dingly, she went back to Germany. There she resumed
relations with Liszt, who took her to a second Beethoven Festival at
Bonn. While allowance could be made for the artistic temperament, this
was considered to be straining it, and caustic remarks on the subject
appeared in the press.

During the absence of Lola from Paris, the relatives of Dujarier had
not been idle. Unpleasant whispers were heard that the dead man had
not fallen in a fair fight; and that the fatal bullet had come from a
weapon with which his adversary had already practised. As this was
contrary to the conditions of the encounter, the arm of the law
reached out, and de Beauvallon and his seconds were called upon for an
explanation. The one they furnished to them was deemed adequate by the
authorities. Still, if "honour was satisfied," the friends of de
Beauvallon's victim were not. Accordingly, they set to work, and,
pulling fresh strings, managed to get the official decision upset.

[Illustration: _Fanny Elssler. Predecessor of Lola Montez in Paris_]

An article on the subject that appeared in _Le Droit_ took a severe
tone:

"The grounds alleged to be responsible for this deplorable business,"
declared an editorial, "were utterly frivolous. As a result, the
public prosecutor has instructed an examining-magistrate to enquire
into all the circumstances, and an autopsy will be held. It is
possible that other measures will be adopted."

Other measures _were_ adopted.

"All duels," was the austere comment of the examining-magistrate who
conducted the enquiry, "are marked by folly, and some by deliberate
baseness." Where this one was concerned, he hinted at something
sinister, and asked pointed questions about the pistols that
d'Ecquevillez had been obliging enough to furnish. The answer was that
they belonged to M. de Cassignac, who, for his part, declared that,
until the actual day of the meeting, they had been in the custody of
the gunsmith from whom he had bought them. The gunsmith, however, M.
Devismes, said that this was not the case; and another witness
declared that he had seen de Beauvallon having a little surreptitious
practice with them in the garden.

The next thing that happened was that, before the magisterial enquiry
was finished, de Beauvallon and d'Ecquevillez made a hurried departure
from Paris. During their absence, it was decided to abandon further
proceedings for want of evidence. Thinking himself safe, de Beauvallon
then return