; but as a matter of fact he never looked openly at any one of
us. Whenever he laid down his knife and fork he would throw himself back
and start retailing in a light tone some Parisian gossip about prominent
people.

He talked first about a certain politician of mark. His "dear Rita" knew
him. His costume dated back to '48, he was made of wood and parchment
and still swathed his neck in a white cloth; and even his wife had never
been seen in a low-necked dress. Not once in her life. She was buttoned
up to the chin like her husband. Well, that man had confessed to him
that when he was engaged in political controversy, not on a matter of
principle but on some special measure in debate, he felt ready to kill
everybody.

He interrupted himself for a comment. "I am something like that myself.
I believe it's a purely professional feeling. Carry one's point whatever
it is. Normally I couldn't kill a fly. My sensibility is too acute for
that. My heart is too tender also. Much too tender. I am a Republican.
I am a Red. As to all our present masters and governors, all those
people you are trying to turn round your little finger, they are all
horrible Royalists in disguise. They are plotting the ruin of all the
institutions to which I am devoted. But I have never tried to spoil your
little game, Rita. After all, it's but a little game. You know very
well that two or three fearless articles, something in my style, you
know, would soon put a stop to all that underhand backing of your king.
I am calling him king because I want to be polite to you. He is an
adventurer, a blood-thirsty, murderous adventurer, for me, and nothing
else. Look here, my dear child, what are you knocking yourself about
for? For the sake of that bandit? _Allons donc_! A pupil of Henry
Allegre can have no illusions of that sort about any man. And such a
pupil, too! Ah, the good old days in the Pavilion! Don't think I claim
any particular intimacy. It was just enough to enable me to offer my
services to you, Rita, when our poor friend died. I found myself handy
and so I came. It so happened that I was the first. You remember, Rita?
What made it possible for everybody to get on with our poor dear Allegre
was his complete, equable, and impartial contempt for all mankind. There
is nothing in that against the purest democratic principles; but that
you, Rita, should elect to throw so much of your life away for the sake
of a Royal adve