The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1914-10-01

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II think he's a Frenchman. sir: any
way. he don't know much English. He
amt much OF a locker, sir--Tve seen
hundreds like him sitting out In front
OF the cafes along the ~boulevards, TAX
Ing all afternoon TO drink a book"
Yantine seemed struck by a sudden
idea, and he looked at the card again.
the table.
shall I show him out, sir7" asked
Parks, at last.
No. said vantine. after an i~nstant's
hesitation. Tell him to wait" n he
dropped the card on the table beside
his plate.
II tell you. Lester" he went on az
Parks withdrew, when I went down.
stairs this morning and saw the cabin
ct, I could hardly believe my eyes. /
thought ! knew furniture. but / hadn't
any idea such a cabinet existed. The
most beautiful I had ever seen Is at the
Louvre. It stands in the Sale Louis
Fourteenth, to the left as you enter. IT
belonged to Louis himself. OF course
I can't be certain without a careful ex-
aminatioin, but I believe that cabinet,
beautiful as 1t Is, Is merely the counter
part OF this one"
eyes bright with the enthusiasm OF the
c~onnoisseur.
I'm not sure I understand your lar
gon." I said. What do you mean by
counterpart"
"Boule furniture" he explained. "is
usually Of ebony inlaid with tortoise
shell, and i~ncrusted with araktesoues In
metals OF various kinds. The ~incrusta-
ton had to be very exact. and to get II
so. b artist clamped together two
plates OF equal size and thickness. one
Of metal. h other OF tortoise shell.
traced his design on the top one, and
then cut them both out together. The
result was two combinations. the orig
inal, with q tortoise shell ground and
metal applications; and the counter
part, applique metal with tortoise shell
a~rabes1ues. The original was really the
one which the artist designed and
whose effects he studied; the counter
part was merely q resultant accident
with which he was not especially con-
cerned. Understand?"
Yes, I think So" I said. TITS a good
deal as though Michael Angelo, when
no made n OF his sketches. white on
black, put q sheet Of carbon under his
paper and made a copy at the Same
time, black on white"
Precisely. And it's the original
which has the real artistic value. OF
course. the counterpart Is often beauti-
ful, too, but in a much lower degree
II IAN understand that" / said.
And now, Lester" Vantine went on.
his eyes shining more n more,
IF my supposition is correct-if the
Grand Louis was content with the
counterpart Of this cabinet for the long
gallery at Versailles, who do you sup
pose owned the original?'
/ saw what he was driving at.
You mean one of his mlstresses ?s
Yes, and I think / know which one
1t belonged to Madame de Montespan."
! stared az him in astonishment, as
he sat back in his chair, smiling at me,
but" ! objected, you can't be
sure
"of course I'm not sure" he agreed
quickly. h Is to say / couldn't prove
II. But there IS some-ah-contribu-
tory evidence, / think you lawyers call
II. Boule and the Montespan were In
their glory at the same time, and / can
imagine that flamboyant creature com-
missioning the namboyant artist to
build her just such q cabinet
Really, Vantine,p / exclaimed, II
didn't know you were so romantic. You
quite take my breath away"
He flushed a little at the words, and
l saw how deeply in earnest he was.
"The craze OF the collector takes him
q long way sometimes" he said, but
I believe I know what I'm talking about.
I am going to make a careful examina-
ton OF h cabinet as soon as I can.
Perhaps I'll find somethtng-there
ought TO be a monogram on II some
where. What / you to do is 20
cable my shippers, Armand ct Fills, Rue
du Temple. find out who owns this cab
met, and buy II for me"
Perhaps the owner won't sell it, !
suggested.
"Oh yes. he viii Anything a be
kbOught-for a price"
eYou mean you're going to have this
cabinet, whatever the cost7"
II mean Just that
but, surely, there's a limit?"
No, there isn't"
"At least you'll tell me where to be-
GIN I said. Il don't know anything
f0f h value OF gueh things"
Wen said Vanttne, suppose you
begin at 10000 francs. We mustn't seem
too eager It's because I'm 30 eager,
I want you to carry 1t through for me-.
i can't trust myself"
"And the other endT"
There isn't any other end. OF course,
strictly speaking, there Is, because my
money isn't unlimited; but / don't be-
lieve you win have to go over 100000
francs"
I gasped.
you mean you're willing 70 give
$100, 900 for this cabinets"
Vantine nodded.
Maybe a little more. II the owner
won't accept that, you must let me
know before you break off negotiations.
I'm a little mad about il, / fancy-all
collectors are a little mad. But i want
that cabinet, and I'm going to have IT."
] did not reply. I only looked at him.
And he laughed as he caught my
glance.
IT can see you share that opinion,
Lester" he said. you fear for me. I
don't blame you-but come me see IT"
He led the way but OF the room and
down the stairs: but when we reached
the lower hall, he paused.
Perhaps, I'd better see my visitor
first he said. You'll find a new pic
tnre or two over there In the music
room-ru be with you In a minute"
j started on, and he turned through
a doorway at the left.
An instant later, I heard q sharp ex-
clamation: then his voice calling me.
fTesterl Come herel" he cried.
/ ran back along the hall, into the
room which he had entered. He was
standing just inside the door.
Look here" he said, with q queer
catch in his voice, and pointed with a
L hand 70 a dark object on the