Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-07-12
CHAPTER H.
Love Making at Short Acqu nj aiutance.

The next morning was bright, and not
too cold At eleven | approached the
great gate of the Louvre, wearing the
bold dcmeanor of man determined not
10 be abashcd even by the presence OF
ROYALTY. Vet within me there was some
slight trcpidatlon lest | should, on first
setting foot within the precincts OF a
palace, betray my rustic bringing up.
Others were being admitted at the
gate, and some were coming out, both
the Kings council and the reception
having been over for some time. \ page,
who had been waiting just inside the
court, came out rs ! approached, and
asked me If | were NJ dc Iaunay.
Astonished, that he should have 80
easily picked me out, | replied that |
was. lie then said that he had come to
conduct me to Monsieur, Marquis de
Ouelus. and ! followed him into the
great courtyard of the Louvre.
Before me was the imposing facade OF
the nalace. Around me was an animated
scene of well-drcSSed gentlemen coming
and going, meeting one another forming
little groups for . moment 5 interchange
of news or inquiries and as quickly
breaking up There were soldiers Oh
guard. officers on duty and Oft. courtlerS
m brilliant doublets, dazzling ruiis, rich
hose. gentlemen with gay pluaeS, costly
cloaks lewcllcd Sword-hIlts. There were
narrs Strutting about with messages;
lackevS. belonging only 10 the greatest
mobiles or roval faYorlteS. Everybody,
whether gentleman, soldier, household
officer. prioSt, page. or valet, went with
An air of great consequence, with head
high IN air. every step, expression, and
attitude proclaimlng q sense of vast
slperloritv to the rest 0t the world. 1t
was as If people attached 70 the court
wore m elevated race 81 beings; or rs if
rhe court were Olympus and these were
GODS and the seryItors OF gods, who
very properly, regarded mortals, with
disdai1. Each man, too, maintained not
only this lofty air rs befittlng one Of the
court. but also an aspect OF individual
p-eciousness a. towards his fellow
dlyluities. There was, III many lace
or bearing. an expressed resentment |
IN advance. al any affrout that might be
offered The soldiers staggered, the |
gentlemen showed Self-cStcem ii every |
noti0D Nevertheless there was much |
raod nature and courtesy IN the saiuta- |
tiar- fragments of conversation and |
exchanges Of gossip. Leaving the sunllt I
behind. the page showed me /
lip /. hne stairway, whore some gentle
mon tarried Ill little parties, while Others
i n,ccndcd or descended. We passed 4
through large galleries, the same ami
nation eontinuiag everywhere. | had
~ time, as Ne passed, 70 examine tho
superb hangIngs and fanciful decorations
of tho galleries in detail The clothes
n the courtiers. the brilliant display Of
velvet. silk .furs, and the finest linen, Of
every known hua made a continually
changing. moving panorama Of color.
We approached, n last, 3 group ex-
traordrnarilv radlal in attire. II was
composed II very Young men, some Of
whom had hardly vet acquired the beard
REQUIRED BY the universal fashion. Even
al 4 distance / could sc that their
cheeks were painted could note their
affectation az feminine attitudes, could
smell the perfumes with which they had Il
ielurpd their bodies. These we're some
81 the favorltes of the King and more