Monsieur de Camors -- Volume 1

esolves, Louis de Camors rode out from the 'porte-coche

peopled only with good and generous spirits who love one another. Paris does not pique herself on her generosit

believe the country is covered with roses. The cries of old Paris cut

d merchants taking down their shutters with great noise; and groups of

he news proper to awakening; speculations on the weath

h elastic step, making now a short pause before a shop just

to go gayly to the cemetery, with their jovia

f these a gentleman played hoop with a very young, blond-haired child. His age belonged in that uncertain area which may range from twenty-five to forty. He wore a white cravat, spotless as snow; and two triangles of short, thick beard, cut like the boxwood at Versailles, ornamented his cheeks. If Camors saw this personage he did not honor him with the slightest notice. He was, notwithstanding, his former comrade Lescande, who had been lost sight of for several years by his warmest college friend. Lescande, however, wh

ave no longer

know me?" cr

you? W

afraid-on accou

not change you-excep

are you d

I am at home here. Dismount, I p

ference; and, throwing his bridle to the servant who followed him, he passed thr

full of rare plants. At the end, a small villa,

tty!" exclaimed

, Number Three, do you not

? Ah, yes, perfectly,"

y little cousin

-and he pointed to the closed shutters of a large window of a bal

d's hair. "The deuce!" he said; "but you have not

nobleman, who had seen my plan at the Exhibition and was delighted with it. This was the beginning of my fortune; but you must not imagine that my profession alone has enriched me so quickly. I made some successful speculations-some unheard of chances in lands; and, I beg you to believe,

e soiled cuffs, t

ot you a moment. I even had a foolish idea of asking you to my wedding, only I did not dare. You are so brilliant, so petted, with your establishment and your racers. My wife knows you very well; in fact, we hav

Camors as he answered, quiet

ver the gravel path bordered by g

friend, I hope that

, ride to the Bois, thence to the club, go to the Bois again, and then back to the club. If there is a first representation at any

a wood

le woo

g wood

ming, and the whole of Paris will sing that song with delight for a

laughed Lescande, "and that

ty-nine," replied Camors, lightin

the fresh voice of a woman calli

you, Th

white hand, resting on the slats

briskly; and he pushed Camors behind a clump of catal

r; do you wi

is wit

," cried the child. "It

u quit

She opened the shutters, and, shading her eyes fr

ashmere, plumper and taller than she really was. Bands of the same color interlaced, in the Greek fashion, her

g, yawned, showing her white teeth,

ou look s

e moment had withdrawn from his concealment-gave a startle

of the Juliet who had taken Lescande as her Romeo. He experienced a flash of agreeable s

de, with a hearty laugh, "and you also must stay f

ily, "No, no! Impossible! I have

e appointed day. Besides abhorring family dinners, he objected to being reminded of the scene of the balcony. The indiscreet kindness of Lescande both touched and irritated him; for he knew he should play but a silly part near this pretty woman. He felt sure she was a coquet

tolerated by French society. Like a few other women of society, Madame had the quality of virtue just as ermine has the quality of whiteness. Vice was not so repugnant to her as an evil as it was as a blemish. Her daughter had received from her those instincts of chastity which are oftener than we imagine hidden under the appearance of pride. But these amiable women

earn the smallest details of the high life of Paris; to follow its feasts, speak in its slang, copy its toilets, and read its favorite books. So that if not the rose, they could at leas

s for a demigod, and as such inspire Madame Lescande and her mother with a sentiment of most violent curiosity. His early intimacy with Lesca

ceed, and so well that Camors was slightly piqued. If not a coxcomb, he was at least young: he was accustomed to please: he knew the Princess

f the simple wife of simple Lescande should be able to bear his radiance

adame Mursois. The whole evening he scattered around the mother the social epigrams intended to dazzle the d

mbroidering on the balcony, by chance, and returned his salute over her tapestry. He remarked, too, that she saluted ve

on her husband's virtues. This pious resolve had an unfortunate effect; for Madame, whose virtue had been piqued, had also reflected; and while an obtrusive devotion had not failed t

hem, while Camors completed their happiness by admitting them to the weighing-stand. Further, when they walked past the judge's stand, Madame Mursois, to whom he gave his arm, had th

