style," she wrote, "his eyes express great to find out with whom M. Rols is to stay intelligence, and his mustache is too while here." droll for anything." "He stays," this editor replied with "He is just letting it grow, I suppose," haughtiness," at the Hôtel Prudhomme, in Madame de Bau said. the suite de luxe, all expenses paid by Vitourac. Good-evening." The morning of the third day brought a gratifying development—the Paris papers were ringing with M. Rols's visit to Vitourac. Of course they were a day old when they reached the South, but the prominence the town had achieved yesterday warmed the pride of its citizens to-day. The tactful exaggeration of the splendor of M. Rols's reception was a matter for rejoicing even to the visitors; the very children felt themselves honored in their birthplace. One editor was visited with a fascinating fancy. He said that M. Rols had been so touched with the hospitality preparing for him, that he had caused six exquisite thermometers to be made as presents for the six ladies of the committee of reception. He had chosen thermometers as a tribute to Vitourac's even temperature. Père Péroult, having sold all his seats upon the grandstand, allowed seats upon the laps of adults to be purchased for children. Permits were issued at five francs each, and their sale was as rapid as could be desired. In the course of a few hours all Vitourac's children were provided for, and many incorrigible bachelors learned with alarm that a Gustave, Susanne, Jules, or Didie would perch upon the knee of celibacy during the oration of the Mayor and the subsequent ceremonial. No complaints were received from spinsters, as they are ever pleased to masquerade as matrons. Although the subscription in the Salle de Luxe grew momently, the church's finance had never been so good. The night-train puffed into Vitourac station thirty-six hours before the fête. A young man alighted from it, asking for the office of the Vitourac Vitesse. He entered it and addressed the editor as if he were an ordinary being; now this editor was the Napoleon of the press in the judgment of Vitours, and such familiarity annoyed him. "I have come from Paris," the traveller said, finally, "and I wish very much "Has he no special friend here?" "Madame de Bau is his personal entertainer, as you might have seen in yesterday's Vitesse." "Thank you," the stranger said, depart ing. By means of frequent inquiry, he found his way to the house of Madame de Bau, who was plainly visible in her white gown at the open window, embroidering the leopard's left paw in the Vitourac arms. He advanced on the gravel to within a few paces. "Madame de Bau?" he inquired. Although she started, her voice was quite steady in reply. "I understand that M. Rols is to be here in Vitourac and that you are better informed of his design in coming here than -than others." Madame de Bau nodded assent to this pleasing proposition. "I believe so," she rejoined, grandly. The traveller continued in the accent that essays sympathy and shows hypocrisy: "M. Rols is the debtor of the costuming house I represent, and its debtor to a considerable degree." "I should prefer to hear the name M. Rols gives them. Great fame is more annoying to the really sensitive than insolvency. He escapes publicity in flight." "I agree with you in that, Madame. But may I show you his note?" The traveller drew from his pocket a paper of official appearance, and Madame read the signature of Banastre Rols upon a debtor's note. The date mentioned as the day of payment being that, the traveller declared, of M. Rols's departure from Paris. "The whole civilized world knows what train brings M. Rols to Vitourac,” he said, simply; "he will be arrested on that train for 1,500 francs. I cannot act except as Vitourac had never before been the scene of such a splendid fête.-Page 758. "Assuredly, Madame." The traveller turned obligingly, and his slight figure was soon but a vague shape in the night's shadow. As for Madame, she cared but little; 1,500 francs could be collected before another noon. There were telephones in Vitourac, besides wealth and enthusiasm. V EVERYONE knew M. Rols's predicament before second breakfast on the day following. Madame de Bau called the reception committee to a meeting at 10.15, when she gave them their coffee and her view of the situation. Her manner was convincing, but her words eluded the memories of those whose hearts she had stirred and whose pockets she had lightened. One member said that her face was matic ammonia, and assumed the look of martyrdom which is ever effective in controversial matrimony. When she grew stronger he was assured that such a course would