wood; but
at any rate, if they were not the actual thing, they were very good
imitations. Yes, Monsieur le Baron," continued Cadenette with a sigh,
"those days were the good days, not only for the wig-makers, but for
all France. We were in all the secrets, all the intrigues; nothing was
hidden from us. And there is no known instance, Monsieur le Baron, of a
wig-maker betraying a secret. Just look at our poor queen; to whom
did she trust her diamonds? To the great, the illustrious Leonard, the
prince of wig-makers. Well, Monsieur le Baron, two men alone overthrew
the scaffolding of a power that rested on the wigs of Louis XIV., the
puffs of the Regency, the frizettes of Louis-XV., and the cushions of
Marie Antoinette."

"And those two men, those levellers, those two revolutionaries, who were
they, Cadenette? that I may doom them, so far as it lies in my power, to
public execration."

"M. Rousseau and citizen Talma: Monsieur Rousseau who said that
absurdity, 'We must return to Nature,' and citizen Talma, who invented
the Titus head-dress."

"That's true, Cadenette; that's true."

"When the Directory came in there was a moment's hope. M. Barras never
gave up powder, and citizen Moulins stuck to his queue. But, you see,
the 18th Brumaire has knocked it all down; how could any one friz
Bonaparte's hair! Ah! there," continued Cadenette, puffing out the dog's
ears of his client--"there's aristocratic hair for you, soft and fine as
silk, and takes the tongs so well one would think you wore a wig. See,
Monsieur le Baron, you wanted to be as handsome as Adonis! Ah! if Venus
had seen you, it's not of Adonis that Mars would have been jealous!"

And Cadenette, now at the end of his labors and satisfied with the
result, presented a hand-mirror to Morgan, who examined himself
complacently.

"Come, come!" he said to the wig-maker, "you are certainly an artist,
my dear fellow! Remember this style, for if ever they cut off my head
I shall choose to have it dressed like that, for there will probably be
women at my execution."

"And M. le Baron wants them to regret him," said the wig-maker gravely.

"Yes, and in the meantime, my dear Cadenette, here is a crown to reward
your labors. Have the goodness to tell them below to call a carriage for
me."

Cadenette sighed.

"Monsieur le Baron," said he, "time was when I should have answered:
'Show yourself at court with your hair dressed like that, and I shall be
paid.' But there is