ashionables who passed before them. Another time he would drop into their box at the opera, deign to remain there during an act or two, and correct their as yet incomplete views of the morals of the ballet. But in all these interv

sary to be on her guard, as at first, thought she might permit herself

e their adversaries, sometimes they find habit too strong for them, and lunge home in spite of themselves. Besides, he began to be really int

his home bent on suicide, his son, passing up the Avenue Ma

on the instant. The ladies will be so lonely, pray stay and dine with them! I can't tell what the deuce ails my wife. She ha

nted him to the ladies, whom the presence of the unexpected guest seemed to cheer a little. Lescande st

hose lively sallies-those brilliant combats at the barriers -that ever precede the more serious conflict. About nine o'clock the headache of Madame Mursois-perhaps owing to the cigar they had allowed Camors-beca

you with a little music

mbarrassed. "What shall I play for you?" she asked,

a waltz," answere

her hands together exclaimed, "It seems to me there is a storm. Do you not think so?" She appro

tched the sombre shadow of the wood, while nearer

rembling hands met and for

en voice. She shuddered, repelled the arm that Camo

mpetuous gesture of her hand, as she sank up

id not obey. He se

e awoke from her trance;

of the awful abyss into which she had suddenly plunged. Her husband, her

er hand vacantly across her brow, and muttering, "Oh, God! oh, God!

rly on that of her lover. She turne

must de

and indifferently and half raised his shoulders in sign of

l smile-"Do not insist on an

ight? You do

ard her, looked straight in her face, a

while her eyes dilated as if under the influence of strong poison. Camors strode ac

one service-and only one which I can now render you. I do it now, and tell you the truth. Understand me clearly; women who f

his veins that does not throb for you; there is not a thought of his day nor a dream of his night that is no

indow; I have talked a few times with you, and you yield to me in one moment

ies! And if after all you still believe he loves you, you do yourself fresh injury. No: we soon learn to hate those irks

is their purity, and losing that, they lose everything. But it is a blessing to them

ds clenched-yearning from the depths of her heart that death would summon her. Suddenly a singular noise, seeming to come from the next room, struck her ear. It was only a convulsive sob, or violent and smothered laughter. The wilde

oor, sobbing furiously and beating his forehead against a chair which he strained in a convulsive embrace. Her tongue refused its office; she could find no word, but seating herself near him, gave way to her emotion, an

he house, and the instant after she heard the roll

hat a young woman, who believes in little, like Madame Lescande, and a young man who believes in nothing, like

nce buried, start up suddenly in their consciences;

elf, were no new sensations to this young man; but he never had experienced them in such poignant intensity as at this cursed hour, when flying from the dishonored hearth of the friend of his boyhood. No action of his life had ever thrown such a flood of light on the depths of hi

ere he reached the corner of the Rue Royale and the Boulevard. Chance favored his last design, for as he alighted in front of his

e, my Prince! I tho

only this

u are better

o-

tly well. And isn't C

y believe Providence

ink so, my Pri

by-and-bye; but first I want t

quar

uel for

o say, aga

passed; I heard of it on

believe it first disgusted, and then irritated me. One day at the club I could not resist saying, 'You are an ass, La Bride, to ruin yourself-worse than that, to ruin your sister, for the sake of a snail, as little sympathetic as Sarah, a girl

bed for three

am a bear, a savage, a ghost! Assist me to return to life. Let us g

s recommended b

hing could be be

and a half-dozen guests of both sexes, took possession o

down before the restaurant, raking with his hook in the refuse that awaited the public sweepers. In closing his purse, with an unste

hat falls into the trench s

, then," answered Camors, l

oup round him. Then he knelt, buried his chest in the mire, and sprang up next moment with the coin clenched

uld you like to earn five Louis? If so, give me a knock

im such a blow in the face that he reeled against the opposite wall.

ied Camors. "Here, my man

the other, "I am pa

whether you agree with me, but I am really charmed with this little ep

d in, and was driven rapidly to hi

before the stable-doors. Upon seeing him, these people became suddenly silent, and exchanged looks of sympathy and compassion. Camors occupied the second floor of the h

, Joseph?"

onsieur le Comte wrote

gone, then? But-where-how? Wha

handed him the paper. Camor

d the first words- "My son, life is a burden to

his father, notwi

ed him to