be dishonesty. He was thus silenced. But Madame de Bau had nothing of all this with which to contend. The noon sun fell fiercely upon her gay garden and upon its walk, where the mica specks glittered like paillettes. The breeze grew fresher and the trees gave no shade; lizards, green and supine, stretched upon heated stones in the courtyard, which was at last crossed by the overnight visitor. "Admission free?" he inquired, with insolence. "Quite free," Madame answered, stiffly; "but observe I prepay your return." She handed him the bank-notes, which he counted with care and a moistened forefinger. "How came M. Rols to visit Vitourac?" answered, graciously. "Except that you he asked again, folding up his money. "Madame d'Arbois the fancier, the dog fancier? I read of her dogs in the papers." "Dogs are her passion." Madame de Bau could not relinquish an opportunity of conversation. To enlighten even a bill-collector upon the hobbies of a countess is a pleasant educational enterprise, it reflects social glory upon the teacher. "Her dogs are like her human friends,” she said, slowly; "they are more than animals with names, they are personalities. I am the only other person in Vitourac who shares these appreciations with her. During the lifetime of my own pet, le Prince Zulu, her caniche, Orizaba, wrote to us almost daily. I recall that she possessed a visiting card with the d'Arbois arms upon it, and studied daily tasks like a real child. This dog gave and received gifts at New Year, telegraphing her state of health in her own name when absent from her mistress, who also gave her a weekly allowance of six sous. 'The Humanization of the Canine' is the name of her book, in whose composition I was somewhat concerned. Should you care for a copy it may be procured at Dufu's for two francs." "Thank you," the rising to take leave. telephone-bell as he court. visitor said, civilly, Numero deux, Vitourac," she said. "Hola, Madame la Prefecte, Madame de Bau is speaking." In another moment the Prefect's wife was within earshot and Madame de Bau in full tide of successful narration. "He gave me no trouble," she concluded. "But did he give a receipt?" the Prefect's wife demanded. "Most certainly," Madame de Bau rejoined, while a scared pallor spread over her face. tell me, I never should have noticed it," which was incontestably true. Even a telephone cannot damage the manners of France. Madame de Bau rushed to the desk in alarm, but Rols' note for 1,500 francs lay upon it. Sighing with relief she resumed her good opinion of herself as a business woman. When good fortune is with us it is difficult to distinguish it from good abilities. VI MADAME DE BAU greeted the day at dawn, glancing at the Varac hills, upon whose summit the sun prints his official announcement of morning in red ink. She had no anxiety about the weather, for at that season the rain falls only at night, and she sought sleep again with speed, for a night without it is said to add year to one's appearance. When she woke again it was time to dress. The agitations of her toilet were greater than those of a bride. The exact amount of powder to be worn upon one's nose without detection, the exact amount of strain to be placed upon one's belt without destruction, and the exact amount of cordiality to be infused into one's greeting without vulgar demonstration, were problems which forced themselves upon her busy mind. But at last the horses pranced in the courtyard and the stream of pedestrians to the grandstand thickened without the gates, bevies solidified, becoming a crowd, the growing crowd became a throng. Madame de Bau fixed a final pin in her veil, descending to meet the Mayor and Prefect with admirable calm, but she adored the stir in Vitourac. You have your handkerchief?" she inquired of the Mayor. "I have a supply," he replied, pulling four from the pocket of a new frock coat, for when he mopped his brow the deaf Prefect was to obey the dumb signal by presenting the keys upon their cushion. He moved forward involuntarily at sight of them, while Madame felt assured that her rehearsals would bear fruit in prompt performance. She acknowledged that "Don't apologize," Madame de Bau Vitourac had never before been the scene The Prefect's wife declared herself satisfied. "You must excuse my coming to the telephone in my petticoats," she said. of such a splendid fête, the street to the station was filled with strangers, and harvesting wagons were drawn up along its sides. Their horses fed from bags tied to the tails of these carts, and patient peasants from the back of Vitours province waited the opportunity to see a Parisian personage. No coign of observation