieutenant gen
eral. and all. had they arrived to CLAIM
their prisoner For this sentimentalist
| this dreamer. this timorous spinet
tinker was a man at heart Alway
| fearful OF the things that lay in tn
future. brought face to face with rea
| danger, called on by real distress, h
| had no fear
He led the comtc up the rickcty stair>
! placed him in the armchair. and. dart
ing into the kitchen. which was ais
the parlor, began to search for food
lie found a pie prepared by There's
for their supper. a bottle of wine som
bread. and a knife. fork, and plate
When De Lus>ac mad finished hal
a bottle OF wine and made terribl
inroadS into the sacred pie. the bloc,
returned to his cheeks and life bcgai
for him again
In as few words As possible he toll
his tale from the very beginning. an
Rousseau listened. aStounded and per
| picked: he could not reconcile the maj
OF intellect. the delicate. graceful. am
gracious De Lussac. with the terribl
hornet that had burst from the BaStilt
half strangling De Richelieu. striking
Beauregard with it, sting. shifting an
pursuing in broad day the agents o
Dc SartineS. buzzing it victorious wa
across Paris and lighting at his step
in the resumed form OF the graceful
and delicate De Lussac-
Ii was an object lesson in that mos
difficult subject. man. delivered as i
by heaven to this philosopher who ha
made mankind his study.
"Mordieu.' said he. permitting him
self for once to swear. what YOU teI
+ ME sounds like a comte by Monsieu
Tobias. And is this Monsieur d
Beauregard likely to die of hi
wounds :"
Il do not know" replied Dc Lus
sac. Il trust not. Should he die. how
ever. my mind is clear on the matter
| did it in Self-defense"
"Ay. ay." replied Rousseau: in self
defense. but all the same. he acted fror
duty. You killed him in the execution
of his duty"
Pardon me-" cut in the other. ID
not say killed for l left him stiI
living"
But Jean jacques heard him not. H
had risen to his feet and was pacin
the floor, urged by his internal imag
ination.
ITO kill man in the execution o
his duty is a grave offenSe. / am no
speaking of the human law, but OF tha
! moral code which is part of the struc
ture of the human mind
But, Monsieur. have not kille
him: and our quarrel was private; h
insulted my hat, challenged him. an
he fell. Such things happen every da
in Paris"
Yes. so do murders and larcenie'
STAY: do not wish to stand in Judg
ment over you. Who am | to do so