Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-08-30
CHAPTER VIII

VI Cbl yOu 6t " Nilt
1V1 quis du Plessy said when I told
him what intended to do. "It is a long.
expensive post journey, and part of the
way you may not be able to post. Riga.
on the gulf beyond Mittau. is a fine old
town of pointed gables and big stone
houses But when l was in Mittau
found 1t a mere winter camp of Russian
mobiles. The houses are low. one-story
structures. There is but one castle, and
in that his Royal Highness the Count of
Provence holds mimic court"
We were riding to Versailles and our
horses almost touched sides as my friend
put his hand on my shoulder.
Don't go. Lazarre. You will not be
welcome there"
II must go, whether I am welcome or
not"
But 1 may not last until you come
back"
You will last two months Can't 1
post to Mittau and back in two months? 2"
God knows"
l looked at him dropping forward in
the 0addle and said:
IF you need me / will stay and think
no more about seeing those of my owD
blood"
Il do need you; but you shall not stay.
You shall go to Mittau In my own post
carriage. 1t will bring you back sooner"
But his post-carriage l could not ac-
cept. The venture to Mittau, its wear and
tear and waste. were my own; and l
promised TO return with all speed.
could have undertaken the road afoot,
driven by the necessity felt.
The Duchess of Angouleme is a good
GIRL, said the Marquis. following the
line of my thoughts. "She has devoted
herself to her uncle and her husband.
When the late czar withdrew his pension
and turned the whole mimic court out
of Mittau she went with her uncle, and
even waded the snow with him when they
fell into straits. Diamonds given to her
by her grandmother, the Empress Maria
Theresa, she sold for his support. But
tho new Car reinstated them; and,
though they live less pretentiously at
Mittau in these days. they still have
their priest and almoner, the Duke of
Gulche, and other courtiers hanging
upon them. My boy. can you make a
court bow and walk backward? You
must practice before going into Russia. -
wouldn't 1t be better" / said "for
those who know how, to practice the
accomplishment before me?"
Imagine the Count of Provence step
ping down from playing royalty to do
my lduBntu.
II don't know why he shouldn't. since
he knows 1 am alive. He has sent money
every year for my support"
An established cutom, Lazarre gains
strength every day IL is continued You
see how hard II is to overturn an exist
ing system, because men have to undo
the work they have been doing perhap ps
for thousand years. Time gives enor-
nous stability. Monsieur the Count OF
Provence has been practicing royalty
since word went out that his nephew had
died In the Temple. 1t will be no easy
matter to convince him you are fit 10
play King In his stead"
This did not disturb me. however.
thought OF my sister. And / Thought OF
vast stretches across the centre of Eu.
rope. The Indian stirred In me, as IL al.
ways did stir, when the woman 1 wanted
was withdrawn from me.
1 could not tell my friend, or any man
about Madame de Ferrier. This story OF
my life is not to be printed until 1 am
gone from the world. Otherwise the things
set down so freely would remain buried IN
myself
Some beggars started from novels. run.
ming like dogs holding diseased and
crooked-eyed children up for aims. and
pleading for Gods sake that we would
have pity on them. When they disap.
peared with their coin l asked the mar.
49, - ehSAS heA AAWo9b bten WfeLCne0-
ness In France.
There Is always wretchedness every.
where" he answered. Napoleon can turr
the world upside down. but he canno,
cure the disease of hereditary poverty
never rode to Versailles without encoun.
tering these people"
When we entered the Place d'Arme,
fronting the palace. desoiation worse thar
that OF the beggars faced u.s. That vas
noble pile, untenanted and sacked sym
bolized the vanished monarchy OF France
| Doors stood wide. The court was strewr
with litter and fifth and grass started
rank betwixt the stones where the proud
est courtiers In the world had trod
tried to enter the Queens rooms but sai
on the steps leading TO them, holding m,
head In my hands. 1t was as impoasibl,
as Il had been 10 enter the Temple
The fountains which once made a con
cert OF mist around their lake basin. sat
isfying like music the marquis said wer.
dried. and the figures broken Million
had been spent upon this domain o
KINGS. and nothing but the summer
natural verdure Was left 70 unmow1
stretches. The foot shrank from send
ing echaes through empty palace apart