was neglected, girls and boys stripped off their shoes to stand in the basin of the marketplace fountain. In the general enthusiasm and good-nature, Madame de Bau was cheered from all sides, she was happy, gracious, elaborate in dress and manner. The brightness of life blinded her; she imagined her first conversation with M. Rols in a sort of ecstasy. "Has M. Rols accepted Britours's invitation to be present at its dog show?" Père Péroult asked when his friends had gained the station-yard. "We are not yet informed," the Mayor replied, fussily. "Such details arrange themselves." the seven daughters, who failed to see Péroult's importance in this celebration. "He is not in the confidence of the authorities," he exclaimed. "He did not even know that this stand was to be erected. I asked him myself, and he made no reply, upon the very day that you engaged labor to work on it." The seven souls of the seven daughters were on fire with expectation and desire to see the great romantic actor whom one applauded nightly had one the blest lot of matrimony. Wedlock is the price of admission to plays of interest," they agreed. Madame de Bau scanned them with scorn, she felt sure that no rival could compete with her for M. Rols's favor. The sun beat down upon the waiting throng, and presently, far in the faultless blue, one caught sight of a floating film, like a lady's veil. It vanished and others came, while from the north one heard the shrill voice of progress, the whistle of an engine. It was followed by the rumble of heavy wheels, rolling up grade to Vitourac station. The Vitesse Méridionale was come at last. "They are giving out handbills announcing his presence there," the priest said, pointing to the men who were pressing bits of yellow paper upon the passersby. Père Péroult was working hard The Mayor cleared his throat and swalhimself. The grandstand being packed, lowed a surreptitious troche, the Prefect Allerac was explaining its construction began his watch for handkerchiefs with with a voice of thunder to the father of the keenness of a terrier alert for a ball. The train stopped and the band began. Reporters stepped from the "wagon lit," fountain-pens in hand and telegraph blanks over the heart, i.e., in the breast pocket. A fresh consignment of strangers was merged in the moving mass, in which they were soon lost after struggling to the platform. The reception committee formed a triangle, with strained smiles of welcome upon their faces and excitement surging in their souls. The grandstand thrilled in sympathy. Madame de Bau exclaimed in surprise: "There is Gabriel, the d'Arbois valet. He doubtless identifies M. Rols's luggage. Beautiful dramatic instinct ! M. Rols wishes to be the last to leave the train, that his welcome may not be marred in all this crowding." Gabriel drew forth a tiny box from the luggage van; it was two feet in length and eighteen inches across, bearing upon one end this legend, "M. Rols, D'Arboisinage," which last name is of the d'Arbois château. Barking now sounded from the luggage van, imperative and persistent barking, and Gabriel returned to the van's opening to receive a poodle into his arms. The dog was a chenille caniche, chestnut colored, and straining toward the platform from a chain of pure silver. "It is the actor's animal. It is his dear dog. Behold a great man's pet," everyone cried at once. Children ran forward to slip garlands under his collar, and Gabriel turned again and again in a slow circle, trying to bow to each towns-fellow who praised the poodle. "It was proper of d'Arbois to send his own man," the Prefect murmured to the Mayor," but I should hardly think Rols would send a friend's servant to care for his dog." "I have not time to gossip about our guest," the Mayor responded, stiffly. "I must greet him. It is evidently customary to get upon the train and bring these celebrities off." The Prefect stepped into the vestibule of the American carriage, the Mayor following, at which moment Gabriel sighted Madame de Bau. He made way for himself by means of his elbows, shoving to right and left, and at last gaining Madame's side. "Were you sent as guide to M. Rols?" she said, graciously. "Yes, Madame. He was much trouble in travel, but he is all right at home, I assure you." Madame de Bau glared at the author of this insolence, the five other ladies of reception followed her lead. He is full of tricks," Gabriel continued, without observing the six scathing stares. For instance, give the paw now! See, ladies, he gives the paw!" 66 Two ecstatic children shook the poodle's paw, while Madame looked about her as in a dream. "You identified his luggage?" she demanded. |